November 18, 2013 E-Mail

Buenas Familia!

First off to answer mom's questions...

1. Uhm, sometimes I show my comp your emails, but mostly just photos from home when you send them in emails, and he also shows me photos of his family and stuff like that.
2. In Guacimo, we used some members bikes for about 8 hours, but at the end of the day I was riding the bike and chain broke! But no, the mission here doesn't allow us to use bikes because I guess there were problems with them in the past. We just use buses and we walk!
3. There aren't a ton of crazy street people that follow us and stuff. In Guacimo they was this "dumb" (he couldn't talk) guy that would chase us down in the street, and he could only make like crying dog noises. He liked to touch our faces and stuff haha. In Aserri there was this special guy named "Juju" that would always track us down in the street and yell, "GRINGOS!!!" and chase us down and hug us. One time we saw him from afar throwing up in the street, and then he saw us from like 2 km away and yelled, "GRINGOS!!!!" and started chasing after us. Luckily we didn't get a big vomity hug from him because we got away from him.
4. 4) I will send some pictures, but I haven't taken any for a couple of weeks! When I take them, I will send them, don't worry.

Okay, so this week was awesome! We had a multi-zone conference with President Wilkinson, and it was seriously amazing. He explained to us for 8 hours about our purpose as missionaries, and how we need to invite these people to baptism a lot more, and with more power. That helped Elder Schweinfurth and I as we put 7 baptismal dates this past week, and we put 4 yesterday (that is a ton in this mission.)

Well I have a really funny experience and I hope tht Eric and Shelby read this letter. So we are the zone leaders of the rich part of San Jose, and the stake center is in a part of San Jose called San Pedro ( one of the richest parts of the country.) We also see a ton of Americans that are visiting Costa Rica  in San Pedro. The other day we had a district meeting and we were waiting to cross the street when I saw an American couple with bug hiking backpacks on. (The Americans in Costa Rica always have big hiking backpacks on haha) And I seriously saw Eric and Shelby's twins! They were across the street and I could not believe it, I was like, "No way, why are they here, and how did they know that I was going to be here!!!!!" Well, I started waving to them and laughing and telling Elder Schweinfurth that the dude was Eric, and then we started crossing the street, and I noticed that they weren't Eric and Shelby, and they gave me a super dirty look. Needless to say it was awesome, because I seriously thought they were Eric and Shelby haha.

Well pray for us a lot this week because we possibly have 2 baptisms this weekend. They are a family called Joel and Yosmari, and they are super awesome! Only thing is Joel is afraid to get married, (like every man here haha). So please pray for them and let them feel the need to be baptized and married this weekend. We should also be having quite a few baptisms this upcoming month, so that will be awesome!

This area though has been so hard for me. It has been really difficult for me to baptize and find chosen people here, and I don't know why. I think the Lord is allowing me to be a little more humble, and learn how to be a better misisonary. Well it is really working haha. 

Oh P.S. Another cool thing... well remember that "Bacteria" I had?! I just talked to the doctor in Guatemala, and possibly I have Giardia hahaha. What the heck! That stinks haha, I have to take a few tests to see if it is Giardia or what, but don't worry I'll be fine, Giardia doesn't kill people!

I love the mission. I love every single experience and feeling that I have felt here, because I know that I am having them to make me stronger. I love this gospel so much, and every time I repent, I gain a stronger testimony of the atonement of my Savior, Jesus Christ. I love you all, and I hope everything is going well at home. Love you guys!

Pura Vida,

Elder Taylor