The Prophet speaks Espanol

Is it getting old when I start the blog off with: "another great week"? Sorry if it is. This week was another great week. Much of the week was filled with helping out for transfers. The last 2 two transferred we had a meeting for all missionaries involved in transfers but this time we went back to the more traditional formate. Only the missionaries that are leaving their area came into the "transfer chapel" and left for their new area from there. The new missionaries and the training missionaries received some instructions before they were given their new companions and then sent to their areas. The President interviews the new incoming missionaries before he gives them their assignments. This time there were 28 new missionaries which are a lot of interviews. The trainers were selected before transfers and most of them returned to their previous area. The new missionaries area assigned to their trainer in a way that is a little too theatrical for me, but the missionaries seem to like it. The trainers line up on one side of the room and the new missionaries on the other as the names are called for the new companionship. It works it just feels a little like a sorting ceremony. It is fun to see the excitement of the new missionaries and the trainers.

After 6 weeks of not having missionaries, President Santos assigned Sister Gil from Mexico and Hermana Earl (a new missionary) from Salt Lake to Padre Las Casas. We took them out to show them their new hose and help them get settled in. The members can't ever remember having Hermanas there. They seem excited though. Today in church there was a sign-up sheet to give the Hermanas a meal each Sunday. I've never seen that anywhere. Taking Hermana Earl out there, which is an hour away from Azua which is an hour away from the capital made me feel how hard it is to be a new young missionary in a foreign country being paired with a companion that doesn't speak a lot of English. It's amazing how this whole thing works at all. It is truly an act of faith for these young missionaries.

The highlight of the week was getting to hear from and greet the Prophet. A week and a half ago he woke up and 2 in the morning and felt a need to come to the Dominican Republic and he realized that he had this weekend available on his calendar. So he made it happen. Elder Renlund and his wife came with him. The missionaries from Our mission and the East mission, as well as the Senior missionaries and the missionaries in the MTC, met with them for 2 hours Saturday Morning. Before the meeting started we were all able to shake their hands and take a photo as a Mission. It was the first time either one of us (Hermana Borup and I) have shaken the hand of the living prophet. I was expecting a shock of electricity or something but what I got was a nice warm handshake from a kind loving servant of God. As we were waiting in the chapel for President Nelson and Elder Renlund to arrive I got this sort of prickly feeling it was followed by a very clear thought that the Prophet of God is here. About 20 seconds later the Area Seventy Elder Acosta announced that the Prophet had arrived. That was a special witness for me. In those 20 seconds, I was trying to dismiss that feeling as just hoping but it was real.

After the missionary meeting, we were able to meet up with Ramon and Ernestina here in Azua. They took the guagua (bus) from Padre Las Casas so we could go to the member meeting broadcast of President Nelson. At the meeting, President Nelson gave a great short message in Spanish. It turns out that it is the first time the Prophet has given his talk in Spanish. Ramon and Ernestina loved the broadcast. Dany and Santiago also went to the broadcast. To round our week off Ramon and Ernestina had dinner with us and watched meet the Mormons and then spent the night here. I took them home in time for their Sunday meetings in Padre Las Casas.

The Work goes on and we keep trying to contribute. We love that we can try.

Have a great week
Your friends
Hermana Y Elder Borup

One of our local meat stands. There's a cows head in the shadow.

At transfers, we noticed this Elder with a Utah State water bottle.

The Transfer bus wouldn't start. That is my truck in the background. He used my battery as one of the batteries to get it started and then he flagged a guy down and paid him 200 pesos to use his battery. Once he got it started he took them both out and returned them. I never got my 200 pesos.

Inside the transfer bus. I really want one of these to replace my Sprinter Van.

Missionaries are lined up at transfers to see who their new companion will be. New missionaries on the left Trainers on the right.

After our missionary meeting with President Nelson, the media interviewed a couple that has done some work in our mission. Hermana Santos, the Mission President's wife is looking this way in the bottom right.