Saludos Familia y amigos!
Well, we had three baptisms on Saturday, and it was great! I attached a picture of it. We baptized Carlos Manuel, who is 18, Wellington, who is 18, and Rubi, who is like 14 I think. It went great! Carlos Manuel is on fire! He already wants to serve a mission, and he is already teaching the restoration! He is so good, giving us references and everything!
On Saturday we had a special conference with Elder Nelson from the Quorum of the 12! It was awesome, I got to shake his hand! And then, our stake got to have a special conference with him on Sunday, so we got to hear from them again. We also got to hear from two members of the Seventy who are here in the Caribbean Area Presidency, Elder Anderson (He is from Mesa) and Elder Coleman. It was fantastic! Great messages!
Today we had P Day because we got to go to the Temple this week! So P Day got moved to Wednesday. I felt such a great peace there, a peace that I haven't felt in a long time. It was so uplifting and strengthening. The blessings of the Temple are amazing!
I also got to go eat with Elder McBride and for the first time ever, we ran into Elder McGlothin from Gilbert! He ate with us too! We had Pizza Hut! Elder McGlothin and I were scripture buddies in seminary! It was awesome to have us three together! I attached a picture of us three too!
Before I forget, there are a few things that it would be awesome if you could send me. I don't need them by any stretch of the imagination, it would just be nice to have them.
A hammock would work perfect at our house right now. A haircutting kit, a razor and the clip on settings would be great to cut my hair often and for free! And last, has the Nashville Tribute CD come out yet? If so, that would be sweet!
My testimony of My Savior has been strengthened so much on my mission. You know, when I was younger, I would go to church every week, and I think close to every week I must have heard someone testify from the pulpit that they knew that Jesus Christ lived. But I didn't understand what that meant. I just thought that that was great and didn't really understand what that meant. Jesus Christ was crucified for us, and when He was in the Garden, He took upon Himself every single thing we will go through and feel in this life. He took upon Him every single fear, doubt, sin, chastisement, and transgression that we will ever feel upon Himself. We all feel alone sometimes, we all have times in our life when we think that there isn't anyone else who understands how we feel or what we're going through, but He went through something no one will ever know what it was like, and He did it alone, so that we wouldn't have to be alone. He was crucified, but He rose again. He lived again and He lives still, and that means that not only did He take all of those things upon Him, but He conquered every last one. With His Resurrection, everything was conquered, even death, as long as we come unto Him. He lives, and that's what it means, it means that we are NEVER alone and that He is always there, ready to help us and give us peace. I testify that He lives, and it means the world. I hope that I can keep a better understanding of that phrase in my life from here on out. When someone testifies that Jesus Christ lives, it means the world! It means peace, happiness and hope. So, I will echo the words of the Apostle Elder Jeffrey R. Holland in saying that when Gethsemane's of our own come, don't you stop walking! Keep going, and He will deliver you!
I love you all so much!
Elder DeSpain
ELDER JEFF DESPAIN
Wednesday, February 23, 2011
Monday, February 14, 2011
Happy Birthday to Scott!!!
Saludos!
Haha, well Mom, let me just say that you have nothing to worry about, The Lord is watching out for us, and even if we get robbed a couple of times, that's a small price to pay for the Kingdom of God, right? Actually, to be honest, I bet Brother Richardson would be surprised if you told him that we live in Los Guandules. It's quite the experience down here. But don't worry Mom, because I'm not worried. (Brother Richardson is the young guy in our ward that served in Jeff's mission just a couple of years ago. When I told him where Jeff had been transferred to, he was kind of quiet like maybe he was deciding what would be appropriate to share with a missionary's mom. I already knew from another conversation with Brother Richardson that Jeff's first area of Guachpita was one of the two areas in the mission with the highest gang crime problems, so when Brother Richardson was so quiet when I told him about Jeff's next transfer to La Cienaga, I was pretty sure that wasn't a good sign! No worries though . . . apparently Jeff says he is just fine!)
Brother Richardson is exactly right. Los Guandules and La Cienaga are on the hill coming up from the Ozama River, then Guachupita, and then Maria Auxiliadora, all going uphill from the river.
The shoes are fantastic!!! In fact, they're all that I wear, so I'm really sorry, but being the condition of my others, could you send me a pair just like these ones you just sent, they're awesome!
Oh, the Mehrs must be serving in the entire Caribbean area of the Church! Haha, Jamaica isn't in our mission, but they are probably based here in Santo Domingo. I think I remember her saying that, and that is because the Church Headquarters for the Caribbean Area is in Santo Domingo, how lucky are we?!!
Wellington and Carlos Manuel are doing so good! They're going to get baptized this week! Wow, Carlos Manuel is doing so great! We always find him reading the Book of Mormon, and now he and Wellington both have white shirts and ties, so they are looking good! They came to Church, and Carlos Manuel was giving prayers and reading, man, they are doing so good! Wellington's Mom and Sister came and Carlos Manuel's brother came too! They are great missionaries! They are doing great, and we're hoping for the families to get baptized too, but we need papers for Wellington's Mom, and we need to start teaching his Dad too.
I think we actually ran into the Branch President's mom and we are now teaching her too! She is awesome. The Branch President said something about it from the pulpit in church on Sunday, and I think it's his Mom!
I love you all so much and Happy Birthday to Scott Jay E´Spain, Big Boy, Brother! (That is what Scott used to call himself when he was little!) I love you buddy, and there's a card on the way.
Keep up the great work, and if you're going through hard times in your life, hang in there, and remember that your Savior and Redeemer lives, that phrase means not only that He has conquered death, but He has conquered your struggles as well, and relief is closer than you think. I testify as well that He lives.
Love,
Elder DeSpain
P.S. I think I need another SD card so I will have an extra.
Haha, well Mom, let me just say that you have nothing to worry about, The Lord is watching out for us, and even if we get robbed a couple of times, that's a small price to pay for the Kingdom of God, right? Actually, to be honest, I bet Brother Richardson would be surprised if you told him that we live in Los Guandules. It's quite the experience down here. But don't worry Mom, because I'm not worried. (Brother Richardson is the young guy in our ward that served in Jeff's mission just a couple of years ago. When I told him where Jeff had been transferred to, he was kind of quiet like maybe he was deciding what would be appropriate to share with a missionary's mom. I already knew from another conversation with Brother Richardson that Jeff's first area of Guachpita was one of the two areas in the mission with the highest gang crime problems, so when Brother Richardson was so quiet when I told him about Jeff's next transfer to La Cienaga, I was pretty sure that wasn't a good sign! No worries though . . . apparently Jeff says he is just fine!)
Brother Richardson is exactly right. Los Guandules and La Cienaga are on the hill coming up from the Ozama River, then Guachupita, and then Maria Auxiliadora, all going uphill from the river.
The shoes are fantastic!!! In fact, they're all that I wear, so I'm really sorry, but being the condition of my others, could you send me a pair just like these ones you just sent, they're awesome!
Oh, the Mehrs must be serving in the entire Caribbean area of the Church! Haha, Jamaica isn't in our mission, but they are probably based here in Santo Domingo. I think I remember her saying that, and that is because the Church Headquarters for the Caribbean Area is in Santo Domingo, how lucky are we?!!
Wellington and Carlos Manuel are doing so good! They're going to get baptized this week! Wow, Carlos Manuel is doing so great! We always find him reading the Book of Mormon, and now he and Wellington both have white shirts and ties, so they are looking good! They came to Church, and Carlos Manuel was giving prayers and reading, man, they are doing so good! Wellington's Mom and Sister came and Carlos Manuel's brother came too! They are great missionaries! They are doing great, and we're hoping for the families to get baptized too, but we need papers for Wellington's Mom, and we need to start teaching his Dad too.
I think we actually ran into the Branch President's mom and we are now teaching her too! She is awesome. The Branch President said something about it from the pulpit in church on Sunday, and I think it's his Mom!
I love you all so much and Happy Birthday to Scott Jay E´Spain, Big Boy, Brother! (That is what Scott used to call himself when he was little!) I love you buddy, and there's a card on the way.
Keep up the great work, and if you're going through hard times in your life, hang in there, and remember that your Savior and Redeemer lives, that phrase means not only that He has conquered death, but He has conquered your struggles as well, and relief is closer than you think. I testify as well that He lives.
Love,
Elder DeSpain
P.S. I think I need another SD card so I will have an extra.
Monday, February 7, 2011
Yes, we have running water!!!
Hello!
The packages got here! On Thursday I got five packages! Thank you soooo much! The shoes are great and we are loving the cereal, from both you and Grandma! Thanks so much to both Grandmas for the packages, I have not thanked you enough! I really love you!
Our water did get hooked up. What happens is that water doesn't always run into the house, only during the mornings sometimes. So the guy hooked up a pump that runs that water up to a big tank on the roof that holds our water called a tinaculo. Then, the water is fed down through another tube connected to the water for the faucets in the house, so now water goes in everything! Its really nice, like a real house! So we are doing great now! And yes, our apartment is pink, haha! But its awesome, a great blessing from The Lord!
Wow, Scott, you're tearing it up on the basketball court buddy! Keep it up! Did you know that I never scored more than four points in a game until I was like a Sophomore? You are doing great! Keep it up! I cant wait to see how you're doing when I get back! (We told Jeff that Scott is playing WHAM basketball for the first time this year and he really likes it!)
I actually don't know the Mehrs, but ask the Petersons if they're in the ABC Islands, because I know that there is a senior couple down in one of the islands down there. That couple is actually the only missionaries on the island! (The Petersons in our old ward have a brother in law and his wife serving in Jeff's mission and wanted us to ask Jeff if he had met them yet.)
Thanks so much for getting the money taken care of Mom! I really appreciate that! Well, I think the most fun thing that I spent my Christmas money on was today at a place called Los Tres Ojos, which are like 3 underground lakes, really cool! We went in there, and then there was this one guy in there who would climb up to this ledge of the cave and jump off if you paid him like 300 pesos, which is like 10 bucks. So, we said, its only like three bucks a person, and we paid him, and then he went over and climbed up to this ledge about thirty feet up the cave, and he jumped off and did a dive, it was sweet! He said that he has been doing that for 54 years! And he is 61, so since he was 7! Crazy, huh!
Wellington is doing great! He came to church again this week with a friend named Carlos Manuel, They are both 18 and have a friend in the Church named Jensi. Now they both have fechas for the 19th of this month. That will be so awesome, they want to serve missions, so in a year there will be three missionaries! They are awesome! Wellington's family also came to church, well, at least his mom and his sister, so they are doing great!
(We asked if he ever gets to go to the temple in Santo Domingo.) The Temple is close, but we still haven't had the opportunity to go since I have been out in the field (middle of September). We will be going the 23rd of this month. I will get to go with the families that I work with who get baptized, but I haven't had any that are able to go to the temple yet because I haven't been here long enough yet. We are always searching for new families to teach. We've got one right now that we're just waiting on papers with.
Thanks for all that you do and all that you have done for me. Never forget that The Savior lives, and that means that He can conquer whatever is in your life and give you hope!
Elder DeSpain
The packages got here! On Thursday I got five packages! Thank you soooo much! The shoes are great and we are loving the cereal, from both you and Grandma! Thanks so much to both Grandmas for the packages, I have not thanked you enough! I really love you!
Our water did get hooked up. What happens is that water doesn't always run into the house, only during the mornings sometimes. So the guy hooked up a pump that runs that water up to a big tank on the roof that holds our water called a tinaculo. Then, the water is fed down through another tube connected to the water for the faucets in the house, so now water goes in everything! Its really nice, like a real house! So we are doing great now! And yes, our apartment is pink, haha! But its awesome, a great blessing from The Lord!
Wow, Scott, you're tearing it up on the basketball court buddy! Keep it up! Did you know that I never scored more than four points in a game until I was like a Sophomore? You are doing great! Keep it up! I cant wait to see how you're doing when I get back! (We told Jeff that Scott is playing WHAM basketball for the first time this year and he really likes it!)
I actually don't know the Mehrs, but ask the Petersons if they're in the ABC Islands, because I know that there is a senior couple down in one of the islands down there. That couple is actually the only missionaries on the island! (The Petersons in our old ward have a brother in law and his wife serving in Jeff's mission and wanted us to ask Jeff if he had met them yet.)
Thanks so much for getting the money taken care of Mom! I really appreciate that! Well, I think the most fun thing that I spent my Christmas money on was today at a place called Los Tres Ojos, which are like 3 underground lakes, really cool! We went in there, and then there was this one guy in there who would climb up to this ledge of the cave and jump off if you paid him like 300 pesos, which is like 10 bucks. So, we said, its only like three bucks a person, and we paid him, and then he went over and climbed up to this ledge about thirty feet up the cave, and he jumped off and did a dive, it was sweet! He said that he has been doing that for 54 years! And he is 61, so since he was 7! Crazy, huh!
Wellington is doing great! He came to church again this week with a friend named Carlos Manuel, They are both 18 and have a friend in the Church named Jensi. Now they both have fechas for the 19th of this month. That will be so awesome, they want to serve missions, so in a year there will be three missionaries! They are awesome! Wellington's family also came to church, well, at least his mom and his sister, so they are doing great!
(We asked if he ever gets to go to the temple in Santo Domingo.) The Temple is close, but we still haven't had the opportunity to go since I have been out in the field (middle of September). We will be going the 23rd of this month. I will get to go with the families that I work with who get baptized, but I haven't had any that are able to go to the temple yet because I haven't been here long enough yet. We are always searching for new families to teach. We've got one right now that we're just waiting on papers with.
Thanks for all that you do and all that you have done for me. Never forget that The Savior lives, and that means that He can conquer whatever is in your life and give you hope!
Elder DeSpain
Monday, January 31, 2011
Running Water Might Be On The Way . . . Maybe
Saludos!
Yes, both debit cards are now working, thanks Mom! I think there must just have been a problem that day with international cards or something. (Hooray! He has access to money again!)
So to answer your question about the water, we have to go downstairs and fill up buckets from a faucet that is in another guy's house beneath ours. But as we speak there is a man that is helping us out and hooking up some piping for us right now so that we can get water and won't have to get it out of buckets, haha! That will really be a blessing!
(We had asked Jeff how the stuff in the fridge stays cold if the electricity is off a lot.) Ya, the electricity is off like half of the day, so we just kind of keep the door closed, but we open it from time to time and a lot of times the stuff just gets kind of warm, but luckily most of the stuff here is made to be able to sit without being refrigerated, even the milk!!! Can you believe that? They pasteurize it really specially here.
Yes, Guachupita is in between Las Guandules and La Cienaga. It's part of the same area I served in before this one, Maria Auxiliadora B. Mostly it's La Cienaga and Las Guandules down here, then up some more is Guachupita, and then above that is Maria Auxiliadora, and I know it all like the back of my hand now, haha!
We think that we didn't heat the oil up hot enough when we cooked, and we think that that's what made us sick. So, now we know, haha, but luckily The Lord is watching out for us and we just got a good night's sleep and we were all good! What a blessing!
So we are cooking for ourselves right now, but there's a lady that we buy breakfast from that is going to try to open up a cafeteria thing, so I think that we are hoping to go there once it is open and be able to by lunch there. We can get some soup packets here for cheap if we want, so don't worry about sending that. It's just the cereal that we need! Wow, what a luxury that is, haha! That way, as long as we have milk, we are good to go and we can have some cereal whenever we want. Thank you so much for sending that package with everything and the shoes too. And tell Grandma thank you for me too, I'm really sorry, I have been horrible at writing the Grandmas!
Well, this week was good. We had 12 investigators in Church and Heavenly Father blessed us with the great privilege of finding another family, and they went to church also!!!! What a great privilege that is. They liked it, and they really seem like a great family. I only know them as Wellington and family, because Wellington is their son and he is the first one that we met. I just feel good around them, and that is so awesome. They are going to be a great family in the Church. Wellington already has a fecha (must be a baptismal date) for the 12th of February, and we are going to have to wait for the Mom, because she has to get married I think. But wow, what a blessing!
Well, once again I am so grateful for the Love, the Power, the Mercy of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, our Life, our Light, our Redeemer. He is the One that always knows, that is always with us, that will wait with us, stay with us, weep with us, and comfort us, even when no one else will. He is always there, and He is always listening, and I testify that He always knows. Even when no one else knows how we feel, when we feel alone, forgotten, lonely, cast out, afraid, or miserable, I testify that He is there, and He knows exactly how we feel, and He has felt worse than whatever we're going through. When no one else could, He knows, and He is beside us always. I am so grateful for a Savior who loved me so much that He walked every second of my life, every trial that I'll ever have to pass through, and He is always there with the answer to my problem, to my struggle, to my trial. He is the one who can conquer and overcome, heal and give peace. Again, I testify that He knows you, whoever you may be, by your name, that He knows your fears, your shortcomings, and most importantly, He knows your potential. We all have so much potential to bring about good, and through Jesus Christ, we can!! Through Him we can bring about so much good, and I am so grateful for Him and for His Infinite, selfless, grand sacrifice, for His everlasting love, and for His forever outstretched hand, there to lift us up and make us more, better, all that we can be. I am so grateful to My Savior for giving me hope!
I love you all very much and thank you so much for all that you do and have done for me and for the examples that you have set for me and that you continue to set for me. I am blessed beyond measure to know each and every one of you, and thank you so much for your influence in my life!
(We asked if he was getting any relief from the dizziness that has plagued him for the last several weeks.) P.S. My dizziness is getting better! What a blessing from The Lord! And I can't attach any pics because I don't have my camera, sorry! And that pic from last week is from our balcony, looking out across Las Guandules and the Ozama River (very dirty). There's also a big tower on the other side of the river, I'm not sure if you can see it because I'm not sure if I got the panorama picture sent or not, but that is actually like a Dominican version of something like a Walmart. It's called La Sirena. Thank so much and I love you!!!!
Love,
Elder DeSpain
Yes, both debit cards are now working, thanks Mom! I think there must just have been a problem that day with international cards or something. (Hooray! He has access to money again!)
So to answer your question about the water, we have to go downstairs and fill up buckets from a faucet that is in another guy's house beneath ours. But as we speak there is a man that is helping us out and hooking up some piping for us right now so that we can get water and won't have to get it out of buckets, haha! That will really be a blessing!
(We had asked Jeff how the stuff in the fridge stays cold if the electricity is off a lot.) Ya, the electricity is off like half of the day, so we just kind of keep the door closed, but we open it from time to time and a lot of times the stuff just gets kind of warm, but luckily most of the stuff here is made to be able to sit without being refrigerated, even the milk!!! Can you believe that? They pasteurize it really specially here.
Yes, Guachupita is in between Las Guandules and La Cienaga. It's part of the same area I served in before this one, Maria Auxiliadora B. Mostly it's La Cienaga and Las Guandules down here, then up some more is Guachupita, and then above that is Maria Auxiliadora, and I know it all like the back of my hand now, haha!
We think that we didn't heat the oil up hot enough when we cooked, and we think that that's what made us sick. So, now we know, haha, but luckily The Lord is watching out for us and we just got a good night's sleep and we were all good! What a blessing!
So we are cooking for ourselves right now, but there's a lady that we buy breakfast from that is going to try to open up a cafeteria thing, so I think that we are hoping to go there once it is open and be able to by lunch there. We can get some soup packets here for cheap if we want, so don't worry about sending that. It's just the cereal that we need! Wow, what a luxury that is, haha! That way, as long as we have milk, we are good to go and we can have some cereal whenever we want. Thank you so much for sending that package with everything and the shoes too. And tell Grandma thank you for me too, I'm really sorry, I have been horrible at writing the Grandmas!
Well, this week was good. We had 12 investigators in Church and Heavenly Father blessed us with the great privilege of finding another family, and they went to church also!!!! What a great privilege that is. They liked it, and they really seem like a great family. I only know them as Wellington and family, because Wellington is their son and he is the first one that we met. I just feel good around them, and that is so awesome. They are going to be a great family in the Church. Wellington already has a fecha (must be a baptismal date) for the 12th of February, and we are going to have to wait for the Mom, because she has to get married I think. But wow, what a blessing!
Well, once again I am so grateful for the Love, the Power, the Mercy of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, our Life, our Light, our Redeemer. He is the One that always knows, that is always with us, that will wait with us, stay with us, weep with us, and comfort us, even when no one else will. He is always there, and He is always listening, and I testify that He always knows. Even when no one else knows how we feel, when we feel alone, forgotten, lonely, cast out, afraid, or miserable, I testify that He is there, and He knows exactly how we feel, and He has felt worse than whatever we're going through. When no one else could, He knows, and He is beside us always. I am so grateful for a Savior who loved me so much that He walked every second of my life, every trial that I'll ever have to pass through, and He is always there with the answer to my problem, to my struggle, to my trial. He is the one who can conquer and overcome, heal and give peace. Again, I testify that He knows you, whoever you may be, by your name, that He knows your fears, your shortcomings, and most importantly, He knows your potential. We all have so much potential to bring about good, and through Jesus Christ, we can!! Through Him we can bring about so much good, and I am so grateful for Him and for His Infinite, selfless, grand sacrifice, for His everlasting love, and for His forever outstretched hand, there to lift us up and make us more, better, all that we can be. I am so grateful to My Savior for giving me hope!
I love you all very much and thank you so much for all that you do and have done for me and for the examples that you have set for me and that you continue to set for me. I am blessed beyond measure to know each and every one of you, and thank you so much for your influence in my life!
(We asked if he was getting any relief from the dizziness that has plagued him for the last several weeks.) P.S. My dizziness is getting better! What a blessing from The Lord! And I can't attach any pics because I don't have my camera, sorry! And that pic from last week is from our balcony, looking out across Las Guandules and the Ozama River (very dirty). There's also a big tower on the other side of the river, I'm not sure if you can see it because I'm not sure if I got the panorama picture sent or not, but that is actually like a Dominican version of something like a Walmart. It's called La Sirena. Thank so much and I love you!!!!
Love,
Elder DeSpain
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