6/29/2012

It's been a busy couple of days for us so by the time I had time to blog, I was too tired!  One of our goals here is to get to know the people around us.  To understand more about how they live and what is important to them is a bit difficult due to language constraints, but we try.  Scott is much better at it than I am because he knows the language so much better, but I am slowly learning more and communicating more. What we do know is they have very little.  Each time we go to the grocery store and come home with bags and bags of food and household things and William helps us carry them up to our apartment I feel guilty that we have so much and they have so little.  William is a great guy with a wife and three kids.  He is very humble and helpful - always has a smile for you.
You just want to make their lives easier somehow but they seem to be happy because they have never known anything different.  William's family is moving into a better house this weekend.  We were going to take his family to McDonalds tonight for dinner because they don't like our American food so we ended up taking them to get pizza.  But, as is common, when his wife got home from work she didn't want to come back into the city - an hour ride on the bus.  Can't say that I blame her!  We were going to take them back home though.  After seeing the housing of the poorer people here I was sad just thinking about seeing where they lived because I would probably be in tears.  And that would be impressive !  Today when William came up to warm up his lunch he brought pictures of his kids because they had sent them out in the country for 15 days to visit their grandmother and wouldn't be here tonight.  They are cute, well-kept children. 
   There is so much violence against women here.  The last woman who started a campaign to stop the abuse was actually killed.  I don't know how long ago that was but now there is another woman who writes articles on abuse, the causes, what to do, etc.  Hope she survives!  Of course much of it is the result of alcohol and drugs as it is in the States. You just want to protect every woman you know here in some way.  The new government seems to be cracking down on the number of bars there can be in a specific area and are arresting and having shootouts with drug dealers.   Plus stopping people who run red lights - which could be a full time job for thousands of people here.  We have seen fewer people running the lights already.  Guess that means that Scott is going to have to start obeying the law rather than following the car beside him!
  We had our lesson with the returned missionaries yesterday.  Only the new one showed up so it was a fun hour of teaching him because he learns so quickly.  The bad thing is the other two will have to catch up which will slow him down.  Being reliable is not too important to these people!  We love them though - it has been fun teaching them.
  I took our bedspread to the Casa to wash because it would never fit in our little washer.  And of course after our Spanish class and temple visit I forgot to go get it.  It has been difficult to get things dry enough with the humidity that they don't smell icky.  They actually have dryers in the Casa.  So Scott went back today to pick it up and get more area plan papers from Sister Button.
  Spanish class was so frustrating for me yesterday.  Elder Hammon is insistent that he is going to teach me - but when he singles me out I can't remember a thing!  Most of the women there have much Spanish in their background so know so much more than I do.  I will learn,  I will learn, I will learn.....The verb conjugations in seven different tenses just drive me crazy.  Scott has been talking to me more in Spanish and that does help.  How I respect those young people who go into the mission field and have to learn a new language. 
  Guess we will have a calm night of studying and practicing.

6/26/2012

Today has been fairly calm - lots of time to study!  Got to go to the temple tonight but there were only four women and four men in the session.  In going through the pictures I took on Saturday I found some I want to include in this blogspot.

Not a very good picture but you get the idea with twelve people in the back of a little toyota size truck.  We saw many "family motos" - motorcycles with a family of four and even five on.  I so wanted to get a picture of one but couldn't seem to do it.

This was the "mercantile" store - the little bit of everything that can be crammed into a small place store.  If you didn't kill yourself getting into the store first that is!  This was on the outskirts of town.
  They actually did have some better stores in the middle of town.

This was their farmers market in Constanza.  Pretty nice!

Of course the clothes lines are always picturesque.  The tub under the clothes is the wash tub.

This is the only sign of changing leaf color we have seen.  Elder Ford says it's their fall color change!

6/25/2012

It is officially four months that we have been here.  Thank heavens!~  We are not so totally lost in every way - just in a few ways..  We studied this morning then went to Spanish class. There are four sisters there who want Scott to teach them an elementary Spanish class.  I certainly can understand that because I am just beginning to understand Elder Hammon some of the time.  So it looks like we will have two more Spanish classes a week. (On Monday and Wednesdays.)  Sister Mahon is so frustrated trying to learn - her husband knows Spanish but is not patient enough to teach her.  I am very grateful that Scott has been so patient with me!
  Family Home Evening tonight was with all of the senior couples in the Casa Sala (lunchroom).
Brother Williams, from the States, grew up singing in barbershop quartets so he has formed a group here of  men that he met through the church who love to sing.  They are the group that meets every Sunday night in the Casa to practice that we went to listen to when we first got here. They are very good.  It was so mc fun to listen to them sing "On the Lone Prairie" in English and know that they had no idea what the lone prairie would be like.
  We met a couple from the part of Cache Valley that is in Idaho.  They are going to Giana as PDF missionaries and are here being trained for a few days. She agreed to help with the music program there ! ! !

6/24/22012

  For some reason we did not have Internet last night so I couldn't blog what was really a fun day!  We left early in the morning with the Fords to go to Constanza.  This is an area in the top of the mountains where all kinds of vegetables. flowers. and some fruits are grown.  It was a beautiful drive.  I thought of Jamie as we wound around up to the top of the mountains because she never would have made it with her carsickness!  I have never been on a windier road.. The road was actually in good shape though.  All along the road they had dug and reinforced with blocks and mortar this three foot trench on at least one side of the road so the rain could run off. Then when we came to the little towns you would see these little bridges across the trench to their houses which were very close to the road.
  The valley was beautiful with it's fields of cabbage, onions, carrots, potatoes, etc.

It took us two hours to drive up there but it was well worth it.  We stopped and had lunch at a local cafe - this was Scott's meal:

Then we drove around to sight see and stopped at the town square that was filled with music and people gathered talking, teenagers laughing and dancing and roller blading, etc.  It was so much fun I wish I had had my video camera because the atmosphere was great.  Dad had his shoes shined because there were shoe shine boys all over the park.
  We parked in front of the town barber shop to take some pictures.  The two guys working there were happy to  let us take a picture

However, my favorite picture of the day had to be this one:

This was an old cinder block home with four or five people sitting around watching these two little ones playing in this tub of water.  They were so adorable!!                                                             

We had a speedy trip home - I'm actually surprised we arrived in one piece because Elder Ford thought he was doing the Daytona 500 or whatever that is.  He had driven the road once before, in his defense but we skidded around many of those hair raising turns! It was a beautiful drive and just full of the Dominican culture.
  We finally found some non-fat cottage cheese!!  Got home just in time to go to Elder Snow's birthday party at the Dunfords,  There was a good crowd there - everyone appreciates Elder Snow and his willingness to help anyone who needs it.

Today we went to church in the Piantini Ward.  A great lesson in English in Sunday School on Alma and Amulek.  Tonight we drove to Las Caobas Stake to meet with their bishops.  They were having a youth activity so there were young adults everywhere.  Just across the street music was blaring and people were gathered in groups visiting and laughing.  An elder from Utah came up and told us he had been practicing the piano ever since our visit to their zone conference - that was fun to hear!
We talked about how nice it is to have noise ordinances in the States.  You really appreciate that after spending time here.....

6/22/2012

This is Sister Eickbush, Sister Button, and Sister McDermid trying to decide where we should go to dinner! Each Friday night the senior couples who want to go to dinner meet at the Casa and decide where they want to go to dinner.  We have only gone two or three times but it is alot of fun because the company is great!  Tonight we went with the Eickbushes and the Bairs to Chef Pepper.  The others went to the restaurant across the street from us - you know, the Mafia place!  Then tonight Pres. Bair told us that the restaurant is actually owned by three brothers that played professional baseball in the US.  Guess that is how they can keep open with so few customers.  The Bairs served as the West Mission President here two years before they came back to be the temple president. Their family of five is scattered all over the United States so the only time they are all together is when they go on big family trips - like to China!
  Today was a great day.  Got my exercise and scripture study done and had the rest of the day to study.  Understanding Spanish is getting easier - thank heavens.  If I never really learn the language it won't be because I didn't try!!!!
    Can't remember where I saw this great quote: "True friendship isn't about being inseparable, it's being separated and nothing changes".  I love that because it is so true.  I am so grateful for the many friends that have influenced my life that I will continue to love regardless of where we all are.
 

6/21/2012

  Had a good day of studying yesterday - plus talked to some of the kids and that keeps me going! We had people in and out and I had washed all of our whites so we strung string from bedpost to bedpost high and low to do a two layer clothes line that would be out of site of whoever dropped in.  Scott's Haitian friend came by so I went in the bedroom to study.  Time to elevate the legs so the only place I could find was the bed. Next thing I know Scott is standing by the bed laughing -

I am rarely without a Spanish book of some kind in my hand - he thought I was sleeping!
Great idea for the laundry though.  We were trying to decide whether to leave the strings up or not just for the decor value . . .
   Finally got ahold of Sister Glazier to see how she is and she had been to a cardiologist here
who told her she did have a heart problem and may need a pacemaker so she and her husband are going back to the States tomorrow. 
  Another returned missionary working at the CCM came to our class today.  He is absolutely delightful!  We have alot of fun in that class - sure hope they are learning something.  This one has a little music background so we don't have to start over again.  The other young man is the Stake Young Mens president in his stake. The returned missionaries are the strength of the church here.
  Scott taught the Spanish class again today so it was much easier for me to understand.  We still had the keyboard up from our music class so he played prelude for Spanish. How I wish I had half of his attitude of "it doesn't matter if I make mistakes" .  
  The Fords and the Cuenots were in the session with us tonight at the temple.  I was looking at the little bump on my hand thinking I wish I had had it taken off before we came then noticed the sister next to me that was missing half of one of her fingers.  I was ashamed of myself.

  Bon Ice Cream shops here are everywhere!  Even on the streets. . .

6/19/2012

  What a day this has been!  The blessings in my family this past couple of weeks has been miraculous.  I realize we could spend the rest of our lives on a mission for the Lord and never come anywhere near being worthy of the blessings we have been given.  We are so grateful!  Being in the temple tonight was a choice experience.  The handicapped sister from here that comes on Tuesdays was there tonight; along with the young woman we are teaching music lessons.  I was privileged to sit by and help the handicapped sister.  She is Dominican and a beautiful older woman- probably in her eighties.  You can see that it is difficult for her to be there but she is there most Tuesdays.  I just hope that I am as courageous as she is when I am old (er) and decrepit.
   We got to Skype with DeDe this morning.  It was so good to see her! I'm really grateful she looks after our kids for us.  How wonderful it is to be able to talk to friends and family. 
   Our sink has been leaking around the edges into the cupboard below because the sealant has deteriorated so we grabbed Scott's pants that need to be cleaned, locked the door from the inside and headed out only to realize that the keys to the apartment and that car were still in the apartment.  Thank heavens we had a phone and had made an extra set of keys and left them with our neighbor.  He was at work but came back and let us in with his keys!  You would think we would learn, but no. Thought I might have a heat stroke waiting in the hallway for him to come though. William, bless his heart, was so concerned about us locking ourselves out he was trying to figure out how to get us in.  You have to wonder what these people think of us.  I'm guessing they think we are just a bit loony!  Every time we drive in and out they are sitting at the gate and they smile at us like "Where are you going now?" 
 My kids would love this new Richard Simmons Disco CD I have.  They loved to sit and laugh at me while I exercised to his old CD's.  It has actually been fun!
  We tried a new fruit today but neither of us can remember what it is called.  When we asked what it was, about the size of an orange, the man squoze it open at the top, pulled it apart and handed each of us a piece.   The inside was pale orange, sweet, and kind of mushy but he talked Scott into buying three.  Now we are trying to find people to give some of them to!    

6/18/2012

   Spent the morning studying.  It has been cloudy here ever since it rained the other day so the heat has been more tolerable.  When that sun comes out you can almost feel yourself getting burned it is so hot.  It really does feel like we are closer to the sun than we are at home.
   Scott had to teach the Spanish class for Elder Hammon today, which he ends up doing quite often.  Some of the women want him to teach an elementary Spanish class so they can learn.  Elder Hammon teaches on an intermediate level that none of us who have just been here a short time can grasp.  It was so exciting last week for me to be able to understand him most of the time though!! There is so much to learn....
  We had FHE at Sister Chantrill's tonight.  She is from Wyoming and Montana.  She is one of the temple workers and has an apartment in the Casa that has a big picture window looking right at the temple about 75 yards away.  It is so beautiful!  So her lesson was on temples.  We went out and walked around the temple grounds then had a lesson on this temple and read the dedicatory prayer given by Pres. Hinkley.  We climbed about three flights of stairs to get back to her apartment.  When we sat down, Sister Glacier, who was sitting next to Scott, suddenly started to sag down in her seat and over onto Scott.  He put his arm behind her to lift her back up - she had a horrible look on her face.  Her husband, Pres. Glacier, kept calling her name and finally she became alert and sat up.  So scary!!!  She said that she has passed out two or three times since being here and has never been to the doctor to see about it.  In my minds eye I could see Jamie slinking down to the floor when she used to pass out on me.  Then she would tease me by pretending to pass out - I was just grateful she never hit her head on anything when she really fainted.  I can still remember hearing something fall and saw her laying in the hallway out cold as if it were yesterday!  We went to four or five different doctors and they never did find out why she passed out.
  After that scary incident Sister Chantelle had ice cream and a red bean sauce for a treat.  The bean sauce is a Chinese recipe and though it looked like cooked and blended red beans it was actually pretty good!
   We are so grateful for our family.  Eli sent some pictures of the girls at Sophie's birthday party.  So would like to squeeze those little girls!  They will be in Morgan in 11 days staying in our home for a month.  Everyone is excited to have them home again. 
 

6/17/2012

Wow it's been a long day!! Started with church meetings in what would be our home ward. Had the Dunfords over for lunch on their way home from their meetings in the ward they help in.  They have been fasting for their son who has cancer that has been in remission but now may be coming back and will be getting results of the tests tomorrow.  I so pray for them that it isn't bad news.  Sister McDermid had organized a Father's Day pie get-together at 3:00 so we went to the Casa for that.  She had put together a video of pictures of the different couples and their children that was so much fun to see.  Left there in time to go out to the Hainamosa Stake to meet with the Stake and the Bishops.  It is so exciting when you go to a stake and they have actually begun to organize their music program.  This stake had the counselor over the stake music and the stake music director at the meeting! 
   It finally rained here yesterday and has continued to be drizzly today.  The paper here says the lack of rain is causing problems here too.  Hurricane season has began here and lasts through August so we will see what happens..
   It isn't Fathers Day here for a couple of weeks but I've thought much about how important fathers are.  Here there are many, many children growing up that don't even know who their fathers are and certainly get no support from them.  I am so grateful for my father, for my husband, for my sons and sons-in-law that are such great fathers.  What a vitally important role they play in the lives of their children. 

6/16/2012

Thought I'd blog early today so Scott can read the news later tonight.  The power went out this morning and didn't come on until later today so we left and ran errands.  We're having the Dunsfords over for dinner tomorrow, then have a Father's Day party at the Casa then a meeting at the Hainamosa Stake.
  Got the best picture today though.  I have been trying to get a picture of one of these horse drawn vending carts ever since we have been here.  I have ended up with half of the horse or less most of the time.  This one was actually resting it's head on the car! So many of them look like they are on deaths door.

This was a small cart.  They are usually stacked twice that high with different fruits.
 Also went back to the park today to get pictures of the cave there.  We found a whole new part that we had missed the other day!

There is nothing written about who carved the faces but they certainly are interesting!
  The neighbors are working on their roof top/deck where they are putting in a hot tub.  I could see a cold tub but a hot tub here where it gets so hot?  Their roof tops are flat and used for hanging out clothes, jogging, walking the dog, partying, etc.  It's the only open space they have.
  We are seeing music being established in areas that have never had it - that's most areas- but it does help us feel we are actually helping here. Best get things done for Sunday .....

6/15/2012

Another day, another zone conference!  This one was in Asua which is two hours away to the west of Santo Domingo.  The drive was uneventful - even the roads were without the huge potholes that plague Santo Domingo.  We hadn't been to Bani yet so it was fun to drive through that city.  These cities are all the same - congestion, congestion, poverty, poverty- I don't know where you would go to find personal space anywhere in the cities.  We did go through some desert country with cactus spikes growing everywhere and rather barren mountains, but within 10 miles that was gone and the beautiful scenery along the highways in the country came into view again.
  One thing that is very different here in the DR are the stop light vendors who are waiting at each light for the traffic to stop so they can try to sell their goods.  I'm attaching some pictures of just a few of the things sold in the streets -

The small bags are nuts, the round things are peeled oranges, phone cards, sunglasses, charging cords for cell phones,umbrellas, all kinds of fruit and vegetables - especially squash.  It's just very interesting and sometimes irritating because they stand at your window until you have told them "no" five or more times.  Scott is most irritated by the "window washers" as you can see above.  They come up to your car and start washing your window even though you are shaking your head and your finger that you don't want your windshield washed.  (Pointer finger that is!)  It is maddening when they throw their sponge on your window and lift the wiper blade so you can't take off on them. You would never see anything like this in the States because we have laws against it but it is part of what makes the Dominican unique.
   We got home in time to make brownies for Scott's friend who was coming with his wife when she got off work if they could make it.  He works nights and she works days so their time together is pretty slim.  I don't know if they have a car but they both ride public transportation system of some kind and that costs money which they probably do not have.  Anyway, they didn't make it so Scott went to get his hair cut at the Casa by the woman who works there doing other things but also cuts hair.  He had her cut it shorter - and she did!  I was thinking of having her cut my hair next time but think I may just stick with Scott. 
   Went to Price Mart to do a little shopping but mainly to pick up one of their pizzas which is close to the best we have ever tasted - plus it is cheap. Got some chicken soup made.  Our fridge shelves are cracked and we are trying to figure out how to support them. 
   The Yturraldes stopped by to look at our fly box for the Internet so she helped me figure out how to get the Short Cut to Spanish audio working.  Now I will have even another way to study.  Sometimes I think that is what my life is from morning to night - Spanish - Spanish- Spanish.  I wake up thinking Spanish, eat studying, go to bed memorizing.  I am going to learn to communicate with these people or die trying!

6/14/2012

Today started with a trip to the LaPaz building for another zone conference.  They tell us not to be there till 10:00 am then call us at 9:30 and ask if we are coming.  We are usually sitting in the parking lot of the church practicing speaking Spanish.  I am amazed at these young missionaries!  We get there in time for their testimony meeting which has had the Mission President in tears every time.  Today during Scott's presentation he was asking how many of the missionaries played the piano and slowly one raised his hand, then another, then another - Scott started doing the auctioning thing  you know the give me one one one, now give me two two etc .. and even though most of the missionaries had no idea what he was doing they started laughing but it was really funny to me!
   We made it home just on time to leave for piano lessons for the returned missionaries.  We had a new sister today.  She is a sweetheart.  We decided she could teach me Spanish and I could teach her English.  Interesting enough her name is Kathyrn but everyone calls her Kathy.  It's difficult when we have a new student every week who is behind the others.  But it is great to work with these young men and women.
    Spanish after music  - in the same room - so we left the keyboard up and Scott played prelude for the Spanish class.  Just what we needed! Class is getting better though  because I am understanding so much more.  Have a new word  HAZLO - which means  Just Do It! 
   Made it to the 6:00 pm session.  Lots of women in this session.  It is fun to watch them and see how aware they are of the people around them.  Many of the women here carry big loads with the responsibility of providing and caring for a family that the husband has ran out on.  I hope they are all loved and happy...We wonder what they must think of us - if they resent us being in their country.  Everyone is very friendly so we hope they feel we are only here to help.

6/13/2012

It's my husband's fault I didn't blog last night - he listened to the news until I was so tired I just climbed in bed.  He says he's sorry but I don't believe it!! 
 Yesterday was an interesting day.  We left in the morning for San Crystobol to talk to the missionaries at their zone conference.  This is the West Mission zone conferences - finished the East conferences. It is interesting that you have to pay to get out of town but not in to town.  The ride was beautiful!  Both sides of the highway were covered with greenery of some kind.  Many different kinds of flowering bushes and trees and vines completely filled in the roadside.

 The out of town toll booth

Scott was hoping to talk to the missionaries that are teaching his friend up the street but we had to leave before the meeting ended.  However when we came out of the temple last night they were sitting on a bench by the temple. The missionaries had not been able to find John Paul but called and he gave them his address.  Not that it is easy to find anything here!  They will probably have to meet him at the church and have him show them where he lives. We were wondering how they ever do a census here because people are stacked everywhere and continue to move around.


  At the temple last night there were a new bunch of Haitian missionaries coming through.  They come here to  be trained as missionaries and sent back to their country because Haiti doesn't let outsiders in.  I'm not that tall but every time I set in a row of women most of them are not even shoulder high on me.  Some even elbow high!  I love this country.  There is such a variety of people here.  I can't wait until I can really communicate with them! 
  This morning we went to  Las Caobas  for another zone conference.  Much to our surprise Elder Midgley was there!  We really wanted him to be in the San Crystobol area so he could teach John Paul but no such luck.  He did look thinner than he was at the CCM here but he says he is doing fine. 
This conference was in the city so the drive wasn't as fun but it is interesting to here the doctor tell the elders how to handle the illnesses they have.  It was pretty funny when he was talking to them about fecal matter and said he could tell them what that was in three languages - poopoo being one.  Can't remember the others because that cracked me up!  He told them NOT to eat at members homes and
not to drink their water if they offered them a cold drink.   I wonder how you do that without offending them.  I'm just grateful we don't have to make those decisions.
   On our way up to the apartment we met William who asked if he could come warm up his dinner in our microwave.  I was in the air-conditioned bedroom-office practicing the keyboard when I heard laughing and talking in the kitchen.  William and AltaGracia were eating with Scott.  William shared his food with Scott and Scott fed them some cheeseburger soup.  I would love to go where these two live and see just what their living conditions are.  Alta Gracia's brother is working here now.  Last week his wife had a baby C-section and this week he told Scott that the baby had died.  How sad.
   We see more and more young girls with babies living with their mothers and other family members but no men in the picture.  Many of these young girls are raped and some so badly hurt that they can never have children.  That makes me physically sick.
  Scott went to the temple by himself while I study.  I know how difficult it is for him not to have something active to do.  The Yturraldes stopped by to see if we needed anything from the store.  So glad they are still talking to us after we left them at the Casa on Monday!  They thought it was funny because Elder Yturralde is about 75 so he calls us "the kids" and he has a better memory than we do. I want to include some pictures of the flowers and bushes around the temple- they are amazing.

 Here is a quote from Pres. Hinkley that I love:  "Our kindness may be our most persuasive argument for that which we believe".     

6/11/2012

  Our landlords are back!!  They came to check out our air conditioning and said they would have someone in here tomorrow to look at it.  I have a picture of them  -  Eckbert and Loardis - mother and son.  They are very nice; she is a character that you just can't help but love.

She keeps asking us when we are going to come visit her mother at her apartment so we are going to have to do that.  I can just see her as a Relief Society Pres.
Scott and I both have some kind of stomach distress - it isn't much fun but it is nice to have two bathrooms! 
   Started the day with a pit in  my stomach waiting for news from home.  What a miraculous blessing it is to be able to fast and pray and know that the Lord will bless you in whatever way is best for you. We are so grateful !
  Spanish class was good today since I understood more.  I have come to realize that learning a different language is probably a lifetime endeavor for me.  But I am grateful for the opportunity.
We had FHE at the Despains with the Snows. the Mahons, and the Lowes.  Each person was to share a life experience that taught them something important about the gospel.  It was very interesting and touching to realize that each person has experiences in his life that are unique to him for his growth.
We took the Yturraldes with us for the first time.  We had been home for half an hour when someone knocked on the door - it was the Yturraldes asking if we had forgotten something.  We had been in a hurry to get home and forgotten we had even taken them.  I often wonder how the Lord can trust us to do His work!

6/10/2012

   We left about 4:30  in the afternoon yesterday to go with Snow's to a meeting out in Las Restaradores.You can count on an adventure any time you leave the apartment!  We drove through town after town after town with people out setting in groups talking or playing games.  Finally decided they are so social because they don't have television or internet games to keep them occupied.  It would probably be better for all of us if we spent more time visiting.  One of the missionaries that served here said he hated to go home and leave the atmosphere of friends and family getting together just to visit.  I was reminded of the ranch and how we love having everyone there walking around and stopping in to visit. 
  When we finally got to the Stake Center where we thought the meeting was, the gates were closed and there were construction trucks surrounding the building.  Found out the meeting was actually at a different church and picked up an assistant of the Snows who had come in on a guagua thinking the meeting was there too. When we found the church the stake primary was having a talent contest which was so noisy Sister Snow and decided to go in and watch.  It was so much fun!! The kids danced, displayed pictures they had drawn, things they had made, they sang songs with parents clapping wildly after each talent.
   The men did their presentations to the priesthood and we started home.  The guy who we picked up earlier lived way out in some other area so we traveled through city streets, dirt roads, rutted part cement roads, paths that didn't even look like roads!  Finally got him home and got lost trying to find
the road we came on.  Even with the GPS, that we never leave home without couldn't find a way out! We passed this road we were supposed to go on because it looked like it just dropped off  where we were supposed to go.  Ended up going back and turning down only to find us going almost straight down and you couldn't see the rest of the road because it was dark and the headlights were shining down - we started laughing because, after all, what else could you do??  When we got to the bottom the road did go up again, and down again. The roller coaster at Lagoon had nothing over this road! Then we were in this backwoods area that looked pretty scary and Elder Snow kept asking his wife if he should stop and ask directions.  It didn't look very safe and she was getting mad at him for even suggesting we stop - "There are places you can stop and ask for directions and there are places you can't"  she told him between scowls.  Made me a bit nervous too but I think he was just trying to get a rise out of her!  About 20 minutes later we ran into a road that looked like it would take us somewhere - and it did..  It was quite a trip but I will laugh about it for some time.
    Today we went out to the Llanos Branch with the Eickbushes, the Despains, and the Leavitts.
The first time we went there I was amazed that people lived the way they do - today it seemed more normal because we have seen much worse.  Gracie had sent some bubble gum for us to take to the girls out there we gave gum to the last time we went so after church we found them and enjoyed them trying to blow bubbles.  They loved the gum!  I played the piano for them and Sister Despain led.
The hardest thing about playing for them is they don't sing with the piano so you have to keep finding where they are.  What they really need is a time to practice music every week!

Thought I had the one of them blowing bubbles but you can see the gum package that they were so proud of.  

The sister that the Relief Society lesson was delightful.  They have such a high rate of inactivity that they were trying to decide how to help some of their sisters.  She told of going to a home where no one answered the door.  They looked in the window - none have glass - and there she was crouched under the window.  So this sister yells in to her "You might can hide from us but you can't hide from Heavenly Father "   Loved it!!  Here is a picture of her

                                         

Don't know why that picture is so dark because if wasn't on the screen.  We talked the RSPres into taking a picture of us all - and it took some convincing because she had never seen a camera but she did a great job.

We got back just in time to break our fast and leave for another meeting.  It only took us 1/2 hour to get to the Oriental Stake.  We meet with the stake president who had already set up the music program and just wanted someone to teach piano because they had no one to play.  That is very exciting!  So if we can't find someone in that area to teach we will be doing it.  Poor students is all I can say. 

Scott's Haitian friend stopped by to thank him for the rice and beans he left for him.  It's been a good day here in the DR.

6/9/2012

Well as Scott and I discussed what we did yesterday we realized that we had been very preocipado
with some issues and hadn't accomplished much except to be very frustrated that our computer wasn't working and that was the means by which we communicate for our music assignment.  We did go out shopping and bought some hair dye for Scott to color my hair which is getting alot of gray in it.  He is such a good sport!  And such a perfectionist that it makes you fairly comfortable with having him do those kinds of things.  I don't like that characteristic when you have to turn the pancakes in a certain order though....
  We didn't want to go out to dinner with the Friday night supper group because we were trying to get our computer working and didn't really feel like going out but they called us from across the street where they were going to eat  (the Mafia looking guys) at Adams Rib so we went over and joined them.  The food there is wonderful and they are always very respectful but you wonder what is going on when they bring your food in from outside the back door.
   Today the big push was to get the computer working so we could talk to our kids.  The other missionaries with the same internet service weren't having any problems with theirs so we knew it was just ours.  Elder Yturralde came down and was going to call the company for us because he is more fluent in Spanish and could tell them what was wrong- plus he is a real "in your face kind of a guy" and I was desperate for internet service.  What it all came down to was the wall plug that I had checked four or five times was pulled out of the area it sets back in.  What a blessing!!  I knew if it was something they had to fix it would be eons of time before we got it back.  Not to say that these people are slow but . . .
...... So I am very relieved to have a working computer and a way to get ahold of my family.
    We have a meeting tonight an hour or so out of the city.  The Snows are going also so that will make it more fun to travel..  I decided we had time to put the color on my hair.  Now mind you I was very careful to get a color close to my hair color - without red in it because I really do not like my hair red.
Well, you guessed it - it's red.  Scott laughs every time he looks at me.  He says it's ok - it just looks like Reba (country western singer).  Easy for him to say - but he did do his part well. Now if he would just stop laughing I'd feel better.  So my esposo just came over and looked at me "It's not bad in the back, it kind of looks like hereford hair".  Oh well.
     We walked this morning up to the park by the temple.  It is a beautiful area that fills a city block with all kinds of flowering trees  and greenery.  The rock here is coral and there were steps that took you about 15 feet down to 50'x50' open area where there were caves back in the rocks all around.  It looks like they had tried to build a playground for kids at one time because there was a little train track, a castle type building and another building.  Will get pictures of it because it was very interesting.
    On the way back we stopped to give John Paul (one of the guards that wants to join the church) a Book of Mormon. He was excited and has the missionaries coming next week. We were hoping that Elder Midgley would be out in that area to teach him but he isn't. This man has 8 children but not by the same mothers.  He didn't say how many wives he has had but he has one son who is Mormon that Ives in South America but he does not have much to do with him because he left when he was young with his mother.  Scott asked him if he would bring his wife and come have dinner with us - he said he and his wife have both worked as chefs.  Great ..
 Off to another driving adventure in the city.

6/7/28

  It's been a busy day here trying to sandwich studying in with visits from neighbors, Spanish class, and a temple session.  Scott jogs early in the morning then goes to buy fruit from some poor fruit seller to bring home some bananas for the guards here. This morning on  his way home he ran in to our downstairs neighbor, Raisa and her two little kids so they followed him up to visit.  I did get a couple of pictures of the kids but Raisa didn't think she looked good enough to have her picture taken.  She was asking how long we would be here?  When did we get to go home and see our kids?  Etc.  When she found out that we didn't go home at all until we were through she was amazed.  Scott told her I really missed hugging my little grandchildren so she immediately called her two little ones over and told them to give me a hug - that was so nice for me! 

 This is Estaphania and Antonio.  Pretty cute, huh?
After they left the Yturraldes dropped by because they have four days off and had nothing to do so they visited for an hour or two until it was time for us to leave for class.  At the Casa there were six big buses that had brought people to the temple because today is a holiday here and they were all off work.  It looked like an ant bed with kids, teenagers, parents all running around.  After a very relaxed Spanish class we walked over to the temple to see if we could even get in to do our regular Thursday night session.  We did get in but just barely!  When we came out there were still people everywhere.  When people bring their families here while they go through a temple session, all of the kids are outside the temple and the Casa.  They must have had two or three bus loads of kids doing baptisms. There were also some dentists and their wives visiting here doing humanitarian work.
  Still no air conditioning so the heat is a bit draining. Our studying was cut short today so had better get busy and study for awhile before bed.
  

6/6/2012

  I'm alone - that rarely happens here!  It is nice for awhile then I begin to miss my companion.  He went to the temple tonight while I study so that works out well.  He feels he is doing something worthwhile and it gives me a chance to do my computer shortcut to spanish lessons. It is a whole different way of learning spanish so it is kind of fun.
  Just to note what a dust rag looks like here after you have "dusted"

This black dust is everywhere.  If you go without shoes your feet are black. (DeDe would love it!) It makes you wonder just how black your lungs must be!  I think it must be this corner we live on with all of the buses and taxis and big trucks with no emission control laws.  Plus the fact that in order to live in our apartment without air conditioning we have to keep the windows open and there is always a breeze.
   There was a article in the paper here today that said 40% of the births in this country are to girls who are under 18 years of age.  That is so sad.  They end up having the highest rate of C-sections anywhere.
   Our fruit man has been missing for a couple of days so today Scott went down the street where he lives and found his friend who said he was back in a room at the place he guards at night.  So the next thing I know Scott is calling "Herminita"  - which is me when he is warning me that he has brought someone home with him.  This guy was working for a doctor in his lab when the doctor had a stroke and could no longer work.  He works for three months then goes home to Haiti and gives his wife some money to support their two kids.  Now he is trying to sell fruit but didn't have enough money to buy fruit to sell.  He watched "Our Heavenly Father's  Plan" with Scott while they had lunch. He believes there is a God who watches over him and provides him with food when he has none.  He's not worried about starving to death. Makes you wonder about your own faith!
   
   
  
   

6/5/2012

  It's a fairly cool night here.  9:30 pm and people everywhere - MacDonald's is full and the bus stop below us is full of people waiting to go home.  It looks like some of the colleges have had their graduations tonight with all of the young people around.  Night doesn't start here for these people until after 8:00pm and goes on until midnight.  Our next door neighbor, an insurance agent, told us she often has appointments at 11:00 at night.  We didn't ask if they were insurance related!  Scott is always trying to feed her desserts and she is always telling him that she is dieting - it gets pretty funny.
   Scott came home from his morning jog and was so excited.  He has become friends with a man who guards one of the schools  by us each night so Scott passes him in the morning.  They got talking and he told Scott he wanted to be a member of our church. He has nine children - three still at home.  I don't know how he ever provided for them here.  He lives out in San Cristobal.  We went out there for a training - it's about an hour away - and I have wanted to go back ever since.  The old cement churches and buildings there are amazing!
    Thankfully my stomach is feeling better! We got to do a session tonight with the Snows and the little French couple here -whose name I can't say let alone spell!  I have gained such an appreciation for my sons who served missions and for friends who have served. and are serving now.

6/4/2012

41 years of married life - only to find out each year another reason I made such a great choice!  Living together 24 hours a day gives you ample opportunity to drive each other crazy but we are both still somewhat sane!  Unfortunately I have had stomach problems all day so celebrating has been out.  Scott went to Spanish class and family home evening by himself at my insistence. 
   So as I am busily studying Spanish on the computer I hear someone yelling outside - now this isn't an unusual thing but it just went on and on.  When I looked out the window a woman was chasing a man down the street waiving her arms and scarf.  She chased him under the bus and taxi stop right under our window.  You should have seen the people scatter!!  There were two security men across the street so when they noticed what was going on the sauntered across the street and tried to pull the woman away.  She is still screaming at the man who they have also taken back to the sidewalk.  Meanwhile two men in shorts only come out of their apartments onto their balconies and are motioning that they know what happened but everyone is ignoring them.  Meanwhile the security men are trying to get the woman to quit screaming but as soon as they let go of her she goes after the man again with renewed furor.  Half of the people at the bus stop are ignoring what is going on and the other half are trying to figure out what is going on.  Unfortunately, I have no idea what had happened!  The security men finally got her calmed down a bit and took her and the man across the road.  Don't know what happened first or what happened last but it was entertaining! What is incredible is how women run in the 4" heels they wear...
  Last week we bought two 1/2 gallon bags filled with what we thought were cherries. I 'm including a picture!  Scott tried one first and said it tasted like a cross between a cherry and an apple.  We tried to give a bag away to the workers here but they wouldn't take it.  That's when you know you must have made a big mistake.  Of course when we asked the seller if they were cherries he just nodded his head "yes".  They are the size of a cherry but look like a tiny apple with three big seeds.

One of our neighbors finally told us that they just use them for the juice - good luck with that!
I was able to get a picture of one of the moto taxis

You see up to four or five people on these if someone is holding little kids on each knee.  They weave in and out of the traffic and run every light they come to so I would think there might be a safety issue but they don't seem concerned.

Then there are the guys selling flowers in the street on Mother's Day - at almost every traffic stop!

We are finally get some info back from the stake presidents so hopefully we can get the music directors together for some training.  All of these very musically talented people come to our mission and we wonder just why we were the ones called to this position~    But we were and we are doing our best!                                                                                                                                    

6/3/2012

  A beautiful Sunday!  We went to the Piantini ward where we know many of the members - because they are senior missionaries.  Sister Lilly teaches the class in English.  The lesson on Alma and what he went through to repent of his many sins is such a perfect example of the atonement - after realizing what he had done and had repented, he was filled with such joy and peace. I am grateful to know for myself that I can be forgiven and know that peace also!  Relief Society was taught in Spanish but there was a sister behind me and Jill Kimball that filled in what we couldn't understand. First of all Jill is the one that reminds me of Sheri Wright so I felt an instant connection to her.   She has a little downs syndrome daughter, probably about 3 or 4 years old.  Well the lesson was on special challenges with handicapped children and she cried during the whole thing.  Well I couldn't let her cry alone...
Then the teacher told of losing a little 3 day old baby boy and how the Relief Society sisters had actually carried her through that experience.  It was such a touching lesson on how we can help each other.  I hope I can do better!
   We decided to make a dessert and go visiting this afternoon - we are not sure who though.  We were going to have people come here but we have no air conditioning and that isn't a popular thing in this hot country. Hopefully our landlord gets back from the US today so we can talk to him tomorrow.

  I want to put on this blog some of the flowering trees and shrubs here that are so beautiful.  We'll see how that goes.!

This seemed to be a good picture of the typical driving here. None of these vehicles are turning legally but they do it anyway!  That's why you stop at red lights and green lights because you never know what the oncoming car is going to do!

6/2/2012

So from the ending of the last blog you probably are wondering what happened to the rest of that statement.  But then if you know me you would rightly assume that I somehow lost the whole blog except for that  sentence.  I tried for an hour to find it but never could and was so disgusted with myself and the computer by then ...
  However what led up to that statement on the blog was that night we had heard on the news that  Congress passed a bill that said basically that women could have abortions if they didn't like the sex of the baby they were pregnant with - of course it has been that way anyway but it just sounded so bad.  Sometimes I wonder why our country hasn't been destroyed already because there is so much wickedness. We are certainly on that path!  I know there is a lot of crud that goes on here but you don't see the liberal press that professes every wrong thing to be right....It is actually refreshing!
   We went to Los Amigos to shop for some American groceries.  I wanted some cranberry sauce and we haven't been able to find that anywhere.  Then one of our friends said "Why would they have cranberry sauce if they don't celebrate Thanksgiving and have turkey?'  That's a sad thought - no Thanksgiving dinner? ??
    The Snows got back from Jamaica so went out to Chef Pepper with them for dinner then went to their house and played a card game called "Five Crowns"  or something like that.  It was really fun!  Tati was tending the kids below us so she came and had some lunch with us.  She is one of those women that you immediately like.  In discussing with Scott these people we have relationships with here we decided that  the gospel is far too demanding for them to live.  They are wonderful people! 
    Don't know why "If You Chance To Meet A Frown"  was on my mind yesterday but it was great to sing to my husband!!  Hearing me sing would make anyone laugh..
  Scott buys fruit off the street peddlers every morning for the guards and workers here.  They are going to starve when we leave because he is always feeding them and inviting them up to eat with us.  Alta Gracia has these bad headaches so often I wish she would see a doctor.  One of the younger guys is such a sweet kid.  Has a girlfriend with a baby boy on the way.  Scott keeps encouraging him to get married but they don't see the importance of marriage here.  I want to get some pictures if them to put on the blog so I will have them so will work on that.  Louis called to talk to Scott.  He was the one fired after he found the blood in the hallway when the woman was murdered.  He still has no job. 
  Today we worked on a Spanish email to send all of the stake presidents, the mission presidents and the district presidents.  I sent out the first four and realized I hadn't included the file that was the reason we sent the emails in the first place.  I wonder why Dean Lundstrom didn't fire me when I was her secretary at Utah State!!  Finally got them all done though.  Got to go study before it gets too late.