hablamos de los justos‏

Que lo que me gente!

Its so tough to try and pick what to say when I write these. Haha, This week a lot has been happening, and honestly the week coming will be just about the same. 

Had Stake Conference this past weekend. HOLY COW. Coming from the tiny rama all the way up in the mountains, seeing a chapel completely full all the way to the back and having people standing up because we ran out of chairs was simply amazing. It really was such an awesome meeting. We had the first Counsellor of the Temple Presidency Santo Domingo Temple there. And as you can probably guess, he talked about (da da da duuun) THE TEMPLE. Normally, a talk like that would make me miss my weekly temple trips there, But this is a special week. Something that only happens every 12 of never. 

Get ready.

We are capital bound this wednesday.

WE ARE GOING TO THE TEMPLE BAYBAY

YESSS. I wish you could hear how much I get psyched out to my comp every morning to go. Its only happens twice a year, and It's seriously going to be the best. AHHH.

This week we met a fine young chap, Jonathan. He was a reference from a returned missionary in ourr ward. He is on fire. He's about twenty, single, and works in the capital every day. But he loves church! It' s super great. He's read up on the church a TON. and knows everything. Out of all our investigators he has the most 'animo' to learn. We're gonna keep meeting up with him, and hopefully we can put a fecha for his baptism. It's so great to find someone who is so prepared to learn and feel the spirit. I love teaching the teachable. It gets me exciting just talking about it. 

 

But it's great, we just made friends with our new ward mission leader today. He's 20 and is preparing for a mission, sending in his paper this next sunday. But anyway, he lives was out in campo. So today we took a bus out to see him and his family. They own quite a bit of land for farming and all the rest. But he showed us some absolutely awesome mountain. Things I thought only existed in Utah, you know? But It was great. Great to be out and just breath that easy peaceful mountain air. 

I feel like I am so scatterbrain right now.. Just really excited for what's coming this week. But I did find something I really liked this week in our companionship study. We were reading up on Temples and just whatever we could find on the subject of Temples and we came across a talk in the Liahona that mentioned the scripture found in Ephesians chapter 6, the whole chapter is just golden. But I liked the verses 13-18 a lot. If you are ever needing an inspring scripture, you can always turn to any of the epistles of Paul. I just picture him as a meridian time Elder Holland. You ougtta read it so you can understand what I'm talking about. 

Aun que yo soy el scatterbrain ahora. Se que eso es la Iglesia verdadera otra vez restaurado entre la faz de la tierra. Me siento muy agradicedo para ser un misionero en este tiempo en la historie de la Iglesia. Con muchas de mis amigos, nosotros somos los soldados del señor en esos los ultimos dias. Les amo cada uno de ustedes. Yo estoy muy suerte para tener familia y amigos come ustedes. 

Cuidanse mucho. Nunca olvidaran nuestro salvador y que hizo el para el mundo.

Good luck with that google translate.

Love you guys more than mangoes

Elder Tate

Attached--

Obligatory little banana photo & us passing by a hotel where there was a POOL.

 

 

Tasty

Here. Its a getting home tired and eating cookies for dinner kind of life. Missions full of rules, to keep our mind, heart and thoughts here while we are serving. But one rule that is not found in the misión manual is the number of cookies you can eat. I feel like I eat too many.

Today, super cool, I'm just feeling more comfortable and at peace with spanish. I love looking back at an hour long bus ride where I was just talking about.. Just STUFF. When I arrived on this loco Island, I felt like I didn't have much of a personality when I would speak spanish. Like I'd just throw a bunch of uncongugated verbs out there and hope they made some sort of sense. But I'm gettin it baby! Not all the way there yet, but, teaching, calling on the pone.. ya tu sabes. Those things that used to scare me are just the everyday now.

Pretty cool.

More or less avarage week. We got to do a super awesome service for the mornings of Wednesday/Thursday. We arrived at the house of this single momma with 5 Young kids runnin around, with our broom and mop ready to clean her patio. No biggie. but unbenounced to us: Patio in spanish refers to the BACKYARD. Not, the front patio where people sit. Her backyard was knee high with thick, nasty weeds. So.. She gave us both machetes and we started a whackin. It took us two days mostly because we don't get anywhere close to squaring up the the speed of Hatian counterparts. From being on the mish without of all our adventuring, out hands have gotten super soft. . And yeah, Elder Bodily's and my hand within and hour were cramping up, and we became fatigued from the beating of the hot sun.

So, yeah. It took us two days.

It's super awesome to get to know this family. The mothers name is Rue, and her kids are all just smiley and so ready to learn about the góspel. One of the younger girls, Maunuela, is very great friends with Sorangy (the gal who was baptized). And like her has a raging desire for some tank time, as do her other very excited sisters. Its super great. We just got to know some other neighbors of the same group of Little kid friends. This other family, same deal, has a son named Junior who is pretty good friends with Manuela and Sorangy and we got to pass by and start the first lesson. Very attentive and happy family who don't believe that we are really on our own at 18 and 19. But I see a lot of progress with both of these families for the transfer. All of our other investigators we have dates for and having a hard time visiting chruch. But we will continure to visit them as much as we can, and keep inviting them til we drop.

Had parque al este again. Played a Little soccer. Just hung out and tried to keep cool. Always a great time.

Just a thought I had this week, I'd like to leave with the other stuff I said before I go -

Sharing the Gospel is always a great thing to do. We all know that. But the thing is, it sounds like a scary thing to do at times, especially among friends, and family members that maybe are not making the best choices. Before my mission, I can honestly say I never shared my testimony with my Pals, and family as much as I should have. I was too worried of what I would say, and if they would take what I was saying the wrong way. Stuff like that. But thats the cool thing, thats where the holy ghost comes in. The holy ghost accompanies us when we seek it's power honestly and worthily. We can share góspel truths with ease. In Alma chapter 37 verse 6 it tells us that "For the small and simple things are great things brought to past.." This scripture is so true, and I know it. I know if we do the small things to help out our friends, family, whomever! Thery're gonna remember it, and it could be just enough to help them change and come unto our Savior. I know we're here with a purpose, lets not let this great oppurtunity slip through our hands while we still have time.

Yeah, you already know.

Have that super cool week doing whatever you do

Elder Tate

ps momma said she wanted to see baptism pics.

here you go.

Feb 25th- A Week For The Books

here's something I didn't really realize fully until today. I'm on an island. Like, me. Elder Tate.Water. Super crazy. I only realized this today when I sank my teeth into the first mango of the harvest, and the other elder in the house who's from honduras honestly didn't believe that there are no good mangoes back in good ole utah.

Islands > Earth trapped Utah

Yeah, anyway kinda like all of you; I have a very limited time to write EVERYTHING that went down this week. I say week for the books, because honestly it was nothing short of its title. Hewe go.

Had a baptism this week. Yes, you read right. A baptism. I wrote a lengthly story in my journal you can all read later. But long story short. 11 year old Daurys had cold feet, Other elders were buscando for him and I ending up baptizing his sister and one of the other elders' investigators.. A day, that doesn't make sense when you right like I just told you. But believe me, there was no other way. But nonetheless SUPER AWESOME. 

Other news: By the middle of this April, I will have completed 6 months in Hato Mayor. Didn't get transferred. Really, nobody did. So, I'm sticking with Bodily a little while longer. He's a cool cat, but honestly I was feeling a move. In campo I was born, and its lookin like in campo I will go.

Another noticia: BEACH BABY. Ahhhhhh. Spent the whole day in sand, sweat, and cold drinks. Sooo SO awesome to get to smell that salty breath of life once more. Ahh... and you know how when you leave, your hair is left in a way that only the beach knows how to do. Yeah. Theres few things on this earth that compare. But man, I'm tellin you you've never seen tempation until you're beachside with a missionary plaque on. I almost fell. Bodily and I were contemplating practicing our baptizing, and maybe when we finished, we would also practice pulling the plug. Seeing that this have given us obvious trouble in the past.

Yeah, so thats the week in a nutshell. Feel like I'm just copying all you fools, but ¨sorry for the short letter¨ haha. Love you guys so much, it's makin me crazy

Les Quiero Mucho Locos!!!!

Elder Tate

Feb 17th- Valentines Love

Hey,

 

You already know. Valentines without women.. nothing better. But, we did have a splendid week. And I got to wear my heart socks again. Whoop whoop

I really should have brought my planner with me, I had some things I wanted to put down.

So, this week we had some awesome, and some not awesome go down. First I'll declare the awesome: While summing up tithing with our smaller investigators (Daurys and Sorangy), we were also sharing with their friend Manuela who's nine. After we taught the lesson we wanted to have a review, OF EVERYTHINGH we had taught. So we had a little game, and mentioned that the winner gets chocolate. So here we are, with Sorangy who knows everything, her brother Daurys who knows his stuff but is rather shy, and Manuela who is 8, and for my knowledge never shared with the missionaries, Okay. So we start playing, and we give the first two to Daurys because we didn't want him to feel left our or anything. And then boom there goes Manuela answering a bunch of questions. It's nuts!! She picked up ALL I'm serious, all of the material for the baptismal interview. In about twenty minutes of review with the other two. So, we have an appointment to share with her family and start preparing her for baptism. (we aleady have her mothers permission too, ABSOLUTELY AWESOME). Also we had the intrevista for our 3 fechas this past saturday. Clearly, Daurys passed, and Sorangy too. But what stinks is Vilme, our investigator of gold. Called us the morning of his interview and made it very clear that he did not have time for the interview, and that he was too busy to get baptized now. So... Vilme is no longer an investigator of ours. I just don't get it. I think Satan's tweaking with his mind thoughts. It's not like him at all. So.. Yup two baptisms this week, and we'll see if we can get our other 3 fechas to attend too. That'd be awesome. A lot of work, walking and progress this week. I like that.

Last week of this transfer, I don't want to make predictions, but I'm feeling a transfer. We'll have to see, I'm looking forward to the week. We have a lot planned, and with the 2 baptisms, we have a lot of work to do. But, yeah. I had some cool stories and cool stuff to say, but I can't think of what they were. I'll fill ya in later I guess. 

Cuidense Mucho

Love all the wonderful Emails

Elder Tate

 

 

Feb 10th-- It's Alright to be a Redneck!

Como saba!!!!!!!!

Theres never a day goes by when I'm not just blown away of what I see in this fascinating place I call home. But this week I just saw the incredible. I witnessed my first Cock-Fight. At first I thought some kids might have been fighting or something like that because people were formed in a cirlce yelling and swearing. But, no. It was two, heathy-bred, bloody young roosters, street fighting dominican style. Kind of sad to say now that I'm writing it, but it was seriously awesome.

This week teaching-wise, was intense. Getting our three Fechas all ready for their interview this saturday was pretty nerve-racking. We're teaching two very young, very new to the gospel 8 and 11 year olds. I'm feeling like they are close to ready. They're keeping their commitments and retaining the lessons. We're also teaching an older fellow named Vilme. He's the Hatian of 65 who works almost all the time, so teaching comes with a challenge. I'm hoping we can drop by this week and teach the last lesson in time for his interview. We were worried about this guy because he believes 100 percent what we're teaching but he only repeats the exact things we say right after we say them. So.. sometimes we feel he's not understanding it for sure. But I'm hoping that all goes well with those 3. They really are ready for baptism, just need a little more teaching is all.

It really is a lot of fun teaching little kids though. A lot easier than adults, and thats no lie. You just make everything a big story! We taught the little dudes the plan of salvation using a tshirt (representing a body and all that). And normoally, that is the hardest lesson to teach people, and they were understanding it to a t. It's fun teaching big, and using your hands to draw pictures while you teach. Also, mostly because they are so ready to learn. Anyway. Kids are fun.

Also put down another fecha for the 8 of march for a young mother named Yahaira. She is a school teacher and reads EVERYTHING WE LEAVE WITH HER. I really like her. She understands and is ready to learn. She lacks papers for marraige, but she has the desire to be baptized, so I have high hopes for her.

Not alot else has changed this week. Didn't get to go to the beach this week, hato mayor still doesn't have any beaches.

Played some phase ten with the other elders today..

Coello (my old comp) got transferred unexpectedly, so now we have Elder Carter (also from honduras). And he's neat.

It makes my day to read about the spiritual/missionary experiences that you guys are having. It really isn't as hard as it seems. Just open your mouse and say what the spirit gives you.

Love you guys, have a delightful week

Elder Tate

Feb 3rd--Beachside!!

Gotta make this light speed quick

Yeah. So TODAY we went to Sabana de la Mar. Where, we played an extremely righteous match of volleyball and then soccer, BEACHSIDE. Sounds peachy, and it really was a lot of fun, but this beach was the pits. Honestly the dirtiest beach I've ever been to.. Had black waves, the DIRTIEST water I've ever seen, covered with rocks, and then we played on this grazzy area. I mean WHERES THE SAND?? But still, lotta fun. Fun to have a day to kick it with the district. ha, kick it with the district, that sounds like it could be a movie or something. 

But we did get back super late, due to problems with our bus, haha. They were waiting at the Testigos de Jehovah (Jehovah wittness) church. Not ours. Is my prophecy correct?? Our churches look the exact same!!

A lot of progress this week with our 3 investigators with the fechas. Just now, we returned from a lesson with Sorangy (who's nine) and Dowrys (who's 11) and we taught the plan of salvation. It was my first time teaching it to kids, so we had some fun with it. We brought one of my t-shirts to explain the purpose of having a body. The shirt because when we put on the shirt just like when our spirit enters our body, we have the freedom to move the shirt any way and any direction we choose. And, with a lot of teaching BIG, like with our hands and stuff, we were able to get through the whole lesson. It was actually pretty cool to see them learn so much. But, them two will for sure be baptized. And our other pal, Vilme, (the hatian) is understanding a lot. We saw him at church again and he is still motivated and ready to learn more.

Oh yeah, we moved al the baptismal dates to the 22 becase our district leader can't make that many visits to interview our baptisms and the baptism of the other elderes in our area. 

I found myself reading a lot out of the Book of Mormon this week. I read all through  2 Nefi and am half way through Mosiah. Its cool to have the desire to just KEEP reading. I love the feelings I get when I read this sacred book. I also set my own little cool goal to finish the BOM in spanich by my birthday. Got a ways to go, but it's a goal I intend to complete. 

As with all of us, we have struggles, man. Sometimes they just punch us right in the face. For me, I sometimes question, "Why does is this so hard, even when I'm trying my best?" But we know these are for OUR benefit, and OUR good. I know if we cling, honestly just CLING to what we know to be true, we cannot be lead astray. 

If we continue fighting for this great cause, we will not be lead astray. 

Mosiah 20:11

Love Love Love

Elder Tate

Jan 27th-- Still Sweating

Last night, I had this dream. In it, our assistant to the president was driving us around downtown Santo Domingo.. All of a sudden, he pulls into COSTO. Later, I found myself scanning the cereal isle and picked up the biggest bag of Waffle Crisp I had ever seen and held it in my hands. This was the happiest discovery of my life and I wanted to share the news with all my friends. Later in that same dream, I remember I was swimming at this glorious beach with buckets of Koolaids and Cactus Coolers on ice ready to be CONSUMED.. The next thing I remember, I'm awake lying in my bed, with my mouth watering, and realizing that I miss my American food. 

Ah....

This week was surpirisingly very eventful. I have an intercambio with Elder Pierre once more in El Seybo. Wayyy up in the mountains. I love it up there, everyone is always so humble and ready to head what we have to share. Then on friday we took the 2 hour gua gua to the capital for a meeting for Bodily's training, and there was PIZZA. And this time I was ready this time. Last time I left my Cholula at home. Ah.. SO GOOD. Work wise, I was a somewhat slow week. Because I was gone for what seemed like half the week, we didn't get as many lessons in as usual. But something extremely uncommon happened yesterday at church..

So we arrived and were sitting in our first class (preisthood), and I saw a fellow I had not seen before sitting in the corner. Shook his hand and all that as found out his name was Vilme. Nothing that out of the ordinary. Then I got sitting with him during third hour which is sacrament. Realized he really likes to sing, and loves to read along with the speakers in the scriptures. I thought ''cool, he likes church''. So we get talking, find out he lives solo, from Haiti, and has really no family in the area. So I ask if it'd be alright if we swing by later to get to know him a little more and share a small message. Much later, while at his house, we find out that he has had a Book of Mormon for the past four years from some sister missionaries who found him in La Romana. And over the years, he has visited many churches and has decided that he wants to be baptized in this church because it's the only one he feels peace in.

So.. We put a fecha. We put the goal for the 15th of Feb for his baptism! Whooo! And more, we hadd two other young kids (9 and 11) who said they wanted to be baptized as well. We are going to work with all of them as much as we can. The younger two have the fecha for the 8th of Feb. But it's just really exciting to put 3 dates down for these happy people to be baptized. 

But for all those cold and shivering at home. Here's a thought I heard from a conference talk this week. I believe it was Elder Andersen. He said: Often times we become sad and start feeling sorry for ourselves because we forget our eternal Identity and Purpose. We as all literal sons and daughter of a God up above who have infinite love and power. If we stop and really think about that, it should definitely change the way we look at things. I know none of us are perfect in this world, but we are loved by one who is. I know I'm preaching to the choir, but keep that in your thoughts when you feel insignificant or not up to par. Love you guys more than you know. I'm grateful for your continued support as many of our friends and family are out serving the Lord on missions. 

Va con Dios!

Isaiah 40:31

Elder Tate