November 18, 2009

Dear Family,

Well I am still here in Aranjuez, so that is great news. I am very excited for the next six weeks that I have to be here in this awesome area, with wonderful members and promising investigators. Elder Carr and I have a lot of goals that we want to have accomplished in this rather short time that we will have together.

I apologize in advance that I don´t have very much time as I just wrote a letter to Cami. I hope that you will forgive me and you can expect an extra long letter next week.

This last week was fantastic! The baptism was wonderful. Elder Carr baptized and confirmed her and I spoke at the baptism. I was the only speaker and we had three investigators and including the family of Isa, which are not members, 4 more. There was a good show of members and everything went really well. The President of the branch also baptized his daughter at the same time. It was really beautiful and the Spirit was really strong. If I remember I will give you more details about the baptism next week. I will write it down so I do not forget. I am getting better at doing this, as Elder Carr doesn´t and sometimes forgets to do things, I am feeling more responsible to be in charge of doing so, so that we always do things that we say we will do. So that we can be Elders of our word.

Ronnie and his family are doing fantastic tambien and we are very excited for them to be baptized next weekend. We already have 2 invites to have dinner during Christmas. I really owe this to Elder Carr as he was here 2 transfers before me. He really has a gift to be friends with the members. I am feeling really comfortable with them too and I love having the need to talk to them and make them feel loved. I am learning a lot from Elder Carr and a couple days ago, I wrote down the three things greatest skill that Elder Carr exemplifies that I would like to develop in these next six weeks. They are, to be a good teacher. Elder Carr is an inspired, simple, and loving teacher. He communicates every thing that he needs to in a way that is loving and motivating. He also has a way with the members. I think this one will come, as I don´t feel like I have a big barrier with talking to them other than the language barrier. He also has a gift to be best friends with investigators. This is a great gift as it makes it so easy for us to be honest and bold with our investigators and more importantly them with us.

We are reaping many blessings and feel honored to serve the Lord in a time so special as this.

I read Alma chapter 26 today, I think, started from verse 27 maybe. I loved this as it is sometimes know as Alma´s homecoming talk. It was really touching and if you have some time, I recommend that you take a peek at it. I found particular comfort in the verse near the end that mentions that they were wanderers in a strange land. I sometimes feel like that here in Spain and I love it. I love being with a people that is so different but at the same time need the Gospel of Jesus Christ just as much. I remember Brother Call saying a couple Sundays before I left, when they spoke in Sacrament meeting when they returned from their mission, that ¨Heavenly Father´s play is big enough for all of His children.¨ I am recognizing this more and more everyday. That Heavenly Father loves these precious souls here in Spain just as much as the people in Provo, Utah or Guatemala or Germany or anywhere else. He loves all of His children equally and desperately wants all of them to accept His Son and return to live with Him. I feel honored to share this message of the Restoration, this message that brings healing to the wounded soul.

Thank you so much for all of your prayers of faith. I feel the strength and love that comes from them. Thank you, thank you. When was the last time I told you all that I love you? I love you all! It is hard to communicate love through an email. I really am so thankful for all that you do for me. And the packages are not distracting at all. I am not homesick and in fact the packages help me. They remind me of you and make me want to be better and work harder. They are so motivating. I think of the sacrifice to send them and it makes me have greater desire to work hard and not waste a second of time aqui en España. So thank you thank you. I hope that you are being safe and careful. I pray for you all a lot. I love the advice that is given from E.T.

¨Be Good.¨
Love,

Elder Driggs