Week # 19 Its a ZOO down here...............

I see you have found a zoo in Costa Rica?

yes it is owned by a member so we got to go on a 80 dollar tour for 8 dollars! I have a video of me feeding the giraffe from my mouth but it is too big to send. I need to find how to use drop box so I can show it to you guys! :) and by the way the lady that sent the friend request is from my cocinera. our cook and she is a really great lady and they wouldn't ask for money. they just want to be friends with mom. 

That is what we were hoping was the case.  Mom accepted the request and hopefully we will be able to communicate with her on occasion.   I will wait for your big email if you send one out.

I don't think I will have time this week. We don't have very much time today. I have to spend the night in San Jose with the other elders because we have a multi zone meeting tomorrow at 8 am so we have to leave and spend the night in San Jose... it kinda sucks 5 hour bus and sleeping on the floor... 

Ya that does sound kind of sucky.  So how goes the work and all the usual questions?  Any suggestions for Christmas other than razors and slacks?  I'm still trying to figure out how much room she will have to bring you stuff.  Not sure if it will be a little or a lot.

If you can send a fishing reel and a small pole the rest of the stuff here is not too expensive & lures would be great! honestly I really am dying for the jack links teriyaki jerky! Some smaller pants would be great because I have been running and now my pants are too big and I have to bunch them up in the back. :)

I have already planned on the jerky, several bags if she has room, a fishing reel with spiderwire if it isn't too much, a collapsible pole, and a few lures.  How much small pants?  You said you have 30 waist and 32 length right?  Can you get razors if you need?  How about other candy or snacks or just a bunch of jerky?  I can make some elk jerky and vacuum seal it if you want.

Iots of jerky and that should do it. 32 waist and 34 length is what I would need and if you find some dark colored basketball shorts so no one knows how bad I am sweating. thank you! I am close to out of time today. is there something else that you needed answered?

I just got the video from mom.  You look really good.  Probably the best kiss you have had since you left.

Ya it was a good kiss.... I guess. she was kinda sloppy. I'm used to a little better kisser than that. alright I will talk to you next week. love you!

Week # 18 Nothing new in the last 4 days....................

This week the email was short,

We had just talked to him on Thursday so we just asked him what had changed in the last 4 days:

Well I have changed ties and I lost a little weight this week so my suit pants fit better other than that not really :)  One of the families I baptized went with the ward to the temple and that was a great thing. 

We talked about things he need and what he would like for Christmas:

He said he would love fishing stuff & LETTERS it would be nice to just receive a letter in the mail. 

He is still doing great!!

Week #17 A wedding and a Jail.......................

Mondays Email:  
Hey I only have 15 minutes to tell you guys but my p day has changed this week because I have to go get my citizenship card in San Jose on Thursday so I will be able to talk on Thursday but I only was allowed to tell you my day changed this week.

This is a wedding he attended

Then on the Saturday after they were Married they were able to baptise the whole family. 

He said that baptizing a whole family is his favorite by far.

Thursdays Email:

Well the baptisms are going great and we had a whole family married and baptised this last week as you know. Also they are going to make the six hour bus ride to the temple with the branch this Saturday! They are one of the families that I can not  wait to see in the temple in the next year! Also guess who found a guy that fishes for the fish I told you all about (he is wanting to catch these fish really bad)  that I was going to catch while I am here!!!??? I did!!!!! The fish are called a Guapote (like wapote) and we are going to go fishing for them! They are a bass and rainbow trout combination and they are so darn cool! :) So that was one of the most cool things that I have had happen! We are going to have a lot of baptisms this month (I hope) and we will have the stake here submitted by the end of the month! So the work is progressing really well and I just want you all to know I love you! I pray for you all daily and the Lord is watching over us all constantly! I feel his presence as strong as if he is holding me when I need him most.   All we need to is pray. 
well anyways I hope things are going great and I have got to go soon so love you and take care.

Elder Ferrin

okay well my mom asked for more pictures this week so here are a couple of the last few days. there is this little Mexican restaurant close to our apartment called Chico Chilis and we eat there quite often because my old companion is a mexicano and because the guy that owns it (Chico) loves the missionaries and gives us a huge discount and free fresh smoothie drinks. The other pictures are the old prison that we got to go visit here in my area. so ya... they are a little funny looking but it is a prison so how else could it be fun? i hope you all enjoy them.

Week # 16 Life is good.........

                                      Alright well everyone I know it has been a little while since I did a group message but it gets pretty crazy out here sometime. Anyways I am doing great still! Still sweating like I am standing on the sun in snow clothing but I am doing great! I have a new companion. well kind of new. We were living in the same house and working together often but now we are permanent companions,  his name is Elder Carter and is a great missionary. We just ended our training and both of us have the same time in the mission. We came together to the mission and he is from Provo. For my birthday we saw lots and lots of miracles that I feel are too special to share but I want to thank you all for the prayers. I felt lots and lots of help this last week! The area where I am working  I have absolutely fell in love with! The people here are very humble and ready for the lessons. I was able to give a talk in church yesterday for the first time and I feel like it went alright. I spoke on members missionary work and how the members can prepare references for the missionaries. Anyways things here are going great and I am loving every minute of it! 
Take care everyone and I hope to hear from you all soon!

Elder Ferrin

Week # 15 Birthday Week.......

We didn't get any pictures but we did get to email him this week here are some of our Questions to him:

We asked if he had any new Baptisms?

                                                 We got one baptism because the mom and sister said they weren't ready yet but we did get the one named Felipe the youngest son.  

Did you Feel the Earthquake?

The earthquake?? I have yet to feel anything or hear anything about any earthquake? The weather still wet but it helps with the sweat so I don't mind to much anymore. I got sick of carrying my camera to take pictures of me walking in the rain so I don't have much this week for pictures but things are great!

 I thought there might have been something the other night but i didn't really think much of it.

Did you get the other 2 family members baptized?

No we decided to move it so we could do the whole family together the following week. I don't mind because we are going to do all 4 of a family the same day! :)

Any others lined up & hows the spanish, also how is his training coming?

Yes we have a bunch lined up for the weekend of the 2/3 of November, and my Spanish is coming along more and more everyday. I will finish my training 2 weeks early. I will be finished this next Monday and I will know if I am staying, training, or leaving by this time next Monday.

Asked how he felt about leaving his first area:

I don't want to leave. I love it here!!! I don't think I can say goodbye to some of the members that are here. I love it here!!!! but if that is what the lord wants I will do it with a smile.

I really want to stay. I honestly would love to stay my whole mission here!

Then his response to Jordan's letter, I thought it was cute:

Hey Sister! don't worry about the email last week :) conference here was different but not too much!! it is still crazy rain and the weather here is super bipolar! I have some great plans for my birthday which include sleeping in till 6:30 and the exercising for 30 minutes, after I will study for 4 hours and then have some rice and beans (the special just for me) and then I will work and sweat until people think I went swimming in my clothes. Finally I will make my way home by 9:30 and probably eat a little bit of a different meal called beans and rice (please don't confuse the lunch with dinner because the order of food is distinctly different) and finally scribble down some plans for the next day. following that I will baby crawl my way to my bed and fall asleep praying. (that happened 3 times last week ;) and then I will climb the mountain to sleep in the top bunk of my bed and I will celebrate the day with a good snore. :) how do you like my plans?? I think they sound great! but in all seriousness I am loving things here!!!  I hope that your deer hunt goes great and I will email you next week take care and I hope you know I love you!! make sure to read, pray, and go to the singles ward ;) 

Your Costa Rica brother

Elder Ferrin

Week #14 The Gospel is True.........

This is the first three of the family to be baptized and the other three will be baptized this coming Saturday! I would rather baptize families all day every day!!!  We are finding lots of success and we are down to 4 baptisms away from accomplishing our stake!! 

Pedro is the smallest, Adonis is the middle size and José is the dad, And Elder Carter is the other Elder.

 this is the family that will be baptized this next weekend.

And here are some pictures of our road/river.

 Can someone send me a canoe for my birthday?

We told him to stop playing in the water and this was his response:

 Mom that is the only way to get through our area. It is either walk or be disobedient and stay in a house all day. :) And yes the boots are very helpful! My feet stayed dry all but that day. :)  

 We then asked if the other Baptisms would count towards the Brethren they needed to make a Stake:   he said;

No the other three wont because they have to adult males for the stake leadership type stuff. Melchizedeke  priesthood holders. (Don’t judge my spelling, I couldn't spell that word Melchizedek before in English and now it is in Spanish in my head) :)  

We asked how the investigators were coming:

We have 39 progressing investigators as of last night. The goal set by the area 70 is for all companionship's to have 50 so we are aiming for that! The health is getting better. The language is coming really well! They put me out with a new elder that has been out for  a week the other night and things went really well so I am feeling really good with my Spanish even though I still have a long ways to go!

 We went to a waterfall today and so here are a few pictures of it! It was really cool! In one of the emails it has pictures of me behind it and one from on top. There is also one of a monkey and a scorpion that was on a coconut I picked up and felt like I should set it down. After I set it down a scorpion crawled out of it so that was a good prompting right? :)

He said that he still loves the country and they people. 

 Elder Ferrin's Birthday is October 24th it would be wonderful if he received 

a card, note or a letter from any of you!!

His address is :

Elder Austin Ferrin

Mision Costa Rica San Jose 

Apartado Postal 249-2010

San Jose, Costa Rica 

Centro America 

Week #13 Week without rain........

Hey family and friends,

 Well it has been another week already and I cannot believe it! The time here is flying by so fast it is almost scary! I am still loving the country, and the people! This week was a little frustrating because both of our baptisms fell through, one was because we don't have parent permission and the other is because she doesn't even let us talk to her any more. she just slams the door shut but we are still going to try and work with her. anyways I guess we are doing good work down here because when we walk into the neighborhood that we are finding the most work you can usually here some kid or guy yell " mormones misionarios!!!!" and then a bunch of doors will shut and no one will answer the door. ha ha I love it!!! The people didn't even know who we were two weeks ago!! :) anyways we are finding a lot of families and this last week my companion and I got 23 investigators to the conference in the chapel! We are finding tons and tons of success down here and the people are so great! My first baptism Krystal is still going on splits with the sister missionaries every day all week and it is so much fun to see her do her own missionary work and the excitement that she has to share the gospel! she has got about all of her family coming to church and reading the book of Mormon now! But anyways things here are like heaven! except I imagine heaven is less sweaty... ;) anyways the work here is going great and i hope that you all back home are loving life! help you local missionaries please! the good investigators are always references from members. ALWAYS! anyways take care and i hope you all learned something from conference! 

Take care and when your day is going bad just share your testimony with someone  and i promise your day will get better. 

Elder Ferrin

 here is a quick picture of a pretty sunset

this is the what the Hermana did during conference weekend

the sunset

More sunset

Elder Ferrin  in the Jungle