ELDER ZARATE HEADING TO BRAZIL...11/18/13

Hi All,

Not alot of time left today to write just finished a lengthy email with Mission President so I will have to send my long email next week so I will repent now!  First off, thanks Mom for getting those scriptures out so soon, he will really appreciate them! 

Riley is going to Texas March 19th.  Try and get with Bishop to see if I can give my  Homecoming talk like on March 9th I am assuming she will give her Farewell the following Sunday March 16th since that Wednesday she will leave for the MTC.  I am so very excited for her that will make Brelynn equally as happy, who by the way is doing very well there in Australia.

Santiago opened up his Mission Call on Sunday and he is going to Brazil.  We were all shouting, laughing and crying.  I am on cloud nine for him and I truly have felt the fruits of my labor here!

We celebrated with Carni Asada,  again it's just so good,  and ...

                                 
                                      Elder Smith  did some fancy work with his knife LOL!


Well I gotta run good to hear all is going well!  Congratulate Dad on his promotion and  Mejor de las suertes (Best Of Luck) to Wyatt in basketball and with his baseball tryouts, man he stays busy!!!  As for Lyn's tell her it's weird to think she is old enough to have that first boyfriend thing going on, she has grown up a lot since I've been gone. Give Grams a squeeze for me and tell Binkz it wont be long that this elGato will be home!

Love You All Much,
Until next week...
Love,
Elder Wade Draper

THINGS LOOKING UP AGAIN...SANTI'S MISSION CALL...HOLLAND VISIT...11/11/2013

Hello Hello Family and Friends,

Wow what an amazing week, I had this past week. Like really, we worked soooo hard!! I have been getting back to the apartment late every night just so satisfied with my days work but very tired as well because of the work we are doing! We plan, then I do my nightly calls to my District, then I literally fall into bed!...ahhh the Mission life, how I will miss it!

Lately I have really been praying to find people who are going to progress, and who are willing to let the Gospel change their lives as you all know it has been a struggle these past few weeks.  It just so happens that this past week, we found so many people who are willing to change their lives.

First off a we encountered a young woman with 2 kids who recently seperated from her boyfriend, and that was followed by a young man who recently stopped drug use and has a 10 month year-old son, there were many others this week as well, but I wanted to specificly talk about 2 families that we found this past week.

First the family of Ivan, Ivan was a contact I made in the train station last Sunday.  We were a little short on contacts to finish our goals and we were waiting for the train and I saw this kid who is taller than me, so I thought I am gonna contact that kid. I did and he gave me his direction and we passed by in during the week. Apparently the Sister Missionaries had been teaching his family a year before, and one of them was none other than the fabulous Hermana Pasquale... Ivan is his name and he is a super great.  He really has a desire to be in the path of God and wants to know if the Church is true. I am really excited to watch him progress.

We also found a family yesterday, Ignacio and Nelly.  They are 2 grandparents who raised 3 of their grandchildren, and one of their granddaughters is the girlfriend of a member. The first thing that Ignacio asked us is how he could join the Church and feel the same peace that we have. Super great guy with allot of faith, he owns a dry cleaning place in Capital, and offered to dry clean our clothes for free, so that is just super awesome.

But this past week there were allot of difficulties in the ward.  First off Santi´s mom is in the hospital, she is allot better now, but it was pretty bad last week, she has  really bad anemia.  Also Carlos, my convert, well his brother passed away, but he is doing allot better this today.

This week my bestest friend, Santigo, should receive his Mission Call!! If you recall he was my mini Missionary awhile back and he is on fire!!!!  I am so excited this week to hear of his news, he is absolutely without a doubt going to be a Pillar of a Missionary!!!!  Mom would you mind sending a bible and the triple scriptures in Spanish embossed with Elder Santiago O. Zarate.  I would like to give them to him before he leaves on his Mission, that could be my Christmas present if you'd like!
 

Well I am looking forward to seeing  many more miracles this next week, and I am so pumped because.... this weekend we have a conference with ELDER HOLLAND... SO PUMPED!!!

Have a good week everyone!

LOVE YA´LL
Love,
Yours Truly,
Elder Draper

ROUGH WEEK STRONG TESTIMONY...MATT. 11:28-30...11/4/2013

Hello Family and Friends,

 

Hope that everyone had a splendid week! Mine was... long... very very long, haha but I got through it!

 

First off, we did the mutual 2 weeks ago, I don´t remember if I wrote about that but it was a successful mutual and we played volleyball afterwards and poor Elder Draper, going in for the kill  ripped my pants... soo embarrassing!

 

Well I wanted to talk a little bit more about last Monday because I didn´t really have a chance to do so in my last email! Well we had transfers and a big group of my favorite Missionaries went home!

 



Elder Wilson my first Zone Leader here in Argentina...

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

MY PAPI... Elder Delgado

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

...and the fabulous Hermana Pasquale who became one of my dearest friends in the Mission

  

... there were also many many more. It is just so surreal to see people finish their Missions. It felt like "Wow I was with you when you completed a year or like wow you were my companion or we lived together forever ago"! I dread my day as it will come to soon as well....BUT it has to come someday right?

 

This this past week, was a struggler.. but I learned allot!  My new comp Elder Hernandez is super great, he is like a nerd... but I love it and his desires... he has so many qualities of a leader and and I know that he will be a leader in this Mission someday. My week was super difficult because, my District was not doing so good with our key indicators so I was super stressed about that, and we are not doing so hot with our baptismal fechas, but we are doing our best! To top off all the stress, Berta the storm hit Buenos Aires Thursday and lasted till about Friday-Saturday morningish. We were literally walking in water up to our knees as the streets were flooded! I wish I would of had my camera to snap some pics, it was something you actually see in pictures! UGH

 

 

 

 

Another crazy

thing that

happened this

week was...

HALLOWEEN!!

We enjoyed lunch

with Hermanna

G  eating

rabbit stew...

yes rabbit stew,

it is probably like

 my favorite meat

here,  super healthy

for you as well!

 

 

     

With everything that has going on, a tsunami of exhaustion hit me, and I have just thought to myself... I am so tired... I have 20 months in the Mission... and I am just phyiscally exhausted... so I have been kinda of bummed, not gonna lie, however I had one of the most spiritual experiences yesterday in testimony meeting. I was just tired.. dead tired the whole weekend and we went to Church only to see no investigators were there. During Sacrament I began praying just to feel good, just to remove the emptiness that I felt and take away the tiredness.  I was filled with something that I had never felt before as I felt His overwhelming love fill my soul so strong that it moved me to get up and share my Testimony about how my week had been going and what I just experienced at that moment. It was a miracle from our Heavenly Father to feel his love at just the time I needed it! I had many members after thank me for sharing my Testimony, because it was an answer to their prayers as well.

 

I just want to leave ya´ll with my Testimony that I know know know God and Jesus live and that they love us, and will always love us no matter what. Read Matt. 11:28-30 we can always rest in Christ =)

I still have so much to do in my time here... I have no time to be tired! =)

 

I LOVE YOU ALL SO DEARLY! 

 

Stay Classy Kids!!!!!

 

Love,

Elder Wade Draper! 

 

       PS (We also had some pretty dang good Carni Asda this past week by Chef's Draper and Hernandez

 

 

 

AWHOLE LOT OF CRAZINESS THS TRANSFER...10/28/2013

Hey Family and Friends,

Just so you know this email will be brief as I have very limited time today as transfers literally just ended what a ride!! 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Hope everyone had a good week this past week, mine was absolutely crazy. I mean really nuts!!!!

I started off the week going on divisions with Elder Smith an Elder in my district who served in Hurlingham before! He only has 1 transfer left before he leaves for home so he showed me some spots in the area that I had never been to before.  We  also visited a few members so that he could say goodbye to them. He is an absolute hoot! Elder Smith is from LA and is an aspiring film director and the kids just breathes art, I love it! We had a really cool experience when we went to visit a less active member and her family, the husband is not a member! It was a great visit and they just absolutely love the Missionaries!  Elder Smith has an amazing relationship with this family from his time serving here. so it was a very comfortable home to visit.  It sounded as though they are going through a super hard time! however.  Elder Smith  had a nice long talk with them all about repentance and  forgiveness and that  it is time to forgive, forget and repent!  Everyone was just bawling,  it was a super charged good lesson! So my divisions with Elder Smith were just absolutely wonderful, he is easily one of the funniest people that I know, and I am so happy and blessed that he is in my District. 

 

Well I got my training done with Elder Zamudio, I taught him basically everything that I know in the book. He was transferred because of all the refuerzos, aka newbies, got here this past week!  A total of 54 but the first wave there were 38 of them!!!!! So we had to babysit one of them over the weekend it was allot of fun but super stressful because of how little our apartment is, and the poor kid didn´t speak a lick of Spanish!  

 

I have a new companion, Elder Hernandez from Maine! So new transfer, new comp, new adventures!

 

Oops,  I literally just ran out of time... sorry this email is so short will do a better update next week! We only had an hour to write today and as you know I had to divide with Mission President and check in on my District so boo hoo ! booooo

 

Like Icona Pop said... I LOVE IT!

 

Stay Sweet Kids I will catch you up next week and Lyns' what about your new crush wanna here all about that one!! LOL  

  

Love,

Elder Wade Draper

THIS IS HALLOWEEN...MOTHER'S DAY ...VISIT FROM AREA OF SEVENTY WHAT A WEEK...10/21/2013

Hello Dear Family and Friends!

 

Wow what a week I have had! A lot of GREAT experiences mixed with a whole lot of fun!!

 

First off my little hijito, Elder Zamudio is so neat!!... I didn't have much time to talk about him last week in my email, but he is a 19 and from Ensenada Mexico close to Tijuana! My papi, Elder Delgado, my first Companion in Aldo Bonzi, was super stoked when he arrived, as that is where he is from.  Elder Z is such a great Missionary, he is taking everything that I am teaching him and applying it to his teachings of the gospel! I only have 1 more week with him because he will be leaving me and training elsewhere..bummer..but most likely I will be training again and I am most grateful for the time we have had together!  We get along great Elder Zamudio and I... he is like a little nerd and is just so funny! He loves video games and hard rock. He is definitely getting the Elder Draper supercharged experience filled with laughs and hard work. I am teaching him how to lift weights in the morning during our exercises, it's actually pretty funny to watch him, HA HA,  and we have a blast together! 

 

So this week the weather has been really nice but so hot and humid.  The only thing good about the hot weather is the nice little tan that I get,  yes I will have "that tan" by the end of this summer to bring back home to Utah. 

We had a great experience this week!  One of the more spiritual things that happened to me this week, was like one of those “WOW MSSIONARY MOMENTS”!  We found a list of contacts in our area book and so we have been passing by these homes in hopes of findings someone with that might be interested in the gospel. It was so hot  this day and just nobody on this list was welcoming us or our message. I was bummed however remained positive for my excited Companion.  As I was walking I thought to myself just one more house and I know this will be the one! So we clapped and a lady that looked super familiar to me came out and she looked so happy!  She greeted me like an old friend and asked me how I was doing and all that.  Then she went on to explain how she was thinking about Ilda, and how odd it was that we showed up at her door at that very moment... then it all clicked in my mind, Ilda was a less active member that passed away last month.  We were teaching her grandson at her time of passing.  When she passed away we went to visit her family and this lady is a friend of Ildas daughter and I had met her the day after Ilda passed away. She went on to explain to us how she is going through some super rough times right now, how she does not have work and does not have the means to provide for her family. She was super emotional because she was thinking about Ilda and had been praying for help and guidance in her life. Like wow... the Lord works in the most wonderful ways!  I am happy to say today she and her daughter have baptismal dates and are super excited to progress and learn more about the Church!

 

Party time so…so if you remember also I have been planning a little Halloween activity for the Ward and it went down last Friday!  It was AMAZING everyone loved it! The majority of the people came to the activity in costume!  Elder Zamudio was a mariachi player
















Santi gave me his rugby jersey and socks so I was an Argentine rugby player in turn I lent Santi my Alabama Jersey and he was an American Football Player! HAHA It was a super fun time with members

The Hermana Iputcha (the member who lives in front of us) was a zombie and her costume was absolutely hilarious!  She was walking around saying she had got hit by a car on the way to the party and making like really cheesey dead jokes... like "I need to sit down because I am DEAD tired" HAHA 

 

We did a trick or treat for the kids, find the candy in the flour game, musical chairs, bobbing for apples, and a dance...unfortunately we cannot dance but...

 

... I was one of the DJs with Agustina  with my super rad friend in the ward with pink in her hair!!  We were just dropp’n some fast beats! It was super fun!











Yesterday it was Mothers day here in Argentina so... I made Mother’s day cards for some of my mamas here in the ward! They loved them so much! One Hermana started crying and they all almost gave me the beso (kiss).

Elder Viñas of the Seventy came and talked to our ward yesterday which was a really cool experience, he gave a really good talk about Ward unity. I also got to shake his hand and greet him! =D

Sunday ended with a bunch of laughter as we ended our day by going to eat with the Hermana Iputcha and her family.    While we were eating she was said “Elders did you know that I did Tai Quan Do when I was a little girl? I was like you are such a liar laughing.  She stood up and said watch as she told her friend to grab her by the shoulders.... then she did this like flip and threw her elbow in the direction of the face of her friend and did this karate scream! I FELL ON THE FLOOR DYING OF LAUGHTER.... like I have not laughed like that in awhile... it was just soooo unexcpected her little karate move! HAHAHAHA I just love the Hermana Iputcha soooo much

But that was basically my week in a nutshell!  I cannot wait to see what adventures the week brings this week! =D

So until next week you know the drill!  Stay classy kids and I Love ya'll,

Love,
Elder Wade Draper =D 

 

 

FOREVER 21.....10/14/2103




HAPPY BIRTHDAY FROM PRESIDENT CARTER



 

 

 

Hello Family and Friends,

 

If you are receiving this by email from my darling mother... well I have come to a point in my Mission, where I realize I just need to give all my time left here focusing on the work and the  Lord, so this is how ya’ll will be hearing from me for a few months.  Going forward I am 100% committed to finish strong with Him.! =)  With that said I want you to know that I love you all so much and I am so excited to see everyone in 5 months.

 

Well the big 21 came and went and it was just absolutely wonderful!

 

Last Monday before we went to bed, Hermana Iputcha called me and told me she had a surprise for me and asked if I could come to the house real quick so we went up and she had bought a delicious cake from Capital! (CAKE 1) It was like the best chocolate, dulce de leche, the best everything in Argentina !!!! It was sooo good!

 

 

She did not have 21 candles so she took all the candles that she had and added them up so that the sum was 21... haha I was dying! She apologized for the late call but was so excited she said “I couldn’t wait tell tomorrow, Tuesday being my actual birthday! I just love birthdays! So Monday ended GREAT!

 

 

 



I was awakened earlier Tuesday morning teralier hen the norm by a text from Santiago... wishing me a HAPPY HAPPY BIRHTDAY, so, that was super nice of him!

 

 

We had district meeting as well that day so I bought everyone facturas and juice and we had a little celebration, The Hermanas from my district got me brownies as well!  

 

 

We were invited back to Hermana Iputcha's and she makes the best pasta and chicken ever, she continued to celebrate my birthday LOL!!!   I shared rice krispy treats from my package mom sent with her and she thought it was delicious!  Simple treat, good but deliciously best ever as she stated, funny!

 

 

 

 

Afterwards full, we went and worked hard until dinner time, the Zarate’s, (my dear morning alarm clock Santigo’s)  family invited us to eat with them. They made us pizzas and the Hermana made me WHAT…a cake as well! So nice of them! (Cake 2).



The next day we were invited to a lunch by a less active member family... and the Hermana is a professional cake maker so she surprised me with yet another cake! It was equally as delicious and beautiful as well!   Needless to say this past week I just gained a bunch of weight!!!! HaHa

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

But the fun does not stop....here…Wednesday night I was doing my nightly calls and I got a call from the Assistant’s.  I  thought... oh what did I do now! LOL They informed, me they were having a flash, and Elder Escobar was leaving.  We were told to be in the in the offices the following morning. When we arrived to the offices I was informed that I would be training... YES a bebe  (LOL) had arrived from Mexico!!!!!!! His name is Elder Zamudio! He is 19 and he is just great! The sad thing is we only have 12 days left together because a ton of other missionaries are coming in before transfers! So there is a strong chance I will be blessed with another nino.  LOL, but we shall see! =)  So just some crazy things going down here in the good ‘ol Buenos Aires West!

Well I hope everyone has a splendid week, I love and miss you all! =)

Stay Strong,

Love,

Papa Elder Wade Draper

 

LIFE DOESN'T GET SWEETER THEN THIS...10/9/2013



I woke up to an early morning text this am that scarred me to death at first thinking, Wade you can't be texting me... DAH... and I began shaking like a leaf to get my glasses on. After realizing that he had sent this to his older sister, Misty, yesterday to text it to me bright and early today, I proceeded to burst into tears (of joy).  What a special gift.  I realized there had to be some thought put into this a few weeks back as all of the MTC Hermanna's pictured returned home on the last transfers however Elder Nielson remains in Argentina with Elder Draper until that glorious morning of March 1, 2014 when they will arrive together here at the Salt Lake International Airport, OH what a reunion that will be!!!

Thanks to each of you for your Companionship and for being such great examples to Elder Draper, you have forever left footprints on both our hearts.  As for Elder Draper, looks like he was thinking of me as much as I was of him yesterday on his 21st Birthday and I cannot wait to see him soon!  
 
Elder Draper's #1 Fan
Love,
Mom 
Sister Diana Draper

ELDER DRAPER'S 21st BDAY HOME SWEET HOME...10/9/2103

My apologies to Elder Draper and to those of you who were cut off the video.  I am not sure what occurred with the download to YouTube but here are the clips that did not get converted in the download to YouTube.  What a nice SUPRISE gift for Elder Draper to open up on next Monday-PDAY.  Thanks to all!

SEPTEMBER IN THE MISSION...10/6/2013

HAPPY 21st BIRTHDAY ELDER WADE DRAPER... 10/7/2013

 HAPPY 21st BIRTHDAY

 ELDER WADE DRAPER

OCTOBER 8th

                                                                 

HHHHELLLLLOOOOOO WONDERFUL PEOPLE!!!!! =)

Well.... first off…HAPPY BIRTHDAY ON WEDNESDAY TO THE BEST MOM IN THE WORLD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I Hope you have a good one mother dearest, I love you!!!!! And honestly you don´t look a day over 30 ;)  Got any fun plans for the day?

Secondly... tomorrow I complete 21 years of life, and I wanted to thank everyone that participated in my birthday video!!!! It really meant allot to me! =),  everyone is looking great by the way! =)

 

 

Thirdly.... ITS THAT TIME OF THE YEAR, witches flying and ghosts ghouling (ruling) the month, unfortunately not so much here in Argentina,  but I will be bringing Halloween here this year! I am throwing a Halloween party for the Ward on the 18^th and I am  SOOOO PUMPED! =)

 

 

But wow what a great week I had last week!  I got to do divisions last week with Elder Stevens my Zone Leader and it was so was marvelous much fun, like so much fun beyond belief! Elder Stevens is just absolutely hilarious and we get along swimmingly! We ended up finding allot of devout people to their churches this past week as well

We took Santiago to teach with us a Jehovahs Witness who ended up  grilling poor Santi.  I just had to whip out some good ol Bama Bible skills I used there ;) and he Santiago kinda kept quiet for awhile=D 

I also learned allot from Elder Stevens in that we really need to start working with less-active members, and that will help lead us to find new investigators as well! =)

 

Conference was this past weekend... and how amazing was it???? SOOO GOOD! First can I just say everyone was killing it with tie choices this year ;) right!  But seriously the talks this year were so inspired!  I noticed a theme of “Member Missionary Work” and Repentance! 

One of the talks that stood out to me was by President Uchtdorf about less active members and also the talk by Elder Holland about depression! Elder Holland said something that I just absolutely loved, He said "If the bitter-cup does not pass, drink it and be strong.” Yes we are going to face many challenges in this life, some super hard but we need to be strong and always remember that we have God and Jesus with us. I got super emotional with the story he shared about the lady who was burned in the plane crash, but with faith she pulled through! =)

 

I also really enjoyed how President Monson talked about his wife Frances J., he just has so much love for her and rejoices on knowing that they will be together again! =)

 

I hope those of you who did not get a chance will take the opportunity to watch conference via net or however, take the time to watch it or at least read it so good!!!! 

 

 

 

 

Waiting on train to go to Conference...

 

 

 

After the Conference we went to the train station and waited for the train.   Argentina threw a concert just for my birthday ;) Nene Malo had a concert across from the station how sweet was that as well waiting at the tracks!!!! =)

 

 

I hope everyone has a wonderful week, and again THANK YOU for all the birthday wishes!!!!! 

Like Whitney Houston says... “I will ALWAYS LOVE YOU” and cant wait to see everyone when I get home!!!!!! =)

Now time for the funny story of the week.... so I was in the super market last week and I was in the tomato sauce aisle... (yes they have an aisle dedicated to tomato sauce). I was browsing the prices of a tomato sauce that I had in my hand and to my surprise the new Gagag song came on in the market. I was so surprised I dropped the tomato sauce and it broke, tomato sauce went everywhere..... hahaha but the people did get a nice little show... hahaha =)

 

Well love you all kids I gotta run.  We are gonna hit Burger King for my birthday today with a few Elders here! I am in Ramos today and will pick up my birthday package in the office before I head back to Hulingham, I really do love my Distrct.  As you can see mom Elder Palmer got my camera back so enjoy the pics and Happy Birthday again !!

All My Love,

Elder Wade Draper =)