October 24, 2022 - there was just so much peace!

 Week 62

We had the baptism of Sara this weekend! It was so special to see her dad baptize and confirm her! We started visiting Sara, or Sarita as many know her, a few months back when in a Zone conference we were encouraged to look for niños inscritos. From that moment we went looking and found her with the help of members! Then as we began teaching her, she helped reactivate the whole family. In just a few months they had changed their work schedules to be able to come to church every week and her father was able to baptize and confirm her. She's shy and has never shared much, but in her baptism she shared a strong testimony of the peace that she feels when she reads the scriptures and how that peace is nothing compared to the peace she felt when she was baptized. There was just so much peace! The ward was also so helpful in making it such a special experience in which the spirit was present. They had such a full day here in the ward with a temple trip, a baptism, a wedding, and 2 more baptisms. It was a fun packed day! 

We also got to share a few more messages with members this week. We invite each of them to follow the invitation that Elder Rasband gave in the conference of October this year. "My dear friends, as an Apostle of the Lord, I invite you to follow our beloved prophet, President Nelson, in flooding the earth with the Book of Mormon. The need is so great; we need to act now. I promise that you will be participating in “the greatest work on earth,” the gathering of Israel, as you are inspired to reach out to those who have been “kept from the truth because they know not where to find it.” They need your testimony and witness of how this book has changed your life and drawn you closer to God, His peace, and His “tidings of great joy.”"

Haha other than that we keep trying to find new people to teach and keep contacting people in equipo de los sueños. We had some fun lessons with people in EDS who are so prepared and remember that at 9 years old their friend was a member and they've always wanted to learn more about the church. We also had a lesson in English which was fun too!

Share the restored gospel!! "para que Sus hijos sepan cómo regresar a Su lado." 

Con mucho amor, 

Hermana Warburton 

Apartado Postal 249-2010

San José, Zapote,

Costa Rica

 La boda 

 A sunset

 The whole mission! 

 Visiting members with the other sisters 

Our baptism! 

October 17, 2022 - Studying Lehi's Dream

 Week 61 

We had transfers and my new companion is Hermana Anderson from Provo. She has 6 weeks on the mission here in Costa Rica! 

We had such a cute lesson with a little girl who is going to have her baptism this week! We talked about the temple and we are excited for her to be baptized because it will also be completing her eternal family as her parents are already members. We also had a great lesson with all the family focused on Christ and it was great! 

A test we did have this week was when we learned that our whole area book was wiped away. All the people just gone, our area eliminated. It made me a lot more thankful for the area book because really it helps us stay organized and remember every person we area teaching. It was especially hard with EDS because there are so many people to keep track of there (like hundreds), but they are all slowly coming back so that's good. 

Another person progressing is a twenty year old. He is doing great and we had a member lesson with him this past week which went super well! He was left with the very powerful invitation by the member to really ask God if what he is learning is true, and if he receives an answers that it is, would he be baptized?!   

I loved our mission conference with Elder Godoy in person! The whole mission was there and  I was once again remind of how lucky I am to be able to give all my time to my Heavenly father and Jesus during this year and a half. We talked a lot about exact obedience and I loved being called to repentance in a nice way. We finished by singing called to serve and it really touched my heart in a way that it never has before. 

Also we had a surprise house inspection! Luckily we clean every week, so when president and hna Johnson and Elder and hna Godoy showed up, we were all ready to go. Luckily we weren't studying Lehi's dream as Elder Godoy joked. We passed and had a great time talking with all of them. 

5 And he gave unto them commandments, that they should worship the Lord their God, and should offer the firstlings of their flocks, for an offering unto the Lord. And Adam was obedient unto the commandments of the Lord.

   6 And after many days an angel of the Lord appeared unto Adam, saying: Why dost thou offer sacrifices unto the Lord? And Adam said unto him: I know not, save the Lord commanded me.

19 And in process of time it came to pass that Cain brought of the fruit of the ground an offering unto the Lord.

   20 And Abel, he also brought of the firstlings of his flock, and of the fat thereof. And the Lord had respect unto Abel, and to his offering;

   21 But unto Cain, and to his offering, he had not respect.

I loved this example of obedience and the focus and the desire we have to follow the one who gives the commandment and not so much the details. This will help each of us close the distance between our names and Christ on each of the plaques (literally or figuratively speaking) we wear as missionaries. Also he said something that just feels so true...."When you finally start to understand your missionary purpose, it's time to go home so that you can live the rest of your life as missionary." 

Mucho amor,

Hermana Warburton

 Cleaning inspection

 

A blueberry muffin that was very good 

Conference with Elder Godoy 

Mi nueva compañera

  

October 10, 2022 - Agua fría

 Week 60

This week was a very crazy week for many different reasons. For one, we learned about transfers for this week a little early. On Thursday we went to the other mission to get an MRI scan. As my companion got her scan I sat in the waiting room because I couldn't go in. And as I watched a video about how to do an at home COVID test. I watched it so many times that I'm pretty sure if it was ever necessary I could take the at home test in my sleep. Anyway after the scan we were told to wait 48 hours for the results so we got on the bus to head back to our area. well it turned out to be after 48 minutes that we got the results. Then they were sent to the doctor and we were notified that my companion would need to have surgery on her knee. Well, soon after we received a call from President saying that she would have to return to Guatemala to have the surgery. Hna Zárate will be returning to Guatemala for a few months, and will probably be returning about the same time I am leaving

 It's sad to see how her eyes get water every time someone asks about her knee. But I know when she comes back she'll work harder than ever. 

For another, we were finishing up lessons for two people for their baptism Saturday, and they would never answer us! Miracles do happen though as they really wanted to get baptized and we really wanted them to be prepared, and we finished the lessons! Saturday we had two baptisms, but one of the sisters has asthma and was afraid to fully submerge her body in the water. She couldn't do it. But her daughter was baptized! Then yesterday, neither one came to church so she wasn't confirmed. They haven't responded to our messages, so we hope to be able to support them, and help them feel of the rightness of their decision. We do have plans with the ward to be able to go to another church with warm water and keep supporting these sisters. Pray for them!! 

We also contacted a nice mom who was actually looking for us to answer questions about the church. She was so sure about coming to church in our lesson, but wasn't there yesterday. I hope we can meet with her next week and encourage her more to come to church. 

Even with all the craziness of the baptism it was still very special. The daughter of a member we are teaching and her parents were excited about putting a date for their daughter's baptism after the baptism and we did a special musical number for the baptism! And as I started singing "yo sé que vive mi señor" I could just feel the spirit in the room bringing the message to each person that Christ lives. 

Another spiritual moment I had was thinking about Moroni 8 and how the laws we teach, we don't just teach for people to be baptised and that's it. I think maybe we teach in that way sometimes. But really they are God's laws to be able to enter His house here on earth and in heaven. We have to be keeping all His laws to be able to receive these eternal blessings. Alma 8:11, 33 "El bautismo es para el arrepentimiento a fin de cumplir los mandamientos para la remisión de pecados" "a fin de que lleguéis a ser santos, sin mancha." 

Con mucho amor, 

Hermana Warburton

Making pinto!! I love it. It's really good. 

 In the other mission.

                                                                    The rest: "goodbye" to members 

October 3, 2022 - Wasn't the music just so good at conference?

 Week 59

Each week goes by so fast! And this week was no different. We had a big miracle come this week in the form of members. One of the investigator friends of the ward has been coming to church for about 2 years but has never been baptized because she couldn't stop drinking coffee. Well a few weeks back we had a lesson with her and she said that as soon as she could save enough money to start buying cafe de maíz she could stop drinking coffee. Well we helped speed up the process by giving her cafe de maíz. And during this time a member was there helping and supporting not only her, but also her daughter. On Saturday they came to the church to watch the sesiones, and there the sister told us she wanted to be baptized and with her daughter and the member they had organized a date and then came to us and told us that they wanted to be baptized this week. It will be a crazy week helping them get ready, but it is such a happy miracle for all, especially after some time! 

General conference was great! And like many I have had questions about little random things and I found answers in so many conference talks. It reminds me of how in an EDS lesson we had this past week, someone was very surprised when we read a scripture that answered their question exactly. Our Heavenly Father really does want us to know the truth and will always be trying to lead us to it, but to understand it, we have to want to understand and be looking! Also I just have to say again the church does such a good job advertising people say they saw and responded to our announcements after listening to a song or after opening a newly downloaded Bible app. 

And to put an end to the area saga, we got to keep our area! President met with the stake president and decided that as missionaries we should respect the long held agreement that the stakes have. We think we understand why it all started though because soon after the problem got solved we put someone else on date 👀

Some one liners from General Conference! 

- Your covenants are what give you a special connection with Him.

- Trials and suffering are part of life, maybe even a good life. 

- We can transform our divine nature into our eternal destiny. 

- We follow Him everywhere! 

- The opportunities that await you in the mission are unique. 

- So many wonderful things are ahead. He will bestow countless miracles among the faithful. 

- Do you love the Lord? Spend time with Him! 

- Love Them more than anyone or anything. 

- Give a Book of Mormon to your friend!! 

And to finish I would like to share the words of our dear Prophet Russel M Nelson because I LOVED the moment when he shared them… 

"I love you. Let God be with you till we meet again." 

Hermana Warburton 

Pizza break between conference sessions 

2. Just a friend doing my hair!