Hello my dear family,
12 hours away from you sure seems a lot less when I read your emails. Thank you very much for the updates on how everyone is doing.
This week has been exciting as usual. Elder Moreno and I are just getting along so nicely. He is an excellent companion and an amazing missionary. Even though the outward results don´t show it, we are having success and we are happy!
The highlights of this last week have been:
Last Wednesday after writing you I went to Sol and said goodbye to 3 missionaries who are, as of tomorrow, going to become part of the Malaga mission. One of my first companions, Elder Adams, in Provo, when we were a three-some, is going to that mission. So that was kind of crazy, thinking that I will not see him for the second year of our missions. But we are excited for the changes of the mission. The truth is that not much is going to change, especially since my mission presidente will still be Presidente Watkins. Nonetheless, it will be exciting to see if I get to go up North, or even to the Canary Islands. :) That would be crazy and amazing.
Yesterday, I think that I was able to live one of the dreams that I had before the mission. I was able to serve in Segovia. Elder Moreno and I went on Exchanges with the Segovia Elders and I went to Segovia with Elder Kapp and Elder Carter came to Madrid with Elder Moreno. It was so fun and exhilarating being there, even though it was for only one day. I hope that you have checked out the pictures in the internet of Segovia, because I was there, yesterday. Contacting people in the street and walking under the 2000 year old aqueduct. We also taught a lesson in an apartment 20 seconds away from the huge, famous cathedral there. It was so beautiful, and I know that I had already been there to visit, but this time I was there as a missionary. That is what I had wished before the mission and it was so cool being there. We slept with the windows open, as it is getting a little hot, and I woke up about 10 minutes early to the birds singing sweetly and a little breeze through the window. When the alarm went off I got out of bed and looked out the window to find one of the most gorgeous views in the mission. From the third floor of our piso, that is situated on a sort of incline, you could see tons of little, old Spanish apartment buildings, with tons of big beautiful trees with the sun just about to rise. It was so beautiful and relaxing. I don´t think I have heard birds sing like that for a long time; and being in Madrid, when I look out of our window in the morning, I just see the other apartment across the way. We don´t even have a window open to the street. I am not complaining, just comparing to what I was used to, to the beauty of Segovia. We woke up 1 hour early because we had to leave on a train to go to their district meeting and be there at 9.
Down below you can hear more about the current strike in the metro. All of the metro lines have shut down and will be shut down for a total of three days, finishing on Friday. Let me just say that it is chaos. There are so many people in the street and the buses are jam packed with people. It makes traveling more difficult. A trip to the southern part of our area, like Legazpi, that normally takes about 30 minutes in metro, is a little more than an hour in these overly packed buses.
Things go well in the World cup, I guess. Even though the states are out, I am cheering on Spain. I really hope that they win. Last night at about ten o clock, we knew that Spain had won because people were screaming in the street and cars were honking their horns. Fútbol, soccer, is very important to them, and to think that my companion is Spaniard and happened to play for his city team, he is just freakin´ out, not being able to watch. He is dying not being able to watch the games like he used too, but he will survive. haha.
We will see what will happen against Paraguay. There are a lot of member from Paraguay in the ward, and we have a weekly noche de hogar with them. They are not going to let us come by, with Elder Moreno, if Spain beats them. haha Just teasing.
Well thank you so much for your letters and your prayers. Elder Carter, from payson utah, who is serving in Segovia and came to stay with Elder Moreno in our piso, said that he loved the BYU blanket because it was so soft. That comes a lot from him because he happens to be one of those poor souls who roots for the U. He said that as the night grew on, he couldn´t resist it because it was too comfortable. I agree. Thank you Mom and Cari! Thank you Dad for sending me that update on Taylor. I love hearing from my friends and how they are doing. It is scary to think that I am already half-way done with my missionary service. It is a sad/sweet feeling, as I absolutely love the mission and in some ways do not want it to end, but it is crazy how time flies.
I love you all and pray for you. Thank you for your comforting and strengthening prayers. I leave you with my testimony that this is the Church of Jesus Christ and that he is at the head. He lives and loves us. He calls to us, and all that he asks us to do, is obey.
I love you and hope that we can obey His loving commandments always.
Have a fantastic week,
Love,
Rob, Élder Driggs
Wednesday, June 30, 2010
Wednesday, June 23, 2010
June 23, 2010
Dearest Family,
Well, it sure sounds like una montaña rusa at home. That in Spanish is a roller coaster. I don´t know why the direct translation is a russion mountain...whatever. There really isn´t much I can do to help the situation, but I want you to know that I am praying for all of you, that we as a family can become more united and centered in Christ through this difficult time.
So, I am glad that all went well with Girl´s Camp mom and that you can have some fun soon in Lake Powell. That is way cool and Elder Carr would be way jealous, as that is his favorite place in the world...Well, other than Spain, of course.
So I got an email from Ryan Hill today and it made me so happy to hear from him. His email made me laugh really hard and to make sure that he knows I am in the process of writing him, I will attach a short email, hoping that you forward it to him. I also, if it would be possible, would like to have his address, so that in the future I can write him directly.
Well this week has gone really well. There is always a time when you get into a new area and the only things that stick out to you are the things that the prior elders have done wrong. That lasts about a few weeks and then that area really becomes yours...well, it´s the Lord´s but... yeah. Well I think that finally I am understanding the area. Like I have told you before the city is very different and the way to do missionary work is a little different as well.
I have needed to do some adjusting in the way that we contact, schedule appointments, etc. Finally, Elder Moreno and I are finding success. We have right now 4 people that have been invited to be baptized with a near date and have accepted. We are, however, experiencing many difficulties with some of these people in maintaining that desire to be baptized. It´s rough work, but in the end it is all worth it. The good thing is that 3 of these 4 people came to church this last Sunday and therefore are progressing, even if it is a little slower than desired.
I find it very interesting and, actually, mind blowing that in one week, 7 days, a bishop was moved into a stake presidency and an entire new bishopric was called. Of course, I know that this is how the church should function, and the church organization works almost perfectly in happy valley, but it just does not work the same in Spain.
I am not sure if I have told you about the situation we are facing here in Barrio 5. In November the bishop here told the ward that he would be gone a couple of months, as he was going to visit his country of Paraguay. This is something normal here in Spain, people take very long vacations here. However, what I have heard from Elder Moreno, is that this bishop never came back. Other members have seen him around here in Spain, but he hasn´t returned to the church.
The reasons are unknown, and it is not right to suspect what happened. But if this were to happen in Provo, I am sure that the process of finding a new bishop would take, just a week, but surely not 7 months. We have been hearing rumors that they need to find the bishop and find out why he has not come back before they can call another one, but we are not sure why the process is taking so long. I have, however, gained my testimony of the need of the bishop, and the need of 3 in a bishopric. The ward just doesn´t work as well or as smoothly without a bishop.
The members aren´t as committed and the unity in the ward is lacking. I am not complaining, it is just interesting that even though it´s the same church here in Spain, the process takes much longer. Nonetheless, there are some of the most dedicated and loving members in this ward. I thought I knew what the word sacrifice was before the mission, but I have gained a new perspective in what that word really is after seeing these members here do what they do, and give up everything for the church. It is very easy to take for granted what we have in Provo, and I hope that one day Spain will be like Provo, with churches on every other block and where the schools are 90% LDS, etc. I am sure it will happen some day.
Yesterday something really funny happened to me and Elder Moreno. We had been walking in the street and trying to find some of the potential investigators that we had written down. At about 7 o clock Elder Moreno told me that I had a little red stain on the back of my white shirt. He tried getting it off but after a few seconds told me that it wasn´t that noticeable. We continued on, and as we were leaving the metro, I realized that on the back of Elder Moreno´s shirt, he had a stain as well. But this red stain was bad, as it was covering the lower third or fourth part of his shirt and the back pockets of his pants. I just started laughing as it was really noticeable.
We decided to make an emergency visit to the apartment where Elder Moreno planned to change his clothes. Well that is only have the fun. Upon arriving in the piso, Elder Moreno realized that he didn´t have any more clean shirts. He was out, as was I. He started searching impatiently through his drawers, hoping that for some odd reason he might find a misplaced clean white shirt. After what seemed an eternity, he found one. Ahhhh! We were saved. Elder Moreno, now very frustrated that only 1 of his 8+ shirts were clean made the quick decision to throw in a white load of wash. He took all of the dirty white shirts he had found, threw them into the washer, and started it.
At this point he was much more at peace with himself and calm to know that his dirty shirts were being washed. He returned to his room to put the other shirt on, and to his horror, he realized that the shirt he had left out of the wash, was the original shirt with the red stain. We laughed so hard, as it was impossible for me to get mad at this extreme point. Well, to make a long story shorter. He ended up finding another misplaced shirt in some random place, ironed it, and we were off again.
Well, I am sorry that this letter is a little bit boring, but nothing comes to mind today. I hope that all of you have the best week ever, and that I can hear more good news from everyone the next week. Oh yeah, Mark, just so you know, if I was there you would be able to count on me to help you in your eagle project. I am sorry that I can´t be there in person, but you will have my prayers. I am extremely pleased with the positive comments about Cami. I am so excited to hear about here every week. I am glad that she is wanted to do good things. She is a great example to me and we as a family surely do love here and are proud of here. I love you Cami, and I am sooo proud of you!!!
Well have a great week!
Love, Rob
Well, it sure sounds like una montaña rusa at home. That in Spanish is a roller coaster. I don´t know why the direct translation is a russion mountain...whatever. There really isn´t much I can do to help the situation, but I want you to know that I am praying for all of you, that we as a family can become more united and centered in Christ through this difficult time.
So, I am glad that all went well with Girl´s Camp mom and that you can have some fun soon in Lake Powell. That is way cool and Elder Carr would be way jealous, as that is his favorite place in the world...Well, other than Spain, of course.
So I got an email from Ryan Hill today and it made me so happy to hear from him. His email made me laugh really hard and to make sure that he knows I am in the process of writing him, I will attach a short email, hoping that you forward it to him. I also, if it would be possible, would like to have his address, so that in the future I can write him directly.
Well this week has gone really well. There is always a time when you get into a new area and the only things that stick out to you are the things that the prior elders have done wrong. That lasts about a few weeks and then that area really becomes yours...well, it´s the Lord´s but... yeah. Well I think that finally I am understanding the area. Like I have told you before the city is very different and the way to do missionary work is a little different as well.
I have needed to do some adjusting in the way that we contact, schedule appointments, etc. Finally, Elder Moreno and I are finding success. We have right now 4 people that have been invited to be baptized with a near date and have accepted. We are, however, experiencing many difficulties with some of these people in maintaining that desire to be baptized. It´s rough work, but in the end it is all worth it. The good thing is that 3 of these 4 people came to church this last Sunday and therefore are progressing, even if it is a little slower than desired.
I find it very interesting and, actually, mind blowing that in one week, 7 days, a bishop was moved into a stake presidency and an entire new bishopric was called. Of course, I know that this is how the church should function, and the church organization works almost perfectly in happy valley, but it just does not work the same in Spain.
I am not sure if I have told you about the situation we are facing here in Barrio 5. In November the bishop here told the ward that he would be gone a couple of months, as he was going to visit his country of Paraguay. This is something normal here in Spain, people take very long vacations here. However, what I have heard from Elder Moreno, is that this bishop never came back. Other members have seen him around here in Spain, but he hasn´t returned to the church.
The reasons are unknown, and it is not right to suspect what happened. But if this were to happen in Provo, I am sure that the process of finding a new bishop would take, just a week, but surely not 7 months. We have been hearing rumors that they need to find the bishop and find out why he has not come back before they can call another one, but we are not sure why the process is taking so long. I have, however, gained my testimony of the need of the bishop, and the need of 3 in a bishopric. The ward just doesn´t work as well or as smoothly without a bishop.
The members aren´t as committed and the unity in the ward is lacking. I am not complaining, it is just interesting that even though it´s the same church here in Spain, the process takes much longer. Nonetheless, there are some of the most dedicated and loving members in this ward. I thought I knew what the word sacrifice was before the mission, but I have gained a new perspective in what that word really is after seeing these members here do what they do, and give up everything for the church. It is very easy to take for granted what we have in Provo, and I hope that one day Spain will be like Provo, with churches on every other block and where the schools are 90% LDS, etc. I am sure it will happen some day.
Yesterday something really funny happened to me and Elder Moreno. We had been walking in the street and trying to find some of the potential investigators that we had written down. At about 7 o clock Elder Moreno told me that I had a little red stain on the back of my white shirt. He tried getting it off but after a few seconds told me that it wasn´t that noticeable. We continued on, and as we were leaving the metro, I realized that on the back of Elder Moreno´s shirt, he had a stain as well. But this red stain was bad, as it was covering the lower third or fourth part of his shirt and the back pockets of his pants. I just started laughing as it was really noticeable.
We decided to make an emergency visit to the apartment where Elder Moreno planned to change his clothes. Well that is only have the fun. Upon arriving in the piso, Elder Moreno realized that he didn´t have any more clean shirts. He was out, as was I. He started searching impatiently through his drawers, hoping that for some odd reason he might find a misplaced clean white shirt. After what seemed an eternity, he found one. Ahhhh! We were saved. Elder Moreno, now very frustrated that only 1 of his 8+ shirts were clean made the quick decision to throw in a white load of wash. He took all of the dirty white shirts he had found, threw them into the washer, and started it.
At this point he was much more at peace with himself and calm to know that his dirty shirts were being washed. He returned to his room to put the other shirt on, and to his horror, he realized that the shirt he had left out of the wash, was the original shirt with the red stain. We laughed so hard, as it was impossible for me to get mad at this extreme point. Well, to make a long story shorter. He ended up finding another misplaced shirt in some random place, ironed it, and we were off again.
Well, I am sorry that this letter is a little bit boring, but nothing comes to mind today. I hope that all of you have the best week ever, and that I can hear more good news from everyone the next week. Oh yeah, Mark, just so you know, if I was there you would be able to count on me to help you in your eagle project. I am sorry that I can´t be there in person, but you will have my prayers. I am extremely pleased with the positive comments about Cami. I am so excited to hear about here every week. I am glad that she is wanted to do good things. She is a great example to me and we as a family surely do love here and are proud of here. I love you Cami, and I am sooo proud of you!!!
Well have a great week!
Love, Rob
Monday, June 21, 2010
June 16, 2010
Dear Family,
Well I forget to wish mom a happy birthday last week, but I will be honest that I thought about her a lot on the 11 of June. I am not sure if that counts so I apologize for forgetting to wish you in the last letter. It is hard to time things like that.
So I am glad that things went well in Washington. Sounds like a crazy town. It would be really weird living there. I think that it is funny that Mark wants Dad to travel so that he can stay at Timpview. That sure does sound familiar. I am not too worried about the current situation, just because the past has taught us that the Lord ALWAYS gives us what we need.
So there were transfers this last Monday, but Elder Moreno and I are still companions. Which is great because I love him. He is a great missionary and of course...he is Spaniard. You don´t get anything better than that. A native missionary companion. He is teaching me a bunch of dichos...sayings that they have here, which there are a lot, and of course he still needs to teach me how to make all of the traditional plates of Spain. So far I have learned only how to make Arroz con leche (rice with milk). It is wonderful and he has his secrets.
So it is going to be a great transfer. The only thing that is hard about this area is that there hasn´t been a baptism since March and that was when there were hermanas (sisters) here. The Élderes haven´t had a baptism in Barrio 5 since November. So Elder Moreno especially is just dying to have one. We have 3 key investigators and 1 that has an active baptismal date for the 29th of June. It falls on a Tuesday, which is weird, but it is a special day for him and his girlfriend. Don´t worry the girlfriend is our friend in the process.
She actually is a returned missionary and they are in the process of getting married. But there are no problems between them so that will not impede the process. His name is Andres Cuasquén, and we are excited, because on Sunday his girlfriend Elizabeth Vera told us that she had a serious discussion with him, making sure he was listening to us because he wanted to change and to know, and not just for her. He told her that he did want to change and get baptized. So we have a lot of faith that things will work out. She, obviously, is a huge support. She helps him do everything, remember to read, prayer, go to church, etc. So I have definitely gained my testimony about the use and importance of members. If only the members would give us more referrals.
Another exciting thing that happened to us on Monday is that the other compañionship that shares the apartment with us changed. So one Elder left and the one that came is from Argentina. His name is Elder Cerro. He was born in Argentina, moved to Uruguay, and the last few years has been living in the Canary Islands, which, come July 1st will be apart of our mission. So he is just so awesome. It is neat having two native companions in the piso (apartment) and the district, but it is sure hard for Elder Kay and I, to speak English.
Elder Moreno can comunicate, basic English, and understands almost everything, even when we speak normally, but Elder Cerro, as he has only been in the mission for about 6-7 months, still doesn´t speak very well. So we are trying to speak English, but there needs to be some sort of communication between that companionship so they are speaking a lot of Spanish too. Its okay. Elder Kay is our district leader. I found out that another missionary in my same group, meaning that he has the same time in the mission as I do, is training. So that is exciting for him.
As to Elder Carr, he doesn´t leave for home until September. His group is really big with about 10 or more Elders but almost all of them except for Elder Carr and one other are all leaving the mission early to get back in time for school. I admire Elder Carr a lot for staying the extra 3 weeks, even though it isn´t a lot, it still is another sign that he is a great, fantastic missionary.
I want to make sure that you know dad, that I am not putting any pressure on you to come and pick me up. It would be wonderful if you and mom came over, but if it is too hard or too expensive I am completely ok with coming home on the plane. I just don´t want you to feel any pressure from me, so you can make the decision freely.
Last night, Elder Moreno and I went to Segovia again to interview someone else there that is going to be baptized this Saturday. Elder Moreno interviewed the 25 year old Spanish man and things went well. The whole time we were in the bus, it takes about 45 min to an hour to get there, it reminded me a lot of Wyoming and Northern Utah. There are good size mountains over there and they are sooo green with big pine trees. It reminded me a lot of home because it was so beautiful. Whenever you think of Spain, you usually think of big city and lots of people. But up there by Segovia it is really quiet and just downright gorgeous. That will be a 1st stop for you and mom if you come over.
Well this has been a great week and I hope that all goes well with Mom up there at girlscamp. Good luck dad with the job search. I plan to write Cami today a little note and mail it to her. I will probably mail it to here this next week. I also really want to send you the pictures that I have taken recently. I hope to do that within the next week. I am sorry that it has taken so long.
Con mucho cariño y amor.
Well I forget to wish mom a happy birthday last week, but I will be honest that I thought about her a lot on the 11 of June. I am not sure if that counts so I apologize for forgetting to wish you in the last letter. It is hard to time things like that.
So I am glad that things went well in Washington. Sounds like a crazy town. It would be really weird living there. I think that it is funny that Mark wants Dad to travel so that he can stay at Timpview. That sure does sound familiar. I am not too worried about the current situation, just because the past has taught us that the Lord ALWAYS gives us what we need.
So there were transfers this last Monday, but Elder Moreno and I are still companions. Which is great because I love him. He is a great missionary and of course...he is Spaniard. You don´t get anything better than that. A native missionary companion. He is teaching me a bunch of dichos...sayings that they have here, which there are a lot, and of course he still needs to teach me how to make all of the traditional plates of Spain. So far I have learned only how to make Arroz con leche (rice with milk). It is wonderful and he has his secrets.
So it is going to be a great transfer. The only thing that is hard about this area is that there hasn´t been a baptism since March and that was when there were hermanas (sisters) here. The Élderes haven´t had a baptism in Barrio 5 since November. So Elder Moreno especially is just dying to have one. We have 3 key investigators and 1 that has an active baptismal date for the 29th of June. It falls on a Tuesday, which is weird, but it is a special day for him and his girlfriend. Don´t worry the girlfriend is our friend in the process.
She actually is a returned missionary and they are in the process of getting married. But there are no problems between them so that will not impede the process. His name is Andres Cuasquén, and we are excited, because on Sunday his girlfriend Elizabeth Vera told us that she had a serious discussion with him, making sure he was listening to us because he wanted to change and to know, and not just for her. He told her that he did want to change and get baptized. So we have a lot of faith that things will work out. She, obviously, is a huge support. She helps him do everything, remember to read, prayer, go to church, etc. So I have definitely gained my testimony about the use and importance of members. If only the members would give us more referrals.
Another exciting thing that happened to us on Monday is that the other compañionship that shares the apartment with us changed. So one Elder left and the one that came is from Argentina. His name is Elder Cerro. He was born in Argentina, moved to Uruguay, and the last few years has been living in the Canary Islands, which, come July 1st will be apart of our mission. So he is just so awesome. It is neat having two native companions in the piso (apartment) and the district, but it is sure hard for Elder Kay and I, to speak English.
Elder Moreno can comunicate, basic English, and understands almost everything, even when we speak normally, but Elder Cerro, as he has only been in the mission for about 6-7 months, still doesn´t speak very well. So we are trying to speak English, but there needs to be some sort of communication between that companionship so they are speaking a lot of Spanish too. Its okay. Elder Kay is our district leader. I found out that another missionary in my same group, meaning that he has the same time in the mission as I do, is training. So that is exciting for him.
As to Elder Carr, he doesn´t leave for home until September. His group is really big with about 10 or more Elders but almost all of them except for Elder Carr and one other are all leaving the mission early to get back in time for school. I admire Elder Carr a lot for staying the extra 3 weeks, even though it isn´t a lot, it still is another sign that he is a great, fantastic missionary.
I want to make sure that you know dad, that I am not putting any pressure on you to come and pick me up. It would be wonderful if you and mom came over, but if it is too hard or too expensive I am completely ok with coming home on the plane. I just don´t want you to feel any pressure from me, so you can make the decision freely.
Last night, Elder Moreno and I went to Segovia again to interview someone else there that is going to be baptized this Saturday. Elder Moreno interviewed the 25 year old Spanish man and things went well. The whole time we were in the bus, it takes about 45 min to an hour to get there, it reminded me a lot of Wyoming and Northern Utah. There are good size mountains over there and they are sooo green with big pine trees. It reminded me a lot of home because it was so beautiful. Whenever you think of Spain, you usually think of big city and lots of people. But up there by Segovia it is really quiet and just downright gorgeous. That will be a 1st stop for you and mom if you come over.
Well this has been a great week and I hope that all goes well with Mom up there at girlscamp. Good luck dad with the job search. I plan to write Cami today a little note and mail it to her. I will probably mail it to here this next week. I also really want to send you the pictures that I have taken recently. I hope to do that within the next week. I am sorry that it has taken so long.
Con mucho cariño y amor.
Wednesday, June 9, 2010
June 9, 2010
My Dear Family,
I am so grateful to be able to say that I have a dear family and that I love, and they love me.
Thank you for the reports of the week. I appreciate understanding what is going on, and if in anyway they are going to affect me, they will most certainly be for the better.
The first lesson we teach as missionaries has the first principle titled, Nuestro Amoroso Padre Celestial, or Our Loving Heavenly Father. This principle is only about 3 or four short paragraphs long and begins with the first sentence saying. God is our loving Heavenly Father. We are his children. He loves communicating with us and we do so through prayer. He has sent us to this earth to learn and to grow. When we disobey His commandments He is sad. We show our love for Him by obeying His commandments.
I especially love, and am grateful for, the knowledge that I have of why I am here. We are here for 2 purposes. 1) To gain a mortal, physical body...CHECK! 2) To gain earthly experience away from the physical presence of Heavenly Father...STILL IN PROCESS! In other words we are here for the simple and seemingly complex reason to be tested and tried, to experience sorrow and joy, to know the good and the bad, to have problems and successes. In the end, having overcome all challenges, having selected to choose Jesus Christ and His everlasting Gospel over Satan, the father of all lies.
What a purpose, huh? These sure are difficult times, and I can see the same trials that our family is facing here in Spain. There are husbands here who have been separated from their wives and family for 8, 9, 10 years, while they have been trying to work and get ahead, enough to be able to provide for their families in their respective countries. I can´t imagine being in a situation like that, and yet trials as such come to all. This was explained in detail before we chose to accept the plan before the world was. How grateful we are that we were faithful in keeping our first estate. 1 down, 1 to go.
I think in times like these, and I don´t know too much, so you could just stop reading if you wanted to, but in times like these we need to just stop, pray, breathe, study the scriptures, go to the temple, and just refocus on this mission and goal that we have, to live worthily to enter into the presence of the Father and the Son after this very, very, very, short testing period. We can do it! I know that you have already done these things and always do them. How grateful I am to be apart of a family that does these things daily.
I am sorry that times are rough right now, and I am praying for you. This Sunday I heard a really neat story that I want to tell you. It was heard that a man who had been lost at see for many days ended up at an island in the middle of nowhere with no habitants. He, trying to think ahead, built a shelter for the night. As it was getting dark, he went to look for some last minute materials before he crawled in for the night. After having found what he needed he returned to his shelter, and to his shock and horror, it had caught fire, and in seconds, his days work had been burnt to ashes. He began to blame and curse God, asking, ¨why me?¨ After throwing a tantrum for several minutes he eventually fell asleep, cold and tired. The next day, early in the morning, when he awoke, he spotted a boat headed his way. When the captain landed on shore, the lost man asked him ¨How did you know I was here?¨ The captain replied, well, from the smoke signals you sent us.
This story is a lot like our lives. We hardly, if ever, blame God for anything that happens to us, but sometimes we forget or lose focus, just a little, the God knows all things. He is perfect and knows everything from the beginning. And the best thing about God is that He loves us. If we are trying to love Him, by obeying His commandments, we can have the assurance that He will take care of us. Things will work out and before long we will see, like the lost sailor, that the barriers and trials that were placed before us are for our, eternal, if not for our temporal welfare. We, a little bit more faithful than this lost sailor, just need to pray for the guidance of the Holy Ghost, and follow it, doing our very best to do the will of our loving Heavenly Father. Things rarely work out the way we want them too and even rarer, when we want them to, but, yes, they always work out. In some way, we can see the tender mercies of the Lord and be witnesses that He continues today, to be a God of miracles.
Dad, when you told me, last week, about this job offer that you had from this company in Washington, I had a feeling I have never had before, when you have had other job offers that required us to move. I had a feeling that was good. Maybe it was the excitement of moving to another state or just the adventure in itself. But you know me, I hated the idea of moving. But when I read that, I was surprised at the way I felt. I thought that maybe it is what we are supposed to do. But I love having the peace of mind that I don´t have to make the decision. That revelation and guidance will come through the patriarch of the family, that being dad. I have complete and absolute confidence in you Dad, and know that you are in tune with the Spirit and will make the decisions, consistent with your feelings, that will be best for the eternal benefit of our family. I will be praying a lot for you all this week and I hope that this week will be one of the most spiritual weeks as a family, as we strive to make decisions in accordance with the plans that our loving Heavenly Father has for us.
I was so excited to get a letter from Cami. I am going to write her next week, maybe through mail, but I will write her next week. Tell her that so she can be expecting it.
The work is great here and we have two baptismal dates. They both have desires to know that this is the true church of Jesus Christ. I love being completely involved in the beautiful work of the Lord.
Transfers are this next week and I am suspecting that maybe Elder Moreno will leave the area. He only has three transfers left and I think that they might kick him out to a pueblo. But who knows.
Keep praying for me, please, and those that we are teaching.
I love you all,
Elder Driggs
I am so grateful to be able to say that I have a dear family and that I love, and they love me.
Thank you for the reports of the week. I appreciate understanding what is going on, and if in anyway they are going to affect me, they will most certainly be for the better.
The first lesson we teach as missionaries has the first principle titled, Nuestro Amoroso Padre Celestial, or Our Loving Heavenly Father. This principle is only about 3 or four short paragraphs long and begins with the first sentence saying. God is our loving Heavenly Father. We are his children. He loves communicating with us and we do so through prayer. He has sent us to this earth to learn and to grow. When we disobey His commandments He is sad. We show our love for Him by obeying His commandments.
I especially love, and am grateful for, the knowledge that I have of why I am here. We are here for 2 purposes. 1) To gain a mortal, physical body...CHECK! 2) To gain earthly experience away from the physical presence of Heavenly Father...STILL IN PROCESS! In other words we are here for the simple and seemingly complex reason to be tested and tried, to experience sorrow and joy, to know the good and the bad, to have problems and successes. In the end, having overcome all challenges, having selected to choose Jesus Christ and His everlasting Gospel over Satan, the father of all lies.
What a purpose, huh? These sure are difficult times, and I can see the same trials that our family is facing here in Spain. There are husbands here who have been separated from their wives and family for 8, 9, 10 years, while they have been trying to work and get ahead, enough to be able to provide for their families in their respective countries. I can´t imagine being in a situation like that, and yet trials as such come to all. This was explained in detail before we chose to accept the plan before the world was. How grateful we are that we were faithful in keeping our first estate. 1 down, 1 to go.
I think in times like these, and I don´t know too much, so you could just stop reading if you wanted to, but in times like these we need to just stop, pray, breathe, study the scriptures, go to the temple, and just refocus on this mission and goal that we have, to live worthily to enter into the presence of the Father and the Son after this very, very, very, short testing period. We can do it! I know that you have already done these things and always do them. How grateful I am to be apart of a family that does these things daily.
I am sorry that times are rough right now, and I am praying for you. This Sunday I heard a really neat story that I want to tell you. It was heard that a man who had been lost at see for many days ended up at an island in the middle of nowhere with no habitants. He, trying to think ahead, built a shelter for the night. As it was getting dark, he went to look for some last minute materials before he crawled in for the night. After having found what he needed he returned to his shelter, and to his shock and horror, it had caught fire, and in seconds, his days work had been burnt to ashes. He began to blame and curse God, asking, ¨why me?¨ After throwing a tantrum for several minutes he eventually fell asleep, cold and tired. The next day, early in the morning, when he awoke, he spotted a boat headed his way. When the captain landed on shore, the lost man asked him ¨How did you know I was here?¨ The captain replied, well, from the smoke signals you sent us.
This story is a lot like our lives. We hardly, if ever, blame God for anything that happens to us, but sometimes we forget or lose focus, just a little, the God knows all things. He is perfect and knows everything from the beginning. And the best thing about God is that He loves us. If we are trying to love Him, by obeying His commandments, we can have the assurance that He will take care of us. Things will work out and before long we will see, like the lost sailor, that the barriers and trials that were placed before us are for our, eternal, if not for our temporal welfare. We, a little bit more faithful than this lost sailor, just need to pray for the guidance of the Holy Ghost, and follow it, doing our very best to do the will of our loving Heavenly Father. Things rarely work out the way we want them too and even rarer, when we want them to, but, yes, they always work out. In some way, we can see the tender mercies of the Lord and be witnesses that He continues today, to be a God of miracles.
Dad, when you told me, last week, about this job offer that you had from this company in Washington, I had a feeling I have never had before, when you have had other job offers that required us to move. I had a feeling that was good. Maybe it was the excitement of moving to another state or just the adventure in itself. But you know me, I hated the idea of moving. But when I read that, I was surprised at the way I felt. I thought that maybe it is what we are supposed to do. But I love having the peace of mind that I don´t have to make the decision. That revelation and guidance will come through the patriarch of the family, that being dad. I have complete and absolute confidence in you Dad, and know that you are in tune with the Spirit and will make the decisions, consistent with your feelings, that will be best for the eternal benefit of our family. I will be praying a lot for you all this week and I hope that this week will be one of the most spiritual weeks as a family, as we strive to make decisions in accordance with the plans that our loving Heavenly Father has for us.
I was so excited to get a letter from Cami. I am going to write her next week, maybe through mail, but I will write her next week. Tell her that so she can be expecting it.
The work is great here and we have two baptismal dates. They both have desires to know that this is the true church of Jesus Christ. I love being completely involved in the beautiful work of the Lord.
Transfers are this next week and I am suspecting that maybe Elder Moreno will leave the area. He only has three transfers left and I think that they might kick him out to a pueblo. But who knows.
Keep praying for me, please, and those that we are teaching.
I love you all,
Elder Driggs
Wednesday, June 2, 2010
June 2, 2010
Dear Family,
Wow, what a week I have had. It has gone by so fast and yet so slow as well. It is weird how the time goes by in the mission. They told me in the MTC that the weeks are like days and the days are like weeks. In some ways that saying has a lot a sense in the mission.
So where to start...
Well, first of all, last Thursday was a great day. Elder Caussé came to visit us and we learned a bunch. I had a sacred experience there and really felt as if it was the Savior talking to us and not Elder Caussé. I felt his humble spirit and his humble desire to serve the Lord in all ways, and what he said was confirmed by the Holy Ghost and we knew that it was what we needed as a mission.
After we ate in the MTC, after having this 4 hour meeting with him in that intimate setting of only 12 people. As Elder Moreno and I were walking over to the distribution center with Elder Carr and Elder Jackson, a former Assistant, I saw someone very familiar. Immediately I called out,¨Kathryn.¨ She started running over, stopped about 10 feet from me and then asked, can I give you a hug? I asked Elder Jackson and he said no...he is just a fun sucker...haha not really. So I had to give her a handshake, really weird, but whatever. She looked great! and really happy and bubbly as usual.
After talking with her, Elder Moreno commented to me how her accent was very good, muy española (very Spanish). Even though she only said about one sentence in Spanish. But it was way fun just talking with her for about 10-15 minutes. She told me that all is well with her family so that is great news. I am glad she is having such a great experience there... I mean here.
It was kind of funny because Elder Carr was right there the whole time, and about after 5 minutes he asked her, you look way familiar. She said the same thing to him, but couldn´t find a real connection other than a few common friends. The next day Elder Carr called me and said that he had been thinking all day, trying to figure out where he had met her and known her before. He told me that he had actually had a couple of classes with her at BYU and had done a few labs with her. He even went on a double date with her friend, while she went with his best friend. So he called me and joked around that he is going to marry her when he gets back.
Ahh, there just isn´t enough time to write you all that has happened in this last week. Before I forget, I LOVE the package you sent me. There was TONS of music. Oh my gosh. So I will be enjoying that for the rest of my mission. Thank you so much. Also for the contacts, clothes, and socks. The cook book will be put to use today as I buy the necessary ingredients for Dorito Mash, and hopefully I can get some other things made this week. I can´t wait to use it. I also always love reading the newsletter while eating frutties, haha. Those potato things from Idaho look very tasty, and even more exciting, very easy to make. Thank you so much Mom and Cari for doing that. And thanks for sending it Dad.
As to the report that you have to make the coming Sunday Dad, you can say what you wish. I just had the thought of maybe telling them that the Lord has strengthened me and helped me grow and do, really everything in this sacred calling. I try to do my best, but am still far from perfect, but it is added testimony and evidence that the Lord works through His servants that are humble, strive to do His will the best they can, and are worthy, to work His miracles among His children. I have seen so many miracles during this first year and I know that He has magnified me to be a mighty instrument in His hands. All it requires is a willing heart and worthy soul. I don´t know if this will help, but your good at things like this.
I had a very special and spiritual experience this last Saturday that I want to tell you about before I run out of time. Elder Moreno and I were invited by a couple in the ward that was going to be sealed together and with their 8 year old son. We have visited them a lot and they are just great. So we have been encouraging them to receive their endowment and be sealed. They invited us to their endowment session and to their sealing on Saturday. We went and the whole thing was just so excited and so...spiritual. I felt the Spirit very strong in the session, especially as it was their first time. They were so willing to take upon themselves added covenants and it reminded me a lot of when I went to the temple for the first time. It was very special when the temple Presidente and his wife helped the couple at the veil.
The sealing was exceptional and the first time since Mark that I have been in a live sealing. I did some in behalf of the dead before the mission and was a witness a few times here in Madrid when they lacked workers. I really can´t express the feelings that I had in that room, but watching the temple President, thinking of when Mom and Dad getting married and sealed by President Eyering, surely I was there watching on; and then letting their son come in to join them at the alter took me back, and I was able to imagine myself there at a similar alter 3 times, and having the same privilege of having a forever family.
It was incredible. I saw the exquisite happiness of those parents and the innocence of the child, not really knowing what they were doing. I just said a big prayer of gratitude to my Father in Heaven for sending me to a family, even though the way was different than the normal way, but to a family, to parents who were worthy and desirous to have children born in the covenant. I can´t imagine the happiness you must have had and still have to know that no matter what happens in this life, if some of us leave this earthly home earlier than others, it would only be a matter of time until we would unite again.
What a special and most sacred blessing to be sealed to my best friends forever. I, like Elder Holland says on the temple open house video, can´t imagine heaven without my family. The family is so important and I gained a added perspective of that sacred social unit from God. No wonder the devil is trying to attack it so much, and no wonder why almost every talk in this last General Conference was protecting it.
It really just made me want to do all I can to help my family be worthy so that all of us can make it back together. So, after all of that rambling, I just want to thank you, Mom and Dad, for living worthy lives to have made those eternal promises in the Salt Lake Temple some 25 years ago. Thank you for adopting me into your family, and thank you so much for sealing me to you, as well as Cami, and Mark. It was a little easier with Cari, haha. But I thank you for doing all that you have done for me. I didn´t realize how special those days must have been, but know I am beginning to understand.
I hope that you have a great week. Keep doing the little things, so that we can enjoy the big things later. The zone conference was splendid and I felt your prayers. Thank you for praying for me and I felt their help.
I love you all.
Elder Driggs
Wow, what a week I have had. It has gone by so fast and yet so slow as well. It is weird how the time goes by in the mission. They told me in the MTC that the weeks are like days and the days are like weeks. In some ways that saying has a lot a sense in the mission.
So where to start...
Well, first of all, last Thursday was a great day. Elder Caussé came to visit us and we learned a bunch. I had a sacred experience there and really felt as if it was the Savior talking to us and not Elder Caussé. I felt his humble spirit and his humble desire to serve the Lord in all ways, and what he said was confirmed by the Holy Ghost and we knew that it was what we needed as a mission.
After we ate in the MTC, after having this 4 hour meeting with him in that intimate setting of only 12 people. As Elder Moreno and I were walking over to the distribution center with Elder Carr and Elder Jackson, a former Assistant, I saw someone very familiar. Immediately I called out,¨Kathryn.¨ She started running over, stopped about 10 feet from me and then asked, can I give you a hug? I asked Elder Jackson and he said no...he is just a fun sucker...haha not really. So I had to give her a handshake, really weird, but whatever. She looked great! and really happy and bubbly as usual.
After talking with her, Elder Moreno commented to me how her accent was very good, muy española (very Spanish). Even though she only said about one sentence in Spanish. But it was way fun just talking with her for about 10-15 minutes. She told me that all is well with her family so that is great news. I am glad she is having such a great experience there... I mean here.
It was kind of funny because Elder Carr was right there the whole time, and about after 5 minutes he asked her, you look way familiar. She said the same thing to him, but couldn´t find a real connection other than a few common friends. The next day Elder Carr called me and said that he had been thinking all day, trying to figure out where he had met her and known her before. He told me that he had actually had a couple of classes with her at BYU and had done a few labs with her. He even went on a double date with her friend, while she went with his best friend. So he called me and joked around that he is going to marry her when he gets back.
Ahh, there just isn´t enough time to write you all that has happened in this last week. Before I forget, I LOVE the package you sent me. There was TONS of music. Oh my gosh. So I will be enjoying that for the rest of my mission. Thank you so much. Also for the contacts, clothes, and socks. The cook book will be put to use today as I buy the necessary ingredients for Dorito Mash, and hopefully I can get some other things made this week. I can´t wait to use it. I also always love reading the newsletter while eating frutties, haha. Those potato things from Idaho look very tasty, and even more exciting, very easy to make. Thank you so much Mom and Cari for doing that. And thanks for sending it Dad.
As to the report that you have to make the coming Sunday Dad, you can say what you wish. I just had the thought of maybe telling them that the Lord has strengthened me and helped me grow and do, really everything in this sacred calling. I try to do my best, but am still far from perfect, but it is added testimony and evidence that the Lord works through His servants that are humble, strive to do His will the best they can, and are worthy, to work His miracles among His children. I have seen so many miracles during this first year and I know that He has magnified me to be a mighty instrument in His hands. All it requires is a willing heart and worthy soul. I don´t know if this will help, but your good at things like this.
I had a very special and spiritual experience this last Saturday that I want to tell you about before I run out of time. Elder Moreno and I were invited by a couple in the ward that was going to be sealed together and with their 8 year old son. We have visited them a lot and they are just great. So we have been encouraging them to receive their endowment and be sealed. They invited us to their endowment session and to their sealing on Saturday. We went and the whole thing was just so excited and so...spiritual. I felt the Spirit very strong in the session, especially as it was their first time. They were so willing to take upon themselves added covenants and it reminded me a lot of when I went to the temple for the first time. It was very special when the temple Presidente and his wife helped the couple at the veil.
The sealing was exceptional and the first time since Mark that I have been in a live sealing. I did some in behalf of the dead before the mission and was a witness a few times here in Madrid when they lacked workers. I really can´t express the feelings that I had in that room, but watching the temple President, thinking of when Mom and Dad getting married and sealed by President Eyering, surely I was there watching on; and then letting their son come in to join them at the alter took me back, and I was able to imagine myself there at a similar alter 3 times, and having the same privilege of having a forever family.
It was incredible. I saw the exquisite happiness of those parents and the innocence of the child, not really knowing what they were doing. I just said a big prayer of gratitude to my Father in Heaven for sending me to a family, even though the way was different than the normal way, but to a family, to parents who were worthy and desirous to have children born in the covenant. I can´t imagine the happiness you must have had and still have to know that no matter what happens in this life, if some of us leave this earthly home earlier than others, it would only be a matter of time until we would unite again.
What a special and most sacred blessing to be sealed to my best friends forever. I, like Elder Holland says on the temple open house video, can´t imagine heaven without my family. The family is so important and I gained a added perspective of that sacred social unit from God. No wonder the devil is trying to attack it so much, and no wonder why almost every talk in this last General Conference was protecting it.
It really just made me want to do all I can to help my family be worthy so that all of us can make it back together. So, after all of that rambling, I just want to thank you, Mom and Dad, for living worthy lives to have made those eternal promises in the Salt Lake Temple some 25 years ago. Thank you for adopting me into your family, and thank you so much for sealing me to you, as well as Cami, and Mark. It was a little easier with Cari, haha. But I thank you for doing all that you have done for me. I didn´t realize how special those days must have been, but know I am beginning to understand.
I hope that you have a great week. Keep doing the little things, so that we can enjoy the big things later. The zone conference was splendid and I felt your prayers. Thank you for praying for me and I felt their help.
I love you all.
Elder Driggs
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