July 21, 2018 - Visit from Elder Oaks

(Elder Draper is the AP in London. He was the AP while his mission president finished and went home and a new mission president came, so he helped a lot with that transition. At the same exact time the England London Mission absorbed the London South Mission, so they doubled their area boundaries and the number of missionaries. All while training a new Mission President. Our Zhaun-Paul was a key figure in all of this transition and kept things running, as his two companions got transferred and he also trained the new AP. He has never complained or even mentioned the added stress he has had, but rejoices in being able to be there through these amazing changing times. What a great missionary he has been! OH.....And guess who just happened to dropped by..... check it out...)

Hey Mom!  

I can't believe it's already P Day again!  CRAZY!!

I'm glad you enjoyed the letter.  They should all be really good.  You really deserve to get a good update on what is going on.  

Really?  I remember watching a movie right before I left (I think it was Jason Bourne, but I could be wrong) and there was a scene that took place in London and I just felt so excited to go.  Now, here I am having lived in London for almost 2 years.  It's crazy how quick the time flies.  I am so grateful for my mission.  I say that all the time, but it is true.  I am learning so much.  It's funny to see JD wearing that suit.  It looks good on him!  He does look a bit like me!  Haha!  It's a bit nerve racking to move out.  I hope Maddie does well with the big change.  When does she move out again?

You are going to do great with the Young Women's camp!  You need to tell the Stevens that I love them with all my heart!  Give them a big hug for me and tell them I will visit them when I get back!  You are going to love meeting them!  They are great!  I hope you see some of the missionaries I was able to serve around too!  Hopefully Jacob Parkin and Ralson Lindsey will be there.  I'm excited that you get to go to that!

This week was crazy and exciting.  Last Sunday, we got to see the miracle of Will being baptised.  He has come so far since he was first stopped right outside the Chapel on Exhibition road.  He is such a good man.  He was born in Berma (Myanmar) and grew up in the UK.  He is brilliant.  He codes for a living and wrote an algorithm to predict the stock market... so cool.  His conversion really began to accelerate when he commited to reading the Book of Mormon every day.  Also, a few weeks ago, he moved closer to the chapel which allowed us to see him more and for him to come to more activities, which led to making friends and he just grew in testimony so steadily.  It really was amazing to see.  Now he is looking forward to getting the Gift of the Holy Ghost tomorrow.  

Another highlight is Andrea.  She is the sister of two recent converts.  We have been teaching her for the last week and she is just amazing.  She feels the spirit so strong during lessons.  She is a bit nervous working towards baptism, but we have faith that she will overcome all of those doubts before August 5th.  Katie and Sister Checketts came to help us teach yesterday.  They were both amazing and so helpful to Andrea. It's amazing to see how she is recognizing God's love in her life.  The little things are pointing her to follow Christ and she is listening.  The Lord really is blessing our area as we are MAX busy with President Checketts.  I'm grateful that this is the Lord's work and not mine!

On Monday, we were walking in for a lesson when one of the Senior couples at the front desk told us that President Oaks was here... we then walked and looked into the cultural hall and sure enough, there was President Oaks!  Amazing!  Just a few weeks ago, Elder Holland was here and now President Oaks!  Apostles love London almost as much as me!  We quick taught our lesson and then waited around for an opportunity to present itself for us to shake President Oaks' hand.  The time came and we rushed in there (a pack of like 7 missonaries) and he was sort of on his way out when he turned to us and said "Have I had a chance to shake your hands??"  We said no, and he replied "Well lets change that!!"  He walked over and shook all of our hands and we got some LEGENDARY pictures with him!  We got a proper picture AND a selfie with him!  He was squeezing my arm so tight in both pictures!  He was also holding Elder Tolman with his other arm, and Elder Tolman is one of my mission heroes... so we were linked together by an Apostle of the Lord!  Amazing.  Perks of serving in the Hyde Park Chapel for sure.  It was so wonderful to have the chance to look in his eyes and feel that even though he is a man, he really is an Apostle.  I could feel it in the way he treated to people around him.  He took time to minister to each of us when I'm sure he had other more important things to do.  

On Tuesday, we received and trained two new missionaries.  Elder Lin and Elder Lum Ze.  Elder Lin is from Taiwan and Elder Lum Ze is from Berma.  The diversity of this mission truly astounds me!  President Checketts has really emphasised our responsibility in leading the gathering of Israel here in London.  I believe it!  There are people from EVERYWHERE!!  It's amazing to be a part of.  

We also got the chance to go south of the river to attend the Crawley Zone's interviews.  We got to sit in on the District Meetings and talk with the missionaries in the Zone and get to know them better.  It was so fun.  One of my favourite things about traveling around with the Checketts is just being able to learn from them.  They truly are remarkable people!  They have taught me so much just by their example.  Then the day after Crawley, President asked me if I would drive them down to Maidstone to do the same thing.  I had never driven the mission van befor then... and it was a bit nerve racking.  Big vans on tiny English roads are not a combination made in Heaven... Nonetheless, we made it safely and had a wonderful day with the Maidstone Zone.  I even grew to love driving "Betty" as we have come to call the van.

Then yesterday our Zone had our Interviews AND we had a 3 week training meeting to run, so we weren't able to get interviewed, but had a wonderfully hecktic day running around between Zone Meetings and Trainings!  Good times for sure.  After that crazy day, President Checketts took us out to 5 guys.  It was so fun.  

For our P Day today, we got to bike all around London.  We went shopping at Oxford Circus for Elder Aguiar who had to get some things for a wedding.  It is so fun to bike in London.  You get to weave in and out of traffic and see all the cool sights!  Don't worry mom, we were wearing helmets!

The spiritual thought for this week comes from the New Testament!  I have really come to love reading the New Testament on my mission.  I love seeing the way that our Saviour walked, talked, and treated others.  So.  The verse comes from 1 John Chapter 2 verse 6.  I love this whole chapter.  But this verse in particular.  It says "He that saith he abideth in him ought himself also so to walk even as he walked."  I love that!  We are members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints!  We claim that we know him and it should reflect in the way that we act.  "By THIS shall men know that ye are my disciples, that you show love one to another."  If we rely on Christ and use His Atonement, we can change our natures to become less natural and more god-like.  I'm so grateful for that!  

This really is the Lord's work!  

Love you all so much!

Elder Draper