Santo Domingo (Las Americas - Maria Auxiliadora) 3 - Faith and Opposition

Santo Domingo (Las Americas - Maria Auxiliadora) 3 -  Faith and Opposition

A jam packed week. 

At the computer today, and I'm honestly just struggling to keep my eyes open haha. 

Lots of meetings, getting birth certificates so that families in the mission can get married, and working with the missionaries to help with the goal that God has placed in the mission that every companionship is able to baptize in the month of April. When I started the mission, that would've been something crazy to say. But with the changes we've made and the raised faith that us as missionaries seem to have, everyone trusts and confides in God that he'll make it happen. And I know we'll be able to reach the goal. Tons of phone calls and long car rides out to struggling areas, but it's all worth it. And I'm grateful to my Heavenly Father for all that I'm learning here in my new area.

Picture of me with the boys (aka my comps Elder Guzman and Elder Anderson). 

We're also having some really cool experiences in our own area. We were actually struggling at the start of the month to find the right and prepared people to enter into the waters of baptism. With the lack of time we have in our own area, it's a bit difficult sometimes. But with some detailed planning and help from the Lord, we've found some really humble and receptive people. We had a 19 yr old teenager named Hellen that was animated and ready but then her excitement fell for the lack of her mom's permission. But then we were able to, with that difficulty, focus MORE on the whole family and now the father of the family has a baptismal date for this Saturday! It was really cool.

We were also teaching a guy named Miguel who is a baseball player but had trouble going to church on Sunday for his practices and because that was the day the scouts were able to see him play. I shared my experience with a varsity tournament I had as a sophomore and my decision to keep the Sabbath Day Holy and how God helped me make the team that very next year and pitch a supernatural game the day before on Saturday. The spirit was REALLY strong and he seemed dedicated in his decision to go to church. But for some changes in beliefs with his family, he told us that he doesn't want us to visit him anymore. But that opposition then led us to a reference right next door, her husband and 15 year old boy - that are coming to church this Sunday. And we can say with confidence that we did all we could to help Miguel and that he cannot deny that we didn't teach him and help him come to know of the true Gospel of Christ.

We went to a place called "Chef Pepper" (don't know if its new back home or what) for our P-day and it was AMAZING......I'm talking one of the best burgers I've ever had in my entire life.

I've seen more opposition in the mission work this transfer than in all my mission combined I would say. And that's because "the man downstairs" doesn't want these miracles to occur. But if we keep looking forward with pure hope and faith in Christ, we'll see the course of this work SPEED up and God will be able to do the work he needs to through us.

I know this Church is true and that we are all missionaries. It falls on us to decide what we want to do to share the beautiful message we've come to know and love.

Elder Graff

2 Nephi 2:11 - For it must needs be, that there is an opposition in all things.