Elder Graham did not send out a weekly email however, I thought I would update you on his life currently. He received word that he will be getting transferred to Maddison Florida which is an hour east of Tallahassee.
His ankle has also still been killing him and he has not been able to bare any weight on his foot. He is still on crutches and has to wear his boot all day. Maddison Florida is a small town and so he is nervous that he is not going to be able to do much missionary work (such as trackting/finding) with the way his ankle has been. He is feeling pretty bad about that and is sad that he is not able to give his all right now. But in due time he should be back to his full self.
Monday
Tornados! April 23, 2018
This week has been good and crazy all at the same time!! But I'll give y'all the highlights of the week!
Aight, so this week was good because life is great here in Florida! There is a part member family in my ward and they have the cutest little girl and she had a soccer game the night they were supposed to feed us. Well they were going to cancel but I was like we would love to go to ellies soccer game and support her. She's like 4 or 5 haha and she was like yeah she would love that! So we ended up having a picnic at this soccer game and Ellie was so cute and she was sooo excited that we were there! She loved it! So that was like one of my biggest highlights! I miss being able to play and hold kids! I'm getting baby trunky
Next highlight at church yesterday two visitors from Georgia came down! One lady was a member and the other lady wasn't. They were so nice and they came to gospel principles class and the non member loved it! She was so happy to be there and was so interested in the Gospel! It was awesome because we were able to give her a blessing after church and she was so grateful for us! She's super excited to learn more when she goes back up to Georgia! Even though we don't get to teach her it's so awesome to see people being prepared by the Gospel through members of the church! And that's how missionary work is supposed to be! They both drove down to Florida together and for that 4-6hour car ride she explained everything to her non member friend and invited her to church! It's so easy to share! I just couldn't imagine if she didn't say anything to her friend she would have never known about the restored gospel! I just love missionary work!
Alright so also yesterday, we are getting ready to go over to the Stevens for dinner. We get outside and it is dumping rain! Like HARD!!! We drive over to the sisters apartment to grab something for my leg and we get a text from one of the senior missionaries saying we are under a tornado warning! Well we stick around at the sisters apartment because it's dumping rain and we knew if you just wait a few minutes it will pass. So once it did we drove to the Stevens and on our way we see huge oak trees lifted up and debri everywhere and the solid brick mailboxes missing half of the bricks! It was crazy! Fire department and police officers were rushing up and down the roads. Also the sisters in my district saw a tornado touch down and take a roof off of a house! It was crazy! So for the next 20 minutes I'm calling all the missionaries in my area making sure they are all accounted for and safe. Letting them know of the dangerous tornados in the area.
Next crazy item on the list for my week! I had to call the cops in our neighborhood. Long story short I was sitting in my apartment getting ready to train my companion and I hear a scream and then I hear another scream for help. I quickly go to the back porch to see where it's coming from. My companion didn't here anything so he though I was crazy haha. So we just wait and we finally hear it again! Neighbors start coming out and talking to us so we wanted to go make sure this lady was okay. Well I was like we are not qualified for this cause who knows what's going on up there and we are not armed or able to protect ourselves. So I decided to call 911. So the police officers are on their way. We walk outside and we know she's on her balcony because we can hear her. So I'm like maim are you okay!? Maim can you hear me? Maim?! No response. So the officers finally get here and we explain it and the officers go up there flash a light at her and are trying to talk to her. She does not respond at all. Finally after a long time she just stands up and walks into her dark apartment. It was really creepy. The officers come in and looked like they searched around and talked to her. But she was crying and screaming for like 30 minutes straight! But the officers never told us anything and then they just left and she continued to cry. So that was an adventure. Hahaha
I love the south! Haha Something is always happening here! Lol We didn't have many teaching opportunities, a lot of our investigators are sick or out of town. But we will continue to find and teach even if I have to tract with crutches on! Haha
Well that's my week Y'all! Just those few highlights! Other than that it was just the regular routine! But I love and miss y'all so much! I hope you all have a great week!
Love,
Elder Graham
Aight, so this week was good because life is great here in Florida! There is a part member family in my ward and they have the cutest little girl and she had a soccer game the night they were supposed to feed us. Well they were going to cancel but I was like we would love to go to ellies soccer game and support her. She's like 4 or 5 haha and she was like yeah she would love that! So we ended up having a picnic at this soccer game and Ellie was so cute and she was sooo excited that we were there! She loved it! So that was like one of my biggest highlights! I miss being able to play and hold kids! I'm getting baby trunky
Next highlight at church yesterday two visitors from Georgia came down! One lady was a member and the other lady wasn't. They were so nice and they came to gospel principles class and the non member loved it! She was so happy to be there and was so interested in the Gospel! It was awesome because we were able to give her a blessing after church and she was so grateful for us! She's super excited to learn more when she goes back up to Georgia! Even though we don't get to teach her it's so awesome to see people being prepared by the Gospel through members of the church! And that's how missionary work is supposed to be! They both drove down to Florida together and for that 4-6hour car ride she explained everything to her non member friend and invited her to church! It's so easy to share! I just couldn't imagine if she didn't say anything to her friend she would have never known about the restored gospel! I just love missionary work!
Alright so also yesterday, we are getting ready to go over to the Stevens for dinner. We get outside and it is dumping rain! Like HARD!!! We drive over to the sisters apartment to grab something for my leg and we get a text from one of the senior missionaries saying we are under a tornado warning! Well we stick around at the sisters apartment because it's dumping rain and we knew if you just wait a few minutes it will pass. So once it did we drove to the Stevens and on our way we see huge oak trees lifted up and debri everywhere and the solid brick mailboxes missing half of the bricks! It was crazy! Fire department and police officers were rushing up and down the roads. Also the sisters in my district saw a tornado touch down and take a roof off of a house! It was crazy! So for the next 20 minutes I'm calling all the missionaries in my area making sure they are all accounted for and safe. Letting them know of the dangerous tornados in the area.
Next crazy item on the list for my week! I had to call the cops in our neighborhood. Long story short I was sitting in my apartment getting ready to train my companion and I hear a scream and then I hear another scream for help. I quickly go to the back porch to see where it's coming from. My companion didn't here anything so he though I was crazy haha. So we just wait and we finally hear it again! Neighbors start coming out and talking to us so we wanted to go make sure this lady was okay. Well I was like we are not qualified for this cause who knows what's going on up there and we are not armed or able to protect ourselves. So I decided to call 911. So the police officers are on their way. We walk outside and we know she's on her balcony because we can hear her. So I'm like maim are you okay!? Maim can you hear me? Maim?! No response. So the officers finally get here and we explain it and the officers go up there flash a light at her and are trying to talk to her. She does not respond at all. Finally after a long time she just stands up and walks into her dark apartment. It was really creepy. The officers come in and looked like they searched around and talked to her. But she was crying and screaming for like 30 minutes straight! But the officers never told us anything and then they just left and she continued to cry. So that was an adventure. Hahaha
I love the south! Haha Something is always happening here! Lol We didn't have many teaching opportunities, a lot of our investigators are sick or out of town. But we will continue to find and teach even if I have to tract with crutches on! Haha
Well that's my week Y'all! Just those few highlights! Other than that it was just the regular routine! But I love and miss y'all so much! I hope you all have a great week!
Love,
Elder Graham
Last weeks weekly! 4/23/18
Sorry y'all i typed my weekly all up and then I forgot to send it my bad. So here is last week's and I'll send this week's once I'm finished with it.
This week has been super good! I'll give y'all a lot of the highlights which is full of jokes and teaching and blessings as well as broken ankles and so much more.
First of we are starting to get our investigators back on track!!! Someone we were teaching awhile ago stopped meeting with us cause her spouse got nervous about her wanting to get baptized. Well a month later we got back in contact with her and we met with the husband and explained everything and now we are going to teach their family!!! I was so excited!! She calls us her "Brothas" hahaha shes always like I miss my brothas! Haha she's awesome.
We also had interviews with our mission President which was awesome! He said some things to me that meant a lot and he just expressed his feelings towards me and it was really needed. I love that guy! I know he was called of God to lead this mission! He's so awesome that I even played a joke on him and it was super funny. But it's also an inside joke so if I were to tell y'all you wouldn't really get it. So just take my word for it that is was super funny.
Next on the list is one of my favorite sports basketball! We had a really good turn out for basketball. Somethings were going on in the gym so it was cool to explain to all the visitors like different things that go on in the church. So anyways we play some basketball and I was doing really good. I played like 5 or 6 games and won 5 out of the 6. And we were all having fun and I wasn't even being super competitive. If you know me and how I play basketball I'm usually really competitive but I just layed back this go around. Well long story short I go and shoot the basketball and do my little koby fade shot that I have and as I'm coming down this guy is right underneath me and my left foot lands on his foot. The way I was falling my center of gravity was off and so all my weight and pressure went to my left ankle. As I came down on it it bent all the way sideways and then I heard a POP!! Followed with what I thought I heard/felt a crack. I layed there screaming on the inside and in so much pain. I thought I broke my ankle. Then my foot goes numb. I couldn't move. Finally they get me up and set me on the stage they get me some Ice and a chair to elevate my foot. The EMTs come and check my leg out and said it's a really bad sprain on both sides of my ankle. The left side of my ankle is the worst. It looks like a baseball.
My leg is okay and I'm doing good. The mission nurse and many members and missionaries have been taking care of me I've been super grateful for them. And I'm so grateful that I did not break my ankle and get sent home. I would have cried!!! No way I'm letting my sister beat me by one month! I've got 17 in she's got 18 just joking. But I was talking to a member and she said my ankle looks exactly like hers and she got x rays and come to find out she had a hairline fracture. So hopefully that's not my case. So as of right now I'll be down for a few weeks. So far I've had to stay inside for a while and it sucks. I just want to be out doing the work but I'm stuck inside 4 walls aka the apartment. I have to wear a boot for 4-6 weeks. So if any of y'all are on missions right now or are going to be on a mission don't do anything that will hurt you cause it sucks being stuck inside. Trust me. You feel horrible.
It's been super cool though to start to have people to teach. We have been working so hard but it's been really hard to get people to listen. I truly feel like we had to go through some Ether chapter 12:
"6 And now, I, Moroni, would speak somewhat concerning these things; I would show unto the world that faith is things which are hoped for and not seen; wherefore, dispute not because ye see not, for ye receive no witness until after the trial of your faith."
Because it's not until after the trial of my faith, then I will receive a witness and receive the blessings. These last few transfers have been rough but things are starting to get better even if I have to limp around! Haha I'm gratfeul for all the love and support I'm so sorry that I haven't written a weekly in a minute. I've been so crazy busy. Oh also one more cool thing. So the people that came to my mission and my area to see how my district was applying family history. Well I just received information that they took pictures of us at these events and showed them and presented a message for the missionary department council. So basically the prophet and apostles have seen all of our faces because they showed them all the pictures. They got all excited according to the report I received from salt lake. They now was reports on those people from my district so we are excited to help out with all that.
I love you all I hope you had a great week! #KeepOnKeepinOn
Love,
Elder Graham!
First of we are starting to get our investigators back on track!!! Someone we were teaching awhile ago stopped meeting with us cause her spouse got nervous about her wanting to get baptized. Well a month later we got back in contact with her and we met with the husband and explained everything and now we are going to teach their family!!! I was so excited!! She calls us her "Brothas" hahaha shes always like I miss my brothas! Haha she's awesome.
We also had interviews with our mission President which was awesome! He said some things to me that meant a lot and he just expressed his feelings towards me and it was really needed. I love that guy! I know he was called of God to lead this mission! He's so awesome that I even played a joke on him and it was super funny. But it's also an inside joke so if I were to tell y'all you wouldn't really get it. So just take my word for it that is was super funny.
Next on the list is one of my favorite sports basketball! We had a really good turn out for basketball. Somethings were going on in the gym so it was cool to explain to all the visitors like different things that go on in the church. So anyways we play some basketball and I was doing really good. I played like 5 or 6 games and won 5 out of the 6. And we were all having fun and I wasn't even being super competitive. If you know me and how I play basketball I'm usually really competitive but I just layed back this go around. Well long story short I go and shoot the basketball and do my little koby fade shot that I have and as I'm coming down this guy is right underneath me and my left foot lands on his foot. The way I was falling my center of gravity was off and so all my weight and pressure went to my left ankle. As I came down on it it bent all the way sideways and then I heard a POP!! Followed with what I thought I heard/felt a crack. I layed there screaming on the inside and in so much pain. I thought I broke my ankle. Then my foot goes numb. I couldn't move. Finally they get me up and set me on the stage they get me some Ice and a chair to elevate my foot. The EMTs come and check my leg out and said it's a really bad sprain on both sides of my ankle. The left side of my ankle is the worst. It looks like a baseball.
My leg is okay and I'm doing good. The mission nurse and many members and missionaries have been taking care of me I've been super grateful for them. And I'm so grateful that I did not break my ankle and get sent home. I would have cried!!! No way I'm letting my sister beat me by one month! I've got 17 in she's got 18
It's been super cool though to start to have people to teach. We have been working so hard but it's been really hard to get people to listen. I truly feel like we had to go through some Ether chapter 12:
"6 And now, I, Moroni, would speak somewhat concerning these things; I would show unto the world that faith is things which are hoped for and not seen; wherefore, dispute not because ye see not, for ye receive no witness until after the trial of your faith."
Because it's not until after the trial of my faith, then I will receive a witness and receive the blessings. These last few transfers have been rough but things are starting to get better even if I have to limp around! Haha I'm gratfeul for all the love and support I'm so sorry that I haven't written a weekly in a minute. I've been so crazy busy. Oh also one more cool thing. So the people that came to my mission and my area to see how my district was applying family history. Well I just received information that they took pictures of us at these events and showed them and presented a message for the missionary department council. So basically the prophet and apostles have seen all of our faces because they showed them all the pictures. They got all excited according to the report I received from salt lake. They now was reports on those people from my district so we are excited to help out with all that.
I love you all I hope you had a great week! #KeepOnKeepinOn
Love,
Elder Graham!
HEY!!! 4/16/18
Hey mom and dad! So this week has been rough. I almost broke my ankle playing basketball. And no I wasn't going hard or getting aggressive. I don't play like I used to play back home. I take it really easy. But when I jumped up to get a rebound I landed on the guys leg that was underneath me and the way I was falling my center of gravity was off so all the pressure went to my ankle and I heard a pop and I just hit the ground and I felt like I broke it. But it hurt so bad and then my foot went numb. I think it was from the shock and pain I was in. The EMTs came and said it's a really bad sprain. I'm not sure if I should go get x-rays or not to make sure I don't have any like hairline fractures. So I don't know what do you think? I already talked to the mission nurse and the mission doctor and they want me to get a boot and be in the boot for 4-6 weeks. So just wanted to let you know I'm okay. But it hurts like a Nephi cutting off labens head! Trying to get around and take a shower and everything has been super rough. So that's basically my week haha. I've been icing it and keeping it elevated as much as I can. A lot of members have been giving me support and so I've gotten crutches and an ankle brace from sister bird. She's been taking good care of me and so has my companion. So that's been nice. Here are some pictures.
Family History 3/26/18
Hey y'all I'm so sorry I haven't sent a weekly in forever!! I've been crazy busy.
Okay so I'm going to give y'all some highlights from my week! So this week I had a special district meeting on Friday because two head honchos from salt lake city came to see how we implement family history. They are kinda the big boys who run family history. They are super cool. But on Thursday night we held a family history event at the Destin library with the Prices. By the way Melissa they said they remember you and they love and miss you! They said you were one of the first missionaries that they trained. They want us to let them know when we come back to visit cause they want to see us both. Anyways so we had like 9 non members there and we worked one on one with them and doing their family history work! It was so awesome the guy I was helping could not think of his great grandmothers name to save his life. I didn't know what else to do or say because I don't know his family. So I just started to pray for him. Moments later he was able to remember her name and we were able to find tons of records for his family! It was awesome! Heavenly Father truly does answer prayers. The brotheren from salt lake were really impressed with us and they took us out to dinner in Destin. It was awesome. Then on Friday we had the special district meeting, which was cool because the men from salt lake were asking us questions and they are taking basically everything we say and applying it to the entire world for the missionary department. It was pretty neat to be apart of that. So that night we had a family history event. No one really showed up for the first like 15 minutes but it was awesome because we invited our neighbor to come and she showed up. I was able to work one on one with her and we found so much for her family! She got so excited and said how she feels some thing I pointed out to her that she feels the spirit. It was powerful! So family history is the big highlights of my week!
My Invitation to y'all is if you don't have a family history account or if you do and you haven't done much, or maybe you have done a lot and think there isn't more to do. Trust me there is always more you can Do! Invite your friends to participate in it. It's so much fun and super non threatening.
Also transfers happened, I'm still staying here in fort Walton. But I have a feeling this could be my last transfer. I could possibly stay one more but we will see. I've only had 3 areas.
Baptism on April 7th!!!! An investigator we taught is getting baptized on April 7th and he said how he prayed about it and heard a voice telling him that I need to baptize him. That was such a sacred experience to hear that come from him. I'm so excited to have the privilege of baptizing him. Also back In my last area in Daphne Alabama, a girl that elder southway and I found and taught has a baptismal date for April 28th!! I'm so excited!!! Elder southway and I have a plan to drive there and be at her baptism!
Overall this week has been super good but also rough with trying to find our own investigators! But we will get there! I love you all for the love and support! I'm so thankful for my family and wishing me happy birthday and sending me gifts and packages full of goodies and cool UNLV and golden night clothing! I love you all!
I hope you all have a great week!
Love,
Elder Graham
Birthday Videos 3/19/18
First video behind the scenes w/ sis. Schoeneman and sis. Fast.
These are my favorite sisters in the mission hahaha
Sisters. Singing happy birthday to me with my ward mission leader brother Atrice. He is the funniest guy ever.
Highlight from this week! 3/5/18
First off my mission means everything to me. I would not be who I am today if it wasn't for the sufferings that ive been through on my mission. I know of some sacred experiences in my mission that has brought me to my knees and to enter to the presence and thrown of God to speak to him and the spirit that was sent to me in those times are the experiences that have been an anchor to my faith. I know without a shadow of a doubt that this is the Lords church. I wouldn't give up this mission for anything. I pray and hope its never over for me, but I know when the time comes and Ive completed my mission that I hope ive done everything in my power to engrave my name tag onto my heart forever. I love this Gospel and the Lord and his work that I get to participate in. I am so deeply grateful for President Smith and the lessons that ive learned from him and the council in which he has given to me. I know he is sent in this day and age at this exact time to lead and guide us. Im grateful for his dedication and the Love that he has for all of us. I truly felt that love when he and sister Smith spoke to us a few weeks ago with Elder Holland.
Now the Lords work is going great in this part of his vineyard. We have been able to come in contact with the people that the Lord has prepared. Elder Bowman is a great missionary and he is going to be a great Leader some day. We have had an amazing week with sharing the Gospel with an investigator, the one who just walked into church. We taught him the plan of salvation. As we were teaching him I felt inspired to ask him a heaven sent question on how he feels about the garden of Gethsemane and how the Savior performed the Atonement in that garden. He seemed puzzled. We were then able to see his needs, he never knew that the Atonement happened in the Garden. His eyes went wide and the spirit entered the room as we testified of the savior and his Atoning sacrifice in the Garden. He told us later on how he can feel the Atonement of Jesus Christ affecting him. He said he feels the Cleansing power and the weight being lifted off his shoulders from his past sins. At that moment the spirit was so strong and I truly felt as if I was full filling my Purpose as a Missionary! Such a sacred experience, and being able to use our smart phones so we could right then and there share with him the Bible video of Jesus Christ in the Garden. We were able to take him to the Garden of Gethsemane and have him feel of the saviors love for him! Amazing! Oh how great and lovely the day is to see Gods children partake of the sweet message that we get to share! Im grateful for this area and how much ive learned from it so far. Grateful for Elder Bowman and his determination to serve others. He is slowly but surely getting a hang of the ropes. Love that Elder!
I love you all so much! I hope you all have a great week! Sorry its short! But really thats the only important part is the sharing of the Gospel!
We also went to the beach today and im fried! hahaha Ill send pictures when I get some!
Love,
Elder Graham
Pictures with Elder Holland. Im on the top 2nd row to the right.
Im also the one using my friends head as a table. hahha
New phone who dis? 2/19/18
So we finally got our phones activated! We will be using facebook to contact our investigators , video call with them, and share inspirational messages. I am so excited for this tool that the Lord had given us to bring his work forth to every kindred tongue and people.
A couple things that President Smith has asked us not to do is like having family members post pictures and tag us in them. Also posting our weekly on facebook and then tagging out accounts. They have asked us not to do that.
Okay so a little about my week! First off sorry that I didn't send any pictures of my greenie and I. This first week has been crazy!!
I'm just going to give y'all some of the big highlights of my week. So phones is obviously a big thing. It's been awesome and so easy to study and share messages with our investigators! Also received some awesome news!! So Elder southway and I found this girl back when we were companions together in Daphne Alabama. We taught her for a month or more and then we just were not able to meet with her. I started up volleyball in that ward and made sure it kept going after I left. So the girl we found ended up being friends with an awesome youth member in the ward who also goes to volleyball. Turns out our investigator went to volleyball and the Elders were able to get in contact with her again and she accepted the invite to be baptized!! When Elder southway and I got that text saying she accepted the baptismal invite, him and I both screamed like little high school girls hahaha. We were so excited!!!! Fruits from our labors were starting to pay off.
Second highlight of this week. We had a guy walk into church today and I just greeted him and could tell that he was New. So I got to talking to him and turns out it was his first time coming to church! He told me " I was in salt lake city about two weeks ago and I went to temple square. I met with missionaries there and they gave me a tour all around the place. Also got to talk to a Mormon bishop for an hour and a half. It was amazing. I could tell there was something different about Mormons. They are just so happy and full of light. Before I left a missionary gave me a Book of Mormon and I read about 100 pages while on my flight back home. I'm just about done with second Nephi. Oh also one big thing that really interested me about the Mormon church was about the priesthood! Also about the laying on of hands and how the gift of the holy ghost is given by that priesthood power. Oh and Joseph Smith receiving the plates and being able to translate them by the gift and power of God! It's amazing and when I was reading the Book of Mormon i just felt this power, this energy that just made me want to keep reading. I felt something but I didn't know what it was. I felt it when I talked to the missionaries in salt lake. I also felt it when I met with the Mormon Bishop."
Okay you can tell at that moment my mouth dropped to the ground.... I felt like it was a prank but it wasn't. He also said " yeah they told me to go to LDS.org and I would be able to find the local ward that I could attend so I chose to come this one." I was filled with so much happiness the entire day!! He stayed 3 hours! And then he also stayed for the pot luck after. He got to church at 11am and didn't leave until 3:30pm. We set a return appointment with him for later this week. He was super excited to meet with us again.
It's just so amazing to see how Heavenly Father leads and guides his children to the truth and prepares them to receive the restored gospel. Ugh the church is so true y'all. The spirit that was felt the entire day on Sunday was amazing.
There was also a baptism Sunday night. One of the Spanish missionaries had a baptism. So it was cool because I got to interview her for baptism. It was cool to have a translator there and being able to see how the gospel of Jesus Christ is for all his children. Oh also on top of the guy walking into church the sisters got a call from a guy who wanted to know where the Mormon church is and how he wants to learn more... haha I don't know what's happening here but I'm liking it! 🤣
We also had an amazing experience with one of our investigators who we haven't been able to meet with for a long time. So long story short we shared about families and temples. Testified of eternal marriage and eternal families and her heart was full of love and happiness. But the coolest part was tell her for some reason these words came to my mind and I told her this, " (investigators name) you are literally a daughter of God, your identity isn't just (investigators name) but your identity is that you are a daughter of the most high God. Your divine potential is limitless!" What I said came from the holy ghost and it pierced her heart. She said how she is living her life now off that principle and how that brought her so much peace and love and happiness. She then went and posted about that on facebook. It was awesome to see how I could be used as an instrument in the Lord's hand. I know that this is the only true and living church on this earth that is guided and directed by the Lord himself. I KNOW that Jesus Christ lives and that Joseph Smith is the prophet of the restoration. The Lord used him as an instrument to bring to pass the restoration of his gospel and his truths and his glory. I know that the Book of Mormon is in deed the word of God, and who ever would abide by its precepts and hearken unto its words that you would grow closer to God and his beloved son Jesus Christ.
I love you all and I am grateful for all y'all do for me!
Before I send this I'm also going to tell you a funny experience I had hooking up the sisters dryer in their apartment. So I was behind their dryer because we just put in a new one for them. As I was rewiring it they had this fire extinguisher hanging on the wall behind the dryer. So as I was down on my knees rewiring the dryer all of a sudden the 10- 15 pound fire extinguisher falls off the wall and lands on my left shoulder blade! It hurt so bad! I just stayed on the ground for a minute. My companion like quickly grabbed a bag of frozen green beans and put them on my shoulder. So after all that I get home and take my shirt off and just have this huge like half circle on my back with a big bump with a cut down the middle of it. You could say that kinda sucked but it was super funny now not really in the moment haha. 🤣 gotta love the mission! Haha 
We just took a picture so here's my new greenie I'm training 
Mission is great!!! 2/12/18
Hello Family and Friends!
Monday- We were just busy with going to the beach. We got stuck in massive traffic. The beach was so much fun though! Elder southway got us all lunch. We played volleyball in destin. Then we finally came home. We didnt have a lot of time to shower and change to get to our meal appointment. But we got to the base and usually it takes like 5 min to get a pass. Nope not today it took an hour! so thats why I wasnt able to send out a weekly last week! We got back super late.
Tuesday- We had a great District meeting! It was sad saying goodbye to a lot of the missionaries! After District meeting we went and packed. We went and saw some members so Elder Johnson could say goodbye because hes leaving to Tallahassee. We had to leave at like 4pm but we didnt leave until 4:30. So we didnt get to Tallahassee until 8:30 pm. We stayed with the Assistants that night.
Wednesday- Got up super early to be at a training meeting with President smith at 7amfor all the missionaries who are training. That meeting was really good. not going to lie im kinda nervous now training but I know as I just work hard and show him the ropes Ill be good. So after that meeting we went into the chapel. All the new missionaries came in and I said the opening prayer and then President Smith had all of us trainers stand up and say one thing about our mission and its culture. So I told all the new missionaries that here in the FTM we are FTM Missionaries which means we are Full Time Missionaries. No matter where we go, what we are doing, we are sharing the gospel. After all that they announced one by one each area and the trainer and then who we are training. So they called me and said I will be training Elder Bowman so we got up and hugged and then sat down. Im super excited to train!!
Thursday- Today we got up and did service for a part member family in the ward. They have a huge yard and lots of trees so we raked leaves all day. Literally from 8:30 am to 4:30 pm. We had like sooo many bags of leaves it was crazy! After we ate at stubbys and then went and played basketball at the church with some non members! It was awesome!
Friday- We went to the meridian and hung out with the older people there. It made me miss my grandparents! haha After we ate lunch and went to the church for Family History that we hold every friday from 12-2pm. We were able to help a member put in all his memories of his father on his dads page. He was super happy because hes been trying for a while! After I showed Elder Bowman how to do his first weekly planning! It was long but it was good! After we went to a less actives home but they told us to come back another time. We decided to tract after that and we got some interesting people we talked to haha. It was all good though! After we had dinner with a part member family and it was great! We shared an awesome lesson with all their kids! They have a couple little girls ages 10 and under and they like are hardcore crushing on my companion and I haha its so funny. They gave us like valentines day stickers haha. We are eating with them tomorrow as well. After their home we went and did some companionship study to finish off the night.
Saturday- Today we had volleyball at the park and it was fun. It was raining like all day the night before so the courts were kinda muddy. Poor sister was running after the ball and slipped and landed right in the puddle. I felt so bad but she took it like a champ! After we did some 12 week which is a program us trainers get to do with our trainees. Helps them learn basic principles of missionary work. It has us focus on different things the new missionary hast to do each week. So that was good. We then decided to just go through our area book to see if anyone has been prepared to receive the gospel. We then went and contacted those people and tracted the houses around them! We had some awesome people we talked to. We are gonna go to another bible study next week!
Sunday- A lot happened! Church was really good! We had fast and testimony meeting! So some of our non members bore their testimony! It was so awesome! Basically highlight of our day! Other than that we tracted in the rain for hours! Good day!
I love you all so much! Im trying to be better at writing everyone but I love you all! Have a great week! And HAPPY VALENTINES DAY!!!
Love,
Elder Graham
New transfer New me! 2/5/18
Look familiar Melissa?
DESTIN Florida
Hey yall! So sorry I wasnt able to send my weekly. I had it all typed up but then some things happened today and I just had 0 time to send it. So Ill send it next week.
Some Big Updates:
Im going to be training, I pick up my new companion tomorrow. Ill be staying in fortwalton.
Also we went to the beach today which took up way to much time but here are some pics from today!
I love you all so much thanks for all the support I hope yall had a great week!!
Paradise 1/29/18
Alright real quick Last Monday was fun. We went bowling and it only costs 25 cents for a game, but like $3.00 for the shoes. But we had a lot of fun. I've gotten pretty good at bowling haha. As missionaries this is like one of the only fun things you can do haha. So Elder Cornforth and I are like neck to neck when we play, last game he got a score of 122 and I got 133. So we are like pretty close and the two games before that we tied. We probably are gonna bowl like every P-day. It would make it so much cheaper if I could find some bowling shoes hahahaha.
Tuesday- We had District meeting and it was pretty good. We talked a lot about how we can help people understand when we invite them to baptism and they say they have already been baptized that they need to be baptized by the proper Priesthood Authority given by the Savior. So we did some role playing on how to lovingly talk about that concern. It was really good.
So I didn't have time to finish typing all of my week but basically our week has been good. Like trying to find people right now has been super hard. I dont know why but no one is meeting with us. Im excited for Facebook because its going to be cool trying to find people to teach. As yall could tell I have Facebook now. So if you want to follow me just add me Bradlee Graham. Also we are going to be doing a lot of service for some members. The good thing about being in a military ward is that they always move so we always get to help haha. And we get to meet their friends!! Nothing crazy happened this week. We had a couple good lessons with our investigators. One of them is very knowledgeable in the bible so she asks some deep questions. So currently im studying the Abram covenants hahha. So thats cool haha. Sorry nothing much is happening this week but hopefully next week Ill have more to tell yall!
I love you all! I hope you have a great and amazing week!
Love, Elder Graham
Also the sister thought it was funny to take a picture on my camera and didnt believe me when i said I would send it in my weekly.. so here yall go hahaha
my view while eating lunch today with an investigator. 
PHONES!!!! 1/16/8
President Smith
Dear friends.
The long-awaited time has come. We need to get smart phones right away!
Below is the email we are sending to your parents and priesthood leaders. PLEASE READ IT CAREFULLY and follow the instructions. There are a few of you whose parents have expressed that they are not able to afford a phone at present. We will take care of you!
For everyone: DO NOT SET UPMTHE PHONE until we schedule that with you. We all need to be set up by Zone Conferences which begin on Feb. 9. Details to come. You may charge your new phone when you receive it, but that is all.
The document referenced in the letter below, as well as a lot of other training and information, is now on your portal. Please study all of it between now and your zone conferences.
Questions?
Contact me, the Office Elders or the Assistants.
This is a going to be a great way to enhance our efforts to Teach Repentance and Baptize Converts. Please always remember that is the reason we have these devices.
We love you so! Pres forward.
Much love,
President Smith
Dear Parents and Leaders,
We are excited to roll out smartphones to our missionaries. There are two primary objectives with this initiative: First, we want to enable our young missionaries to become wise stewards for how they use and apply technology for the rest of their lives, and second, this tool will allow us to share the good news of the gospel and more broadly and effectively than ever before.
Our missionaries have been preparing by studying Safeguards for Using Technology and have also received online instruction on how they are to use the devices. We are focused on helping the missionaries remember their purpose of inviting and helping all come unto Christ and we have high expectations for how they will use and take care of this important resource.
As these devices will be owned by the missionaries, the family is responsible to purchase a device for use in-field. The mission will cover the expense of the service charges and data plan. The mission and the Church will be supplying phones only for the following: Missionaries who are going home on or before May 3, and those from countries other than the US and Canada. Those phones will belong to the mission and will remain here when they leave.
For all others, you will need to purchase a phone and arrange for it to be sent to your missionary in the next two weeks.
We understand and appreciate that some families have expressed concern about the cost. Please don't worry about that! We have also had several offers from generous parents to purchase extra phones. (If you are one of those, please go ahead and purchase the additional phone and have it sent to the mission office. Let me know, and we will watch for them and share them with our missionaries. Thank you!!)
The instructions we have received from the Church to purchase a device follow. Detailed instructions are also in the attached document. Please strictly follow these guidelines.
Approved Smartphones
The Samsung Galaxy J, A, S, and Note series are the only smartphones approved for young missionaries. The smartphones must meet the following requirements:
· Runs Android 6.0 Marshmallow operating system or higher (this can be verified in the product description or in the About Device section of the smartphone’s settings)
· Is unlocked to work with any GSM carrier (you cannot purchase a phone from AT&T, Verizon, TMobile unless it is specified as unlocked)
· Has at least 16GB internal storage
· If the missionary already owns an unlocked Samsung phone as described above, it can be used instead of a new purchase.
· The missionaries are not authorized to use any smartphone that does not meet the requirements listed above. Do not purchase a tablet.
Highly Recommended Accessories/Services
· *Protective case
· *Screen protector
· *MicroSD memory card (32GB or higher)
· Warranty Service (for loss, theft, or breakage)
*can be purchased in-field if desired
There are two options to consider for ordering your missionaries’ smartphone… You can order from www.insight.com/missionarysmartphone at a negotiated price (2 phone options available with all the recommended accessories/services available), or you can purchase from other local or online stores. New phone prices generally begin at approximately $140 US dollars. A google search for any of the specified unlocked Samsung devices above will also return a number of options for you to consider. You may want to communicate and counsel with your missionary on their preparation day regarding your budget and how you want to proceed.
Additional Details
The mission pays the cost of the service and data plan. Each area will have one active SIM card that will serve as the primary phone number. Missionaries will share the data plan by enabling the hotspot option on the active phone.
The Church has created proselyting resources that will enable the missionaries to become more effective and efficient in their efforts. Facebook and other social media tools will be made available to them, but strictly for missionary oriented activities.
The missionary is 100% responsible for the care and protection of their mobile device. If they lose or break their phone, the mission will not have any responsibility to replace it for them.
If the missionary abuses or misuses their phone, the mission president has the discretion to suspend use of the phone until they are able to demonstrate the ability to use it wisely and effectively.
The missionary will own their device and will take it home with them as they return from their mission.
Timeline and Next Steps
We would like to do a mission wide launch of the new smartphones February 9-23. For pre-MTC missionaries, if they have enough time, we recommend that they purchase and set up their smartphones before they go into the MTC. (We have attached "Acquire and Set Up a Missionary Smartphone" to help you complete this.) For all other missionaries, we would ask that you purchase and send your missionary's smartphone directly to your missionary so that it will arrive no later than Friday, February 2, 2018.
We are excited to use these wonderful technologies to further the Lord’s work. We know your missionary will develop patterns and habits with these important tools that will bless them for the rest of their lives. If you have any questions, please let me know and we will respond to you as quickly as possible. Thank you for your support, sacrifice, and willingness to let us care for, love, and serve your amazing sons and daughters.
The long-awaited time has come. We need to get smart phones right away!
Below is the email we are sending to your parents and priesthood leaders. PLEASE READ IT CAREFULLY and follow the instructions. There are a few of you whose parents have expressed that they are not able to afford a phone at present. We will take care of you!
For everyone: DO NOT SET UPMTHE PHONE until we schedule that with you. We all need to be set up by Zone Conferences which begin on Feb. 9. Details to come. You may charge your new phone when you receive it, but that is all.
The document referenced in the letter below, as well as a lot of other training and information, is now on your portal. Please study all of it between now and your zone conferences.
Questions?
Contact me, the Office Elders or the Assistants.
This is a going to be a great way to enhance our efforts to Teach Repentance and Baptize Converts. Please always remember that is the reason we have these devices.
We love you so! Pres forward.
Much love,
President Smith
Dear Parents and Leaders,
We are excited to roll out smartphones to our missionaries. There are two primary objectives with this initiative: First, we want to enable our young missionaries to become wise stewards for how they use and apply technology for the rest of their lives, and second, this tool will allow us to share the good news of the gospel and more broadly and effectively than ever before.
Our missionaries have been preparing by studying Safeguards for Using Technology and have also received online instruction on how they are to use the devices. We are focused on helping the missionaries remember their purpose of inviting and helping all come unto Christ and we have high expectations for how they will use and take care of this important resource.
As these devices will be owned by the missionaries, the family is responsible to purchase a device for use in-field. The mission will cover the expense of the service charges and data plan. The mission and the Church will be supplying phones only for the following: Missionaries who are going home on or before May 3, and those from countries other than the US and Canada. Those phones will belong to the mission and will remain here when they leave.
For all others, you will need to purchase a phone and arrange for it to be sent to your missionary in the next two weeks.
We understand and appreciate that some families have expressed concern about the cost. Please don't worry about that! We have also had several offers from generous parents to purchase extra phones. (If you are one of those, please go ahead and purchase the additional phone and have it sent to the mission office. Let me know, and we will watch for them and share them with our missionaries. Thank you!!)
The instructions we have received from the Church to purchase a device follow. Detailed instructions are also in the attached document. Please strictly follow these guidelines.
Approved Smartphones
The Samsung Galaxy J, A, S, and Note series are the only smartphones approved for young missionaries. The smartphones must meet the following requirements:
· Runs Android 6.0 Marshmallow operating system or higher (this can be verified in the product description or in the About Device section of the smartphone’s settings)
· Is unlocked to work with any GSM carrier (you cannot purchase a phone from AT&T, Verizon, TMobile unless it is specified as unlocked)
· Has at least 16GB internal storage
· If the missionary already owns an unlocked Samsung phone as described above, it can be used instead of a new purchase.
· The missionaries are not authorized to use any smartphone that does not meet the requirements listed above. Do not purchase a tablet.
Highly Recommended Accessories/Services
· *Protective case
· *Screen protector
· *MicroSD memory card (32GB or higher)
· Warranty Service (for loss, theft, or breakage)
*can be purchased in-field if desired
There are two options to consider for ordering your missionaries’ smartphone… You can order from www.insight.com/
Additional Details
The mission pays the cost of the service and data plan. Each area will have one active SIM card that will serve as the primary phone number. Missionaries will share the data plan by enabling the hotspot option on the active phone.
The Church has created proselyting resources that will enable the missionaries to become more effective and efficient in their efforts. Facebook and other social media tools will be made available to them, but strictly for missionary oriented activities.
The missionary is 100% responsible for the care and protection of their mobile device. If they lose or break their phone, the mission will not have any responsibility to replace it for them.
If the missionary abuses or misuses their phone, the mission president has the discretion to suspend use of the phone until they are able to demonstrate the ability to use it wisely and effectively.
The missionary will own their device and will take it home with them as they return from their mission.
Timeline and Next Steps
We would like to do a mission wide launch of the new smartphones February 9-23. For pre-MTC missionaries, if they have enough time, we recommend that they purchase and set up their smartphones before they go into the MTC. (We have attached "Acquire and Set Up a Missionary Smartphone" to help you complete this.) For all other missionaries, we would ask that you purchase and send your missionary's smartphone directly to your missionary so that it will arrive no later than Friday, February 2, 2018.
We are excited to use these wonderful technologies to further the Lord’s work. We know your missionary will develop patterns and habits with these important tools that will bless them for the rest of their lives. If you have any questions, please let me know and we will respond to you as quickly as possible. Thank you for your support, sacrifice, and willingness to let us care for, love, and serve your amazing sons and daughters.
Another beautiful week in paradise 1/15/18
My week in Fort Walton-
Wednesday- Got up and met our ward mission leader at the gym. He used to play football for Air Force haha so yeah my body has been getting wrecked haha. After working out we went and did service from about 8am-12. While we were picking up some furniture for this thrift store we met a couple who really needed help with packing there house so we told the sisters to come help and they did. So hopefully that opened up some doors! Oh we also got 2 new couches which is awesome! I am slowly but surely trying to turn our apartment from feeling like a prison to more like a home. Ill add a picture of the new couches. They are the two on the right. Hoping to fill the tall shelf with some family pictures and some pictures of the savior! :) About to pintrist this apartment! haha So after all that we went contacting and found some pretty cool potentials! So hopefully we can meet with them again. We also went out to dinner with the prices, they took us to panera. Super good! After we went home and did some studies and the sister came by to give us some supplies which was good we need more Book of Mormons! We have been handing them out like its candy its been awesome! :)
Thursday- We got up worked out and then got ready. Ate some good breakfast and then did some daily planning and studies. Then we changed into some service clothes and walked to a members home who drove us to another members home to help them move. Brother Gorham drove us and hes super awesome because he likes deep studies such as like listening to Hughe Nibly and the studies and Discoveries of the Dead sea scrolls. Which is like what I love to study on my free time. So on the way we listened to a devotional that talked about the dead sea scrolls and the amazing Discoveries that show amazing principles that we teach. It was awesome. So then we did service for a few hours. After we got home we ran by the thrift store and were able to talk to a few people and almost found out some info on Bible study at another church. I like doing bible study with other churches. Then we came home and were going to do some weekly planning but I really just felt that we needed to be out. So we went out and just walked for a few hours and contacted some people. Today was really gloomy, fogy and misty. So it was kinda creepy. We contacted these two girls who said that they shared some pass along cards that the sisters gave them to their friends. haha It was cool to see how even though we give out a simple pass along card it was able to get passed around and help others. We asked if they knew anyone who would benefit from our message. They said we know a couple friends. We gave them a Book of Mormon, they became excited to share it with their friends and family. After we walked down the Dark foggy road and someone called out to us. Looking behind us it was a lady in her car, turns out it was a member that just moved here and didnt know what time church started this week. It was just crazy how if we didnt do all that we did today and listen to the promptings of the Spirit to just go out and ignore our plans not knowing where we are going but just praying and allowing the Lord to direct us. " Trust in the Lord with all thine heart and lean not unto thine own understanding, in all thy ways acknowledge him and he shall Direct thy paths." Promised blessings being fulfilled. After we went to the club house and did some training on family history work. Then we got challenged by some guys in the club house to play them in Foosball. We destroyed them. But they were from Germany and he had a little daughter with him that speaks German she was soooo adorable!! Then we went home and finally had dinner at 9pm haha long day.
Friday- So we worked out and played some Foosball and then went home and ate. Then I just laid on the couch because we were waiting for an investigator to come pick us up to go do service at his house. We did that until like 1pm and watched President Monsons funeral. Then he took us home and we got ready. Went over to the church and waited for the sisters to meet us there with the Family History key. We are trying to do family history from 4-6 pm. Sadly no one showed up today but I've been trying to find my family on my grandmas tree on my moms side. So far I havent had any lucky yet. But we will get there. After we went to a members home and ate dinner. They have two super cute little girls and the youngest one decided to make me glasses and a hat out of paper. They thought it was the funniest thing ever haha. After we came home and I did some call ins with the sisters just to make sure they are doing good. That was pretty much my Friday.
Saturday- This Morning we worked out and then we went home and contacted some people to invite them to volleyball that we were doing at 9:30 am. We get there and all the chairs are set up because of stake conference that we have tomorrow. So we had to take down all the chairs. So all the missionaries showed up but no one else. So we waited until like 10 and then a member showed up and then we played a little basketball game and then we played volleyball. Finally some more members and some less actives showed up and it was so awesome to have them out we all had a great time! So that didnt get done until like noon. After we went home and got showered and ready then we went to stubbys. A member owns it and so all the missionaries get free food. Its super good food. I had fresh fried Calamari. It was so good. Then we went home and did some personal study and then did some weekly planning. After we went and taught an investigator in front of her house. It was probably about 35 degrees with a wind chill that dropped it to like 30 degrees. It was so cold but hey you do what you have to do to share the gospel! haha We taught her outside in the dark and in the freezing cold for about an hour and a half. We were all so like into the lesson but we were all also like shaking so bad haha. We invited her to church and she said she would come. We quickly got in the car and blasted the Heat! haha it was so cold today. I thought I was in Florida not Utah. haha After we went home and got something to eat the Spanish Elders called us asking if we can pick them up because they were riding there bikes. I was like i feel your pain! We for sure can pick yall up! haha So we picked them up and took them home and that was pretty much our day. Also got some awesome news about PHONES! We are supposed to get our phones ordered and delivered to us with in the next 2 weeks. haha So im not excited that I have to use Samsung... But its for the Lords work haha I am so grateful for this opportunity to use smartphones to make the work more effective. The Brotheren have told us that we should have them by Feb. 2nd. So thats pretty cool! haha
Sunday- Went to church and we had stake conference. Elder David A. Bednar held a broadcast to us here in the south and gave a talk. It was really cool but he just through down it was awesome! We had an investigator come and we think she enjoyed it. After we went to sister stevens house and she fed us lunch. It was super good. Her daughter is actually serving a mission in Las Vegas. haha After we ate at there house we went home and had a lesson at our recent converts house. His name is Ethan hes 11 years old and hes the only one in his family thats a member. So we are trying to do family home evenings with his family. We played the mouth game last time haha Ill add some pictures! after that we went to Birds home on base. We had breakfast for dinner which was awesome! We have such a good time with them. Sister bird reminds me so much of my sister Melissa and the funny thing is that sister Birds first name is Melissa haha so we just say we are siblings. lol after that we went home and I had to do my weekly reports with the zone leaders.
SIDE NOTE:
Phones are coming into our mission. We have to have them with in 2 weeks. We have to get them all set up and ready to go before the Apostle comes to our mission. I'm sure hes going to give us some guidance in using them. Im super excited to use the phones to share the Gospel on social media!
I love yall so much! I hope you all had a great week! Sorry I didnt send a weekly last time. It got really crazy with time. But this week is going to be fun... we had to take our car in to get it fixed because the Elders before me like crashed the car so now the car is going to be in the shop for a week and a half. Its supposed to be super cold this week haha but ill live haha. I love the mission though, so many crazy cool experiences! The Lords hand is in each of our lives and I know that for a fact! All we gotta do is keep on keepin on! Hold to that Iron rod that Lehi talks about in 1Nephi 8! :) Elder Graham is Out!
Love,
Elder Graham ❤
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