Elder LaBass - Dominican Republic Santo Domingo East Mission

  Merry Christmas! I just wanted to wish you a merry Christmas and I wanted to express my gratitude for my Savior for coming here to the earth to love suffer die and resurrect for me! I love my Savior with all my heart and I'm more than grateful to be able to serve him full time for 2 whole years! This week we had a Christmas meeting with a couple zones and President Chaverri shared a ton of scriptures about the birth and ministry of Jesus Christ.  It was really powerful. This Christmas I invite you all to remember your Savior and remember his birth his life and his atonement.  I promise that as you study the life of your Savior, you will get to know him and feel his love that he has for you. You can't serve someone that you don't know!    Isaiah 53:5 5 But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed. Mosiah 3:7 7 And lo, he shall suffer temptations, and ...

  Lots of meetings this week, We had ZC and MLC.  President talked a lot about faith.  It was very interesting and I've never had a ZC like that but it was very needed and I feel like our faith as missionaries went through the roof.   -We had to exchanges back to back with Elders who live in the same house, so We decided that I would stay there for 2 days and it was pretty fun.   -We were going to baptize our friend Fermin but there were a few problems so he's not ready yet. -But we were able to Baptize our friend Peter and that was a dope experience.  -We got a new bishop last week and this dude didn't show up to church Sunday because he "had work".  His wife also showed up 35 minutes late to the meeting so lol. -It's Christmas time in the DR!!  At this time of year there are tons of elections and political parades.  While we were in church there was a parade right outside of the church and the speakers were so loud that the entire buil...

  Transfer news came this week and my comp and I are staying together! We made a deal with president that if we could stay together for 3 transfers we would give him 15 Baptisms.  Wish us luck with the 15 Baptisms this transfer🦾 We baptized Alejandrina and her family!  It was such a cool experience to see another family making covenants with their Heavenly Father! Our recent convert Alan (the one who killed the chicken)  was a hero this week.  There were some robbers robbing his neighbor's house, so he walked over there and smacked them with a bat,  That's my recent convert!  He felt bad afterwards and wondered if he could take the sacrament hahaha.  Dominican things: Literally every Sunday morning when we are trying to get our friends to church  almost all of them say that they can't go  because their head hurts.  Literally everyone.  BUT.  I figured it out.  I can't believe it took me this long but I finally unders...

  Weypa, We married and baptized Luis and Mariela! It was one of the coolest experiences doing that and they are so cool. -we bought a ton of protein🦾 -Our Bishop threw a surprise marriage party for our 2 families that got married and baptized. -life is tubular when you're shredding the gnar🤘🤙🤙 -Had exchanges this week with a brand new missionary and that's always a funny experience. -We get transfer news this week -Our baptismal date as a zone is 31, pray for us! -Next week we are going to baptize Alejandrina, Erika, Sebastián and Sayuri. Pray for them! In Mosiah 26 17 And blessed art thou because thou hast established a church among this people; and they shall be established, and they shall be my people. 18 Yea, blessed is this people who are willing to bear my name; for in my name shall they be called; and they are mine. We understand that the only way to become his people is through the water of baptism. 22 For behold, this is my church; whosoever is baptized shall be b...

  God blessed us and the Dominican people a ton this week -Alan and Vanessa got married and baptized!  They are converted to Christ and the gospel,  it's crazy.  They keep telling us that their life has turned around in these past 2 months and it will keep changing forever!  I'm just so grateful to be part of that experience with them. - Getting them married was super stressful because we got to the marriage place 3 hours late because Alan forgot the time he was supposed to be there.  We were supposed to get there  at 9 am  and we pulled up  at 12:15 .  The guy who signed the papers was at lunch but out of the kindness of his heart he prepared the wedding for them.  Another huge blessing. -We were blessed this week with 24 friends that were able to come to church this Sunday. 18 of them have baptismal dates! -Friday we had a call with our zone and I shared these scriptures with them. Alma 36: 23 But behold, my limbs did receive thei...

  This week was lit! I want to first off thank everyone who responds to my emails.  I'm too lazy to respond back but I read them all. My comp and I got smacked by a 2 year old (Carolinas kid)  Homie gave me a left hook to the head in the middle of the prayer and smacked my comps balls.  He's a wild one. Friday and Saturday this country got sneak attacked with a hurricane.   My comp and I caught some 10 y/o vaping in the church because 2 little girls snitched on them.  That also made me realize that every time I got in trouble in school was probably from 2 little bratty girls.   Friday night an old member named Juan left with us for an 1 1/2 in the middle of the rain.  Home is 70 years old and he was being a beast helping the missionaries with a little umbrella and a shower cap on his head.  Big respect for Juan, while he was walking with us he kept saying "yo soy lo más fuerte!" I am the strongest one!  And it's true he is the ...