10/19/10
Well, what a week!
This email is probably going to be one of my shortest ones because not a lot happened this week. It has been a struggle for me. This has been the hardest part of my mission so far. But if it wasn't hard it wouldn't be worth it though. The area is just really slow and we don't have anyone to teach. It is a big change from my last area. We had just finally seen a lot of success and I got transferred, but such is the mission. The few people that we do have to teach are great though. I talked about the Place family last week. They are doing good. We were pretty open with them and just asked them how they felt about the Church. They know that it is true and that it is what they need to do. We were able to find out some concerns that they had. It is mainly just fear. We have another lesson with them tonight. I hope they read the chapter we assigned them. We gave them Alma 36. That is when he is giving council to his son Helaman and talking about his conversion. The reason we gave it to her is actually a cool experience. When she told us that she was afraid of disappointing her Father in Heaven she talked about how she still feels that there is a little part of her that still wants to do bad things. So she asked us if there was a story in the Book of Mormon where someone was doing bad things and decided to turn their life around. I like it when we get the easy ones. I hope all goes well tonight.
This last week I had the opportunity to go down to Kennewick for a few days for training. It was so awesome. We learned a lot of cool things that I have been trying to apply into my missionary work. It is amazing how yet again the First Presidency knows what they are talking about. These new lessons that they are teaching us are amazing and they are things that are going to help me for the rest of my life. While at the training, they sent us out in companionship's all around Kennewick to blitz the area. That means putting a bunch of companionships in one area and just trying to get as much work done as possible. So my companions, Elder Brewer and Elder Hatch, and I got assigned to this apartment complex. We had been tracting for about an hour and had some success. But we were just talking and were like "we need to get in and teach someone". The next door we came to this couple answered the door and invited us in. Their names were Sonee and Steven. Sonee told us that it was amazing that we were there. She had been praying and really looking for new church and it was crazy that we showed up. We ended up teaching them the first lesson and challenged them to baptism. They said if they got their answer they would. Steven has a lot of contact with the Church but this is the first time they had the missionaries come over. They also said they would feed the missionaries on Friday. It was just amazing to see a couple that was so ready to hear the gospel. I wish I could be in that area and see the progress they make. I know they will get their answer if they truly seek.
The work in Zillah is moving along. It is just hard when you feel lost and don't have any idea where you are going to go or who you are going to see. I have spent a lot of time on my knees this week asking for help. We have been tracting a lot and saw some success yesterday. We were out for about two hours and had six people that told us we could come back. I was so grateful. I also saw something that I wasn't thinking about. Elder Worwood is really shy and quiet, but I saw improvement from the first time we tracked until now. We are both growing from this experience and when I saw Elder Worwood it made me learn a new part of missionary work. I have had pretty out-going comps so far and I hadn't noticed it, but we need to be united as a companionship. We have to learn and grow together. It was a humbling experience and really made me think how I can help him. I seem to only think about the area. That is good and all but I need to remember the things I can help my companion on and learn from him.
We had our first district meeting yesterday and it went great. I have a great district who helps out a lot. We are focusing on the Holy Ghost this transfer. I am excited to plan out the district meetings. I think it went pretty good though. The spirit was there and that is what mattered. We did kind of a cause and effect chart for the qualifications of having the Holy Ghost.
Well those are the main things that happened this week. Oh a sad story from last p-day. So we are driving back from Sunnyside and we are on the free way. We see this truck parked on the side. All the sudden a dog jumps out of the car onto the freeway and got hit. I had never seen that happen before and it was just crazy. Okay and now to end with a cool story. So like I said, Zillah is surrounded by orchards. So we got to pick fresh apples. It was fun. So we were running though the orchard trying to find the reddest apples.
I hope you have a great week and stay safe. I hope and pray that this week will pick up. I also know that we have to work to receive some blessings. Remember to work and have faith. With those two principles we can do anything. Remember your Heavenly Father is there for you when you need help. All we have to do is get on our knees and pray. I have a firm testimony in the power of prayer. I know our Heavenly Father hears us and sends us the things we need to overcome any obstacle. Replace fear with faith and we are promised that He will answer.
Love,
Elder Draper
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