Boca Chica 9 - Feliz Ano Nuevo!

Boca Chica 9 - Feliz Ano Nuevo!

Picture of me with some "Kanye" which is sugar cane and a "gata de ora" or "drop of gold", which is an AMAZING mango that grows here.

Feliz ano nuevo a todos!

For me, it´s crazy that it´s already 2015. I still remember all of the stuff I did, the memories I made, and everything I went through in 2014 like it was literally yesterday. Time is really flying by and it´s crazy to think that on New Year´s Day started my "black year" here in the DR, where I won´t see the red, white and blue for an entire year. 

New Year´s for missionaries really isn´t anything special, though. We had to be back at our houses by 6:00pm because - as most of you can probably guess - things down in South America on any occasion to throw a party or drink, gets CRAZY. So we were back to the house by six, but we made sure to buy tons of "ponche and cidra" (or egg nog and cider) for the night. We really didn´t do a lot. We talked about a lot of things in the house and went to bed just like any other night but I got like zero sleep that night cause the bishop across the street was throwing a huge block party with tons of loud music and yelling and stuff. But it was still awesome.

Some of what the houses look like here. Really, really humbling to see some of the places that people call home. A lot of houses here are just tin with anything else they can find or put together.

But over these past couple days, I´ve really been thinking about this year. What I want to do with my only full year here as a missionary in the Dominican Republic. And when my companion got sick with a fever of 104.2 (and that´s no lie), when I was inside for the whole day I definitely had a ton of time to think and read the scriptures and just do everything I could not to fall asleep. And I´m starting to put together some goals for the year. I want to make this year the best year of my life, and the best year "for" my life. I don´t want to waste any time that I have while I´m down here. Just thinking about my purpose here, what I´m doing, and who I represent made me so motivated to just find as many people as I can to get to know and teach. I still want to have fun, cause if you aren´t having fun as a missionary you´re doing something wrong, but I want to be focused on why I´m here and what I´m really doing. I´m not just here to lose weight, learn a language, and chillax on the beach all day. I´m affecting people´s lives. I´m bringing something to people that they possibly haven´t ever heard before. Something that I know can bless their lives for the rest of the time they´re here on the earth and after. I´m just super glad for this year and the chance I have to be a missionary. But anyways, that´s my "motivational speech" for all of you haha.

 

Pineapple we got from a pineapple truck that goes around blasting the same thing from a microphone taped to the roof of the truck that says "Pina deliciosa, pina madura quince pesos por una pina fresca" and it just yells that over and over again till someone comes up to buy - and then they shut it off until the purchase is over and then turn it on again. It honestly gets so annoying sometimes we just buy something from them so they shut it off long enough for us to get out of the area - haha. We bought this during one of the breaks playing baseball on Pday with the Dominicans.

 

I don´t have a ton of time to write so this won´t be as long as usual full of stories and stuff. But just know, that I love you all and that I´m doing great here in the DR. I hope you guys have a great 2015 and make a ton of memories with friends and family.

Happy New Year,

Elder J. Taylor Graff