Hey Family and Friends
QUE PASO!!! hahah hello ! How are ya’ll doing!? 12 Oct 2011
This week has been rough! We walk so so so much every day! I don't know how my legs handle it! Must be on angel’s wings huh. Haha
The baptisms went really well. Ashanty, the little girl was so funny before her baptism, she kept saying que linda, que linda (how beautiful, how beautiful) I loved it.
Eudi is about 17 and he was baptized as well. His parents had a big problem with him getting baptized. They worship this little statue of baby Jesus; the little statue is dressed in a pink dress! Just like everyone else and their dog here. I think that he will be okay!
We had the chance to go over and teach him with two of the preist from the ward. We taught him about the Sacrament and how to bless it. He was ordained a priest immediately after he received the Holy Ghost. Things happen fast.
David was the other kid my comp baptized. He was baptized on Saturday night. Then confirmed a member of the Church and given the gift of the Holy Ghost. The very next morning he received the priesthood and was ordained as a Deacon and then was called to be the Deacons Quorum President all in his first day as a member! ha That just goes to show you how little our ward is.
We have an investigator that is awesome, but not progressing much at the same time. His name is Frank. He’s from New York and speaks perfect English. We went and taught him a lesson and I was asked to give the first prayer. I could not pray in English to save my life! Hah it was so so awkward, but teaching was just fine.
I know this may be a little late in my life for this epiphany, but after teaching about the Restoration so many times I now KNOW that it was needed! haha Tender mercies.
Oh, we taught another lesson on this ghetto street at about 9:00 pm just right before we went home. It was sweet and hilarious. We were invited into this place and of course the little boys don't have their clothes on, and the Dads shirt is off, but we teach anyway. Then as usual, we – my comp or I -always start the charla (lesson) with a prayer, teach the charla and then get the investigator to finish off with a prayer- no matter how long it takes for them to agree! haha, So we taught him how to pray. He was like, ok.... I’ll do it. We sat there for about 2 minutes with our heads bowed waiting for him to say a prayer….and then he said this.... “padre celestial y jesucristo amen” ( Father in Heaven and Jesus Christ, amen) ...... I almost started laughing so hard! But, I guess he kinda did what we asked him to, so we just went with it. That made our day.
Life here is fun because I totally get to – or have to - change to things that I would normally do. We walk in the street a foot away from passing cars, cram into dumb little routas( little taxi kinda of like an early 90's honda Civic) to get places, buy the cheapest food at the colmados (grocery store), etc…
Mom and Dad the avocados here are amazing... Yes, I am eating them now! They have changed my life. But , there is a ton that is different here, the differences are stark and it’s fun for me.
I hate seeing the way people live here though. It’s sad because some of our best members live in a two room house with ants running around and flies everywhere. It’s just bad and I feel like they deserve a lot more!
We had a reunion de misioneros nuevos (meeting for new missionaries) this week. So I got to see all of the Elders that I was with in the CCM. That was way fun! I took a picture with my very first companion - he is still my favorite!
President Lee is awesome; He'll be a prophet one day I swear - because he tells all of the elders exactly what they need to hear to lift them or correct them and teaches how to teach and how to apply everything we learn into our teachings.
Our bishop here makes scripture covers that almost every Elder in the East and West missions have, and they are awesome, I’m thinking about getting some because the rain has not treated my scriptures well. His mom, who lives with him, sows a taper in our shirts. Now, I don't look like a marshmallow while I’m walking down the street. I am so grateful for that!
Our project with Romy's house is going pretty well. We just got the stair rail put in and are going to start destruction sometime this next week! President Lee stresses the importance of service and so I am glad to be doing something for one of the members. He said that we will be our happiest when we serve. :) When you are in the service of your fellow man…
Well, I will put some pictures of the baptism on here as well and me with my first comp, and maybe the house we will be moving into.
Oh hey! WE ARE MOVING out of our apartment into a small house! I’m so glad! Our apartment right now is on the fourth floor and it has tons of problems. Also, the neighbors are tapped into our power and are stealing power from us! So, we went out and found a little house a couple streets over from where we are now. It’s awesome! Dad, It reminded me of your apartment story! ha
I love you all! OHHHH STACI FINALLY WROTE ME BACK!!!! Happy day! haha I took too long, but it was okay! I love you sis!
Okay answers to questions!
Hahah! Ay mi madre, tengo calor aqui cada dia! todos los dias! hah ( oh mother, it’s hot here every day, all of the time) But, wow! Yeah Dominican Spanish is crazy! And they speak it so fast here!
Okay. Dad, you’re right about the adversary trying to discourage and place doubt in the investigators. Delvi told us last time we taught him that he didn't want to get baptized because he still wanted to drink. We brought one of his friends with us, who is a member. I think that with him there and a prayer for the Spirit, his fears were calmed and everything’s just fine and he’s still looking forward to his baptism on the 29th.
The temple, I guess, used to be white but over time has changed colors and now it’s like reddish. haha
We only eat with members on Sunday. The rest of the time we eat lunch at a little shop by our house. It costs 100 pesos or 2 dollars. We hardly ever have dinner because we are out contacting people or teaching in the evening.
We are rebuilding the house and it will still be on top of the roof.
I love you Dad and hope that you’re doing great, I hope you know that you’ve really influenced most of the things that I am doing right now for the Lord, You have been and are a great example for me so thank you. :)
Tell everyone hi for me. I miss ‘em.
Love ya
ELDER GRINER
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