Welcome to North Carolina!

We are very pleased to welcome your son, Elder Drake Ammen Harper, to the North Carolina Raleigh Mission.  As we spent time with him in the Mission Home and in orientation meetings, we felt his spirit and his heart.  He is ready to do the Lord’s work here.

Elder Drake Harper, His first area will be Durham, NC

1st Companion, Elder Guymon

President and Sister Bernhisel

MTC - Day 11

Hello Everyone,

Provo MTC

I had the most amazing spiritual experience on Friday (July 25)!  We are teaching a man named Christian as a district. We had our first lesson on Thursday and another on Friday. He has a really hard time believing that we have a loving Heavenly Father. He lost his son a year ago and had another experience where he was in Egypt and the hospital he was at got attacked. A grenade set off an oxygen tank and burnt and scarred the left side of his torso. A fragment from the tank hit his friend in the chest. He watched his friend offer the most sincere prayer he had ever heard and then die.  Just listening to him tell us his stories made me and the rest of our district love him. My heart really went out to him because as he spoke you could almost feel his pain. During our lesson on Friday we all shared heart wrenching stories and the love I felt toward each member of my district grew.  Several Elders and I all shared very painful, personal stories that really touched Christian. At the end of the lesson I testified of how if we let Christ take away our pain and our anger he will, and he will bring us joy and peace.  The way the spirit testified to me and through me during that whole lesson was indescribable. My heart physically feels different. I feel very humbled and fortunate to have lived the life I have.  I truly know the love and power of the atonement and know that if we exercise faith in him knowing he will bless us in return, he will raise us too far better than we could ever be on our own.

Love,
Elder Drake Harper

MTC - Day 6

Hello Everyone,

Today is my first P-day.  I am having so much fun here and I am still so happy. I have seen Gods love and I have felt the amazing power of the Holy Ghost so many times in the few days I have already been here.

 I fly out next Monday the 28th.  We have to report to the travel place at 3:30 to leave for the airport. I am so excited to get to North Carolina, the MTC has already been to long of an experience. I just want to get out there and start teaching the gospel.

I'm so happy!  I really love being a missionary.  I wouldn’t want to be doing anything else right now in my life.  I can't even explain it. 

Tell everyone hello and give them my love.

Love,
Elder Drake Harper

MTC - Day 2

Hello!

The MTC is amazing the spirit is so strong and I have already learned so much.  I am having so much fun here in the MTC.  My companion is amazing.  He was just called as our District Leader. I have seen lots of people that I know, but I have not seen Elder Prugue yet. My district is all Elders and our teachers tell us it's better that way because we are their Stripling Warriors.  Our teachers are great, the brother teacher is hilarious I call him dad or father and the sister teacher we call mom and she is great also. I miss and love you all and I know I'm where I am supposed to be. I don't think I have ever been happier in my life. I love the lord, and I know my decision to serve a mission is and always will be the best decision I ever made.

Love,
Elder Drake Harper

MTC - Drop off

Raleigh, North Carolina, Here I Come!!!