THE HAPPIEST OF NEW YEARS!!!

1/06/14

Hola mi querida familia! Well, give me just a moment as I try to compose myself... CONGRATULATIONS CHRIS AND ERIN!!! I can't explain how incredibly happy I am for you two. 

Also, HAPPY BIRTHDAY MAMA! I hope it was full of joy.

Well this week was fantastic! What better time to recommit to being a true disciple of Jesus Christ than now? Yesterday we had so many miracles with people coming to church. Number one... THE CUBANS CAME TO CHURCH! I don't know if you understand how truly miraculous that is! They had to make so many sacrifices to get Sunday's off, and they did it all so that they would be able to come to church and obey God's commandments. Also, it was a perfect day for them to come because it was testimony meeting! I love having investigators present for fast Sunday because they can hear how the gospel has influenced and blessed the lives of so many different people, it's not just missionaries walking around, preaching. Then in gospel principles the lesson was on the word of wisdom, something we may or may not have been hesitant to teach… and the teacher did an amazing job and explaining it and answering their doubts (like how they used to drink wine in the bible...). It was awesome, and they said that they felt so good in the chapel. There are also so many less actives members that we have been visiting a lot that came to church! Like remember the amazing family that we ate with on Christmas Eve? They all came! And Hermana even bore her testimony about the power of prayer. It was so great. 

The other day after an appointment fell through, we weren't quite sure where to go, so we decided to walk over to the Mexican market and try and make some friends in there. Well, we made some small talk, but nothing much. We decided we should get a fruit, and as we were standing in line, the guy behind us asked us if we visited a lot in the nearby apartments, because he had seen us walking around before. Then he actually introduced himself and said that the hermanas had been visiting his brothers for a long time, but he was always working when they went over. I had heard about his brothers, and how they were amazing! But they moved to Mexico, so they stopped visiting that apartment. But apparently he still lives there and wants us to come and visit him! We gave him his own copy of the Book of Mormon and he said he is very excited to learn more! Miracles! God does lead us to his prepared children, or his prepared children to us. Best part, all he bought was an avocado. He too just needed an excuse to go to the Mexican market!

One more cool experience about how the Lord placed us at the right place at the right time. So we received a referral from a member multiple transfers ago, and we have tried so many times, and only gotten in once. Well when we were planning the night before, Hermana Townsend felt like we should stop by and try again. Well, we got there... and no one was home… So we decided to write a note. Just as we were finishing, she walked around the corner! She explained that she had to be out of her apartment in the morning and she really didn't have time. Well, we asked if we could help... she said no... then we asked again... and she said yes! We ended up being there for the rest of the night helping her box and throw stuff away. At first we felt like it may just be an opportunity for service, then she ended up opening up to us about some really hard trials that she has been facing. She asked if we believed in the adversary, and why we think we go through trials, etc. We ended up having a deep discussion about the purpose and importance of opposition in our lives. We were also able to talk with the member that gave us the referral, and later that night he stopped by and gave her a blessing and she explained that she felt a fire go through her, and then just felt so at peace with everything. She said she really wants us to come and visit her and explain to her more of the gospel and how she can have this feeling of peace all the time. I know that God put us in the perfect situation to help his daughter!

The Church is so true. This is the true, restored gospel of Jesus Christ. It is the only way to find true, lasting peace in this life and in the life to come! I am so grateful to be a missionary at this time. I love Texas. I love the people here. I love Spanish. I love life. I am so grateful for the trials that we face, so that we can fully appreciate the love of God. Come what may and love it, it's for the betterment of your soul! Replace fear with faith.

I love you all so much! Thank you for all that you do and for all the love that I feel. Remember, God is so much more aware of you than you can even imagine. He loves His children.

LES QUIERO DEMASIADO,

Hermana Draper

SO. MANY. TAMALES.

12/30/13

Pues mis queridos, FELIZ NAVIDAD!

I hope you all had a wonderful day, and that you have a very happy new year as well!

Every corner here in Katy has a firework stand... good thing I will be cozy in my bed at 10:30. :) Well, what a week it has been. The fastest week! This transfer has gone by so incredibly fast, but no fears, we just found out Hermana Townsend and I have at least six more weeks here in Katyland!

Well Christmas was fantastic, and you all sounded so great! Regarding the subject of this email… I don't know if I can eat one more tamale. Every meal appointment (and even appointments that weren't meant to be meal appointments) we have eaten tamales. Don't get me wrong, I am so incredibly grateful for the food that people give us. It really does mean so much, and I know it makes them happy and they receive so many blessings for doing it. My favorite part is the battle of the tamales-guatemalan vs. mexican vs. dominican vs. honduranian etc. Every person says that their country has the best tamales. Personally, I like the classic mexican with chile :) . But it was so fun to pass through the holidays and experience the different traditions of all these different countries. People are so kind to open their houses to us! 

Well, remember the referral we got whose brother is on a mission? Well we have been able to see her a few times this past week, and guess who else is in town visiting? Her mom! So we have been able to teach part of the family of this missionary... if that's not promised blessings to him, I don't know what is. But it has been going really great! They both are super receptive and they said when the talked to him on Christmas he was so incredibly excited for them, so I think that is helping a lot. On Thursday we were able to read with them in Mosiah 3, where King Benjamin is testifying of Jesus Christ and it just really brought the spirit so strong. They don't have a super strong religious background, but as we read about the cleansing power of the Atonement, but also the strengthening power of the Atonement, they both testified of times that they had experienced that in their lives. 

A few days ago we also had a meal appointment with one of our members who lives on the very bottom-left edge of our area, in a very wealthy wealthy neighborhood. Well the dinner was great and our next appointment had fallen through, so we decided, even though the odds of finding lots of Spanish speakers was low, we would knock around just a bit. Well. We met some very interesting sons and daughters of God. One man just opened the door, we expained our purpose and he just said "don't you have boyfriends or something?" and closed the door... Well... hmm. But then we knocked on his neighbors door and the lady was so nice! She let us state our purpose a bit and then she said "you know how your heart hurts for people who don't want to listen? That's how I feel for you because you are just so lost". oh. Then she went off on a rant about how we worshipped Joseph Smith and how he can't get us to heaven, never taking a breath to let us speak. She said she would pray for our souls and then closed the door. Well then. We continued on our knocking adventure, but both Hermana Townsend and I just felt that we couldn't leave her like that! Every argument she had against our message was false. Well we knocked a few more doors down and then we just felt that we had to go back. So we knocked on her door and she answered saying "you came back for more?". We apologized for returning, and explained that we didn't want to argue or fight, we just wanted to clarify maybe some of the misconceptions that she had heard. She let us in, we said a prayer, and ended up having a nice discussion! We talked about everything from grace to polygamy, and by the end she said that she understood a lot clearer. She told us that she is still very firm in her faith, but she said that the fact that we would return showed how much conviction we had and how much we really did care. She said a nice prayer as we left that we might all be able to find the truth. It was a very interesting situation, but it really just showed how critical the spirit is. I don't know if she will ever read the Book of Mormon, or visit one of our meetings, but I am grateful that we were able to do our best. 

OH and guess who got to teach Relief Society yesterday?? You betcha! My first relief society lesson. The president called us Thursday and asked if we would be able to teach about service... that's it. No manual, or talk, or anything. Well! Thank heavens for the spirit because we were able to whip the lesson up and it actually went really well! (thankfully, some of the sisters like to give five to ten minute comments). We talked about how our drive for all forms of service should be our pure love for those we are serving, and then we focused on four different places of service. Family, church, others, and personal. It was pretty clear and obvious, but the last one I think was the most powerful. This ward is so hard working, and it seriously never ceases to amaze me what they do for one another. They are so good with their visits, with temple attendance, we are working getting the missionary spirit more, but especially their priority on the family is admirable. But it was the last one that we really felt we needed to share with the sisters. They are always giving giving giving, that they never have time to renew themselves. I know that when we are serving others, we are developing Christlike attributes, and that is essential! But as it says in the scriptures," it is not requisite that a man should run faster than he has strength. And again, it is expedient that he should be diligent, that thereby he might win the prize; therefore, all things must be done in order." And we talked to them about the importance to take time to study. To ponder. To pray. To recharge spiritually so that they can have the power necessary. We left them all with a commitment, and likewise I am going to leave you all with the same commitment. With this new year and all of our new year's resolutions, I want to invite you all to make four goals regarding service. 1- How can you increase your service in the home? Dishes to family scripture study. 2- " in church? Maybe visits or the temple etc. 3- " to others. Telling someone their gas cap is off before the drive off from the gas station or sharing your testimony about the plan of happiness! 4, and maybe the most important, personally. I can promise you that as you strive to make these goals, and pray for the help necessary to reach them, you will become more like our Savior Jesus Christ and gain a stronger love for our brothers and sisters. (am I a missionary or what?).

Well, I love you all so much! I hope you have a fantastic day, and week, and NEW YEAR! 2014 has got great great things in store. So just replace fear with faith! 

Les querio demasiado,

Hermana Draper