I'm curious how many of you served missions in the Dominican Republic. What Mission, years, and cities/area?

I served in the Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic Mission from 1980 - 81. It did not become a mission until 1980 because it split off from the San Juan, Puerto Rico Mission.

I served my first six months in Miami/Sweetwater, Florida and Cauguas, Puerto Rico. In the Dominican Republic I served in Santo Domingo/Piatini, Santiago, Hato Mayor, Santo Domingo/Osama, and La Vega.

I have a close family member there now. I worry all the time. How dangerous is the place?

It depends were they live. The campo, rural areas, are mostly mellow and safe. But, the larger cities: Santo Domingo, Santiago, Puerto Plata, have lots of crime, especially thefts and muggings. I was mugged at knife point in Santo Domingo. The robber stole my wallet that had my drivers license, tourist ID, and some money. I can't count on how many bikes I had stolen, even when they were locked.

Is your family member male or female?

Male/trusting...too much so, I fear.

He came home so skinny...and with stomach problems....parasites.
My sister & bro in law met him there at the end of his mission.....

I remember hearing about bikes & belongings being stolen.

He is a thin tall boy with blond hair & blue eyes....

I worried about him the whole time.

He seems ok now.....but temple married & three morbot kids.

Auntie

I started my mission at 190 lbs. I got parasites and went down to 140 lbs. I became very sick and frail. I ended up in the hospital for over a week. I'm 6'2" and I looked like the walking dead. I almost was sent stateside because I was so sick. I was transferred to Santo Domingo and saw a GI specialist and I started slowly feeling better and gaining weight. I still was only 160 lbs when I came home.

I had chronic intestinal problems for over 20 years after my mission.

I've heard that story over and over of chronic intestinal problems on a mission and continuing after a mission. I think the leaders of the MormonCult should be out there serving in these countries trying them on for size. Are you listening?????

Leave the teens doing what they should be doing at 18 and 19 years of age-------living, exploring, discovering, and thinking ON THERE OWN. This would be the moral and ethical thing to do, so, of course, they, the elite who love the plush life they live, will no more do this than fly to the moon.

I served from 1991 to 1993 in Santo Domingo West mission. I served in the following areas, Padre Las Casas, Azua, San Cristobal, Piantini, Enriquillo, Mirador and Vicente Noble. I enjoyed the mission. Nice people, very humble, and i really grew to love the music and the food. I was fortunate to not get really sick there. We avoided tap water and drinks if we knew they were not purified. I didnt feel like it was a dangerous place while i was there.

Santo Domingo West 2001 to 2003. Lived in the following areas: Santo Domingo (Herrera), Yaguate, Haina, and San Juan de la Maguana.

I lived in Haina for more than 6 months. After I came home I learned that the entire region was on the list of nost polluted places on earth due to lead contamination. Wished someone would've told me that before.