Sunday, January 28, 2018

Temple Work

The temple will be closed for the next two weeks. Good thing we went the last two Saturdays.

Steep Climb


These stairs led to the home of a family we visited. When you turn the corner, the stairs disappear and there are just rocks. It was literally a 4-point climb.

And I'm Only 5 Feet Tall!


These darling Hermanas were walking down the street when this man saw the Libro de Mormon in their hands (a mission norm to carry one in your hand always). He tried to catch up with them, but they were waking too fast (the tiniest Hermanas in out mission!!!). Hurray for their sense of urgency. He called out to them and they stopped. He is taking the lessons and will be baptized on February 11th.

Saturday, January 27, 2018

"This is a work of love!"

This dear Hermana bore her testimony in one of our recent reunions because she was going home in four days.  At first she could not compose herself. When she could finally speak she said simply, “Esto es una obra de amor.”  And she closed.  She is right. This is a work of love and I will miss her dearly.

Friday, January 26, 2018

Obedience

This week Presidente spent very day in interviews. During the interviews I train along with the assistants. I discovered a great passage about obedience in Preach My Gospel, and it's not in the section about obedience. It's in the section on faith. We learned that obedience is an act of faith. Those who choose to be disobedient lack faith in Jesus Christ. And if you don't have faith in Jesus Christ, in whom do you have faith? Certainly no one with the power to save and exalt. It's pretty obvious there is absolutely no good reason to be disobedient.

Sunday, January 21, 2018

Una Boda Especial


This couple was married Thursday so they could be baptized on Saturday. After the baptism, the whole branch celebrated their wedding. Many times our missionaries find people who want to be baptized, but they need to live the law of chastity to be baptized. It’s always a blessing when they can find the Papers necessary to be baptized.

Soulmate


Spence, you have a soulmate here in the DR.


When the Lights Go Out

Just because there is no electricity in the church doesn’t mean we cancel the baptism. A long extension cord connected to the colmado (grocery store) next door provides enough electricity to run a projector.

Completely New Culture

We are learning all kinds of ways the culture here is different than our Western culture. You don't see it from the surface, but we have discovered:

 1. When you walk into a meeting late in the DR, it's rude to slip quietly in back so you don't interrupt the meeting. Here, they expect you to walk to the front, and greet the person in charge and ask to be invited to stay.
 2. The Dominicans value relationships, even among strangers. They will bend over backwards for you if they consider you an ally. But, don't get on their bad side or they deliberately make your life miserable.
 3. Two 'o clock it is! Don't plan anything during the lunch hour. The Dominicans will drop their work mid-project at the stroke of 2:00 to have their biggest meal of the day.

No, It's Not Jail!

This is the entrance to the church. It is as secure as the hermana's casa.

Now That's Secure!

These hermanas have to unlock four doors to get into their casa.

The Blessings of Faith

Two of our hermanas had been teaching a joven who wanted to be baptized but her parents would not give permission. However, one day the parents invited the hermanas over to have dinner and the entire family was there -- aunts, uncles, grandparents, etc.  During the dinner, the hermanas asked, again, if it they could have permission to baptize the daughter.  The family held a council and decided that if the young lady wanted to be baptized into the Mormon church, they all needed to know more about what the church teaches. So they all decided to come to church the following Sunday.  We expect to have a bunch more new investigators after this Sunday!

Wednesday, January 10, 2018

Angels of Music

This lovely display is in the music conservatory across across from our apartment.

The Tree that Survived

I can think of all kinds of object lessons for this miracle tree that fell over and then grew again out of the side of the mountain.


No Place to Stay?

We had to visit a branch in the nethermost parts of the vineyard. The elders there told us that there was no place to stay over night. We found a place online in the middle of nowhere that turned out to be wonderful. It was built around a series of waterfalls.



We were greeted by these ducks and our room was built into the side of a mountain. The walls were literally the rock that constituted the mountain.





Monday, January 8, 2018

Wonderful Missionaries!

When we received our weekly report this week, we learned that our missionaries had found 596 new investigators in one week. This means they have found someone new, taught the first discussion, and set up a return appointment. A new investigator is someone seriously seeking baptism.


We are so pleased with these outstanding young men and women. I am reminded of the scripture in Alma 57:21 because I realize these missionaries are obedient because their mothers have taught them to be obedient. And that's why they are receiving so many blessings here in the mission.

Mmmm ... Road Side Diner


Now That's a Big Bug!

You know if you can drive down the highway at 70 mph and spot a spider on the side of the road -- that’s a big spider!

Happy New Year!

The park where we exercise in the morning is usually full of Zumba classes and personal trainers but today the whole city was vacant. They were up all night celebrating the new year and the music only stopped with the dawn.

A Little Service Goes a Long Way

This week in our mission a 15-year-old boy was dragging a 55-gallon bag to a store, and he called out to the missionaries to help him carry the bag. A couple days later, the young man called out to the missionaries and said, "Come here do you remember me?"

The missionaries didn't remember him but he said, "You helped me carry my bag. I want to buy you a Coca Cola." The missionaries said they didn't need anything to drink, so the young man asked if there was anything else he could do for them. The missionaries said they would like to come to teach him. He said they could come teach him, but they needed to talk to his parents first. They went to his house and his parents said he couldn't be taught right then. But, they promised he would come to church.


The elders dropped by the next day to take him to church. His mom was there and said he wasn't ready but his Dad would bring him. About 10 minutes later the young man came in to the church along with his brother and his cousin. The missionaries are now teaching all three of them.

The Envy of Every Man

Did you know the temple had a huge shop -- well-equipped and all in order — just like the temple?


Waiting for the Temple

We got to take all our missionaries to the temple this week. These Hermanas are catching up before the session.

New way to find and teach

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