Hello everyone! 

I'm here in Washington, the flight was fantastic. Despite the horror humid stories that I've heard, it's really not all that humid feeling wise. In other words, It doesn't feel that humid, but they don't water their grass, because it's just that humid so there's an idea. It doesn't rain a ton actually, it's been pretty sunny so that's fantastic considering I don't have a rain coat yet. But aparantly normal weather is overcast with a constant drizzle. I'm sure It will go back to normal and everything will be fine. After I get my rain coat.

   The big differences here are the greenery. ITS SO GREEN. pretty much any free space by the side of the road is either covered in grass or there's a tree every foot or so. Lots of trees. You thought there were lots of trees in Pleasant Grove? Wrong. Here, Trees and EVERYWHERE. Also a very big difference is the fact that Pot is Legal up here. Surprise. Forgot about that. Remember that whole saying where Moss grows on the North side of the tree? Moss actually grows up here. Even on the road it grows. On the driveway into the parking lot to our apartment, there is moss growing on the road. Lots of moss, Lots of forest. The houses and lawns up here are just beautiful. There's this one house that is completely surrounded by trees and the family is a landscaping family so of course the lawn looks like the Garden of Eden.

   The first night I was here, I came on a Monday, which is not the time where all the other missionaries came. I had Terryaki with the Mission president and his wife, and spent the night with some Zone Leaders. They were nice, they lent me a lot of needs like pajamas, and a blanket, and they found a couple inch thick pad for me to sleep on for the night. I also forgot my sheets and had no pillow, but still slept great. I can't actually remember having breakfast that morning. But that's ok. Got my companion the next day along with a lot of instruction with the new missionaries that came that day. The new Elders were told to go nap in the nursery room, which was weird for me. The whole day practically they napped and I napped a little and did some scripture study. I was given a companion by the name of Elder Kappel 6'6" red head. I'm in a town called Stanwood and it's fantastic here. really green and super friendly families that we eat dinners at. We have so far eaten dinner at a members house EVERY night. Have had some funny experiences so far.

We have visited some people in apartments that felt "sketchy" to me, but I did not feel any fear. I had felt courage from the spirit and with my Companion, had no fear whatsoever. It was a great experiece to realize that the whole time I didn't have any fear towards any of it. None. The spirit helped me with courage. We even walk around the streets kinda around our apartment when it's pitch black outside to other sketchy houses, and I'm not even scared then either. I have courage in the Lord. I know he'll protect me. It's awesome being on a mission! I just wanna close with my testimony. We've been able to teach a lot of people who are investigating the gospel and it's been fantastic. I wish i could type about some of the members conversion stories and some of the wonderful spirits that I've beeen able to meet this week. It's been a growing experience not only to live by myself but to watch others come into the gospel. It's different here to walk into a house without the gospel and just feeling like the house is empty. Without the priesthood Houses without the spirit become empty of reason. They lose their foundation. It makes me feel very blessed with the spirit I have in my life and the wonderful priesthood that I have in my house back in Utah. I'm loving it here.

in the name of Jesus Christ Amen.

-Elder Miles