O sea, WE were the ones rocked by a rather beastly Hurricane named Issac. I learned (or relearned, I don´t remember), that Hurricanes are named after the people that discover them. I can´t tell if hoping to find and name a future Hurricane "Hurricane Sweeney" is in bad taste or not. But considering we didn´t really have too many negative side effects, I really have no beef with hurricanes. Just that Issac made it so I couldn´t leave me house for two days in a row. And considering we don´t have radio, Internet, T.V., those two days COUNT! So what do trapped missionaries with a mild case of cabin fever do? 1). Make no bake cookies by candlelight (you´re probably not going to have constant light during a hurricane). 2) Attempt to nap. My body won´t let me nap on the mission, but I think during Issac´s visit, I finally managed to succeed. 3). You fight with your companion over whether or not Issac´s howls sound more like her name or yours. I´m still convinced Issac was coming for HER. 4). Do laundry. Never mind that your laundry room is under attack from the storm because the only protection is a door with metal bars, bars implying that there are large gaps, through which enter mucho water. The obvious irony of this situation can be left for each individual to review. 5). When you get back from your one attempt to leave the house (before you were informed shortly after that you once again had to remain indoors), you can form a slip n´slide from the many puddles that have managed to enter the house in your absence. 6). Paint prayer rocks by candlelight 7). Write a letter to anyone you´ve ever met before in your life.
These are just a few of the creative solutions to your Hurricane Blues. For more ideas, wait for Hurricane Sweeney to pass through.
Well, as I was writing, all the power went out and I momentarily freaked out, not sure if I´d get to finish writing this week or not. The mission. The situations. The people. The experience. I feel like maybe when all is said and done, I can turn my memoirs into a spectacular ice show, like the ones Disney is always doing. I already have the tag line.
And just in case anyone was wondering (last night, I certainly was), I will be staying here to rock Quisqueya for another six weeks. I´ll get to see a couple weddings and perhaps finally the baptism of Charlin and Robbinson, but we´ll see. All in good time. I´m not in a hurry, but I´d be lying if I said I wouldn´t love to see it come to pass. And since I never know what my timetable is out here in the jungle, I´ve come to accept that I won´t see a lot of the people I start teaching get baptized. At first, that is a hard thing to accept. But in some ways, it´s actually better that way. Then we know the people are getting baptized for the right reasons, and not just because they like the missionaries or something (this happens way too easily, if we´re not careful, which is probably why transfers exist in the first place). Missionaries come and go, but the church will still be true after we end our missions. So the people need to have their testimonies founded on the one (Christ) who will always be there for them, the sure foundation (Helaman 5:12). I may not get to collect all the fruits of my labors, but knowing I at least planted the seeds is a pretty good feeling.
Anyway, I´m just about out of time. But I will leave you with this idea that struck me during one of my more pensive moments this week: "If we spent as much time trying to do something as we did wishing we could do it, we´d find we´d have a lot more talents." Así es. And don´t you forget it.
Through the winds of change,
Hermana Sweeney "The Fearless" (Except on Sundays)
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