TRASLADO A BELLA VISTA- July 30, 2014

So yeah, I was transfered from Hato Mayor... You all have no idea how that was, but I feel like also I was ready to go. It was a little bit strange, but Elder Morgan is going to replace me and work super hard! Elder Simonis is a great, prepared missionary that will keep it all going like we left off. Now I am in Bella Vista, with a new leadership assignment here in the same lovely city, Santiago. Now I can say that I have been a part of all 3 stakes of Santiago, which is super cool. I like Santiago a lot, and I am really excited to do all this good old missionary work here. My companion is Elder Herrera, an elder from Columbia, which is going to be really cool. He is a good missionary, he has about 1 year and 4 months on the mission. 

It was a little bit sad to have to say good bye to so many good people. Hato Mayor was my home for almost 6 months, and I loved every second. One of the saddest moments is when I passed by the house of Pedro Julio and he... wasnt... there. And then I passed by later and he... wasnt... there. I didnt have the opportunity to say goodbye, but life is like that sometimes! Also I said goodbye to a few members, and the Polanco Family. The Polanco Family last weekend went to Puerto Plata, so that is why they didnt get to go to church. But in my last lesson with them I was able to help them recommit to going to church for all 3 hours for the next 3 sundays before their baptismal date, and they were very willing. Man, I love that family. (abajo pueden ver la foto)

But, in the last week of church, we had a family come! Joel, and his wife Yeimi (jaime) and their 8 year old daughter Yeiri (jayree). They only were able to come for the first hour, but they said that they will keep coming and seemed pretty content. Also, Julio Mosquea (with whom we had been working SO LONG) came!! And he stayed and he seemed to like it. He is super awesome, I just hope he keeps going. Then Kerinson Amengual, a less active young guy who works a lot but came for the first time. One of the happiest moments was when he walked in, and then when I went by later and his mom told me "He came home with SUCH a big smile!! And just gave us all hugs, which he never does, and said 'I am going every week over there now!'". In my long time there I had worked A LOT with him to go and read and he is coming along. 

But yeah, it was a good week. I loved it. It is always hard to say goodbye to so many good friends that become a part of you, but it is something you have to do. Then you sit there and have to promise them that you will come back and they just look so sad. But, I have never been happier. 

I love you all, and I hope you all have a great week!! WORK HARD, READ YOUR SCRIPTURES, AND DO YOUR FAMILY HOME EVENING!!! OBEDIENCE TO THE COMMANDMENTS = BLESSINGS = HAPPINESS FOR US = HAPPINESS FOR OUR HEAVENLY FATHER.

Elder Dallin Murphy

The Work Goes On- July 23, 2014

Another week, another email. This is so much fun! This week went pretty fast and pretty well. We now have 7 people with baptismal dates in August, which is really awesome, and it is a real honor to be a missionary here in Hato Mayor. But, next wednesday is transfer day and it is possible that this is my last email from this place. I cant say what I want to happen, but I am just so excited to have another week as a missionary!! 

On Sunday Vitiko, PEDRO JULIO, and this guy named Edward Polanco (less active member) came to church. The Polanco family couldnt come, but theyre still going good. Pedro Julio, the man, came and only could stay for the first hour, but that is okay he is on his way. Edward is a barber that is like the height of my father and has dread locks the length of Camille. AHAHA no, but he came and he really liked it. He is the brother of Roduel, the father of the Polanco Family, but they dont talk much. But it was super cool to see that he came. 

But yeah this week was just a super good missionary week. We taught a lot, found some new people, and just kept pushing this work forward. Elder Simonis is a super good elder, a hard working guy that is just doing all he can to help out these people. I was reading in Preach my Gospel about something that I had read like 100 times, but it got me once again. It talks about what is a successful missionary. Really, the success of a missionary cannot be measured by man. It is the commitment of one to preach the gospel and help the people around him. Commitment means that he will be willing to put off or sacrifice whatever he needs to be able to help the people. Especially the life before the mission. Or his worldly desires. I am not a perfect missionary, but I am trying to commit myself more and more every day. Everyone, at times, thinks about the numbers and different things like that, but that isnt that important. What really matters, simply enough, is the efforts that the Lord sees. He doesnt look at numbers, he looks at our actions and desires and THAT is how he will judge us in the last day. 

We watched the Joseph Smith: Prophet of the Restoration movie with the Polanco Family and it was a super good experience. I didnt get my testimony from him, but from God. However, he was the instrument in the hands of God to restore the gospel that had been lost from the earth. They asked WHY WERE THESE PEOPLE SO HARD ON THE CHURCH?? and all I could tell them was that when God betters his forces, Satan tries to follow the trend. He gets stronger and works harder. But he just cant win. 

What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us? - Romans 8:31

To the family at the family reunion: I hope that all that are there are reading their scriptures EVERY DAY. That is how I was able to assure myself that I was in the truth, and that is what every single one of you need to do. Going to church and prayers are so important, but when someone focuses on the words of Christ, they will tell him or her EVERYTHING that they must do. So, if you are reading, keep it up. If you arent, GET ON IT!! 

But yeah, I love you all, sorry if this letter was kind of boring, you are all great. THANKS FOR THE SUPPORT!!

Elder Dallin Murphy

El Año Más Rápido de Mi Vida- July 16, 2014

So first of all I would like to say sorry for using slang words in my emails, it is kind of hard because for 9 months I have only spoken spanish all day every day so my English hasnt progressed much. It has actually gotten worse! But I will be better. I promise!

But yeah it is pretty unbelievable that I have already been a missionary for a year. I feel really grateful first of all because I have never ever been happier in my life. Secondly, I am really excited to see what in the world the Lord has in store for me as his servant for the next half of the mission. And third, I am really sad because I feel like I havent been the best that I can be. I have given all that I have but I have 1 year as a missionary and I feel like I just started! It is like a big bag of Skittles or a box of Mike and Ikes, you dont want it to end but before you know it, there is like nothing left. I know I have half the time left but I feel weird to think that I am already on the 2nd half. But, what are you going to do? All that I can do is work harder, be even more obedient, and love the people more. 

I have been thinking a lot lately about perfection. What is perfection, how can we get to that point etc.? I always read Matthew 5:48 which is a COMMANDMENT of Jesus Christ saying that we need to be perfect like His Father. I had thought about it for a good amount of time. I realize that we cannot do it alone, it is literally, metaphorically, espiritually, and very impossible. So how do we do it? I love two things that the scriptures have told me. First of all, in Matthew when he talks to the young rich man, he tells him to first keep the commandments. And yeah he does that. There are a lot of people that are very obedient. So what is it that we lack? Then our Lord and Saviour says something really interesting. IF YOU WANT TO BE PERFECT, give all you have to the poor and follow me. He said later that the 2 great commandments are Love the Lord your God with all your heart might mind and strength. How do we do that? KEEP THE COMMANDMENTS. But the 2nd one is a little harder. Love your neighbor as yourself. Moroni10:32 says something similar too. But then I read something that just put everything together. In Doctrine and Covenants 88:125 it says:

 125 And above all things, clothe yourselves with the bond of charity, as with a mantle, which is the bond of perfectness and peace.

There it is. If someone has charity AND are obedient, then they will become perfect. Not here, but some day. That was the difference between us and Jesus Christ. OBEDIENCE and CHARITY. I am obedient, or at least I try to be. But, wow, I need to work a lot harder on my charity. 

But this week in church the Polanco Family came once again, and a few other people. We are really working hard with all these people. Pedro Julio couldnt because his whole family has the chickengoya. We worked super hard this week and we are really trying to do everything for this Area so that it keeps moving forward. 

I am really happy with the work and as I said, I am so happy. 

Love you all! 

Elder Murphy

1. This is a plate of Dominican food that I LOVE. Moro, Pollo guisado, ensalada rusa. MMMMM i love it. This is my plate and the plate of this sister missionary. Guess which one is mine 

Amo ser misionero- July 9, 2014

This week was a little weird... since last week I saw all of the pictures of Austin´s heroic return, but it was all good. I cant even imagine that he is REALLY home, but I am proud of him and a little jealous of the  missionaries in Irvine that they have such a stud RM to go out with them. 

But it was also a SUPER successful week!! We put down 2 baptismal dates, and also we had 6 investigators in church! And 2 less actives. A missionary is always pretty happy to see people walk in the door of the church. The Polanco Family came, all except for the oldest daughter (that is including the Less active dad!!), Leidy and Antonio (less active and investigator. The same family that had come last week) and then Victiko (his real name is Victor Antonio). We also put down a goal with the Polanco family so that they would read the Book of Mormon daily to be able to come to know these things for themselves. And they are pulling through! 

umm.. Pedro Julio, the big man, could not come to church because his feet are super swollen from the afterfects of CHIKINGUYA. But we talked about the importance of going and he said that he will go out and try to find a ride for next week. We talked and he is loving the Book of Mormon. He says that he gets up at 4am every morning to read!! HAHA I was super suprised, and he only has Jacob-Words of Mormon, alma, and heleman before he finishes the book. One question he had: if King Benjamin was so good and righteous, what in the world happened with King Noah??? That guy was terrible!!. Sometimes he teaches us about the Book of mormon!

Today we were able to go and help out with a move of leidy and Antonio. They lived super super far away from the chapel, and it was difficult to do anything from so far away, but now they live like 1 minute walking distance from our house. They are in a pretty... interesting situation right now with marriage, american visas, and everything like that. It is a long story! But they moved from a house with a bunch of fruit behind it (mango, coconut, orange, banana) and before we did the move we drank some and ate some coconut which was super good, and Elder Sanchez went crazy on those coconuts to cut it open like the good Dominican that he is. 

But yeah it was a super good week, but every week is just an awesome week that I love. I feel so good here on the mission. I got to have an interview with President Douglas and I cannot believe that I already have a year on the mission and he is going to be finishing with me. it is going to be so crazy. He is the man!!

But yeah, thanks for everything!! You all are great.

Elder Murphy

 

July 2, 2014

That is the last time I will talk about going home!! BUT ITS SO CRAZY HOW FAST TIME FLIES!!! It is insane to think that I am one of the ¨old¨ missionaries and I am half way done. ALSO I look at the pictures of Austin at home and I dont believe it. I really cannot comprend that he is in his house, that he is with all the fam! It looks like photoshop. He is a super good man, and has a super white back now, but it is all good because the Lord doesnt look at what we look at but he looks at the heart!! 

It is so weird to think that he is there... but I am super proud of him. He really served well and looks really happy and studly. One word of advice for him- Dont get married before I get back. All the girls will be herding, but just dont do it. DONT DO IT!!! 

This week was so crazy! Wow, It was so fun. So on Sunday the Zone Leaders called me, after I reported the weekly numbers, and told me that we need to put down more baptismal dates. So what have we been doing? WE HAVE BEEN PUTTING DOWN MORE BAPTISMAL DATES!!! It was pretty sweet. I sometimes am afraid of what the may say, but I just need to go out and say it. 

A family came to church on Sunday, and we didnt know who they were so we supposed that they were from the other missionaries´ side. Nope!! They are just a less active lady with her husband (not member) and her 3 kids that were active until they moved from their old ward a month ago!! Now, I dont know if that is something that happens often in the states but I have never seen that before! And we NEVER EVER would have found them because they live way out of the way and we have never even thought about going to where they live. But we met them, got to know them a little, then we went on Monday to their house. She has lived a pretty hard life, as a member and as a mother. But, we are here to help her once again complete with her baptismal and temple covenants!! It is so amazing the miracles that are so real and so powerful in our lives!!

Also, we had a pretty insane experience with Pedro Julio. I am not going to go into details, but when someone says ¨now I am sure that the Church is true¨, it is a pretty amazing thing. He said that he had dont black magic, white magic, and gone to every church. He said that he has even seen the devil, he was so off track. He would go and drink 24 7 and just didnt have any sort of religious or spiritual life. But when he read the Book of Mormon, he began to know. But then with this experience that we had, he came to be sure. 

I love the mission!! It is pretty amazing to see the hand of the Lord in all things, and I am so excited to hear about how the rest of everything goes with Austin´s journey back to normalness. That is so mean to make him watch Dark Knight Rises a few nights after getting home, now he may never understand the true magic of that movie. a wise friend told me-

¨Whenever anyone tells you that you've served enough in the DR, and say "you've given these people everything." Just say "not everything, not yet"¨ 

too true. The dominicans deserve more.  VAMOS PA´ ALLÁ!! 

Elder Dallin Blake Murphy