August 24, 2015 - MISSION ACCOMPLISHED!

(With the Tom Cruise voice and everything!)

I am homeward bound. I have my interview with Pres. Crobitt today. My comp will be training a new missionary. I talked with E. Frampton, E. Turketo and E. Aplanalp! All is well. Hno Manuel Medina took me to the offices this morning and all is well. I look forward to being home.

I feel like it´s about to be Christmas morning. The two years have been amazing and I have enjoyed the mission ¨Holiday¨ spirit but now it´s like Christmas day. Super exciting but also time to return to the normal life. It will be great though! I love you all so much. See or Skye you all soon!

See you all soon! be safe!!!

Love,

Elder Chez Green

August 18, 2015 - Hello!

Hello All!

I want to start off to say I love all of you! Thank you for all of the great support that you have each given me throughout my two years. Wow it is crazy how quickly the time has flown by. I have truly improved been changed and become better! I am so grateful for all the experiences I have had, good and bad! They really have helped me become better! I know that our Savior is Jesus Christ. That the plan of God was for each of us to come here, to progress, receive a body, make our family ties stronger and deeper and to return to his presence. He requires that we are obedient but he will always bless us. I know that his plan is perfect and that through the temple (the house of God here on earth) we can have families that are sealed or maintained throughout the eternities or for infinity and beyond!! I know that our family can be eternal and I pray that we can all be worthy to return to live with God. It requires each of us to do our part! I invite each and everyone of you to take steps and try harder. It isn`t easy I know but we can succeed!

So this week I have no regrets as we visited the last place I truly wanted to see before I leave this beautiful country. It is called La Cueva de Las Maravillas. It was pretty cool a deep cave with hieroglyphics, a coool reflection pond and what not. It was found by some Dominican boy scouts in 1926 and is now a private place. I learned a lot about the native Indians that lived here, though they are all now extinct not only in the DR but in Puerto Rico, Jamaica Cuba etc. It is somewhat mysterious their extinction they say but it was very interesting and a great bonding moment with Hno Medina who took work off just to go with us as he had never been either. We had a lot of fun and I am happy! Glad I could make it, I also passed by in the car my first area of San Pedro. It brings back a lot of memories for sure!!

It is crazy to think I have so little time left. I have come to love the people here and the culture. The food is great and I am so grateful for my time here!

I may find about 5 minutes to email next week but nothing special really so if you don`t want to send me anything don`t worry. You can just email me at chezlygreen@gmail.com as that is my email from next week on!

So the last Monday I may have time for Internet not sure but I will have my interview with Pres Corbitt and not sure what else. We are going to the temple on Saturday as well! Wahoo! I will sleep at the MTC Monday night and wait till my flight on Tuesday! Almost time to start packing!

Well I love you all. Be safe and know that God is watching over us. Never forget to pray, read the scriptures attend church but most of all just be good honest people and love and serve others. I know that God loves us all! Be super safe everyone! Thanks for all the support to the fam and extended family as well as friends. See you next week and especially Sunday Aug 30 for my talk at church! love ya ll!

In case I don`t see you, good afternoon good evening and good night! haha

Love,

Elder Chez Green

August 10, 2015 - Hello All!

So it has been a great week but busy and the work as for numbers may not have been the greatest but very satisfying. The biggest thing was that the Pimentel Family GOT BAPTIZED!!!!!! Finally! Their marriage was on Friday and Pres. Corbitt was there with them for it and then the baptism was Saturday! I got permission to go and an awesome member took us in his car, Manuel Medina. We got there and I baptized the daughter as the dad wanted each of the 5 missionaries that had taught them a lot to baptize the family! It was super awesome. It is truly gratifying to see a family I helped teach get baptized. This was the first complete family I have been able to help get baptized, husband wife and kids. So great!!! Pres came to the baptism and E. Turketo, Aplanalp and Sauceda were all there. It was a great get together really and very spiritual. They have a goal to get sealed in the temple next August! I hope they can make it for sure!

Sadly the Fam Marte couldn´t make it but it was still a great experience!!

On Wednesday I shared my testimony along with 15 other old leaders in the mission leadership meeting. It was an enjoyable experience and I am grateful I could participate. We have a big group going home, like 25 or something but not all are going the same day.

I did an exchange this week and it went well. I was with E. Empey and we talked a lot. He was a mechanic (or training to be) and we were talking about cars and stuff though I don´t know much. It was pretty cool.

We also found an Italian investigator this week. We invited him to an activity we have this Friday and hopefully he can come. I love the Italian accents so cool. Life is good really.

Today we ate at a buffet and it was less than 10 US dollars. Pretty good stuff too for the DR. I even got some sushi! yummy yummy! I also bought some good souvenirs that you guys will see when I get back. I am a happy man.

Well I have seen many miracles here in the mission and I know that Jesus lives. I have felt his presence and I know that his Atonement is real! I know the Gospel changes lives and it has changed me a lot! I love you all. This is my second to last email! be safe everyone!! I´ll see you all soon! 

--

Love,

Elder Chez Green

August 6, 2015 - Love y'all a day late but still the same!

So sorry it was a day late but we changed our Pday in order to do some other awesome stuff! The big news is we went to the aquarium, since it is closed on Monday`s we got special permission to change our Pday to today! so that is why. And oh was it a great experience. I planned ahead and met up with some old converts in Los Mameyes (with permission of course) and we had a grand time. It was great to see the family active in the church and progressing a lot! Enderson is now a Priest and is the 2nd assistant to the Bishop, Diosdery is in the Nursery and their daughter always go to Primary. I loved remembering all the great times we had and it was a true spiritual lift! It was a great time being at the aquarium for a couple hours, then I took them out for pizza for lunch (no pic sorry, forgot!) Such a great experience. One of the best Pday´s ever! We also made a bonus trip to the Faro a Colon or Columbus´ lighthouse! WoW is faro which means lighthouse!

That was fun to check it out and see what is inside, because it is always closed on Monday´s as well. It isn´t too far either, about 25 minutes walking more or less. It was fun to get some good pictures and to enjoy it all!

The week has been well. Good news is the Familia Pimentel may get baptized this Saturday. It is tentatively planned so I pray that it goes through. If so, I have permission to go and a plan so the Fam Marte can come with to see the first baptism they have ever seen. So cool! I am excited and I pray it works out. Today we also got haircuts! Mine turned out alright. My last one here probably!

Oh I made more no bake cookies last night to give to Disodery and her kids! Yummy! Hmm what else. Church went well, our bishop is a great guy, cool but awesome!  We helped paint a kitchen on Tuesday for a new investigator family. We found a family of 12, but they are super catholic sadly and not interested, but still cool 10 kids with the same mom and dad!

It has been blazing hot here holy cow! But wow so hot. Hmm we also put a baptismal date with a hno named Andres for the 22 of August. He is doing well but missed church cause he was sick sadly. Another guy named Guillermo told us ¨I haven´t been able to read much this week, and I am not good at remembering names¨ then he went on to tell us the first 10 chapters of the Book of Mormon with all the names like Lehi, Laman, Lemuel, Nephi and Laban. Wow so awesome and that was only the 3rd or 4th visit. We invited him to come to church this week! He is great because he always tries to follow his heart!

I found a spot that sells 25 pesos shakes that are amazing, premade and everything! So good. The only problem is it's in an area that is a little more poor and dangerous at night so we only go during the day!

Wow lots going on. Also we found a less active named Carolyn. We talked about the prodigal son and she cried during our lesson. Then we visited her again with some members to help her make friends and hopefully she will come to church this Sunday! Wahoo lots of work!

I think around like 30 or so missionaries are going home in this month of August! Crazy I know!!

Well I can´t think of anything else really. Oh a scripture joke. Who is the best avenger? See 1 Thess chap 4 verse 6 which says ¨The Lord is the avenger.¨ haha so the Lord (Jesus Christ) is the best avenger! hehe!

Life is good! thanks for all the love! Be safe until next week!

Love,

Elder Chez Green

July 27, 2015 - Hello Everyone

I love you all. I hope Pioneer day was great and Am`s bday! It has been a crazy week. My birthday was great and I was super blessed. Jorge and his family gave me a birthday celebration which was super awesome. They bought me a chocolate cake, made empanadas and little sandwiches for everyone and Jorge got me a gift! An awesome Platano Power t-shirt. Wow I am so blessed.

Monday night we made Spaghetti with Hno Medina and we helped him a little bit. We also found a new investigator who is interested to know more a bout the book of Mormon. That is good, especially because today we got about 8 more to give away as we were out in the house.

Wow time is flying I had a lot of emails. What else, well I got a lot of Bday wishes. They announced it in church last week which was cool.

This Sunday E. Rush and I sang a Duo of Lead Kindly Light. I am not sure that I am the best singer but I am practicing more and I`d love to learn so some day I can have a Barlow voice! WE also got surprise talks but it was good. I enjoyed it as I like talking and sharing my testimony. Oh how the mission and the Atonement have changed me. I am so grateful for that! IT is something very difficult to understand yet I know the Lord will forgive us for anything and everything if we are truly repentant. I loved the talk by Pres. Packer he gave in conference about the family and the atonement. So amazing!

Pday today we did an activity of food. Everyone bring something. I made no bake cookies (thanks for the recipes a while back) and they were delicious! It was a fun activity!

I love you all so much. I am working hard here still, but life is good. This week was a hard one for sure. The appts fell through a lot and well it wasn`t easy with he heat being very extreme right now but we keep working hard. Also some tough news that supposedly Hno Marino (fam Pimentel) decided he wasn`t ready to get married yet. Sad news but we will keep praying for them.

Overall life is well! I am doing my best to teach E. Rush everything I can so he can have a more successful mission. E. Turketo is doing great and he is a zone leader trainer, E. Aplanalp has changed a lot I've been told and is now training a new missionary, E. Frampton is also doing well. (old comps)

Hmm what else. Well I think that is it. not a lot of progressing investigators but we are finding new people to teach nowadays!

Well I love you all! Be safe till next week!

Love,

Elder Chez Green

July 20, 2015 - Hello All

I hope all is going well. I am a happy man! The baptism happened of Mariana. It was amazing and awesome to see her progress so much! She was so excited to be baptized and the service was great. We had a couple come the woman from Russia and her spouse which was great stuff. We also had some people come that are attending another church but hopefully the spirit touched them as well! It was a great service and the primary sang the song about becoming clean like the earth after rain. Perfect.

Church went well and we had some investigators but the highlight was that a less active family came to church for the first time in maybe 5 or 6 years and the first time here. So great! I was happy to see them come and we have been working with them one time every week. This Tuesday we are going to visit them. We are going to do an activity for my birthday, which is awesome! We are working hard and trying to find new families and people that really want to take the message seriously. But it was a great Sunday. We had an activity for the new converts that evening too which was a success.

My comp E. Rush is 19 yrs old and he is from Mesa Arizona. He has 8 months on the mission. He is a good guy and we get along well. He is the district leader and I am just showing him the ropes. He is fun to be around and knows a lot of Spanish. We are working hard and doing the best we can!

The lesson we had with Tatiana in the week went well. We talked about the Book of Mormon and invited them to read it. Wow super awesome. Very spiritual! I was happy to share that with them and I am excited that she can make the next step!

Like I said we are working with a sister Zulema and her family. They came on Sunday. Our last lesson was a review of the Restoration and it went very well!

Last week I forgot to mention another less active family that has come to church again. The family Mezon. Our family night with them was also super special.

I have really made a lot of friends in this ward and I love it here. I can`t believe how quickly time is flying but I see the Lord blessing us each and everyday. I know he loves us and cares for all of us. I truly see his mercy and grace each day. I know the mission is where I should be. God loves us all and the Savior Jesus Christ is always here for us.

Hmm other notes, well my comp said I look like Captain America so that was funny. Hmm what else...

Oh Happy Birthday to Am! Love you and enjoy your big day! 

Wow Saborio was traded that is crazy. Glad that RSL is winning and it looks like they are trying to make trades to get wins.

Wow can`t believe I'll be 21 tomorrow. I remember when I was a muchacho (WoW, little kid) and now I am all grown up, some what. I have facial hair and my chest hair is starting to grow. Looks like I am really growing up. But I guess that is part of life. One year older and wiser too! Wahoo! Thanks for all the Bday wishes!

Go USA!! Wahoo!

So excited for the trip to the DR with the fam! Can`t wait!

Well I think that is all really! love y'all! Sorry if I missed anything! Next week!

Love,

Elder Chez Green

July 13, 2015 - Hello All!

So as of tomorrow I will officially be in my ¨Golden Transfer¨as they say or the last transfer. I will be receiving a new companion named Elder Rush. He is from the USA. I am sad to see E. Castro go because we had a lot of fun, we worked very hard and it was just an awesome transfer. He is sad to go as well!

Today we played some basketball and my comp packed while I cleaned the house. All is well really. This week some funny and crazy stuff has happened. A couple days ago I was walking when something hit me in the head. I knew right away what it was. Yep you guessed it, pigeon poop. Right in the crown of my head. Yuck! luckily I had a bottle of water and quickly poured it on my head. Then my comp also helped me pour it while I tried to rub it out. And we were far from the house, so I just tried to forget about it and move on til I got home that night to shower ha ha. But here they say that you get rich if that happens to you so eh, maybe its worth it ha ha!

We also saw an awesome miracle this week. We have been working with Mariana. She is 80 yrs old and her daughter is a member. She has been coming to church for a while. She doesn´t know how to read, but her daughter reads with her. She committed to baptism a little while back but we found out last week that she drinks coffee so we talked to her about it. She has done it since she was 5 yrs old. But we explained that in order to be baptized she had to obey the Word of Wisdom (no coffee alcohol drugs tea tobacco). She said that she would live it and we gave her a blessing so she could overcome it. She has started making natural teas in he morning and she says that it is a sacrifice but that she is done with coffee. Her baptismal interview is tomorrow and her baptism should be this Sunday evening! We are so excited, though my comp is sad to be leaving.

Transfers are crazy but all is well really. A lot of the appointments fell through this week and it was a little tough but on Sunday we found some cool families we are going to start to teach. That is the objective of the Gospel, help families be together forever! So great.

I got the package from the Wilkinsons. So great thank you very much. Big shout out! I am doing well and I am happy!

Looks like everyone is getting new jobs nowadays eh? Congrats to all!

Well time is up and flying. I love you all. Until next week I`m over and out! 

Love,

Elder Chez Green