We're OK! A Little Wet, but OK!! :) -- Monday, August 27, 2012

Querido Familia,

 This week has been quite the ride!

Monday through Wednesday were fairly normal. We taught lessons, and did missionary things.

Then Thursday rolled around.
We had a normal morning, took a Güa-Güa up to Café, and started visiting our investigators. We visited Angel and Ani first, and that's the first we heard of the “Tormenta” that was on it’s way up from Puerto Rico. They called it a cyclone, and/or a hurricane. Ha. Knowing Dominicans, and their innate fear of storms, rain, water, and anything that has to do with being wet, we assumed they were exaggerating.
After we taught them, we went and taught Antonio and Roseli (the couple I told you about last week). When we called to confirm the appointment on Wednesday night, Antonio told us he had good news, but we had to wait til our cita. Ha. So we went in and sat down full of all kinds of anticipation. Ha. He looked at both of us, and just smiled. Then looked at Roseli and just smiled. Ha. Then said “I got it.” Haha. I was like “Sweet! He got his birth certifícate, like we’ve been working on!” But no… He got his CEDULA OUT!!!! A cedula is like their form of ID. Without it you cant get a job, or buy a car, or a house, OR get married… But the problema with him was that he didn’t have his actual birth certificate, just a photo-copy. So we’d been working with him, and with the assistants, to find a way to get a new birth certificate printed so we could hire a lawyer, and then see about getting his cedula. But some how, some way, he ended up going with his buddy to la Feria, and while his friend was doing his paper work, Antonio decided it was worth a shot to ask about it. AND THEY GAVE IT TO HIM!!!! It was literally a miracle. We’ve been praying for things to work our for the last 2 months. And Antonio and Roseli have been praying for and working at this for the last 5 YEARS! And now, he has it in his hands! They can now get married, and then get baptized!!! Ha. Now he is on a mission to find a job, and earn the money to get married. We put a date for a month and a half away, and he wasn’t super sure it was enough time. But we promised him it would be. And we know it will. :)

After our lesson with Antonio, we taught a few other investigators, and then took the 45 minute trek back down to Keña’s house. Keña and her two boys, Evans and Juan Carlos, have been investigators for the last 3 or so months. They were originally contacted by Elder Brezack and Elder Arias, and then taught for a while by the office Elders, and then landed in our investigator pool a couple weeks back when Pres took the office Elders out of our ward. In our first lesson with them, we did a quick quiz to see how much they knew, and how they felt about the church and about baptism. Apparently the missionaries before us taught them really well, cuz they knew EVERYTHING! Ha. We felt impressed to put a baptismal date with them for the 25th of August. 

So last Sunday, the bishop announced their baptism, and then after church, randomly decided to change it to right after church on the 26th. Ha. We thought he was crazy, but it turns out.. He was definitely inspired! 

So Thursday night, we met up with them at their house, and then walked over to the church to have a baptismal interview with the Zone Leaders. The Interviews went great, and they all passed with flying colors. J

Then, afterwards, while we were walking towards home, the ZL’s told us that the rumors about the “Tormenta” were real. Ha. And that we were to have 3 days worth of food and water in our house, and that we were to get the provisions we needed and go home. And NOT leave our house until we heard otherwise. Ha.

So that's what we did.
We stopped at the grocery store on the way home, got some more water, and some rice, and then went home. Ha. Then the rain started. Ha. It was Hardcore. TONS of water. And it just KEPT coming! And there was all kinds of wind, and thunder, and lightning. SUPER SWEET! Ha. The thunder was so loud, it set off the car alarms all over the city when it cracked! Ha. It rained ALL day Friday, and ALL day Saturday. Ha. So Elder Pemberton and I sat in our house and read books, and made videos on our cameras, and ate food, and waited. Ha.

It was actually a really good weekend. I read Our Search For Happiness, and Our Heritage, AND got a solid chunk of Jesus the Christ read. But really, I was feelin’ for Noah and his family. Ha. All they had to read was the scriptures… and they had to sit in that tiny boat with all those animals for FOURTY DAYS AND FOURTY NIGHTS!!! Ha. I just did 2 nights. Ha. And the only stinky animal I was stuck with was Elder Pemberton. Ha. Jkjk.

Sadly, it wasn’t quite as good for one of our investigator families… Confesor and his family live down in the bottom of a gully where 3 roads converge… And the only drainage for when it rains is a little canal that leads out of the neighborhood. And when it rains, those converging roads turn into converging rivers… And during the storm their house filled with waist deep water… And SOAKED everything. By the time we got up to Café to see them on Sunday, it had already drained, but the after math looked pretty bad… Please keep them in your prayers.

Then FINALLY the rain stopped on Sunday morning, and we were able to go to church, and have an incredible baptismal service afterwards (thank you for following the Spirit Bishop!), and we got to go out and teach and touch base with most of our investigators, and have a ward counsel meeting. It was a solid day.
Then while we were walking home the clouds decided to say their final words… And it POURED on us. Ha. We came home SOAKED, but content. :)

After we changed out of our wet clothes, we got the ominous transfer call from the Zone Leaders…. Turns out, Elder Pemberton is getting shipped out to the South, and I am getting a new companion. Ha.
It wasn’t to unexpected, but it’s still big news.
All I know at this point is that he’s Dominican, and that his name is Elder Alba. Like Jessica Alba. Ha. I’ll meet him tomorrow, and give you the update next week. :)

I love you all SO much!

I hope this finds you all happy and healthy!

Love,

Elder Mooney

The last time we saw the sun on friday at 6:30 a.m.

There was a SUPER awewsome rainbow as the rain started to fall.

I video logged the whole 2 and a half day experience, but the videos won't fit in an attachment... Sorry. ha. You'll have to wait for a year and a half..



Reading by candle light, cuz after about 6:30 it was pitch black outside cuz of the clouds, and we had no power.... ha. 



me reading during the daytime

me reading more by candle light. Ha. just a different book





The baptism of Keña, Evans (the bigger one) and Juan Carlos





Monument we ran to





cool sunrise





Aftermath of the Storm





Road full of water



The incredible sunrise we woke up to this morning. 
It was the sign that the storm was officailly over. ha



photos from our run this morning

¡Una semana Fantástica! -- August 20, 2012

Dearest Family and Friends,

I'd like to formally apologize to Taylor for making him feel insecure about the length of his emails. Ha. 

This week has been great! 

On Wednesday, we had a meeting for all the Trainers and Trainees in the capital. Which includes Elder Fassett's (my companion from the MTC) zone. So, he was there, ha. I don't think I've ever hugged someone so hard in my life. Ha. Good thing he's a body builder, and I didn't squish him. Ha. It was really good to see him, and to see how much he's already learned and grown. It's CRAZY! Ha. We got to go to lunch together after the meeting and talk for a couple hours, and just catch up. It made me think of the first few verses of Alma 17, when the Sons of Mosiah and Alma reunite, and they're super happy cuz they're all still "brothers in the Lord." ha. I can't even imagine how I'm gonna feel when I come off that plane in a couple years and see Taylor again. ha. Maybe then I'll REALLY be able to understand how Alma was feeling. 

Then on Friday, seeing that it is the last two weeks of the transfer, we had intercambios with the CCM again. Except this round, both Elder Pemberton and I got paired with a companion, cuz the CCM is FULL! ha. Mine's name is Elder Castillo, he's from Guatamala, he has been a member for 3 years. He lives with his mom, and his little brother, and before his mission, his job was the sole income of the family... He also left college with one year to finish, and a girl friend of 6 years behind. 

It is CRAZY how much people sacrifice for this Church, and for our Heavenly Father! My life is SO easy!

Then, that night, after we dropped our intercambio friends off, and were reunited, Elder Pemberton and I had a cool Trial of Faith experience. We went up to the top of Café, to teach Antonio and Roseli (our investigators that are working to get his paper work so they can get married and then baptized) about the Day of Rest. Antonio expressed some struggles he's been having, in that work (temp. jobs) only seem to come on Sundays.... And they REALLY need the money, not only to live, but to get married, and "live the law of Chastity." Definitely a tough situation... So we went to the scriptures, and shared Ether 12:6 and then explained that sometimes we have to show our faith by living the commandments (i.e. pass up work on Sunday, even if it's hard), BEFORE God can bless us. It was really cool! And right after, he said "Okay, you're right. I'll Keep the Sabbath day Holy." Then we finished up the lesson, cuz it was already 8:40, and we had to take a Güa-Güa back home, or we were gonna be late. We got down to the "fila de güa-güas" and waited for 10 minutes but none passed by... We were starting to stress a little cuz we were still super far from home, and we were late. Then we looked at each other and I said "Trail of our Faith?" Elder Pemberton laughed and said he was thinking the same thing. So we started walking. And sure enough, 5 minutes into our hike, a güa-güa passed by and picked us up and took us home. Well... the güa-güa broke down... RIGHT BEFORE the corner of our street. Ha. So we still made it home safely, and we were only a couple minutes late. :) God is good. :)

On Saturday night, we taught Lucracia (one of Elder Brezack and Elder Arias' old Investigators (that's now our investigator because we are now the only missionaries in the ward)). We taught the Word of Wisdom (she has a smoking problem, but has gone from 2 packs a day, to 2 cigarettes a day since she started meeting with the missionaries 2 months ago), and it was pretty normal. But there were two ladies (like in there twenties) from Antigua, that were there visiting Lucrecia's son. Ha. So we talked to them for about half an hour during and after our lesson. We taught most of the first lesson to them and answered some of the usual anti-mormon questions/doubts that they had. ha. But it was SUPER weird cuz Antiguans don't speak Spanish... So we did it all in English! It was STRANGE. I officially like teaching the Gospel in Spanish better. ;)

Anyway, my comp is chomping at the bit to get out of here... So I gotta go. Ha. 

I love you all! I KNOW this church is true! God works hundreds of miracles EVERYDAY! 

Be good.

Love,

Elder Mooney

P.S. On the walk down the hill on Friday night, we saw a HERMIT CRAB. ha. They live here. It was crossing the road. Ha. Sadly we were in a hurry, and it was dark, so I don't have a photo to prove it. But if you ever wondered were those little critters in the pet store come from, now you know. ;)

A view in Café 8/16/12

A Kid named Miguelito, that asked me to take his picture while I was taking the picture of the view. Ha. 8/16/12

Us with Alejandro (a kid in our ward that just left on a mission to mexico) 8/8/12

Elder Fassett and I saw each other at a meeting for Trainers and Missionaries Being Trained. I haven't seen that kid since the 5th of June. Ha. It was SO good to see him again. 8/16/12

A "Before" picture of Elder Fassett and I, to remind you what we looked like when we entered the mission. 4/16/12