Jan 25th, 2016

Hello my friends and family!

This week we worked hard and saw a lot of miracles; it was a lot of fun!

It was a lot warmer, which is a plus! My whole mission I've seen that most of the English run on the weather, I know it's like that pretty much everywhere but it seems a lot deeper over here. When it was cold we couldn't even get a "Hi" back from most people, but on warmer sunny days like today everyone is chipper and chatting away with everyone! We will pray for sunnier days!

On Wednesday we went to a Worldwide Missionary Broadcast from the leaders of the Church, the first one in more than 10 years, which you will probably hear all about from missionaries in your wards and other missionaries emails, but regardless it was amazing. Looking at missionary work from the outside it seems like a monumental task, which it is, but whenever I am taught more about how I can improve I see that it is very simple and with as we follow the Spirit's guidance and do everything we can to be worthy of it, then it isn't very complicated at all. I'm very grateful for the inspired council and the changes it's brought into our work.

After the broadcast we were headed home when we found out that a faster train home was leaving from a different station across town in 10 minutes so we ran alllll the way across Maidstone to get to the station. It turns out that it wasn't faster and almost made us late getting into our flat, but we deserve a gold star for our effort.

The busiest part of this last week for sure was Friday and Saturday. We went on exchange with our zone leaders but the thing that made it really hectic is that the way we do exchanges has changed. Instead of us swapping companions and working both of our areas Elder Chrimes and I both went to their area in East London and we both worked with one of them and stayed the night with them before we came back to our area. It was a lot of fun and we had to take the train into London to
get there, but it was really hectic trying to move all our appointments around to fit us being out of our area, but it was a ton of fun and I learned a lot so I can't complain at all!

Soon after we got back we were on our way to a lesson but had a little more than an hour before we needed to be there and as we finished talking to a lady at a bus stop to get on her bus another man came off of the bus and walked straight up to us and introduced himself. His name is John, and after talking for about 10 seconds he asked us if we would like to come to his house to talk more! So we did! We walked with him to his house and taught him and before we could even ask him he asked where our church was, turns out he knows where it is, and tells us he wants to come next Sunday! At the end we asked him to say a prayer and he in the prayer he thanked God for sending us to him. I can't accurately describe the feeling in an email so I won't try but in basic terms it was a massive answer to our prayers.

Missionary work isn't easy and it was never supposed to be, but it is the greatest thing our Father in Heaven has allowed me to take part in. I love Him, I love the Saviour, and I love His good news!

Elder Draney

Chilled to the bone

Hello my friends and family!

Last week was wet, and this week was cold! Being able to feel how frigid it was helped me see the difference humidity makes, temperature wise it wasn't that bad but the English air made it cut through to the bone.

This week was definitely and interesting one as well! Sorting out my passport problem turned out to be a lot easier than expected!

On Tuesday Elder Chrimes and I spent an hour at our chapel finding out information about what I needed to do and how we would travel to the embassy as well as calling them and booking an appointment. When I called the embassy to report it was lost they told me I had to go and report it to the police station and they would make sure nobody used it.

We then went to the police station to report it only to be told that they don't take care of lost or stolen property reports anymore and I that I needed to report it to Royal Mail and they would investigate it and find out where my passport went. So we had to go to the library to get on their website and report it as lost... only to find out that I would have to go in person to a big delivery office building which could be anywhere, but we were lucky enough to have one in Croydon.

When we got to the delivery office they told me the best they could do was check for it in their inventory, it was there, and because neither I nor the mission office had a tracking number for it that there was nothing they could do.

In the end basically everything was set for us to go to London on Friday morning and have an interview for the replacement passport, which we had to get permission from the Area President to do(President Gubler asked for us though :P), when we went to a meeting with our Zone Leaders on Wednesday. At the end of the meeting they brought us all the post for the missionaries in our districts and right on top in an envelope with my name on it was my passport! That definitely made my day, but sadly going into London will have to wait!

There were many great things we saw this week, we had another week to work hard and show our love for the Lord and His people, so that's what we did.

I love you all!

Elder Draney

Jan 11th, 2016

Hello my friends and family!

Another week in Croydon, another week in the promised land!

This week was definitely the wettest week of my mission! Almost everyday it poured down rain for the majority of the day, but that's something I knew would come sooner or later serving in England! Saturday was the stormiest by far. Earlier in the day Elder Chrimes and I shared Helaman 5:12 during a lesson(talking about the adversary sending his mighty winds and a mighty storm) and a few hours later we got to experience it firsthand. My pants looked like skinny jeans! We got completely soaked and the wind nearly blew us down a hill, but regardless we had fun and found people that we are going to go visit again so it was a good experience.

The lesson that we had on Saturday morning was a very powerful one. We taught a man in his 50's named Ronald who we have been teaching for awhile with Brother Penovich from the ward. Ronald's responses and insights into the things that we teach made it plain as day that he has been prepared by the Lord to learn the restored gospel and to live it. He's come to church with us a couple of times and really enjoyed it, we are both looking forward to teaching him again this week.

It seems to be a trend over the past few weeks but time is becoming more and more of a precious resource. I found out this morning that my passport got sent to me a week ago so I could start working on getting my driver's license in the UK, and it hasn't arrived when it should only take a day or two to arrive so I might have to jump through the hoops of getting a replacement. Bad news: that's really really bad. Good news: The US Embassy is in London so I would have to go into London to get it replaced.

I really hope it don't have to get it replaced, but either way I know it's in the Lord's hands. Thank you so much for the Christmas package! It finally arrived on Thursday! Reese's trees are always in season! ;)

Love you!

Elder Draney

Moves!

Hello my friends and family!

I hope everyone had a happy New Year! Our new year was ushered by our neighbours who kindly set off loads of really loud fireworks really close to our flat to wake us up so we didn't miss the beginning of 2016! It has been a good year, I will always remember 2015 a very fun and stretching year.

This week, for the most part, was very normal. We were able to teach a lot of our friends this week with the holiday rush dying down. The craziest news came on Saturday morning when I was expecting to find out where I would be moving to. We found out that the Lord needs Elder Chrimes and I to stay in Selsdon for another transfer together! That will be close to 10 months in Croydon, and 6 months with Elder Chrimes! It's very difficult to put into words, but I am grateful that we both get to keep teaching a building up our friends that we have made and meet many more of brothers and sisters in Croydon! After this I will be a proper Croydoner!

Last week we finally moved back into our flat. It was a little sad to leave the 4-man flat but it is nice to not live out of our bags and sleep on a mattress on the floor anymore! The flat looks really nice! It definitely needed to be repainted and re-carpeted. It is a big change for the better so it is worth being away for 3 weeks.

The funny part about the flat being redone is that we had a flat inspection by a senior couple in our zone, the McDonald's, a few days later and it definitely helped us pass! The flat would have passed anyway, but the McDonald's loved the new flat! Plus the new carpet is really soft, I can't really think of anybody that doesn't like new carpet. ;)

It's probably pretty obvious, but I'm having trouble finding things to write about this week. So much of missionary work is impossible to put into words so I don't even try, but I never hesitate to tell anybody I can that serving a mission has been the greatest thing I have ever done. I don't mean that in any way of my accomplishment, but rather it is the greatest blessing Heavenly Father has allowed me to take part in. I relish the time that I have left to serve, and do everything I can not to waste a minute. I know those of you that have served/are serving feel a fondness for your service. I thank you for everything that you do for me, and hope I can repay in some small measure the service you have done for me.

I love you.

Elder Draney