Week 18

Last Week In Washington

This last week in Washington has been a good one, but it also has been hard. The weather started off a little rough, but has gradually (especially this last weekend) become beautiful. For my last day in Washington, the sky is blue and it's warm outside (relatively). I have been preparing to go to Taiwan most of the week and I am about ready to pack up and leave. I feel like I just got here, which is crazy because it's been over 2 months. But I am so glad I got the opportunity to serve in the Federal Way Mission.

I had the opportunity to prepare a little for biking in Taiwan this last Wednesday. We went on exchanges to a biking area in our district, and I got to bike all around Auburn. I realized how fun it was to bike, but I might need a little more practice before I get to the crazy biking streets of Taiwan. I also learned that it takes a couple days before you get.. comfortable riding a bike. Let's just say the first little while you are a little sore.

Then on Thursday I had the chance to do one last missionary splits in the Lake Holm Ward. That is one of the best things I will miss about Washington, the Lake Holm Ward. The people in this ward are all so awesome, and I love going out on Thursday with the Ward Missionaries. This week especially has made it a little bitter sweet to leave, because the Lake Holm church is tucked away in the big evergreen trees of Washington and the Sunday drive out there in the sun is beautiful. It will definitely be hard to leave Washington and all the great people of the Lake Holm Ward.

On Friday we got to go on exchanges again, but this time with the Zone Leaders. Elder Kim stayed in Lake Holm, but me and Elder Nelson went to the White River ward with Elder Eliason, the Zone Leader of the Auburn Stake. It was an interesting experience, but I feel like the people of White River are pretty mean. We were rejected by men all day and I was just ready to get back to Lake Holm. Just kidding, it wasn't so bad in White River, but it did help me realize how different people were just a few miles away. 

On Saturday morning we had a stake missionary breakfast. The Stake High Councilor who is in charge of missionary work invited all the missionaries in the stake to come and eat breakfast at his house, which, by the way, is enormous. (There are so many millionaires here, it's ridiculous. I think it's because we are so close to the Boeing headquarters, and amazon, and Microsoft, and basically a hundred other multi-billion dollar companys.) It's nice to go to these houses, but the people need to be humbled. I think the Seahawks defeat earlier this month was a good first step.

This last Sunday was sad- my last week in the Lake Holm ward. We were able to have a member dinner with a family in the ward who has fed us every month since I got here. Then I was even able to go on exchanges again to the Federal Way Stake to help again with a Chinese investigator. It helped me realize that.. well let's just say I am going to be a little lost when I get to Taiwan. But that's okay because I know the Lord will bless me as I try. 

I am so excited to go to Taiwan. I am leaving tomorrow morning at 5:15 from the mission office and after that I head to San Francisco. I don't know much about my travel plans besides that. All I really know is that I will be in Taiwan sometime the next day. I am going to miss this mission, and I am really glad I had the opportunity to serve here, but Taiwan here I come. Next week I will send pictures of my new area and companion and some pictures of me departing from Washington.

Love,

Elder Quist