Monday, September 24, 2012

Hey Family and Friends! - Monday, September 24, 2012

How are you all doing?? Well I hope! 

We are doing really well here in Independencia! We're happy and we're working hard. Ha. Actually "hard" is an understatement... I have never been so tired in my whole life... I added it up the other night, and found out that we walk an average of 10-12 kilometers every day.... Add the sun, and a back-pack with a triple combination, a bible, an umbrella, and a water bottle... Ha. Yeah... When we get home at night, it takes just about all I've got in me to plan, write in my journal (and my gratitude journal), and then take a quick shower to rinse off the sweat and dust before I crawl into bed. 
And some how, some way, I'm still bright-eyed and bushy-tailed at 6:30 am the next morning! There's some sort of support going on from the other side! I'm sure of it!!


Anyway. This last Tuesday we had Intercambio round two. Our district leader has to do one with each of us at least once a transfer, and apparently he wanted to get them done within one week. ha. He came with me to our area, and my companion went with Elder Rodriguez to La Paz (their area). It was a great day! We had TONS of appointments planned, and they all went really well!

One that was particularly awesome was a lesson we had with a little boy named Axel. He is a 9 (so we thought) year old kid from out in the south, who is now living here in our ward with his grandma (member). She asked us to come teach him while we were at church on Sunday, so we stopped by. It was AWESOME! Children are SO pure! He gave us a solid summary of all the things he has learned about the church from his grandma, and from watching the animated scripture stories. :) He knows it all! Ha. Also, when we finished our lesson, we asked him to say the prayer and the Spirit was SO strong! It reminded me of my little brothers. Definitely a trunky moment, but SO good at the same time!

After the lesson we talked more with Hermana Estefania (Axel's grandma) about the family situation, and it turns our that his dad is a member (in-active, but member none the less), and he actually doesn't turn 9 'til October. So we explained that actually, he doesn't need to take the lessons from the missionaries and that he can be baptized whenever he wants! But she asked that we keep passing by anyway, so that we can help him know all he needs to know. So that's the plan! We left them with all the pamphlets, and they are gonna study them together, then when we pass by he will give us an update on what he's learned, and he can ask all the questions that he wants to know from the missionaries. :) I feel like it's a pretty good deal!


On Thursday we had a combined Zone Conference with San Geronimo. First, all the missionaries in our Zones that are going home in the next two transfers got up and bore their testimonies, which as always was great! Then La Hermana Rodriguez spoke to us about Dengue.... A horrid, feverish disease that a species of Mosquito here in the DR produces and spreads... Ha. definitely something I'd like to avoid. After her, our Mission President talked to us about Elder Corbridge's talk the 4th missionary! He emailed it to all of us a few months back, and has asked that we be studying it! It is geared toward missionaries, but it definitely applies to everyone! I would suggest you all read it!

Then President and Hermana Anderson (our area president and his wife) came and spoke to us! It was UNREAL! Hermana Anderson talked about the baptismal covenant and how great our responsibility is of helping others make such an important step, but also how important it is that each and everyone of us remembers our baptismal covenant. We have each made a promise to Remember Christ ALWAYS. She emphasised the Always, and then read 2 Nephi 25:26 "we talk of Christ, we rejoice in Christ, we preach of Christ..." and then went on to say, "If we claim to talk of, rejoice in, preach of, prophecy of, etc. of Christ, we should probably know Him." Then she challenged us to get to know our Savior better. She started the process off for us by going through parts of Matthew 8 and 10 with us, and then explained how much we can learn about Him in the scriptures! It was AWESOME! I have taken the challenge and started reading from James E. Talmage's Jesus the Christ again (something I started in the MTC but sort of put on the back burner when I got out into the field), and I also plan to pick up the study of the New Testament again (also something I was much better at when I had all that study time in the MTC, ha). Also, I'd like to extend the challenge to all of you! Get to know Him! His life is the perfect example of how each of us should live! His atoning  sacrifice is what allows us each to repent, and make changes from day to day! He lives! He has broken the bands of death so that we can all live again, and if we follow him; if we GET TO KNOW HIM, we can all live eternally with Him, our Father in Heaven, and our Families!

After la Hermana, President Anderson talked to us. It also was AWESOME! He opened it up for a question and answer session, and answered each question with something that tied into the Doctrine of Christ (faith, repentance, baptism, the Gift of the Holy Ghost, and Enduring to the End). Then to finish it up, he broke down each of the 5 components, and showed us how all the steps tie in together, and how they all support each other! We cant skip a step! We need to help each investigator go though all the steps, but we cant force anything. We are here as teachers... Our job is to get the information (the TRUTH) to their brain, and then we have to help them have spiritual experiences (though testimony, church attendance, prayer, scripture study, etc.), so that the spirit can take that Truth from their head to their heart. Cuz he is the one and only individual that can transverse that byway between the mind and the heart!

Also, he explained how the reason that they send 19 year old boys on missions, is so that we can come to truly understand Christ, His doctrine, and the Atonement. Which brought to memory what Elder Carter had said when he shared his testimony earlier in the conference. He said, "I have made a lot of changes during my mission. I've grown a lot. But I'm not Changed. Thanks to my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, I have learned how to utilize His atonement and I have learned HOW to change." I hope that I can say the same at the end of my mission. I have already seen a lot of changes in myself, but I'm still trying to master the HOW... I think that's really why we're here on earth. Not to be perfect, not even to attempt to be perfect... A general authority (I cant remember which) said "I don't believe in perfection... I believe in Eternal Progression." And I've decided that I agree with him. That's why we're here, and the Gospel of Jesus Christ is the road map to that Eternal Progression. The Gospel is the HOW.
It was AWESOME! Definitely a perspective changing conference!

Our weekend was relatively normal. We walked a lot, and taught a lot, and found several new people to teach!

Then on Sunday we went up to Café. We had a lesson with Oliva, which was great! It was good to touch base with her, cuz she's been super busy this last week helping her daughter who just had a baby, and working. Ha. Also, in the middle of our lesson a big rat ran right across Oliva's feet and under the couch I was sitting on! Ha. She FREAKED out! All kinds of squawking and squealing! It was SO funny! lol. So after our lesson we helped her move the couches and chase the rat out. lol.

Then in the evening, we went to Hermana Atalia's house for the weekly Family Home Evening with the members in Café. It was great. Ariel shared the thought (he is married to the Bort's daughter and lives across the street from them in Café). He had us sing "Love At Home" for the opening hymn, and then he talked about how each of us has a line of anger, and then opened it up to everyone to share their different ways to avoid crossing that "line." When it came around to my turn to share, I told them that the hymn "love at home" reminded me of my mom, cuz every time we would fight as kids she would sing it. And how as a missionary I have really put into practice the suggested technique of humming a hymn when we feel angry or negative or sad.

I actually haven't really thought about it until last night, but singing or humming a hymn helps me SO much! Cuz really, if we have a hymn playing in our head, we have the spirit with us, and if he's there, Satan can't be! It was cool to realize that. :)

Then this morning, I got up, did some chores, and then took our sink apart... Ha. It has been clogged for the last month or so... Every time we use or kitchen sink it fills up with water, and then takes hours to drain... and as of this last week we've been having to scoop out the water with a bowl, put it in a bucket, and then dump it down the drain out by the washing machine... Ha. SO gross. Anyway, I took the pee trap apart and a ton of NASTY smelling water came pouring out. Ew. Then I shoved a hanger down the pipe to try and unblock it, but there was nothing there.... I think the problem is out back by the washer where there is a huge concrete box that the pipe empty into before it goes to the sewer... Sadly I don't have a jack hammer... So I think we're gonna have to call some one.`lol. Until then, we will be doing dishes with a bucket. :) I'll keep you posted!

Anyway. We gotta go! We have a Noche de Hogar tonight with Axel and la Hermana Estefania!

I love and miss you all! This church is true! Never forget it!

Love, Elder Cade Mooney



Back row, left to right: An Elder that had health issues and was staying in the office... I can remember his name, Elder Mejia, Elder Thomas, Elder Finlayson, Elder Briener, Elder Rodriguez, Elder Reeder, Elder Brimley, Elder Alba
Third-awkward-half-Row: Elder Zorn, Me, Elder Ramos, Elder Sanchez
Second Row: Elder Talveras, Elder Haroldson, Elder Adams, Elder Reidhead, Elder Chlarson, Elder Bautista, Elder Laifson, Elder Carlson, Elder Carter
Front row (seated): Hermana Rodriguez, Hermana Schweeney, Hermana Anderson, President Anderson (our area president), President Rodriguez, Hermana Rodriguez

P.S. I cant promise that any of those names are spelled correctly. Ha. I did my best.


Two goofy pictures of me with Hermana Rodriguez, and Hermana Schweeney.

Monday, September 17, 2012

Hey Guys! - Monday, September 17, 2012

Another week down! Ha. I really can't believe how fast time flies! 

This week has been really good! We've been working hard, and having fun!
The first part of the week was fairly normal. We had a District meeting, and we taught some people the Gospel. ;)


Then on Thursday we went up to Café and had an awesome lesson with Oliva. Ha. She is SO great! We talked about the law of Chastity, and she had some really good questions. One of which was "Do Mormons really put Chastity belts on their kids? Cuz that's what my friend told me.." hahaha! We told her that it's not true, but some people joke about it cuz the youth in our church wear a "chastity belt" in the sense that they choose to abstain from sexual relations before marriage. Then we discussed how much pain and sorrow can be avoided if we live the law of chastity.

Afterwards, she told us she wishes that she had found the church earlier in her life cuz of all the things that could've been avoided if she had been keeping Gods commandments, and that even though it took a long time for the Good Word to get to her, it's better now then NEVER! ha.

How great is our responsibility? There are millions of Olivas out there, that are going through life lacking what we have to share! The Gospel truly can, and will change people's lives for the better. We just have to share it with them!

On Friday we got up, had our normal study sesh, and then took a public car over to the La Paz Elder's house. Then my companion and our District Leader Elder Ramos went back to work in our area for the day, and left me there with Elder Rodriguez. Ha. We had a pretty good day, and taught some first lessons, and then in the evening we went to one of their progressing investigators houses and had a good lesson with her. As we were finishing up the lesson with her, her older brother walked in the house and sat down with us. Ha. Then he started asking questions... lol. The man was BRILLIANT. He knew all kinds of crazy doctrine about the Bible, and had tons of theories that he had studied. The cool part was that he explained how the Bible was translated, and how many translations it went through before it reached it's current state in Spanish... It was kinda hard to follow. ha. But it made me think of the 8th Article of Faith (at least I think it's the 8th... ha. Primary was a long time ago..) that says that we believe in the Bible "as far as it is translated correctly..." How awesome is it that God knew that his word (the Bible) would be twisted, and changed in translation, and because of that He had a prophet bury an inspired collection of gold plates in a hill, which would later be found, translated with the CORRECT AUTHORITY, and brought forth to dispel the extreme confusion that the Bible had caused. I think it's incredible. And after talking with that crazy smart guy, all about the SUPER CONFUSING theories that theologists have about the Bible, I'm just really grateful for the Book of Mormon, and for the living prophets we have today that hold the Authority to correctly interpret the Word of God.
I know the Book of Mormon is true. There is literally no way it couldn't be.


Yesterday we had Stake Conference, which was awesome. Our Mission President gave a great talk about missionary work, and encouraged all the members to introduce their friends to the Full Time Missionaries. So hopefully they'll take that to heart, and bring us some references!

The last speaker was Elder Anderson, our Area Seventy here in the Caribbean. He shared an awesome story about a woman that was saving money so that her and her family could make it to the Temple. She had a little café, and she would make a batch of food in the morning with the ingredients she could afford from what she made the day before, and then serve it til it was gone. She had been doing this for years, and providing for her family. Then she had an interview with Elder Anderson (stake president at that time) and told him about her dilemma; that she had been saving for months to get her family to the temple, but with the day to day expenses of running the café and feeding her family, AND paying her tithing, it was relatively impossible to save anything. They said a prayer together, and decided that she needed to take the little savings that she had, and buy ingredients to make 3 times the usual amount of food for the following day. She thought it was crazy, but with the same faith she'd exercised in paying a full tithe, did it anyway. Ha. At about 1 o'clock the next day, 3 BUSES FULL OF PEOPLE (tourists) pulled up on the side of the dirt road in her little town, and unloaded into her little café. She fed all of them, and even had to send someone to get more food to provide for them all. Ha. She made enough money in that one day to pay for her the trip to the temple to get her family sealed! So cool! The Lord is good!


Then last night, we had another Family Home Evening with the members in Café. We talked about Gratitude, and it got me thinking. Ha. Really, I don't thank my Father in Heaven nearly as much as I should. Nor do I have an "attitude of gratitude" like I should. I say my prayers, and I thank Heavenly Father for "everything I have," but sometimes it's just routine... I'm not actually feeling grateful for ALL that I have. Ha.
Just the other morning I was complaining about the 3 cockroaches I had to chase out of my bed during the night... When really, my thoughts should've been more like "I'm so grateful for the bed, and the clean sheets that I have for those cockroaches to infest." haha. Ok, maybe that example is a little extreme. But you know what I mean.
I had a fellow missionary challenge me to keep a Gratitude Journal, and write down five things I'm grateful for every single day. And I'm gonna do it. And I'd extend the invitation to any and everyone that would care to join me. Gratitude is the best way there is to keep our thoughts positive, and live happier in general. Be Grateful!! :)


Then today rolled around. Yet another P-Day. Ha. All the older Elders have told me time and time again that P-Day is just kinda normal.. But I just couldn't imagine how they could be so un-excited for P-Day. Ha. But today P-Day was "just kinda normal." ha. Maybe that means that I'm actually a missionary now? Or maybe I'm not a greeny anymore? lol. I dunno.
It was a good day though. We went shopping, and while we were in the meat section, my comp found Molleja de Pollo, which he was SUPER excited about. ha. So we bought it, and took it home. While he cooked it, I went and found my Spanish to English dictionary... Turns out, Molleja means Gizzard. hahaha!!! I definitely ate Chicken Gizzard for lunch today. It was really tough, and chewy, but other than that it was alright! I cant say I loved it, but it wasn't inedible! :)


Anyway. I am out of time yet again.
I hope this last week has been fantastic for all of you, and I hope the same for the week to come.


I love you all! Keep the Faith! and BE GRATEFUL!

Love,

Elder Cade Mooney

Tuesday, September 11, 2012

Hello beloved Family!! - Monday, September 10, 2012

This week has been solid. Ha.

Last Monday we sadly did not get to learn how to make Spaguetti from Hermana Guzman. She had a last minute visiting teaching appointment. Ha. She's hardcore. But we rescheduled for Friday, so it worked out... More or less. Ha.

On Tuesday morning we got up and went to our District meeting (we are now in La Paz district, cuz they stole all the other Elders that made up the Independencia district, and sadly we cant have a district of just the two of us, ha), our district now includes our DL Elder Ramos, his companion Elder Rodriguez, and the ZL's (Elder Carter and Elder Laifson). It was cool. :) I'm definitely a fan of the District.

On Wednesday we had Zone Conference, which ROCKED! Our Zone Leaders are "by far the best in the mission" according to Elder Brimley (Assistent to Pres). They talked to us about working with members, and our ward missionaries, and introduced a paper to use with members so that they can set goals like "invite a friend to church," "have a neighbor over for FHE," "attend a baptism with a non member," etc. So that members feel more responsible for the people they can and should be sharing the Gospel with. Also, so that when the people they invite/introduce to the church meet the missionaries for the first time, they will already have a friend, and a basic knowledge of the Church. Ha. It's a pretty rockin' idea.

Then they had President Ramirez (works with missionaries at the CCM, and is the Branch President in his Branch) come talk to us about utilizing our members and how important it is to take time out of our schedule to visit and build friendships with the members of our ward. Cuz so many missionaries are just used to stopping by a members house and asking for references that sometimes we forget the importance of sharing the gospel and testifying of its truthfulness EVEN to those that already believe! It was really motivating, and really cool to hear from someone who understands both the missionary's and the member's point of view.


Then, we went and ate with Elder Ramos and Elder Rodriguez at their place for lunch, and then hustled home to get ready to go out and teach. As we were pulling up in the city car, the Assistants called us and announced a surprise Intercambio... Ha. I'm all for surprises like Christmas presents... But having the assistants show up just doesn't quite invoke that same excitement and anticipation. haha. Anyway, we hopped in their truck, went and dropped Elder Mejia off to do his Intercambio with the Zone Leaders, and then Elder Brimley (the more chill of the two) came back to our area with us. Ha. It was a ROUGH day... We had 6 appointments set up, and they ALL failed us. It was AWFUL. So we ended up contacting for 2 hours. haha. I guess it's normal tho, cuz Elder Brimley said that whenever he does intercambios, that all they do is walk and contact, and that usually it rains. lol. So I guess we can count our blessings that we were walking and contacting under blue skies.
Then, because missionaries can never be alone, we had to go with Elder Brimley to pick up Elder Mejia, and when he hopped in the car he said "do you guys have any appointments right now?" didn't wait for an answer, and then said "good, cuz we've got errands to run, and we don't have time to take you home at the moment." ha. So we went with them to the office to pick up the office Elders, to give them a ride to their area, which is NO WHERE NEAR our area... Ha. So as we were pulling out onto the main road, Elder Mejia stopped the car, and said " would you guys mind walking home from here, it'd would just be inconvenient to take you guys AND the office Elders to your areas." ha.... Yeah... Even cutting through Mirador park, it's like a 40 minute walk home from the office.... But lo and behold, it came from the assistants mouth, so that's what we did. haha.
But it was cool, cuz we saw a real live Tarantula crawling across the path on our way home. Ha. Sadly my companion kicked it into the bushes before I could snap a picture, but we really saw one! I promise!! ha. It was about the size of a coaster (those things you put your drinks on to keep the table from getting wet). Super cool!


On Thursday we had a miracle lesson with Oliva (the lady I talked about a couple weeks ago). We were up in Café close to her house, and randomly decided to stop by cuz we had some extra time. She answered the door and was grinning from ear to ear when she saw that it was us. She explained that Saturday (our original next visit) wasn't gonna work for her, and that she had lost our number, so she couldn't call and tell us. But we just happened to show up when she wasn't busy, and had a few minutes to talk to us. Ha. Tender Mercy number one.

So, because it was an unplanned lesson, we weren't super prepared, but were planning to just wing a lesson on the Law of Chastity, cuz we thought we had left it with her to study in out last visit... But turns out, Elder Mooney forgot to leave her homework, and we had just barely given our last Chastity pamphlet to an investigator... So we couldn't even read through it with her. Ha. All that was communicated with nods, and grunts, as my comp and I frantically tried to think of a good topic to talk about. Ha. So to buy some time, I asked her about how her personal study was going, and about what she'd been reading lately from the Book of Mormon. And BOOM, Tender Mercy number two. She had been reading the night before, and decided to just "let the book fall open and read," and she ended up reading the Ten Commandments from Abinadi's discourse in Mosiah 13. Ha. So we went through them again with her, and had an awesome discussion about the Commandments from ancient times applying to us now days, and how we have a living Prophet today that can interpret Scriptures/Old Commandments and give us further light and knowledge to apply them to these the latter days. Ha. SO cool!!! She LOVED it!

It was definitely a testimony that if we follow the spirit, we will be given the things we need to say, and the things that our investigators need the here, in the EXACT moment that they need to hear them.
Also, I'd like to thank my mom, cuz I used her favorite "if you don't have anything nice to say, don't say anything at all" saying and translated it into Spanish "Si no tiene algo bueno a decir, ¡no diga NADA!" while we were talking about the ninth commandment, and Oliva thought it was AWESOME. Ha. She wrote it down in her planner. Thanks MOM!!!

Then after our lesson with Oliva, we hustled to Saul's house. But... He wasn't home. His cousin-in-law, that he lives with, told us that he has moved to live with his Aunt in another city... :( SUPER sad! So we will give his name and new address to the office Elders, so they can send missionaries to visit with him there. I hope and pray that he accepts them as he's accepted us, and that he continues on the path towards his Baptism.

On Saturday night we had a cool lesson with a new investigator. Her name is Ivelís. She was in the internet café when we were using internet a couple weeks ago, and asked me a few questions about what we believe. So I got her contact information, and told her we'd stop by to talk more, and explain more in detail "who are the mormons." So on Tuesday night we met up with her and she showed us were she lives, and we had a quick first lesson with her. Then Saturday, we sat down and had a cool talk about the Book of Mormon, and she shared a cool story about how she ended up back here in Santo Domingo:

She'd been living with her 5 kids in Miami, Florida for the last 4 years, but recently had been being nagged by her kids to move back to the DR. And as she was thinking about it, she went to a church meeting there in Miami, and they talked about people that wanted to move back to their home country, and how if they were thinking about it, that they needed to ask the Lord, and then think about if the Lord had a purpose or mission for them there in their home country. So she did, and felt that she needed to come home. She went on to explain that she still doesn't know about the Mormons, but that she had the same feeling talking to us, that she had when she received the confirmation to move back to Santo Domingo! How cool!
It was a testimony builder that God really does prepare people to accept His restored Gospel!


Then Sunday came. Ha. I love Sundays. Church was great, Winifred, one of our ward missionaries, brought not one, but TWO of her friends to church with her! I give all credit to the paper that the ZL's gave us on Wednesday. We had a meeting with the ward missionaries on Friday night, and had them all write down 3 names to start working with to introduce to the Gospel. Apparently Winifred took it and ran with it! Ha. SO cool!
After Church, we hiked up to Café, had some good lessons, with investigators, like normal. Then we got to Angel and Ani's house (the people we carried the wood pallets down the mountain for), and they weren't there.... Where were they?? At the catholic church up the road having their baby baptized... Ha! Oh the irony... We'll definitely have to talk about that next time we meet. lol. If there is a next time... ha.


Then after a good lesson with Antonio and Roseli, we hiked back down to Guarionex's house. Guarionex is an investigator that has been meeting with the missionaies for the last year and two months... He has had all the lessons more than once, and attends church every week. Ha. But he has been holding off on getting baptized cuz he doesn't feel like he has his family's support. So this last week we talked with them and set an appointment for Sunday night (when they would all be home), to have a lesson, and talk about what their dad was investigating. We didn't have huge hopes, because we (Elder Pemberton and I), and missionaries before us had already tried to meet with his wife, and with his kids. But some how, some way, they were ALL there last night! Him. his wife Rafaela, and his kids; Kayla, Edward and Rosa. We sat down and had an incredible first lesson with them, and they all committed to read and pray to know if the book of Mormon is true! We also put another appointment with Rafaela, and Rosa (the other two kids are in college, so we'll have to get creative with making our schedules match up).
It was SO awesome!! Guarionex walked us out afterwards, and told us how grateful he was, and how happy he was to see them all there together, learning about what he knows to be the True Church of Jesus Christ! It was AMAZING!


Anyway. I'm super out of time. We gotta go to an FHE.

I love and miss you all!

The Church is TRUE!!!

Love,

Elder Mooney

P.S. On Friday night, after our meeting with the Ward Missionaries, we went with our ward mission leader to Hermana Guzman's house for our rescheduled Spaguetti night. But she was out visiting a lady in our ward, that just lost her dad the day before. So we visited with Agustin, Amelia, and Gracie (the kids of Hna Guzman), who are all RM's. We just talked and listened to mission stories. And then Gracie made us spaguetti, with boiled green bananas, and avocado on the side. Ha. I didn't get to learn how to make it, but I definitely enjoyed it!!! And I asked her how she did it, and it's basically the exact same thing that I learned from Elder Brezack. So no worries. :)