WHOOO! Celebrate Mexico
Independence day!
So fasting has become a
part of my life here in the mission field. Mom I know you think I'm hypoglaucemic
or something because I eat so much (and yet have not gained any weight
hehehe) but you'll be surprised to know that fasting has become a lot
easier for me. We fast like twice a week. Whether it's as a companionship,
district, zone, or mission depends but we do it all the time and I've come to
love it. And we do it because it works. I always feel especially close to my
Heavenly Father and in tune to the spirit on those days. On days that we fast
we always see blessings and miracles because of it! So I have a testimony of
fasting now. :D yesterday is an example. We had an AWESOME day yesterday, and
I'd attribute it to our prayers, sacrifice and fast. We found 2 new
investigators yesterday and met all of our daily goals with 4 awesome
lessons, and Andrea (less active) and her husband Dustin (invest.) are
committed to coming to church next week! Also we had a miracle yesterday at
church. A guy from Korea posted online that he wanted to learn Spanish. A
member saw it and gave him the address and time to our branch services and he
came! The other elders began teaching him right there at the church and gave
him a tour of the church. They then went straight from the church to have
dinner at a member’s home. They had dinner and watched mormon.org
videos and he loved it. He's headed back to the member's home tonight
to celebrate Mexican Independence! Booyeah! Member missionary power!
I've learned another
aspect about how inspired our mission calls are. The mission is just as much
for the missionary as the missionary is for the people. If the missionary wants
to have success amongst the children of God whom he serves the
missionary must become the person that God wants him to be. For
example, I've been called to Spanish speaking Ohio where surprisingly most
of the missionaries called to our Spanish zone aren't naturally outgoing
people. But in order to connect to the Spanish population we must become more
energetic and enthusiastic than we are. We are at least required to
"fake it until we make it." This applies to me as well. To
connect to my Spanish investigators I've got to be more
outgoing, I'm required to stretch and grow in ways that Heavenly
Father wants me to grow. I don't know if this made any sense and I don't have
time to correct it if it doesn't but I guess I'm trying to say that Heavenly
Father delicately guides and shapes our lives. Heavenly Father maybe wanted me
to become a little more outgoing so maybe that's just part of the reason
He called me to Spanish work where I'm now playing soccer every Saturday
and singing Spanish hymns with random people so that they can feel the
spirit. And, all in all I love it. Life is good here in Dayton. It's my little
"pueblo" away from home. Hope you are all doing great! I love you all
tons!
Elder Kevin Graf
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| This must be a picture of the tornado he saw several weeks ago. |
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| Ohio Scenery |
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| He titled this one "gourmet dinner." Notice the sign on the doorknob. |
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| Pretty sunset. |
