January 19, 2011

Dear family,

This week has been a great week. Part of what our plan is to help the mission is to do 1 exchange with almost every missionary within metro Madrid. That in total will be 15 exchanges and we plan to do this before the end of this transfer, so within the next 5 weeks. We started the program yesterday and I went to Cuatro Caminos, Barrio 5, my old ward/area, and worked the day with Elder Cardoso, who is a 7 year(I think) convert to the church from Brazil. His family right now is living in Castillo de León and he is a great missionary. He works hard and has only been out in the field for 2 transfers. This is his second.

It was great being back in Barrio 5 for the day and I was able to see a couple of members and it always feels good when people remember you and tell you how much they miss you. It was great to see them and the bishop again. We saw the bishop while we were in the church teaching English classes. So the plan is that we do 3 exchanges for the next 5 weeks so that we can cover all of Madrid we are excited but to add to our excitement is the news that we received this last Monday.

While in the office this last Monday we received the news that 6 new missionaries had received their visas and were to enter the mission Wednesday or today. Well while talking it over with President about who had more space in their apartments and who would be their trainers he selected 3 units, the one of which is Barrio 2. So the great big news is that Elder Ketchum and I are training two American missionaries.

My companion is Elder Jeppson from North Logan. He is a great missionary and he speaks great Spanish. I have basically been speaking only Spanish with him all day and he speaks to me in Spanish. I am being honest. He has the gift of tongues for sure because he is way ahead of where I was. We are excited to work hard and I feel that we are going to have a lot of success. I am not sure if I will be with him just until this transfer ends, but whatever happens we are ready for a great adventure.

Thank you so much for all of the letters for my birthday. I love hearing from everyone. My birthday was great because a family of recent converts cooked us a wonderful meal. Gorki and Gloria who just got baptized a few months ago cooked a three course meal for us. Un caldo de Longostina de Ecuador, An octopus plate from some place in Spain (it was good), and we finished it off with a smashing presentation of a ceviche de pescado from Peru. Ohhh it was soo good. We had been fasting that day and so it was a great way to celebrate my birthday. I felt lots of love from the members and missionaries here.


Love,


Élder Driggs