Email from Elder Stimpson!

Elder Stimpson's email came to us:

this week has felt pretty slow. it has rained very hard for 4 out of the 6 days that we prosylite. we have been soaked up to the knees and it was rare to find people outside but we continued. we have been teaching someone who is very interested and completes with all of his commitments. he had just changed his school hours to be able to make it to church. which is very impressive. because normally when a Dominican has to change school they normally freak out and refuse. but his response at first was "I will see what I can do about it". just yesterday before he had school he was looking for the church and could not find it on account of it being a rental house. he had been asking around and someone had said "I am not sure, but two white people live over there". he showed up but to get our attention he was throwing rocks at our door. because we don't have a door bell and our door and window in the front were closed. at first I had thought some kid was messing with us but when I looked through the window I had realized it was him. I got dressed quick to see what was the matter. he told us that he would not be able to make it to church this sunday but he had been able to change his school hours and go next week. 

but besides that my comp. and I get along very well and we teach very well together. we are finding lots of people and getting lots done. hopefully I will be able to find a camera today so I can start taking more photos again. I also had to buy a new umbrella because my last one broke. the top part came flying off when I pressed the button and left me with the rod in my hand. we had a pet lizard for a couple days that we named Kermit that liked to hang around my desk between some things but ended up dying for no known reason. we just found a dead crumpled up corpse of a lizard. we put him in a coffin and had a nice burial and several tears were shed or should I say we threw him in a Pringles can and tossed it in the garbage on our way out this morning.

until next time.

Elder Stimpson told us about this guy who was interested. . .  They met through shoes polishing.  He was going around and asking if he could polish people's shoes for a price.  Most of the time, they would turn them down but this time around they accepted his offer and paid him for the job.  While he was polishing their shoes, he told them about himself and his life.  He said that his dad died young and now can't be in heaven and he is worried about him being in hell.  It was when they had chance to tell him that he could give his dad second chance.  He perked up and was very excited.  So they are working with him this week.

Here's some fun facts Elder Stimpson and Elder Mikesell shared with me:

-There's two seasons in Dominican Republic:  Summer and Hell.

-There is a type of stone that is only located in Dominican Republic.  It is called Larimar.  

Be sure to  purchase this stone while you are there.  Because it is unique stone located in this region.  Here's fact from Wikipedia:  Larimar, also called "Stefilia's Stone", is a rare blue variety of the silicate mineral pectolite found only in the Dominican Republic, in the Caribbean. Its coloration varies from white, light-blue, green-blue to deep blue. 

-Soy oil is popularly used in all frying in Dominican Republic.  Because of that, you will see a lot of body types influenced by that- excessive estrogen.

-There's few lizard species that you will see everywhere in Dominican Republic:  Types of geckos, lizards, frogs, and our favorites:  (swimming turtles) Loggerhead, Green and Hawksbill turtles.

Here's some updates

Here's something you will like to know:

Missionaries have been drinking cola cola on regular basis to fry parasites that may be growing in their stomach.  They are not allowed to eat from food carts on street because of high incidence in getting parasites. 

There is a big spider species in Dominican Republic:  One is called cacata.  It looks like tarantula spider and also is called bird eater spider.  Elder Stimpson often sees them squished on streets and sidewalks.  They prefer to hide and scurry away.  I asked him if he finds male ones roaming, seeking for females.  He said he didn't see any.

 

As missionaries have to worry about Dengue fever- if you caught it for second time or third time, (if you got third strand virus)- you will get sent home.  Elder Stimpson is knocking on wood that he won't contract any during his mission.  Mosquitoes that carry dengue usually bites during daylight and comes from behind to bite your elbows and ankles.  They aren't active when it is cooler and dark.

Elder Stimpson is becoming very quickly to go missionary guy for all repairs that need to be done.  He already have had repaired some nonfunctioning ceiling lights and other few items.  He just asked me to get him leatherman tool to use for his repairing adventures which I will send this Christmas.

Elder Stimpson just got new companion during transfer day last week on Tuesday.  (The mission does transfer days every six weeks on Tuesdays).  His name is Elder Mikesell and he is from Caldwell, Idaho. 

Elder Stimpson and Elder Mikesell had a cool experience yesterday on Sunday.  Elder Mikesell was following his prompting that they are going further in their foot trip out of their normal tracting trails.  They walked for long time and arrived at a house way out of their customary haunts and a guy answered the door and he invited them in.  He then told the missionaries that he had missionaries coming over in the past but he preferred his family religion, Catholic.  However, lately, he was getting tired of their loose standards- drinking, smoking and generally loose ways.  He thought back on the time when missionaries taught him and wanted to find them again.  Just when he was thinking about that during the week, missionaries came to his door at right time when he wanted them there.  It really was awesome how the Lord prompts His servants to come at right time when people are ready and He knows all about our thoughts, hearts and intentions.  He sends missionaries to us when we need them.

Elder Stimpson sent me some pictures which I am having difficulty opening up.  I will post them as soon as I'm able to decipher the problem.

Did you know . . .?

Here's some information Elder Stimpson shared with me while his mission service:

1.  Hurricane season is primarily between June and October.  Humidity and high temperature are very common.  Elder Stimpson really had hard time sleeping during the night, sweating profusely.  He discovered that if you took a cold shower before you go to sleep, it would help to lower the body temperature.  Elder Stimpson constantly is amazed to see many natives wearing full church suit to church in that climate.

2.  Church buildings in Dominican Republic doesn't have:  Gyms, foyers/lobby, and kitchens.  Buildings only have chapel and classrooms for use.  There's basketball hoop outside for play, though.

3.  There are extraordinary genetic differences in Dominican Republic because of lack of education in how to avoid genetic defects and lack of medical care.  Many Dominican Republic natives still have untreated genetic defects.  Elder Stimpson have seen his share of two pupils in one eye, extra toes, extra fingers, and such.

4.  Stores in Dominican Republic with exception of Capital only carry basics.  You cannot expect to find items that you are used to finding in Walmart.  Dominican Republic natives are very creative and savvy in making things to last because those items they have aren't found anywhere nearby.  All of their computers out the capital don't have web cams. 

5.  Students are required to use school uniforms to lessen the impact of income divide.  They don't have people of similar income clustered in neighborhood.  You can be wealthy and still have neighbor with severe poverty just few paces away.

6.  Missionaries have to carry around toilet paper, disinfection gel, and thus because most of bathrooms, if any, don't have toilet papers, running water, or soap.  Missionaries often have to schedule their appointments in a way where they can make a stop at their home for bathroom visits.  Some unprepared missionaries had to tear a page or two from their white rule book or agenda book for their bathroom visits.

7.  It is very common for Dominican Republic natives to approach missionaries so they have prayers and teaching together.  If they are not Catholics or Evangelists, they just are very religious.

8.  Internet cafes are popular places for computer, copying, and faxing.  Every city has one.

9.  All vehicles have small seating spaces.  Elder Stimpson has trouble fitting himself in car seats.  (He was very excited about new truck and its spacious knee space).  Sometimes missionaries will hitchhike or grab a ride with a member to church on Sundays.

10.  To send any packages and letters, you have to send directly to mission office.  Mail service is highly unreliable in any city that is not Capital.  Missionaries expect to get their packages and letters every transfers.  I usually use DHL service to send packages.  The service is highly reliable and prompt (just takes a week to arrive).

11.  Missionaries are pretty comfortable, thanks to hard efforts of mission office.  The mission office ensures that all missionaries have beds to sleep on, filtered water, and running refrigerators.  Many bathrooms are very basic- toilet, sink and tub.  But they often don't have running showers and missionaries would have to use buckets to bathe.  All missionaries have access to washing machine in their apartments and kitchens.  They still have trouble with installation of mosquito nets so they sat in pile.  For all moms of missionaries who are going to Dominican Republic, you need to send pop up mosquito nets with missionaries.  Mosquitoes are rampant out there during Hurricane season.  Missionaries often got dengue fever which is seriously debilitating.  (Similar to mono in certain respect). 

12.  Elder Stimpson informed me that chapsticks are in short supply on Dominican Republic and so is disinfection gel.  Those are going into Christmas box soon.

13.  Mission president often arranges the entire mission to get together for fun- like temple trips, bowling games, etc.  Elder Stimpson loves that.  This mission president will be done in 2020.

14.  You can tract on beaches.  People do slam doors on missionaries.  People do avoid missionaries.  That's not new behavior.

15.  Spanish in Dominican Republic is different from Spanish in Mexico.

16.  Often missionaries would hear women hissing and cry "Rubio" at them.  Rubio means blonde and blue eyes.  So it did baffle me that Elder Stimpson was getting that- though that he just have few streaks of blonde on his head.  (FYI:  He is brown eyed and brown haired).

17.  Elder Stimpson stands at nearly six feet and one inch so he often walks full head length above natives.

18.  Dentistry care is very scarce and natives don't put priority on that.  It is common to see poorly cared for teeth on natives and elderly usually have black teeth and gaps.

19.  Deaf natives have lower chance of getting good education and jobs.  It is common to see them wandering on streets, offering to polish your shoes for price and get buffed.  Some of them work as baggers at grocery stores.

20.  It is typical to see natives get baptized in numbers but also have high number of less actives.

21.  Most of houses are made with cinder blocks and aluminium roof

22.  Infrastructure in Dominican Republic is poorly constructed.  It is typical to have blackouts all day  (Mondays) on Preparation days so missionaries had to wash on different days.  Sewage and water aren't well constructed neither.  Hence the need for filters attached to all water plumbings.  There are no heating or air conditioning.  Missionaries absolutely adores central conditioning units.

If you want to know more:  you can visit this blog often.  I probably will drop few interesting facts occasionally.