The Key to Retention

One of the branches in the district invited their new members to come to Santo Domingo on a Friday night and stay in temple patron housing.  There they learned how to open an lds account and to find the name of one of their ancestors who needed their temple work done.  The next day they all did temple work for one of their own family members.  Super animating for all!

2 limes for .80

I just discovered something WONDERFUL about the Dominician Republic.  I was expecting company, trying to prepare guacamole and realize I was out of limes.  I picked up the phone on the wall in our apartment, it automatically dialed the guards in the lobby.  I asked them to call a colmado (neighborhood jiffy-mart) and bring me 2 limes.  Five minutes later the guard rang our doorbell with the two limes in his hand.  I could get used to this service!

The Miracle of Wonderful Missionaries

These are recent converts in a branch that only two transfers ago had a sacrament meeting attendance of four.  Yes.  4 people in sacrament meeting.  We released our assistant to the president and called him to serve as branch president, and with total faith in The Lord, he has built the branch up in a miraculous way.

The Miracle of a Mission

The missionaries arrive absolutely lost and helpless.  They can’t speak the language, they can’t change money, they can’t buy a bottle of wáter.  They don’t know the bus routes.  They don’t know how to get to their apartment. They don’t have cell phones, no GPS, no internet.  If they get sick it’s their companion who takes care of them.  They are totally dependent on their companion.  They come to us scared, homesick, and insecure.

Then the most miraculous thing happens.  Their companions take care of them. 19-20 year boys become their saviors.  Their companions take them shopping, cook for them they shine their shoes, teach them the language.  It’s the ultimate experience in humility for both the new missionary and for his trainer.  The new missionary must humble himself to learn from his companion, and the companion must be patient and loving and tender with the new missionary.

Their is a “nickname” in the mission for the relationship between a new missionary and his trainer:  they call each other “my dad” and “my kid.” The experienced missionary becomes possessive of his “kid,” rooting for him to succeed for his whole mission.  It is utterly selfless love.  The “kid” is full of gratitude and he wants to make his “dad” proud and it gives him confidence to tell people I am “Elder Monson’s kid.”

Before you know it, this new missionary, who was terrified to open his mouth, and whose Spanish was laughable, is teaching the restored góspel to natives in their own language, teaching with power, with enough power to get them to change their lives entirely: to marry if they are living together, to give up cigarettes or coffee if they have addictions.  These young men and women--right out of high school--overcome obstacles, gain confidence and before you know it become trainers themselves.

The whole experience is a tremendous Faith builder.  The trainers remember how helpless they once were, and they know there is no way they could accomplish such amazing things without the help of the Lord.  They are living proof that God is a god of miracles because they see such tremendous changes in their own lives.  In addition, they witness miracles every day in the lives of the people they teach, changes that would never in million years happen without the power of the priesthood and the hand of the Lord.

There are a lot of amazing blessings about presiding over a mission, but one of the most satisfying is seeing our missionaries become such outstanding human beings, full of love, selflessness, humble, teachable, full of faith and focused on what’s most important.

Eager to serve!

Three weeks ago Johann was baptized.  Today he came to church with a white shirt and tie and went straight to the sacrament table, waiting to bless the sacrament.  The branch president's wife explained he needed to be sustained to the priesthood and set apart before he could pass the sacrament and invited him to return to his seat in the congregation.  As soon as he was sustained he returned to the seat at the sacrament table and was reminded that he still needed to be set apart.  At the end of the meeting President announced Johann would be set apart after church and he got up again and moved to the front row.  We are so excited to see how Johann's enthusiasm will bless this branch!

Buttered Popcorn popping on an unknown type of tree

Brand new dress, and new hairdo for a special baptism

(Apparently when the Dominicans get the braids attached to their hair they can't get them wet, so a white grocery bag preserved the look)

Sacrament

President taking sacrament to a new convert

An Island Full of Beautiful sunsets

After listening to Conference I thought again, as I have so often, "Why would anyone want to take on the creator of the world, the creator of the universe, He who can give life, take it in an instant and raise the dead?  That's someone on who's side I want to be!"

Our assistants updating the results for March:

418 baptisms!  No kidding!

What could possibly worth waiting in line for all morning long?

Dominican Republic's Got Talent

"Why you don't want to work construction in Santo Domingo"

  

Miracle Moment

Proof god watches over his missionaries:  an Hernana from Haiti on her way to Mexico MTC got separated from her group in the airport in Santo Domingo. She left the airport hailed a taxi and pointed to her plack. The driver took her to one of the 70 churches buildings we have in the mission where they just happened to be having district meeting and there just happened to be present one of the two Hermanas in our mission who spoke creole and could help her. She spent the day teaching with our Hermanas, slept in their casa that night and the next day the travel dept came to rescue her.

Thinking outside of the box

We taught a family who was using this mattress box spring for a fence.  They find uses for everything around here.

Feliz Cumpleaños

President celebrates a significant birthday with the missionaries in zona Los Restauradores

Aggressive little critter!

President caught this strange lizard inside the chapel and carried him outside.  For thanks the little critter bit president on the forehead!

Faith to be Baptized!

The elders brought this couple over for a family home evening because they had some worries about the commitment they would make in choosing baptism.  We had a great lesson and they will be baptized this Saturday!

Elder Conrad's Funeral

On Monday the many people who love Elder Conrad will join to celebrate his wonderful, and full life.  After a days and days of unspeakable grief we were finally able to mention his name without bursting into tears.  So we took the opportunity during zone conference this past week to celebrate Elder Conrad's contribution here in the mission.  We knew we had to give our missionaries hope and help them heal.  Everybody who knew Elder Conrad was aware that he was an outstanding missionary.  He has been a motivation to every one of us.  He was here on the  mission for the purest of motives, he rejoiced in bringing souls unto Christ.  He helped us remember how blessed we are to be about the Father's work.  We don't know why Heavenly Father called him to serve in another mission when he was doing so well here, but we know he will bless those he is teaching in the spirit world.  We consider it an honor to have served with him for this short time.

The Calvary Have Arrived

We received a new senior couple to serve in our mission today.  They had vacationed in the DR and liked it so much they request to serve their mission here!  If anybody knows senior couples in a position to serve, send them our way!

Behold! A royal army!