1. You're right. About 7 quetz = 1 dollar. So when you spend $70 quetz think of it as about $10 dollars. I believe you're given 1033 quetz each month which is about $134 dollars. In your email each week, you will see what you spent in both dollars and quetz.. the Ecclesiastical Card email. With so little money each month, you definitely don't want to use the ATM because it charges you about $2.50 dollars each time. You are also charged a 1% foreign transaction fee every time you use your debit card, but don't worry about that… its just a fact of life that you can't change. It will be best to get some cash back as you purchase something at Walmart rather than using the ATM. I think if you use a Bank of America ATM you are not charged. Can you make the $134 work for 1/2 of the month and we can give you another $135 for the other half? Let me know what is realistic, we can do more. I just want you to have enough and be healthy. We will do whatever you need I just want you to be budget minded and don't waste. Don't worry about this month… I know you'll need more because you spent so much on your first week stocking up. Don't waste food. Just buy what you really need and eat what you have. Is there any food available at restaurants or small shops? Some of the other elders talked about big sandwiches for $3 and such. Anything like that there? You have spent a lot of money this month. You have about $13.00 left on your EC (Ecclesiastical card until 11/15) so that means you spent about $121 on there and you've spent about $108 on your own debit card since 10/15. So in 10 days you've spent $229. (You can't spend triple that in 30 days/1 month!) I'm sure you needed things when you first got to your area. I just want to make sure you understand how the money works so that you can budget.
2. Your camera. Looks like you got it figured out! We got your pics.. you look sooo good! Was the battery dead? Remember about the charger! Send LOTS of pics! LOTS of you! We miss your face!!!!
3. What have you been eating? What do you have to cook with? Do you want me to send you some easy recipes of things you can make? You can wrap anything in a tortilla! Cut up veggies and add a little butter and salt in a pan and cook them a little and throw em in a tortilla:) How much do you spend on water each week? Does Elder Cano get $ from home?
4. I really want pictures of your apartment! I can handle it!!!
5. How is teaching going? Did any investigators come to church this week? Tell me who you are working with. Tell me about the ward and the members.
6. I noticed you have a backpack. What happened to the awesome waterproof bag I bought you????
We had a great week! Grayson went through the National Honor Society induction which was pretty impressive. I put some pics in here. At the end, Erik took G's certificate and stood up front like he had been inducted too. It was funny!
Abby had homecoming. She has a good group of friends and they had fun together. Abby looked so beautiful! So grown up its scary!!! I took lots of pictures and added some here too.
We had Ama's 70th birthday party tonight. It was really fun but we sure missed you! Everyone talked about you and how great you are doing. Rob Walton said you attitude is just amazing! I agree:) We all dressed up like we were 70 years old and we put a sign on the front door that said "Old Folks Home." I'll try to get some pics uploaded and send some to you. The costumes were hilarious! Erik and Kevin did 2 songs that had people crying laughing! One was about memories (and how she is losing her mind) and the other one was (the better one) about how Ama never gets jokes. I have to send you the lyrics… hilarious. Abby didn't like the song because she said she inherited that trait from Ama and she doesn't get jokes either. We gave Ama a jar with 100 reasons why we all love her. All of her siblings submitted some, her nieces and nephews, grandkids, kids. Some were funny but most were just really sweet. It brought her to tears to feel so much love from everyone. It was a great night! We are so lucky and blessed to have the family we do! You have a place in our family and you are missed when you're not here! But it is wonderful that you have this amazing family to come home to when you have completed your mission! It is a special bond that we all have. It takes work… to make sure that we have opportunities to be together and to make them memorable and meaningful. But its so worth it. Someday, it will be you and your brother and sister planning the get togethers. Don't ever be casual or lazy about it. Family brings the greatest blessings!
I'm getting your package ready to mail on Tuesday for Christmas. So if you have any last requests, let me know now. I ordered some more garments for you. They may come in a separate box, but you'll have them soon. How often do you get mail/packages from the mission home? How do you get them? We have been sending some letters there and through dear elder.
I hope you've had a wonderful week my love! I miss you with every ounce of my soul! I have put your name in the temple and so did Sis. Konold. There are so many people praying for your safety and success teaching the gospel. I'm praying that you and Elder Cano get along well. I feel like I say my prayers 10 times a day for you. You are just always in my thoughts. Do you feel scared at all in Limon? Are people nice to you? How secure is your apartment?
I've been thinking a lot about how the Lord blesses us and how Satan tries to discourage us. I've been praying for more peace about missing you and worrying about you. Your attitude has been so tremendous that you may not need this now, but it was helpful for me to consider how the spirit makes me feel and how I feel when Satan works on me. If you ever feel discouraged, remember this:
The Lords voice:
Stills you, leads you, reassures you, enlightens you, encourages you, comforts you, calms you and gives you conviction and makes you feel love.
If the thoughts in your mind turn away from the positive, think about where the message is coming from.
Satan's voice:
rushes you, pushes you, frightens you, confuses you, discourages you, worries you, obsesses you and condemns you.
I can only imagine that many things on your mission could discourage you. However, try to stay far from those thoughts. Remember how much the Lord loves you and is counting on you to communicate that love to his children in Guatemala. He needs your goodness and your influence. He needs you to act out of love.
I miss you my son! I love you so incredibly! I'm so very proud of you and to be your mom. Your name is mentioned several times daily in our home and we pray for you by name multiple times a day! We are only 2 months away from being able to Skype with you! I can hardly wait! My love goes with you where ever you go! Your whole family's love goes with you where ever you go!
I love you infinity + infinity and even more than that!
Mom
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