So... today we went to a trampoline park called Summit in Sambil in Santo Domingo. It was basically some American millionaires who came and put it in to make even MORE money. It is SUPER nice, and we got permission to take a big group of missionaries there. I will send pics later. They had dodgeball, long trick tramps, foam pits, noodle duels over foam pits, 3 differently-heighted hoops for dunkball, and some open tramp space for simple tricks. IT WAS SICK.
Jessica and Mom--I need to review my conference notes again before i can say that (we both asked him to share what he got out of General Conference). Ask me again next week. Also my brain is mush from jumping on tampolines all morning. Although I absolutely LOVED this conference, I need to go back and look them over because for some reason it mostly went in one ear and out the other (I still feel weird and bad about that).
This week I am kind of frustrated. I feel good, and I feel excited to keep working, but enduring to the end is becoming difficult. Not in the sense of the whole mission, but rather in the sense of being in my current area and zone. We have a STACKED zone, full of former zone leaders and ex-assistants, experienced sisters, and long-time district leaders, and we are all working super hard and striving to be obedient. Even thus, almost all of the baptismal dates we extend and that people accept have been falling because of lack of church atendance. NOBODY is going to church. We are passing by their houses, calling them, inviting them all week long, etc, but they don't come. This week has been a testament to me that it's not us--it's the Lord who does His work. We need to be exactly obedient and exceedingly diligent, but even then some things won't work out unless He wants them to. He is teaching us all something. in Primavera, Elder Johnson and i invited around 50 people to come to general conference, leaving them a little card the mission made with the schedule and location, and around 15 of them committed for sure to come. We called them all Saturday morning, and all were committed to come either Saturday or Sunday. Only 1 person that we invited came. We received 2 references from members, though, so that was good. That was the tesimony-builder to me that it is the Lord's work. For all our work 1 person came, but by His will and pleasure 2 people who were super prepared to meet us were brought to us.
I know that the Lord desires that we repent, not out of fear of condemnation but out of love for Him. That was the biggest thing I got out of conference. The Lord doesn't just want behavioral change--He wants to change our very natures and desires so that we can become exactly as He is. I testify that God's plan of salvation is perfect and that Jesus Christ's sacrifice, death, and resurrection have infinite power to redeem us from sin if we will but abandon that sin which chains us down and holds us back--literally damns (dams up) our eternal progression. Through that sacrifice we can be made whole, pure, and one day, perfect. I know that through Christ's atonement we can all be healed, strengthened, and blessed with peace and comort in times of trial, and of that I testify in Christ's name. Amen.
I love you all very much, and hope that you have a great time this week. I hope for lots of good pictures!
Élder Rowe
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