This week was probably one of the craziest that I've had on my mission. So many good things happened but also so many important/significant things that it makes it hard to fit into one email with not a lot of time to write it but I will do my best!
The first thing to mention is that I'm staying in Croydon! The mission office emailed us all of the information about moves on Saturday and we were able to find out everything that will happen across the mission this time at transfers. As you know all of the missions around the world are getting smaller and our mission has been going down in the number of total missionaries for about the past year, but especially these last 3 months. Because of that many of the wards with more than one set of missionaries are losing the second companionship and that is what is happening with Croydon this transfer. Now our area has over 350,000 people. Elder Probst and I are going to be very busy this next few weeks!
There were a lot of big developments, miracles really, this week in our teaching pool.
The first one happened on Monday last week when we went to teach a part-member couple, Stephen and Carli. Stephen has been coming to church for about a year but hasn't felt the "spark" that he was looking for to join the church. On Monday we brought a recently returned missionary with us to teach them and bore powerful testimony of the Book of Mormon and how significant it is to all of us. We then asked him to set a date to be baptized right there with us and he chose the 26th of September! They are going on a 5 week long cruise which so that is why it is so late and he still wants a few weeks to prepare but it is the most progress he has ever made and him and his wife both want to go through with it!
The other really big thing that happened this week was that another investigator, Melissa, asked her boyfriend Kyle to move out because they aren't going to get married anytime soon and she wants to live all of the commandments and be baptized as soon as she can! They are still on good terms and aren't really splitting up but they aren't going to live together until they get married. That was the only thing holding her back and he is moving out later today so we are going to teach her this evening and invite her to be baptized as soon as possible! We couldn't believe it when she told us! We are so happy right now!
The sad news is that we did end up moving Martin's baptismal date back to the end of August because he just wasn't ready. He's lost a lot of motivation and a lot more concerns have been brought to light since then so it's a good thing we moved it back but we will be working help him overcome everything during this month.
As well we haven't been able to contact Jonathan's brother Christian for more than a week so we have dropped the date for now, but we are going to go see him today so we will do all we can to teach him as well.
It's so crazy to see pictures of Draney Camp! Especially all of the cousins I haven't seen in a few years! It's so cliché but they are so big now! I would be lying if I said I didn't wish to be there, not in a homesick way at all but it is so fun that everyone was able to be there! Thank you for all the pictures!
Moves week is different than any other week so the time is all messed up but I will send some pictures of cool things we saw this week.
The first one is a sick tie and scripture case that Elder Piseth in the district gave me. He is from Cambodia and has a lot of cool ties and other things and we have been really good friends over the last three months.
The other one is the first proper American flag I've seen since I've been in England! We both did a double-take when we saw it and obviously took a picture!
I love you all greatly! If there is anything at all I can do for you, let me know. There is obviously a lot I can't do but I mean it when I say I love you.
God be with you.
Elder Draney.
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