May 13, 2010

Hey mom!

 

How are you today?!

Thanks for sending more pictures! I love seeing all that you are doing. I love the pictures of Sami's birthday sleep over. Looks like the girls had a lot of fun at the hotel so that's good. Nicki is growing up so fast now! She's already going to prom and that's so amazing. Make sure she is safe but has lots of fun. She will remember the night forever.

 

Thanks for continuing to mail me through DearElder. I love getting your mail everyday and it's good that you keep me updated on all that is going on. I got my flight plans last week Thursday!!! It is very exciting and I really can't wait so here are the details of that:

 

I will be leaving at 5:00am Tuesday morning heading for New York. My flight from Salt Lake City takes off at 8:45am so I will try to contact you then before I fly. I bought a phone card here. $5 and I have 500 minutes on the card. It's just one straight flight from SLC into NYC. I will be flying into the JFK airport in New York arriving at around 3:20pm. I am the group leader for my group but there's only myself and another Sister flying to NY. The bags I will check in will cost a total of $60. I don't know if that's including tax but it's $25 for one bag and $35 for the next. I already weighed my bags and they are under 50lbs. so I won't be charged extra fees which is good. Then I have my carry on and I should be good to go.

 

About my address there. Put up the address of the mission home on my facebook and if you can send me that address here as well so I can give it to my companions and my district here so they can write me as well. I will be sure to update you once I get the exact mailing address for me in New York. So tell dad to send my jersey and the stickers you have for me to the mission home address in that book I got with my mission call.

 

Elder Jeffery R. Holland came and spoke with us on Tuesday Devotional!!! He was amazing! He was bold like always and he really inspired me to become a great missionary and keep up the good work well after my mission is finished. It was a good final Devotional and I don't think anyone better could have spoken.

 

Anyway, I hope all is well. I want to conserve time so I have a chance to talk with you here on e-mail later on. If I forgot any information about my departure next week tell me and I'll be sure to fill you in so you know what will be happening with me next Tuesday. I'm really excited to go and I can't wait to finally be out in the field. Elder Cameron, Elder Jex and Elder Draper all left in the past two weeks so now I'm companions with Elder Gurr. It will be the greatest 22 months there in New York and I really can't wait.

 

I miss you all and I love you very much.

 

Love always,

- Your son and Elder Derrick Joseph Castro