Costa Rica
Costa Rica San José West Mission
San José, Costa Rica
- Location
- San José, Costa Rica
- Country
- Costa Rica
- Region
- Central America
- Local time
- America/Costa Rica
- Coordinates
- 9.9° N, 84.1° W
- Elevation
- 1,133 m (3,717 ft)
- Population of San José
- 335,007
- Climate
- Tropical rainforest (Köppen Af)
- Currency
- Costa Rican colón (CRC ₡)
- Languages in Costa Rica
- Spanish
Where is the Costa Rica San José West Mission?
The Costa Rica San José West Mission is based in San José, the capital of Costa Rica. It sits at 9.9° N, 84.1° W, about 1,133 m (3,717 ft) above sea level.
San José has a recorded population of about 335,000. Costa Rica San José East Mission is also based in San José, so the two missions divide the area between them.
Missionaries assigned here serve across areas set by the mission, which can reach well beyond San José itself, and they are transferred between those areas during a mission.
Where this information comes from
Local time in San José
Missionary Tracker shows this clock and today’s weather next to your missionary, so nobody has to work out whether it is a reasonable hour to write.
Climate and seasons in San José
San José has a tropical rainforest climate (Köppen Af). Hot through the whole year, with substantial rain in every month and no dry season. The warmest month is April, averaging a daily high of 27 °C (81 °F); the coolest is January, averaging a daily low of 14 °C (57 °F). Around 2,930 mm (115.4 in) of precipitation falls in an average year, most of it in October and least in March.
Wetter months
May – November
- Average high
- 25 °C (77 °F)
- Average low
- 15 °C (59 °F)
- Rainfall
- 2,443 mm (96.2 in)
Drier months
January – December
- Average high
- 25 °C (77 °F)
- Average low
- 14 °C (57 °F)
- Rainfall
- 487 mm (19.2 in)
This describes the weather, not what to pack. Your Missionary Portal and the mission’s own “what to bring” instructions decide your clothing and equipment, and they take priority over anything here.
Languages
Languages most widely used in Costa Rica are Spanish.
- Spanish
This describes the country, not the assignment. The language a missionary is called to speak is set by the Church and stated in the call itself — it can differ from the languages above, and missionaries in one mission are not always assigned the same one.
Preparing to serve in the Costa Rica San José West Mission
Start with the instructions in your Missionary Portal and the mission’s own letter — those are the only sources that speak for the Costa Rica San José West Mission. These guides cover the practical side nobody sends you: the paperwork, the shopping, the packing and the last weeks at home.
What to Do After Receiving Your Mission Call
The call answers where and when. This is the order to do everything that follows, starting with the parts that have deadlines.
Read the guideLDS Mission Preparation Checklist: Everything to Do Before You Leave
The whole runway in one place — from the year before you submit a recommendation to the morning you leave for the MTC.
Read the guideLDS Missionary Packing List
Everything worth packing, in the order you should buy it, and the things most missionaries wish they had left at home.
Read the guideWhat to Bring to the MTC
The quick answer first, then the detail: what you actually need on arrival day and what can stay in the suitcase.
Read the guideVisa and travel arrangements are handled through your Missionary Portal and the Church’s travel office. Follow their instructions rather than any third-party summary, including this one.
Mission tools
Both tools are free, run entirely in your browser, and open with the Costa Rica San José West Mission already selected.
Know your mission dates?
Enter the start and expected return dates for days served, days remaining and the halfway point — then download a shareable countdown card.
Create a CountdownPrintable countdown map
Turn the mission length into a free printable countdown map of Costa Rica, with one numbered square for each mission day to colour in.
Create a Countdown MapCalled to the Costa Rica San José West Mission?
Set up your mission before you leave. Add the Costa Rica San José West Mission and your dates to Missionary Tracker so your family has one private place to follow your countdown, current serving area and updates once your mission begins.
Free on iPhone and Android. Profiles are shared by join code, not published anywhere.
Create Mission CountdownExplore all 2 LDS missions in Costa Rica
Mission boundaries, assignments and instructions change; always use current information from the Church and your Missionary Portal.