August 17, 2011

HAPPY BIRTHDAY ELDER CASTRO!!! 21!!!

Hey family!

I'm writing to you this day as a whole because I planned a pretty packed day for things that I want to do for my birthday! We just got to the library not too long ago and we are planning to go to the chinese buffet in the Bronx afterwards with all us ASL missionaries. Although on the mission it feels like any regular day I'm thankful that it was a P-day so I was able to see all your e-mails wishing me a happy birthday! I miss you and I love you all and I'm thankful I got an e-mail from each one of you this week! The two young girls were the first ones to wish me a happy birthday! I'm also glad to be around such great elders who all greeted me a happy birthday this morning when we woke up. Elder Melkonian is even offering to buy a nice cheesecake later on today so we can have it for my birthday. He did the same thing last year. Thanks for sending me some money mom and dad. I know funds are tight so I'm thankful that you were still able to give me some extra money for my spending here. I'm probably going to use the money to buy some new clothes like some new pants for everday proselyting. Pants can get easily messed up here. Then I'll probably get some other things I migt need as well. Thank you for that. :) And also tell auntie zeni and grandma thanks for giving me money for my birthday too.

I'm glad you all enjoyed your time at Disneyland! That is always the best place to be to celebrate an occasion and I could see from the pictures that everyone had a blast! That's good everyone was able to go and have a good time. We should all make plans to go there when I come back. I do miss going there on our family trips. It must be really awesome now that you all have annual passes. That's good you were able to snag a few free tickets too so that you wouldn't have to pay for admission price. I hope we can all go there again as soon as I come back! Celebrate the two birthdays I missed at home. :D

Nicki!! Happy birthday!!! Wow.. I can't believe you are 19 now!? I hope you enjoyed the other day. I made a card for you but I was always so busy I forgot to put it in the mail but I will do it today. It's really cool and I hope you like it. It's has a New York theme and you can even set it up on your desk when you go back to school to remember your big brother and that he's coming home soon! :) Make the best of this year little sister. You're doing great things. Continue to set forth an example to your younger sisters and continue to excel in your schooling! You have a major yet? I know you will do great things in the next year. We will have to hang out lots and catch up. You seem so grown up now doing your own thing and all. Continue to strengthen and uplift and support the family.

Our mission work is going great currently. We have a few investigators in the teaching pool who have a real potential to progress and eventually become baptized. With that we also received the news that we will receive a new missionary in October with the departure of Elder Gervacio. It's good to see more and more elders being called. Hopefully these new missionaries will be able to bring their determination and hard work and put it into what we are building now and we'll be able to see this branch grow. Having more missionaries in the program at one time seems to be really working well. We'll see how it all continues to progress.

Mom, thank you for the pictures you sent this week. There were a ton of pictures this time! It's good to see them all and catch with all of your guys' adventures back home. It seemed like you enjoyed all those times. I particularly enjoyed the pictures from the dos picos camp site. Isn't that the same exact camp ground from when we camped before? With that gazeebo and everything? Wow.. Hope the branch decides to go there again. I want to go camp there again. It would be fun to see the place again. Continue to send pictures and I will continue to do the same when I can.

Well, not much time left so I will end my e-mail here. Once again I want to thank you all for your birthday wishes and greetings. I miss you and I love you all. Mom and dad, thank you for everything. Can you believe your one and only son is twenty one now? Your kids are just getting older and older. But I know we all wouldn't be where we are if it wasn't for you both. I am truly grateful for all the effort and love and care you put into raising us. I had a moment not too long ago when I was sitting waiting for a train and I was sitting on the benches just thinking back about how I got to that point where I am and how I got there and where I was going and it's obvious to see that I wouldn't be where I am today if it wasn't for you both. And also for you three girls. My younger sisters, I love you three. You make living fun. I hope you continue to enjoy growing up and you know you can always count on your big brother to be there for you in times of need. My family, I love you and I miss you all. Thank you all for the birthday wishes once again and thank you for all writing me this week. I will talk to you again next week and I hope you all enjoy celebrating my birthday there as I will here. Continue to do good and be well. I always pray the Lord bless you with the strength to continue to live everyday to the best you can. I'm lucky to have a family like you guys and not too long I'll be back, we'll be a complete family again. 


Once again, I miss you and I love you all!!!! Talk to you soon!!!

Love always,

Your son, big brother Elder Derrick Joseph Castro