Baptisms, Lizards, and Cake...oh my!

25 de Noviembre,

We had a baptism on Saturday!! INOEL got baptised! It was a great baptism. Done in true Dominican fashion. Without luz. Yes. It was in the dark... we light up the room with cellphones. It was great. It still was super spiritual and he had his best friend baptise him. It was wonderful. 

Another really special thing i just love about this place. Is the the fact that when the lights go out.. we get to teach with candle light. It's my favorite. 

We celebrated Thanksgiving on the wrong day last week. We made stuff for district meeting and everything. We even announced it and all. And we even went around the table during our feast and said what we were thankful for. Well. I guess we can do it again next week.  The good thing is.. latinos don't realy know when Thanksgiving really is. Ha. 

Dislenny and Pamela will be baptised next week. We're really excited for that. We just are praying that the parents will be nice to us. They are so hard to work with! 

I hate it Actually we know that dislenny be able to.. we got a call last night at like 11.. saying she had permission. We were freaking out.. we thought she was calling to say she wasn't able to get baptised... she can. yay. Pamela.. not sure yet if she can. her mom signed the paper... but apparently she doesn' t want it to happen. We found her crying the other day.. i chatted with her. And it just really made me know that she actually want's this. She's kinda a punk.. but i really do love her. I just want her to be baptised. she's so ready!! We had a good chat with Dislenny and Milenny's dad. He had a lot of questions. I was realy guided by the spirit when i was talking to him. It was really awesome. I felt like i handled that well. I feel like we have his respect now.. and he's on board!

We got to go see the temple today!! I had to go see the Doctors.. which took forever. But we got to see this pretty thing.. and eat at McDonalds. I've never loved something so much!

WE had a good week. I'm excited for a new one. We got news that we're able to start a branch in San luis. WE ARE THRILLED! We've been praying for an answer on how we can better work it and what we can do. And sure enough.. we get a branch! We're going to be focusing our week on san luis. I'm excited. it's sooo ready! we have so many people coming from there coming to church. We are so happy. 

We also found out that we can eat with a member on Christmas. Por Fin.

How's the Philipines doing??

I'm doing great though! I'm super happy for the work we have ahead of us. We'll be so busy the weeks to come. I love being busy!

We have transfers next week. i'm hoping and praying that i dont leave and that H. Jacobs can stay. i just love her. and i want to have her here for Christmas! In exactly one month I get to SKYPE. I'm so excited! 

I love you all. I'm sorry  is this email makes so sense. i'm in a hurry!

Pictures..

The temple. 

The baptism

The girls we're teaching. Dislenny is the taller one.. Milenny is the other one.. and Gismelle is the tiny one. 

And there was a sick huge lizard in our house  last night. It was soo gross!!

Well. I have you in mis oracions cada noche! Los quiero mucho! Espero que todo esta bien!

Con Amor!

Hermana Morales

fotos de Hermana Andi Morales

hermana morales at a service project

hermana morales & friends

hermana morales doing what she does best - cutting and styling hair!

p-day visit to the aquarium

sister LaTeeny

hermana kissing .... a jaw? haha

November 18th

Holla. 

Do people even read this email? I feel like I write it just to write it. 

Anyways... 

This week was cray. 

On Monday we have a NDH with a recent member named Rafael. He´s awesome. His entire family are members... and he finally took the plunge in September. His family is great. She always makes us food. She´s a great cook too.. So we eat it. Oops. If I go to hell for eating a people houses.. so be it. 

We have a baptism this weekend. Inoel passed his entrevista this Saturday and he was so happy! I´m so happy that he´ll be baptised! He´s a great kid! We had to go meet the mom to get her permission on Tuesday.. He made her sound like this mean lady. She´s actually the nicest haitian lady i´ve ever met. She taught her sobre la restauration. She´s allowing him to be baptised. Win. 

Have you talked about Rosa? Well i´ll do it now. Rosa is one of our investigators. She´s crazy. Really. We´ll be explaning something.. like Faith. And we´ll ask her a question on what she understood.. and the response is NO WHERE near when we just said. And then she says... ¨Hermana... I´m really smart. Like really smart... (Point at her head) It´s all up here... I´m just a really intelligent person¨ Really lady? So she wants to get baptised. Which. I have faith that the Lord can work miracles. So I feel like it could happen. We made a meta for 14th of Dec. I hope it happens. We just to teach her really slow. I also said the prayer the other day.. and she said that my prayer was really pretty and that she wants to memorize it.. and asked where she could find it in the BOM. What!!! OHHH and even funnier thing. She believes the book of mormon is true.. because she´s convinced that the catholics had it first.. yeah.. okay Rosa.

On Wednesday we had entrevistas with Presidente Hernandez. Which were great. And the shortest entrevista eva. But it was cool They gave us lunch. And Hermana Hernandez made us Pumpkin Pie. I´m not even a fan.. but it was the best thing i´ve ever eaten. Man, I miss normal food. 

We had District mtg at a different chapel on thursday. It´s usually at our church (the stake center) But nope.. it was in Narnia. We got lost. BUT we still managed to get there on time.. And they gave us the best ice cream i´ve ever had. 

On Friday we went to San Luis.. el campo... Literally. It´s a whole other world. You actually feel like your in the DR. It´s so green! 

On Saturday. We had Inoel´s entrevista.. and while we waited for him and our district lider.. we helped clean the chruch.. it took us an hour to sweep the chapel. it´s huge. 

Then while he had his interview.. we helped blow up balloons.. SO MANY BALLOONS. The stake was having a young women modesty fashion show that night.. whaterr. 

Some elders in our zone were going to have a baptism that night after the activity. We thought it would be an great opportunity to invite our investigators to attend. 

We helped them fill up the pila. And we had decided to make out next week district meeting a thanksgiving lunch thing. We asked the elders if they could bring someone... one´s from Columbia and the other from Honduras.. And he looked at me so serious.. and he said.. i can bring Pancakes. I loved that. Best thing i´ve ever heard. So we´ll have food.. and pancakes. Should be sweet. They hate us... dumb americans. 

We also had our first english class on Saturday... we´ll see how these continue to go. 

So we went to the Fashion show. one of our investigators was in it. Then after went to the baptism. Dislenny, Milenny and their dad went.. Milagro. And Inoel. It was sweet. 

After we all went to get empanadas. The best ones i´ve ever eaten. Have you told you that Dominicans love empanadas... well they do. 

So remember how we had 7 investigators last week.. yeah this week was 3. But it´s the 3 that have fechas.. that counts. 

This week was great though. We´ll have a baptism. And 3 entrevistas for a baptism the next week. And then the transfer ends. I´ll probs stay here. Then Christmas!! What. How does time go by so fast. 

I love you all. 

Peace and Blessings. 

Love. 

Hermana  Morales

October 21, 2013

http://www.mormonnewsroom.org/article/church-adjusts-mission-organization-implement-mission-leadership-council

Hola Famila y Amigos!

I was an wreck last week so I failed to mention that we have transfers tomorrow!! We got the calls yesterday. Actually. I got the call on Saturday afternoon. I could´ve been my entire apoyo I wasn´t going to be transered. I was that sure of it. I didn´t think they would make me leave hermana mack with her Asthma issues. We finally got a routine down and I was better able to help her..Sure enough the call came. President informed me that i was being transfered to the Zone Hainamosa (google it) and I´ve been called to serve as the new sister training leader for the zone. (No worries i had to look it up... the link is attached). All i know is that ours called us every sunday :) I´m sure they do a lot more. 

This week was tough. A lot of challenges have presented themselves. Monday was just overall a hard day. We also ended the day in the emergency room My companion had another asthma attack. We we spent the week at the doctors office. And we just couldn´t make it out that much. She´s just been having a lot of problems and we´re just trying to figure out what´s best for her. We also almost made it to the emergency room on saturday night.. but the APs didn´t answer their phone... i just stayed up with her until 4 am until the pain went away.

Gotta love the mission. There´s a challenge everyday! It´s great. I´m learning a growing.. so I can´t complain. 

I´m sad to leave. I´m excited for the change and this new opportunity to serve in a different area. But i hate change. It´s hard to adapt. But i´ve dont it before I can do it again. People are finally going to church thought.. We have Pedro who has a date for November we´re just feeling it out for when he´s best prepared. Although we might give him to the elders.. because He says comments that make me feel uncomfortable. haha. But i´m leaving so that doesn´t matter. And Yayhjara (spelt so weird) I looove this family! The picture is on Yaira´s birthday. We bought her some muffin things and some ballons and gave her a cute card! then we talked about the wonderful plan of Salvation again.. yay. 

I just want to see her baptised. More than anything. They would be the best members! But We´ll just have to keep praying. I´m not looking forward to telling her I´m leaving tonight.. she doesn´t do to well when missionaries leave.

What else. My mind is jello I can´t think of anything else! 

OH! One more thing. We went to the CCM the other day to visit the doctor.. and I saw my companion from the CCM hermana Pierre! I was sooo happy to see her!! We saw eachother and just freaked out. I even got teary eyed... I dont know why. It was so nice to see her!! And I got to see all of my old CCM teachers which was sweet. 

I´m just rambling now. I´ll finish. Next week i´ll have all new adventures! How sweet. Wish me luck! 

Love you all!

Hermana Morales

October 21, 2013

Hola Famila y Amigos!

I was an wreck last week so I failed to mention that we have transfers tomorrow!! We got the calls yesterday. Actually. I got the call on Saturday afternoon. I could´ve been my entire apoyo I wasn´t going to be transered. I was that sure of it. I didn´t think they would make me leave hermana mack with her Asthma issues. We finally got a routine down and I was better able to help her..Sure enough the call came. President informed me that i was being transfered to the Zone Hainamosa (google it) and I´ve been called to serve as the new sister training leader for the zone. (No worries i had to look it up... the link is attached). All i know is that ours called us every sunday :) I´m sure they do a lot more. 

This week was tough. A lot of challenges have presented themselves. Monday was just overall a hard day. We also ended the day in the emergency room My companion had another asthma attack. We we spent the week at the doctors office. And we just couldn´t make it out that much. She´s just been having a lot of problems and we´re just trying to figure out what´s best for her. We also almost made it to the emergency room on saturday night.. but the APs didn´t answer their phone... i just stayed up with her until 4 am until the pain went away.

Gotta love the mission. There´s a challenge everyday! It´s great. I´m learning a growing.. so I can´t complain. 

I´m sad to leave. I´m excited for the change and this new opportunity to serve in a different area. But i hate change. It´s hard to adapt. But i´ve dont it before I can do it again. People are finally going to church thought.. We have Pedro who has a date for November we´re just feeling it out for when he´s best prepared. Although we might give him to the elders.. because He says comments that make me feel uncomfortable. haha. But i´m leaving so that doesn´t matter. And Yayhjara (spelt so weird) I looove this family! The picture is on Yaira´s birthday. We bought her some muffin things and some ballons and gave her a cute card! then we talked about the wonderful plan of Salvation again.. yay. 

I just want to see her baptised. More than anything. They would be the best members! But We´ll just have to keep praying. I´m not looking forward to telling her I´m leaving tonight.. she doesn´t do to well when missionaries leave.

What else. My mind is jello I can´t think of anything else! 

OH! One more thing. We went to the CCM the other day to visit the doctor.. and I saw my companion from the CCM hermana Pierre! I was sooo happy to see her!! We saw eachother and just freaked out. I even got teary eyed... I dont know why. It was so nice to see her!! And I got to see all of my old CCM teachers which was sweet. 

I´m just rambling now. I´ll finish. Next week i´ll have all new adventures! How sweet. Wish me luck! 

Love you all!

Hermana Morales

October 14th

Can we just say that I never want to relive last week again. EVER. 

So Monday went well. We went to Megacentro.. we got home early enough that I got to wash all my clothes. We worked. We had awesome lessons. One that went a little later than planned. When we left we had 15 minutes to get home. It takes about 20-25. So we just had to book it. Remember how missionary work is all about obedience and when we're obedient you recieve blessings. Well i'm in need. So i wanted to get home on time. So we just walked fast. My companion was falling behind a couple times so we just slowed down. When we got home. She couldn't breath. So she used her inhaler.. and it wasn't working.. It got so bad that we just had to calls the APs to take us to the emergeny room. On our way there we she passed out. She finally woke up when they gave her some oxygen. Can i just say that that was one of the scariest experiences ever. I didn't know what to doo! Anyways.. we were there until midnight.. and got home super late. So this week... we couldn't go a lot of working. We had a lot of Doctor visits.. lot's of resting. 

And to top off the awesomeness of the week. My cutie companion and trainee left super early this morning at 5 am. I'm heartbroken. It was one of the hardest things to do to see her leave. But we both have faith in the Lord. And understand that it's his will and not ours. I know she'll be just fine. And I know that i'll be able to see her real soon. I'm just grateful for the opportunity that I had to meet her. And that I was able to teach her alittle bit about missionary work.. I hope she was able to learn something.. if not to just learn to laugh at my pointless jokes and when I say words totally wrong in espanol. She was a wonderful example to me and i'm such a better person for having met her. I'm super grateful for her desire to serve and her willingness to just try. She was always willing to particapate and I was able to witness the spirit working through her. I'll always have a special place in my heart for my sweet little companion. She was my go to when I needed to vent in my native language. I'll just miss her a lot. I'm going to work hard to do everything in my power to teach with power and authority to help OUR investigators progress. She deserves to see the fruits of her labors. She helped out soo much! 

Overall. The week was a blur. It lasted awhile.. and I don't want to go back. I just want to move forward. And though the desire to go out and work is hard to get.. i know that's the only cure. Work. The work is the BIGGEST blessing out here. I'm grateful for the opportunites I have to serve OTHERS and forget about poor little Hermana Morales' problemas. 

I'm happy to be here. And i'm willing to give it all I've got. I've got one more year to make a difference.. and do everything possible to represent our loving savior Jesus Christ. I'm grateful for this chance.... but i'm even more grateful that tonight at 6... i get to leave the house. I get to leave.. and go to WORK. I get to forget about the problems we've faced.. and just focus on the positve. 

The Lord showed me a tender mercy today. As soon as Hermana L left. It started pouring. And it's been raining ever since. And to top it off.. this might sound lame.. but it made me happy. My favorite pen ran out of ink last night. And It's the last one I've got. I woke up and found another one on my desk.  How it got there.. i have no idea. The Lord loves me.

I miss all my family and friends at home. I wish i could see you all right now. More than anything I wish i could just call up my mom or mi mejor amiga.. and just talk. Too bad folks .. it's not your time yet. Wait another year.. or just until Christmas. 

I love you all. I've felt your love and support and i'm so grateful! 

Cuidate! 

Hermana Morales

September 9, 2013

So. News. 

We got transfers calls on Saturday. We have 43 new missionaries coming in so they've been calling all weekend with the news. As we were leaving to head to Beatriz's baptism we get all call from Presidente Hernandez.... telling us that Hermana Larson and I will both be training and staying in our area. P.S. I have a feeling i'll be in Villa Fran for my entire mission. I'm never leaving this place. Somone please send me to Aruba already... And Hermana Walker will be opening up a new hermana area in San Pedro. So that means one of us will have to work in her area.

We get a call last night.. from Elder Graff one of the APS... he asks to talk to me.. and in a really happy excited voice tells me i'll be in a trio. And i'll be training TWO. TWO HERMNANAS. I can barely take care of myself.  Now I have to take care of TWO. What a joke. So i had a little bit of a melt down... mostly me just laughing and I went to bed. 

This morning I got a call from Elder Graff again telling me to wait up tonight because my companion from Guatemala will be here at 11:30. Awesome. I feel terrible. I really am excited.. and equally terrified. Mostly terrified. But I know the Lord qualifies who He calls. I know this will be a huge learning opportunity and i'm willing to work really hard so that these girls learn a lot. I wish my people pleasing self wasn't here. I just want these girls to like me geez. BUT. I'll be fine. It'll be a long 12 weeks if i choose to be unhappy. Plus side. I get to still be in the same house as Hermana Larson. I love her. I'm so happy about that. And we're both training! We can do this..

Anyways. Beatriz got baptised on Saturday!!! It was a great day. It even stopped raining while we took pictures. The Lord really does love us :) She was so happy. And her family came to support. Which was the best! The baptism was at 5:30 and it started right on Dominican time.. 6;30. Which was a joke. We felt terrible. She asked our district leader E. Coello to baptise her so he left the Stake conference Priesthood session thing early.. and he just got to hang out. This is why i'm staying in Villa Fran for 12 more weeks. To learn how to work with this ward. It is the HARDEST thing ever. We get no help and there's no communication between our bishop and our ward mission leader. It's cool. We have a game plan.. and I hope it works!

As we were leaving the baptism on Saturday night.. we were walking out of the parking lot of the church and trying to close the gate when we realize that there's two kids running around the grass area... Well we couldn't get them out. And It was POURING rain.. so just imagine 3 hermanas runnning around chasing these little kids... ugh. It was the worst. 

Then yesterday.. we had an baptismal interview for a girl named Anadal... (expect pictures next week.. she gets baptised on the 14th) And we were waiting out from with our district leader and we were trying to open the door.. while the crazy kids are climbing all over us.. and one of the elders breaks the key.. So that was fun. These kids are crazy! CRAZY! It makes me never want to have kids. Kidding. I'll just actually parent them and not allow them to go awal down the streets. 

OVERALL. 

Life is good. We get to go to the temple on the 26th... and I am sooo excited. I miss the temple. 

Our district leader hates us. 

The DR is really humid. 

I realize that this was the most random email. I'm sorry! 

I love you all. I could use a prayer or two... I'm going to need it. 

I love you all. And I hope all is well!

- Hermana Morales