A Little Something Sweeney: Family. Friends. Fiction. Food.

Wow, I'm back. But no, really back, like, in charge of my own ship and everything. Well, if you can compare my keyboard to a helm, and being back with the fam again to the ol' ball and chain (er, I mean, anchor), then I guess I can say it feels pretty good to be back on the good ship bloggernaut. O sea, it's sorta a big mix of feelings. Like the surprise goody bags Hna. Bryant loves getting at 7-11 with her brother. I just never know what I'm gonna pull out next from day-to-day. And there I go again, recounting a mission experience/companion/memory. I've come to a conclusion: people want to here about your mission... in theory. On your blog. In small doses. But I think that was one of my biggest weird factors upon coming home. I always thought it would be so natural to say, "oh how cool, milk from a jug and not a box," or "hey, the light comes on when I flip this switch... and stays on. You spoileds have REAL 24 hour light?!" People would thin...

But the truth is, I will leave you- These have been my wild days, and it´s been a mad existence. But I´ve kept my promise, now keep your distance. Ha! Sorta kidding. But it's rather confounding that I´m officially writing my last blog from this country. Well, I guess like Justin Bieber, I should never say never, or the world "last," for that matter. But I´m just assumin´... Anyway, I will do a best for this week´s entry, cuz, well, that´s the best way to do it on a time-crunch budget. Best of Tourism- I got to see the castle built for Trujillo, the famous dictator of this country from 1931-1961. He was a pretty disgusting human being. But his house was cool. Of course, he didn´t think so, so the guy that designed it for him had to flee to Canada to avoid execution. Canada or death? Ha! Kidding again. But seriously, it was a neat little trip, even though it sits on top of a very large hill and was quite the hike to reach, and even though after Trujillo ...

Hey, for anyone listening out there, there, there...it´s your good points that define you and your flaws that refine you. But is it not true? I´m not sure I made up this little piece of inspiration; I´m sure there has been something similar or the same already said. But the idea remains. How much easier is it to notice the insultable details, or at least to focus on them? Who cares if her butt looks twice it´s size in those horizontally-striped pants or if his Cologne smells more like sewage than sexy? A+ for effort, people. The best type of compliment is the sincere one said so others can hear. The best sort of helpful, corrective advice is given respectfully, so only the person for whom it is intended can hear. But here´s to enjoying both fabulous feature and faux paus flaws. And speaking of giving compliments, should I just go ahead and gift one to myself? Why, don´t mind if I do! I´ve made it, people. I´ve reached the top. Or as my good friends Queen would say, ...

Well, normally I´d say that the mission isn´t a lovely stroll through the park- but sometimes it is. At least, it was yesterday. Sometimes on the mission, you just find yourself with a lot of time on your hands and few people to teach, so Hna. Bryant and I decided to go to a park situated close to a grandiose, honey mustard Catholic church. We gave out pass-along cards and just told everyone we could find about the church. We met groups of people from Santiago (the more northern part of this country) that were touring San Cristobal, and another man who spoke French and English but no Spanish, and yet, somehow, was hanging out with all Dominicans who don´t speak English. Wonders never cease. The encounter that wins for most amusing and flustering was a lady who was like, "I´ve always wondered about the part of your name that says "of latter-day saints. Do you believe that we can know exactly when Jesus will come again?" She was Catholic, so I think she was both curious a...

Over the course of having a mission blog, I´ve come to realize that most of my titles are pretty dramatic and attention-grabbing. I guess if it was false advertising, I´d have to feel guilty about that. Fortunately, the causes behind said catchy titles are usually well-found and deserved. This week is no exception. I should have remembered from the last time Hna. Bryant and I were together, but somehow, I let myself forget- we have an unhealthy amount of adventures when placed together. And also an unprecedented amount of Deja vú. If you think or read back into the past, you may remember me mentioning such things as ridiculous quantities of mangoes being gifted to us, or crazy, broken down washing machines... things of that nature. Well... it´s happening again. It´s not even mango season, and everyone we visit who happens to have a mango tree in their backyard is handing them to us. I don´t even know what to think, but I don´t have too long to dwell on it, because there´s also the fac...

Oh, what a world, what a world. There is a popular candy here that, like the Laffy Taffies, gives you double your money: a joke AND treat. What more could you ask for? (warning: if you do want something more, I just don´t care to hear it). But one of the most common thread of jokes found in these candies talks about someone being at their wit´s end. Well, I can relate in a very personal way to these jokes now, because I´m nearing the end, and that´s apparently the cue for life to get harder, sometimes in a way that´s so horrible, it´s, well, funny. First of all, let´s start out with how one day this past week, I made the very foolish decision to get an early morning drink of water without shoes on. I enter the kitchen, turn on the light, and my foot comes in contact with something that proceeds to fly across the room. And what should it be but one of my least favorite creature of all time, the cockroach. it was all curled up into itself, almost dead, and hideous to behold. I don´t...

Let´s just be honest- it´s been a jolly while since I´ve last written. I have so much to catch up on, but no hot dog to put it on. Anyway, first and most importantly, I will speak in metaphors. "I got my baby back, baby back, baby back..." "Reunited, and it feels so good..." "Guess who´s back? Back again. Bryant´s back. Tell a friend." Ok, well, all dramatics aside, the gist of it is, I got transferred, and I got transferred good. I don´t know why I thought I learned the lesson of how I´m always wrong on the mission, but I didn´t. Hna. Bryant, during our intermittent correspondence during the 7+ months we were away from each other told me, "man, I wish I could kill you (be your last comp.) You could see how chill I am now." And I was like, "hey, that´s not funny. You almost killed me the first time! And p.s.- never gonna happen." Oh, but it has. I am finishing the mission in San Cristobol, which is more or less the campo again. The part...