August 25, 2018

Hey Dad!

Wow! That first half of your letter was really beautiful!  Kind of a wrap it up kind of email for my mission.  This really has been the experience of a lifetime.  I love England.  I love the people here.  I can't believe my time is coming to a close...  crazy!

I feel like we will have a parent/child relationship!  You will always be my Dad.  Of course I will turn to you with questions and council!  For blessings and all sorts of things too!  I will always admire you and respect you.  

This week has been amazing Dad!  We have been touring around the mission giving trainings to the mission!  We spent a few days in the Kent area giving trainings down there.  We have a really cool training we are giving.  I like it a lot.  It's about worthiness, diligence, and following the promptingsif the spirit.  So great.  My companions are outstanding.  This is probably the most unified I have ever been in a companionship.  I love that.  This really is the best way possible for me to finish my mission.  I have been trying to get out of my comfort Zone recently.  There is such growth when we leave the comfort Zone.  I've also been trying to help other missionaries do the same.  So, yesterday, when we were on Exchange, I was with my MTC companion Elder Porter and a great young Zone Leader Elder Lawson and we decided to do a "hat trick" where we did all 3 of the things missionaries are scared to do in one day.  So we went street preaching in a town centre in Peckham, preached on a bus full of people, and preached on a packed tube! WOW! That was quite the experience! Blood pumping and testimony outpouring! It was so fun! We now feel like we have no fear to talk to anyone anywhere! 

Also, we were in Cambridge on assignment from President Checketts and we decided to do a blitz with the Cambridge sisters (what a beautiful city!)  And it was legendary! Another thing we did there to get out of our comfort zones was running tip speeding a park and doing a summersault next to people sitting down! The first question we asked was "Have you ever heard about the Law of Chastity? "  haha (sounds wierd, but it led to a great discussion and they are coming to church tomorrow!) 

Wow.  These memories are just ones I will treasure forever! 

This is the Lords work!

Repentance is a joyful choice!  There really is peace in Christ as we let Him captain our lives! 

Love you Dad! 

Elder Draper

On Sat, 25 Aug 2018, 09:39 Zhaun Draper, <zhaund@gmail.com> wrote:

You have surely grown up. Looking at you pictures you send home, it is clear that you are your own man. It looks good on you. You have been so obedient and diligent. You have changed peoples lives, both members and non members. You have served in hard and challenging circumstances. You have seen the choices of others have consequences that they had no control over, yet they happened anyway. You have seen the example of others, and you have been an example. You have learned much from personal study of the scriptures and the inspired words of the prophets. You have also learned much from experiences that you have had. You have seen the hand of the Lord in others lives as well as your own. You have had whisperings of the spirit to you teaching and guiding you. You have had people serve you and love you. You have had the opportunity to serve others and love others. You have made friends and memories with those friends that you will always cherish. You have been trained and even trained others. You have been able to lead and lift others. You have learned about your Savior and developed Christlike attributes. Well done!

Be grateful, Be smart, Be kind, Be loving, Be humble, Be teachable. Have courage. Know that you are loved. 

It is pretty clear to me that we will no longer have much of a Parent/Child relationship going forward for the rest of our lives. You are your own man now. I see you as that and look forward to helping you any way I can. Whether it be listening, counselling, going to the temple with you, giving a blessing or whatever it is I can do, know that I love you and am always willing to help you.

I know your Heavenly Father is very proud of you. I am very proud of you. Keep up the good work. Change is coming again too soon.

Love,

Your Brother

Wow! Sounds like everyone's doing super well! That's amazing! Tell JD to be careful when it comes to redheads.   I don't trust em.

I also am shook at how close I am to going home.  I don't want this to end.  I love you all, but WOW.  I don't feel ready to come home.  I have felt my testimony grown so much even in this past week.  President has had us repairing hurt companionship, depriving disobedience, and training the mission this week, and I have just learned so much.  I. Love. Saving. The. Lord.

Have an amazing week! Read Dads email for some awesome stories! 

Love

Elder Draper