December 15, 2010

Hey mom!

Great to hear from you. I'm doing great today how about you? Still feeling sick? Hopefully you'll get better soon. Christmas is coming and I'm sure you don't want to feel ill during those days. It recently started to snow but I'm keeping warm the best I can. It's colder than I'm used to but I'm fighting it. Good to see you're back in good weather after going to Chicago and experiencing a blizzard there and lots of snow. I saw the pictures! We haven't experienced snow like that yet but I'm sure in time the heavy snow fall will come. Just have to be ready for it.

Thanks again for sending the package mom and for putting money into my account. I haven't gotten the package yet but soon I will. They were saving the Christmas packages for closer to Christmas time so we would have something to open on Christmas. So this week I should receive it. Thanks again for sending all those things for me. I will be sending a box of my own home to you guys. It will have some gifts for you all. Hope you enjoy that. Make sure not to open it until Christmas though since it's for Christmas time.

Things are going well here. Nothing special or big has gone on in awhile. Still trying to find more investigators we can teach. We have a few people who are interested and we will soon teach Joseph's girlfriend who is moving back to New York! So hopefully that will go well with them two. Let's see what else.. The branch Christmas party happened recently and it was fun. I will be sending pictures from that. Also, this weekend, Saturday we will be doing an MMTC for the members. Try to help them become better missionaries. But that's all the stuff that has been going on here recently. Nothing too new.

Well, we have to head off to an appointment now so I will e-mail you again next week! I look forward to Christmas day when I can call you all at home and hear your voices again. I miss you all! But I will talk to you soon. I love you and I miss you mom! Thank you for everything again.

Love always,
Your son Elder Derrick Joseph Castro

Hey dad!

Great to hear from you again this week! It's beginning to snow here! Just two days ago it snowed in the night and now it just keeps getting colder and colder with each passing day. My jacket is keeping me warm though. It's really thick and has a few layers so it works well to keep me warm when I'm out there. Also, the building we live in is kept pretty warm so we don't have to worry about freezing to death while indoors. It's actually really good. We spend most of the time on trains and buses and they are always heated so that's a plus for us.

Anyways, can't believe Christmas is almost here and you're right, one more and I'll be home! Hope all is going well back home. How's the weather there? Much better than here I bet. Just getting ready for the end of the year and all. Can't believe it's already close to a year that I've been out. Just gets closer everyday.

So are you done with your school now? It's break time right? How is that going? How were your finals? I know it probably went really good. At least now you can focus on just enjoying the holidays. I know you worked real hard in your classes.

As for me, nothing much new here. We recently had a Christmas party in the branch and I will send pictures of that to you home in the box I am sending tomorrow. Each of you all at home have two gifts in the box. Hope you all enjoy them! This Saturday we are holding a MMTC for the members in the branch. Just helping them become better missionaries. We are pretty busy with activities in December.

Ah, the Chargers. Good that they won against the Chiefs. Hopefully they will pull off another great finish like the year before when they had to win all their games and the Broncos lose but it's more of a only need wins and one loss at least. I'm sure they can pull it off now. Are they all healthy again? Oh and that Lakers/Heat game will be really good. Will see a potential NBA Finals match.

Your birthday is coming up soon! Any plans for that? Or just something small in the house again? It's always been a tradition to have people over so I'm wondering if you will do it again. I can't wait to call home soon. It will be great to hear all your voices again.

Dad, I really loved that you said the best gift you have received it me. I'm really proud to be your son and I'm thankful for everything mom and you have dont to get me ready for this time. I miss you and I love you and I'll talk to you again next week. Be sure to tell me when the package arrives home. Don't open it until Christmas though! Okay, talk to you again next week dad!

Love always,
Your son Elder Derrick Joseph Castro