Boca Chica 8 - True meaning of Christmas

Boca Chica 8 - The True Meaning of Christmas (from December 29)

Decorations at Christmas time are sick even though they´re just bags and ribbon. Domincans get creative when decorating cause they don´t have a lot to use. These are up all over the streets as well as Christmas trees made out of soda bottles.

 

 Well, this week was full of a ton of experiences and it was an awesome seven days. I´ve really been enjoying this holiday season and this Christmas time even though it´s really the first time in my life I´ve ever been without my family on Christmas. But I really wasn´t as "trunky" or homesick as I was expecting. I mean, hanging up after an hour of Skyping the family was really hard don´t get me wrong on that. I felt like I was hanging up on them for the rest of my life. Hitting that red button with the phone on it was one of the hardest things I've done in my life up to this point. But after the Skype call and everything, it was just a normal day as a missionary. We went and visted all of our investigators and our two families that we´re working with. We made a juice called Pera Pina, which is basically pineapple with rice that´s boiled and you just put it in a blender after with sugar and honey. Some of the best tasting stuff I´ve ever had in my entire life let me tell ya'. We also were put in a "food coma" with all of the food we recieved from members and our investigators. Our entire fridge is still full with all of the food we recieved on Christmas. But, what is more important is the lessons we had the spirit we brought that helped our investigators a ton.

 

 Picture from the baptism that I never got to send!!!!! Best day of my life on the mission so far. The service was awesome. Sorry if the picture is bad quality.

 

We visited one of our investigators, Anthony, and the visit was one of the most spiritual experiences I´ve had on the mission so far. Anthony is seventeen years old. A STUD baseball player that is getting looked at by the Yankees and the Rangers and just trying to get out of the Domincan Republic like most kids by playing baseball. But anyway, we met him through one of our other investigators that we haven´t seen in a while. And our first real lesson with him was this lesson. We taught him the First Lesson, about the Restoration of  the Church, Joseph Smith, and really about our message and how its different. But when we were talking about the experience Joseph Smith had in the grove, the Spirit was SO strong. He was quiet and just seemed almost transfixed and confused on the feeling he had. But at the end of the lesson, when Elder Tate and I shared our testimonies and then sang the song "La oracion del Profeta" with him, which is also about the experience Joseph had in the grove, tears started streaming down his cheeks. He sang with us and we all just kind of sat there for a while. It was an awesome feeling. Just to see someone so tough and someone that has seen so much happen in his life in a bad situation at home, touched by this message. It really was a great experience and I´m glad that I was blessed to have it. He´s doing really well right now and we´re hoping we can meet with his family next time and get them more involved so he can have support coming to Church and everything.

 

A picture from the Christmas party we had with the Sandival Family which is one of the families that we´re working with right now. They´re awesome, and the party was fun. Started two hours late cause we´re on "Dominican time" over here but it was still legit.

I just want to say that this Christmas was the best Christmas I´ve had in my life. Not because of the gifts I recieved. Not because of the snowboarding trips, hot cocoa, hoodies, and family - even though I miss all of that. It´s because I was truly focused on the meaning of Christmas and I was serving others the best I knew how. And really, to me, that´s the point. That´s why we celebrate Christmas. To give to others. To help those that don´t have as much in any way we can. I´m grateful for the sacrifice Jesus Christ did for me. And I´m grateful for the time that we have to celebrate the birth of him and all that he did for us. I hope everyone has an AWESOME NEW YEAR. It´s crazy to think that it´s already 2015. But yeah, enjoy it and I love all of you.

 

Tgraff, I mean Elder Graff, signing out from La Republica Dominicana until Monday. Have a great week.

Elder J. Taylor Graff