Santo Domingo (Las Americas - Maria Auxiliadora) 4 - Miracles

Santo Domingo (Las Americas - Maria Auxiliadora) 4 - Miracles

The Noche Blanca that we had in Las Americas! Really cool.

Jumping Picture  --- Success!!   (see Jumping Picture Fail posted below!) 

The mission turns weeks into days. Each week keeps passing by faster every time. I remember in Boca Chica how the moments when I would see a plane or people would ask me how much time I had left in the mission, the mission seemed like it would last an eternity. And it's disappearing right before my eyes now. I know it will be gone before I know it. I can't sleep some nights understanding the pace the mission is undertaking now. But what keeps me moving on and working hard is that I have so much more to do in the months ahead of me. 

And I'm in the most beautiful time of it all!

Jorge's Baptism

Jorge with the Bishop of Maria Auxiliadora

With so many miracles and help from our Heavenly Father, it's really difficult for me sometimes to write home about the success and sweet moments we've seen. The experiences and feelings a full time missionary has during solely one week out in the "mission field" can't be described through a computer. It reaches so much deeper than that. We've seen the hand of God in our area and in the mission. With the goal we have as I wrote in my last letter, we're seeing a lot of opposition. But the good is winning. Yeah, there are areas that are fighting and working until they have nothing left just to find the people ready for baptism this month. But we're seeing it all unfold and it's certain that we'll reach our goal. Jorge, the father of Hellen was baptized on Saturday night. The man made some SACRIFICES. He left his job about an hour away, during an excursion and super important camp for the rehab patients he works with, and traveled all the way to Santo Domingo with only a special permission hour free that he had for his baptism.

He arrived 30 minutes late because of traffic and it was a bit stressful, but it was a really spiritual night. Just knowing how much he had to give up and figure out in his life, and how quickly he became converted, not doubting, to the Gospel of Christ amazes me. He'll be a great influence in his family and we'll do everything we can to help the rest of his family become members of the church.

Super-sweet pillar painting

Pic for the birthday of "THE GUZMEISTER" or better known as "Sabor Nicaraguense", Elder Guzman. 

The mission work is awesome. The Domincan Republic is awesome. God and his church is awesome.  Here's to the last week of April and another 7 days of "game time" here in the mission!

I love you all and hope you have a great time with family and in all the things going on in life.

Elder Graff 

Alma 5: 16-21

16 I say unto you, can you imagine to yourselves that ye hear the voice of the Lord, saying unto you, in that day: Come unto me ye blessed, for behold, your works have been the works of righteousness upon the face of the earth?

17 Or do ye imagine to yourselves that ye can lie unto the Lord in that day, and say- Lord, our works have been righteous works upon the face of the earth- and that he will save you?

18 Or otherwise can ye imagine yourselves brought before the tribunal of God with your souls filled with guilt and remorse, having a remembrance of all your guilt, yea, a perfect remembrance of all your wickedness, yea a remembrance that ye have set at defiance the commandments of God?

19 I say unto you, can ye look up to God at that day with a pure heart and clean hands? I say unto you, can you look up, having the image of God engraven upon your countenances?

20 I say unto you, can ye think of being saved when you have yielded yourselves to become subjects to the devil?

21 I say unto you, ye will know at that day that ye cannot be saved; for there can no man be saved except his garments are washed white; yea, his garments must be purified until they are cleansed from all stain, through the blood of him of whom it has been spoken by our fathers, who should come to redeem his people from their sins. 

Even Christ, the Lord.

NOTE: (Several of the following pictures from Taylor that he sent in this last email may represent prior areas, baptisms and companions.  You may recall that there was a time when Taylor's camera wasn't working so well or that his companions had the pictures.  He was able to track down a few of those older pictures and they are here included.  Hope you enjoy!  --- Laura and Jordan)

Jumping Picture FAIL - (see Jumping Picture - SUCCESS posted above)

Picture of Waldos baptism in Los Molinos (the son of Yokasta, who Elder Searle and I were teaching). SPIRITUAL service. Yokasta was so happy and they're just such a cool family.

Elder Searle and I w the "fam bam"

Anell!!!! Amazing guy from Haiti. He doesn't speak too much Spanish but a returned missionary named Benaut helped us out because he speaks fluent Creole. I actually learned how to read Creole in Los Molinos because there were a lot of people from Haiti. Working on speaking it still, but it's a super difficult language in my opinion haha. 

The whole family including the mother Greseldi that was inactive but now part of the whole family in the Gospel. Probably one of my favorite families of the mission. Together with Angelina, a recent convert as well from Los Molinos. 

Dashmin!!! Also another 18 year old from Haiti. He had a hard home life. We found him skateboarding actually when I was with Elder Lopez on an "intercambio". Elder Lopez skates so we contacted him with a 360 trey flip hahaha. Awesome to say the least. He was interested and we started teaching him. We had a baptisimal date for about a month and a half from the time we taught him because we thought with the language barrier it was going to take a bit longer to prepare him. Then, he saw a baptism in Los Molinos and he himself decided he wanted to get baptized in the Noche Blanca. When he told us, we were a bit surprised. But turns out, that God, as always, had prepared him long before we arrived. He's doing AMAZING. Wanting to prepare to go on a mission from what I heard from Elder Richards. Tough with the bad influences in his family. But the light he has far outweighs the dark.

FAMILIA HERNANDEZ!!!! From Los Molinos finally I have the pictures. Elder Searle sent them to me!    (see Jumping Pic - SUCCESS posted above)

Baptism of Yokasta! Her son cracks me up with photos. He HATES photos hahaha. Reminds me of when Mom and Dad made us always stay for like a billion photos. 

The baptism of Dolores. Interesting story about her actually. Her husband, shown in the photo, and her were having some problems because of her "stubbornness" about accepting the Gospel. Things got worse and they separated. She really had bad feelings towards the church and everything. Well, when she meets us, she had a dream that testified to her that this was indeed the true church.  She finally got baptized -- for her own testimony -- and things got fixed between her and her husband. They now have a goal to get married in the temple. God works miracles.