January 16th

January seems to be holiday month. We haven't thought so until we got here but, last Monday we got Monday off for 3 Kings Day and now. My family has Monday, the 16th, off for Equal Rights or Martin Luther King's Day (We do not have that off.) But this coming week we have Friday and Monday off I just haven't figured out what the holidays really are. Friday is "Dia de Alto Gracias" and Monday is "Duarte Day". I'm not sure their significance and even when I ask some of the natives they are pretty vague as well.

We are finally feeling like we have a handle on our work here. We were given a Honda Odessy to drive this week. It is suppose to be an upgrade from the Corolla we have been driving and it is in most ways. If you remember some of the driving rules here. The bigger the vehicle, the more weight you carry in bullying your way through the traffic. Not that we are ever bullies it is just that it is part of the way it works here. So bigger is good most of the time unless you are trying to get down some very skinny streets or fit into a very small parking spot which happens quite often. We have parked in spaces were the Corolla had about 5 inches on each side counting poles and that just would not work for the Honda. Two new missionary couples came in yesterday. We are trying to get them oriented a little. We are officially no longer the rookies.

The temple is closed for two weeks right now. They are doing some of the major upgrades. They are planting new hedges and doing a great deal of trimming. They do it all by hand with no electric or gas powered trimmers, hedgers, or chain saws which is exactly what you would use in the states. They have scaffolding up on the spire but all will be finished when they open in a week. They have amazing organization.

We had stake conference today and used the new media equipment in the office to watch it in English. It was very nice. We watched it with the temple president and his wife, Larry and Jo Ann Bair, Sister Lilly, and Elder and Sister Coleman.

If you have Skyped with us you would know that we drop of line OFTEN many here have generators because the power goes off daily, sometimes for a minute or two and sometimes for hours. The church here has a large generator so when it goes off it is back on in 10 seconds so we really do not feel the stress of it. Some who do not live in the casa have gone hours without electricity. Note the wiring in my pictures. Need I say more.

We had a discouraging day or two this week. It seemed as if we were working hard and not getting much support but in the end, the support kicked in and things got better. Enough said.

The New Year

Where do I start? So much happens so fast around here and most seems like it is of value to others and the strengthening of the members. We did take a short trip last week because it was a holiday and most of the area employees and leaders were on vacation. Santo Domingo is on the south end of the island so we decided to go to the north end and see something besides the city. It was fun. We went with the Atkinsons who are the humanitarian missionaries and the Kilgores who are the medical support. Dr. Kilgore is the area Doctor who takes care of the sick missionaries and clears potential ones to serve. It is a busy job and he does have some stories to tell about it all. The Atkinsons works with the local leaders of the church, government organizations, and other churches and charitable organizations on projects to benefit the quality of life for others. The church does so much more than I had ever known. They build clean water facilities, provide equipment for hospitals and wheelchairs for the needy (there are many needs because with nationalized medicine, if you severely break a leg and it needs an operation and pins it will cost the individual personally, but they will cut it off for free, which is the only option for most), agricultural development, literacy, and housing to name just a few. Many projects are huge. On our trip we met some of the local leaders as the Atkinsons had scheduled two appointments along our way. Getting away from the office and meeting the people also gives us an understanding of the work we do.
Back to the trip we went through Santiago and then up to Puerto Plata. We stayed near the beach and enjoyed the sun, friends, and a trip up into the mountains for a view. We came home New Years Eve and did not leave to hear the celebrations anywhere, although the noise in the city did wake us at midnight.

We went to Juan Dolio beach for a few hours on New Years Day with 1o other missionaries. The best part of the day was that the temple opened for a special session. I will remember 1-1-11 for this very reason. It was the first time Ed and I participated as workers in the temple. It was a learning experience but very spiritual. There was a family from Guyana that had sacrificed much and traveled far to get here and be sealed. They had planned to attend many times for the week they were here and the temple was closed Friday, Saturday for the holiday and of course the regular closure on Sunday and Monday. They were sealed on Thursday and were able to do work on Saturday, when the Temple presidency asked for volunteers for a special session, and Tuesday before their departure Wednesday morning. We also had 5 here from Haiti. We had 25 in the session counting a few other visitors and workers. It was nice to have an English session. This language thing is trickier than you think. Most sessions are Spanish with headsets for English and French but at times with Haiti people here it is French or if it is Jamaica or Guyana then it is English. Very interesting dynamics.

On Sunday we had a beautiful day. (Weatherwise every day is beautiful here.) I had the courage to share my testimony in Spanish. It was a good experience for me, not sure if I was understood but most are kind. We had the family from Guyana join us for dinner. They were so full of faith and love. There story is inspiring. I taped their story on Monday to archive for the Church History Department. He is a branch president in Georgetown. She is of Indian (that is from India) descent, and has a Cinderella story that is more Cinderella than the original. Their daughter is thirteen. She is loved greatly and in return she loves her parents and appreciates their goodness.

Monday night for FHE we had a farewell open house for two couples leaving. The Hendricks are the President and wife of the CCE (MTC) upstairs and the Johnsons are the office couple in the Santo Domingo West Mission. They each had the opportunity to share their testimonies and experiences from their mission and it was a tender parting.

This week President Vinas returned from vacation and we have all been working long and hard. On Wednesday we worked in the temple after putting in a day at the office and on Thursday I had a meeting until 7:30 p.m. and we put in a twelve hour day. It is busy here but where we live is comfortable and we are working hard. Ed's Spanish has come back well and converses most of the day in Spanish in the office and on the phone. I, on the other hand, am still working on it and struggling.