December 25, 2018

Talking to Sister White on Christmas.

December 18, 2017

Bye bye district! I'm headed to the mountains of the DR this week! woohoooo

Baptisms! Yay!

Our ward had our Christmas Party. They did a lil gift exchange type thing. I didn't have anything, so I quickly wrapped up a Law of Chastity pamphlet and a CTR ring.

So we were able to have an amazing night of baptisms! We combined this baptismal service as a zone and we were able to see 10 people enter the waters of baptism!  I will give ya'll a quick lil run down of my lovely people who were baptized.

I will start with my sweet Antonia who was definitely a miracle. So one day my comp and I were contacting in the morning and we were about ready to head to our lunch appointment. But I had one of the strongest impressions ever to go knock one last door. And then we met Antonia. She was so inviting. We didn't even say we were missionaries or anything, but she just immediately let us in. We talked for only a minute, but said we would come back, and every lesson after that we learned new things about her. She doesn't know how to read cause her dad didn't send her to school. She has two kids who don't really talk to her unless they need something. She lives alone in this tiny house without power. She told us about how before we met her, she was very depressed. She wouldn't even leave her bed some days. But after she started learning about the gospel and the love God has for her, she got a little more excitement for life. Then she went to church and made friends and got even more excited. And now she knows she has a purpose here on the earth and that she can have joy even though the circumstances are hard. When she was opening up to us about all this, I started to get very emotional because I just started thinking that if we would have just gone straight to our lunch appointment, and wouldn't have knocked on that final door we wouldn't have met this amazing woman who literally needed the gospel. After she was baptized she just kept saying, "I'm so thankful God sent me you angels."

I've been so blessed to have the joy of the gospel all my life, and now there is nothing better than to share this joy with others who have never felt it.

Okay next up Angel. He's 16 years old, and so great. Something great about this ward is that all the young men love basketball and so they invite all their friends to play. So every Friday night its like jackpot to go meet new people and set up some appointments. And that's where we met Angel and we were able to teach him with his best friend who's a member and several weeks later he was baptized. wohoo

Josephina is 12. She's the daughter of a less active. Honestly, I've never really taken much time to visit the less actives, but I made a goal to try and visit them more this transfer, and that's where we met this mom who hasn't been going to church for years, but we met her daughter who was interested, and now she's a member and helping her family become active in the church again.

Gilberto is the sweetest 10 year old kid you'll ever meet. Ever since his cousin Jose Alberto was baptized back in my first transfer here, Gilberto has been coming to church by himself almost an hour early every Sunday, He's part of the ward choir, and he's reading the Book of Mormon more than our adult investigators. The other day when I asked him what he wants to be when he grows up he said a missionary and a bishop. and when we were teaching about tithing he asked in shock, "Why don't we pay more? Why so little?" haha I would not be surprised if this kid is some type of leader of the church one day. 

Melany is the neighbor of the primary leader, and was involved in the primary program. After the primary program, she ran up to me and said she wants to be baptized. We spoke with her parents and they had all support. Although they don't have the desire to be baptized, they could see how the church was doing lots of good for their daughter. This girl is so smart and remembers everything. She says she wants to get married so she can have babies one day haha. 

And last we have Wilki. The calmest most adorable lil Haitian boy who definitely balances out the craziness of his siblings. It's been a long process for him to be baptized with all sorts of obstacles in the family and other things, but now he's finally a member and so happpy about it. 

I learned a lot about teaching kids this transfer. They are so special and they just radiate the light of Christ. I've felt the love that God has for his Children more than ever teaching these kids this transfer. It was definitely a transfer of miracles! 

December 11, 2017

Woweee. Christmas time in the mish is crazy. On Friday we had a Stake Christmas concert. On Saturday we had a light the world concert in a big fancy mall in Santo Domingo. And on Sunday we had another concert at the temple. It's a good time. And we had a good turn out of investigators for all of the activities!

So crazy that it's already almost Christmas. From what I've heard, December in the mission is pretty tough. Everyone has their own activities, no one has time to listen to our message, and baptisms are really low this time of year. But God has been helping us so so much. This next Saturday we will be having 7 baptisms. I've just been in awe lately witnessing the hand of God in this work. Like it says in Alma 13¨24 ¨Angels are declaring it unto many at this time, for the purpose of preparing the hearts of the children of men to receive his word.¨ I truly believe that angels have been preparing and touching the hearts of these people. It's so incredible to see some of these people accept the gospel so quickly. For some of them who will be baptized next Saturday, its been a longer process, over a few transfers. But others we met in this transfer and so quickly they have been able to feel the truth of these things in such a short amount of time. And it's all thanks to those angels preparing these people for the moment when two hot, sweaty, tired imperfect missionaries pass by with a simple message. And the spirit and the love of God and Jesus Christ do the rest. I'm so grateful to play a small part in bringing these people to the truth. There is nothin better!

I'm becoming pro in dominos!! Oh if you didn't know, Dominicans looove dominos.

Christmas concert.

One of the very best things about this week, is that I got to see my darling Haitian family! They were at the temple for the Christmas concert. And I saw Milady, the little girl walking around, and then she saw me and gave me a big hug and led me to her parents! And I got to meet the newest lil member of the family! They didn't end up using my name. hahaha Probably cause my name is really close to another word that means blanket....but it's all good! I love them soooo much!

Lighting da world with service! 

Me and my comp

December 4, 2017

This week we met a man with a snake around his neck. At first I was freaked out, cause I got a big ole fear of snakes...but my comp held it so I decided to hold it too. yolo I got a cool pic and it was all fun and games until it bit my finger. The guy said it would be fine, and so we bandaged it up and continued on with the day. But then at night my finger was huge and really hurting. Anyways. long story short, we went to the emergency room, and they told me if I would have waited any longer they would have had to cut my finger off, but they sucked out the venom and now I just have a lil mark. So dat's cool. 

Just kidding.

The snake before it bit me.

Cute old man

Fun plants at the temple grounds.

November 27, 2017

I found out that Hermana Areas, my 87 year old friend has a doll named Tati that she can't sleep without. hahaha she loves this doll and was holding her and caring for her so tenderly. My comp was freaked out but i just couldn't stop smiling. haha 

It was my sweet Yvonne's bday this week. The mom of all these cutie pies. I baked her a cake, and as we walked in with balloons and cake, she whispered to me, "i didn't think anyone would remember my birthday. Thank you."  It's moments and people like her that are truly humbling me and changing me. 

Zone conference. Yay!

We didn't celebrate Thankgiving but I'm still feeling pretty thankful. 

    THINGS I'M THANKFUL FOR

*bug spray

*days when I don't have to eat rice

*ceiling fans

*mashed potatoes and my mom's stuffing that I will be eating extra of next year

*a fridge. my comp broke our fridge so we have only been eating peanut butter and jelly sandwiches or canned food.

*cute old people 

*the love and support of my family and friends.

*the kindness of the Dominican people.

*the Book of Mormon. It's true. read it. 

*rainy days, when its not soooo hot

*being on the mission. Honestly this is the best time of my life, and I'm learning and growing so much

*getting to be a part of the conversion of these people. watching them learn and really have a change of heart is something truly incredible.

*Jesus Christ and all he did for us.

*looking back on experiences and coming to see that it was the spirit guiding me. One day this week I woke up before the alarm and laid there thinking about the lessons we had that day.  We have a sweet new investigator named Miriany who's 15. Where she lives there is always lots of noise from the road, so I was thinking of how we could have more of a quiet spiritual lesson. And then the thought came "go to the church and have the lesson there" i thought "Ya, good idea Savannah." but come to find out. that was in no way my idea because later that night, there in the silence and peacefulness of the church, Miriany prayed about the truth of this church and her prayer was answered. Right after her prayer we stayed on our knees for a min all of us just in peace and then she broke into tears, and told us how good she felt. God knew that we wouldn' have been able to have that moment in her house so he put that thought in my mind so that this sweet girl could know of the love that God has for her and the truth of this church. 

*i am so thankful to be a member of the church of Jesus Christ of latter-day saints and to be preaching this message. Out here on the mission I've truly become converted and I'm so thankful to be able to say with all my heart that this church is true. 

November 20, 2017

 Natasha visiting while on her service trip.

 This week my comp came out of our room with a little wrist wrap because her wrist hurt. So she has been wearing this wrist wrap that I'm pretty sure doesn't do anything, and for some reason her wrist only hurts when we are leaving our apartment, but when we get home it doesn't hurt her anymore and she doesn't need her wrist wrap. lol

Several week ago we arrived early to a Family night at a members house. So we were just waiting for the dad to get home to have the family night. and we were awkwardly sitting on the porch with the 24 year old son. But then I remembered that they had brought one of their aunts to church several weeks earlier, so I asked the son to take us to the house of this aunt while we waited for the dad to get home. 

So we walked to the house next door and entered into the aunt's house, but to my surprise it was a different woman, but she also isn't a member so we took advantage of it, and talked to her. She knew several things about the church and had questions and doubts about the Book of Mormon and coffee. but we set up another time to meet with her. And several really good lessons later, and two times in the church later, this week she informed us that she wants to be baptized! It's so amazing to see how the Lord has his hand in all things! It was for a reason that we got to this family night early, and that I was feeling awkward just sitting there with the son, so God not only helped us get out of an awkward situation, but also find someone sooooo prepared! woohooo!

November 13, 2017

This week I sent my comp home to Guatemala and I received my new companion from Brazil. She loves to sing the most random American songs, but doesn't know the meaning of what she's saying haha. But I'm teaching her. She wants to speak the language of cats...She wants to marry Captain America. She loves anime and in her free time she's drawing anime or writing a fantasy. She has the absolute biggest fear of dogs which is a bad fear to have here in the DR cause there are dogs all over in the streets and she grabs me and starts freaking out as we pass them. Also she is either pretty quiet and laid back or she has so much energy that she doesn't know how to control it and she just starts doing a lil dance type thing and being super happy. haha She's funny. 

This week we had the opportunity to hear from Elder Cook who was here in the DR. He said some really amazing things about missionary work that just gave me so much excitement to do this work. whooohooo Then he started talking about his divine calling as an apostle. and then he got quiet and everyone was just waiting for what he would say and the spirit was so strong and then he said ¨i know the Savior's face, and I know the Savior's voice. I've always heard that yes, these men are special witnesses of Jesus Christ but in that moment hearing this man, this apostle of God say those words.. ahh I don't know it was a feeling i can't explain. i was just filled with joy knowing that the leaders of our church really do know our Savior and that this isn't a church led by them but a church led by God and Jesus Christ because they receive instruction from them, whether its through inspiration through the holy ghost or through physically talking to them. WOW but knowing this gives us all the more reason to listen intently to their words and instructions because they are the words and instructions of God and Jesus Christ who are at the head of this church.  

November 6, 2017

 I don't know why she kept her glasses on for the pics but I didn't wanna ask...

Also yaya i got my hands on a guitar this week and played a lil song for Rosa at her baptism.

My zone rented a big bus and we took some of our investigators to the temple! It was a good time! 

This week was the baptism of my dear Rosa. So my whole time here in Herrera we have visited the cute old lady Hermana Areas. She's been a member for 30 years but now she's too old to get to church or do much. So we go over and read the scriptures with her and sing with her. And all this time I've noticed the in-house worker, Rosa. She lives with her and takes care of her. And about 6 weeks ago we invited her to come and read with us. And she loved it. Then we brought her her own Book of Mormon and then we threw in some lessons. Then she started coming to church, and now she's a baptized member! She's a funny weird lady. She gets so passionate talking about God and she starts moving her hands lots and kinda yelling....haha and that's exactly what she did this Sunday after she was confirmed a member. She got up at the pulpit and started talking super loud in the mic and everyone was a lil caught off guard but it was the sweetest, most energetic, happiest testimony I've ever seen! I'm soooo happy for her and so thankful for the hand of God in this work and for the chance to teach some of his children soooooo prepared! 

This week I was hit with a cold and fever and I learned a few things. According to Dominicans if you have a cold you shouldn't wash your hair or do the dishes cause i guess the dish soap and shampoo aren't good for the health. Also I drank soooo many different home made remedies that were terrible. Dominicans are strange but I love em.