Elder S. James Graham August letter and pics

August 18,08
Dear Family,
the time has flown, and Im more than certain Ill find myself unready to return one year from now.
its hard to understand. the times passing I mean. Im sure this isnt a "first" by any stretch of the term.but its cool, being here, and looking back. the views change in drastic ways.
Im serving in Monterrey Valle Verde.
with the wards Valle Verde 1 and Valle Verde 2
my living conditions are great.
Like, I think about my old living conditions, from when I lived in utah. In perfect fairness my living conditions are in comparison pathetic. lacking. an observation I made when I ferst arrived to Mexico. However, worn a little by time and routine, I see them now as normal and very comfortable. No complantes on my part.Im chill.
(its not like we live in the house anyway, we are ALWAYS outside. so I suppose Ill be a happy camper so long as I have a bed to sleep in and a desk to read at. Thats a benefitial attribute. for me at least, who knows how the wife will take it someday....)
My comps name is Elder Mata, hes another dying missionary. Again, Im fine with him. Hes doing the best he can. Its been neet, I adopted this idea that people always do their best about.....2 years ago, maybe it was 3 years ago! To continue, It was very easily said before my mission. sure, "everyone does their best" I would say. but when youre in a companionship with rules expectations both phsyical and spiritual, that term is one that has to be faught for. If I wish to hold to that idea, I have to search on a daily basis to establish its reality.
Hard and very rewarding. my comp is 6 weeks short of his departure, and its been hard for me to watch his focus deteriorate and fade. He will have very little difficulty adjusting to "normal life" again. I feel safe saying that he will not flinch when he is released as a missionary.
Its hard, its sad, its draining, but then again, he is doing his best.
I should also mention that in the short time that we have been companions (8 weeks) hes lost a 23 year old cousin to birth complications, his dad (hefting somebody elses heart) has had multiple close calls, being rushed to the emergancy room on several occasions, family not expecting his return. And unfortunatley, my companions 27 year old sister (and single mother of 2) (who has also had heart complications) had a horrible car accident 2 weeks ago, and is now in the hospital because the central part of her brain has stopped its functoning. and she is not expected to live for much longer.
I have had to hold my comp 3 times in this change, as he would just sob and sob for his families ill fate.
I was never prepared to deal with such heavy emotional challanges. Ive been thrown into those "what can you possibly say?" situations more times than I ever expected.
Its an understandable situation. I pray for my comp.
Im am not yet a senrior companion. My health is wonderful. Im just really healthy.
The work is wonderful, we've been baptizing every other week now for a while.
Its all been a very interesting learning experience.
watching people commit, and then watching what they do when things get hard.
Its all wonderful.
we had a powerful baptism yesterday.
we've seen miricles with him and his family. his wife was supposed to die, and my comp gave her a blessing, and as the husband took on the commitments and preperations for baptism, she has been healed and restored in health.
its more than I can describe in words.
as if his sacrifices to God we're returned as blessings in the curation of his wife.
it was this fantastic parrallel. they were seperate in location but linked in spirit almost.
based on his actions, her phsical state grew stronger or was weakened.
really cool.

life back home sounds fantastic.

Im very happy where I am right now.
Very comfotable.

Dont be surprized if I end up asking for an exstension in time.
I really like this as a whole,


all my love

j



my Gods blessings be upon you.