Hi My Leche boy!
I'm going to start my letter with a couple of replies to your letter late this week. First of all, if you can't write a letter and you are near a computer, please just send a quick note to let me know you won't be able to write.:) I know you wont always be able to do that, but do it if you can. I was scerrrrred!
Second. The sticky tak is for you to stick pictures and stuff on the wall... dork!
Third. I'm not gonna send a book because I'm not gonna break the rules. Remember "exact obedience." You said in the CCM that you made a commitment to be an obedient missionary. Please don't start picking and choosing which rules you think you should follow. I know that obedience brings blessings. I also know you don't always understand why the rules are put in place, but I want you to receive those blessing that come with obedience! I want to know you will receive the Lord's protection because you are obedient! Please remember something that Elder Russell Nelson said, "Obedience brings success. Exact obedience brings miracles." So what I will do is send you articles that are "deep doctrine." But let me ask you... will you start reading Jesus the Christ? It is very deep and it has the ability to change lives. I think there is a reason that book is mission approved. I'm going to start reading it so we can share some of our insights. I also sent two Ensign magazines to you in your Christmas boxes.
Fourth. A few suggestions about your letters. Everyone loves them! They are a great combination of funny, inspiration, sweet. An important thing is to know your audience... not only are your friends reading your letters... but all of our extended family, the bishop, members of our ward, dad's friends at work, members and non members. I just ask that you try to stay mostly positive in your group letter. Some of the language like "pissed" and "hot girls" is prolly not right for that audience. Complaining about the people like in your last letter concerns me too. I don't want them to think you don't care for the people there. (They only receive this small snap shot of your experience) You can always lay out the harsh stuff in letters to me and dad and we understand sometimes you need to vent. But your letters are part of your mission too. Many people who aren't members read them so just try to keep them positive, inspirational and totally you! I know you will know what's best to do. I just wanted to remind you of who is actually reading these letters.
Fifth. How is everything with Elder Cano? You've had such an amazing experience these past 2 1/2 months and you've grown so much! Try not to let any strain between you two rob you of any spiritual growth or opportunities you have to be guided by the spirit. You will both need to have love and respect for each other in order to allow you to both be guided by the spirit. Any contention will chase the spirit away from what you're trying to do together and also from what you are trying to do for yourself. Do your best my boy! I'm so happy to hear that your turned to your scriptures in your frustration! What an amazing experience you had! That is the spirit confirming your Saviors love to you! I hope you wrote about it in your journal. You can always return to that experience when you read it over again and receive that same message. That is incredible! We are here on this Earth to be tested. When you are tested and you turn to the Lord as you did, He knows he can trust you. I'm so proud of you. Keep striving!
I'm including our Sunday selfie!
We pulled up the picture of you and Marcos so that you could be with us! (Oh how I love getting pictures from you!!!) He is such a cute little boy! How did the baptism go? Have you ever had the chance to give a talk at a baptism or at church yet? How are things going with Frederick?
We had a family get together last night to celebrate G's bday. It was a fun get together. It's been so freezing here (see the attached picture of the weather forecast) so we had a fire in the fireplace and it was cozy. We spent some time putting together another little Christmas surprise for you. I hope it will get to you in time! We had a good dinner and dad looked up the calories on his phone app and he got really quiet because he realized he ate 1400 calories at dinner. He walked off and disappeared for a minute so we all joked that he was off throwing up in the toilet and he's gonna become bulimic Hahaha! Pretty funny. He is serious about his workout and eating program. I pound of him!
Erik was looking at your picture with Marcos and he said it looks just like the chapels in Brazil. It makes him miss Brazil. Your mission is serving as a reminder of his mission and he loves that he can share it with you when you get home. He is about done with his paramedic training. His back is so bad so he has decided to pursue his nursing degree instead of fire fighting. He has a job interview on Friday for an Emergency med center. Say a little prayer for him. Kevin seems to have a new girlfriend. You'll never believe it .... she is 33! No one has met her yet but I hear she is "hot." Not sure Kevin will ever learn his lesson about this. Those "hot" ones aren't usually the best girlfriends/wife material. Wish he could just find a pretty girl that wants to settle down and build a life with him. We'll see.
I worked with a couple this week looking for a home. Its a young lds couple and the guy was going to Duke with Ian and now he has 3 job offers... one being at Frito Lay. Hope that pans out. They are really nice. As we were talking, I told them about you serving in Guatemala (you're my favorite topic of conversation:) and he was like, "no way! My parents were mission presidents in Guatemala and I went to high school there for 2 years." So we talked about that a lot. His dad was the mission president when they had a North city mission. I think that is mostly the Coban mission now.
How is our email on Mondays working for you? Are you going to usually read emails in the morning and then send your letter later in the evening? I'm thinking that maybe I shouldn't get on line with you in the evening if it makes it too hard for you to write your letter. What do you want me to do? Just let me know.
Keep the pictures coming. We all LOVE getting them! I can't wait to hear about your week! I love you so incredibly much my son! I'm so very proud of you and your unselfishness and willingness to serve our savior! We miss you every day and everyone in this house gets so excited to read your letters. I get texts from Abby, Gray and Dad all day on Monday asking if we have your letter yet. They always want me to email it to them as soon as I get it! I miss you so much. And I love you more than you could ever know. I'm always with you and praying for you. I find myself praying in my mind for you throughout the day. Be safe, be obedient. Have a wonderful week!
all my love infinity + infinity,
mom
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