The Transfer of Epic Proportional surprises.

Dear Family and Friends

        I had a fantastic week, so things worked out well. Paonessa went home and we had all P-day to do what he wanted, and then as we know I emailed on Tuesday and that was perfect for us so. On Tuesday we went back, packed Pao and got him sent off and emailed you guys. Well then we went and tried some people in the other Elders area, because I was bumming it with them basically. We had some success but mainly I was just along for the ride, but I did what I could. Well Tuesday we ran out of people so we went back in the evening and cleaned up the area book, calling people and we actually got one lesson scheduled for the morning. I learned that using the planner is actually effective, Maradiaga and Wilson didn't really us their planners and so neither did I. They, in general, didn't plan but again that just shows that different people work differently.

        We visited the appointment Wednesday morning then went to district meeting and had some fun randomness the ZL Elder Steineckie was made an AP and so Peirce was with Roberts and Roberts comp finished so that was funny having Roberts in the district Well we worked some more contacting people and we went to the movie meet the Mormons at the trail center with a family and then  we waited anxiously for the day before transfer day to see what happened.

         Well we got up and ready then Elder Wilson got a call, he was told that he was going to be training an Elder Cox then he handed the phone to me and I was told I would be training an Elder Barton. So I AM A TRAINER (A DAD!!!!!) SO THAT IS SUPER CRAZY!!! So I got to go and take the missionaries out that day (Thursday) and I took out Elders Barton and Lopez. We went and knocked my area and we gave out a Book of Mormon. It was good, they are both super cool, and Barton just needs to work on his Spanish pronunciation then he will be pretty golden.

        Well Friday, Transfer Day, I surprised him and it was fun. So we got his stuff loaded and ready to go then we waited around so that we could follow Wilson and Cox to their apartment to get my stuff and that was good. We waited for forever though, so we did a bit of twelve week and weekly planning for a while in addition to saying hello and goodbye to Elder and Sister Coleman. Well we finally got our stuff and got it unloaded and unpacked and all of Pao's left over stuff into his toat (tote). We finished planning then went shopping to replenish my fridge, because it needs some love and help because I let it get empty but luckily I was safe on dry goods. We got some food and stuff, so ya, and we will get more today, we just got enough to last us. We got a super cool first lesson in with Izela and sadly Romone didn't participate, but hopefully we can change that.

           Saturday was a great first day, we got four less active lessons in. The youth I helped with math, Kevin he left to Mexico and he was supposed to be gone until May, well HE CAME BACK JUST BEFORE SCHOOL STARTED IN JANUARY!!!!! Ya so, he went less active. He is doing well though and we are going to get him to work with us, since he has just been bumming it for a bit and ya. We also took up the challenge of trying to work with other churches in service opportunities. So far we have talked to no one really, so ya sad, they have all said sorry we're busy and stuff. So ya it is sad but we will fix that, but we really struggle in that area.

         Sunday we had a great lesson at church. Basically to unify the family is to unify the ward, and my lesson about the Gathering of Israel actually fit in rather smoothly. I know I taught it terribly but I don't feel too bad, but I will repent and do better next time for sure. Well we only were able to talk to Kevin again, and it was so funny when we met with the bishop as the Elders because the Greenies pulled out the MTC how to do it handbook and it was so cool because it works. I wanted to be like in your face everyone  MTC training is what we need and I am so glad to be training this amazingly desirous Elder. He wants to be the best as do I, so we are going to work our tails off. I am going to keep the greenie fire alive. I am training him as my equal not as an inferior and it is going so well. We are already seeing miracles, all of our specific prayers were answered. We may not have gotten the lessons like planned but we did get the miracles of finding the people, or having them go back after we saw them drive off, ETC.....  I know this work is true and I am doing well. I got sick Saturday night and I didn't feel good Sunday so I am getting better, don't worry about me.

I LOVE YOU ALL

Love

Logan J. Draper

He is gone

Dear Family and Friends

        It is very good to write you this fantastic Tuesday afternoon. I am starting on the big letter first to make sure it gets done.

        So Monday we had a long extended family home evening with a family, and the food was good, and we shared a good lesson with them and played Uno for a long, I mean long, time. I chatted with the daughter, who has a thing for either tall missionaries or Hispanic missionaries, she kind of has a thing for Elder Johnson. And I was shocked to discover she is also 19, same age as me. Ahhh run away, but nope she likes Johnson so I am safe, and ya it is funny.

          Tuesday we worked our tales off, we got three lessons in and it was super cool. We keep finding potential investigators in the store La Unica, and yes we are still teaching there. The North Elders are teaching a woman who works there, in her house, so she talks with us. We have her basically help us teach her friends. We wish we could count her as a member present because really she is just that good.  We contacted a cool referral, and she will hopefully start to progress. We taught a super stubborn but cool less active, who is starting to come back to church.We are helping them start to gain a testimony of the Book of Mormon more than they had so it was and is cool to work with them.

           Wednesday We didn't have to much luck until the late evening, when we found an investigator in his house. We taught him and his girlfriend. Teaching when you find and finding when you teach is the coolest way to find because people always have friends that need the gospel, and they are always more than curious about those Mormons.

           Thursday we had exchanges, which was a nice little change but kind of sad, because Elder Paonessa and I had gotten our disagreement fixed and all worked out but ya.

          Friday was basically exchanges all over again because they got back late and then we stayed at their place. We did get our planning in and taught to awesome lessons. The best was these investigators that the sisters had and gave to us, because they are really ready to progress and ,as elders, we bring in the baptisms. Sisters soften them up then we come in and really teach them. They really accepted The Restoration and the invitation to read

          Saturday Pao got a hair cut after a member baptism. At the hair cut we met a guy, who is a friend of the member, who was cutting his hair. We basically, with the conversations, ended up teaching him The Restoration, and it was so cool because it was a simple, easy, painless, and not awkward member present.

           Sunday was Pao's farewell day, basically when we saw tons of members and it was good. We ended up staying at the north elders place for p-day the next day.

           P-day nothing really exciting more splits so that Pao could say bye to all of his old investigators and such so ya it was fun and cool. We stayed at their place this past night because he and Wilson didn't get back until about 10:00 so ya. We got up early and went back to my place to get him packed and that was my week. I love you all.

Love Elder Logan J. Draper

Big Letter of complete awesomeness because I got a package!

Dear Family and Friends

        I am super excited to be writing you. This is my last week here with Elder Paonessa. He leaves next Wednesday, but really we separate on Tuesday, and from then until Friday I am in a trio, which will be interesting to see how that goes.

        So Monday was a complete flop in regards to work. We had played basketball and then we ended up going to dinner at a members house, but we had to wait for the husband to get home. So we got done around eight, because I don't really know why. Then we just went home after the other Elders dropped us off at our car, because it was 8:45 and we had no set appointments.

        Tuesday we had some good lessons and appointments, we also had an oil change. So I got some extra study time and scripture marking time for a lesson we were going to be doing on the Plan of Salvation, which when it came to the lesson it was a rebuke of the false doctrine that not all people are children of God and you need to read The Book of Mormon. If people would sincerely read The Book of Mormon how much greater our success would be and, wow, so much is dependent on this one book, and we are paralyzed without it. Well we did splits to try doing two lessons at once. One with a man named Rigo, who reads but never comes to church and he is super hard to contact, and the other with a neighbor of a member. I took a member to Rigo's, but he wasn't there so we tried some other people. Then we decided to offer our help to these people moving some tools. Then we tried to explain to this Catholic guy some of our beliefs, but he wouldn't hear it. So I just let him rail on me, because it is Spanish and I can't fight him but I could prove him wrong. Ya it frustrated me. Then we went and had a lesson with a MA family and it was good. They are going to do better about reading The Book of Mormon, Yah!!!!

          Wednesday we had a super long zone training and also it was so cold they canceled school, the wimps. It was only 10 degrees Farenheight but supposedly it was supposed to be colder and work, such as construction jobs, were cancelled. There was set a maximum of 15 min. outside due to the cold temperatures, but that doesn't really matter because we have a car. We got two good mini lessons in and I felt like it went well over all, except for the hour or more over zone training but whatever.

         Thursday we got two great Member presents with our bishop, he is such a great guy I love working with him. We also went to dinner at Grand China Buffet and I gave out a Book of Mormon, it was awesome.

           Friday we had a good weekly planning session and, sadly, we didn't find anyone at home. We had dinner with the Ortega Family. Hermana loves me because I love her food and I compliment it, and I am a hard worker  and she can see it I am the obedient one. She feeds me and Pao despite her not liking Pao, which is kind of sad but he offended her in my first transfer. Saturday was also slow not really finding anyone, but we are working on our potentials.

             Sunday we had a super cool member present where we had me rebuke the investigator and the member fix it up and make them feel better . It was so nice, the Spirit was strong, and I think that they are now going to start to read The Book of Mormon for real, even if just a verse a day. I am excited to see their progress.

I love you all and this gospel and I will write you next week

LOVE Logan J. Draper the Elder Draper

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Sincerely,
Elder Logan Joseph Draper

Boring boring Ugly warm, SNOW! It's so FLUFFY I COULD DIE!

Dear Family and Friends

        I am thankful for this opportunity to write you and share some of the craziness of my life with you all. Monday was pretty good we had some times with the other Elders, going out to dinner and mainly window shopping at Burlington, though I did get a tie. We went and visited a family that just got back in town from a vacation, and that was fun. Our family home evening postponed to the next day.

         Tuesday was President's Interviews, and mine went well. We talked about leadership and I was asking how do I lead without being a leader, because I need to help and I have ideas and things to contribute but how can I do that better. We talked and he explained start with Charity, "charity never faileth." So I am working on charity. I am also setting my Only Spanish goals back into effect, and things are going well so far. He also hinted that I might get some form of leadership if I endure this time with Elder Paonessa well. Well after that we went and taught some lessons, and it was good. We got four lessons in, two investigators and one less active and the family home evening. The FHE really just ended up being the Father, the Mother, and her brand new baby and us because the other kids ran off. So it was still good. The baby is learning English and Spanish, so that is good.

           Wednesday was a good, weird day. We had district meeting then we went to lunch at Subway, and that was fun. Then we went and came back to our area then, after trying one person, we decided to go and try some people in Council Bluffs. That went pretty well, we got some times to go back and visit. We then had to go all the way from Council Bluffs back to the church to get some chairs for a member for their party. Luckily they invited us and we went got food, and then the Hermanas showed up. Hermana Buhler went home early so Sister Savage, a sister training leader, is now Spanish and that is the third missionary in a row sister Carlson has sent home. Hermano Miranda read our minds when we were talking to him, and he said "if she (Sister Savage) goes home then we know it is her(Hermana Carlson)." So ya, it was funny but sad to see Hermana Buhler leave.

            Thursday I woke up and it was a new year ahhhh! Ya I did not stay up late. Well we got some more good lessons in and we are working hard and things are going well. I can't wait to see one of the people again, because, hopefully, he prayed about the truthfulness of The Book of Mormon. His mom is so funny because she is still all gangster, "I grew up in the hood but I'm a good Mormon now. Ya Dang Fetch ,oh my heck." She stopped swearing, which surprised her brother, so ya she is awesome.

            Friday we did weekly planning and then visited people. We actually got a lesson with this one kid, who wanted to talk to us. Better things had never worked out until we happened to show up, and he was just walking up to the house as well, so it was super cool. He will be getting baptized, I have faith in that. We had a sweet conversation with this member, who really just needed someone to talk to. Her daughter rebuked this christian lady who was complaining about Mormons being boring for not having rock bands and being so old fashioned.She put the lady down with the true doctrines of Christ. Then when she got to middle school, she went to the JW (Jehovah Witness) school versus the other Christian school, she and the other Mormon girl threw down in defense of their religion against the JWs (Jehovah Witnesses). So ya, they were cool stories.

           Saturday was warm, we did service. I wore regular proselyting shoes. We did some sheet-rocking and it was fun, and pretty easy. We got some good lessons in. We taught our recent converts Alexis and Serenity and it was fun. I am getting them Book of Mormon stories books, so that will be fun for them and their families to study.

           Sunday snowed out the wazoo and it was super sketchy driving. Luckily I am good at what I do and I was safe. Now it is snowing more and it is going to be fun. I love you all and I pray for you. Keep studying the scriptures daily and praying, it is super important.

Love Logan J. Draper

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Sincerely,
Elder Logan Joseph Draper