Happy Halloween!!!!!!!

Elder Ricks at Tajin Ruins


Tajin Ruins


Happy Halloween!


My Dear Family,

I can´t believe its Halloween! Halloween is so lame here in Mexico. It is mainly a Catholic holliday and everyone sets up altars to their dead family members and prays to saints to watch over them. But, there is one part of the Mexican Halloween that is amazing and that is Pan de Muerto. Bread of the Dead! Ha Ha It is a speacial type of bread that only is made for three weeks of the year and it is delicious! This week has been so amazing. We didn´t baptize because our investigator didn´t get married becasue his divorce papers never came through. This week, the 5th, we have a young man named Alfredo! He is AMAZING! He showed up alone to church and wants to be a missionary! He is 21 years old and lives here in Poza Rica. He is studying in a university here to be an engineer. This week, we had 10 investigators in church and they are all looking good for their baptismal dates. I love working with a new missionary because they are so ready to work and are full of the spirit! We are working hard right now and working with the members. Members are key in mission work and we are helping re-activate families and organizing activities to bring investigators. I am so excited to be a missionary and light it up in these last six months. Today I started a diet and am doing ejercicio every day before I hop in the freezing cold shower. The weather here right now is so perfect! It is warm in the day and FREEZING FREEZING at night. When the sun goes down, the whole world puts on sweaters, coats, hats, gloves and drinks hot chocolate with pan de muerto. It is a speacial time of year and I can´t believe another year is coming to an end. 2011 has treated me so good. It started with trials and obstacles and as I look back, I can clearly see the progress I have personally made and that we have made as a family. Last night I dreamed that you all came to visit me here in the mission. It was funny because I took you all around to visit my converts and investigators and then I gave you my hammock to take home. Ha Ha I enjoyed pretending that I was with you all! How awesome it will be to all be together again. I have so much to tell you all and so many stories and pictures to show! I think about you all daily and am so thankful for you love and support!!! I am going to end the letter a little early today so I can spend some time on my BYU application.
LOVE YOU!!!!!!!
Elder James Ricks

Mom, I didn´t want to tell you because I wanted it to be a supprise but I need some info for a package I am sending home in DHL, the only safe and secure mailing store I can find here in Poza Rica. It will be about 600 pesos (about $55) to send the 5 kilo box and it will arrive in 4-5 business days. I am going to send it this next monday. What is the complete address of the new house!? WIth zip codes and everything! I was wondering if there is money on my card to take out to mail it. It will be my package to you all! When it comes, feel free to open it up and check out all that I send! I am sending photos, letters, gifts, and things I have been given! Get online and check out my application and the essays I´m about to write in. Let me know what you think. This Wednesday will be my interview with President Trevino! Then should I scan the document to you or does he have to sign anything or whats up? Thanks! LOVE YOU!