P.S.

Hey Guys:) ha ha yeah yeah I know you all thought you were done hearing from me, but the Lord had a little mercy on me and gave me one last P-day and one last opportunity to write my favorite people in the world! I promise to make it quick, but I just can’t end without telling you about this last weekend.

It’s been one of the craziest weekends of my whole mission. Friday we had Fabian’s baptism! Like I mentioned before he asked Presidente Hayes to baptize him. Everyone got there right on time; we took pictures and got started. (I think we broke a Tico record because we literally started on time and not late like normal haha). The service was simple. The bishop spoke and we sang a hymn with the elders (number 99) it was really well done if I do say so myself haha. When they were both in the font I felt a spirit so strong but so sweet fill not only my heart but the whole room. Presidente obviously felt it to because in the middle of the ordinance he got choked up a little. Even Fabian’s mom and aunt felt it. His mom, Lorena was crying and later she told us that she felt "her heart growing inside". Isn’t it interesting how people who’ve never felt the spirit before describe it? Well it was perfect. Remember how Fabian loved the picture that was in that room? Well, we just happened to have a little one in the house and so we bought a pretty frame and it was the perfect gift! You should have seen his face, he loved it. 

Anyways after the baptism, (which ended before we thought it would, yes) the four of us missionaries got to go back to San Jose. In his car. With air conditioning. It was like heaven. And to top it off we got 2 hours just to chat with President and Sister Hayes. We got to ask him all the questions we had. The next morning we had zone conference. The thing that really stuck out to me was when Presidente explained the difference between faith and hope. I felt like he was speaking directly to me. How I understood it was that faith is our anchor. It keeps us safe and grounded but hope is the chain between our anchor and the boat. He also used this example. Faith is knowing that if I died today everything would be okay and I could accept it. Hope is doing everything I can to not die haha. He also talked about the trial of our faith and how very few people receive the blessing and miracles that comes after because they let go before its all the way over. I know that it was the Lord who asked me to stay. Not until February 2015 not until November not until March but until May 12, 2016. He KNEW if I didn’t I would miss out on so many people. So many of those that I hold so dear, some of the most valuable and wonderful experiences of my mission have happened in the last 6 weeks and I can’t imagine how sad it would be to have missed them. I feel so lucky to have been able to be a missionary at this exact time in my life. He couldn’t have planned it more perfectly. 

The same day as zone conference we went back to Turri and had a second baptism. Finally everything was really for Dariela! The baptism was perfect. Everything went without a wrinkle.

 Sunday was probably my favorite day of the week. And the hardest. I got to spend the whole day saying goodbye..... It feels like I’m tearing half my heart out by leaving Turrialba. Its sad because, while we are part of the peoples life here, they are literally MY WHOLE LIFE. I’ve spent all day, every day for months thinking about them. Planning for them, praying for them, and now I just have to leave them. It hurts a little but I’m sure Heavenly Father can understand the pain of separation too.  

Last though. Presidente told us that the atonement couldn’t be perfect without suffering. He also said that our missions and in turn our lives cannot be made perfect without suffering in one-way or another. The pain will come; the test is how we react to it. I know that God Lives and that he loves us. He cries when we cry and he rejoices when we do what is right. Thank you all for being part of my mission. I love you. Prayers from Costa Rica!
 

All my Love,

Hermana Kugath

La Ultima (Last Letter Home)

My most dear and wonderful family and friends...

Hey:) Well, we’ve finally begun that awful "lasts" phase. Last week, last P-day, last letter home etc. it’s a strange mix of excited, awkward, happy, a little sad and confusing. I would really love to take the opportunity to send you all my last Thank You from the mission field. If it weren’t for you all (mom, dad, siblings, grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins, friends, church leaders, neighbors and loved ones of all sorts!) I would never have even made it to the mission field and much less been able to finish this mission:) from the very bottom of my heart, Thank You. Thank you for the time, energy, thoughts, prayers, packages, letters, e-mails, support, service, gifts, cards, and sacrifices you have sent to me, and to my family, in these last few years. If I had the words to truly express my gratitude it still wouldn’t be enough. Mosiah teaches us that when we are in the service of others we are only in the service of our God, so may the Lord bless you for each effort to help me in this time.

I’d also like to take just a moment to ask forgiveness of each of you if at any time I have offended you in any way. I’m sorry and I hope you can forgive me, I haven’t always been my best, but I’m trying now so I hope you can forgive my past mistakes and errors and we can help each other press forward! I love you all!

An interesting change happens in the mission. We, the missionaries, have the opportunity to reconstruct our personality and ourselves and as we work in the service of God we can become redeemed of our sins. When I come home I have the hope of being redeemed from the many sins that plagued my past before-mission life. Its kind of like a baptism;) we’re still physically the same person but we become new, better. I like to see it as a re-rebirth and I hope that by coming home everyone can give me a second chance and no longer define me by what I was, but to see and accept the new and improved Hermana Kugath. Obviously, I still have many defects and imperfections, but I look forward to beginning again. As one chapter of our lives closes a new, brighter chapter awaits us. Thank you for passing through this chapter with me, lets all forget the bad of the past and remember what we’ve learned and changed. Ill be looking at everyone else through new eyes as well..

OKay okay; so now let me tell you about the dedication of our beautiful chapel!!!! It was a very special day for all of us:) everyone was there! All the stake leaders, the stake president and even president and Hermana Hayes came! There was an incredible choir and many of the pioneers of the church here in Turrialba shared their testimony about the church. The dedicatory prayer offered many blessings and reminded us each of our responsibilities as members of the church of Jesus Christ. My favorite part was getting to introduce Presidente and Sister Hayes to Fabian after the meeting! 2 seconds after meeting him Fabian asked president if he would baptism him!!! And he said yes:):):) so Fabian will be baptized Friday at 6 by president and Dariela will be baptized Saturday at 7 by her grandpa! Yay:) what a blessing!

Well I think this is it for me guys. As a missionary I have few opportunities to share my testimony with those who truly mean the most to me but let me just say that I know that Jesus is the Christ. That because of him and through him we can be forgiven of our past and offered a brilliant future. I know that we are children of the living God and that he loves us each tenderly and desires that we come home. I know that our elder brother literally marked the path to show us all we have to do and that that path is the restored gospel, which is only taught in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. I feel unworthy of the enormous privilege it is to wear his name and represent him and pray that the message we carry can go forth boldly to all the world. Thank you all for helping me become who I am and for strengthening my testimony through your examples and your words. Families are forever! Prayers from Costa Rica...

All my Love,
Hermana Kugath