We visited a museum today. And this country's idea of art is backward. Entering with little enthusiam, I was not expecting a whole lot, but what I saw what nothing short of Dominican. In the most decorated and obviously most worked on gallery of the art museum we found a conceptual, 3D art display. Of lego blocks and ronald mcdonal toys glued to the wall with a hot glue gun. And right outside that room was a project which was constructed with a conglomerate of nasty baby dolls legs and barbie legs interwoven into a thick mesh rope that formed a circle. I laughed, took my pictures, and left with a different perspective of art.
Two comp exchanges this week, one on tuesday the other on friday. It's always refreshing to switch up the area and the person you're with, even for just 24 hours. But the first switch I was with Elder Bell, he is on his downward slide of 20 months and is still just rockin it. He reminds me of Elder Abbott in a lot of ways, they surprisingly have a lot of things in common. Both participated in collegic sports, love cool flips and both never waste time. He's a good dude. The second was kinda fun too. Turns out the area La Cienega in my district was the same area that I did splits in while I was fresh in the MTC. Looking back I read my journal from that night, and I was surprised of how dangerous and dirty and uninviting I described the DR to be. And now after visiting a second time, I have to remind myself that what I'm seeing isn't considered normal back home. It's funny how perspectives can change. That area really in one of the poorest in all of Santo Domingo though, life is just a litte poorer, tighter budgeted and rougher down there.
Something I realize I'm learning this week is how disappointment really shows your true colors. Only after you have every single appointment you had planned for the day fall, and contact the same ole evangelica story house time and time again can you really see where your mind is set as far as the mission goes. You can sit and pout and throw in the towel, or you can learn from it and try it all againg tomorrow. You can learn a lot about yourself in those low and empty times. I'm glad the mission has offered me this time to learn a little more about myself. I know I wasn't sent here to fail, and it helps to know that theres a concord of angels on the other side helpin all of us get this work done.
Just a thought.
But nah,
We're having a lot of success with a family that we are, I guess you could say, ''reactivating''. The mother was already baptized, along with their oldest two daughters, and as of right now we have 2 fechas for the two of the three youngest boys in their family to be baptized. But here's the ringer, EVERY SINGLE ONE of them were in church this last sunday. The older daughter Jalrie said that has never happened before. I love teaching them, they always have habichuelas con dulce ready for us, which is a just fine with me. It is awesome to see how the gospel really does bless the family. Another great find was Andry, a 19 year old fella who looks a little rough but has great big big interest in the church. His uncle was the last bishop and is great support and help for him. He has been for the past three weeks and we are feeling like he is ready to be invited to be baptized. He's a good guy.
It's been a little bit harder to focus, writing.. and studying.. knowing that I get to see my beautiful family this week, it's so close I can count the days with one and a half hands. Whoo hoo.
See you on the other side of the computer screen!
Elder Tate
foto 1 gave myself a haircut ;]
foto 2 river osama, i feel like i should put a caption that says ''this is for you''
foto 3 palms
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