¡Pura Vida!: A few Momma musings...

Dec 18, 2015

Elder Willis did not send a mass email this week. He said “it was basically just a slow week, nothing happened and I didn’t even take any pics this week”. True to his word he did not send any pictures. Dang it. But I was able to email back and forth with him for a few minutes on Monday and he sounds like all is well.

The area of Puerto Viejo seems to have really captured his heart. He’s only been there one short month and already speaks of the area with such affection. He states “I love my area with all my heart”. I am so grateful that he has opened his heart fully to the people of Costa Rica with no holding back. He is fierce in his determination to serve them. It is a privilege to witness. Sam has always been the type to assess and analyze situations before acting, almost to a fault. (He’s a little like his sister, Katie, in that respect) But when he does commit, watch out! His heart is big and he gives it freely. I love that about him. (And Katie, too)

I asked him about the apartment in his new area and he says it’s “really really great”. Now, I know this boy. He’d be fine sleeping in his hammock in a tree. His definition of “really really great” and my definition of the same thing may not quite be the same. I am anxious to see a picture and get some more details to find out which definition it fits more, mine or his.

This new companion is still proving a trial for my missionary. I think it’s a good thing, it’ll help Sam grow. Attitude issues and cultural differences are keeping things interesting, but Sam says “It’s nothing I can't handle. I'm just comforted to know that I'll be happier and have more success in the mission than him because of my attitude and love for being here. haha that's how I get by each day thinking that way.” He’s a trooper.

And again he just keeps spouting love for the area and the people. Sam says that he would “looove” to train new missionary in this area. I can just picture the scene he describes here; “haha the area is a lot like the other side of heaven (the movie). There is a little pueblo here near Puerto Viejo called Naranjal, where most of our members/investigators live. The whole pueblo knows the missionaries and all the kids come running towards us when they see us down the trails.” My boy is in heaven, for sure.

I asked about his investigators and he said “yeah” they’ve got “a few. We've got one baptism planned for this Sunday and like 3 planned for January. 1 family but the others are just individuals. Dang I miss my mini-missionary Matarrita so much. We were on fire when we were together.”

When Sam first came home for his knee surgery in June he was about 15 pounds heavier than when he started his mission in December. All that walking and working and eating rice & beans helps to fill you out. He looked so tanned and healthy. Well, 5 months of recovery and rehab took a toll on his appetite and left him a little on the paler lightweight side. So I asked after his condition and if he was gaining any of his Tico weight back and he said “yeeeees I’ve already gained 5 pounds” That makes this momma happy.

As he always says - Keep on Keepin on,
~Sam’s mom

PS – We vacationed in Belize and Honduras over Thanksgiving and really felt like we were experiencing things as our son describes them in Costa Rica … we even saw a dog trotting down the road with a chicken in it’s mouth.