Canas, Guanacaste, Costa Rica 7.21.14

''I have a Family here on Earth. They are so good to me. I want to share my life with them for all eternity. Families can be together forever through Heavenly Father´s plan. I always want to be with my own family, and the Lord has show me how I can. The Lord has shown me how I can''.

The childrens Hymns have a lot of profound doctrine don't you think?

I know that families can be together forever. I know that the Neider Family is living worthy of that blessing and that we WILL BE together with Grandma again. I can't explain how I know that to be true. Nevertheless it is. It is an eternal truth which means that it will never change. Never. I love my Grandma Donna with all my heart and she always emphasized the family. Always telling stories and experiences that have helped and blessed every life she has touched. I remember that for an assignment as a junior, I interviewed Grammy D. I was trying to get her to bear her testimony to me with my last question. I remember asking,''Grandma, do you believe you will see Grandpa Boyd again?'' To which she replied,'' Let me put it this way, when I get up there, if he's found another woman...'' and then she gave the dirtiest look I've ever seen an 86 year old woman give. Looks like that moment has come and passed. Can't wait to ask her what happened!

So I've had an interesting week. Right now I'm back at the Mission Office writing. I'm waiting to receive my new companion. Elder Gutierrez had changes. So I've been going on divisions with the Secretaries. We had a cool experience last night. We tried everything that we could and then put the day in the Hands of the Lord. We found two super ready people that accepted the date of the 19th of August for baptism. I really feel like I'm becoming an instrument in His hands. With the changes of Elder Gutierrez, this means that both me and my new companion will have a total of 2 weeks in the area of Cañas worth of time. Even better, one of us needs to be the District Leader. We'll see tomorrow.

Sorry it's a little short this week. I don't have a lot of time. P-Day ends soon. I'll write a little more later.

BTW, tomorrow I will have officially have left home 6 months ago. Crazy how fast time flies. To quote the words of Elder Johnson, ''I've been preparing my whole life for this moment. I blinked my eyes the I realize the moment is almost over.'' -Elder Johnson, Zone Leader of Cartago with 20 months in the mission.

I love you all.

Siga Adelante,

Elder Neider

P.S.  Where are the emails from Uncle Donnie's family and Aunt Cami's family? Yep. I'm calling you out.

Canas, Guanacaste, Costa Rica 7.14.14

What?!?!?! Why are you guys meeting some of the coolest people on Earth without me?! John Bytheway and the Prophet! What the hey.

We can start praying for the two of them. 

So I'm in Cañas right now. It's a part of the Province called Guanacaste. It's hot a lot, but there's also lots of wind which is a tender mercy. My new companion is named Elder Gutierrez. He was born in Nicaragua, but he moved to San Jose when he was 7 months old. He has lived in Costa Rica for 20 years. It's his birthday today. We made him a cake, got Pizza Hut, and hung out in a air conditioned room! 

Elder Gutierrez has a very special gift. I've haven't seen this gift before, only heard of it in stories. He receives revelation through dreams. The only problem is that he doesn't know how to interpret them very well. We sat down one day and he said, Elder I had a dream. In my mind I began thinking of Martin Luther King Jrs speech but I let him continue. He began to tell me that he had a dream about me and it was completely accurate. Heavenly Father sends him those revelations. That gift is real. Pretty cool.

This last week we found a woman who is Canadian named Lisa. She barely speaks any Spanish. So I taught her the Restoration because Elder Gutierrez doesn't know English. We have a lot of investigators here and we are working hard. This last week Elder Gutierrez got Dingue. It's a disease that comes from a mosquito. I remember Elder Johnson explaining what it's like. Every joint aches, huge migraine, and you feel like your skin is sloughing off. We missed a day of work cause it just wasn't going to happen. He couldn't walk. Terrible. But he's fine now.

Tell Caden, Pura Vida y Tuanis.

I have some very exciting news. I've officially gained 24.6 lbs here the mission! Yes!

About reading the scriptures. Two things have helped me a lot here. The first is in my prayer to begin study, I tell the Lord that I would like to receive revelation and that my study is in His hands. Then I open to some random part of the Book of Mormon and begin reading. If I don't find something that really pops out and grabs my attention, I start over by opening to another part. This helps me to see His hand a little more. The other thing I do when I'm reading straight through, and there's something I don't understand or would like to know more about, I just change my study to that new thing I've found. Hope those things help. 

ESO! Will is out and about in the mission. That's great! If you have his email I'd like to send him some helping words of encouragement. The first few days in the MTC are a little tough. By a little, I mean a ton

Also, if you could, when you see Brother White, Brother Moore, Brother Wright, Brother Warner, Brother Willie, Brother Maxwell, Brother Hunt, Brother Lewis and the Bishop. Again, tell him thanks for everything they have done for me, my mission, and my life. I never really did thank my leaders. I did, but now I really understand the value of great youth leaders. Their preparation has helped me immeasurably. And last of all thanks to my parents. Thanks for making me the missionary I am now. Love you all lots.

Pura Vida,

Elder Neider

Canas, Guanacaste, Costa Rica 7.6.14

Como esta en los Estados Unidos?

So today was cambios or transfers. I'm currently writing to you from an internet cafe in San Jose waiting for my new zone to all get here to go to our new areas. That's right. Elder Neider has left Cartago and is heading to a new area called Cañas in Guanacaste. Guanacaste is the northern most part of Costa Rica. Apparently it is crazy hot there. It's the area where my grandpa Elder Johnson served and my last companion Elder Guevara came from. I dont know much more than that in this moment. I do know it's a Rama or Branch and there's my companion and I and 2 companionships of sisters. 

I love Cartago and I know I worked with my whole heart. It was hard to say goodbye. One of the families I have told me off as I was saying goodbye so that was a little hard. But I have like 8 elders who served in Cañas so I have a lot of referencias to get started. Guanacaste is the zone that has had to most baptisms consecutively for like 3 years. Incredible. This zoneis sacred to the missionaries and president. He only puts those he trusts here. Awesome. 

I said goodbye to Guevara, Johnson and Gomez here. They are brothers to me. I love them and wish them all the success in the world. 

It's good to hear that the family is doing great and having fun. How was the fly over? What is Barnum about? Love ya guys.

Siga Adelante,

Elder Neider