December 31, 2018

Ended the year with a good email from Mason -

"We also got some news. I have a new companion! I'm still in Little Rock but there was an emergency transfer because some other missionaries were struggling so I'm here with my good friend Elder Thrasher. I'm super excited for these next couple weeks and it should be way good. We're gonna work harder than ever and start off the new year with a bang!"

He also mentioned finishing the musical tributes which he loved.  I asked him about Elder Seastrand being there because he's in a different zone and he said, "He just came cause he can sing! He's got the voice of an angel!"  I just laughed.

 (Seastrand, Draper, Andersen, Thrasher - reunited from the Cabot days.)

December 30, 2018

Having such a good time hanging out with the Randalls over the break.  Kenz even came with me to visit my parents.

December 29, 2018

D and I had an awesome little getaway to Moab:

Double arch.

Gilibertos - no me gusta.

Hot chocolate!

Watching “Terminal” chilling at the motel. 

Drive to Monument Valley to see nothing but snow and fog covering buttes. 

Park avenue. Love this hike!

Milt’s drive inn.

More hot chcolate. 

Awesome hike to jeep arch with an amazing vast view from inside the arch.

December 25, 2018

Merry Christmas! Talking to Mason was awesome. I just love hearing his laugh. We had a good day being together.

December 24, 2018

Finished the Book of Mormon challenge from president Nelson in October. Awesome. I loved this challenge. It reminded me that our Savior is just and merciful.

Email from Mason -

This week was basically only raking leaves and teaching lessons. Which I guess are kinda some of the best parts of missionary work so I can't complain. We raked so many leaves though. For those of you who don't know, there are on average about 97 trees per backyard here in Arkansas. If you do the math, that equals a lot of leaves. And guess who are crazy enough to offer to rake them? That's right, the missionaries! So we raked about 3 tons of leaves and had a good time doing it. 

This week, my invitation would just be to remember Christ more in your lives. Being as it is Christmas, it is the perfect time to do so. We are to "always remember him" so I would challenge everyone to try to do that this Christmas week.

December 23, 2018

Christmas sacrament meeting was awesome. Singing in the choir and enjoying the talks and music was a wonderful pre Christmas sabbath. Christmas lights at Temple Square topped off the Sabbath.

President Uchtdorf - First, rejoice in the birth of our Savior. We celebrate the birth of the Son of God, the Creator, our Messiah. We rejoice that the King of kings came to earth, was born in a manger, and lived a perfect life. When Jesus was born, the joy in heaven was so great it could not be contained, and angelic hosts parted the veil, proclaiming unto shepherds “good tidings of great joy, … praising God, and saying, Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.”

December 22, 2018

Oh Kanab. You served your purpose of getting us together. Coral pink sand dunes. Way fun. Sand as “cold as lake water” in some spots. Other spots just right. Rylie falling flat was kind of funny. Wire Pass was a great little hike with a cool slot. I mean it’s always great to sit on red rock with your family and chat and eat lunch. Toadstools were overrated and Horseshoe bend was a crazy madhouse but still we smiled and laughed. Pizza is a great end to a day. We were able to watch skyscraper and Meg and some watched a lord of the rings. “Who farted?” was said many, many times. We found a new fun game in Quix. Also Kenzie sniffing after she farted and then saying - well I needed to know if it stunk - had Ry and I laughing and laughing. Huntress Canyon was a good before drive hike. Cool light sand color that contrasted the red rock. Good stop at my parents. Don’t forget carbon nachos in Fillmore and the amazing sunset in Kanab.

December 18, 2018

Two good things today. First driving to work and Blurry Face by 21 Pilots comes on and that song always makes me smile as I think of Mason. Second, came out from work and there is a truffle on my car with a sweet note from my friend Kelly. She’s like the best friend ever.

December 17, 2018

Mason is staying in Little Rock. Little Rock Christmas. We decided that should be a song. Good email -
“This week has been good. And crazy. So it was crazy good.”  

“We also did a lot of service to try and #LightTheWorld. We raked lots of leaves and volunteered at a food pantry. I seriously love the Christmas season because it gives us so many opportunities to serve and to think of Jesus Christ.”  

“But let me just tell you how much I love the south. The people here are so kind and generous. And nowhere else can you see cars driving down the streets who's license plates say things like go2chrch and I love how everyone has so much faith down here.”

He took a picture of him sporting his new sweatshirt Cmas present.

 

 

 

 

December 16, 2018

Ry has finished 6 puzzles in the last 36 hours.  5 - 500 piece Dowdle puzzles and a 1000 piece.

We had such a great "Bethleham" dinner tonight in South Jordan.  It was the 5 of us, Clayton and Sandee, Tanner and Kenzie, and Tanner's mom.  It was a lovely evening and I do love twice baked potatoes (as does Rylie).

December 15, 2018

Elder Maxwell - October 1994 GC.  Hope beckons all of us to come home where a glow reflects the Light of the World, whose "brightness and glory defy all description" (JS-H 1:17). Jesus waits "with open arms to receive" those who finally overcome by faith and hope (Morm. 6:17). His welcome will consist not of a brief, loving pat but, instead, of being "clasped in the arms of Jesus"! (Morm. 5:11).

December 14, 2018

Cam dancing to Cmas songs at night is awesome.  Especially - Here Comes Santa Clause.

Also - sitting against a rock in the snow drinking hot chocolate is awesome - as long as it's sunny and you can warm up soon.  But it's not as awesome as Cam's dancing. 

December 12, 2018

Missionary email -

We're also coming up on Christmas so we've been trying to #LightTheWorld. We helped at a food pantry, went caroling at a hospital, and just tried our best to do some service throughout the week. Christmas time really is the best time. I would invite yall to all remember the true reason for this season and think of christ at this wonderful time of year. 

December 9, 2018

President Monson - April 1996 GC.  He who taught us to love the Lord our God with all our hearts, and with all our souls, and with all our strength, and with all our minds, and our neighbors as ourselves, is a Teacher of truth-but He is more than a teacher. He is the Exemplar of the perfect life-but He is more than an exemplar. He is the Great Physician-but He is more than a physician. He is the literal Savior of the world, the Son of God, the Prince of Peace, the Holy One of Israel, even the risen Lord, who declared: "Behold, I am Jesus Christ, whom the prophets testified shall come into the world. ... I am the light and the life of the world." (3 Ne. 11:10-11.) "I am the first and the last; I am he who liveth, I am he who was slain; I am your advocate with the Father." (D&C 110:4.)

December 8, 2018

Dear Ranger Jamie -

Thank you for your suggestion to hike The Golden Throne (not to be confused with The Great White Throne which gave us a few laughs on the hike).  Your comment that we would be the only ones on the trail was only 1 person off.  Also, your comment about the echo wall was spot on - it was so cool and I was geeking out as only a hiker could.  We were able to build a little snowman and we loved the drive through Capitol Gorge.  Thanks again.

Angee Draper

PS - A shout out to Columbia for my comfy hiking pants and our hiking jackets that we love.  (I especially love the color of mine.)

December 7, 2018

Good evening with my parents where my dad shared one of his sayings but I hadn't heard it before.  "Sometimes when you don't say anything, you're saying a lot."

December 6, 2018

Another pretty snowshoe - this one up Dry Creek.  We even got to sled a little.  Fun, I know.

December 5, 2018

I do like living by the cemetery when I can walk and Baylie can run.

December 4, 2018

14 months out for Mason. It's been awesome!

December 3, 2018

Mason email - "This week has been awesome though!  We had a big stake nativity thing over the weekend which was great!  We helped set everything up and it was really cool, because there was an area seventy who was kind of in charge of it all so we got to spend like all day with him.  He has a huge 9 foot picture of Christ that we had to move and honestly it was just a great day.  We were able to talk with him for a while and I learned a lot from him.  A little homework he gave us is to look up how much the word - covenant - is used in the New Testament and compare it to how many times in the Book of Mormon.  That just goes to show how much has been lost and how much the Book of Mormon restores."  He also talked about spending the day yesterday with President and Sister Hansen and how much he loves spending time with them.

December 1, 2018

Snow College girls cabin time!  Oh how I love our 24 hour togetherness that includes the cabin.  Pats, Tara, Mary Ellen and I chatted and watched movies and slept just a little.  Next year we'll try and get 4 movies in instead of 3.