training and more great experiences

6th Feb 2012 Dear Family, Once again I have had a wonderful week filled with joy. On Monday night I gave a priesthood blessing to Sis. L's husband, B and had a good visit with them. Tuesday we woke up early to head up to north eastern Indianapolis to Fishers Chapel for two days of leadership training. We stayed in West Indianapolis Tuesday night with the White River 2 Spanish speaking Elders at their apartment. It was helpful, they gave us a Spanish Missionary Language book that will help with our Spanish speaking investigators, T and J. Wednesday we went back up to F's for more training. Although all of that training was exhausting there was alot of revelation received and great instruction. Later that week we had some really great experiences I'd like to share with you. We had a great lesson with S, she is 65ish and retired, on Friday morning and the A's came with us. It was great lesson filled with the spirit. She committed to come to church on Sunday and she did! She stayed for all three hours. She had come in the past in 2004 quite a few times so some of the members remembered her and we're really glad to see her. She enjoyed it and committed to come again next Sunday. We are teaching her again this Tuesday. M, V S's mother in-law, came to church on Sunday as well. We weren't able to make it over to her house throughout the week but over text message she said that the first time she came she felt Welcome and comfortable and that she would try it again soon. I was so happy to see her at Church. This past week on Saturday we were in Jasonville and we felt prompted to start calling some of the members that we have never met that live in Jasonville. After calling a few we talked with one that said we could come over. We left and went staight to his house just outside of town. He joined the church while in his youth and likes and believes the doctrine and believes that the Book of Mormon is true. He has been inactive since youth but his wife passed about a year ago that he was married to for 44 years. He just had double knee surgery in November and has been doing a lot of thinking because he was forced to slow down from keeping busy. He felt he really needed to talk to someone that day and felt as did we it was not a coincidence we were led to call him. He committed to begin to read the Book of Mormon again! He said we could come back anytime. It was a great experience of being led by the spirit to deviate from the plans we had made. It is amazing the feelings of love God has given me for the people here that right when I meet them I can feel that love and they can feel and see it as well which helps them. On Sunday after church we went over to the B's and they fed us Chop Sue and we taught C again. He has his baptismal interview scheduled for Wednesday. One of the best highlights of this last week was yesterday. After teaching C I had a bad headache from going without food too long. (I know... I shouldn't of let it get that way...) I couldn't make up my mind what was the better decision, to cancel the dinner and lesson appointment with the H's or to go home before it got worse. I decided that I needed to go to the H's after I called them told them about my headache and canceled. I called them back and told them we would still come. When we got there Sister H gave me some IB Profen and J got me some Dr. Pepper. We ate Super Bowl food that was delicious just munching and munching. I started to really feel better and my headache went away. They were so kind to me and understanding about my headache. I felt the love they have for me and was really grateful we went. We talked to them about the Temple and sharing experiences and feelings of performing baptisms for the dead. J shared her experience and feelings which were touching and so familiar. We encouraged them to make a goal to go to the temple in a year as a family and to also do baptisms for the dead soon. We sang them "For the Beauty of the Earth" before we had a prayer and left. It was a really uplifting visit. I received your Valentines Package! Thank you, and Elder Petersen thank's you for the Payday and other stuff. I also received your letter Brandi and I will write you back today. I really love each one of you. I have come to learn and experience this principle. As we come closer to God we come closer together as a family. I am grateful for our family. With Love, Elder Lans Drake