Paul's Missionary Life

I have been meaning to write some things about Paul's mission so here they are. He has been gone 8 months now! Wow! In Dec he will be halfway through! I think about and pray for him everyday. That he will be blessed with health and safety, get along with his companion, have good meals (no mysterious casseroles as he had in his first area) and just overall have a good mission. While he was awaiting his call Ian and I were thinking he would get called to Mexico or some other spanish speaking country , not Everett, Washington. Things have worked out so well for him though it just goes to show how heavenly father looks out after his sheep. Washington is where Paul needed to be and we never thought it would turn in to be a spanish speaking mission. He was originally called to serve an english speaking mission, however, very soon after he arrived it turned into spanish. He was waking up an hour earlier (yes, 5:30 am) just to study . His spanish is muy bien now so I hope he doesn't still need to get up that early! He has went from totally understanding nada (nothing) to now teaching lessons in spanish and being able to converse. In his letters, he always mentions the love he has developed for the members and families he is working with. Plus, he is getting fed very well. He is in the only spanish speaking ward in the mission. He probably will be leaving the area this next transfer as he has been there about 7 months. He has been bounced between Bothell and Kirkland which are suburbs of Seattle. Right now they are living with the stake patriarch and his family again (second time) in Kirkland. Bothell and Kirkland are very affulent areas. Alot of Microsoft people live here. The next tranfer will likely take him up north somewhere close to the Canadian border , he thinks. He said their summer is pretty much over and the rain has returned. It rains alot!! Good thing this mission has allowed them a car full time. He got a bike from a missionary who was going home so that is in place when he needs it. Oh, also his new companion came straight from the MTC. He calls him his "bountiful bubble" missionary (he is from Bountiful, Utah) and although they are totally different they get along great. Paul said he never thought he would get along with those Utah elders! I am grateful he is a Kansan elder.He definately didn't live in a bubble here in Kansas and got a taste of the real world. No offense to Utah people. I just think if you live somewhere where the church is strong(anywhere west of Kansas ) and your whole environment is surrounded by LDS it can be like living in a bubble. Oh well, I better end here. It is already 2:15 . I wanted to get this posted before I get Lena from school. She takes control of the computer when she gets home to go on webkinz. Will write about that at a later time!