Trick or Treating Missionary Style - Clapping Doors in the Rain - New Area/Prospecting - Study With Faith and the Intent of Learning Truth

Although we are thousands of miles away, I wasn't about to miss out on Trick or Treating this year! Haha.  To be honest, I totally forgot that it was Halloween until the end of the day. Haha but we did get to go door to door, but we were the ones handing stuff out (Books of Mormon/Book of Mormons/Copies of the Book of Mormon).

So I really thought this was a funny picture. This is my new companion Elder Smith and it was POURING and his hands were full when he was trying to clap a house, so he balanced his umbrella (that took me like 15 seconds to remember what that word is in English....) on his head so that he could clap the house. Haha. Just thought you guys would think that was funny.

Right now we are searching, searching, searching and searching for new investigators. We just opened this area and that means there were 0 people who were already being prepared to be baptized. So we are always searching. While we were "Fishing for Men" we ran into a woman who told us that she had left the church more than 10 years ago, but wanted to be visited by the missionaries again. She introduced us to her husband who was smoking and was not a member. We talked with them and they told us that they want to get to the point where they can serve a mission together. Obviously they both have a long way to go, but I am very excited for there desire to progress. That is something that I have learned here recently. It is all about the desire. Countless times in the scriptures it tells us that we will earn what we truly desire in our hearts. It is undoubtedly true. If you have the desire, you WILL put in the work to accomplish that thing that you desire.

 

 

Random picture... didn't take that many this week - sorry. But this is Elder Winston and he is in the same pension as me! We get to spend a lot of time together and will even be doing a 3 day division (I think they call it "splits" in the states) while the other Elders are doing paper work in another part of Argentina. We were recently talking (we almost never talk in English now - even though in our Pension we have 3 gringos and 1 Brazilero. It is just more fun to speak in Spanish sometimes) and he told me that he felt like our life literally is like a movie. There are SO MANY funny moments, SO MANY hard moments, SO MANY lessons that we are able to learn here. It is really true. The life of a missionary really is like a movie. I wish I could record every moment of it so I could remember every detail.

I am realizing recently how far I have come in my testimony. I used to feel like I had a strong testimony, now I am realizing that I truly had a LONG  way to go (and still do). But my confidence in God is sure (as is my testimony of the Book of Mormon). Before my mission, I will be honest, I read it like a critic. Trying to find errors. I never found any, but I never progressed in my testimony either. Now I read with faith that it is the word of God, and every moment spent reading it is another step of progression. My challenge to you all this week is to read the Book of Mormon, not to prove it wrong (remember I tried and learned it's impossible) but with the intent of learning of the truth.

Love you all and am grateful for your prayers.

Elder Graves

 

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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