More Work Begins . . .

Last Sunday our manager, Bro. Lugo, took us to Azua to train the SR committee..  While there we stopped to visit his relatives.  This is the home he helped build for his parents.

On the drive home we hit a nice size rainstorm which created a beautiful rainbow.

Could never get a really good picture of all the water from the storm, but this kind of shows what it was like.

While shopping for food Saturday in La Serena, my nose picked up a familiar smell - chinola!  Sure enough they were stacking in up fresh off the truck.  It's hard to find so, of course, we bought too many.

Dad wanted to make juice from it.  First you get the pulp out.

Then you blend it with some water.

Then you strain it and add more water and lots of sugar.  And I mean lots of sugar!

Taste test . . .

Lip smackin' good . . . has to be with all that sugar!
(But P.S. Dad has been staying close to the bano ever since)

Today we traveled to Bani for their District Conference and change of District President.  Guess who we finally found?  Dallin's brother-in-law Elder Mecham.  He';s been on his mission 18 months and looks like he's doing great.  Even though we had never met him before, it felt like "home."

And last of all my new buddy who talked my leg off after conference.  I told him I didn't speak Spanish, but it didn't slow him down.  He was very disappointed though when he counted to ten for me in English then kept going, "ten and one, ten and two, ten and three..."  and I told him how it really was :  eleven, twelve, thirteen.  He went back to jabbering in Spanish.

As for Monday through Friday, a lot happened just not picture-worthy (office work).  We had a nice 2 hour appointment with Bro. Alvarado who could tell things weren't going well for half of our companionship.  He created 2 assignments for me to tackle and now I have more than I can handle, but that's better than wasting time.  My first task is to teach Bro. Lugo better English.  The second task is to create a plan to reactivate returned missionaries from 10 years and more back.  The juices are flowing!

As someone special to me quoted this past week "With God, all things are possible."

We pray for all of you daily and appreciate the great example you are to us.

Love,
Dad & Mom
Grandpa & Grandma

TWO FUN WEEKS OF MISSIONARY WORK

Let's start off with Dad getting into the Dominican spirit of things - he found out how to make queso frito.  Looks like he's enjoying his delicacy.

Sunglasses anyone?  No telling what they'll want to sell you when you stop for the extra long stop lights on the major streets in the city.  

We had a Job Fair one day . . . all day . . . from 9 a.m. to about 10 p.m.  This is where they started lining up in the garage under the Institute Building and our offices.  We made the mistake of not getting our car washed before parking it in here.  Some of the kids played tic-tac-toe on the trunk while they waited in line.

The building is 3 stories and this is the line from the garage, up the  first 2 flights of stairs, around the corner and up the next 2 flights of stairs and down this hall into . . . 

another room to sit and wait (one of 3 rooms where they sat and waited).  We had almost 1,000 attend.  During this time (the reason so many are in the garage) there was a protest across the street at the University with gun fire so they squeezed them all in to keep them safe off the street.

Last week-end we spent 4 days out and about  in the District.  Just wanted to show you  what we were shocked to see in the D.R. - cactus!  Some of the area is dry enough for cactus.

If we had been blindfolded and put here, we never would've guessed we were in the D.R.

We spent a few days with the missionaries in San Juan, the Arvigs who use to live in St. George and had Uncle Richard and Uncle Karl for bishops.  Small world!  Elder Arvig had a phone he can call the U.S with so Dad got to talk to Uncle Karl for a little while..

One of our duties was to train the SRS specialist in the San Juan District, Bro. Lopez.

We had fun with the Arvigs on their P-day Monday.  They took us to the Caribbean beach for a picnic and to look for Lorimar.  It's a beautiful blue stone only found in the D.R.  With a little help from some natives, we found a few on the beach.

Love the waves crashing against the cliff.

We also found a herd of rhinoceros iguana on our drive. 

Elder Arvig had them doing tricks.  

On Tuesday we left San Juan and drove to Barahona to train the District President Gomez on Self-Reliance.
 Loved his laugh.

This must be the banana capitol of the world.  Everywhere there are acres of banana trees.

I stand corrected.  They call them guineos here, not bananas.  And, yes, Dad bought a "bunch."

How many Dominicans will fit in the back of a pick-up?  Couldn't ever get a head count.

These are the fanciest drainage ditches all along the side of the hills.  Quite intricate.
Makes me wonder what's it going to be like when the rains come.

Didn't count all of these either.

One of our happiest times was taking Flat Stanley around with us and introducing him to the country thanks to Landen.  Here he is with a lap full of the larimar we found on the beach.  It brought back fond memories when Chauncy  sent him to us in Swaziland and we were able to find some "golden contacts".

Another special occasion was visiting Elder Cornish for our quarterly interview.  He was so happy when I asked him if he knew about Flat Stanley which he did.  And he was very excited to get to teach him some Spanish from the Book of Mormon.  He is such a wonderful person.

We had to get a D.R. driver's license.  Does anyone recognize this old man????  Can you believe the white hair?  This mission has really aged your dad!

And finally a good hearty traditional Dominican meal of rice, beans, and meat.
Dig in!

Is this anything like what you ate in Brazil, Chad?  I thought of you  :)


We had another busy day this Sabbath day going to the Piantini Ward this morning then taking off for Azua to train the District President and committee there in the afternoon.  It takes 1 1/2 hours of Dominican driving to get there (Bro. Lugo drove) so we were in the car more than training, but that's life here.  We are amazed at the warm, loving people here and the strong caliber of the leaders.  They are so anxious to assist and they want help for their people.  Our calendar is filling up fast and we haven't even started visiting the San Pedro District yet.  Being busy is good.  Thanks to all for your love and support and emails.  Would love to hear from Scott and his mission beginnings (hint, hint).  As for the rest of our tribe, we have a few who didn't get their name in on the guessing where Scott will go on his mission.  If you want in on it, get me your guess soon.  You are:  Jared, Candy, Trent, Halina, Isaac, and Grandpa.  Give me several guesses and I'll take the one that hasn't already been chosen.  Brandon guessed Canada, but I don't think we'll let him take the whole country!  Jana has Vancouver.  We are so excited for Scott!
Love to all,
Dad & Mom, Grandpa & Grandma..     

MISSIONARY WEEK - FINALLY!

Well, Monday started slow with a "no-show" at our Manager meeting - it was a holiday but we were not informed.  We got to go to Spanish class at 5, then FHE at 6 for pizza and gelato and great company.

Tuesday we were up by 6 for a special Devotional with Elder Renlund .  Words to live by:  "... first and foremost be a disciple of Christ."

Elder Maynes spoke in Spanish so I don't have any notes from him.

And Bishop Causse encouraged us with:  "Unity is more important than having a good plan"  said with a French accent.  Powerful Devotional.

Then at 11 we began setting up for our 2 day Newly Returned Missionary Seminar.  Of course it began with FOOD! 

We ended the day at the Temple for a session together then pizza at the cafeteria.

Wednesday was rise and shine and be to the Institute at 7:30 for a real Dominican traditional breakfast of
Mangu (fried plantains) and

Queso frito (fried cheese).

The natives loved it!  And the gringos were surprisingly impressed.

Dad got to teach one session on Self-Reliance.  It was an enjoyable 2 day adventure.  Great returned missionaries.

Thursday took us back to the Institute to meet with Bro. Paniagua and Bro. Lugo.  Instead, our big B Boss sat down and talked change with us . . . we like change . . . change is good . . . it keeps life interesting.  Brother Lugo is now our manager and wants to get us to the Bani Branch tomorrow.  Bring it on!  So, you ask, what does this picture have to do with anything?  On our way home, we snapped a quick shot of this pedestrian - we almost put our hands over our hearts.  Sa - lute!

Friday was a full day out and about.  Bro. Gomez drove us (a true Dominican, but we made it alive and in a short amount of time).  There were Bro. Lugo (in front of dad), Marisa and Carolina (2 BYU-Provo students on a 3 month internship), and us.  First stop is Bro. Lugo's favorite fish restaurant for lunch.

View from the restaurant terrace where we ate.

I told Marisa that was her dinner he was fixing.

This is Bro. Lugo's dinner.  I played it safe and got pasta with shrimp.

Arrival at the Bani Uno Rama

After training our facilitator, Margarita, her Education group gathered to start their adventure in Self-Reliance.

Bro. Lugo made Bro. Gomez stop on our way home for some "dulce" (sweets).  

He bought us some pudding-like coconut stuff that was pretty good.  Not quite gelato, but we didn't turn it down.

Sunday morning we picked up the Parks at 7:30 and enjoyed the day with the Saints in Bani.  I got to play the keyboard and Dad trained Margarita some more.  We also met with the District President for about an hour.  We attended a special Self-Reliance lesson during Priesthood/Relief Society given by the branch president.  Very enjoyable day.
And finally - Trunk-or-Treat Lunch missionary style :)

Just a fun tidbit:  The Bani District President has served 3 times as District President and 4 times as Branch President.

Dad and I spend an hour each day reading the Book of Mormon in Spanish together and translating.  We then usually read a few articles in the Ensign.  This week one article in particular caught our attention so will pass it on to all of you.  It would be absolutely ideal to use in your next FHE to help safeguard your family.  It's in the January issue and entitled Our Best Defense Against Pornography.  It gives a great insight with help from the Tree of Life.  Let us know if you're able to use it and how it goes.  We haven't heard any Mission Blessing stories lately, so maybe this will create one.  We are up to 79 blessings in my book.  Have a great week!
Love you all,
Dad & Mom, Grandpa & Grandma