Drawing made by Carlos

So things went ok this week, we were able to find some new investigators and I have learned a lot about how to be a better missionary... for all those who are preparing for the mission, read Preach My Gospel, especially the lessons, and chapter 10, it will help a ton!!!

So this week we were able to meet with several investigators. Carlos is progressing well and so are Diego and Evelin. On Wednesday we went to our district meeting (I got to teach about what I thought we could improve as a district.) and then we went to Subway (cause we won doing LPEs) and the other elders paid for us. (or payed?). We got back to our area and went up to the mountain with our new investigators. One is "christian" and he accpeted everything about the Restoration until we got to invite him to baptism... he doesn't like the idea that only we have the priesthood, he got furious and started yelling at us. It really surprised me... I was a little nervous. But I calmly told him that I didn't want to fight so we ended it right there and our mission leader gave his testimony so everything worked out well =) On Thursday almost all of our plans fell through =( But I got my drawing from Carlos, it's pretty cool. On Friday we were finally about to meet with Pachi again, and we will start teaching him again this week! And then yesterday we didn't have 1 investigator in church =( None progressing =( And so after church I am now helping with the ward choir, I'm playing piano. Then we went to an investigators house and watched the Testaments, I think that he can progress, his name is Jonathon. His wife is a Jehovah's Witness, but he's evangelico. Then I got to teach Mission Prep. I taught the Plan of Salvation, it was pretty fun. Then we went to Diego and Evelin's. We found out that they had doubts about Joseph Smith, so we explained dispensations and the restoration again, I think they're good now =)

That's what we did this week, cool huh?

Funny Experience: We went to a "soda", home-style fast food... and there was a guy playing a ... "maquina", it's like pinball but you want the ball to fall in holes, and you can win money. Well this guy was drunk but he started to win money. So I told him to win some for me. He says "if I lose, you pay me, if I win, I pay you" Well, he was drunk and I didn't want problems so I prayed that he could win. Well, he won! =) So I asked for my money, he said no, that he had lied... So he played and won again, so he gave me some money haha, he won again, and gave me more! At the end he won a lot, so he gave me even more! The he looks at my comp and says, "here you go, so you don't feel bad." and gave him a little too and walked away. hahaha

I now have a new drunk friend haha. Well thanks for reading, I hope you've enjoyed. So y'all next week. Hasta luego!

-- Elder Black

     Elder Hunter Black   

                                                                                                               

                                                                                                              

   Costa Rica San José   

                                                                                                               

                                                                                                                                

          2013-2014          

Great Week!

4 Baptisms and a Wedding!!!

So we had a pretty great week, we were able to learn a lot and now we are really going to get the area going. We had some awesome miracles that happened this week.

So on Tuesday we started a contest between us and the other companionship to see who could get the most LPEs (contacts) by Monday. I'll get back to this in a minute. We went up with Bagner (19 year old investigator). We were talking with him and we were able to see that he has progressed a ton and is just about ready for baptism. He told us that he would do whatever God wants him to if he could just recieve an answer... Golden! So we are praying that he recieves his answer. We placed a baptismal date with him for March 29. Then on Wednesday we went to a multi-zone conference and it was really good. I was able to learn things that will really help me in my area. Then I went with my District Leader to my area to do the baptismal interview with Jafet (13 year old) and he didn't pass... he couldn't remember a couple of commandments... Then on Thursday we went and visited Carlos. He is willing to do whatever we tell him. He accepted to go to church and accepted a baptismal date for April 6. Then on Friday we went and picked up Elder Richardson (an assistant to president) and he went with us to our area to help us become better missionaries. He is super outgoing, he talked withEVERYONE. I didn't know it was possible until he got there. He really taught me how to love the people and I'm excited to be better at that. Then on Saturday we had our baptism and then we had to go to stake conference, so we didn't really do much that day. Then Sunday we went to Stake conference again. It was a broadcast and we were able to listen to Elder Scott speak, it was different listening to him in spanish haha. Then we went looking for some new investigators, the family of Jafet. But they weren't there... And then this is what happened, I'm going to tell this story from the beginning...

I was trying to be a good senior comp and I did some LPEs. One was a women that I saw, Evelin. We were able to finally get an appointment with her after about 3 weeks of trying. We found her and it turns out that she has 3 kids ages 8, 13, and 15. We gave her a pamphlet and she read. We went back after a few days and asked if she had read, she told us no. "Why not?" She answered, "my husband took it with him to work and has been reading it, and he's anxious to meet you guys." So finally yesterday we got an appointment to meet with the husband. We went right at 5 and the kids said that he wasn't there... so we decided to go to a nearby member's house. While we were with the member we recieved a phone call, "Hello, were you looking for Diego? Well, he's in the house now." So we went running to get there. We got there and we got to know him. He has had a difficult past and I felt that we should teach lesson 3 but didn't act right away. Elder Richardson then said that we would be teaching lesson 3. We went through the whole lesson and it was the first real good lesson that we had together. In the end we were able to place 5 baptismal dates for April 6. It was a great experience.

After that we had to take Elder Richardson back to his area and we made some goals with him, so hopefully we can get things going to make our area explode!

That was basically my week, it went pretty well and I'm ready to keep having good experiences. Thanks for the support as always, love you all! 

-- Elder Black

P.S. We won the LPE competition ending the week with 79 LPEs. This means that the other companionship must buy us Subway =)

    Elder Hunter Black   

                                                                                                               

                                                                                                              

   Costa Rica San José   

                                                                                                               

                                                                                                                                

          2013-2014          

A Weird Week

So we had a really weird week, things seemed to go well, but bad at the same time...

On Monday we went and contacted a reference. She seemed really interested and everything. She asked us questions about the bible (she's catholic) and we answered. She accepted everything. We left her with a pamplet of the restoration and she said that she would read it all before Wednesday (our next appointment). Tuesday morning she called us, "Hey, I read all of the pamphlet, it'll be best if you guys don't come, I don't believe in Joseph Smith or the Book of Mormon, bye." Yeah, it was really weird and random, but we had to drop her. Thenon Wednesday we went to our district meeting where we got to meet one of the new elders in our district. We then went to a less actives house and watched "The Testaments". Then we went clear up in the mountain to teach Joán and his family to get them ready for the interview. On Thursday we went to Carlos' house (he's new and he's an artist). He made us empanadas and we taught a lesson. Afterwards he took a picture of me to draw me a portrait =) I'll take a picture and send it when I have it. Then we took a member to Michael's house. I don't remember if I've talked about Michael or no, but he's an engineer, he's 29 years-old, and he's very smart. He doesn't really have much faith in God and wants to see the logic in everything. The member that we took went to his mission in Australia, he's 24 (I think) and had the same situations as our investigator, it was perfect =) The lesson went really well and they got along really well too. Then we went as usual to play soccer with our investigators and members. On Friday we went on divisions. I went to Don Bosco with Elder Gonzalez and my comp stayed in Vizcaya with the DL. Well, Joán and his family passed the interviews so we'll be having a wedding and baptisms this coming Saturday! I get to baptize one of them =)

That was my week, we had some weird days (Saturday and Sunday) but we also had some good days. But good news, we'll finally have our baptisms =)

I'll talk to you all later, hope you have a good week!

--Elder Black

     Elder Hunter Black   

                                                                                                               

                                                                                                              

   Costa Rica San José   

                                                                                                               

                                                                                                                                

          2013-2014          

So this week we didn't get a whole lot done, it was kinda rough, but hopefully things will go better this week.

So basically all throughout the week we had several lessons planned with investigators each day, but they fell through, every day. But finally on Thursday we were able to meet with Bagner (a 20 year old investigator) and we talked with him about how to recieve an answer. In the end we were able to place a baptismal date with him forMarch 15 =) Then on Saturday we went and looked for the house of a reference we had recieved. We finally got there, his name is Carlos. He is very interested in our message and isn't active in any church. And also, he's an artist, he's going to draw me a picture of me =) And he said that he could meet with us whatever day of the week =) And yeah, those were basically the highlights of the week. And just to remind you guys, we should have a wedding and 4 baptisms on March 15, so pray hard so that it works out.

Thanks for the support as always, I love you all!

Con mucho amor(sh),

-- Elder Black

     Elder Hunter Black   

                                                                                                               

                                                                                                              

   Costa Rica San José   

                                                                                                               

                                                                                                                                

          2013-2014