Sunday, March 30, 2014

Cartago Costa Rica 3.24.14

Thanks for sending the Line of Authority. HAHAHA Wherever you go- There you are. HAHA thanks Dad.
So I had a cool run in with the Gift of Tongues earlier this week. I woke up a basically re-enacted the beginning part of Bedazzled when he wakes up and can speak Spanish. I had the music in my head the rest of the day. No se if thats actually Gift of Tongues or not. But my companions told me where the library was regardless.
HAD MY 2ND CONVERT YESTERDAY!!! I say second because it was my first convert.
We would've had 2 but Marcos drank some coffee to wake up for his baptism. Facepalm.
We couldn't find the key to the font so I had to jump over the safety glass to unlock it from the other side. haha I almost biffed it. THE WATER IS FREEZING.
I didn't bring a towel because I thought that one would be provided. But I received a tender mercy. I walked into the bathroom and as I was changing I recognized that my garments weren't wet. As I slipped my regular church pants on, my legs became completely dry without wiping my leg on the pants. I don't how to describe it well. But I felt like it was a "good job" said from My Heavenly Father for bringing one into the fold. My joy was great.
I do need some advice. I see the blessings of being an obedient missionary. In the CCM (MTC) Hermano Turner said,"I was not a perfect missionary. But I knew that I could be a perfectly obedient missionary and love perfectly" Thats what I want. But I have to have a companion who shares my enthusiasm for obeying all the rules. How can you talk to your companion about being more obedient? Or telling them, "Elder we shouldn't be doing this".
I do it as humbly and as nicely as I possibly can. But they still get upset at me for trying to receive all the blessings I can. I NEED THEM!! haha.
I've been quite frustrated lately with the language. Church is a killer. I listen to Spanish all day and understand about 40%. But church is 2 hours of straight ldkfja;lsdkfja;lsdkfja;ldkjf;lasdkjf;laskfj after Sacrament. I got the worst headache.
Yesterday I gave my first talk in church. I forgot my written talk at home. Facepalm. So the Spirit gave a talk for me. As it should be.
The Word of Wisdom is the most frustrating thing in Costa Rica by far. In a wonderful home of investigators we've been visiting, a man named Michael, a brother-in-law, had a beer in his hand as he began asking us about the church. I was first bothered by this because this home had 9 kids running around all under 6 years old. I shrugged it off until we walked in the kitchen and I saw 6 other empty beer cans lined up on the counter. I realized that the only responsible adult in the house at the current time of 9 children, was drunk. I did not feel Christ-like love for this man. I have taught this family for 3 weeks and he had the nerve to get drunk when it was his responsibility to watch over them. In the middle of our discussion he picked up his 2 year old son with one hand and with a beer in the other, began to accidently pour beer in the childs hair and he tried to take some drinks. He never figured out how to hold both and even set the sleeping toddler on the ground rather than put the beer down. My heart felt a different kind of sorrow.
Other than that things are going great here. I miss you all and can't wait to get back. Skyler hit his 7 month mark last week. He says it goes by quick. I wouldn't give up this experience for the world.
Siga Adelante,
-Elder Neider
PS I finished Jesus the Christ this morning. Phenomenal.

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