The foundation for the rest of my life

Questions:

1. Will you be skyping or calling this Christmas?
      Skype or calling. Whichever you prefer.

 2. Is your debit card working ok for you?
     Yes

 3. Can we have some more pictures with your face in them? Also I would like to see how much you have grown.
     Like tall? I think I am two inches taller than when I left, I think.

 4. Do you know how I can contact Elder Nelson just in case he doesnt call us? We havent heard from him yet. I know he has probably been soo busy. He just got home last Wed. (***The package came today! Thank you Elder Nelson!!)
     Nah. I know how he is. I told him to call you so that you could ask him how much it costs. He probably just sent it and ate the price in heroism. He's like that. Ha ha ha.

 5. Did you know Kaden Hansen got married last week?
      Yes. Cool. Congrats!

 6. Are you still looking for a homemade soccer ball?
      Yes. The search is slow. I don't have much free time.

 7. Have you eaten anything crazy lately?
     Mmmmm......... lots of fish. Chimbote is the fish capitol of South America. It smells SO fishy here.

 8. What are your church services like? Do you have a building in this city?
     Yes. My ward here is probably bigger than Carr Fork. we have a weekly attendance of around 150.

 9. Do the members in this area support you? Do you eat meals with anyone?
     Yes. It is the best area I've had, in that regard. Members like to help here.

 10. Do you still have a pensionista? Do you do your own laundry here?
      I have a pensionita. Hermana Iris. She is the best one I've had. Also, I think everyone has the wrong idea about them. They aren't like "maids" that are eternally washing our clothes and things. They have small restaurants, and we pay monthly to eat there. Our clothes are usually washed by a volunteer member. neither of them ever come to our house. They aren't allowed to. We clean the house and everything like that. ha ha ha

 11. What are you eating now? Anymore chicken and rice?
      My pensionista is the BEST now. She is the only one that doesn't make us eat rice if we don't want it. Chicken, well...... there's no way to avoid it here. But it's more fish here in Chimbote. LOTS of fish. But fresh fish is pretty sweet compared to what we were eating in the mountains..... they eat some gank stuff up there. Ha ha ha ha ha. Chuño.......................

 12. Do you still get to play a guitar ever? Will there be another Christmas program?
        No guitars here. But yes. Don't know if I'll be in it this year.

MAN Grandpa Boekweg is funny. I love that guy.

Mom...... I feel like from here on out, my emails will be really boring. ha ha ha ha. I feel like I have drained the tanks on what to talk about through email. Everything else has to be told in person to be told right. 

Do you think the Tooele hospital needs help from a translator? I did medical translation for almost 10 months here........ That might just be a SWEET job to get me through college..... that was my epiphany this week. I'd move to Provo, and just translate there. I know all the medical terminology in Spanish. What do you think?

Is Jared Handley still alive? Ha ha ha.

When are Terrance and Courtenae getting married? Like, next week, right?

Do you still hear from Sadie?

Also...................... I have to write my "go home date" this week. So......... I guess I'll put March 23 like normal. I will have put in a full day by then, and I feel peace about doing it. I would like to stay longer, but if there is no reason, It's probably better if I come home on time. There are complex legal things that the mission has to do when alien missionaries extend. It's very hard for everyone. And I would only really get 4 more weeks out of it. One month longer. So I guess you can write it on the calendar. I'll land in Salt Lake on the 25th. But only because President won't let me extend just one or two weeks to make "my dearest april" happy. ha ha ha ha. Or else I'd do it. That's alright....... that song is still going to be amazingly strong afterwards anyway. Can't wait to sing it with the full weight of 3 Aprils in a row behind it. The song will finally be "finished." It will be a song that took me three years to write. Ha ha ha ha. I'll be able to take it right out of my heart, with the full knowledge of what it truly means. No longer just hollow predictions, but rich and colorful memories that I never want to forget. My two greatest years. The dearest part of my life. I have given everything that I am to this work. I love God with all my heart. Pay attention to how you feel when you read that, because I want you to know, mom, that I have done nothing to dishonor our name here. I have tried my very best every single day. There have been many times when I have not known what to do, and I have made mistakes because I have lacked knowledge; but I have sincerely thrown my whole self at this. I have held nothing back. I have focused all my energies on this work, and I have served God the Father and The Savior Jesus Christ the very best I knew how. I have never picked disobeidience. I have striven to choose that which is best in every decision I have made since you sent me off 20 months ago. I will continue to do so until the end. This is not just 2 years of a mission here, it is the foundation for the rest of my life. 

I love you,

Elder Boekweg