Elder Joshua Stott - Costa Rica, San José West Mission : Week 80

HEY FAM!

Well this week was interesting!

So to start things out - Elder Vorwaller had changes! Super unexpected... Nothing happened at all, actually the zone is doing a lot better so I'm sure the mission just needs his help somewhere else! Well, my time here in Guanacaste will continue and I'm now with Elder Lopez - he was in the office with me a while back and I took a picture of him and everything. He's the Asian-looking Mexican (pretty funny huh). Well he's really cool and super super fun so I'm excited to have him with us here in the San Roque Zone! We're going to throw fire here :) That's the cool thing about being ZL - your companions are almost always going to be super sick elders! It was sad that my time here with Vwaller was short but Lopez is really good too so it balances out!

A visiting member took our pic at church to send to our moms

Our zone is doing is alright. I have lots of hope and energy and we're just trying to convey that to the zone. It just feels like they're asleep sometimes out here. Not much excitement or urgency and they kinda fight against changes. But I've learned it's a long process to pick a zone up - it's not something that happens quickly! But I sure love my missionaries here (yes, even the ones that give me headaches haha) It's so busy being a ZL, you have no idea. There's always something wrong or drama but it's all good - I love it :)

Bearing and lifting my fellow ZL's

So this week for Semana de Milagros, it was super super hot, but totally sick. We recorded people in the central parks and everywhere. We looked professional (with headphones, selfie sticks - to record, and everything) so people wanted to be a part of it. I'll be working on a giant video here this week so that should be good :) We took lots of selfies with people holding the Book of Mormon too - that was really cool. I enjoyed it :)

ALSO, I had to go to a baptismal interview on the beach... I know, it sucked... Haha no it was so pretty! It's about 2 hours away from my area but in my same zone. A member took us in his car and the whole experience was so sweeeet. I did the interview in a resort and after we finished, the Elder I was with, the member and I all watched the Costa Rican sunset on the beach (in the car haha) - I'm pretty sure I just completed the last bucket-list thing for my mission haha :) It was really breathtaking because I had the beach in front and the jungle behind me. I guess Costa Rica is really beautiful after all ;) I've just been in ugly areas so far. haha

Playa Flamingo Sunset

Well, this week we're hoping for another baptism in our area so let's hope that all goes well. I have a 4-hour bus-ride ahead of me today to get back to Guana, so that'll be fun!

Remember that we should have goals so large that they scare small minds :) Like I always say to Elder Black in the morning, "RISE AND GRIND" and also like I like to say here "Keep grinding".

Thanks for everything!

Love all you guys - pura vida!

The church is true!

- Elder Stott (aka "El Machón" - Big Blonde)