April 28, 2010

Dear Family,

So this week has just been wonderful. Elder Dawson and I are rockin´ down here in Aranjuez. There is so much potential here, and it is just so hard to be able to teach people with their busy schedules, and as always, it is hard when investigators don´t keep their commitments. But we are working hard.

The baptism this last Saturday was...a MIRACLE! Really it was. Everything went according to plan until 15 minutes after it was supposed to start we realized that no one from the branch presidency was there. After talking to another member who was there, we learned that to start a baptismal service, you need someone from the presidency there. We had no idea. We still didn´t have the blame because we had called the branch president 3 days earlier telling him the details and said that he would call and have someone there. Well that didn´t happen. While Elder Dawson was on the phone with the member, trying to get a hold of someone to come and preside, I had to apologize to the 20-25 people there and explain the situation. A little embarrassing, as we had been so excited because there were about 15 non members there. Luckily, they were all so happy just socializing and talking with Michael that they didn´t really care.

We started singing hymns as we waited, me playing the piano, and after the 4th hymn the ward mission leader/1 counselor in the Elder´s quorum came, and we started. The service went very well, and oh yeah, we had been planning on his uncle on baptizing him, but when we heard that he had to work, Michael asked me to perform the ordinance. I was very humbled by his asking me and the baptismal service went very well. The best part was his testimony and appearance after. He came Sunday with his brother and mother, and was confirmed a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. He is so happy and I love seeing that peace and light in his eyes. He just looks clean, leaving that past life behind and starting a new one. He works every other Sunday, so he won´t be coming this next one, but we are very excited to see him progress in the Gospel, and become a faithful member of the church.
The best thing about his baptism were all of the non member friends that he and his mom invited. After the baptism Elder Dawson and I talked to all of them and are going to teach a family of 4 tonight because of that baptismal service and the Spirit that they felt there. Gerald, the little 11 year old brother of Micheal, also was touched by the baptismal service; and while talking to him that night, he decided that he wanted to be baptized and change religion. He has decided to be baptized the 29 of May. It was funny, because at first he came up to me while I was talking with his mother, and told me, ¨I can´t change my religion, I am Catholic.¨ I assured him half jokingly, that yes you can Gerald, yes you can. He thought about that for a minute and came back, apparently after talking to Elder Dawson too, and decided that he wanted to be baptized like his older brother.

It was amazing to see his strong, childlike faith, and how easy it was for him to follow the Spirit and change his mind so quickly, from not wanting to change religion and then five minutes later wanting to be baptized. He is wonderful and loves Jesus Christ. He will be a great future missionary, as well as Michael. We are going to start pushing him to prepare, so that in one year he can serve a mission. He is 19 years old. I will try and send photos of it as soon as possible. I apologize it is taking so long.

Well, I am glad that everyone is well. As mom said in her story about Nena, the world is a dangerous place, and if we are not aware of our surroundings and wearing the armor of God, ALWAYS, we will get hit. We are in a bloody battle against Satan and his angels. It is real. It is hard. We know how to win. We have faith in our general, Jesus Christ, and with Him on our side, we will win. But we must choose today, if we will fight with Him or against him. Like Joshua, I think, ¨But as for me and my house (family), we will serve the Lord.¨ It could be said that we are on the front lines, and here in Spain is much worse than Provo, Utah, but the helps, and aids are flawless, and work in all times and all situations. It is help and love and healing that we need, and that only comes through our Saviour Jesus Christ. I love Him. He loves us.
May we serve Him better this week than the last is my constant prayer.

I love you all.

Love,

Elder Driggs

P.S. I am not sure I have shared with you my proposed new family slogan. I am not sure if we have one. I still love the motto: Be All That You Can Be, In the Family!
But here is a suggestion for the slogan.

A Driggs never Quits!!!

I heard it from a friend at BYU and am deciding now to adopt it personally. I suggest the same to all of you. We will not quit or give up in the battle of life. We will serve with all that we have and do our best. And in the end we will come off the conquerer!