Livin Dominican: Life's what you make it

Today's subject has a little story behind it. We went to Santiago today
to go buy some new shoes since my area is destroying every pair I get.
Hermana Fagersten gave me a pair of her shoes a few weeks ago after I
walked holes into yet another pair but even those are now starting to
wear. While we were there we dropped by the mission home. After seeing
my shoes, Hermana Douglas gave me a pair of her shoes that she doesn't
wear here (they are $150 Dr. Scholls flats). The Douglases never cease
to amaze me with their amazing charity and concern for other people. I
really hope to develop that same type of unselfishness one day. While
we were in the mission home I visited with some other missionaries.
Every single one after finding out where I was told me, "I'm sorry.
That area is super rough." I laughed and told them it is the best area
I've had in the mission. Then I explained what happened this week...

We spent the end of last week preparing Troy, Yordi, and Juan Jose for
their baptisms. Each one is so different but it is always so much fun
to see the individual progression. Troy and Yordi are still just kids
but it is always funny to watch them get excited when they answer a
question right or when they sit still during a lesson and I can give
them a candy. Juan Jose has had many baptismal dates with us before
but was never quite ready. A little over a month ago we decided to
drop him and we explained to him why (we wanted to see the desire to
be baptized through his actions without us there). The next week he
came to church and the week after that. Then he told us he was reading
the scriptures and ready to get baptized. Last week we played jeopardy
to review the lessons with him and he was on fire! Now he's looking
for less actives to visit and is still so excited about the gospel. I
love seeing that.

Saturday started out a little bit rough. Our mission leader is not
active so we went to the chapel in the morning to clean and fill up
the font. Then we noticed that the baptismal clothes smelled a little
bad. (Because almost no one has running water here they just kind of
rinse off the clothes each time and hang them to dry in the church
bathroom...I didn't know that until Saturday) So we took the clothes
home and started washing. Our little semi-automatic machine can only
handle one heavy jumpsuit at a time so we were washing for awhile and
then I laughed as we hung up 8 jumpsuits on our porch for all the
world to see. In the end, we had a wonderful baptismal service for the
3 of them and 1 more of the elder's investigators. The branch was
ecstatic to have 4 baptisms in one day and so many people came that we
had to move to the sacrament room. That never happens. It looked like
a good ol Sunday meeting. I sang Nearer My God to Thee and felt so
humbled as I looked at all of the people that had come.

On Sunday the 4 of them were confirmed. I play the piano and so I sit
in front of the congregation and I was amazed at how many people came.
Usually we have around 60 people but lately with all of the sickness
we have been in the 30's and 40's. On Sunday they had to bring in more
chairs because there were 97. And to top it off...18 of the less
actives we teach and 6 investigators were there along with our
converts. I am not sure that there are words to describe the emotion I
felt as I looked at each family and each person that had come and to
know that in some small way I was a part of that. Obviously it is not
me that brings them to church. I don't have the power to make anyone
do anything. But there is something incredible about being a part of
the work.

We have had so many people come up to us this week and thank us for
our work. Perla's mom told us that Perla was saying how grateful she
is for the sister missionaries and that we have really helped her turn
her life around. (She is 13 years old and was super inactive but now
has been back to church 6 weeks in a row and is starting to change her
life around. When she first came she would come in a tank top and
short shorts and this week she worked her way to a blouse and nice
jeans. We're going to buy her a skirt soon). Her mom told us they
don't fight anymore and that Perla doesn't leave with her bad friends
either. That made me happy. Erika and Deyvi are starting to talk about
wedding plans again. Victor and Veronica are coming back to church and
Veronica will be baptized next week. The members invite us over for
family home evening, for dinner, for any reason they can find! We are
seeing so many wonderful things happen here in Conani that I can
hardly believe it.

So this morning when people told me they were sorry that I had to
serve in this "horrible" branch where so many people are inactive and
so many horrible things have happened in the past, I told them all the
miracles that I have seen in my time here. Everything from Chico
admitting that he is a member and coming to church, to leaving with a
member every lesson every day, having 5 baptisms in 2 months, Erika
and Deyvi coming back with their entire family, 24 more people coming
to church on Sunday, and a million more. Then they all asked, "How did
you do it?" The thing is...it isn't us and never was. All the Lord
asks, and really all we can do, is have faith. We put our faith in Him
and in His power and then do what He asks. We give our all and we do
it with faith. We look for the good in this place and we have found
it. Is it perfect? Of course not. That is why the miracles are so
wonderful because they come in spite of the odds. Like Moroni, I
testify that God has not ceased to be a God of miracles. And if you
don't see miracles it is because of unbelief, or you have departed
from the right way, and know not the God in whom you should trust.
Miracles are real. They are all around us. The Lord is waiting to work
through us and all we need to do is be worthy and willing to fulfill
whatever He requires.

I love you all and I love the mission!
Hermana Ewell