(4/20/15) Did NOT See That One Coming!

This last week of the transfer had a few twists in it. I'll see if i can't recount a few and throw in some other tasty details. It was a week I probably should have been a more diligent journal writer. haha

First, we found out why Elder Jeffers has been spitting uncontrollably and have wierd chest/back pain accompanied by daily migraines - it's cause he's got......... Bronchitis AND a bad sinus infection! Woo hoo! After buying the appropirate medication, we're not hoping he will be back in it and stronger than ever because

Second, we're staying together! It's a great relief, there still just too much left to do here. We have a few that I would just not feel good letting go of just yet. Francis is doing excellent. He still continues to leave with us and we're teaching a lot his family that live around the city. Jordana is still coming around. She is always found in her bench at 9:00 on sundays, she just is searching for more of an answer she already has, so we visit her weekly and trust the Lord is working on his timetable and not ours. Mercedes' fecha has been post-poned due to some last minute coffee drinking confessions. She understands why and just needs to leave it for good before she is baptized. She, like Jordana has not missed a week since I have been in this area. 

Third, Get this: On wednesday around 3:30 on our way to meet up for a lesson with a member, President Corbitt called me. He asked me how things were going, we talked for a minute or two. Then, he asked me if we had any baptisms planned for this saturday. Sadly, just that day prior Hma. Mercedes had her date postponed so I answered negatively. After he asked me a question I would have never never ever had guessed. 

 Said: '' Do you recall any Family Diaz from your first area in Hato Mayor? ''. Confused I told him I did, and really wanted to know his motives. He goes on to tell me that the sisters there had found them in the area book from a year and a half ago when Elder Ford and I were there. Then informed me that Andres and Helena have decided to be baptized and that they had requested that I be the one to baptized them! I can't tell you how great of news that was to hear! That was THE very first house I had every contacted in my mission! I would have never have thought it would be me coming back to see them baptized. Never never.

So we packed up the gua gua, the assistants, some other sisters who also taught the famliy, an old pal E. Granados (who also helped teach the family) and I and took the 3 hour drive to good ole Hato Mayor. It was great to see the wide open fields of cane, to smell just openness. This capital life is making me appreciate nature a lot more. The baptism went well, lots of people in attendance and we started an hour behind schedule (right on time!). It was all in all just a great refresher that we really do plant seeds as missionaries and that people really do change. I love being able to hold the priesthood and to be able to baptize the people I know I was supposed to find. 

So, here we go. Starting my third to last transfer in the mission. Man that went quick. Hope one day I could try and explain it to you how weird and awesome it is to be a missionary in the Domincan Republic. It's definitely always gonna have a spot in my heart. It's weird to even think about leaving. But it's okay! Elder Aplanalp stays too and he's getting a new companion from Las Vegas. It's an all American house now, so we need some killer recipes that we can make on Sundays to make us trunky for normal food. 

Love yall have an awesome week!

Elder Tate

1) Elder Chicano and I

2) Helena y Andres

3) the crew

 4)road trippin'

5) dominoes

6) agenda featuring dad's ''holey'' hand

 

(4/13-15) Heeeeeeeeeeeeer's the letter!

It's beena real great time fore us our here in Maria Auxiliadora. Maybe not so much because or recent news we've recieved, but we're happy with the way the Lord does his work. 

It was a real blow this week to have Jordana's second fecha fall due to.. we're not really sure what. She just sticks with the idea that she's not ready to be baptized, she herself won't even come with a reason as to why. She's talking about her little sone serving a mission, being sealed in the temple etc etc. She just sticks with ''it will come when it comes.'' So she's got the next bap goal for the 2nd of may.

Francis on the other hand is doing so great! We left with him yesterday to go hometeaching. he's got about 6 familes to visit once a month and is always enthusiastic about doing new things in the church. He's given us like 6 references to teach, and 2 of them came to church last week. So thats cool.

Today was full of a deep cleanin of the house. My companion and the other guy went to go get their hair cut so e. Aplanalp and I were able to mop the floor dominican style. It means wetting the tiled apartment down with bleach and fabuloso, then beat it and scrub it with a kitchen broom. Then comes the big ole bucket to wash it all down the 3 inch whole to send the nasty water 3 stories down to the stinky street. Theres no other way when your serving in a dominican mission. 

Then we went out and had lunch with the assistants. I got some nice sticky panda express kinda chicken. It was expensive and not filling, but It's fun to go pretend like we're something special and buy ourselves food, and take a happy picture crowded together with our 10 dollar plate of rice. haha

I send you lots of love and 3 cool pictures from today

Elder Tate

foto 1) fish tank

foto 2) soy el capitán

foto 3) the sugarcane gang

(4/6/15) Semana Santa, Havichuelas, y bendiciones‏.

Time to get to business. I feel it's about time we recognize how much we are in debt to our good Lord, and the blessings he showers down on us. I stepped one first in the internet place and snap it started raining mega. That is in every description and every from a blessing from God. Even more, a lot of times we have a hard time counting our blessings, but how bout all those blessing we're not permitted to see?? Huh? Can you count any of those?? We have a million see and even more unseen ways we's being blessed by papa god who loves us more than we can see.

Pres. Anderson said it pretty well. If we're dancing the dance we best be hearing the music. It doesn't have much sense if we are danncing to just be seen doing the jig. I know it's true, cause the spirit will enter my thoughts and when I press play on my moves he's follow suit and I'ma dancing every where I go. I really liked that talk. 

I know I'm bouncing around, but Conference just puts it all right where It needs to be. Hearing countless talks about eternal families and about the importance of our savior in all of our choices we make just draws it out perfect for me. I know my time as a missionary is every day getting shorter, but it doesn't me this great energy I have has to go with the plaque. I'm really trying hard everyday for the blessings of an eternal family and like E. Larry M. Gibson said, I completely agree - I wouldn't do anything that wouldn't make my father proud. (Both of 'em). I know this whole plan is mean to see a lot further than our earthly eyes permit, and I know this life is really just the beginning. I owe all I've got to this gospel. I love my family every day more, and my friends that I feel are gonna be connected to me somehow in the eternities as well. It's gotta be forever, if not then whats this all about anyway? The church puts more money into the missionary work than anything other fund, and why? Cause this message is gonna be sounded in every ear before all this is said and done, and before the bright and comforting presence of our bigger brother Jesus returns to earth. What a privilege it is for me as one of his unworthy sons to carry his name and the name of my family to share this message with errbody. When you put church service into perspective they're really totally bonus blessings (again, more often the ones you don't see), we really don't appreciate the blessing we have to serve. Theres no better way to spread the gospel the do reach out a helping hand without the littlest thought of payment. Thats what it's all about. If theres something you can take from Elder Tate, who's bustin his buns everyday for this cause, it oughtta be that as members of the church our work our work is a lot easier than it's cut out to be. You don't need to put on a tie or make an appointment to go visit someone in need. Just go do it. Even if they're not there to attend you, it'll make their day to know you care. Just go do it! It'll do more good than you know. I am truly grateful for this path I've taken, choosing to serve and take his name to his children is this far away land, and for the experiences he has permitted me to see to help mold me into a better future father and son. 

Although its not the typical letter you see me send, I really feel what I said is true. I Know it is.

I'm praying for all yall, I hope you can feel it.

Love your friend, brother, son.. whatever I am

Elder Tate

1) conference

2) my friend e. aplanalp

3) it's called tamarind