Wow, it sure is hard to believe it´s already 2011. Is there any way tomake it slow down?
Hola Todos,
This week has been good. It´s been a little hectic though. I did one companionship exchange with the Zone Leaders and another one with some elders from my district. Both of them went well, and by the end of the week we had taught 23 new investigatores in the area of my companion and me. We found one investigatore who speaks six languages flouently and studies violin in the university, as well as playing in the national orcheastra. His name´s Sterling, and he´s very smart. He has a strong desire to keep learning more about the church, which is good, because he has a lot of opposition up to this point and we´ve only taught him the first lesson. Him mother is a less active member and she, along with the rest of her family, are now part of the adventist church. A church founded years ago by an apostate member named Emma White, which is very strong here in the Dominican republic. We hope and pray for the sake of him and the rest of our investigatores though, as well as for their ability to develop strong faith in the face of adversity.
Durring the campanionship exchange I did a couple of weeks ago with Elder Hatch and Elder Deans I had the opportunity to teach one of thier investigatores the first lesson. He was a refferal from one of the members in one of the two branches they are working with right now. He has a strong testimony, which he bore to us at the end of the lesson. I had the opportunity to perform his baptismal interview this week and his testimony is all the stronger, including a burning desire to help the rest of his family come to recieve the same blessings that he has felt since his life took a U-turn. His baptismal service was great. As I was talking with him I couldn´t help but to wonder how different the world might be if all of us, as recipients of the Lord´s blessings in our lives, had the same strong desire to help all of our friends and family. I hope and pray that all those at home keep this same fire burning after years of activity in the church of Jesus Christ. The members that fellowshipped him first took his with them to institute a few times before he went to church and recieved the missionary lessons. I strongly encourage everyone to do the same, inviting their friends and family to share in their seminary and institute classes. I have seen the same situationwith several investigatires, all of whom gain much stronger testimonies of the gospel of Jesus Christ as a result.
Anyhow, I woulp keep preaching to all of you, but the heat and humidity here just turned my soapbox into a pathetic lump of moss.
Oh yeah, we got the transfer call last night, but it was rather anti-climactic. My whole district, and indeed my whole zone, will be staying the same for the next six weeks.
I love you all!
Cuidense!
Elder Adam Russell Rich
San Pedro de Macorís, Republica Dominicana
