Called to Serve

Called to Serve

Monday, December 26, 2016

Week 99 - Baptisms for Christmas!

Hey everyone! 
Hope everyone had an amazing Christmas like mine! 

Well pretty much the best Christmas present I could receive was 3 baptisms this weekend - and they got confirmed on Christmas day. It was SOOO cool because Luis (this punkyish kid who's 16) brought dress pants and a white shirt and we lent him a tie. He looked really good :)

We had a Christmas party with a couple other zones together so it was fun to see old friends. Every zone had to do a skit about Christmas and we did a funny nativity - I was Joseph and I couldn't believe Mary was pregnant "explain to me again? So an angel comes to visit you, and BOOM you're pregnant? I don't buy it!" haha everyone (including president thought our skit was pretty funny) :) And we ate some turkey! Adrianna was there so she gave me a big ol' turkey leg :)

We also ate some Papa Johns as well for a Christmas Eve lunch with a couple of other missionaries! But I've had SOO much pizza for these last couple of days so I'm going to take it easy there haha. And today, we had dinner at the Calderon's.




I did have changes yesterday/today so this'll be fun! Haha it's my last change in my mission and I had to pack up and go to a new area for a month and a half haha... BUT it's pretty sweet because my comp is Elder Garca - a Guatemalan that I've been good buddies for a while so there's no worries there. And my area is called San Ramon and it's part of Alajuela - the best part is that it's super chilly here (huge contrast to San Roque) so I'm going to be enjoying the cooooool weather haha! 

Pictures are all on Elder Alfaro's camera so I'll try to get those to you next week when he sends them to me.

And best of all, I got to talk to the family. I LOVE THOSE GUYS SO MUCH! Everyone is so much older, taller, and different...but at the same time, exactly the same. AND Shoutout to Momma Stott for NOT CRYING! YES - 22 months in and she's finally got it down! And now I don't have any more calls left.. So next time it'll be in person! 



Well, thank you everyone for the kind wishes and love! I can feel it all the way down here in Costa Rica 4365 miles away! I love you all and hope that everybody has an amazing start to 2017!

Pura Vida!

- Elder Stotticus!!! 💪

A family from St. George, UT came to visit and sent this pic to my mom

Monday, December 19, 2016

Week 98 - O Holy Shoes & Tighty Whities

Hey there!

Well, just wanted to wish everyone a cordial merry Christmas and Happy New Year from Elder Stott and all my buds here in beautiful Costa Rica!
Looks like I'll be enjoying a toasty hot Christmas at about 85ish degrees so it looks like I'm on Heat-Meiser's team this year. haha
Well this past week was super packed!
Tuesday - we went caroling in the park as 2 zones combined which was cool! A lot of people loved my Santa hat with an attached beard - gotta keep things crazy here haha.
Wednesday - We headed to the Old Folk's home to sing carols, act out a play, play board games, and just hang out! I actually really really enjoyed being there and making some new friends - even if they fell asleep on me! I promise I'm not boring company haha ;) I took pictures with my Saint friend (not sure which Saint he is - because there's so many of them here haha).
     (if you click on these on your mobile devices they open a more clear pic)



Thursday - we found a lot (I mean a lot) of homeless people or people that have very little and we shared with them too! We had some clothing-drives to collect clothing for them & we also cooked food and brought food to them. I even met a guy who served in the Israeli Army which was pretty dang cool to get to meet him.

Friday - I had divisions with Elder Fuentes in Santa Cruz where I did a ton of baptismal interviews. Those are always way interesting hahaha. But it was a good time being with old friends and being with a friend of mine over there in Santa Cruz. We (Alfaro and I) invited the other district to ice cream which was pretty cool as well.
Saturday - the zones had a baptism where there was 5 people getting baptized. One of the little girls wanted me to baptize her so, even though we didn't have a baptism, we got to have a part in it. Actually it was pretty funny because I could not, for the life of me, find my white pants. So I had to borrow a pair of size 28 pants and they were SO FREAKIN TIGHT! - I felt like a boy band singer from One Direction or something hahaha. And to make it worse, they made me lead the music in the meeting so that I would have to go in front of everyone. Good times for Elder Stott... haha

Well it's crazy how time flies so fast. Now all my shoes have holes in them haha... I'm really thankful for the time that I have here in the mission as well that I have quite a bit of time left too. I love serving! And even though it's the hardest thing by far that I've ever done, I completely love it. I've said before, there are lots of hard times, but the good times are far better and stronger than the bad.



I hope that we can all remember the true Christmas Spirit and why we truly celebrate. I love my Savior and I am so grateful for Him and all that He's done for me!
Be safe! And let it snow ;)
Pura Vida!

- Elder Stott  

Monday, December 12, 2016

Week 97 - I Feel Like a Tico

Hey hey!

Hope everyone is keeping warm over there in the states! Here its about 80 degrees and it feels a little chilly here too so it’s beginning to feel a little like Christmas haha!

As far as this passed week, not very much “write-able” things happened this week haha.

We did buy pizza so that was pretty cool haha – but we felt really fat later this week haha.

President came to visit Guanacaste and he actually came to study and work with us. It was really really cool because you could feel the power that he has (he was an area seventy before he was mission president) as he testified of the things we taught. I've learned a lot of awesome things from him - one of my favorite is that we need to be "una cabeza" (a head) and never "una cola" a tail. We're meant to be leaders and to always do everything we can do - I've learned that mediocrity is never an option. Good stuff right? haha.

This week we're gearing up for Miracle Week baby! This week we're going to go to a nursing home to sing Christmas carols and we're also going to go serve hot chocolate to homeless people and share a Christmas message - there's going to be lots of great stuff happening - I'll make sure to send lot of pictures!

Well, today I was reading in Mormon, about the final battles of the Nephites and Lamanites and it actually made me pretty sad. because Mormon was so heart-broken. The Lord gave so many opportunities to repent and change, but the wicked chose to remain wicked. It reminded me that although we are not perfect, we should never ever give up. If we do, it could affect us a lot more than we think. We should always have goals to improve ourselves and to press forward! One thing that I've thought and I really like is that we should have goals and dreams so big, that they scare small minds! I love that! Keep scaring small minds!

I'm so thankful for the opportunity to be here in Costa Rica. I love the people and their culture. Sometimes, I forget that I'm not from here because I feel like a Tico. I love this Gospel and the hope that it ALWAYS offers us, we just have to do our part! Keep moving forward with faith in every footstep baby!!!! WHOOO HOOO haha 

Love all you guys,

- Elder Stott!  

Monday, December 5, 2016

Week 96 - 22 Month Missionary!!

Hey guys! Hope everyone's having a great first week of Christmas! 

I really love this time of year. It gives us lots of time to reflect the birth of our Savior Jesus Christ. Really, we should remember him all year long but this time of year is extra special. In the mission, we're focused on what we're going to give to Him this year. We're fighting for 100 confirmations this month (we've done it 1 time since the mission split) so we're fighting hard here in San Roque.
#100almasAlSeñor

But back to the topic of Christmas, I learned yesterday watching the Christmas devotional that we need to focus on the gift that we have as members of Christ's church... the gift of the Holy Ghost. And use His influence the best we can! If you guys didn't get a chance to see the devotional, I totally recommend it!  https://www.lds.org/broadcasts/watch/christmas-devotional/2016/12?lang=eng&vid=5235606219001

Well this week we went to San Jose for a Leadership Council which was pretty cool! I always learn new things there which is good stuff haha. 
Our bus rides (the 2 of them) both took 6 hours for all the traffic, but it all turned out alright because I ate Subway after haha.

Guess who cooked for us?!  Adriana!!
We helped a lady who's less active move a giant dresser thing. It weighed about as much as the entertainment center in the living room and we had to move it a block... I was sweating like crazy! Lot's of exercise there! 

With animals, I'm always smacking giant toads out of our house. Now I know (kinda) how Pharaoh felt when he had the plague of frogs. Those things are nasty and are the size of my two fists together hahaha.

For part of investigators we saw a miracle this week! So remember Leiner and Lesnar (the kids that were really close to being baptized)? Well, their parents want to get married and baptized this month on the 31st! I'M SO STOKED!!! They don't have a ton of money, so Elder Stott is going to become House-seller Stott - selling bread and stuff to help them to raise money for the wedding. I'm not hoping to work in sales after the mission.... haha not very fun. But, right now, totally worth it if the get baptized! So we'll be working really hard with them!

Well, not much else to catch up on.. We threw a big sports activity here in Liberia today and I got FRIED by the sun. But oh well, it was fun and helped unite the zone a little bit mas. 

For me, the mission honestly isn't something that makes you naturally happy although there are lots of happy moments! We just have to learn how to be happy! You have to look for the happy moments and miracles every day! 

Well I love my time that I've had the chance to have here! I love my mission and I love my Savior!

Check out this video! It's one of the best ones I've seen - really will help remind us how to share the Christmas Spirit! 

Love all you guys! Keep at it! 
Arriba, mas arriba! Adelante, mas adelante! 


- Elder Stott 


My home away from home - at the Calderon's

Sister Calderon was wearing Oregon Duck colors!!