el 5 de octubre

this week was a little bit, actually a lot bit, crazy. getting everyone geared up for general conference is a lot harder than it would appear because of the shear amount of people that it requires to have commited in order to complete with high goals... lots of people commited to something, means lots of people ready to go come time to go. the goal was to bring twelve people to general conference and be in attendance in each session. it was a goal that didn't quite get to completion, but we're working on it.... 

a great big success: my companion didn't die. let me preface: she has a very large fear of dogs... like ignormous (forgive the spelling). thursday while contacting a house, it all went down like a slow motion horror movie. i said "buenas," the dogs came running at the fence, i pushed the one door shut, and they came running out the side door. they saw my companion and one bit her. she looked at me horrified, and scream "me murdio! me murdio!" needless to say, i then had a companion in shock and no idea what to do. thanks to some phone calls to some leaders, it all became surreal and now she's on antibotics and pain relief in the hopes that nothing more happens. thank goodness the tooth only broke the first layer of skin and caused some internal bruising, but it's not looking too bad. 

a tender mercy: bringing six nonmembers and three less actives to hear the words of a living prophet. general conference has always been a great experience for me to hear and receive personal revelation and it's a great opportunity to listen to the Church leaders give us council and guidance. even more so when you have a specific question in mind. i encourage everyone to go back and listen to the talks that you didn't get to hear/watch, and take notes as if you were watching it for the first time. watch the wonderful tender mercies come as the answers you were searching unfold. 

my favorite person: 

efrain. this little chavalo  is a blessing from heaven. he believes in being punctual, so he shows up early to everything. he enjoys looking like others, so he wears his school uniform and a tie to church. he is only twelve, so we are working on reading andstudying the scripture still, but he wants to do that too. he is a great example to me of what a dedicated member should be, even if your family isn't supportive of you, and even if the church building is a half hour walk away (about 2km). there is safety for the soul that is obedient.

doctrine and covenants 9:13-14

::Do this thing which I have commanded you, and you shall prosper. Be faithful, and yield to no temptation. Stand fast in the work wherewith I have called you, and a hair of your head shall not be lost, and you shall be lifted up at the last day. Amen.::

there are mighty blessings promised to those who will be obedient to the things the lord has asked. we need not fear, nor fret over the things the lord has asked. he has prepared a way for all mankind to live with him one day. 

mosiah 2:22

behold, all that he requires of you is to keep his commandments; and he has promised you that if ye would keep his commandments ye should prosper in the land; and he never doth vary from that which he hath said; therefore, if ye do keep his commandments he doth bless you and prosper you.

with all my love,

hermana graves

el 21 de Septiembre

my biggest success this week... I GET TO KEEP MY HIJA! repeating I GET TO KEEP MY HIJA! that means i get six more weeks with this loca :)

a tender mercy.... being protected by the lord's hand. friday, saturday, and sunday nights are always a little sketchy here, because alcohol isn't as strictly regulated as to who can buy it. saturday night we were going to visit a recent convert, but we decided to pass by our scheduled appointment for that hour. she wasn't able to meet with us right then, so we passed by another recent convert who lives across the street. not fifteen minutes later, a fight broke out at the house of the first recent convert. needless to say, we would have been in the middle of some serious family problems and in some serious danger, but the lord really protects his servants. 

my favorite person continues to change, but this week, it would have to be miguelito. he is the nephew of the sister who cooks for us, and always likes to run out, give us a hug, and offer us "besitos." it's the closest i'll get to getting a kiss for ten more months, so i'll take it! 

a favorite scripture... for those of you looking for marriage council, direction, or just a good ol' new testament machete, look up 1 corithians 7. please read it with an open mind.... ;)

something interesting... it's called sopa de res or beef soup. it has large chunks of vegetables and a huge hunk of beef bone. it's interesting to say the least and extremely greasy...

a goal this week would have to be to find a whole slew of new investigators. the sister leaders have placed a goal with us to place four baptismal dates each day... that's 28 new investigators. here we go!

i'm looking forward to the women's general meeting of general conference. there begins the spiritual health surge that i need.

a new picture... my hair has been acting so beautifully lately... i don't know what to think!

because we didn't know what was going to happen tuesday, we had a photoshoot. justin is miguelito's brother and he's quite the little gangster. me, on the other hand, i try too hard.