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HEY FOLKS :) 

Another week here in GA and boy oh boy was it packed with so much! Still here in the Chamblee Area and I love it so much. The people, the sights, the food. All of it. Ups and downs, yes, but wonderful blessings abound. 

I keep getting emails about y'all finishing up school and such! WAY TO BE! Glad you survived another year in the education system :) 

There was quite a few switcheroos among all of the Spanish Areas in the mission!! Sister Ewell went to go open up a new Spanish sister area in the Shenandoah Branch (Fayetteville, Peachtree City area) with a missionary who is going home at the end of this 6 week transfer! Sister Barroso is my NEW COMPANION AND GUESS WHAT MY HUMANS???? She. Loves. Star. Wars. AND she is probs one of the best artists I know. SO EXCITED TO WORK WITH HER!!!

We had another lesson with Lily! She is the sweetest woman and has the kindest heart. She opened up to us as we talked about the gospel truth that God is our Loving Heavenly Father. Usually that point is taught along with about 5 other points, but this time we felt to just really focus on that one topic. The spirit was so strong as Lily expressed her love for her children and how everything she does is for them. We related those feelings to not even being able to imagine how much God loves us and how He has prepared a wonderful plan for us to grow and to learn. Can't wait to continue meeting with her :)

If any of you remember about Kirkland, the one who showed up to church, a friend of Branch President Madsen's, said he wanted to learn more. ANYWHO, HE IS GETTING BAPTIZED MAY 28th!!! So excited for him. The other Elders in our branch are teaching him and they say that his questions are so deep because he reads everything beforehand and researches/studies on his own. They say the lessons are just FILLED with the Spirit.  

MARIA AND ASHLEE GOT BAPTIZED!!!! First off, Sister Barroso and I showed up early to the church building to get everything set up. We found a big spider and a centipede looking bug in the baptismal font.... So being the brave missionaries we are, we "took care" of those quickly so we could sweep and mop out the font. Arranged the chairs, copied off baptism programs, and moved a piano into the room. When the Ramirez family got there, we took some pictures and the girls wanted to see how hot the water was in the font (They were terrified it was going to be cold :) 

President Foote and Sister Foote (my mission president and his wife) showed up!!! Sister Ewell and her new companion did too!!! Sister Ewell had to translate for them cuz they don't speak spanish :) Good thing the Spirit can speak in a way that all hearts understand :) The Spirit was so peaceful during the baptism program and everything went smoothly. Ashlee and Maria were all smiles.

My heart was filled with so much joy for this family. I didn't know my heart could hold in that much love! They are in no way picture perfect, but they are trying to live in a way that brings them closer to Christ. They have their faults, but so do we all. Each of us are beloved Sons and Daughters of a Heavenly Father. 

Patriarch Garcia, the elderly gentleman who baptized the girls came up to talk to me afterwards, (in spanish, so here's a loose translation) "I'm evidently not that good with math. Why I say this is because I have participated in the baptisms of many people and always feel so much joy. I have never baptized two people in one day before though always only one. It didn't occur to me how I would feel after two baptisms. It surprised me. Double the joy. Double the happiness. My heart is about to burst." My eyes started to tear up. We stood there simply soaking in the spirit that was abundantly present in the room. Double the love with Maria and Ashlee. 

Sunday was MOTHER'S DAY!!! So you want to know what that means for missionaries across the world??? WE GET TO TALK TO OUR MOMS :) And the rest of the fam, but especially our mom's on that day dedicated to the women in our lives that sacrifice so much for us. Sister Barroso and I each got some time to call and FaceTime our families. Surprise: My fam is still as weird as ever. It was SO good to FaceTime and talk with them. Josh even was there! He took a last minute trip from Colorado to surprise my Mom and get to FaceTime me!

I pray that your weeks have each gone splendidly and you are finding the tender mercies in each day. This life is much too beautiful to only life halfheartedly. 

Gracias a Jesucristo podemos progresar y llegar a ser mas como El. Yo se que esta vida es dificil por cada uno de nosotros, pero necesitamos luchar. Perseverar hast el fin. Estamos en una batalla con el diablo y con pecado. No podemos sentarnos y hacer nada mientras otras personas (nuestros hermanos y hermanas) estan perdiendo sus luchas. Es necesario que ayudemos a los demas! Podemos compartir nuestro conocimiento de Cristo en todo lugar. Somos los manos del Senor aqui en la tierra. 

Con Amor, 

Hermana Draper