Letter From Rhys – Week # 28 - The Gazcue Adventures!

Feliz Lunes de la isla tropica de la Republica Dominicana!

It’s been long enough, you all should know what that says if you’ve been faithfully reading my letters! Also, at my request, have patience with the letters. My mother works very hard on the correcting and sending of my letters, but she also has a lot of sleep that she needs to catch up on! Love you mom!

Anyway, the beginning of this past week wasn’t too exciting. However, we did have something interesting this happen this past week! On Thursday, Elder Aguilar and I went to Gazcue, aka the mission office, because he had to renew his visa at the immigration center. While I waited for him to return, I was on an exchange with another Elder in the office helping the Garner missionary couple sort all of the house keys for the mission! Let’s just say there were a lot of keys and trying to sort them and determine which were old and new took a long time!

After Elder Aguilar returned, we headed home by way of bus, the usual mode of transport to and from Gazcue to our area of Las Americas dos. We Arrived in our area and got halfway to our apartment when Elder Aguilar asked me, "Do you have the Phone?" I replied, "no" and he checked his pockets... there was no phone!

For those who don’t know why this is a problem, it’s because every night we call our leaders to report the numbers and events of the day. After we had returned home, done our weekly planning and ate, we left once again to go to a member’s house. The purpose of this visit, was to call the office to tell them that we didn’t have our phone. We were able to tell the elders who shared an apartment with the Assistants to the President that we had lost the phone and asked them to pass the info along to the Assistants.

We finished out our day with a couple of appointments and then returned home, to prepare for Zone Conference in Gazcue the next morning and an exchange afterward. After, we had gone to bed all was well. In the midst of my dreaming time, about 12 30 a.m. the lights in our room came on, and I immediately woke up and looked to my left where the door to our room was. To no actual surprise there were the assistants and our zone leaders standing in our doorway.

Believe me when I say I wasn’t surprised because, immediately after I saw them my first word was "Bienvenidos!" There was a slight reaction to my welcoming them to our home, but it wouldn’t be until Zone Conference the next morning that the events of the night before would be a huge joke and an insight to my character to all who would hear of it.

Anyway, we explained that we lost our phone and that we told the other Elders in their apartment about the event. Clearly, they failed to pass the word along like we asked. The next day came along and the entire zone had basically heard what had happened the night before! We were all laughing about it and we had a great time.

The Zone conference in Gazcue was great and very inspiring! However, it lasted for almost 8 hours! It was a very long conference! After the conference I was blessed with the opportunity to leave my area for an intercambio [exchange with a missionary in another area]. It was the very first time I had actually stayed overnight in another area. It was pretty interesting to walk around and talk with a whole bunch of people I had never met before in a place I didn’t know! I, sadly, forgot my camera and so I was unable to take pictures, sorry!

On Saturday we reunited with the other elders to end our exchange and have an inventory or a moment to share what we learned or needed to improve.

The next morning at church, the first people we see are the Bishop and his counselors. And the first thing the Bishop asks is, "Elders! Where were you at?" Apparently, the night of the visit from the assistants, the Bishop received a call from the president to check to see if we were in our apartment. At 10:15 p.m. or so he passed by our apartment but we had already gone to sleep and so we heard nothing. In short, he and his counselors were freaking out a little... Whoops... He then told us the next time we lose our phone we need to tell him first, after we contact the mission.

Well, I hope you enjoyed the little story from this past week! It certainly was a funny and interesting experience for all, except those who were probably concerned about our safety...😉 And now I make my end!

Going forth with the vision of Christ and an Eye of Faith,

Elder Rhys Wheeler!

P.S. Mommy Get some sleeeeeeeep!

P.P.S After you sleep then typos, por favor! Gracias!

Here are some pictures for your enjoyment:

Elder Chu watching over the slumber of my companion!  LOL

Our attempt at pasta and meat sauce which turned out be pasta with the perfect meat and sauce consistency to make Sloppy Joes! awwwwww yeah!