August 13, 2012

August 13, 2012

Hey everyone! How`s it going? My first week in Costa Rica has been pretty interesting and really hard. I quickly found out that i don't know spanish at all haha. But oh well i'll get the hang of it eventually. My first area i was assigned to was Cañas it's a town about a 3 1/2 hour bus ride north west of San Jose. Our area is way massive. We're on  of the few companions to live with other companions so there's four in our house. My first companions name is Elder Ramirez and he's from Honduras and he know about 30 words in English. So  it's been super interesting trying to communicate and it makes it a lot harder to learn the language because he can't explain the word in english. But other than that he is a super nice guy he's been out for 7 months and he's super cool. We already have 2 Baptismal dates for August 25! And in the training program it said that i had to challenge them to baptism so i did and they accepted! It was pretty cool! Our area has a branch of about 110 people but only about 70 show up for church on sunday so we've been going around talking to the inactive families a lot this week trying to reactivate them which kinda worked because we had 80 people this sunday! We don´t any tracting at all it´s not really a thing down here. Instead we contact people in the street but not everyone. President Wilkinson said that our first priorities are Families and Men old enough to hold that preisthood so we always contact those two. But we only have about 1 h our maybe 2 for contacting every day because since i´m new we're in the house till twelve doing things. Then at 1 we go to Sister Marta's house and she cooks us lunch and she is an amazing cook but she gives us each enough food for 3 people and we have to eat all of it. The weather here has been so hot and no rain. The people here are called Ticos like we're called Americans. But the people are so humble here and are always happy even though they live in these tiny houses with nothing. I love them so much I'm so glad i got sent to Costa Rica for my mission. I'm glad to hear that the Reunion went well i wish i could've been there but oh well. My Address is. Costa Rica has been having problems with drugs being sent into the country so don´t send me any food or candy cause it will cost a ton of money to get it out of the postal office. And you can only send through the USPS not through fedex or ups or dhl because the church doesn't deal with them because they put a lot of taxes on things. But if you could it would be awesome to have newspaper articles about the olympics and the Eagles when they start playing. And pictures of everyone in the family and my friends if you can. I love you guys so much and thank you so much for your support. Pura Vida! 

Elder Drake Ashton Anderson

Mision Costa Rica San Jose

Apartado Postal 249-2010

San Jose; Costa Rica

America Central 

We live about 700 meters west of the big Catholic church i think right next to this health clinic. Oh ya we have a lime tree in our back yard which i thought was pretty cool. Elder Kemp is from West Jordan Utah and Elder Cruz his companion and mine are from Honduras. Those are the elders i live with they are super cool i'm so glad that we have 4 people in our house i think it would be so boring otherwise. Herman Martha cook for all of us everyday except for Sunday and Monday. It is so awesome here i just wish i wasn't sick so that i could actually work harder. It's so hard to understand Spanish and speak it when you have a pounding headache and feel super dizzy. But oh well i got a blessing last night so i should be better in the next few days. I know this week will definitely be more successfull. at the end of the month we go back to san jose for our one month interview with President Wilkinson which will be nice to see all my buddies from the MTC.