Bye bye President and Hermana Wilkinson :( :( :( :( Honestly that was not easy. The mission meeting was absolutely incredible. He started off by explaining a little bit about the priesthood keys and how the moment that the new President’s plane touches the ground President Wilkinson no longer is our president. And if what President Wilkinson says is white but what the new president says in black, we do what is black. He explained that we don’t need to defend him and that if we truly truly love him we will not let the transition affect our work. 

Anna is in the middle top row of sisters.

               He will be the Institute President for UVU so I will definitely be taking his class! He told us some incredible stories and gave some cool examples that I’ll never forget. (Sorry I don’t have much time to write everything). 

               At the end of the meeting president Wilkinson and Hermana Wilkinson were both at the microphone and looked at each other and kissed (eww) and then said that each one of us are going to go through a line to say a fast goodbye and that the sisters could hug President Wilkinson and the Elders could hug Hermana Wilkinson. I was scared to hug a boy for a sec but it just felt like hugging my dad! I love that man. He said some powerful last words that I don’t think will ever leave my mind. I don’t know what my problem was but I bawled like a baby. I think I held my emotion in for too long. 

Hermana Fowler and Peters

Zone Sisters

               Hermana Peters and I were sitting in the front so we saw everyone say goodbye. Which just made me keep crying. We took our last picture together as a mission and Hermana Peters and I split center uuush!! :) Gotta love being tall. When I was with my last companion everyday like five times someone would say wooow you are soooo tall. But since I got my new companion no one has said that so I’m convinced it was just our height difference. 

MTC Group

               This week was a harder one. Lots of appointments fell through but I think it was good for my companion to see how the mission field really is. One day we were walking down the street and a lid to a sewage thingy fell off so there was a big hole in the ground. So my companion and I both felt like we should try to move it back. Bad idea. Very heavy. We were moving it and my companion starts screaming because her hand was stuck then I tried to move it and I start screaming because my hand got stuck and then we just dropped it almost on my foot but I had cat like reflexes and moved it away in time. That was our miracle for that day. But the biggest miracle of this experience is that I had my CTR ring on and I’m convinced it saved my hands life. 

               Anyway the point of me telling this story is that first a bunch of little kids were watching and started laughing but also because one of the guards saw us trying to put it into place and was really moved by that. He asked if we could tell him about our church! After we started talking to him another guy walked by and asked who we were so we explained. He said, “I’ve always been interested in the Mormon church.” The next day we stopped by but there wasn’t a girl in the house so we couldn’t teach him. On Sunday he came to church with his adorable daughter. His little girl was singing at the top of her lungs the hymns and it was the cutest thing ever!!! He said that he doesn’t want to ever miss going to church every Sunday and is really interested in getting baptized :) 

               The Lord always blesses us when we work hard. My cute little companion was getting frustrated because we weren’t having a lot of success during the week but felt like she was giving it her all. We just kept saying there is a miracle around the corner. It just cost us a few owies on our hands but it was worth it. 

               Carolina gave her first talk in sacrament meeting and invited someone to come with her. Her neighbor’s dog. Actually he was not invited but followed her to church. Dogs often come to sacrament meeting here in Costa Rica. More attendance :) From the pulpit Carolina said if anyone is willing the dog needs a new home. Got to go but I love you all so much!! Annnd there is no such thing as a bad day. We will have hard days but the Lord will never let us have a bad dayI LOVE YOU!!!

Hermana Fowler    

               MOM!!! Get on line if you can!!!

               I GOT YOUR PACKAGE!!!! Thank you soooo much!!!!!!! On Sunday I got a text from Hermana Peterson saying that she had a heavy bag for me. She was so sweet and after church drove all the way to Ciudad Colon which isn’t very close.

               THE SHOES ARE WAAAAY CUTE!!! I didn’t expect you to buy some!! Gosh I
am so spoiled. Those statues are perfect and same with the CTR rings. Thank you so much for sending the dried mangos sooooo yummy!!!!!! They are 20 dollars here for a bag sooo ya thanks!!!! The Elders will be happy since they were begging for beef jerky! And thank you so much for the gift for my companion!!!

               President and Sister Wilkinson leave today :( in like 2 hours. It breaks my heart. He really is like a dad to me!! Hermana Markle and Elder Ferrin are in the other mission. But Hermana Peters, Hubler, Gibson, Yardley, Elder Kirk and other people are still in my mission!!!

               I’m so glad Ben liked EFY!!! :) I can’t believe Natalie is getting married! SAME WITH LIKE ALL MY FRIENDS!!!!! I’m so glad you had some time with Jake. He’s always so fun to be with!! How is he doing? Woow Sam is a rockstar!!!!! That scares me that he is going to officer training.  I bet that is so fun to have Sarah and all the family there!! Those were always the best times of the year!!!!

               I miss playing games with you!!! We better play lots and lots and lots!!!! Ahh I miss your food soooo much. I always tell Elder Rios about how he has absolutely no idea how good my mom’s food is!!!!!!! Now the elders want me to cook. I HAVE NO IDEA HOW TO COOK!!!!!!!!! Fake it until you make it. I’ll probably just buy something from a bakery and say that I made it! Awww Grandma and Grandpa are the best ever!!!!!!! hahhaaha oh Thomas what a funny guy. I got an email from him and literally was crying so hard of laughter in the bus when I was reading it. The elders kept saying why can’t you let us in on the joke but you just can’t explain Thomas’s humor!!!!!! I have the best family ever!!!

               Btw I will be coming home on the 24th of December..... soo Christmas Eve Rachel and I will be walking off that plane!!!!! That just made my stomach drop!!! I have got a lot more things to do in these 6 months!!!

            Oh Mom you are so cute!!! Thank you for being the best mom ever!!! 

I love you!

(Kendra- Thanks to Butch, Ranell, and Nick for taking Anna's package to Costa Rica. I received the following email from Sister Petersen.)

Hi Sister Kendra,

As they say on Little Einstein's, "MISSION COMPLETION"
Con Amor, Hermana Petersen

             

Hermana Fowler and Hermana Peters
Bountiful Besties!

                Hi :) Well this week felt like a day. I loooooovve my new companion she is the cutest thing ever!! I was really scared to train but it really has been sooo much fun! This week we made the typical food from Honduras and wooow. Just wow. My first thought was why in the world didn’t Germaine tell me about this before. But I’m over it.

               My baby had her first baptism this week yaaaaaaaaaaayyy!!! It was crazy because we over booked the baptism and the activity but everything turned out well. Steven is going to be an amazing missionary. His family aren’t members but his mom shared a few thoughts after and said that she isn’t ready right now to get baptized but knows that she will one day. Next month :)

               One day this week we were with Amalia and we were asking for a referral and she said no I don’t have any right now but look lets go talk to this guy. So she yelled this guy down and we started talking to him. She has nooo fear. I love it :)

               Anyway we had a lesson with him on Friday with the bishop. The spirit was soo strong. I won’t go into detail but it strengthened my testimony that we truly go through every trial for a reason. One of those reasons is to help others when they go through similar things. It’s been so incredible to have all companions from different countries. I have learned so much from my companion in just a short time.

               I love this work and looooooooove my area. The bishop said that he is going to ask the mission president if I can finish the mission here. I would be more than fine with that :) Tomorrow we have a meeting for the whole mission. It’ll be the last time I’ll see a lot of my friends which will be really hard but at least I’ll get to see them one more time!!! It’s going to be really rough to say goodbye to President Wilkinson. That man has changed my life. I love this work. I love it I love it I loooooove it. I love my family and feel more and more blessed every day!

              Hermana Fowler

Pictures from a few months ago.

Anna's Birthday Cake

Mi Hija :)

Wow what a week!!! A lot of changes happened this week. Okay first Monday, my companion had her interview so we went to the mission office and then after came home and had a big family night with some members and everyone gave a little gift to Hermana Martinez and I got one too. I secretly really wanted one :) And then on Tuesday we worked for half the day and then the second half we went to the office to drop my companion off. And then I came back to my area again with another Hermana and we only had an hour or so to work but saw lots of miracles and I learned a lot from her. Her name is Hermana Pizza hahahahahaha.

So the next morning we came to the office again to get our new companions. President first talked to all of the trainers. It was incredible. He said I’m just going to give you all the counsel I can since this was his last group of trainers until he goes home. IT WAS AMAZING!! I swear he will be an apostle some day! I look up to him and respect him so much!! It will be really hard to see him go but I know the new mission president will be a huge blessing.

So after we all ate breakfast together. Pinto obvio because we are in Costa Rica. Then after all the new missionaries were on one side and all the trainers were on the other. Then he called the trainers name and said what area we were serving and some other nice things then said who would be our companions. I was first! My companion didn’t look too happy when they said her name. Later she told me that she didn’t want a gringa but now she’s okay with it hahaha. She is from Honduras and is the best daughter ever!!! We get along really well and is a very obedient missionary so I we won’t have any problems. She has had a very rough life but still is as happy as can be!

New companion Hermana Amador

I absolutely love training it’s been so much fun. All the new missionaries always have such a strong spirit. We have already seen so many miracles!! On Friday I had the leadership meeting which was absolutely incredible!!!! I still get the chills thinking about it. Ahh soo good. It was Presidents last meeting so he had his whole family bore their testimonies. Hearing Hermana Wilkinson bare her testimony broke my heart. They really have been like a mom and dad to me! I love them so much and they will always have a special spot in my heart. They talked about leadership and how Christ was the perfect leader. He never said do what I say but rather do what I do. He taught us about the difference of principles and practices and prepared us for the mission split!! It was so good to be able to sit by Rachel. I love her so much!! I got to help her know what would kind of happen in the leadership meeting. She is the best especialista in the world!!! We talk on the phone almost every night! And today we are going to go shopping together for food yaaay!! Annnd on Monday we have breakfast with president because we met our goal for mayo!!! So on Sunday all the sisters in our zone will be having a sleepover in Escazu!!!! I’m so excited :)

Since we were hardly in our area this week we didn’t have a lot of time to work which is sad but we had a really cool experience with an investigator who will be baptized this next week. We started asking him how his prayers were and he said actually I want to share something with you guys... and went on by telling us that he had a dream in which he was a missionary and he was teaching a family and that suddenly they were all in white. He said that he dreamed he was coming off the plane and had finished his mission. He was happy but torn to leave all the people. We didn’t say much but by the end he said that he needs to be baptized so that we can start preparing himself to find that family. My companion has a very strong testimony and brought such a strong spirit in!! I love this work. I know that the Lord is watching over Costa Rica and that we have the privilege to be his instruments. I love you all!! I love my family and couldn’t ask for more!!!! Have a GREAT week!!!

Hermana Fowler

Monday June 8, 2015

Sorry I can’t write much this week!! Ahh I want to tell you guys so much! Pretty much I’m the happiest person in the world because HERMANA PETERS is my sister training leader!!!!!!!!! Which means every night she will be calling me yaaaaaaaaaaaaayyy. Actually I am with her right now yaaay!!!! Oh and I’m going to train. I feel like I should be the one getting trained but it’ll be good for me to learn.

This week we are preparing a 15 year old boy for baptism. It was a miracle because on Sunday I had been fasting for my new companion that she could have a baptism this next change and during the last hour of church the bishop called my companion and I and said that one of our investigators wants to be baptized as soon as possible. So he is planning on getting baptized this Saturday. I’ve really never met someone so prepared. We were talking with him about the interview questions and I was so amazed as I listened to him bare his testimony about Joseph Smith. Uh oh no more time.

I will be going to get my companion on Wednesday. I hope it’s a Latina :) 

Hermana Fowler

Hi family :) 

This week lots of things happened so I’ll try to tell you all the important stuff. We had a miracle baptism :) Evelyn had her date for baptism this Saturday but last week because of conditions President said that should couldn’t get baptized. Anywho we were trying to visit with her all week and everyday something bad would happened in their family. (Satan) Anyway so on Friday we went to go teach her and pretty much she just told us that she had bad news and that she will not be going to church anymore because the dad of her kids was really upset with Jorge because he was baptized. I will admit I thought for a few minutes I’ve done everything I can I give up. Never give up on anyone, including yourself!!!!

So pretty much I just sat there. I didn’t tell her every problem solver I could think of but we just sat and listened. At the end she committed herself to come to church. I really learned the importance of listening. But she said she will not be baptized tomorrow. So we left and were talking with the sisters and one of them called her that night and as my companion and I finish our prayer we get a call from the sisters saying, “She said that she needs to be baptized tomorrow :) Prayer is real. Fasting is real and God is real.

The next day she had doubts again but by the time we got to her house she was all ready, and with tears in her eyes explained that after we had talked on the phone she said another prayer and that this is God’s plan for her. The baptism was beautiful. She loooooves hymns and so we picked her favorites and man did she sing those hymns at the tops of her lungs. She’s so cute!!

Evelyn's Baptism Day!

She has the hardest time because when someone is giving a talk she always wants to comment. In sacrament meeting yesterday the mission leader was speaking and he talked about Evelyn and how she can stay firm in the gospel and she started commenting so everyone could hear her. "Exactly! I need to pray always and read the Bible. Oh and the Book of Mormon.” :) We had to explain again that during the sacrament meeting we just listen and then in the other classes we can make our comments. She is such a cutie. She told the bishop that should would like to speak in church. She can take my place :) Carolina (recent convert) spoke at Evelyn’s baptism and did an incredible job! I was seriously sooo impressed. 

I feel like there is sooo much more to say but I don’t have that much time left. I love serving here in Ciudad Colon! The ward is the best ever and are always calling to see if we are okay. I’ve missed my brothers a lot this week!! The elders in this ward always tease me about living in Utah. Yesterday they said that they have a phone to call heaven but it’s really expensive to use and that I am so lucky because in Utah it’s free because it’s so close to heaven. They’re the worst!! I LOVE YOU ALL BE SAFE!!!!

Hermana Fowler

Mom, sorry I had really bad posture in this pic. I’ll work on it :)