130428 Seek Ye out of the Best Books

Doctrine and Covenants 88:118:  “And as all have not faith, seek ye diligently and teach one another words of wisdom; yea seek ye out of the best books words of wisdom; seek learning, even by study and also by faith.”

This week was the Opening of the annual Book Fair, “Manos a Los Libros - 16th Feria International del Libro 2013”.   Once a year book vendors come out in mass to display and sell their products.  There are also other booths for entertainment, food and fun.  The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints chose to emphasize values in the home in their booth.  A building was constructed just for the purpose of displaying Mormon Ad posters representing these values.  A big ceremony consisted of speeches and performances by three youth groups.  After which there was a sign unveiling performed by the area Presidency and a Ribbon Cutting Ceremony.  It was an honor to be invited and meet with community groups that we have completed humanitarian service for in the past.

Proverbs 29:18 Where there is no vision, the people perish

We were privileged to have a personal interview with Elder Cornish of the Area Presidency.  He has expressed sincere interest in what we are doing to make the Food Project happen in the Dominican Republic.  He gave us new vision and purpose.  Things are starting to happen quickly.  We feel the Lord has inspired us several times in the last week and that we are finally going in a positive direction.  We will tell more as things happen.   
The Branch President selected 5 families to start with on the food project.  We visited each one of the homes and were deeply moved by the poverty and daily struggle for survival.  Some families have tried to created meager make-shift coops that really don’t accomplish much purpose.  We have received much inspiration in the last few days that we will apply and report on in the future.  Here are a few pictures of the homes we visited.

 

This is a home under construction

 

 

                                                 Moises Fani, Edith and Pres. Diogenes

This member of the church survives by begging in the street.  He desperately needs a new wheelchair that we are going to try to obtain for him.  We are trying to teach correct Welfare Principals along the way.  Why should we let a faithful member of the church eke out a living by begging on the street?  There is much to be taught (to the branch president and us) as we seek for the right answers.

Ecclesiastes 3:4  A Time to Laugh
We have arrived!  The first few months of our mission we spent driving with white knuckles on the steering wheel and came home from road trips exhausted beyond belief.  This week we actually got in our car and went for an afternoon drive just for the entertainment.  The things you see on the streets of Santo Domingo are unbelievable though we have become harden to it.  We will pass on the refreshing driving experience, but here are just a few of the things we see on our daily neighborhood walks and drives. 

 

This is how they support the next story during building construction

This is a real leg breaker

Fresh meat

 

1 Cor 15:58  ---be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, for as much as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord

We feel we were very efficient this week and accomplished much good.  We are working harder than probably any time in our lives.  We are happy.

Here are a few pictures of Wallace’s garden.  We are hopeful it will produce!