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Elder Pemberton
Santo Domingo West Mission
C/ Hatuey #73
Urb. Los Cacicazgos
Santo Domingo, República Dominicana

Sunday, September 16, 2012

9/10/2012

My dear family and friends,

Hello! How's everyone doing? I´ve had another great week here in Sabana Yegua. Working hard and having a blast.
If I havent told you all before I love the fruit here! Its fantiastic. The best part is there´s so much of it and many different varieties. One of my favorites is called la kanepa or limoncillo. My little siblings know what they are and if maddy remembers well we absolutely LOVED them when we took our trip to the Virgin Islands. Now as much as I love las kanepas they have a very very horrible side affect: they STAIN very badly. And if you wanted to know the stain actually has a really... interesting... chemical reaction with clorox. So on one of my very nice white shirt I´ve got a very nice brown stain. Haha oh well such is life right?
We also had an interesting day at church... I tell you all what, life is completely different in branches. I think I noticed the most when they weren´t singing the hymns right. Elder Paredes and I just looked at each other saying with our eyes,'' wait a minute.. thats not how this hymn goes.'' Finally in the last song I leaned over to my comp and said, ''Well if you can´t beat em join em.'' So I started singing how they do and I guess you could call it hymns with a little dominican caribe flow. 

We also have one progressing investigator named Carmen. Shes around 35ish and really likes learning about God and going to church. The problem is that she has to get married and her ''husband'' doesnt want anything to do with religion or marriage. So simply put, we´ve hit a bit of a road block with her. We had a lesson planned to talk with her and her husband about it on Friday. That morning Elder Paredes and I planned a really good lesson plan to help her husband understand the importance of keeping the commandments of God. But very, very sadly as we showed up she wasnt there so we stayed to wait for her and she showed up with a huge beer bottle in hand and slightly drunk with her sister behind her. We could tell they were drunk because they were laughing at everything we were saying. My comp was really sad because they had already taught her the Word of Wisdom and it was hard for him to see her like that. It was a little sad for me too I just have a lot less time with Carmen, but we´re doing all we can to work with her. She also did not come to church yesterday so we were a little sad and were praying hard that she was not losing her excitement about the church. So we passed by yesterday to see how she was. It turned out to be her Birthday! But the reason she didnt go was because there was no water for her to be able to get ready. 

Many members didnt go for the same reason. Those of you with 24-7 power and water be very very grateful ;)

Elder Paredes and I sang her happy birthday in English it was a fun experience. Adding to the fun experience in the lesson we had with her that day I had my first really bad spanish mix up. PREPARE YOUR SELVES.  We were talking about prayer and the fact the Lord really does answer our prayers. The story of Enoc came to my head but there wasnt any light so I couldn't actually pull out the scriptures which propably would have saved me from my problem. But I described how he was hunting and he was in a place perfect for recieving revelation and having a great experience with prayer. As I started explaining more about the story I was going to say I´m not sure how the thought of repentance came to his mind but it did. I´m not sure how in spanish is ''No sé como...'' and what I said was very different. I´m not even sure how this happened but what came out of my mouth was ''No sé coño''. (That is a very bad word in Spanish) After I said it I corrected myself and It took us all a few seconds to realize what I said but Carmen and her sister were like, ''did you just say...'' we were all laughing  for a short while. Oh, the experiences of the mission. 

We were able to pull the lesson back and gave her the commitment to pray and to trust that the Lord with provide her with a path to baptism. Its not our goal at all to split up couples and we keep assuring her of that. So I ask you all my beloved family and friends to pray for Carmen. Pray so that her husbands heart can be softened and so that she can enter into the waters of baptisms and into the fold of our beloved Savior Jesus Christ. 

I truly love the mission. I love my companion. I love helping the people here in Sabana Yegua. And above else I love the Lord. This is His work and I testify of that. I hope we can all try to trust in the Lord and do the best to comply to His will this week and not our own. I love you all as well. Have a great week and I hope to hear from you soon.

Que se me cuiden mi queridos amigos y familiares,
Elder Pemberton

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