Phone call from Soldier in Afghanistan!

Combined emails from December 2010~

Our mission Christmas Day Devotional Dinner in Scarsdale was very nice. We had Christmas Ham, which of course ham is my favorite! Company Potatoes, but not as good as mom's. Not NEARLY, along with Jr's Cheesecake which was also good. President read a great story and he got rather emotional while reading it which is a bit unusual for him as he is so solid. It made us all tear up. Pres. Smith is a great guy! I will send you the copy that I have of it.

If Mike's Deli that you were talking about is by Yankee Stadium, then it is in the heart of my area. Elder Casalino and I will enjoy our gift of eating there. Thanks, Mom and Dad!

President McReynolds is the stake president now, huh? With Bishops Rose and Chidester as his counselors! I got a letter from President Eckman last week wishing me a Merry Christmas. Very nice of him. I've been wanting to write some people back but we've been so busy...

I don't know if you'll be able to talk to Blake on Christmas Eve. President still hasn't gotten back to me on Blake calling me. Just in case he does, can you give him my number? Would so like to talk to him!!

It snowed the other day. It's so COLD! I don't know how Blake is able to stand being in Russia?!!

Anyway, we are teaching a man named Mike right now. He is actually a very family oriented man, which is downright weird in the Bronx. He is a great guy.

Ask me about the phone call I got on Tuesday night ~ It was from a soldier in Afghanistan who was giving us a referral! It was so cool!! He wanted us to contact the lady who has adopted him and sends him packages. He wanted to share the gospel with her in return and she is in N.Y. He somehow knows our Bishop here in the Bronx who gave him our number. We have the COOLEST bishop here! Bishop Ian Kelley is the most AWESOME GUY!! He is really wonderful and sure has his hands full but he handles it so well.

Thank you so much for the packages! The mission office gave them to us last week. Elder Casalino wants to thank you for the hat you sent him along with the other things.

We were snowed in on Monday the 27th (Dec.) Well over TWO FEET of snow!! We helped people shovel snow, and then the A.P.'s called us to tell us that M.T.A. (Metropolitan Transit Authority) had shut down all buses and trains, so we were stuck inside because we couldn't get to our area.

I was very excited to talk to you on Saturday (Christmas Day) and I also was reluctant to set the phone down. Hard to say good-bye again until Mother's Day. I really miss you guys!! I am happy that I chose to come here though, at least most days. The good days make up for the hard ones.

Yesterday we had planned on going on to help another missionary with a lesson because it is a rule in this mission to have a 3rd male when teaching a woman, but that lesson fell through. Because that lesson fell through, we decided to go to a member's home and when we got there, our investigator was there! How cool is that?!

The picture that you sent of Kal Pal was very cute! Thanks for everything you do for me!! Gotta go! Tell Kallie and the dogs, Gracie, Meleea and Cole, hi for me. Not much else going on right now. Thanks so much for all you do!! Tell everyone to write!!
Bye for now - Cody