Golfing Adventure

To start, I want to make you jealous of my day yesterday. You always write about you doing the awesome things I used to do before the mission. Don't get me wrong, I love it, but it's my turn. It's probably going to end in failure like the rest of my bouts to make you envy my mission, but here goes. Yesterday I went golfing with the Elders in my house. Elder Kinney used to play back in the day and is pretty good but the other Elders are not. I loved watching Elder De Leon hack it around. I was much less in it for the score as I was for the pure enjoyment of watching someone try to hit a small ball with a slightly larger club. It made me recall all those hours.. days.. I put into perfecting that motion. I loved it. Needless to say I was in seventh heaven yesterday as I ate a perfectly ripe mango and pinapple, a few see's candies and reflected on the last 6 months of my mission. Elder Kinney, who has about a year and six says that from his 6 month mark on feels like a matter of a few days for him. I would like that to be true, but I also would like to think the mission truly does feel like 2 years.

Conference was amazing this weekend. It really is like a mini vacation in the mission. Yes, we worked to get everything to function right so we could watch it live, which was a mini miracle in itself. The internet we have here is JUST fast enough to watch it live with nothing to spare as far as download and upload time goes. We tried to test it several times before hand but there really isn't any way of knowing it will work until it's LIVE. So, after inviting everyone to the chapel to listen to the prophet and apostles we had to cross our fingers and hope that it worked live. After a few freezes, it was able to buffer and actually work!! So, we got to see AND hear the speakers, which makes a huge difference in just being able to hear them. And, you're right, I understood about 90-95% of what was said because it wasn't Dominican, it was Spanish. Beautiful. Unaltered. Unslanged. Spanish. The talks were so fantastic, and Elder Richard G. Scott translated his own talk so we got to hear his own voice. The whole thing was really special.

The really cool thing was that we got to hear the priesthood session in English. Those talks we beyond incredible, especially Elder Uchtdorf and President Monson. I don't know if it was the fact that I am more grown up or if the talks really are getting that much better, but I was so enthralled with all the speakers. Their words are JUST what I needed to hear, and they truly are inspired men. Not perfect, as you said, but the best men on this earth.

And... yeah the choir. So maybe I looked like 2.. 3 times at the girls, but they were white and so beautiful. White women are so foreign to me now.

And about being sick.. I think the reason for that last time and the reason for the time with Walker are completely seperate and unrelated. My companion and I have eaten literally the same thing the entire time and I can't imagine the diarrheah being from food. However, like I told you we went and did service at an encampment a couple weeks ago and the man in charge told us that there were faucets that were safe to drink at. Thinking all of them were filtered I got a mouth full of one and, before swallowing it someone asked if it was the safe one. I spit it out immediately be you really cant get it all, so I'm thinking that could have been the cause.. Honestly, I don't know, but I haven't felt sick at all since and I have been drinking tons of water.

Interesting story.. In the ride on the way to the golf course I sat next to a giant drunk man. He put his arm around me, which was fine because it was a crowded bus and I think that might have been the most comfortable position for him. Anyway, he would lift his hand up slighly, pretend he was taking a drink out of his Kola Real bottle which was probably spiked with rum, and the slowly rest his hand on my head, patting it then returning it behind me. This occurred 5 or 6 times before Elder De Leon, who was sitting next to me, slapped his hand and I said "no me toques!" (don't touch me). His response was the weird part.. He contested with a hearty southern amen and he didn't touch me again. It was a strange trip..

I also had another dream. I dreamed that I was being transferred to a place called ciserou. I have no idea where that name came from but it turned out to be a resort town with a beautiful beach.. Foreshadowing? Lord I hope not. I don't want to go to a resort until AFTER my mission with you two.

It seemed like the theme for the Conference this time was marriage. It was mentioned at least once in every session, and in one session it seemed like it was mentioned by every speaker. Made me think.. I'm on a mission, of course I'm not gonna be looking for an eternal companion yet, but how much time should I mess around when I get home? I have no idea. But, we'll see when that happens. I will not rush into anything, rest assured momma. :)

It's been a great week in the DR. I needed to hear the prophet's voice and play golf. That seriously might get me through my entire mission. I am grateful for this 2 years I have to be as Christ-like as I can. He gave his entire life to serving others, I'm only giving 2 years.

This area, fantino, has been so good to me. I really will miss it. I will love visiting other places, that's for sure, but I learned so much here. The language, the gospel, what it really means to be a missionary, but most of all I think I learned about my true potential. There is always room to be a better person, always time to repent and right the wrongs, always a light at the end of the tunnel. As Elder Anderson said, "the sun never sets on a missionary testifying of Jesus Christ."

I love you both. I am happy and gaining a little weight, which is as one lady said making me more beautiful. hahahaha gotta love those latins. The language isn't perfect, but I can get any point across I need to now.

Till next week, not a second wasted--

-Elder C. Rufus. Sweeney

P.S. The letter for the girls is coming.