I'll be home next month

 Yea you read that right! Next month is June and I come home at the end of it. Pretty crazy!

Riots

I forgot to tell y’all last week but there were some riots or something going on so we weren’t alowed to leave the apartment all day. It was a P-day too, so we played a ton of uno. But it was pretty cool I guess

Isabel

I wanted to share a little bit about our friend Isabel. She is a recent convert. She got baptized in February. I just have so much love and respect for her. We had a lesson in her house and she lives in a really very poor spot at the top of the mountain we live by. At the end of our lesson she made us some rice and salami to take with us. As she gave it to us she said “it’s poor, but made with a lot of love”. As she was saying that I could feel so strongly the love she had for us and the work we were doing. 

In the two and a half months that she has been a member she has already listened to the entire Book of Mormon on her phone since she can’t really read. She’s also been listening to Doctrine and Covenants as well as the Old and New Testaments. Every time we see her I can just tell how much she is craving to grow spiritually and I know the Lord will bless her for it. 

Ashley

We have a decent amount of people progressing right now, but one of the best is our friend Ashley. She’s getting baptized next week. She is super elect. I don’t have a ton to say other than she’s awesome and I’m pretty sure I knew her premortally. So I’m really hyped for her baptism next week. She is gonna be a really amazing member. And missionary. She’s already planning on serving one. 

Good personal study

Personal studies are hype. I’ve been studying the New Testament every day as well as preach my gospel and the especially the Book of Mormon. I had a really crazy study this week where I could feel the spirit so strong. We’re also in a four-man apartment, and I guess my spiritual study could be heard because they told me to stop making noise but I just couldn’t contain myself. I wanted to shout for joy jaja. I’d read something in the scriptures and without thinking just clap my hands or yell something like “wow!”. I guess it was annoying to everyone else but the point is, the Spirit is real and I feel it more as a missionary than I did before. Hopefully I can carry these feelings as best as I can even while I’m home. 

My Sister is pretty cool

My older sister Melodie came back from her mission a while ago. She wrote a little something about Gods commandments that I really loved and have shared with a few people we’re teaching. I wanted to share it with y’all too. 

“You may wonder why God gives us so many "rules." At times it may seem like members of the church are restricted, and all of the commandments God gives us just gets in the way to what we really want to do. We can't drink coffee or tea, we can't say or wear certain things, we can't have sexual relations before marriage, on and on. Is this really the happiest way to live? What would happen if we didn't have to follow such high standards?

I remember when I was small, I wanted to learn how to play the piano. I didn't know anything about the piano like how to play scales or read music, so I tinkered around trying to play a pretty song by just figuring it out myself. After a short while I got frustrated because I couldn't play a "happy" song. I didn't know that in order to play a "happy" song I needed to play in a Major key, so everything I played sounded random and rather "sad". Years later once I learned the rules to music, I then had the freedom to express myself and play any song. 

In life it's the same way. Just as an airplane has rules that allows it to fly, God gives us rules for life to help us know where to go. And when we follow them, in the long run we are given more freedom and more happiness. When follow our own understanding, the path often leads to confusion, darkness and disorder. The commandments aren't chains holding us down, but they are guidelines for the happiest life we can have. They are lights in a dark tunnel to lead us to where we need to go. God knows what's best, and He knows what you need to do to receive the peace and joy you desire. So put your faith in Him and follow Him, I promise you won't regret it.”

Les quiero, bye

• Elder Wride

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!

Me Falta 3 Meses

This week was good, a lot of stuff happened. Here it is

T-3 Months

I officially have three months left. I’ve been having dreams that I’m home almost every night. In one of my dreams I was cruising on I-215 in my ford fiesta blasting earth wind and fire being super happy I was home and could finally listen to whatever music I wanted. But other than that, in all of my dreams that I’m home I am just super depressed and try to get back to the DR somehow. But I am definitely coming to the end of my rope a little bit. My shoes are getting holes in them. They were holding up pretty good until I started megging my companion a ton. Now the holes are getting bad and the soles are rotting jaja. 

Feliz Cumpleaños

My birthday was on Tuesday which was good. Holidays and birthdays as a missionary are kind of non existent, but It was still good. By the end of the day I laid in bed and thought, “you know what, today was a pretty good birthday.”. And then I realized that I didn’t open any presents or eat any cake and was depressed for a sec jaja but I got over it quick

El Templo

We went to the temple in Santo Domingo the next day at like 4 in the morning. I went to the temple praying and fasting for a spiritual experience, and I definitely had one. Not the one I expected and it was kind of hard for me and I was depressed for a little while jaja but I know the Lord is teaching me.

El Espiritu Santo...?

My companion and I have a lot of crazy experiences that I forget to tell you about. I remembered this experience that happened a few weeks ago that I thought I’d share. We taught a lesson to a brother and sister. They are both in their twenties. They were bashing the whole lesson so it wasn’t great and we decided to end it. They asked if we could pray with them at the end, so we said yes. They told us to stand up, so we did. Then they pulled out a speaker and started blasting super loud crazy music. They were yelling and shouting about the Holy Ghost and it was kinda crazy. They also told us to close our eyes. My companion told me after that while the music was playing and they were shouting, the brother had grabbed him and was shaking him trying to command him by the power of the Holy Ghost to fall to the floor and all this crazy stuff. The sister had been a little crazy to me but not like that. It was just crazy. Elder Opheikens told me that when the guy tried to command him to fall to the floor by the power of the Holy Ghost, he felt something powerful, but not of God, trying to knock him down. For a second he was scared, but then he prayed to the Lord for help and got his strength back and was able to stand strong even while being yelled at. 

At the end of it, I was pretty annoyed jaja. We are now avoiding that guy at all costs. He is kinda nuts. But it was a cool experience too. They asked us how we liked their "prayer", and we both read scriptures from the Bible and the Book of Mormon about the real power of the Holy Ghost. The one I read was in Helaman 5:30, one of my favorite verses. It says - 

“And it came to pass when they heard this voice, and beheld that it was not a voice of thunder, neither was it a voice of a great tumultuous noise, but behold, it was a still voice of perfect mildness, as if it had been a whisper, and it did pierce even to the very soul - ”

Missionary Night

We had a night the other day with the returned missionaries in the ward, us missionaries in the ward, and the people preparing to go on missions. It was super cool to sit there and reflect on everything I have learned on my mission. It has been so much harder than I thought it would be, but also more rewarding than I thought it would be. I have grown a lot in these past two years. 

Yudelca y Joaquin

There’s a recent convert in a different ward in the stake who since she has been baptized, has dedicated herself to helping other couples get married so that they can get baptized. In addition to helping Noely and Loren (who I’ll tell you about in a sec), she helped this couple named Yudelca and Joaquin. They got married, and then she sent us their information to teach and baptized them.

Last Sunday morning, like an hour before church, we texted and invited them. Most people here take all week plus Sunday morning to help them keep their commitment of church, but this family right away, with hardly any notice was like “ye okay we’ll be there”. We were like “uhhhh you sure?”. We were just super surprised that they said yes so fast. But they came to church last week and this week. 

Teaching them the gospel has been amazing. I am so amazed at all the amazing people God puts in our path. During our first meeting, we met the rest of their family. They have a 10 year old daughter who is special needs. Her whole body is crippled and she is constantly moving and shaking. I felt the Spirit of God so strong when I saw her being carried out of the room in her dads arms.The first thought that I had when I saw her was imagining that Christ had just come and asked everyone to bring him their sick to be healed, and itt was a powerful moment. The second thought that crossed my mind was that I wished I had enough faith to heal her. Then my thought was that I hope that when Jesus Christ really comes, He will be sure to visit and heal her. It’s what he did the whole time he was in Jerusalem, and one of the first things he did when he came to the Americas. I can only imagine that it will be one of the first things He does again when He comes back. 

But anyways, I already love this family with my whole soul! Their special needs daughter’s name is Angie. Itt was so cool looking into her eyes. I could just feel that she had a strong spirit inside of her that wanted to get out. I could see the light of Jesus Christ in her eyes. 

But anyways, they also have a little puppy that is freaking cute named Blancita. They also have a giant spider hanging from the roof that almost ate me but my comp saved me. Anywas, I don’t think I’ll be here for their baptisms but I’m sure they will get baptized next transfer.

Noely y Loren

We have been teaching Noely and Loren for months. His wife Loren is a member already that we were led to and were able to help reactivate. I’ve talked about them before, but we just found out this week that his name is Noely, not Noel. So we’ve been saying it wrong. Oops. But this week they got married (on my birthday) which was super sweet! They have been working for months to do it and God finally made it happen. 

Then on Saturday Noely got baptized. The baptism was a great experience. There have been angels seen and unseen in this whole process. He’s a big dude so I was kinda scared but it worked out okay. There was just a little splash zone. As we walked out of the font after I baptized him he looked at me, pointed to my bicep and flexed. So let’s gooooo 

Church

Sunday mornings are almost always my favorite part of the week. So many people have been coming lately, it’s been crazy. It’s been more full than my home ward honestly, which is crazy. It is so fulfilling to look around on Sunday and see people in the church building that I have come to know so well. I am so grateful that the Lord has put them in my life. I am going to miss them so much. 

Transfers

We also had interviews with Prez this week and he told me that I am probably gonna be out of here at the end of the transfer which is next week. I’m not surprised, but I am sad. This area has changed my life. I feel like all of my mission has prepared me just for these three transfers I’ve had here. So I’m trying to mentally prepare myself to leave this area and become depressed for a while because I’m convinced this is the best area any missionary can serve. 

Also sorry if I am bad at responding to your emails. I definitley read and love them all and will try to get back to them asap

That’s it, bye! Love you guys

- Elder Wride