Our Students

We have had such wonderful experiences with the students here. We have been teaching a class every week on Wednesday from 5 to 6:40 called "Studying the Scriptures; The Power of the Word". It has been inspirational to teach the class and learn from the students. They have such a wonderful understanding of the scriptures and love them. It is clear many of them have had the benefit of seminary and scripture chase. They love to play games and eat. One week Sherrie made cookies for class and gave them out during a break. After the break we had 4 new students! It is also inspirational to know what some of the students have to do to be at our class. Some take the bus and have to travel an hour or more. Others have to take public taxies. They do not have much money so to travel is a big commitment. Even though we are next to a large university, some of the students attend other universities in the city and have to make a special trip to the institute.

You can see in the picture of the class some full time missionaries. They have started attending institute at our request since there are so many non members attending institute. Since they have started attending, they have more teaching opportunities than they can handle. The first time they came to the building, they had four teaching appointments by the time they left.

Many of the students are the pioneers in their families and are the only members. The picture of the young man in front of the temple is one such pioneer. He is the only member in his family. He has been a wonderful help at the institute and has shared his testimony and enthusiasm for serving a mission openly with the other students. He entered the CCM (the missionary training center here in the DR) last week which just happens to be above us in the building in which we live. It is wonderful to open the door to our apartment and hear what sounds like a choir of angels; the missionaries singing. Sherrie has been spoiling this young missionary with cookies whenever he and his companion stop by. Since our door is next to the stairs, many missionaries have learned that if they are walking by, they get cookies. Sherrie makes cookies for all of the missionaries on Sunday from time to time. They like Hermana Finlayson!

The other pictures are of Sherries cooking class. She teaches three classes every other week. The kids wanted to learn how to make the good things she makes for treats for them. It is hard to keep the other kids out of the kitchen! As you can see, they love to eat! Sherrie spends a lot of time baking for the institute kids but she feels well rewarded when they enthusiastically "inhale" all of her goodies.

We Continue to Be Amazed by Our Opportunities

It is a hard assignment! We have to work all of the time and have no time to play it seems. We did come across a couple that seemed to be having a good time, though. They were a couple of tourists that showed up at an institute costume party. Lucky that they quickly moved on. They were a little scary!

Some of the youth dressed up for the party. Most just came to dance and dance and dance. The party was part of the weekend celebration for their independence on the 27th of February. They also celebrate carnival the same weekend.

Sherrie has loved teaching classes on cooking for some of the students. They love the things she makes and want to learn how to make them. They are enthusiastic and are so fun and receptive. They have no trouble cleaning up since there is little left to clean up!

While Sherrie has been having fun with the youth in the kitchen, I have been hanging out in the office. While there, we have had 3 people come into the institute during the past week asking to know more about the church. This is a picture of Andre who is from Haiti. He came to the institute before Christmas wanting to know more about the church but did not return. He returned today and came up to me and asked to learn about the Bible. He stated that he attended a church when growing up but has felt a desire to know about the Mormon Church. He was very excited to hear of the Book of Mormon and how we believe it is a second witness to the Savior and that we believe in the Bible as well. He was very impressed with the promise in Moroni that he could know what is true by praying and asking. He speaks english so I was a little more comfortable sharing the gospel with him.

There are many non-members of the church attending religion classes at the institute. It is marvelous to see the light in the eyes of these people. A light of the Spirit working in their lives. A hunger for what is true and what will bring them eternal happiness. We have been working to have the full time missionaries come to the institute and teach. When they did come, they had 3 teaching appointments within the first hour and a half. We are humbled to be able to be here with these wonderful people!