Beautiful Temple

Jonathon and Catalina and their baby at the temple

Hey Mom! Last week we organized a special trip to the temple for Jonathon and Catalina. We went with them and another young couple where the husband was baptised a year ago. We organized a private less in the waiting room of the temple with the temple president and those 2 families.

I've been having to back pains so this morning i had an appointment with a chiropractor.  He's a member and from canada.  I came in and the first thing he said was "can i see your hand?" and then stuck a long needle in my hand that had a long like springy coily thing on it. It was jumping around and as he said äctiveate my spirit¨.  It was a little odd.  my first time having acupunture.  Then he put me on a massage table and i felt like he was just beating the crap out of me throughout my limbs and pounding my back.  But it feels a little better.  And he didn't charge either.  He says he doesn't charge missionaries.  

My shoes are fine and today I turn 22 months.

Thats funny that Carmina messaged you on Facebook.  Shes really cool. she came back from her mission 6 months ago.  I told her to add you then find nick because she was joking asking if i had any brothers she could marry and i said i actually do and told her to look for him.

gotta go love you.

Elder Graham

President Galvez, Baptism, Basketball and New Tie

 Last Interview with President Galvez

 Me and Bertand with our new comps.

I traded my suit to Bertrand for a tie. Hope that's alright.

You can see my sweet new tie in the pic.

There's Marlon. Pretty sweet guy!

Elder Larson and Elder Graham

Hey there.  I don’t have a whole lot to say since I talked to you yesterday. It was fun to talk to everyone... 

Today we went and played basketball for the first time in like 2 years.  It was pretty fun. 

I didn’t tell you that last week I had the last interview that I’ll have with President Galvez and the last one until my final interview when I leave the mission. 

My companions name is Elder Mendoza. 

Okay, I’m out of time. Love you.

Elder Graham

First Week in Alajuela

Hey there...  About the Mother’s Day phone call…Our church starts at 1 30 so maybe you guys can call in the morning. It would best if you called at like 7 30 my time in the morning...  I don’t know if that’s possible. Ok..  Soo you can try and call me real quick Friday or Saturday night if there’s any worries about the call but if not I’ll be waiting at 830 my time on Sunday morning...

Today is Pday. We had the changes meeting even though i don’t get my companion until tomorrow. 

The new area is pretty good.  There were 170 people at church yesterday.  It felt nuts to be in a ward so organized with so many people.  Almost everyone has cars. We currently have church at 130 because our chapel is being built and in the next few weeks we will move into a brand new church.  So until then we share the building with 2 other wards.  The ward seems pretty cool.  It’s the closest I’ve seen to a ward from the states. 

We live in the dead center of Alajuela.  If you look on a map and see the park named Juan Santa Maria on that same park on the backside is our apartment. It’s the most haggard house I’ve had yet.  It’s huge.  It’s dirty, it smells and I’m pretty sure Satan lives in the back room.  Our hot water in the shower is broken so it’s cold and we have cold water. 

But this week we’ll have a baptism of a guy named Marlon.  A pretty sweet guy.  Yet again when i train my companion gets to start his mission with a baptism.

I’m out…love you.

Elder Graham

So Hard to Say Goodbye!

The neighborhood kids that always wanted to play soccer at the church.

The Abuela "Grandma." She took such good care of me!

They made me a cake.

Our House

The Carillo Family

Josue's new soccer ball

Hey mom.  I’m in my new area.  I’m in downtown Alajuela. Northwest of San Jose.

 My Area is called Trinidad and my zone is called Alajuela.  Ah law hu ey la.  My Companion for this week is Elder Orellana from El Salvador until next week when I will receive my brand new companion because I’ll be training again.  Elder Palmer is my zone leader and he’s in my district.  We also eat lunch at the same house every day. 

But it was very hard to say goodbye to everyone.  Since it was 5th Sunday of the month priesthood and relief society were together and i gave the lesson about being united as a branch and establishing Zion in ciudad Neily.  I was crying like the whole time. 

Last week was good. Amanda got baptized but wouldn’t let us take a picture so no pics from that one. 

Yesterday we were supposed to take the bus at 4 in the morning to get to the leaders conference that started at 11 but i didn’t get to bed until almost one and i set my alarm for 3 but we slept through the alarm and i got up at 5 and started freaking out about everything so we missed the bus and had to wait until 830 for the next one so we ended up getting there at 430 and it ended at 5.  President had already announced the changes and Elder Cherrington was there because yesterday he went up from junior comp straight to district leader!  Such a stud. 

I gotta go!  Love you.

Elder Graham