Buenas!
It´s been a wonderful week here in the Dominican Republic! Not much to report, but I´m just so happy to be here! I´m writing early today because at 11 my companion and I have to head to Santiago. The mission is renewing all of the missionaries´ visas, so every week they are sending a group of missionaries to Santo Domingo. My companion gets to go this week, so today we´ll head to Santiago, then we´ll split up and she´ll go to Santo Domingo and I´ll stay with some sisters in Santiago. Tonight she´ll get to go to the temple, and tomorrow she´ll spend the day in the government office renewing her visa. 

This week, we got a call from Danilo Guzman, cancelling our appointment. Such a bummer. I was so excited to teach them the rest of the Plan of Salvation. We were going to touch on temples as well and the work that´s being done in the Spirit World. Danilo called and told us that he was still in Santo Domingo because their house is almost sold and they´re looking for an apartment in the capital. That was so sad to hear. We just love this family so much, and we´ve been working so hard to teach them and help them understand the principles of the gospel and to bring this joy into their lives, and now we have to hand them over to the missionaries in the Santo Domingo mission. It just makes me worry- are the missionaries going to find them? Are they going to do a good job teaching them? Are they going to love them as much as we do? It makes me feel like a worried mother. haha But I just have to remember that it´s all in the Lord´s hands, and that this is His work, and not mine. I know the Lord will take good care of them. 

Well, tomorrow I will have completed on year in the mission! It´s so crazy to think! As I think about all of the things that have happened to me in the past year, I realized that I have been so blessed. I have had so many wonderful (and strange) experiences, and I have seen the hand of God in so many ways. I have met incredible people, I have learned a new language, I have learned to love a new culture and way of life. My knowledge and testimony of the gospel have grown so much, as well as my love of the Savior. I have learned to love and appreciate the life I have so much, and all of the small blessings the Lord has given me. I have gained appreciation for the small things, and even the things I used to take for granted- clean bathrooms, carpet, air conditioning, dishwashers and . I have also gained a deep love for God´s creations. I love being up in the mountains, feeling close to God, and seeing His mighty works. I just love life. The Lord has blessed me in so many ways, and I am so grateful to share that with everyone I know.Thank you for all your love and support.
Love, Hermana Jorden