Oh my wonderful family!
I am glad that this week has been a great week for everyone. It has been the same for me. The missionary work here is going super well and we are finding new ways to help and serve other missionaries as well.
Thank you to all of those who wished me happy birthday. I really appreciate it, and just to let Grandmother and Granddad know, I do receive their letters and love reading them and knowing how they are doing. I apologize for not letting them know otherwise and for never responding. I am horrible.
So Élder Ketchum and I are being blessed a lot right now. We have big goals and Heavenly Father is helping us reach them. The latest news is the progress of the people who are preparing themselves to be baptized. Last week we had the two children, Javiera and Francisca, of Marco and Kati (the Chileans, Kati was baptized on Christmas) with baptismal dates for the 22 of January. They are 9 and 11 years old and are excited for their baptisms. They are children, so they don´t perfectly understand everything but when we asked them why they wanted to be baptized Javiera responded, ¨para entrar en el Reino de Dios (to enter into the Kingdom of God).¨ Super impressive as she basically quoted John 3:5. So, after picking up Élder Ketchum´s jaw off the ground we asked the same question to Francisca who replied, ¨para estar con Dios (to be with God).¨ So we are really impressed with them. They have know been to church 6 times in a row and love the Primary, that blessed organization. Their mother is especially excited because while at a family night with several ward families, she invited everyone to their baptisms.
The other two exciting stories are from two men from Ecuador, Fernando and Fausto. Fernando Andrade is a 33 year old man that was going to get baptized on Christmas with Kati but couldn´t because of complications with his wrist and foot due to a moto accident. We asked President Watkins last night if we could just wrap them up in a plastic bag during the baptism and he said that that would be fine. So we are going to tell Fernando the good news today, as he also has another examine with the doctors to see if he will need rehab or not. He wants to be baptized so we are excited as he will be able to realize his desire very soon.
The last story is someone very new, Fausto Jaramillo. We talked to him last week in the street before we went inside for the day. In the contact we set up an appointment for the next day. It was a really quick contact so we didn´t think too much of it, as usually when people act in a hurry it means that they don´t have too much interest. Unfortunately the next day, we were in exchanges and we didn´t have time to get to the appointment and forgot about him, not calling him or anything. So bad, I know.
Well a couple of days later I called him and he told us that he had been there waiting for us, I apologized big time, and he said that it was fine. We set another appointment up for last Saturday and ended up teaching him in the Church. It was a great experience as he is very humble and willing to listen and act on the message of the Restoration. We invited him to come to church the next day, he came, and we met again Monday. It helps a lot that he doesn´t have work, because he is very flexible, and that makes it easy for him to progress. On Monday we invited him to be baptized on the 5 of February and he accepted. He is great and we have another visit with him today at 7:00 in the church. We are extremely blessed with him and he will be a great member. He reminds me a lot of Segundo Moina in Barrio 5, who was baptized the week after I left that area.
So the blessings are many and the miracles are evident in our daily lives. I thank the Lord for his love and for the blessing of being here in Spain. I hope that you have a wonderful week and that all goes well in your busy daily lives. Keep your chins up and don´t forget to smile.
Dad, I pray for you that things go well as you are far from home. I admire your example of hard work and sacrifice for your family.
I love you very much! I pray for you often and know that you pray for me. Thank you!
Love,
Élder Driggs
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