A Christmas Miracle

Highlights of last week...

We found a golden new investigator that is just STELLAR!!!  He's real knowledgable and definitely a man of faith and he's just eating up everything we teach him.  It's great.  We found him last week and taught him 3 times, which is a Christmas miracle!

Elder Eckery (a missionary in my district) tells me that my Pokemon card collection may actually already be worth some money.  I thought I was going to have to wait another 15 years for that!  I'M RICH!!!

The end.

Merry Christmas, read Luke 2:7-14

Love,
Elder Grabinger

Russell M. Nelson visits Tennessee!!

Dear All,

This week was no big deal I just got to shake the hand of one ELDER RUSSELL M. NELSON OF THE QUORUM OF THE TWELVE APOSTLES!!!

It was whatever...

Hahaha, no I was the 'best missionary of the month' so I get my picture on a plaque in the mission office and they flew me out to Salt Lake for a Saturday with an apostle and now I'm in the running for best missionary of the year out of the entire mission!!!

No, just kidding.  They don't do that.

But I can dream.

Okay, in all seriousness, yes, Elder Russell M Nelson came to the mission this past Saturday and I got to shake his hand and take a group photo with him and be inspired and love life and receive Christmas packages from my parents and stuff.  It was INCREDIBLE!  Really a special experience.

Elder Rich and I are both bummed because you absolutely CANNOT find Hot Cheetos with Limon in the South.  It's not their thing I guess.  So my birthday was kinda a big deal when I received some in a package.  You all are the best.  Also, no Jack In the Box out here... it's been rough.

Fun story, last Sunday a nonmember that came to church with a friend locked his keys into his car and found this out when he was leaving during third hour.  That's a mistake, you stay for the whole block!  So during third hour, you have 4 missionaries out in the parking lot with a hanger trying to bust into this car.  It was great.  The spiritual lesson is to always ask the missionaries for help like Elder Nelson said in this past general conference.  WE CAN HELP YOU!!!

Side note:  We were in charge of getting a hanger since our apartment is across the street from the church and so I tucked a wire one into my suit coat, but came running across the street proudly flailing a plastic coat hanger with a huge grin on my face.  No one had the guts to tell me how stupid they thought I was for bringing a plastic hanger because I was to pretending to have been the most helpful person ever.  It was funny.  They were relieved when I offered the wire one.

Well, I finished reading the Book of Mormon again recently and it occurs to me that I've been out on my mission around the same amount of time as the Brother of Jared and his group were in those barges being tossed in the sea.  I hadn't really realized that before.  They were in those submarines for almost a year!  That's some patience....  I think there was a lot more to those vessels than being 'tight like unto a dish' and having two airholes.  I don't care how much air you're getting, without that fresh water and food, you're not lasting for a year on the sea in those bad boys.  Just a thought....

So the work has been tough this week, but that' nothing new.  But we keep working hard, that's the important thing I suppose.  One cool experience was that we met this lady who used to visit with the missionaries like ten years ago and would have them over for dinner and stuff and then they just lost contact I guess.  Since then, she's had a stroke, but she's still all there and has the Book of Mormon and wants us to come back and continue teaching her.  She's been visiting with some members of another faith (that we often get mistaken for), but I think she'll recognize truth when she hears/sees it.

Another experience was with this guy that we met who was like "Oh yeah, I'm not really interested in talking, but I love your Watchtower publication" after introducing ourselves.  I had to explain to him that that is not a publication of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints and told him whose it was (see above paragraph for the answer!).  We talked a little more and it turns out that he knows a little bit about the church because he was a religious studies major in college (from our first exchange though, I feel like he wasn't particularly knowledgable on the subject so I doubt that he earned a degree in that field of study).  He took a Book of Mormon though and seemed excited to read it!

I really want to share this quote though as the spiritual thought for the week (that I haven't been doing a great job at lately):

“No one knows anything about Christ’s work simply by being born a member of the Church, and often he knows little about it after years of unmotivated exposure in meetings or classes. He must learn. And learning involves self-investment and effort. The gospel should be studied ‘as carefully as any science.’ The ‘literature of the Church’ must be ‘acquired and read.’ Our learning should be increased in our spare time ‘day by day.’ Then as we put the gospel truth to work in daily life, we will never find it wanting. We will be literate in the most important field of knowledge in the universe, knowledge for lack of which men and nations perish, in the light of which men and nations may be saved”

—Elder Marion D. Hanks, First Council of the Seventy, “Theological Illiterates”, Improvement Era (September 1969): 42

Think about it....

Okay, well ya'll are great.  Happy Christmas to you, hopefully I'll get to hear from you... but if it's anything like it's been the past couple of weeks, probably not.  Have an fantastic week!

Love
Elder Grabinger

Jokes, Sick Companion, Success, and A Christmas eCard

Dear Everyone,

First, I'd like to share a couple of jokes from one of the members in our ward...

No Russian jokes?  Soviet... (like, 'so be it...')

Asian jokes are wong.

Hahaha, I just laugh every time I hear those...

Anyway, this week was pretty great.  Unfortunately, Elder Rich got SUPER sick on Thursday.  Like, he was puking his lungs out.  Gross.  But actually really funny.  His upchuck hurls were just epic, I couldn't help but smile when I heard them.  I wish I could have seen it...  The problem is, we have district meeting on Thursdays, so we ran to the church and I raided the mother's lounge for some comfy furniture and set up a bed for him in the cultural hall where it's dark so he could keep resting.  It was a fun day... for me.  :)

Great news!  My tie is clean!  I didn't doubt it.  I've had great luck with dry cleaning.  In fact, I've had to have some ties dry cleaned that missionary friends have signed with sharpie, and they come back without the sharpie on them!  Sentimentally devastating, but impressive nonetheless...

Well, JJ and Regina bonked our appointment last week, but they said we could come by again this week and that they'd be prepared, so that's still going alright.  However, we haven't been in touch with Steven for over two weeks now, so I guess that's not happening anymore.

We've had a TON of luck finding new people to teach this week though, despite Elder Rich being out of commission for two days.  In fact, yesterday we followed up with a spanish potential investigator and now we have a solid spanish investigator!  Baltazar was visiting with the missionaries in Cookeville, TN and has "El Libro de Mormon" and has read some and loves it.  I still have trouble expressing myself in Spanish sometimes, but I can communicate, so that's good for now.  Now I have a reason to REALLY WORK on it.  EXCITING!

Well, I missed the first 15 minutes of the devotional last night, but what I did catch was really great.  Then today I found out the best of the musical performances were the ones I missed!!!  I'm going to get them off of lds.org though.  No worries.  I loved that box that President Eyring made but I would've been super upset about that barometer.  I love when President Monson shares that story about his primary teacher.  I read it in his biography.  So good...

OMGoodness, if you haven't seen mormon.org lately, go check it out.  There's free MOTAB Christmas music and they do an AWESOME performance of "O Holy Night" (All my favorite Christmas songs are in minor keys I feel... I like dark music I guess).

Love
Elder Grabinger

Turkey bowl, spilled salsa, and terrifying Spanish talks

Everyone,

I will probably be in Pleasant Ridge North for 3 more months because Elder Rich is brand new in the field.  Usually, new missionaries and their companions stay together for the new missionary's first two transfers or 12 weeks.  That's about 3 months.

Elder Rich reminds me, in some ways, a lot of myself when I first came out.  I see now that I was probably an extremely frustrating companion.  Both of us are naturally reserved people though, so we don't talk that much.  I think he's tense mostly because he's new, but also I think it's just part of his personality and mannerisms.  Also, it's been very cold since he got here..  You could say we get along, but we're not best of friends just yet.

Thanksgiving was great.  I POUNDED THAT FOOD!  In the morning, we went to the Turkey Bowl for a couple of hours and I just ran til I dropped.  It felt great and I was sore for like three days afterward.  It prepared me for the feasting that we would partake in later that day.  We went to the bishop's home for dinner and it was just wonderful. Turkey, ham, stuffing, green bean casserole, mashed potatoes, corn, bread, cornbread stuffing, (no cornbread).  There was this amazing dessert that had a crushed up pretzel base, then whipped topping first layer, and a strawberry gelatin on top.  SO GOOD!  Then I got me some warm dutch apple pie with ice cream.  Technically, it was a work day, but we planned all of our administrative tasks for that day (which is still work that we have to do).  Maybe I'm a bad missionary.... but at least I'm a happy missionary, right?

no?

okay.

Anyways...

Some horrific news for the week:  We were eating dinner on Tuesday evening at a members home, having some of the most delicious enchiladas and guacamole I've ever had (it's tough to beat Mom, that's all I'll say), when I opened the hot sauce bottle.  Without noticing, millions (about 10) of drops of hot sauce drops splattered my shirt and new tie.  The shirt is ruined.  The tie is at the hospital (i.e. the dry cleaners) and I'll have the diagnosis tomorrow.  But now I get to buy new shirts!  Hooray!

Yesterday, I was asked a huge favor.  A gigantic favor.  The first counselor texted me at about 10:30 a.m/ and asked if we could speak in sacrament meeting that day.  Oh yeah, it was the SPANISH BRANCH SACRAMENT MEETING.  I was terrified.  After lunch, I cleared the schedule to prepare my first talk as a missionary (which was my first talk in Spanish coincidentally as well).  The topic was about the birth of Christ, so naturally I just read half of Luke 1 & 2.  It went well.  Afterward, one of the members said that my accent sounds like it's South American.  Yes, I'm almost a native.

We taught a wonderful lesson this week to JJ and Regina who are some new investigators.  The spirit was so strong.  JJ is great, every time I say something like "Jesus restored the true church through Joseph Smith" or "Jesus sent an angel to give us the Book of Mormon" he'll say "praise Jesus" in almost a whisper.  I love it.  We'll be seeing them again tomorrow.

Fortunately, Steven is still a free man.  Unfortunately, we didn't get to meet with him last week.  I'm bummed about that.  We don't really have any other prospects at the moment, so it's kinda tough.

We did have an amazing finding experience this week though.  Usually, Elder Grandy (who used to live in Hyder actually, for those of you Arizonans who know about it), who I was on exchange with this week, carries several of The Restoration pamphlets on him when tracting.  However, this time, he only had one.  So after he handed that out, he was forced to utilize the Plan of Salvation pamphlet.  The next person we talk to tells us that his wife died within the past few months, he just recently started seeking out religion since his childhood, and he wants to learn more about God's plan for his life.  I think Elder Grandy was holding the right pamphlet.  I'm so glad that the Lord has his hand in this work and makes things happen so that we can unwittingly be prepared to bless the lives of His children.  We're going to try to see him again this week because he wasn't there at the time that he said we could come back.

Overall, the work has been rough.  I try and try, and it seems like I never have any lasting success.  Maybe just with myself and my own personal testimony... that's good enough I suppose.

Oh, I don't have that much time anymore because of my District Leader responsibilities.  And my district is massive (there's five companionships, as opposed to like three normally).  So for those of you who are waiting on replies to letters, I promise it'll get done!!!  Be patient with me!

Nothing too crazy happened this week while talking to people.  We just ran into that one occasional person that likes to freak people out by saying "I worship Satan" and then walking away.  Whatever you gotta do to be happy... she didn't seem to happy though.  I wonder why...

Okay, have a good week everyone!  I miss you lot's!  Chloe's reminded me that the year long countdown starts in about another month!

Love,
Elder Grabinger

Happy Turkey Day!

Hey,

(1)  I'm still here in Pleasant Ridge North, so Knoxville.  It looks like I'll be here for at least three more months, but crazy stuff happened last time I said that, and so that may not be true.

(2)  Elder Rich is my new companion, he's been out for 6 days so he's MTC fresh.  He's great.  He seems tense all the time though.  Mission life can be a huge adjustment.

(3)  Nope, I've got the edge on Spanish right now it looks like.  He's not at all incompetent though.

We sang, "I Want To Be A Missionary Now."  I'd never heard it before.  Whatevs.  It was no big deal.  They even passed out slips of paper so that you could write comments on the program, so of course I took the opportunity to anonymously congratulate myself to the Primary Presidency.  The children did well too.

HAHAHAHAHA!!!  That is hilarious.  Ben has the right idea for sure.  "WE ARE NOT LEAVING UNTIL SOMEONE'S CAR GETS DECORATED!"  That's an important part of the wedding reception.  Even if it ends up being the stake president's car...

No mission plans for Thanksgiving.  We are allowed a two hour dinner appointment, then it's back to work.  WOO-HOO!!!  Nothing brightens people's Turkey day more than a knock on the door from the mormon missionaries.  Expect many baptisms to follow...

Some BIG news I heard this week and need confirmed/updated:

-Hostess is done.  No more twinkies. If true:  STOCK UP FOR ME NOW!!! (Although, someone is bound to buy the recipe).

-Disney acquires LucasFilms along with the rights to Star Wars.  New movies might not actually be that far, far away... (see what I did there?)

Things are aight.  We've met a lot of new people this week, and there's some crazies out there.  But all of these stories just start to sound normal when you've been a missionary for a while, so I won't bore you with pot filled apartments and homosexual females that insist on being called lesbians and picking up a frozen lasagna for lunch.

We've been meeting with and teaching this gentleman named Steven.  He's awesome, and he just loves learning about the gospel and Jesus and the Restoration, it's GREAT!!!  But Steven might end up being incarcerated today, in which case it's back to the drawing board.  Pray for the best.

As you can see, I'm in a hurry again.  All of the new responsibility I've been given is nearly overwhelming.  I've absolutely no extra time now.  Sorry.

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!!!

Love
Elder Grabinger

P.S.  I'm soooooooooper excited for the holiday season because pies are so abundant.  You can bet that my grocery fund for December is going to include financial support for at least four Marie Callendar's Dutch Apple Pies.... and some Cool Whip.

Short but Good

Dear People,

I couldn't write yesterday because Veteran's Day had all of the libraries closed.  #Wasn'tThatHolidayTwoDaysAgo?

Transfers is tomorrow, so I don't have much time to write today.  But, I will be getting a brand new companion, like, fresh from the MTC.  Exciting!  I'm hoping he can teach me Spanish since he will have had the Spanish MTC experience (or CCM as they call it).  Cross your fingers!

Highlights of last week:  A member took us to Five Guys for lunch.  SOOOOO GOOD!!!  Also, we got to sing in the primary program with all the little ones.  Tons of fun.

M'boy President Irion is back in town.

That is all.

Love

Elder Grabinger

P.S.  'Merica!!!

Awesome Experience

Dear Everyone,

I haven't met the interim mission president in person, but he's the real deal.  He's got big plans to whip this place into shape.  I'll be keeping my nose clean for the next few weeks... jk, lol.  He's really cool and he doesn't plan on just babysitting until President Irion gets back, he really wants to make the most of his time here and I appreciate that.  He'll be a great leader for us.

OMGoodness, it sounds like this is the perfect time for me to relate me recent adoption of beyond intense hatred for gossip.  The phrase "loose lips sink ships" is soooooo true.  And may I take the liberty to add, "ruin baptisms too"?  But that's another story that I just can't share yet.  Don't ever backbite.  In fact, let me share this quote from Thomas S. Monson:

"Complaining is not thinking.  Ridiculing is not reasoning."

Words to live by...

Also, do your civic duty and vote.  And with that I'll conclude my spiritual thought for the week.

FYI:  we don't proselyte on Halloween.  We were told to stay inside from 6-9 p.m. and do our weekly planning.

I'll miss Uncle Vance, he is soooooo awesome.

Hmmm, my only memory of Grandma (before the Alzheimer's) was when she pulled into the alley and picked us up from catching frogs with the neighborhood kids and was flipping out that we were going to get warts.  She cared about us so much... but we were too young to understand.  Also, one time I kept telling her to turn right so we could get to the park, but she couldn't get in the right lane.  Again, I was too young to understand that that was an issue and I just kept telling her to turn right until we passed the turn.  Other than that, it's all hilarious sayings that occurred as a result of the disease.  I miss her though.

Oh good, that pic by Emily Eddy is a real good one.  I'm glad that's up there.

Well, this has to be a short letter again because I'm out of time.... okay I'll share one cool experience from this week.

I was off on an exchange this week and we went to contact this referral in the other elder's area.  Well, when we got there we found out that she was a less-active member that had fallen off the radar.  So we just get to talking and it seems like she wants to get back into church and be active in the gospel again, but her husband was kinda resentful that we were there.  Well, it was only because she had never mentioned being Mormon to him much less contacting the elders and they had recently talked about finding a church to go to and everything.  Soon after talking, the lady had to leave for an appointment, but we just stayed and kept talking with her husband.  When it was time to leave, we decided to leave their family with a copy of the Book of Mormon, because she didn't have one any longer, and introduced him to it as well.  After reading the first paragraph of the introduction, he says "I'm going to make you a promise; I'm going to read every word in this book."  So that's the power of the Lord, a complete turnaround in the husband's demeanor from the time we met to the time we left.  I'm so grateful for His ever present influence in this, His work.

Love,

Elder Grabinger

Speeding, Blessings, and Generals

Affectionate Associates

Those punks at BYU-I had a women's soccer team shovel snow off of the field!?  Don't they have an elders quorum over there or something?  Chivalry is dead.  Douglas, your right though:  We've got bigger problems if attendance is mandatory for an intramural soccer team.

I'm now fully recovered from my unfortunate illness a couple weeks ago.  We had another chili cook-off this past weekend for the ward's Trunk-Or-Treat activity.  My companion and I graciously bowed out of that event.

I wasn't paying attention while driving last week, and I totally sped through a school zone.  I soon found out that one reason the church buys Chevy Malibus for mission vehicles is that it's impossible to get in a high-speed chase in one of those.

So I only got into a moderate-speed chase with a highway patrol officer.  In my defense, WHO PUT'S AN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL ON A HIGHWAY!!!?  When he finally got me pulled over, he asked for my driver's license and came back 10 minutes later and let me off with a warning.

I think he's afraid of authority (I flashed my name badge several times)...  He was about to have his own run-in with 'the law' if you know what I mean.

The law = my fist.

All jokes aside, he was a very kind man and I'm glad he let me off in my ignorance.  But now I know better.  And that's today's lesson:  you can't be saved in ignorance.  The glory of God is intelligence.  D&C 93:36.  Educate yourself.

I don't remember if I ever mentioned this, but weeks ago, my companion and I were asked to give a priesthood blessing to a member family's pet.  That was a strange experience.  We had to ask the Mission President about it, but he gave us the OK (with no oil though).  I joked with him about accidentally ordaining the dog to the Aaronic Priesthood.  He's a big loveable goof.  Pray for him.  He's headed back to "The Lake" (The Lake = SLC) for some medical gore.  Then pray for me.  We will have a temporary mission president who used to be a general in the military.  I'll let you know how it goes...

I also can't remember if I mentioned this, but for some reason, a few missionaries think my last name is prime material for a rapper name.  I've come to be affectionately known as "Elder Grabinjeezy and Elder G-breezy."

Points for originality.

Recently, I've heard the phrase "life is too/so short" in normal conversation and all I can think of is Dwight K. Schrute's wise reply:

"False, it's the longest thing you'll ever do."

Not true, but funny.

Despite my choice of greeting, this letter has become incredibly informal.  I hope that's okay with ya'll  <-----  I've been trying SUPER hard not to let this word become a part of my vernacular.  I have a tough time embracing some of the southern vocabulary because I think an education should be valued.  Call me crazy...

I had real southern grits for the first time last week!  It was like, the taste of lima beans with he consistency of mashed rice.  I will never understand the appeal.

Love you all.  Take care.

-Elder Grabinger

General Conference thoughts

Dear Everyone,

"No puedo hablar espanol" means 'I can't speak spanish.'
General Conference was fantastic.  The theme that stuck out to me most was about love and service for the Lord and, consequently, for others.  But there were many different messages shared, and that's the magic of General Conference.  Each of us can gain personal, direct guidance from prophets and apostles and inspired men and women of guide for our individual lives.  If you haven't watched all of it, I highly recommend you do so.  And then remember James 1:22 afterward.

This week was pretty uneventful.  Things are going alright though.  We're just trucking right along.  I'm trying to study hard and teach harder and love the hardest.  It's a tough work to do.

You all are the best!

Love
Elder Grabinger


oh ya,

AND A TEMPLE IN TUCSON!!!?  SWEET!!!!

Come Listen

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Senoro Norberto

Dearest Doug & company,

Yes indeed, I do have a birthday coming up this Friday.  The big 22, or, double deuces as I've been telling everyone.  I think I'm going to do some frozen yogurt or something.......... and baptize someone.  JK, lol.

;(

Haha, as coincidence would have it, I read the first chapter of the institute manual for the Old Testament last week.  All I have to say is, everyone's got their own opinions about the creation, but they'd be even crazier if Joseph Smith hadn't cleaned up a bunch of it with Moses.  I like Enoch a lot myself... he's a pretty mysterious character though.  I wish we knew a little more about him.

That picture you included was.... delightful.  Thank you.

So, now that we're teaching English people again, things are a little better.  We taught an investigator named Brittany last week and it went SUPER great. Also, we've been teaching this guy named Jquarius and he came to church with us this week!  He's got a lot of issues though, so I don't think it'll be like, super soon that we'll see him ready for baptism.

Also, I went on an exchange two weeks ago with a really cool new elder named Elder Brown.  He's from South Jordan, but we got along really quick.  Anyway, he's got this cat that he's had since he was like, 11 and a bunch of friends would give him grief about it growing up, so he decided to make a blog for his cat as a joke and it turned into one of those blown-up overnight internet sensations.  Apparently, it's pretty hilarious.  You guys should check it out and tell me if it's any good.  He told me it's something like kittenkorner or kittykorner or whatever over at tumblr.com

Well, ever since I decided not to buy any groceries, I've been forced to get creative and stuff with cooking, and as always, I'm the only one that ever does anything in the kitchen.  Elder Henriquez calls me Chef Boyardee because everything I make is really good apparently.  I wish I could say the same for the real Chef Boyardee...

I heard a funny joke:

Did you know that Jehovah's Witnesses don't celebrate Halloween?  Turns out they don't like random people knocking on their doors either...

lol

When Elder Brown and I were on exchange, we went to teach a recent convert named Vivian.  Anyway, we usually just read a chapter out of the Book of Mormon with her because she's trying to read the whole thing (and it's going great) and then help her understand what she reads.  Well, she expressed a concern and I was kinda like, "Well, whatever.  Let's read."  So after we read Alma 53, I was trying to come up with some great spiritual insight and nothing was happening.  Alma 53 is not exactly Alma's discourse on faith or King Benjamin's exhortation to live the gospel if you know what I mean.  But then the Spirit hit me and I was able to pull some neat little thought out of that.  Afterwards, Elder Brown was like, that was so cool that we just read that chapter and you totally answered her question she had from the very beginning.  I hadn't noticed, but I rolled with it.  I was like "Yeah, the Spirit's pretty cool." or whatever.  So Elder Brown thinks I'm a super boss missionary now.

I am.

Okay so you've all heard the whole "Guns don't kill people, People kill people."  thing.  I never thought how ridiculous that was until a priest in our ward really put it in perspective with "Toasters don't toast toast, toast toasts toast."  Think about it.

Alma 60:21 has meant a lot to me this week. We can't forget that we have to do the best we can with what we have and not just sit back and let the Lord take care of our problems, cause he won't.

Make sure to have a great Friday this week!  ;)

Okayloveyoubyebye.

Love
Elder Grabinger

Es (still) una Fiesta

Hola Mi Familia y Mis Amigos

Como estan?  That's about all I've got...

Okay not really.  I went on an exchange this week and since Elder Henriquez went to another area, I was forced to speak a lot here in our Spanish area.  It was really good.  It's a miracle how great my Spanish is after two months.  But they do say that God is a Man of Miracles...  It's a great blessing.

Um, well there's like a diet plan and an order of exercises you're supposed to do and everything for P90X, and I don't really do the diet (or eating for that matter) or exercise plan anymore, but I still do one of the videos almost every day (I skip Sundays).  I kinda just made my own exercise plan.  So I do P90X, and not really at the same time.  :]  (for now)

The McGriddles were ultimately a failure.  It seems you can dump half a bottle of syrup in the pancake mix, but it must cook out or something because it doesn't affect the taste very much.  Oh well.  No I don't need a waffle maker.

P-day was fun.  SHOPPING!!!  It was Labor Day so you know we went to the mall.  It's kinda annoying to go to the mall in a white shirt and tie though because no matter what store you go into, a bunch of people think you work there and ask them to open a dressing room for them or check them out at the register and then they're like, um "What's going on?" when the mall security comes to detain you because you're trying to sign them up for the store's credit card so they can save 15% on their purchase that day but you aren't actually an employee.  So only the first two lines of this paragraph actually happened.

Long story short, Banana Republic is my new favorite store.

Well, things didn't go so hot last week.  Victor told us that he's going to church with some family in Morristown.  Just when I thought "Ah, he get's it!"  he doesn't really get it...  Oh well.  He still wants us to teach him.  I'm just afraid that it's going to be really difficult for him to become converted if he doesn't come to church.

Hispanic people can be really flaky.  Well, everyone can actually.  We're just having such a difficult time finding people that are excited to learn and will keep commitments.  Many times, it just seems like they don't know how to say no so they'll give us an hour of their time each week or something but then have no intention of doing anything.

But then I read 2 Nephi 4 this week and boy did I feel like an idiotard.  That's my spiritual thought for the week, 2 Nephi 4:26.  Uh duh!  Perfect question Nephi.  Why should my strength slacken because of mine afflictions?  Why should my heart weep and my soul linger in the valley of sorrow?  Think about it.  I don't have the answers, but something tells me we shouldn't slacken our strength because of our trials or be depressed because of adversity.  Men are, that they might have joy.

I miss everyone more than ever.  I love hearing from you.

Love
Elder Grabinger

Another Week in the Mission

Hola Amigos,

Of course I want an iPad.  Why not?  Of course I'm not allowed to have an iPad.  But it's like Jesus says "lay not up in store treasures on earth, where moth and rust corrupt and thieves break through and steal, but lay up in store for yourselves treasures in heaven."  And since everyone knows that missions are a mini metaphor for life, that means home is heaven.  So I would just send the iPad home until I come back.

Brazeiro's was INCREDIBLE.  Everything was just top notch and... well I'm certain that I broke the word of wisdom with all the meat I ate, but it's a steakhouse so whatever.

P90X is real tough, but it's not that bad.  The difference is that I'm sore all the time.  But it feels so good.

Well, um yeah.  It's kinda difficult to make waffles on the griddle. I'm not going to try it.  But, we did try to make McGriddles this week... It's tough.  And still not good for you, even if it is homemade.

Well, Eva is off in the hands of the English elders now.  They'll take good care of her.  I'm sure she'll come around, it'll just take time though.  She's felt the Spirit so many times with us there.  It'll happen.

By the way, HAPPY BIRTHDAY FAWN!!!  I know it's a day late.  Deal with it.  It's not like I have an iPad...

Dang, I'm sorry I missed your talks.  One thing I've learned as a missionary is don't be afraid not to talk.  Just have like a moment of silence and let the Spirit sink in.  I haven't tried it myself in a talk yet, but I'm always down to try revolutionary ideas.  In fact, I actually haven't given a talk at all yet on my mission, which is pretty unusual I hear.  Don't tell anyone that though... I'm soooo good at flying under the radar.

Hahahaha, I know right?  All kinds of people have a cow now when you call it a 'farewell'.  It's funny.

I would have been right there with you on that hamburger.  I like my meat well grounded.  (that was a pun in two ways: first, terrestrial quadripeds provide the most delicious meat, and also, hamburger is usual served grounded a la 'ground beef'.)

Well, we just had a really great lesson with our investigator, Victor, this week.  After reading 3 Nephi 11 with him, he was like "Now I know that I need to be baptized again." (but he used these Spanish words instead)  It's always so cool when you see people just 'get it.' Ya know?  So we'll probably be working extra hard on him this week.

Things are just really great right now.  The Lord is always blessing us so much.  We've been finding a few new people to teach and Victor is really learning and stuff.  Shouldn't be long now...

This week, I ran into Mosiah 23:21 which was absolutely appropriate for me.  I feel like I've been working hard and trying to be better all the time for most of my mission and just was wondering why don't I ever get any baptisms.  Well, it's because 'Nevertheless the Lord seeth fit to chasten his people; yea, he trieth their patience and their faith.'  Don't ever be discouraged if you're doing the best you can and you still feel like things aren't going your way.  We both know that we could use a little more patience and a lot more faith.  Hang in there, you're doing great.

That's all I got for now.  Sorry.  But I love you all and I miss you and I appreciate all the mail you've sent me.  It's always good to hear from you.

Love
Elder Grabinger

Oh yeah! You betcha.

Dear Friends,

Of course that Olive Garden deal is not in my budget, and if you try to send me money, I'm going to save it for an iPad.  But I appreciate your thoughtfulness.  Okay, story time.  I'm starving myself for the time being because I got the worst news ever.  Our investigator told us that her friend thought she was meeting with us just because we have big butts.  My fat fanny is definitely my greatest insecurity.  It was game over from there.  So, anorexia is my new lifestyle after today because we're going to this Brazilian steakhouse for dinner called Brazeiro's or whatever.  Apparently it's the place to be and it costs like 50 bucks a person.  It's all about the hookups with us missionaries...

Yeah, I don't really think I look like Joseph Gordon Leavitt at all, but my companion is convinced.  Whatever.  I'm kinda liking the brown too, but I'm not going to keep buying hair day or anything.

Oh yeah, we totally have a car.  I need to get my bike fixed because... well it's a good thing to have.  But it's tough.

Also, we're doing P90X now as our workout routine (I don't remember if I had mentioned that).  The mission president approved it for our exercise time.  I'm about to kill myself with not eating and doing P90X.  Total body transformation.  Haha, it's going to be crazy/

OMGosh the griddle is the coolest thing ever.  I use it all the time.  I don't know why we even have a stove anymore.  Breakfast burritos, pancakes, Mcgriddles... the possibilities are endless.  I highly recommend it if you can get a good deal.  I still am out of luck with a waffle maker though...  can't do those with the griddle.

Well, Eva still hasn't gotten her private church tour.  But she's in the capable hands of the English elders now.  So whatever.  Yeah, the branch attendance is horrible (<--- that's a Spanish word), but membership isn't really that high either.  The branch directory is only like 2 pages.

Well, I haven't always gotten along with all my companions either, but they're all great.  I love 'em.

No, I don't believe that it is encouraged for us to go to other churches, but that's what other elders have said to me and I'm kinda like "false doctrine."  What I'm saying is, I don't think it's either encouraged or discouraged, but if you ask me, it's a waste of time.  You hit the nail on the head though, I've been thinking the same thing, are we sometimes guilty of not mentioning Christ as often as we should, really, His Atonement is the center of it all.  I will quote Joseph Smith in summarizing our beliefs, forgive if I mess up, but he says:

"The fundamental principles of our religion are the testimony of the Apostles and Prophets, concerning Jesus Christ, that he died, was buried, and rose again on the third day, and ascended into heaven; and all other things which pertain to our religion are only appendages to it."  -- Joseph Smith

That kinda puts it all in perspective for me when I read/remember that quote.

HAHAHAHAHAHA!!!  I shouldn't laugh at those things, but yeah.  "YOLO sounded so good nine months ago" is hilarious.

Oh yeah, transfers is this week, but Elder Henriquez and I are staying together.  He's going to be a district leader though.  He's so power hungry.... JK.

Doug, you're the funniest.  I forget that not everyone has had the pleasure of viewing the majesty that is the world's largest buffalo in North Dakota.  What an eye-opening experience for you.  Ah yes, the Soviet plot to assemble an dimensionally superior buffalo... one of the darker spots on our failed diplomacy with the communists in history.  For those of you that are unaware, the following is an excerpt from the informative reply that my brother-in-law sent me:

"Fun buffalo fact, the Soviet Union once sent a letter to the Jamestown chamber of commerce asking for the dimensions of the world’s largest buffalo. The Jamestown chamber of commerce decided against sending the dimensions to the soviets fearing a communist plot to build a bigger buffalo, however the closely guarded dimensions can still be found on the plaque in front of the buffalo. Moral of the story, sometimes a letter just doesn’t cut it and you need to suck it up and visit."

I was indeed also aware that "Buffalo buffalo buffalo Buffalo buffalo that buffalo Buffalo buffalo" is a grammatically correct sentence. Another fun fact Douglas, you don't even need the 'that' in the sentence. The sentence "Buffalo buffalo buffalo Buffalo buffalo buffalo buffalo Buffalo buffalo" is also just as grammatically correct. Icebreaker!? Can you say Icemelter!!!? (<--rhetorical question). Thanks for the educational reminder for all of us. If you weren't already aware people, Buffalo buffalo are a real issue in the world of rambunctious wildlife....

Life is definitely at a snower pace in North Dakota (hahaha, see what I did there?).  That's for sure.

BTW Fawn and Doug: Happy Anniversary!  Aren't I so thoughtful?

I can't wait for next weeks email.  They really are riveting.  Thank you.  I love 'em.

The picture that I've attached is a puppy road block that we ran into while driving through a neighborhood.  My cute-O-meter was running off the charts and I really wanted to grab a couple of them and take them home.  But we know how the pet situation works out at our apartment...

Well, this past week we had zone conference and it was awesome.  It was all about the Book of Mormon and how we can better utilize it as the converting tool that it is in our proselyting.  Read the Book of Mormon.  If you've already done it, read it again.  It truly testifies that Jesus is the Christ and will help all of us grow closer to him as our Savior and Redeemer.  I know that these things are true.

Okay, I suppose that's about it.  I can't think of anything else.  I love you all and miss you so much.  Have a great week.

Love,
Elder Grabinger

Going for Gold

Well, I heard this week that Elder Busch and Elder Mills baptized Shay about a week ago back in Harrison Bay!!!  I'm sad I couldn't be there.  Oh well.

Yes please, I would love a video of Mom tearing it up on the mic with "Call me, maybe."

What!?  How have you not heard of it?  Is this half-price SONIC milkshake thing only going on over here on the east coast?  IT'S AWESOME!!!

No, the girls that Elder Henriquez is trying to set me up with are not cute.  Even the mom of one of the girls keeps telling me that her daughter is ugly (her daughter has been out of town, so we haven't met yet).  It's really weird and awkward cause I don't know if I'm supposed to agree with her or defend her daughter that I haven't met.  I can't go by the spirit on this one... well, because the spirit definitely isn't there.

Pics of brown hair included.

SWEET!!!  You Doug got a cutout of my face to the reception!?  Best bro-in-law ever...  Pics, or it didn't happen.

Okay, there's some stuff I finally wrote down in my planner so I know what to tell you guys about.

Tico the lizard is a pet we had.  We found him living in our apartment.  We assumed that he was living there before we were, so we thought he might know how to take care of himself.  We never fed him so he was willing to eat anything I guess.  So, he decided to bite the dust, if you know what I mean.  There is a picture included.  Tico's memorial service was wonderful.  Spirit's were really light as we tossed him out the front door.

When I disassembled my bike in Harrison Bay to bring it here, I took the bike seat off.  We'll, now I can't put it back on.  So looks like I can't ride a bike for awhile until I get that fixed.  We buttered it up and everything.  I maintain that a change in humidity caused the seat pole to expand, but I've never seen such a drastic change in aluminum alloy before.  Strange.

Okay, the second day I got here to Pleasant Ridge North, we go to dinner at a member family's home.  The first thing the 4 year old daughter says to me when I walk in is "you have to marry mommy."  I was freaking out but apparently that's normal so nobody thought anything of it.  Crazy mormons...

The father of this same family was telling us a story the other day of how his mission president was a stake president for some student wards in Rexburg a while ago.  Anyway, when the father was getting off his mission, the president gave him the whole "debriefing" speech about getting married and whatnot.  But then the president cautions him and tells him not to read scriptures with any of his dates.  Apparently, one thing leads to another and reading scriptures together used to get a lot of young couples in trouble according to his mission president who was a stake president at BYU-I.  So the father goes home and one of his first dates tries to hold his hand and he flips out (cause he just got off the mish) so then his date suggests that they read the BoM.  End of date.

Hilarious.

Also, we found a mouse trap in our apartment, so, inspired by the current olympic games, Elder Henriquez challenges me to a game of "see-who-can-grab-the-multi-vitamin-off-the-mouse-trap-without-setting-it-off."  I'll have you know that I'm a pro.

A few days later (yesterday) we come home and I actually find a mouse.  His name is Jamar.  And he did not win at all when we decided to play that game with him.  I've included a picture of Jamar's failed attempt at winning the gold (we actually used white cheese though, not gold).

I think Elder Henriquez is just girl-crazy sometimes.  During companion study, he'll just spin his pen on the table and say "Let's see who Elder Grabinger has to kiss" (like spin-the-bottle if you didn't catch that).  I worry about him sometimes.  But he's the coolest.  We have a blast all the time, as you can tell...

We go hard.

Elder Henriquez has this change jar and we call it the "treasure box."  We emptied it out and went to Taco Bell to get 2-dollar meal deals cause we didn't have any other money.  It was a blast, but we've stooped so low... I'm kinda pathetic, I guess.  But us missionaries think we're the bees knees.  It's a lot like college I think.

Ah yes, the old "r -> w" to annoy Chloe trick...  I miss you all.  Nobody understands me out here.  They don't get my jokes because I'm too good at keeping a straight face.  They just don't appreciate it.

So one experience we had this week was trying to resolve an investigator's concern and get her to come to church.  Just when we were about to give up, I was like "How about if you come with us during the afternoon one day and we give you a private church tour when no one else is there? Will you be more comfortable coming to church then?"  She loved the idea.  We're going tomorrow.  There's no substitute for the spirit.  He takes care of business when I can't do a thing.

It's like this priest in our ward says when he plays video games and 'pwns' people.  "You can't teach, clutch."  (Clutch is like an extremely improbable victory in video game vernacular).  "You can't teach, teaching by the spirit."

You may or may not be interested to know that I haven't gotten mail in a couple weeks.  I don't mean to be petty, but I really am desperate.

Well, that's been the experience in Pleasant Ridge so far.  I'm going to wrap this up and have some better news next week hopefully.

YOLO,  (<--- I hear it's the latest craze)
Elder Grabinger

Es Una Fiesta!

Dear Everyone,

My video is like 323 MB, so I dunno how I'm going to send that to you, but there's a couple pics attached.  Have fun with those.

This week was alright.  We taught a bunch of investigators in Spanish and one of them actually came to church, so progress is being made!  The attendance yesterday was more than it's been in like the past six months (or so I've heard).  The Lord is really blessing our efforts, which is cool to see.  I'm hoping to fill the font soon.  :)

It's so funny how jaded I've become to some aspects of missionary work though.  For example, my companion, who's been out for like 17 months now, will get a call from the a member that is supposed to be teaming up with to go teach an investigator or something and he'll be like sweet! So-and-so is calling to let us know he's on his way or is at our apartment to get us and I'll be like, "he's totally cancelling, I like the positivity though".  And then my comp. answers the phone and his smile turns into a frown.

That's why half price shakes after 8 have been such a blessing this summer.  Thank you Sonic... ice cream fixes everything (STRAWBERRY MILKSHAKES FOREVER!!! - some of you know what that means).

Okay, I'll share the scripture Romans 8:16-17 today.  As children of God, it is our inheritance to be like him and gain all power, joy, happiness, peace, etc.  The way is through Christ, who did not eliminate all personal suffering, but if we would suffer with him, we would not have to suffer as he did.  And if we endure our sufferings with Christ, we shall also be glorified together, and receive all that the Father hath.

Feel free to use that one next time someone says we can't be like God...  JK, it'll only make them angry.  Love them to death.

Well, I hope all is well.  I'm out of stuff to say.  I miss all my friends even more now that I don't get letters anymore...

Love,
Elder Grabinger

P.S.  Elder Henriquez and I are working on our rapping skills between teaching and tracting.  I'm getting really good at beatboxing and his rhymes is dope.  We're going to convert the 'hood soon.  Maybe we'll get good enough to make a video.  ;)

Message from Fawn: The pictures Bert references can be found on his Facebook page in the album titled T KNOX Mission.

Another Week.

Well pleasant ridge north is aight.  It's pretty tough to find Spanish speaking investigators, but we definitely talk to a bunch of Spanish speakers.  Yeah, hopefully elder Busch can hold down the fort in Harrison bay and get us some baptisms.

Yeah, elder lesueur is super tight. It's time for some more hilarious stories... Yeah, Mesa is a huge Mormon hub. Elder henriquez high school was 80% Mormon he says. Carazy.

Living in the members basement is tight. It smells, but I guess I can't expect a 5 star suite.

Yeah, good call. Google translate is off sometimes when it comes to Spanish sentence structure.  I used google chrome to translate some lds.org web pages and read them, but every now and then I would be like " well that didn't make sense." half the time, it's because I don't actually know Spanish, but also it would sometimes translate things wrong.  It's whatever.

No more encyclopedia brown!!? Keep those safe for me... Ill read 'em again.

Well some of us aren't even allowed to listen to the radio so we don't get to hear "call me, maybe" every five minutes.

Well, we tried to go back and see crazy lady, but no luck. We got another investigator in her apartment complex though just by going by to try to see her, so there's always blessings.

Elder henriquez keeps trying to set me up with members daughters. Even investigators daughters. It's getting really weird...

Dang, that must have been a church wide thing this Sunday cause our elders quorum lesson was on that uchtdorf talk. The merciful obtain mercy. Stop it.

Not much has actually Happened this week as far as investigator progress. You know, just some finding and teaching. No baptizing. Yet. 

Okay but we did find some hair dye in our apartment and we all know how much I hate being wasteful....

I have dark brown hair now.

But that same day my face decided to grow the biggest cold sore of my life, so no pics until next week.

I hate herpes.

Well, that's the most exciting news of the week I guess.  See you later. Keep it real.

Love

Elder grabinger

Si Habla Espanol

Hola mi familia y mis amigos,

 

I lied.  I was transferred to Pleasant Ridge North, which is actually in Knoxville.  I made it to the center of the mission... it's just as tough.  Nothing special.  Yeah, I'm so excited for Sue.  I got transferred in the middle of the week so I don't know what's going on anymore with her or with the Yeagers or anyone else.  Elder Busch and his new companion, Elder Mills, will get work done there in Harrison Bay I'm sure.

 

BEST NEWS EVER!!!  Elder LeSueur got transferred too, and we're still in the same zone!!!  Better yet, we're in the same district.  Better yet, he's my District Leader!!!  WHAT!!!!!!!!!!!!!?  Yeah, I'm pretty stoked.  It's crazy.  We've been serving in adjacent areas for the entire time we've been out.  I love it.

 

So my new companion is Elder Henriquez.  He's from Mesa, AZ and he's the bomb.  He played soccer on scholarship at UC Irvine before coming out, so he's alright at soccer.  Our area just got changed up a little bit though.  We are assigned to only teach spanish speaking investigators, so we cover like, half of two zones now.  Any english speaking investigators we find, we can teach for a couple lessons to make sure they're legit, but then we gotta hand 'em off to some other missionaries.

 

We live in the basement of a member family's home.  it's pretty tight.

 

The spanish is coming along real well.  Our branch president had me introduce myself and bear testimony yesterday and I got to bless the sacrament in spanish and I got a ton of compliments.  One of the members was like "Your pronunciation is very good.  Not like most gringos."  So, yeah.  I'm doin' aight.

 

Yup, those Hardy Boys books are in a package at home Fawn.  You can read 'em if you want, but leave them for me!

 

Elder Busch and I were just super charming and got in real tight with some people that either were looking to get rid of stuff or had too much stuff and we just asked for it.  That's how we almost got a drumset a couple of times, but there were some complications and we didn't have enough time to make it happen.  Next time...

 

Well, I forgot my camera cord today, so no pics, but I'm at a real computer now so I shouldn't have any problems getting all my good stuff sent over to you guys.  But, I'm limited to an hour now because we're at a public library, so the emails will probably be shorter.

 

No groceries this month cause I just had to get Ray-Bans.  That puts a drain on your finances...  The worst thing is that it's been raining here in Knoxville since I've been here, so I haven't even gotten to look superfly yet.  No, I don't need money....  Just listen to that song "still fly."  That's me right now...

 

OMG there's this new song that is getting played everywhere and I love it!!!  Someone has to save "Call me, maybe" for me for when I get back.  Okay?

 

So we're in this lesson this week and the lady mentions to us that she is a narcoleptic and will probably be out in a couple seconds.  Sure enough, she just slumps over and is out for like 5 minutes.  I was like, "Um, maybe we should go" and Elder Henriquez was like, "How weird would that be if she wakes up and we're gone?" and I was like, "Well, it'll be pretty weird when she wakes up and we're still here too."  We came to the consensus that it was just a weird situation.  I'm going to like it here in Knoxville.

 

This other lady we taught was doing like some "Good cop/bad cop" routine with us or something cause she was eating out of Elder Henriquez's hands.  Whatever he said was astounding and then whenever I taught or bore testimony she was like "I don't believe you."

 So strange....  I was laughing about it when we left though.

 

Yeah, a YSA branch in Yuma?  Das cool.  I probably won't be there for long when I get back, but you can bet I'll be there if Bro. Slade is the prez.  He just cannot escape those bishopric callings...  pobrecito.

 

Well, I think I'm out of things to say.  Oh yeah, I also learned how to solve a rubik's cube this week.  Any cube.  In five minutes or less.  I can do it.  Elder Henriquez says there's nothing more attractive.  It's a good skill to have apparently.  He says the young ladies will be all over me when I get home.  I'm not convinced, but whatever.  I trust him.

 

We asked the "good cop bad cop" lady this week, "why do we need Jesus Christ?"  She was like, "Yeah, why do we need him?" and we didn't get to answer her.  So you'll get the answer.  One of my favorite scriptures that deals with this is the testimony of an apostle, Peter, in John 6:68.  Jesus had just given his sermon declaring that he was the bread of life and it offended a lot of people, so they left him.  He asked the apostles "will ye also go away?"  68) "Then Simon Peter answered him, Lord, to whom shall we go? thou hast the ^awords of eternal life."  And that's it.  Jesus is the way to eternal life.  There's no other way.  That's why we need him, otherwise, we will eventually have eternal death.

 

Well, time to go.  I love you all.  Have a great week.  Then write to me and tell me about it.

 

Love

Elder Grabinger

Transferred Again

Hey Everyone,

I am indeed being transferred this Wednesday.  The word on the street is that I'll be going to Pleasant Ridge South which is a Spanish area near Knoxville.  So it'll kinda be towards the heart of the mission.

It's been a pretty tame week.  Our investigator, Sue, has a baptismal date for August 11th though.  Hooray!  She was a referral that we got from Elder LeSueur over in East Ridge (an adjacent area) where she works.  But she lives in our area and so we've been teaching her and she is loving it and doing so great.  At first, we were having trouble getting in contact with her because her son and sister were pretty antagonistic, but we stopped by one day and she wasn't home and we ended up talking to the son (cause I'm smooth like that) and now he's on board!  We'll probably start trying to focus on teaching him as well soon.  But yeah, she went to church this past week and told us the next day that she was just feeling so great.  Elder Busch told her it was the Spirit.  She's going to be baptized.  I just know it.  She was a little sad when she found out I was leaving too.  She was like "Will you get to come back when I get baptized?"  I'm going to try my darndest.

They Yeager family is a referral from a member in our ward who we've been working with for most of the time that I've been here in Harrison Bay.  Last week we taught them the Word of Wisdom, which is the only commandment with issues that would keep them from being baptized at this point, and it went really well.  But they didn't make it to church this week... oh well.

I don't want to talk about anyone else.  They haven't met with us recently so whatever...

So we helped a less active lady clean out some things in her home last week and.... well, long story short, there's a package headed back home with my name on it that includes such gems as a soldering iron, Hardy Boys books (I love mysteries...), and some guitar strings.  No big deal.

I actually almost got a drumset a couple times this past week...  I don't know how, but you can bet I'll take one if I can get one and send that home.

Doug is absolutely correct.  Fast and Testimony Sunday can be a HUGE gamble, and that's not a game I like to play as a missionary, so I got up there and bore my testimony so it would start off well at least.  It turned out to be an incredible testimony meeting.  The best a missionary can ask for.  So that's the message, if any of you  reading this email are that WEIRDO that messes up fast and testimony meeting for the missionaries by... I dunno... doing whatever it is you do, then heed the council of a modern day apostle and "Stop it." (Dieter F. Uchtdorf)  Thanks.

This week was indeed a good week for mail.  keep it up team.

I was unable to acquire a roman candle last week, but I did burn a tie.  I guess I'm still 'new' though cause I chose to burn a polyester tie.  It's a five minute video now.  Sorry about that... I'll figure out hows to send it to you.  Hopefully the computers in my next area aren't running Windows XP with all the good features turned off...

We were tracting and Elder Busch asked if they had time to hear our message and the lady just said "I'm baptist" and closed the door, but before the door was closed he was like "No time for Jesus?" and just stood there for a couple seconds after the door was closed.  Then we left.  Whether the lady heard him say it or not is beside the point because she obviously wasn't listening as you can tell from her response to Elder Busch's question... but I thought it was hilarious anyway.

I had to get me a pair of Ray-Bans last week cause the sun is rough out here.  It turns out that I look real good in the tortoise shell ones.  Whod've thought?

No groceries this month.

Scripture of the week is 2 Nephi 4:28.  I don't feel like expounding though.

I heard a bunch of fireworks on the 4th, but I didn't see any.  Oh well.

Is it obvious that I don't have much to say about this week?

Okay, well, sorry.  Hopefully there'll be some better stuff next week.

Love,

Elder Grabinger

P.S.  How's Romney doing?  Thinks still looking good?  You can bet I heard about Obamacare being upheld in the Supreme Court...

Six month mark!!

Oh FawnRae,

HAHAHAHAHA, I love that picture of you two on the scooter.  It's awesome.  You don't look like Harry and Lloyd... Alyssa is only saying that cause of Doug's smile.  It's cool.  Don't listen to her.  What does she know about being fabulous?

Less than 25mph is a problem though.

Oh, the 'saved brigade' knew from the beginning that we were LDS missionaries.  That's why they stopped I'm pretty sure.  They were ridiculous; saying stuff like "It doesn't matter what religion you are, you just have to call on the name of Jay-zus (that's how they say it).  You could be saved and just have a mormon background.  I know a guy who's Buddhist and he's been saved..." or whatever.  You know?  Totally irrational.  You can't reason with these people.

I'm thinking about doing a 'Bible Quotes Beatdown Day' where I just murderize everyone who rejects us with Bible scriptures.  Like if people are like, "No thanks, get outta here"  I'd say, "Okay sir, read Luke 10:16 mmk?"  or if someone's like, "Well, I'd rather not, but you guys stay cool out there!" I'd leave them with, "No problem ma'am, go ahead and read James 2:16 for me okay?"  That'll do no good though... But I'd be having fun.

I got my Spanish nametag the other day.  It's pretty cool.  I haven't actually taught any investigators in Spanish yet, but we've role played lessons in Spanish at district meeting and whatnot.  I'm trying to get my hands on some standard works en espanol right now...  The Book of Mormon is really easy, but it's academic (or really proper) Spanish so it makes sense when I read it, but the language that people speak is a lot more informal so it's different.  I can knock out a chapter in El Libro de Mormon and understand it in about 20 minutes now, whereas I needed like 50 minutes two weeks ago.  It's a lot of fun.

I'll probably be transferred in a week though to an area with more Spanish teaching opportunities and a companion that already knows Spanish so that'll be better.  I'll get more experience actually speaking it.  But I'll probably be leaving the area, so all the people I've been teaching will just have to be baptized by someone else.  It's kinda a bummer, but whatever.

Dang!!!  I want to go on that zip line again.  That place is a blast!

Well, Elder Busch and I were biking around in triple digit temperatures this week, no big deal.  I think the heat got to Elder Busch though cause we locked up our bikes and he was about to walk away and I was like, "You missed.  You didn't lock your bike to anything."  He totally had just wrapped the cable around the pole and not even gotten his bike.  It was hilarious.  Everyone was having a heart attack about us being out and about in the heat and stuff and I was like "so............ are you going to invite us in then?  Seriously, I don't do this for funzies... I know that my message is true and 107 degree temperatures aren't going to stop me from trying to share it with you."

This lady we talked to this week was like "Well, I prayed about it, and I just feel like I need to stick with the Bible and learn my Bible better first.  I might sound crazy, but I want to go to seminary and do all that."  We tried to turn it around, but she wasn't having it.  Anyway, when we left I was like, "Well, lady, if you want to learn the things of God, you just need your scriptures, a sincere heart, and prayer.  You don't need to pay money to go to a school made by men to learn the things of God.  If you want help, go to lds.org and download the free study guides for the Old and New Testaments and go to town."  She was like, "You right, I neva thought o' it like dat."  Of course I'm right, call us when you're ready for truth...

Long story short,  I'm not entirely convinced that the field is white already to harvest cause I feel like I'm mostly just planting seeds, but it's a rewarding work nonetheless and I think I've learned to have joy with the little successes.  It's His work anyway so He's going to get all the glory.  No sense in trying to compete...

Speaking of successes though, I totally forgot to mention that the Yeager's came to church yesterday!!!!  It was awesome!  They said they enjoyed it and that they'd be coming back.  It was seriously the best fast and testimony meeting a missionary could ask for.  No weirdos AT ALL!!!  SahWEET!

Shay is ready for baptism, but she'll be out of town this weekend which is when we wanted to do it.  We're going to try to do it next Tuesday, just before transfers so that Elder Busch and I can baptize together.  Fingers crossed.  Her baby is doing fine and so is she.

Carnel, one of our other investigators, said that he would be baptized this week after we taught him about authority.  It'll take a lot of preparation for him though cause there's some commandments being broken and he's the youth president of his church right now and I don't think he fully understands that he's going to have to not do that anymore for him to be baptized.

Lisa's been uber busy so we haven't seen her in like 3 weeks now.  Communications are still positive though.

So yeah, some good stuff going on.  Slow, but sure progress.

That's all I got.  Six months this Wednesday (July 4th).  I'm going to try to get my hands on a Roman candle and destroy a tie.  Pics on the way!

Love,

Elder Grabinger

Doin' work!!

Dear Everybody,

Yesterday, Elder Busch and I were walking down the street to try to go see this guy when we get ambushed by the "Saved Brigade" (these two baptist ladies that saw us strolling along and decided we needed to be saved).  They took the time to pull over and hand us an anti-mormon tract and then told us that we could be saved right then and there, no questions asked if we would just call on the name of Jesus and ask for a forgiveness of sins.  They even told us we could continue to be Mormon even after we were saved.  I was like "Get outta town!? No way! Here I am trying to spread the gospel message and do what's right and come to find out, I've been doing it wrong!"  And then I remembered, oh yeah, I pray to my Heavenly Father every day and strive to repent of my sins so I told them that.  They still were really concerned that I wouldn't pray right then and there and be saved on the side of the road.  Seriously, I was shocked at how deluded you can be.  They told me that all I need is faith, not works (I saved them the trip to James 2:20 cause they probably don't even know where the book of James is in the Bible) and that being saved and being born of the Spirit are the same thing and they happen immediately after calling on the name of  "Jay-zus" (as they say).  Seriously, this lady was all up on me with John 3:5, but totally disregarded what He said in John 3:7,8 about being born of the Spirit.  I told these ladies it was nice of them to try to help me out after having just done their grocery shopping/breaking the Sabbath and that I'd be on my way.  Okay, I didn't really say that.  I just wish I was that rude (I dunno why).  But they just kept running they're mouths and weren't going to listen to a thing that I said so we just told them we had to go.  Tons of fun.

I read the tract that they gave me and that also was HILARIOUS.  They quote things like the Journal of Discourses and other obscure texts that are not authoritative doctrines of The Church.  Elder Busch took the liberty of tearing it apart and trashing it.

The guy we tried to see wasn't home :(

Yeah, it's a real testimony builder for me that the Lord is mindful and cares about our wants, but sometimes he's determined to prove that we will follow Him even when we don't get what we want.  I'm so glad that I have the opportunity to preach the gospel en espanol.

So last week, we really didn't teach anybody.  We got a lot of work done, but didn't actually teach Lisa, Shay, Steve, etc... which was a bummer for me, but things are still going alright.

We got Lisa's phone number, but she was working all last week, but we'll see her this week.

Shay had a boy.  We're going to commit her for baptism again tomorrow.

Steve's wife had major surgery last week.  Hopefully he'll have time to see us this week.

I'm giving up on the Old Testament for now.  I'm reading 'El Libro de Mormon'.  Nobody here would understand what I'm talking about if I start referencing the Old Testament (unless it's Joshua 24:15, I swear they hand out doormats with that verse on them like candy).  Doug is right though, occidental cultures tend to focus on facts and direct observations whereas oriental cultures are more concerned with intense imagery and conveying emotion.  This was the Jewish culture, and that's why it's difficult to understand the Old Testament from our perspective sometimes.  Or that's what my study guide says...

We had a Spanish Conference this weekend for the Spanish elders.  It was a blast.  They had a pinata and everything.  I murderized it.  My mission President is a big softy, but kinda scary when you blindfold him, hand him a stick, and spin him around ten times.

Not really any other news.  I miss you.

Love,

Elder Grabinger

P.S.  I can't wait for my Spanish name tag!

A new call!!!!

Dear Fawn,

No big deal.  Doug's letter was mint.  I really enjoyed it.  Such wisdom...

I think Chloe thinks that I wrote and performed that song.  Just to be clear, I NEITHER wrote NOR performed that song.  But it is to be taken just as seriously as if I had (names of young ladies have been changed for anonymity).

Elder Busch has the same sense of humor that I used to have.  RIDICULOUS amounts of SARCASM and really just plain rudeness.  Somehow we pulled it off though...  I remember a friend that once told me something along the lines of "You know what Bert, if anyone said the things you say I think I would be extremely offended, but somehow it's okay coming from you."  I think that's a bad thing though because nobody takes me seriously when I say I need mail.  Whatever.  My cross to bear...

For example: we'll walk away from a door and Elder Busch will have these one-word retorts like 'Ignorant' or 'ungrateful' as we truck along.

Well, I found out the problem.  Nobody in the south has faith in Jesus Christ, their faith is in the Bible.  They remind me of the Pharisees that Jesus is talking to in John 5:39.  It's like, um, HELLO!!?  You keep studying these scriptures that testify of me and well, here I am but you don't even believe me.  That's doing you a lot of good...  So, now I know who the enemy is, Pharisees.  Maybe I'll have better luck than Jesus did converting them...

Poop.

Okay, well the big news is that Elder Busch and I have been called to be Spanish elders.  Yep, it's a dream come true for both of us, we're uber (I mean 'muy') excited.  It looks like we'll be split up at the end of the transfer though so both of us can have a more fluent companion, so I'm thinking I won't get to finish training him.  Probably for the best, I'm the worst trainer....  We just chill and watch church videos all day anyway.

Totally joking.

Here's what's going on in the area:

Lisa has had the week to study and ponder (which is too long, but she wasn't home on Wednesday when we said we were going to come by) so we're throwing down the hammer tonight.  Wish us luck.

We had a lesson with another investigator yesterday who was brought to tears (I hope because of the spirit).  She is so ready to be baptized, but her mother and grandparents are threatening to disown and she doesn't have a relationship with her dad.  Of course, we all know what the right answer is, but it really isn't that easy.  I suppose we'll have to keep helping her to increase her faith.

Our other investigator Steve doesn't need us anymore.  He's decided to be baptized and he's quit smoking for a week and we never even talked about the Word of Wisdom with him.  We're just trying to keep up.

Shay has had a few weeks to recover so hopefully we can get her back to heading down the straight and narrow toward baptism in a couple weeks.

Some other peeps who are interested but flaky...

Okay, so anyone who has watched the 'Preach My Gospel: The District (1 & 2)' videos should know about the 'power pause.'  Well Elder Busch and I executed it with textbook perfection recently.  It was soooooo cool!  We taught a principle and the Spirit was super strong so we let the silence and Spirit sink in.  Cue: tears, and then they poured their heart out.  So, yeah.  That's what's up.  Ask your friends about it if you don't know what it is.

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

SAMUEL AND MELISSA ARE ENGAGED!!!!

I mean...

that's cool... or whatever.  No big deal.

Dang, I miss him so much.  Everyone who sees him needs to give him a hug for me okay?  no homo...

Well.  I finished the New Testament last week so it's on to the Old Testament now.  You may not get very many spiritual thoughts for a while cause I probably won't understand stuff.  But I've got my trusty study guide from the Stake Center library and it's time to dive in.  I'll keep you posted.

I can't believe you're getting a scooter Fawn & Doug.  Sweet wheels.

Well, we met a guy on Saturday who is interested in meeting with us again.  He has a young boy with mild autism.  Anyway, while we were there, the boy was saying things like 'smoke weed,' 'purple cush,' and 'ganja.' I think I know how they're treating his autism...  It'll be fun to teach him.

Well, I hope everyone had a great Father's Day.  It's tough to believe it's already been half a year since I left.  That's great, I love that time is flying.  I should be home any day now...

Love,

Elder Grabinger