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 14 de Septiembre

another change has come and gone, which marks me at eight months in the mission. this change i will go over the hill, and i have mixed feelings about it all!

a big success... we brough eight people to church yesterday! exceeding the normas, people! whatcha gonna do.... when they come... the missionaries!

a tender mercy... wednesday we went adventuring into the extremities (sp!?) of our area, looking for less actives. we found one... reading his scriptures. it touched my heart to see him, and when we called "buenas!" (their greeting here), looked at us, and proceeded to get all teary eyed. he's been a member for more than fifteen years, and has been less active for almost a year. he has a strong testimony, but has had some unfortunate things happen in his life that have pulled him away from the church. it was raining wednesday, we got lost in a bus, and almost left zone boundaries in the search, but the lord knew that hermano carlos needed our visit. just another testimony that it all works out for the best. even if you scare your junior companion into thinking that we have to walk more than five kilometers back into granada...

we had a lot of fun doing each other's hair one night while we were waiting for dinner. i'll give you a hint, this is a man. (a gay man, but a man.)

oh to have his hair....

some favorite people... we had the opportunity to work with our zone leader and his two children.   we visited karla, and her son jose, and had a lot of fun watching the little two year old wash the dirty clothes in the dirt... mom and grandma have taught him well! (this picture didn't load)

a goal this week, walk without killing myself. last sunday night i tripped while having a foot race with a couple of investigators. at first, i treated it like any other wound, making sure that it was clean and i put some antibacterial cream on it and everything. needless to say, tuesday it was all oozy and pussy and we ended up having to call the nurse. a hydrogen peroxide torture wash later and a week of the same treatment, it has stopped oozing and i am able to have full flexibility again. it still hurts, but there we are! (picture didn't load)

a favorite scripture... 1 corithians 3. one of the councils that our zone leader gave us is that we need to make sure that we are feeding our investigators the milk first, and slowly adding in the meat. i read this chapter in my studies today and finally understood what he meant. i know that i was called to this area for a reason, and i have learned some valuable lessons here, now to just find out what it all boils down to.

this week we have changes, and prayers that nothing happens. i know that everything happens for a reason, and if we have faith in the lord's timing, everything will work out for the best.

hermana graves