Exciting Package! (oh, and Elder Ranquist leaves tomorrow!)

My family recieved a very unexpected package this week - from the Mission President of the MTC! In it was a video of Drake accompanying another Elder at a mission farewell named Taylor. Drake and Taylor met at BYU. Taylor had to bring his own pianist for his singing lessons and Drake had to do service hours for his scholarship, so they found each other. When they saw each other at the MTC they got together and asked the President if they could still practice. This is what has come from it! I don't think it's a typical occurance to be able to see your missionary until he's home or in pictures, but we sure appreciated it! The president and his wife sent a note thanking my parents for encouraging Drake to play the piano.
(advice: before you watch it, scroll to the bottom of the screen and mute out the blogs background music)

Now for the letter. I am going to edit out part of it, as all it is is Drake's travel information.

Hola mi familia, ¿Debo escribir esta carta en Español? No, probablemente no. Entonces, I´ll write in English. Before I get to what you really want to know, I'll write a few other things first.

The Spirit continues to guide me when I need it. While we were in the RC (the call referral center), a lot of the other Elders were making Outbound calls in Spanish. I don't think we are supposed to unless told specifically by a teacher to do so, so I decided not to do it. About halfway through the time, I felt that I should make a Spanish call, just one. I felt good about it and I knew that that call was for a purpose. So, I made the call and it was answered. It was the wrong number, but we still talk with them. I mainly just read the scripts, and invited him to receive The Book of Mormon and the Missionaries. He accepted! I stumbled through getting his address (he was really nice and patient with me) and he will have the missionaries teach him. I know the Spirit led me to make that call at that specific time when he would answer the phone. I know I'll continue having those experiences. But I also know that we are sufficiently taught so that we can make the decisions on our own. We will get inspiration from time to time, but I will have to make decisions on my own whom to approach as well.

Ok, time for the important part. I'm leaving on Monday! I have to be at the travel office at 10 AM, a much better time than most of the other Elders (3 AM). The six of us who are going to Buenos Aires are travelling together. The other three in our disctrict are taking a crazy route to California, to Chile, and then to Buenos Aires. I guess they'll get to Mendoza the next day... (This is the part where Drake describes his travel arrangements...including when he gets to call home! The church decided to let missionaries call home while at the airport to prevent families from trying to visit them and creating a scene. They couldn't let the people in Utah have the advantage now could they?) ...And Elder Born, my companion, is our travelling leader. He has never been on a plane in his life! So, I get the great opportunity of coaching him through the experience and explaining everything to him. It should be a good experience.

I can't wait to go. Yes I love it here, but I want to go out and actually do the Lord's Missionary Work. It will be very difficult for me to overcome my hesitancies of approaching random people, but I want them to know the truth as I do! I know my Spanish isn't perfect yet, but I do believe they will be able to understand what I say. And I think I'll be able to catch 25% of what they say now. And I know over the first few weeks, that percentage will grow substancially. I don't like change really, but I like the opportunity for new learning experiences and what a chance to learn this will be!

As always, I know this is where the Lord wants me to be. He has given me experiences to know the truth of this Gospel and requires that I give back by losing myself in the work. I know that He suffered for us so that we can overcome both the physical and spiritual death. I know that He did this out of love for us. I know the power of the Book of Mormon. I love it. And I want all to come to that same love. I love the strength of the Spirit that comes from the Book of Mormon and from all truth. I love to feast on it continually.

I love you my family. I'm looking forward to being able to talk with you by phone. I'll see you in about 22 months now.

With love, Elder Drake Ranquist

I can't believe he leaves tomorrow! From now on the letters will be coming from the mission field! We wish him good luck!