Angels Among Us!

Hermana Earl

Hi family!

I have a new companion! Hermana Earl! She's the best! She's a gringa like me, and we learn Spanish together. She has a year on the mission and this is her fifth area. (Jen is still having photo loading issues, so no current pictures of Hermana Earl yet.  Snagged this one off the internet.)

This week, in my quest to forget numbers, I got the best numbers I've ever received on my mission. Hermana Earl taught me how to forget numbers and just work. She teaches me what it actually means to "talk with everyone" (a goal on the mission) and how to love everyone we talk to. Also, she totally blew me away with how she took this stubborn area by the reins and now we are totally winning. This is going to be a good transfer.

This week we had lots of adventures. One was when we were teaching someone and there was a flash flood. Domincans don't like rain or lightning, so we just sat in Elisa's garage with some neighbors that found refuge with us and waited for 3 hours until the water in the streets went down enough and the Elisa actually let us leave.

Saturday was a long day. Most of our appointments fell through and we contacted for a long time under an especially hot sun 🌞. We contacted probably one of the most conniving, meanest people I've ever met in my life, and everyone wanted us to just leave them alone.  Lots of "we already have our religion, why don't you go find some actual lost souls." Also we were fasting. It was a sad day.

Then we saw a member far off crossing the street. We waved and then he almost walked away, but then seemed really conflicted-- as if he didn't know if he should come talk to us or not. Well thank goodness he listened to the Spirit and talked to us. He gave us a reference of a woman whose husband was a member, but he died and thought we should visit her. We had a great chat with her, and we're going to visit her later. I don't know what will come of it, but I'm still happy we could visit her.

Also, just today we had a whack adventure. Hermana Earl just happened to forget her PIN to her bank card (we take out money today) the same PIN she's been using her entire mission, and I told her, "No problem, I'll pay for groceries." Well, in between the time that I took out my money and the time we finished grocery shopping, someone broke the ATM only we didn't know, so Hermana Earl (who at this point remembers her PIN) puts her card in the ATM and then it gets stuck! And we didn't know what to do! So for 45 minutes, we have all these angel people come and try to help us.

Story of the Three Angels (Hector is in the middle)

Angel 1 bought us tweezers and nail clippers to try to pull out the card (didn't work) Angel 2 (a less active named Hector) let us use his phone to try to call the bank, and Angel 3 drove us and our groceries to the nearest Scotia bank and waited with us for an hour in line until they told us we have to cancel the card. Also Angel 2 Hector walked all the way up at the bank (a 30 min walk) just to see if everything was okay. They both stayed with us until we figured everything out, and then Angel 3 drove us all the way home. I tried to pay him and he refused. He goes to a church called Oracion Contestada (Answered Prayer), and de verdad (truly) he was an answer to prayer. Also it restored my faith in Dominicans after we met all those wackos on Saturday. They are some of the nicest people I've ever met in my life.

I think that sums up my week. God is good. I am so happy to be here. I can't believe I already have 7 months.

Love you all!
Hermana Gooselang