9-6-2010

Dearest Familia!!!!

How is the most wonderful family doing in the whole wide world? And I should know I have been around the world!! LOL!!!

I loved your letters this week they totally made my day! I needed them! this week was a toughie!! But things are better and I am trying not to be down because life is good and like you said what doesn’t kill you makes you stronger!! I sure hope not because it is pretty hard, the roller coaster of emotions, you have to go through on a mission!! But thanks for your words of wisdom and encouragement!! and go mom go mom!!!! You are awesome for climbing the Castle Rock Rock!! And I bet that Bella’s blessing was so wonderful. I was thinking about her and the family a lot! So I am glad that it was beautiful and that Bella did so well during the blessing!!

So my Birthday was awesome! Thank you so so so much for your packages. I got them on my birthday from my zone leaders and it totally made my day and I cried when I opened them. Thanks for your letters and pictures of the kids! I loved seeing them. And the card with all your voices. I’m pretty sure I cried like a little baby and I had to listen to it over and over again. But yes! I got them and the shirts and your package full of goodies!!!! It was really good!

So around five a member in our branch wanted to make a cake for me. So I went over there and then my companion said we had a cita but the elders had to go with us. So I said ok because that is not strange for them to come with us.
So my comp said we have to go to Hermana Aledia’s. She is our cook and wait for the elders and so we waited and they showed up but we then had to wait bc our cita didn’t get off of work, they said till 8 pm.

In my mind I thought that is late but oh well!! So as we were waiting Hermana Aledia made us food and I looked at the clock and it was 8:30 and I was like shouldn’t we go, it is getting late and my comp said yes we will in just a minute. But she had her camera out and she was taking pictures and she told everyone to get together and take a picture and make a fish face so I did. And as I closed my eyes I feel wet gooey stuff running down my head and in front of me was a cake with candles on it! It was so wonderful because I didn’t think really that they would do anything for me but they did and it was so fun!! I want to start that tradition after I get home!! LOL!!

But as for the rest of the week it was a little different. We worked so hard and taught so many lessons and we didn’t again have a single investigator at church, it was horrible. I think that is seriously the worst feeling in the world when you walk into church and all the members are watching you and you don’t have anyone there and the gospel principles teacher didn’t hold class because no one was in his class. I felt so sad!!

I don’t know what we are doing wrong. We are studying, being Obedient and fasting and praying, but no investigators. We have prospects but none want to come to church which is so hard. And then..... We were going to have a baptism this last Saturday of an investigator that Hermana Vega found but she didn’t come on Saturday and we waited for her at the church for 3 hours with the president of the rama and our zone leaders were there and she didn’t show up! It was horrible. I was so embarrassed and so sad. But after going around and searching for her we found out that her baby was really sick and she took him to the hospital and she couldn’t tell us. So no baptism on Saturday but hopefully next Saturday!! So it was a week full of ups and downs and just wondering how can I be a better missionary? How can I be the missionary that God wants me to be!! I want to be the kind of missionary that he knows I can be!!

But this week is a new week and we are going to work so hard because I only have 2 more weeks left with Hermana Almengor and we and she needs to have a baptism before she goes home!! She doesn’t want to go home at all because she loves Costa Rica!! She cries a lot and wants more time. It is cool for me to see this because it is hard for me right now getting over this learning curve but I know that I will feel the same way as her when I leave!!

But I love you all so much!! Always remember this!!! You are the best family in the world and I know that this gospel is so true!!!! I know and testify that Christ lives! His hand is in all things and when there is, it seems like darkness and no light at the end of the tunnel, we just need to look and turn towards him because he is the Light of the world!! I feel Him close to me especially when I don’t think I can go one more step or get rejected one more time. But He is there at every door with me and If I put everything in His hands I will have exito on my mission. I love you and I pray for you! Remember that this gospel is true and it is restored on the earth again! this knowledge is beautiful!!! And I am so thankful I get to wear Christ’s name on my chest for the next 13 months!! I will work hard so I have no regrets!!! I love this gospel! It is perfect! Keep me in your prayers you are the best!!

Love always and forever!! Hermana Turnbaugh

Ps: did you ever order those scripture cases? oh and is there button up nice shirts at Ross because I like mine but they are so hot that clip you but lol so it you see any there that would be awesome because here they are sooooo expensive for like one shirt is about 9000 and that is about 18 dollars!! So much but if you could just look for cute button up shirts that would be so awesome!!!