A Brit missionary just emailed us the song God Bless the USA....?

Family and Friends :)

This week has been full of changes and ups and downs! All the while sweating over here in the unruly Georgia heat that is just beginning. 

I hope you all are enjoying June and these summer months!! 

HAPPY FATHERS DAY TO ALL!!!! I am so grateful for my dad who has taught me so many things. I don't have time or the finger strength to type it all out. So I will just settle with saying my dad is AWESOME :)

We live with the English sisters that serve in the Dunwoody area, so there are four of us in the apartment. We are all super close friends and it was really hard to say goodbye to one of the sisters. She went home due to some health problems and her companion that she left became mine and Sister Barroso's companion for the week. We have been in a trio covering all of their English areas and our Spanish one! PLUS COOLIO THING!! Sister Crooks is FROM JAMAICA. We have been teaching her how to pray in Spanish and it's been quite entertaining teaching in English too. 

A young girl named Eryn is taking the lessons from the English sisters, so that meant our new Spanish/English trio went to teach her! Only Sister Crooks really knew her so it was a lot of observing and trying to get to know her as fast as I could so I could adequately teach her. As we were going through a story in the Book of Mormon she said, "I just have a hard time relating to things that happened so long ago!" I asked her what kinds of things she liked to do or her interests. Guess what she said. STAR WARS. Sister Barroso and I just looked at each other and smiled. Way to bring the two Star Wars nerds to the lesson :) We went through the story in the Book of Mormon the entire time relating it to Star Wars 6 and 3. And a little bit of reference to 7. IT WAS EPIC AND OUT OF THIS WORLD. Sister Barroso and I had the time of our lives. Sister Crooks just laughed at us and was glad someone knew Star Wars. 

Teaching Ninfa's kids has been a blessing. They are always so eager to learn and when Melissa (the 8 year old) runs up to me with open arms it warms my heart. We taught them about the Plan of Happiness and they loved it. Learning about who we are, where we came from, and where we are going always brings into perspective how perfect and loving our Heavenly Father is. 

If you remember Erika from my last email, we were supposed to have a lesson with her this week but she had something break in her house and didn't have time Tuesday. Hopefully we will be able to teach her tomorrow before I leave!! 

We had a Father's Day dinner at the church and it was hoppin with latino music :) So much food and wonderful humans who I love. I had a hard time saying goodbye to Gio who is moving back to Mexico. Ever since day one I have bonded with her. She is a vet in Mexico and has always helped me with my spanish. I am going to miss her SO MUCH. 

We were able to teach Esther with Sister Crooks! She was an english speaking person that Sister Barroso and I had met while knocking doors and referred over to the English sisters. She was so open and so welcoming. AND SHE HAS 2 CUTE ADORABLE BABY TWIN GIRLS. We went through the Restoration of the Gospel of Jesus Christ and used the pamphlet a lot since it has nice pictures. Went awesome :) 

On exchanges with the Sister Training Leaders here in the Atlanta area, Sister Crooks and I went with Sister Maughan (who is from England)(I felt so international). Sister Barroso and I asked Sister Maughan tons of questions about England her true feelings towards the US. She said we have tons of songs about ourselves. True. And thus, the heading of this email. 

Anywho, We were knocking doors and met a lady who spoke spanish. At first she was trying to talk in English, it was just slow. As we talked with her and she welcomed us into her home I mentioned a couple lines in Spanish to let her know if she feels more comfortable she can speak in Spanish. She switched languages and became real talkative with me about the Bible and was super interested in learning more about the Book of Mormon. I was able to teach her most of the Restoration and she was asking wonderful questions! Sister Maughan and Sister Crooks just sorta sat there wondering what was going on until they started catching a few words and then it clicked what was being said. The spirit was strong as we talked and she welcomed us to come back! The Chamblee Spanish sisters get to return and teach Gina :) 

Oh man things are changing up! We received our Transfer News.... I'm leaving Chamblee :( My heart hurt really bad when I was told by our Zone Leaders the news that I would be leaving this wonderful area that is filled with all my dear people. I will be heading to the Cunningham Branch that is over in the Marietta and Mapleton Georgia area and become the Sister Training Leader over the Zone along with my new companion. I AM TERRIFIED. Honestly. Oh gosh. I am pretty new to this whole mission thing and it's rare that Spanish sisters become STL's. We will see how this goes! 

Special thought from Stake Conference: 

Faith is an interesting concept and a piece by piece kind of thing. This is a a little different way of looking at it, but sometimes our Heavenly Father doesn't speak to us in complete sentences, but only in fragments. A tender mercy here and a prompting there. Feeling of love there and a spoken word from a friend at the right moment here. When we put all these phrases of what God is revealing and teaching us, we gain a larger perspective. If you put together all of the bits, what is Heavenly Father saying to you?

I pray for y'all everyday!!! 

And know that I am absolutely loving it here and trusting in a caring Heavenly Father to help strengthen me to accomplish the tasks He has placed before me.  

Yo se que Jesucristo es me Salvador y por medio de El yo puedo superar qualquier cosa. Especialmente mis desafios y pruebas ahorita. No importa nuestra situacion, podemos recibir direccion y ayuda de nuestro Padre Celestial. 

Con Amor,

Hermana Draper

It's raining... It's pouring...

Hey Folks!!!

I am right now sitting in a library with my hair soaking wet. So. Usually we always carry an umbrella with us in our car or in our bag. BUT THE ONE DAY WE DONT GUESS WHAT HAPPENS??? yes. you guessed it. It pours. We were in Coke World (ya, pretty cool place) and it just starts POURING BUCKETS outside. We parked three city blocks away so we wouldn't have to pay for parking... and did not anticipate Cats and Dogs Raining OUT OF THE SKY. So here we are just looking out the door into the rain. (You know. $25 for a Coca-Cola umbrella was a bit too expensive, so forget that) All four of us (the English sisters came with us to Coke World) look at each other and just take off into the rain. A few yards away from the building we all just slowed down and started walking because once you are soaked it don't really matter if you walk or run. Got to the car and just sorta chilled outside enjoying and laughing in the rain. Then got in and froze all the way home to go change. I am now wearing nice dry clothes... but not much to do about the hair. Adventures :)

Oh this week. Just a bundle of odd things happening and meeting weird people. I love it :) 

Let me tell you about Erika. She is a different Erika than an investigator we met three weeks ago. (Sorry if you every get lost with who I talk about) We had knocked into her last week and done the survey about religious beliefs with her. She had seemed interested and we set a return appointment for this Tuesday. So we went over with Sister Bernal (a member from the Chamblee Branch) and that first lesson. Picture perfect. Everything about it. She wants to begin to consistently progress towards Christ and do all that she can to grow. SHE ASKED FOR HOMEWORK. So of course we gave her scriptures to read and everything, I know GOLDEN RIGHT? She said when she receives an answer to her search that she will get baptized :) The spirit was so strong though the lesson and my heart was touched during so many points of it. We were we talking about how we are the literal spirit children of God my heart was on FIRE IT WAS SO POWERFUL :) The Spirit was testifying like crazy of the truthfulness of our message :) Erika gave us some HUGE hugs on our way out the door. Excited for her :) 

Teaching Ninfa's three girls has been so fun. Helping them learn to pray and listening as they say their prayers out loud for the first time is so wonderful. When I see them and their big eyes wanting to learn my heart just is so happy and full of love. I already adore them so much :) It was so cute watching Melissa beg her mom to take them to church :) Hopefully they will come this next week! 

Kimberlin is progressing so much and loves to learn more!! She is so tender hearted. Constantly trying to be better and absorbs info like a sponge. We talked about Tithing, Fasting, and Church this past lesson with her. 

Our lesson with Lily was over the priesthood and the organization of the church in Christ's time and the exact same set up that exists now in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. I love watching what we teach settle on her and how things just start clicking in her head. 

DINNER WITH THE PEREZ FAMILY. Oh my gosh. The best meal I have had on my mission was from Gladys. Holy guacamole. It was this real thick like tortilla with red chicken and spicy beans with Salvadorean crema and cheese and SO DELICIOUS IT BRINGS TEARS TO MY EYES JUST THINKING ABOUT IT. 

We had a lesson with Verta and Fausto!! We met them when we were out knocking doors last week and they were outside doing yard work. Fausto helps out Verta with her yard work each Saturday. We offered to help and ended up talking to them for 30 minutes (while getting eaten alive by horrible Georgian mosquitos). The lesson was great and they had wonderful comments. Still unsure if Fausto is actually open to the message or if he is pretty set in his ways. Time will tell. But Verta's little girl is adorable... and her name is Ashley... which is my middle name... so we bonded real quick :) 

I hope and pray that life is treating each of you good :) I love you all so much and can't believe that God blessed me with such wonderful people in my life :) 

2 Nephi 25:26 And we talk of Christ, we rejoice in Christ, we preach of Christ, we prophesy of Christ, and we write according to our prophecies, that our children may know to what source they may look for a remission of their sins.

Christ is who we look to. Don't look down at the ground, there isn't anything down there that can help. Don't look inside of you, we can't do it on our own. Look up to the own who is Mighty to Save. He is the only way through which salvation comes. There is no other way nor name. 

Look Up. And then you will automatically Look Out and share this joy with others :)

Abrazos a todos :) 

Con Amor, 

Hermana Draper

HEY MOM I WENT TO THE ZOO

Familia & Amigos,

Yesterday I hit 5 MONTHS in the mission field! Ya. Time flies. 13 more months to go :) 

A lot of appointments fell through this week, but we made the most of it and worked our tails off to accomplish our goals! And I am developing a wonderful watch tan line :) 

We taught Kimberlin twice this week and each time just makes my heart happy. She is so eager to learn and has the kindest heart. The Elders are teaching her older two brothers and we hope that they can all get baptized on the same date first week of July! 

On our Tuesday P-day last week we decided to go him up the mall that had a Disney Store and a store called Lunch Box (basically a nerdy store with tons of Star Wars stuff). OH MY WE HAD A HAY DAY. Kids in a candy store and I got a few things for my little sis Rachel.... and for me... :) 

Lily. She is so short and makes me laugh. We had another lesson with her and SHE HAD SO MANY QUESTIONS about church organization and on the Priesthood it was WONDERFUL! 

Sister Barroso taught Bible Class this week and did wonderful! She's a talented one. 

Met an adorable family as they were out using scrub brushes/soap/water on the driveway. We returned the next day and got to know them better! Ninfa used to meet with the missionaries and then we don't quite know what happened, but wants us to keep coming back and meeting with her family :) Ninfa sure loves to talk and told us quite a few stories :) I was talking to little Alejandro who is about 5 and asked him what he likes to do. "me gusta limpiar"..... I like to clean. I looked at Ninfa and laughed at her smiling face, the kid is trained well :) The other 4 kids are equally as cute :) 

We took Elena, an 18 year old in our Branch, out on team ups this week and guess what??? The appointment canceled. So we decided to take her knocking doors and show her a different side to missionary work. Elena shared her testimony so much and the spirit was strong as she spoke. You could really tell the spirit was touching the hearts of people through her and we found 3 new investigators who we have appointments with this coming week! Elena made sure she would be coming with us this week too so she could go back and teach them with us :) 

The wife of the Chamblee Branch mission leader (Florencio) we call Mami. Because she spoils us and treats us to ChikFilA. And makes us arroz con leche all the time and it's to her cooking that I dedicate my few pounds of weight gain. 

Gladys and Ashli, who we have been teaching, canceled our appointment on Saturday due to baby Angel being sick. So sad :( Sunday after checking in on them to see how Angel was, Gladys said she would appreciate having the Elders come by and give Angel a priesthood blessing. So the Elders dropped by and the sweet happiness that was in the room as the blessing was given was wonderful. And Amilcar, who is an inactive member, and the dad, was there too!! He was so happy that we came and are meeting with his wife and daughter. Hopefully as Ashli and Gladys progress, Amilcar will start coming back to church too. Hermana Barroso and I have now been adopted by them too. Gladys made us orange/apple shakes and Ashli was like, "MOM? I don't get one?" (Hers was just in the kitchen still) (no worries, she still got one) We laughed and said we were her new favorites, then shouted into the kitchen, "Somos adoptadas???" "SII!!!" So we have been adopted by our wonderful investigators :) Oh plus, it's only when we come over that Angel gets all jibber jabbery and giggly to the extreme. Cutest lil munchkin. And he is feeling better :) 

I found FFA stickers in Hobby Lobby and had to take a picture with them. #ForeverBlue 

WE WENT TO THE ZOO!! And guess what???? IT WAS FREE!! Cuz the good ole library has this thing where if you check out this weird movie about the zoo and then return it you get 4 tickets. So we checked out this movie. Didn't watch it. And turned it back in. AND GOT 4 TICKETS TO THE ZOO!!!! So us and the English sisters that cover Dunwoody Ward went to the zoo. It was a little cloudy and only sprinkled twice. Other than that it was cool and we were so grateful we weren't melting in the heat. PEEPS THERE WERE TWO BABY PANDAS. And I got a shirt that has a line of pandas walking across a street that is supposed to be like the Beatles and when they were walking across the road. It's marvelous. 

Our Heavenly Father has a beautiful plan for each of us. I am continually blown away by how intricate it is and how unique it is to every person. He loves us and want us to grow, He wants us to learn. He is a God of perfect love, mercy, and high expectations. We show our love to Him as we obey His commandments and do our best to do what we know to be true. It can be hard, but anything worthwhile doesn't come easy. And He never promised us it would be easy, just that it would be worth it. Remember your "why's". Christ was nailed to a cross and atoned for the sins of the world FOR US. He paid a debt He didn't owe, because we owed a debt we could't pay. We were His "why". 

I hope and pray you are each doing well. It's summer time, so drink water and get an extra swim in the pool for me! 

Con Amor, 

Hermana Draper

Happy Memorial Day yesterday!!

Hey there :) 

It's Tuesday and you are getting an email from me. Weird right? That's what we get when Memorial Day shuts down all of the libraries and we have no place to email. 

I hope each of you are doing MARVELOUS and took some time yesterday to really think about how much God has blessed our country and what we can do to be better citizens. Remember those who are fighting for our freedom and those who have lost their lives doing so.

Last week we met some real special new investigators!! 

ERIKA: basically she is searching for the truth. She has INCREDIBLE questions and has such a deep love for her family and only wants her kids to be raised with God and a love of Christ in their hearts. So excited to continue to meet with her :) 

DINORAH: AHHHHHHHHH I LOVE THIS CUBAN LADY SO MUCH. So we drop by at like 9 in the morning for our appointment with her (she set it, not us) and we talk for about an hour. She told us her entire life story and her background in different religions. At one point she told us about a dream she had had recently about a man all in white, with white hair and beard who gave her a book that was made of gold. The angel looking person told her to read the book. With that explanation of her dream we opened up to the first chapter of 1 Nephi in the Book of Mormon...

(This is when Lehi, an ancient prophet in Jerusalem recounts a vision he received)

1 Nephi 1:9-12...... 9 And it came to pass that he saw One descending out of the midst of heaven, and he beheld that his luster was above that of the sun at noon-day. 10 And he also saw twelve others following him, and their brightness did exceed that of the stars in the firmament. 11 And they came down and went forth upon the face of the earth; and the first came and stood before my father, and gave unto him a book, and bade him that he should read. 12 And it came to pass that as he read, he was filled with the Spirit of the Lord. 

She starts to cry and says, "It's just like my dream!" We talked with her about what the Book of Mormon was and the Spirit was so strong :) I LOVE HER SO MUCH!!! She is so adorable. And as we were leaving she started talking about how she wanted to stop drinking coffee cuz it messes up her sleeping habits and wanted to talk to her boss and get work off on Sundays so she can go to church... Sister Barroso and I just sorta looked at her with our mouths open as we listened. MMMMMMMMIIIIIRRRRAAACCCCLLLEEESSSS

Notes from Sisters Conference in Peachtree City :) 

Satan uses your very goodness, that very desire to be better and be more like Christ against you by giving you thoughts of comparison like "Oh, if I were more like so-and-so everything would be better" or "that person does this so well, I must just suck" (come on peeps, FaceBook is a highlight reel) COMPARISON IS THE THIEF OF JOY. Satan gives you feelings of uselessness, that no matter what you do you will never be good enough to do the good He has planned for you on this earth or stand in our Heavenly Father's presence once again. You want to shut Satan up? Look to Christ and don't believe Satan's lies. Yes, we all have things to improve on, but don't beat yourself up! With Christ ALL things are possible and He has a perfect love for each of us. 

Where do you hang your worth? Well folks, your worth was hung on a cross at Calvary. That proved it without a doubt. Don't hang your worth anywhere else, except in Christ who suffered all the pains and the sins of the world for you. 

The rest of the conference was a watercolor class... thank goodness I have a talented companion who is an artist and showed me how to paint cuz I have the talent of a two year old in that area. We also had to do a driver's test and drive around lots of cones backwards and forwards.... DIDN'T KNOCK OVER A SINGLE CONE. Booya. That was even with my mission president watching me. And in a car I had never driven before. Oh but to make sure I got a humility slap, we did yoga. Sister Draper is not flexible. Nor does she have balance while doing the warrior pose or any yoga pose for that matter. Kept falling over. I hurt so bad for like three days after. 

Sidenote on driving: Atlanta drivers are insane and crazy. Driving here is so scary. 

KIMBERLIN: Our cute little 10 year old we are helping prepare for baptism. Sister Barroso is a magician when it comes to teaching young children. She is such an example to me. Kimberlin was having a hard time grasping what faith and repentance are, so Sister Barroso came up with (on the SPOT) little hand motions to go with all the steps to help her remember. I am beyond lucky to have her as my companion!!! 

Sometimes I think my spanish is improving then a person with a strange accent starts talking to me and it all goes out the window and I'm like "huh?......"

Saturday we were teaching two new investigators, Ashli and her mom Gladys, and wowsers the Spirit was there from start to finish. They are so sweet and I love those two!! And Ashli's little brother who is 1 and drinks milk from a syringe because he hates baby bottle tops. Weird cute munchkin. 

We taught Young Women's at church on Sunday... all in Spanish. Talk about the gift of tongues and major help from God because we read the text message that said we would be teaching it during the first hour of church. 

Can I just say that I have a wonderful human as a companion out here in Georgia? I know I have been bragging on her throughout this email but peeps!!! Sister Barroso is awesome. She said this quote yesterday, "You can't build a house if your hammer stays in your tool belt." Plus she loves Star Wars and that always raises people to new heights in my eyes. 

I love you all and pray for you every day :) 

Con Amor, 

Hermana Draper

PICSSSSS 

Some cool murals we found.....

4/8 of the Hermanas in the mission

ME AND HERMANA BARROSOOOOOO check out that side eye she is giving me lol

Hermana Barroso and I cleaning out the baptismal font and finding bugs....

A bumper sticker that made me laugh....