Letter from Tacoma #50 (Hump Week!): October 10, 2016

 Hey Family!

So yeah, I hit my year mark this week! Whooot! Mom and Dad want to send me something, so I'll be looking for when it arrives!

Everything at home seems like fun, especially Aggie! She's adorable when she's shaved like that.

... Well, I suppose everything except for a hurricane by Kelsey and Zac. I'm glad it wasn't too bad, but I can say this week I feel for them. The weather here has just been insane this past week, raining almost non-stop with high winds! My companion, Elder MacQueen, even said, "If I wasn't from Louisiana and knew what a hurricane is actually like, I'd think this was one!"

Two words: Absolutely drenched! I didn't get pictures of any of the three nights we came back to the apartment completely soaked, but let's just say there was not a single article of clothing I was wearing that did not get wet. It felt like we stepped off of a marathon of Splash Mountain in Disneyland! Afterwards, I was beginning to wonder why we even complain about not being able to swim during the mission, because stepping outside is basically the equivalent of jumping into a pool fully clothed!

So actually, this Tuesday, we knocked into this really awesome guy named John. He wasn't interested in learning the gospel, but he let us step out of the rain, gave us some water, and we had a fun chat about how he used to work as a professional Santa Claus! Well, wouldn't you know it, apparently Elder MacQueen's dad is retired and working as a Santa Claus, too. So he and John just hit it off, and John gave him a couple of books written by a Santa, describing some great moments during his carreer. And before we left, John gave me an awesome umbrella that came straight out of the 80's. I can't believe I forgot to get a picture of it, too! But it's green and white, the poles are made out of some sturdy steel, and the coolest part is the fact that the shaft is made of wood! It looks so classy! I feel awesome carrying it around.

Although, I only got minimal use out of the umbrella during the rest of the week, because the wind is blowing too hard to use it. And whenever the wind wasn't blowing, the rain only sprinkled or just wasn't there at all! That kind of stunk because all the times we had put aside for knocking doors or street contacting, the rain just stormed onward. Thursday, Friday, and Saturday were the worst, especially Saturday. I was literally wringing water out of my rain coat, which is supposed to repel water.

Man, I didn't get pictures of anything... oh wait, yes I did! This week, I don't know what it was, but members just kept on giving us all kinds of baked goods! We got these Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Brownies the relief society president made, then we got leftover mini-pumpkin pies from the senior center, then we got brownie mix from our primary president, and then yesterday we got a bunch of chocolate cupcakes from the young women's president! (Sorry, the cupcakes didn't weren't there when I took the picture, and the brownies I had to make in a cupcake tin because we didn't have any cookie sheets!)

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HELP! We're gettin' fat and we have no regrets!

​LOLOLOL!

As far as the work goes, though, all is well. We've been out hitting the pavement a lot, looking for some new investigators. We haven't found any yet, so for now we only have one investigator, Diane. She had us over for dinner on Saturday, and after we ate we read 1 Nephi 18 together. In the past, she'd just have Elder MacQueen and I pass off back and forth reading the story to her, but this time she actually took the book and read aloud with us. She's become fully engaged in the story and it's exciting to her. She's coming to love reading it and learning more, which is a huge difference from when we first met her.

Even if we don't find anyone else to teach this transfer, I'd be satisfied with just teaching her and seeing her progress like this.

Soooo... Sorry about not making this email into chronological order, but to be honest I felt like winging it this time. The best way I've found to write, even when it was just pony fan fiction back home, is to have fun and make your own rules as you go, so I did.

And yes, I was able to view that video you sent me, Mom. I'm glad to see Brandon is working hard on the football field, even if it's not for very long in the game. Great job, Brandon! Keep it up!

Also, Elder MacQueen and I have come to an agreement that Kyler's Halloween costume was awesome! (Legend of Zelda! YEAH!) Kamryn, Kenzie, and Kaysen all look great, too! I can't believe how much Kamryn has grown!

I love you all!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Thanks for reading!

-Elder R. Austin Moe

Wa-Tac Missionary