October 20, 2010

Hey mom!

 

Glad to see that you had recieved my letter. I hope you enjoyed the pictures and are keeping them somewhere safe. You're putting together a mission scrap book for me right? That would be cool. I have lots of things to put in it when I come home. I'll be sure to try and send more as soon as I can develop them. I just go to a Rite-Aid and do the instant photo develop thing. It's very conveinent. 

 

As usual you are always on the move. That was cool that you got to see a concert of Lani Misalucha. I hope you were able to enjoy it a lot specially since you were up in the front. It must be a whole different experience being up in the front of a concert. But by the looks of the pictures it seems like you really had yourself a good time with Auntie Edith. That's great. :)

 

Ah, and another birthday that I miss out on. Also I miss out on your Palabok. I really do miss eating that but I will enjoy it that much more when I come home. That will be a must when I come back that you cook some! Yummy!

 

So it's starting to rain there? Same here. It's been a normal thing here now. It will either be really cold or cold and rainy. I think soon it'll just end up solid and then snow. I can't wait for snow though. I know we already experienced it here but it will be a different experience living here and having snow. Much different from home since home is just always nice weather all year round. It will be interesting. I'm all ready for the snow and the cold. We pulled out our AC so the cold air doesn't get into our apartment. Weird huh? We have to manually pull out the AC, haha. Just new experiences living in NY!

 

All is well here. Just had my first District Meeting on Monday as District Leader. It was different being a leader but I guess I have to get used to it. Maybe one day I might end up going up in the chain. That would be cool to experience. I know the Elders in the higher posistions enjoy it all the same so that would be cool if I ever got to experience that. It's been good so far as DL. Not really as hard as I thought it would be. The week has been going by well. It started off not so great but then snowballed and got better. We only have been through 2 days in the week and already have scored 6 lessons. Not the normal thing for us so we're a bit excited for that. We're hoping to push more to get more done this week seeing as how this weekend will be booked up with us being at Stake Conference interpreting. So wish us luck on finding more ways to teach this week.

 

We had training on Tuesday. The whole mission recieved new phones which are pretty high tech compared to what you think a missionary would get on their mission. It has a camera and everything. Pretty cool stuff. The training went well and we enjoyed it all. During the training President Smith was talking about investigators and how we can't deny them the waters of baptism. Like if they were homebound and stuff like that. It was really good to hear that because our investigator is homebound. Can't really get around because he is kind of big and uses a cane. But we were approved to baptize him! I want to continue teaching him more about the gospel and see if we can get him to church one time and then we will think about extending the invitation to be baptized!! I am truly excited about that. Might be able to experience my first baptism as a missionary. It will be extrodinary. Keep praying for us about that mom.

 

That is really great news that Cheyenne's baptism is just this weekend! Wow, it will be an amazing experience for her! Be sure to send me pictures of that. I will certainly be looking forward to seeing how that went down. Thank you for continuing to send me pictures. It just keeps me up to date on what you are all doing there. Sounds like you've been having lots of fun lately and with the pictures I don't feel all that left out, haha.

 

As for things that you could send me in a package. I have no clue what to ask you to send. I think just think of things that I could use during this time or small gifts that I would enjoy as a missionary. I miss you all and am looking to send a box home to you all as well with stuff for you all.

That is great news that you all continue to read things from the church magazines and the scriptures everyday. I do it here and I know it really helps so I know it will help you as well. Congrats on finishing the Book of Mormon. I wonder how many times I will read through it on my mission. I should set up a goal and see if I can achieve it. I do different things every time I read to help me understand all that I am reading better. So hopefully that will work out to my benefit.

 

Hope you are able to go to Disneyland as well! That will be a good thing to maximize the anuual passes that you bought so I look forward to seeing pictures from that too!

 

Thanks again for e-mailing me this week mom. I miss you and I love you a lot. Thank you for everything that you do for me and your continued support for me on my mission. Look forward to hearing from you next week. Till then.

 

Love always,

Your son Elder Derrick Joseph Castro