LAST LETTER EVER!

Hello everyone!

     Well I can't even begin to express how grateful I am for my mission. It has been the hardest thing that I have ever done in my entire life, and yet the most rewarding. The Lord has been so merciful to me and blessed me so much while on my mission. I am so grateful for all the love and support when I have panicked at the changes that the mission has thrown at me.=) There sure were a lot of those!!!!! 

     But, I mainly want to express to all of you how much I love my Savior. I know without a doubt that He lives and that He loves us. I also know that I have a loving Heavenly Father who wants us to be happy and bless us with all that He has. I know that He established a plan named The Gospel of Jesus Christ as a guide to help us obtain peace in this life and in the life to come. I know that God speaks to us now through His servants the prophets and that the prophet can receive revelation for the whole world and guides us in the ways of God. There is safety and protection in obeying their words; they come from God. I know that Jesus Himself was born to a virgin named Mary and that He suffered all of our our sins, pains, and afflictions. I know that He served every day of His life and that He is our example. He established His own church with prophets and apostles, and gave them the authority of the priesthood to receive revelation and record them in the scriptures. Also, because of the wickedness of that time they fell into apostasy after crucifying their God and His apostles. The Priesthood was taken from the earth and the people suffered in a spiritual famine until the Lord saw fit to restore His Gospel.

      In 1820 a young boy by the name of Joseph Smith had a question that would change the world. He too was suffering of this lack of knowledge and was very concerned for the welfare of his soul from a young age. He wanted to know which of all the churches was true. He had been raised in a God fearing Christian family and so he took his search to the scriptures and read in James 1:5 IF ANY OF YOU LACK WISDOM, LET HIM ASK OF GOD, THAT GIVETH TO ALL MEN LIBERALLY, AND UPBRAIDETH NOT; AND IT SHALL BE GIVEN HIM. This scripture hit him in a way not like any other. If anyone needed wisdom it was him. He decided to put the scripture to the test. One spring morning he went to a grove and knelt and prayed to ask God which of all the churches was the correct one and which he should join. In his own words he explains to us what happened to him that morning. He says, ¨I saw a pillar of light exactly over my head, above the brightness of the sun, which descended gradually until it fell upon me. When the light rested upon me I saw two Personages, whose brightness and glory defy all description, standing above me in the air. One of them spake unto me, calling me by name and said, pointing to the other; This is my Beloved Son. Hear Him.'  I know and testify that Joseph Smith was a prophet and that he did in fact see God the Father and His Son Jesus Christ. Joseph was told that he shouldn't join any of the churches; 'that with their lips they honour me, but their hearts are far from me.' Through the direction of the Lord, he restored the same church that had been lost and was given the same authority, even the Priesthood to act in God's name. 

      Through the power of God Joseph Smith obtained an ancient record and translated it to become known as the Book of Mormon.. The Book of Mormon is the word of God and another testament of Jesus Christ. I testify of it's truth, because I have read it and prayed about it. The Holy Ghost has testified to me the truth of this book and the blessings that we can all receive if we follow the promise in Moroni and ask God ourselves. I testify that He will answer your prayer. I know this to be the true church and that the Gospel with never change. Our Heavenly Father loves us and invites all of His children to participate in his Kingdom. In the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.

Love, 

Hermana Carey 

     Well, I´m going to be upfront and honest with you guys, I don't have that much to say. The whole week has just been a blur. =) But that's good because it was just a good week of working.

      Highlights of the week: we had two less actives who are having marriage problems come to church this week! We are so happy that they are getting along better! And also anther one who was becoming really active and then just stopped coming, but this week he came! Whoo Hoo! I love it when there are less actives at church! It makes me even a little bit more excited than having investigators sometimes. Because they have already made their covenant with God and are being condemned by not completing what they promised and when they get to church it is their chance to get back on the path! YAY! GO LESS ACTIVES!!!!!

      Nothing super significant has happened this week though.  We had exchanges with the sister leaders so I went with Hna Bates and so that was awesome. We are both going to BYU I and we are going to be buddies.=) On the exchanges we had the opportunity to do some service which was awesome=)  I love you guys! 

Hna. Carey

     SO a funny moment, I was walking down the street and I walked by a callejón and these two vicious little dogs came out and started to try and attack me and bite me. (Side note I have become better at defending myself from dogs because before I would just keep walking and pray they don't bite me and usually my companion saved me, but now I have become brave enough to kick them away! YAY PROGRESS!) SO I was kicking these dogs away all panicky and as I was kicking them away and defending myself, I kind of ran into a pole.....with my face......it wasn't exactly a pole but that's the best best way that I'm going to be able to describe it to you. Yeah, it hurt, but what's worse is people notice when I do stupid things because I don't blend in at all. So there is that! I know good job! I know I am just making you guys proud making a scene in the DR. =)

       Also our baptismal date fell through this week and we had to postpone it for next week. Our investigator is great but we just had a really hard time finding him in his house and got behind on the lessons but all is well. =) Also, I have seen so much in the mission that just when the day seems like a really bad one and all the lessons have fallen though, every time that we stop to pray and ask the Lord where he would have us go, he blesses us with a really good contact. =) The Lord is so mindful of His missionaries and helps and supports us so much!

      In the mission we really have a unique opportunity to look and see ourselves as we really are and see all of the imperfections that we have. But the Lord is so kind and merciful with us that he really does bless us that we can become better  and have the strength to be the person that he wants us to be. He blesses us so much and it is so incredible and I am so grateful for all of his help! I have come to learn a little bit more about how much we really depend on our Father in Heaven. I'm so happy that I have a loving Heavenly Father and that His son loved us enough to sacrifice all and save us if we follow our Father´s plan!

I love you all! 

Hermana Carey 

     Hi,

 

      So today is the start of my last transfer! It is only four weeks because the last one was eight weeks for the president change. I don't even know what to think about having only four weeks left... 

       But guess what! I burned myself on ALL MY FINGERS while curling my hair!  I don't even know how that happened, I didn't even feel it really. I just noticed that I have tons of tiny blisters. It was a funny and sad realization. 

     This week have taught so many investigators! We have finally found more that have started to progress and and wow are they really prepared! One is named Dani and he has a date to be baptized on the 25th! Whoo Hoo! In our first lesson with him he just told us, "you know, I could see myself being Mormon, I want to be baptized." UM.....WE CAN TOTALLY HELP WITH THAT!!!!!!

      I met my new mission president! He is really nice but super young! He has a 5 yr old and a 12 and 14 year old! Crazy!!!!!! But its great! 

     Have I ever really told you guys how much my life has been blessed by my mission and how much I love the mission? Because it is true! I don't regret this decision at all! I have come to know and understand my Savior better and everything that He has done for me. I have so much more appreciation for the scriptures and have come to learn and realize how I receive answers to my prayers. The mission is so ridiculously difficult but it is worth EVERYTHING. I love you guys!

Hna. Carey

Dad,

     Guess what it  was transfers and I'm the same! YAY! No more changes in companions!!!!!!! That's the best feeling EVER! Haha! Also I saw bunnies this week too! We fed them cherries as we were cherry picking. So it was funny how they do it.  The Elders shake the branches and let all the cherries pelt the sisters and everyone else below.......good logic. 

     Hey did you know that I love you? And yeah email time has been so difficult this last transfer...I don't even know why things just keep happening and complicating EVERYTHING. Bye! Love you!

Hi Mom,

  Guess what! WE had an investigator tell us she wants to get baptized this week! We didn't even have time to invite her before she just told us!
   Mom I'm so excited to see you! But mom I'll be honest.  I left my family to come to the DR but I am leaving a family here too and that breaks my heart.
    I'm so happy I will go home to Denver! I'm not worried about moving to Montana.  When I found out we were moving I was at the temple and I prayed and feel like there are really good things waiting for you guys there. But I am happy that I get to at least see colorado one last time=)

     So this was a great week! We got an amazing reference! We went and contacted and during the lesson he told us straight up that he wants to be baptized! WOW!!!!! We can totally help with that! I have been so impressed with the Lord's ability to let us be instruments in His hands. This week we went to our less actives house and said hi and then went in and sat down.  Then suddenly an argument breaks out between the husband and wife. And wow they went at it! So it was funny and ironic that our planned lesson had been The Family..... We also helped put on a wedding!!!!!!! Yay!!! that was so fun and tiring!!!!

     Alright everyone, that above was my letter from last week, as I was writing it the electricity went out and well..... email time was over. Kinda funny, sorry about that!

This week 

     Okay this week we have been teaching our awesome new investigator and he understands everything so well!!!!! YAY!!!!! We also had a fun service at the relief society presidents house cleaning her drive way and street. We got a little wet in the process....=) Also it was a half surprise party for another lady in the ward named Fifa. So did you know that apparently it is some kind of tradition to pour water and throw flour on people when it is their birthday? EVEN WHEN THEY ARE INSIDE THE HOUSE......!  So.....much.....water.......but anyways it was funny because the elders came and they wanted their service to be cooking lunch, so it was totally opposite of normal. The elders were in the kitchen cooking and we were outside working=) it was way more fun that way=). 

I love you guys!

  Hello,

      Okay, so first of all, no Mom I do not have chikengunya and I am not dead!  So what happened was that our visas expired so we got to go down to Santo Domingo for P-Day AND GO TO THE TEMPLE!!!!!!!! It was so amazing!!!!! But writing kind of slipped my mind, sorry about that.   I just didn't plan ahead for it and then it was too late! But it was the first time that I have been to the temple in more than a year!!!!!!!!! It was so amazing! Then we got to sleep at the CCM!!!! It was so fun to be there again and we were a group of twenty. Then the next day after the temple we went to the government building and sat there for 7 hours!!! But it was way fun! I got the see missionaries that I haven't seen in forever and it was just such a fun day! And we went across the street while waiting and went to the beach!!!!!! But I accidentally got hit by a wave....it was soooo not my fault, it was a huge wave!  I got to go back to the government building with half of my clothing wet. =) 
      And today WILL BE AMAZING!!!!!!! So remember when I got special transferred to Moca? Well guess what?????? We had gotten a reference that first week of a husband and a wife and we contacted them and learned that they had just suffered the loss of their son this last Christmas so we shared with them about the plan of salvation and the spirit was so strong that they were both in tears. Well I ended up getting transferred again to La Vega, but I got a phone call on Monday saying that TODAY THEY ARE GETTING BAPTIZED!!!!!!!!!!!!!! AND I GET TO GO TO IT!!!!!!!!! The last two I wasn't able to go to that were in Esperanza, but it just worked out that I could go to this one! YAY!!!! AND I JUST KNEW THEY WOULD GET BAPTIZED! They were just prepared from the beginning!!!!!

Love you all!

Hna. Carey

Hi,

    We found this really great new investigator this week! He was a reference of one of our less actives! It's actually really awesome because he has started to help us teach him and he even bore his testimony and brought him to church! YAY! 

     I really love my Dominican companion, she is so darn fun and crazy! She just makes me love the Dominican culture even more! I am really happy and grateful for the opportunity to learn and experience a different culture. It is such a blessing. Also I can see such an advantage in having a Dominican companion because she can instantly understand and connect with our less actives and our investigators because they share the same culture.  There is no switching cultures for the most part.  I now understand why it is so important that people from their own country serve in their own country. They can understand their own people and help them in a way that foreigners can't. It has been really cool to watch and learn from her. And it is funny because she is pretty much my Dominican twin! 

     Also, funny moment, we were walking down a callejon like an alleyway and I hear dogs barking in the opposite direction, so I tense because it sounds like they are running towards us. But it was not dogs! A HORSE comes running from the opposite direction and we just hugged the wall to not get hit.=) haha who would've thought! 

     Also it poured this week, and I really didn't want to get wet that day, so for the first time I got to use my poncho! What made it better was that my companion had one too! We matched! Except it was a hilarious sight because we had to put our bags under too so we had these huge bulges. Haha, we DID NOT GET WET! That is a WIN!

Love you guys!

Hna. Carey

Hi, 

     We had tranfers last week and I now have my first Dominican companion! And she is pretty much like my Dominican twin!=) We get along really well and she brings an amazing spirit into our lessons. Also she just got out of her training, so I'm her first companion after her trainer. I´ve gotten us pretty lost though this week, haha....there are a million roads in La Vega and they all LOOK THE SAME! But it's okay because we get to the houses, just sometimes in ridiculous ways! Also the Lord has been guiding our footsteps in finding houses that I didnt know how to get to when we weren´t even looking! Whoo hoo! Also funny enough is that her name is Hna. Calderon! She will probably be my last companion, so its ironic that my first and last have the same last name. =) 

Love,

Leah

     Hi,

     Well, this was a good week!  Have I ever told you guys that Dominicans are the craziest, funniest and best people in the whole wide world? They are just so energetic all the time and so loud, out going and fun.=) Well they are....=) 

     This week we had Zone Conference and it was great! They are always so inspiring and amazing.  I got to go up and bear my testimony with 5 seconds notice. Hna Douglas talked a lot about how we need to love first, serve second, and preach third. It was really inspired and I love her talks. She is an incredible woman! Also this might have been the last zone conference with them.......that's really sad. 

     Also I look like a tomato today! Whoo Hoo! We went to the beach in Puerta Plata and wow! El sol pica. But it was SO FUN!!!!! Besides my unreasonable fear of sharks and drowning, I really love the ocean! It's BEAUTIFUL!!!!!!! You guys have never seen an ocean so beautiful! It's all different shades of blues and greens. But I even used sunscreen and I'm still burned beyond belief! 

      We set two baptismal dates this week with a family! We had an incredible FHE with them and I felt such a strong impression that THIS WAS THE TIME to invite them to come unto Christ. I love how we are able to be a part of this work.   We are so privileged to act as God´s instruments and help others make sacred covenants.

      I´ve been thinking a lot about the atonement lately and everything that Christ does for us. So many times we feel like He just suffered for our sins and we forget that he suffered for our sicknesses and pains, hurts and sorrows, dashed hopes and broken dreams. He suffered all.  And I think that it is so incredible because in the scriptures it says He did it for our salvation, and because He loves us.  But the phrase that always gets me is that it was to know how to succor His people. (Alma 7. 11to13) It is such a special gift that we have, that He can perfectly understand us. It was one of the many reasons that He had to carry out the atonement. We are so blessed with this gift He has given us. I am so grateful for the atonement in my life and its enabling power. I know that we can trust in it and in His sacrifice and we can have faith in what He did for us and through that we can have the ability to be healed and given strength to keep going.=) I´ve seen that a lot since being here and something that I have learned because I have had to use and experiment and get to know my Savior better through His atonement. I love you all and I know that the church is true!

Love,

Leah

     Well, this week was interesting......we were having a lesson with a less active member when her pregnant neighbor faints. They go to help her and then get kicked out of her house. After, as we are about to start the lesson, the same lady who had fainted comes out and and tells us you're not of my religion right? Do you know why I'm doing this?" And I panicked.  So... I wide eyed told her no and then she throws HOLY WATER on us! Yep.....holy water kept in a 7-UP soda bottle. I was terrified. It is a first though.....and on the bright side it was super hot so it was rather refreshing.

      There has been a killer heat wave that has swept the DR.  We are walking in 100 degree weather! Wow....I've never been so hot in my life! We have to use umbrellas to save us from being horribly burnt! IT'S SO HOT HERE!!!!!!!!!!!! Everyone is dying of heat and it will just get hotter! Also two days ago my companion and I got two giant water tanks (the blue ones that we use for food storage) and filled them up with a bucket of cold water and got inside. It's that hot! Since we don't really have a bathtub we improvised=)

     Also a few weeks ago Ramon got baptized!!!!! He was an investigator that Hna blanch and I were teaching in Esperanza! I wasn't able to go to it but I'm so happy he got baptized!!! I got to talk to Hna Blanch again this week and she told me that another girl named Winnifer is going to be baptized this Saturday!!!!! We had just started teaching her when I got transferred out. It's sad that I don't get to be there or that I didn't get to finish teaching them but I'm so happy they are getting baptized!!!!!!!!!! So exciting!!!!!!!!  I just don't get to be there for them and that's sad.  I feel like everyone gets baptized after I leave. But I was talking to Hna bates and she told me something really nice.  She said that the Lord doesn't just give the glory to one person.  He brings in and takes out missionaries to remind us that it is His work and not our work. I really think that is true.   If we baptized everyone then we might start to think that it is just us and not Him.=) He´s smart that way=)

    Mom, before I forget! I WANT STRAWBERRY RHUBARB PIE WHEN I GET HOME!!!!!!!! I'm telling you early so that you can freeze one.  YOU HAVE TOO!!!!!!!!! THAT IS ALL I WANT!!!!!!! They don't freaking do pie here!!!!!!

     Alright so this week....I actually barely remember. It's funny that it is all just a blur. Well I'm still learning my area so that's fun! I'm way better at directions than when I left! I'm still terrible but it is progress! Also a funny moment of the week, I was on exchanges with Hna Bates(who was with me in the CCM) and is now my sister leader so that was SUPER FUN! Okay so we both are new in our areas and her companion was sick and they helped us last week with our numbers when I had dengue so we went out and proselyted in BOTH of our areas. My companion was with Hna Bates´ companion so we went out kind of almost blind. We got lost in both of our areas....But it was really a miracle because as we were lost a lady comes up to us from the US and starts talking to us in English! She just lives here for fun, living off of a budget and doesn't have to work and just lives, enjoys life and tries to be a good christian person. It was so cool! We have an appt. with her for Tues. Then again we were lost and apparently God knew we weren't going to get to the house we were looking for so He sent us a member to help us. We were just walking along and it is one of the few members that I could recognize and helped take us to the house we were looking for.  I learned that even when you have two missionaries walking almost blind, the Lord will still direct your paths and footsteps and send others to help you, because the same thing happened when we  were lost in the area of Hna Bates! The Lord really is so mindful of His missionaries!  

     Also we had interviews this week! It is my last interview with Pres. Douglas! I'll have a new president for my last transfer of my mission. But it was really incredible to talk to him and I told him that I only have 3 transfers left including this one. And he goes what? It seems like it was just only a couple months ago that you were crying in my office! And it was so funny because it feels like an eternity for me. Well it depends... it kind of also feels like I've always been a missionary and I always will be! Which I guess that is true.... it really doesn't end.=) a

    

 President said I got more difficult companions now because and he told me that I can do it and that he believes in me. Yeah......I think it's because I'm rather mellow.....and yes it will be very difficult to see him go. He has done a lot of good in this mission and Hna Douglas has saved the sisters of the mission. He actually told me that it is common for sisters to go home in other missions but not in ours and he thinks that it is because of Hna Douglas. I think so too! She is amazing!

     Today we had a super soak capture the flag P day and it was super fun, but I was soaked before we even started the game.....I started it but the elders sure did finish it and yes....I was very wet......

So.......want to know something funny? My companion asked Pres for permission to have a pet turtle......we now have a pet turtle.......also there are a zillion cockroaches in my kitchen!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! That is NOT OKAY.   But that's pretty much it for the week!=) I love you guys! =)

Mom,

Hey guess what happened to me this week! You really do have to guess!

I HAD FREAKING DENGUE FEVER THIS WEEK. THAT SUCKED! I got a light version but I had this huge rash all over my body and I had no idea what was going on. 

     YEP!  Sorry mom..... I know that normal missionaries get things like a cold or a sore throat but I'm just a little more special. I had the craziest rash! It was so weird! I also had a fever and body and eye pain....I was in the house for three days......so that was an adventure.....the rash was just freaky. I looked like a Dalmatian. But I had a light version because you can get it worse. And I was put on the dengue fever list that the Mission has of missionaries who have had it once.  On the bright side I'm really great friends with the mission nurse.=) I'm doing good now. I just had to stay in the house for three days and my fever didn't even get that high and for that I was very grateful.  But my sister leaders made me guyaba juice. One of my sister leaders is Sister Bates who is in my group! She was in the CCM with me! That is so fun!

    I bought eyeliner and mascara today..... it made me very happy.  I miss all of my makeup a lot but I don't want to buy any more here in case it gets infected. I really just miss being able to wash my face with sink water. I also bought paper, colored pencils and pens! We did crafts today for p day! It was so fun!!!!!!!! I miss being creative and having time for that too!

     My companion last week (after we left the Internet center) called the President to have a change in companions.  She was only with me for 6 freaking hours! But President said no =) It was funny though because she told President that I was too flechona - which means like a straight arrow.  So yes, she really did call President to complain that I was TOO obedient and she just wasn't accustomed to that.  I thought it was really funny and I took it as a compliment.=) She also said she wanted another companion who had  served as long as I have...just someone different than me.   And so far....she also likes to ditch me, like my last companion did.

     But.... I just don't know what the heck to do with her. If I mention a rule or anything to her she says that I'm forcing it upon her. But I don't mention anything when she's just personally disobedient.  I only mention it when it affects my obedience too.. (like proselyting in the mornings) so I don't know what to do.  I think I just have to learn to work with limitations and be as obedient as I can with these limitations that I have. And I'll just get to know my scriptures better in all that extra time.  Also I found the cutest thing for you!

MOM MOM MOM MOM MOM MOM MOM MOM MOM MOM MOM MOM MOM MOM MOM MOM MOM MOM MOM MOM MOM MOM MOM MOM MOM MOM

                                                      HI=) 

Love you,

Leah

   Mom,

  Good news......I found Dad a nice t-shirt to bring home, I bought Chinese food and I had some really good grape juice! And General Conference was amazing! I loved it! I got to watch it in English with one of my CCM companions Hna Bowen! It was way fun!  
     Alright, so the regular news of the week. My third area lasted all of three weeks. Transfers came and I'm in La Vega now.  Oh yeah I think this will be my last area.  I've heard all good things. Everyone wants to go to La Vega. It's a city but it's a poor city.  So I've been told to not walk around with a lot of jewelry on. That's funny, I sure do stick out. With the transfer I got a new companion.  When I left my old companion Hna Santiago this morning she was almost in tears and she thanked me and told me that I was a good companion to her and that she knows her weaknesses but that she learned a lot and that I helped her and she loved me. It really made me think and surprised me. It's really a tender mercy that she actually noticed that I really did try. Fasting, praying and everything.  I love her too..... just from a distance.
     My new companion (as of this morning) flat out told me that she won't leave to proselyte in the morning with me and that if I wanted to go out in the morning I could find someone else to do it with. I just looked at her and went, well, we are going to have problems then. It'll be interesting.....I think President and God are picking on me...=) This is ridiculous.=)   I think she is testing to see how far she can push me. But I've learned a lot of things in my mission and I don't budge so easily anymore about those things.  I have learned a lot about the first two commandments. Love God and love your neighbor but never get the order switched around. Anyways I love you!

Love,

Leah

This is the email I sent Leah on her Wednesday P-day.

Hi Leah,


    I don't know quite know how to tell you this.......   If I can stop crying long enough maybe I can write it down.  This has been quite a week for us.  I haven't been feeling good for a little bit.  Finally I went to the doctor......I was told something that completely floored me and I still can't really comprehend that it is real.  I'm freaking pregnant!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  Yea, I know......I just about died.  I feel sick as a dog and can't even wrap my mind around it.  It wasn't supposed to happen......I mean Dad turns 50 this year!!!!!!!!!   I don't want to do this again.  Anyway, that's what is new.   I know your speechless......me too........................




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Mom!!!!!!!!!

Leah's response:  "I just about died!  NOT FUNNY! "

My response:  "It was sooooooo funny!"

I couldn't help myself....Her P-day was on April Fool's day :)

She didn't write much but here are a few snippets:

     I got to go to a Catholic funeral. That was a terrifying experience!  So much weeping waling and gnashing of teeth. Yep that interupted our P day. It was a very strange experience.   Definitely one that I would not like to repeat.

     Well I have cried so many times this week....but it's okay.  I just need to have more love.  So in my weekly email President told me that there are some people that are easy to love and others that stretch our souls and that he suspects that it is my time to have my soul stretched. That's comforting.    So I'm just working.  I'm just trying to find my way around. The area is good and I like it.  We had two families come to church this week and we have to set a marriage date with one of them for this week hopefully:)  I'm super excited!

 Hi Mom!!!!!!!

     Guess what I learned this week! I'm not nearly as patient and loving as I thought....I'm working on that. My companion is a little four foot three inch Mexicana. She's sweet..... we just are not on the same page....like ever. She only has four months in the mission and besides the 15 day companionship she had, I'm her first companion after her trainer.  She's just interesting...... but I know that I'm here to help her, but it's really hard to help someone who throws you under the bus.....but it's okay. I had a good crying session this week. I know I will be held accountable for my behavior and not hers, so I have to do my part and be kind and loving and patient. That's hard.....but I feel terrible that I am not being that patient, loving person ALL OF THE TIME.  I definitely feel inadequate in the whole understanding and love department. I know who Heavenly Father wants me to be and yet....how the heck am I supposed to become that person? Well... The Book of Mormon has become my best friend and I'm just reading and reading and reading=)

      You know when you think of missionaries or at least when I did... you always think of happy go lucky spiritual giants that preach happily every single day and love everyone. And when I read the emails of other missionaries it still seems that way.....and then theres me..... okay... not just me.  I was talking to Hna Bowen and Richardson from the ccm and they agree. Maybe it's just the difference in a US mission and foreign? Probably not.....

     

     It's actually kind of funny.  Normal occurrences in my life are finding spiders in my bed (not even a big deal now,) hauling 5 gallon buckets from the bathroom to the kitchen to fill the laundry thing, walking for hours on end in the Caribbean sun while men yell at me "AMERICANA!"  Having the lights go off almost every day, being eaten by mosquito's and finding centipedes on our patio. They can get BIG!!!!!!

      US missionaries are so spoiled. I don't even know what they complain about. But I know all missions are hard but wow....they have couches in their houses! I have a tile floor and a metal chair.... it really just makes me laugh.  I read Axl's email about how healthy he eats and laughed.....well when we are out we have access to unlimited amounts of cake and soda and no one ever feeds us dinner..... almost never.....=)    And yes.........I have officially walked to the end of the world and back in this area. It is so big!!!!!! 

Love,

Leah

    

Hello,

     Well.....this was different.....let me just set up this scene for you, here we go.

Hna Blanch and I had a normal morning.  We studied and prepared our talks for our district meeting and whatnot. We left early though because we had to find the house of an investigator. We left the  house at about nine twenty and were looking for the house when at about nine forty-five I get a call from the assistants....."Hi Hna Carey how are you?    Oh I'm good Elder how about you?   I'm good... well... we are having special transfers and you are going to Moca. So say goodbye if you can, pack your bags and we will be there in two hours to pick you up......     ARE YOU KIDDING ME? ARE YOU JOKING?  WHAT DO YOU MEAN I'M GOING TO MOCA?"   Yep.... THAT WAS OUR CONVERSATION. The SISTERS IN MOCA COULDN'T GET ALONG SO WE GOT TO SWITCH COMPANIONS.  So now I'm lost in the middle of a new area in the middle of the transfer without having said goodbye to one single person from my favorite area....I'm learning a lot about moving forward in faith without knowing beforehand what I am supposed to do. I was reading in the Liahona about Nephi and how he didn't know how Laban would be delivered into his hands but he moved forward in faith. It's like the taking one step into the dark in faith and trusting that the light will come. Yep.... I'm currently having a growing experience here. But I know I'm here for a purpose. Not sure what it is but I'm going to trust that Heavenly Father knows what's up......

     Hna Blanch and I were both told that that our new companions need lots of hugs, love and patience....so that's cool. She seems really sweet, but I feel bad for Hna Blanch because this is her first Spanish companion and she called me crying this morning because she can't communicate. Sometimes I wish that whole tower of Babel thing hadn't have happened, because wow...... we suffer.  Man I didn't say goodbye to anyone! I'm pretty heartbroken by that actually.  But my new companion is sweet.  Just insecure, new and demanding ...but I'm a lot more mellow now so I think we should be fine.   I just feel like I'm babysitting here....

     Also I'm in the most Catholic town EVER! There's even a giant cathedral thing in the middle of the town. Yep.... they think it's really funny to ring bells at six AM. Yep the freaking Catholics are waking me up! But it's cool and I'll adjust. It was just a huge shock. This only happened on Monday. But yep that's the news for the week. 

Love you!

Hna Carey 

 Hello,

    Well, news from last week, we found a farm! And a less active member who lives on the farm! He was looking for a cow to butcher. Yep, so he lassoed it (sorry i don't know how to spell that) and just chased it to the butchers with a rope around its neck. But.... that made the cow very upset so he tried to run away in the rice field. Rice fields are pretty though! Also, that cow died and I got to see  right after and...... cows sure do have a lot of blood....that was a first. 

      We have a new district leader who used to be the assistant. Its pretty cool and fun =) We got to help build a house this week too! That was such a fun service project! It's good when the people can see us out and helping and working together with others. They can see that we are willing and then they get to know the church better too, so that is always a plus! 

     I had to cross a bridge with holes this week and the wooden planks would bend whenever someone stepped on them...also the whole bridge was slanted. I got stuck in the planks on the bridge and my companion and a member had to get on the bridge to help me get off the bridge.....gravity challenges me a lot  But those are the highlights!

Hna Carey

Dad,

     We set a baptismal date this week with our golden investigator! Whoo Hoo!!! So psyched! Also these past two weeks we´ve seen a huge change in one of our less actives! She is starting to get her life back on track and even started wearing her garments again and has goals to go to the temple! We can see a light and happiness in her countenance!

       Also, our fridge broke last week and we haven't found anyone to fix it.... so we have learned to live without a fridge....But we forgot to buy food for Sunday.... so in the night time we were about starving and officially begged for food.....It was kind of funny. Oh yeah so that same Sunday we were hungry and proselyting and saw a cherry tree (and we can pick fruit off of any tree and it's totally cool here) so I was in the process of climbing on top of my companion to pick some cherries (she was trying to boost me up) when a member walks by....haha....try explaining that one!....yeah... so we´re hungry and just really wanted some cherries=) He gladly helped us=) Well that's about it!

Love you!

      Alright, I´ll be honest.... I don't really remember what happened this week that much besides transfers today. I´m still in Esperanza with Hna Blanch, for which I am grateful. We really feel like miracles are going to happen this transfer.  The area is FINALLY  starting to progress! YAY!!!!! So we are super excited! 

      So highlights of the week........My companion and I were both obscenely sick! Whoo Hoo!!!!!! wow......IT. WAS. BAD.  We just took turns feeling horrible and using the bathroom. But it's cool.... we are kind of better and on antibiotics now.....but we were in the house for two days. THAT IS SUCH A LONG TIME!!!!!!! Wow......but on the bright side I don't think it could have been worse.....Thank you DR!=)  

     My companion now knows again that I am still the worst sick person in the world. But seriously guys if I ever get a fatal or terrible painful disease, JUST LET ME DIE.  I will accept it as my time!

      That's pretty much it for the week. We are finding lots of new investigators who are beginning to progress so I'm super excited for all the progress we should see!

Thanks, I love you all!

Hna Carey

     Leah told us she comes home on Aug 13th, so we have a date!!!!!!!  She'll be home 3 1/2 weeks before she goes off to BYU Idaho.

     Allright,  everyone listen up! This is by far, has been the best week of my whole mission! Why you may ask? Well I´ll tell you why! We went to Puerta Plata!!!!!!!!!!!! WE WENT TO THE FREAKING BEACH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! You have no idea how beautiful the beach is here in the DR!!!!!! The ocean turns blue and green and white and turquoise and dark blue all in different parts!!!!!!  It is so BEAUTIFUL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I´ve decided I want a beach when I get home. It was so fun and my legs are burned but it is was so worth it!!!!! And I have pictures!!!!!!

      Also a funny Dominican moment is that something peculiar about them is whenever you compliment them they offer to give whatever it was you liked to you sometimes. Which I still don't get because sometimes you just want them to know that they look nice! So I told a recent converts mother that I liked her shirt.  So she proceeds to strip in front of me and then gives her shirt to me as my jaw has just hit the ground. Yeah, my comp and I just lost it laughing as she walked out of the room in just her bra. And then her son just looks at us like what's wrong with you guys? Yeah.......that's a new one. 

      Also we had rum ice cream given out at a baptism.....that was funny....kind of.......ha ha the Bishop bought it......=) Well, it doesn't get much better than that!  I love you guys!

Hna Carey

It is mission tradition to burn a tie, skirt or dresss at the one year mark so I burned a dress and it didn't burn as fast as it should have! So.....the bucket melted!!!!!

Hello my dear family!

     Allrighty then, so I have had some interesting experiences this week....first of all, no Mom there are no pictures because it is so dang difficult. But I promise next week! 

     Okay first thing.  Our floor broke.....as in cracked up. My dear sweet companion went outside to put away laundry detergent and came back saying that she had broken the floor. So apparently it is cheap tile and because we are on the second floor all of the smoke from cooking downstairs just collected and broke the floor. But how do the check if the floor is in fact broken? THEY ALL STAND ON IT TOGETHER. Yep...we thought that they were going to die.  Then the landlord takes one of our kitchen knives and STABS  our floor. That was funny and also one of those moments where you just put your head down and stop thinking about it....

     Also this week we were at our investigators house and she had just gotten out of the shower (people shower here all the time because it is so hot) so she is in her towel and is dressing her 2 yr old and then finishes him and then PROCEEDS TO DRESS IN FRONT OF US! Not cool! I know I'm a girl and everything, but wow...Se paso.....

     Also we went to an awesome service this week. We went to Navarrete to help take out this tree that had fallen in a river. So first of all we got to get wet! YAY! On the down side it was still a dirty river and so hopefully we won't get a disease. It wasn't that dirty but it wasn't that clean either.=) Also we got to help build a bridge out of rocks so that the elders can cross it easier when they are out normally because there is no real bridge. And the tree that fell in the river was a devil tree. It had massive black thorns ALL OVER IT!!!!! Yep we were SUPER  careful not to stab ourselves as we were taking out the pieces of wood from the river. Ha ha.... all the plants here just want to kill people. Well that's pretty much it! I love you guys! 

Hna Carey =) 

Hi!

     Alrighty then, so this week I decided to keep a list of funny things or happy things that happened and I even remembered it so maybe this will be a more detailed email. First of all Hna Blanch and  I literally stopped traffic.....that funny moment when we are trying to cross the street and walk out in the middle of the road, only to realize a bus is coming in both directions, so we run back to the side of the road. But the bus drivers have already seen us struggle and not just one, but they BOTH stop in the middle of the road to let us cross. Yep...I was special and challenged at home and the legacy continues! 

    

      Also, new cooking low this week (honestly I have learned to cook and feed myself very effectively) but I accidentally lit my pasta on fire this week, and I don't mean that I burnt it, but I literally LIT IT ON FIRE! But the cooking high of the week was that we made banana, oatmeal, cinnamon and chocolate pancakes! It pretty much just turned into cake so we figured might as well call it cake and added frosting and that made them AMAZING! Also I got to try crackers with mayo on them.....not half bad... I got to wash dishes with a sock this week and we are officially out of toilet paper and have resulted to paper towels that were in the house.......not proud of that......Oh yeah! Last week I forgot to tell you about how we woke up on P-Day with a zillion bugs in our beds......they looked like ants with wings......so gross.....

     

      On a more spiritual note, we had a Caribbean broadcast from Salt Lake! So cool! The first speaker was American but knew perfect beautiful Spanish and it was amazing to actually listen to the talk in Spanish! Usually they are given in English and it gets taped over in Spanish. There is power in listening to a talk in someones actual voice. We also heard from Jeffrey R Holland and he STARTED IN SPANISH!!!!! He did his actual talk in English but he started in Spanish and at the very end of his talk he bore his whole testimony in SPANISH!!!!!! I have a very strong testimony of how inspired it was for them to start having speakers in different languages in general conference. IT IS DIFFERENT.  THE SPIRIT IS STRONGER. I could not believe how strong the spirit was when Elder Holland bore his testimony in his gringo Spanish. The spirit just flooded my body and I am so grateful to know a second language and be able to communicate with a whole other part of the world and know more of God´s children. Anyways  I love you guys!

Hna. Carey

P.S. if you are ever having a bad day just remember the girl in the third world country with bugs in her bed! =) You should feel better!

Mom,

     Want to know something hilarious?????? I have worn each of my new skirts once and now they are sitting nicely in my luggage waiting to see America again. I WILL NOT RUIN THOSE SKIRTS. I WILL NOT DO IT!!!!!! This country is rough on clothes.  They are so pretty but I learned that I can't jump over puddles and sit on the floor in a pencil skirt......which are necessary things to do..... but thank you! They are so pretty! I'll love them in 6 months!!! Whoo hoo!.......also I will send pictures next week =)  

Hi Mom how are you! 

     So this week we had a really good experience.  I have really have gained a testimony of service and the importance of serving others because it is in those moments that you can't help but be and feel happy. You can see that the person you are helping is happy and how now they have one less thing to do. So I have been praying for service opportunities a lot this week and we have had success! So first off, if you ask a Dominican "how can I help you?" The answer is always... no it's okay, I'm fine or it's okay, I'll do it myself! So I have learned that in order to serve them, you just DO IT! So sometimes I'm bolting for the kitchen when no one is looking to start washing dishes before they realize it and kick me out! It makes for some funny, but good experiences.  Especially when they panic that I'm not doing it THEIR way.=) 

     This Sunday we were on our way to a members house when we see these Haitian kids and one is being bullied and goes off crying. So we pass him and I gave him some candy to help him feel better (I always try to have something to give the kids when they ask us for money or when something like this happens so that I can share something with them) So we keep going and then turn around and decide to sit with him until he stops crying. So the others Haitian kids are kind of staring at us from a safe distance and I motion and tell them to come here and I asked what happened and one kid (who wasn't there at that moment with them) had taken his toy away.  And we then proceeded to have a conversation about how we should help others and take care of others because if we were in the same position we would want someone to help us and that is what Jesus Christ would do so we should follow him and try and help others. We then gave candy or gum to all of them and walked 10 steps until a man stopped us and began singing to us on that street corner.....it was fun! He had a good voice! 

     Anyways I love you all! I'm learning that even though you don't always see big things and big progression, the small things every day count and people will always know and feel that you love them when you serve them happily and willingly!

Hna Carey

The Week of 20!

Hello everyone! 

     So something great happened this week! I TURNED 20!!!!!!! Ha ha who´d of thought! Yep that's cool.  I also got my amazing package that day at my zone meeting as well! AWESOME! My zone sang to me in Spanish Happy Birthday! Also great! So Hna Blanch and I had bought cake in a box to make and we made that Sunday night and then I made her wake up with me and eat it at 1 AM Monday morning, because that is more or less when I was born. So yeah, we ate cake at 1 AM! Whoo hoo! That was so fun! Then after the zone meeting my lovely companion paid for my lunch for my birthday! Yay! 

     Okay....so while I was in the middle of opening my package we get a phone call informing us that our interviews with President are RIGHT NOW! So we had to book it to find a guagua and go to a city called Mao. So I got to have my interview with President on my birthday! That was so fun! Then after I got to go back home and finish opening my package and I just have to say that I HAVE THE BEST MOM AND DAD IN THE WHOLE WIDE WORLD! But it's okay they already knew that!

      Okay so the crazy thing we saw this week:  We were at a less actives house for her sons birthday and we were passing by and talking to the grandmother when she tells us to come look! So we go outside where they are all dancing and partying and a chair has been set in the middle of the plywood dance floor and the son (who was turning 12) got a LAP DANCE FROM ALMOST ALL OF THE WOMEN.....MOTHER AND SISTER INCLUDED!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! We just stood there like I have no idea what is happening.  Then it was like the bunny rabbit response of just run! Run! Run! Yep so that was the icing on the cake this week..... Well I love you all!

Hna Carey

MOM........ MY PACKAGE IS SO AMAZING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Lemon pomegranate lotion!!!!! Wow that is a match made in heaven! And you sent it with a body SPRAY!!!!!!!!! And Italian soap!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! It is so SOFT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! And wow those skirts are beautiful!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Ha ha... It did make me laugh that they were all pencil skirts.  It was as if you read my mind!!! I was dying for some cute pencil skirts! And the shoes are so pretty and fit! Also that blue dress.....WOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! And the other one too!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Everything is so cute!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! And all the shirts are perfect and fit great!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I'm just the cutest missionary!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Ha ha, so if your goal was to get me and my companion hissed at more you can check that off your list.  Because they hiss alot when I wear my big flowy skirts, but a pencil skirt? Well then........and all of the chocolate!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  I love chocolate! And I also opened all the Valentines day stuff too.....ha ha whoops..........and those chocolate covered cherries.......WOW!!!  We both ate one and had to stop what we were doing just to savour and enjoy it!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Yep it was an incredible day! It finally felt like Christmas and it all happened on my birthday!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I love you!!!!

Hi Dad......my package is SOOOOOO GREAT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! So I know that Mom picked everything out, but I know that you paid for it all so thank you so much and I just love you so much! And I like all your notes in the letters and on the pillow case! Also it made me laugh that your note on the pillow case looked like Mom's handwriting! =) Ha ha your handwriting would not have worked too well on a pillow case! I love you lots!!!!!!!!!=)

DAD:     "OK, I have to ask...... Why did the chicken fall out of the tree?  Sounds like the start of a joke..."

Leah:     "I have no idea! It just fell out of the freaking tree, onto the car and set the alarm off and then tried to fly up again to get back in the tree!!!!!! Man the DR!!! It doesn't get anymore special than the DR....ha ha

Alright Dad,  you get the main email this week so get ready!

 Alrighty, too many things to write about and so little time!

1.  A couple of weeks ago we were splashed by sewer water....that´s gross!

2.  I also forgot to tell you that there was an earth quake last week...I thought I was going to die!  But I made it through with flying colors! Ha ha, there was that awkward moment when you realize that the freaking ground is moving!

3.  Also saw a chicken fall out of a tree, land on a car and set off the car alarm! Sometimes we just look at each other and think "well, that just happened".

4.  We had a sisters conference and it is the last one that the Douglas's will do so I think they went all out because they bought all the sisters in the mission a strung pearl necklace! 62 sisters! They get the pearls with the connections from the Charity that Hna Douglas runs, so they are cheaper because of no middle man. Wow, so now I have a beautiful black pearl necklace that I am saving until I go home to use!

5. Transfers came and went today.  I'm still training, so still the same.  And that's  great because we have a baptism on Feb 14!

6.  Okay, so the whole package thing.  It arrived at the office finally and I'll get it on Monday so I'll let you know! (this is her Christmas/birthday pkg sent 11 weeks ago)

 I love you all lots and I think you are great!

´Hna. Carey



So this was New Years Eve and I'm standing on a fire hydrant that is halfway in the ground.

Hello Everyone!

     All right first of all, home made paper lanterns catch fire and burn to the ground. It was still fun but sure isn't the same as in the movies.

     Hna Blanch and I were very brave this week and we both got our hair cuts! Yeah, this is the last time I will ever do that again here.  So I got a lot of layers in my hair.....but they just don't blend well, especially for blond hair.....  I don't know if I like it yet or not but for a DR haircut she did an okay job...at least it wasn't with safety scissors....ha ha that once happened to my sister leader!  But it's okay! It could be worse=)  

     So we had help cleaning our house today from the family downstairs. Ha ha, there is no greater panic than having them just make themselves at home and take over everything and start throwing water everywhere.  It's one thing to help them do that in THEIR houses but it's different when it is in YOUR OWN  house and you and your companion are both American.  But it's cleaner so that's cool.

      Yesterday we had an adventure when we went into Santiago for a meeting for training and then afterwards the mission nurse told us that we needed to take some medicine home with us, but she had to first go and get it. We ended up spending all of yesterday with her in her air conditioned car driving around everywhere. It was fun! The meds were for my DL who is sick and it was just more convenient that we bring them back since we were going that way.  But ha ha, she ended up just driving that way later anyways.  

Love you!

Hna Carey