May 12, 2010

Dearest family ever in the whole wide world,

I love writing you every week. I like thinking about you and reading how you are doing. I am so sorry that I have not told you how much I love that BYU blanket. I LOVE it!!! and yes, right now, because it is fairly warm at night, I just sleep with sheets and that blanket. I do wrap myself up in it every night and remember the wonderful family I have, cheering me on at home.


So last night, Elder Moreno and I left our area at about 6:30 and traveled to Segovia. The purpose of the trip and the leaving of our area was because there was someone that needed a baptismal interview. Since Segovia is in our zone and one of the Elder´s, Elder Kapp, is a district leader, we needed to do the interview, and Elder Moreno suggested that I do it. I did it and the man of 25, Rubén Hernandez Moreño, is worthy and ready to be baptized this Friday. It was a neat experience. So we spent the night last night with the Segovia Elders and this morning we went and saw the most famous sights.

I snagged a couple of pictures of the 2000 year old roman aqueduct and the really famous Cathedral there, and most importantly, we got to see the castle there. It was very pretty and very big. We walked down below the castle, as Segovia and the caste are kind of on a mountain, and were able to see the whole thing. It was marvelous. We then hiked out a little bit more and were able to get a couple panoramic pictures of the whole city. Elder Moreno has been there 6 or 7 times and says that that is his favorite place. He still isn´t sick of it and in fact wants to go more times.

When we had finished that, a senior missionary serving there offered to take us to what is called La Granja. It is a little pueblo 8 minutes outside of Segovia. We went and saw the palace there. It was very pretty. A really quite town and tons and tons of greenery. Madrid doesn´t really have tons of trees, grass, bushes, etc. So it was nice to get out and look at some really beautiful scenery. We just got back to Madrid about an hour ago.

Well, the work here in Barrio 5 is...slow. We don´t really have many great investigators that have tons of desires to get baptized. We actually do have three investigators that want to get baptized, but two of them aren´t married, and the other still isn´t sure if Joseph Smith was a prophet. Her husband and daughter are member and has been ¨investigating¨ the church for a long time. So we are in the search of investigators that are desirous to hear us and to be baptized.

Coming from Aranjuez, I can talk to anyone on the street, anytime. I have no fear whatsoever. But when it comes to trains, buses, and especially metros, I actually get a little more scared. Knowing that when I break the occasional silence, I will not be talking to just one person, but to about 10 people. I should love and take advantage of such opportunities, and I actually am getting better at doing it, but it is really hard. I am doing it more and more and I can feel that pretty soon I will be ready and comfortable talking to anyone, anytime. It is just like the process that I went through in Aranjuez. It took me about 4 months until I was comfortable in talking to people on the street. But before that it was a real personal struggle. And it still is occasionally, and I don´t think that I will every get rid of it.

The following paragraph will be my newsletter for the month- thank you so much mom for doing this. I really do love it:
Newsletter - ¡Querido Élderes en la obra! This last month has gone by so fast. I sure that you will be shocked to hear this but I was transferred for the first time in my mission. Yes, that means that I have been in the same area for a little more than 8 months. I don´t know what your missions are like, but the Spain Madrid mission likes, long transfers, at least 6-9 months in the area. Unless, of course, there are any problems. So, I have been transferred from a little pueblo to...the CITY.

I am now in Madrid, and our area is one of the most centralized areas of the mission. We are in the middle of everything. We ride the metro 15 times a day and walk by huge skyscrapers all the time. It is way crazy and really different. It is interesting to note how different the way of doing missionary work is in the city than it is in a pueblo. You have to adjust the way you contact and the way you work, because the life here in Madrid is FAST!!! But as usual, I absolutely love it.

I know as I have always known, that I am here, right now, for a reason. Right now the reason is unknown to me, but I will know sooner enough, why the Lord has sent me here, and I plan to have much success here in the streets of Madrid. The cool fact of the month can be that the metro line that is right outside our house is 102 years old. When the old man that I talked to told me that I was shocked, not even knowing that there was electricity 102 years ago. That goes to show you how much I know. But that is one thing I love about Spain, that the history here is incredible. There are buildings, monuments, and 2000 year old Roman aqueducts that are older that our entire country. I love it! It´s crazy, and I know that this is the work of the Savior himself.

Well thank you so much mom, for all that you do. Thank you dad as well for your loving counsel. I love you both and the kids as well. I am trying to think of what I need, and that is basically nothing, other than the contacts. Of what would be nice...well, the white pair of socks that I occasionally use for exercising or for playing soccer have tons of holes in them. So a couple of white socks would be nice, 2 or 3 pairs. Music is always great. It is the only variety that we get everyday. I don´t know if you could get a couple of famous religious talks on cd, but that would be way cool. We already have General Conference on Cd, well not the last one but maybe some famous religious byu devotionals or something. I don´t know. I really don´t need much. But I do love receiving packages. I love you so much, and I sure enjoyed talking to you on Sunday. I guess I will have to wait 6 more months.

Keep on doing what´s right! I love you all!

Elder Driggs