January 26, 2011

Dearest Family,
I am very glad that you had a good week. I pray for you a lot. I always try and mention my family when I pray. You are the most important people to me and I pray that Heavenly Father keeps blessing you and us as a family so that we can enjoy Celestial blessings. I want and desire nothing more for us and I know that that blessing is within reach. It depends entirely on our use of agency. What a gift our agency is as it is the key to our progression. We surely learn most when we fall down and what a blessing it is to be able to pick ourselves back up and fix those earlier mistakes.
I did receive the package, Mom. Thank you sooo much. You sure know how to remind me of home and feel your love. I absolutely loved the Cinnamon Toast Crunch cereal. Boy, do I love that cereal. I received the package this last Monday while we were in the office. We were on the computers when the delivery guy came in and delivered the package. I opened it right there and took out those prescious pictures. I loved them! A lot of them were really random but what fun seeing how the house is and the changes that you have made. I love the new kitchen table and Cari´s and Mom and Dad´s bedrooms. I was SUPER surprised when I saw the picture of Dad. Holy Cow!!! You have lost a ton of weight. Don´t take me wrong, you were not fat when I left, but you are super skinny now. It reminds me a lot of your wedding engagement picture. You look great, and Mom, you also have lost weight. Congratulations! What a success. I am trying to gain weight but am very unsuccessful. We will see how it goes as time goes on. I am sure that that stage in life will hit some day. So the pictures were great and I opened the Swedish fish up last night and they were really fresh. Ahhh!!! So good!
I am glad to receive the news about BYU. I am pretty sure that President will allow me to make certain arrangements to be able to register on preparation day. I also would love to take advantage of the offer to look for work for me, Dad. I would love to have something lined up for me when I get back. There are three things that I want to do when I get back. 1- Have a good calling at church. Just something to do, I don´t care what it is but I want something to do that will allow me to continue to serve. 2 – I want to work. I want to be involved in earning and saving money for the future, I also think that it would be a good thing to have a part time job while at BYU, to have some sort of income. I am not sure if Lee Stoore is still working at the Zermatt hotel but his number was in my cell phone when I left. Even if he is not working there, I am sure that he would be willing to talk to them and see if there are any job availabilities. And 3 – Of course, I will want to spend tons of time with the family. After being away for so long I want to take advantage of every opportunity to be with you. Laugh with you, talk with, and work with you (cleaning, helping, and fixing in any way, everything I didn´t do before the misión). So those will be my most immediate priorities, I think.
I have made a note to join in on the family fast the 6th of February and to pray at 5:00 mountain time. Except that I will have to pray a Little earlier because I will need to be in bad at that time.
This past week has been a crazy week. It´s interesting the way that things have turned out with Elder Jeppson and Elder Gardner. We have gone through with the exchanges and it has been hard for them to keep learning and adjusting to missionary life when sometimes we are not there and especially when it has been necessary that they two, together, go out by themselves to face the world. It isn´t the best situation but they are learning a ton and they are such good missionaries. They both have no fear whatsoever and contact in the metro and in the Street and everywhere. They are great and their examples are helping me work harder as well. Elder Jeppson speaks Spanish super well. He and I basically only speak in Spanish, except for the times that the English just slips out. I remember telling Elder Carr to only talk to me in Spanish but then I would just end up not talking and that wasn´t good either. I think that I was in my 4th transfer or so, with Elder Dawson when we started setting goals to only speak Spanish, and even then it was really difficult. So, he is way for ahead of where I was. He will be a great missionary, especially since he works hard and loves the work.
The baptisms of Javiera and Francisca this last Saturday were soooo spiritual. Really, it was one of the most spiritual experiences of my whole misión. Elder Ketchum and I had been really pushy in having their dad baptize, even though they wanted us to do it. We tried to explain the reasons but they were really resentful. Obviously it was their choice, but their dad, Marco wanted to perform the ordinance. Kati, their mother, was also resisting a Little bit as she wanted us to do it as well, as she had been baptized by Elder Ketchum on Christmas. Well, we got the final Word that Javiera and Francisca had somehow changed their minds and were going to be baptized by their father Marco. We were soooo excited, as Marco has started to come back to church less tan 2 months ago, after being inactive for over 30 years. He had been given the Aaronic Priesthood in December and was very excited, and a Little nervous, for the ordinance.
I cannot write everything that happened that night right now, because of the lack of time, but I will surely tell you more when I get back, as I tried to write it in detail in my journal. To be short and simple, it was sooo precious and beautiful to see a very humble father bringing his beloved daughters into the waters of baptism, just like some missionary had done when he was 12 years old, and baptizing them unto repentance and allowing them to enter into the fold of God, the Church of Christ (as Dad mentioned). It was so sacred as he, while saying their names and the prayer, fixed his sight in the eyes of his wife. He said the prayer both times flawless and not letting his visión be distracted from that of his wife Kati. It was something so special to see, because it was as if he was letting her share in that ordinance. The Spirit was very, very strong and Marco choked up a Little bit during the prayer as Kati started to ball. You can only imagine the extreme joy that she should have felt, as several months ago Marco drank Alcohol and spent less time with his family. Now, he, the father of his family, was worthy to hold the holy Priesthood of God, and was baptizing his daughters. It was a special and sacred evening and I hope that they continue on, because as of right now their sights are fixed on the temple. Marco is taking classes to prepare to receive the Melchizedek priesthood. It is all a special experience.

Thank you soo much for the package, for your love, and your prayers.

I love you all very much!!! And I pray for you!

Love,

Elder Driggs, Rob!