Hello everyone! Sorry that I have not written in a couple of weeks. I will catch all of you up. So 2 weeks ago was a slow week. Not a lot happened in the work. It was really, really cold. But that Saturday we had a special meeting with Elder Quentin L. Cook and Elder Scott D. Whiting. That was one of the coolest experiences ever. Hearing the testimony from an Apostle is the most spiritual thing ever. There is no doubt in my mind he is called of God. I also got to shake his hand!

This last week has been one of the more fun weeks of my mission. We had a Christmas party with the zone and President and Sister Tateoka. My district preformed Feliz Navidad and it was one of the funniest experiences of my life. We had no idea what was going on. 

As for the title of my email, I will be leaving my area! I am soooo sad. I love it here in Hayesville. These have been some of the best months of my life. I am grateful for all those people I have met and the relationships I have built. I will never forget my time here.

 I had exchanges with Elder Morrison, who is Elder Woodruff's trainee this week. He was called as a English speaking missionary but changed to Spanish. That was a really fun day together. He and I are very similar people. 

I am so grateful for my time here in the mission. I know that I am here in Oregon for a reason. The relationships you build with people while you are out serving the Lord are some of the strongest relationships you can build. 

I love all of you. I will send an email from Newberg next week!

My new home

OSM with Elder Quentin L. Cook and Elder Scott D. Whiting

                                                                             

Transfer day. I'm leaving Hayesville. I love Elder Robinson. Going to miss him

 

I am going to miss my bro. Elder Robinson

Buenas días a todos. Les quiero mucho y espero que todo está bien.

Well this week finally came to an end! It may have been the longest week of my life. Us Elders were extremely blessed last week with 5 new people to teach. That may not seem like a lot but you know, we aren't in Colombia anymore getting 14 news a week. 

Well that being said we dropped all but one of those. They were progressing really well until the third lesson and then they just stopped being interested. It was really sad. One of them we had to drop was because he was only 17 and his parents didnt approve. We were able to testify and invite him to always remember the way he felt when  he heard the First Vision. This was the boy we put on date. I hope one day when he's older he is able to be baptized. 

This week was slow for the work. It is getting really cold out and that means everyone is indoors. So then if we knock doors, they just look out the peep hole or the window, see two well dressed men with name tags and they ignore automatically. It makes me sad that people have such hard hearts sometimes. Saturday was awesome though! We had the day of service and we got to work. We went around to less actives, people going through hard times and less capable people's homes and cleaned yards.There were about 15 people at the beginning and by the 6th and last house there were 7 including 4 missionaries. The ward mission leader was very happy to have me there because some of those bags of leaves and garbage and junk were really heavy. Like I had a hard time picking some of them up. But anyways, it was awesome. We saw a man missing a leg trying to sweep up his leaves so we all pulled over, cleaned his yard for him in probably 1/100 of the time he could've done it and the Hermanas were able to share a message with him.  We ended up cleaning the Elder's quorum Presidents yard for him while he was at the temple. He expressed his gratitude with his testimony on missionary work and service at church. 

So here's my invitation to all. Go out of your way and serve people. You never know what people are going through. And service doesn't have to be something huge. It can be a simple smile, high five, or giving someone a piece of gum. It ranges to yard work, cleaning cars, or shoveling snow. Your service to someone will make there day. We may think that we are too busy to help out or that our needs are more important. But that is NOT how the Savior thought. He expressed his love by serving always. And that's the purpose of this life. Becoming like Christ. I promise to you that if you put others first, all worries, needs, wants, desires will be covered by the Lord. He will bless you for serving. 

Mosiah 2:17 And behold, I tell you these things that ye may learn wisdom; that ye may learn that when ye are in the service of your fellow beings ye are only in the service of your God

 I love all of you and I truly hope that you act on my invitation to serve others. You will see more happiness in your lives.

Con amor,

ÉLDER GRAYBILL

11/12

I just got called to stay here for another transfer. This week was really slow. 

Tuesday we had our book of mormon class. 

Wednesday we tried to pass by a lot of people but no one answered. It is getting really cold here. 

Thursday, we had weekly planning.

Friday we had district council. 

Saturday we had correlation.

Sunday we had dinner. We ate dinner at Alexios house and then we went down to stayton. Today we have just hung with the zone leaders and the woodburn elders. 

 mom, will you make that more interesting I can't type right now.