Feliz Navidad!

I cant believe that Christmas is here! There are so many Christmas type things going on here in the mission, but honestly, when its 80 degrees (Can I just rub that in your faces a little more?) it just doesn't feel like Christmas at all. 

Our ward here in Escazu is amazing and planned an amazing "live art" open house to invite people from the community to get to know our chapel a little more and enjoy the spirit of Christmas by remember the birth of Christ.

This week has been a little slower for missionary work. The main reason is that everyone is getting busy with Christmas stuff. Lots of people leave to go to other parts of Costa Rica, many go to the United States or to Nicaragua to be with family. We have been spending more time with the members (which is really great, just that we dont get to count them as lessons). I have honestly been feeling really stressed out this week a lot. 

One day I was feeling particularly overwhelmed. Its was in the morning and I felt so stressed out I just wanted to crawl in bed and cry. Instead I got on my knees and asked for some help. Later that day a member in our ward, who honestly I had never talked to before came to me telling us that he had a friend that he wanted up to meet. He had already given his friend a Book of Mormon and she had already read through 1 Nephi! WHAT!?!?! The next day we had a appointment with her, and honestly it was one of the most spiritual lessons of my mission. It went to well, that we challenged her to be baptized and she accepted without even hesitating. It was awesome. She is so excited to learn everything she can and has already gotten her answer that the Book of Mormon is true. Her name is Claudia, she is a Tica who actually wants the lessons in English (which was WAY harder for me then it should have been.... awkward) and we LOVE her. 

The very next day I was on my knees asking for more miracles (could I BE more selfish?) We hadn't even left the house and half of our planned appointments feel through. So frustrating. I just told the Lord "I am trying to give you ALL of my time, just show my how to fill it".  We ended up dropping by a less actives house, and then walking through the park. Randomly (or you know, by the Lords hand) I see Enrique from a distance. I cant remember if I told you guys about Enrique. He basically walked into a ward activity one day, wanted to learn about our church, came to our services the next day and read the entire Book of Mormon in a week. The problem was that someone robbed his cell phone so we didn't have any way to contact him, because he wouldn't tell us where he lived (a little shady). I was so disappointed when we lost him. I had been praying for weeks to find him again and promising the Lord I wouldn't miss our chance if we found him again. My mind was boggled when we ran into him. He was really excited to see us too. We had a lesson right there in the park and I am grateful for the chance to work with him again. 

Anyways, I am out of time, but I hope everyone has a WONDERFUL Christmas! Remember the reason for the Season!

Love, Hermana Patterson 

Pictures from an Hermana in Costa Rica!

The email from Lexi Dated 12/17 did not have a letter attached, but a lot of great photos.  Enjoy!

 We took Christmas pictures as a zone and we were awfully festive!

Last week we had a relief society activity ¨Super Saturday¨ They taught us how to make Christmas treats and sock snow men, it was really fun! We brought two investigators with us, Ruth and Maria Jesus. 

Elder Hugie and Hermana Garcia got transferred the next day 

Some of my favorite memebers/ less actives 

Anna bonilla (very active)

 and Mitzi with her kids, Amy and Andrian

and Jami y Pedro 

Before Hna Garcia got transferred she had to say goodbye to Anna Hazel. 

The next day, me and my new companion (Hna Delgado) helped paint Mitzis house. 

 Me and my new companion Hermana Delgado!

Yesterday we had our Christmas activity. We went to a old folks home to sing Christmas carols and spend time with them. 

Christmas Lunch and with the Wilkinson family! (Mission Presidents family) 

we went to the hospital after the Christmas party to do anything we could to help my old companion, Hna Hernandez and her new companion Hna Stark. 

This is the first week that I cant say ¨it flew by so fast¨. So much happened and there was so much running around. Preparing for Christmas there are so many ward activities and errands to be run, plus just having transfers, its definitely an interesting time of year.

3 Nephi 17:8 For I see that your faith is sufficient that I should heal you.

Last Tuesday I got super sick. Any form of illness on the mission, but especially food poisoning is the absolute worst.  There are always so many things to do! So many people to see and teach!  Feeling bad for yourself?  (As a good friend of mine says) Ain´t no body got time fo ´dat! No, but seriously. In normal life, you take the day off, don’t go to classes, call in from work and spend the day recuperating.  In the mission if you stay home it is HIGHLY frowned upon and you feel guilty for wasting the Lords time. #missionpains 

I spent a good 48 hours feeling HORRIBLE. In case you have never experienced being extremely ill in another country its…. awful.  You don’t trust any sort of medicine, you call the mission nurse who tells you ¨drink water and get to work¨ and you desperately want your mom.  But, you keep on waking up at 6:30 a.m. and you try to pretend that its all okay. 

Wednesday (day two of the monster inside me) was harder than Tuesday.  I was a little worried because we were going to be spending the entire day in Los Anonos (aka Ghetto) where you do not trust the bathrooms AT ALL.  Through every single lesson I would try to hard to concentrate but I just felt SO bad.  At around 4, Miguel, a return missionary in our ward had plan to go visit a couple less actives with us. We went to our first appointment and before we started I told him I might need a blessing, as he gave me a blessing  he told me that depending on my faith my body would be immediately healed.  I was honestly surprised. I have had blessings of health before, and I expected a blessing that would tell me that I would have the strength to do all the work that was necessary or something along those lines, but never that I would be immediately healed.  My first thought was ¨How great is my faith? I´ve never had a blessing like this before, do I trust that it can happen?¨  then without even a second passing I thought ¨Yes¨ and a warmth that started at the top of my head and went down to my stomach and I could literally FEEL the priesthood blessing curing my body. I was an experience I will never forget.  

Food poisoning is something so… trivial. Its not cancer or anything near as horrible, but I still needed the strength of the lord to keep moving (physically, but also emotionally). I felt close to the spirit as I realized that my Heavenly Father knows me, knows the work I am doing and knows my physical, spiritual and emotional needs.  He knows when its time to step in.  I am so grateful that priesthood authority  has been restored hear on the earth. I´m grateful for worthy men who can preform miracles under the direction of Jesus Chist.  I´m greatful for a loving heavenly father who cares. 

So, did you all watch the Christmas Devotional http://www.lds.org/broadcasts/archive/christmas-devotional/2013/12?lang=eng?

Honestly, it was the first things that almost felt like Christmas time.  Everything was so beautiful. We brought Maricela and Arthuro to a members house to watch it, and I think they really enjoyed it.  Some of my quotes were:

"Whatever may cause the worry, each of us yearns to find inner peace…Peace can come to all who earnestly seek the Prince of Peace."-Elder Neilson

"Imperfect people share planet earth with other imperfect people."

"What happens next to us largely depends on how we embrace our Savior, Jesus Christ, and follow Him."

Sorry no pictures this week kids! I actually took a TON of pictures this week, but this computer isnt reading my memory card. #lame #maybenextweek

Turkey and a Proud Mama Hen

Well, Happy official Holiday Season everyone!

It doesn’t feel like the holidays AT ALL here in Costa Rica. I think it´s easier this way.  The rain is finally starting to slow down but its getting hot hot hot during the day, and FREEZING cold (okay, not all that cold for you guys) at night. 

I am not usually at person who gets all that excited for Thanksgiving. I mean, I always enjoy it, and its great to get the day off from work and spend time with family but I cant say Its my favorite holiday. But obviously waking up thanksgiving morning, in another country, without the Macy´s Thanksgiving Day Parade, knowing that my family was all together made me a little sad.  But (and I am not sure how many times I have said this in the mission) I am the luckiest little sister missionary in all of Costa Rica. I live and work in an area known for having gringos.  Our gringo bishop and his gringo wife were so kind to invite us over for dinner.  Elder Hugie (Idaho) and I were very very grateful. 

We enjoyed all the ¨norms¨.  Turkey! Stuffing! Mashed Potatoes! Cranberry sauce! Gravy! Rolls! It was classic.

We had a baptism this week! People get really excited about baptisms, and I do too. But if I am honest with myself, my favorite part of missionary work is the weeks that come after someone is baptized.  I loving seeing peoples lives change right before their own eyes as they start on their journey as a disciple of Jesus Christ. I love visiting them to hear about the different experiences they have with the Holy Ghost as a constant companion, and all around I love watching them realize that their journey does not end at baptism.

Brandon is a Recent convert that was baptized a week before I came to Escazu. Before the sisters started teaching him the lessons, they were teaching is father in law and he did not seem interested in religion at ALL. He was literally ¨born and raised in the ghetto and it showed in the choices that he made.  He was a regular pot smoker, alcohol drinker, and breaker of the law of chastity. He didn’t have any purpose to life other than his pursuit of happiness in things that only brought pleasure (see Jesus the Christ, James E. Talmage). Apparently, one day he sat down with the sister missionaries and told them that he was ready to hear what they had to say. A few short weeks later, he was living the word of wisdom, the law of chastity, and attending church regularly.

Fast forward 2 short months and we find ourselves in the baptism of Leyner, a good friend and reference from Brandon. Leyner saw the life changes that Brandon and his brother Donaldo made and how they were happier. He desired the same happiness, and just yesterday he opened the gate to start on the path of eternal happiness. Brandon was able to baptize Leyner with his 1 week new priesthood. It was a touching experience for Hna Garcia and me to see Brandon raise his arm to the square, and worthily baptize his friend. I felt like a proud mama hen!

I am so grateful for the opportunity to share the gospel with others and watch them change their own lives as they come closer to Christ. I am grateful that I know that the only true happiness comes from living the Gospel. I love this work!

Hermana Patterson

PS- This is me showing you baby bananas!

Over the Hill!

Well kids. This is crazy, but I am officially over the hill.

 For those of you who don't know, the mission (for sister missionaries) is 18 months. I officially have more than 9. How did that happen? Where did the last few months go? People weren't kidding when they say ¨Time flies in the mission¨.

So there is this crazy tradition among Sister missionaries. The idea is that the day you hit your 9 month, you take a pregnant picture with a pillow or something. Its half hysterical, half totally embarrassing. But, if you know me at all, I couldn't resist an opportunity like this.

My companion is totally cute and went all out, making signs and baby chocolate cake.

On Saturday, we had a ¨Mormon Helping hands¨ ward activity.

I was super pumped about putting on the yellow frock. Its sounds dumb, but its always been a dream of mine.  All the wards of the church in Costa Rica had a service project on the same day. Our ward picked up trash all morning. It was actually pretty fun. Also, super hot. But I resisted taking off the beloved frock. By the end we bought Costa Rican Otterpops ¨Bolli Helados¨.

I also have been studying Hope. When I came across this scripture it brought me a lot of inner peace:

Hebrews 6: 10-19
10 For God is not ^aunrighteous to forget your work and ^blabour of ^clove, which ye have shewed toward his ^dname, in that ye have ministered to the saints, and do minister.

 11 And we desire that every one of you do shew the same ^adiligence to the full assurance of hope unto the end:
 12 That ye be not ^aslothful, but followers of them who through ^bfaith and ^cpatience inherit the ^dpromises.
 13 For when God made promise to Abraham, because he could ^aswear by no greater, he ^bsware by himself,
 14 Saying, Surely blessing I will ^abless thee, and multiplying I will multiply thee.
 15 And so, after he had patiently ^aendured, he obtained the promise.
 16 For men verily swear by the greater: and an ^aoath for confirmation is to them an end of all ^bstrife.
 17 Wherein God, willing more abundantly to shew unto the heirs of promise the immutability of his ^acounsel, ^bconfirmed it by an ^coath:
 18 That by two immutable things, in which it was impossible for God to ^alie, we might have a strong consolation, who have fled for ^brefuge to lay hold upon the ^chope set before us:
 19 Which hope we have as an ^aanchor of the soul, both sure and steadfast, and which entereth into that within the ^bveil;

I have had a special love for the symbol of an anchor ever since my first year at Retreat for girls, but now, that love has come even stronger. I know that no matter how hard the mission can feel, if I am working out of love for the people and the Lord, he has promised to bless me with success. And the Lord always keeps his promises, sometimes I just need to learn to be patient and more diligent.

Happiness is:

Finding pumpkin pie in Costa Rica.

Getting a paper Christmas tree from my cute mom.

A friend sending fall leaves in the mail.

Anchors popping up everywhere (Thanks Ariana, you didn't even know!)

One on one time with Sister Wilkinson (Presidents wife)

Knowing I still have 9 months in Costa Rica

Not being rained on, even without a an umbrella.

Banana Paper

Having Gringos in your ward to invite you over for thanksgiving.

When people you didn't expect come to church.

1 hour of personal scripture study every day.

Answers to prayers

Being lead by the spirit