Week 43 - 300 DAYS, and pork chops for dinner

Hey everyone! Hope this Thanksgiving week was SICK for you guys!

Here, I had a porkchop, and you guessed it! RICE AND BEANS! Woohoo! haha but man, rice and beans really fills me up now that I'm used to eating it every hour of the day haha. I really missed the turkey and gizzards (mom likes to eat those - me too). But there's a family here that invited me to eat a late Thanksgiving dinner - they've been to the states so they like Thanksgiving food! ME TOO :) haha

Things are good here in Hatillo. People are starting to blast-off fireworks like crazy - that's what's big here in CR during Christmas time. I'm more used to the quiet and chill Christmas at home with the family but hey, I don't think I'm in Kansas any more. Time to get used to that. And I had my first tamale of the Christmas season (I've had them before) and guess what? Still not a huge fan. haha but it's food - I'll eat it.

Speaking of food, I'm going to eat both pig and chicken feet here soon. And I'm gonna eat something called a tepezcuintle which looks like a rat and tastes like a pig - cool huh? haha and it doesn't have a tail either. I've eaten so many weird meats here. Iguana, gorrobo, a weird mountain goat thing, a fish that tastes like beef and a bunch of stuff haha. So yeah, it's pretty cool.

Finally got to put on the bloody mask from the movie, Scream. Mom never let me dress up like that for Halloween... until now hehe ;) 

Still trying to find ways to get big again - everyone that knows me always says "elder Stott you're getting skinny man" hahahahaha... SHUTUP! I know haha. Maybe if I eat a bunch of tepezcuintle I can get beefed up... We'll see. Or I'll just eat a bunch of turtle eggs!

My comp is still yodeling with the guitar. Man, I realize every day how short he actually is.. We measured and I'm more than a foot taller than him but he's totally a man at the same time... He shaves like 5 times a day otherwise he'll grow a duck dynasty looking beard :)

We had an international day of service here in Costa Rica. I got to mow a lawn of an elementary school...... with a machete haha. TICO STYLE! Chopeando, as they call it here! And I really suck at it.. But I love getting the opportunity to serve others. That's what the true love of Christ is.

Since it was Thanksgiving I just wanna say some of the things that I'm thankful for. I'm thankful for so many things in life: food, football, college football, guitar, piano, singing, my mission, my friends, my chance to study at BYU, the people I meet here in Costa Rica, my cat, the USA, the Restored Gospel of Jesus Christ, the authority we have to perform saving ordinances that we do in the Lord's Temples, the opportunity to repent, and many other things. The list goes on and on. But none of that truly compares to how thankful I am for my family. I'm so thankful that my parents were sealed in the temple for time and all eternity and that I can be with my family forever. Not just in this life. Nothing matters more to me than them. I love you guys :)

Hope everyone has a great week. Be safe and smile! 

Pura Vida, 

Elder Stott   

Week 42 - A Math lesson and Mexican Yodeling

Hey everyone! Hope this week has been a great one for everyone! 

Things are good here in CR.. The rain is finally starting to leave us alone finally haha. SO SICK OF WET SOCKS! Saw a crazy bird-eating spider this week. I love this place.

Things are pretty good in our area. We found a family of three and we started to teach a lesson to them. We ended the lesson teaching 9 people! So that was super cool.. It was after a really long day of having doors slammed in our faces... We've been getting that a lot lately here but if we're diligent, the blessings really do come! People don't want to come to church on Sundays so that's really tough. Something that I like to do, is to teach a little mathematics lesson...so brace yourself (we'll see if Sophie can do this math): We have 168 hours each week. Church (Mormon church, anyways) only takes 3 hours of that 168. So if we do a little bit of math, church is less than 2% of our week. Our Heavenly Father has blessed us with a 100% of our week. It really isn't all that hard to dedicate less than 2% of your week to the Lord.. We have the other 98% percent! Okay, that's enough math for today!

I'm starting to learn some good mariachi music.... ....by force. I'm really not a big fan because to me, it just sounds like Mexican yodeling and a guitar haha. And all the songs sound the flippin same! But sometimes I just have to sing along. BUT, my companion is good at singing hymns - so that's a big plus. He's my first comp that doesn't sing like a dying goat. haha ;)

My Zone

Today we played some ultimate frisbee in the Sabana Park! I went hard, diving everywhere and snatching that frisbee outta the air! So now, I'm writing right now a little bit dirty and sore, but happy. It reminded me of Summer term at BYU playing some good ol' UF! 

Me, I'm doing good. Still getting used to all the Christmas junk that people have out already haha. And I'm bracing myself for a tsunami of tamales... That's pretty much all people eat during Christmas here... Or, they butcher a whole choncho (pig)! Mmmmm Now That, I can dig :) Still getting skinnier. I'm trying to eat as much as I can but it doesn't work too well... If you all truly love me, send me some protein! 

Well, Hope everyone stays warm this week. It's not too hard here being 86 degrees (but it honestly feels cool to me now)

Stay pretty pony boy y PURA VIDA!

Elder Stott

Week 41 - Mariachi man

Well howdy folks! Hope this week treated you guys well! Costa Rica is still pura vida!

So this week was a little bit slower than normal.. 

Elders Salazar, Tox, me and my new comp, Elder Irias

I'm starting to get used to my companion. So a little more about him: He's a convert from Honduras. He has almost 2 years since he was baptized. HE'S 26... haha my companion is literally a man-child. He's almost 5 feet tall but his needs to shave like 2 twice daily... So I'm the senior companion of someone who's more than 7 years older than me haha. He has this kinda high voice and he sings mariachi music. Sometimes it's entertaining but sometimes it gets old because all mariachi music sounds the same to me haha.  

Our area is doing pretty good. We're trying to find people who are really wanting to progress in the gospel. Sometimes we have to ask investigators if they really want us to keep coming by and that helps them think if they really want us to pass by and to progress in the gospel. 

We're going to have a family home evening with a really good family of 4 with some members tonight so I hope everything goes well with that! They seem really good and they have a real desire to learn.

It's weird here because people don't really celebrate Thanksgiving so everyone is starting to put up Christmas lights already.. It's weird because we're in the middle of NOVEMBER.. haha at least they're not playing Christmas music before Christmas! That's the worst..

Well, have a great week! Be safe and enjoy the nice fall weather - we don't have any here.. haha 

Pura Vida,

Elder Stott :)

Week 40 - A new companion, sacrifice week, gangs and pigeons

Hey everyone! Todo bien en los Estados? Hope everyone had a great last week!

Things are good over here in sunny Hatillo! 

My companion (who I was training) had changes! He's going to open an area in Heredia. I have a new comp here in Hatillo! His name is Elder Irias and he's from Honduras too! ANOTHER CATRACHO.. haha. He's literally like 4 feet tall. But he seems pretty cool - apparently he can play guitar and sing and stuff so I might have some fun with him :) He's younger than me in the mission but he's old.. He's 25 years old. So I'm the senior companion of a 25 year old... sick! 

Not much else happened this week! We had sacrifice week where we got up at 5 and left to go work at 8 in the morning (usually we leave at 12 or 1 depending on lunch). So I'm super tired but we found a boat load of people to teach and a couple of really good families! So I'm excited for that! 

This week I saw some straight up gangster from El Salvador. They were from the 18 gang - I know because I could tell by the specific tattoos and jerseys they wore. One of the members that we were with is from El Salvador and he was scared haha. He said these guys chop people to pieces if they don't do whatever they say. We're protected as missionaries though so it was cool.

A freakin pigeon dropped a bomb on my shoulder in San Jose this week... Stupid.

Hopefully pictures come through this week! 

Well, hope everyone will have a great week this week! Be careful and smile more! 

Pura Vida,

Elder Stott

Me and Rofino

Rofino's daughters

Mi Abuela - I have several

Week 39 - Protected by the gangsters

Hey y'all! I thought I'd change the "hey everyone" up haha 

Things are really going good here in Hatillo! It's still raining a ton and super hot at the same time.. What a superb combo ay? 

We had a baptism yesterday of Santiago! He's a 9 year old who's super duper awesome. He's pretty much my best friend here in the mish. He asked me like a month/2 months ago to baptize him and we finally did it! One time, I had to go with a different missionary when we had an appointment with him. I heard he about cried because he thought I left.. But I came back haha :)

I talked to a bunch of gangster this week and got their names and where they all live. It turns out that 4 of them have killed about 60 people between all 4... And they never give out there names because they think everyone works for the GOV when they do haha. But they were super chill with us and we taught them almost all of the Plan of Salvation which was pretty cool. Now they always say hi and even protect us when we come by that part of our area! 

Elder Carrion - feeling the heat

I ate a super hot chili that's smaller than my thumbnail. I didn't cry but my face went beet-red and my whole toungue and mouth went numb. I gave my comp 5 bucks to eat 4. (A mexican who LOVES chili here can only handle 4 so imagine how hot they are haha) My comp cried so much and it was super duper funny. Something that I think dad would like to watch haha. 

I started working out big-time this week. My arms are DEAD ahhh. I feel like I have nubs for arms because they won't bend more than 90 degrees... But no pain no gain right? Let's just say there better be a lot of gain for all this pain.... :)

Not much more to write about this week... I did help cook tortillas for a Hondureno food called valiadadas. SUPER RICO :)

Well, keep me posted on how everyone's doing! Love you guys!

Pura Vida

- Elder Stott :)

Week 38 - Machete Master

Hey everyone, hope (as always) that things are going good over in the US of A! I'm getting all gear-ed up for Halloween even though a lot of people don't know what it even is haha.

So this week was pretty dang sick! We had a Multi-Zone conference with President Duncan - a big 70 who's the President of the Central American Area. It was a really really long meeting (almost 8 hours) but we learned a ton! I was super stoked for all the good advice that he gave us and I'm excited to apply it in my area and in my mission. We got to sing in my little group to the Mission Hymn of Costa Rica San Jose Oeste which went really well. President Duncan said that we should all be in Mo-Tab haha. I didn't get a good video of it so that was kinda sad. I'll just have to do it again here sometime soon.

There's this little puppy that always comes running out when I come to the house of a member. The member is seriously like my 3rd grandma because she always gives us food and she's one of the sweetest old ladies that I know. The little puppy's name is Tommy and she's super duper cute haha. I like puppies :)

We did a little service project in a poor part of our area (where they kill a lot of people - it's a really nice place haha). We had to "chopear" someones back yard with machetes. Man, my hand was so blistered and sore afterwards. I felt like I was chopping through the jungle because the plants we're all bigger than me! Never under-appreciate a lawnmower haha they are a blessing!

Our area is doing pretty well. We're struggling with getting people to come to chuch on Sunday's because it always seems like something comes up! Dang it! We'll just have to keep working hard - we'll be blessed for efforts, it just may not be instantaneous.

Not much else to write about. I'm doing good and I'm loving the mission. It sure is making me skinny but I'm still me haha. I am able to say almost everything that I want to and I can almost understand everything that people say to me. I feel like Spanish has "clicked" for me finally and now I can really get to work!

Thank you everyone for prayers and support - keep it coming!

Sending some pura vida vibes your way!

Elder Josh Stott

Week 37 - Incense, Chicken and the Guitar

Hey everyone what's up?! 

Hope that life is treating you well, really missing the TRUE Fall season. We just have boat-loads of rain and mud and water and stuff. I'm now used to wet feet. But hey, welcome to the mission!

So this week was pretty good! We've worked a lot in the most dangerous part of the most dangerous part of my area. It's called Sagrada Familia or Sacred Family. Most of the houses are tin or plastic and there's a lot of pintas - or gangsters- walking the streets. One guy was chillin in his van smoking marijuana and had a gun that he tried to hide when I walked by. I just spoke some slang and he spoke back - so now you could say we're chill haha.

Serenading mi compañero

Things are going good with me and my comp. We're getting to the end of his training and he's still got a LONG LONG way to go but we're going, step-by-step haha. 

I've finally gotten used to the food here now and sometime.... I kinda.. crave rice haha. Not really, but it's pretty good. I bought a bunch or brown rice and chicken breast and veggies. I'm gonna try to eat better and get a really good work-out routine in - I REALLY miss working out :( haha but I'll get everything back sometime! 

Hey, this week we have a big multi-zone conference with President Duncan - the President of Central America and a big-whig 70. I get to do a special musical number with 5 other missionaries. We're gonna sing the mission hymn (it was written for only our mission) acapella. It doesn't have sheet music or parts so we had to make our own parts and it sounds REALLY good. I'll make sure to get a video of it! 

Me relieving some stress :)

I've been playing a lot of guitar here and I love it because it really takes my mind off the stress that you have in the mission. It can really eat ya alive if you let it. That's when I just get some incense, cook some chicken and play guitar haha :) 

Well, hopefully I'll have some cool experience to write about this upcoming week. Thank you everyone for all the prayers on my behalf - keep those suckers coming! haha

Love y'all! 

Pura Vida

- Elder Stott