katy.katy.katy.katy

9/16/13

Hola Familia!

Wow. What a week it has been! I just love it here! Miracles just keep happening everyday! Well.. where to start. Erick had his baptismal interview yesterday and his service is scheduled for this Sunday!! I am so excited for him! It is just so amazing to see how happy these people are when they are taking these steps to change their lives! It is when we are obedient to the laws and ordinances that we are the most happy, because that’s when we are the most blessed! And I promise I have seen that manifest through the lives of these amazing people, and in my own life! Obedience brings blessings, people! But Erick is truly remarkable. We had an awesome lesson about la santa cena.. sacrament.. and during it he read one of the sacrament prayers. I just wish I could even describe how it felt. The spirit was so strong as we not only testified of the Atonement of Jesus Christ, but also the truthfulness that God's power has been restored on the earth today, and after his baptism and by living worthy, he too can be a priesthood holder. How incredible is that. That if a man is willing to live worthy, he can possess the power of God. But also just to think how these steps that Erick is taking not only bless his life, but that his future family will have a priesthood holder in the home. Eternal Families!!

Well, another amazing miracle of this past week. So one morning the Elders in our ward got a call from an English member who said his friend, who only speaks Spanish and isn't a member, needed a blessing. The Elders went over and gave it to her, and they said it was such a powerful experience. That afterwards this lady said that the Elder said all of the exact things that she needed to hear, and he coudn't have even know about them (Ammon and Lamoni type). She said that some joven had just given her better advice than any pastor she had spoken too. Wow! Proof that even though we are young, we are called of God! Well, she had spoken to missionaries a bit before, but she agreed to try it out again, especially after that powerful of an experience. Well, fortunately for us, she lives in our area!! So the very next day, we went over to meet her. We had an awesome restoration lesson, and we felt really impressed to focus on the Priesthood. Well when we got to the end we extended the baptismal invitation and her response was... "si si claro!!" (like... yes, yes of course!) Then she told us that a few years back she had really wanted to be baptized. She talked to her pastor that she would, but when it came time she just didn't feel like it was the right time. She said that God knew her desire, and that it was good, and that he would provide the right way for it to be done. So, she wasn't baptized then, so when we asked her to pray about these things, and once she knew that they were true, to be baptized she knew that it was right! Seriously. If that isn't evidence that God is preparing people to receive the gospel, I don't know what is!! I just know that there are so many amazing people that want the truth but they “know not where to find it". So I am so grateful for the chance to find them, or for them to find us! Because her house is on a little street that we probably never would have knocked, God made sure that our paths crossed through other people!

Another awesome example... So we drove super far last p-day because we had to go to the office to get more copies of el Libro de Mormon... and we got lost... so we hardly had any miles this past week. So what do we do? Walk and walk and walk! Well, we were walking to find a past investigator when it started to Houston rain. There was a nearby apartment complex so we decided to head there and knock around, make some friends to wait for the storm to lighten up. The second door we knock a super nice Hispanic lady answers and tells us that her brother and mom and both members and she was present for all their lessons, she just wasn't baptized, then she moved up here! Okay. Yeah. She was on her way out the door, but we set up a time to pass by and see her this week! I am so excited! God is just so good at what He does. I just picture him saying.. 'and now.. cue rain' so that we would go over and meet her! He guides us to where we need to go, we just have to listen!

I am loving Katy! I miss the Woodlands, still praying for them, but am so grateful for the chance to meet so many other new and amazing people! I know this Church is so true. How could it not be? I know the Book of Mormon is the word of God and that ANYONE who reads it with an open heart can know it is true also, and that it will change their lives! I am so grateful to know that we have a loving Heavenly Father and that he sent His Son for us. That Jesus Christ suffered all of our pains, afflictions, sicknesses and weaknesses so that He knows exactly how we feel. God is so good. His grace is sufficent. so just Reemplace miedo con fe.

les quiero demasiado,

Hermana Draper