A visit home and pioneer school in Costa Rica

I am sorry I have been a terrible at keeping up this blog. Part of it is our internet is so slow here but part of it is me just being bad at keeping up with it.  So my apologizes I will try harder. Especially for those who don't have instagram.

 

 The last three weeks have flown by and have been filled with so much activity. We were able to go back home to Seattle for two weeks. It was such a treat to see a lot of family and friends who we miss so much. We also had the privilege of helping serve food at the assembly hall to the delegates on their tour for a couple of days. Then to top the trip off we attended Friday and Saturday of the international convention. It is amazing to see 30,000 + of your brothers and sisters sitting all around you from 40 different countries. It was a convention we always remember. Sadly we weren't able to attend Sunday's session since we took a red eye flight back to Costa Rica to make it back in time for pioneer school on Monday.

 

 

Jehovah's organization takes care of us so wonderfully. We had 6 days filled with wonderful lessons, workshops which included demos, interviews, and lots of laughter. Our class had 45 people in it. It was filled with need greaters, missionaries, special pioneers and local friends who are serving in foreign language (English). It was a great diverse group. Both of our instructors had moved to other countries when their children were younger. And now that they are grown they are both couples special pioneers and sub CO's. One of the couples just got their permanent CO assignment to Mexico. We learned so much from their experiences since both have been in foreign countries for over 10 years. Here is just a few points I enjoyed:

As pioneers we are the pace setters in the race and we need to keep up with Jehovah's organization. They encouraged us all to use the new tools we have been given especially the website in our ministry. Also the brochure Who are doing Jehovah's will today? 

On the section of prayer they encouraged each one of us to make a schedule for our prayers. Making sure that time is scheduled everyday. Also we were encouraged to look up the 180 prayers written in the bible and meditate on each one of them as a study project.

SUNDAY SERVICE. SUNDAY SERVICE. I can't even tell you how many times they encouraged that during the school. It is the day people are home and most religiously inclined.

I loved the quote " Love is not known until it is shown." Such a great quote for our ministry.

Great reminders on how Jesus is the head of the congregation and how he will take matters. We all have the tendency to talk when things aren't being handled correctly. But our instructors reminded us "Don't you think if it bothers you it bothers Jehovah and Jesus and that he will take care of it at the right time."

And the most important quality we can cultivate is HUMILITY.

There were so many awesome points. I hope you all get to attend the new program. It was a great privilege to attend with my husband this time. Also one other cool thing they mentioned was is soon all Kingdom Halls worldwide will have the JW.ORG sign on them like the one where we attended school at.

 

Brian and I both had demos during the workshops. And Laura is the other pioneer that attended pioneer school with us from our congregation in Samara

Brother and Sister Lamy. They served as need greaters and special pioneers for 10 years in Nicaragua before substituting as our COs here in Costa Rica. They just got their assignment as permanent COs to Mexico starting next month.

We stayed with a couple for pioneer school. We are not sure what they put in their toilet but the toilet accidently kept running and when we walked into the bathroom this is what we saw. HEHE!!!

Now we are back in our little town of Samara. It was so great to see everyone at meeting on Sunday. With our hall being so small we have become very close to so many of the friends really fast down here. So even thou we miss our family (especially my little nephews) and friends back home we are thankful Jehovah has provided us a spiritual family to fill that void until we are able to see our family again. So true are the words at Mark 10: 29. 30.  We are excited to be back out in the ministry this week and to put into practice all of the new techniques we learned.

 

If we didn't get to see you while we were back we are so sorry. It doesn't mean we don't love you.  It was nonstop the entire trip. Much Love, Nicole