Well, it seems like things are turning over here. It's not that my comp is working super hard, but I feel like we're getting there. I'm having to be the example, which isn't hard nor does it involve contention. When I get dressed by three he feels the pressure of getting ready and we're out the door by 3:30. Also, we did an exchange the other day with the missionaries in Constanza, and that was a great break from spanish and my comp. I was with an elder from Beliz, a country in central america that actually speaks English. He's a very humble elder who goes home at the end of this transfer, so he actually offered me some insights that helped me a ton. Also, we contacted a lot and now have a pretty solid foundation of investigators.
Constanza was literally a breath of fresh air. It's one of the only cities in the DR in the mountains, so the weather is much cooler and in the winter there is ever FROST on the ground. So at mid-day there it was a very manageable 78 degrees and even cooler in the shade. We had our district meeting and I actually wasn't sweating! You know how I sweat. I don't know why God called me to one of the hottest places on earth, but it's gotta mean he has a sense of humor. But, tomorrow we are doing another exchange, but this time I am going to Constanza to kick butt again with Elder Gillett. This time in his area. I felt so good at the end of the day with him Monday.. Like I was justified as a missionary for the first time in 3 weeks.
I gotta tell you guys about that ride up to Constanza.. It was a little nuts. So, the 2 ways that one gets to Constanza is
1) by truck
2) by a van
we elected to go by truck on the way there.. Bad choice. Very bad choice. So it was almost full already, with 2 people in the front, and older woman and a young man, and an old man and a middle aged woman in the back. But, we tried to pack in anyway. It didn't work.. My comp is a big man. So, we were situated with me, the middle aged woman with her 2 year old in her lap on my left, my comp on my right and the older man on his right. But, apparently I was sitting on the little girl's leg, which I wasn't because I didn't feel anything and the little girl wasn't saying anything. So, I was literally standing up, and I told the woman if she wanted to fix the situation she could open her door, but she stubbornly refused, yelling and acting like an idiot. Then the driver started driving as if nothing was happening. Finally the older lady in front, who I noticed had a different accent, stepped in and made a great executive decision. She gave her front row seat to my comp and took the back seat. It worked great, but the lady next to me would to stop yelling. Then the older lady told her to shutup, and the middle aged woman threw a fit and told her she was gonna hit her when they got out, so she took of her shoe to use as a weapon when she got out. I was trying to calm her down, and she more or less did. Then I started to talk with the older woman who had solved the problem, and she told me she was from venezuela working for the government. I asked her what she was doing here, and she told me she couldn't tell me, and that she was dressed as a citizen but had a higher purpose. She was gonna rendevous in Constanza and catch a plane in Santiago that same day. We talked for a bit, meanwhile the little girl of the middle-aged woman was hitting me with her giant sucker that her idiot mom had given her in a truck full of people. I asked the Venezuelan woman if she understood English, assuming so if she was in international relations, and she said yes. I told her "I would like to jump out the window right now.." sarcastically of course but half meaning it. This little girl was the devil, calling me racist names and getting my white shirt dirty. Then, when we got out of the truck, I noticed the Venezuelan secret agent (?) had a gun on her. If the idiot lady had hit her has promised it would have been the biggest mistake of her life...
So that's more or less the story. Yeah that takes a lot less time to describe in real life.. ha sorry it was so long. But I thought it was so bizarre I wanted to share.
Anyway, more news about the trip to Constanza. In a little store at a stop on the way there they sell, if you can believe this, DOVE CHOCOLATE! isn't that nuts? It was completely unexpected but such a pleasant surprise. So now I guess you don't have to send me that.
Some more of those Dips granola bars would be really nice though. :)
I missed home today a lot. I don't know why but every once in a while I get really trunky. Maybe it's the realization that I only have like 13 more potlucks left? I don't know. It also really scares me. I don't have very much of these wonderful 2 years left. Just a little bit more than half. I know I say it a lot, but I honestly can't imagine life after now. It's surreal.
I have a few ideas of what I want to happen when you guys come get me. I'd like to play golf in Sosua, maybe that was a given before, but I'd like mom to come with us. I'd also like to take a quick tour of all the areas and show you some good views, including constanza, just because I fell in love with that town.
I love you two. This mission thing is flying by.
till next week, not a second wasted,
-Elder C. Rufus Sweeney
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