#PrayForJosh Paralyzed And Fighting In Faith - Asuncion Temple On My Birthday! - Alexis Preparing For Baptism & Mission - Julian & Manny Preparing To Marry & For Baptism - Sonia's Daughter Carolina To Be Baptized Saturday - Loving The Mission/Would Gladly Extend Another Year

This week I am very sad to say that I will not be able to send any pictures, which is pretty hard for me because I have lots of pictures that I wanted to send of me, and videos, opening my birthday gifts! I had to open up my presents early, on Sunday for a wide variety of reasons, but in no way am I complaining. One of the pictures that I have is of me wearing the Team Hinton pray for josh shirt over my proselyting clothes. I really am proud of him and hope he knows that I continually pray for him, as do thousands of other people and missionaries.

This is Taylor's Dad: 
Taylor didn't realize it, but one picture did make it through to us...the picture of him wearing his TeamHinton Shirt #PrayForJosh.  For those of you that do not know, Josh Hinton is a good friend of Taylor's that was paralyzed from the neck down (quadriplegic) in a bounce house accident at BYU a couple of months ago.  Taylor has first hand experience with paralysis as his Grandmother (my mother) was paralyzed in a fall from a cliff  approximately 26 years ago.  He has never known his Grandma to stand or walk, but he does know her as the best Grandma in the world!  She has lived a wonderful life post accident.  We know that Josh will do the same and pray for continued miracles of healing.  We are all praying for Josh and his family.  The progress that he has already made is truly miraculous. 

We also took our most recent family picture (which I will include below).  I am including it below because Taylor was in the picture too!  You just might have to look a little harder to find him :-)
 

#prayforjosh

Back to Taylor's Letter:

In no way can I complain about needing to open up my birthday presents early because the reason I can't do it on the 10th, my birthday, is because I have to go to Asuncion, Paraguay to do legal work, which just happens to be where the nearest temple is to our mission. I will be on temple grounds on my birthday! I honestly cant imagine a better birthday present.

I would like to give each of you updates on our 4 progressing investigators.

-Alexis, the young man that Elder Tanner Vario and I are teaching, will be having his interview on the 12th, and should be baptized as soon as possible. Because of scheduling complications, we have not yet been able to fix a date yet, but he will be baptized :) He is very anxious, and is already attending the "Future Elders Class" during priesthood at church.

-Julian Gamarra and his wife (or his soon to be wife - Manny Velazquez) are working on the legal paperwork of Julian so that he can be divorced, they can marry and so that they will be eligible to be baptized - together. They continue coming to church, and they love the ward. They are already like members in the ward.

-Carolina (the daughter of Sonia Gauto - who was baptized in late September) will be baptized on Saturday, and has expressed her deep testimony in the Restoration of the Church and that Joseph Smith was a true prophet.  She and Sonia explained to us that many of their friends and family are constantly bashing them for having joined the church, but continue telling us that they have no fear and understand that only the true church would receive such persecution. Their testimonies are so strong and I am very proud of them both.

Well, this week again will be short, I am sorry, but I want you to all know that I am loving every moment of the mission. I often wonder, if the prophet came to me today and asked me to extend my mission a year more, would I tell him that I would do it? I can honestly say, that I would gladly accept the call.

I will finish my letter by publicly wishing Happy Birthday to two awesome people. My best bud Tanner, serving "with" me in the "Paraguay Ohio Mission". Love you bud.  Also my little "twin" Shauna. She is amazing and one of my best friends, and always finds time to write me. I hope she knows that I miss her and love her and cant wait to watch "Hunger Games" together again ;)  Happy Birthday Shauna!

I love my family and I love this gospel

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Write to Elder Graves in 1 of 3 ways  :

1. E-mail -  tgraves@myldsmail.net

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2. 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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3. Physical Mailing Address:

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