8/27/2012

Well first I have a list of things that I need to say first and then we´ll get into the good stuffs... well I hope its the good stuffs meaning interesting...

I´ve been missin my buddies from vegas whats going on with them? Any mission calls? Who´s off at college? 

Also where´s my dear sister Kiara Otis? I´m super proud of Mitch and his ballgame. He would do well of here in the DR. Dominicanos love their pelota. 

I have a letter waiting to be sent to a miss Jessica VanAlfen could someone be so kind and get me her address?

Also Ana I need some rechargable batteries and a charger... Yeah I dont have anymore AAA batteries and... they´re expensive here. And my camera is out of juice. But if you could please get that to me when you can that would be great.... oh and another mini mag-light? My house ate my other one :/ yes... i´m still working on my responsibility problems. You didnt think I´d come home perfect did you ;) Also I wanted to tell you about an experience that Elder Mooney and I had sunday night. We went to a ward council meeting and wow. I felt such an amazing spirit there. I realized that you have been going to that for the past 8 months  and that now dad gets to go to it too. What awesome parents I have! The leaders of this church are truly inspired and loving people!

Papi dime más de esta escuela de instructores ¿no estabas en IIAFA anteriormente? No se preocupen de verdad no estoy preocupándome por ustedes pero si estoy orando y voy a tener eso más específicamente en mis oraciones. Pero papi has hecho mucho en este año y estoy muy orgulloso de llamarte mi padre. Yo quería saber lo que pasó con su examen de rango? pasaste? si no que es el plan ahora?

Also to answer grandma´s questions about the country and the food. Its pretty much rice and beans and some kind of meat. They call it La Bandera (the flag). As far as other things, Morro is the rice with beans cooked into it. Fritos are platanos.. or plantains I think is the english work cut up into slices fried mashed slightly and then fried again they´re pretty good. I attempted the other day to what i hope with make my dad proud arroz amarillo con gandules. I didnt get the rice all that yellow but it was still faily decent. Also we eat alot for lunch and at times not much for breakfast or dinner. But yeah those are some of the few things that are good also dad do you know what majarete is? We had some today for lunch it was fantastic!!!

Ahora sí. Now for what you all have been waiting for. No worries I´m alive! :) The storm hit thursday night we think while we were sleeping. But thursday during the day we left our first visit of the day and asked if there were any questions comments or needs. And they didnt have any questions but they had a comment. They said, "be careful in the storm!" We had realized that it was a little extra windy as we left the house that day but we didnt think anything of it. The Zone Leaders then called us a few hours later saying that we needed to get 3 days worth of food and that after we were in house that night that we couldnt leave until they told us to. I told Elder Mooney that it was probably going to be nothing and that we would probably be able to go out because we had a huge day the next day. Well my friends.... its a good thing i´m not in the market to be a meteorologist. We woke up and it was pouring rain. The wind was crashing against the house and the windows. It was crazy. So Ana to answer your questions as far as where I was: In the house for 48 hrs straight. As far as what did I see: not much because we were in our house but it was crazy sounding with wind rain thunder and lightning. As far as what I did: well.... during that 48 hrs of being in the house about 16 was spent sleeping durng the normal times. I did take a nap.... or two... and i explain why because of the other 30 or so hours left we maybe had light for 6 of them. And the wondows had to be shut or else we were going to get soaked so we did a lot during the night by candlelight. But all in all it was a good expereince. Elder Mooney and I went on a run this morning by the ocean and most of the shrubery was gone the ocean was filled with garbage and there was one part of the sidewalk that was still completely flooded and there was anoter part that was completely caved in! about 30 ft or more of the sidewalk had been swept away to the rocks below. It was crazy! But I repeat. I´m alive safe and sound and I thank each and everyone of you for your prayers and your thoughts. I know it was those prayers and a loving Heavenly Father that made sure I was protected through this storm. 

Well as far as whats going on in my life other than the storm as the title says I´m getting sent to the country! Well country does really describe it that well.. The best word is truly the spanish equivelant: El Campo. My new comp is Elder Paredes who´s from Mexico and has spent actually a whole lot of time in Provo. He speaks really great english but I know he´ll be able to help me out with my spanish. When i was born (started my mission) he was in my zone and we got to become good friends right of the bat. He´s about two transfers ahead of me and I´m really looking forward to go out to the campo and work hard. 

Well sorry I dont have a whole bunch of spiritual stuff but I wanted to update you all on whats going on here and the auxilary stuff. I will share with you my simple and humble testimony. My dear family and friends the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is Christ´s true church on the earth today. It just makes sense. BUT a member was sharing with me the other day her father´s conversion story. He just wanted to find all of the things that were wrong with the church. How logically this isnt true or this part of the church doesnt make sense. Just tearing it down wherever he could. But as time went on he decided to test his faith and find out for himself based on believing and not rationalizing. Its true in the views of man the church is imperfect. It has too many rules. It  goes against the rest of the religions. But I´m proud to say the church isnt based off of the thoughts and understandings of man. Jesus Christ is the head of this Church. If you dont believe me pray about it. If you havent prayed. my question to you would be why not? At the very least pray to God to see if you should sincerely learn more about the church. I promise you He will answer you. Because He loves you and wants you to be happy. This is the only road to sincere and eternal happiness I testify that to you all in the name of my Lord and Savior and no it to be true because He Himself has made to me known such wonderful truths. I ask you to test your faith like the father of this wonderful member in my ward. This man is now a member and has missionaries live in his house so that this marvilous work can keep pressing forward. I love this work and I love my Heavenly Father and because of that love I´m going to keep serving and let my God use me as an insrument in His masterful hands.

I love you all so much have a great week!

Love,

Elder Pemberton

8/13/12 Pictures

Demolition with a machete

Feeding Fish

Feeding Fish

Feeding myself

Planning by candlelight because the power went out which happens quite often

8/13/2012

Hola mi familia y mis amigos,

Wow... Time just flew by this week! But its been good and I´m still having such a great time here on the mission.

Where to start Elder Mooney and I have been working hard as always. Its been a week of progression I would say. We´ve been having a bit of a problem with getting our investigators to have a baptismal dates due to one issue or another. And by our luck on thursday the assistents to the President passed by our house and sat in on our weekly planning session. This is a three our long block of planning out what we´re going to do for the next week and what we can do to help our investgators the most. So they helped us get a gameplan for a few of our investigators to help them accept a baptism date as a goal to have. It was a good conversation and I really think we´re going to be able to help our investigators come that much closer to baptism.

Last Sunday the 29th they announced a ward temple trip and we have three recent converts who have not yet been able to go. And the rule is if one of our converts brings family names to the temple to do the work for them then we can go with them. So we had been working with Carlos Bort for a couple weeks saying that "Carlos you need to get some names so that we can go to the temple!" Well you all know how it is being excited for temple work. Yeah unfortunately doesnt happen too often. BUT on wednesday we went to the chapel with our family history consultant and met carlos there and were there for two hours. It was long, a little boring, but so very worth it. On thursday night Carlos a recent convert of 2 months was baptized and confirmed for three of his great uncles. And Elder Mooney baptized him and I was able to do the confirmations. We had such an amazing expierence in the temple. Just as you walk in the doors you feel such a calming sensation that you realize you are truly in the House of the Lord. As we did baptisms and enjoyed the company the youth in our ward and their leaders I truly realized there is no way that the church cannot be true. Its just absolutely impossible. The magnitude of the Spirit that one feels in the temple just says it all. 

On a different note we had a really fun adventure on Saturday. Right now in the caribean we are in what is called cyclone season. Which is basically a LOT of rain and fairly windy. But the thing is, one day it´ll be bright and sunny and then it´ll hit and hit hard with intense winds and a whole bunch of rain. Then it´ll let up for a few hours then start pouring again. Elder Mooney and I had to make our way carefully through a few rivers that were actually just flooded neighborhood streets and when we went to take a public car home from our area the entire main street that goes across our whole area was flooded so they had to take a diferent route to get us to our stop. haha It was really fun.

De verdad estoy disfrutando de lo máximo mi misión. I can´t wait for all the great experiences that I am going to have as well. I mean think about it: I´m still just in my first area. I hope you all are having great times bak in the states or wheverever you are reading this. Know that my prayers are with you and that you all mean so much to me. Thanks for your love and support and have a great week!!!

Love,

Elder Pemberton

July 9, 2012

Well its been an interesting couple days I must admit. I think I've been more homesick today and yesterday than I have been in my whole mission. Which to let you all know really isnt that much but I do miss you all. But the best cure for what missionaries call feeling "trunky" is getting out to work. I still havent been able to go out to the area today but yesterday it was almost miraculous. We left the house and i dont even remember when I forgot that I was feeling down. We just got to work and it was great. So if any of my fellow missionaries are missiong home just get working harder. Call an investigator look at your agenda and figure out what the best thing to do for the day would be according to the Lord's will. It helps. Instantly. 

Other than that I'm am so happy to see all of my wonderful family! Im very excited to be able to come home and enjoy everyones company. I always love big family reunions. 

As I sit here at the computer thinking about what I really want to write you all I think about all of you back at home, I think of my investigators here, I think of my self. And what comes to mind is the miraculous effect the atonement has in everyone of our lives. For those at home I see pictures of the family and friends and think of how the atonement worked in your lives. Through the atonement you were able to overcome differnces, hurt-feelings, and learn to forgive, like Christ does. I'm sure you didnt even realize it, but it was only through the Atonement that such barriers could be overcome. When I think of my investigators I think of Victor. A middle-aged man of about 40 who at first was not ready to be baptized because he wasn't perfect. Well obviously he still isn't but through the strengthening power of the atonement he is overcoming his fear of such insufficency and has accepted to be baptized the 21 of this month. And thinking of myself. Well I'm not sure where to begin. It's only through the Atonement that I am where I am at right now. It's only through the atonement and the gift of repentance that my companion and I can have the spirit in our lives to guide our lessons with our investigators. And its through the Atonement that each and everyone of us will be able to ear a special spot on the right hand of our Father in the last day. That is in a short paragraph what the Atonement has done for me in my life. There's no way that I would even be able to describe my true feelings for it even in person. But iI hope my testimony arrives and touches your hearts in some small way.

My faith has been tested here on my mission. My Father is asking me everyday, "how much do you really love me?" Every new day that He asks me to be hundres of miles of ways from my loved ones. Everyday that He asks me to walk in the hot sun. And every new day that He asks me to forget about my inconviences my pain or my discomfort and focus on His beloved children and their needs. And now I realize the mission is about being obedient just because He asks me to. It's about being obedient because i truly love Him. and because I truly want to live with Him again. And every new day that He asks me to do things that are hard i can tell Him "Te amo y  que siempre sea tu voluntad."

Thank you all for giving me this oportunity to serve a mission I promise I'll work harder this week to deserve your support and love and blessings. I love being a missionary and everysingle day there are always so many things to smile about. Its a great life I get to live right now and I'm going to live it up while it lasts. I love you all so much and hope that you have a great week.

Les quiero muchisimo,

Elder Pemberton

July 2, 2012

I feel sooo bad. Please forgive me for being a horrible son Ana and Dad. I hope you know how much I love you both and how much you mean to me. I hope you´ve been working on your christ-like attributes especially patience forgiveness and most importantly love. I promise with all of my heart that I will not forget your birthdays next year. with that said HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :) 

As for life here... well nothing much new is happening. We´re working really hard and trying to help our investigators make their way to baptism. Its harder than it might seem. Harder than i had even imagined. But we are called firstly to help others come to christ. So if we are helping at the very least our investigators grow their faith just a little bit every day we share a gospel principle than I hope the Lord will accept our hard days work. 

But tell me how life is going on there? How was Kai´s baptism? And are you all having a family reunion? If so please please please send pictures. I know how dificult and expensive it is to get a package together so if you have time you could even email them to me because I can print them out here. Also some family foto´s would be great so that I can show my investigators how awesome of a family I have. 

Thanks to kiffyn, Taylor gough, and my wonderful Aunt Jaynelle for sending me letters this past week. They really make a difference and I promise when I have time I will reply.

Well family thats about it. I´m sorry its short but there´s not much else new happening but we are working so dont lose your faith. We´re still bringing souls unto the Lord in what we hope is His way. Which is an interesting topic all together. If we could just understand the Lord´s will wouldnt that make life a whole lot easier? I believe the answer is yes. And we can understand better the Lord´s will through the Holy Scriptures. I have such a testimony in the gospel and who the scriptures teach me to be a better person. If you want to learn how to love better read 3 nephi in the Book of Mormon and pay attention to all the different way´s the Lord Jesus Christ show´s His love to the His people. Its absolutely beautiful and I feel so blessed that I have the opportunity to read about them. I know the Book of Mormon is a the word of God. No ordinairy book claiming to be of God could change so many lifes if it were not from Him. His power ebs and flows through each page and sentence of the Book of Mormon and I feel its spiritual strength every single day. How else do you think we can walk in theis humid hot son for 7 hrs ;) The Church is true and I feel so blessed to be apart of it. 

Stay strong and enjoy life. Its way to short to just go through it being frustrated. Let Christ take your burdens as you are obedient to His commandments. I hope you all have a great week! talk to you soon.

Con mucho amor su amigo, familiar, y más que todo hermano en Cristo,

Elder Pemberton

June 25, 2012

Hello my beloved family,

I´m so happy to hear that my dad is home finally! That sure was a really fast six months! Then again ha I am on a mission and you all are in real life. I am a witness that time defintely passes diferently in my situation haha. Also thank you Aunt Nae Nae for taking care of my crazy little siblings for so long I cannot believe that you signed up for that. And i thought I was brave for coming on a mission. haha. Im so glad to here that Granmda and Grandpa Kieth found a house in Orem. I´m so excited to see how awesome it is when I get home..... in forever!! But a few sneak peak pictures would be great!!! I hope the rest of the family is doing well.

Please please please forgive me, but happy belated fathers day. I´m so sorry that I forgot but I hope its still countsa at least a little bit. My dad is honestly my hero and I hope that he knows it. He´s always been the best example for me and I work hard every day so that the Lord can mold me into the time of father husband and man of God that he is. To all fathers remember your sacred duty in the lives of your children and remeber your sacred purpose here in this life. Your here to learn to become like our Father in Heaven. If you let Him help you in your everyday life He will. With your job with your hobbies and especially with your family. You have the right to receive personal revelation for your family. Use that right. And continue raising your families in righteousness.

As for me well its been a good week. We have been finding a few new people and still working with a lot of our other progressing investigators. Yerick´s  baptism (who is Jerig in all my other letters we just figured out how to spell his name) was really great. His entire family showed up to support him. He received the Holy Ghost and the Aaronic priesthood yesterday and I´m so excited for the new spirituality that he´s going to be able to bring to his family. We had a lesson yesterday with his kids. He has three. The daughter has already been going to mutual but we avent shared with here that much. Sheás 14. The youngest son is a really cool little guy. He´s 12 and just has a really kind heart and a really good kid. He was great in the lesson and said he wanted his own book of mormon. Unfortunately I ran into a problem with the oldest son who is 18. He´s a good kid as well just not as intersted. WHen he didnt want to set another cita with us because he didmt want to commit to anything I think I may have pushed him too hard. I feel bad and hope that I didnt push him away. But for now we will work with the yonger two kids and hope that the influence of their dad will have a big part in their spiritual progression.

I´m not sure if you know this but since about the begginning of june we have been living four missionaries in our little apartment. Elder Brezack is a great missionary from Nebraska who unfortunately finishes his mission this transfer. I´m going to miss him he really brings a great attitude into the house. His comp is Elder Arias. Elder Arias and I have the same time on the mission and we´ve become really good friends since they´ve been here. He´s from Costa Rica and has invited me to come to his house once we get done. aha we shal see about that. But We´ve become great friends and we´ve learned a lot from each other. Elder Mooney and I are doing well. I feel sometimes like I have no Idea what to teach him, but I need to be teaching him being his trainer. It´s a hard place for me right now but I´m doing my best to make sure he´s having a good experience and that he keeps learning. 

Well that´s about all I have time for this time. I´d like to say sorry to Kelsey real quick because i´ve had a letter written for her but just didnt have the address but now that I do i will send it as quick as I can! Also I´d love to here from some of my Family in Vegas. What´s going on with mission calls? How´s my beloved Otis family. I really do miss you all and hope that you all are doing well. Have a great week everyone!

Les quiero muchísimo,

Elder Pemberton