Monday December 13, 2010

Elder Draper's White Christmas

Before the baptism, Ryan with Manuel and Marisol Morena who is due any day with their first baby. Elder Christensen helped baptize and Elder S. Walker who is Elder Christensen's new comp (he took Ryan's spot) helped teach them after Ryan was transferred to his new area.

Left to right back: Elder Brandon, Elder Draper, Manuel, Marisol, Elder Christensen, Elder S. Walker and Ryan's latest comp Elder J. Walker. Front row: Elder Chunn (ZL), Elder Rudd (DL), Josue Hernandez (young man in the ward who leaves on his mission in Jan) and Elder Harker (another ZL)

Buenas Tardes!

What an awesome week for me here. I will just cut right to the chase...I had the opportunity to perform my first baptism and confirmation yesterday! Yes, Manuel Moreno asked me to baptize him and Marisol asked me to confirm her! It was the most embarrassing/humbling experience ever. So I am walking in the font with Manuel, and I ask him his full name and I get set to go. Now I have had the baptismal prayer memorized in Spanish since the MTC, it is super easy. But, because this was my first time, I had some nerves ha. When they opened the dividers and I looked up to 50 people staring at us in the water, my mind just melted. Seriously, if someone had asked me my name in the moment, I probably couldn't even remember that. So I proceed to say the wrong thing: "By the authority of the Melchizedek Priesthood..." HAHA! Then I hear someone whispering, "Having been commissioned" and that got me back on track ha. So I dunked him, and he came up, and it went perfect. He honestly looked like a completely different person when he came back up. SO COOL!!!!

So then we dried off and got changed and I gave Marisol the gift of the Holy Ghost. That went perfectly, no mistakes on my part. The blessing was purely led by the Spirit. Lots of people came up to me after and said that the prayer like flowed perfectly through her whole life, but I had no idea really. Apparently I just talked to her about her life from the birth of her child to going to the temple etc etc. I honestly don't remember one sentence I said.

Nuff said, this church is true! Just a wonderful day and experience for me. The Moreno's will always be my friends. I am stoked to go to their sealing in the temple one year from now! Missionary work brings a completely different joy than anything else. This is people's salvation we are dealing with. Having the opportunity to give some access to the Atonement and the Celestial Kingdom is the most amazing thing I will ever do I think.

Elder Walker and I also reached our goal of getting 20 lessons this week! It was a ton of hard work but so rewarding. I am slowly starting to catch the "killer instinct" of missionary work ha. I am just trying to apply basketball principles to the work I guess. But that was basically my week! Let me know if you want more details or have questions about anything. Thank you all for your letters and prayers and support. Missionary work is our #1 duty as members of this Church, and I finally realize that. Let's do it! Have an amazing week, with work, sports, final exams, callings whatever you got going on. And enjoy this season together with family and friends!

I love you all!!!

Elder Draper