NO CAR? NO PROBLEM...

 Isn't Texas beautiful?

 Stuck in the middle of the road in our dead car!

3/17/14

Hola mis queridos!

Okay.. what a week for the home team, right? Congratulations Erin and Chris!!!! You looked fantastic and so, so happy!!

Well, things here in Katyland have been quite eventful as well! I just have to thank Heavenly Father for helping me out so much this week. He has an amazing way of strengthening us in the exact ways that we need it.

Well on Thursday I had a mission crisis as I realized that I literally only had six months left. A moment of reflection... and stress. But after a few deep breaths we set some good goals to make sure this is the most effective six months possible. And with that... we had a week full of miracles!

One thing we decided to try out is we had a meal appointment with a member who lives on the outskirts of our area, where we haven't really worked at all. So after we shared a missionary work scripture about how the Lord is preparing the hearts of His children to receive the gospel, we had their little girls say a prayer and then look at the map that we brought for them to pick a street for us to knock! They were super excited to get involved in that way. Well afterwards we went to knock... and then something came up so we had to leave! But no worries, the next day we went back out. Nearly every other door said they would be willing to learn more! (and trust me... THAT is huuge.) Unfortunately, all of them spoke English, but the other missionaries were very grateful. Well we were about ready to go, but we only had a few more houses on the street so we decided just to finish it. And that is when we met Luchooo! Okay. He opened the door and just had the biggest smile on his face, like he was so happy to see us. Well, turns out he talked with missionaries about ten years ago when he lived in New York, because he had gone and seen the church history sites! Also, he was originally from Colombia and he attended the temple open house in Bogota. Wow. Remember the scripture about the Lord preparing his children? Well he is going out of town this week, but we have an appointment with him next week!! 

That same night we had planned to have a family home evening with one of the less active families in our ward and one of the active families. Well at the last moment the less active family had to cancel... but we felt we should just ask the other family if we could still visit them. They said they would get back to us.... then they called us and said that we need to prepare a very inspired message because they were inviting someone special over to meet us. Well then. We prayed and prayed and just felt we needed to share the restoration, with lots of biblical support. We show up and the hermano had invited his mom and his sisters family, who had never talked to missionaries before. I don't know what finally gave him the drive to finally invite them after so many years in the church, but it was incredible. We shared the restoration, and as we used the bible it really clicked with them, since they are very involved in their church. As we talked about the Book of Mormon, it all just seemed to fall in place. They gladly accepted the copies and said they were eager to read it. I just wish I could express how incredibly strong the spirit was as Hermana Townsend quoted the "first vision". The mom even cried. I know that everything happens for a reason. When appointments cancel, it just gives us hope that the Lord has something else prepared for that night. He truly is guiding His work.

Well… this week we also experienced that even in the work of the Lord... the rain still falls on us... literally and figuratively. Well our car died... in the middle of the road... in the pouring rain... first the power steering went out (I knew the land rover was training me for something) and then it all went as we coasted nicely into the space between medians… in the middle of the road. Well, it all got resolved and the car people said we needed a new battery, so we got a new battery and all went great! Well... then yesterday on the way to church the same thing happened… Ay. Well we managed to get the car pushed to the church because we weren't too far out. And through some miracle an English member said he could fix it. Turns out its the alternator… what ever that means. But of course it had to wait to today! Hence the title of this email, because last night we were left to walk, and it was miraculous! A man came up to us on the street and just talked. And we just listened. He told us his life story about how he used to be super close to the Lord, but then the devil won, and now all he desires is to feel the spirit again. We talked with him about the Atonement, and after a while we set up an appointment and he promised he wouldn't forget because it was a "commitment with God". Wow. Then we visited the Cubans! We were a little hesitant because the last time we visited we brought a member and he just talked at them the whole time… and we think they might of gotten a little offended or something... but we got there and they were so happy to see us! We read 1 Nephi 16 about the broken bow and the Liahona, and they were the ones teaching us! They are truly an incredible family. They are still working just as much, and so going to church is still a struggle, but they are reading in the Book of Mormon everyday and they feel like they personally are coming to know Christ more. Then they were so nice to give us a ride home.

Well I could go on and on... oh wait. One more miracle! Remember the man in the gas station? Well we visited him and his wife actually isn't a member! But then they came to church yesterday. And it was great.

Okay. I love you all so very, very much. I hope you have a wonderful week! Remember to look for the little miracles in everyday, because they are there!

LES QUIERO DEMASIADO,

Hermana Draper

With our lovely "ANO" banner.