You've never seen anything like it

People line up to enter “santo Domingo’s got talent” for primary children. Each ward in the stake has an “act,” children singing and dancing and the gym is overflowing with fans cheering and yelling. You would think it’s a rock concert

Fish anyone?

They sell some pretty weird things from car to car while we wait in traffic but I am most amused by the goldfish!  Who decides, on the way home from work, “oh, I forgot to buy my goldfish?”

Miracles Never Cease

Remember Hermana Mendez, who baptized the step father and the father of a Dominican sister who she taught with while preparing for her own mission?  Well, the stories gets even better...

Elder Peay was in walking on the temple grounds one day and bumped into a non-member from Villa Mella.  He sent the reference to the missionaries in Villa Mella, but they could not find the reference.  The following transfer Elder Peay was transferred to Villa Mella.  (President and I knew nothing about the reference).  Amazingly, Elder Peay bumped into the reference on the street.  He was able to teach her himself and she decided to get baptized.  He asked if there was anyone special she would like to perform the baptism.  She said she had a brother-in-law who had recently joined the church who could perform the ordinance.  Elder Peay found the brother-in-law and it turned out to be the step-father of Hermana Mendez' companion whom Elder Peay had himself just baptized in his previous area.

Story to follow

It's a promise

This is our mission leadership council putting their names to the baptismal goal they have for this month

Practical Dominicans

The Dominicans are nothing if not practical.  What’s that in those motos sitting in the sun?  A piece of cardboard held in place with a hunk of concrete 

Like I've been saying.......

You really need a hat here in the DR no matter how you find one

Anybody for some fodd?

New Friend

I found the cutest hairdresser she does a great job and she’s going to meet with the missionaries on Thursday!

Another Tender Mercy

The sister who wrote this article is in our mission. She just got transferred to a new area this week and was feeling a little insecure. Sunday she was supposed to speak in church to introduce herself, but the bishop decided there wasn’t time. However the concluding speaker, not knowing who wrote it, read this story from the Liahona for her talk. When the bishop realized it was the new missionary in his ward who had written the talk, he let her introduce herself. This went a long way to boost her confidence.

Cute Little Munchkins

How can anyone focus on the lesson when the moms put their babies to sleep right beside you? I just wanted to grab them and take them home.

Hard Work

Our office elders work hard all day in the office and all evening teaching the gospel.

The Rest of the Story

The man in green is the father of the hermana who is on a mission in El Salvador who taught with one of our missionaries who came here and ended up in his area and baptized him. We just transferred this Hermana to another area which turned out to be the area where the biological father lived. The man in green was the step father. Elder Williams (l) baptized the two women in the photo.

Sad Goodbyes

We sent 17 missionaries home this transfer.  It was kind of hard because four of them had been our assistants and two Hermanas could have been assistants.  We wondered how we would proceed with so much strength leaving, but the Lord provides and our younger missionaries are doing great!

A True Convert

While in the temple last week one of our Hermanas bumped into a brother she had taught and helped get baptized last year. Such a sweet reunion.

I Love to See the Temple

We took missionaries to the temple this week and taught them the relationship between their garments and the shields and breastplates Moroni provided for his army.

Our Couples' Class

Thus weekend we taught a marriage workshop to some couples in the district. It was ironic to be talking about communication when we were trying to communicate in a foreign language.

New Friend

Someone found a home at church today.

Now's the Time

It's July. Time to put the Valentine's candies on sale!

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).​

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!

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.

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).

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.