Costa Rica is Paradise!

Buenas Familia!

Thanks for the nice long letters, I loved them! Well I´m glad to hear that you guys will be getting to go one vacation this next week! And I am so stoked to hear about Eric and Shelby´s sealing! I wish I could be there, but I´ll be there in spirit.

Well this last week was a little different. So we got a call from the AP´s last night, and turns out that we did splits with them for basically the whole week. I went to their area in Purral, and another area came here to Tres Rios. It was a really interesting experience becuase Wednesday an Elder was going home early because he didn´t want to stay, so Elder McCallum and I decided to take him out with us to try and help him to stay here on the mission. (He only had 3 weeks in the mission.) It was interesting because this is the second time that President has put me with a new Elder that was wanting to go home, so I guess they need to hear my testimony about the atonement.

Well all of our lessons fell through so we decided to drive up to this mountain where they dedicated Costa Rica to missionary work. Its this sweet view where you can see the whole country and even the ocean on both sides. Well we took him there and we began to talk to him, and testify of the atonement, and how this infinte sacrifice has changed our lives. All of us were crying and the spirit was so intense in the car. Afterwards we took him to the woods behind the mountain and we gave him a blessing. The spirit was so strong and he knew that he had to stay, but he decided to go back to El Salvador, hopefully he can stay strong and come back here on the mission!

I got some sad news also, you know that family that we were going to baptize on Saturday? Well turns out that their papers were expired, and we couldn´t marry them. Their mom has been really lying to them, and saying that we are a cult, and now they don´t even answer our phone calls. I feel
like my whole time here in Tres Rios has been like this. We have done so much good work, but we have had disappointment after disappointment and it is really frustrating. But this morning I was reading in Mosiah and I came across this... ¨Nevertheless the Lord seeth fit to chasten his people, yeah he trieth their patience and their faith. Nevertheless, whosever putteth his trust in him the same shall be lifted up at the last day. Yeah and thus it was with this people¨(Mosiah 23:21-22). I feel like this is what is happening right now.

With so many disappointments my faith has faltered a little bit, and I have not been the happiest person, however, I trust in this promise in the scriptures. I know the holy scriptures contain the word
of God, and I know God communicates with us through them. I love this experience, even through it has been one of the hardest things I have ever done, but I know that the Lord is putting me through the refiner´s fire, and I love Him for that.

I am so stoked for everything that is going on at home. I hope everything is going well, and I am always praying for you guys! I love you so much, and thanks for the box, I´ll let you now when I get it! Love you!

Pura Vida,
Elder Taylor