Hermana Rachel Ruth Peters

Nov. 2, 2015
Dear family,

So as you all saw in the picture, we were blessed to have 8 baptisms in the Escazu ward yesterday. All the members were super happy, and they were saying that they can`t ever remember seeing soo many people get baptized on the same day. I will back up and explain what happened with our 5th baptism...

It was Osvaldo who was doing super good!! He used to have a huge problem with drinking but had gone 4 weeks without anything... but then on Monday he fell again... It was crazy how the spirit works, because on Monday my companion and i felt that we needed to go see him. The weird thing was that it was at like 4 in the afternoon, so that means it still was pday, and that we had 2 more hours to go rest or something. But we both felt the need to go see him, and when we got there he wasn't home. His brother came out and said that he wasn`t home, that he was out drinking. i thought it was a joke, because it was a Monday afternoon, but then his sister came out and said the same thing. My companion and i were both super sad... and mostly just frustrated with Satan... He knows just how to make us fall and in the moments least expected... So on Tuesday we went back. Poor guy felt soooo bad, which was a good sign for us. He really knew what he did was bad, and said he didn't even enjoy it, that it isn't going to happen again. So then we explained to him that sometimes it`s important to fall, so that we can get back up even stronger. He now is stronger, and we can see it in his heart and his actions. So this past week we stopped by everyday and almost every time he was reading the Book of Mormon. So he will be getting baptized this Sunday and i know that now he knows how to fight off Satan.

So then the rest of the week we were helping Leodan, Tony, Lubi, and Ramon. Leodan and Tony were both also in the fight with temptations of addictions, so we needed to also be checking up on the daily... But they really showed that their spirit is stronger. Tony has smoked since he was 7.... and about 2 packs per day, but he gave it all up in 2 weeks. Leodan just had problems with coffee, but also was able to give it all up :)

Luvi and Ramon also had their far share of problems this past week, they got kicked out of their house, but God helped them to find another one super fast, and we were actually able to help them move :) and if you were wonder, my companion and i moved a fridge together with Ramon. Yes we are super bufff :) haha so they got all moved and were super happy in their new house. Also right now Ramon doesnt have a set job right now, he has just been selling things in San Jose in the streets, i didnt know this but it`s illegal, and so one day we went over and were surprised to find him in the house, and so we asked him why he wasnt working and he said there were a few cops out, and that normally he`d just keep going just sneakily, but he told the guy he was with they he couldnt because he was getting baptized on Sunday :) haha he is the best and i know that he is going to be a future leader in the church!! They all will be!! Tony and Leodan have super strong testimonies, and i hope to be able to see them both leave on missions. Also my companion and i are already planning on how we will be coming back in one year to be able to see Lubi and Ramon go to the temple to be sealed for time and all eternity :)

Thank you all for your prayers for all my friends here in Costa Rica. I know they can feel them. i am soo grateful for this time i have to be a missionary and feel sooo blessed right now. I know that God loves us, and that everything happens for a reason. I hope you alll have a wonderful week and never forget that with God all things are possible.

Thanks mom! i loved your picture you sent in your email about the hard days turn into best days. Last night i was reading in my journal from a time that was really hard, and i could not help but feel sooo grateful for those hard times. In the darkest nights is when you search more for the light. and now i feel soo blessed with so much light and blessings. I really do feel like God is opening his windows of heaven and letting them pour our upon us here.

my life is really good. i am super happy and really can feel myself sprinting right now for the finish line. President was talking to me the other day asking about our baptisms and then said "What a great way to finish your mission, with these 5 baptisms." all i could think is that i have 5 more weeks, i`m going to finish with even more. :) so i feel super motivated to finish super strong and to give it all i got :)

We haven't been able to do divisions for the last few weeks, but we have been calling them a lot. They are doing good! And right now we are working with 2 companionship here, and also have 2 more that are in a zone super far away, but that don't have stls. So we have 8 sisters, but 4 of them we only call to see how they are doing every so often

LOVE YOU ALL!!

Hermana Peters

Coolest day ever.

8 baptisms in Escazu :):)