Memorial Day (05/26/2014)

Hola Madre!
Just finished up an email to Ariel :)
So, How are things going?

Mission life is pretty great. Sorry about the lack of handwritten letters lately, I've just been supremely slacking on letters. I'll send a big one today, I promise :)

Man, I miss those bonfires (at Grandma's house)  :(
Are you gonna be having the macaroni salad too? Oh, I just know it will be there! I have all the ingredients, so maybe I'll make it today to celebrate in my own way :)
I'll be with you in spirit via the macaroni salad :)
We will be going to a BBQ tonight so that'll be fun!

Bonfire at Grandma's house back in NY

Is what the missionaries have in NY called a TIWI? If yes, then it's thanks to the OEM (Oregon Eugene Mission) :) The TIWI is to help promote safe driving. It alerts the driver to the speed limit and aggressive driving. If the driver doesn't decrease or increase their speed to be lawful within 7 seconds, then it'll report them to the TIWI service thing AND to the Mission President and to whoever is the car coordinator for the mission. Oregon was a testing mission for the TIWIs (a long time ago) and they work great. We haven't had any (bad) accidents in a very long time.

Facebook time has been reduced to 15 minutes on Tuesdays. So, basically not doing any Facebook at all. Some people don't see the point of Facebook as a missionary tool and think it is a distraction from missionary work though we have seen miracles from it. Many of the them (the miracles) with family members and friends back home because they finally see what we believe it. Facebook may not be effective directly in our mission, but our messages have been helping other missionaries worldwide. As long as the message is getting out and people have more access to the Gospel I don't care where the baptisms are happening :)

Please make sure Cimmy is alright. I am NOT coming home to no Cimmy!
I know it's a bit ridiculous and others would say she's just a cat but she's not. 
I don't care if people think I'm a crazy cat lady. Cimmy is mine and I love her to pieces :)
I've met kitties out here that are 20 years old. So, she'll make it too! <Note: Cinnamon a.k.a. Cimmy is 16 yrs old>

I haven't actually made my strawberry cookies in Eugene yet. We don't have a mixer here, so I'd have to hand mix it....Not fun. But I will make them eventually. I've been bragging to Sister West about the cookies, so she'll demand proof soon :)

So....I asked around and apparently the transfer times don't change with new mission presidents coming in. So my early date (to come home) would be March 25th, 2015 and the late date would be May 5th or 6th, 2015.  <Note: Because of the way transfers fall, Sister Duenas has to decide whether she will be coming home slightly early from her mission or staying slightly longer.>

Ok bye bye!
Love you!
Be waiting for a ginormous letter! :)
<3 <3 <3 <3 <3