HOLA FAMILIA!!

 The Sisters with Hermana Osio after the Tortilla making class....

8/12/13 

Hola Familia! 

Sounds like everything is going great out there! That's how it is here too! Great things are happening. It is sort of overwhelming on Mondays to sit down to try and think of just a few things that I can share from the whole past week!! But, I will try and organize a few of my thoughts…

 Well, starting with last Monday. The week before we had set an appointment with a guy we found walking in the street. He told us his name and his apartment number. Well, we went by last Monday for the appointment that we had set, knocked on the door and another guy answered. We asked him if Javier was home… he said that he was Javier... okay, crazy because it wasn't the same person! Well I just said, well then Javier, one of your friends thinks that you could really be blessed from our message! After that we had a super awesome restoration lesson. He had told us about how he was looking for direction in his life, and what better place to find it that in the gospel of Jesus Christ! It is funny how God can even use others to guide us to those people who are ready and willing to hear the message of the restored gospel!

The next night, we had a noche de hogar at one of the menos activos houses. They had planned on inviting a friend, but unfortunately, they didn't show up. Nevertheless, we watched the testaments and it was super good. To be honest, I am not a huge fan of the movie, only because it isn't a real story, but the power behind the message is undeniable. I cry every time at the end when Christ heals the father. And so did the hermana that we were visiting. We had a really amazing testimony at the end and she said a phrase that has just be ringing in my head que "quiero vivir en una manera para mostrar que El no murio en vano para mi"... Basically, I want to live in a way to show that He didn't die in vain for me. To show that His sacrifice isn't in vain. That it is so appreciated, and that we are taking advantage of it. I just can't even imagine how it would feel to see people not taking advantage of the gift He has given. It’s like when you are super excited to give someone a present, and they don't give the reaction that you were looking for but on a much larger scale!! Man, the atonement and His grace is something that I haven't even begun to comprehend. It is so much more infinite and far reaching that we can even imagine. I think about a talk I heard in the MTC how it is true that God can only trust His work in the hands of 19 years olds because of the Atonement; because our weaknesses are made strengths. Well, there is my soapbox, but I just am so grateful that I am able to learn and share this great message of hope! (also... read 1 corinthinans 15:9-10, probably my favorite scripture about grace).

Another miracle that we had was when we were going through the area book. We were looking through past investigators and we found a family that caught our eyes. Well, we have been knocking on their door the past couple of weeks and it seems like every time we go they are on their way out the door, or not home. Well, the other day we were just in the area and we decided to try again. The dad answered, and he let us right in! We started talking about their experience with the church, and it turns out it was nearly five years ago that the muchachos had visited them. They didn't have a lot of time, but we were able to talk about what a blessing the Book of Mormon is and share a scripture. The family all seemed quite excited about learning more, and we have another appointment to visit them later this week! It shows that sometimes the seeds need to be planted, and who knows if in five years other missionaries will be able to harvest.

Well, I feel like there are so many other things that I have to say, but I guess that is all for right now. Scott, you would be so proud, I am slowly learning how to cook authentic Hispanic food. The other day one of our members taught us how to make tortas de papa... they are so good. As she says, we have to learn que podamos ser buenas esposas despues de la mision!

Well... I love you all so much! I hope that you have a great week! I can hardly believe summer is already winding down! I think it goes by faster out here that it does at home!

Make good choices!! Remember who you are and all you stand for!

Reemplace miedo con fe!

Les Quiero,

Hermana Draper

 Saobaluz, George and Sam. The Pakistani/Indian family.

Why yes... It really is a Triple Wide...

ANOTHER WEEK HAS COME AND GONE!!!

 All dressed up for Zone Conference!

 Oh yeah!!! Zone Conference Rocks! 

8/05/13

Hola Familia!

I can hardly believe I am already sitting at the computer again! We are nearly halfway through this transfer already! How does it go so fast! It is a huge lesson of living in the moment. You gotta love it while it is here!

Well this week has been really great. I am so grateful to be serving in Texas. It is like a big Christian melting pot. We experience so many different cultures, and the majority is very Christian based. One awesome experience last p-day happened when we were walking around one of the apartment complexes in our area. We had just had a lesson with a new investigator, who is from Guatemala, then we checked the phone and our next appointment had cancelled, so we were on our way to our backup when we walked passed these three middle eastern looking people. We walked up to them and offered a pass along card as always, and the woman there just kept saying to us "house… house!". The one that was there told us that meant she wanted us to come in. We had only said that we were representatives of Jesus Christ and she invited us right in! We sat down and she started bringing out all sorts of different plates of fruit. We began talking and it turns out the husband and wife that live there are from Pakistan, and the other man that speaks a lot more English grew up in India. Well what are the chances (well obviously God did it on purpose) but Hermana Miller had gone and done a service trip to the very same town in India that this guy grew up in! It was an immediate connection to talk to them and bring us on more familiar terms. We had talked about various things from India, and the food ‘parati's’ got brought up. All of the sudden the lady of the house got up and went to the kitchen. We kept talking and about 15 minutes later she came out of the kitchen with a plate stacked with parati's and this lentil dip. It was crazy! (and so incredibly delicious). She was the most hospitable person ever. (I just kept thinking about Ashley Robinson in Jordan, and how amazing it must be being immersed in this culture!) We ended up sharing a brief message about Jesus Christ and the man of the house said that their family growing up was of a different religion, and didn't believe in Christ to be the Savior, but he said, in rather broken English, that he knew that Jesus Christ was the Savior of the world, and it was only through him that we can be happy. Wow. Just the love that people have for the Savior. In the end we sang I am a child of God, and although they may not have understood all the words of the song, the Spirit was definitely there and the smiles on their faces were so sincere. The whole situation was really just incredible. One thing Hermana Driesel said afterward is that although the lady couldn't understand all that we were saying, we felt that she could understand us for who we were, and who we were there representing. I love being here!!

Also, a really special experience that showed how loving the members can be really is such a blessing! The Amorims are new in our ward, they have been in Texas for about a month. We have visited them a few times and Hermana Amorim has come with us to a few lessons, and she is so amazing and has such a strong testimony, and has only been a member for about a year and a half! Well she is pregnant with her first baby and a few days ago we got a call at about four in the morning and she was having contractions (she still has two months) and such and her husband had already left for work and she didn't know what to do and the first people she thought to call was us!! Well, we were able to get in contact with the Relief Society president, and she took over from there, but I was so grateful to have established that relationship with her, that she trusted us!

I am loving it here. Our ward is incredible and one of the miracles of the week... WE GET OUR CHAPEL BACK!! I can't remember if I have mentioned, but about six months ago someone burned down our chapel... so we have been going to the stake center, which is nearly 45 minutes away! (hence the picture of my sleeping companions). But after much long suffering, we finally get to return to the Woodlands chapel! This weekend we got to go and do some deep yard work out front, it reminded me of when me and Scottie used to have to clean out the pit.. ayee. But it was so worth it and our newly refurbished chapel looks so nice!

Well, we just keep pressing on! We are meeting lots of new people, but having a hard time to find ones that are really progressing. But have no fear, I love Galatians 6:9 where it says "let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not"!

So just keep on keeping on. I love you all so much! Reemplace miedo con fe!

les quiero,

Hermana Draper

Sleeping in the car on the way to church....

me gusta la obra

Caught in the rain AGAIN!!! with Hermanas Miller and Driesel

 

7/29/13

Hola Familia!

Has it seriously already been a week? I'm pretty sure days are just missing from my calendar... well anyway. Here I am and what a great week it has been!

So starting back at last Monday, we had a noche de Hogar at the houses of one of our members and they were inviting their brothers family, who aren't members. We were super excited! We initially were thinking that of course we will teach the first discussion, with the movie and all and yeah. Well, as we were planning it just didn't feel right; that it wasn't what that family needed. So we prayed really hard trying to figure out what we could teach that would help them that day. We ended up talking about the importance of building a foundation of Christ in the home and how we do that. We even had a fun activity where one team was building a cup tower on the flat ground and one on a stack of pillows. It was great to just talk about how we can establish that firm foundation, and why it is so important so that our families cannot fall (Helaman 5:12). The night went really great and the members bore really strong testimony of how different their family is from before their conversion to now. After the other family left we were talking to the members they were just so happy with how it went. The other family had had some encounters that had just thrown the Restoration at them, and they didn't really have a good experience, so they said that it was great to establish the why, before the how. I am just grateful that we have the help of the Lord so that we can really teach to the needs of the people, and do the things that will help them!

Also, this past week we have been doing a lot of finding! Most of it has actually just been walking down the street to our next appointment, giving out passalong cards, and having people ask to hear more! But on Thursday we were knocking doors and there was a man that answered. We talked to him about our purpose and he said that he has a thirteen year old daughter that he would love to be a good example to, so we set up a time to come back on Sunday morning and teach. Well... Sunday rolls around and we were running a little late from another appointment. When we knocked on his door and he said, "oh sorry that was me just calling you, you were late so I didn't think you were coming!". OKay... how cool. He actually remembered, which is awesome! Then he told us how he didn't go out with his friends the night before because he didn't want to be... not all there... for our appointment! So the influence of the Gospel is already changing him! Well, we walked over to the little park that is in the middle of the apartment complex, because we can't go in, and we started teaching the Restoration and for him it all just seemed to be clicking. He even said, "so Jose Smith was chosen by God, he didn't choose himself, that's really important!". When we talked about el Libro de Mormon and gave him his own copy, he asked us to put our names and the date inside, because this was a big moment for his life. He even said that he felt prepared to receive it. If that isn't a prepared person, I don't know what is! (Well, Elisa definitely was… but anyway.) It is just so cool how we have the chance to find some of these tens of thousands that the Lord has prepared in the Houston area. I am so grateful for the spirit, and that we are just instruments to carry out this marvelous work and wonder!

My new companions and I are getting along so well, and we learn so much from each other every day! I am so happy to be blessed to have such diligent and obedient companions who are so dedicated and ready to do the work!! Hermana Miller is the funniest girl I know, and she is such a bold testifier! and Hermana Driesel has the biggest heart.. ever. I love it! I know companionships are definitely inspired.

Well, now that we have 3 to use 2 computers, time is shorter, so I think that's all for now! But I love you so much! I know that this Church is God's kingdom on the earth, and that obedience to the law is liberty! I love in Hebrews 11 when it says that faith is the evidence of things not seen. How true is that? We can't see many of these great things, but what is the evidence of them? Our faith!! Therefore, reemplace miedo con fe. LA VIDA ES BONITA! :)

les quiero,

Hermana Draper

 

FRIENDS ARE KEEPING AN EYE ON THINGS!

25 July 2013

It helps to know people all over the country!

Our friends, the Oslunds, ran into Sami and her companions

in McDonalds in Spring, TX and sent us this picture in real time!

"IT'S A GIRL"

Hermana Draper and Hermana Glauser walked by this street every day!

Hermana Draper with her new companions Hermana Miller

and Hermana Driesel with Elisa's horse.

7/22/13

Hola Familia!

WOW. What a week it has been. My, oh my. The Lord certainly knows what He is doing! Well, to answer your questions, (and address the title of this email) I AM A TRAINER!! Well, kind of. It has been crazy, but so fun. So here is how it went down. The beginning of last week, me and Hermana Glauser were still together, and it was awesome! We had dinner over at Elisa's, and one thing about the Hispanic culture is that it makes them so happy to see you eat their food. So we go over and start eating tacos. There is a huge pan full of this amazing hamburger meat, and a stack of tortillas... after about three I was full... Oh, but they kept bringing out the fresh homemade tortillas... and they kept coming... and we said we were full... and still they gave us more… eleven tacos later I thought I was going to die. But you know I can't say I didn't enjoy it :)

Well, we got the call on Tuesday that Hermana Glauser was leaving the area, but we didn't hear anything else, so we just assumed we were just getting companions that had already been out. The next day, our last day went great, then at the end of the night we got a call from the AP's asking if we would be willing to train!! And also, we would be in trios! So Hermana Glauser got sent off to open a new area with a companion that came out the same transfer as me, and to train a nueva! Then I would be staying to "take over the area" and then get a comp that has been out a few more transfers than me, and we would train a nueva together! And it really has been so great! It has been a huge learning experience. My companions are Hermana Driesel from Cuna, Idaho and Hermana Miller from Layton. They are both so amazing!! Hermana Miller is also 19 and she did a year at BYU. She lived in Heritage but we  have a lot of mutual friends. Crazy! She is amazing. She already knows so much Spanish and she is so incredibly prepared. Likewise, Hermana Driesel is an incredible missionary, and the most loving person ever.

But anyway, this past week has been the biggest learning experience. I'll admit, Wednesday night I was freaking out. Okay, not freaking out, but just anxious. I was praying so hard that I could really replace all my fears with faith, because I knew there was absolutely no way that I could do it without the Lord's help. After that I just had the most calming feeling that it was going to be okay and that as long as we really were willing to let go and let Him be the one to take over the area, it was all going to work out exactly how He wants it to. From day one with  Hermana Miller and Driesel here we saw so so many miracles. Past investigators we hadn't seen in forever that were willing to have us come in and teach a lesson again, members who were eager to give referrals, and many new people that we have found just walking in the street! It is true that each missionary has individual people that need them specifically. They just needed to wait for those missionaries to get here and find them.

One amazing experience that we had with finding was on Saturday night. It was the end of the day and we had been knocking around the apartment complex for quite some time. It was time to head home and as we were walking back to our car, we saw this lady walking down the street with her daughter. Of course we headed over to talk to her. We just stated our purpose and asked if she would be willing to hear more, she said yes and we set up an appointment for the next day, yesterday. Well, we went over yesterday and the lesson was incredible. She lives in an apartment, but the only furniture she has is one bed and a table with 3 chairs (so me and Hermana Miller shared..). We shared the Restoration and how we know that God is aware of us no matter what situation we are in, and really focused on how the gospel blesses families. We mentioned how we knew it was no coincidence that we met her last night, and she started crying. She said that she just wants the best for her daughter. So that she can grow up and find the same comfort in the Lord that she has received in Christ. She was so thankful that we shared what we did and she is so eager to learn more. She is so prepared to receive the gospel, and did I mention that her daughter is eight years old? It was just such an amazing lesson where the Spirit was so strong.

I am so thankful for the opportunity to be a missionary. I am so grateful for the Lord and how He directs His work. I know that when we are willing to follow His will, He will do what is best! I LOVE THIS GOSPEL. Man, oh man. So just reemplace miedo con fe. Because with God, everything is possible!!

Les Quiero,

Hermana Draper