Happiest Day of My Mission....so far

Elder Bernuy~ Jose~ Carlos~ Elder Graham

Jose baptized his little brother Luis. I love these kids!

Iguana for dinner!!

Wow. This week was nuts. Friday was the happiest day of my mission and yesterday may have been the saddest day of my life. Friday we had the baptism of Luis first and José did the baptism so that was great. Then afterward we had the greatest baptism of Benita and her family. It was the greatest and happiest baptism. They were so happy and all the members were being so great and supportive.

Then on Sunday I was in Cariari and for some reason we switched up church so that Sacrament Meeting was the last hour. I was fine with that because the family needing to be confirmed was late. I saw the boys outside during class so I ran out there and they were all there but Dayana (the 15 year old girl who had just gotten baptized Friday.) I asked where she was and she used to live with her boyfriend who was abusive and he left her so she moved back into her house with her mom and there were several times she broke down crying telling us about it. They said that she left with him and I immediately asked for their phone to call her. I called her and she thanked me for everything I had done but said she realized that she loved him and was going to move to San Jose with him. The branch president was right behind me and took the phone and told her we were coming to get her. So we went with her mom in his car and went to her house and she wasn’t there but the mom knew where the boyfriend lives so we went there. We waited outside while Benita went inside and we just heard screaming and crying and her mom was dragging her outside and the boyfriend who was a 4 feet tall, 40 year old creep comes out saying that they love each other and that they need to be together. The branch president was calm and was just saying, you’re 40 and she’s 15. That’s against the law and her mom still has responsibility over her. I can’t explain how sick, angry, depressed, so many emotions I felt. So we get in the car and leave and the little rat comes chasing us on his bike and stops us to tell her that he loves her and to tell us that he doesn’t want her to try and fool us that they slept together that night. Everyone was bawling and we went back to church in time for sacrament meeting to start. She calmed down a little bit but was obviously a little out of it. We had the confirmation of her brother and mom and then they went back home after church. So we went straight to their house and just tried to talk to her I was thinking so much about what to say when we saw them and I literally had no idea. But I was thinking hard about it and prayed hard about it and I decided to talk about the importance of families. I showed the picture of our whole family and explained that because my parents decided to make the right decisions we are all blessed and because of the example my parents set my siblings have followed the same example. And I promised her that in 40 years I would have a picture like that with my wife and all my kids and grandkids. All because my parents made the right decisions. I explained temple marriages and how she can have a picture like this. And her kids too and her kids kids. But satan knows how much good that could do so he sent that creep and the exact right time to fall and if she continues like that she will end up with nothing. and her kids with nothing too. Everyone was crying and she knew everything she did and was committed to change. at that time we really didn’t know what she would have to do we thought she might have to wait a while and be rebaptised but we made her mom take her phone so that she couldn’t talk to him and it ended pretty good. then we went next door to Miguel angel and Abrahams family and they are all best friends and have lived next door their whole lives and they were livid and saying that they are never talking to them again and that Dayana is of the devil and they just went off on us. But we talked to them for a while and calmed them down and convinced them to go to the house of Benita and we would share a quick message for all of them so they would calm down and be cool. They finally agreed and we went and I just shared a message about missionary work and wanted to get everyone’s mind off it. and it went fine but really awkward between them and at the end the dad blows up on dayana and the mom got in to defend her and everyone was screaming and crying and I had to get between them all and shut everyone up and the dad stormed out a few times and I had to go get him and bring him back in and calm them down. I have played a lot of roles on my mission, but this was the first time I had to be Maury Povich. But we were seriously there almost 7 hours and in the end everyone was fine. Today we went back to play soccer with all the little kids so that we could help take care of them. But I called President Galvez to ask about what we should do and he said that if she really has a true repentance and understands what she did then she can be confirmed this Sunday. That was a relief but I really can’t explain how sick this all made me.

Went over to Idalia’s house and they had a fattttt pile of iguanas. We sat there watching him skin them and cut them up. most nuts thing. You cut off the head and they still flail around. Every part of the body will be cut in pieces and still flail around. Just the tail alone would freak out on the floor. He completely skinned one and took of the head and all limbs and the skeleton was still moving around. freakin nuts!

President told us he’s splitting la Rita and Cariari this change so we might be divided there. I really have no idea what’s going to happen. But the next time I email to you will be next Wednesday and I will be wherever I am then!

Alright its time to go. I love you very much and everyone else too.

elder graham