August 26, 2009

August 26, 2009

Hola familia,

So yesterday was awesome! I woke up around 5:40 and said goodbye to all of the missionaries that are going to Barcelona, because they had to leave early on a plane. There were about 11 of them going, I think. So then it was just me and the other three that are going to Madrid, and one Elder who would be going to Barcelona later that day because he hadn´t received his residency yet. Unfortunately, there has been a bunch of people sick in the CCM recently, within the last week, and one of the missionaries who was supposed enter the Madrid mission with us was sick too, so he couldn´t go yesterday so it was just me and two other Elders.

Actually it was the same trio that I was in in the Provo MTC. So that was exciting. The Three of us have been through a lot, and it has been a fun adventure. So we didn´t leave until about 10:30, because that is when the President and his wife, and the assistants came and picked us up, so we ate and studied until they came. We tried to go to a store close by but it was closed so we came back. President and Sister Watkins are sooo nice and I love them both already.

The three of us rode with the assistants in a big van to the mission home, which is about 20 minutes away in Alcobendas. It is a nice home, it´s actually a house and not a piso. I can´t imagine how expensive that would be. The whole afternoon was very nice, just talking with the president, us three. It was very personal and very fun. I asked President Watkins about Uncle Steve, and he was shocked and extremely happy that I was his nephew. He said that Uncle Steve was a huge mentor to him, in terms of professional career, and a huge help. I asked him if he knew an Elder Tucker in Mexico, and he said, YES! Stephen H. Tucker...Stephen Hall Tucker! He was so influential and a positive mentor to me, on my mission. So I thought that was neat. I thought it was so cool that he now had Uncle Steve´s nephew in his mission. And he said that he would shoot uncle Steve an email. It always feels good to have a connection. He also was happy about Brother Call, but we didn´t talk about him very much.

We ate really good burritos that Sister Watkins and the office couple made, and they were super good. We had a little meating, where I played the piano, and they were very excited that I did so, especially Sister Watkins.

A little sidenote: The piano has been so helpful on the mission so far. I have played fairly often. Not too much in the Provo MTC, though I did play once in our branch sacrament meetin, where the second counselor and his family attended, so that was neat. But I have played a lot in the CCM here in Spain, for devotionals, church meetings, etc. Now I have already played for President and Sister Watkins. They even mentioned how helpful it would be in the field, so I thank you Dad very much for encouraging me to learn it, and I think that I will forever be grateful for that gift and talent. Thank you, Thank you! You and Mom, are always right.

But back to yesterday. I had a great time, and I was interviewed by President Watkins, who said that he loved my profile, which had the letter that you had written to President Farnsworth, and he actually read it aloud to me. So that was very nice, and he just told me, ¨welcome to the mission, we are so glad that you are here.¨ He is very, very nice and I consider it a huge blessing that he is my mission president. In the meeting that we had, where I played the piano, we had the office couple, the three office assistants, the assistants, and the three trainers. We were not assigned yet. By the way, I am pretty sure that we were the first group that had entered the mission, so that was special, since they weren´t completely familiar with the process, but so kind, accepting, and accommodating. My prayers have been answered.

So in the meeting, we talked about the mission rules and legal work that needs to be done, like renewing residency and filling out reimbursements. After this we ate and then gathered around again to have the companionships announced. They had the first trainer stand up and then announce his area and what has been going on recently and then the assistant would announce the companion. The first elder was Elder Carr from Orem Utah, and he is working in Aranjuez, He said that he had just had a baptism and was really happy and excited for the work. After that they announced my name! So I am companions with Elder Anthony Skylar Carr from Orem, Utah and we are serving about an hour by train south East, I think of Madrid.

The other two Elders were elder Martin, from Boise Idaho, and Elder Trent Reid from Mesa Arizona. It was really cool, because at dinner I was sitting next to Elder Reid and, prior to that I had asked him if he knew any Driggs down there and then told him that I used to live there, so at dinner out of the blue he asks me, ¨Is your first name Robby?¨ I answered, really quizzically and said yes, and he said that his family had some family friends a long time ago that had the name of Driggs. So I guess this is the friend I used to go over and swim with, that´s what he remembered that I would go swimming at his house. All I remember is playing street fighter and mortal combat with his brother. I still remember his basement thing with the Nintendo. So he has a great memory and he said that he lived in a cult de sac, which we did too, so I think that is them. So that is way cool that however many years later, we meet and are both serving missions in the same mission in Spain, him a trainer, being out about 15 months, and me brand new. So that was really neat!

So my area, Aranjuez consists of about 8 pueblos, I think, but mainly 3 bigger ones right next to each other. We live in the last and smallest pueblo. We had to take a short distance train to get their. The first and biggest puebla was ValledeMoro, bad spelling and the one in between that and the one we live in is, something like, semplsuelos, I can´t spell them, sorry. But Aranjuez, that is right, is where we live, and it is very small of about 40-50,000 people.

We live on the second floor of a nonmember´s house and we share that with two other non members. So we have our own room and share the kitchen and the bathroom. It is sooo small. The room that we have is no bigger than the room with Cari´s toys and my stuff, hopefully it is still there :) , in the basement. And I am on the bottom bunk with about 3 feet of room between that and the top bunk. With the bunkbed and the two little desks, a mini keyboard, and a nightstand, it gets pretty cramped, especially right now because I haven´t fully unpacked yet.

Last night I went with Elder Carr and met the mission leader and saw the church. It is a very small capilla (chapel), with about 30 members. So it is a branch and the ward mission leader is also the second counselor in the presidency. The area is big but our pueblo is small, quiet and very quaint. I love it. The family of the mission leader is nice and I am excited to really work with him. Apparently President Watkins is pushing to have the missionaries be creative and find new ways to find people to teach, so my companion already has talked to people about English classes and wants to do guitar classes as well. The President already approved the idea and wants an outline.

Sorry this email is so jumbled, but I just get my ideas out. Last night we talked to a few people on the street and he keeps telling me how well I speak and understand Spanish, so I think I am okay for being new, but I have a loooong way to where I want to be and to be fluent.

I am excited to be here and hope that all went well with Lake Tahoe. That is so cool that you went there. It sounds like a place I would like to visit when I get back. Apparently the guy that won the Tour de France is from Pinto Spain which is the area right next to ours. So when I get back it would be fun to come and visit Spain to ride around. We have a palace here that used to be a summer home of the King, I think, a bunch of gardens and a nice fountain with a catholic cathedral. It is pretty here and I love it. However it is verry hot, but thankfully we have air conditioning in our apartment, which is a huge blessing. Because others don´t. I don´t think I could survive without it.

Thank you for your thoughts and prayers. I love you all and pray for you often. I read a little bit of Elder Eyering´s talk from this past General Conference about Adversity and I liked it a lot. So if you have time I recommend it.

I love you!

Elder Driggs,

P.S.

E.T. quote ¨Be Good¨

Short, Sweet, and to the point.