Just hangin out with President Wada like it's NBD.

Hello there! Happy birthday!!! (On the 27th)

I'm doing good! This week was the fastest week of my life literally!  I've just been in the office almost all day everyday and so the days feel like seconds and the weeks feel like minutes. Everything is just blurring together! The new missionaries come in about three weeks. There are 15 and the next batch will be 23! The triple companionship is going well! I love to speak Japanese with Elder Hattanda. It's a nice break from English.  President Warnick comes this next Tuesday! Crazy! It's sad to see president and sister Wada leave but I'm excited to see how things will be different.  President Wada took me shopping! He told me he was going to get me anything I needed for being tech staff. I called Elder Dunn, a previous tech elder, and asked what I should get. He talked to me for an hour on which computer I should buy. Then president took me and it turned out to not be that kind of thing at all haha. I helped him buy the right case for his phone and then I got a cord I needed. Then he took me out to eat at a really nice Indo curry shop! It was so fun just the two of us! He also put me in his office and had me transfer all of his files on his computer. It was fun!

That's so cool that you got to go to San Francisco! Especially that you went to China and Japan town! So those temples are everywhere like in your picture. Not so much in kichijoji but there is still at least three I know of within about a ten minute walk. But ya Japan is very clean! There are no public trash cans besides combinis (convient stores).  China town is always fun. It's funny because the china town in Yokohama is just filled with Japanese people so it's like I'm in China but I can still communicate with people! I'm not so sure about the difference between Japanese and Chinese people haha. I can tell them apart of course but I'm not sure. It's funny Koreans and Japanese and Chinese are really easy to tell apart now. When president Wada does his hair a certain way and then puts these glasses on he totally looks Korean haha it's pretty funny. There's actually not too many homeless people here. Except for in Fussa under the bridge. There is a village of hobos in the trees. They actually have descent ply sized houses made of cardboard! Oh ya Tokyo I think is rated the safest city in the world or something like that. I've never felt threatened or in danger of any kind. I could walk around a night and feel safe. Of course I would run into
drunk people but even the drunk people here are nice! The scariest people here are the foreigners like Americans. There's been like a rape and murder and something just happened recently from Americans that come off the base and messed things up. Down in Okinawa, I think Okinawa at least, the Americans aren't allowed to leave the base anymore. They are really hurting relations with Japan and America. How is America holding on? Is it about to fall apart any second? It sounds crazy over there.

I'm so excited for everybody to leave for missions at home! I still can't believe I've been out long enough for other people to be leaving from Mountain Home though. They will love it! I can't wait for them to really feel what it's like to be a missionary. I love Japan so much. I love them a little bit more every day. I'm excited for the future and to be able to help the missionaries at home when it comes to that! Please try to get to know the missionaies and invite them over and things like that. Do everything you can to help them with the work. I promise you will find an unknown joy in the gospel. 

So like I said this week I've been in the office almost nonstop when I'm not doing something else. We got to go to the temple on Wednesday! I'm not sure when they are closing the temple. 

So we were in the office a lot but we also had a lot of activities. First we had president Wada's last fireside. There were tons of people! The on Sunday we of course went to church and then we stayed a bit longer for an 8 year old girl’s baptism. It was amazing! There were so many people there and the spirit was so strong. After church we had some extra time we planned to go visit a less active, the one we randomly found in the city. It took us about an hour to walk there because we were talking with as many people as we could. We found two guys and one had a guitar. So we stopped them and talked to them I told them I used to play guitar. (It would have been so cool if Audrey was there! She would have blown their minds!) I asked them if they would play us a song. One was the singer. The guitar player was really good. The the guy sang. It was a very interesting voice. It was a Bob Dillan song but his voice was just really choppy and staccato. But it was way fun! Then he gave me his guitar to play and I literally remember 0% of the things I used to know about guitar haha. He taught me a couple chords. The singer had met missionaries before. We invited them to come to sports night. 

We had zone meeting on Thursday and I played the Joseph smith medley again! I had like no time to practice. I messed up pretty bad a couple times but I didn't care. I just wanted everybody to think about how wonderful the restoration is and how God has blessed us so much. 

I got another letter from Aunt Carilee about our ancestors. I love those! The latest one, at least I think I was reading the latest one, talked about when he was serving his mission in the northwest states mission. He had never given a public talk. He took a box and stood on it on the corner of the street and he said that he talked and talked as loud as he could until he felt comfortable doing it. And people filled the streets to hear his words. I loved that even though he felt inadequate about speaking in public he realized he had been called of God and that no matter what he was going to fulfill what was expected of him even if he felt awkward at it at first. 

I love you all so much! 

Elder Draper

Haydon translated a district meeting!

Hey mom!

This week was probably the fastest week I've ever had! We've literally been in the office almost all day every day. It's getting pretty hot here! Well that's what I've heard. I've been inside. Haha just kidding we do get to go outside sometimes. Like right now I walked over to QB House to get my haircut. I'm just waiting right now. It's definitely hot here! It's gonna get much hotter they say. Yes elder shimizu left so now me, elder Nichalson and now Elder Hattanda are a three!三人伝道it’s a little weird. But it's way fun! We speak English one day and then we all speak Japanese the next. I translated for district meeting yesterday. It was the first time I've done it into Japanese from English. It was so fun! I was reading somewhere where someone was asked if he could play the piano and he said "I don't know, I haven't tried it yet!" So I decided to try translating into Japanese. So much easier than doing it from Japanese to English! I felt like it was really good. Afterwards Sister Yano, a Japanese sister, told me that she was able to feel the spirit through my translation. She said it's really hard to interpret and still have the spirit testify through your words. That made me feel pretty good.  I'm still working way hard at Japanese everyday though! 

I hope you get the package soon! Give it a couple months haha. 

But ya we invited Hideki San to be baptized on July 16. He didn't say no, it was more like he's really busy and doesn't know when and how often he can meet. But he said he felt like the Book of Mormon was divine! 

We also have Kousuke San who were working pretty close progressing but very slowly. He's really nice. 

We haven't done very many cool things on pday really. Next week we might go to Costco in Hachioji! I bought a gold star membership card the day I moved out of Tokorozawa, which had a Costco. So I'm excited to use that haha. But there is a rally really beautiful park like ten minutes away with lots of nature, a huge pond in the middle, a nice Japanese temple on the side, a fountain. It's extremely pretty. It's called inokashira park if you want to look it up. 

I don't use Facebook very much, if I do it's just to post something or check a notification. I don't browse much it just takes so much time. But I did see the boys pictures! So stinkin cute. 

This week I had to call all the missionaries who have downloaded apps they weren't supposed to.  There were like 8 people. Now I have to call and follow up with everybody who hasn't done some technology training yet. That's 47 people. It's taking so long! I'm almost done putting all the contacts into President and Sister Warnick's iPhones. 

On Thursday I did the Facebook training by myself for the first time! It went really well! It was in Hachioji. Afterward we got lunch with a ward member there. It is called gogo curry. It was a big bowl of curry rice with tonkatsu( breaded pork). It was so good. My stomach really hurt for like the rest of the day. I actually stayed home from sports night because it hurt so bad. 

Japanese political situations is alright I think. They sure never talk about it, they are always asking us about American stuff and were like "we literally have no clue what's going on over there." Haha. I heard about some stuff about California though. It's so awful. What's America going to be like when I get home? Not going to lie it kind of scares me to think about what America will be like when I get there! (I told him we were moving to Canada so we may not be at the plane when he get’s home!)

Well that's about my week. I got your package! Thank you so much for the tortillas! I was extremely excited haha. I also got a package from the Sessions! I know it was for my birthday. But I knew I wasn't going to be able to not open it for a month so I just opened it now haha. But I still consider it as my birthday gift! I was very shocked to find jerky in it! It's illegal to send beef jerky from America to Japan hahaha I don't know how it got through customs but I love it! So grateful! Love you Sessions! 

Yep that's about my week. Just lots and lots and lots of office work. President started moveing out yesterday. Everybody is still here they are just moving to Hiroo which is where the temple is. He is becoming the director of temporal affairs over Asian north! So he's not going far. They are just sleeping in their house right now and that's about it. He has a son on a mission in the US and an 18 year old son.

He gave us this white elephant gift. I'll let you wait for the Video I will email  hahaha it was very fun. 

Ok now that's it. 

I love you so much!

ドレーパー長老

Haydon has learned to never ship items via boat.

Hello mother!

Haha its Tech Staff not tech team.  But it's just me, so I get along with myself I think haha.   I'm setting up president and sister Warnick's new iPhones right now. Kind of weird because I just have like two iPhones that I'm always using in the office.

So usually we change p day to Tuesday and don't have it on Monday when we go to the temple but we went a couple weeks ago. I forgot to tell you because we still had the normal p day on Saturday and then we went on Tuesday. (well that was confusing, but I got it!) It was really good though. We don't know when for sure when it will close though. (the Temple is going to be remodeled) The land that the temple is on is the most expensive piece of property the church owns. Crazy right! We actually only have the land on a 100 year lease. I'm not sure what they will do when they need to renew it. It would be jacked up on the price I'm sure because they know we want the land. 

We have Hideki, who I found last week at 英会話(English class). He agreed to meet with us again the following week. We met him and he is so good! We invited him to be baptized and he said yes! We are still working on a date but it was so good! I know that there are people out there being prepared to hear the gospel. It's an amazing feeling to see someone learn about their Heavenly Father and savior. Especially when they accept it and desire to strengthen their relationship with them. 

So I found out from somebody that if you do the slow shipping from Japan, which I did, it goes by boat and usually doesn't arrive for another three or so months. Now we know for the future. Don't do that!! haha. So I have no idea when you will get it. Just keep your eye out for it! (he sent home 2 boxes about a month ago and it’s still not here, I was getting a little worried!)

My companion now is Elder Nichalson. He is from....(drum role please)... Pocatello Idaho!!! He's way nice. He is a transfer 14 and will go home soon. Well in a couple transfers. 

Yes by the way, sister Warnick did serve in Taiwan and speaks Chinese. I set up her Siri to speak Chinese hahaha. 

I'm so glad to hear that everything is going so well at home! Tripp is getting so big! Don't let him get too big, ok? No it's good for him to grow. But he can already touch the bottom of the pool!? Wow that's awesome! I'm sure Krue would love to swim alone haha.

Being more in Tokyo is pretty cool. It has all the stereotypes you think of when you think of Tokyo. The millions of people everywhere you go, the bright signs on the side of the buildings, there are more white people here because it is a big city though. They are always so mean. White people in Japan, besides missionaries, are intimidating to talk to you. They just blow you off like you don't exist. Well Japanese people do that too, but you would think the white people would stop to talk like "hey we're the same!" You know. But they don't haha. That's ok. 

So this week I got some packages from the area office! I got some iPhones and a new iPad for president Wada! I need to ship 5 iPads to Sapporo and 15 to the area office. People keep asking me all these hard questions about iPads and the apps and stuff. I'm like I literally have no control over your problems!  haha. So then I call the area office and they are either never open or it's always the same girl. Yang. She's from China. Not the area office actually, it's some big global service center in Provo. 

But ya I've been in the office a lot a lot this week. But we have had many cool miracles in seeing a lot of new investigators and teaching lessons! I know that God is blessing us because even though we don't have a normal missionary life we are fulfilling the responsibilities given to us. 

I want you to know how much I really love you. Thank you for teaching me all the right things. I wouldn't be here or the kind of man I am now without you. I found my favorite hymn this week. I've never heard it before this but it is hymn 226. I keep it in mind as I work. Please read or sing it! 

I love you all so so much. Thank you for everything. 

Elder Draper

Business man Haydon!

Hello there mother!

This week was really hard. It was stressful and really sad. Very very long too. But it was great at the same time!!! I love hard work! I love the feeling of accomplishment knowing that the lord helped you the whole way through. It's a fantastic feeling. So this week was transfer week so that means me and Elder Belnap sent to the transfer calls last week and then this week we got the new missionaries! There were ten new missionaries but two didn't come on the first day because of visa issues. But they only came a day late. The new missionaries came and we went to the Wada home immediately for dinner. It was just like when I got here my first day! It was so cool to see it all over again but from a transfer 6 perspective rather than a transfer 1 perspective.  Can't believe it has already been that long ago that I came to Japan! Me and Elder Belnap gave our training. It was good. He is a very funny guy so when he gives trainings he is really funny about everything and people love it. I may be funny sometimes but my overall air is a little bit most serious, especially when it comes to trainings and presentations. So my trainings will maybe be not like his so much. But they all loved the videos that he made! We got fed every meal for like three and a half days this week because of the new missionaries and the going home missionaries, with them we ate at the Wada home. I still hadn't figured out the problems with the iPads. I had called the church headquarters like 3 times and each time they either didn't answer or told me to call tomorrow. After much prayer and faith and miracles, and doing lots of random stuff, 6 out of the 10 started working! It was great! I put all the cases on and I'm really good at putting in screen protectors now! Bubble free! Then the going home missionaries came to the office. That was a big mix of feelings. I had to erase all of their iPads but it was so weird being still a transfer 6 missionary in a room full of 12 missionaries going home the very next day. It was making me homesick but I got through it. The hardest one though was Elder Masaki. He was only my companion for three weeks but man it was tough to be there as he left. The day they left president Wada gathered them all in a circle and told them all how much he loved them and for them to give their parents a big hug from president and sister Wada. He started to tear up because this is his last wave of going home. He leaves the 28th of this month! Me elder Richardson and elder Nichalson drove the car to the bus stop with their carry on stuff while they walked with president Wada and sister Wada. Then we unloaded  their stuff and they got on the bus and left. I did more than that this week but it's just been all hectic and stuff. 

But now I am the Tech Staff! I think I'll do fine but it's just a little nerve racking being the only one now. My new companion is Elder Nichalson , who has been in my apartment the whole time who is the recorder! Soon we will be joined by Elder Hattanda who is being trained to be the commissarian right now. Is commissarian even a real word? I have no clue because it always puts a red squiggle line under it! 

I had a business meeting yesterday with President Wada and two other business men about the mission portal. I'm going to be the only one who has knowledge about our mission portal website when the new mission President comes. It was way weird because I'm just a missionary but I was like in a business meeting with a presentation and everything! Way weird.

Oh dear I love that he (Krue) is speaking so much now! And that's so cool that Tripp gets to do real baseball now! I'm sure  he's doing great!

Oh my goodness! I didn't hear about Willow! That is SO exciting!!! We will be neighbors! Do you know which mission is hers!? Elder Roses little brother just got called to go to Korea so it may be the same mission! 

I hope you get the package! It's got some priceless things in there! Of course they are just objects but they have really good memories attached to them each. 

Well mom, it's been 10 months since I got out of the car on the curb and started this adventure. I've been through a lot already and I have learned more than I had ever expected. I'm not in a third world country like Tanner like I always thought I would be, but it doesn't matter, I love this work so much. I love Japan and the 日本人(Japanese people)that live here. They may be mostly hard hearted, but I know those have been prepared are out there. We look hard for them. We just found two investigators recently! One from Taiwan and one from here. (He told me that they proselyte when they can and work around that schedule) I have come to know that when it comes to having true joy, true success, true love and all things that are worth while, the only thing that works is to turn outward. When the soul needs healing, that healing will only be found if we turn our focus outward and not inward. The more we focus on ourselves the less we are able to accomplish the things God has in store for us. It's true that we need to take care of ourselves and make sure our own lives are inline and that we are doing al we can to learn and progress towards where our Heavenly Father is, but it is all worthless unless we turn out to help out here along the way. The feeling you get when you know you have helped someone come closer to God is unmatched. I love this work and I love my Heavenly Father and I love all of you for supporting me and for being patient with me as I learned for myself the truth. 

I love you all so much!

Elder Draper

ドレーパー長老

Fun fact: He said there are 150 missionaries in his mission.

His lunch. It's called Tonkatsu and he bought it in a vending machine.