Going into the 4th quarter! 6 more months!

Elder Dutson took me out for ice cream on my 18th birthday - 18 months and going strong!
Say cheese Elder Dutson :)
I think he's trying to make his best Kobe face in his favorite Kobe sweatshirt

Que onda!?

I hope that you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving and were able to enjoy the time together! You all looked good in the pictures mom sent. You know that I was thinking about all of you too as we had our dinner...I miss spending this time of the year with you! We had a pretty fun "gringo Thanksgiving" as it was called. We went to the Lucambio house and had a hugeee turkey, carrots, corn, mashed potatoes, and pumpkin pie. It was really good, but I came to the conclusion that really what makes thanksgiving a thanskgiving is who you are with. They are a very nice family and it was a great day!

Yeah I guess you could say my stomach has become stronger, physically and as far as eating sketchy stuff. I thought I was a garbage disposable before the mission, but now I seriously am willing to try anything, because it usually tastes good haha. We didn't eat anything crazy this week though. The turkey and trimmings were a nice taste of back home.

There is no specific date for the Calgary temple dedication yet...probably in the fall. I totally have to take a trip here to the temple this time next year, because our recent convert Rosi is getting married to her boyfriend (and fellowshipper) Jose! I got to see her last night at a baptism and it was so cool to hear about her engagement. Obviously it will be a civil one, but in one years time they will be going to the temple together! Baptism is truly just the first step, to see these people progress in the gospel while you are still in the mission is amazing. I have not heard back from Hayden. I have a feeling that he didn't know he needs two stamps to get a letter here but we'll see.

So this week was pretty good. Things are still going slow, but I know that everything happens in the Lord's time. So we went by Herbert this week. He opened the door and said "Well let's get this over with." That threw Elder Dutson and I off a little bit and kinda worried me that he was going to shoot us down. So we sit down and he says "Well what do you have to say?" Again, I feel shot down. Finally we are able to get a conversation going, and long story short he told us he is a member of the church already. When he was 16 he got baptized in El Salvador, and has been inactive ever since then basically. He said he loved his time in the church, but his life took him in another direction. His wife and two kids of 14 and 19 aren't members. It was a very spiritual conversation as we testified to him that God had not forgotten him, and that He inspired us to go by and and bring him back into the fold. He said after the busy holidays he is going to come back to church and invite his family to join with him. How cool! We thought they were all non-members, but then to hear the whole story and what had happened in his life. It is pretty awesome to be a part of something that is bigger than you, something that you can't see how it happens from above the field.

As we were leaving Thanksgiving dinner, we got a call from Sis. Pavon and she said they were with a lady that was diagnosed with cancer and asked for a blessing, so we shot right over there. We met Diana from Colombia and her family of 5. We gave her a blessing and afterwards we found out that she really appreciated it. We are going to be teaching her and her family this Wednesday! It seems like the Lord is preparing this family and we hope that we can help them see the importance of being baptized and accepting the gospel in their lives. We are also going to be teaching a little boy that turns 8 this week, not technically a convert baptism but it will be fun to teach a child. This past week we picked up a new investigator, Mauricio, from Monterrey, Mexico. He LOVED the plan of salvation and wants to join the church with his finance from Brazil. The only problem is that he will be in Mexico during the holidays. In January he committed to come to church and be baptized. I think that is about all of the major updates for now. It is crazy that I turned 18 this past week (in mission time that is)!! It has flown by for me, and now it is time to echarle ganas and do work in the 4th quarter!

All I have left to say is I love you and get ready because I'm working on a long list of questions for our phone call on Christmas Day! Thanks for everything you do for me and have a great week!

I love you all!!!

Elder Draper