Los Molinos 11 - New Companion, Still No Pictures

Los Molinos 11 - New Companion Elder Searle, Still no Pictures, Book of Mormon Testimony 

So I did everything I could this week to fix the camera and memory card but it's still not ready. So yet another week without pictures.

But it's OK. We had a SUPER special privilege on Saturday to listen to Elder Surley, one of the LDS church's Historians. I learned a TON and his presentation was really cool. He talked about the roots of the church basically and shared a really special testimony about the Restoration. He showed us a picture of a journal from the prophet Joseph Smith. The first real journal he started writing in 1841, just a few years after the restoration of the church. 

When we all saw it and read a bit of what he wrote, it was obvious that he wasn't much of a writer or scribe. He struggled, as Emma Smith once quoted, "to write even a well-worded letter". And then he showed us one of the original pages from the translation of the Book Of Mormon, half of the page in the writing of the prophet. Perfectly worded. Perfectly done. Without sentences, stops, or breaks. It was marvelous. I honestly was stunned to note the difference between what he wrote in his journal just as a man, and what he wrote as an inspired prophet of God. He testified that no scientist, historian, or educated man, let alone a 20 year old with a third grade education, could have ever "created" the Book Of Mormon. 

But even though the physical evidence was stunning and interesting to see, the spirit in the room was what gave me that spiritual confirmation once again that the Book Of Mormon is a volume of sacred scripture. That together with the Bible we have more of the same sacred Word of God. And it's amazing to me. God will not stop with the Book Of Mormon. With Doctrine and Covenants. With the Pearl of Great Price. We have evidence today with a living prophet and twelve apostles. That the heavens aren't closed. And I know that in the near future - if not after the Second Coming - that we will hear about other sacred books written from different parts of the world. And that's the beauty of it all, that the word of God will go forth until it has filled the entire earth. And it's great for me to be a small part of that invitation to the world.

The work is going well here in Los Molinos. I'm really loving the time with my comp Elder Searle. Elder Searle is my new companion and he's super cool. We get along together great and we're just taking advantage of the time we got together. The investigators are doing great. The people we're teaching are making sacrifices and truly seeing the blessings of it. We're having the time of our lives and working hard. The investigators are progressing and even though it's been hectic and we've had to do many things here and there, God is helping it all fall into place. And I'm trying to take advantage of it all.

Shout out to Megan Wright por haber cumplido 18 añitos. And to all my other family members and friends who have also had a birthday in these last months. Even though I may not remember them all, you still mean the world to me - hahaha

Elder Graff

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

Los Molinos 10 - Camera Broken

Los Molinos 10 - Camera Broken, Temple, Blessings

So, I guess my camera has a virus so I'll just tell you all what happened during the week and see what I can do to fix that next Monday so I can actually send pictures. Because I literally can't do it right now .................. But we went to the temple with the recent converts we have in Los Molinos. There were a lot that couldn't go, only Angelina could because we left from the church at 1. But it was a super special experience. And you'll never guess who I saw there? Manuel from the Family Rodriguez in Espaillat. He was there with the youth doing a stake temple trip and I found out he was inside the temple. So I waited til he came out and gave the kid the biggest bear hug possible. Almost cried to be honest. It was just really cool to see how well he and his family are doing. I also talked to him about what was going on in the ward back there and he told me that Wilson, the man we had taught for about 6 months got baptized!  Elder Gongora sent me the picture and I think that'll be the only picture I'll be able to send today. But everyone is going strong and a lot of them have callings now. That is the greatest joy for me.

But Angelina (our recent convert from here in Los Molinos) loved the experience (at the temple). She shared her testimony yesterday in sacrament meeting and we're teaching her best friend and her family! Enrique also went to the temple on Saturday but in the morning with one of his best friends, a returned missionary from Ecuador. He told us he loved it a lot and everyone is just progressing really well.

We're working with the Rosado Family, Elkin, and Preciado to set up a time when we're going to go to the temple so they can go in and help in the work of the Lord.

We also were able to go in the temple on Tuesday as a mission which was a really spiritual experience. I talked to President Corbitt a little after about a question I had about school (yeah I know, crazy) and we were talking for a bit. But as it turns out he felt inspired that we should help the Hernandez Family prepare to get baptized on the 19th of this month instead of on the 2nd. I was a bit hesitant but that same night we had a lesson with them and a member from the church and we asked them if they'd be willing to be an example in the Noche Blanca and be baptized as a family that night. It took a bit of thinking and planning, but we're going to do everything in our power to make it happen. We'll be working a lot with Litzi, the 13 year old daughter to clear up some doubts she has. And we'll be trying to get them married in a week and a half. But nothing is impossible with the Lord. And I've learned to trust in the people that He calls. 

The work is going great. It's coming down to the wire. But this is the time in my mission where I've seen the most blessings from God and I know that He's blessing this area. I just don't want to think about the whole time thing. I love you all and I'm sorry I'm a liar with the whole photo thing. But I'll get it figured out this week.

Elder Graff

Los Molinos 9 - Rosado Family baptized

Los Molinos 9 - Rosado Family baptized

I know you might all be a bit disappointed again, (especially my mom who always tells me I gotta send pictures) but because of the short Pday we have today and my companion leaving to Brazil, I forgot my camera and we have a shortened time to write today.

But I just want to say that I'm loving the mission work. It's at this time in my mission where I can definitely notice a difference in my ability to follow the inspiration and council of God. I'm no where near perfect and the mistakes I make sometimes makes me frustrated because it seems like I never learn from past errors. But I guess that's the struggle in trying to become better.

The Rosado family was able to be baptized last Saturday. It was really cool because their sons - both recently returned missionaries - were the ones that baptized them. One of the most special and emotional baptisms I've been a part of. There was nothing sweeter to me than to see just the pure happiness and joy these two sons have in seeing their parents make the first covenant that leads to eternal life. It was the answer to many prayers and days of fasting from members and friends alike. They're a very special family.

We're working hard with the recent converts to help them get to the temple. They all seem really excited about it and we're teaching a lot of their friends and family members now which is really cool.

I'll be recieving a new companion tomorrow. As I mentioned, Elder Pediet leaves to his assigned mission today, Brazil. I found out my first day with him that he was just waiting for a Visa. But today, when the time finally came, he really didn't want to go. It's bittersweet moments like today that remind me of when I left to the DR. Lots of mixed emotions. But we have to realize and accept that if we're following the Lord and his way of doing things, it'll always turn out as a blessing for our lives. And that's definitely the summary of the time I've spent and will spend serving the people here in the Dominican Republic. 

I hope you all have a great week and I promise that, unless there's no electricity or some tragedy happens, that my next letter will be few words and tons of pics.

Love you all.

Elder Graff

Los Molinos 8 - Not Coincidences

Los Molinos 8 - Not Coincidences --- and, Happy Birthday to my Mom!  

About a month ago, while I was still with Elder Guzman, we were on our way back from a conference one day. We got on a bus or public transport and sat by a woman with two children. I was really tired and honestly I was tempted to take a quick nap but something told me to make conversation with her. So we started talking as a companionship with her family and she told us that she was a member of the Church. After talking some more, she told us the story of her baptism how she found the message, and her testimony of it all.  But then she told us that due to the fact that she was the only member in her family and lots of stress and trials, about 8 years after her conversion, she distanced herself a bit from the church.  Now, 6 years later she found herself with us in that very moment, inactive in the Church.

I vividly remember the message we shared with her about the love that Christ has for her and her family and how much He wants her to return to His fold. She remembered in that moment that her friend had been curious on where the LDS church was in Las Americas. We tried to explain to her how to get to ours, but being that it's difficult to explain sometimes, we gave her an easier address to the stake center. We asked this woman, Jenny, if she would like us to come by and visit her along with her husband and kids and she politely rejected the invitation and told us that she would call us when it was her time.

Fast forward ... we got a call a week ago from the zone leaders. They told us that a woman and her children had visited the stake center 4 times in Los Frailes but that she belonged to our area in Los Molinos. They gave us the address and told us to look for the family immediately. Elder Pediet and I last Tuesday went directly to her house and called her as we arrived. Turns out that she wasn't home but that her children were there. We explained to her that we would be brief and just set up a return appointment. She told us that she was going to send down her neighbor to accompany us to talk with the children at the door to see when we could come back.

We went up the apartment complex and as we arrived at the door, I see the same very same woman coming down the stairs that I had talked to on the bus a month back! The look of surprise and curiousity on her face was obvious. I was stunned. We ended up setting up a return appointment with the family which was the family of the SAME FRIEND for which she asked us for the address to the church on the bus. They went to church on Sunday and we had a lesson with the entire family last night with the second counselor of the Stake Presidency. The children and the father now have a baptismal date for the 2nd of April, we'll be teaching Jenny and her husband who isn't a member of the church soon, and I was besides words at the end of the night last night.

I would just like to bear my testimony that in this Gospel, coincidences don't exist. God has a plan for each one of his children. He loves us all equally, lost or strong, faithful or in doubt; he wants to help and will help us if we let him. I know that God prepares the way and the time for all to have the chance to accept this message. And His plan is without error. If we have the confidence to just open our mouths even if we don't understand the why or how sometimes, that God will carry out miracles.

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

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO MY BEAUTIFUL MOTHER LAURA GRAFF. ONE YEAR YOUNGER shes like 27 or something like that by now. GIVE HER A HUG FOR ME.

Elder Graff