Let me just start in, this week has been pretty crazy. First off, if Romney wins the Primaries, it may just mean Jesus is coming soon, and I´d have to choose me wife pretty quick, don´t you think? haha but seriously, I´m really happy about Florida, South Carolina had me a bit worried.
And about your chest pains.. Seriously, just go to the doctor if you feel even the slightest bit of pain in your chest. THE MOST IMPORTANT ORGANS are there. Ha jeez don´t scare me like that.
Ok, a little bit of news. A story rather. Last Wednesday, just after we had gotten done writing our letters to our families, Elder Wilkinson and I were walking over to a young man's house for a birthday party. His neighborhood is pretty rough, at least for like... Well not missionaries, but it takes up about 2/3 of our area and it's where the vast majority of our investigators are. Anyway, on the way to this area we pass by a relatively safe area (so we think..). We first have to go drop something off at a member's house, so as we pass by a house on our way we see two men shouting pretty intensely at each other. It's really not that uncommon to see fights and stuff here, but then we are passing by again 5 minutes later by the same house, and this time we hear a gun shot. My companion saw the man with a pistol, the same one who was just yelling. We hid behind a wall, and we see the mom of one of our good investigators passing by. We yelled at her to come over, telling her we just saw someone get shot. So, we saw the man with the pistol run the other direction, and two other men running up behind him with machetes. We took the opportunity to escape.
Needless to say we were a bit shaken up, but regardless we went to the birthday party. It was the birthday party of one of our investigators, Alex.
Another nice happening, Sunday we were getting ready to go to church and it starts raining. Every time it rains here on sunday it means it's going to be a poor turnout at church, and it's by the grace of God that you get even one investigator at church. Well, for like 4 weeks we had been inviting this man to go to church who is so good but every time he said he would go something would be presented or he'd have something ridiculous that came up. So, this was the Sunday he seemed the most sure and lo and behold, it was raining. Well, I was complaining a bit, but my comp was very calm, and before leaving the apartment we said a prayer. He simply said "bless the rain to go away so that we can have investigators in church." So simple, and the Lord heard his prayer. By the time we were out the door, it had stopped. And it was strange too, because there were rain clouds that had just passed us, a sliver of blue sky directly above, and then another rain cloud behind that. It was about a 30 minute window and that's all, but it's all that was needed. Every investigator with a baptismal date (except one) went to church, including that man who we wanted there so bad.
Let's see.. I should only have 6 weeks left here in Bonao (God willing). I love this place, but I've GOT to go. I would love to see the coast, as you said, or even to just be in Santiago. That would be enough. Bonao is practically my home, but people leave their home to go on trips about every 9 weeks, and I.. well I don't do that. Ha I'm ready to go.
We put another date for the 3 of March, so if all goes perfectly, we should be getting another few by the time I leave. One is almost sure, not this Saturday but the next. Two are likely for that day. The rest.. We'll see, but I'm hoping for 5 more by the time I'm out of here, we'll see. It would be a miracle for Bonao. For anywhere really.
I know you know it doesn't affect me to hear about the amount of time I have left. It doesn't affect the amount I work, but it does make me think about home a bit more, which is totally your plan, is it not? ha it's working if it is. I want so badly to eat at a Chinese place, and a mexican place, and cracker barrel, and to watch a movie.. or 200, and to go skiing, or just even be alone. Ha it's the one thing I may have taken for granted most before the mission.
I've been doing a lot of exercise of late, trying to get in shape again. My comp is a mad man, he's kind of dragging me along while he works out. ha but it's pretty effective.
I love you two. Stay well, mom and dad. DON'T DELAY GOING TO THE HOSPITAL! I hate finding out i have things wrong with me too but whatever, it's part of life.
Say hi to Grandma and Grandpa for me, I miss them a ton.
Till next week, not a second wasted,
Elder C. Rufus Sweeney
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