Elder Cade Mooney: 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..