The move looks like it went well. The pictures look familiar because my companion and I have helped a few people move in and out of the ward. I too am also moving, transfer calls were Saturday and I got a call to go to Walnut Grove ward. It is in the same zone and close to where I already am. I’m really sad to leave this area, but I’m excited to learn more and new things from the next one.

We had a fairly normal week with nothing too exciting happening. We challenged two more investigators to be baptized, but they both had similar concerns. They said they’d already been baptized, so we taught about authority etc. They both have been reading from the Book of Mormon so with a matter of time they’ll be baptized.

The hike we went on was way fun! It was called Horsetail Falls, which had three separate major falls. The biggest one was right next to the road where you parked. Next, was the one where you could walk behind and next to and the last one we went to was the triple falls. It was a good adventure and really refreshing.

There is still tons of rain and yesterday was about the only break we had from it. They say it gets extremely green in the summer so I’m looking forward to it.

I did get my [debit] card and activated it. We usually eat with members for dinner and then Sister Bloom, who we live with, bought us food for our lunches. Now that I’m being transferred to an apartment we’ll have to cook lunches probably again. They have tons of blackberries here, they are almost like weeds. Soon we’ll be able to pick them while we are going around tracking or something.

Thanks for all the great emails. I’ll let you know my new address when I get it. You can all look forward to talking to my current mission president when he returns home at the end of the month.

Love, Elder Willoughby

Elder Daniel Willoughby is serving in the Washington Kennewick Mission. If you want to communicate with Daniel, write in the comments or use one of these addresses.

Daniel seeks for a sign

Today we are planning on going on a hike, so I don’t have much time to write. The garage and the wedding looked like they went well. The beans looked good too, Dad. There is a lot of changes going on.

We had a great work week, finished off with two investigators coming to church. One stayed for the full three hours and she had a lesson on the Priesthood in Relief Society. Probably the best place for her to hear about it. It was awesome. We are hoping for her to be baptized soon. Transfer calls are this Saturday, so you can never predict what is going to happen. I would really like to stay where I am.

I received a letter from Otgon Bat. She was an investigator that my companion and I found and taught in Mongolia for about a month then I was transfered. She was baptized after I left and wrote to me how she was planning on going to the temple. She was way excited about all aspects of the church and how her youngest son is now in kindergarten. She had been paying her tithing faithfully and now has a job where she doesn’t have to work on Sunday and can attend regularly. Her testimony has grown so much it was a wonderful blessing to hear from her.

Well, got to get going, I’ll send some pictures of the hike next week.

Love, Elder Willoughby

Elder Daniel Willoughby is serving in the Washington Kennewick Mission. If you want to communicate with Daniel, write in the comments or use one of these addresses.

Daniel in a Sacred Grove look alike

I included a bonus feature movie this week. It should be on Dad’s blog soon and worth a viewing. It shows the wonderful weather of Vancouver, Washington. This week was great! We met some new people that expressed interest in the church.

The man with the bird is from Moldova. He speaks Russian and Romanian and also English. He always likes to feed us when we come over and we’ve eaten some interesting stuff. Nothing I can’t handle… :) So he showed us his birds in his backyard and it was neat. The other photograph is of Elder Harris and I. The last one seemed to apply to missionary work somehow so we took it.

The best story is of Ryan. We were riding home on our bikes at the end of the day and we passed up someone jogging on the street. We decided to stop and talk to him and he asked us a few questions, but not that much. We were going to give him a card so he could call the number etc, but he said well you can just stop by later my apartment is over there etc.

It was awesome we usually ask if we can come to their house later, but with him we didn’t and he asked us if we’d like to come over. So weeks passed with us trying to contact him. He was busy, but with our efforts we finally met with him. He was really receptive and we also seemed to become instant friends. We told him how we like to hike on Tuesday and play basketball and he’d be welcome to come. So the next day he texted us and said that he was going surfing and that he had some hook-ups to where we could go for free. I’ve always liked surfing so I thought about the offer :). We talked to him and explained we can’t go surfing. Anyhow it was really cool to have someone be interested in being our friend and interested in the gospel.

Moldova with bird and Elder Harris

We also met with Moriaa, another person we just happened to stop by and talk to. He was in a hurry and said he just lived around the corner and is always outside. So we went back later and tracked the houses there and asked his neighbors until we found him. He only really has free time on Saturday so it took about three weeks to finally contact him. He was very prepared for the message we taught. We basically taught how churches became corrupt over time to us and led perfectly to the Restoration. It was truly a great lesson and the Spirit was strong. The Lord blessed us greatly to find these people and we’ve been getting busy.

I’ve been here in the area about six weeks now and its incredible to see how the work has progressed. It has required lots of effort, but I think we’ll have some baptisms really soon. We’re excited to see how it all turns out. I don’t think I need anything. Our new mission president comes near the end of June. Happy birthday Paul! Thanks for all you do family!

To Dad:

I really like telling people about your conversion story. People here, when we say we’re from Utah, normally are like, “Oh… they’re all from Utah…” or “Is that where all Mormons come from?” kind of attitude. So I jump in real fast and say well my dad is from England. I also say, his plan was to come to America, find a wife and then go back to England, but he only got half the deal, my Mom wanted to stay in America. They always laugh at that.

Love, Elder Willoughby

Elders Harris and Willoughby

Elder Daniel Willoughby is serving in the Washington Kennewick Mission. If you want to communicate with Daniel, write in the comments or use one of these addresses.