Week 10

I am in WASHINGTON!
Wow! I am in Washington State! Pretty weird, especially since I was just in the MTC last Saturday! So this is how it all happened: 
We asked the travel office on Monday what the plan was for us Mandarin speakers, and they told us that if we didn't leave by Friday we would stay here till Christmas, because from Friday to this Friday was supposed to be a black out week, which basically meant no church travel between that time. So Monday left.. no news. Then Tuesday, and even Wednesday. By Thursday people were pretty convinced that we had no more chance. I was pretty discouraged, I just wish we could've gotten an answer. So I prayed and just asked to find out that Thursday whether or not I would be in the MTC on Christmas, all I need is a sign!  

 

After I said that prayer I went to class, and within the first 30 minutes the boss over Asian speakers came in and said we would all be leaving before Christmas, and that we would be reassigned for a couple of weeks till our visas come! It was so crazy, we were all so excited and ready to leave the MTC. So that night we got our reassignments, and everyone in my mission were called to Washington, all the Elders to Washington Federal Way and all the Sisters to Spokane! The Sisters left Friday morning at 6:30, so they had about 12 hours notice, and we left Saturday at 3:30. Pretty crazy! And the craziest part is that a few weeks ago, when I first thought I was going to be reassigned, I prayed and asked to know a little more about what my plan was. That night I had a dream I got reassigned to Washington! I didn't even think about it until I got my call though! Man I know prayer is so real! 

 

Now I am in Washington, and I am companions with an Elder Grant, who has been here for 22 months, and is my trainer, and an Elder Nelson, who has only been here for 2 weeks. It's actually kind of funny, because Elder Nelson actually came to the MTC a month after me, but just stayed there for 3 weeks. They are both really awesome. 

 

Washington State is pretty rainy, it rains all the time,  and when I see the sun I am really surprised (and it usually only lasts a few minutes at a time), but it is so beautiful up here. It is not as cold as I thought it would be! Everyone told me it was way colder than Utah, but they didn't know what they were talking about. 

 

So the Saturday I got here was kind of hectic. They weren't super ready for us to come (because they had a 2 day notice) so we kind of just quickly met with the Mission President, President Eaton (who is really awesome by the way) and then met our companions and left. That Saturday we tried to set up a bunk bed for me in the apartment, and eventually figured it out. After that, we had Little Caesers, because that's what a member gave us to eat. Then that night I got to speak mandarin with a ward member! My companions were all really impressed, and now they think I can actually speak Mandarin super well (little do they know). Then we went and we got to go meet the Bishop.

 

Sunday was a little faster. We went to ward council for the Lakeholm ward, and then to the rest of church there. It was nice to just settle down and have Sacrament. After church we went around the ward giving secret santa gifts away from someone in the ward, and we got to meet and talk to the members we helped. Then that night we had dinner at a really nice member's house! The food was so good, and for dessert we had berry cobbler.  After that we had a lesson with a new potential investigator. Her name is Teonie Heck and she was alone with one of her kids. She was really nice and sweet. We taught her about the Restoration and she kept saying stuff like, this is what I really need in my life. Then, when the spirit felt right, Elder Nelson asked her if, after we taught her, she would be willing to accept baptism. She immediately said yes! It was so amazing. The spirit was so strong! When we actually gave her a date, she was a little nervous, but said she would try to make that date. We are going back on Wednesday to teach her again.

 

Thank you all so much for your emails! Thank you Taylor and Nate for your emails. Taylor happy birthday yesterday! Sorry I don't know your email so I couldn't send you an email! But I love you and Happy Birthday, see you Thursday!

 

Thank you Onna for the letter, it was nice and bought me breakfast at the airport!

 

It's going good here! It's beautiful and nice! I don't know when I am going to Taiwan, anywhere from 1 to 5 weeks... so wish me luck on that and I will keep you all updated!

 

I love you all,

Elder Quist