The DR is pretty Sweet

Hello Everyone, How was your Thanksgiving. Their wasnt much of a Thanksgiving here in the DR because they dont have one. I´m sure it was just awesome and the food was great. Even though I wasnt there to give my thanks this Thanksgiving, I want to say thank you for all the support I have gotten in my mission. I know that I am loved and that I feel your prayers everyday. I pray always for you and I hope you have a great holidays, Especially with Christmas coming up. Im so thankful for my family, friends, my Heavenly Father, and Jesus Christ. Those are the people who I love the most. They are my life. Again I love you all and I know the DR is the mission for me. Im blessed more than I know. I´ve learned so much in my mission. It is such a great experiance. I wish you all could be here. Well All is well here in Nizao. The Branch is awesome and I love the Presidency and the members. I had a little bit of ¨The Gripey¨ as they call it here. But it is pretty much a little cold. I only had it for 4 days. But Im pretty much well now. I got it from my companion. He got it from the Hurricane. It was bound to happen since were always together and close. BUt all is good now. Our Investigators are doing great. Leo continues to change me. He has such a strong testimony of the church and the Book of Mormon. The other day he was talking to us and He told us that Captian Moroni was 25 years when he took over command of the Armies of the Nefites. I dont know how many members or missionaries know that but that is amazing. He continues always in teaching us about the Book of Mormon. He always reads and knows so much of it. We have a new investigator his name is Macae, he has talked with the missoionaries before and really whats to know everything. His brother just passed away and also an uncle. He loves what we say adn Friday we are going to awnser all his questions with the Plan of salvation. Raudy and Lidi are a beutiful family with 3 kids. They are always asking questions and love our messages. They know this is the true church but it is hard for them to come to church. He broke his leg 2 years ago and just recently had surguy on it. He can walk more and more everyday and soon he will be able to come to church. Celia is an awesome investigator who always comes to church but is going to seperate from her husband. This is her great challenge. She wasnt to be baptized but needs to comply with the law of Chastity. She was going to do this before we met her because he Drinks a lot. There is a huge problem with drinking in Nizao. Calin is another investigator of Gold. But he needs to be married. He is working on a date for that. But his Mother is really sick so were trying to help him in this tough time. We are really trying to focus on References and Having lessons with Member present. Ive really developed a love for christlike attributes. Ive learning a lot about patience and developing christlike love. Im continually striving to be better adn to be obedient. There are lots of Tigre or nonobedient missionaries here. Im trying to be an example because that is what the Lord asks for.I love you all and thanks for your Emails and love. I hope you have an aweomse week after Thanksgiving and continue to have and give thanks to everyone.

Elder Anderson

THE DR IS AWESOME

Hello everyone. Im so grateful to be a missionary in this great work. I have gained such a strong testimony of the gospel and learn something new each day. OUr investigators are awesome. Leo works as a security guard and he reads the Book of Mormon everyday. He knows tons about the book and also about the gospel. He has such a stong testiomony of the gospel. He actually told us that he was bashing with some other men. He said he wasted them. After laughing a little i told him that bashing is probably not the best way of doing things. Hes so awesome. He has a baptismal date very soon. Also we have a family we are teaching. THey love us us and we sure love them. They are really interested in the church. We watched ¨The Restoration¨ a little while ago and it was amazing the spirit we had. Also we just watched ¨The Testaments¨This was super special. The spirit waqs so strong and they learned a lot about the Book of Mormaon and its origens adn how it compliments the Bible. There were tears and a lot of joy at the end of the movie. Gustabo is also one of our investigators. He loves talking with us and knows that we are true messangers of God. He really knows how to pray. But he said he hasnt had the awnser yet. So we are trying to help him feel adn recive the awnser. He is very special. Calin is another one of our investigators. HE would have already ben baptized but he need to be marrige. So now he is going to get married and is picking a date. His wife is a less active member and we found him as we were finding less actives. Its amazing how the lord works in mysterious ways. But I like it. It just fortifiys my testimony of his power and knowledge. Perla also has a baptismal date. She has a stong testimony and loves the Gospel. She knows so much. But she needs to talk to her husband to make sure its OK. But in the past he has beaten her and she is a little scared. But we know all will be well because the lord will let all who are willing and ready into his kingdom. Daniel is an older man but very wise. He has been reading the Book of Moirmon for years. It was a gift from a neigher many years ago and he has never spoken to the misisonaries before us. But he knows this is the true churchand has agreed to be baptized. He knows the gospel very well adn uses the Book of Mormon in all that he does. We also have tons of other investigators but these are ones with baptismal datesd and who are ready. We recive the confrence talks this week and we have been reading some talks to our investigators. It really does help them to hear the voices of the living prophets. Also in the church news I read all about the Storm. Los >Caobas is in the capital so i dont know much about it. The Capital is Huge. Well yesturday was the Pavaso. It was a huge Basketball Tournament for the Campo zones. There are 4. I didnt play to well and my foot was bugging me but I had tons of fun. We had tons of fun and got to talk to all the other missionaries in the campo. After the Pavaso, The President took us home and on the way we stoped and went on a little hike. It was fun We could see the ocean and the city of Azua. The pavaso was in Azua. There was a big monument celebrating the people of Azua for fighting the Hatians adn keeping them out in the 80´s. Well thats about it. We had district confrence in Bani this week so the members of Nizao went and had a great time in Bani on Sunday. The Mission President is the President because it is a district so I have seen a lot of him latley. We also have interviews on the 29th. Its going to be sweet. Well I love you all and wish you the best of luck. Thanksgiving is going to be a little diffrent but ill figure someing fun out. hahaha. Adios.

Elder Spudman

Hey Everyone. Everything is sweet here in the Dominican Republic. The talk of hte storm is about over adn everything here is back to normal. We havent had water for 3 weeks now. Although we had water for 3 hours on sunday adn a little this morning. So very soon we´ll be getting water. Its hard to live without water. We are really blessed in the states to have water and light always. We have light half the time here. But ived learned to get used to it. Well whats really cool is that were teaching many families adn had great lessons with them. I love watching the Restoration movie with them. We rarely get to but whenm we do ther is always a spirit there. Most of our investigators are progressing. I love teaching the gospel and inviting people to coime to christ. I´ve learned so much her its amazing. Ive had great experiances and others no. But I always think of my savior and what he would do adn what he was like. Latley i have been studing him. Its amazing how much we can learn. These past couple weeks ive been easting a little on the mexican side. I have eaten sme picante hot sauce that elder gonzalez has made. WEEEEHOOO It is hot. Dominicans dont like spicy food at all so that was an eye opener for them. We have one investigator that lives a litle of in the country adn above a field on a hilkl. He has a huge house adn the most beautiful view of the ocean. Im going to take some pictures adn share this awesopme experiance with ya´ll. Well all is fine and Im still healthy and the same. I love you all and pray everynight for every single one of you.

Elder Anderson

Hello

Hey everyone. I´m so thankful for your emails. I love them. Well the DR is pretty much dry now. A couple of hte missioaries home were totaled but ours just had a little water. We have been without water for a week now. So we shower and get water from the well under the chapel. We are taking bucket showers. Its actually fun. Except of the walk. We had zone confrence yesturday and it was awesome. I directed the music. The President and i are getting closer and closer here. Because i have the most time in nizao. Well in ZC we learned about the importance of using the Book of Mormon in our teaching more. It is the keystone and we need to use it. The world has the bible and so we need to share with them the restored truths. Im learning a lot about the gospel and gaining a stonger testimony of our church. Ive heard lots of diffrent religions here adn all are well false. Im doing very well in spanish. It really is a gift from God. I know a lot and its all because of hime. Through my study and prayer adn Gods divine intervention we can do all things. Ive learned through sincire prayed god wioll give us our desires, if it is the will of god. We are really trying to get our investigators to do that and pray with faith. Im now living with 3 lations. 2 Dominicans and a mexican. Elder Gonzalez is mexican and has one month more than me in his mission. But he has been in te field more because he knows the language. It is very hard living with them and we butt heads a lot. But im praying for patience. We have worked diffrently in our passeds adn now need to both change. But for the weather, everything is about the same. Its dry and we still have showers but it does rain a lot in Nizao. Some of the roads are damaged but life goes on. The Dominicans have leared to deal with tough times. I love the people here and we are having lots of sucess here. Elder Macy and I worked hard here adn know we are seeing the Benefits. We have 4 baptismal dates in the upcoming weeks adn they are awesome. Im so thankful for the opportunity to serve the lord. Im learning so much. My testimony has been strenthed so much. I love you all and look forward to your letters next week. I hope you all have a fun week. I love you.

Elder Spud

WOW

Well this has been a crazy week. Well we had a huge storm. NOEL. Lets just say it rained for 3 days straight and we didnt have light for three days. Nizao held up pretty well but Don Gregorio got hit bad. Lets just say a new river the size of my hips appeared out of nowhere. During the Hurricane we were asked to help the people so we wnet around all of Nizao and Don Gregorio asking if people needed help. So these last days we havent taught a lot but have had lots of service. OUr house had water in it but just from the widows. The floor was wet but i woulodnt say it was flooded. OUr house does ned to be cleaned though. It stimks a little like mold. BUt None of the members were hit hard so thats good, or our investigators. One man was stuck in the river by Don Gregorio for 15 hours in a tree before somepeople got in a boat and saved him. The river was huge about 4 times as big as usual. What weas messed up is people were running around trying to save theirs house buit then all the people of Nizao were coming with tons of beer and alcohol tothe river, the Dangerous RIVER. they are always drinking here even in a crisis. Well I need to tell you I MET VLADMIR GUERRERO. I got a picture with him and talked to him. I got a picture and every thing. We was just chilling in the road. I also saw his brother wilton . Wilton also played in the big leagues. I also saw Juan Uribe another Baseball player in his huge SUV. Vladmir has a nice whiote range rover. Well I have a new companion he is From Mexico and and his name is Elder Gonzalez. Well I need to go ill update later.

Elder Andersonell this has been A

The DR is Sweet

Well things are good here we have lots of great investigators and baptismal dates. We are really slowing down though. Elder Macy is leaving on Monday and will be done with his mission. He doesnt want to do as much stuff adn is sleeping in and not himselve. But i keep up beat and try my best. My next companion and I are going to take off and work super hard. Transfers are Tuesday and i dont know if im leaving or not. Im still in my first area but we have tonsd of investigators adn i dont think hell move me. He usually puts greenies in their first area for 6 months. So i hope i can stay. I love my area and the people here. Especially our investigators, their awesome and we are also really good friends with the members. Our Zone will be really diffrent at transfers. Almost ´half of the zone is leaving and we are getting a new zone leader. I love the Dominican Elders im living with. They are cool adn super funny. But sometimes a little too much. But thats just being dominicans. I hope that i can get a dominican companio. That would be sweet. All dominicans are crazy. I found that out the first weeek in the field. Ive seen the weirdest and strangest things and stuff in the world. But thats why I love this place. It fits me perfect. ahhaha. Well Im realizing lots of stuff in my mission and that i can be better in all things. Ive really found the power of prayer and my testimony has never been stonger. My spanish is getting way better and i love to speak it. Its easier to understand and speak now. My goal is to speak perfect spanish by the time i leave. Its more like a wish but im really going to work hard to speak very well. Well the other day we took pictures of vladmirs house, his guards with shotguns let us in. It was tight. His house is huge. He got home last week and we see him driving his White Escalade. But i guess he dosnt like to talk to outsiders of his family and freidships. I probably wouldnt either. I also found out that Miguel Tejada lives in Bani. Thats where im writing from. Bani is My Zone. Well thats about it. I love you all and wish you the best.

Spud

Hello

Well today was aweome. We got to attend the temple. It was amazing. I loved how peaceful it was. I dont think youll ever understand how loud it is here. Its always super loud. And there are no laws for music and the loudness. We also went to Wendy´s today. It was awesome. I had a >FROSTY and it was amazing. Im in the capital now in a huge plaza. It is huge adn super loud. There are people everywhere. Well we are having sucess here and a lot of it. We had an investigator in church for the first time last week and he got up and bore his testimony. I was scared out of my mind when he went up there. But it was awesome. Even though he wove his hands around a lot and said "Grasias al Dios" it was awesome. HE testified of the the peace we have brought to him. He then said he is in our family now adn wont ever miss church. He was also reading the scriptures all through church. We also have another man named Gustabo the other was Leo who bore his testimony. Gustabo loves the church adn loves the peace and happiness the gospel gives him. He told one of his friends visiting how much peace he feels when were there and to let us in. We have an appointment in 2 dsays . Its so amazing how hte lord works. He is awesome and really blesses us in ways we dont know. Well thats pretty much it. I love you all and wish you good luck in life. My health is good. I am the same at 165 lds and had a really low pulse and blood pressure. I do sit ups almost every day, and run up a hill we live on and we also have weights made out of cement. Ill send pictures later. Well talkto ya next week.

Spud

Hey Everyone, Im doing great here in my mission. Ive had some great experiances this week. General Confrence was awesome. We had it in the stake center in Bani. 6 american elders watched it in english in a little room. I love every single talk. they were amazing. We had 2 investigators there. One is going to be baptised on the 20th. Last night we also invitee a young man to be baptized on the 27th. The work is pretty good. We have families and men were talking to. They are awesome. Its so cool being a missionary, its a great opportunity to get to preach the gospel and serve the lord. Today im in San Cristobal and am visting the families of elder macy that he taught. So i dont have much time. But I want you all to know i love you and am working hard. I hope Drew can fit in living back in our society. It would be hard for me too. I love ya and hope all goes well.

Love,

Spencer

Hey Everyone

Hey Everyone, Im so glad to here from you. Im also excited for Drew to come home. Im glad he is such an awsome bro. Well things are going great here, we are teaching families and men. Which is great. Im so grateful for the lord and all that he does for us. He has blessed Elder Macy and I tons. Pray has also been a great experiance. Ive really grown close to my father in heaven through prayers and can testify that through are faith adn acting upon it in coming down to prayer. God will do miricles. Through us i dont know but i know things get done. Thats all i can askl for. The other day I was amazed at my spanish. I realized how far i have come. I can understand almost every thing and can now in my mind create sentences and not just remember words and phrases. More and more I am talking more in lessons. Its alot funner when you can understand a little and speak to them. Elder Macy and I went on some splits with some men this last week. It was sweet but a little scary. I was with the 1st counselor of the branch and of course he couldnt speak english. It was really fun and rewarding. I was surprised by my spanish adn how to talk to less actives. We went to the houses of less actives and talked with them a little. Most cant go and havent gone because work on sunday. It is sad but that is also our job to. to perfect the saints and bring them back. We also get more done if i go and do stuff while elder macy does stuff. It is reall efficient and we want to do it more often. This is my last tranfer with Elder Macy so hes starting to think about home. But Im trying to think about my upcoming mission. The Dominicans are awesome adn we have tons of fun together. We always joke around. It is awesome. We are teaching eachother our diffrent languages. Its awesome. I love the people here. Its weird though because i havent been with this many dark people in my life. Its hard to think that their are white people in the world. But everyonce and a while weel so a blanco or a whiter dominican. They have lots fo spanish blood in them. BUt i love them and they really are a beautiful people. They are very wicked though and its hard to work here. But we find the people who are ready. And God is who im thanking for them. The work is great and im trying my hardest. I hope all is well.

Spencer