Familia Mendez de la Cruz

    This has been a very busy but rewarding week for us. The Mendez family from Valiente Branch has touched our lives deeply.  Josecito, Laura, and Jesus (9 years old) were baptized yesterday. Randy was honored and deeply touched that Josecito (the father) asked him to baptize him.  The amazing week started with assisting the six Elders in Valiente  to get the Mendez family officially married.

L-R Elder Lecca, Randy, Josecrito, Laura, Jesus, Elders Nelson,(kneeling), Elder Frampton, Juan

    We were in Juan Dolio on Monday, a beach town about 40 miles outside of the capitol. We had stopped at a local drug store and were sitting in our car eating ice cream, when Elders Frampton and Nelson walked up to our car.  They were walking out to the highway to thumb a ride when they saw us. They told us they had to get to Boca Chica (a city about 10 miles away) as quickly as possible to file papers so that the Mendez's could be married.

Josecrito, Laura, Justice of Peace

They jumped in and we drove them to Boca Chica, where the Mendez family met us. We got the Elders there on time but the office was about to close and two other Elders with other documents were not there yet. While waiting, the office closed. We drove the disappointed couple home. Tuesday was a holiday. so papers couldn't be filed until Wednesday. There's supposed to be a three day wait after your papers are filed to get married. The Mendez's were counting on being married by Saturday so that they could be baptized on Sunday.

Elder Frampton made a call and Elder Reyes knew a judge in the capitol who would let them file on Wednesday and be married on Thursday. So, on Wednesday they got their papers filed in Santo Domingo and on Thursday we met at the East Mission Office and walked two blocks to the court and the Mendez's became man and wife.

Laura didn't have very good shoes so Peggy gave her her shoes.  It was touching to see the appreciation of the "new" used shoes.  A two hour wait for a ten minute ceremony then followed and signing the license made it official.  They were married.

While waiting, Peggy made a new friend--their daughter Genesis.

Peggy and Genesis

 Saturday night, two days later, Peggy and Sister McGuire and several members of the Valiente Branch prepared desserts,and decorated for a wedding reception.  It was beautiful! Josecito and Laura were so cute.  They loved it.

There was dancing, lip-syncing and  a kareoke talent show to celebrate.  About 60 people attended. To conclude the amazing week, on Sunday, the Mendez family was baptized.  Randy performed the baptism ceremony in Spanish which was a little uneasy for him but he did it so well that he got to do it twice! when Josecito's hand didn't get fully immersed.

Josecrito and Laura Wedding Reception 

    We can't say enough about Valiente and all the blessings we're receiving because of these humble people. Sometimes it's difficult, giving up our one day a week, that we don't have assignments, but then an Elder tells us about a new contact that they have made because of the "English class".

     We thank our Heavenly Father for his guiding hand in all things. . He lead Julio Ogando to this small branch in Valiente, where he was called to be the new branch president. He lead Julio to our Pathway class, where he asked us to teach a "few" young adults to speak English.

Elders Lecca, Frampton.  La Familia Mendez

He has lead Elder Frampton and other Elders to Valiente, who see the vision. He has lead several senior missionaries to Valiente to help. The Lord seems to lead us to cross one another's paths at just the right time.

    I have a strong testimony of God's love for each and every one of His children. He never gives up on us. His hand is in our lives. We should never feel like we've done enough. There's so much work to be done and so many people waiting for our help. Senior missionaries are so desperately needed. I'm always impressed at the work they are able to do. We love and learn from them all. I love my Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ and know that they love each of us, else why would there be an atonement?  Peggy

    I  feel the Spirit of the Lord strongly in our lives at this time.  I can feel that in this small corner of the world--this small island--we are helping to share the "good news" of the gospel of Jesus Christ and to lift the lives of these good people.   (Matt 25:40)  It is an honor and a blessing to serve.  I wouldn't trade this experience for anything. I love it!  Randy