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HOLAS MIS QUIERDOS !!!                                                            6  March 2013

SOOOOO:::::::

Franquelis was baptized last Saturday!  It was an awesome baptism, my comp baptized him. It was sweet because he got baptized on his birthday, reborn on his birth date!!!  

My comp and I went and bought him a hat and M&M’s and the ward sang him happy birthday to him right after his baptism. He is an amazing kid, he’s fourteen and has been through a lot.  His mom is so sweet but can’t read, so her learning process is much longer;  he is such a good example for her to follow.  On Sunday he received the Holy Ghost and the Priesthood!  I can honestly say the times that are most special to me in my mission are when an investigator, that we have taught, receives the POWER of GOD!  

 On Monday I completed 13 years as a member of the church! March 4th 2000 I was baptized, even though I don’t remember much about it, it’s still special. That’s when I made my first covenant with the Lord, the next in the temple.  As a mission we are learning to make covenants with the Lord every night. All you have to do is promise with the Lord that you are willing and going to change something in your life to be able to follow his commandments better!  So, every night when I get down on my knees to pray, I make a promise with the Lord to better my life the next day.  It helps so much because you HAVE to keep your word!  ( dad's note:  March 4th was a memorable day, it was exactly 30 years ago on March 4th that his Great Grandpa Woodruff Bryan Cram passed away.  Grandpa Cram is the ancestor that Matt got his middle name from; Bryan!)

 A couple of people that we are teaching right now really need to understand the atonement more ... pues , so do I. ha.   So I’ve decided to study it personally and with my comp. It’s a lot cooler than I thought.  I’ve always wondered why Christ had to suffer the way he did and when he did, and what it really meant.  It’s awesome that his suffering applies to anyone, a guy that drinks, swears, smokes, does drugs, or whatever, it applies to all of us.  God doesn’t differentiate, we are all His children.  The gospel’s sick! (That means awesome!)  I hope yall feel the same way.  

God has a plan for every single one of us.  His plan for us is to return to Him! The Atonement is the key to that return! He understands that we will all fail in one way or another and wants us to be back with Him – loves us soo much HE PLANNED a way for us to get back if we so decide! Agency - haha GOT AGENCY? (got milk).  It’s our choice to be happy or not because it is a choice in this life.  I’ve seen people from the poorest people in the most humble circumstances to some very well to do and influential, out here repent and accept the gospel and they are some of the happiest, fulfilled people I know.  We just need to know that He just wants us to be happy and have and be the best we can and he’ll make up the difference in our short comings if we are willing to try and do!!!   I hope that makes sense to you because I can’t deny what I’ve felt, seen and experienced!

LOVE YOU ALL !!!  

Elder Griner

misión santiago RD

2011-2013

Here are a couple of fotos (spanish for photo) from a day of service at the Callejera Accion.  I think I've told you about this place  before.  It's a Catholic run center for kids who are on the street ,( run away, abandonded, etc). that gives them help and direction.  They are way under staffed and if they spent the time cleaninga and organizing the inside and the grounds , then they wouldn't have time to provide the help some of these kids need.  So,we come over regularlly to help out.  It's a lot of work, but it really looks nice when we are finished. 

Where's Waldo (Matt)?  top foto: he's just below and right of the 4 guys sitting on the upper left rail.

bottom foto: sitting left of the guy on the orange shirt.