Still not in Azua

Sorry for not having many pictures. We're going to find out if you visit the blog to read it or just look at the pictures. This has been another week of nothing typical. Last Sunday I started to feel the symptoms of a cold and by Monday I was under the weather. By Tuesday I had a sore throat and didn't even go into the office. But don't worry there is a pharmacy on every corner here and they are just as good as doctors. They knew just what to give me so by Wednesday I was back at it in the office.

As I mentioned a few times, we're moving to Azua and just as expected when you're not good with the language and just getting to know the culture things don't always go as smooth as you would like. Last week we said our goodbyes in Nizau because we thought we had a signed contract on the new house and so could pay our first months rent. The area office likes to pay Landlords electronically through the bank. Our new landlords are an older couple in their late 70's and live upstairs. The women signed the contract but does not have a bank account, but her husband does have a bank account.  I tried to convince the area office that my legal skills (I was in a Bishopric with an Attorney) tell me that since they are married it was ok to have the payment go to him especially since she signed a document saying she wanted the money to go to her husband's account. My legal expertise was not enough to convince them so I got to drive out to Azua another time to make the contract in his name. Case solved, I think they will receive their payment tomorrow and so we will be moving this week, but you never really know.

I hope everyone got a chance to see the funeral services for President Monson. One of my impressions (not my most important) was that the handbook says a funeral should be about an hour in length but no longer than an hour and a half (At least that is what it used to say and probably still does). Of course, President Monson's funeral was right on that time schedule, 1:04 as I timed it. For the record, I'm ok with my funeral going the full hour and a half (loner if possible) as long as the speakers can say nice things about me, let them keep talking. My 2nd observation (much more important) is how obvious it was that this man from an ordinary home was meant to be the Lord's prophet before he was born. Our lesson in Sunday school was about for-ordination. That was timely. He lived a Prophet's life. Before even considering his great teachings, his example of kindness, diligence, and faith make me want to be better. I am grateful for this wonderful man. He makes me a better follower of Christ.

Since we already said goodbye to the Nizau Branch we thought it would be awkward to attend church there again and have to say goodbyes all over. We attended with our good friends the Perez family. If you remember, they were baptized the 2nd week we were here in the DR. We have visited them often and we consider them to be good friends. It was fun to see them in their ward and see how involved and loved they are in just 6 or so months. 

Well, off we go into another week of the unknown. We are nervous. We feel inadequate in our move to Azua, mostly because our language skill is modest (said as nicely as I can think of). But we feel the Lord has a purpose for us to be there. We need His help and we would like your prayers. So until next week.

Your friends,
Hermana y Elder Borup



Here are the weather stats for Azua our new home.
Everything can be delivered here, even McDonalds. Most people even get deliveries from the pharmacies.
Posing in La Cava, Hermana Borup is going to kill me when she finds out I put this picture here.
another view of our Eiffel tower
One of my new ties for Christmas. Thanks, Mackley and Sawyer.
The senior missionaries, the better end of the table.
The stairs going into La Cava a restaurant made in a cave. 
La Cava, the location was better than the food, which was expensive.
The Senior missionaries from the more unfortunate end.
One of the best things about la Cava is that we can keep the rift raft behind bars.

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