Hola de Nuevo - Monday, February 25, 2013

Well... At this very moment I am about ready to scream.

Last week I wrote you all a pretty little letter, and then the power went out in the internet center, and I lost it all... So I did my best to rewrite it in the time I had... Hence the short letter last week.

This week, my letter started out, Hey fam bam! Sorry about last week's shorty letter, this week will be SO much better, cuz I have SO much to tell you all, AND I have a super good plan to avoid losing all the stuff I write if the power goes out again... Or something peachy like that... But hey. Nobody's perfect. Including myself. ha. I have been sitting here, for the last hour, writing you all a ridiculously long letter to make up for last week. The whole time I've been saving the document so that even if the power went out, I wouldn't lose anything, but for whatever retarded reason, the power went out, and unless you have your document saved in a certain folder in the computer, it gets lost anyway... I sure wish the Internet center guy would have explained that BEFORE the power outage... Cuz yet again, I am sitting here, with numb fingers from all my typing, and I have noting to show for it.

Clearly I was sent on a mission to the Dominican Republic to learn patience. haha.

We truly did have an incredible week this week. But sadly, you will only get a half summary of it, because I am out of time. Just trust me that I intended (more than intended, I HAD IT ALL WRITTEN OUT) to blow your minds with all my spiritual experiences.

We are currently working with 3 of the most incredible families I have ever seen.

First, Dioni, Adriana and Kids (Yoel, Leidi, Esperanza, and Adoni). They are beautiful. They are the ones that we have been preparing for baptism this weekend. This last week we've been focusing on marriage. Dioni and Adriana have been living together for 20 some-odd years, but like most Dominicans, never felt the need to get hitched for real. They basically just need to tie the knot. So this last week we've been discussing the Plan of Salvation, and the law of chastity, and reading The Family: A Proclamation to the World, and other faith promoting stuff like that.

On Tuesday night we talked about the requirements of marriage, and we found out that they had lost 2 of their kids birth certificates. Luckily we have an office right here in our area, so we figured it would be super simple to get new ones. Well, on Friday we went over there, and they told us we had to go to the big office that, according to them wasn't too far away, so we hopped on a bus expecting to go a few kilometers, and ended up in the Capital. haha. Next to my old area. But I am fairly certain it was led by the Spirit, cuz it all worked out SO perfectly! We got to the office at like 4 in the afternoon, took the family's info to the second floor, and within 15 minutes we were back out the door with two brand spankin new birth certificates in hand! The coolest miracle, was that when we got up to the desk to print off the certificates, we looked up at a sign that read "Impresiones solo entre 4p.m. y 6p.m." then looked down at my watch which read 4:16 p.m. haha. God is good. It was amazing that we were able to get that paperwork within a matter of minutes, when usually it takes up to a week! Clearly God wants this family married!

Second, Rafael, Anni, and Yoel. They are the ones I told you about last week. We started teaching Anni alone, but since we helped Rafael with a computer problem, we've been teaching them as a couple. Then this week, we were able to help Yoel, their 16 year old son, build and paint an addition to their house that he's gonna use as a barber shop! And now he's onboard too! Also, this week we've been talking to them about the Plan of Salvation, and what do you know? This week Anni's Aunt died... I'm not saying that's a good thing, but it was definitely good timing. Being able to explain things, and apply them directly to someone, is so much easier than using theoretical examples and stuff. haha.

Third, A family we found while contacting this week. Dani, Graciela, and their two kids (Daniel, and Soé). Graciela accepts everything we teach her, and loves it. But Dani has a mind like mine. haha. Lots of doubts and questions. So it's been fun teaching him, and helping him make connections in his head, while simultaneously testifying and inviting the spirit to make those same connections in his heart. I love missionary work!!

I really am sorry it's so short... I will have to write it out by hand and beg my mother to type it up later... ha.

I know this church is true! I love you all, and hope you all have a great week!

Love,
Elder Cade Mooney