Chapter 24: Tenga Paz

These are not my pictures, but from my Mission President's Wife of the volcano

Tenga Paz

There is a phrase here in Costa Rica that I really like and I ´m going to incorporate it into my life. It is "Tenga paz." This literally means "have peace" but it´s also used as "have patience."I know my mom and others may worry about the Turrialba Volcano here in San Jose, but Tenga Paz. Tenga Paz: ie peace, that I`m not affected by the Volcano. Tenga Paz ie patience, that you all will soon know where my next area is (cause my family keeps asking me where I am going). Tenga Paz, Madre Mío and all others who worry about their children. The Mother of Christ must have also had much anxiety over what would happen to her child. Think, she knew the prophecies about the Messiah and how he would be rejected by His own. This would have been unnerving to her, but she made it through. If you need to Tener Paz, just read John 14:27 "Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid."
Back to the volcano - it is about 30 miles away from me. The volcano is pretty cool, but I didn´t even know about it until the evening when it errupted. There is a bit of dust falling though, but it´s only hurt me while climbing a few of the hills in our area. I was actually running home last night and I was better off than the other Elder with me. :P The ash is so thin that I didn´t even know anything about it until someone told me and then pointed out that the cars had a bit of ash on the after the entire day in the street. I´m no where near the volcano, don´t worry about me yet ;) I can't see it from my house, but it is the big talk around here.


I have been doing fine and my only struggle is finishing up with everything so that my trainee has a new slate. :P We have the two baptisms this week and there is a possble family later this month for the other Elders (I´m more than a little bit jealous).


Tenga Paz, ya'll!


Elder VanderMeyden