Welcome, welcome Sabbath morning

     This morning we woke up early and drove out to Boca Chica, where we picked up our friend, Felipe. We met him several months ago when we took a tour of the New York Yankees baseball academy for young potential major league baseball prospects in Boca Chica, DR.  His full name is Felipe Luis Perez. He is a security guard at the academy.   He was a pitcher in the New York minor league system until he hurt his elbow and couldn't pitch any more.  Too bad!

Two weeks ago when Pam and Bruce Yeates, Peggy's sister and brother-in-law were here for a visit, we again visited the Yankees training camp and again met Felipe.  We were surprised to see him.  He looked familiar but we weren't sure if he was the same young man that had given us a tour before.  It had been a couple of months. As we drove into the gate, he smiled and when we rolled down the window he said, "Hello, where are your friends?" We had taken our missionary friends, the Wilson's out there several weeks ago. Randy showed him the picture we took of him and Randy pitching on one of the practice fields two months previously.  He remembered and got all excited.  On this, our second visit, he asked if he could learn more about the Church and come to church with us.

Felipe Perez pitching at NY Yankees field Boca Chica, DR

Randy called him last night and he said "yes." he would like to go with us and he would meet us at 8:30am Sunday morning Feb 21 in the Burger King parking lot "on the highway" in Boca Chica--(a 40-minute drive from our house).  He kept his word. We took him to Sacrament Meeting and Sunday School, introduced him to many members, the Bishop and the full time missionaries (Elder Frogley Providence, UT and Elder Johnson Burley, ID), who are going to teach him.

Entrance NY Yankees Academy

After church, we drove back to Santo Domingo for a short Temple site tour, answered questions, then to our apartment for lunch. Then we drove to his mother's house in the suburb of SD who he hadn't seen in a couple of months.  What a sweet, simple, humble lady! It touched our hearts to meet her and Felipe's older brother, Jesus.  Felipe was so happy for us to come into his mother's very humble house.  It was a small concrete house with no windows and a tin roof. We could tell he loves his mother very much. She kept telling us that God sent us to visit her. She spoke Creole and Filipe told us that she would be happy to have missionaries visit her also. She lost Filipe's father when Felipe was born and his step-father five years ago. After hugs, she took Peggy's hand and walked us up the steep, concrete path to the road, where we were parked. We then drove Filipe to the bus to return to Boca Chica.

We reflected all the way home on this experience.  What an amazing Sabbath day sharing the gospel! We had prayed for the Spirit last night and this morning before we left the house that we would know if this young man was sincere and how to handle ourselves. We know that we need to be careful where we are in a poor country and we are "white and appear wealthy". Everything about this friendship and relationship seemed to fall into place!  Felipe is so kind and seems so receptive and humble and ready for the gospel in his life. It is amazing how the Spirit brings people of different cultures together. We don't know if he will join the Church, however, we felt so good about opening  our mouths and sharing the gospel with him.  Stay tuned...we'll follow up with Elders Frogley and Johnson and see how things go. Peggy and Randy