"Sunday Mormons"

Can you all believe that in 35 days I will see my family?=??????!!!!!!!!!!! I can’t! I am really excited because oh how I have missed them. Dylan continues to crack me up from across the waters and I always can find the love that I need in their comforting words. Family really is so important.
This week we have shared a lot from Moses 6 where it talks about how we need to teach the Doctrine to our children, about faith, repentance, baptism, the importance of the gift of the Holy Ghost, and enduring to the end. I am so grateful that I was taught these things as a child and that the Gospel has always been a part of my life.
I was talking with my companion about how that is one of the biggest things that they struggle with here in the DR. The people are "Sunday Mormons" you could say. They have all converted, but have only given up their old ways on Sunday. Yesterday was really sad because it was raining all morning and less than half of the ward showed up for church. The Stake Presidency was sharing in our ward and the President expressed his sadness to know that only because there was a little rain, the people weren’t willing to put Christ first. I am so grateful for the example of my parents and that no matter what, we went to church. I always remember that Dad would wake up in the winter especially early to snow blow the path so people could walk to church, and the start the neighbors driveways. I was reading from the conference issue and I really liked the talk by Elder Richard J. Maynes : “Recognizing that we have a Heavenly family helps us understand the eternal nature of our earthly families....true happiness in this life and in the eternities is found in the form of family." That is one of the things that I have learned most about in the mission. Family is what brings you true happiness and I want to be with mine forever. So now I just have to do my part, and endure to the end. I am so grateful that I have the opportunity to share about eternal families to people here in the Dominican Republic. I hope that they can all come to appreciate their families the way that I do. Maybe we can help them all come to realize as well the importance of living the gospel EVERY day and not just on Sundays!
Well there is also a lot of other news. My companion Hermana Bradley is going to be leaving me for another area, and I am going to be companions here in the same area, with Hermana Kamisese. She is a Tongan from California, and is SOOO fun!! I am excited! I have a picture that I took with her a while ago that I will attach. She is a great person and I know that we will have a good time. Also, INES WAS BAPTIZED!!! Both of the transfers that I have in this area, we have been working really hard with Ines, and she finally was baptized and it was amazing. Her son baptized her (and yesterday was called as the young mens president!!!!) and it was such a spiritual baptism and she shared her testimony and everything. I love being able to see the fruits of our labor because we are working really hard, but the people have their agency to choose whether or not they want to accept the gospel in their lives.
I know that everything is worth it and that God loves us no matter what. We just always need to do our part, and put him first. I know that through the example of all of you, I am a better person. Thank you for your love and example.
Con amor,
Hermana Reay