Santo Domingo (Espaillat) 24 - Dreaming of a Sunny Christmas and New Year's

I'm (bup bup)... dreaming (ba-dup) ...of a sunny (bup-bup) Christmas and New Years!

Well, everyone, just as fast as Christmas came, it went. But that doesn't mean I'm not gonna keep rocking the red ties and having the Christmas spirit!

Talking to the family was awesome. Aaron, Ethan and Joseph all seem to be older than I am now with the way they've grown over these last 7 months. It's gonna be scary to see how big they really are soon. 

We had a great week. The mission put together a Christmas activity with a HILARIOUS slide show from President Corbitt. Honestly, for how serious and inspired of a man he is, he also has a golden sense of humor and likes to laugh a lot. We did a skit as a zone of the "A Savior is Born" and a reenactment of the Nativity Scene. It was not quite as good as the ones we did as a family where we had one of the cousins tied to a rope in an angel outfit and we lowered him from the balcony, but we did our best.  Also, I got to play the guitar for the first time in forever for a song we did at the end of "Burrito Sabanero". It was such a good time and something all the missionaries needed.

I'm leaving this area tomorrow, though, with the new transfer - which is the sad thing.  I'm leaving for Las Americas, which is near where I started in the mission, to the area of Los Molinos (or for you gringos, "the windmills") like Cali. I'm going to be with a mission legend, Elder Guzman. He is a really cool and humble missionary and I'm ready to get to work. We're gonna be traveling a ton with my new responsibility and I'm gonna get to see more of the mission than I ever have as a result of what we will be doing during the course of this next transfer block. It might be a bit crazy with the schedule and time and lessons and everything, but it'll prepare me when I'm in post graduate school with three kids and a calling in the Church and....ya tu sabes. Really the mission is the MTC for your life.

Had some of the hardest goodbyes of my life today and there are more to come tonight. Gonna be carrying the Kleenex box around for a while. But I know that it's an "until later" and not a "goodbye", because I will be in contact with many of these great people for the rest of my life. This is part of my family now and I love being a missionary.

Love you guys. Have a great new years.

By the way my camera is fixed so I'm gonna be sending a BUNCH of pictures, hopefully, if the light doesn't go out.

Elder Graff

Santo Domingo (Espaillat) 23 - Feliz Navidad!

Santo Domingo  (Espaillat) 23 - Feliz Navidad, Ya Filthy Animals! 

MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!!!!!!

Hope everyone has had a great holiday season and it's sad that it's coming to the end but the best day is yet to come!  Everyone needs to live it up with the family and be grateful for all the blessings we all have and see on the daily.

Being a missionary during Christmas time is the best. Doesn't matter where you're serving, the language, the investigators you have, or anything. Just being able to teach people about Christ during a time where many people are thinking of him you see miracles. I honestly am so grateful for all He did and does for each and everyone of us. He's a part in everything we do and have and He is the reason we have hope. Because through Him, all things are possible.

We've been working hard with the Vetanses Family, a less active family that has started to come back to Church and we had an amazing experience with them. From the time we started teaching them, we noticed off the bat that they were a very poor and needy family. The mother has a day care and the father pushes a metal cart all day long every day besides Sunday, delivering empty water jugs to people in the neighborhood. Needless to say, it's very humbling to see. So this week, we had a lesson with them on the importance of service. As we were teaching, the mother explained how much service has helped her with her family and life. The first thought that came to mind is the service that others had gave to her. But she started describing the purpose of the day care she had. In this little room that takes up the majority of their home, she gives her time, skills, and hope to these children in difficult circumstances for free. I had always supposed it was a way to make ends meet for them financially. But she gives it all for free. Many of the children don't have parents, live in separated households, and would otherwise never get the opportunity to go to school. And this wonderful generous woman gives them the basics of education they need to succeed and doesn't receive a dime for her selfless service. 

I was absolutely dumbstruck. Obviously, when you hear about experiences similar to these, it makes you really wonder. Why am I so lucky? Why was I so weak in the premortal existence that I was given parents so good and loving? Why me? To see the goodness of many people who in reality, need the service of others, makes my heart burn inside. Because that is the life of a disciple of Christ. Give everything to others. Selfless service. 

I'm so grateful for this Gospel. For the privilege it is to be a missionary. To try and follow the steps of the Savior and give little sacrifices to make life-changing differences in the lives of my brothers and sisters. I know this church is true, and that families can be together forever.

Have a Holly Jolly Christmas.

Elder Graff

Sorry for the no photos. My camera broke. Ill be trying to get it fixed soon to be able to send a few photos here and there.

Santo Domingo (Espaillat) 22 - Birth of Christ

Santo Domingo  (Espaillat) 22 - Birth of Christ

What a beautiful time of the year to celebrate the birth of the Christ. Even though there is exactly a 0% chance of snow every day on the Weather Channel (if they actually have that here), there is just something different about the people at Christmastime. I'm reminded every day of what I am going to try to give back to God this year, and how I can change and as a person.

We've been working hard lately, trying to find more people to teach. We were privileged to attend the Annual Christmas Bell Concert with Wilson on Saturday, as well as go to the temple as a mission. Both were beautiful experiences and really helped me keep the Christmas spirit where it should be.

I'm feeling good as new after the food poisoning scare, so don't worry about me. That was the first time in my life, and I pray it doesn't happen again haha.

Even though we may not be having as much success as we were hoping with the people we've been teaching, we have still every day been seeing small miracles. From a reference we received of a struggling mother with her family, to a less active household that came to church yesterday with the mother for the first time in years, God truly answers prayers. Even though our will may not be His, He knows what he's doing and calls every shot. I feel blessed to be here this Christmas and I hope to make it the best one yet.

Thank you to all for your prayers and thoughts on my behalf. Earnest prayer does more for missionaries than we may believe sometimes. 

I love you all. Enjoy the gingerbread cookies!

Elder Graff

Alma 46:15 

"And those who did belong to the church were faithful; yeah, all those who were true believers in Christ, took upon them, gladly, the name of Christ, or Christians as they were called, because of their belief in Christ who should come."

Santo Domingo (Espaillat) 21 - Four Minutes

Santo Domingo (Espaillat) 21 - Only 4 Minutes to Write! 

So we'll see how much I can write in 4 minutes because our P-day ends at three today hahaha! We had to do a DEEP clean of the house today, like Extreme Makeover Home Edition Style, and cut our hair because we're going to the temple tomorrow.

We've been working really hard with the "Ha Nacido Un Salvador" (or in English, "A Savior is Born") and just trying to bring the Christmas Spirit.

I got food poisoning which was a lot of fun. But I'm better now and don't have any lasting side effects. Of course, that effected the work for a day which is sad.

We also had the privilege of baptizing Emmanuel, the son of a recent convert in the Ward. It was SUPER hectic because there was a baby shower in the room with the baptismal font at the same time that we had no idea about!  But in the end, all went smoothly and it was a great night.

Love you all so much and I'm grateful for everything you all do for me.

Sorry I don't have time to write more.

Enjoy the Holidays.

Elder Graff

Santo Domingo (Espaillat) 20 - Elder Cornish

Santo Domingo (Espaillat) 20 - Elder Cornish of 70

We had more meetings than proselyting this week, but it was a spiritual wake-up call to me. 

First off, we got the privelege of seeing Elder Cornish, a member of the Seventy that's over the Carribean. What an inspired man is all I have to say. We got to talk with him personally and pretty person-to-person on Tuesday for a special leadership meeting we had with him and President Corbitt. He gave us a lot of great and truly heaven-sent advice on how we can meet with the goals and vision we have (both as a mission as well as personally).

 

Thursday, we had a meeting with the Zone with President Corbitt that was basically a how to "Plan More Effectively and Improve Companionship Study". We got food (well, rice and beans yet again -  yay!) No, it was good and we learned a ton.

 

And on Friday, we had a mission tour where we had the privelege yet again of hearing from Elder Cornish. He told a story to us that I have to comment a little bit about:

 

While he was serving his mission in Guatemala over 40 years ago, towards the end of his mission he recieved a special assignment from his President to look for possible missionaries from Guatemala. He worked, searched and finally got all the "prospects" together and in his words he delivered to them the best talk of his life. At the end, he asked "Who'd be willing to serve a mission?". Out of all the people there, one 18 year old boy he had known previously came to the stand. He was disorganized and had been kicked out of his house, a family of 11 people, because he accepted the Church. He was, he commented, the worst prospect there could possibly be to serve a mission. He didn't have a dime to his name and honestly, wasn't the most intelligent young man in the world. He explained to him the requirements to serve. In that era, you had to pay every penny of your mission unless it was an impossible circumstance. The amount that he would have to save was at least 2000 dollars. He asked him how much money he had saved up. He said 5 quetzales (the equivalent of 8 American dollars). President Cornish told him to keep saving up and to call him when he had enough and was prepared to serve a mission. 

 

He recieved a call two weeks later from the same young man. When Elder Cornish asked him how much money he had saved up, he responded "5 quetzales." Elder Cornish, a bit irritated, told him that was the same amount he had two weeks ago and so why he had called, being that he still didn't fulfill the basic requirements to serve? He said that he had sold all his tools he was using as a carpenter to sustain himself, his clothes that he could, and everything that he could to get some money. He didn't have a place to live, nothing to eat and 5 quetzals--- and he wanted to serve a mission for the Lord. Elder Cornish talked with his President. The young man came to the mission office, took some of the shirts, suits, shoes, and suitcases other missionaries had left and with money personally from the President left that following week to serve a mission in Honduras.

 

Elder Cornish, 6 months after, already returned to his home having completed his mission, recieved a letter from the young man with the address from Guatemala. Thinking that the man had failed, and discouraged, returned home from the missoni, he sadly opened the letter ---- only to find that it was from the father of the young man. That same father (who had hated the missionaries and kicked his own son out of the house for accepting the Gospel) was now in a picture with the entire family dressed in white at a baptism. The whole family was baptized and the young man returned honorably from his mission.

 

I was humbled to say the least. The little things we complain about. I have had many days in the mission where I feel like I have it hard. But to hear of others who truly sacrificed all to serve, makes me feel a bit spoiled to think of how little I gave up to be here. I love the mission, this Gospel, and sharing it with others. I know it's true and that the things I'm preaching now will immensly bless by family down the road.

 

Happy Late Thanksiving and Holidays to all.

Elder Taylor Graff

Santo Domingo (Espaillat) 19 - Miracles

Santo Domingo (Espaillat) 19 - Bathroom, Baptisms, and Miracles

Super busy, event-packed, but spiritually awesome first week.

First off, on Monday, day of transfers I had a really, really funny experience. We were on the way to Villa Juana (my "adopted kid" Elder and I) for my last day there. He had been having some really crazy bathroom visits because of some food he ate and so in the middle of the way to the metro he tells me "Run!"  We get there just in time to find a bathroom and while he's in there dying I look in the adjacent unoccupied bathroom to see 1) there's no toilet seat 2)it's the smallest bathroom I've witnessed to this day and 3) THERE'S NO TOILET PAPER. He comes out 10 minutes later and I asked him what happened. Well, upon entering the bathroom, he realized the same things I did ---and talking about the detail number 3) (no TP), he takes his agenda out of his shirt pocket.  With a grin, flipped it open and showed me - he had ripped all the pages of extra notes out, and the pages he hadn't fully used from the back of the agenda. We were laughing so, so hard. You gotta' do what you gotta' do!

So enough with the funny experience of the week. We had some AMAZING lessons. Elder Góngora and I were able to set three baptismal dates with three very special people. Wilson, the man that was planning on getting baptized in September, set his own date by himself for the 26th of December. We had been visiting him a little less frequently to give him time to think and we visited him yesterday to find out that he's resolving the things he wanted to get resolved to be able to feel completely ready for the day after Christmas. We were so excited. We have a Family Home Evening with him and some other investigators and members at his house tonight so we'll see how that goes. 

Teressa, my "Domincan grandmother" in her words, had a very hard experience this week. In the middle of church on Sunday she had to leave because she had a sharp pain in her ear. We were a bit startled but it wasn't anything too crazy. On Tuesday, we find out that she's in the hospital and had a mini stroke I believe from the little medical term Spanish I understand. We asked permission and we were able to visit her with a couple members. She wasn't in a very good condition so we gave her a priesthood blessing. She recovered and got home Saturday. It was a remarkable recovery. We taught her that same day with a very good member friend of hers and she accepted to be baptized the 19th of December.

It's been amazing to see the way God provides the path for his chosen sons and daughters to accept the Gospel. It's not always how or what we think. But it is right.

Have a great Thanksgiving everyone and I love you all.

Elder Graff

"The quitter is better off than someone who never took the initiative to begin"

Santo Domingo (Espaillat) 18 - One Year in Capital

Santo Domingo (Espaillat) 18 - One Year in Capital

What a beautiful way to end the transfer!

 

With all of the hectic travel to and from Villa Juana with Elder Góngora and our "son" Elder Walker, we may not have had the entire week to focus on our area, but we were most definitely spiritually strengthened by so many amazing moments in these past 7 days. 

 Firstly, we had the baptismal service of Ana Gladys on Saturday. She is such a strong and determined now-member of the Church. Her testimony is powerful and she's so focused on taking upon herself all the covenants and ordinances from God she and her family members need in the temple. We had a great turnout and almost all of the Relief Society were there to support. 

Temple trip 2K15 (casi '16). Even though its not as big or grand as the temple lights of the Mesa Temple or anything, the nativity scene in the Dominican Temple is actually really simple but stunning.

We also had a very touching Friday night as we were able to accompany the Rodriguez Family and Angel -- another recent convert -- along with three other investigators to the Temple. The Rodriguez Family and Angel were able to go inside and do baptisms for the dead. When they came out of the temple, the beaming smiles and pure joy that they had will forever be unforgettable for me. Manuel said it was the most beautiful thing he's ever experienced in his entire life and they're determined to go back every chance they get. They're still working with some dates and things for their parents, but we believe that they next time they go, they'll be able to carry out that work for a couple of their own family members which is such a blessing.

Manuel also gave a talk in Sacrament meeting!!!!!! He talked on service and expressed his desire to serve a full time mission which was enough to make a grown man cry (I may not be "full grown" yet but I was a water works). 

I was able to visit once again my old area of Villa Agricolas on an exchange with the elders there and I was privileged to see Frank and Eliany as well as Maireny and some others that are doing really good. So many beautiful humble people I've come to know in this country will forever be family to me. I feel so blessed to be serving a full time mission. And it's changed my life more than anything.

Maireny is doing super good. She found a job that she was praying for (because of the need she had with her two little boys) with the mother of Erika who's taking seminary now! She's dating this guy that's visiting the church now actually so we'll see where that goes - haha.

Frank and Eliany ft. Elder Giraffe.

Here's to another month and a half in Espaillat. Have a great Thanksgiving.

 

Elder Graff

"The best way to gauge a man's ambition is how he treats his alarm clock: as a best friend or a worst enemy."

Santo Domingo (Espaillat) 17 - Temporary comp

Jean Paul's Baptism -- His mother is active in the church now too! She had a long time where she wasn't coming to church regularly but the activity and testimony of Jean Paul has her back in the church which is AWESOME.

 

Santo Domingo (Espaillat) 17 - Temporary companion - Baptisms

Hey everyone.

Hope the turkeys are in the oven, and the Christmas music already on in the car. People here in the DR actually celebrate Christmas SUPER early - starting like 3 weeks ago  - so we're already singing Christmas hymns and everything and people already have their Christmas lights up. Talk about the easiest way to make keeping your thoughts focused on the mission work almost impossible!

BUT, we've been seeing lots of blessings as a companionship lately. First off, I HAVE AN ADOPTED "KID" FOR TWO WEEKS. His name is Elder Walker and he's from Idaho. His companion has a special assignment so he's with us for the rest of the transfer as a temporary companion with three of us working together.  Things have been crazy busy with the trips over to his area and then back to our area again.  If I hought it was hard to run two areas in the same sector, try running two areas 15 minutes apart!

But Jean Paul was baptized yesterday! It was an amazing service and even though it was dumping rain (rain basically means the end of the world for Dominicans and they don't leave their house for ANYTHING) we had a surprisingly great turnout. His mother and niece were there as well as some of our investigators and a couple members. It was really cool to see the enormous change the Gospel has made in his life because I haven't been teaching him regularly since the other elders came in about two transfers ago. He bore the most sincere and powerful testimony after his baptism that actually touched the heart of one of our investigators that was there at the service -  we believe we'll be setting a baptismal date with her now very soon.
 

                              

The problem is that nobody counts when they're gonna take photos they kind of just press the button and if you're looking that's great if not......OKAY!

Ana Gladys is getting baptized this Saturday also which is honestly a miracle. It all was going to depend on the Word of Wisdom if we were going to have to push back the date, but as soon as she got done reading the pamphlet, she prayed for strength and just left coffee just like that. She's been clean for a week and she expressed to us how much better and relieved she feels. It wasn't an addiction or anything, just a small habit. But leaving it has made all the difference in her life. She has a big purpose in the church and she has such a strong, sincere testimony.

I love you all and hope you have a great week.

Elder Graff