MAI & LANCE MAKE A VISIT

In April, Mia and Lance came to see us.  We had a wonderful time with them.  We told them to pack their bags with beachwear on top because we were headed to the beach before we head back to the casa.  And we did.  We headed directly to Juan Dolio and Ed and Lance snorkled while Mai and I relaxed on the beach and went out for a swim and a half-hearted search for seashells.  It was relaxing and then we headed across the street to El Meson, one of our favorite places to eat.  It is owned by a Spaniard and the food is always good there.  We were not disappointed this time.

On Thursday we headed out to the market, for a new experience of Dominican grocery shopping after which we headed to the Botanical Gardens.  The gardens are probably the cleanest spot in the country next to the Temple Grounds.  Really.  It was hot, very hot, and then we went to Cuchara Madera, a yummy bakery for breakfast.

We took a short rest before we headed over to the Colemans to visit for a minute and then headed to the Temple.  The temple here is so beautiful, inside and out, headsets are a common thing for every session.  The sessions are usually in Spanish but one can listen to it in English any time.  Once in a while when the majority is in French or English the session will run in that specific language with headsets available in other languages as needed.  It all runs pretty smoothly considering that most workers do not know both English and Spanish so communication has its limits. Training is all done in Spanish.

That evening we went out to the Colonial Zone.  The Colonial Zone is the historic part of the city that looks very European with the plaza, Catholic Church dating back to the early 1500's and narrow building-lined streets.  We went to Pate de Palo (I believe it means peglegged Pete, not sure.  And yes, we are known for our pirates here.) which has a beautiful atmosphere, sitting out on the Plaza with a sea breeze blowing through the palm trees looking across the plaza at Diego Colons home/museum.  We had a wonderful meal of lobster ravioli and sipped strawberry and chinola jugos.  The evening was topped off by being serenaded by local musician who were very good.
Friday, we packed our bags and headed for Puerto Plata up on the north side of the island.  We had a little struggle getting out of town between windshield washers and traffic but we did.
We had a great time at the beach.  We stayed at the Blue Bay and enjoyed the food, pools and warm water.  The snorkeling was fun and it was fun to just sit in the sun.
We attended church in Puerto Plata and returned to Santo Domingo that afternoon.  We enjoyed each other and visited into the night knowing our visit was coming to an end.  It was so good to be with them again.  We really do miss our family.

Back Track a Little

Elder Snow and The Swapps

We have been here almost six months now but I need to back track just a little.  We have had some unique experiences.  Some of which have been inspiring and humbling.  Two months into our mission was the Annual Area Review.  It is when general authorities come to the area and are presented with a review of what the area has accomplished, detailing what the goals and challenges are and how these are addressed.  There are missionary, youth,  and leadership training meeting in conjunction with the visit. They each presided over a stake conference each while here.  We had the privilege of having Elder Russell M. Nelson, from the Quorum of the Twelve and Elder Steven E. Snow from the presidency of the Quorum of the Seventy and their wives with us.  Elder Swapp was in meetings with them all one day and I was able to be with them at a small luncheon with eight of us and then the next day we were able to attend a temple session with them and have a luncheon afterwards along with the area presidency, the temple presidency, and their wives.   It was a privilege.  Although I did not attend any of the talks given by these fine men, the sermons they taught with their actions will never be forgotten.  One point of interest is that Elder Snow was Jeremy Belinski's Mission President and presently good friend.  Elder Snow also told me he was related to Aunt Erma.  It is always a small world in the church.  A have a sweet story to tell.  I had not planned ahead to make a platter of goodies for the afternoon of a long day of meetings and interviews in the conference room but by mid-afternoon I felt like I should go get a plate of cookies I had made the night before and get the banana bread out of the freezer.  I did so.  So when they had a break in the middle of the afternoon, Elder Swapp took the sweets in.

Elder Nelson and Elder and Sister Swapp

 I wasn't there but this is Ed's version of the story:
 "I took it into the conference room and placed it in the middle of the table in front of the Area Presidency
and Elders Snow and Nelson.  They continued on with their work, not really acknowledging the treats.  Finally, Elder Nelson said, 'Someone needs to start on this tray of goodies.'  Elder Coleman suggested that he be the one to start and so he did.  As the other Brethren were discussing various recommendations, I observed Elder Nelson carefully take one of Mom’s Oatmeal cookies and take a bite.  He chewed for a moment and then said to the group, 'I can’t speak to your other recommendations, but I definitely can recommend the Oatmeal cookie.' At which point all paused and took a cookie and started to eat.  Elder Nelson turned to me and said, 'Who made these cookies?'  I responded that it was Sister Swapp and he went on to say how delicious they were.  In a few minutes he picked up a piece of Banana Bread and took a bite.  I again watched him for his reaction.  He chewed two or three times and swallowed and his face lit up into a smile and big open eyes and he turned to me and said, 'Who made the Banana Bread?'  I responded again, Sister Swapp.  He said, 'It’s even better than the Oatmeal Cookie, Brethren, you’ve got to try the Banana Bread.'  For weeks I have been hearing from the Area Presidency that Elder Nelson never eats pastries.  Well, today he did and from his reaction, I think he liked it!!!"

Sr. Adventures

We have had the safety speech and we are ready for the zip line.  Yes it was all in Spanish.

At the Larimar Shop.  They mine Larimar up the river from Casa Bonita and this is a little shop just down the road.  Larimar is a semi-precious stone mined only here in the Caribbean I believe.  Blue the color of the see.

Yes, we enjoyed a zipline through the forest behind Casa Bonita.  It was brand new and very safe other than you had to use your hand as the brake with a glove on of course but "You are the brake"   It wasn't too steep or too fast.

Next to the Larimar Shop are a few homes where the people live that run the shop.    Next door they were busy the morning we came.  They were smoking  chivo (goat) out in a small shed in the back yard while the young mother was washing clothes in a dishpan out front and hanging it on the fence line.  I do not know how they keep their clothes looking so very very clean but they do.  We walked down the little path to the other houses.  This is their church next to their home.

This gentleman is 100 and we verified it with the family next door that happened to be his children and grandchildren.    This  fellow was mostly blind but happy and this is his 84 year old wife.  If she looks like she has a beard, it is because she does.

Since I am on a roll here and have finally figured out how to post pictures and format some without getting frustrated I think I will finish the travel log part of the last few months.  The Sr. Missionaries as a group take day trips every once in a while as do Sr. Missionaries with each other when it is convenient.  I know that I showed one picture of Casa Bonita but I think I need to show a few more.  Some were pictures taken with the whole group at Barahona, about 20 miles from Casa Bonita, others were when we went there with the Mehrs.

A small doll factory/shop in Barahona had a hard time fitting us all in as did the Larimar Shop an hour later.

But as you can see we brought a thriving business for the day or maybe month or year.

Lunch at Villa Miriam, a beautiful park with waterfalls.

Kilgores and Swapps

Swapps and Miriam deSchwienitz at Villa Miriam.  Miriam is the mother of  Emily Taylor in our ward back in Greenwood Village.  She is a jewel for all missionaries and an angel to many many Haitians and Dominicans that she tutors with French and Spanish for hours on top of her calling as a full time temple ordinance worker.

To the Frosts, the water here by the mouth of the river where the tailings of the larimar drift give good competition to the water we enjoyed at Corfu.  Not sure this picture does it true justice.

Interesting Places and People

 I am making this posting with the possibility that many might get the wrong impression here. I am going to show you a few pictures of weekend adventures. We stay very busy during the week and sometimes on the weekend so I will quote our predecessors, "Work hard, play harder." I am not saying that is OUR motto but sometimes it feels that way. We are not really beach people too much and when we have the opportunity just minutes away it isn't as valued as it should be, which is sad. I believe I will send some pictures of interesting people and places on this blog and try to catch up a little.

The first pictures here are of an unexpected afternoon with the Riggs. Anona and Ben Riggs are the missionaries at the church camp at Banao. It is a beautiful place and hopefully I will post pictures of the camp later. The pictures are of the view we had from Adrian Topical, the restaurant where we had lunch.  We watched a young man fishing there by the rocks. The Riggs are on the right and her brother and sister-in-law the Despains were with them. We enjoyed lunch and then took a short tour of the colonial zone. It was a very warm day but we enjoyed the good company.

A few weeks ago an international air show was sponsored here in Santo Domingo. And although the show was down by the malecon (the road that runs by the Caribbean Sea) a mile south over the water, we found we had a perfect view from the top of the casa. It was great. It got a little warm but the company was fun and the planes were spectacular.  Old vintage planes were here to perform as well as the latest in US Airforce fighters doing maneuvers and about everything in between.  Here are a few pictures,,,, look close for the planes in the all blue sky picture.

As you can see we came prepared with cookies water and umbrellas to keep the heat down.

Our friends the Mehrs went home about a month ago.  We have traveled a few places with them and they have shown us some very nice places to eat, to visit and to enjoy.  Here are a few.

I know this looks like it is an island out of Lord of the Rings or something.  I assure you it is real.   It is cross the bay from Samana and is a part of the Haitises Nation Park.  The park is really swampy mangrove and caves.  It is only assessible by boat.  

The picture above and below is at Salto Limon, a waterfall near Samana.  The Mehrs in front of the main falls.  The smaller falls just above the main ones is the backdrop for our cowboy picture. 

We stayed at the Ballister Hotel in Samana.  It was brand new and lovely.

Rebecca and I at the Botanical Gardens in Santo Domingo.

The Garden of Eden, really it is the Botanical Gardens here.  It is really the only place that is garbage free.

Our memborable walk at the botanical gardens.

This is at a whole other place called Casa Bonita.  While Samana is  on the North East part of the island.   Casa Bonita is to the West of Santo Domingo which is on the South side of the Island.  It is toward Haiti.  It is a gem.  So beautiful.

The Mehrs, whom we miss.  They actual plan to come back on a 6 month mission to Puerto Rico in the Summer.  They have been serving as the Public Affairs missionaries here and will do the same in Puerto Rico if all works out well.

Baptisms and Activities

I get a little farther behind as we go here in the Caribbean. We had an opportunity to go to an activity at one of the wards over by Duarte and Avenido Mexico, one of the Elders serving in this ward is Elder Michael Farnsworth invited us. As a small boy he and his family were our neighbors in the Greenwood Village ward. We watched a Shell project as they have been called. The Whitakers from Kanosh, Utah, work in the Santo Domingo East mission. They Laminate pictures and build frames for pictures. They also go out and harvest hundreds of pounds of sea shell and then the members of the wards and friends come and make pictures to hang in their homes. The activities are well attended and anticipated. About 50 were there the night we came.

A week latter we went back with our friends the McDermids to a baptism for three new members of the ward there. One was a 16 year old young man, one was a 14 year old young man, and then about 35-40 year old mother of 2-3 children. It was sweet and nicely prepared by the local members and the young missionaries. (The shell project had nothing to do with the baptisms, they both just happened to be occurring in the same week.)

We are loving it here. Sometimes it is frustrating but most of the time it is good and there is a feeling of purpose and humility that combines to make something very sweet. The learning and being outside of your comfort zone brings not only excitement but confidence in ones ability to cope with anything that comes your way. It is hard to explain. Being with people who have so little when it comes to worldly wealth and yet their eyes are filled with love and happiness. It is all very humbling. Knowing the Lord is aware of all it is hard to forget when you are out on his errand.

Dominica's Orphanage

In February we have had some interesting times. George and Kathy Berkley have been in contact and providing some supplies for an orphanage over the last year. A couple, who were here from the states, the Chatterleys, had both served missions here and wanted to deliver goods to needy so we were able to travel with them and a few other missionaries to Dominica's Orphanage. Dominica is great. She too had been raised in an orphanage. Over the years, she has built a beautiful, clean place where children learn and grow to be good students and good friends. She has developed a choir of talented, confident children. She has also built a school across the street from the orphanage where they are educated. All of this sets in an area that is surrounded by poverty and hopelessness. They are amazing children, very loving, not only to us as strangers but to each other. The teenage boys and girls were so sweet to the younger children. The work being done at the orphanage is impressive. She has had groups come in from the states to paint and provide for many of the needs. It was a sweet experience to be a small part of it.

Family News !!!!

Greg and Darlene had a baby boy on the 26th of January. He is 22 inches long and weighed 8 lbs 5 oz. He is beautiful. All went well and Greg and Darlene are very happy. I think they are pretty sweet parents as well. They live in San Francisco and so we are only able to give digital hugs and kisses thanks to Skype.