September 9, 2009

Dear Family,

This week has been wonderful! I wish I could have more time to talk about it. My companion and I have a lot of investigators, I think about 8 right now. Technically they are all progressing because they all came to church this last Sunday. It was sooo exciting. I can already tell that I am going to miss this alter two years because we called people on Saturday night and tried to remind people, but some didn´t answer their phones. On Sunday we arrived about 20 minutes early and got ready and mingled with the few members and then they asked me to play the piano, because the normal pianist was not there. I, of course, agreed and began to play some prelude. Before the meeting started my companion and the ward mission leader went down to the train station, about 5 minutes away in a car, to get our recent convert and his mom and brother, who now are attending regularly.

It took him forever to get back, so I was playing the prelude and the meeting started without them. We were just saying the prayer on the sacrament for the bread when they all walked in, and to may great surprise with one of our investigators Ronnie, and to my even greater surprise, with his wife and 3 children. All of whom are above baptismal age. It was wonderful. He was dressed in jeans and a polo, but it didn´t matter and we waved at each other and, I think he had a great time. We also had Isa come with her 15 month old come and then the two family members of the recent convert. So it was packed and this week we actually held our gospel principles class that we teach every week if our investigators or non members show up. It was a wonderful testimony meeting and then our class went wonderfully. We even had a few members come to the class and their comments were wonderful.

I am sorry that I can´t write very much, the time is rough, because now I have to read all of the emails during the 1 hour and not just print them off to read them later. By the way, to answer your question last week, we email in a local locutorio. It is one euro for one hour. I am also glad to hear about all of my friends, staying strong. It will be wonderful to get back and reunite with them.

I also am extremely excited that BYU won!!!!!!!! Holy Cow, I wish I could have seen that. It sounds so thrilling. It sounds like Max Hall wasn´t outstanding, but at least he pulled through in the end. Hopefully this is a start of a great season.

Here is my entry to the newsletter:

Elderes!

From the outpost in Aranjuez Spain, I give you my greetings and hearty hello. I trust all is well and that the work is moving forward as it rightfully should. Things are wonderful here in Aranjuez, I am out of the CCM or MTC finally and love everything about it. My trainer is wonderful and we are having a lot of success. Everyone I have heard that has been here, says that it is their worst area, but I love it and so does my companion. We are working hard and trying to love the people and doors are opening left and right. It is easy to see the hand of the Lord in the work. We had 8 investigator/non members attend church this week and we were really stoked! We have one family of five that can be really close to a baptismal date very soon and one women who should be baptized already but is hindered by her lazy husband. We hope that she will just go along with it and enjoy the blessings, hoping that her husband joins her after. But she needs to make the decision and not I.

It is such a privilege to be a servant of our Savior and I hope that we never let ourselves get down. We have the Lord on our side and we cannot fail with Him. What a marvelous work and calling. I think of the line that Helaman uses in Alma, What say ye my sons…will ye go against them in battle? And then their faithful responses relying on their faith and the faith of their mothers. What a joy and honor we have to serve in these ladder days, where the field is truly white, and the laborers are few. We have been prepared for these days and the days of our missions are here. I hope and pray for all of you. When I think of you I take courage in the thought that you are all soldiers in the army of our God, and that you are all faithful, and doing what the Lord wants you to do. Continue on, Hold up your Head, and Smile. For we are missionaries and this sacred calling is one of the reasons we are on this earth. To spread the Word and love of God.

Shall we not go on is such great a cause?...Oh we will, and we will do it in honor!

Your Faithful Elder in the work.

Elder Driggs