100% Dinner

As a way of encouraging the students to complete their institute classes, Hermana Finlayson offered to cook a dinner for all of the students that attended 100% of their classes. They could make up work, so many of them worked hard to make up assignments at the end of the term. It was amazing how motivated they were to do the work in order to attend a dinner. We anticipated 80 including the teachers and their wives. We had about 40 students attend. The institute director, Oscar Amparo, gave a wonderful talk and encouraged the students to bring their non-member friends to institute.  Even though we had food for 80, it was amazing that it was all gone at the end of the evening. As you can see, she had some wonderful help as well. They seemed to enjoy it!

Mirabal Sisters

In the history of the Dominican Republic, there are three sisters who are heroines in the independence of this county. They were martyred in their effort to rid the country of a murderous dictator who reigned in the 1940's, 50's and 60's. We traveled to visit their childhood home which is currently a national visitors center and even have a province named after them. The sole remaining sister still lives in the home and is a wonderful example of dedication to her sister's legacy of sacrifice. She raised all of the children that were orphaned as a result of the deaths of their parents. We have a picture of her with us as well as the beautiful orchids that she has all over her yard. The home is on a working cocoa plantation which produces cocoa beans that are dried and shipped to Europe. You will notice the cocoa pod grows on the trunk and limb of the tree. The beans are on the inside of the pod and are surrounded by a delicious covering which is thrown away in the harvesting of the bean. They are then dried on large flats with movable roofs that can protect them from the rain.

Alfredo-A Humble Family

When we go shopping, we always like to take an opportunity to share the gospel. At the grocery store, there are "bag boys" or "impacadores" who take the groceries to the car for a tip. It is the only income they have so they compete for the chance to take out your bags. On the way to the car, we talk with them and get to know them a bit and then share a pass along card or Book of Mormon. One young man, Alfredo, has a family and lives off of the tips he makes taking out groceries and other odd jobs at the grocery store. We tried for 3 months to get him connected to the missionaries and finally met the missionaries and went with them to his house. It was such a humble home and his little boy and wife were so cute. We understand that he is continuing to take the discussions and we are hopeful that he will feel the Spirit and be baptized.

Presidente Almonte's Cabin

Our mission president and his wife have a beautiful "cabin" as they call it in the mountains of the central part of the Dominican Republic. It is about 3 hours by car from the temple. When we first arrived, they invited us to use it any time we wished. A group of senior missionaries went to spend a few days there and see some of the beautiful scenery in the other parts of the country. It was a wonderful blend of pine trees and banana and orange and grapefruit groves. The flowers were amazing with many of the plants we try so hard to grow indoors at home growing in the wild to amazing heights. Yes, that is a swimming pool on the left.

Anniversary and Baptisms

Sherrie and I celebrated our 36th wedding anniversary on the 20th of April and Sherrie wanted to do something to surprise me. She asked two students in our institute class to help her put on a special Dominican dinner for me. They were so excited and planned secretly for 3 weeks. One of the girls came to me and asked to open the room where they have the music keyboards on the second floor and said she needed to get something for her class. I walked into a room with a path of flower petals to the table which had a traditional dish, mofongo, and fruit. It was very good. The girls had also made a CD of one of the Carpenter’s songs and some other Dominican music and played it in the background. They decorated with some pictures that they had made and some of the other youth came and sang to us. We danced a little and had a wonderful time. The kids were so happy to be part of our anniversary. It was a wonderful surprise.

We have also had the opportunity be participate in some more baptisms for youth in the institute. We have now had 6 from the first of the year. 

One young man, Nathaniel, was talking to us before the baptism that had he known what the gospel was all about before, he would have joined the church much sooner. He has been attending institute for over a year and no one had invited him to hear the missionary discussions. 

We have determined that there are so many non-members (40) attending institute that we cannot assume that they have been invited to become members and need to invite them all.