The Ceiling in the Living Room Fell Down

We took an email break to go eat cake with one of our members, but now I'm back! So yeah, this week was a good one.

We taught M… and C… more about the Restoration and how we now have a modern day prophet, President Thomas S. Monson! They continue to be champions. They are planning their wedding for the first day of March, and the baptism the weekend after. We've been bringing M… to come out and teach with us now. He's great; he's a very bold teacher.

We finally did exchanges with the other elders of my district. Usually you do a 24-hour companion exchange at least once a transfer, but because we're Spanish elders, no one can really do exchanges with us. But we finally did an exchange with Elder Shifler and Elder Carranza, the other Spanish elders. I let Elder Gibb run the area for the day and he did a great job. I went to Elder Carranza's area and we had a fun day that started with a 6:00 A.M. fire alarm that triggered because the roof was flooding. Turns out the apartment above us had a water heater explode. With no maintenance crew available that early we did the best we could to catch water with popcorn bowls and trashcans. Eventually the ceiling in the living room fell down. (Furthermore, bad snowy weather delayed the arrival of carpet and repair crews so the other elders ended up staying at our apartment for another few days.) But we went on to have a good day with a couple powerful lessons. We had a really neat experience with a young single mom named I…. When we walked into her house I knew that I had recognized her from somewhere. Turns out she was at the house of one of our less actives when we had taught them a few months ago. We began to teach her about Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ, just a simple lesson about their incredible and individual love for us. The spirit was definitely present and she opened up to us. In tears she expressed how she had felt extremely alone in her life. She had been so poor at times that she had looked for people to take care of her two young daughters because they didn't have anything to eat. She accepted the invitation to come to church and she came!

Thursday was a really neat experience as well. We prayed to find a family that day. And at about 8pm at night we were blessed to find a family from Guatemala! We find them because we were on the way to see a potential when we felt like knocking the apartment door next to them, and... Whoala! New family! I've realized that that's sometimes how revelation works - Heavenly Father will give us an idea, and as we follow it, we may discover that a new opportunity is made available, one that could only be recognized as we were pursuing the original idea. So in life, don't just move from point A to point B, because the spirit may be waiting to bless us with a prompting in between! President Monson has said, "Never deny a generous thought." So anything that prompts you to do anything good for someone else, do it! (Moroni 7:12-16) You never know the blessings that Heavenly Father has for you unless you are exactly obedient to the spirit!

Sunday was basically a day of Miracles. WE COMPLETELY FILLED THE RELIEF SOCIETY ROOM! WAHOO! So yeah, we're going to have to move our sacrament meetings to the chapel pretty soon because this branch is about to explode. We had over 60 people at church. And the best part is that 9 of them were investigators, and Elder Carranza is baptizing 2 of them next week. We had investigators giving other investigators rides to church; Investigators teaching other investigators about the church and showing them where their classes are. It's just fantastic. One of the brothers was advanced to the Melchizedek priesthood, and for pete's sake another one even proposed to one of the sisters after church. They'll be married soon, right along side with M… and C…. And as soon as we get E…'s papers filled out she can get married to! So lots of good things are happening.

Thank you for all your letters and prayers!  Love you tons!

Elder Graf

Here's the ceiling!.... on the floor. We were actually out of the apartment when it fell. So it was a fun surprise to swing the door open and see this.

We had put the coach on the chairs because it was soaking up all the water from the swampy carpet.

Elder Carranza in the snow.

"when the guys are coming over"

We teach C… and M… on a regular basis now - every Monday and Friday. They are absolutely incredible. Last Monday C… told us that she wants to get baptized before the end of the month. We congratulated her for her desires but also reminded her that she needs to be married to M… first. We went back on Friday and they told us that they want to get married and have her baptized on the same day. The fact that they came out and expressed their desires so openly was quite an answer to prayers really, because we weren't sure about how hard to push them because of their financial situation (their saving up money to send ID papers from Mexico). But yeah, you could say that she's pretty determined. We are doing our best to help them prepare for active membership in the church but we are waiting on those papers. In the meantime the Relief Society presidency is doing a great job acting as a wedding planning committee :) It's crazy how much people trust the missionaries out here with all sorts of problems and odd jobs. I feel like by the end of my mission I could be a marriage attorney, professional food-taster, certified home mover, business manager, family councilor, translator, and psychologist.

M… and C… also have been bringing the kids they babysit, D… and W…, to church. We helped D… who is 8 and her younger brother W… find there respective Primary classes. D… is quiet but so funny - She came up to me after church and let me know that she "didn't get to color." She was a little disappointed but she still enjoyed church. C… told us that D… and W… frequently ask her "when the guys are coming over" because she likes to learn about Jesus. How cute right?! But don't forget about E… and her kids! They are still doing well and coming to church. We are working with a member in our branch to help her get married as well.

Last week we also had zone conference. They gave a training on Planning and Studying effectively. May sound boring but it was actually really good. The Porter's are always really inspiring. They also set the example. Sister Porter had a fever of 103 just a couple days before conferences but she still came, what a champion! Elder Gibb and I have also had our own share of a bit of a fever lately but it's nothing bad. We are still plenty able to go out and work, especially because we got our car back last Thursday! WOOOHOOO! I have a newfound gratitude for heated cars.

Sister G... makes us food every Friday and last week we had turkey bean jalapeno subs. It was to die for.

Saturday we had our media exchange. We did our best. Only one member could come out with us for part of the day but we'll have a few pictures posted by Wednesday or so. They'll be on Facebook or on a link to #socialmediasplit or some other hash tag like #ldsmissionaries. You might not be able to find it but I'll attach a few of the pics we took in our apartment of us studying and baking. The rest are on the member's phone.

Well got to go but here's a scripture that I liked this week. Mosiah 4: 6-10. When we are humble we recognize that we're not alone in facing trials or new things. We have God's strength to back us up as long as we are willing to give Him the glory for our successes.

Love You All!

Elder Kevin Graf.

Sweet Spiritual Moments

One my mission I've been blessed with both highs and lows, good times and bad times. Usually times of struggle and patience and growing occupy the majority of the week, but throughout the week Heavenly Father blesses us with little pearls of sweet spiritual moments. And then a crazy thing happens. At the end of the week it seems as if the difficult times are a just blur. I know that they were there but it's hard to remember them in any detail. Rather, the good times are what burn vivid in my memory and I can recall them with detail. Pretty cool. Don't know how it works but it seems to happen every week and it must be something to do with the power of the spirit. Food for thought is found in John 14:26-27 and D&C 39:6. The spirit brings things to your memory, especially the peaceable things. What a gift and a great friend to have.

This week we didn't have as many opportunities to teach because of stake conference but the times we did have were pretty special. Here are a few little miracles we saw this week:

Lunes: Taught M… and C...  C… really opened up to us a lot and shared that she had been very depressed in her life. She felt something was missing. She related several scary stories of giving up. But over the past month she's been receiving a new light and it's something that you can really see in her face. Her smiles are more genuine and she's more patient and calm. Quite simply, she's just happier. They don't have much but they always give us something to eat and they are doing well with reading and praying and coming to church. It's a humbling blessing to be a part of their lives.

Martes: Taught E… and her kids about the priesthood with B…. Afterword the lesson they explained that they had been having a bit of a rough start to the year and they asked us to give each of them a blessing. The spirit filled everyone right up and it was a special experience.

Miercoles: Tender blessing on Wednesday was that we walked into the room of one of the youth that has been struggling to decide whether or not to serve a mission, and we discovered him studying Preach My Gospel! What a champion! Later that day we also extend baptism to someone that we never thought in a million years would accept and he did! He's reading the book of Mormon and we have a goal of baptism for the 15th of February. He's still got a ways to go but the fact that he accepted the invitation and is reading is a remarkable change.

Jueves: Taught a less active named H…. He's never ever prayed when we've taught him. He's been absolutely stubborn about praying. He always tells us to pray "because we need to practice our Spanish." We do need to improve but that's not the real reason though. He's just never been humble enough to try to pray again because he hasn't in a long time. But after reading a little in the Book of Mormon Thursday night, without us even asking him, he just offered a simple heartfelt prayer. Me and Elder Gibb were dumbfounded the rest of the night, just absolutely giddy and blown away. He didn't come to church but we're working on that. Prayer is a great step.

For lack of time I need to close. But the rest of the weekend we had some other neat experiences, including a sweet stake conference. The stake presidents are full of faith and have prayed about some new goals for the stake: In 5 years they want to create a new stake from the 3 existing. In 5 years they want the Spanish branch to become a ward. And in 10 years they want to have overwhelmed the surrounding temples so much that they build a new temple in Cincinnati. And the best part is that it's totally possible. This is a very unique time of the church and I know that the Lord is hastening His work!

I know that people can change. The power to repent, be healed, and to change lies in the Atonement of Jesus Christ. I'm so grateful for our Savior and I love being a part of this work. We are seeing people change that we never thought would have changed in a thousand years. Probably most importantly I'm seeing changes in myself. I can't believe I've almost been out a year and it scares me that that much time has already passed! I love that I'm going to be here for at least another transfer. The people here are great and I learn from them every day, cada dia!

Love you all!!!

Elder Graf

Hiking through the factory fields of Kentucky

We made it happen this week. It was very cold but we went out and worked and the Lord blessed us for it. This week was probably one of the best weeks we've ever had. We were blessed to find two new families to teach and several investigators and less-actives that hadn't been to church in a long time came yesterday!

We finally lost our car to the mechanic last Thursday and they'll have it for about a week and a half. Remember how we got rear ended a couple weeks or months back? Yeah it's finally getting repaired. It's just our luck that it's during the coldest weekend of my mission. It's supposed to hit something like -12 today so President Porter has ordered that everyone without a car must stay inside all day. BOOOO! No Way! We had a lesson set up with M… and C… tonight and I was a little bit argumentative about the fact that we couldn't go out and teach, but a small walk to the apartment office (where we write these emails) out in a humid 2 degree wind chill helped me conform to President's orders. So I'm a little bit reluctant but we'll be hunkered down in our apartment for the day. We'll have to reschedule our appointment with M… and C... But they did come to church again! They are solid. They accept everything we teach them and they are the nicest people. M… did tell us that the temptation to drink has been stronger recently. We shared Ether 12:26 with him and how this is a test of his faith. The adversary attacks us just as we are about to make a step in the right direction. But I have a testimony of the power of scriptures and prayers. So be mindful of him in your prayers please!

With the New Year church starts at 11:30, or at least that's the idea. Of course the meetings didn't get rolling until about 11:50 and people continued to trickle in until about 40 minutes after the time when we were supposed to start. But the Relief Society room where we have sacrament nearly filled up so that was fun to see. Being fast and testimony meeting we got to listen to some of the members share their testimonies. It's always so powerful to hear the testimonies of these convert members that have been through so much. I didn't see but Elder Gibb saw that C… was tearing up during it all. I can tell she's going to make a solid member once she and M… can get married. E… and her kids didn't come yesterday but I think it was just because of the weather. She really doesn't like driving on wet roads. She tells us how J… has been such an example for her and his siblings. He always reminds them to pray when they're scared so they pray before they drive anywhere. Haha I love it. Such a good kid and family. 

Well I'm pretty sure I'll be staying put with Elder Gibb for another transfer. We'll find out this Thursday but I hope that's the case. This is a great area and we've been learning a lot and seeing the Lord's hand bless us with many opportunities to teach and serve, We really haven't had to tract much at all here. Besides, running in the snow all the time to catch buses and make appointments has really been whipping us into good shape :) Here in northern Kentucky we like to take a literal translation from Isaiah's words that missionaries are "swift messengers". Sometimes me and Elder Gibb like to pretend we are special ops forces running in the dark of night, although with our beanie's on our head's we probably look more like burglars than anything. The cherry on top of our training might be that we will need to make a third voyage in the snow to E…'s area because I forgot my Spanish scriptures there. We taught a good lesson to another family in that area but I made the beautiful mistake of leaving my scriptures by the couch and didn't see them on my way out. But all well, it gives us a good excuse to stop by and see them again. Even though when I say "stop by" it will actually be 6 miles of hiking through the factory fields of Kentucky. It's a good thing we've got a family of billy goats that taught me how to hike. I honestly love being outside though. Even this week without a car has been fun. It's also helped me realize that Heavenly Father is watching over us and helping us every step of the way. I swear that more people have opened their doors to us this last week than any time before. They didn't know the difference in how we got there but I know that the spirit has opened up their hearts a little more just because we're doing our best to be obedient and learn from our mistakes and share what we know to be true. I do know that this church is Christ's church, that Heavenly Father loves me, and that everything I have is a blessing from Him.

Love you all.

_Elder Graf