Keep on, keeping on

March 17, 2014

Hello everyone!

I can´t believe how quickly time is flying here in Aserri! But for me, all the better because it means we are keeping busy, just the way I like it. There is nothing I hate more on the mission than looking to fill time.

We are in the middle of a giant mess right now. The apartment that we currently live in is.... in one word..... disgusting. When I got to Aserri, nobody had been living in it for almost a month and it was super gross. Bugs, garbage and dust everywhere. I tried to tidy up a little, but we have no hot water and up until 2 days ago, only ONE plug worked. We have been talking to our dueno (what is the English word for that?) and he said that we could easily move into the recently remodeled, bigger apartment only two doors down and that costs exactly the same amount. He told us it would only take 3 days. 2.5 weeks later, and we are still getting grief just trying to move over. The mission teaches us to be very very patient. Lets hope I can keep going..... haha.

Hna Beltran, my fiesty Colombian daughter and I are doing great. I really like training because she helps me remember that the mission should not be mundane, and just how exciting it really is to be here, even when its hard. I feel sad for her when she has gotten her first could slaps to the face that come with the mission, but she is a very diligent, obedient and great missionary. We laugh and cry together which is a good sign in a companionship. 

We continue to be very very blessed by the Lord. I am constantly amazed on how much the lord is blessing us. He puts people waiting for the gospel right in front of us. 

Yesterday we had Stake Conference. It was fun because I am currently serving in the same stake as the Los Santos branch (my first area) even though they are far far away from each other. I got to see one of the member families which was great. It was also neat, because we had a transmission from Salt Lake with talks by Elder Scott, Elder Oaks and the General President. I had never see that before, but it was transmitted by satellite to all of Central America. Technology is so cool! 

Keep on keeping on kids! Out of time... once again. 

The church is true!

Hermana Patterson 

Two weeks for the Price of One!

Note from Lexi's mom:

I'm a little behind so I'm posting last week's letter and this week's together.

March 3, 2014

Hi everyone!

I feel like I have a lot to say today, and this computer is not wanting to upload pictures (upsetting), so lets just get started. 

• First of all, this week I studied a lot about apostasy  and the Primitive Church. I loved it. We had a brother from the stake come to our ward about two weeks ago who walking into our gospel principles class (the class we usually teach the second hour of church for investigators and recent converts) who blew my mind with knowledge. I learned so much in his class that I realized if people have a clear understanding of The Great Apostacy than the Restoration is very very easy to understand and believe.  I especially love reading James E. Talmages Jesus the Christ Chapter 40. SNAP! It really lays it down so that it would be impossible to ignore the apostasy. 

• This week, we also had a couple of freak rain storms. Which is awesome except for my real umbrella was totally broken so I only had a little baby one that Kaylie and Emmalee sent me (Thanks girls!). So basically I spent 3 days wet. Also, my plastic shoes are dead, so I was using my leather keens but they DYED my toes black, so when I find a computer that wants to upload pictures I will send you THAT. 

• I also really liked this scripture in Psalms 118: 24

   24 This is the day which the Lord hath made; we will arejoice andbe glad in it.

I basically just really liked the simpleness of the message. The Lord has made each day to be productive and to progress, so let´s make the most of everyday! YOLO! (Okay, sorry about that, is yolo even still a thing?..... maybe not..... this could be embarrassing..... maybe I should delete that part....) 

• I have been craving a good Jane Austen movie this week. Ugh, I´m such a girl! 

• Do you remember Rosa? Rosa, my ¨mom¨ in Los Santos (my first area)? My lovely investigator who was the DEFINITION of the type of person described in 2 Nephi 29? Apparently she FINALLY got baptized yesterday! Seriously, WHAT  a miracle! This woman has known the missionaries for going on a year and a half. There was a time in my mission life that we were visiting her every single day. I cried and cried when I just couldn´t help her understand. Her heart was so hard for so long that I thought it might not ever happen. But now it has! Everyone has their timing, and everyone who asks it shall be given unto them. I am thrilled. Also, bummed that I couldn´t be there, but I am just glad that it happened. 

• Okay, so apparently my mom posted this on Facebook, but for those who don´t know, I got accepted into BYU Provo for this upcoming Fall Semester. First of all, how weird is it that I will attending the next semester? SO WEIRD. Second of all, I am way more excited than I ever thought I would be. I guess I have known from a while that this is what the Lord wants, but I doubted I would get accepted. Now that I have I feel like its the right thing to do. I am excited, but also.... confused? WHAT AM I GOING TO STUDY? Ahhh! I clearly not ready for the real world. 

• And now, last but definitely not least, the big news. I am no longer in Escazu! Last night I received a call from my Zone leaders that I would be having changes and that I will be training a newbie (STRAIGHT from the MTC). I was told I will also be opening the area, which means that we will be starting from 0. Luckily the Sister Specialists will be sharing Asseri with us, so its got to be a good area. I am so excited! nervous! thrilled! terrified! overwhelmed! grateful! sad! happy! a sister missionary roller-coaster of emotion! (What else is new?) I will be in a trio with the sister specialists until Wednesday to HOPEFULLY learn a little of the area before by poor baby gets here! I AM GOING TO BE A MOM!  (Okay, to clarify, when someone is training, the newbie is their ¨son¨or ¨daughter¨ and the trainer is their ¨mom¨ or ¨dad¨). Its going to be a LOT of responsibility, but I am excited to learn and progress. I am excited to see what new things are in store, and I am grateful that the lord trusts me so much.  

How are you all doing? I LOVE hearing from you all! 

I hope you all have a wonderful, miracle filled week! 

Love, Hermana Patterson 

March 10, 2014

Hello family, friends and loved ones!

What a crazy long week its been! I feel like it has been a simultaneously very long and very short week. If you remember, last Monday I had changes. I have left Escazu and came to Aserri to train and to open the area. There were 2 sister missionaries here before, but now there will be 4. We are basically starting from zero. At first I was really worried about opening an area and training at the same time, but I cant believe the blessings we are receiving. 

Lets start first with my companion. Her name is Hna Beltran, she is 19 and from Columbia. I am not really sure why, but sometimes she reminds me a lot of Brianne. We get along great. She is a very hard worker, is excited to be exactly obedient, and is FULL of faith. I was worried that training would because I thought a lot of the burden would be on my shoulders, but she really holds her own. She isn't scared to contact in the street, share her testimony or invite people to repent and be baptized. We haven't had to waste anytime trying to coax her into doing anything. I am really grateful for her. 

Our area/ ward is called Aserri. It has a lot of hills, which is a pattern in my mission. We are actually just on the other side of the mountain from Escazu (Think the distance of Lehi from Sandy). Our ward is in the same stake as my branch in Los Santos. We have a really great group of members who are willing and able to show us around, give us references and take care of the missionaries. I can say to start off that this is the ward that has been the most supportive for the missionaries I have seen in my mission. We were blessed enough to have 3 investigators come to church yesterday (which is pretty great when you have only worked in your area about 3 days) and we each got to do a talk and then the four sister missionaries did a musical number which was really beautiful and brought the spirit. Between these few things I feel like we are gaining the confidence of the members fast. How great!  

Its been a very spiritual week. Opening an area you just learn to rely on the spirit, because you don't really have many other options. We have been blessed incredibly with little miracles everyday. The Lord is good with us. 

I'm sorry that this letter is so short and I am sorry that I don't have any pictures this week. I am not really sure what I am doing wrong, but these computers don't want to let me upload anything. Two weeks in a row, bummer! 

Hope all is going well at home! I love you all so much and pray for you daily! 

Hermana Patterson 

One Year Mark!

Today, I would like to start my email with the same introduction as the crazy lady at the bus stop the other day:

¨Señores, Señoras, jovenes, ancianos!¨ (¨Men, women, youth and old people!¨)

How are ya doin´? Pura vida? Pura vida.

What a good week we had.  

The most important thing that happened was Carolina and Carlos´s baptism. What a special day it was for all of us!

When some members from my companions last area (Ojo de Agua)  heard that Hermana Delgado had come to Ezcazu, they asked us to visit Carolina and Carlos, their family.  The first time we went to go find them we were REAL lost. We were walking up and down the street, asking everyone we met and we could not find them.  We actually even rang their doorbell, but they weren´t home at the time so we thought that it wasn´t the house. We were sad that we had gone all the way up the mountain and not found them.

Carlos and Carolina live really close to the edge of the mountain where there is a  BEAUTIFUL view of the San Jose Valley. When we realized that we weren´t going to find them we were about to turn back and go home, but being the spaz that I am, I got really excited about the view and ran down the street to see it. My poor companion and the member that was with us were surely both rolling their eyes at me.  While we were looking at the view, we saw two women walking up the dirt road. I decided to ask them if they knew Carolina. They looked surprised, and then one responded ¨Um… I am Carolina.¨ I was so glad that my spontantiusm (is that a real word… doubt it)  found them!

As we began to teach Carolina we realized that she is one of those people who have the spiritual gift of faith. She drank everything we said in and really understood the doctrine without much explanation. She wasn´t afraid to read, to ponder, or to ask god if it’s true, so of course her testimony came easily.  

We also felt it was important to teach her husband Carlos at the same time.  Basically from the second lesson we had Carolina was determined to be baptized, but Carlos wanted to be absolutely sure about what he was doing.  But, he too, was willing to keep his commitments and pray with real intent. When he had a special dream, he knew it was his answer and quickly committed to baptism.

They are both so excited about their new and strong testimonies. They are anxious to raise their children in the gospel and be sealed as a family in a year. Like with Claudia, I am grateful for the opportunity my Heavenly Father gave me to be part of their conversion experience. Knowing Carlos and Carolina has made me a better missionary and a better person. They are examples to me of faith and of willing to do whatever the Lord asks without excuses.  (They forgot to push the button to drain the font after the baptism, so I almost feel in trying to push it with this rod.)

Seriously, sometimes I think that Lord is changing my life more in the mission than changing the life of others. I am so grateful for this time I have to focus 100 percent on the blessings of the gospel and serving others. I am grateful for  the incredible blessing of have the Gospel of Jesus Christ in my life and more importantly, having a testimony of it. I know it is the only way to true happiness.

The church is true the book is blue! Read it, and you´ll know just like Carlos, Carolina and I.

Love,

Hermana Patterson

PS-enjoy pictures of me enjoying Costa Rica!  

 eating wild raspberries on the mountain side.

After hiking for HOURS, we finally got to the cave.

 Hermana Stark! I love this girl!

 Standing in a freezing cold waterfall in a cave. Welcome to Costa Rica.

Progress Report

My Valentine. A man of Legos. Thank you mission.

pro·gres·sion

prəˈgreSHən/

noun

noun: progression

1.

 a movement or development toward a destination or a more advanced state, esp. gradually or in stages.

Everyone knows that when someone goes on a mission, they change. Usually for the better. You are lying to yourself if you are reading this blog and thinking to your self that not even once  have you sat at a missionary homecoming and thought to yourself `thank goodness that kid is going on a mission, maybe (s)he will do some changing.` Alright, WHO SAID THAT AT MY FAREWELL? ..... I did. 

I love being here in Escazu. Heavenly Father knew exactly what I needed to do here, and exactly what I needed to learn. My companions, my investigators, the members, and even the crazy guy who yelled  wah wah wah, your going to die to me and my companion the other day have taught me so much. As a missionary, as a person, as a future mom, member of the church, and disciple of Jesus Christ, Escazu has helped me progress more than I ever thought was possible.

As missionaries, one of the things we report to our leaders EVERY night, is how many investigators you have that are progressing. At times, it feels weird to play judge and decide if someone is progressing towards baptism or not because everyone just moves at their own pace. Something that I think would be cool is to some how have a way to track a missionaries (or members) progression, but here are a couple of thoughts I have had on my own progression while here in Escazu:

-I like to think I am understand how to be a missionary much more then I did before.

-My prayers are much more sincere and I recognize the answers much more quickly.

- My investigators progress more quickly

- My last baptism, and my next (this Sunday) will be my converts with the strongest testimonies before baptism I have ever had

- I have never felt more exhausted (success)

- I have learned so many lessons both from Hermana Garcia, and Hermana Delgado. Such different people with such different lessons to learn.

- Hermana Delgado now smiles a LOT. This is a personal success because it´s taken a lot of time, work and tears on my part. She seems happier, not thanks to me, but maybe because I just haven´t accepted grumpiness as an answer. 

- I love the people here more than I love myself.

-I have seen big and small miracles

-I have 14 days keeping a daily journal. I dont know if you know this, but is HUGE for me.

-I find myself humming hymns to myself in the shower, in the bus, and just in general. 

-I tear up almost EVERY time I watch the restoration DVD. 

-I feel the spirit more regularly. IMPORTANT. 

- I have found myself closer to the Savior. This is the most important progress. I have even found myself spitting out the words How could (this person) do this to me? Can´t (they) see that I AM SUFFERING for their sins? Yes, I actually said that. I was hurting emotionally because someone else didn´t want to repent. Imagine how I felt when I realize how the savior must feel about me when I choose not to repent..... (I will give you a hint, a spiritual slap to the face). 

This is just the beginning of the list that I have. I can´t imagine that if I have changed so much in the last 4 months, how much more changing I will do in the next 6. I´m excited for the ride.

^Did you get that hint? I will officially have 1 year in the mission in 3 days! WHO WOULD HAVE THOUGHT THAT ALL OF YOU COULD HAVE LIVED WITHOUT ME THIS LONG! It´s wierd to think about, but I´m excited. 

What? Are you cold? Lets talk about how its 80 degrees in Costa Rica and after this picture was taken I had to take this scarf off because I was dying of heat.

I also feel it appropriate to mention my sweet great-grandfather who passed away this week, finally going home to his sweet heart. Thanks grandpa for teaching me more about being a disciple of Jesus Christ through your 90 year life than any general conference talk. Thanks for teaching be more about true love through your marriage than any romance movie. Thanks for teaching me more about hard work than any job I have ever had. Thanks for teaching me more about being happy, regardless of circumstance than anyone else. I´m sure glad I came to your house to live.  This is a picture of two of my favorite angels

3 Week Round Up

Note from Lexi's mom:  We haven't heard from Lexi a lot lately because she's had to use her computer time writing essays for her BYU application.  Here are some pictures and snippets.  Enjoy!

Last week we went to the Childrens museum for Pday! You can´t see very well, but I am pointing to Los Santos (my first area) on a giant map of Costa Rica.

 grumpy cat and grumpy sister. For anyone who hasnt seen the grumpy cat meme´s google them. They are pretty funny. Claudia came back from her vacation in the states and brought this with her. We were cracking up. My companion esecially liked it. We decided that she is grumpy sister, because he always has this serious look on her face, even when she isn´t feeling grumpy and people are very intimidated by her. We have started making grumpy sister meme´s and we think they are pretty funny. They are all mission related and we think its pretty funny.

 We had basically 3 days to plan a wedding this week. Which basically means, chaos. I must say, for what little money and time we were working with, it turned out pretty okay. I basically hope I never plan a wedding again. Maybe, if you are all lucky, my own.

 Claudia´s mom is a professional cookie/ cake decorator. AREN´T THESE TEMPLE COOKIES GORGEOUS? I didn´t even get to eat one :( but we were so grateful that she was so thoughtful and did them for us without us even asking.

 Another cake decorator in the ward did this GIANT and beautiful wedding cake for us.

 The three day wedding planning commitee, Brynn, Claudia, Hermana Patterson, Hermana Delgado

 Gretel and Michael are official husband and wife!

 Us with the fam bam

Hermano Jerry is JUST like a patterson uncle. He knew we´ve had a couple of rough weeks, so he bought us both giant hersey kisses to help us feel better. HAHA

We also had Elder Cook come to the mission this week! WOW! what a privledge! It really brings the spirit to hear an apostle of the Lord speak to his missionaries. His message was short, but sweet. There are 3 kinds of relationships that are important in the mission, 1- Love the people 2- Love your companion 3- Love the Lord.  It was a great experience to shake his had and have a "1 second eye to eye interview" with an apostle of the Lord. 

Sorry that my emails are turning so lazy. I promise to repent of my ways in time for next week! 

Love you all! You are in my prayers! Thanks for those who sent me voice recordings! I am obsessed! It´s so fun to hear your voices! 

Hermana Patterson

Dear Claudia

Dear Claudia,

I think that you don´t even know what a big miracle you were in our lives.  First of all, I don´t think I had even spoken two words to Dalton in my life before he came to tell me he had a friend he wanted me to meet.  2 days later, we came over to the Karlinksy´s home (some of our favorite people) to meet you.  We loved you from the start.

You´re a Tica, but you prefer English.  That was actually really fun for me. I didn´t realize how hard it would be to give the lessons in my native tongue (My MTC past self is so proud) but I somehow managed through. 

Not only did you already have a copy of the Book of Mormon, but you had whipped through 1^st Nephi and really enjoyed it.  We shared our testimonies with you, and I felt the strongest spirit that I have ever felt in a first lesson with anyone. It was easy to invite you to be baptized.  When we asked, I watched your face thinking about what that would mean, but without even a few seconds lost you answered yes.  I almost cried.

Fast forward exactly two weeks later (the fastest I have ever baptized someone, we even had to get special permission).

Your baptism was definitely one of my favorites on my mission.  With the help of Sister Karlinsky everything was beautiful! The music was touching , the talks where great and we even had a printed program. The spirit was strong and everyone in attendance knew you were ready.   

As you stepped into the font and Dalton raised his arm to the square I couldn´t help but feel grateful to my heavenly father to be part of your conversion experience.  If I am honest,  as missionaries, we were just a protocol. You were the most prepared investigator I have ever met.  Not only that, but Dalton usually beat us to the punch to teach you the things you needed to know before baptism.  With almost everything you had accepted the gospel of Jesus Christ before we even asked you if you were willing. Honestly Clau, you gave me a testimony that people are chosen.  I usually have to work so hard to convince people to live a better life for themselves, but with you it was easy.  Thank you for your open heart, thank you for your desire to follow your Savior, and thank you for friendship.

I look forward to be friends in the future.  I mean, OBVIOUSLY I will still be around for a while. But, I am excited to live close as you attend your first semester at BYU (is it bad luck that I am already calling it?), to send you letters and packages on your own mission (I almost passed out with excitement when you told your mom), and (if I can invite myself) see you be married in the temple, just like your blessing at confirmation said you would be.

I LOVE YOU!

Hermana Patterson 

also...

Pictures from our trip to La Sabana park nearby today for P-day

 Okay, so the first picture is actually not from today. But its another cool butterfly picture! 

The next picture is Sister Stark and I. I am sporting my new Costa Rican T. 

¨Mae¨ = Dude

Tuanis = Cool

Pura Vida = Pure life, the Costa Rica catch phrase. 

 I had way too much fun blowing bubbles and I even bought a cheap kite to enjoy for the day. Ask anyone there, I was like a child running around. 

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.