No Rest For The Weary...Just Keep On Keeping ON! - Miracles Leading to Alexis' Testimony/Conversion/Baptism

Sometimes, when you go on a run, you feel like taking a break. You think in your head "I'll just walk for 30 seconds", but then when those 30 seconds end, you realize that your legs have turned to concrete, and they don't want to go back to running! I think this is an important running lesson that has very much helped me in the mission. Not ever wanting to "take a break" from the rules, from working hard, from loving, from diving into the scriptures daily. I love the feeling of achieving, and that is what I plan to do with the rest of my mission :)

 

Tanner Vario (Jensen) was baptized about 20 months ago. 24 months ago, we started having discussions with the missionaries (that was probably the biggest miracle in itself) (and I know each of you have heard the story 1000 times, but bear with me) he knelt down to pray, for the first time, by my side, and asked God if He was real, and if it Joseph Smith was a prophet. He felt His presence. I felt His presence. I felt desires for all to know what Tanner and I felt that day. I left on a mission to Argentina and Paraguay. I was transferred to a big city in Paraguay after a year of service in Argentina. Tanner, after miraculous progress, and changes in his life, was called to serve in a high technology, Spanish speaking mission in the United States. With my companion, I found a young man, Alexis, of 19 years, and he felt the need to change his life. I felt, for some reason, without knowing any of his circumstances, inspired to share Tanner´s story. Alexis cried, realizing that there was hope, as he had passed through a conversion experience similar to Tanner's. Alexis said, "I need to talk to Tanner". Tanner then taught him through the miracle of technology (from Ohio), and through the gift of tongues (in Spanish), and let him feel the true hope that he has. We taught him many lessons on Skype together, my best friend and I, thousands of miles apart, being companions. I was able to baptize him, being ever so grateful for the hand of the Lord of these countless little miracles that I just described, the whole time. 

If my whole experience with Tanner, a span of 4 years, was all to help Alexis make this change in his life, it would have all been worth it.

Quote from a letter home from Elder Tanner Vario regarding his own conversion and his experience teaching Alexis:

It's been incredible to see his life change for the better as he grows closer to Christ, makes promises with Him, and be baptized....we all have our own challenges and situations were put in for life, and one of the many reasons that I'm so grateful for the challenges I've been given, is so that I can overcome them, and then help others overcome them too.

Back to Taylor's letter:

I love this gospel and know that I have been divinely called to serve specific people. I love my family, and also know that they were assigned to me, because I could most effectively progress spiritually with them. I am so blessed.

These are my birthday pants! Thanks Grandma! :) 

 My companion and I celebrated Thanksgiving with a microwavable Turkey Dinner!
 

 

This really is a cow tongue... unfortunately I didn't get to try it :(

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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

Font 100% full - Carolina Baptized By Her Brother - Alexis' Baptism This Saturday - Listening To The Promptings Of The Spirit - Photos!!!

 Well the glass was 90% empty this past week as I said in my last letter, but this week, the baptismal font was 100% full :) Carolina was able to be baptized by her little brother Fernando, who is actually a recent convert (and son of Sonia) of just a few months. They both love the Church, and have very strong testimonies. My favorite part of that night was after Carolina was baptized she immediately jumped up and hugged her brother. This quickly made me think of my brother and sister Amber and Jake. I am sure, if my family was a convert family like Carolina's family, this would have been a very similar scene. Jake would have done everything he could, as Fernando did, to help his sister understand and come to know this saving gospel of Jesus Christ. My family was raised in the church, and I am forever grateful for that fact, but I do often put myself in the shoes of my investigators, and wonder, "What kind of investigators would my family be?" (I think we would accept the discussions very quickly, and later be baptized within weeks, if not days ;))

We are so happy to finally be able to announce that Alexis will officially be baptized this Saturday! I can not tell you how happy this makes me. I was recently talking to my companion, about the gran privilege that we had to help him in this process. To see someone make such a turn around in his life, has really changed my life. I forgot to mention one of the birthday gifts that I got this past week for my birthday. He gave me his watch, with a letter that said, "thanks to you, I changed my life." Nothing else could have made my birthday better. Elder Tanner Vario as you all know, has been part of his teaching process. What you each probably don't know, is that he, in reality, does quite a bit more teaching than I do, and has been a HUGE factor to this convert to the Lord's true church. He is able to teach Alexis on a daily basis (when necessary) from Ohio (through email), and continually checks up on him, and how he is progressing. With out this, we would have never been able to help Alexis in such a special way.

 I remember receiving so many personal revelations when I was younger, that it was SO important that I remained being friends with Tanner, but I never would have guessed that me listening to that small prompting would have gone so far, and changed so many lives.

Fotos

Well, Christmas is just around the corner, and now all the stores have Christmas things! I love it!

I am missionary Santa Clause, and my companion wanted new shoes :)

He was even more excited when he got the Book of Mormon as a gift from Santa.

Welcome home dinner to Sister Espinola, here in the ward. She was serving in Brazil. 

Is that a chicken foot in my noodles?...

I am in the most beautiful place in the world. 

We found a pig.

I didn't know my companion was recording... haha...

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Write to Elder Graves in 1 of 3 ways  :

1. E-mail -  tgraves@myldsmail.net

--------------------------------------------------------------------------
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

--------------------------------------------------------------------------
3. Physical Mailing Address:

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

Glass 10% Full Or 90% Empty? - Woman Robbed, Missionaries Help Her & Find Family As A Result - Taylor's Shoes...A Sign Of Hard Work :-) - Taylor At The Temple On His Birthday

We left the pension this Saturday with two options. We could look at the glass half full or half empty. Well in reality, as my dad often says to me, we could look at the glass 10% full or we could look at it 90% empty. The night before the baptism of Carolina, we got a call from her mom, Sonia, saying that she was going to have to wait a little bit to be baptized. She said that she wasn't feeling well, and wanted to postpone it. Obviously we were quite surprised, and didn't know what to say, as we had the baptism all planned and ready to go, but we simply let her know that we support her, and want to help in any way we could.

So getting ready for the day of contacting that laid ahead (because we didn't have very many appointments because we had the baptism planned) I realized I truly had the decision to look at the glass 10% full. I felt a huge positive feeling inside my chest, and after we said a prayer, before leaving the house, I gave my companion a hug and told him, "Elder, I feel that there is a reason that we couldn't baptize Carolina yet.  I think God has something big planned for us today." We went out and worked as hard as always. I am not going to tell the whole story of the day, but I will just let you know, that we truly took advantage of our 10% full cup :) In the end of the day, we found 7 new investigators. In one day! It was awesome! Had we had that baptism, we would not have been able to find these new people to teach. What's more, is that 5 of these 7 people that we found each have member friends, who were in the lessons with us! There is so much more chance of baptism when there is member support like this, and we are very excited to see how it goes with each of them.

I will however tell one of the stories that happened, and I know that we were surely and safely guided to find this family. Late at night, we had decided to visit an old investigator who had stopped progressing, but we wanted to stop by to see how they were doing. As we walked to their house, we were shocked as we saw two men pull up on a motorcycle, tackle a woman to the ground and steal her possessions. She screamed and they both ran off, and got back on their motorcycle. We ran over to her and helped her up. She was covered in mud, and was shaking from the nerves. I felt so bad for her, but also very grateful that they hadn't hurt her badly. We asked her where she lived, and she pointed to a house down the road. We walked her to the house, and talked her nerves down. When her family saw her, they were all so worried and scared and came running towards her. We didn't preach a single thing, but we tried to help the best we could. They all looked at us thankfully as we walked away. What is interesting, is that God wanted us to be there in that very moment. He made sure, that there wasn't a baptism, so that we could pass by and help her, take her to her house, because as we walked away from the house (in a street that we would never have gone down) Someone yelled our names! Elders! We turned around, and there was a boy who wanted us to talk to his family. After talking to the family for a time, we found out that they had just moved there from a far a way city in Paraguay.  One of the family members had been about to get baptized and the mom was very interested as well.

 

I sent the pictures separately and wasn't able to comment on them, but I do remember one that I sent, my shoes... yeah, that's a sign of a hard working missionary -) oh yeah and the temple was the best birthday present ever !!!

I am continually amazed by the hand of God in every thing that happens here on my mission.
I hope we can all remember, that even, when the glass is 90%empty, it is still 10% full.
I love you, and I love this gospel.

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Write to Elder Graves in 1 of 3 ways  :

1. E-mail -  tgraves@myldsmail.net

--------------------------------------------------------------------------
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

--------------------------------------------------------------------------
3. Physical Mailing Address:

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

#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

--------------------------------------------------------------------------
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

--------------------------------------------------------------------------
3. Physical Mailing Address:

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

Teaching Via Skype - Zone's Visit To Waterfall - Birthday Package In A Soaked Suit - Eating Healthy - Fasting

This might be the shortest letter I have sent in a long time. I have decided to take some time writing to others today instead of dedicating so much time on the blog. Don't worry, next week should be back to normal. Luckily I have a lot of pictures again :)

I hope you got the pictures of Elder Tanner Vario, Elder Cancino and I teaching Alexis. Today we taught him about the priesthood.  He is understanding every principle and is already very anxious to be baptized, and continues to complain that he has to wait. He frequently expresses his desires to to serve a mission.

We got to go as a zone to a "mini" waterfall. Yeah. This really is relatively small in comparison to the waterfall that I will have the opportunity to visit in March or April called Iguazu, which actually means Big Water, in Guarani. You can kind of tell that the language structure in Guarani is very old. It is amazing to see the many places here in Paraguay, and to just sit back and soak in the works of art that God has made here on this earth.

Here is a picture of my birthday package that I got! I was only slightly disappointed to see that it was a Birthday package, and will now have to wait to open it :(

This is a picture of my companion and I continuing to try and eat healthy... lets just say you win some and you lose some...

One quick experience is that this week we were fasting for Alexis so that he will be able to serve a full time mission. It was very hot, and I was nervous that I was going to pass out during the day. I felt that fasting had actually become dangerous, as we had to walk quickly and for quite a distance through out the day. The one thing that kept me going was a story that I heard about Mike Kjar (a neighbor of mine).  Mike was serving in the war in Iraq, and it was fast Sunday. Probably 80% of people would have called serving in the war in the 130 degree weather, with full battle gear all day enough reason to not fast, and to continue eating and drinking. 99% of those 20% that would have fasted anyway, would have said, well, I wont eat, but I have to at least drink water. Not Mike. He decided to live the law of the fast, because he needed those blessings for his family, and for his personal protection. Mike is the reason I was able to complete my fast yesterday. Thank you.

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Write to Elder Graves in 1 of 3 ways  :

1. E-mail -  tgraves@myldsmail.net

--------------------------------------------------------------------------
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

--------------------------------------------------------------------------
3. Physical Mailing Address:

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

Never Give Up! - Miracles Happen - Sandra Embraces The Gospel & Brother Gomez Baptizes His Wife! - Ohio To Paraguay/Team Teaching Alexis With Elder Vario - Alexis Want To Serve A Mission

I got here about 11 weeks ago in Ciudad del Este and one of the very first houses that I visited with my old companion Elder Choez, was the house of the Gomez family. Brother Gomez is a man who was a member his whole life, but really never took the church very seriously. He went every once in a while, but didn't feel it was more important than work. His brother however, who lives with him and his wife Sandra, always faithfully went to church, hoping that one day his brother would start going to church again, and that Sandra might be baptized. When I arrived, the brother, Edi, had lost hope, and told me to not even try, and that it would not be worth the effort because too many other Elders had already tried to teach her, and it just never worked. (Even my companion Elder Choez had taught her with his other companion Elder Rigby, but she refused a second visit).  As I taught her for the first time, I too felt like there wasn't much chance, but time and time again, as we  made our nightly plans for the next day, we felt prompted to make a quick visit to the Gomez family.  As we did so throughout the weeks, Sandra started to soften her heart. We even once, brought her a cake on a day that the family was going through a really hard time. (A lot of the time on the mission, people like to give you food, and we just cant eat all of it!)  One night on divisions with another Elder, we sang, "families can be together forever". We then bore our testimonies of how we knew that because of Christ's sacrifice, we will also be with our families forever, and that they too, the Gomez family, would have the chance to be a forever family, and the first step would be baptism, for Sandra, and become a worthy priesthood holder for Brother Gomez.

Though I really never knew it could be possible, Saturday evening, I watched in a crowd of people, Brother Gomez enter into the baptismal font and take his wife's hand, and say the baptismal prayer, and then put her in the water. The part that made tears come to my eyes was when he pulled her out, and kissed her on the cheek. They both have made incredible changes, and I am forever grateful for the chance I have had to help them.

The lesson in this story is to never give up. Even if someone tells you that it has already been tried, and others have failed, it doesn't mean that YOU are destined to fail. How many people said that it was physically impossible for a human being to break the 4 minute mile? They said the heart would explode. Roger Bannister, (the first man to break the 4 minute mile) didn't care about what others said, he went out and did all he could to do something amazing. Shortly thereafter, if I am not mistaken 7 other men broke the 4 minute mile. This story really helped inspire me to never give up on Sandra and Juan Gomez.

I believe I have already explained a little bit about the next story, but I will continue. Elder Tanner Vario was my companion for a day. Can you believe that? I still am in shock that it actually happened. We got permission and we taught a lesson together. I feel like it was just yesterday that I was sitting at his side listening to Elder Holmes and Elder Thomas teaching Tanner the missionary lessons, but on Saturday, we sat, side by side (through the internet and really thousands of miles apart) and taught a young man named Alexis. As we taught him, Tanner and I, in Spanish, (Tanner's Spanish is remarkable for his short time in the mission) about the importance of reading the scriptures daily. We taught him that this was the way that he could little by little make this really big change that he has to make in his life. 

Tanner expressed his testimony about the atonement of Jesus Christ, and how he slowly became who he is today, through Him. I testified, with my best friend Tanner. My companion.

Tanner taught him that the way that he made changes in his life to keep him on the straight and narrow path was by having the goal to serve a mission. As we testified of what Tanner said about the mission, and goal setting, Alexis said, that after he is baptized, he also desires to serve a mission.  We will be having another lesson with Alexis on Wednesday. 

I have so much more to say, but I only have a half hour today again, but just know everybody that this is the true church. That's why I am here.

 

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Write to Elder Graves in 1 of 3 ways  :

1. E-mail -  tgraves@myldsmail.net

--------------------------------------------------------------------------
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

--------------------------------------------------------------------------
3. Physical Mailing Address:

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

Video! - Miraculous Experience...Taylor (in Paraguay) Teaches Alexis With Tanner (6,500 miles away in Ohio)! - The Adversary Can't Win If We Chose To Be A Part Of The Winning Team! - Jonas & Sara Baptized - Isaac & His Father Julian To Be Baptized - Continuing To Teach Alexandro

 
With every baptism, comes trials. The adversary truly understands the importance of these sacred ordinances that we as missionaries, fight to help happen. As I learned from the last baptism, the key is not getting discouraged, and the result is always as the Lord wishes. I think one of the biggest lessons that I have learned in the mission is that the adversary can't win and won't win, it is all about if we accept the opportunity of being able to be a part of the winning team.

Anyway, this baptism's challenge was that the young boy Isaac got sick. As you can see, only Jonas and Sara were able to be baptized. Isaac has chicken pox - poor guy. But, he is just ecstatic to be baptized this following Saturday. What's more, is that Julian, the father of them all, was not able to attend. He got stuck in a neighboring city, and could not make it to the baptism.

Of course being worried about him, we asked how he was spiritually. He noticed our concern, and told me, "Elder Graves, Whether I have entered into the water or not, isn't what's important right now. I will be baptized, when the divorce is cleared. I have already made a commitment to the Lord to follow this church until the day I die." I was shocked and can truly say that I am grateful that I have allowed God to let me be on the "winning team" as I said before.

I talked about Alexandro in my last letter about how "he found us" on the bus and chased us down so that we could teach him. Unfortunately, he was not able to come to church this week because of some complications with the health of his grandfather, but he is very excited to start this conversion process. He continually says to us that he feels the truth in the Joseph Smith story. In the very same way that I feel the truth when I testify of it.

This is Taylor's Dad.  As background to the following miraculous experience, Taylor baptized Tanner Vario just before he left to serve his full-time mission (See the picture below - for memory's sake).  Taylor, several friends and the full-time missionaries (Elder Adam Holmes and Elder Seth Thomas) taught Tanner over the course of several months during their Senior year in High School.  Taylor was called to serve in Argentina & Paraguay - Spanish Speaking.  About a year after Tanner's baptism, he was called to serve in Ohio - Spanish Speaking.  Through the miracles of a world wide missionary effort, technology, the atonement and many answered prayers, they are now teaching Alexis together over the span of 6,500 miles (with special permission from both of their mission presidents).  

Perhaps the scriptures on the wall behind them (in the picture from Tanner's baptism day)...were a clue that he too would be serving in Spanish :-)

Back to Taylor's letter:

Crazy story about teaching Alexis Fernandez - I felt so strong the need to tell him the story of Elder Tanner Vario, and I didn't know why. I explained to him the things that Tanner had gone through, and told him the incredible change that he made in his life because of the atonement of Jesus Christ. After telling him all of Tanner's story, he told me, "I might want to give this baptism thing a shot, but first, I want to talk to your friend Tanner. How can I talk to him?" I stood their thinking... well... he is a missionary, in the United States of America... you live here in Paraguay... how are we going to do this? But then I remembered, we live in the 21st century! I asked permission from my mission President to be able to write to Tanner during the week so that he would start chatting with Alexis, on-line (benefit of IPADS in USA missions...). He came to church yesterday, and then we later visited his house with his family (a returning less active family, who should be going to the temple, in this upcoming temple trip - to be sealed) and he told me that because of the things that my companion and I taught him, and the things that Tanner taught him, he desires to be baptized.

 Elder Tanner Vario said, " On Thursday I received an email from Elder
Taylor Graves in the Argentina Posadas mission. He told me that they
have an investigator who has a very similar background story as mine.
Alexis is his name. He wants to be baptized... Elder graves felt the impression to share my
conversion story. And afterwards, Alexis asked if there was any way he
could contact me. So I asked my mission president if it was alright if
I contacted him. He basically opened up every option available for me
to be able to help. So, Alexis and I have been emailing and I've been
sharing my experience and the gospel with him as well. It's been
incredible to be able to kinda co-teach with Elder Graves.
Something that sticks in my head is how inspired our mission calls
are. When I first thought about my call, Columbus Ohio, Spanish
speaking. I didn't think there were many people who spoke Spanish in
Columbus. But in all honesty, even if there weren't any, I know that I
would have learned Spanish for this purpose, to be able to talk with
Alexis in South America.
 

And once more, back to Taylor's letter:

I am amazed. I always thought it would be amazing to be able to serve as the companion of Tanner, but now, I am truly doing it. We are companions living 6,500 miles away. Technology is a miracle of God.

If the only reason that Tanner was sent to Ohio - Spanish speaking (instead of Ohio - English speaking), was to be able to teach Alexis with me, it would ALL be worth it. If he had been called to the English mission, this experience would have never happened to us. If he was called to South America speaking Spanish, this experience would have never happened to us. Our mission calls are divine. 

I love this gospel.

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Write to Elder Graves in 1 of 3 ways  :

1. E-mail -  tgraves@myldsmail.net

--------------------------------------------------------------------------
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

--------------------------------------------------------------------------
3. Physical Mailing Address:

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