April 20, 2011

Hey mom!

 

How are things at home? Must be good to have Nicki home. It is so great that she was able to get the counselor's job for the Girl's Retreat! That is awesome! It will be a great time and a great blessing for her to be able to participate in such an activity. Plus on top of that she will get paid for it from what Nicki told me in her last e-mail. That is good because she will be able to get money for her schooling so that will lighten the load a bit for you guys to help her out in her schooling. Hope that when she goes back she can go obtain a scholarship so she can get another semester done there. She is really doing good things and I hope I'll be able to catch up soon enough. Still don't know what I want to do when I get back, what I want to pursue is really up in the air. I feel really good about being some sort of writer. I like to write and I think I'm good at it so it may be something I want to do. Don't know yet but it's been something I've been thinking about a lot talking with lots of missionaries that are going home soon. They are happy/scared because they just get dumped back into life and they have to start all over again. I hope I can get off the right foot when I come back but for now I know it is so important I focus on the work out here. Maybe through it I will be able to see what I might go to pursue.

 

Thank you so much for sending so many pictures this week! Like I've said before it is always great to see the things you've been up to and I'm very thankful that you've taken so many pictures to make me feel like I'm there with you. I think I should do a better job of taking pictures here. Need to capture more moments here in New York before they are just gone. I just realized that the other day. I need to do a better job of that. Maybe you can send me one of those nice Cannon cameras that the professionals use? Haha just kidding. :) Maybe. :D But I am thankful for the many photos you've sent to me. Thank you for that.

 

It's been a very Easter centered past week and a half here. With ward activites about Easter and the Easter program going on this weekend at church and our many dinners with members it is such a great time. We had an early Easter breakfast the other day at the house of the senior couple that are serving in this area, the Wilhite's. They are a great couple and are very kind. The house they live in is also the bishops store house so we do service there. After service the other day they made us an awesome breakfast and then afterwards we sung Easter songs and we shared our testimonies about the Savior. I was the first to get up and I couldn't help but get teary eyed speaking about the Lord Jesus Christ. We really can't comprehend the sacrifice that he gave for us. It was the ultimate sacrifice of love and for that I am thankful. I think that thought in my mind also plays in part as to why when I feel like things are getting hard I just don't give up. Because Christ didn't give up on us. He was left alone and bled from every pore because he loves us and when we feel like life is hard we can't really give reasons as to why we can't do it because Christ did it all. He went through so much more and he was perfect! He truly showed us the way and we have no better example for us than that of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. One of the songs we will be singing in the choir for Easter Sunday is called, "This is the Christ." There is a line in there that says, "How many drops of blood were spilled for me?" Really how many drops of blood were spilled? I get chills every time I sing that line because I know his Atonement is true! He lives and he will guide us through and through. His great plan of Salvation has provided me with so much. He has provided me with a great family with loving parents, dad and you to help me through this life. Mom, I'm thankful for that. I'm thankful for Jesus Christ and I'm thankful to serve the Lord and wear His name on my heart.

 

Being a missionary is truly and blessing and it's great to see that so many are joining the ranks of being a messenger of God and helping those around the world hear His great restored message of the gospel. This is such a great work and I thankful to be apart of it. I'm thankful for the year that has passed and only hope to go on to do bigger and greater things as time passes here on my mission. In the mornings I am very tired but I get up knowing there's just another great day ahead of me.

 

I miss you and I love you mom. I'm thankful for everything dad and you have done for me and for the girls too. I have been raised right and I hope I can continue to make you guys proud. Tell everyone I miss them and I love them and I hope to hear from them in e-mail. I will continue to update you every week of my going ons and will continue to keep you all in my prayers. Take care and have a great week. I will talk to you again next week! Until then..

 

Love always,

Your son Elder Derrick Joseph Castro