CALLED TO SERVE

CALLED TO SERVE
CALLED TO SERVE

Monday, September 02, 2013

MISSIONARY..KNIGHT..AND DRAGON....9/2/2013



Well Hello Wonderful People,

I hope that everyone is had an absolutely marvelous week, because I did! I know I say that allot, but really, I had a great week! 

First off, we had an amazing Zone Meeting last Tuesday, where we learned a bunch from our Zone Leaders, Elder Stevens and Elder LeSueur! The Zone percentage wise is not doing very well, but during the meeting President Carter walked in and everyone was just kind of like… oh no what did we do! HA HA Instead he gave us like a really good pep-talk about how we are not living up to our potential, which is true, when there is so much potential in this Zone because our Zone Caseros, has the reputation for being "Cheto" (rich) with those seeking the gospel. Every  companionship made a list of things they are going to change so that they can achieve their goals for the month of September, and our list was just loaded! We are doing exactly that, making changes! That very day we went out and we got a fecha with one of our investigators named Beba! She is super Catholic, and is just adorable! She is like the neighborhood nanny/nurse/cook/just plain helper in general. She also has a pet owl, how cool is that! She said if she feels the "calling" she will be baptized, and we promised her that if she really puts in the effort and does the things she needs to she will feel the call! 
 
The day after we had interviews with President and Hermana Carter, I always love interviews with President.  I had a question for President that I have never been really able to answer on my Mission, the question was "Why do bad things happen to good people, like why do people who do good things have to die, or suffer” and stuff like that"? President gave me an answer that I absolutely loved, he said "I don´t know, I really don´t know Elder, why people die who are doing everything they should be doing, I don´t know why good people suffer, but I do know that God is just, and that if we endure with faith that maybe not in this life but definitely in the life after, we will receive our reward.", I was just like wow! We also talked about my future in the Mission, and let’s just say the future is bright.  Gaga "Put on your shades because I´ll be dancing in the flames". Yes I will be dancing  joy with this transfer! 

In other exciting news, we upped the date for Carlos, and he is getting baptized this Saturday! He is so ready, and I thought he should not have to wait for another week to get baptized because he is just overly ready! We did the pre-interview with him, and with every answer he gave us, he was just bearing testimony like crazy! So we are super excited for that!  

We had a tragedy this past weekend as well. The Grandma of one of our investigators, who was an inactive member, passed away, and it just made me realize how surreal death is because we saw her like the day before.  It felt so odd to hear that she passed ! We  talked with her husband for the first time the day after, and this was one of my moments in my Mission where my patience was truly tested. He was not in a good state of mind, and he went off about the United States, saying that one day, we would get what was coming to us and we would all suffer.  I just kept repeating in my mind “You are a Missionary, you are a Missionary! I was reminded by the spirit although a Patriot ,my Missionary presence was most important not my pride!  But I could understand that he was not ok at that moment so that made it a little easier not to be angry.

Santi got the Melchezidek Priesthood this past week and is sending his papers next week! I am super stoked and excited for him!!!!  He will bring a whole new level to “The Men In Black”.

But this is the story of the week… TO FUNNY! So on Saturday we did a Tormenta Blanca (white storm), in Villa Tessei the Zone Leaders area, to invite less-actives to their ward conference.  I did a little division with Elder Stevens and this is what happened. The first house we went to, the window was open and there was a scarlet drape covering the window, so we clapped. The drape flung open and out popped a half dressed woman..YIKES, maybe in her early 40’s and she was like "Oh boys I was just changing”!  She proceeded to say, “Wow you are a lot more attractive than the others that used to pass by", and I just was like oh no... HAHA , then she ran outside to talk to us, and she was just a hot mess the poor thing, flirting up a storm and came on super strong! She told us how she only like rubios (blondes) and that she only wanted blondes to talk to her and she didn´t want visits from any other race, I guess you could say. We invited her to the Conference and then as we were walking away she flung open the window and yelled "Rubios can you come get me in the truck next week”?  I just about died of laughter we don’t even have a truck! HAHA Definitely an experience... we call older women that like the Missionaries here “dragons” so I am glad I left Utah a "KNIGHT"! HAHA
 
Basically that has been my week in a nutshell! Iv have been a little bit ill this past week, the weather has been absolutely wonderful, starting to get allot warmer, and with spring come the allergies! Yay runny noses!
 
We have that Baptism this weekend, SUPER EXCITED beyond all belief!  I am going to let Elder Escobar due the baptism, as it will be his first, and I would like to be a part of that for him as transfers may change our Companionship, so you can see why I am so pumped not only the baptism but the first for my comp as well!  GOLDEN!!

As always, I hope everyone of you, family, friends and wonderful people have a great week! 
Love ya´ll while keeping it real here in Argentina!  STNW so until then STAY CLASSY!!!

 
Love,
Elder Wade Draper