02/13/2012

HEY HEY!

Hola from the La Concordia, Santo Domingo. 89 degrees, 100 percent humidity, Grey skies, 100 percent chance of rain, tonight, low in the mid 70´s. 

I got the package that you sent with the candy, the talks from the andrews, and Josh´s film! So great to get it all. I was so excited to get Josh´s film, that I completely forgot about the ipod. I went back to the package to dig for the Ipod, and it couldnt be found. I looked at the package, and there was a box knife slit, and Ecuadorian tape covering it up. They robbed it! and I didnt even see it coming..(name that quote Josh haha)

But thanks for what arrived! The candy is always great to receive and Sister Andrew's talk was awesome to read. They are so great. Too bad about the ipod. I am going to try and find an ipod cord here, so I can download music from the church website. We´ll see..

Dad and mom. Im glad you made it back safely. Scary about that guy that was making threats. Thats nuts. Glad to hear you had fun.

Dad thanks for the study you shared with me. I love thinking about all the intricacies and details about the scriptures. It  just makes them come to live and make them seem so much more real. I keep forgetting my journal, but this week I studied the bread of life, and living water. I was into it all week, finding new references the analogy used of eating, and drinking. 3 Nephi 12:6, is a great verse that sums it all it really. "Blessed are those who do hunger and thirst after righteousness. For they shall be FILLED with the Holy Ghost." All righteousness stems from Jesus Christ. 

Also, thanks for the advice about switching things up. We will talk about that in weekly planning session soon we will have. We have a lot of refereneces that we have received and we are trying our best to find them. The only problem is finding them. The directions they give us are something like this. "Go to the gas station. From there go 4 blocks towards the lightstop. then take a left and go a long ways until you come to a wall with a bunch of graffiti on it. there is also a small street store there by. Ask them to direct you to the green house. When you get to the green house, its not that one. Keep going a little bit further. Underneath the mango tree, (there are more mango trees than there are people here), there is a guy in a hammock, always. His name is Vicente. Ask him to tell you how to get to Juan´s house." And then the guy in the hammock gives us a similar set of directions. They give us a number too, but everyones phones gets robbed so people are getting numbers changed constantly. Its quite fun trying to find people but also frustrating when we dont find them. 

The biggest problem we are facing right now is people that just have no hope. They dont care enough to put in the effort to change or have a better life. For example, we spoke with a cute little mother, with a few kids. She did what everyone does within the first ten minutes, tell us all of there hopes, dreams, wishes desires, fears, sins, and all there problems. We just have to listen. She told us that she has a lot of problems with her and her husband that at one point in time they were close to separating. She said that she has tried to change things, but the only reason she stays is to help raise her kids. We cried together, and then shared the proclamation, The Family, with her, a couple scriptures and really just tried to give her hope more than anything. She was glad we came, and I feel like she will try to start progressing. But, its hard here in the coast. I try not to tell stories of people until they start progressing. Its really easy to find here, and teach, but to help people progress is the hardest part. 

Maybe for a week, we can get a list of inactives from Bishop and visit maybe 2 or 3 a day. I dont know but you gave me alot of good ideas to try and mix things up to try and have more success. We´ll give her a whirl. 

Concerning what you shared about lifting those that are week, I found out that Elder Pineda is now District Leader in my last district. It was really good to hear that, especially knowing what he was like when he first came to Esmeraldas. Apparently he is working hard now, that he has the confidence of His Zone Leaders and of President. I can honestly say though, I did nothing. We just worked. Through us working hard, the Lord blessed us both. He opened some eyes. The only thing we did was be obedient and work. But, I dont know, It was just good to hear that. 

Crazy that everyone is coming home now. Also crazy to think that Lars and Cusick and Mooner are coming up on a year and Im coming up on 6 months. VOLANDO!!! (flying) 

Sarah, Linds, Lar, Marie, Lan, Josh. I love you all.

JAGE

(thanks for the email dad. I love the details, and thanks for keeping me posted.)