Santo Domingo East Mission

Monday, July 16, 2018

New Blogmaster

I’m super grateful to my talented daughter in law Zoe for taking over the blog. My sister-in-law has her plate full since Grandpa's death, and we’re grateful for her full year of service. Zoe is the mother of three precious angels and married to Spence who is a handful all by himself! But she’s amazing and will keep up no problem. :)

Keep 'em Coming

Will wonders never cease? One of our zone leaders was companions in the CCM (Missionary Training Center) with a Dominican who lived in here our misión but was going to serve elsewhere. They became very close, and this CCM companion wrote our zone leader from time to time while our zone leader served here in Santo Domingo Este.

One day this zone leader received a reference from the bishop in his Ward. The bishop had received a letter from a member of his Ward who was serving a misión, and the member of the Ward who was serving a mission wanted someone to teach his own family who were not members. The bishop passed the reference on to the missionaries in his Ward.

Our zone leader was serving in this bishop’s Ward and when he went to visit the family the bishop referred, he discovered it was the family of the companion he had grown to love in the CCM (Missionary Training Center).

Tuesday, July 10, 2018

God directs this work!

Hermana Sabourin was determined to meet her daily goals this week so they contacted and contacted without quitting. The last person they contacted invited them in. This person was a member of the church who had been less active for many years. But the member recognized the name Sabourin. It turned out that the missionary who had baptized this member along with 7 members of her family was Hermana Sabourin's Father!

"My first miracle"

Hermana Mendez (l) went teaching with the sisters in her home ward three times a week for three months before her mission. One of the sisters she taught with was from the Dominican Republic. This sister told Hermana Mendes she needed to get called to the DR to baptize her father who lived there. Lo and behold Hermana Mendez was called to the DR. The first area we sent her to was right next to the area where the father lived. (We had no idea!) Elders worked in the area where the father lived and they shared a chapel with Hermana Mendez. Hermana Mendez was able to be in the lessons and attend the baptism of the father of the Hermana who had hoped for just that.

Helping with the work

Spence did a great training on working with members. He reminded our missionaries they can earn the confidence of the members when they act like missionaries and let the members be the friends with the investigators.

Making friends wherever we go

I can't wait until I'm 8

Our grands got to attend a baptism of 13 new converts. They thought they blended in perfectly with the Dominican children. But the Dominican children were fascinated with these little blue eyed blondes and could not stop touching their hair!

Hello! New helper with the blog :)

While visiting Presidente and Hermana Smith last month I asked if there was anything we could help with and she said asked me to help with this blog :)

I am so excited to share and I will update Hermana Smith's posts every Sunday and Thursday!

Friday, June 29, 2018

Marvelous Missionaries

My missionaries took such good care of me on my birthday. They also surprised me with a cake and fireworks on top—a Dominican tradition.

The Biggest Surprise Ever!

Spence’s family came for my birthday! I had no idea. Such a great gift!!!

Primary Choir

These precious children sat reverently for two hours and sang three songs throughout stake

conference. It helps that they don’t have access to video games all day :)

The Streets When It Rains

Prepared for Anything

The solution when you’re asked to prepare a 5 min talk and when you arrive they want you to take 10 min or when you’re asked to prepare a 10 min talk and they cut your time to 5 min. However when you’re asked to speak and you didn’t know it beforehand (last night) you just have to rely on the spirit.

So Fun to Give

We were stopped at a light the other day and a beggar tapped on my window and asked for pesos. I gave him some money and he said he was hungry. I looked for a granola bar or something wrapped to give him and he pointed to the pita chips we had brought for dinner (always eating in the car) and said “lá funda”. I couldn’t believe he wanted our opened, crumbled pita chips but when I gave them to him he was so happy. It’s amazing how little we have to give here to receive so much gratitude.

They've Got Mail!

The missionaries swarm when our assistants show up with their mail.

Like an Eskimo Describing Snow

Who knew there were so many kinds of white shirts? I was washing some shirts elders had left behind so I could take them to a branch where new members needed them and found a “travel” shirt that’s a wrinkle free Oxford. It wears like iron.

Saturday, June 16, 2018

Worth Watching to the End

Quote from one of our missionaries: This is not missionary “work" - This is missionary “joy”

A First for Everything

Riding in a carita for the first time. Sharing the passenger seat for 25 pesos each. The broken front window and duct taped dashboard doesn’t slow business a bit.

Paradox

The two girls (not standing) will be baptized today. I was struck by the contrast between their corrugated tin ceiling and their flat screen tv.

The Front Porch

Going to Market

Now you know what happens with all the clothes you donate. Once we saw someone wearing a Ponte Vedra sharks T shirt (our daughter’s school).

Need a Ride?

These fancy cars are how our missionaries get around. They are a step down from a taxi (that doesn’t look a lot better) and cost far less. They may not have windows and there may be 6 people in back at one time but the engines run (most of the time).

Wednesday, June 6, 2018

All in the Family

Our missionaries with all the members of the family that they baptized.

AT LAST!!

After 39 years together this couple was married and baptized this week. Who led the way into the waters of baptism? First their grandchildren, then their children, and now the grandparents.

Touring Alone

Presidente had to make 55 phone calls on our p day Saturday, so I went exploring in the colonial zone.

It's Not a Record But It's Close

We’ve seen five adults on one moto.

Mormon Standard Time

9:00 a.m.

9:30 a.m.

Returned with Honor

It was so fun to meet the family of this great Hermana who was released in January and came back to visit this week.

Sunday, May 27, 2018

So Precious

Welcome to Church!

This is what greeted us at the chapel doors today.

A Branch Resurrected

These missionaries are transforming this branch! A confirmation during church and a baptism after. We’re have enough priesthood holders now the missionaries don’t to serve in the leadership positions!

Wide Cargo

They can carry anything on a Moto!

Friday, May 25, 2018

Seventh Times the Charm

Every time we get new missionaries we teach them about consecration. We use Moses chapter 5 to teach them about offering a sacrifice that is acceptable to God. I always teach that Adam offered sacrifices of the best of his flock because it was in similitude of the sacrifice of the Son of God and was a way to help him appreciate the atonement of the Savior. While preparing this training for the 7th time today I learned something new that had a great impact on me: Imagine you were Adam, and every time your flock of sheep had babies, you had to choose the very best one and sacrifice it. You couldn’t keep it to breed. You couldn’t use the wool. You couldn’t eat it. You couldn’t even let it grow up as a pet. You had to give up the best, most pefect lamb every time the ewes gave birth. What would you learn from this experience if month after month, year after year, you gave your best to the Lord? (We know Adam did it for was a long time because the scriptures say so.) I think you would learn to let go. You would learn not to get too attached to your possessions. You would soon learn that the sheep aren’t really yours anyway. You’re going to be giving them away. You would learn not to be materialistic. You would learn that everything you have place comes from the Lord in the first place. You would learn not to covet your own possessions. You would learn how to give your all to the Lord. You would learn consecration. I think the first time you sacrificed the best of your flock, you might understand a little bit more how it feels to be God and give your Only Begotton Son to be sacrificed. But I think after you gave your best away time and time again, you would learn that everything we have belongs to God. It’s pretty generous we get to keep for ourselves as much as we do.