21 September 2010

Hello,

I hope everyone has had a great week and everything is going great for you all. Life out here in Washington is going good. We are still working hard and doing our best to find people and to teach effective lessons. That is something Elder Hoskin and I have been working on this transfer. We noticed that we sometimes get into the routine of just teaching the same people just so we can count them as a lesson. We have noticed that as we have planned out lessons to help people start progressing, we are having a lot better success. Not only with those people but in all aspects of the work. We reviewed all of the people we were teaching and decided to drop a big portion of the investigators that are in our teaching pool. During weekly planning this week, we decided to set goals that would help us find more investigators and build our teaching pool back up. We set a lofty goal of eight new investigators for this week. We knew that if we gave a diligent effort, the lord would place people in our path. It just so happens that in these last two days we have found five new investigators. Three of them are really promising. We got a referral for one of them from the Oakhurst Elders. Their names are Nicholas and Danielle Handley. Nicholas stopped the other elders and started asking questions about the Church and said that missionaries could come by. So we went over on Sunday and all I can say is ‘GOLDEN’. They are just a great couple and are really open to the message. We just let them ask questions and we taught Gospel principles as we answered. We ended up covering the Restoration, Plan of Salvation and part of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. They are going to read and pray about the Book of Mormon this week and we are going to go back for another lesson next week. After we challenged them to read and pray, he asked us "so while I am reading and waiting for an answer, am I supposed to come to church or something". That is just music to a missionaries ears. One of the coolest questions that he asked though was towards the end of the lesson. He said " at the beginning of the lesson when you were talking about Joseph Smith I was really skeptical and was kind of confused, but as you have been answering more and more it is starting to make a lot of sense. Is that how it is supposed to happen?". It was just a great lesson and I cannot wait to go back.

We also went to our usual investigators and taught good lessons. We went back to Chanelle's house and she is still working towards October 23. However, we found out that some of her friends are starting to ‘anti’ her. We answered a lot of questions that she had and she told us that she really didn't listen to them but she was just curious. So I hope all turns out and she can stay strong and build her testimony.

We had another great lesson with Will Green. He is just going through a lot of rough times. It turns out he hasn't turned himself in yet. We keep telling him to do it when it feels right but I think he is trying to procrastinate the day of his repentance. Those are the main lessons that happened since last Tuesday.

This last Sunday we had an amazing Stake Conference. Elder Kevin W. Pearson came to our Stake and spoke. He is a great speaker. He talked a lot about how true doctrine will set everything straight. I really liked it because he started talking about the First Article of Faith and ended up teaching the first, second and third missionary lessons. It was just a cool talk. When he was talking to the youth before the conference, he spoke of finding our true identity. That is a big thing because a lot of people these days don't know who they are. They think they are a doctor or a jock or a dancer. But in all reality, we are sons and daughters of God; that is it. When we realize what our true identity is, we will be more inclined to follow the commandments and make right choices. He spoke on so much more but it would take me forever to write it all. The spirit was really strong. He reminds me of Elder Holland because he gets right to the point. When he was talking about the First Article of Faith, he was talking about how we do not believe in the trinity. He said that without modern revelation and prophets we would just be like every other church. We are not just part of another church, we are part of Christ’s Church and it is only through Christ's Church that we can return to live with our Heavenly Father. I know that this Church is true and as I have been out on my mission, I have come to know who I truly am. That I am a son of God. That he knows me personally and has provided that perfect plan for us. That through it I can live with my family forever. I know that Jesus Christ's atonement is true and that I can be forgiven of the mistakes that I make. I know that He has suffered everything that I have gone through and ever will go through. That He is there to comfort me and to guide me. I know that we have a Prophet who leads and guide us in these later days. My testimony grows each day and my love of the Gospel has grown more than I could ever imagine. I hope you all are working on building your testimonies as well. As we center our lives on Christ and build upon His sure foundation, we can get though all the tough times that face us each day.

My mission is going great and I love you all. I have ridden my bike more in these past few months than I have ridden in my life. The rain has come back so we are constantly wet, but that is not going to stop us. We will keep going, rain or shine. We often sing "there is sunshine in my soul today" as we ride down the street. Elder Hoskin and I are doing great. I can't believe transfers are already coming up. We will have to see what happens.

I hope you all have a great week. Remember to replace fear with faith and to find who you really are. Find your true identity.

Love,

Elder Draper