Email from Mom: Sunday, November 21, 2021

To: Christian.garcia@missionary.org
Date: Sunday, November 21, 2021
Subject: It's Sunday

Good morning!

Well, it is well into your afternoon in Africa but it is 8:10am here at home. :) The time thing is crazy when I think about it really. I do most of that processing when I am climbing into bed realizing it is already the next day for you and you are about to get yourself up and going as I am closing my eyes. 7 hours ahead of us here is just wild. Almost as wild as the reality that you are in freaking Africa! Ha

How was your week this week? I loved seeing new photos hit your drive. It always makes my entire day just to see your face. And I really really love that you are smiling in your photos. You can just see the change that has happened with this new companionship and that seriously makes my heart swell with joy. :)

Were you able to get started on The Book of Mormon challenge Kaitlyn threw out? I wasn't 100% sure Brooklyn was going to be on board but it has been really great here at home. She doesn't hesitate to grab hers and she is happy to listen as we read and then we take time to discuss what has been going on so she understands it. I am hesitant like crazy to toss in any sort of my thoughts because let's face it, Tyler knows the scriptures way too well and I don't want to look or feel like an idiot when it comes to playing in his sand box. :)

Things here this week were low key again. I appreciate that more each week as that is what I look back on and reflect on what took place. I have not committed to doing a whole lot this holiday season and I am already feeling the relief of the stress that over committing like I have in the past has added. Crazy how you can go about life and not realize the amount you add to yourself right? It's been nice to scale back.

Brooklyn caught some sort of something this last week and didn't  make it to school on Thursday. Friday was a flex day so she didn't have school but it was good for her to have the weekend to relax, sleep with the humidifier going, and let her body do its thing. She is still a little coughy and she has a little bit of a funny voice still but I think overall she is feeling better. I had my Relief Society holiday dinner on Friday and that was interesting. Frustrating and interesting to say the least. We decided to plan on 1/2 of the Sisters which put that at 60. We had a total of 17 people show up. A huge expense for a small turnout. Annoying. But...from here on out I will plan only for 24 people at a max for all activities moving forward.

Our ward is slowing dying a little more each week. At most on Sundays I think our average attendance number is roughly 75 total people. Pathetic. And no new growth, people that are moving in are not active or non-members. Tyler and I are actually considering going up to the ward in Oakley today to see what that looks like. It is a newly formed ward within the last month and it sure can't be worse than what we have going now. Most Sunday's I think for us it is getting easier and easier to want to stay home. It is sad really but I sometimes think we would get more out of doing the Come Follow Me study at home together than if we were to attend our weekly meeting. Hard to admit to a missionary I won't lie!

We also attended the work holiday dinner last night. Holy cow you sure didn't miss a thing. I told Tyler by the end of the night that I will not be making it to another one of those. It was a horrible restaurant, the staff is just pure ungrateful, the bill was ridiculous, and the food?? Yeah, disgusting. If it was something you could see built comradery and brought the staff together more than I would be all for it but in the end I was just frustrated. Plus on top of it, the employees are all going to expect a bonus of some sort on a paycheck at the end of the year. Like they are entitled to it. Running your own gig is worth in a lot of way but after last night I am more frustrated than not about the whole thing and I could sell and walk away without any regrets.

I won't keep you any longer than I already have but I wanted to be sure you know that I love you. I need you to know that you are in my thoughts always and I am so proud of you. I know I tell you each time that I am but I wish I could convey through black and white words on a screen just how deeply proud I am. You are doing great things and I know changes you make daily, choices you make hourly, thoughts you have regularly, and silent prayers heard by you and your Heavenly Father are resonating with each step and breath you take. Choosing to serve a mission in todays world is commendable in and of itself but you are excelling at that choice and I sure love watching as you continue to grow.

I love you for forever and for always. To the moon and back,

Mom