The Field is White

This morning Elder Park and I attended a sealing in the Santo Domingo Temple.  One of our students in Pathway was sealed to her husband of one day. They were married yesterday.

Doriann's Father, Doriann, Carlos, Carlos' Mother

 President Flake (Temple President) performed the ceremony. I'm so glad that we have done many sealings in the Jordan River Temple because of course, it was in Spanish. It was awesome to listen to and know what was being said. We also knew many of the words he used as he counseled them. She looked so radiant and truly happy.  Her name is Doriann Garcia, now de Martinez (de for of) adding his paternal last name. There are many other names in there somewhere also. She was Garcia, now she is Garcia de Martinez. She and her husband Carlos both teach at the CCM (which is the MTC here). It was a privilege to be invited and to be at a ceremony of one we love.
We saw so many of our young students working in the temple. They are amazing young adults. I am continually impressed and overjoyed with them.
 On Wednesday of this week a young woman walked into the Institute and asked how she could register for a class. I showed her the schedule and how to register online. She spoke some English so I told her about my class. On Thursday she showed up and introduced herself as Astrid. My Institute class was about the growing young church and taking the gospel to the Lamanites. As the lesson progressed, I sensed that she was a non-member, which is always good but her eyes were a little glazed over. So after class I sat down and asked her if she was a member and she said, "No and this is the first time I've heard of Mormons."   I asked her how she came to be here and she said that a friend told her about the institute.  The friend was not a Mormon either.  I proceeded to tell her about Joseph Smith and the first vision and I bore my testimony. I asked her what faith she affiliated with and she told me she was a Catholic. I told her that through Joseph's vision, we have the knowledge that Jesus Christ and Heavenly Father are separate beings of flesh and bone and that the Holy ghost is part of the Godhead but is a being of spirit. I told her that I knew that was true and we talked about how in the new testament Jesus prayed to his Father. She just lit up and said, "That makes sense!"
We talked for a few minutes and I showed her how to get the manual for the class online. We then  walked into the student study room where I showed her the manuals that she could use at the institute. She said, "Is there someone I can talk more to and ask questions?"  (Talk about the golden contact!) I took her name and phone number and told her I'd call the missionaries and they would call her. I know she will embrace the gospel and I will pray for her. I can't believe how excited I have felt.
My office specialist said she would call but hadn't yet on Friday, so I talked to the Mission office secretary and she will call the missionaries on Monday. These are the kind of experiences we're having! It's so beyond real. The field is white and we are seeing the harvest with the young people in the Dominican Republic.
 My friend, Jose was meeting with the missionaries on Friday after we left the institute. I can't wait to talk to him on Tuesday and see how it went.
 











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