My life lately, according to my cell phone

Some funny texts:

How cute is my brother?? #comfrence

My brothers attempt at Spanish

And the funniest of all (which of coarse I had to block who it was for their own protection),

I've never laughed over a text so much

My brother's homecoming picture:

I know, we are all a little tired of the October 3rd quote:

I can't believe that this was 5 years ago

From one of my favorite children's book: 

How great are these reactions? 

Two of my favorite people

A letter from my "Baby Girl" aka Hermana Villanueva

Accidental Snapchat saves

Let's be honest, these were just too funny to keep to myself:

The best and last.

I dont think anyone could ask for a better last week of their mission. The Lord was so good to us. Lets start from the very beginning.

Tuesday- On tuesday, President Wilkinson had a suprise ¨multi district¨ meeting. Multi-district? I´ve never even heard of that. It was so great. I gave my 3rd ¨Final testimoney¨. President Wilkinson said so many great things, and really got us pumped up to work so hard. One thing he shared that really touched me was his experience of being called as a mission president. He had a interview with Elder Packer who asked him if he had any idea why he had been called into his office. Trying to be humble, President Wilkinson said that he had no idea, even though he had recieved some promptings that he might be called as a mission president. President packer stoped president wilkinson and said ¨You have had some ideas. The lord ALWAYS goes before us, stop trying to act like you are humble and tell me some of the promptings you have had.¨ (!) Dang! Anyways, its been something I have pondered and thought about a lot this week. ¨The Lord always goes before us¨.  

Wednesday- What an incredible day! We started off going to the temple. Normally, the people going home go to the temple litterally the day before they fly home. But this week the temple will be closed for cleaning, so we got to go a week early. By some freak situations, both my companions got to come with me, and we had a great last time in the Costa Rica temple together. 

As soon as our session ended we had to RUN to Gabby´s Baptism! Thats right! Little miss ¨scared of a baptismal date¨ got in the water! We were so excited for her! She was ALL smiles. There were a couple of glitches, but it ended up being a great service and we were so happy. 

Thursday- Some good solid WORK time. Thursday was probably one of the only normal days this last week. We decided to use the time to our advantage and look for some chosen children of god (wow.... that just doesnt come out the same way it does in spanish..... let the language confusion begin.....) We found Natalie and Camila. HOLY COW THEY ARE AMAZING. Basically they are getting baptized asap. We had walked RIGHT pass their house when the spirt told me i had to go back.So I stoped my companions, Natalie comes out, and invites us into her house. They both accepted baptismal dates, and basically, I am so excited to hear about what happens with them. 

Friday - Mothers day here in Costa Rica!  Its still cracks me up that mothers day is August 15th, but its not that funny..... We decided to buy some daisys and make some cute mothers day cards for the women in the ward who make us dinners and take care of us. OBVIOUSLY they just loved it.   

Saturday- WEDDING DAY! Suprise! On sunday last week, in the middle of gospel  principles, Arielka leans over and tells my companion that she wants to get married and baptized this saturday! WHAT?!?!?! CLARO QUE SI! So of coarse, we run around like crazies planning the wedding. Saturday finally comes and we are peeling raw carrots with spoons til we get  bruises and blisters, running errands and setting up the church for a wedding. Arielka  (the bride) showed up 1and a half late (welcome to Costa Rica). Edwardo (the groom), hermana coburn and I were just about to have a heart attack. But she showed up, looking beauuuuuttttifuuuullll. Sadly, I got very few pictures because we had to start right when she got there because the lawyer needed to leave and everything just happened so fast. It went great.

Sunday- We woke up REALLY early (and if a missionary says its early, you know its early) Sunday morning to get ready and get ourselves to Edwardo and Arielka´s house to get all the little ones ready so that everyone was in the chapel in time for the baptism that HAD to start at 8 am. We were worried that we were going to have to drag everyone out of bed, but we were happily suprised when we arrived at 6:30 am and the children were already bathed and dressed and just needed some finshing touches. Everyone arrived at the chapel early, and excited to be baptized. Arielka and Edward were both baptized ( Hna Coburns first family in her entire mission) and Arielka and Yogeilans mom (Yocali´s grandma) Katalina were also baptized. It went fabulously, and we were all very happy that no one almost drowned. cough. 

In my last sunday in Costa Rica they asked me to give my ¨final testiomony¨to the ward. It went really well. I said ¨fetch¨ at one point on accident, and that was embarrasing, but I got everyone to cry, so I feel like that it must have brought the spirit. 

The ¨going home parties¨ began yesterday. First stop. The amazing Ortiz family. The best ward mission leader in the world. Second, the Isaura and Nefi with Daniela and then Cristiana, our bestie. Lets just say we were about to explode from so much food. 

Monday-  Today I had my final interview with President Wilkinson. I was in there almost an hour and a half but it flew by so fast. We talked about goals for the future and he gave me lots and lots of advice. It was a really special experience to have some one on one time with President Wilkinson and to talk about me. He is just so full of the spirit and always knows just what to say. Of coarse, I left my interview bawling and feeling like a million bucks. I am so lucky to have had the priviledge of working under him my entire mission. The Wilkinsons are so special to me and basically I plan on living with their oldest daughter this winter semster to make sure that they HAVE to keep me close. haha. 

Changes were today. It feels so wierd to see changes going on without me. I feel like I am just getting shuffled out. 

The elders in Purral 2 got pulled out. :( 

Our baby, Hermana Villanueva, was sent to........ ESCAZU! ahhhh! And apparently there are plans to baptized claudias mom! 

Hermana Coburns companion is Hermana Pizza from Colombia. Hna Pizza came with hermana beltran in march and is AN AMAZNG MISSIONARY! I am leaving purral in good hands! But I have already talked VERY seriously with hermana coburn that she can not love hna pizza more than me. 

Well.. .I guess I am out of time. I cant believe this is the end. My last mission email home...... wierd. wierd wierd wierd wierd wierd.

I am so greatful for this time I have had to serve the lord with all my heart might mind and strength. It seriously has been the best of times, and I have grown so much as a person. I feel like the end (4 baptisms in one week?) was the cherry on top to the mission sundae. 

The church is true, this is his work.

See you all Thursday.

 Love you all,

(for the last time) Hermana Patterson

Little Bo Peep, has lost her..... phone.

A list of embarrassing side affects that happen when you loose your smart phone:

1. Can't remember what you needed to get at the store because your list was on your phone

2. Don't know what the recipe for the homemade eye makeup remover was, and don't have pinterest to look up

3. Can't find roommate when she is lost in Walmart

4. Can't call work when you need to know your schedule

5. Can't ask your friend about the homework because you don't know where they live

6. Can't make definite plans for the weekend

7. Can't call your parents to tell them you lost your phone

8. Also can't call T-mobile to ask about your options

9. Suddenly, you are very anti-social because you can't invite people over

10. You sit alone at devotional because you can't find your friends

11. Uncontrollable grouchy-ness at the lost and found people

12. Fairly consistent face-palms every time you reach for your pocket

13. Can't wake yourself up in time for class

14. Can't contact ANYONE because you don't know their numbers

15. Tripping in the dark because you can't light the way

16. Phantom rings (You think you hear your ringtone)

17. Uncontrollable crying

*Cell phone come back! You can blame it all-on-me!

Countdown to Guatemala: 3 days

What I'm most worried about:

-I'm going alone. I literally have zero relationships with anyone that will be there.
-Hiking / asthma/ allergy problems
-Hook worm? (Thank you Sadie Green for the nightmares.... )
- Sleeping on the floor of the jungle. (Okay... not really... but kinda...)
- Language barriers. The village we are in doesn't even speak Spanish. They speak their NATIVE tongue.
- What if I'm not cut out for it the way I think I am?
- What if I get sick?
- What if I Fuego explodes and I'm stranded for ever and ever?
- What if this is all a joke?

Countdown to Guatemala: 4 Days

Something I'm really trying not to think about.


So remember how I am taking online classes this semester? Well one of them is a Natural Disasters class. Now, this class is actually quite awesome. Very interesting, lots of information, yada yada yada. Well guess what? It also makes me super paranoid.

And guess what. I bet you didn't know that Guatemala has a volcano name "Fuego" and it recently had the "Largest Eruption in years". Don't believe me? Read it here. 

Awesome. Just awesome. 

How I am trying to look on the outside:

How I sorta feel on the inside: 

Cripple

Yes. I totally did. I TOTALLY fell down the stairs in a most un-graceful manner. I sort of rolled my ankle and then smacked it on the tile. It's not that bad, but it's pretty bruised and hurts to stand on.

Now I am a cripple and I seriously seriously SERIOUSLY hobble everywhere I go. It's sad. You should feel bad for me.