February 8, 2011

My Dearest Family,

It´s been a great week. We are busy as usual and there are few moments to breathe in our busy schedules. Monday, two days ago, we had a zone leader council and it turned out well. We ate there in the MTC around 2:30 or 3:00 and then we, Elder Ketchum and I, were off to the office. We were there until 8:30pm and had to make a couple of calls so that we could move the visits that we had scheduled and be able to teach two, Elder Ketchum going with Elder Jeppson, and Elder Gardner going with me. Lately I have noticed that I am really tired when I get home. I think it´s because I just turned 21...I am really getting old and the age must be taking it´s toll on my body.

This last Sunday we were really excited because there were 8 non members in church, 2 of the which were official investigators, but the rest had just been invited in the initial contact and came. They all seemed to really enjoy it and 2 of them, a mom and daughter from Columbia, were really receptive and hit it off well with the members. I think that it helps that our bishop is Columbian.

We are looking forward to the baptism of Fausto the 19^th of February. I think that we are going to do it that week but we have Stake Conference this next week so it will be hard to let all of the members know so that they can come and support him. We will see what happens.

I think that this itinerary is fantastic. I am not sure how I could check train schedules to Paris. I don´t even know where they would leave from. I guess I have a few ideas of where that would be, but those places are not even in our area. I could probably talk to hermana Watkins, who might know more than I do. You, mom, could probably ask her as well. I am sure that she would be happy to help, that is if she knows something about that kind of stuff. I really do like the itinerary. I will sure be fun to see everyone and to be able to do so here in Spain.

Hermana Watkins has created a blog spot, if you wanted to know mom, for the parents of missionaries and for returned missionaries from the Spain Madrid mission. This is the direction: www.spainmadridmission.blogspot.com

Today we went to the temple and it was great. Afterwards Elder Ketchum started talking to Presidente Moore, the temple president, and he invited us into his office to answer a couple of questions. We were there probably 15 minutes or so but it was a priviledge to be with him and to just hear him talk. He is a very special man with a lot of church experience.

The other day I was walking with my companion in the street, I think that it was Elder Veintemilla de Ecuador pero que vive aquí en España ahora, and I saw a women across the street look at me and I had the thought to go and talk to her but I didn´t do it. We walked a loop and then went back to almost that same spot, just a little bit farther down, and I saw her and her dog again off the sidewalk in a grassy spot. I didn´t pass this opportunity up this time and went and gave her a card, even though she was talking on her cell phone. She stopped talking and said to me while I was starting to walk away, ¨Soy miembro.¨ I wasn´t that surprised as I realized that I had had the prompting earlier to talk to her and I realized why the Lord wanted me to talk to her, because she is a member.

We waited until she was off the phone and she told us that she had been here for a month from Paraguay and she hadn´t been to church yet. She gave us her number and now we have localized another member of the Church of Christ. It was another miracle in missionary work and I should learn never to deny spiritual impressions. Luckily or gratefuly, I was given a second chance and I was able to see the fruits behind the acting on that spiritual prompting. I am a witness that miracles do exist and that God is a God of love and miracles. If we are worthy and willing he can make us instruments or angels in his hands.

I am doing really well and am excited about the work. I love this celestial work! I am working hard and Elder Ketchum and I are finding new drives and new focuses to just baptize. To do everything possible to baptize. We are preparing to talk in the next tri-zone conference about this focus, just in doing all that is possible to baptize. Not to be distracted by things that are supposed to help us baptize from actually doing so, getting to the end goal. We are excited and love the work.

I love you all and pray for you. Like I always say and know that you do, keep praying for me.

I love you all!

Love,

Élder Driggs