A Missionary to Top All

Two of our wonderful missionaries with a young man in between them who is a missionary to top all.

Presidente was teaching with these two elders this week and as they passed the baseball field this 11-year old young man saw them. "Where are you going?"  he asked.  They told him they were going to teach a lesson.  "Can I come too?"  he asked.  Of course, he could.  During the lesson, he bore testimony of the restored gospel and encouraged the people to get baptized.  After they taught the first lesson, they had a 10 minute walk to the next appointment.  "Can I come too?"  he asked.  On the way he spotted some of his friends.  "Come with us," he invited, and they came along.  The 11-year old, along with his four friends, attended the discussion with Presidente and the two elders.  On the way back to the chapel, the young man expressed his enthusiasm about missionary work and how he was looking forward to being a missionary himself.  He was very proud of his current calling, as music coordinator.  This means he is responsible for turning on the recording when they sing the songs in church.

Twin Sisters

These twin sisters brought this 15 year old investigator to stake (district) conference today. It was her first time at church. Presidente y Yo (President & Sister Smith) spoke. Hope we didn't scare her away! (wink)

Acomodador

These young men were the ushers at district conference... a serious job because people trickle in all morning and they find seats for everyone without disrupting the meeting.

President Castillo

This is the stake president on his way home from stake conference.

Beautiful Children

I want to take them all home with me. They just come up and give the biggest hugs.


The children adore the sister missionaries.

Una Encarnada

Two elders in one night needed surgery for ingrown toenails. We have to teach them how to cut their toenails!!

Hooked-Bobbing

Yes, this is against mission rules!

Oops, Part Two

One of our elders got locked IN the chapel all by himself. security is so vigilant about keeping thieves out they didn't realize they had created a system to lock people in!

Oops, part 1

Ordered 10 cakes zanoria con ron. Who knew Ron was rum?  The assistants volunteered to try the cake to make sure there was no alcohol. They reported the cake was fine but they were sure happy all day. (wink)

The Real Work

I got to teach with these terrific sisters today. Teaching in the streets is a challenge but they didn't let the loudspeakers or the basketball game or the motos slow them down one bit!

.

Uninvited Guest

Look what Presidente caught in the office today!

Mmmmm...

Which looks more inviting? Cake frosted with green Jello or purple?

Our First Tropical Storm

We have discovered something almost as difficult as transfers without internet:  preparing talks without electricity. Candlelight and the topical guide still work!

Good thing nobody wears pantyhose here. There's no way to avoid puddles around your ankles when we get this kind of rain.

Editor's Note: Presidente and Hermana Smith have lived in Florida for over twenty years. They have experienced many tropical storms & hurricanes.

The Lord Provides

This temporary fix kept our refrigerator going while we waited for an electrician.  The two who had been called by the apartment maintenance were not answering.

Now, the TENDER MERCY:  I "coincidentally" bumped into the wife of the brother who is in charge of physical facilities for the whole Caribbean while she was on her way to exercise. Her husband got someone over here in no time to repair our electricity.  She said she never exercises as late in the day as she did today. But now she knows why she waited :)

Subsistence Living

This is the zone Restauradores. When we get a lot of rain, the river floods and the people in the low lying houses have to move. After the rainy season, they return to their houses.

Meant To Be

We have two missionaries going home a few weeks early to start school so we planned to take them to the temple Friday. Us newbies didn't know they only have sessions in the mornings and evenings during the week. Therefore the elders showed up for a 2:00 session and there wasn't one until 5:00. We made good use if the time however because their Spanish is so good they were able to edit my talk for Sunday and practice pronunciation with me.

The Blessings of Obedience

Two of our elders were given a reference by their district leader, but the address was wrong. After much frustration, they left and worked elsewhere.  That night they were returning home and it had been raining. The most direct route to their casa was a muddy mess. If they went around, they wouldn't be home by 9:30 as the rules state. They chose the muddy route, and on the way a woman called them over to talk. It was the reference they had been trying to find that morning :) 

Missionaries Going and Coming

We fed this group of missionaries who are leaving and before we even finished our departing counsel some of the new ones arrived at our casa. SURPRISE! Good thing I had made lots and lots of chocolate chip cookies!  

Three of the newcomers had been stranded at the airport because no one sent us their itinerary but they were resourceful and found a way to call us. SURPRISE!  In the middle of the night (2 am) a sister called from the airport wondering who would pick her up. SURPRISE!  We ended up letting 4 hermanas spend the night in our casa because it was so late when they arrived.  One Hermana didn't make it because she needed some shots SURPRISE! Another elder arriving two days late. SURPRISE!

Our new missionaries waiting outside the office for a day of training. It was a very spiritual day. This is a blessed group and we felt the spirit testify to them again and again during the training.

We shuffled van after van full of new missionaries from the CCM to the office this week. This was the last group.  Rather than wait, 4 extra elders climbed in for a total of 10 in a mini van!

Urim and Thummim

If there is anything harder in this world than figuring out transfers when receiving 27 new missionaries at once, it's doing it without internet!

We started working on transfers on Monday. On Wednesday, Thursday, and most of Friday, our internet was down in both our apartment and the office.  The program for doing transfers is amazing. It's like digging a grave with a spoon to try and do transfers without it.  We learned how, however!  And our mission will look really different on Tuesday, when all the new missionaries arrive.

Even more complicated is when we get information at the last minute that someone didn't get their visa in time and they will be arriving a week late.  Then, we go back to the drawing board.

Presidente says someone needs to invent a board game called "Transfers."  He says it would be more difficult than Ticket to Ride, Life, Risk, and Clue put together!

Lonely P-Day

Saturday was supposed to be our p-day but because transfers were this week Presidente had to call 40 missionaries personally and let them know about new assignments.  I helped him make some of the phone calls but he also had to read 150 letters that day and only he can read the letters. Therefore, he opted to skip p-day.

So I ventured out on my own.  I walked about a 15-minute walk down to the malecón (breakwater/ boardwalk) and lo and behold a company was renting bikes!  It was their first day in this location, and they were just testing the market.  I was thrilled and jumped on a bike and rode along the waterfront for a couple of hours.  There are all kinds of neat caves and interesting formations around this island.

More Guests

We had the president of the Santo Domingo Stake over for dinner Friday night and he asked if he could bring his family.  Such a good idea!  We had more fun with his daughters than we have had with any of the old folks who have come over.  They sang primary songs while I played piano, wanted to learn English phrases, left me with a lovely gift, a necklace they had found, and they were especially impressed with the plaques our bishop had made of our children's missionary service.  I think I received a hundred hugs that night!

Pizza and Snails

Why Did the Goose Cross the Road?

To avoid being Christmas dinner!

I Created a Monster

I told this young man he was very fuerte. He didn't understand me so I showed him my bicep to represent strength, and he called all his friends around to see my bicep. Then, they all wanted to arm wrestle me. We had such fun. I adore the children!

My Friend, Christina

When I told this sister she had the same name as my dear friend, she wanted a photo together. It turns out another sister was named Marta Christina, and all her sisters and cousins had Christina for a middle name because they are all named after their grandmother.

I gave her a bottle of Tylenol because she had sciatica and I've never felt such gratitude. Can you imagine sciatica without meds?

Today at the Branch

I love these small branches. The members are all heart. They have patience with my language, ask me to read, to pray, ask me questions. I feel "good enough" when I'm with them. Note: Sister Smith did not learn Spanish until their call to serve in the Dominican Republic.

Have you ever played an electric piano where some of the keys work and others don't?  It's tricky.

They claim he is a member of the branch.

Los Tres Ojos

Yesterday (Saturday) we visited the coolest place-- three caves with fresh water fed from an underground river  they are called Tres ojos because they are supposed to look like eyes. They didn't look like eyes to me but they were beautiful!! 

In the caves there are stalagmites, stalactites and what my dad used to call "stick mighty-tights" because they reach from the ceiling to the floor.

This is the only lake that can be seen from above.

This was our guide who charged us 1300 pesos to take us through the park when the entrance fee was 100 pesos and afterward asked for a tip. We just chalk it up to charity because undoubtedly they need the money more than we do.

For 500 pesos this old man will climb up the rocks in the second photo and dive from the little cave at the top. When he reaches the surface he spouts water like a whale... Spence, you have a career here if you can learn to spout water!

The Way to a Missionary's Heart

We took a chance and let the elders play a big game of futbol on pday. Nobody got hurt thanks to their prayer.

Radio Talk Show

Just when I thought I had had all the new experiences there were to be had --  we were asked to be interviewed on the radio.

Our elders are here preparing their questions.

Presidente prepares to speak about obedience.

The Nicest Restaurant in Town

I knew you kids wouldn't believe it if you didn't see it. I had a totally new experience. We actually ate at McDonald's!  We asked the missionaries to take us to the nicest place in town and they immediately chose McDonald's.

Overjoyed Missionaries

This is the planner of one of our sisters listing all the people they have to see this week.  If a busy missionary is a happy missionary ours are overjoyed!