Don't cry over spilled milk.

Look, a river! (the rivers are all brown because it's rainy season)

Hello, gulf! https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Golfo_Dulce,_Costa_Rica

A member in Puerto Jimenez works with a little airplane company to ship people down from San Jose.

Beach!

It looked like Northwest beach to me! It made me feel cold haha but the water definitely isn't cold there.And yeah mom if we come to Costa Rica, we're hittin' up the Zona Sur beaches. Way better than the standard gringo Guanacaste route. No gracias!

A little mud bumblebee home that was on the ground!

A really, really big plant haha. it's like 15-20 feet tall

 

 Hello, porcupine!

Hello, Paso Ancho! Long time, no see!

My adopted nephew here haha

Christian & Javier!

Zone meeting came included with lunch this week! Chicken & fresh tortillas :)

A picture in las fincas (the farms).

Other shot of the fincas (the first one was that line of houses you see in the back).

A bunny sleeping with a dog. whaat!

We were in the jungle here in Rio Bonito!

Jungle shack! Outside of that window, it's a cliff haha.

Sunset.

A paper mache minion!

A pretty normal looking house here in Zona Sur. La Abuela, she always gives us lunch every Thursday :)  (what a blessing these generous people are, to make sure my son is nourished!)

Just gettin to know our area here...

"Can you fish in that river?"

So the river flooded a few weeks back, and all the rocks you see there weren't there before. It was river before! Crazy stuff.

If you look good there, you'll be able to see that the bridge's support is basically gone too, from the flood. (sketch!)

Just getting to know another part of my area! (FYI: All these parts are part of the Ciudad Neily itself, not other places. It's just jungle everywhere!)

Jungle selfie!

Javier drinking some stream water (don't worry Mom I didn't drink it)

He grabbed a moth!

The home where we have the group meeting in the fincas(farms)

So, this week was interesting. My first normal week here in Zona Sur!

     It was pretty good. I had a few experiences which I felt that I could really learn a lesson from.

The first one was actually the last one, but it's the one that impacted me most. Yesterday in the morning, we made pancakes (uush, Sunday morning pancakes). So, to go along with the pancakes, I wanted to make chocolate milk. So I put the water and the evaporated milk in and blended it, and put the milk in, and it was SOO delicious. So put more in, so that there would be enough for everyone. But as I put that all in, I turned the blender around to see the measurements written on there, and the blender unscrewed from the bottom. So when I realize, there's chocolate milk all over the counter. So I think "Oh dear, I gotta get this thing to the sink!" Thinking the rubber sealer had broken. So I lift up the blender and BOOM! All the chocolate milk comes rushing out of the blender, as if a high pressure tube had broken.

I was so disappointed. First off, I got chocolate milk all over my khaki pants and alllll over the kitchen, which was frustrating. But after getting changed and cleaning up, I was just disappointed! I was making this great delicious chocolate milk, and I had already tasted it and it was delicious, and I lost it all! Ugh! and there was no more chocolate, so I couldn't make more.

     It would've been ironic if, in that moment, the phrase "Don't cry over spilled milk" had come to mind.

     Sometimes in life we work so hard to make or do something so great, and it just doesn't work out. Is a blender full of chocolate milk important to my salvation? no. But I took great pride in that delicious chocolate milk! It was something that I was really happy about. That can happen about a lot of things. Maybe we lose in our high school football game, or maybe our homemade fruit canning project goes wrong, or whatever it may be, things just go wrong sometimes. I realized that you just gotta keep going on, and stick a smile on your face. It's ok. It was never in the plan that everything went perfectly in this world.

     So that was a good take-away for me.

So yeah, just a few experiences like that.

     Apart from that, I got to know some more parts of my area today. Pure jungle; super awesome. I was checking out the map and I realized just how small our area is. Like, it's huge, but there's basically not people hahaha.

     So that's the week this week! I hope you all have a good one :) Stay happy and don't cry over spilled milk!

-Elder Henry
     PS Mike & Shavonne oh man! Your new HOUSE! it looks suuper nice.
Things are going well with Elder Morales! And Javier is great!!!
    As for things for Christmas, I don't really need anything... so yeah :/ I know I've always been lame to buy presents for. Just remember, if it's eatable, I'll love it. hahaha (he can purchase things in Panama inexpensively so we're planning to have him do that for himself and the children in his area if you'd like to contribute).

Way too many awesome things!

 

Elder Morales & Elder Henry

 

Hello Gringos!

     So this week was pretty interesting, just as I expected it would be. Tuesday we had our district meeting and everything like normal, and Wednesday at 7 AM we were on the bus headed to Puerto Jimenez. It took about 3 hours to get to a school where we got down and President Conejo picked us up in his minivan. Puerto Jimenez was awesome. It was pretty strange not really working, but we went and found a house for the missionaries and for the chapel, and met the members there. It's a pretty strong little group there, 4 faithful families. We got to see lagoons, the gulf, and mountains! so it's got a little bit of everything there. it's right on the peninsula, so one side is the gulf and the other is the Pacific Ocean. In my 1 day stay there here's a few of the things I saw:

Alligator

some cool 1 foot lizards

a pet porcupine (I held it!)

like 50 parakeets flying over (it's fun to see them because they're always coupled off)

Macaws (beautiful, beautiful creatures)

Scorpion! That's a fun story. We layed down to sleep (we slept outside on the balcony in a cabin-like house) and right where Javier was gonna sleep next to his sleeping bag was a scorpion walking on by! So I told him to get up and we stomped it dead. Luckily, there weren't any more scorpion incidents in the night.

And a hermit crab! on the beach.

I also got to open coconuts with a machete for the first time in my life, eat green oranges, see the cocoa plant, and see a gorgeous view of the gulf from the mountainside.

Also, there's a palm tree that has a red trunk. That's pretty cool.

So that was a fun day. In the night some ticks got hold of my ankles, so I'm suffering from that, but it was totally worth it.

Thursday was a bus ride to San Jose, which, since Puerto Jimenez is farther away, took 9 hours to get there! Woohoo!

Friday we had Mission Leadership Council. It was so wonderful. President Hayes teaches doctrine that's so awesome and makes you realize that you don't know ANYTHING about the scriptures! haha. He talked a little bit about Holy Week and what happened when there and the last supper and sacrament and how all that got started. That was really interesting.

He also talked about something which I absolutely loved. He mentioned how missionaries will have success when they be themselves, because when you're yourself you gain the confidence of people. It's so true. I spent a nice chunk of time trying to be the perfect missionary instead of being Elder Henry and it makes a big difference. In Paso Ancho I really love that I was myself and I could love the members being me and they could love me. It's so much more enjoyable that way, and that's really how it should be. God gives us personalities for a reason! So he encouraged us to help our missionaries recognize that.

Apart from that, Friday was another 7 hour bus ride into the area. Saturday we divided and conquered. I was really happy to go to a less active's house who had come to church the week before. I explained the lost sheep parable and just kept telling her how happy I was that she came, and that that's how it is when the lost sheep comes back. And I was really happy to see that yesterday she came again, all on her own :) so that was fun.

We have some great people in our area but we have a lot to do this week, since we didn't have almost any time last week. I went to see some investigators and realized that we hadn't gone there for 2 weeks or more! Craziness.

So that's life this week. I'm enjoying being out here in the jungle :) I know that some people would get annoyed by the heat or the bugs or whatever but there's way too many awesome things to spend my time grumpy for those little things!

Have a great week everyone!

-Elder Henry

From his letter to his dad:

Oh, a funny thing that happened that I think you'll enjoy this week

Yesterday we had the group meeting in the farms, but nobody brought bread or little cups for the water, so it was a sacrament meeting without the sacrament. Oops!

Funny little thing from his email to me, he says his new shower is nicer but he laughed when I asked him if he has hot water now (that was a "no way Jose" haha). 

Don't forget to switch on the breaker when you move into a new house.

Diana's baptism! Sorry that there weren't more photos, the camera was dead until I went to San Jose...

Hello, English speakers!

I sure do miss speaking English sometimes haha. 

This week was pretty unusual. Actually, thinking about it, I haven't had a usual week since I got here to Zona Sur. I think it's just part of being down here and being a Zone Leader, haha...

So Monday and Tuesday were indeed quite normal, but that was it. Wednesday I was on a bus all day to San Jose, with Elder Carbajal and Elder Aviña, to get our Cedula's (ID) renewed! So we stopped on by Paso Ancho to eat a nice dinner with the Alvarado family, and say hi to the Paso Ancho missionaries. It was so great to see my kid (Elder Gonzalez). He's doing great and I'm so proud of him. He's really become a great missionary.

So after that nice Wednesday of waiting around all day to get to San Jose, we had some nice Thursday waiting to leave the office so that we could go wait to get the cedula so that we could head on over to wait for the bus where we would, of course, wait 7 hours to get to Zona Sur, where a house change was awaiting me! It was a pretty boring 2 days haha. The cool part though was that missionaries from the West Mission were there too, including some friends that I hadn't seen for a while.

Then on Friday we had a change of plans and, instead of going into the super fancy but really small apartment we had found, my companion had found a much larger, nice, 3 room house! So we headed over to check it out real quick, called the owner who lives far away, and made plans to move in the following day because we didn't want to have to pay another month in our then-current apartment.

So Saturday morning at 6:30 we get to meet the landlord, who's a cool guy, we see the house from the inside, which everything was good, and we're gettin' ready to pack up and head over at 8 am when we realize that there's no water, and no electricity! The people who had been living there before didn't pay their water bills. Oh dear.

So we kinda hijacked water for 2 days, and were living without lights. Luckily, today, we paid the water, and realized that the problem with the electricity was that the breaker was flipped off (oops hahaha).

So that was my unusual week.  Today I went to Panama to shop (with permission of course) which was weird because they use the US dollar, and have lots of US stuff, but they don't speak English haha. And this coming week we've only got 2 days to work in the area, because on Wednesday we go 3 hours away to find a house in Puerto Jimenez where missionaries will be heading down next change, and Thursday we head up to San Jose again for the leadership council. 

We lead interesting lives down here in the jungle!

I love you all. I really know that the work we're doing is the work of God. The adventures are great, but the most special thing about this week was knowing that my convert Isabel was able to enter into the temple and be sealed with her husband and start an eternal family. That's what the work's really about :)

Have a great week, all you English speakers!

-Elder Henry

Some highlights from emails back and forth:
"Everyone calls me an elbow here :) It means refusing to give or spend money haha." (he's a Henry kid ;) )

Mom: no pictures from Panama?
"No it's just really ugly where we go, haha just a bunch of malls."

Mom: Have you seen any cool animals yet though? "Um iguanas, and iguanas. I see a lot of weird bugs though. Did I ever tell you that some caterpillars here are like deadly poisonous?"

Mom: Nope, stay away from those. Oh wait, you are my cautious child. Thank goodness! Were you scared going over that suspension bridge you sent the picture of? Are there a lot of those?
"No the suspension bridge isn't scary at all. And it's the only one I've seen.
But yeah as far as monkeys and sloths I'm still waitin. I think that this week we'll be going on a boat, which will be a fun story. :)"

Mom: Best mission ever!!!!!!!!!!!!!! =) 

 (about his convert Isabel's wedding photos) "I was super happy too :) The photos turned out super awesome and they look happy as can be."

Mom asks about mosquitoes which carry Dengue down there.
"The mosquitos haven't been a problem anymore. I think I've gotten used to it. Tomorrow when I was my clothes (washin my own clothes oh yeah!) I'm gonna apply the repellent spray when I hang the clothes up."

"Oh hey about BYU housing and all that, I'm gonna room with Tullis for sure. 

And, I was talking with Elder Nelson, the secretary, and he's totally down to room with us too. He's way awesome :)"

Two pics from Pres. Hayes and a couple from his surprise visit to Paso Ancho:

 

Jungley everywhere and cucarachas too

 Some bridge raining selfie action!

 Just a cool moth I found on the wall

  Trying out Javier's hipster glasse

 What you see while walking on the road in Golfito :) If you go there early in the morning, you see all the monkeys jumping by (sadly, I didnt see them :(

 Just your average working area here in Zona Sur... A few houses and a whole lot of green

 Happy Birthday, Elder Ferrin! President Hayes bought him a cake :)

 Estevan's baptism! He's a really awesome young man.

  My comp Elder Morales selfie'd me while I was putting in the zone's numbers haha

Hello everyone! Another week in the jungle to report on.

So the week started off pretty normal. Monday we played a little bit of soccer where everyone blew me out of the water (like I said, normal haha), and Tuesday we had a good old working day.

Then, Wednesday, the divisions started. I headed on over to San Vito! A 90 minute bus ride from my area, it's straight up the mountains that surround Ciudad Neily. So I finally get up there, and it's a beautiful day. Since it's in the mountains, it's not hot! It's like normal, standard, Washington weather. A little sun, a little rain, but pretty cool temperatures. I had a great time with Elder Aviña, Who started the mission when I started in the MTC. We had a blast, he's super awesome.

Thursday morning I head on back to Ciudad neily to get another day's work in.

Friday morning, I'm out to Golfito! This area is on the beach. It's called Golfito because it's a little gulf. So it was really really pretty there. and I saw a guy with a huge fish on his shoulder. Like, 4 feet long. that was cool. And I saw iguanas. that was fun. It's really jungley there. It's really jungley everywhere, actually... haha. But I was with Elder Luna which was also a blast. He's a really nice guy. Calm, collected, focused missionary. So we had a fun time together :)

Then on Saturday, instead of ending divisions normally, we headed on to Zone meeting with President Hayes! Which was incredible. He gave a great lesson about Mosiah 1-5 and looking what more we need to improve to keep becoming better people. it was incredible. Then we celebrated Elder Ferrin's birthday with a cake, handed out the 'birthday presents', a new blender for everyone (uush!) Ate a nice lunch, and had interviews with President. It was a really great, really spiritual experience. From there we headed out to prepare Estevan's baptism, which was also really great.

Then on Sunday, District conference! So we were on the road again, to Rio Claro. It was also awesome, and a new district presidency was called. Our Branch President is now District president, and we have a new branch president. Changes are always fun, so I'm looking forward to working with the new leadership.

Apart from that, every thing's going well and normal! I really love the people here. They're pretty awesome. It's just so different from that city "I don't ever have time for anything" attitude that there was in my old area. You can just start talking to someone and, even if they don't want to receive us, it's a nice conversation.

So those are the adventures of this week. I'm pretty sure I'll have more next week :) Oh, one more!

Our house is pretty well infested with cockroaches. Luckily President already gave us permission to change houses, so this week we're gonna found a new one and change, but it's pretty gross showering with cockroaches there in the shower too. Just thought everyone would love to know that :)

Have a great week!

-Elder Henry

Q&A:
No, I can't go to the sealing :(

No, the card didn't come with the AP's.

I have 3 pairs of shoes, not 1. Remember that I bought 2 more?

I didn't do divisions with the AP's haha, I was on divisions with Golfito when they came... oops!

Today I'm going iguana hunting! Uuush.

The Halloween pic is awesome haha. It's not too often that you get to use a pregnant costume!

My world turned upside down! Zona Sur!

 :) A famous little restaurant that has fun statues outside

 Saying goodbye to Chiky! She was always scared of me, so we made a nice scared face together.

 Saying goodbye to Vinicio :(

 Goodbye, fluffball!

 Picture with Negra (a dog who would walk around with us all over the area) didn't work out too well...

 Goodbye, familia Oporta!

 Right outside the house

 This is the view for the 30 minute busride to the farms (they're palm tree farms)

 A little study shot with Elder Morales my new comp (he loves to work hard too!)

 Javier, Elder Guirola's convert, who helps us a ton (so far I've spent more time on divisions with him than I have spent with my companion! haha)

A baby egg haha

Wow. My world just turned upside down this week!

I had transfers to Zona Sur. The farthest south part of the country, and the only part of the country which doesn't pertain to a stake. So I went from a 120 attendance ward to a 30 attendance branch haha. It's just so different here. Where do I begin.

#1. In my old area, it took 15 minutes to get to central San Jose. Here, it takes 7 hours.

#2. It was fairly cold. It's not here haha. I sleep with a sheet and a blanket, with a fan on full blast (And it's not just a little fan, it looks like a semi-industrial fan) on my bed with me to sleep nice and cool. At 8 AM it's already warm enough to want the fan on cooling you down while you study. We went on Saturday to play soccer with some youth, and after like 5 minutes I was just pouring down sweating. And I wasn't even playing hard! It's pretty awesome but way different.

#3. Rice and beans! I was pretty pampered in San Jose, because members always gave us different things to eat. Here, a real treat is rice, beans, and a piece of sausage. But, it's tasty anyways :)

#4. Rain. RAIN! On Thursday we went on divisions with some members, and my companion went to the farms (las fincas). So he was out there when it started POURING down rain. All the rivers raised up (they didn't flood but they were going nice and rapid), and the streets seemed like little rivers, too. So at like 8:30 he lets us know (because it had been raining like that for like 3 or more hours), that the street to come back was flooded and that they were looking for an alternate route to get back. because the car couldn't pass thanks to all the water. Luckily, they were able to find it, but it's just ridiculous how much rain come down here haha.

What else? The areas are like an hour away from each other, ours extends till the Panama border, my comp says there's iguanas here, OH and there's these frogs (I'm gonna record it one of these days) that in the night croak and make a laser beam sound. Like, X-wing action shot laser sounds. It's pretty darn awesome haha. Bug bites are normal, it's really humbling to meet people who have so little. We have a pretty nice house, the only new thing for me is the cold shower (a sink fossit <faucet> coming out of the wall but it is up high), which is surprisingly cold water for living in a place that's so warm haha. I went from being a District Leader to a Zone Leader which is also an interesting change. Oh, and the place is called city Neily, but there's no city here haha." Downtown" lasts about 2 blocks. I don't even think there's a 3 story building here... haha. We live like 200 feet behind the bus station, and we've got nice trees and a river outside. Oh, and horse is a common form of transportation here. And we see natives walking around like it were nothing (members of the Guayami people).

     Long story short, my world just turned upside down.

     But it's awesome! I love change and I love being able to learn new things from new challenges & experiences. I know I'm going to leave this place being a better person.

     My comp is a really hard worker and we have a lot of good things in store for us in this area. Lots of people who seem like good possibilities to become members of the church :)

     I love this work. It's interesting all the changes and everything but the best part really always is getting to know the people and see them change their lives and really become disciples of Christ.

     Have a great week everyone! Enjoy your personal adventures that the Lord has prepared for all of you!

-Elder Henry