Wednesday, September 7, 2011

The Excitement Continues-Just Different Kinds

Hello Family!
          This week has been another fun-filled, exciting week here in the Dominican Republic!  After last week though, I´m not sure anything is going to be as exciting as that was.  First of all to answer questions.  Mom, I haven't really had time to think about the plaque, so it would probably be best just to turn that in.  Yes, I got the package!!  It was like Christmas.  I was so, so happy.  Thanks for everything in there, it was awesome.  Everything survived just fine!  I couldn't believe you fit all that in there!  I just kept pulling stuff out!  My knee is mejorando (improving).  I don't think there is any damage, it's just sore.  My in-grown toe is doing fine at the moment.  La Bandera is like meat and potatoes is for you guys, except it is rice, beans, and a little bit of meat.  Abuela cooks for us....I don't really know why Abuela cooks for us.....we have a stove, but she cooks for us, and it's dang good and super cheap.  Our apartment--forget what I said about it earlier.  It's the Hilton.  I just needed to be humbled a little bit.
          Dad, if you would send me some pictures that would be great!!!  But if you could e-mail them as well, that would be great, because the missionary mail system takes FOREVER!!!  Like, we get mail probably once every month and a half or so.  I shouldn't whine about that either, but it's a long time.  Dad, I almost died when I saw the Aggies were in the running with Auburn.  Absolutely crazy, too bad the Aggie luck took over.  That's so sweet Mitch and Colton are coming here!!!  That made me super excited.  I wish they were coming to the West, but hey, its sweet here!  Tell them if they have questions feel free to ask, I know how that is.  I can't believe you didn't go listen to Ugly Earl!!  I was thinking that you guys would be doing that.
          Okay now for my week!!  Drum Roll please....so it started off a little bit rough.  When I woke up Tuesday morning, I had to go to the bathroom.  Well, I went to the bathroom and there was......well, there was quite a bit of blood.  I´m gonna be honest, I was pretty freaked out. (Mom I know you are freaking out right now, but really you don't need to be nervous.  This story has a happy ending.)  So I yelled to Elder Day, "Houston we have a problem!"  And then he had to come examine it.  Anyway, we called Hermana Rodriguez, and she told me that I had to go and get it analyzed.  We were like.....uh, we flushed it.  So that morning and afternoon were spent waiting to........so I could get it analyzed.  Sorry, if this is going to get gross, but I think it's hilarious.  Also, Mom I´m thinking you shouldn't put this part on the blog.  haha.  So I got to go to the bathroom in a grocery bag.....and then we packed it into San Cristobal to the Clinica to have it analyzed.  We showed up to the clinic, set the bag on the counter and said, we need this analyzed.  You should have seen the guy's face when he realized what was in the bag.  He was like, uh....that's not how we do it.  Anyway, they took it, analyzed it, and told me I had an amoeba, whatever that means, and that I needed to go to Medico to get some pills.  We were like ¨uh, okay¨.  So we took a trip to the Hospital.  Health care in the States rocks.  Anyway, the lady working there gave me a prescription for some pills.  Me, being a greenie, decided that I really didn't want to take some pills that the creepy nurse at the sketchy hospital had given me.
          So we called the Doctor that works at the CCM.  He told me to bring my analysis to the zone conference that we were going to be having tomorrow, and Elder Cornish (a member of the 70) would take a look at it.  Fast forward.  Zone Conference.  Talking to Elder Cornish (he´s a legit Doctor, John Hopkins School of Medicine, helped Elder Nelson with the Artificial Heart-this guy knows his stuff, and he is a General Authority, so I´m feeling really good at this point).  Well he says, yep that prescription is correct.  Just go get those pills, take them, and you´ll be fine.  So, I am taking the pills, and I am fine.  The story was just too funny not to tell you guys.  I feel absolutely fine, and I have the entire time.  Mom, try not to worry, I really am fine.  I promise.
          So anyway, continuation of the week.  We had zone conference on Wednesday, with President Rodriguez and also with Elder Cornish.  It was a really good experience.  Elder Cornish is an amazing speaker (is that correct English?).  We learned a lot about how we can be more effective in our teaching, and how we need to focus on the doctrine, which is absolutely true.  The scriptures and the Spirit are the teachers, we just have to be the means that people can feel it.  Thursday.....nothing exciting.  Lessons, contacting, missionary work.  If I don't have anything to say about a day....sometimes that's a good thing.  Writing day by day is hard, I don't remember anything.  But I made a little list of things to write about, so I am going to write about that.
          Highlight of the week.  One night Elder Day and I were walking back to our house, when all of the sudden we see something being projected onto a cinder block wall.  We were like what the  ???  (You just don't see projectors around here.)  As we were walking by, I realized that the crowd of people were there because it was the Boston-New York game.  It's possible that we stopped and watched for a couple of minutes, until I saw Boston commit an error, and I had to leave.  I think Grandpa Reeder and Dad would have been okay with this decision, haha.
          Anyway next,  Mom--they have this awesome drink here called Kola Real.  It's like Coke, except a million times better.  I wish I could send you some, but I can't think of a way.  Also, they have amazing juices here, that we don't have in America because the fruit is illegal there, like chinola, and other fruit that I can't remember right now.  They are amazing!!!
          Wow, this is random, but now to our investigators.  We have a bunch right now.  We had 11 investigators in Church yesterday, which was a record for Elder Day.  It was really exciting to see so many there.  One of our investigators, Agapito, is ready to be baptized, he just has to get approval.  from the First Presidency.  Yes, as in Thomas S. Monson.  President Rodriguez had a scheduled phone call with them today, so we are excited to get the news from that.  We have a husband and wife who are getting married on the 27th, and we should be baptizing them soon after.  We also have a young man with a fecha (date) for the 17th.  The work is going along good.  Also, we have an awesome family we are teaching.  They have a little boy named Eric, who is just a stud.  He is 10 and always reads everything that we leave them, and he understands it all!  We left them a chapter about Adam and Eve, and I´m pretty sure he understands it better than me.  I really hope they continue to progress, because I really love them.
          I have really developed such a love for the people here.  They have their shortcomings, just like all of us, but they are awesome.  They are so accepting of the missionaries.  The mission is the greatest experience of my life.  I can't even wrap my mind around all of the things I have learned while I've been here.  People and our relationships with them, along with the Gospel of Jesus Christ are the most important things in our lives.  It doesn't matter how big our house is, how nice our car is, how educated we are.  All of that is secondary to our families and the Gospel.
          I want you all to think about the blessings of our family and the Church.  Really think about it.  I can't even believe how blessed we are.  I love you all so very much.  I know without a shadow of a doubt that this is the true Church.  Jesus Christ lives.  The Book of Mormon is the word of God, and will bless your life.  I encourage you to continue to read it, EVERY day.  I promise it will change your life.  I have seen it change mine, and the people we teach, and I know it will change yours.  I am so grateful for the opportunity that I have to be here.  I feel inadequate everyday, but with the Lord's help, I can do it.  I know that with the Lord's help, you guys can over come every challenge you are facing.  Just ask.  Live the Gospel of Jesus Christ, pray, and your burdens will be lifted.  I have had this happen countless times so far.  I love you guys so much, and pray for you every day. 

Love,
Elder Reeder

P.S.  We get to go to the Temple on Thursday!!  Wahoo!!!!

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