June 23, 2018

It was Zhaun-Paul's 20th birthday on June 24, 2018

Hey Mom!

I know!  Crazy.  I won't even be a teenager anymore.  

THANK YOU SO MUCH!  Those little gifts have been so incredibly thoughtful!  I have felt loved this week!!

That's so cool that you took Elder Botta out to dinner!  He is a good man. Did he tell you that his cousin is going to be in this mission?  He was in the London South, but in like 8 days he will be in the ELM (best mission ever.)  So I wonder if it will give me flashbacks of my time with the other Elder Botta!  Haha!

I can't believe that Maddie is moving out!  That's wild!  She won't even be living at home when I get back!!  That's so weird to think!  You are losing kids at home quick!  

Anyways!  Our friend Hannah got baptised on Sunday!  It was amazing!  The service was great and the Spirit was there so strong!  She is becoming a member of Jesus Christ's true church on my birthday!  Doesn't get any better than that!  Our friend Katie is also doing incredible!  She went on Holiday to a little Island off the coast of Portugal for a week, but there is an LDS chapel there and she went and is just so solid!!  We are so blessed to be teaching some of the most incredible people I have ever met.  I know that God truly does prepare His children to receive His Gospel.  

This last week was... actually pretty crazy.  On Tuesday we went on exchange.  I went with Elder Heidt.  He is hilarious.  From Idaho. He was actually in my district exactly a year ago when we were in Romford together.  Good memories.  Great day!

Then we spend Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, and most of today working on transfers.  That is where we go to President Stevens flat and pray that we can put each missionary where they are meant to be with the companion they are meant to be with.  We look at a gigantic whiteboard that has a little picture of each missionary.  We then counsel together about what they need and where they would be best.  It has truly been an amazing experience.  You can truly see the Lord's hand in the details.  It's not easy though.  The Stevens said that this was the hardest transfer they have ever done, because for some, they were not just moving areas, but moving from one mission to another.  Any time we put an Elder or Sister in the Norwich or Northampton Zones we were sad that we would lose them, but excited for the incredible opportunities that await them with new areas and people they would have never otherwise seen or met.  Sometimes we would just spend HOURS trying to place one missionary who is struggling.  The Stevens love each missionary in such an amazing way.  My love for each of them has grown as we labor over each missionary, one by one.  

My companion and I are doing great.  More and more I am just amazed by Elder O'Hare.  He is an amazing person.  I learn so much from him.  It hasn't always been easy, but it has been great.  We will be in a trio again on Tuesday.  Elder Aguiar has been an assistant to President Gubbler in the London South Mission for 9 MONTHS!  He will be joining our companionship to help merge these great missions together.  So exciting!  He is from Canada and I have only heard amazing things about him.  He will be my second Canadian companion.  I can't believe that in 6 days, the Stevens will leave.  I am excited to meet President and Sister Checkitts.  I know that they are called here for a reason!  I can't wait to serve them and assist them in the coming week!  Change is so prevalent here!  

I would love it if you sent me that video (me opening my call!)  It feels like last week!  Time goes by way too fast mom!!  I can't believe it.  I feel like I have grown so much on my mission.  I can't wait to see if when I get home you can see a difference.  I sure hope so!  I still have so much to learn!  I can't believe I have limited time to learn everything I want to on my mission!!  Crazy!

I love the Book of Mormon.  I have come to love the way I feel when I not only read it, but ponder what is there and try to apply it to my life.  Quite a few times this week I have been struck by a verse in such a way that I just stop and cry.  Mormon and Moroni went through so much so that we could have the Book of Mormon today.  I'm grateful for them.  I'm grateful for Joseph Smith as well!  He sacrificed so much for the same cause.  I read this quote by him this week  “I have always had the satisfaction of seeing the truth triumph over error, and darkness give way before light.”  It gave me chills when I read it.  To think of all he went through and to say that... amazing.  I know that he was a prophet of God.  Through him Jesus Christ restored his church.  I know that the Gospel of Jesus Christ is the way to find peace in this life, and eternal life in the worlds to come.  

I hope that you have an amazing week!

Elder Draper

June 16, 2018

Dearest Mother!

This week has been amazing! Every moment we have not been in a Zone Conference, or preparing for a ZC, we were teaching our investigators... and they are AMAZING!  Hannah of course is getting baptised tomorrow! (Woohoo!) And the one Id like to also focus on is Katie.  

Katie is amazing.  The story of how we met her on the street is hilarious!  I'll have to tell you when I have more time!  It last week, she was so scared to tell her Dad that she was going to be baptised (their family is Irish and very Catholic).  We taught her about fasting and offered to fast with her.  She loved it!  She had a great experience telling her family, and said that she felt the spirit more and more because of her fast!  She is amazing!  She is from Oxford!  So cool!  After that great experience last Saturday, she fasted AGAIN on Wednesday!  Twice in one week!  Her testimony of fasting is better than mine!  Incredible!    

She also has been taught everything an is preparing to be baptised on the 1st if July!  (Also the day the mission boundaries change!)

The Stevens Farewell was amazing.  I love them so much.  

We had some great times riding our bikes and playing sports on our PDay today!  It was fun.  

I love you and am so grateful for the great love I feel from you! Sorry my emails are short and not very good!  I hope to repent and be better!  

Have a lovely week!

You're the best!  

Elder Draper 

June 9, 2018

Hiya!

I'm so sorry that this is going to be a short one!

No time!  

Thank you so much for your letters and keeping me up to date with the fam!  

I have had a great week! Exchanges back to back to BACK... and then just preparing for Zone Conferences!  So much preping!  It's the Stevens last Zone Conference!  So sad.  I love them so much! 

Um... updates on our investigators! Katie is doing amazing! Had a very powerful lesson with her yesterday where she cried the whole time! Then we fasted with her today and she told her family that she was going to be baptised (which was very hard for her)

Hannah has her baptismal interview tomorrow!

Stacy is going alright and so is Will too!  

I hope you have all been having a blast at the Cabin!  

One cool thing that happened!  Yesterday my MTC teacher came to visit the Stevens (it just so happens that he was their very first assistant... and I was their very last!) Amazing!  It was so good to see him!  

This is the Lords work!  He lives! I know that as we obey with exactness, the Lord will bless us!  As we give him our all, he makes us so much more than we could ever be by ourselves!  

Have a great week!

Tell the family I love them!  This is to everyone! 

Also tell Dad that I watched the video and LOVED it!  And I got him Crystal clear on the Adam thing! 

Love ya!

Elder Draper 

June 2, 2018

MOM!

Wow!  I can't believe you are still 26!  Haha!  Dad's over there turning 49 and you are having kids when you are... 6? Weird.

Thank you for praying for our investigators!  It means a ton!  I feel so blessed to be teaching such amazing people!  I now more than any other time on my mission, the Lord is just blessing us with people who WANT to meet with us.  Who WANT to act on our message.  I definitely know that these people have been prepared by the Lord.  Grateful to play a part in their conversion.

Crazy how fast the kids are growing up!  We really do have an amazing family.  The kids are great because of our wonderful parents!  Just an hour ago, I saw a mom pushing a stroller with 2 adorable kids stop to light a cigarette.  My heart ached for those kids and I was just so grateful for you and Dad.  Thanks for being amazing.

I'm glad that you are busy!  I'm glad Dad got a chance to play golf and have fun.  

WOW!  We just had a miracle!  I was writing this email, and we got a call from Elder Porter (My MTC Comp/Zone Leader) and he told us there was someone here to see us.  We ran down and it was our friend Auras from Lithuania that we met last night!  He came to the church and everyone just fellowshiped the daylights out of him!  He is so cool!  He is coming to church tomorrow and he said that he wants to come every week!  The Lord is just blessing us so much right now.  Amazing.

The weather here in England is...well... unpredictable.  Last week we had super hot days AND Rain and Thunder Storms.  Today was cloudy but warm.  It rains so much over here.  I love it.  The thing that gets me is the humidity though.  I'm pretty sure that I sweat 10x more here than I did back home! 

Yah, companions can be difficult.  I'm so grateful for them though.  I have learned so much from all of them.  I think it's definitely preparing me for dating.  Knowing what kind of personality to look out for.  Super helpful.

I love you so much!  Seriously.  you are the best!  I am grateful for all of the support that I feel from you all the way over here across the pond!  

Love you!  Have an amazing week!

Elder Draper

May 26, 2018

Hey Mom!

Sounds like good things are happening at home! I am so grateful for your great example of study and prayer!  Sounds like you are doing great!

I can't believe I'm almost not a teenager!  I feel like just yesterday I was 18.  2 years goes by so fast.  I remember being young and thinking that an hour was a long time!  Now they just FLY by!  Fun to think that pretty soon you will have been a Mom for 20 years!  Maybe being 20 will feel real to me when it actually comes, but as of right now, I feel like 18 haha!  

This week has been pretty amazing. The highlights were definitely interviews with President and Sister Stevens, exchanges, and the great people we are teaching. On Wednesday, I got to go with Elders Egger and Oliveira. They are both great missionaries.  Elder Egger (from Austria) was my companion 6 transfers ago, so it was great to spend the day with him!  We will definitely have to go and visit him in Austria sometime.  Not too far from Italy you know ;)  We taught our friend Stacy about the Law of Chastity and she loved it.  She is so smart!  She linked the worlds standards plummeting to people getting farther and farther away from what actually makes people happy.  She is so cool!

On Thursday, I got to go with Elder Hathaway. We had a day full of miracles! We were trying to get to the South Kensington tube station for AGES, but never really made it! We were just meeting so many interested people! Even found someone inside the tube station! We found loads of new investigators and were able to teach our friend Katie who is on date.  She has a catholic background, but doesn't actively believe in God.  We taught her the restoration and she loved it.  Had loads of questions, but did love it.  After the lesson, she stayed for institute dinner and then stayed for institute!  The class was on the book of revelations, so she said she didn't understand much, but she still had a great time!

Stacy, Katie, and Hannah are our shining stars progressing towards baptism. All three of them are amazing and prepared! Elder O'Hare and I are just so grateful to be teaching such amazing people! Hannah knew about the Law of Tithing before we even taught it to her and is excited to live it! Stacy is going with the Britannia ward to a camping activity at the London temple on June 1st! Amazing!  This really is the Lords work!  

Elder O'Hare and I have been more unified this week than ever before.  I feel like my mission is forcing (helping) me to learn how to communicate with people even when it is hard.  That is something I think I have really struggled with.  Elder O'Hare is really and incredible man.  I'm lucky to be serving with him.  His dad works for "Forever Living" Do you know what that is?  It reminds me of some of the companies you used to work for.  Maybe it was "Forever Green" or something like that.

Potential.  

I know that we are each children of the Most High.  I've been thinking a lot about what that means to me personally. I know that we all have devine potential.  One of my biggest fears in life is living below my potential.  I'm grateful for my patriarchal blessing that helps me understand my unique gifts and talents.  I'm grateful for my Saviour, who makes it possible for me to change, improve, and achieve my potential.  I know He lives!  

I love you so much Mom!  Have an absolutely amazing week!  

Elder Draper

Mother's Day Skype May 6, 2018

We got to Skype Elder Draper for Mother's Day! We love to talk to him. What a great Mother's Day present!!!

May 6, 2018

This week was the first week we forgot to write! Bad parents, yes. His PDAYs changed from Monday to Saturday, and the change messed us up.

Hey Mom!

Glad your alive!  I was worried that something happened you you! Glad to hear that all is well and there are so many great things going on!  

Sorry that this is going to be a very short email!  We had a lot going on!  MLC, Meetings with President, preparing trainings for Super MLC and so on and so forth.  We also got to go on exchange this week with the Norwich Zone Leaders and I got to go with the missionary I follow up trained, Elder Nelson.  It was one of the best exchanges of my mission!  We had SO much fun and saw some amazing miracles! 

We went to this place called Niels Yard which is without a doubt the weirdest place I've ever seen in London.  It felt like Alice in Wonderland! There was so kind of crazy stuff going on in there!  (Public breast feeding, weed, lesbians, pizza everywhere...) 

Also, first thing in the morning, we invited this girl to come into the Hyde Park Chapel for a tour, and she said she would but not right then (heard it a million times) so we moved on and went about the rest if the day. Then at the very end, we went to the Institute dinner and... she was there! Her name was Cierra and she is from Oregon.   We taught her the whole plan of Salvation with a really cool member and she LOVED it! She was just visiting London, but she is going to learn more and even go to church in Paris!  So cool!  

Stacy is our coolest investigator right now.  Wow! She is awesome! Pray for Stacy! Also, the weather is really becoming AMAZING! 

I know that this is the Lords work!  I love it with all my heart!

That's all really!  

I love you loads!

Tell the family Hi! 

Tell Dad that his councelors are STACKED! 

Tell Maddie that her golf skills are second to NONE!

Tell JD that he is an athletic beast.

Tell Sydney that I love her so much!

You are all the best!

Love,

Elder Draper

April 28, 2018

Hey Mom!

Wow!  What a crazy week it has been!  I've made some great ol' memories these last few days! These are days that I will never forget.

We had back to back to BACK exchanges this week!  First, I travelled out to Ilford (or more commonly referred to as Ilfordstan... due to the high Muslim population) to go on exchange with a young companionship there.  Elder Grush from Idaho and Elder Dean from Denmark.  It was awesome!  They are both great missionaries and we had a great day.  We found this really cool girl who came in for a chapel tour off the street and we taught her all about the gospel of Jesus Christ.  She was crying by the end if the lesson and wanted ti learn more about the Restoration and what we teach.  So cool! It's kind of funny how younger missionaries great you!  

Then I got to go on exchange with the Zone Leaders from Canterbury.  The highlight if that day was definitely teaching María frim Peru!  She is so cool!  She is a model for Mercedes Benz and did that weird South American kiss-on-the-cheek kind if thing and it was pretty weird... the good thing is the members LOVE her!  They invited her to institute dinner the next day and she came and loved it. She loved the Book of Mormon and is really sincere!

Then, I got the amazing opportunity to go on exchange with my MTC companion (Elder Porter)  who is also my Zone Leader here in Hyde Park.  It was an amazing day.  The highlight was finding in Holborn when we found some REALLY cool people.  One nice lady from Brazil,  and a jew who had read the whole Book of Mormon and even quoted 1 Nephi 3:7 to US on the street.   I thought it was a member playing jokes in us, but it wasn't! She's coming to church tomorrow as well.  The other very best part of the day with Elder Porter was teaching Stacy! Wow!  Stacy is amazing!  She asked the most amazing questions and is SO sincere.  She is studying law, which makes her super smart.  She's also from China, which is awesome!  She said she always felt drawn to Christianity, but no one ever taught her about how to follow it.  We taught her about baptism and she said "yah!  I would love that!" And accepted to be baptised on May 20th!  So cool!  That means she will get confirmed a member on Dads birthday if all goes well!  She stayed at the church for 4 1/2 hours!  From our lesson, to mingling with a member from China,  to institute dinner... It was amazing!  The members LOVE her too!  I love the Britannia ward!

Friday was 3 Weeks meeting, where we got to be with all the new missionaries and their trainers.  It was incredible to see how much they have grown and changed in such a short amount of time.  I'm so grateful for my mission.  I know that it has helped me to change so much.  I really felt like it has been here in England where I have really come to KNOW my Saviour.  To apply his Atonement to my life.  I love this work with all my heart.  It brings me so much joy.

I love being so close with President Stevens and Sister Stevens.  We had some great times and some really hard times this week.  We had to plan 2 emergency transfers, which are no fun for everyone, and it's in those kind of moments when I have seen just how much President Stevens relies in the Lord.  He is a great example to me.  He never sleeps!  I don't know how he does it! 

Today we did that kind of stuff and went hard on preparing for MLC.  We were in the office preparing for pretty much all day.  All we had time to do was get groceries and now send a few quick emails.  Crazy.  I love it.

Well, I really hope all is going well.  I'm praying for you! Thinking of you! You all make me so proud!  

Have an amazing week!

Love, 

Elder Draper