Very Fun Week

Hello! How is everything going? It was awesome seeing the pictures of Jason and Michelle! This last week has been really enjoyable, we have a new look District and Zone, so that will make things fun. Our new Zone Leader is named Elder Baker, he goes home in 6 weeks, and up until now he has been an AP my whole mission, and he is a really great missionary. Elder Hawkins is great (It helped that I already knew him from our district for the last three months. So now we cover two wards the Maple Grove (Battle Ground) and we cover/live in La Center as well. My new address is

33915 NE Taylor Valley RD
La Center, WA 98629-2732

I inherited some great investigators that we predict will be put on date for baptism pretty soon in La Center. One is named Korrin, she is 15. and the Other is named Bobby, he is in his 40's. We have been staying busy (thankfully we have a car!) Elder Hawkins has been out for 18 months and no, he does not have a "Texan" accent. haha. He is a great missionary, and he teaches me something everyday! My first Sunday in my new ward, I spoke in Sacrament meeting about the restoration. I know that public speaking is something I've never done too well, but I know I am getting better. It's crazy how weaknesses can be made strong (Ether 12:27). I am feeling great physically, and trying to get the weight down even more. I know that being well physically, mentally, emotionally and spiritually are all very important. Well, I hope that all is going well. I love and miss everyone.
Love Elder Bates

Pictures From Last Week....

Hope we get the story about the muddy clothes....

I'm Getting Transfered...Sort of

Hello! How are you doing? It's kind of weird, I have received emails saying it's really cold in Utah and really hot in Arizona. It is pretty mild here in Vancouver (except it does rain a lot). So yesterday, We got transfer calls, and Elder Schmidt is getting transferred to Kennewick (Sad, I will miss him lots) and I am going to be doubling up wards, I will now cover Maple Grove and The La Center ward. I am in the middle of packing all of my stuff and will move in with my new Companion into the Taylor's house (she is a recently widowed 80 year old member). My Companion is named Elder Hawkins from Dallas, TX. I have known him well for the last three months, so I'm pretty excited. He is awesome! I have been doing pretty well, I just have been kind of down because Elder Schmidt and I are leaving, but to quote George Harrison "all things must pass". I love it on the West Side of the mission, and am 100% excited and happy to be staying!
Sorry the email is short, I've got to get packing
Love Elder Bates

Hey!

Hey!!!! I got your package, thank you sooooo much! I took the money, paid fast offerings and took a couple missionaries out to lunch, so that was a cool little treat! I hope Patric is doing Ok, I really need to talk to him. Have you heard how Brady is doing in Japan? I hope all is well, everyone here is talking about it, I'm just so happy that we are land-locked.
I am doing great, we have been walking around a lot (I'm going to probably need to get a bike soon now that it is getting warmer) Daylight savings time is kind of cool, now that it stays light until 7:30 (I still side with Arizona that it is a waste of time haha). That is awesome that Logan is home, does he know that I'm just across the river from his mission?
Well, it rains a lot still, but I love it. Life is going well, and time is going TOO fast. TRANSFERS are already next week. I would like to stay with elder Schmidt for a 3rd, but it is unlikely...... I love this gospel, and all of you who may read this. God Bless
Elder Nick Bates

Short Letter Today

So we have been teaching some pretty cool lessons, and we have committed a less active of 15 years to come back to church, hopefully she will! We came back from the Portland temple today, our ride+traffic=We missed our session, so we took pictures and then went home (he had to be back for work) I took some funny/awesome pictures, and they will be on the way shortly. We went to a rugby game of one of the youth in the ward, they were playing an all gay team from Seattle, no joke!!! I am running out of time, so instead of a spiritual thought today (sorry) I'll just say that I know that staying active in the church in crucial, not just for the social part, but mainly because we have that great opportunity of renewing our covenants and being made whole again, I love the Gospel, and I marvel everyday how perfect it is, this is Christ's Church, and it has been Restored, No Reformation could have brought the Priesthood and all of the Saving Ordinances back to the earth, we are really a blessed people to have that in our lives.
Love Elder Nick Bates