Boca Chica 7 - Feliz Navidad

Boca Chica 7 - Feliz Navidad !

Merry Christmas everybody. First off, I don´t have a ton of time because la luz (electricity) went out in the internet center we are in, so I lost like 20 minutes of time for nothing. But I´ll try and pull this off as best as I can.

 

I hope everyone is doing good and that this Christmas time is going how everyone has expected.  I hope that you are all safe and healthy. Things down here in Boca Chica are going really, really well. I had my first baptism two days ago at a big baptisimal service for the stake. Our investigator, Elisa, was baptized and I perfomed the baptism. I was super nervous because it´s not only a baptism, but it´s a baptism in Spanish and I´m a gringo - so I was a little on edge 'cause I didn´t want to mess it up. But when I was in the moment, I felt amazing! I was peaceful, and I just felt very good and was FILLED with the Spirit. The ordinance went well, and if I don´t have one more baptism my entire mission, that one moment and one baptism would be worth the entire two years of hard work and service to the Lord.

The Christmas spirit is definitely hitting the DR big time. They do start decorating and celebrating in October but during this time, people are building Christmas trees out of bottles, and decorating their homes with literally whatever they can find. It really helps me stay happy and some of the things I see makes me laugh. But I really want to make sure you guys know how blessed we are. How blessed The United States of America is and how many abundant blessings we all have. Some of the homes and families we know are in some hard times. They hardly have enough money to buy clothes and food, let alone gifts. Some kids don´t have parental support because their father plays dominoes and drinks all day and the mother just doesn`t care. Most kids here are "forgotten" by Santa and really don´t have the Christmas most people imagine and want.

 

So be grateful during this time of family and celebration.  Even though it can be hard, try and focus just a bit more on Christ and the meaning of Christmas this year. The presents and egg nog with the big dinners will almost always be there every year. But really focus on the Atonement that Christ died for. I know that this Church is true. I miss all of you and hope your Christmas is everything you wanted this year. You are all in my prayers every day.

Love,

Elder Graff