Monday 28 October 2013

Oct 28th Letter

Our investigators really are progressing and it is something fascinating to see them change. I hope they really figure out what it means to sacrifice and find their way. Glad to hear Todd is engaged! Thank you for the lesson on faith as it is probably something I should work on and work alongside our investigators in gaining. Things other than vitamin c... music CDs maybe? anything produced by the church is fine. Maybe some snow? Haha kidding. and maybe.... I dunno. Maybe something I can use to speak some basic french phrases haha but that is not really necessary it would just be funny and nice to use with haitian people.


I am glad everything is going well and everyone is close to perfect health! Please remain as such and be gooooooood! Glad to hear you always help out with other people and dont worry too much about my karma here it will probably be just fine. Very nice picture of the snow and sunrise at the house, very beautiful! Im sorry the winter is upon you and that I still live in paradise haha. About me sending pictures, our closest internet center is kind of stinky and doesnt have any ports on the machines at all. Um, as much time as I always think I have it runs out really quickly and I havent really done any experimenting with the camera to do much with it yet. I will try really hard the next time to do something about sending pictures with formatting or something like that. The pictures arent overly interesting haha. There isnt any fancy buildings to see here. But I will send something eventually. The Dear Elder letters came pretty quickly I think. I think one week is all it takes for them to be sent but sometimes the trouble is on this end of things where I dont always see leaders to give me my mail and such. But really the DearElder things come pretty fast. Hardcopy not so much. 

So this week. Well, we taught stuff. Obviously. And now our house is REALLY FULL OF PEOPLE. The Elders from the adjoining area had to move to our house since theirs was not secure and had thieves in it four times previously. 6 Elders in a 4 man house. Wow. We lost a day of proselyting to move them and a lot of stuff. But we did see all our friends the office elders and had a good time anyway. Our house is very new right now full of greenies and such. So there is a lot of English speaking. haha. One new Elder has a wonderful Utah accent in spanish it sounds super funny. Apparently a Canadian from Quebec or Toronto is in the mission now too. 
We had an intercambio (splits) with the zone leaders and it was interesting to learn a lot of things about teaching, and to hear good things from the zone leaders about some of our investigators. One reference we have been teaching for a little while, a 16 year old girl, is progressing amazingly and will DEFINITELY be baptized in november here unless she suddenly decides she doesnt want to follow her faith anymore. We have a pool of 5 people who are progressing rapidly and only need to come to church and comply with their commitments to obey the commandments. We are so close yet so far haha. The zone leader commented on them very nicely, but said I definitely need to take control of lessons with our older people who TALK so MUCH. Cant let them say anything about their life story. Or you sit for another half hour. Oh well. Our progressing investigators make me really happy each day, other than when they dont come to church. Everyone must go through the trial of the faith, and I am seeing that right now with everyone. But in truth, many of our investigators are bakanisimo and super cool and I really want to see them grow in this gospel. It is amazing to see the change it makes in them, how nothing but a few prayers, some scriptures, a hymn and a couple of good friends in the church makes a person go from just living their life into something entirely new. Its something I really want them to understand. That I used to coast around like they had been, but now is the time to do something different. They really see that now. We really commit them differently, especially after learning from the zone leaders. We are really super direct that they need to commit to God to follow Him. I hope they really find the faith to do so.
Teaching is more comfortable now. I make more jokes and such with the investigators about things. Like sitting in church and how the air conditioning rocks but maybe they should bring a jacket since its kind of like Canada. Or somebody said once Im like a child because I always look out the window when the loud music car things drive by even if Im talking and I say that I am a child in the mission still. I joke a lot about being ¨chino¨. Apparently it is a super funny thing. Ive had some kids do this weird spinning motion when they call me chino and try some sort of kung fu and karate haha. I also can talk with members and others and chat about things. Talked with this one Dominican elder about surfing and how there are surfing beaches here and cheap equipment too haha. So we are having a surfing activity for the church sometime (kidding). We watched the restoration movie about joseph smith in the church with a bunch of our investigators with popcorn and juice (awesome). Super good movie. Despite the fairly annoying children running around and screaming. I still cried in the movie (gets me every time).
We had this strange surprise in church. We left a note with an investigator we were preparing to drop since we could never find him for some time and he never came to church. So we left a note telling him to come to church. And... he did. No one does that. But he did. He also sat with this guy who lives across from him in his apartment complex who happens to be a member who just moved in and now they are friends and this guy could be a progressing investigator soon. WOW. 
Really shared a lot about the book of mormon in recent lessons and the power of the book. That all people need to do is find that spirit in its pages and then all of a sudden things are going to be different. Its amazing how our younger people are just so willing to do so. Amazing things are starting to happen. Albeit slowly and not perfectly. But it is happening. I am super glad that we have members around when we teach the law of chastity. Or it could just be super awkward. And since we have a ton of returned missionaries in the ward, they know how to help us really well.

Speaking of good times, our house is a total party with 6 people in it. We eat together all the time and do lots of strange things. Like Elder Diaz fed me an oreo with shaving cream in the middle. Charlatan. And the amount of BYU stories just rocketed in the house with the new people. The bathroom gets really dirty now. Basically disgusting. Also lots of running around. And dirty dishes. It takes forever to wash the dishes now.
Anyway, I hope everything is going well still. Always remember I love you all. Something I have learned about teaching and helping people in the gospel is this. That people need to understand something that even I didnt understand before the mission. That no sacrifice is too great for the Lord. Because he already has all the things we could possibly give. But he is still missing one thing. He is missin our hearts. We have to give him our heart if we want to have given him anything. There will always be excuses. Every day a new one. But in the end, shall we not go on in so great a cause? What could possibly matter more than salvation for all? What are we not willing to give, and why could that possibly even be important?
Well, enough of my musings.
Have a wonderful week,
Con todo mi amor,
Elder Sullivan

Monday 21 October 2013

October 21st, 2013 Letter

Nice to hear everyone is adventuring and doing cool things! Dont worry about the food, we went one day to the cajero.... um.... I think ATM in english, and we tested for money. All four of us crowded the machine and when it deposited money we went a little crazy with happiness. The people outside probably thought strange things about the Mormons. But it was a joyful experience. I still am using the personal money from the American money for the airport since I havent really bought anything with it and things are fairly cheap. Not so much if you are on a missionary budget haha. We will probably celebrate thanksgiving in american fashion on whatever day that is since our neighbours who are also the landlords of our house and members are american and will probably help us out. They used to live in Seattle, pretty neat eh? They were married extremely close to the time you (mom and dad) were and have eaten in that Ivars acre of clams place too! Thank you for the info about everything (thank you mom for my IB score in music if you could tell Mr Uzick that clearly Georgia and I were just amazingly smart people and awesome and I expect laud and fame haha kidding it is nice to know I wasnt totally wrong, especially with the weird music on that test)

So, this week was good. We taught our people and such. Some are really progressing now. There is this one family (well, the mom and the son since dads are kind of hard to get in lessons here) we are teaching who just accept everything and read all the assignments and understand everything they read and amazingly awesome and cooooool! I had heard of people just accepting the word of wisdom straight away, but these two actually did! They are well on their way to entering the fold, we still have to work out the mother´s work schedule on sundays and see if she is married (this is kind of a problem in the DR) but her son actually came to church on his own without anyone passing by his house! So he is our best progressing right now. We have a couple of people stuck in the rut of not being married. It is a little frustrating that one. Another man we told he had to come to church because it is a commandment and he did. He is reading all the way in 1 Nefi 12 in less than two weeks. Other than he doesnt let us visit him much and his wife is kind of strange and doesnt want to attend our church until he is baptized he is progressing. We are taking a much more direct approach with everything and really try to get people to understand the importance now of what they are doing. That a commitment with God is serious, and that is what they do when we invite them and they accept. Hopefully this incurs action so we dont have a bunch of people with dead faith. It is happening.

Had a strange call for all the missionaries to attend an adult session of stake conference so we could stand in in the meeting and be recognized or something. Talks as of late have really been on trying to get members to work with missionaries and missionaries with members. We hope this happens, and to an extent it already is.

It is interesting here that the mission president attends stake conference of almost every stake. He was at ours along with the temple president. Presidente and Hermana Rodriguez are amazing people. They hold such a power. Hermana Rodriguez spoke about how the members need to pick up their socks and work hard because there are lots of missionaries now but not nearly enough references. President addressed our investigatores and had them stand in the meeting and spoke with them directly about the book of mormon and how important everything is and I hope those investigators there will be baptized. I would after hearing our president speak. I cannot deny the power of that man. Truly a priviledge to serve with him. He is so nice and kind and caring and yet powerful and really takes time to adress points like investigators in the meeting that day.

Our ward finally had a baptism as well. The other Elders baptized a man who had been investigating for quite a while. The water in the font was kind of low on saturday but they proceeded. Unfortunately, the man was quite tall and so the baptism was quite an ordeal for a little while, especially since he had trouble laying flat. Eventually, they found this technique of kind of sliding him into the water to fully submerge him and when it finally happened, everyone new. The Spirit really entered the room and the man being baptized felt it as well. Truly special to witness, how when the ordinance is performed properly that the Lord confirms it as such.

We had this cool lesson with the family of a returned missionary who refered us to his uncle. Despite some strange happenings with his family, it was really amazing to see how much that man wanted his family to be eternal. He wanted them all reactivated and his uncle baptized. He cried openly during the lesson bearing testimony, and is the only returned missionary here that doesnt always correct us in lessons but rather really helps. It was a really cool lesson, and I feel so touched that he would trust us with the salvation of his family. We felt so insufficient after his testimony. But we continued and it went pretty well. So glad the Spirit is with us. Really special blessing.

Que mas... spanish goes well. I understand better all the time and speak better. I still tend to meld words together a little if I dont concentrate and people still dont understand my questions perfectly haha. I still have to focus to understand spanish but I can continue the lesson even if the other people talk or ask questions. I am learning the lessons still and figuring out ways to teach better all the time. Really neat experience, and after only two months and a bit it is hard to believe I have lived somewhere other than here. Glad you still live vicarously for me at home. Someone is going to have to remind me when I come back of what it means to live differently than I am now.

I am glad all goes well at home and hope I am representing the family well here. I would like to share of my experiences with the book of mormon here. Although some investigators struggle to read it or havent yet found their answer about it yet, it is really a life changing book, if for no one else it has been for me especially out here. I can always imagine the stories being told in the book, and I love sharing testimony and explanation of the wonderful gift we have of the book of mormon. I like to tell people of my testimony of the reality of Moroni. I have really felt how he felt, how he was lonely and lost yet strong with the Lord. I love how he ends with how he shall sit with his God in the ultimate day. And I truly love his words of how he speaks as though we are present, and yet we were not, but that Jesus Christ had shown him our day. Share the book of mormon with everyone, family. There is nothing written that compares to it. Invite everyone to read it and pray. I still take Moroni´s promise here in the mission and confirm it. It is important to know that like Alma, we need to always grow in the faith through prayer and fasting and study even after witnessing all we have witnessed. Alma saw angels, and yet he still prayed and fasted and studied until his surety could not be broken. Always read the book of mormon. Always be ready to share it.

Anyway, all is well with me. We really hope for baptisms of our wonderful investigators this november. I truly want them to feel more deeply of our Savior and God´s love.

Con amor siempre,
Elder Sullivan
PS Home teaching father.... I guess you better do it. Take good care of Andy for me and get him ready to be a missionary! Take care of all the people you teach. Take care of Amanda for me, I heard she sent mission papers in, so help her and such and send my salutations and suchhhhhhh. BE GOOD.

Monday 14 October 2013

October 14th - Thanksgiving Letter

Well, happy Thanksgiving! Um nobody knew about it here. And it looks like I won´t be having a large meal today since our apoyo money didnt come today. I still have food dont worry it is just my pasta though... yeaaaaa. Otherwise all is well and great and thank you for everything.

I am glad all of you are enjoying yourselves with this crazy party every week thing and constant celebration. I like mama´s cake in the photo! I actually got to eat a cake (which we call bizcocho here) yesterday and it was super cool awesome, alas it is the only cake I eat other than little things I buy in the colmado (store) here. It has been pretty good and all. I heard from Mom that Dad is still a goof riding scooters in the mall. Haha. You´re pretty funny father. But that is also super cool. I hope you drew the attention of the whole mall with your coolness and showed them who was boss. I hope you get better Dad and take care of the leg and I pray all the time for it so you can dance and surf again. I am glad everyone is learning the virtues of jazz music and playing it. Music here is a little rough. They call their one type of music typical or something like that, things like merengue and stuff and those songs are reallly cool and awesome, but the popular music here is definitely lacking. Apparently it is good I do not understand some of the words they say haha.

So this week was pretty good. We are accomplishing most of our goals and progressing pretty well. We have a pool of investigators who are attending church now and our hopes for them are very high. It is interesting that absolutely none of our investigators come alone. They always need someone to actually go to their house and pick them up to come to church. We are trying to work harder with the ward now and get members out to everything to get our progressing investigators in the church. Our ward mission leader is great with all of that and really works hard making lists and visiting people and coordinating with us. Of course he talks super fast and weird with a strange subdued accent that makes him super difficult to understand especially on the phone but he is still great! Phones really arent very good here. We cant really hear much at all and people also have trouble understanding us. Oh well. Phone bills are also a rip off. Buying these cards to get minutes. It is superbly expensive.

We found this investigator who has a husband who is a member who lives in America I think in New York or something like that. She is super prepared and all already reading the book of mormon and such. Elder Peterson originally had her reference but never found her until this one day we were walking in a park looking for someone else and this boy found us, who just happened to be the son of this lady with the husband in New York. He told us to come that day, and we did and they were there. Pretty cool. We are super happy to have found one of the few well behaved children around here haha. A super helpful and friendly 9 year old. Wow. Such a contrast with the other children we find. Most children rip our books, do strange things, yell and scream for something or other and are overall poorly behaved even rude. Ah well. At least we are still alive with our ears intact. Anyway, our hope for this investigator is pretty big, we do have to get her baptized before she ¨gives the light¨ (which means to give birth apparently).

Our other investigators are super cool too. This one guy who originally didnt do much at all is now reading all the pamphlets all the way through and has attended church two consecutive weeks (which is a big deal) and his baptism date is november, and we really hope it doesnt fall. He really enjoys church, but he only comes for the first hour right now. He has definitely changed though since seeing conference and a baptism of a different person. Really affected him. It is really cool to see how people change as they learn about the gospel and try to come closer to christ. Because we really dont do anything other than invite them and say whatever it is the Spirit tells us to say at the time. Even though we plan things and uisually teach the lessons, so many things that happen are very unplanned and are just thoughts and impression we act on without knowing all the reasons why. Whether the impression is in the lesson or during planning or something. It is extremely cool. I feel as though things are really changing with our investigators. They really are building faith. But the hard part is about to come with most. The trial is kind of coming up with everyone. We have this one man who we really wish would come to church and he definitely has a testimony of some kind. But he wont go without his wife, and his wife is comfortable in her religion, despite believing ours is true and wanting him to join it. Our next lesson with him is going to be very direct. We are taking a member who had his kind of situation and is going to explain what he did along with a scripture in Ruth 1. Super cool. We hope he becomes the example in his family and instead of lagging with his wife, really pushes forward.

We have this one set of recent converts whose parents are not members, the En........... They are bakanismos (super cool people), and we always have funny conversations with them, especially when they try using the English they learn in school and such. Everyone always says ¨Im good how are you?¨ regardless if they already asked how we are. Of course they learned how to call each other ugly and crazy since things like that are super important. I hope to send a picture of their rabbits we hung out with one time. We also play sports with one son, who is like the only tall Dominican in existence. We are trying to teach their parents too haha. One time they showed us this really stupid video on the internet of this guy singing this song while walking around the streets with a plate of something covered in chocolate. The song is a huge hit here, kind of like Gangnam Style, which is also here. One time when I was busy getting called a Korean guy, somebody asked if I knew Gangnam Style haha. I dont think I did the whole dance, but maybe just the one thing he does.

The weather is definitely still definitely hot. Super hot and humid. Kind of like always. I guess we only get two months of cooler weather in december and january. ah well. It cools down when it is raining buckets. But then we are soaking wet and it gets superbly humid when the sun comes back. I hope your winter goes okay HAHAHAHA. Another day in paradise for me!

We had our interviews on saturday this week. It was really cool to be with the president and his wife. They hold some kind of special power with them for sure. They are also familiar with Canada through family and their missionary service. Pretty cool. I told them they could visit. haha. They are really harping on the latinos to learn English. Kind of funny.

I still get called a chino at least a few times a week. Or a korean. Or japonese. But it is definitely a source of entertainment I exploit frequently. We have lots of fun in our district of only four elders all in the same house. We like to talk with each other lots in the house and do things and sometimes cook together and otherwise hang out. Someone had the brilliant idea of bringing an old mattress into the main room with a fan and we can kneel on the mattress sometimes for really long prayers now! Yaaahh. Happiness.

Thank you for all that you guys do, and please keep it up! Know that I love you all very much and hope that you will always perseverar hasta al fin. As I tell investigators and menos activos, there are a lot of things in this world we can do and can have. But none of it compares or matters if we dont have the gospel or salvation. It wont be important if we accomplish anything else other than reach heaven through the Atonement of Jesus Christ. I know that my family has this joy and blessing.

Con todo mi amor,
Elder Michael Sullivan

PS My spanish (dominican) word for today for you guys is bakano, which means a cool person. Have a nice day! Love you lots! Dont sell my room yet!

Tuesday 8 October 2013

October 7th Letter

Michael (2nd from left) is shown here with other missionaries in his zone.


Querida Familia,
Well, happy birthday mama! Feliz cumpleanos! I hope to send a nice looking card sometime soon when we meet with some leaders or something. But for now, happy birthday! I am glad everyone is doing well and hope that it continues in that manner.  I hope everything is going very well still and that Dad is recovering and everyone is happy! Im glad you all had a great party, fiesta forever! I hope mama is doing excellent being a 50 year old. I hope your weather isnt terrible yet. I hope Dad can do that weight program, Im sure it will be a pretty good challenge. I still eat far too much, but still havent really gained weight. Im glad you are all doing well and seeing lots of friends, I didnt even know we had any! And now Im gone they all decide to show up! haha.  Hopefully the coming of winter treats you guys alright. It is still hot as ever here.
We were able to watch all of conference, save the priesthood session as it was past our time to be en casa. But we watched all of the other four sessions, with investigators even! We need four options for church every week, especially in the afternoon so someone is awake to go! Haha. As much as I love all the people and they are so funny and great, the work ethic is... interesting. I love when people say they work all the time, and yet we seem to be able to find them at the strangest times. Such as the times they say they wont be home. But Sunday night when we arrange to come they are not home. It is a little strange, especially because everyone is still super happy to speak with us. But they work "a lot". Which is true to an extent. They work about normal. But that is a lot apparently. Oh well. We are having far more success now than before, and our obedience to the rules is almost precise.
Everyday people comment on how hot the weather is. They all have lived here their whole lives. But everyday, "oh, hace tanto calor", which means it is really hot in spanish. Im kind of confused. I mean, I sometimes say it is really hot when we are out in the street walking under the hot sun for hours on end. But when I sit in a chair, it feels ok. Sweaty, but ok. My clothes are going to be extremely gross over time. But that is ok!
Our investigators are doing pretty good. We have a family, without the dad, who learns superbly well. They clearly have the Spirit particularly of understanding, and read everything perfectly. So many of our investigators learn pretty well and read our assignments and love hearing from us. We just really need their church attendance to continue. The rule for here is that a person must attend church four times before baptism. So our hopes are really riding on next month.
Anyway, my spanish is progressing. Although we had this one lesson where I was supposed to lead in teaching, and my spanish kind of just ceased to work or something. It was basically awful haha. Apparently they understood. Even though all I think I said was things like, ``so the plan of salvation. There was like Adam and Eve and they fell and we have agency to choose between good and bad and we are here on earth to become like our Heavenly Father and I know that is true in fact I know the church is true and that is great isnt it. Are you okay with being baptized in november? Yeah? Great! Um, any questions about the plan of salvation? I sure have questions about everything I just tried to teach. But if you feel good so do I!`So not the greatest lesson Ive ever taught. 
Our teaching of older people sure is interesting. Haha. When we ask a question there is just some long pause and then an unrelated statement.  But they are super cool when they say my name. Elder sugyban. Are you Japanese? Chinese? Korean? Every little child in the street to `HEY CHINO!` I have taken to anwering them with my jokes now. Like if they want chinese food, and that I will get them some next time.
For some reason here it is just fine to interrupt people when they are talking by saying permiso. It happens quite a bit to us, probably since we are gringos and people LOVE talking. But it is so funny and great and we really do find out a lot about people since they are so open. Like, they share with us quite a bit how they really feel, and for some reason trust and confide in us. I dunno why. I doubt I look very trustworthy. Especially with my strange haircut I got for free from a convert. There is a reason it was free.
I really learned interesting things from conference this week. Especially from Pres. Uchtdorf about how the people are imperfect but the church is still perfect and every one should come and join with us once more and enjoy the fullness of the Gospel. And how members need to help the missionaries, and the missionaries the members. It is something really lacking in our ward, coordination, despite our brilliant ward mission leader who does so much work in retaining and reactivation, always visiting people and meeting with us. Great guy. Walks to everybodys house. Just like we do. Also enjoyed talks on the Atonement, and how everyone can enjoy it. Also that our doctrine does not change. I really want people to understand here that there is so much available for them. That yes there are so many things in the world that we can enjoy or have that are great, but nothing is as important as God and the Atonement of Jesus Christ and if they really want a lasting joy, they can truly have it. More than just when the missionaries visit. More than just one blessing a week. They could have blessing forever. But they have to change. We try to change everyday. Interviews with president this week. YEAH. Means we get to cook with Hermana Rodriguez I think!
Well I hope all is well and everyone keeps learning and getting better and doing super duper. I hope to have better news to share in November about how our investigators became converts. They still need an answer to their prayers. Maybe some more faith. But all is COOOOOOOL.
Anyway, have a great week. I pray always for you. In Spanish. But the Spirit and The Lord only speak spanish in this mission haha. 
Con todo mi amor,
Elder Michael Sullivan
PS  Anyway hope all is really gooooooodd. And be jealous of my great 35 to 40 or whatever temperature it is here. hehe. BYE

Sunday 6 October 2013

September 30th, 2013 Letter





Well it is already the third Pday. Time is going far too quickly, although each day feels pretty long. Gracias for all! Thank you for the picture of you guys, and I would print the others, but printing costs money and I´m not sure how well it all works. The internet centres are a little strange... But I can probably do something with them sometime when we go to a different center or something. 
Haha, I guess it is about time for winter to be in Canada. Here it is still hotter than ever. We basically just sweat all day. It is a little uncomfortable, but better than walking out in the cold or something like that! I´m glad you are all still enjoying the water and that Dad is getting better with his foot and all. Try and heal father! I will eventually receive the Dearelder things, and Elder Peterson gave me this idea that his mom does, where she copies and pastes the blog posts from other missionaries who are his friends and sends them as Dearelders because it is free for everybody! I was thinking you could do that with my letters and maybe Dallin´s if Sister Low would like. Just a thought I had. For the blog, I didn´t think I had that many friends but okay! Especially friends in France and Germany! I guess my amazing french skills paid off!
Speaking of french, we sure run into a lot of Haitians. Some speak Spanish and we teach them and its great. Others don´t, so I try to invite them to the church and then we move on because L´Eglise du Jesus-Christ et don la ri Mexico is definitely not sufficient to teach a lesson. But we try or something. Merci bouqueax or something....
Anyway I have a few new friends here. The members are pretty neat but never give us references, but they sure have funny stories. I still get called a chino in the street by all the children. Hey chino chino! I either say hi or something or say some chinese if they want or sometimes I ask them if they want pica pollo. Pica pollo is their chinese food here. It is fried chicken. Like, KFC style. But it is made by Chinese people so its chino. They also eat rice called chofan, and make some kind of chop suey they call chosuy or something strange like that. It is interesting to say the least.
I have taken a liking to plantane here, especially fried. It is super good. We eat a lot of pasta, rice, pancakes and cereal since it is easy to get and cheap and easy to make haha. We eat pretty well, and get a lot of fruit. I especially like making these milkshake things with mango or banana. It is super good!
Our investigators are pretty cool. We have better success with young people or old people, but still not much for families. We really would like to get a family. The closest we have is Yonlaiki e Yaijara, who live pretty close to the church. The family is great and studies all our pamphlets and can recite our lessons exactly. They just haven´t come to church yet. But it will eventually happen. Everyone here loves to talk. I don´t know if I mentioned our good friend Sirilio, who has taken 3 hours of our time or more in only two lessons with his lovely stories of life and the bible. Given his knowledge of the bible is spectacular, we are not entirely sure if we will go back unless he reads the pamphlet. It really is something to see, the way the Dominicans can talk about stories or the bible or whatever cosa they happen to start talking about. Sirilio was running around the room one time, grabbing things to demonstrate something about the sun falling in the last days, or started clapping his hands and talking super fast about how Pablo did all these amazing things and how Pablo is his favourite apostole and how he wants to live like him and how great life is with faith and how people really need to find faith. Yeah. Eventually we were almost even rude to try and leave the house haha. We said we wanted to teach something new other than the bible but for some reason that didn´t really compute and he continued talking about the bible. Haha, he has me monologing now too. Anyway, there is a gift of tongues in the Dominican, not just for missionaries but for everyone. It just never stops moving here. 
We played baseball today. I´m not terrible. I hit the ball. The poor latinos who have to come here, the only latino nation that doesn´t play soccer. Just baseball and basketball. It is strange here, how american customs and all really have strong roots. Like, a T-shirt in Dominican speak is T-chirt. Or tape is tapi. And people really have that kind of swagger look or whatever it is called here. When they play baseball they use terms like pitcher and out the same in english. Pretty cool stuff. The cars still drive crazy as ever, and we cross the street crazy as ever. 
My teaching is improving. I fall asleep in less lessons where the person starts monologing, and can usually follow what is going on if the spirit is with me and I pay good attention. It is amazing what a difference it makes if I am really in tune or very much out of it. I teach a lot better now, and although I am not speaking in Spanish the same as English, I am improving and can speak very simply, which might be better right now. Apparently my accent is pretty good. Although I pronounce some words very strange, thanks to my english and chinese influences. Everything goes really well, our lesson count is going up and up. All we need is people to come to church. We pray for it all the time, and I hope someone really decides not to be lazy or busy with whatever it is they are busy with and come to church. Although we are super friendly with all our investigators and great friends, we need to establish something about being missionaries I think, and that people need to commit to God. That really all of this is for God. I have been reading really interesting things about how to change one´s will to the will of God, and I really hope I can do that. Instead of seeing the mission as a duty, I want to see it as a pleasure, because I am the will of God here trying to bring my brothers and sisters home. I really appreciate what President Rodriguez says in his letters about what I can do to be better. I hope it always improves and that you guys also find success with your work. Remember I always love you all! Know that we are working hard here as always, and I already feel as if I have been doing this my whole life! Especially since I can´t ever preach in English, I guess that call letter means something! Whenever people want to talk in English, I have serious trouble because I can´t pray in English anymore or preach in English. I can still speak it though haha. I guess I will have to sit in this limbo of not knowing spanish and not knowing english. I better improve my baseball skills to fit in here more! 
All my love as always, and I hope everything is going well with everyone! Send my wishes for the best to everyone we know! Always be faithful, and I hope soon we have a baptism here! It may take a while longer, but we always work! It is a little difficult to get tranquil relaxed people moving, but we will somehow get it done, since apparently get it done is some sort of Canadian phrase or something.
Con amor como siempre,
Elder Sullivan
PS It is super entertaining when I say Eh here, but I really don´t say it much and apparently that is a disappointment. I am sorry you guys are experiencing winter now. We sure are not. Dad, get better and stay healthy and learn to surf like a pro. Mom, I am going to try and cook fried rice here soon or something haha. Please take care of everyone and remember to relax like a Dominican. Tasha, don´t fail school and have fun and feel free to date boys or something. Christina don´t fail and take care of your stuff and always be crazy and watch good anime and tell my friends they smell bad!
PSPS I will send pictures next week, there was no SD card slot today!
PSPSPS I hope that letter eventually reaches you! I´ve only sent two letters from here, each a week apart. One for you guys and one for someone else. I´m sure the post really isnt very good. Take carrreeee!

Oh I forgot to say my health is great. My metabolism still runs like a machine. Never worry. And you know how supposedly people were to be really musical and good singers? Not true. Without pianos in the home, not many people sing well. They like dancing and such, but the singing suffers here haha. And the pop music... well, I have yet to die. It just plays too often in the street. Haha. Their traditional merengue and things like that are great though! If we used to think Loreto was strange and poor and loud, not at all like here. Welllll have a good time and all!

Oh I also forgot. Something strange about spanish. The word charlatan in english is almost never used. in spanish charlatán is super popular! People always say it about a jokester. So I say it a lot about our latino companions haha. I dunno something for the peeps.