Week Five in Cariari/San Jose RAIN!!

Elder Graham, President Galvez, Elder Felipe

We took a bus ride in a tiny bus that should fit 5 and was made in 1890, literally straight up a mountain. The bus was mashing and we were only going like 5 mph and at times the bus stopped and started rolling backward and then caught itself and pushed forward to the top of a mountain overlooking San Jose. The sickest view everrrr and President Alverez had us be silent for a few minutes then asked us what we could see. It was super sweet.

Jose

The far right is Jose, the one being baptized. Then next to him is Carlos, his friend. and luis is the one on the left with the hackeysack on his head.


I tried to show how hard it rains here.. These pictures it don’t do it justice...


Oregon "O"

for Nick and Luke...Guapiles skatepark... soo sick.....haha... not really. but really... sick

part of the zone after playing soccer...

First off Thank you sooo much for the package! It was soo perfect. It was the greatest suprise! That mitre ball is so sick. Did you know anything about that ball when you bought it? Everyone in Costa Rica thinks that’s the best ball in the world because it’s the ball that they use in the professional league here. And the hackey sacks might be the greatest thing ever. I gave one away yesterday already and the kid was very happy. Of course all the wonderful treats were great. They don’t really have candy here, like big name brand candies so my companion was really interested in them.

That’s honestly the most exciting thing to hear about the Ducks being number 1! I try to explain to my companion about how big that is but he doesn’t really care. And the only time that it happens is the time I’m not there... Satan is very powerful...

Ahhhh soo I didn’t get a chance to e mail Monday because I had my one month thingy in San Jose.. i feel like I spend more time in San Jose then Cariari... But it was soo sweet I got to hang out with all the guys I came in with, with elder Stevens and miller and such and we got to discuss how crazy this place is because our companions don’t think it’s weird because they’re all Latino

Then we went back to the mission home and had the fattest feast ever of fruits and meats and just the greatest stuff. Then we got back pretty late.

So Sunday we did our divisions for church and Elder Felipe went to la Rita which is where our baptismal candidates are. And when I met up with him afterward he just said that Fernanda isn’t getting married. They don’t want to anymore. So I didn’t really know the details but we went to their house later that night and I guess they got into some argument about something tiny and they think they’re not ready to get married... they’ve lived together 6 years and have 2 kids... we had a lesson basically trying to convince them but it turned into our ward mission leader just arguing with the dad and it wasn’t good. I didn’t get a chance to get a word in. I was really annoyed. But in our district meeting we told them about it and the zone leader and district leader went on divisions and they came with us to a lesson last night. Honestly it was by far the best lesson I’ve ever had. We just taught them about how much the gospel can bless families and how praying and reading together can strengthen their families and how they can be together forever and that they need to get married. It was so powerful. I bore my testimony about how the gospel has blessed me and my family and I started crying and talked for like 15 minutes which is like 15 minutes longer then I usually talk and they were crying and everything. I thought that they were ready to say alright let’s get married but in the end he said he’s just not ready. I feel bad for her because she is soo ready and wants it so bad and she wants to get baptized. She knows it’s all true. So needless to say I was really frustrated afterwards. We did all that we could with them but it just wasn’t enough.

But on a happier note we had a lesson with Jose yesterday and it went really really well too and he’s rip roaring and ready to get into the font. His baptism is Saturday at 5:00. I’ll send pics with us at the baptism. He has been inviting his friends to our lessons too and they said they want to get baptized too and so did his little brother. We’ve gotta teach them a little more though.. But it’s sweet because he said that he already wants to go out to lessons with us and start being a missionary. He’s a really good kid.

I sent a decent letter home yesterday that you should get in a week or so. The grossest food I’ve eaten is just honestly normal food but in poor poor houses and there are bugs in it and just smells rancid. Just corn tortillas that are soggy and the house smells rancid and mildewy and the food tastes like the house smells. every time we go to jose’s house his mom gives us food and its always like that, and we always have a huge smile and feel so grateful. Honestly all I eat is fruit on my own. When we go to houses they give us rice and beans but I buy fresh fruit every day. Its sooo good the pineapples are always so fresh and delicious. Hermana Pasita is gonna be our cooking lady everyday for lunch starting next month though! So my eating should get much much better!

I wish that I could have a picture of me teaching a lesson in a house with people to send to you, so you could see really what it looks like here, the types of houses I’m in and the types of things we sit on, the fact that their house is plywood or tin just sitting together waiting to be pushed over.

I think i gotta go.. but i love you and p day should be monday again! I love you and miss you. Thanks for everything you do. Elder Graham

alright good bye for real this time. thanks for everything tell everyone I love them and miss them.

Elder Graham