Words From Elder Lamar & Sister Sarah Jean Gray in the Domican Republic

As I mentioned before, we serve in a small branch 45 miles away. We now have four new, enthusiastic missionaries serving in the Los Llanos branch with us. Two of them are very musical and are helping with the keyboard class. I tell them every time I see them that they are an answer to my prayers. Now the young people are really improving! It definitely helps to have someone speaking the same language. J It is our hope and prayer that the members in the branch will be able to choose, play and direct the music when we leave.

 We recently had a change in the Santo Domingo Temple. Garry Flake is the new president. He grew up in Snowflake.  For the first time, the two counselors are Dominican. The first counselor, Juan Almonte, was our mission president when we served here in the West Mission office. The second counselor is Pedro Abreu.

 We had a wonderful experience two weeks ago.  I was asked to be the guide for a young woman going through the temple for the first time. It happened to be the wife of one of our missionaries (previous mission.) Then Elder Gray

and I were able to attend their sealing. A few years ago we were able to attend when he was sealed to his parents!

To quote Sister Elaine Dalton: “The temple is the reason for everything we do in the church. The temple was the reason our pioneer ancestors left their established homes and came west. It was the reason they suffered privation and even death… Some lost everything but came into the valley with everything, really---temple ordinances, sacred covenants, and the promise of eternal life together as families.”

With 80,000 missionaries out now, just think how many people are soon going to be able to enter the temple!

 May God bless you all,