Washington Update

Family,

This week was another crazy week.  We had a lot of non-fun and fun experiences and I think that is just missionary work.  We haven't been able to teach the daughter of the member yet.  We went by several times and they were either gone or the dad was out of the house so we couldn't enter and teach.  We are going to continue and try and work on getting a good time to teach her along with the whole family present.  We were unfortunately dropped by the mother and her three kids this weekend.  She loves what we teach her and was looking forward to coming to church and having Sunday school for the kids.  Her husband though heard something bad about "the mormons" from his friend and told his family that they couldn't learn anymore.  The wife has been talking with him about what good things she has learned and we invited him to learn with his family so that he would know what the church was all about.  The wife said she was going to try and read the Book of Mormon with him, and we are going to go back in several weeks to see if his heart has been softened any.  That was our only investigator that was really interested in learning though, and now we are in a 100% searching and find mode.  I think the finding new investigators could also become a little harder as the presidential election draws closer.  With Romney's immigration laws that he wants to pass many Spanish people don't like him...and then don't want to listen to us, even though the church is a completely different thing.

 On the great note we had a wonderful zone conference on Thursday.  Because we reached the 100 goal in September President Larkin hiked Mt. Si (a tall mountain in our mission) to put an ensign to the mission at the top.  He wanted all of us to get the opportunity to hike part of it, so on zone conference we spent half the day hiking up this mountain, having a testimony meeting for all the departing missionaries (my companion included), and hiking back down.  We didn't go all of the way to the top, but it was great to get out into the mountains again.  It was the first time I have been hiking for a very long time and I loved it! 

Also we had general conference this weekend which was a huge spiritual boost as well. There was a pretty big shock wave that swept through the missionaries when President Monson announced the age changes on on when both the Elders and Sisters could start their missions.  I can see pros and cons of both of them.  I don't think it will be as big of a change for the elders as the sisters. Many elders already leave shortly after graduating high school because they are close to 19 anyways.  Some of my friends left 3 months after graduation, so the new rule may only cut off several months of those with birthdays later in the year.  We will see how much of an effect 19 year old sisters make though.  I am sure that we will see a huge increase of sister missionaries in the future, but I don't think I will even see an effect of this new rule in my missionary service.  This general conference was really powerful and I especially liked the first 2 sessions along with priesthood.  I loved President Uchtdorf's talk on enjoying what you are doing and not looking forward to the end and living so that you won't have regrets.  Part of that maybe because Elder Wilkins is really looking forward to getting home in a week.  We didn't have any investigators out to it (conference) which was a bummer.  We did try and round up some of the less active members to come and watch, but most of them were busy working and couldn't make it either.

Well it was a great week.  Sorry I don't have time to write more.  Thank you for everything.

Love ya,

Elder Ben