Monday July 18, 2011

Elders Rudd, Rios and Draper - love this picture!

Knocking away...

Getting ready to ride away...

Great group of missionaries! Spanish Zone before last transfer, from left: Elder Brandon, Walker (home now), Rudd, Nielson, Dunlap (home now), Soliz, Galloway (home now), Draper, Walker (home now), and Chunn (home now)

Getting ready for the day, the awesome threesome!Ski ramp from Calgary 1988 Winter Olympics

Aloha!!

Another shout out to the best mom in the world Teri Draper!! I hope you have a great birthday mom!! I love you and miss you so much! We are only down to 10 months and it will fly by ;)

Yes Patricia will be baptized this Friday! President Archibald ok'd it and so that is the plan. She is working a 2nd job for 2 months and won't be able to come to church, but she has a desire to keep the Sabbath Day holy and that is why we can baptize her still. Yesterday was the baptism of Fanor and Adelaida, a couple from Colombia. I did not teach them, but I have a special love for them for a couple of reasons. Number 1, I was able to interview both of them for my first time! It was such a neat and spiritual experience! Like, I was able to receive revelation, a confirmation from the Holy Ghost that they were ready for baptism. I felt a promise from my patriarchal blessing as well as I said things to them that I had zero knowledge about...cool! But then another awesome part of the story is that about 3 months ago, it was Elder Galloway and I that found him walking in the street! We got out of the car to go to an appointment, and Fanor got out of his car right next to us at the same time. So we go up to him and start explaining to him who we are. We find out he is Spanish, so that in itself was a huge miracle for us! He was visiting family up in the NW, so we got his info and passed it down to the Spanish elders in the SE, where he lives. So they go by a couple days later, and when he answers the door he is not wearing pants! I know, pretty strange, but they started teaching him and his wife, and now they are members of the church! Fanor shared his testimony after the baptism and thanked me for walking up to him and talking to him and inviting him to learn about the restored gospel. It was a really sweet moment and I just have to give all the credit to Heavenly Father for putting Fanor in our path 3 months ago.

Another cool thing was that Juan blessed the sacrament for the first time! Seeing people in their early stages of living the gospel is just amazing! What a blessing to be a part of this work. This is the most important thing that Heavenly Father does, #1 on His to-do list. Bring His children back to Him is a very gratifying experience. Elder Rudd keeps telling me that I don't have any time left (just cuz the time in year 2 is insane) and I know that I probably won't have another chance like this. That is my motivation to go out and do work! I love you all and thank you for everything!

Have a great week!! Love Elder Draper

Hey Dad! Thanks for the update! I will try to answer all of your questions in the family email about the work and all. Yeah it is kind of a crazy being a ZL because almost all of your afternoons are spent doing zone stuff, and I would rather be out finding Spanish people! We have a baptismal goal of 10 for this transfer, and we have one down, and another one this Friday, so we have to find 8 more prepared people in these few weeks. I have been looking back in my journal and it is just crazy how much I have learned about the gospel. Like, I felt I was pretty knowledgable before the mission, but it doesn't even compare now. I have a solid base in the basic doctrines of the church, and I have learned a lot about deeper doctrine which is pretty amazing. But like I said, my biggest concern right now is getting my baptismal goal of 24 for the mission and just doin work. I hope I get to be a ward mission leader in my life, because I love this stuff! Thanks again and have a great week!!!

Love, Elder Draper