Transfer Week! Also Engrish Class!

Hey Fam, 

Elder Hegsted is being transferred to Fayetteville and I am staying here in Roll. My new companion is Elder Harding and I don't think I know anything about him. The good news is I get the big bed now. I'll keep the smaller closet in the office though, because I'm just that nice of a guy. 

The bad news is that we ran out of toilet paper last night, so now I have to buy it. How lame is that? If you thought buying that kind of stuff is annoying in real life, try buying it on a mission. "Well I like nice toilet paper, but I like eating with my missionary friends more...I can't buy in bulk because who knows how long I'll stay here....but I'll probably need more than 6 rolls...well, I don't know how much my new companion will use it up. Maybe he gets chronic nosebleeds."

hashtag missionary problems. 

Well, I don't know how many of you heard about Sister Vea, but I feel like it's appropriate to mention her. A sister in our mission was involved in a car accident this week, and she passed away on Friday. I don't know any of the missionaries that were involved in the accident, and I'm on the other side of the mission, so I'm doing okay. I can't imagine how difficult this kind of thing is for the sister's family, President and Sister Shumway, the missionaries involved and around her, and the member that was driving. We don't know all of the details, but we do know a little bit. Please keep her and all of those people in your prayers. It's times like these that I'm grateful for, and take comfort in the Plan of Salvation. 

Now on to happy things. 

On Tuesday we went on an exchange with the Salem Elders. I was with Elder Hatch, who I very much enjoyed being with. We taught some sweet lessons, connected with some sweet members/less-active members and watched "Hope of God's Light" a lot. It's one of the newer Mormon Messages. Good stuff. 

Wednesday we had Zone Conference which was awesome and uplifting as always. That lasted about all day because it was in Springfield. Oh! We sang. Elder Hegsted volunteered us when we had interviews with President. Well, originally he volunteered himself and Elder Densley and when he said to me, "I'm planning on honing your piano skills," I said, "No you are not." But then I felt bad because they were kind of hopeless and didn't have anybody to play. So I chose the song and sang while I played piano. Billy Joel/Elton John style. I don't know if it actually sounded any good, but I only messed up the piano once. So that was awesome. 

I've discovered that there are fewer things more entertaining than charming really old ladies in rest homes. They're so friendly and nice! We do crosswords out loud with them ever Friday and they basically love us and think we're the best. I sang a few bars of some Johnny Cash songs that were in the puzzle. I basically feel like a celebrity. Then I go into the real world where I'm chubby and a Mormon missionary that people don't want to listen to. Well that's another weird thing. People either love the missionaries or really don't like us. That's a topic for another day I suppose, though. 

Friday was a sort-of recent convert's birthday. We go see her all the time because her apartment complex is full of people that aren't Mormon that are all friends. It's kind of the low class deal. Like, a step above (or maybe below) a trailer park. Okay, it's like the city version of a trailer park. Good good people, just rough around the edges. And maybe a little in the middle too. It's like those people that never quite grow up, but are grown and have kids, yknow? Anyway. Amy, this recent convert, is awesome. And she also loves Betty Boop. We hunted and hunted for Betty Boop stuff, but apparently it's hard to get these days. Finally we found a Betty Boop purse for like 15 bucks at a cute little consignment/thrift sort of shop. She loved it and we're basically awesome. Side bonus: At goodwill, some guy with really good taste must have died or something. I scored 12 bowties and a bag of cufflinks for super cheap. It was AWESOME. 

We had an awesome lesson with Tommy this week too. He's on parole, so it will be a while before he's baptized, but it is so cool to see how strongly people can feel the Spirit. I love it. There is really nothing better than seeing somebody embrace the gospel of Jesus Christ and watch it change their lives. How cool is that? It's the best. 

We had a bunch of people at church again this week. Most of them are pretty independent and know what's going on, but it's still a little bit crazy for those who are newer and need some more help. We taught Gospel Principles this week because it was on missionary work so that was awesome too. We rocked it. 

Okay peeps. I love you bunches. Had a good week. GO have a good week! 

Love y'allses, 

Elder Christopher Drake

Aug 18th

Dear Family, 

Now I have a small taste of what it feels like to be a parent at church, except I didn't get to mooch off of my kids' Cheerios. 

We had TWELVE investigators at church. Talk about running around like crazy trying to make sure everybody was taken care of. Thank Heavens for members who are on the ball. That was probably the most exciting thing about this week. It was pretty much like Christmas. 

Other fun/interesting/inspiring things we did this week:

Went on an exchange with one of the Zone Leaders. It was kind of like going on an exchange with a robot. I guess all of my leaders have always been really personable and so it was a little weird to spend a day with someone who was not. We did good work though, and got a new investigator due to his fearless talking to people skills. I suppose that's one of the benefits that come with being super awesome completely fearless and dedicated. We'll get there. 

Caroline, an investigator for some times was able to come to church this week, which was a miracle. She's got all sorts of crazy stuff going on in her life and it really was awesome for her. We fasted together on Saturday, and she got some miracles! It never gets old seeing the Lord do crazy awesome things for the people that go looking for him for reals. 

Tommy, another investigator loved church. He felt the Spirit super strong and said he hadn't felt that good in a very long time. 10 points for the true church! 

Saturday was Elder Hegsted's birthday. I took him to Waffle House for breakfast, because that's what you do for your companion on his birthday. I had never been to Waffle House and was pleasantly surprised. I might stick with Denny's though. We'll see. We also went to Meramac Springs Park with a part-member family. Elder Hegsted did his usual running around looking for animals and telling us all about them, complete with catching a trout with his hands. I enjoyed throwing the fat fish some food and watching them all race towards it. It was good times. 

Okay peeps. 

You rock. 

That was my week. 

Love you alls!

Elder Christopher Drake

Hey Buuud(s)

Sorry for the late e-mail peeps, we were invited to a fish (and everything else) fry for lunch and we were doing stuff this morning. The guy who fried up the fish and taters for us is a less-active guy. One of those guys that really has no reason for not coming to church, but is a really good guy and fun to be with and has all sorts of stories that are either funny, depressing, vulgar, or all three. He's Roni. Good guy.

Anyway.

Pshspshpsh, good week. Had exchanges with the Salem elders. They're a tiny little branch whose branch president is a senior missionary and the second counselor is one of the elders. Good people over there. I was with Elder Densley who is the second counselor and he's a champ. Oh! And they had a really comfy double bed. Or full. One of the two. Regardless, I fit on it and it was like heaven. That's the good stuff right there.

We picked up a new awesome investigator. His name is Tommy and he's sweet. We had dinner at a member's house and he was there and was open and then we met with him on Saturday and it was great and the Spirit was there and he said he'd come to church and then he didn't and we were sad. But that's okay, because that's what next week is for! He's a real good guy though, and we're excited to teach him. We pulled some hardcore missionary skillz on him like really planning out the lesson good and extending bold invitations and stuff and it was sweet.

We're working with a few other peeps and hopefully we'll be seeing some real progress soon. Busy busy busy, which is good. We had interviews with President this week and he told me some neat stuff. We were talking about desires and he said, "You can tell what a person really wants by what they're doing right now. People that are in prison can't say, 'I don't want to be in prison,' because if that were really true, they wouldn't have done whatever it was to put them there in the first place." Good point. I pictured myself wanting an awesome life and great family and being all righteous and stuff and then sitting on the couch playing video games and eating an entire box of Cheez-Itz. And it's sad sometimes, because too often that's really what I want to do. I say to myself, "Psh, no, I don't want that, who wants that? That's a pathetic sad life." and then before I know it I'm standing on the couch fist-pumping with Cheez-Itz flying across the room because I finally beat Bowser. I think that's part of what the prophet meant when he quoted that poem:

Good timber does not grow with ease,

The stronger wind, the stronger trees.

The further sky, the greater length.

The more the storm, the more the strength.

By sun and cold, by rain and snow,

In trees and men good timbers grow

Obviously trials and stuff make you stronger, but I think sometimes it's easy to hang out in the "spiritual greenhouse" where it's safe and stuff. There's probably an environmentalist greenhouse gasses metaphor in there too.

We drive a lot here. We're probably going to have to take a walking day or something. Those are the pittiest.

In other news, Elder Hegsted and I have decided to have a "Work Harder than President Shumway" week here sometime in the future. The goal is what the title suggests and it's going to be horrifically sweet. I guess that's what the 18 month mark will do to you. Which is Wednesday by the way.

Weird.

Also time to start eating healthy. I may or may not have bought a bag of Red Vines and some chips today in preparation for swearing off junk food.

Love you guys, hope your weeks are super duper and all that jazz.

Elder Christopher Drake

Deep Fried Tacos

Hey Fam,

Preeetty good week this week. A couple of the families we teach were out of town, so that was kinda a bummer, but the good news is that one of them went to Nauvoo and brought me back one of those Prairie Diamond ring things. Heck yeah. Unfortunately it only fits on my pinky ring, but I feel like I'm gangster enough to pull it off.

Let us see what happened this week.

On Monday we played volleyball with some sweet recent converts and a couple investigators. It was the kind of volleyball that will drive you nuts if you know how to play volleyball, but it's all about the attitude, so that's cool.

I don't remember what happened Tuesday. I probably should have brought my planner so I could remember things.

After District meeting on Wednesday we went to a hibachi place that was pretty dang good, and also pretty cheap. I enjoyed it thoroughly. The guy who did the grill couldn't speak English very well, but luckily when he said "sake bomb" to our senior missionary, Elder Colson, it was just barely intelligible. It's a good thing he was paying attention too, or that could've turned out a little bad.

Saturday was probably the highlight of the week. We went up to Cuba, Missouri and I had Jack in the Box for the first time since I've been on my mission. I didn't even know they had Jack in the Box this far east! It was pretty much a Christmas miracle. Here is a picture of me with my Jumbo Jack, Curly Fries, 2 tacos, and topped off with Strawberry Fanta. It was truly a good lunch.

My stomach may or may not have hurt a little bit afterwards. Worth it.

We taught a sweet lesson to Jim, this investigator we have who's trying to quit smoking. He talks a lot. We used the example of the Brother of Jared who had to come up with solutions to his problems before the Lord would step in. A lot of the time that's just how it works, if not all of the time. We have to put in our part and then the Lord makes the miracle happen. The miracles not usually as awesome as glowing stones and seeing the finger of the Lord, but sometimes we look back and say, "Oh. Hey. That worked out. That was cool."

I was reading that the other day and trying to focus on the details. I thought it was neat that the brother of Jared goes to the Lord with two questions, and the Lord pretty much completely ignores one of them and gives him the answer to the other. Then instead of asking the other question again, the brother of Jared goes and does what the Lord told him to, then after that's done comes back with the other question again. How cool is that? Even the prophets have to walk in faith a little bit. One step at a time sort of deal. That makes me feel better about being such a weiner.

Okee doke folks, that's about all I've got to report on this week. Keep being awesome and all that jazz and keep us in your prayers this week!

Love y'alls, 

Elder Christopher Drake

Man that picture's making me hungry.