Seattle Update

Hey Family!!!

This week has been beautiful up in Washington!!!  A total change from the other week that we had of snow.  This whole week we have had weather of high 50s or even 60s and not even rain for about a week now!  Totally wonderful weather!

Well, I have definitely never seen a turtle crossing sign, and I am not even sure if I have seen a deer crossing sign in my mission.  Being in the city, I haven't seen any deer at all my whole mission.  Although for some reason, there seem to be a lot of racoons where I live. We heard some strange sounds outside our apartment the other night and went out to check it out to find 3 racoons about 15 feet from our door. We also see a lot while driving at night.

Hahah, I don't even think I know were Pullman is, Mom.  People may think that I will know Washington after the mission, but that wont be true. I will only know about 20 or 30 miles of it.  I heard that Daniel will be up this weekend at the University of Washington to run, and that is in my mission.  I have been past that campus several times and really love it!

Speaking of missionaries that we may know, I meet an elder that was from Manti here.  It was while I was serving in Seattle.  The English missionaries lived in the same apartment complex that we did.  He was literally trained 50 feet away from where I was. For some reason, his name escapes me right now.

I have never even heard of using cement for a counter top, but if you can make it look like granite, that would be cool.  Maybe that will come in handy when you build your dream house, Mom!

McKay, way to go on training!!!  Way cool. One new companion a month has got to be crazy though. We don't even have 11 Spanish elders out in my mission that I could be companions with. I have to say that I love Puerto Rican people! Not too many in Washington, but we actually have a family that we are teaching, and the dad is from there. That would be the family that you mentioned in your letter, Mom.  They are wonderful, and we are still teaching them. They are super busy though, so we don't get many opportunities to get over to their house.  They did start to read that Book of Mormon last week though, and we are going to go by and see what their thoughts have been.

We did have a new transfer start for us as well, but nothing is going to change for me right now. I will still be serving in Renton with Elder Mitchell, which I am thankful for. We have some good things happening and a lot of potential in Renton but have to somehow tap into it better.  As I said before, I am still the youngest Spanish missionary here, but we got news that a cousin of my old companion (Elder Haro) has been assigned to serve here Spanish speaking as well and should be here in 6 weeks!   Marco (the man who is trying to quit smoking) is still on date.  He has been doing really great at not smoking, and we put him on a program that should help him.  He has not missed a single week at church since he first found it either.  Really loves the church and learning about it.

Well my time is up and I have to go.  Love you family!

Elder B. Howell