SLOW but good week!- December 18, 2013

So we had a pretty solid week. We started with wednesday, where after emailing you guys we had an AMAZING AMAZING LESSON with a haitian named Michel, which was really just a spiritual experience. The spirit was super strong, we set a baptismal date, I just hope we can continue to find him, thats a big problem here. People just arent there when we are passing by.

Thursday we went to santo domingo only to return because Elder Villanueva only had to sign one paper for his passport. 

But saturday we had Yancarlos and Lucia´s baptism!!!!! IT WAS SO GOOD! Their dad, Gregorio, baptized them and he was so happy. They seriously are one of my favorite families to visit, I cant explain it but less than 4 months here have given me a real for these people in Villa Gonzalez. I guess that is waht happens when you try and serve as the Lord would serve. The Lord is all about love, and when we try and develop attributes like him, we become all about love as well. 

Sunday I was able to confirm Yancarlos! That was a really great experience. I know it wasnt me but the Spirit speaking through me, but I know that he, Yancarlos, has real potential to make a difference in the world. He is such a great kid and I am so happy I had the opportunity to help him come closer to Christ. Chelo came to church and he has everything going good. 

Yesterday we had a Zone Conference which was AWESOME. It was all about the Atonement of Jesus Christ, and it just reminded me of the experiences I had in which the Atonement  carried me through the toughest of times. I cant explain the happiness I feel all the time here as a missionary, even when I get a little frustrated it is only because I know I can do better and I want to help these people more.

I got a lot of mail, thanks for all of that. I am hoping to write back but as the Missionary Manual says, we can only write letters on Pday so I probably wont get back to a lot of you for a little while. But the Stones´ package arrived and I loved it as well. With the calendar and Grandpas quotes. THAT WAS THE BEST GROUP OF QUOTES I HAVE EVER READ I am really proud to be his grandson. He is such a strong believer in these things. 

Thanks for everything! I hope to have an email with a google plus account when I am on the computer next week, we are going to call at 4pm here so 12 pm there. Yeah day light savings is not a dominican thing to do. 

I am stoked to talk to you all next week! I hope you have a wonderful time with Dane also! 

Love, 

Dallin

1. We walked to a waterfall today as a zone, this is Elder Kueser from South Jordan Utah. No, he doesnt know the Mcarthurs

2. YANCARLOS AND LUCIA Theyre so cute and funny

I'm in the DR- December 11, 2013

I think daily WOW I AM IN THE DOMINICAN REPUBLIC it is just a crazy thing. But I love it.

First, My journal is like 3-4s of the way done, just letting you know.

One thing awesome that is going on is that Nene, our ward mission leader, and Miguel, the branch executive secretary  are both beginning their papers to go on a mission!!! It is really exciting because they really need the mission and the missionary force really needs them. I can really testify of the importance of missions and how much we can be helped more than anything, because we only begin the journey for a few people but our eternal state is changed by these 2 years serving the Lord. 

Jeancarlos and Lucia are hopefully going to be baptized this weekend. We think that they are ready for the baptismal interview, but we will see. At times they are a little embarrassed, but I love those kids and I am trusting that the Lord will make up for the things that Elder Cannon, Villanueva and I have lacked in our lessons with them. Chelo is thinking a little bit about his baptism, not that he doesnt want to, but he has the fear that he is going to enter in then some day give it up. We tell him that really he cannot know if he will give it up in 2 years, but he has to say every day that he will try and continue forward until the end of his life. He has taught us a lot. But I explained this to a friend Elder Gifford in the zone, and he said that one thing that he learned from a other guy in construction is that when you are walking on those high rise iron bars, ¨Once you stop is when you begin to fall¨. Too true.

My shoes are getting destroyed by this mud and dirt road terrain, I need to look soon for a shoe repair man to help me out before they break too much.

On christmas, I was thinking that maybe we could just use google plus!  You guys just need to make me an account and make it so I have no connections through that to anyone else and then we can use it. Because we cannot talk on the phone on the conference call, people here dont have phones for international calls. and the church phone you guys would have to call back and I am not sure how that would work. I will let you know what time next week. Let me know the info next week!!

Love you all, I am almost at 5 months WOOAHHHH this is too fast. I am loving life here and I cannot wait to see what the Lord has in store this next year of 2014.

Dallin

I GOT THE PACKAGE- December 4, 2013

I got the christmas package, it was just what I needed.. I LOVED IT! Especially the pictures. I am showing these pictures of dane and the fam to the people of Villa and they LOVE him. He is great.

So this week was alright. I was a little sick, with the cold. I am not sure how I got that, it was either because at night it is like 65 or 60 and now that is cold for me, or because everyone in the DR gets sick with this and here you need to shake hands with every person you talk to for more that 7 seconds. But theres nothing better than this! We are working hard, teaching a lot, and loving everything here. 

On Saturday and Sunday we had stake conference, and it was pretty great. and ALL 3 of our investigators with a baptismal date this month came! CHELO CAME he is such a great guy. We went from the chapel, and then rented a bus to take us about 30 minutes to santiago at the stake center. It was a party. it was packed haha but so fun. Chelo is really a prepared soul of the Lord, he has the desire and does the stuff. He has a date for the 28th. we may have to move Jean Carlos and Lucia to the 28th as well because they learn  slowly and we may have to give them some more lessons. That would make 5 baptisms that day (the hermanas have 2 on that day as well) and Villa Gonzalez would be very happy. 

Something funny and iffy was during a lesson with JC and Lucia. We went back over the Word of Wisdom, and they remembered!! But then Lucia, the 11 year old girl she is, said 'oh yeah! hah! I drink coffee!' WHAT so then we had to give them a talk and make sure that they stop drinking that coffee. Forever. Then they said 'ok!' so its all good. But elder villanueva wasnt too happy. But now its ok.

One thing I am excited for is LA NOCHE BUENA which is the 24th. Basically, they feast and feast on pork, chicken, moro, rice, chofaun, all the goods. I am going to gain so much weight. Then turn it into muscle. but really I love the food here so much I am so excited to show it to the world over irvine some day. 

Love you all! Thanks for everything, I think about you a lot but I dont miss you because that makes a missionary TRUNKY and thats not in my vocabulary.

Dallin

1 and 2 the view from LA PIEDRA

 

3 this is at the zoo today HAAH