"IT'S BEGINNING TO LOOK ALOT LIKE CHRISTMAS"...11/26/2012

ELDER DRAPER'S THANKSGIVING DINNER 11/22/2012

 

Hello Family, Funny Friends and Kind Kinsfolk,

I hope everyone had an absolutely wonderful Thanksgiving and Blcak Friday! HAHA  The holiday season is really in full swing now right!

We had our Stake Baptisms on Saturday!! YAAA BeforeI get to that though I will give you a little update of how my week went.  This past week was super stressful for me.  We had to get everything ready for our baptisms, meet our "key indicators", which I am starting to think has been Mission programmed into my mind, so I stress about meeting them every week.. but I am trying to really focus on just helping others as much as I can no matter what the "indicator number is", I think it all works out.  Anyways we met with all our investigators every day just to make sure that everything would go according to plan and in the midddle of all this came transfer meetings!  

FLYING UNDER THE RADAR
NOVEMBER TRANSFERS 2012

Tuesday night I was hoping and praying that I would not leave my area because I really wanted to be here for my Baptisms and for Christmas!  Thanks to the good Lord I stayed!  So Iam really looking forward to continuing to serve here in Altos de Merlo II.  Also, I don't remember if I mentioned this in my last email, but there was a situation with Tania, my recent convert at Church.  Apparently something went down and she got offended so we went to vist her last week when I was on exchange with Elder Moore.  She told us that she really didn't want to come back to church anymore and that what happened made her really uncomfortable and a little bit frustrated.  Elder Moore told her to pray about it and if she really felt like God told her not to come back then she she didn't have to. so she said she would.  I prayed as well for her answer and 2 days later  I called her about a youth activity we were going to have.  I asked her if her prayer was answered and she said yes it was good and she knew she needed to be back n church.  It was a really cool prayer experience!   

We are also teaching a little elderly lady named Marcia, she is very funny!!  She is like 70 something and she is from Paraguay.  Her laugh is absolutley hilarious!  She reminds me of alike a little old witch, not an ugly, mean, or scary one but just like a cakely cooky lady!  She always calls us papi or mi amor (my love).  I really hope she progresses well I just love her laughter and teaching her!

ALTOS de MERLO II STAKE BAPTISM 11/24/2012

 

Then the BIG day arrived, Saturday, the STAKE BAPTISM!!  All of  our investigators arrived which was quite a relief because there were Missionaries whose investigatiors did not show up.  President Carter and Hermanna Carter were there and they shared a few comments with us, which I really enjoyed and I think it really got everyone there excited!  Then we proceeded to the baptisms.  I got the biggest smile on my face as I looked into the eyese of each of my invesigators as they went under and came back up.  I mean really it was the best feeling a Missionary can have!!!  All in all the Stake had 8 baptisms which I think is quite GREAT!!!

ELDER DRAPER'S ALTO de MERLO II WARD BAPTISM 11/24/2012



 I was diasspointed though Saturday when I saw that my camera card how somehow got deleted or something and every picture I've ever taken while on my Mission is gone.  I am hoping that they still might be on there but I just can't see them for some reason.  I am going to send that card home and I need you to take it ta a camera store or something and see if the pictures are on it and save them all to a file for me.  I have 2 other cards I took with me to the MTC in he meantime.

Mom, whle I am writting to the Mission President would you text and get Mitch and Clarissa's addresses please!

Wyatt - Good luck at that basketball game tonight, TAKE THE SHOT AND SHOOT, you won't miss I promise!!  GO GET 'EM TIGER!!!

To the questions about the Customs , they don't give us reciepts for our package pick up fee's but don't sweat it, I am getting all of my packages thus far!  



"ROCKIN' AROUND THE CHRISTMAS TREE"  ELDER'S WILSON & DRAPER





Well it is definitely looking allot like Christmas, especially in our pension because of all the wonderful packages I have recieved.  The tree, decorations, lights and music is absolutley amazing, we have been listening to the CD's since last night when we  opened them!!  Everyone loved thier stocking and Elder Wilson say he just LOVES YOU MOM!!   We hung the stockings on our makeshift chimney (pulled out amoir, closet thing) and put a blanket  down and towel across the top.  I also need to give a little shout out and thanks to the Nielson Famly for the package they sent is was so nice of you THANKS!  I cannot wait to meet up with Brennan again soon we just have a great time, he is the BEST!!  The only thing missing is that calendar Mom so if you could work on this week and send it I am hoping that it will be here by the first of the year I could really use it and would love the photos from home!

"THE STOCKINGS ARE HUNG BY THE CHIMNEY WITH CARE"



As for Pday today we are going to the heladeria (creamery) to get helado (ice cream) and will make milkshakes while we finsih decorating the Christmas tree.  A member gave us a blender and eys we do have a frezzeer on our fridge, but like Dad said everything here is served at room temp straight from the bottle.

I will be skyping from Romina's on Christmas and we can talk about time etc as it gets a little closer to the holiday.  Ok Mom I gotta run, I love you so much and sent Gilligan (Dad) an email too, have SUPER week!!

Everyone else, I hope you will have a great week as well, until next week, same time same place kids!!!

Love,
Elder Draper

PS:  "Santa Baby, there is one thing I really do need... the deed to a platinum mine"