Tuesday, July 26, 2016

Moves

Hello my friends and family!

This is another moves day email so it might be a bit short!

Today has been crazy, we went to the train station to see off loads of missionaries from the zone, but as well as others that were passing through on their way to the temple! It was really nice to see a lot of missionaries I though I wouldn't see for awhile, Elder Howe, Elder McCombs, Elder Bradford, Elder Mutariswa, Sister Lacey and a few
others! It's sad watching them go home! I don't know anybody in this mission anymore!

I really don't know how to describe this week, it was a quick one. The greatest blessing was the baptism of Kelly! A lot went into it this week to make it happen, but it is all worth it for all of us!

On Tuesday we taught Kelly. On Wednesday we taught Kelly. On Thursday we went to the Temple with Kelly. On Friday we taught Kelly. On Saturday Kelly got baptised, and on Sunday she got confirmed! It hasn't been long that she has been learning, but she's done her part and God has blessed her tremendously over these past few weeks. She was always happy when we met her, but she's even happier now!

The Temple trip on Thursday was great, there isn't really a way to put it into words but Kelly loved it! The first time she came to church the lesson in Relief Society was on the Temple and ever since then she has wanted to go, so it was a good experience for her.

I'll make up for a lack of words with some pictures!

I love you all so much!




Monday, July 18, 2016

Many Miracles

Hello my friends and family!

Sometimes it's really hard to sit down and write a week's events into an email.

On Monday right at the end of the day we taught a less-active member named Crystal, she got really busy with work and uni so she hasn't been in awhile but she really opened up and we got to know her very well!

Tuesday we had a meeting to train the district leaders and sister trainer leaders, and viewed a couple of flats for the new Spanish speaking sisters in the zone. We had a lesson with Kelly as well! The questions she asks let us know that she's not just "asking questions" but is really seeking answers! She will be baptised this weekend!

Another miracle came when we got a call from a lady that Elder Howe and I first spoke to about 2 months ago called us. The long story made short is that she pointedly had no belief in God when we first spoke to her, but since then she's seen a lot of miracles in her life and is ready to learn and come to church! She's easily twice as happy every time we see her. It takes time to completely change the way we think and act, but as we are patient in seeking we can see the hand of God undeniably in our lives!

Grace wasn't able to get Sunday off so she wasn't baptised this weekend, and can't get baptised next weekend either, but as soon as she can she will.

We had zone conference on Wednesday, it was bittersweet having the last one of my mission. It was incredible though, everything that President Gubler has been moved to teach us over the last year is exactly what the Quorum of the Twelve taught all of the mission presidents this last month!

On Thursday I exchanged with Elder Saliva from the Philippines! He's a tank! Nothing else to say, we worked hard and worked well!

Friday the assistants came up to our area for exchange in the evening, and worked with us the whole day on Saturday. On Saturday morning Elder Ribeiro and I used there car to drive to the stake centre, where the stake president asked us to speak in a bishopric training meeting, and then we came back and Elder Rivera(on exchange) spent the rest of the day teaching/helping at a ward open house in Peckham! We taught an investigator but taught a few new people that came as well!

Then on Saturday we got a phone call at 11:30 at night from Elder Mattson who was at the hospital because one of the sisters(Sister Stephenson) had her arm go numb from elbow down and could barely walk, and another elder(Elder Labahn) in the district had smashed his hand really bad, so they were all at the hospital waiting to be seen. Elder Mattson's companion was already super ill and needed to get some sleep, so we went down to the hospital and got there a little past 12 to pick up Elder Zamalloa and take him back to our flat to sleep. It's a lot of different names, but hopefully it makes sense! We love these missionaries!

On Sunday Samantha came to church! She had to take it all in slowly, but she really enjoyed it! Then we planned out some parts of our week and accounted with missionaries in the zone and the assistants. Most of our Sunday nights are spent doing that, but it give us a huge opportunity to grow in love for these missionaries and seek inspiration on how to help them.

My love of the Savior has grown so much on my mission. Of all of the names and words to describe Him, Savior is the most meaningful to me. I love Him and know He loves you too. (John 10:11)

I love you all, have a good week!


Monday, July 11, 2016

July 11th, 2016

Hello my friends and family!

Busy, busy, busy, week!

Last Monday we got the assignment from the office to find a new flat for another sister companionship coming into the zone next transfer, which is coming soon, so we had to drop a few things and get right on it. While we were doing that we got asked to switch places of another companionship in the mission for a Skype call with President Gubler and a few other missionaries. We were in pretty much all evening which wasn't fun, but they were necessary things.

Tuesday was MLC, which actually didn't last long compared to most of them in the past! I always love MLC. We took all of the conclusions and everything from MLC to the District Leaders on Wednesday. It's great to see how revelation works because they were one step ahead of us and already had plans to talk to their districts about a lot of what we felt at MLC. I had many of those same experiences as a district leader, so I know even in the little things the Lord will make His will known to His servants.

Thursday was incredible! We went to President and Sister Gubler's home and learned so much! The greatest part is that it wasn't mostly from the words that were said but the thoughts and impressions that came during the day as we talked and practiced. And Sister Gubler makes great food, so no complaints from me.

On Friday I exchanged with Elder Mattson! We've been close since the MTC, so being able to work together for awhile was amazing! We taught Grace and she finally has Sundays off! She committed to be baptised this Saturday! She knows she needs to and is ready to be baptised, so we will do all we can to make it happen this week!

While I was with Elder Mattson, Elder Ribeiro and Elder Zamalloa found a lady named Kelly. They walked past her because they were running super late, but Elder Ribeiro felt a big prompting to go back and speak with her so he did and she was willing to see us again and come to church. We met with her on Saturday and she loved the lesson and we arranged to travel with her to church.

On Sunday she came with us to church, she loved it! After church we showed her around the whole chapel and at the end we asked her if she would be baptised and she said yes! We invited her to prepare for the 23rd and she got really emotional and said "That day a miracle will happen in my life, that's the day I was thinking about as well.". I can't add much more to that, we are so grateful, God will hasten the work in His time and in His way.

I love you all so much! Keep the faith, keep being good, and keep being happy!

Elder Draney


Monday, July 4, 2016

Happy Independence Day!

Hello my friends and family!

Today we celebrate the colonies' victory over the Mother Gentiles! What a wonderful day! We are having a barbecue with the district to celebrate, and only 3 of the 10 of us are American, so it's not only an American holiday!

It was a busy week like always. There isn't a ton of time so I will probably one or two sentences for each day.

Monday we moved the sisters. That's it. Truly. But it was a load of fun to be honest.

Tuesday went quickly without many major events.

On Wednesday we worked! And we helped clean out the sisters flat for about an hour.

Thursday was Zone Training and Elder Ribeiro's birthday! Having both of our birthdays this week was cool, we got a cake from the Cherringtons! Zone Training was a lot of fun to plan, we based everything around Faith, Obedience, and Works as well as Accountability from our mission training plan. We had a lot of activities based on the war chapters in Alma!

On Friday we went down to do a baptismal interview for a friend in Clapham named Christian. Elder Ribeiro interviewed him about an hour before he got baptised. Then we stayed he night with the Clapham Elders to go to another baptism in the morning.

Saturday night we had fufu with Sister Aidoo. When we showed up we were absolutely soaked, so she INSISTED we change into her son's dry shirts. The one I got was 15" super slim fit, so that's why it looks like body paint. A couple minutes after we got there 8 Danish men showed up! A returned missionary that knew Sister Aidoo came to visit with the young men from his ward!

It was a great week! I love you all so much! I know Christ lives, more than I know anything else.