Hola Todos,
This week has been pretty good. We had a lot of people in church yesterday, both our investigatores and friends that people brought to church with them. In all we had 12. It felt great to be in church yesterday. I was sitting there in one of the classes and realized that I was completely surrounded by invistigatores, recent converts, and less active members that we had helped get there. It wasn´t easy getting them all there, especially the less active members, but it was deffinitely worth it. I could really see the joy on their faces as they listened and participated in the classes and in Sacrament meeting. It´s also great to see the progress of those who were just recently baptised. Loe and Felipe both have callings now, Leo as the young mens´ Leader and Felipe and the branch executive secratary. As part of their responsiblities they always come to the executive proesthood meeting before church too. Felipe gave a great talk yesterday too. They really are invalved as part of the branch now, and are helping us to find more people to teach. Ho yeah, they´ve both recieved the Aaronic Priesthood as well, the most important part. Sterlyn is also doing his part in the branch, including bringing his girlfriend to church, the one who said she would dump him is he ever got baptised. Well, she hasn´t dumped him, and she seemed to enjoy church yesterday. Rafael was baptised this Saturday and was confirmed in Sacrament meeting yesterday.
We always try to find and teach family members of those that are in families where not all are members. There are a lot to pick from in this branch, and there are especially a lot of young men here that are the only members in their family that other missionaries have baptised. Most of these people have heard from us before and don´t usually show a lot of interest. Yesterday however, we taught Magali Reyes for the first time. We actually just found her as we were doing contacts on the street and I didn´t realize who she was until we had talked a little. She has two children in the church, one serving a mission and one that´s sealed in the tample. We taught her with the Branch President last night and we really felt the spirit at the end of the lesson. She told us about a dream she had once after the first missionaries to visit here six years ago had asked her to pray about the message of the Restoration. She said it was very quiet, and she was in the middle of a croud of people, all of whome were dressed in white. All of these peopled were "humbled before the Lord". They were gathered in the middle af a big and beatiful garden. (she described almost perfectly the gardens around the Temple.) We explained about the temple and how everybody there is dressed in white. I can't wait to teach her again and see how she progresses.
Anyhow, it's tome to go again. I love you guys! thanks for everything!
P.S. Mom--- I got the package. My comp. thanks you for the sweets, but he thanks you more for sending me deoderant.
Cuidense!
Elder Adam Russell Rich,
San Pedro, Republica Dominicana
Here are some pictures from the Baptismal service that we had this week with Elder Carnahan and Elder warren in Santa Fe this week.
 |
| All of us together. Left to right and back to front: Me, President Alvarez, Rafael Alvarez, Nachi, Milagro, Missvy, Luis Alejandro, Elder Carnahan, Elder Warren, Elder Castanos |
 |
| New members of the Santa Fe branch |
 |
| New member of the Las Colinas branch, Rafael Alvarez |
