Amazing Attitudes

Presidente accompanied the elders to conduct a baptismal interview. We had to wade through garbage and jump over streams as we climbed up and down the hills to reach this casa with plank walls and a tin roof and a hole dug in the ground for a toilet. The owner of the house was so proud that he had bought the house himself, and the elder remarked, “Isn’t this a beautiful area?"

Inspirational Conferences

Whew! We completed three days of zone conferences, and the missionaries are already applying the teachings!  The assistants taught the missionaries how they can have both good attitudes and good efforts, as Elder Renlund explained during his visit.  

Hermana Smith taught that if our faith falters, it may be because we've lost hope. And, there is absolutely no reason to lose hope if our hope is centered on Jesus Christ. President Smith taught that there is a step before the 4 R's of repentance we must never forget. The first step is faith in Jesus Christ, who has the power to make us clean.

27 de Febrero

Today is a day of independence here and everybody’s celebrating. The missionaries are working as usual just taking caution to avoid where there are parties.

Our Darling Missionaries Listening to Elder Renlund

Watchdog

Not sure how he would run after a thief??

Well, of course

Another reason Santo Domingo is the most dangerous city in the world to drive.

Brotherly Love

These wonderful elders stayed by their companion after he bonked his head on a low hanging balcony. They helped him dress and use the bathroom and stayed at the hospital well past midnight to get the news that he would be just fine.

Miracle on Water

Who would think this dinky boat could handle 24 foot waves?

Responsible Kids

I was teaching with the hermanas this week and thus little girl only 8 years old was taking care of this gigantic one year old. He wouldn’t let her out of his sight. We see so many babies watching babies here.

Holidays? What Are They?

I completely forgot about Valentine’s Day until I saw the women who do Zumba in the park all dressed in red. But Presidente remembered. :)

An Apostle's Visit

Thank God for the apostles.  We were so privileged to have Elder Dale Renlund and his wife here this week.  They held a special meeting just with our mission--and with our whole mission.  It's the first time our whole mission has been together at once.

He told us a little about how we were called as mission president and wife.  He said our photo and bio was presented to the entire quorum of the 12 and we were discussed.  Then every member of the quorum of the 12 apostles had to raise their hand in agreement that we were candidates to serve.  Then one member of the quorum was assigned to interview us.  

After we accepted the call to serve, our photo and bio were again presented to the entire quorum of the 12 apostles and they all had to agree about the mission we would be sent to.  He talked about the process of receiving revelation and bore testimony that we had been called by revelation to serve here in the DR, just like the missionaries who have been called to serve with us.

We really felt buoyed up by his confidence in us.  He was very complimentary of our mission and our missionaries.  Both he and his wife could tell our missionaries are obedient, they are faithful, they are working hard, and they have great attitudes.  I was really proud of our missionaries and I wished I could have shared what I know about each one of them with the Renlunds.  At least they could feel their spirits.

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The Language of the Spirit

The other day I was giving an English exam to one of our missionaries. She had answered many of the questions and her English was really good. After a few minutes I came to the question, "Can you tell me how the gospel of Jesus Christ has blessed your life?" Immediately, before she opened her mouth to answer, both of us were enveloped in the spirit, and we both began to weep. I didn't need to hear her speak to know the answer to the question. The language of the spirit communicated the truth to us more clearly than Spanish or English ever could have.

Later this hermana shared part of her spiritual heritage. Her father was cleaning someone's house one day when he spotted a Book of Mormon in the house. He asked if he could take it and read it. After reading it he was so certain of the truth of the book he wanted to find out where it came from. At this time there were no missionaries, and no LDS churches in his country so he wrote to Salt Lake to ask how he could join the church that taught the Book of Mormon. The authorities in Salt Lake arranged for someone in a neighboring town to teach him the gospel and he was able to be baptized. There is real power in the Book of Mormon.

The Lord Helps the Missionaries

No Such Thing as Coincidence

Yesterday we met with some of our zone leaders who were concerned because they had nine people who wanted to be baptized this month, and the bishop would only allow them to baptize two of them.  They were sad because the bishop didn't have confidence in them. We spent a lot of time coming up with a plan to change the bishop's heart.

As we were driving the zone leaders back to their apartment, we just happened to pass the bishop, driving down the street in the opposite direction. He rolled down his window greeted us warmly and drove on. That night at correlation meeting, the bishop approved all nine of the baptisms!

Perhaps seeing the zone leaders in the Mission President's car made him realize the zone leaders had the full support of the Mission President and he didn't want to take on the Mission President??  But it was more than coincidence that he happened to drive by at the exact minute we were on that street.

An Answer to Prayer

Two of our hermanas saw a woman picking up trash and stopped to help her.  They walked her home and when they arrived, she was locked out of her house.

Here in the DR when the buildings are locked, you can't open the door without a key.  You can't go in our out without a key. (Yes, it's extremely dangerous and is giving President Smith nightmares.)

This woman couldn't get into her house because she couldn't find her key. Her niece was inside the house, and the niece couldn't find the key either. So the aunt was locked outside, and the niece was locked inside. The hermanas offered to say a prayer so the two women could find their keys. As soon as they finished their prayer, the women found their keys. They were convinced the hermanas were sent from God and invited them to teach the gospel.

We taught the niece the first discussion tonight and she believed everything and has committed to prepare for her baptism on March 24th.

Angels In Our Midst

I was pondering the experience of Alma the younger in Mosiah 27 and I had a lightening bolt experience. Alma the Elder prayed with much faith for his wayward son and the Lord answered his prayer by sending an angel.

I realized there are all kinds of parents in this world praying for their wayward sons, and The Lord responds to their prayers the very same way he responded to Alma: He sends angels.

Many times these angels are dressed in white shirts and ties with the name of Jesus Christ on their chest. They are our missionaries (Alma 24:14). Many of them are an answer to the prayers of a faithful parent.  

Sometimes these faithful parents are in the Spirit World praying for their wayward sons here on the earth, and The Lord sends earthly angels. Sometimes these faithful parents are on earth, and the Lord sends angels from the Spirit World. In both cases, those who carry a message of repentance and salvation are, indeed, miracle-workers in the lives of wayward sons.

An Apostle Is Coming

I’ve never seen such diligence... painting and pressure washing and repairing and cleaning. Everybody is preparing for Elder and Sister Renlund this weekend.

Getting Organized - This & That

The requests for this and that come in so fast I just write them on stickies. Then, while we’re driving I can figure out where to begin.

Brand New Companions

Waiting for Final Interview

Absolutely Loco!

Yet another week of the totally unexpected:
- Auto-sufficiency  instructor (?) is a no-show & must teach impromptu class for missionaries going home on how to adjust.
- Employee doesn't show up for work because it's a holiday (who knew??) We must pull dinner together for 13 people.
- Discover three new missionaries at the airport who weren't on the transfer board.
- Redo transfers to accommodate the new missionaries.
- Learn that I'm speaking at stake conference at 9:00 a.m. Sunday morning [in Spanish].