On Sunday, Antonio and Iris said that yes, they would accept help in order to get married and baptized as soon as possible.
On Monday and Tuesday, Joseph started gathering their papers.
On Wednesday, we dropped all our apoyo (our money support) and he spent 4 hours in a car to pick up birth certificates and get everything settled with the office (it's fairly pricey to pay for marriage licenses here, especially when you need to declare kids.) (Which unfortunately means that Thanksgiving plans were cut a little short since our money went to a better cause).
Thursday, we were just making our usual pizza Thursday pizza on the stovetop since our oven broke. Then we painted the stripes of the blue room to normal for house checks. Just as we sat down to eat, Joseph showed up, needing more money and some wedding dress searching volunteers. Of course we were more than willing. Looking for a wedding dress to rent was not easy, but last minute (seeing as the wedding was the next morning) we found something that could be altered. And miracle of miracles in this country, it was even modest! I didn't think they even made dresses with sleeves here!
Right after that, Iris wanted us to go with her to the salon, so we did that, then taught them and their oldest son a lesson, then went to get her nails done. Iris was a stressed out mess, let me tell you. Just imagine planning a whole wedding in 2 days. I was afraid she was going to bag the whole thing, but since Joseph had already bribed the office to let them overbook the next day (you're supposed to reserve 5 days in advance) she was a good sport and went with it.
(Just joking around. I didn't get my hair done. It's just a very classic Dominican picture.)
We spent hours making snowflakes (they're free) to decorate for after the baptism. If I see another snowflake I might be sick.
But we did have to make snowflakes again because Iris wanted to learn how to make them.
I knew that as soon as it was all over she would be happy. Friday was flawless. The dress fit, we didn't have to wait long at the office place whatever where the wedding is. We got to go and see it.
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Good thing Adrian, Iris's baby, is such an angel! He was so good to just sit quietly with whoever throughout this whole deal!
And then President Rodriguez let us go to the temple with them to take pictures! And then he and Hermana Rodriguez even showed up to meet them! Antonio and Iris were SOOOO happy. They're still beaming. Even though they've been together six years, they are just like newlyweds. Marriage makes everything better and they're already planning on their sealing in a year. 
I don't know what else to say. They're just so so happy and we're so happy and we've just been way too blessed. This family has been like the family of Job--unemployed, sick kids, family dying, Iris almost left Antonio she was so stressed, not being able to make ends meet, etc. But somehow they stuck with it, and now they are just so happy. Blessings are being poured out. It's so exciting to see and be a part of it. 
I'm decorating my mini christmas tree and praying I don't get transferred out. I keep thinking that Grandma Swan would be so ashamed as I re-wrap the lights over and over trying to get them right.
I know I said that last transfer was the best of my mission, but actually this transfer has been. It's had some downs, but the ups have been incredible. Hna Erickson and I have had a blast. But next week we'll hear what the new transfer holds.
Love you all,
Love, Sarah
P.S. I forgot to include this little gem from my Creole Book of Mormon reading:
M ap kw'e, m p ap p'e. (I'll trust and not fear) but it sounds so much cooler in Creole than in English.
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