PAZ, CALMENSE

 With my new companion, Hermana Nielsen, from Highland. We are at the tire store next to our apartment. They are repping the flags from Texas, Mexico and El Salvador!

 With Hermana Pedersen and the lovely Blue Bonnet field

 
3/31/14

HOLA FAMILIA!

Wow... WHAT A WEEK. So as you are aware I have been called away from my quaint little city of Katy... and I have finally made it to the city!! Yep! I am now in an area called "Aldine" in the Houston fifth ward and it is the ward closest to downtown. Also, I am training! Monday night was a bit of a surprise when President called and asked if I would be willing to go into a new area and train! He had felt inspired to take elders out of the area and put hermanas in, so here I am, white wash training! And it has been amazing. I have never felt so incredibly guided by the hand of God.

Well to go back to last week, I left Katy and my dear Hermana Townsend on Tuesday morning which was so sad, but then my trainee didn't arrive until Thursday, so I got to go up to Waller County again (what you would imagine when you think of Texas) for two days with Hermana Pedersen. Only two sisters came in this transfer and she and I are the trainers! It was fun to be with her, and we definitely learned a lot from each other in those two days. And then Thursday came and I got to meet Hermana Nielson!! She is from Highland, UT. She went to American Fork and graduated in 2013. It makes me feel so old! But she is incredible. She already speaks so much Spanish, but more importantly, she is already so dedicated. She just wants to get out and work and that has been such a blessing! She is actually waiting on a visa to go to Queretero, Mexico... so we will see what's going to happen to me when she gets it... but I'll keep her for as long as I can! But seriously… These past few days in this area have been SO full of miracles! We were very blessed to have responsible missionaries before us who took very good care of the area book, and we actually have four investigators with a baptismal date! And another family that is super close! So we just started out making phone calls. We called everyone on the ward list, and a ton of the past investigators. And we were able to set a lot of appointments! Then at ward council yesterday we talked about some of the members that we had had the chance to visit and the bishop was just in awe because a lot of the families hadn't been to church in years, or hadn't been willing to receive anyone from the church. Then in between those visits we have also found four new investigators! We were walking out of an appointment and just started talking with a man next to his truck and after sharing our purpose he just said he wants to pull his life together, and asked if we could help him. Well... there is this beautiful event called the Atonement... let us share it with you. We have another appointment with him tonight and we have a member that is coming with us. I just can't express how incredibly grateful I am to be serving in this area. These people are so humble, but they are so grateful. I can't wait to see what the Lord has in store.

In regards to the subject of the email... the word of the week has been peace. I can't explain how... peaceful it's been; which is insane considering the circumstances. I know that it is only through the enabling power of the Atonement that we have gotten this far. The other day I read in Mosiah 14 when Abinadi is quoting Isaiah and it says... "Surely He has borne our grief, and carried our sorrows... he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities; the chastisement of our PEACE was upon Him; and with His stripes we are healed." I know that the power of the Atonement is real and it is available for every one of us. 

I love you so much! I hope that you all have a wonderful day! Just remember to replace fear with faith, God is there to lead you along, our Savior is there to strengthen you.

les quiero demasiado,

Hermana Draper

I finally found Hermana Maughn. She lived in my hall at BYU.