Members Make the Difference!

Hola mi familia y mis amigos!!!

I hope that you all have had an awesome week!!!

This week has been an awesome wake-up call for how I can improve as a missionary.  Wednesday we had interviews with the Mission President and he was able to remind me about several things that will help me be able to make the most out of my mission.  There´s such an interesting concept in terms of how we apply ourselves.  When we work by faith and do the best and most we can, the Lord will bless us to receive the blessings and make the changes we need to progress.  When we apply ourselves, we open up our lives to receive more blessings of the Lord.Not just a missionary concept but a life concept!!

Anyway this week we´ve been working really hard to help our area and the people we are teaching.  We´re focusing a lot on working alongside the members.  This ward here in Independencia is so big and powerful.  Unlike the small rama we had in Vicente Noble, this ward has so many members with wonderful and powerful testimonies.  There´s just more support and resources than we had access to in the small pueblo.  Here there are so many great members who identify with the investigators and help a lot.  I told you all a few weeks ago about a couple that we are teaching.  They had a son pass away several months ago and still feel a lot of pain about it. Well we have been bringing a member with us over the last week and a half and it makes a huge difference.  This member also had a child pass away and she is able to give so much personal experience and say exactly what they need to hear.  She is able to share how the gospel has helped her find the peace.  Its amazing to see how much members truly make all the difference.

We also had an awesome experience Wednesday.  We did intercambios or companionship exchanges with members from the ward. I went our with one Hermana and Hermana Adams went out with another.  I didn't really know the member very well but we had an awesome experiences guided by the Spirit!  We went to visit a Menos activo family. A woman who we are mostly working with, but her 3 kids are also members.  Normally they dont come join us, especially her daughter.  Anyway we walk in and immediately this member I´m with goes and says hi to her daughter because they know each other.  I had no idea but this member is friends with them since back when they had been coming to church. Anyway we were able to share with the mom and also 2 of her kids. We talked about our baptismal covenant and what we have promised to do and the blessings God has promised us.  It was an awesome lesson and they all really listened as we reminded them of what is means to really keep this promise they´ve made with God through baptism. It was amazing and I felt so grateful to have seen the blessings of working with members. Truly, ALL THE DIFFERENCE!

All in all, it was a great week.  With each week, I´m getting more and more comfortable with the area and the members.  I know we are going to see some great progress and find a lot of awesome people. 

I love you all so much! Thanks for everything!

Con amor,

Hermana Graham

Small, Powerful Moments

Hola mi familia y mis amigos!

¿Pueden creerlo?  Ya yo tengo 7 meses en la misión y solamente falto menos de un año.  Es un poquito loco para pensar pero el tiempo esta pasando bien RÁPIDO.  Pero, estoy muy feliz y agradecida por el tiempo y las experiencias que he tenido en la misión hasta ahora.  

Anyway, we had a pretty solid week this past week!  We have been working a lot more with menos activos lately and have been able to see some great progress in several of them.  I'll tell you about a couple amazing lessons we had through during the week.  Anyway, I told you a few weeks ago about a new menos activa that we found who has been very prepared by the Lord.  Her long time boyfriend is not a member but has some interest.  We had an awesome Family Home Evening with the ward bishop.  He talked about the importance of family and how the gospel blesses our family relationships.  He told the amazing story of how we met his wife and joined the church.  He was so sweet and sincere as we described how we met his wife when they were both 13 years old.  They had a long process before they finally got together but he knew from a very young age.  Years later, she had the missionaries start visiting and teaching him the lessons.  He describes how he had interest but everything changed when they asked one question:  What would you think if you could be with this woman not only for this life but for eternity?  This man, who had wanted to be with her since they were 13, could not ignore that question.  He then listened to the missionaries with newfound interest and was eventually baptized.  They 2 sons served faithful missions and he is now the Bishop.  Anyway, as he told this story, the spirit was very special and our menos activo and her boyfriend listened very closely. It was special to hear to blessings of the gospel and how it can change and bless families.  

OKay I'm out of time but one more story very quickly.  Last night, hermana adams and I were out teaching people.  We passed for one family and they were not home.  We were talking on the street deciding where to go and finally decided to go see a recent convert who did not go to church yesterday,  We walk into her house and everything seems fine.  Then she quietly explained that her 17 year old cousin died that very morning and she didn't know what to do. It was such a special moment to have been prompted to go see her and help her in this time of difficulty. We immediately called the church leaders and organized for some Priesthood holders to come and give her a Priesthood blessing. There was little we could do to help her, but when we mentioned the blessing she looked at us with hope.  We sat with her until the Priesthood holders came and she said she could feel so much more peace afterward.  It was a very special moment to see and feel the power of the Priesthood.  I know that through this authority they have, they really did give her a blessing through the power of God.  It was a small moment of being guided by the spirit but made a huge difference for her.

Anyway the mission is great and I am so grateful for this amazing experiences to serve and be an instrument in the Lords hands.

CON MUCHO AMOR,

Hermana Graham

We can Progress!

Hola mi familia y amigos!!

I hope that you all have had a great week!

Things have been going well here in the DR!  Not a whole lot that is new but just the same awesome experiences that we get daily!  This has been the end of the transfer and my house is staying the same!  We already knew I´d be staying with Hermana Adams for another transfer because she is going home after this! Yep her last transfer in the mission.  Its interesting to be with someone who is so close to finishing and returning home.  Definitely a different perspective!!  Hermana Flint and Nava are staying here with us too!!

Anyway this week we were able to have several really awesome experiences with menos activos and also investigators.  One that stands out a lot was with one of our investigators.  We have been seeing him the whole time that I´ve been here.  He had shown a lot of interest in the Book of Mormon and had been taught about the Plan of Salvation before I got here.  Anway, I had been thinking for a while that we needed to try to get to know his family a lot better.  Sure enough, Tuesday we were able to talk to him and his wife also.  They lost a son several months back and she immediately started to ask questions about death and God´s plan.  It was so cool becuase she had actually shared with missionaries before and was almost baptized! He had no idea that she had done that before and she had no idea he was currently meeting with us!  It was such a powerful moment as we were allowed to meet with them both and answer some of their concerns and relieve some of their pain concerning their lost son.  In a very special moment, we were able to ask ¨Would you like to know where your son is now?¨ It was so humbling to be able to answer that question and explain that through the Gospel of Jesus Christ, we can see our loved ones again after this life.  I believe so strongly in the plan that Heavenly Father has for each and every one of us. I know that He looks after us each and every day and gives us opportunities to improve, feel peace and progress!  He has a perfect plan that allows us to return to live with Him again, and all is made possible through Jesus Christ!!

This morning I was reading a talk that was given to missionaries in the MTC. It talked about how we can reach our potential.  People can come into the mission and leave without really changing.  However, there are certain characteristics that accompany those who devote themselves completely and are able to truly change and become more like Christ.  There was an awesome part that I´d like to share that was talking about change.  He explained that in life, we are constantly changing.  We can make plans of what we want to do and who we want to be, but life is dynamic and we are constantly evolving.  He explained that each day, Heavenly Father gives us opportunities to either choose light or choose darkness.  We have the power each day to make decisions.  If this life is a set of stairs, we can either go up towards Heavenly Father, or we can go down towards our own natural man and the sadness of mistakes and sin.  But the amazing thing is that each day, no matter what, we can choose the better.  I know that one of the main reasons we´re here on earth is to learn and progress.  Christ came here to earth to show us the way and give us an example.  With Him, we can pick the path that leads to true happiness, self growth, and contentment.  Becoming better is a process of faith and we can all do it!

Anyway thank you all so much for your emails and support.  I am always so grateful!

Con mucho amor,

Hermana Graham

Love and Courage

Hola mi querida familia y amigos!!

How are you all doing???? I hope that everything is GREAT!

Thank you all for you emails! I hope you are able to get something out of my emails!

Anyway, this past week here in Independencia was good but also a bit of a struggle in a few ways.  Mostly just because we had several days when we didn't get to go out to work that much.  We went out for a few hours in the afternoon but not the full day like normal.  I was interesting to realize just how important the work is! Even though sometimes we have days that aren't as successful as others, its still better to be out in the streets talking to people and trying our best.  Its given me a new found excitement to work!  Doing nothing just feels like a waste!

Anyway one of the reasons why we didn't get to go out as much was because we had a special conference on Wednesday.  Once a year we have a conference for all the Hermana´s of the mission!  Yep all 50 or so of us all together!  It was absolutely amazing to be able to see everyone, especially all my old companions and those I lived with in Vicente Noble. It was a lot of loudness and excitement but also super spiritual.  All these amazing Hermanas here are truly great examples and such hard workers.  The theme of the conference was "Be Strong and of Good Courage".  We talked about the importance of courage and faith in missionary work.  There are great examples in the scriptures of people who were valiant and strong in defending their beliefs and completing what the Lord commanded them to do.  Very rarely are we asked to do something that puts us in physical danger or the risk of death.  Our obstacles are much smaller or different, but we can still have the positive and enduring attitude of faith and trusting in the Lord.  Its so important to work as hard as we can and rely on the Lord to help with the rest.  It also came to my attention that courage doesn't mean being perfect at things.  It means continuing on even with your weaknesses and shortcomings.  Truly though our faith, weak things can be made strong and the Lord will help us do what we must do.

Here is a video that they made with pictures and videos of all the Hermanas in the mission!!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xR9wLe4G9I0

Anyway, it was a great learning week.  Even though we didn't get to work as much as normal, we were still able to see miracles and learn a lot.  We have recently found a menos activa who is so unbelievably prepared by the Lord.  She was baptized when she was 8 but has spent several years outside of the church.  During times of difficulty, she has been able to feel the loving arms of God extended toward her, calling her back to what she knows to be true.  She feels so grateful and happy to be coming back to church, and that she can share with her esposo and 2 year old son as well.  Yesterday at church, she even bore her testimony and shared her feelings of love for her Heavenly Father.  She is truly prepared as this time to come back to the path that leads to eternal life.  I know that Heavenly Father has a perfect plan for us all.  When we are lost, He finds the ways to call us back and to show us His perfect love.  

I love you all so much!  I hope that you are able to feel the arms of love that God has extended toward you in your lives. 

CON MUCHO AMOR

Hermana Graham