More Storm Pictures

The storm did blow some trees down on the southside of the Temple grounds, to they fell against the fence. We walked to the Malecon park today too, the water is all stirred up and all the garbage is everywhere again. It is windy today but sunny.



This branch is on the west side of the Temple

This tree leans on the wall but doesn't hang over.

This guy draped into the Temple grounds, so it was
topped already this morning.

The stand for the Temple grounds creche is up already. I may be crazy but I am ready for it.

Hurricane Sandy and our Tropical adventure

Hurricane Sandy brushed past west of us except for a lot of rain and wind.  We were scheduled to present at the Caribbean Area Mission President's training on Thursday, held east of us in la Romana at a resort called Casa de Campo.  The resort is beautiful, as we were there last year and enjoyed a couple of very nice days.  This year however we were confronted with a very dark and rainy day, I even called to be sure we should drive out there, as I was afraid the roads would be flooded.  They said come ahead.

Before we left,  we had picked up the Merino's and Spencer Andersen, who was going to spend the weekend out there with his parents.  We got around the corner a few blocks from home and there was about a foot and a half of water in the road;  thought about finding a different way but decided to go for it. We made it through fine, the rest of the water wasn't as deep, but was still interesting as we were cruising along the highway and would wander into a few inches of water. I had a lot of fun, though the other were a bit worried. The sea and trees were roiled up and doing a mad  dance in the wind. I got soaked getting the car parked, even with an umbrella, pretty cold once I got into the air conditioning.

Our presentation and interaction at lunch went well, nothing dramatic. We did get a nice picture of the Savior with Mary and Martha to remember the day by.  Our drive back yesterday was mild, a little intermittent drizzle and no water in the road.

Today we went to Pricesmart to get new tires and groceries. The sky was not too dark when we left but got very black and windy while we were there. Mega lightning and rain.  We saw some good puddles in the road on our way home.  We also saw our first Christmas decoration and creche for sale.  So Merry Christmas to all.

Highway Las Americas, heading toward the airport along the

 

Caribbean

Raining hard, fooled my photographer.

Wind, rain and fire in our hearts.

More windy palms.

In our split to do medical with the Mission President's wives, the Mission Medical officers. l-r, Srs Alvarado, Mehr, Hendricks, Zivic,Cornish, Andersen,Zwick (SLC), Rodriguez,Glazier, Shaver, Bien Aime, Cuenot.

 

 

These next pictures are from today in the capital, at Pricesmart and driving back.

PriceSmart downspouts, really close lightning

 while I waited.

 

Calle Penson, getting close to the Temple.

Christmas is celebrated for a long time here.

Maybe we'll be able to have a creche in the US again someday.

They are calling this storm "Frankenstorm" in the US media because as it heads north it is meeting a cold front and should make an interesting mess in the northeast of the US. It is hard to believe it will have any rain left after all it dumped here. Good luck in Delaware, Andrew and Leah.

Saturday Game Day

Gator Game Day isn't quite as big here as in Gainesville, but  a little tailgating gets us in the mood.

Actually we were on our Saturday walk and came upon this "taxi" driver.  Probably got his shirt as a "Kennedy" from a bale of clothes shipped down here. Hope Liz didn't put my Gator shirt into DI.

The last time for this and that

It is way too early, but I have started to think about returning home.  Conference was our last one for here, mangoes are out of the market and won't be back until we are gone;  these kinds of thoughts crop up.  We are keeping busy and the time flies by, so it won't be very long. I have even been thinking of some projects and trips for when we get home.  Only briefly though.

With the announcement of the lower age limits for missionaries the CCM has been told to prepare for lots more missionaries, especially sisters. The native Spanish speakers will stay here 13 days instead or 19, and there will be no time between one group and the next. Now the group finishing leaves on Tuesday morning and the arrivees get here on Thursday. It will make it more intense for the CCM president and teachers. The CCM here is supposed to be ready for 40 sisters (current capacity 16) and 40 Elders at the same time. I'll need to get faster at vaccinations. I am not sure how our North Americans will be affected, their total training will be 6 instead of 9 weeks, but I don't know how long they will be here in our CCM.

Sr Douglas in Santiago Mission home, the Sisters make all sorts of food for the missionaries as they come in for interviews and to see el Doctor.

Elder Bickmore has Dengue, nearly ready to go home in this picture from yesterday. His companion is a mini-missionary, native of Haiti, Elder Midy. This picture is taken at the Hogar Luby.

Los Haitises National Park

Senior Sisters ready at the tour boat company.

Our boat at the dock.

Frigate birds nest on the island.

On the trail to a cave entrance, La Linea cave.

Cindy at a cave entrance.

Shark Mouth cave, really just an erosion.

On an island, Gran Bahia Principe Hotel

Mangroves

Palm trees decaying after harvest of heart of palm.

More recent harvest hasn't shed fronds yet.

Wouldn't be the DR without something weird. This is a beer trailer burning beside the road.

Los Haitises is a bio preserve in the North East, along Samana Bay in the Dominican Republic. It is a bird preserve and home to many varieties of plants. There are also limestone caves with pictoglyphs and petroglyphs from the Taino and earlier Indians.  It is about 2 1/2 hours from Santo Domingo, along a new toll road.  From Samana we took an outdrive-powered catamaran to the park. This was a fun and interesting trip. 

Friday walk and the Hogar Luby AGAIN!!

Today we went to visit missionaries in the Hogar Luby, the basic clinic used for IV hydration and observation. One poor sister has Dengue and one Elder has amoebic dysentery.  We drove there about one, they hadn't had their food delivery from the mission yet.  So we did a mercy run across the street to KFC.  Only Mister Amoeba couldn't eat, so we were partial heroes.

Sr. Garcia and the improving Sr. Lopez, Hogar Luby.

El bano run, no wheels on the IV so a friend
is nice to have.

The new group from Provo arrived late last night. They should be fun, there will also be 12 West Indies missionaries arriving too, so three weeks of English for us. 

 

 

 

Tonight we walked towards a hamburger place we like, but stopped one door short at the ice cream shop.  We also stopped in the Porsche/Ferrari dealer for a look at a four door Porsche.

 

 

 

 





Relentless passage of time

The six-week cycle of CCM training and Mission transfers clicks right along. We have busy days and slow days, happy days and sad days, but the time goes rushing on. I don't know how training will be shortened to meet an expected increase in missionaries, but it will have to fit into the relentless and unwavering six week transfer cycle, or the world may spin out of balance.

I hope you can see the energy the Elders feel as they depart the CCM for their actual missions.

There is always a bit of milling about as vans are loaded and goodbyes are exchanged.

Locked and loaded. Elder Mejia, front, is headed for Mexico.

Pres Glazier and Elder Rodriguez.

Conference time in the CCM

We went upstairs today for first session with the North American Elders, not counting Mexico. A few of the Senior couples were there too.

Music and the Spoken Word.

Schmidt, Despain, Rucker and Wonder Woman.

Off with the old

The road guys are working today to have the road beside the Temple site ready for traffic tomorrow. Bolivar is a busy street. Scraping off the old layers to make way for new changes is difficult work.

Bolivar makes a change.

After Conference we went out and checked on the days work, between seesion I should say.  They are done for today, back tomorrow. 

Checking the seam, tearing it up anyway tomorrow.

Hot days work for sure. Many years ago summer work for me.

We met up with the CCM Elders after the first session by the Temple. The Elder in the window was not allowed out, some districts have been getting a little rambunctious at night. They already feel excited about leaving on Tuesday. 

Ready for the field on Tuesday. Hope they all stay healthy.

Feeling cooped up.  The new age announcement in Conference yesterday said there would be less time in the MTC/CCMs too, to allow for more volume. Maybe they will start their language study at home.

Times are good, even when your crying.

Well,... we have had some interesting times.  I printed up a years summary of the number of contacts I have had, as we passed our one year in the DR anniversary in September.  1396 contacts, 984 in person and the rest by phone or electronically. There are many brief contacts that don't get a note, the CCM Elders always have small problems and the nurses will ask basic questions in emails that don't reach the status of requiring a note in  my computer record, or the nurse puts the note in her name.

We had an Elder from Santiago that needed to be accompanied home to Lima Peru this weekend, heart wrenching doesn't cover it. The new Area Mental Health Advisers arrived last week and are trying to get computers, phones and office set up done.  Elder Merino speaks fluent Spanish so he was elected to fly to Peru, he flew down and back. He left on Saturday am and returned just after midnight last night. Not an easy day.

Conference gives everyone a pause, more or less.  The Temple is closed and the Elders haven't called me the last two days. I am grateful for everyone that helps us and for the opportunity to be here at this time.

Sisters in Santiago happily working hard.

Cindy and Sr. Merino getting lunch ready.

Santiago Elder visit us for lunch, with Pres and Sr Douglas.