¡Hola de la Republica Dominicana!
You may remember this from last year, but this country starts celebrating Christmas way early. Like people put up their decorations in September and now, in October, the stores are officially selling the holiday decor. It made me forget until this week that it's time for Halloween haha:)
As you can tell from the title, VICTOR WAS BAPTIZED!!! Wahoo!!! The baptism on Friday went smoothly (hallelujah!), and Victor was confirmed a member of the Church & received the gift of the Holy Ghost on Sunday. His mom, Landia, actually came and loved the service! She has always supported Victor in the process, but she warmed up a lot more the other week when we brought the bishop to a lesson with us and she realized that there are normal, Dominican members of the Church. Think about it, she's most only met foreigners--our last lesson included me (American), Malrina (American), President Nuckols (American), and the stake president (who doesn't look classically Dominican); plus, my comp is Mexican, so yeah. Anyways, Landia was so sweet after the baptism and asked if we could keep coming over even though Victor was baptized! Um, of course! When we visited her the next day and set another appointment, she asked if we could come back and teach even sooner! Wow, what a miracle; her heart has really been softened the past two weeks:)
We actually had family home evening last Monday night with Victor's family and la familia Mateo, a powerhouse recent convert family who gave us the reference of Victor. Last night, we had a noche de hogar (FHE) with our ward mission leader and his wife (who live below us) and Wbert's family! It was super awesome, and Mariela (Wbert's soon-to-be wife) especially appreciated the friendshipping. She said that if she were getting baptized right now, she would choose me to baptize her haha but Mariela knows I don't have the priesthood and can't:) We went with her on Friday morning to fill out the marriage paperwork and pay and get everything arranged for the wedding this Friday!! So exciting!! Then Wbert will be baptized on Saturday (he passed his interview yesterday!), and the wedding reception will be after (because there's a stake temple trip on Friday night, so nobody would be able to attend the reception).
Thursday as very fun with Hermana Irwin from California when we went on splits in her area! We met a man who actually knew what and where Utah was haha and, strangely, a woman named Cristo, which means "Christ." Yesterday was also super divertido in a stake fireside for the youth; the jovenes had been asked to bring non-member friends, and so many people came! Starlin was darling and sang in the "future missionary" choir, and guess who else was there because he's now Young Mens president? My Bella Vista ward mission leader, Neal, and his fabulous wife, Jasmin!! They are the best ay mi madre it was so fun to see them; they got married and moved to this stake the same week I got transferred here:) The missionaries did a skit and it was a blast!
So yeah, it's been a fantastic week, and we're going to have another busy, amazing one esta semana! I'm just so joyful:) President Russell M. Nelson talked about the joy of living the gospel in General Conference, and I love this quote of his: I hope you all feel lots of joy this week! Love you! Con amor, Hermana Randall
"When the focus of our lives is on God’s plan of salvation, which President Thomas S. Monson just taught us, and Jesus Christ and His gospel, we can feel joy regardless of what is happening—or not happening—in our lives. Joy comes from and because of Him. He is the source of all joy."
I hope you all feel lots of joy this week! Love you!
Con amor,
Hermana Randall
You may remember this from last year, but this country starts celebrating Christmas way early. Like people put up their decorations in September and now, in October, the stores are officially selling the holiday decor. It made me forget until this week that it's time for Halloween haha:)
As you can tell from the title, VICTOR WAS BAPTIZED!!! Wahoo!!! The baptism on Friday went smoothly (hallelujah!), and Victor was confirmed a member of the Church & received the gift of the Holy Ghost on Sunday. His mom, Landia, actually came and loved the service! She has always supported Victor in the process, but she warmed up a lot more the other week when we brought the bishop to a lesson with us and she realized that there are normal, Dominican members of the Church. Think about it, she's most only met foreigners--our last lesson included me (American), Malrina (American), President Nuckols (American), and the stake president (who doesn't look classically Dominican); plus, my comp is Mexican, so yeah. Anyways, Landia was so sweet after the baptism and asked if we could keep coming over even though Victor was baptized! Um, of course! When we visited her the next day and set another appointment, she asked if we could come back and teach even sooner! Wow, what a miracle; her heart has really been softened the past two weeks:)
We actually had family home evening last Monday night with Victor's family and la familia Mateo, a powerhouse recent convert family who gave us the reference of Victor. Last night, we had a noche de hogar (FHE) with our ward mission leader and his wife (who live below us) and Wbert's family! It was super awesome, and Mariela (Wbert's soon-to-be wife) especially appreciated the friendshipping. She said that if she were getting baptized right now, she would choose me to baptize her haha but Mariela knows I don't have the priesthood and can't:) We went with her on Friday morning to fill out the marriage paperwork and pay and get everything arranged for the wedding this Friday!! So exciting!! Then Wbert will be baptized on Saturday (he passed his interview yesterday!), and the wedding reception will be after (because there's a stake temple trip on Friday night, so nobody would be able to attend the reception).
Thursday as very fun with Hermana Irwin from California when we went on splits in her area! We met a man who actually knew what and where Utah was haha and, strangely, a woman named Cristo, which means "Christ." Yesterday was also super divertido in a stake fireside for the youth; the jovenes had been asked to bring non-member friends, and so many people came! Starlin was darling and sang in the "future missionary" choir, and guess who else was there because he's now Young Mens president? My Bella Vista ward mission leader, Neal, and his fabulous wife, Jasmin!! They are the best ay mi madre it was so fun to see them; they got married and moved to this stake the same week I got transferred here:) The missionaries did a skit and it was a blast!
So yeah, it's been a fantastic week, and we're going to have another busy, amazing one esta semana! I'm just so joyful:) President Russell M. Nelson talked about the joy of living the gospel in General Conference, and I love this quote of his: I hope you all feel lots of joy this week! Love you! Con amor, Hermana Randall
"When the focus of our lives is on God’s plan of salvation, which President Thomas S. Monson just taught us, and Jesus Christ and His gospel, we can feel joy regardless of what is happening—or not happening—in our lives. Joy comes from and because of Him. He is the source of all joy."
I hope you all feel lots of joy this week! Love you!
Con amor,
Hermana Randall