July 6th, 2015

Hey everyone,

So probably the last big email to update whats been going down!

Lots of cool stuff that I always wish I could write about, but I usually cant think of it all. Well anyway, I suppose to just talk about this week, today we played basketball with some not so active youth who are playing in this stake basketball tournament. So that was fun, although Manuelfi, the guy who draws anime and stuff, is obviously a lot better than everyone else in Villa haha. It was fun to play with them, although I still kind of suck at basketball and I usually throw the basketball like a rugby ball still. Good times though. Other stuff this week, well, our family reactivated here, their 9 year old daughter passed the interview and is getting baptized this saturday, so at least one baptism here in Villa before leaving, even if it is just a kid. Well, thats how President Nuckols was baptized, a 9 year old reactivation so who knows? Maybe she will become a great leader someday. She is the reason the family got reactivated so, good signs! Although, the whole divorce of her Mom has been a little impactful. Divorce is bad! But we are excited for her baptism, as its a big step for the ward and such. Hopefully the primary is all like there and supportive and stuff, apparently the whole agenda is getting set up by the ward... I hope....

So lots of fun doing the whole teaching little Dayi (thats her name by the way). Shes pretty funny, and kids always say exactly what they think about something haha, so her remarks are always a little direct, strange but always pretty funny. She like, would straight up tell the district leader that she doesnt like him and thinks he is a gossiper haha. And then that she doesnt like chinese people because the pica pollo (fried chicken place) workers werent very nice to her. So I had to talk her down on that one (being chinese haha). And she believes everything we say, even if I tell her that Elder Wassum fell off a pea tree even when he shows up the next day just fine. Then she kept on telling me its bad to lie, and I agreed haha. So many questions too, about everything! Anyway, shes really funny, but the whole divorce of her parents has messed her up a little, so we hope that the ward and her parents right now can fix that up. Gonna be a cool baptism anyway!

Lots of craziness, lots of people came to church that we have been working with. Finally had all three of the crazy O'soria sisters come. Lots of work there haha. They're like, less actives who are attending the church lots (its not just church attendance that makes you a less active). Its nice to see them making lots of progress anyway, and its been fun teaching them. One of them even reads the book of mormon and can actually like, relate all the stories back. Someone shot a gun while we were in a lesson, like, across the street. Luckily it was a small gun that might not have killed anyone, either way. They shot just because of some insult someone said haha. The wonders of drama.

So yeah its been good. Lots of fun with my comp, lots of walking and talking but that happens every day. Its been super cool with Elder Wassum, its been different being with another older missionary, but it turned out super good for the work and it was a good time. Hope to see Elder Wassum around again. Lots of the members have been great to meet with out here. Dominicans always have their little jokes, and the people in villa have had probably some of the best, especially since I understand them all now.

Well, so I guess this is kind of the end of my mission. It was super great, and this last week I hope to end it off well. It looks like we are going to try and visit with all the great people, and make one last effort with the baptism this week and everything. 

My words on the mission as a whole? AWESOME! Best experience ever, and great blessings for so little. I will really miss all the great people.

Well I probably write like one last time next week, but for now,

Sigan para adelante (Press forward)

Elder Sullivan

June 29th, 2015

Hey everyone,

So the big news for the week is that I went to Azua on monday! Visited all the people I had taught and baptized and a few members and such that I had worked with. The branch is in a strange state but otherwise they are doing really well. It was really cool to see everyone down there and be able to share with them one last time (well, there will always be facebook). We ended up staying there super late, because the Minyetti family just wouldnt let us leave haha we had to eat and talk with them. It was fun though, Im glad they are doing so well my dominican family. Unfortunately their son just failed school and isnt active and I didnt get the chance to talk with him and let him know how it is and such, but at least I saw him. At least the other family members are doing really well, like their callings and still want to go to the temple and such. Just gotta work with their rebelious son. I was glad to see them and they me, and it reminds me all of that story in the book of mormon about Ammon and such and how the people always remembered each other and had a close bond forever. Good stuff.

Here we are still preparing a 9 year old girl to be baptized by her recently reactivated Dad. We´re working super hard so that it gets done next week. Gonna be tough, but I mean shes like 9 so... we think it will be fine. The goal will be that the whole family stays active now. Other investigators are all not married and living together so this is our big hope. Although we did get this one lady to like go to church and stuff and accept a baptismal date and shes actually getting super into it and reading, and so we think she is really trying to get ready for baptism. She could actually do it, and has been like, repenting and stuff so thats good. Basically life is good, and I feel like the area is good enough to leave it and be like ¨yeah its all good¨.

Well, I cant think of much else to write and time is short.

Keep the faith bretheren!

Elder Sullivan

June 22, 2015

Hey everybody!

So life in Villa has been pretty good. We reactivated a family here, the couple has been interviewed and everything and like they are going to receive callings and stuff and they are doing good. We are going to be teaching their daughter to be baptized by her Dad pretty soon. The family is in really good spirits and they come pretty far from the north up to church. They have even begun a little bit of scripture reading and such. So its nice to see all the things coming together, although most of the success is really due to the bishop and his crazy home teaching and follow up on less actives. He is a machine, and the ward will see great growth because of it. 

A bit on the sad side, one of our investigators (Francsico) died from a heart attack. He had been going to church for a long time, but he got in an accident a little while ago, and so while he was recovering, his problems with diabetes spiked and he dided last night. We met with his son but the rest of his family we have yet to see. I think though that this will be better for him, as the injury could have crippled him for a long time and now he doesnt have any obstacles to be baptized. He will be missed here on earth though. Its nice to know that hes still out there though, making his little jokes haha.

Other stuff, our light got fixed, but it burned out one of our fans and light bulbs haha. Um... yeah. We played basketball today with the district and one of the young men and his brothers, it was fun but I sure felt kind of old. Good times with them though.

Well, Im kind of drawing blank on the rest of the week, it was really rainy.

Keep the faith bretheren!

Elder Sullivan

June 15 2015

So this week we went to the colonial zone in the east mission to see the old cathedrals and other historic things about cristopher columbus and other stuff. It was pretty cool, learned a bunch. The country's past is a lot more interesting than I thought it would be. Lots of intrigue, the natives here were actually really nice and peaceful and like just kind of mixed into the spanish race for the most part and most of the wars were with Haiti and such. If I remember right they didnt actually fight for their independence here, it was kind of granted kind of like in Canada. Turns out that even though columbus didnt land here first, this was on of his first colonies that was actually successful and made it all the way into current times due to the Taino people who helped them and stuff. They suspect that columbus was actually buried on Dominican soil, but the spanish deny that and yeah who really knows? Also lot of stuff about catholicism, its kind of weird all the stuff in the churches. Lots of paintings of demons to keep the demons out.... the old catholic religion was really into mysticism and stuff like that. Its a lot different nowadays.

The rest of the week was pretty good we taught some people and found some new people and are teaching stuff. Regular kind of thing. Francisco is in good spirits and we visit him to keep him happy and such. Haha. At least he has lots of time for reading now. Those less actives are a lot less less active now, they come every week and are doing super well so we hope we can keep that up.

Went and visited my old areas on monday, great experience. So nice to see all the people again. Wish I could have spent forever with them all. But at least I have all their facebooks and stuff. I hope to see them all again as well!

Well I was going to write more but we really didnt find that much time tonight when the light came back to write a bit.

Hopefully more next week, mayb esome photos... well I guess Im already back anyway but

con amor,

ELder Sullivan