6/2/15--I received the following WONDERFUL letter in the mail today from a man in Elder B's last area (Yakima):

Dear Chanon and Rebecca,

     I certainly hope I am reasonably close in my spelling of a unique, to me, name.  I am writing to tell you your son, Elder Brinkerhoff, made a very favorable and enduring impression on me.  One day this spring, he and his cohort, Elder Plehn, stopped at my house in carrying out their missionary duties.  I recalled being their age out on the road far from home and how kindness of strangers affected me.  So, I invited them in for a glass of water and a rest.  I am a 65 year old retired fisheries  biologist and grandpa.  I like young people.  Your son was a breath of fresh air, a model youth taking on passionately, an important job; he embraced his duty with poise, composure, and determination.  I told them right away that I was an unlikely convert but, if they wished, they could practice on me and at least they would find me an eager student.  I am very interested in Mormonism--its history, tenets, doctrine, dogma, etc.  Over the course of several weeks we enjoyed several good sessions.  Sadly, their time with me came to an end.  They told me others would follow.  But, I told Elder Brinkerhoff, it wouldn't be the same.  And it wasn't.  Others came.  But they were just salesmen to me.  The new--older, experienced ones came and quickly left.  It was your son I'll remember.  He was--IS--a son of which you must be proud.

Sincerely,

"H. W."