It's a Tongan!

Hello world,

This week was great! There were some ups and some downs, but it was really good. 

Elder Perez left me. We went and said goodbye to everybody. He seemed pretty excited to get out of here haha. They didn't tell me I was going to Santiago so on the day of transfers the bus gets to our house and I help my companion with his bags. They told me I was going with them and I looked down and was still in my pajamas so I changed the fastest that I ever have in my life.

My new companion is Elder Tupou! He is from Utah and he is Tongan. He is super cool and chill and we just play my ukulele all the time. I realized how much Spanish I've learned in the last year because I was just like him when I got here. He is still learning Spanish, but he is doing really good.

On Friday, we went to this meeting in Santiago. I saw Brandon... um I mean Elder Todd there. He just barely got to this mission and it was super weird to see somebody that I knew before the mission.

Sunday was fast and testimony meeting. Two of our investigators got up and shared their testimonies! ESO! HECK YEAH! It was so cool. They are doing really good, but just are having problems with leaving coffee.

The mission is really good. We are finding a lot of good people and working hard. We had some good spiritual experiences this week and we can see people changing. The church is true and Jesus lives!

Mine and Elder Perez's last picture together

Brandon?

My child, my dad, me

Padre Parte 2

Hello everybody!

This week was good. My companion is leaving. I'm sad about that, but we had a good transfer together. Presidente Cowan called on Monday and told me that I'm going to train! haha. It will be fun and I'm going to make him love the mission, whoever he is.

I went on an exchange with Elder Cutler from Cottonwood Heights. We played soccer against each other when we were little. He is a super good missionary and I learned so much from him. He is going home on Thursday. He is the closest one to the camera in the pizza picture.

We couldn't write on Monday because there was a riot because of the gas prices. haha. We went to this one restaurant that these Chinese people own. They saw a big group of people and got scared and locked us in, but it was actually nothing. We didn't see anything the whole day and I told my companion that the riot was lame, but I definitely changed my mind after we got to the house.

I called one of my converts, Elpidio, from Puerto Plata. He is like 55 years old and he told me that he is GETTING MARRIED! He is getting married to a member that lives across the street from him. He told us that he was in love with her when we were teaching him. That makes me so happy. He is such a good guy.

We have a lot of good people. There is so much sin in the world, but I know that I'm doing all that I can. I can't change the world, but I've been able to change the world of a few people and that feeling is priceless. I love the mission. The church is true. Cristo vive.

Pictures,

This is what I look like.

PIZZA

A better way to eat marshmallows... thoughts?

the mission is hard

This week was crazy.

They took my new missionary away from me. It was super sad.

My new companion is Elder Baldiris from Columbia. We really don't have anything at all in common but he met Shakira one time so that is super cool. All I can say is that I'm going to learn a lot of patience these next 6 weeks.

When Elder Maltez was saying bye to everybody we went to Deurin and Marlen's house. They are the couple that we have been working with for a while. They said they had something for us and gave my comp a bracelet and they gave me a tie. They are the best people in the whole world. Their baptism is going to be on Saturday. I feel so blessed to be in this area and to have met them.

We were playing basketball today against Dominicans. We won three games in a row and during the fourth this kid hit me so hard in the face. I hate playing basketball with Dominicans.

Pictures,

Me trying to get into the picture before the timer went off.

Me and Elder Maltez's last picture.

One of the people that we are teaching had this massive English Spanish dictionary. I asked him if I could have it. He said yes. It has all the words in the world in it!

It's a Nicaraguan!

So this week my new companion came and he is from Nicaragua. I'm training him and so far things are going good. He already knows a lot of stuff so I don't have to teach him that much haha. When I started my mission I didn't know anything. hahaha. He just turned 18 and almost everybody we talk to says he looks really young so I kind of feel bad for him, but he is doing good.

This week we were about to teach this lesson with one of our investigators and he got in a big fight with rocks and boards and ripped shirts so we left. But he came to church on Sunday so it's all good.

Today we were playing basketball in the big arena place again. We were playing 5 on 5 and it was 18 to 18. The guy defending me was talking to me and said he was going to take the ball from me then I pulled up from the 3 and ended the game. I tried not to stare him down because I'm a missionary but I'm not that strong.

We met Rudy from Buffalo, New York. I taught the whole lesson in English. He is like a 60 year old black guy and super cool.

There is this minimarket by our house and these two white guys always sit outside it. Their names are Mike and Mike. One if from Massachusates and the other is from England.

We went to one of our investigators houses and this white guy was there who I guess is her husband. He said he just got off the plane from England then our investigator starts speaking perfect English to me. It was so weird.

On Sunday, like 10 white girls came to our church building. I talked to them and it was super weird. I've been here for so long.

Anyways it was a good week. Thanks for writing me everybody that does!

A picture of me and my companion.

Hello America!

The Dominican Republic is treating me well. Except for the sun.

I don't even remember what we did this week, but it was good. We were with Eldpidio the other day, he is going to get baptized this week! He is like 50 or 60 something and he told us he is in love with Miguelina! She is a member of the church and so hopefully in one year from now I'll be going to the temple with them in Santo Domingo to go to their wedding!

Jimmy, the Haitian is also really good. He went to church on Sunday again and he has really changed his life. Sometimes the mission is hard, but its all worth it when you see somebody's life change for the better. He always talks about how he loves reading the Book of Mormon and he does it every night. He told us that we can come by to share every day of the week if we want. He is super humble and loving and I just love him a lot.

Presidente Castillo called and I'm going to train a new missionary. This should be interesting. haha

Pictures,

Our district and the zone leaders

Male model?

Me right before I jumped into the swimming pool