DC Week 62!-- April 14, 2014

Week of miracles!

Man you guys, Heavenly Father is so good. He is just so good.
Okay really quick.

I feel like for the last several weeks, He has been allowing me to
take part in miracles. (Meaning I really don't do anything, but
somehow still get to experience the blessings of happiness from
someone else's faithfulness and joy). Let me explain.

Miracle #1:
Do you remember me telling you about Jose Cruz? If I didn't I
apologize, I'll explain more when I get home. All you need to know is
that all we did was knock a door. Just knocked a door guys. Well from
there, it was finding out that he was already baptized, but had gone
off the deep end and was now inactive. This was several months ago. So
naturally, we kept in touch, and kept visiting him. Poco y poco.
Family...on Sunday, he received the priesthood. And we were there! And
it was so amazing. Earlier that day in Sacrament Meeting, we sang
Asombro me Da (I Stand All Amazed) which they had sung at his baptism.
It's one of his favorites. No coincidences. He now holds the same
authority as Christ did, and will eventually have the opportunity to
baptize his little girl this fall.

The gospel is rolling forth. And it will not stop.

Miracle #2:
Two days ago, I was in the back office inputting some numbers for the
Visitor Center (longing to get out on the floor) when Sister Johnson
comes running in with some news that a lady was here to see me. I go
out to find Emily waiting for me. A former inactive from White Oak.
Yes, my first area. When we were working with her, she had recently
been divorced, and had no desires of coming back to church. She had
been baptized 12 years earlier, mostly for him than for her. As a
single imperfect mother of two young boys, she never had hopes of
"measuring up" in a seemingly perfect realm of women, who always
managed to keep their lace doilies pressed, white, and placed
carefully underneath their bouquet of lilies each Sunday in
preparation for their lesson on eternal marriage and families...which
hers was not. "I don't feel welcomed there. I don't feel
encouraged...I feel...inadequate," she would say, coming from a
completely valid standpoint. No one had reached out to her. We would
sit. And listen. Just listen guys. Our part was so minimal.
Family...when I saw Emily that day for the first time in over a
year...she had just come out of the temple for the first time. We
exchanged tears and hugs, and she explained. The sisters had continued
to stop by once I had left. The members began to realize their crucial
roles in the process of conversion...her little boy Nitai had been
baptized by the bishop's son, Josh, not a few months ago. Her other
son, Nimai will have the same opportunity this summer right after I
leave.

The gospel is rolling forth. And it will not stop.

The Lord has been so gracious to me. He has given me the chance to see
conversion at it's very finest. Family...this...is what it's all
about. I know his work is real, and that it is not ours. It is not
ours. And thank heavens, or else it would be a complete train wreck.
God knows what He's doing.

I love you. Until next Monday.
Sister Graff

Matthew 7:11 (7 Eleven, haha. Dang. Now I want a slurpee).
Sent from my iPad in DC :)