Good Morning

Hola mi querido familia!

It was so great to hear from all of you this week and I can seriously feel your love from all the way over here. Mom, thanks so much for the packages of candy, fruit snacks and cards, that is so great to get a little card to pick me up at the end of a long hard day. It sounds like things went well with parker, I enjoyed getting the pictures, she is so funny and has such a cute personality. I can't imagine how much cuter she will get in two years.

It sounds like the usual fun stuff for Holli's birthday, I'm glad you all got to celebrate it for her. Well, I love you all very much each and everyone of you, and I really enjoy all your letters and support. I have days here where I feel so inadequate like I was just baptized 2 days ago and how on earth can I ever know enough about the gospel to carry the message to the people of Costa Rica, let alone in Espanol! But i know without a doubt that in the strenght of the Lord, I can accomplish many things.

This week here was great at the MTC, it was full of tough days but rewarding days just the same. Every wednesday we get to have our P-day and go to the temple, do our laundry, write our families, and then at the end of the day we go to what is called the TRC where we teach investigators in spanish and english the lessons we learn. Last week was so powerful, my companion and I taught the message of the Restoration and the spirit was so strong, testifying to me, and hopefully them, of the truthfullness of this message. Sunday was special too, it was my first fast sunday in the MTC and it's amazing, everyone is fasting for a purpose and the spirit is so strong all throughout campus. We had mission conference and got some great advice, afterwards we went to fast and testimony meetings for our zones (which are in spanish!) and I was so close to getting up and bearing my small testimony in Spanish, but I didn't find enough nerve inside me to do it. It really upset me and I felt like it was a change wasted to get out of my comfort zone. The spirit was definitely with me all day though and the Lord truly blessed me in my fast. We had a fireside that evening with Sister Sheri Dew and she spoke about missionary work (obviously) and she said one thing in particular that really struck me, she said as she quoted Pres. Packer "We as children of today have it much harder than the pioneers" and that was such a shock, I always thought that I could never be a pioneer or endure the trials they endured, but she made a good point. She said that as spirit sons and daughters in the pre-existance we showed some amazing spiritual strenght which made us able to come to the earth in the Latter end of these Latter-days. It gave me such confidence to know that I had showed enough strength to be counted as one strong enough to come down here where the adversary is stronger than ever and that the gospel is needed more and more. It was very powerful. Also on sunday we got to go and walk around the temple and just enjoy the sabbath and feel the spirit at the provo temple. It's hard to go to the temple grounds and think about the day i said goodbye to my amazing family. But I am ever reminded of the purpose of why I am here, that's part of making a sacrifice, and I'm starting to realize that I haven't really made a sacrifice at all. I love being a missionary, and I love my Savior. On Tuesday (yesterday) to back up Sister Dew's comments, we had our 4th apostle in a row come and talk to us on Tuesday devotional. That NEVER happens, people are thinking that we must need to hear from these prophets, seers and revelators for the work we are embarking on. And not only that, but the Apostle (Elder David A. Bednar) gave an amazing talk and gave me and the other missionaries our SECOND apostolic blessing! What a blessing it is to receive a promise and a blessing from an apostle of the Lord Jesus Christ. It was so spiritual and it left me feeling able to conquer the world and to be able to preach this gospel where it is definitely needed.

Each day I think about my family and how truly blessed I am to have all of you, I think about families in the Gospel and I understand how truly important having a family is, our Heavenly Father must of loved us and still does love us enough to send us to the earth with each other. I don't know where I'd be if it weren't for you my family. I love you all, from the bottom of my heart. I would do anything for all of you.

Mom, I get on the computer around 10 am on Wednesdays but only for a half an hour, after that time the computer logs me off and I can't get on for the rest of the week to answer your question.

Well, I love you all, you all mean the absolute world to me.

I know this work I am doing is right and true, I know that I have been blessed and am continually being blessed each day. I know the Lord will bless and strengthen you as you come to him. He's waiting to receive you, to listen to you, and to love you. I know this.

With all the love I could ever give,
Elder Falor