9/14/2010

Hola!!!!

Hola Mi familia!!! Como Esta!!!! How is my wonderful family doing!!! I love and miss you all so so much!! I am so glad that you guys had a wonderful anniversary and Seth had a wonderful birthday!! I am so happy he got a job working at Trice. That will be great until a tax job comes along. The Lord loves you Seth and he will bless your family immensely! Always put him first and then everything will fall into place!! But Happy Birthday and Anniversary!!!

This week was pretty good! Hard but good! There were no investigators at church again, but It is weird I have peace in my heart that everything is ok and we will have success here. I think these last 5 weeks has been more for me. I think the lord was breaking me down so that he could build me back up the way that he wants me to be!! And I am really glad I have had those really dark moments in my Mission already because I know how much I can take and with the Lord I can endure all things. Yes at times I seriously stare at the sky and wonder what in the world am I doing here and this is so so so hard but then I stop having my pity party and I know that this gospel is so right and so good and everyone needs to hear about it!!

Dad thank for your email and telling me to go and just talk to everyone and confront those fears of talking to people. That is exactly what I needed to hear! It is so true at times I am scared to talk to people but then I realize why should I be scared- no they should lol!!! Because this gospel is perfect and they need it in their lives even if they think that their life is fine. They haven’t experienced true love. The love that only comes from the Atonement and the Savior!!

But no we didn’t get the baptism. She is having problems and we’re not sure what her doubts or fears are but we are going to work really hard because I know Sughlie knows this church is true, she just is having doubts but we are working so hard with her. And other families we talked with just didn’t want anything and that is tough. But I need to have faith and the Lord will prepare those that are ready for His gospel!! And it is kind of like finding a needle in a hay stack but that just means I need to work harder!!

Oh but mom I wanted to tell you!!! So at the beginning of this change I was just having a rough time and we went over to a Senior Missionary’s house because they wanted to meet my new companion. They are really great! but anyway he could just tell I was having a hard time and he said would you like a blessing and I said “Yes please”! so he began and he and I started to cry and it was a beautiful blessing and he said you will be safe and healthy because your mom has prayed for this. But a couple of days later we ran into him again in the street and he said Sister Turnbaugh I never told you, but when I was giving you that blessing I could see your MOM Just standing there. I could see her as if she was really there in the house with us!! He said it was an incredible experience for him, he said!! Mom you have a very strong spirit I know that, because you are here with me and you were there with me in Jerusalem when I need you most. No matter how far away, You are there!! So I thought you should know that! That even though you have never been in person to Jerusalem and Costa Rica you have been in Spirit!! I will never for get that experience it was very Spiritual!!

But San Carlos is great!! Really I just need to work harder and confront all my fears and talk to everyone about this gospel. And I know that I will see the fruits of my labors here. It is hard though because a lot of Hermana Vegas converts are falling away so we have been visiting them so that we can re kindle their fire. But it is hard because Satan knows them and knows that this gospel is so true and he wants to make them fall back into their old habits, but Gods love is stronger!! Because we went to visit a man named Heraldo and he is a recent convert and he has had problems with the Pala bra de sabiduria lol I mean the word of wisdom and so last night we went to his house because for the past 2 weeks he hasn’t come to church and when he opened the door, there was a wall there, and he said I don’t want to come back and I found a different church. But Hermana Almengor and I, so lovingly talked to him about it and I bore testimony to him and said that he needs to, before he makes a decision ask God and He will tell him what he should do!

I know that he felt the spirit because as we were testifying the wall that was once there melted away and he said he would come to church on Sunday! so that is so awesome!! The Spirit is so powerful and it is so so powerful! I love it! It is truly my third companion because I have learned that without it our leccions are horrible but when it is there it work miracles!!! AHH I love this gospel!! It is so wonderful even through the tears and the pain it is so good and I love it with all my heart!!

I want to so bad work at the MTC when I get back because I want to help the missionaries be power houses because there is a war out here and it is not over lives but souls and I want to help them but on their armor before they go out to the field!! So Kiss will you help me? I know I have a while still but please can you help me get into BYU because to get a job at the MTC you need to be a student at BYU first!!

But it is so awesome! seriously my spanish is getting so much better. I can understand so so so much better!!!! It is a miracle and I know it is not me but the Savior. He is the only one that can help me with this language!! I am speaking so much more in the lessons and not only bearing testimony but actually contributing to the lesson it is awesome!! I still have a long way to go but it is exciting when I can understand and I can help teach and talk about my experiences in spanish!! So hopefully when I get to call home I can speak to Laren and Casey and they will be able to understand me!!

Oh but yes Dad they do love their children down here. There is a day for them. The day of children where they have parades and fiestas por them in the schools. It is pretty cool and then on the 15th of this month is there independence day so we are going to have an activity at the church. It will be a picnic so that will be fun. We have been really working with the members because seriously members are key!! It is 10 times better to have referrals from the members because then the investigator has a friend and people to rely on and that is so great!!
But I love this gospel! It is so perfect and I know and testify that my Savior lives and this is His work. He is at the head of this church and he loves us with a perfect love!! To find pure happiness we need to turn to him: I love you all. Thanks for all your prayers and thoughts for me everyday, they are such a blessing for me!! Thank you!!

Pura Vida!!

Love always and forever Hermana Turnbaugh!!!

Oh thanks for ordering those scripture covers mom that is perfect that they will come in December that is totally fine and ok I will see about shirts here!! I love you all!!!! Like a Costa Rican loves Plantanos!!! LOL!!!!!