Answered Prayers - Baptisms! - Mission Focus Is Building Eternal Families - Waterfall/There Is A God And He Loves Us - Don't Drink The Mate! - Family Miracles

Thank you for all of your prayers and the love you constantly are sending my way. I love that I always have an assurance of a great support system at home. Thank you for your letters and for reading my blog.

Though it has seemed difficult these past couple of weeks, the work is finally starting to show some real physical results! There will be 3 baptisms this week here in Obera and I was chosen by one of them to do the baptizing. Also we are teaching someone named Rafael. He is super awesome and is going to be baptized the 24th of January if everything goes as planned! He is 18 and is really learning quickly. The thing is, he has like 7 brothers and sisters who still don't want to listen to us, but as a group, me Elder Venegas and Rafael, we are going to really help this family become an eternal family.  

 

It is interesting to think about how I pictured the mission, before my mission. I thought the whole idea was to get lots of baptisms and teach lots of lessons. While those are things we want to do, the focus, or it would be, the main goal is to build eternal families. 

 

If you have the chance, could you please add to your prayers the family of Rafael. Thank you.

 

​While there was a lot of work going on this week, it being the week of the new year, the president of the mission granted another day of activities! We had the opportunity to go bowling, (yeah they really do have bowling here and yes I was surprised too) and then after we ate at Tihuanas and ate Shwarma (if any of you have seen the last scene of Iron Man 2 you will know what it is) and it is soooo good!

Then we got to go to this Waterfall! It was actually super awesome! (Still not Iguazu falls) but still super awesome! It is fun to have a little bit of time to relax and enjoy nature for a while.

When I was little (as I think about this, I feel like I have shared this before, but oh well!) me and my Dad would always go hiking. When we would get to the top of the mountain, or reach our end point, and see the beauty that we have here on this earth, he would always tell me, "Just seeing this view, these trees, these mountains, these waterfalls, or whatever it might be, is enough for me to know there is a God and that he loves us."

This statement has stuck with me until now and as I watched the beauty of nature, I thought a lot about that statement, as well as the scripture in Alma 30:40, 44.

 

 

​Okay more of a funny subject... haha here in Argentina a popular drink here (well more like every single person at every single moment drinks it) is called Mate or Terere. As missionaries, we generally aren't supposed to drink it if we are from a country that isn't accustomed to drinking it because it can really make your stomach upset. This is like the classic "Don't Drink the Mate" foto haha!

 

Well I don't have much more time today, but I want each of you to know that I appreciate the love that is shown toward my family. We as a family have experienced some of the most incredible miracles during my mission and they don't seem to be stopping. I know that those of you that have acted in service to my family are inspired by God and will be blessed for helping my family. Even those of you who show your love towards them in small and simple ways, thank you.

Love you all!

 

Elder Graves

Argentina Posadas Mission

LA IGLESIA DE

JESUCRISTO

DE LOS SANTOS

DE LOS ÚLTIMOS DÍAS

 

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Write to Elder Graves in 1 of 4 ways:

1. E-mail -  tgraves@myldsmail.net

 

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2. Send mail through www.DearElder.com
They will print and mail it for you at no cost (without a stamp).  This is a free service.

www.DearElder.com Instructions:
Select the "Argentina Posadas Mission"

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3. Send letters through the Church Pouch Mail Only postcards or one-page correspondences (no envelopes).

Fold the letter in thirds, secure the long side with tape about one inch in from each end. Do not seal the ends. Stamp and address the blank side as you would an envelope. Use the following mailing address:
Elder Taylor Graves
Argentina Posadas Mission
POB 30150
Salt Lake City, UT
84130-0150

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4. Physical Mailing Address.
Due to exorbitant costs incurred in the country of Argentina by the church, He can not receive packages :-( - not even a bubble envelope. Please refrain from sending anything other than an envelope/letter - anything else will likely be returned to sender.

Elder Taylor Graves
Córdoba 1243
Posadas, Misiones 3300
Casilla 12
Argentina