March 24, 2014 - Hi Y'all!

Hey fam bam! I hope all is going well. Here in the DR it is super hot as always and I am sweating a ton! oh well it is what it is! It was a good week but I can´t think of any super funny jokes.

W of the W is luz which means light but it is also the slang for power! We have been living over a week now without luz or power! Wahoo! The power company here is really unreliable and some how our contract got canceled. IT is a big headache and the office is working on it but I am not sure how long we will be without light! I washed my clothes by hand this week again. That is tiring stuff but it works alright! I think my clothes are clean (enough). The hard part is we can´t cook because there is no freezer or fridge that works so we can keep the meat in a healthy place. We have been eating out almost everyday and I am not a huge fan. it is good but it doesn´t fill me up as well and it is more expensive. All is well though. I am learning more DR food and I haven´t gotten sick yet! Knock on wood.

This week was the ward conference and we had a lot of people at church on Sunday. Part of the family that we are working with (Fam. Valdez) came which was sweet. They have 8 kids which is a lot I would say! They are all listening and have a good desire to keep learning! It is really fun teaching them and they are great people. The parents have their wedding planned for April 26th and we set up a tentative goal of May 3 for their baptism. I hope we can prepare them well and they will all be ready to go! We will keep working hard with them. The kids are very smart and the mom teaches them as we are teaching the whole family. It is great to see she is understanding and they have a lot of excitement about the message. I hope we can work well with them!

The other investigator we have is an 11 yr old boy named Samuel. He is doing well and is super smart. We are working with him and his mom said if she can see a change in him she will start going to church with him too and we can teach here. So in the coming weeks we are hoping to start teaching the whole family! It is an exciting time. E Turketo is learning more and more Spanish. I can see it is hard on him and he is still shy but I am trying to help him break out of the shell a little bit.

So all in all the ward conference was good and a lot of less actives showed up. I hope they keep coming and we can help strengthen the ward. That is an important part of missionary work! We had a cosecha (harvest) with the ward and missionaries on Saturday night which helped a lot! I got to go out and contact people with my good buddy E. Lara! He is an awesome Elder. We went out with him today on pday as well and did some fun stuff!

Today we went to the Duarte which just sells used clothes and stuff really, then to China town to take pictures and then we went to el Conde which is the oldest street in the Americas. It is where the colonists of Christopher Columbus settled. It is pretty cool and there are a lot of shops there. A hard rock cafe and everything. We ate at KFC which was pretty good. We saw a huge ship which was docked and checked out an old fort and just walked around taking pictures. It was super fun and 6 missionaries went. My comp, E. Jeppsen from Utah my buddy and his comp, E. Lara and his comp. It was super fun. We all ended up buying some crazy pants that were like 10 bucks so kinda expensive here but we are going to wear them for a pday activity. They are pretty funny looking and I am excited. I also bought some sunglasses for under 5 dollars because they looked too good to pass up. Some Oakley's! I don´t know why but I did. I want to buy some other stuff but little by little not all at once.

There are some cool things here in the DR we just don´t have much time and a lot of things are closed on Monday´s. There is a lot of history that passed through here! I got some coco (coconut) milk here with the meat. It is about 50 or 75 cents and always worth it for me. I enjoy it a lot. Later today we are going to get a haircut before we get back to the house! I need one because it is getting hot and my hair is long!

My comp taught me how to say my name in Maori which is the native language in NZ. Ko Chez taku ingua. Pronounce the vowels like Spanish! So there is something new for you all!

I can´t believe it is March madness that came fast! RSL seems to be doing decent too! So cool Alex got out on the field! Makes me happy! Number 21 just like me! That a boy Alex! Wearing my number! Keep playing hard buddy!

Well that seems to be all. I love you all tons! Keep smiling and working hard. Don´t forget to serve others and be an instrument in the Lord´s hands. It makes miracles happen! Love you all. Be an angel for someone else.Bye!

Love,

Elder Chez Green

March 17, 2014 - Temple, Hand Washing, etc.

Hi family!

A ton went on today and this week! It is chuck full so I hope I have time to write it all and read all the emails I have received. Thanks for always keeping my inbox full and I always do my best to read it all even if I can´t reply.

So this week I got my package from Mom and Dad with some awesome ties and tie clips, the candy and sirachi sauce! So delicious and I loved the ties Dad thank you so much. The purple stripped one that is a little thinner is my new favorite! I am going to try and find some more like that one in different colors. A great tie! So thanks for the package! It was awesome to receive it. I am happy to have the Thai sauce!

This week we went to the temple which was so great! I got to participate in a session that was very spiritual and enjoyable. As missionaries we get to go about every 6 months or so and this was my first trip. Very exciting and I am so grateful for the opportunity to have a temple close enough to travel to. We went Thursday morning and I got a lot of answers to my questions and I truly felt the love God has for me and for all of us inside the temple. I hope one day we can all go as a family and feel how amazing it is to be there. The temple truly is a little peace of heaven here on earth! We did the session in Spanish and it went well! I liked it a lot! It was nice to see the newer version of the movie (not the newest) in Spanish because in the MTC they only had the older one. I felt so good inside the temple! Strengthened my testimony of how important it is and why we should go. So many blessings.

So after the temple we took pictures and had some fun. Then we went to Wendy´s! So delicious though it isn´t the same. The hamburgers are smaller and though the frosty was good, it didn´t have quite the same flavor but it was pretty darn close I must say. I enjoyed that a lot. In the temple store I also bought some white suspenders because I noticed my white pants don´t fit super great anymore. I guess that is just part of being here in the DR.

So I was thinking this week about something funny. In the states there is always an idea of something like a taxi cab love story right? Something like you both get in together on accident and that is where the connection starts. Well anyways I was thinking about that and how here in the DR that would never work. The reason for that is because everyone here shares a taxi! So I just thought that was kinda funny. You could be share a taxi with a 70 yr old man or a 14 yr old boy or an old lady. It doesn´t matter. So if you come here, don´t be looking for a taxi cab love story!

On Friday we had our district meeting and we went to a Mexican restaurant. I got to talk a lot with E. Lara from Mexico which was awesome. He was one of the 1st elders I met when I first entered the field and we are super good friends. I love him a lot and we get a long super well. He is ZL right now in Ozama so we get to hang out and see each other a lot. It is sweet! I enjoyed Mexican food with a Mexican! It isn´t like Mexico but it was good. I am also in the same zone as a good friend E. Jeppsen from Utah. He was in the MTC with me for the whole time. We have lots of fun!

I got letters from Dad with the pictures, as well as from JJ and Whitney! Thank you all so much! I loved getting them and it made me super happy! Oh in my house we have bunk beds I don´t know if I told you! It is pretty sweet. I am up top!

So I hand washed my clothes for the first time today. It was good but a little hard because we don´t have a washing board or anything. I just used my hands and a brush that an other Elder had. The reason is there is no power. Oh the joys. at first we thought someone stole our power box and we made a report with the police today. Then we found out it was canceled but it has been somewhat of a hassle here. It happens though. So right now we have water but no power haha! But my clothes should be dry by the time we get back to the house, or mostly anyways! I am glad I knew how to do it before! It was different but the concept was the same. We hope to get the power figured out soon because sleeping without a fan at night is not easy. The real reason we need it though is to charge our cell phones!

Today we had water wars with the zone and played games and ate food. IT was super fun! Well I am going to send this before I lose it. The internet is bad. I love you all tons!

Love,

Elder Chez Green

New Companion/New Area

Goodbye First Area

March 10, 2014 - Hola!

Hey family!

Well all is well here in the DR. Another week of working hard and hitting the pavement a lot! We have been doing a lot of contacting and have some investigators that we have found through the ward´s help and our own work which is nice. They have potential but we will see how it goes. There is a family of about 10 we have started teaching that have come to church a couple times but they missed this week. It is awesome to teach them and the kids are really smart. One 6 yr old girl always answers the questions and gets them right! It is so awesome to see and I enjoy it. My comp is doing well. Still adjusting I believe and I am trying to go easy on him while still going hard on him. If that makes sense. He needs to learn and be immersed but not to the point of getting over stressed or shutting off. I do almost all of the teaching because he doesn´t understand much and can´t say a ton. He has a good testimony and can pray in Spanish so that is nice. Little by little!

The ward here is pretty good. We have an awesome bishop who showed us around the area a couple times. That was helpful and enjoyable. This area is a maze and I get lost almost everyday, which is hard being the trainer and not knowing where you are going. It works though. We get around! And I can truly see the Lord´s hand in the work as he has helped us a lot these first weeks. The ward on records has 475 members but there are about 150 actives. So we have a lot of less actives to work with. We found a 19 yr old and put a goal with him to read the Book of Mormon. I am excited for that and I hope he starts on it! The members here are super nice too and have showed us around a little. On Sunday we got permission to eat at a members house who we are going to pay. Before us, she made the Elder´s food every Sunday so I think we will do the same. Just on Sunday´s though. We will see.

So I forgot word of the week last week though it is obvious! It is sobrino which means nephew! And this week the word of the week is Temporada which means season (especially for sports) because I heard RSL won! Wahoo good news there! The world cup is coming up quick and I am just thinking a lot of sports right now! But keep it up RSL!

We had pizza this week at a pizza place that is by our house. They also have donuts and it was 2.50 for 2 pizza slices a drink and a donut. Good deal. I think we will go eat there right now too! I feel like I am back in the States a little bit when I am there! Being in the capital is super different from where I was before. It is interesting but good. I am learning how to adapt to the changes and the difference of culture but it is nothing bad. I enjoy it!

Dad´s travel schedule sounds crazy! Good luck with that and be safe! I love all the pictures of Baby Connor thank you. Can´t believe I am an Uncle! I am glad all is going well! I love the photos of Connor with the cars! I can open attachments usually yes.

I like living with 2 missionaries better. 4 makes the house dirtier and then people don´t want to clean up their messes. I am learning patience that is for sure!

E. Turketo´s mom is from Hawaii and his dad from NZ but original his family is from Croatia I believe. He lives right by the temple in NZ! Go Kiwis! I don´t know where the west Mission office is sadly.

Well that is all. Be safe all of you out there and I am sending my love to all family and friends! Lots of love!

Love,

Elder Chez Green

March 3, 2014 - Big News Huh!

Hi Family!

My inbox is flooded! (Remember not to send me forwards please, I don´t have time to read them please) So I hear the baby has been born! Little Ferrari is what his name was and his name now is... Connor D.! Wow how awesome. A C name just like mine! Thanks Am and Damian for thinking of me so I can be Uncle C and he can be Little C to me! ha-ha Wahoo! Awesome news that everything went well! I am so happy to hear that! congrats to Amberlee the new mom and Damian the new Dad, as well as the rest of the family!

I love the picture of Connor with un futbol by his feet! Please send me some hard copy pictures of him when you can! I love it all so much thanks for the pictures and congrats to all!

I got Grandma´s two letters. One with pictures of the family and the other was a nice letter! I also got one from Kevin Lynch. Wahoo!

So I am in Los Mameyes zone Ozama which is in the capital. We live in a house of 4 missionaries. It is going to be very different to me to live in a house of 4. It may be hard to make good relaciones with my companion to live in a house of 4 but we will see. I am looking forward to work hard in this area. As I told you I am training. I went to the capital on Tuesday to meet my comp and get an intro from Pres. for just the trainers but... my companion hadn´t arrived yet! He was still at the Provo MTC (he went there because his visa took a while to come in) My companions´ name is Elder Turketo and he is from New Zealand! Yup that is right. He has a very different accent but it is super cool. Sometimes it is hard to understand but I like to hear it a lot. I know Shantaye would like it too. I don´t know much about New Zealand but he will teach me a lot I know.

He came in on Thursday night so Tuesday and Wednesday we cleaned the apartment and left the house as a trio. E. Palomina from Nicaragua and E. Adams from Utah are in my house as well. E. Turketo has a twin brother that is in the West DR mission and I met him as well because the AP´s picked them both up. We got settled a little bit and went to bed and we have been working hard. We don't have much info in our area book but that is okay. We are working with what we have and doing our best! It was hard to wait to see who my comp would be but I was learning more patience I think. I have been learning a lot of that here! My comp doesn´t know much Spanish but that is to be expected. I am trying to help him learn while not going too hard on him. I hope it is working alright. I am a little overwhelmed training him but it is good!

Well the time ran out so fast this week. I was checking all the pictures and the whole story of what happened with the family but all is well! I am a happy man! I am a proud Uncle as well!

J.J. and Whitney sorry I read both of your emails but I won´t be able to reply until next week. I love you both tons and I am so glad to hear from you both. I promise to write next week! I love everyone of you! Be safe and smile big! I will have to try and tell stories next week maybe. All is well here. Stay sweet! (Hot Rod Quote)

Lots of love!

Love,

Elder Chez Green