Happy Easter!

well happy easter everyone,

how was every ones holidays. i hope they were great and i know mine was because we got to have conference. holidays seem so come and go but for some reason this one really stuck. as i read emails from my family and saw how there weekend went, a smile came to my face and i hope that everyone had a great weekend. this week has been good and full of good times and fun experiences. i got a few packages from my family that had Easter stuff in them and it made me feel right at home. well i will just get started on my week in review.

Tues-

i hit my 6 month mark. i can't believe i am already done with a quarter of my mission. it has just flown by and i am getting more and more confident each day. you wouldn't think i would have a problem with that but it is hard for me to talk bout the gospel. i have seen so much growth in my self and a lady named sally said that she has been amazed with how much growth she has seen in me in the last few months. it really made me smile and i just am so happy to be out serving a mission. i know this is what i need to be doing. it is the right thing and i know the lord is blessing me for it. i see the blessings each day and know he has a hand in all things.

wed-

not a lot happened but it was a good day. we tracted a lot because we are trying to find some more people to teach. but we didn't really have any success with that. Wed night we had dinner at the olson's. i may have mentioned virgil olson in some of my past emails but he is this old cowboy. That's the only way to describe him. i got a copy of his life story and have been reading it, but when he tells the stories in person they are just so much better. he is one of those guys that will do anything for anyone even if he is not feeling good.

thurs-

this was April fools day. the only thing we did for jokes was switch our name tags. no one even humored us by getting confused. oh well. but it was a fun day. we got a new investigator. her name is kay torrey. she is the nicest lady in the world. she is older but she is still sharp as a tack. we said that she was so nice and she came right back and said "you should see me when i am on my broom" haha. it was just a good time. she has been coming to our church for 4 years now but has some habits that are holding her back. we are going to just talk with her and see if we can help her. she is just the nicest lady and so fun to meet with. i figured out that i am also going to be a expert bike repairman by the time i get home. i have had to fix all kinds of things on our bikes. of course i have no clue what i am doing on them but i fake it until i make it.i have changed like 8 tires, fixed the gear system and had to fix my whole peddle construction because my peddles almost fell off. it is a good skill that i am learning.

fri-

the main thing that happened on Friday was our lesson with casey. she is so interested in the gospel and is making a lot of progress, she just soaks it all in and i hope she will get baptized. so when we taught her it was a really cool experience. so before we rode over there it was a complete down poor. hail and the whole 9 yards but as soon as we walked outside it stopped. then we went over there and had to teach the lesson outside because there were only 2 sisters there. (sister nashif and casey). so we went outside and huddled around this table under a patio umbrella. during the whole lesson the wind would pick up or the rain would start. but as soon as we started to bear testimony, the clouds left and the sun came out. it was just a really cool experience that right as we bore testimony the sun would come out. i know that our heavenly father is always there with us and when we are obedient, he will provide the way to complete the task.

Sat-

CONFERENCE!!! i love conference. i never used to but now i can't get enough of it. just the power and the spirit that come from them is amazing to me. i think i like saturday the best. a few talks the really stood out to me were Henry B Eyrings on being the rescuer to those who may have strayed and Dieter F Uchtdorf's during priesthood about patience. they were just the talks i needed to hear that day. i know that our heavenly father is patient with us so we need to be patient with him. he blessings may not come swiftly but his blessings are certain. i know that as we all strive to do our best he will be there to bless us. i also really loved boyd k packers talk. it was a perfect way to start of the conference. it amazes me how they don't get together and discuss their topics but some how they all come together with a powerful theme. i know that there is strength in families and that as we build our families nothing can tear us down. just as it says in helaman 5:12. if we build a strong foundation we cannot fall.

Sun-

we watched conference and taught another lesson. what a perfect day it was to teach the plan of salvation. the day that we all remember the atonement and that is the main point of that lesson. as we taught i we all could feel the spirit and i know that he did suffer and die for us. Richard G Scott's talk was amazing as well. i just loved it and how they all bore solemn testimony that they knew that god lives and that through Jesus Christ we can return to live with our heavenly father and that families can be together forever. i got a new quote from conference that i really love, it says "2 men can do anything as long as one of them is the lord" just the meaning behind that is amazing.

mon-

mondays always seem to be slow but good. even though we don't have alot of lessons, the lessons we do have are great. i know that as we teach people the simple truths of the gospel it builds my own testimony as well

well this week has been great and my spirits are high. i know i am doing the right thing and that this is the true restored Gospel of Jesus Christ. i know without a doubt that it is through this gospel that families can be together forever, i hope everyone had a wonderful holiday season and is staying safe. even boyd k packer said replace fear with faith in his talk. i echo those words and say to live without regrets.

love you all

elder draper