Chapter 19: Water balloons, cow pies, and crazy addresses

Today we had an awesome Zone activity, which really helped turn the entire week around. WE played with Water Balloons! We had a whole dodgeball type water balloon fight that was so much fun. I never actually hit anyone during the game but they had a hard time hitting me. :P After the game though (while a few other missionaries went for more water balloons I hit a few people with hidden balloons, but most importantly I gave the hidden balloons to other people. I don´t like to be the bad guy when in games like this because it always comes back to bite you, but it´s fun.

I had a few trials, but I can see a few of the blessings that are coming from them.

I also broke my glasses this week, but it´s not a big deal because I taped a piece of wood to it and they work, and if I really need i,t I have a backup and contact lenses, which I used today in the activity.

And to put the icing on the pie, I stepped in a cow pie. :P But honestly, it´s not all that bad... okay, the smell was bad, but I got it all cleaned up.

The good news is that with my studies and the people we met I had a real good week. WE actually got a less active recent convert to come to church this week. plus we met the father of another re-activated member and he gets along with us well. He´s funny and he knows that he´s not cumpliendo con su parte, but he´s happy and will come back when the time is right, we just need to keep inviting. :)

I didn´t have changes this week and now the next changes are in 6 weeks, the last week of November, but from how it looks I´ll be staying in Cariari until the end of my mission.

SO IF ANYONE WANTS TO SEND ME A PACKAGE OR A LETTER, MY TIME IS GETTING SHORT, SEND IT SOON OR I MIGHT NOT GET IT. SEND IT TO THE MISSION HOME AT:

ELDER VANDERMEYDEN

COSTA RICA SAN JOSE EAST MISSION

APARTADO POSTAL 249-2010

ZAPOTE, SAN JOSE, COSTA RICA

CENTRO AMERICO

I always use the mission house address, 1. in case things change and I get transferred 2. because the address for my house would be (but not exactly):

Elder VanderMeyden

entrada del vavula 3ra calle a la izquierda

2da casa mano derecha, verde y amarillo

Cariari, Limón Costa Rica

América Central

Which being translated would be

Elder VanderMeyden

the entrance of the vavula 3rd street to the left

2nd house on the right, colors green and yellow

Cariari, Limón Costa Rica

América Central

The adresses are horrendous especially when someone gives you a reference. One of the worst I´ve received (and it´s a joke in the mission) is when they use references like "the mango tree" or the "dead dog in the street" The first is bad because the area had about 50 mango trees. They are so bad with directions. :P

Speaking of Monkeys (I know we weren't but hey) :) , we heard, but did not see, a few of them this week. They are called Kongos by the ticos. :)

Love,

Elder VanderMeyden

ps - my ponderize scripture was Mosiah 3:19:   For the natural man is an enemy to God, and has been from the fall of Adam, and will be, forever and ever, unless he yields to the enticings of the Holy Spirit, and putteth off the natural man and becometh a saint through the atonement of Christ the Lord, and becometh as a child,submissive, meek, humble, patient, full of love, willing to submit to all things which the Lord seeth fit to inflict upon him, even as a child doth submit to his father.