!Vamono´ pa´ la playa!

I was trying to get this picture when. . .

. . .this happened!  Whoops!

For those of you who don´t understand Dominican, let me translate: Vamonos para la playa. There, now the rest of you can plug it into google translate.  (Let us go away to the beach!)

Speaking of understanding, this week I discovered I understand Dominican (I've had a lot of practice), Mexican (they speak pretty clearly), but what's causing me grief is this Honduranian accent my compa throws around. Picture me walking down the street doubled over to put my head down by hers, the whole time saying ¨digame otra vez¨ ¨no escuché¨ ¨?Que dijo?¨ over and over. And by the time I figure it out, it wasn't anything important at all. That's how it is. But with the other Hermanas I'm just fine. 

I forgot to say we're whitewashing an Elder area again. Although it's been a little more tricky this time. Mostly they left us a bunch of teenage girls, which we now have to weed through to figure out if they were really into the gospel..... But we do have some really great investigators. One is a Haitian family: Udlina And Rudy. They need to get married, of course, which is tricky because her papers are in Haiti. Lost. And they didn't go to church yesterday because their son is super sick. I paid for her to take a bus to the doctor's because she didn't have money to go. Then they sent them to the capitol because he's so sick. So we're worried about him. 

Culture fact: they mop sidewalks here. Yes. And sweep the streets. Not just in Baní, all over the DR. 

I relate to Seth's story about playing the piano. They called me last minute to play in sacrament meeting. And I absolutely butchered it. Just the right hand even. But the sacrament still happened, so it was a success. I also gave a talk on why we do all the things we Mormons do, and how the goal and purpose of it all should be to help others come unto Christ.

Today we went to the beach. Almost a year here and the first time I've been to a beach. It was so beautiful. I'm going to build myself a little hut someday and just live on the beach and listen to the waves.

Until next time,

Sarah

Hermana De Leon and Hna Saenz.

. . .the people here do not appreciate my tevas as much as I do. 

Interviews

The marigolds!

Definitely an inspired send. They´ve been my little project. And whenever I can´t take Spanish anymore, I go talk to them in English. And pray over them. And I just bought fertilizer for them. And according to Mexican tradition, Hna Saenz tells me, plants eat the bad vibes or contention in a house and use them to grow taller. They take them out of the environment. 

This was my transplant project. I carried around a ziploc bag for a couple days looking for dirt. Prayers are answered. I found a bag of dirt broken open just lying on the sidewalk.