Elder David y Hna. Pam Johnson

Thursday, September 03, 2009
This is the E-mail Pam sent to her family today.

Hello everyone,
Buenos noches, right now our power is off so it gives me a chance to write. When we go to Azua every weekend the power is generally off so we just sweat a lot and take a sponge bath in the shower to keep cool. They have beautiful tile, marble bathrooms here but can’t seem to get the water pressure system going. Aunt Susan could give them a lesson or two on shower facilities. This last Sunday, between our two meetings, we decided to do a little sightseeing and go around Lago Enriquillo which is known for the iguanas and crocodiles. We did not come upon any crocodiles (darn..no really I would have liked to have seen one, from the car that is) but we did stop and find some iguanas. There were 4 and I was so excited. We got out of the car and Elder Johnson wanted or rather did toss them part of a cookie from the car. I went to our cool chest (because we have to pack our meals around in our travels) and pulled out some lettuce. I walked closer to the iguanas and tore the lettuce apart. Then the fun began. All four started to run very quickly towards me. What a feast for the eyes, 4 charging large lizards. I threw the lettuce out and took off for the car so they wouldn’t think I was lettuce too. I like lizards but these four were hungry and fassssssttttt! Fun!!!! Have any of you gotten a map of the Dominican Republic to see where some of these cities and like the lake I just mention are? When we go to church on the weekends it is like going to just Eagar from Mesa every week and going to Eager then St. Johns every other week. It is a lot of traveling. And the chapel and house we meet in have no AC, just some fans so we do travel with lots of water. There is only one chapel in the DR that has AC and we have the privilege of going there tomorrow for a special conference with the new Caribbean area presidency. All the senior missionaries are meeting first, then the elders/sisters in the afternoon. The area presidency will be going to Azua on Friday to have a conference for the Sur (south) missionaries.
This week was our first transfer to experience. I was really excited, I don’t know why, transfers and lots of missionary activity has always sounded fun. David and I took the packets I had prepared for the new arrivals in the morning and gave them an orientation. Elder Johnson did a great job on explaining debit cards, e-mail cards, remebolsos, all that jazz. Then he got to take all their pictures..solo and with Pres. y Hmn. Almonte. He was definitely in his element. We had a busy day but good day. The real fun happened today. Our traveling departing elders, those that were flying to the United States that is, got to the airport at 4:30 am but around 1pm we found out that their plane that left at 7:30 came back for mechanical reasons and they were once again in the DR. They were kept in a secured area so communication was very difficult, it is not like home where phones are available and officials are easy to get info from…wait that was silly, info from officials is hard to get anywhere. My day from then on was on the phone calling and informing families back home. Each family received 5-6 calls on updates. Around 7 pm I had very little voice left so Elder Johnson made one last call for me. Some of the elders will make it home very late tonight and some will be sleeping in Dallas. I am just happy that they made it out or at least I think they did. Hopefully they did. Remember, that is part of my calling to get all departing missionaries their travel plans and help get them home. The missionary’s families were appreciative of my calls but were still disappointing to so many because they were anxious to have them home and I could so feel the mom’s sweet spirits. In fact, two of the moms became instant and forever friends on the phone.
Hope all of you are doing well and keeping cool. Soak some of that AC up for Elder Johnson and I and then just blow it over here and please don’t take it for granted because having AC is a blessing. David has already lost so much weight and I am the same, oh well (it just isn’t fair). Please do one more thing for us, please give our joys..our grandkids, a kiss and hug from us. Please tell them that we love them and then all of you….all of you, please remember and know that we love you too. We could not be doing this without you. For your prayers, your work to take on so much of our responsibilities, taking care of so much of our financial affairs..we could not be here without all of you doing certain parts to make it happen. We love you and thank you. Take care and write back when you can and thanks to all who have written, you know e-mail is awesome. Hasta luego.
Love,
Elder y Hermana Johnson

PS Please give a copy of this to Wes, I have been calling but have not been able to talk to him for a long time. Thanks!
PSS If any of you run across some Sudoku puzzle books I would love another one I took one book with me and I am almost done and it is my stress releasing activity I do at the end of the day. Thanks, xoxoxox, mom