Villa Agricola 2 - 6mo / Small Miracles

Villa Agricola 2 - Six Months and Small Miracles

Hey everybody, I hope things are going well and that you´re all happy and enjoying life with family and friends.

 

Well, today marks six months since the day I left Arizona for the Domincan Republic. I´ve been a missionary of the church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints for almost two hundred days. It´s a long time. But really, it´s passed by in the blink of an eye. So much has happened in this short time it still amazes me to think about it. 

Elder Alva and I today at Sambil (the biggest mall in the DR), waiting for the other missionaries to arrive to eat.

The fact that I´ve learned to speak Spanish sufficiently enough to talk with everyone here only 6 months out in the field, miracle. The amount my testimony of the Church has grown and how much I´ve come to love this Gospel and sharing it with others, another miracle. How much I´ve developed positively as a person and the attributes I´ve grown out here as well as how physically blessed I´ve been in a country full of disease and sickness, another small miracle. 

I´ve really come to realize how much God is involved in our lives out in the mission. Every day as a missionary, you really see little miracles from God. If you´re working hard, being obedient, and having fun, there really is no other place better than where you're called and where you serve as a missionary of our Savior, Jesus Christ. I absolutely love it.

I´ve really come to love this area these past couple of days. As I said in my last letter, adjusting to the differences here and leaving everyone I knew was hard for me. But through a lot of prayer and help from God, Elder Alva and I really are turning this area around. We´re basically blanking the area - which means that we´re starting brand new and we both don´t have too much time knowing Villa Agricola. He has a month and I have a week and a half. So we didn´t really start with much. But over these past couple of days, we´ve found some truly blessed and prepared people for this message. 

All the missionaries that came to Sambil. We had some Johnny Rockets, looked around a little bit and we were planning on going to the aquarium but it was closed. But it was still awesome. Saw a lot of things I hadn't seen for a solid 6 months - and heard a ton of new American songs (which made me miss music a ton but it´s all good cause we got MOTAB).

We´re really hoping for some great things to happen these next couple of weeks. We´re working hard with a couple that has been taking the lessons from the missionaries for 6 years. They aren´t married and the husband, Frank, has really been having some struggles with his testimony and has been less involved. But we´ve really strengthened the relationship he has with God and he told us that he finally wants to start taking the steps to marriage with his wife and soon in the future. So they´re going to get the birth certificate of their son and we´re going to be setting a date for their marriage hopefully in these next two weeks. 

We´re working hard and we have a lot of people with great potential now. We just got to keep up with it and do everything we can to bless this area.

I love you all and I´m grateful for each and every single one of you and your influence in my life.

Until next Monday,

Elder Graff

Jacob 7:26 "The time passed away with us and also our lives passed away like as it were unto us a dream"

Villa Agricola 1 - Transfer Week

Villa Agricola 1 - Transfer Week

Hey fam -

 

I hope you all had a great week and are enjoying yourselves during Spring Break and everything that's going on right now.  I'm not going to lie and say this week was amazing and full of success because it really wasn't. It probably was the hardest week that I've had in the mission. 

One of my favorite kids in the old ward in Boca Chica, Esmerling, that came by before his school started to say goodbye.

First off, I left my first area, Boca Chica, on Tuesday. Monday night after Internet, I spent the entire night saying goodbye to members and the converts and investigators I had. It was a night when I definitely could have used a couple Kleenexes and some ice cream with a chick flick to say the least. It was probably one of the most emotionally difficult things I've done, to leave that area. To leave behind an area that my two companions and I helped build through hard work and God's help. We had so many great people we were teaching, the support and love from the ward, and everything was just really starting to settle in when I got the call that I was getting transferred. The people that I met and know now in Boca Chica will forever have a place in my heart. The humility of the members and people in that area really taught me a lot about the things that are really important in life and I have memories I will never forget.

 

 

Elder Alva, my new companion, and I. We took this picture about an hour and a half ago before we left for internet because we realized we didn't have any pictures together hahaha. He's from Peru and has 10 months in the mission. He's a character but he's really funny and loves dogs a little too much. 

Tuesday morning, I arrived here in Villa Agricola in the capital. The capital is a lot different than Boca Chica. It's the first time since the MTC where I've actually been around big buildings and nice houses. It's a lot like America but everything is in Spanish and there are stray dogs scattering the streets. The first day was rough because the people here just aren't as open and humble as the people in Boca Chica. They're well off and a lot of the people living here don't have time or don't want to hear about God. It's tough. But I know I was called here for a reason and that with hard work we can do miracles here.

But during this week when I was kind of struggling and having a little bit of pessimistic thoughts about the area, I really was praying and asking Heavenly Father for help. And the help came on Thursday night, when I found the book "As a Man Thinketh" that Papa Black (Bryant Black's dad) gave me. It's a small book about how we think is strongly correlated with success and our attitude in life. I stumbled upon this scripture in the book that changed my thinking and feelings about being transferred to this area that is Proverbs 23:7 which reads:

"Because how a man thinketh in his heart, so is he."

It's very short and doesn't really seem like much, but it really hit me: my feelings, my attitude, and everything negative that happened this week really came from how I felt in my heart. I realized that I need to forget the things I've heard about this area and just lose myself in the service and teaching of the people here. It's difficult and won't be easy but I know that I'm here for a reason and that I have something to do here.

 

A couple elders in my zone in the Chinese restaurant where we ate today. Probably the first time since I left the MTC where I ate a relatively "fancy" or normal meal. There's a lot of nice restaurants here in the capital so that's definitely a plus about living here on Pdays. The one on the left is Elder Jeffers. He's the only missionary serving from his entire country. He's from an island called St. Kits and he was baptized a year ago. He put in his papers immediately after he was baptized so he could leave because he's already 26. He's legit.

I hope this week I can have a better experience and learn what it is I need to do here and why I'm assigned to this area. I love you all and hope you have a great week.

 

And sorry for the limited pictures, I don't carry my camera on me anymore because in addition to this area being one of the richest in the mission in parts, it's also very poor and dangerous in the streets in parts so we're encouraged to leave our things of value at the house. But I'll try and get in some pictures here and there to send.

Till next time,

Elder Graff

 

"Dreams are the seedlings of realities" - "As a Man Thinketh"

Boca Chica 17 - Leaving Boca Chica

Boca Chica 17 - Leaving Boca Chica

So this week we received transfer calls and I´m getting transferred from Boca Chica. I leave tomorrow in the morning for an area in the middle of the capital called Villa Agricula. I´ve heard great things from other missionaries about the area and I´m moving into a house with all Latinos so looks like God is trying to tell me that my Spanish is still awful - and even though I´ve been out here for almost six months now - that I still have a lot of room to improve haha.

 

But this week was great for Elder Mendez and I. We had a lot of great lessons and I´m really sad I have to leave Boca Chica because the ward is really helping us out a lot with finding more families to teach and we have a ton of people we´re teaching that I´m really close to so it will be really hard to say goodbye.

 Elder Mendez and I at Martin's baptism

Martin was definitely our focus the majority of this week though, making sure he was prepared for his baptism and that everything was still ok with his situation spiritually. But he did great all week and on Saturday we had his baptismal service. A lot of the ward showed up to support him which really made us happy because his whole family lives in the United States and he lives alone here. So to have that kind of support and love from the church really meant a lot to him. It was a really spiritual experience and it was such a great time talking with him after in a lesson at his house about how he felt and what his goals for the future with the church are. He told us that he wants his family in the US to take the missionary discussions, so he´s going to call them and Elder Mendez and the other elder that is coming will work with him on that. But it´s always cool to see the change this gospel brings into the lives of those that embrace it and change and how excited they are to share it with others.

Another picture of us with Martin but with Maria also. She´s going to be getting a calling in the church I believe this next week and she´s preparing to go to the temple this next month to do baptisms for the dead. Over these past two weeks since her baptism, it´s amazed me how fast she´s progressing still and how much love she has for the church. It´s going to be hard to say goodbye to her and her family. 

Over these past couple days I´ve really been thinking a lot about the mission. About what it is exactly we do as missionaries, about all the things I´ve done and how I´ve changed over these past five months and with a lot of the experiences I´ve had and the things I´ve seen, I´ve come to realize that we really don´t do anything special. Sure, we´re missionaries that are called to preach the gospel 24 hours a day 7 days a week. But without the Spirit to guide us and without the help of God, this work and these two years wouldn´t be nearly as successful or beneficial. Just thinking about Martin and how what started his conversion to the gospel was a contact on the street. An impression of the Spirit, which really at the time was just a random thought that came to me in that moment that I needed to play guitar with him. It´s all God. God guides us. God prepares the people where we were sent to teach for us to help. Like it says it Alma Chp 24 verse 27 in the Book of Mormon that "God works through many ways for the salvation of his people". Those "many ways" may be a visit to someone that you feel is in need. It may be a smile you give to someone that´s having the roughest day. It may be being a friend to someone that doesn´t have many. 

 

We all can make a difference in people´s lives. We just have to be ready in the moment when the time comes to do it. I know this church is true and that God lives and I hope you´re all doing great.

Elder J. Taylor Graff

 

Matthew 4:19 "And he said unto them: Come unto me, and I will make you fishers of men."

 

 

Boca Chica 16B - March Madness

Boca Chica 16B - March Madness

Hey everybody happy belated Valentine´s Day and month of March Madness. Hope that you´re all having a wonderful time with your families and friends and that everything in life is going good.

Running in the rainstorm last Saturday to the chapel trying to get everything set up for the baptism of Maria. One of the only things in English my companion knows how to say is "Let´s take a selfie" so that´s what we did hahaha.

 

This week was another great week in Boca Chica. On Thursday, we had interviews with President Corbitt, the president of our mission and they were awesome. It´s really a great experience to talk with a man as talented and inspired as he is for advice, guidance, and just motivation as a missionary.

 

Picture with my "dad" Elder Tate, one of the sisters in our ward, Maria, and Elder Mendez at the baptisimal service.

 

Other than that, we had a very successful but overall normal week. On Tuesday, we did service for one of our investigators, Martin. He´s the one that we contacted when he was playing guitar. He´s doing awesome but anyways we helped him dig a hole. I know sounds really exciting and not very hard, but the thing is it´s a hole dug in concrete, not dirt. So we had these really ghetto ice picks and a wheelbarrow and we basically just helped him chip off a ton more of the rock and cement and carry it all into a huge pile down the street. It really made me realize how out of shape I am out here when I woke up the next day sore - literally everywhere in my body - but hey, he gave us some fresh fruit and smoothies after so I´m not complaining.  

 

We also went over some of the things we needed to for his baptism interview that were having tomorrow and he´s ready as can be. It´s really cool to see how he´s changed as a man and just the things he´s doing differently now since he started coming to church and accepting the gospel. He showed up yesterday to church shaved and with a tie; two things you don´t see on this man ever is a clean face or any clothes even close to fancy. But we had his announcement in church for his baptism and we´re really hoping that everything goes smoothly and that it´s a great day.

 

Martin serenading us after the service project with all the bachata and salsa he knows on guitar. Needless to say I was a little trunky considering the fact I haven´t played guitar for more than 5 minutes since I got here but you better believe I´m learning all the spanish songs when I get back.

Btw while this picture is loading I´ll leave with you guys a couple good hispanic artists if you guys are interested:  Fran Reyes, Anna Gabrielle, Mana, Paulina Ruyo, Jesse y Joy, Rey, Enrique Iglesias (and not just "bailando" - that was on the radio 24 7 before I left)

Life here is good and I´m just grateful for every day more I have to be a missionary. I already have 5 months here in the Dominican Republic which is crazy. It feels like just yesterday I got here and now I´m already pretty adjusted to seeing the things I see every day here. We´re working hard and the blessings are showing for it. I hope that everything is going well with all of you and that you all have a great week. 

Elder J. Taylor Graff

 

"And Jesus said, No one that puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for the kingdom of God" - Lucas 9 62

Boca Chica 16 - Handwritten Letter

Boca Chica 16 - Handwritten Letter

This is a letter that Taylor wrote home last week to the family.  When we emailed back and forth, he said that we could share it on his Twitter and Blog for other friends and extended family.  We really like the interesting insights into his daily experience.  Hope you enjoy:

 

 

 

Boca Chica 15 - God Works Miracles

God Works Miracles!

So this week was one of those weeks that makes all of the hard times in the mission - or times when things just aren´t going your way - worth it.
 

Maria de la Cruz was baptized on Saturday. Let me tell you, it wasn´t just a normal, peaceful, stress-free day. It was really, really stressful. First off, it was DUMPING rain all day long. It hasn´t rained in a while here and the people were really scared because they need the rain to survive. So their prayers were answered on Saturday, the day of the baptism. We had to clean up the baptismal font and make sure everything was in order and still get in teaching the lessons we had for the day. Some problems at the church made it hard to clean and fill the font too so that added to the stress of it all. But at 430, when my old comp or "dad" Elder Tate arrived to see the baptism we had it all figured out .  And so, "mojado hasta los huesos" (or completely soaked), we went back to the house to change and get ready. It was so awesome to see my old companion Elder Tate and it was really cool that the President gave permission for him to come back to see her baptism.
 

The baptism was an amazing experience. One of the most spiritually-edifying things I´ve had the pleasure to be a part of on the mission. Elder Tate gave a great talk on how God can change us and one of the sisters gave a really spiritual thought on baptism. And then I actually sang a solo, or kind of.   Maria had asked me before the baptism if I would be able to sing at her baptism, because we always sing a hymn to start off the lessons (at least we do with everyone we are comfortable teaching and where we have had a little time together, 'cause it´s a little awkward doing it when out contacting).  Anyway, she wanted me to sing. And so she picked the song "I Need Thee Every Hour". So I started to sing, and then the whole ward that was there just started singing along. It was awesome. Even though I didn´t really sing a solo, I´m glad I didn´t do it alone because the Spirit was way stronger with us singing together. But anyways, the baptism went great and it was another amazing thing to see her receive the gift of the Holy Ghost on Sunday.
 

But with all of this happening, it´s really made me think and ponder on how God works. In the mission, I´ve had people that we've been teaching and that I thought were golden. People that had a perfect situation to become a member of the church. And then I´ve had others that were in tougher situations. And it has really surprised me who progresses. It really doesn´t have a correlation hardly at all with the starting situation of the person. It´s all about the Will of God. God has sent me here to affect the people I need to through the Spirit that we have as missionaries. Like it says in Luke 1:37 "through God, nothing is impossible." And it´s true. Everyone can change. Everyone is a Son or Daughter of God. And it doesn´t matter where someone lives, what race they are, or where they might be in their lives when they first hear this message, everyone can change. I know this message and church is true and I´m grateful for the influence of it in my life.
 

Also, if everybody could have a prayer in their hearts for my wonderful grandmother Raelene Brown who is battling with a difficult situation right now, that´d mean the absolute world to me. I love you Grandma and you´re loved and prayed for by many every day.

Elder J. Taylor Graff

 

 

P.S. -- I don't have time to send any pictures this week because we have to be back in the house in 5 min but I will send a lot next week. This place is really dangerous too for sending them 'cause it has a ton of viruses and pics get erased really easy here so just know that I love you guys and that Grandma will be in my prayers daily and in my thoughts and heart always.

Your Dominican Son,

Elder J. Taylor Graff

 

 

Boca Chica 14 - Happy Birhday Momma Bear!

Boca Chica 14 - Happy Birhday Momma Bear!  

So first off to start off my big group email for this week, I want to give a HUGE shout out to my mom today, on the 16th of February, for her birthday!! She's turning 25 today (or something like that) so if you see her in these next few days, give her a huge hug from her Dominican son for me ok? I LOVE YOU MOM.

A picture of all the elders that live in our house when we were at the church activity on Wednesday.

So this week went really well over in Boca Chica. We were super busy and it was hard to get everything in with everything that was going on but we had a great week.

 

First off, Maria and German got married. We went to the marriage office out in the depths of Boca Chica on Wednesday with them and all her sons to see the marriage. It was such an awesome experience and I got to sign the witness testament and marriage papers which was AWESOME. It was just so cool to see how happy her sons were and the entire family. It was an experience that I'll never forget. Then, on Friday Maria had her baptismal interview so the zone leaders had to come down from their area to do it and they told us she was ready so that was another great day.

 Maria and German the day of the wedding in the office laughing at some joke that I probably didn't get cause it was in Spanish

My sig on a legal document in the DR which is pretty legit. 

Saturday, Elder Mendez and I had to leave our area for a baptismal interview in the morning for the zone leaders and then that night we had the celebration of the marriage at the church. THE CELEBRATION WAS LEGIT!!!! The whole ward helped to set it up and her entire family tree basically came to the event. It was set up perfectly and it was just such a great night. She's planning on getting baptized in 5 days and we're just working with her and her family to make sure she's ready and that we can get as much of her family to be there as possible.

 The set up of the wedding celebration and I was SUPRISED when I saw how good the decorations were. The members in our ward are awesome and we're going to try and make brownies with the "oven" we have to thank them haha.

THE CAKE. Looked a lot better than it tasted, but it was still the best cake I've tried here in the DR to date.  The DR doesn't exactly have Coldstone or a professional bakery on deck.

But other than that, things are going pretty regularly here. We're finding a lot of other people and we talked to two families this week that both say their going to come to the baptism.  We're really hoping we can use this upcoming Saturday with Maria as an opportunity to find other people to teach.

 

My last half of my letter I want to dedicate to my mother. During these last few days in my studies in the scriptures, I've really been focusing on the subject of family and the home. I know it's kind of weird I guess for an 18 year old kid to be focusing on that stuff this early but just with everything going on with Maria and her family and my moms birthday I've really been focused on that. And I found a story and a scripture that i want to share real quick. The first one is in Alma 57 in the Book of Mormon. In this chapter, 2000 kids or the sons of Helaman are preparing to tear it up in a war to defend their homes and lands. But they aren't nervous at all. For me that kind of shocked me how they could be so calm before they are about to lay down their lives at such a young age. But in verse 21, I found out why they were so focused and not afraid.

This verse is happening during the middle of the war and it says "Yea, and they did obey and observe to perform every word of command with exactness; yea, and even according to their faith it was done unto them; and I did remember the words which they said unto me that THEIR MOTHERS HAD TAUGHT THEM"

The reason they had so much confidence going into battle is because they'd be taught and prepared for what they were going into since they were born. Through strong parents and a good home, they developed the kind of skills and confidence necessary for what they were about to do. And it's true. If we listen to the things our parents tell and teach us and try our best to do everything "with exactness" unto the Lord, we'll be blessed. And even though we might have tough times, we'll be strong enough to live through those tough times and receive the blessings of our trials.

A HUGE rain storm hit Boca Chica for about 2 hours and the streets were literally lakes.

It was awesome

I'm so grateful for the family and the blessings this Gospel has brought to my life and the lives of the people I'm teaching here in the DR.   I love you guys and hope you're all doing good and that you're enjoying life in the Red White and Blue.

Cuidense mucho,

Elder J. Taylor Graff

D&C 88:119 "Organize yourselves; prepare every needful thing; and establish a house, even a house of prayer, a house of fasting, a house of faith, a house of learning, a house of glory, a house of order, a house of God."