All Good Things Must End

We had a very eventful week. Transfers are tomorrow and... I have a new companion and a new area! I will be companions with Hermana Morales. From what I've heard, her parents are Mexican and she lives in Provo; my third Latin- American companion. We are white washing Gazcue and we will be Sister Training Leaders over that region. I believe the temple, mission office, and the President’s home are all in our area.  President and Hermana Hernandez will be in our ward. I am really excited for this new adventure. It’s in the capital and it will be such a different experience! 

Hermana Thomas will be staying in our area. It’s going to be so strange being separated from her. We have had some incredible experiences through the good and the difficult; we have grown so much together. We are different than each other but make a great team. She taught me all about professional sports and cars (she  is mechanically skilled) and I have explained Les Miserables and introduced her to Jane Austin. I am grateful for all the laughs and wonderful experiences we have shared. 

We had a baptism this week! He is 20 years old. We contacted him a month ago and invited him to church. He came and we began teaching him. He has attended church and every activity in the church since we contacted him. He comes from a challenging home situation but he is a really happy kid. 

We were also supposed to have another baptism on Saturday but it didn’t happen this week. :(

We contacted The man who was going to get baptized four months ago. We invited him to church and he said he had heard about the church about 20 years ago and had never forgotten the things he had heard. I asked him if we could come by to visit him. Before our first visit, Hermana Thomas and I were quite skeptical. He didn't seem like the type of person that would be interested in church. However, he really surprised us! He has great spiritual depth and really did remember the things he had heard years ago. He has been going to church inconsistently since that time (about every other week).

The problem is that he owned a bar next to his house. At night they play loud music and sell alcohol. When we invited him to be baptized, he said that he wanted to change his work situation before he made that decision. So, he has been looking for a new job. During that time, we have been visiting him twice a week- for the past four months. He has changed his life so much; I am so impressed with the sacrifices he has been willing to make. And...he found a new job and it’s a good job, working for the government. He has already received his first paycheck. He has also passed his baptismal interview. But, he says he needs to wait a little longer. I think he wants to completely hand over the bar before he is baptized. I am so sad I won’t be there to see the occasion but Hermana Thomas said she will send me photos. He is a really good guy; really kind and charitable. Something funny about him is that he lives alone and does most of the domestic chores but he pays his neighbor to wash the dishes because he says washing dishes is too feminine.

This past week, I lost my voice. On Thursday I could barely talk so Hermana Thomas had to do almost all the teaching. The rest of the week I could talk a little but my voice was really deep and raspy. I was told that my accent was better low and raspy because I sounded more Dominican! wahoo

It’s an exciting time for our stake here in La Romana because there are thirteen young people leaving on missions in the next couple months. Twelve of the thirteen are going to Mexico and the other one is going to Honduras. The boy that’s in my ward that is going to Torreon has been emailing Spencer. I hope they are companions. It’s interesting because most of the missionaries serving here are from Guatemala, Mexico, or Honduras. Maybe it’s because they have similar economies or a similar situation?? 

Fun fact: we are now allowed to go to the beach - to look at it - not to get in. Previously, we couldn’t do even do that. Hermana Thomas and I took a nice sunrise walk to the beach. Also, today for P-day we went as a zone to the beach! So fun. 

We had a great week. I can’t wait to read all your letters! I am printing them off right now. Chari sent me a Christmas package! She knows me too well because it had lots of chocolate and some really yummy granola! Some of my favorite things. Also, she sent CTR rings which I like to hand out to our baptisms. Thanks Chari!!!!!!!!!!!!! Our Thanksgiving was good - very mellow. No turkey, just rice and beans. Love you!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!