"LET ER' BUCK..."

23 November 2010

Wow, what a week,

This week has been fun and it has been interesting getting used to my new area. It is a lot different from Zillah and Vancouver. It is still a smaller town but it is in a bowl in the middle of nowhere. This place is home to one of the biggest rodeos. Of course I am talking about none other than good old Pendleton, Oregon. I have wanted to come here for like my whole mission because it is just a cool place. Not a whole lot happened this week because I was just getting adjusted and figuring out what is going on. We cover both the Pendleton 1st and 2nd Ward. It is cool to see the difference in ward structure in all the places you go. Some wards are young, some are old, others are excited about missionary work where others are not; some are wealthy some aren't. There is a little bit of all of that in these two wards. The Bishop in the 2nd ward is actually Steven Neale. I guess he is a famous artist or something. He has some way cool pictures.

The work here is slow. I am used to that though and know that it will take a little bit but if we work hard it will pick up. We have been looking through the old records and trying to visit everyone in the area books. We taught like ten lessons last week, this week we have already taught six. My new companions name is Elder Chad Caleb Curtis. He is from Houston, Texas. He has been out for eleven months and has been in the area for one transfer. So we are both kind of new into the area and don't really know our way around. Thank goodness for scouts and teaching me how to use a map. We tried a few of our investigators but realized that we don't really have any; maybe one or two in each ward. That is better than nothing. So I think we are going to be tracting a lot. The only bad part about it is that it is getting colder and it is snowing. It has been snowing for two days straight and it is starting to build up. It is funny because Elder Curtis hasn't really been in the snow. So yesterday morning we went out and had a epic snow ball fight. It took him awhile to get a hang of packing snow balls and of course we had to make a snow man. The snow is only a minor setback for tracting. Luckily I have a coat and gloves and all that winter gear I need since I was going to Mongolia, I think I will be warm enough. (I knew I was packing around all that winter gear for a reason!). Maybe people will be more willing to let us in their house because it is cold outside. The roads are super slick though and like I said we are in a bowl. There are some super steep hills. Luckily I have driven in snow before. The church building, which is amazing is also at the top of the hill so getting to it today was a challenge. The Zone Leaders didn't quite make it and ended up sliding down the hill sideways. Fun times from Pendleton. Other than that nothing has really happened this week.

I am thankful to be here though. I am excited to get the work moving in this area. The other cool thing that happened is that I have done three baptismal interviews already. The Zone Leaders (Elder Toleman and Elder Lemperle) are doing great in their area and I was lucky to get to meet some of their investigators.

Life is going great and I am thankful for the many blessing that I have. I hope you all have a wonderful Thanksgiving and be safe. Remember the things that you are thankful for and make sure and express it. I thank you all for the friendship and for everything you have done for me. Remember to replace fear with faith and all will be well. Even when the roads of life are slick, have faith and it will get you up the steepest hills.

Love you all and happy turkey day,

Elder M. Scott Draper

P.S. The “let er' buck” subject is because during the Pendleton Round-Up Rodeo… everyone says it and it is like the slogan.