Hi kids and grandkids! We had a great week. Monday was devotional with the president. He's started having the ending of the meeting in English. So the elders called on me for the closing prayer. So I gave it in English. First prayer in English since we've been here. I prayed that I could pray good. Have you ever done that?
Tuesday we went to the San Geronimo chapel early and oriented/ had them fill out our packets for 6 coming missionaries, three from North America, one from Honduras and two from here that will serve here until their visas come to go to Mexico.
We ate with them and their companions then went to the temple to ready the clothes (la ropa) for the 8 missionaries going home.
Today is veintisiete del febrero. (It's the 4th of July for the Dominican Republic, so we only worked 1/2 day. We did hang a huge Dominican flag that Dad wanted to buy from our balcony. The flag has a big white cross on red red background with the scripture in the middle opened to John, and "The truth shall make you free."
NOW, I want to tell you about Bo Petrie. He was finishing his mission and came to the capitol on a guagua (a little bus) on the outskirts of the city. The assistants asked us to go pick up he and his companion. We found them in a huge bus transferring area just swarming with people and motorcycles and beat up buses and taxis and people selling all kinds of stuff and tons of garbage. They were glad to see us, then said they had a pair of shoes to give to someone at the MTC or CCM on the other side of the city--He'd hoped to make a delivery and had no way to get there and not much time before the go home activities began. So Dad and I said we'd take him and tried to hurry. It was a busy time of day and the traveling was slow so we had time to visit with him. He is from Oregon. He asked how we as a couple met (lots of missionaries ask that.) So I asked how his parents met. He said they met at college in Lamoni, Iowa.. Dad and I both know that is the college for the Re-organized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. He said both his parents were members of the Re-organized Church (RLDS), both sets of his grandparents are Reorganites. His great grand parents were too. In fact, his family goes way back to the days of Joseph Smith. His parents married and went to Oregon for a job. He and his brothers and sisters were born there. Their family was active in the local Reorganized church. He said they have quite a few congregations there in his part of Oregon. His brothers and sisters began to marry and were no longer interested in the church. Elder Petrie or Bo, went with some friends to the LDS church. There he said he felt the Spirit as he heard the teachings. His parents weren't too upset about him joining, because he at least was belonging to a church and wasn't getting into bad things like his siblings. He wanted to be a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints because he knew it was the true church and had the fullness, whereas the one he left had become just another protestant church not standing for much. He laughed when he told us about receiving the Melchizedek Priesthood because his Mom said, "now you and I both have the Priesthood." He said he was going home, had wanted to go with his missionary buddies to BYU, but he said "the Lord hasn't prepared me for the last two years to be with lots of Mormons at college. He felt he should go home and work on his family. In fact, he teased, "maybe I'll go to Lamoni College!"
Even with generations of his family belonging to a church, he could be objective or open minded enough to listen and discover for himself. I found it fascinating! We have met such fine young people! We have such fine people at home, can't wait to see you all!
We love you so much!
Mom & Dad
