Pathway Graduation Dec 2016

Our Pathway class graduated Thursday Dec 22, 2016.  We were called by our Area Severty, Elder Julio Acosta, to teach the third semester Pathway class in September 2016.  We have grown to love these young adults who have decided to improve their academic skills in preparation to go on to BYU Idaho for a university degree.  The graduated students are Angel Mejia, Arianna Santos, Franklin Evangelista, Frederick Perez, Garrison Lebron, Jenny Merejo, Mariely Gomera, Rocio Canar, Sonny Diaz, Jose Ortiz and Simon Cararona.  This was our second graduating class since we have been in the Dominican Republic.

Randy, Peggy, Jose, Garrison, Simon, Frederick, Franklin, Angel, Arianna, Sonny, Mariely, Jenny, Elder Acosta

Randy conducted the graduation program and sang "Hazme andar en la luz" or "Teach me to walk in the light" in Spanish with his loaned guitar from his friend Jose Luis Diaz.  Thirty-five people attended at the Santo Domingo Institute of Religion building.

Three of our students Mariely, Jose, and Franklin spoke and then Peggy offered a few words of encouragement and even spoke a few words in Espanol.

 Elder Acosta, provided the key note address, He is a very inspiring motivational speaker with an emence love for the Gospel and the Pathway program. At the end, we presented our students their well deserved certificates of completion.

They were so happy especially knowing that they would not have to attend another Thursday Gathering class!  We enjoyed so much watching them come forward one by one to receive their certificate with their family members smiling with pride.  There were even a few tears of joy!  We enjoyed a banana, oreo-cookie, vanilla pudding parfait refreshment after we posed for many pictures.

We will miss this fun group.  It always amazes us how close you can become to a group of people.  In a short time they have become our special, eternal friends.  They have truly enriched our lives.  We love the Pathway program.  Peggy and Randy