Dear Family,
Hello, Hello. I hope everyone has had a good week thus far. I am saddened by the news of Grandma. I hope and pray that all goes well with her, and you mom, and the whole family. Thankfully we have knowledge of the Plan of Salvation that helps us understand and comprehend death and other misfortunes during our journey here on earth. I am very grateful for this knowledge as it has helped me many times during my life be happy, despite the surrounding circumstances.
This week has been wonderful for Elder Gómez and me. We love the work. I have been trying lately to be more focused and concentrated in the work, and to really establish and develop a love for the people. I have been getting better, I think, and I continue to enjoy the work.
We are excited as we are finding more and more people, or should I say miracles, that are really ready to prepare themselves to be baptized. Or more importantly, are desirous to do so. We are still very excited for Segundo Moina. He wasn´t able to come to church this last Sunday, which happened to be Stake Conference, because he was working, and he won´t be able to come this coming Sunday, either, because of work. His schedule seems to have changed a little bit, but we are patient and hopeful that all will work out. We have invited him to ask his bosses to see if there is a possibility to have his shift a little later, so that he can still come to church. We will see what happens.
I have been trying lately to put the advice of Elder Pederson, the nephew of the Ernst, in practice, which is to talk about baptism in every lesson. I think I do so normally but I don´t make it a huge focus. With Segundo, I am especially trying to at least mention his baptism in every visit. A couple of lessons ago, I asked Segundo how he was feeling in terms of his baptism. He responded, ¨I feel a lot more calm and I hope that the day gets her quick.¨ I was surprised and very happy to hear this, and asked him why he was excited for his baptismal date, just so that we could know what he was thinking.
He told us that he wanted to be a member of the Iglesia Mormona. He is very humble and very receptive, it seems like. He is understanding more and more and continues to read everyday from the Book of Mormon. He will be a wonderful member of the church and we are excited to his date, which will probably be the 18th of November. Please pray for him, so that he can come to church, he has already come twice and stayed for the three hours, but he needs to at least come one more time to be able to be baptized. He should be able to at least come twice a month to church, which certainly isn´t the best, but ok.
It is hard, the balance with church assistance and work here in Spain, because fathers or mothers separate themselves from their friends and families for years to come over here to just work. Their only goal and vision is to get money and to support their family, and for some it is the only hope to get ahead or help their children attend the university, etc. It is a rough situation but as we know, sacrafice brings forth the blessings of heaven, and we know that this is the Church of Jesus Christ and we have all of the truth. So what else matters?
We are also very excited about a new investigator named Carlos Herranz. A month or more ago we received a reference from the bishop of the second ward here in Madrid. We called him a couple of times and seemed super nice and very excited to learn more, but do to his work schedules, we could never meet with him. We ended up losing contact with him. We called him last Friday and set up an appointment Saturday evening. During the phone call he told me that he had already read the Book of Mormon and prayed at the end. He told me that he wanted to read the Pearl of Great Price and Doctrine and Covenants as well.
I was shocked. When we went to his apartment on Saturday...let me just say that this guy is an animal...in the good meaning. He is incredible. We sat down and started talking to him and listened to his story. He had met with missionaries before and they gave him the Book of Mormon. He read it and felt that it was true. He had to travel to Wales for work and lost contact with the missionaries and lost his Book of Mormon. He is a very impressive man as he is a musician, theologists-he taught theology during a certain period in his life, and among many other things he is a Spaniard.
After hearing him, and hearing that he wanted to learn more we presented him with a ¨Conversion Plan¨, which includes the lessons needed receive and a baptismal date. We set the date for the 4 and 5 of December and he was willing to put it as a goal. He has a ton of experience and we invited him to the stake conference the next day and he came. He came in taxi because he wasn´t sure that he was going to make it on time, and apparently the taxies here are not the cheapest way of transportation here.
He stayed for almost all of it, and he had to leave before the last hymn and the closing prayer. He seemed to enjoy it and told me that he had already read the assigned reading, and he is just really neat. He is one of those golden investigators that you always look for and hear about. We hope that he continues to be great, as we really don´t know a whole lot about him, but until now all goes well. In 1 hour and 40 minutes we have an appointment with him. At 7 o clock in the church. Wish us luck! Haha.
Well, that is basically what we are up to, in a very short, brief report. I am loving the work and am nervous that my time is already coming to an end. I still have time left, but I have that feeling that the end is drawing near, and I don´t want to stop living this dream. I have loved the experiences that I have had up until this point and I have become a better person. When someone is really devoted in the service of others, they change permanently for the better. I need to serve with more love and devotion so that I can become closer to Jesus Christ.
I love you all very much and please tell Grandma hi for me. I will be praying for her and all of you.
I love you,
Élder Driggs
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