I hope you're all doing well and that you had a great week. Thank you all so much for your emails. I promise I read every single one and love them!!! But I usually run out of time to respond. So sorry! I will respond as soon as possible I PROMISE. I love you all and you're the best!
So this past week, we had one of the most amazing opportunities of my life. Okay well this mission is the most amazing opportunity of my life, but we had an especially spiritual and powerful experience here. On Thursday, we had the opporunity to go to the capital and attend a conference with Elder Jeffrey R. Holland. He is an Apostle from the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles and he is an amazing amazing man. He testifies of Jesus Christ with such power and conviction, and he has a special love for missionary work. We woke up at 3am, got ready and took a gwagwa from Vicente Noble to Santo Domingo. It was an historic thing for the mission because all 200+ missionaries were all there in the same capilla. That NEVER happens. Missionaries got to reunite with old companions and it was just super special. We had the opportunity to hear from Elder Zivic from the Seventy and his wife, and also from Elder Holland himself. Even more amazingly, we all (all 200+ of us) got to meet him personally. This was not planned at all but when he walked in, our President announced that he wanted to meet us all. My companion Hermana Johnson led the music so we got to sit in the very first row and were the first missionaries to go up and meet him. Hermana Johnson went and I followed, saying my name and where I was from and shaking his hand. Even more special, was to sit back down and then watch up close as he greeted every other missionary of the Santo Domingo West Mission. He looked each and every one of us in the eye and I truly cant describe the spirit that was felt. He had such love with every single person, a true disciple of Christ.
Elder Holland had a powerful and direct message of the importance of missionary work and the impact it can have on not only our lives but the lives of those we teach as well. He explained the impact that his own mission has had on his life and the importance of treasuring and utilizing every moment. I can't believe I have already been here for almost 3 months and time has seriously flown by. This 18 months is such a short concentrated time to serve the Lord with my whole heart. Its such a sacred calling and responsibility and I am just super grateful to be able to have these experiences and represent Jesus Christ. This is no small thing and I was just overwhelmed by the blessing that this mission is. Elder Holland was so personal as he taught and asked questions. I could see just how important missionary work is to him and his desire to ensure that we all make the most of this time. He then spoke on the power and divinity of the Book of Mormon. It is the evidence of the Restoration through Joseph Smith, but more importantly it testifies of Christ. He said ¨It is a book endowed with the power of the Spirit.¨ The Book of Mormon is such an important and powerful book. Elder Holland explained that he has read it close to 100 times and has a more profound experience each time. There are very few book he has read more than once or twice, but the Book of Mormon he has read over and over. It was so great to be reminded of the power of this book. I can honestly say that the Book of Mormon has had such a profound impact on my life. Its really the foundation of my testimony and the reason I am here now. Each time I read it, I can feel closer to Heavenly Father and I can feel the Spirit testifying that these things are true.
It was amazing because when we got back from the conference, we had a lesson with a menos activo. He used to be President of the Rama here but is now inactive. We had a different lesson planned, but decided to just talk about our experience with Elder Holland and share some of what he said. We spoke of the importance of this book and how he can recover some of what he has lost by really reading it every day. Hermana Johnson shared a really strong testimony and then I had the opportunity to testify and share why this book is so important to me. I explained that I had been less active for several years just like him. I really clearly just said ¨Porque esto libo, estoy aqui ahora con usted.¨ This book is the reason why I'm here. It has gotten me to where I am today and its fundamental to the things I know and the relationship I have with my Father in Heaven and my Savior Jesus Christ. What other book has the power to have such a significant impact on one's life.
Our mission president has given us the assignment to read through the whole Book of Mormon in 100 days. To read a fresh unmarked copy from the beginning another time and mark it for a specific purpose. I invite you all as well to join me for this challenge. Its about 6.5 pages a day and we're starting today! I know it will bless your life!
Okay more things happened this week but these things were especially noteworthy. It was an amazing week and Im so blessed to be here with these people and to be in the service of Jesus Christ.
I hope you all have a great week. You continue in my prayers.
Thanks for everything!
CON AMOR,
Hermana Graham
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