January 5, 2011

Happy New Year Family!!!,

Wow, I can´t even believe it that 2011 has come and that 2009 and 2010 have been lost forever in the lovely lanes of our memories. Wow! this year will not be completely dedicated to missionary work as I will be home for almost half of this year. That is a crazy thought and don´t want to think about it too much.

It has been a great week and Élder Ketchum and I have had a lot of fun. We have been busy with lessons, a four hour leadership training program, and the every day missionary life. I love it and am learning a ton about myself and about how to react around others in a way that will help them be better, more like Christ. I need to work on that last part a lot more, because I need to get better at it.

So where to start....How about at New Years Eve!!! Earlier in the week last week, I think it was last Monday or Tuesday where we found a really nice Dominican mother and son and they let us come over and share a message with them immediately after meeting them in the street. They were so nice, and the mother knows that her youngest son here (she has 2 sons and one daughter here, and I think 1 son and her husband in her country) needs to be baptized because he has never done so. She doesn´t quite yet see that need for herself, but we haven´t really had the opportunity to do so, either.

So anyway, we taught them that once and then one more time Thursday, I think. Thursday of last week, they invited us over for their New Year´s Eve dinner, and OF COURSE, we accepted. So we were so honored to have been invited as it was only the four of them, the mom and the three children, and the girlfriend of one of the boys came as we left. It was a huge honor and privilege to have been invited on such short notice and after not even knowing them very well. The mom had contacted missionaries in her country earlier but we were so surprised and grateful. So we went and the food was outstanding....ahhh. She had cooked lobster, shrimp, ham, and this salad that was absolutely delicious. We left very content and we are still pending for our next visit with them.

The leadership training meeting went over really well. It was planned to be four hours. President Watkins was in charge of one hour and Hermana Watkins the other. Elder Ketchum and I covered the topic of teaching to the needs of the investigators and how to start teaching (both of which come from Preach My Gospel). It went well and hopefully all of the missionaries learned a lot. Because of the size of the mission and in order to save time with transportation, we had a huge video conference between the Canary Islands, (there were a few stations there on different islands) and then two more stations in the North of Spain, in Santiago and in León. So it is really neat to see all of this technology working out and be able to communicate with 14 or so other missionaries from around the country at the same time and be able to see and hear them.

Today for preparation day we are planning on playing basketball at the stake center next to the temple. We have planned on meeting a few other missionaries and we are taking with us the other missionaries from B4 (they live with us) as well. I love basketball and it will be fun to play a little bit.

I apologize for being a pest but I would love to hear more missionary stories from you, mom and dad, and from other family members, like uncle Steve, uncle Paul, or others. I would love to be able to hear about when Uncle Steve was with President Watkins, and I would love to hear from Uncle Paul about how the mission was like when he was here. More specifically his areas, etc. I don´t want to bother anyone so just if it is possible.

I love you all and am grateful that you are all well. I am bummed that I am going to miss Cari´s baptism but I understand and support that there is no reason to wait until I get back to do so. The blessing of that saving ordinance is much more important than waiting for a big brother. So take a bunch of pictures to save the moments.

I love you and urge you to keep going with the scripture reading in the morning. What a sacrifice, and what a blessing. I can´t wait to do it with all of you when I get back.

I send my love to all my family and friends.

Have a great week.

Love,

Élder Driggs :)

P.S. Thank you so much mom for the birthday song wish/note. I really appreciate it. I will definitely have you and everyone present in my thoughts that day. I can´t believe I am going to be 21. Yikes