Well another week down! I have been at the MTC for exactly 36 days
today:) and wow has the time flown! I could swear I just got here last
wednesday. I'd just like to say thank you, Thank You so much for the
wonderful, inspiring and sweet letters I recieved
from everyone this week. I got emails, dear elders, letters, pictures,
cards and treats from every one! I want you all to know your support,
your thoughts, and your time and kind words really lift me up! Mommy
especially thank you for the wonderful brownies
and the pictures from the little boys. I hung their drawings around the
house and ate all the brownies... by myself... okay thats not true, I
shared a little. There's a saying here that people love you into
obesity, and now I understand why!! but thanks for
loving me all the same:)
I feel like I should apologize real quick, especially to my family.
I have been SO selfish with my mission! Sorry:) I realized this week
that this mission has 100% nothing to do with me. This mission is for my
Savior and also, for my family. I am here
because The Lord and my Wonderful Earthy family needs me to be. I am
here for my brothers and sisters in Costa Rica but I am also here for my
brothers and sisters I left home. I am here because it is everything me
Heavenly Parents want for me and everything
me Earthy parents want and need from me too. How privileged I truly am!
To be a servant of the Lord, my family, and my future Costa Rican
family. So do forgive me because from now on my heart and mission is
dedicated to all of you!
So this week... Wow! First things first, I got my travel plans!!! I
am officially going to live in Costa Rica!!! I fly out with my two
beautiful companions on Monday morning. We fly from Salt Lake to Dallas
and from there straight into San Jose, Costa
Rica! Its real:) (Mommy and fam, this means I will be calling you guys
in just a few days!!!! I'll either be calling between 5:30 and 8:30 AM
or between 1 and 4 PM :):):):):)) So as of Monday night I will be
there!
I've had a lot of very exciting and spiritual experiences this last
week in the MTC and I'd love to share them with you. The first one
happened last THursday in class. We do this exercises where we play the
investigator and we pick someone we know who
isnt a member and then we practice teaching each other. I was teaching
Elder Bradley who was playing "Carlos". Before we began he asked to say a
little prayer to be able to play Carlos and feel what he would actually
feel if it was him in this situation. I
said a little prayer that I would be able to know what to say and how to
say it (keep in mind this is all in Spanish...) This is a shortened
version and just mainly key points of our lesson. So, he told me that
Carlos had been raised believing only in Science
and having no belief of God whatsoever. We started talking and as he
expressed his beliefs to me about how The Church was so silly because we
all believed in things we couldnt see or prove. I answered him with the
simplest, most common question I knew.. "well
how do you know that sun will rise?" He told me that scientists had
proved that the Earth rotates and he could read about it. Then I said
but have you personally ever seen the Earth rotate? He told me no, he
hadnt, but that he could try the same experiment
and see for himself that it did. I told him that was alot like the
scriptures. If he could look at the Bible and the Book of Mormon like a
scientific Journal filled with experiments and the results of those
experiments he could try it himself and get the same
answers. I told him he seemed like someone who really was intelligent
and searching for truth. He told me he was and I asked him to see if he
could find the desire to know truth about all things and not just
strictly "scientific truth", he told me he thought
he could. And then our lesson time was over. Elder Bradley told me later
that Carlos was his best friend from back home and that he thought I
had done "surprisingly well" (haha) in teaching him. He told me that if
some of the missionaries talked to Carlos the
way I had he might listen better. That made me feel so warm and fuzzy
inside because I knew those words and ideas were not mine. They came
straight from Heavenly Father into my heart, mind and mouth through the
power of the spirit. Even though it was just a
"practice" the spirit still helped me know what to say because Carlos
was a real person, somewhere, and I had asked to teach with the Spirit.
It was awesome. Prayer answered!
Another Fun experience this week was Sunday night Devotional! For
those of you who remember, the Church used to to what I believe are
called "Home Front" commercials. Well the director of Missionary
services, who helped produce all those commercials, was
the speaker so we spent most of the time watching funny, slightly cheesy
commercials with great one liners after them. You really ought to go
look some up on youtube or something because they really are quite
clever and hilarious. And best of all, they teach
us simple truths. Some of my favorite one liners were:
When everything says you cant, believe in the part of you that says you can.
Its not who you arnt its who you are
Being different is being great
Whatever you do in life, just do your Best.
and, The most important thing you can share in life is yourself.
The best part is that at the end it always says "A message from the
Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints" or "A message from the
Mormons". Haha I remembered a time when we were watching a movie
together as a family and it said something about avoiding
temptation and my daddy said that slogan. I've realized two things from
these experiences, 1 my daddy is actually Hilarious :) and two those
messages, and the message I'm sharing in my time as a missionary, aren't
from the Church, arent from the brethren, theyre
the things our Heavenly Father wanted us to hear, know and believe about
our selves and others.
Things have really been winding down here for me and my district..
Were having many of our lasts now and are looking forward to having all
kinds of new and exciting firsts. One last thing I want to share is from
Devo last night. As I mentioned, I've been
thinking alot about how this mission isnt for myself. Well, last night
our speaker quoted the scripture in Luke 22:32 "and when thou art
converted, strengthen thy brothern". There are so many people I look
forward to helping, serving and strengthening in conversion..
But I hope and pray that this mission most of all help my sweet,
wonderful, incredible, 7 baby brothers to be converted as I am:) I love
you boys!
In everything I do here and in the field, I strive "to do always
those things that please him". Thank you for supporting me in this! I
love you all and am so thankful for your prayers and thoughts. You will
always be in mine! The next time you here from
me I'll be in paradise:) Thank you to those who watch over my family and
may God watch over and Bless you all!
All my Love,
Hermana Kugath
(A message from the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints:))
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