DC Week 2!

Oh SO much to tell and so little time to tell it!
It has been quite the week, and there's been a ton of "breaking in" for me.

I'm not sure what I was expecting, but even still, I got quite the culture shock! It is so wonderful!! The biggest change from home would definitely be the people. I have met individuals from everywhere you can think of, and it has barely been 7 days. Every time I meet someone in the VC, the first thing I ask them is where they are from, and how to say hello, thank you, and goodbye in their language.  It goes so far with the investigators when they get friendly greetings with a sound of home. Plus I've made it a goal to learn as much of at least the fundamentals as I can while I'm here.

The ward is awesome! My first Sunday, I had several chuckles to myself observing some of the diversity there as well. The members are very...interesting. One man in particular, a Brother John Sykes, (reminded me of Doc from Back to the Future) came up to me, shook my hand vigorously, and then still holding on and not letting go looked right into my eyes, and said, "Sister Graff, I am going to tell you your color." Then with some closed-eye thinking, he declared, "Blue-Indigo!" "Oh really?" I said. "And what does that mean?" "Blue means you have the gift of social-ness." Then placing his index finger right on my throat he said, "You can talk to people easily." "And what about indigo?" Without a word, he pointed his finger right at my nose, and then pressing it on my forehead said, "The gift of the third eye. You can see into people's souls.  Their dreams.  Their desires.  Their hearts." I thanked him eagerly for such a wonderful enlightenment and then as soon as he came, he was on his way.  I think I'm going to like it here.

The food has been great!  I have had everything from borche, to quinoa, to mifan.  Look them up, or ask Dad :) The members are very generous, and everything has been delicious.

The apartment is wonderful, apart from our squeaky neighbors up above. Reminds me of all those days and nights in our little Lake Forrest apt that you, Mom, would remind me and Carly to stop "jumping around". Good times :) And now I understand WHY.

I do want to share some sweet experiences before I need to go. I was working the floor at the VC the other day when a Latino man walked in. After talking to him for some time, I found out his name was Marco Lorenzana and he worked with President Matsumori in the mission presidency. After some more talking, I shared with him that my grandparents had been mission presidents out here over 15 years ago. Then squinting at my nametag, he said, "Ah yes...President Graff." He then told me of a story that once he was driving and drove past a bad accident on the side of the road. He thought he recognized the car, but kept driving.  Half a mile down the road, he turned around. "I knew it was President Graff," he said. When I arrived on the scene, they had already rushed his youngest son to the hospital, and were loading grandfather on a stretcher into the back of the ambulance. "Wait!" he called. "Wait I need to give him something." They wouldn't let him through. Grandfather turned to the medical personnel and said, "It's okay, let him come." "I gave him a blessing right there on the spot," he said. Then they took grandfather away. I had tears in my eyes when he finished telling me and thanked him for the story. We both smiled at each other, and I knew at that instant we would be good friends.

It has been such a good week, and I need to go now, but I just wanted to share one last thought. My last night in the MTC we watched a pre-recorded talk of Elder Holland.  In it, he shared a french poem his wife used to recite to him:

"Come to the edge," he said.
"No. We'll fall."
"Come to the edge," he said.
"NO. We'll fall."
"COME TO THE EDGE."
So we did.
And he pushed us.
And we flew.

I know that if we have faith in our Heavenly Father, we can perform miracles. I have had that manifest in my own life, and teachings this past week alone. Allow the Spirit to guide you. Trust in God, and he will direct your paths.

Oh I love you all. Take care!

Sister Graff
2Ne 32:2,3,5
D&C 84:85
Pictures:
1. Sister Lawrence had never been inside a car wash before :)
2. Chinese candy from the Noodle King.
3. My room!
4. Home sweet home.
5. Kitchen.
6. Not much to see from the balcony, but I've never had a balcony before, so naturally, I love it.
7. The work zone :)