Puerto Viejo, Heredia, Costa Rica 2.24.15

Buenos Tardes,

Hoy fue un poco triste porque mi familia olvido escribirme. Entonces, voy a escribirles en Español como una castigo por su bagaces. Nombres. 

Este semana era pura vida. Muchos milagros y Presidente Cordon vino para ayudarnos con la mision porque Presidente Wilkenson estuvo una suregia. Esta bien ahora. Tenemos investigatores progresando adelante de bautismo y estamos teniendo mucho exito. Puerto Viejo ahora recibira permiso para ser una rama de Sion! Que bendicion!

Les amo.

Sigamos Adelante,

-Elder Neider

TRANSLATION

Good Afternoon, 

Today was a little sad because my family forgot me. So I'll write in Spanish as a punishment.
This week was pure joy. Many miracles and President Gordon came to help with the mission that President Wilkenson spent in surgery. He is fine now. Our investigators are progressing toward baptism and are having much success. Puerto Viejo has now received permission to be a branch of Zion! What a blessing!  I love you.

Let Forward,

-Elder Neider

Puerto Viejo, Heredia, Costa Rica 2.17.15

Good Morning San Diego,

Whussup! This week was just a plain weird week. It's just.... nombres. I don't know how to explain it. We had miracles and disasters. I'll give you the good news and the bad news. But the bad news first.

This week our house was broken into and we got robbed! Cool right? They took $70 from me and the camera of my companion with all the photo of his mission. Needless to say he is pretty upset. I put a picture in to show a little of the apartment afterward. Who robs a church? Haha.

Another bad thing that happened was that a lot of members didn't come to church this week. It was gonna be da bomb dot com but they just didn't all get there :( 

The miracles that we received was the family of Narciso came to church! What a blessing. I baptized him way back in November and now we have 8 of his family members coming to church and reading the Book of Mormon. What a blessing. Tomasa is his wife. She is a miracle in and of herself. She has 17 children. We got 8 to come but she's holding out the the addresses of the other 9 hahaha

This are also some cool photos we took this week. 

I love you all very much and I hope things are going great!

Sigamos Adelante,

-Elder Neider

Puerto Viejo, Heredia, Costa Rica 2.10.15

Dear Family,

IM GOING TO BE AN UNCLE! 

I have a nephew coming Elder Alvarado!

I have a nephew coming, Random Citizen! (Would you like to hear of Jesus Christ as well)

I have a nephew cominbg Mission President 

I have a nephew coming Lightspeeeeeeeeeddddd. 

 Haha i hope you got that reference ;)

Haha that something that you didnt say. Is it a boy or a girl Megan!?!

Nombres. I dont have anything to report this week. I dont remember anything now that im thinking that youre pregnant! Yeah babies everywhere...! Hoorayyyy

Well awesome! I am just so happy now. A few hours ago my companion told me that he asked President for tranfers becuase he doesnt like me or the area of Puerto Viejo. I am so happy to have read this message. I feel so much better now. I have never been so happy to hear that my sister is throwing up everyday before. Hooray. Enjoy it. Man. I feel like going out to teach of how families can be together forever now. Thanks for that Sister. I love you both so very much! Congratulations about the puppy as well! I love you all. Love you Tim. 

Sigamos Adelante,

-Elder Neider

Puerto Viejo, Heredia, Costa Rica 2.3.15

Buenas, 

This week has been pretty great! Lots of tender mercies and a little let downs. First off, today was Transfer Day. I am still going to be in Puerto Viejo with my companion Elder Alvarado. So 6 more weeks together. I'm still serving as a District Leader which always is interesting. Right now i have a sister that flat out doesn't want anything to do with me. I tried to figure out why and her companion said she simply is making the decision to not like me. Oh well. Its a great lesson that I'm learning in Leadership and in Charity. haha. There's always a bright side to thing right?

I am very happy to be staying in Puerto Viejo. A few weeks ago I remember praying to the Lord for one more change here. Looks like He thought that was a great idea :) Today we will be meeting with some lawyers to figure out how to divorce and marry 4 incredible investigators for this month. Its really weird. The mission really is the shortcut to the adult world. haha 20 year old white kid helping divorce and marry 2 couples in Costa Rica. Haha alrighty.

The reason is here, lots of people that have gotten married and after leave and begin living with someone else. To obey the law of chastity, they have to legally divorce and then marry the person they are living with. It's sad but that's part of the culture. We found an interesting loophole in the law though. The divorce process in Costa Rica is a 10 year deal. But we found that if the married persons have been separated for more than 3 years, their marriage is anulled and is void. If this is true, we will see many more baptisms in Costa Rica. haha like I said, it's really weird. Never thought for once in my life I would have to do these kinds of things. haha. 

I love you and I hope things are going great with everyone. 

Sigamos Adelante,

-Elder Neider

PS You have got to send the photo of Narciso in the Ohio State sweat shirt to Donnie and Christine ASAP. HAHAHAHA That was SO stinkin funny when I saw he had that!

Puerto Viejo, Heredia, Costa Rica 1.27.15

Dearest Family,

This week has been incredible! I have been SO blessed to see this group grow. When I came, the attendance was about 28. This last Sunday, we had 56. I am so happy for this. You have no idea. We received word that we have to change apartments to fit all the people so we have been house shopping a lot. It's weird talking with home owners about rent. It's definitely different and I feel like an adult. People with 40 years have to barter with me, a white gringo with 20 years, to get me to pay for a house. WHAT? Que tuanis? 

This end of the week, we should have a baptism. Right now we are in divisions so that we can baptize Luis. I'm here in Guapiles about to have my first baptismal interview conducted by me. I have to interview a 13 year old youth to see if he is ready. I'm super excited. 

Lately in the mission it's been hard but the Lords help is every where. If you are ever feeling down, study about Grace or the Enabling Power of the Atonement. I promise in the name of Jesus Christ and as His representative, that you WILL feel His love and strength if you do. Doesn't matter your circumstance. He will come to help you if you diligently seek Him. He lives. 

I got a lot of great photos for you guys this week. I dont have time to explain them though :/ sorry

I love you all and I hope everything is going great still! 

Sigamos Adelante,

-Elder Neider

Puerto Viejo, Heredia, Costa Rica 1.20.15

Dear Family,

WHERE DID THE TIME GO? Holy Hannah. One year already. I'm completing one year this week. How quickly it's passed by. I gotta get to work before I'm out of time :P 

Well this week has been pretty interesting. We received a new Zone Leader this week. He is from Colombia. Elder Saavedra. He is super cool and he is ready to help each of us reach our potential. In the District, things are going great. I'm still getting the hang of being a leader. I feel like the Lord is trying to teach me something. In every single area we have the same problem. There is a person ready for baptism but they simply aren't making the choice of baptism. I have no idea what to do. Elder Saavedra gave some council to me that I think might help. If there is disobedience or contention in the District, the Lord will stop the success of the work to teach us how to forget ourselves and go to work. He can only bless us according to our faith. So if our actions aren't in conformity with what we pray for, he can't/won't bless us. I'm going to try to help the sisters the best I can. Wish me luck!

We have lots of people that our ready for baptism. One of our investigators is named Modesta and everytime we talk with her she asks when she can be baptized. It's awesome. Sadly I and the other missionaries think I will have transfers at the beginning of of February. I don't think I'll have the chance to see her and her fiancee get married and baptized. But I'm going to work my hardest to help them prepare. I love this people! 

It's great to hear that the funeral service went well. I thought it sounded very nicely done. Hermana Wilkinson hasn't said anything to me. I don't have much contact with President or his wife much. 

I love the Lord and His Atonement. I have learned so much about the Enabling Power of the Atonement lately and I have felt it influence my life. I love this Gospel.

In other news, I finished reading The Book of Mormon in Spanish for the first time. Let me tell ya, regardless of the language, that book is true. Hahaha. I know that the Book of Mormon is true with all my heart. I add my testimony along with President Monson when he said,"If you havent read The Book of Mormon yet.....READ IT!" It is the Word of God that leads us to the Savior and Our Heavenly Father. I love this!

I love you all and I hope that everything is alright at home. I'm doing my best to not think of home and getting to work. Thank you for all your prayers and love. 

Sigamos Adelante,

-Elder Neider

Puerto Viejo, Heredia, Costa Rica 1.13.15

Dear Peeps,

This week was one of the hardest weeks I have been out on my mission without a doubt. As a District leader, I get to see moment for moment progress on baptisms. Well.... we started off the month with 7 for baptisms and now we are fighting for 2 that might happen. It's been frustrating. But we are doing better little by little. I feel desires to do better all the time. I thank everyone for their prayers and letters. We did have a lot of success though on Sunday. 7 investigators in the chapel and an attendance of 45. That was incredible to see!

It made me a little sad to hear about Aunt Rosie. But I know that she's moving on to great things. I like the one of the first Russian converts to become mission presidents. Elder Nelson called her up to the microphone at a Stake Dedication. Her husband had recently passed away after they were released from serving as mission presidents I think. He said that she bore a powerful testimony of covenants. She said, "We are still mission companions. Him on that side and I on this side of the veil" It is a great talk and a powerful testimony of the reality of covenants. I know that Aunt Rosie is a virtuous woman and that they are keeping their covenants. Haha I found the spanish version of Uncle Mikes talk in a Liahona this last week. 

I love my mission even though that it's the hardest thing I've ever done. The Lord is the Gardener here and he knows what he wants me to become. Just gotta hold on tight and keep moving forward.

Sigamos Adelante,

-Elder Neider