DR installment #2 (Let's see if I can get it all in)

So, we left off on day number two which I think might have actually been day three, but it's all good.  Let's just see what pics come next. I think the next day which would have been Friday July 3 we went with Eli's cousin Eurys to the river. He showed us this really cool place in the campo where you go behind someone's house and then down a path to the river and there's like a little pool there, they call it a "charco".  Anyway, no pics but it was a fun place. The next day one of Eli's friends from growing up, Alvarado came with us up to his Grandma's house and then a bunch of us went to this place in the river near there.. it's hard to explain but it's another place where there's a little pool and not a lot of people go there, it was my favorite spot to go. Here's some pics:

    

This is one of my favorite Eli, Eurys, Alvarado

pics.. Eli always likes to sit

in the middle of the little 

"waterfalls"   

 

Showing off his muscles Alvarado 

Trip to Eli's Mission July 6-9

We decided to rent a car and head down to Santo Domingo where Eli served his mission. So, we talked to one of Eli's friends and he said we could borrow his car which we thought would be better than renting one. Little did we know we were in for another little adventure! He rented his car to someone else and they didn't bring it back on time so it ended up that we had to rent one from the local car rental place anyway, at least we got a discounted price.  That put us back a few hours and then when we finally got the car it wasn't in the greatest condition which I was kinda bummed about but in the end glad about because then it was less likely we would have problems with people bugging us, two white people in a nice car wouldn't have been good.... anyway we headed towards the capital and on our way there was a huge rain storm, we could hardly see but we made it through, apart from the steam/condensation coming from the AC vents. Then when we were about 5 mins from where we were going to meet our Bishops son who was serving his mission in Santo Domingo we're driving along and "pop" there goes our windshield wiper!!! I started laughing SOOO hard... don't think it's probably as funny to everyone else but it was a hilarious moment for us... so we make it to Carrofour which is a huge grocery store, meet up with Hyrum, have some Pizza Hut and head off to visit some members from Eli's mission.  We wait outside their house for almost 2 hours because they had said they would be home and Eli couldn't remember where anyone else lived, but we finally got to see them and then headed out for another adventure to find Eli's Aunt's house where we spent the night... it was a good day.... here's some pics:

Here is our ghetto Corolla that 

we rented... hey it took us where

we wanted to go....

   

Elder Hyrum Kidman: So, his dad is our bishop in Utah and 

so we took a package for him, but it ended up that Hyrum made

it back to Utah before us because he has back problems and got

sent home early.. it's all good though it was GREAT to see him in 

the DR!

Capital Day Two: Temple and River with the Mercados

The next day we headed off early to go to the temple. There were only 5 people in the session. The temple was beautiful and it was fun to see the MTC there too. Then we went to visit a family that Eli loves from his mission, the Mercados! They are a fabulous family and great members who are not afraid to share what they know! They fed us and took us to swim at a river nearby here's some pics from the day, it was another good one ;)

    

  Santo Domingo Temple

   

Enjoying the river with the Mercados.. yes, we went swimming almost everyday!

    

Beautiful views of the river at sunset...

On the Road Again...

The nest day we covered a very large area.. we visited most of the areas where Eli served as a missionary including Bani, San Juan, Tamayo, Barahona, Enriquillo, and Elias Pinas.. I probably missed some.. but we saw some old friends and enjoyed the beautiful scenery. We even found a hotel to stay in in San Juan that was only 900 pesos ($20) for the night and it was pretty nice...

    

                   The BEAUTIFUL beaches of Barahona

   

The branch president of Enriquillo. When Eli served in this

area their apartment was right across the street from the

beach.. I'm not sure that was the best place for the missionaries

apartment... ;)

  

Comendador/Elias Pinas.. this is the area where Eli was 

Branch President. There were lots of people to visit but 

unfortunatly we arrived after dark.. we found Maria's house 

by asking some teenagers who were hanging out on the side 

of the road.. she was happy to see us and gave us the great news

that her son just turned in his mission papers!!!
  

Our Hotel....

   

This is the way we take a bath...

   

  

Okay, so not really, but it's Eli's favorite way.. 

outside with the cold hose water...

Spending Time a Mama Tina's (cows, cousins, and fun!)

  
Mama Tina's cows had parasites so we washed them and

gave them shots... yeap Eli even got me to give one of the 

cows a shot and chase after the calves to get them in the 

corral.. now that was probably quite the site ;) Don't forget that the next day we cut 3 of the baby bulls horns.. it seems mean but it's good for them...

Fabiana and Eli

   

Some of the cousins having a cookout by the river.. in our

favorite spot ;)
   

Fabio (Eli's Uncle)

   

Eli's cousins Eli's Aunts (from his mom's

side) and grandma (dad's side)

              Mama Tina 
     

Yes, call me gross.. I played with the baby rabbits, and also 

help to kill one of the adults... but I couldn't eat this one...

the other one we didn't help kill, but this one that I helped 

with I couldn't eat.... maybe someday I'll learn to eat something

even if I kill it... 
   

Our future house!! This is a house that Eli's dad has started 

and we're going to finish it someday... it isn't much right now,

but there are beautiful views!!
   

The Bull the Eli wants.....  Pretty pictures of the campo

Alvarado's Family

Eli and Alvarado have been friends forever.. these are some pictures of his adorable family...

   

Visiting Los Alcarrizos and Mission Companions

We decided to take one more trip down to the capital to visit an area that Eli opened as a missionary.  They started out having church in the missionaries house, now there's a chapel with a ward and a branch... 

   

The new Chapel

   

Nellie and her girls Tyson and his family

(Eli baptized both of these families...)

  The Mercados (right) and some friends of Eli that are like 

sisters.. they grew up in Eli's house and were not members, 

but have since been baptized and two of the are married in 

the temple.. you never know what affect you can have on 

someone's life...

Mission Companions (Santana, Diaz, Abreu, and Abreu)

Abreu, Diaz, Santana, Abreu
   

Santana with his wife and Abreu's Family...

adorable little girl..
   

Abreu with his little girl Diaz with his two (almost 3) kids

and sweet wife!

Celebrating 9 months of Marital Bliss...

July 18 we celebrated nine months since our wedding

by going out to dinner... lots of fun... notice I even did 

my hair! That didn't happen much due to the HEAT!

  

(Funny thought: Eli says I look like my old roomate Hailey in this pic???)

Puerto Plata: Riu Bachata

Our trip to the DR have multiple purposes... one of which was a HONEYMOON!! So we took 5 days and stayed at the Riu Bachata! Thanks to Eli's sister, Eunice we got a GREAT deal and only paid $100 a day and everything was included.... We had a great time just relaxing and enjoying some alone time!!!

      

   

     
   

     

 

   

   

   

   

      

   

   

   

Okay, so I admit there are things I could write under these

but I am sure they are mostly self-explanitory as I have been 

at this for 3.5 hours now!!! The last few days we just said goodbye 

to family and headed on our way back home for more future adventures....