2 more months

What’s good weekly! You could say I’m doing pretty good out here. 

Funny Shirts

One of my favorite things about Dominicans is the shirts they wear. Idk where they get them but a lot of them are in english and say some pretty funny stuff. And I know that they have no idea what it even says so it’s even more funny. We saw one this week that was super funny but the funniest part was that I could just see it in the guys eyes that he had no clue what the shirt said. So I asked for a picture with him. Picture is attached jaja

Rip Motorcycle

Also while I’ve been here in the dr I’ve seen a lot of motorcycle crashes. Most of the time they are pretty bad and sad (someone dies or just get’s super beat up), but every once in a while it’s just kinda funny. We were teaching two guys and while we were teaching them a car just backs up right into one of the guys bikes and knocks it over. He freaked out and then the guys in the car got out and they all started fighting. The bike was fine but the guy freaked out and then the other guys called him a baby and stuff. While all of this was happening, me, my comp, and the other guy we were with were just sitting there watching. Then after 5 minutes we just started back where we were at. I enjoyed it.

Spiritual Thought

I love Sunday so much. Even though it’s a lot of work as a missionary, seeing everyone come to church is one of the most satisfying feelings. We have a had a lot of success here too with people at church and now I feel stupid for thinking that the Lord wasn’t going to let the success we had in Puerto Plata carry over here. He can do whatever He wants! And I feel like He’s been a little nicer to me since I’m almost going home.

And the other day during my personal study I read these verses that I just loved. 

Alma 37:44-47

“44 For behold, it is as easy to give heed to the word of Christ, which will point to you a straight course to eternal bliss, as it was for our fathers to give heed to this compass, which would point unto them a straight course to the promised land.

45 And now I say, is there not a type in this thing? For just as surely as this director did bring our fathers, by following its course, to the promised land, shall the words of Christ, if we follow their course, carry us beyond this vale of sorrow into a far better land of promise

46 O my son, do not let us be slothful because of the easiness of the way; for so was it with our fathers; for so was it prepared for them, that if they would look they might live; even so it is with us. The way is prepared, and if we will look we may live forever.

47 And now, my son, see that ye take care of these sacred things, yea, see that ye look to God and live. Go unto this people and declare the word, and be sober. My son, farewell.”

Let’s all just look to God, and live! It really will make you happier! As I’ve been nearing the end of my mission I’ve realized that coming out here for two years never really was a sacrifice at all. This is the best thing I have ever done. I hope I can keep sprinting to the end of it. 

Les quiero, bye

La Semana Santa

This week went by super fast. La Vega is pretty sweet. I’m really enjoying it.

Last week I said I was going to keep better track of stuff that’s going on but I feel like I wrote one of these yesterday so I don’t know what to tell you.

Basketball Stuff

We’ve been playing 2 v 2 basketball every morning for morning excersize which has been pretty hype. The Elders told me that I have the best mid-range shot between the 4 of us so yea it’s whatever. But one day we were playing and these two dominican dudes were sitting on the stairs nearby watching. After we finished I knew that we should go and contact them but I was so tired and mad after getting whooped super bad and just wanted to go back to the apartment ASAP. But the Lord blessed us despite being disobedient, and during the day we somehow ended up accidentally finding where both of the guys lived. It was just pretty crazy because of how many people there are here and they both live on opposite sides of the town. And we happened to just walk in to them right at their house. So that was cool, and we are now teaching both of them. Not sure that they will get baptized but I’m satisfied knowing that we are giving them the chance. 

Everything is Breaking

Coming near the end of my mission is sad and hard but also probably needed. All of my stuff is breaking. My watch finally snapped and is currently holding together with duct tape, pants have ripped, my waterbottle mouthpiece snapped off, most of my shirts are stained, my sandals had to be superglued, my socks are wrecked and can hardly support themselves on my ankles, my shoes have holes (used dominican hotglue to fix them but it didn’t work and then I used some stuff called shoe goo that helped a little), my mosquito net ripped last night (I was super mad about that one), and the colors of my ties are fading from the sun that’s on it all day. My mom sent me a rescue package a couple of weeks ago but when I was at the mission office to get it, they told me it will probably not get there till I am already home. Hopefully it gets here soon though. I have faith. My Uke still works good though so I’ll be chillin.

We have so many amazing things happening in this area. I loved Puerto Plata so much but I can already tell that I am going to love this area a lot too. We’ve already found so many great people and had a super full house at church yesterday. I am super excited for the next couple of weeks! One person we’re teaching who is super awesome is Ashley. She is so sweet. We had only talked to her for a few seconds and I knew she was gonna be elect. And yea she is super awesome. We have a lot of great people working on getting baptized and It’s gonna be good. I'm excited.

Last night I had a dream that I was home and I just cried. I am really gonna miss this. Then I woke up and realized I still have 10 weeks left and was able to calm down a bit. But I really love being a missionary.

I also had a good time this week contemplating the Savior's Atonement. I don't know if they do it in the US but the whole week here is crazy. They call it "La Semana Santa" (holy week). And basically to celebrate everybody gets super drunk and breaks a lot of other commandments. Kind of disgusting how they honor Christ paying for our sins by committing more sin. 

I listened to a BYU dev by Neil A. Maxwell called "In Him all things hold together" that was really good. I did feel a little heart sick the whole day thinking about the pain He went through. 

I am super grateful for Jesus Christ. I have learned so much about Him these last 2 years but at the same time I feel like I know so little. I wish I understood all of it better. But for now, I am just grateful.

Bye!

• Elder Wride

weekly

Hey guys!

Again this week I don’t have a lot to say. The mission is going by fast and I don’t have time to keep up with everything going on. This week though I’m gonna try harder to keep track of stuff to tell you all about. 

Leaving Puerto Plata was super hard for me. Probably harder than leaving home two years ago. Because it feels like home now. But I made it through. Sunday and Monday before the transfer Tuesday morning we went around and got to get a bunch of pictures with some of my favorite people on this planet. I miss them a lot.

My new area is in a city called La Vega. But our area is called Conani. We are in a four man apartment though which is lit. But the first couple days were rough. I was feeling really depressed and scared about these last two transfers of my mission. Then in my personal study (I’ve been studying the New Testament) I read in Mark 4:40 which says - “And he said unto them, Why are ye so fearful? how is it that ye have no faith?”

That gave me a lot of peace. I don’t know why I was freaking out so much. I’ve made it out of every bad spot so far in my life and mission so I don’t know why I feel like now is suddenly going to be an exception. 

So I’m feeling better now. But shoutout to some of my favorite people there in Puerto Plata, Noely, Loren, Daury, Marisa, Esmeralda, Nicole, Nasya, Enjer, etc..

Speaking of which, Nasya and Enjer got baptized this week! Me and Elder Opheikens found them like a month or two ago and they have been some of my favorite people on my mission. They are siblings. Enjer is 20 and Nasya is 17. I love them a lot. When I left they gave me some sweet beans and a bracelet haha. I got to watch their baptisms over whatsapp though so it was good. 

Also Monday night some of our ward members surprised us with a going away party and a birthday party since I just had my birthday and Elder Opheikens was about to have his. It was great to be with them. We sang “God be with you till we meet again” which was sweet. Also one of the members had a saxophone that I got to play which was fun even though I sound like trash after two years. 

Last thing - 

Yesterday morning before church, we went out to make sure some of our friends were awake. As we were in the street we ran into a parade of people with palm stuff waving it around. Then I remembered it was palm Sunday. It was really cool to see everyone showing love for the Lord. I started to get teared up for a sec imagining Jesus Christ at the front of that line. I could see it pretty clearly. I can’t wait to see Him!

Love you guys, bye! 

Güey

Hey guys!

This week was fast. I don't have much to say.

General conference was good! I teared up when they talked about serving as a 2020 missionary wasn't easy. I can attest to that. But it brought a lot of blessings!

I got the call last night that I am getting transferred to La Vega which I'm pretty excited about! I'll be comps with the Elder I flew into the DR with in July. It's gonna be great.

I love Puerto Plata and I'm gonna miss it a lot. The time is going by fast. Two transfers and I'm home. Kinda freaks me out. 

Bye!

Forgot to add these. Also btw "güey" means "hello" in the dominican. I forgot to explain that haha. It's spelled like that but it's pronounced "wey"

Also I forgot to tell you guys that it rained a lot last week so we ran out of water...? Yea idk how that works but we didn't have water for like three days and had to go hunting outside for bucket water. That's one of the pics

Alright bye!