Called to Serve

Called to Serve

Saturday, December 26, 2015

Week 46 - Merry Navidad!

Heya guys!

Hope everyone had a stinkin sweet Navidad! Things here in Costa Rica were crazy and loud but you could still feel that Christmas Spirit :)

Well, things have been good here. Coolin down a little and no rain so I'm stoked for that! 

We had a Christmas party here in the office with half of our mission! It was super sweet and we did a bunch of funny skits and songs and even had Santa! Haha so speaking about Santa, he had a gift for every missionary and he'd read off their names, and then they'd come up and get their present and take a picture. Everyone skipped or jogged up and took a goofy picture with Santa. When it was my turn, I pulled a good ol' Elf move and screamed SANTAAAAAAA! Haha and and pretended to tackle him, I think I scared him. And then later, I got this picture of me carrying Santa in my arms. It was a good party :)

Oh hey, I forgot to say, so last week, we had an activity in central San Jose. We (Elder Black, Elder Kepo'o and I) played our ukuleles and sang feliz Navidad to a big group of people and in the street in San Jose. Well, one lady took a video and posted it up on Facebook and now it has some 15k likes or something like that. Pretty cool!

Man, I was so thankful to see my family yesterday! They all look so much older haha. And they say I don't look fat so that's good too haha. After years of saying we were gonna get one, they got a puppy (while I'm on my mission, of course) haha. I don't like little dogs anyways, so when I get back, she'll be just the right size.

The picture that I have attached are little cards that say "Èl naciò para que yo..." Which he means "He (Jesus Christ) was born so that I..." and I put "can be like him." Why was Jesus Christ born for you guys. It's a great way to realize what He has done for us and what we can do for Him.

I love this Christmas season, I love my mission, I love my family, I love both my Savior and my Heavenly Father, I love my new puppy Lucy, and I love this Gospel. 

Thank you for all the Christmas wishes and prayers! Keep sending them my way!

Pura Vida
"Feliz Navidad, prospera año y felicidad"

Love you guys!
- Elder Stott





Some of the Elders and me doing the Rudolph Conga


Also - Our church puts out short, inspiring and motivational videos.  Several weeks ago, one called "Good Things to Share" was released.  Josh is in it!  Although it's only for a split second, it's still pretty cool :)  Check it out.... he's at the center-bottom of the screen at about 1:36-38.  





Saturday, December 19, 2015

Week 45 - Tamales and Christmas drink

Hellooooo Ladies and Gentlemen!

Hope things are flippin sweet (Napoleon Dynamite reference) over there in the states! Because things are pretty great here!

First off, it's SO FREAKING HOT! We had sacrifice week this week so that was a great mix haha. So for sacrifice week, we get up extra early to study, and then we're out working by 10 in the morning, which is early here. My new area is HUGE, so I wouldn't be exaggerating if I said I probably walked 30 miles this week. My feet are killing me today haha but hey, it's all in the name of the game! 

This Sunday, we had our Stake Conference here en Estaca La Sabana (The 
Sabana Stake) which is the same stake that I've been in FOREVER (Alajuelita and Hatillo are wards in the stake). Well I walked in and probably spent 20 minutes saying hi to everyone I know haha - it was pretty cool getting to see everyone :) This week (tomorrow) I get to give a talk in Sacrament Meeting to introduce myself to the ward too.

Things are crazy busy in the office but it's fun too haha. We work regular office hours here, then after about 4:00 I head back to San Jose to do my missionary work, find and teach. The food is exactly the same haha as anywhere else. Breakfast and Dinner we just usually eat something in the house and for lunch, we take lunch from a mamacita to the office to eat.

I like my companion, Elder Larsen.  He's really quiet and chill and from the States (Arizona) he has almost 15 months so just a little more than me in the mission.  I'll be with him until February, and then I'll be with Elder Contreras again.
We'll see how Christmas is here. I'll probably be eating a boat load of tamales and a ton of a drink that literally tastes like Christmas haha. We have eaten SO much.  I'll be eating dinner at the Bishops house on the 24th and no idea what I'm gonna do on Christmas! But I will get to skype home and see my family y abuelita :) Pretty excited for that! 

Not much else to report this week. Life is good, I'm loving the mission, and working hard!

Love all you guys!

Have a great Christmas - remember why we celebrate it! He is the Reason.

Pura Vida,

- Elder Stott :)

My buddy, Elder Black, and me - selfies in the office


Playing ukuleles out in the streets

Saturday, December 12, 2015

Week 44.5 - Secretary Stott

Howdy y'all!

Man, it's weird to write on Saturday now. My week is going to feel like a normal work-week where work starts on Monday, my weekend or Pday is Saturday and the Sunday's are still the awesome days that they always are :)

So my area is HUGE! It's called Don Bosco and it's 15 minutes from Hatillo, 25 minutes from Alajuelita and 4 hours from Cañas! It's pretty cool. The people are kinda weird - a lady spanked me in the street as I walked by this week... I wanted to pop her in the face with the Book of Mormon that I carry around haha. Struck down by the word of God hehe ;)

My house is huge - it's the mission house so there's 10 bunk beds and it has a bunch of rooms. But there's only 4 of us living there and there'll be only us 2 in Febuary. When the new missionaries come, they stay with us and so do the missionaries that are going home. And they leave the house trashed and eat our food. I hide the good stuff in my room in my personal fridge hehe ;)

Oh man, things are NUTS in the office. I made my first excel sheet (I'm gonna come back and teach dad stuff on excel haha) of all the data of the Mission since it began.. It took me ALL day. I made Powerpoints for President and I talked with Salt Lake City and Guatemala about baptismal records - I always thought that the secretaries don't do much. Haha man, was I wrong.... It's super busy. Not to mention, the office gets about 30 calls a day from people thinking that it's a gym. It reminds me of Sponge Bob when people call the Krusty Crab "Is this the Krusty Crab?" "No this is Patrick!!" haha. But wow, it's crazy. There's a reason President says that I'm his his 3rd Asisstant haha.

Well things are good. I'm loving the mission and the cooler weather without rain! :) 

Hope all is well over in the States! Love you guys tons! Thank you for all your support and love - keep sending it my way!

Pura Vida!

- Elder Stott

Tuesday, December 8, 2015

Week 44 - 10 month missionary, and a shopping spree

Hey everyone hope all is well stateside!

Another cool looking spider
Things have been good in Hatillo. I've been stressing out a little bit here because the baptisms don't come easy but hey, you've gotta work hard for things that you want! 

Just about cried at the store...tears of joy.  Food I recognize!!!
I bought a ton of food at a place that's a lot like Costco so there was a bunch of American stuff to buy there. I loved it :) I bought BBQ sauce, pancake mix, candy, Gatorade powder, peanut butter, pub mix, other stuff and BACON. I was stoked for the bacon part - it's sooooo good. And we bought a pizza there afterwards which was really good!

I played a guitar musical number with my comp on Sunday at church. We played Silent Night and it turned out really good.  

I got a call last night for changes... But all that my leaders told me is that I had an interview with President in the morning at 8.. That usually means something big so I got nervous while I packed all last night. By the way, I ABSOLUTELY HATE packing. It's the worst. But anyways got here at 7:30 this morning in the office and had my interview. He said that he's been watching and thinking about this calling for a long long time.

He asked if I would be his Executive Secretary... Oh my gosh. Of course I accepted, but this is gonna be a ton of work.. I'm in charge of President's schedule, Baptismal Records, Numbers and indicators for the whole mission, and whatever else he asks me to do. I talk with Salt Lake a lot too - you have to be considered bilingual. I'm in the Mission office every day now working right next to President so that'll be cool! Hey by the way, for now and until I change, my P-days are on Saturdays. That changes things a tiny bit. So big change for me in the mission! Oh, by the way, I'll be here in the office with Elder Black :) He's the best.

Not sure what else to write about.. My new companion (after I finish my training as a secretary in February) is really an old companion, Elder Contreras. Again. He's the one from Mexico who I was with a while back.. He's more mature now so maybe we'll get along better now.. I'll be with him at least 6 months so hopefully everything goes good!

Christmas time - Tico style
Well, I hope everyone has a fantastic week! Be safe and remember why we celebrate Christmas: Our Savior Jesus Christ. There's a new Christmas video that came out and it's really really sweet: A Savior is Born. 
I'm so thankful for Him and that our Heavenly Father loved us enough to send Him to and for us. I love my Savior Jesus Christ and I know that he lives and loves us. Share the true spirit of Christmas with everyone you can!

Love you guys! 

Pura Vida
- Elder Joshua Douglas Stott


Me and Rofino