Good-Bye, Maple Valley!

Dear Family,

This has been a busy week! We have been running to and fro with our heads cut off trying to prepare for transfers. President and Sister Rasmussen haven't done a transfer, yet, so they totally rely on Elder Palmer and I to work it out. It has been a little stressful, but everything worked out in the end. This morning Elder Palmer and I, accompanied by President and Sister Rasmussen, dropped off the departing missionaries. Always an amazing experience to see the miracles that happen.

I received a call yesterday. I am being transferred. I kind of expected it, having been an office Elder for 6 months. They told me that I am being transferred out of zone and that I will find out where I am going on Monday. Well, I cheated. Elder Palmer and I are the office Elders. We looked on the mission computers on Sunday before they called us. It probably wasn't a good idea because I didn't sleep last night. I am to be transferred to the Federal Way Stake, into the Lakota Creek Ward, as a new District Leader. That last part is what scared me. My first district meeting is just this Wednesday! I need to prepare! Oh, also I will be on bike now! That is good news because I need to lose some weight!

I will do my best to rise to this new challenge. Wish me luck! I love you all! Have a great week!

Love,

Elder Bretton Steiner.

Last district meeting in Maple Valley. (Names from left to right: Top: Elder Nelson, Elder Steiner, Elder Palmer, Elder Clayburn. Bottom: Sister Thurman, Sister Lyman, Sister Stewart, Sister Peterson.

This was the picture that was taken when we had our "Greet the Mission President and His Wife" meeting. They are fun to work with.

Missionaries On Parade!

Dear Family,

First off, Happy Birthday Bethany! I hope you like the audio I sent you!

This week has been a little weird. Everything was thrown off because we had interviews with our Mission President on Tuesday. District Meeting was moved to Thursday and our Weekly Planning was moved to split between Wednesday and Friday. It definitely was weird.

On Saturday, all of the Kent Zone, which now includes Maple Valley, went to the Covington Days Parade! This year, I had a little more responsibility than I did last year. This time I drove the mission van, holding 10 Elders including me (The Zone Leaders drove separate), to a member's yard (We were told to use it because there is no parking for the parade). It was a lot of fun! We walked in the parade, sang songs, and gave out pass-along cards. I also got to work at the booth at the fair after the parade. It was a little slow, but we did get to talk to a few people!

And best of all, the Mission Devotional took place on Sunday. Candace Willing and Elder Palmer both gave their testimonies in it! I felt the Spirit so strong in that devotional. I hope it touched the hearts of the people in the audience and that it will inspire them to learn more.

I hope you all have a great week! I love you all!

Love,
Elder Bretton Steiner

The Kent Zone lining up for the Covington Days Parade!

Manning the booth! (From left to right: Elder Nelson, Elder Steiner, Elder Palmer, Elder Clayburn)

The Quaking Aspen Tree

Dear Family,

Congratulations on your mission call, Michaela! Don't forget to have fun on your mission!

This week has been good. Elder Palmer and I had a lot of lessons set for this week, but a lot of them fell through. We had a good zone training on Wednesday. Elder Lowry came up with a cool analogy to explain how missionaries need to have faith in their missionary efforts. If a man was watering a quaking aspen tree, he needed to have the water in his bucket to do it. The water is faith. Missionaries can throw a bucket of water to help the tree grow, or they can do the motions with an empty bucket. The thing about the quaking aspen tree is that it has the same roots as the other quaking aspen trees. They are all one organism, so by watering at one tree, the water can benefit other areas that the man is unaware of. That is so true! As a missionary, I don't always see the direct fruits of my labor, but I can trust that my faith and obedience is benefiting someone else out there. I wonder how else this analogy can be applied to life.

The mission devotional is only one week away and that means that Elder Palmer and I have to select the videos for it. On Sunday night, we went into the office to select the videos. It was interesting. Usually, it takes over and hour to select the videos, choosing between many different kinds, but this time, it went very fast. I only looked at 5 videos and I knew which ones we would use. I felt like I was just guided to each of the videos that need to be in the devotional. I can't wait to see how it benefits the people that will be coming next week!

I love you all! Have a great week!

Love,
Elder Bretton Steiner.

This is the largest ant hill I have ever seen! Don't walk up to that! The ants will attack and bite you! Elder Palmer joked about torching it.

This was totally not planned. This is just what happens when P-Days are on Tuesdays and Cafe Rio has $5 burritos. All the missionaries around town come to eat! (Somehow at the same time)

Happy 4th of July!

Dear Family,

I honestly felt like I was walking in a war zone on the 4th of July. People were shooting fireworks all day. There is an Indian Reservation only 30 minutes away from Maple Valley called the Muckleshoot, and they sell fireworks, legal and illegal, very cheap. That is so true! Just look at the firework pile that a member of the bishopric bought!

Wow! Keep the fire away from that pile! I didn't actually get to see very many fireworks because of the endless concourses of trees in Maple Valley. Honestly, the sound was good enough.

I also got to meet President and Sister Rasmussen last Thursday at the mission office. I got a picture of both the past and present mission presidents. It was a cool experience. I know they have been prepared for this calling and I am excited to serve with them!

I love you all! Happy 4th of July!

Love,

Elder Bretton Steiner.

This is the best picture I could get of President and Sister Eaton and President and Sister Rasmussen.

Elder Palmer teaching about life after death.

​Looks like it is going to rain tomorrow! I am not surprised. This is Washington after all!