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
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