I'm going to STRIPE!!

Dear Mom, 

I am also glad that Kenny was there when we had our video chat, it was nice to hear from him and see him. I really enjoyed talking to you all as well!! 

(I will preface this next bit, Benjamin was very sick on Christmas Eve and Christmas day.  Sick enough that it worried him and the branch president in his area.  They wanted a list from him and me of things the members should not feed him.  They said he is to polite and embarrassed to tell them.) Ok first health. I have been good since Christmas and I have made a list of things I shouldn't eat. Mainly by observing what has had an effect on me in the mission. So it is this. 1. Soda 2.Corn. 3. Lettuce 4. Celery. 5. Anything super spicy, and that is about it. Beans actually have not bugged me out here on my mission at all, which is nice because they make them a lot and I really like them, especially Black beans yummy. I also am going to be drinking either that fruit drink or the Kefir more frequently. I stopped because of the issue we talked about, but I am going to pick it back up. Another thing I am going to do is get my heart rate up. When I work out in the mornings I usually do things like lift weights (small ones) or something like that, but I am going to start really working out my abs see if that helps, and also more cardio work outs like squats, lunges, mountain climbers, stairs, jumping jacks, and stuff like that.  See if that helps, I don't know if it will, but we will see, plus help me not get fat. (him getting fat is the least of my worries, he has lost weight) Oh another thing I am going to do is eat less, or if I know I am going to have a meal at a members, eat less that day so when I am there I can eat plenty, so I can be more polite. Other than that my health has been good these last few days, and I hope it continues to get better. (In his photos on his SD card there were containers of Muscle Milk, we didn’t know if this was his but told him he should NOT be drinking that) Second, the Muscle Milk, it is not mine, come on now, If I am going to bulk up I am doing it by hard work, not trying to fast track it with Muscle Milk.  Plus Elder Mancilla had me try some, it tastes worse than Ensure, and you know how much I did NOT like those, I have never been much of a supplement taker.   

(During our conversation with him, he was at the Branch Presidents house, the President came on the video and told us how much they loved the missionaries and our son etc.  He was such a sweet man and told us that they are small people but that they have very big hearts. I of course started to cry while he was talking.) I did see you start to cry when he was talking, I really like this branch a lot. hahaha Unfortunately you and I both cry at everything….. (thanks by the way for that...) haha.  I hope the Spanish sounded good, because it is going to have to get good really quick!!  Also, you can start to learn a little right now. All three of those people who you are friends with in this Branch are very nice, and Hna. Romero speaks a fair amount of English. Now to learn, this is going to sound weird and will probably be a pain for the first few times, but anytime you comment on Facebook or anything like that to any of them do it in Spanish, go buy (or find) a Spanish-English dictionary, and make out the sentences, use Google Translate to help with the structure if you need too. If you do this you will eventually pick up some Spanish, a fair amount too, also have Bai talk to you in Spanish, this will help a lot too. You can also ask me about Spanish stuff and I will help in any way I can. You and Dad should both do this, one it will help for the vacations you want to go on, and when you come back here with me, it won't be as hard for you. Now I am not saying it is going to work quickly or that you will learn a lot, but you will pick up things and at least get a base for things.  

The people we are working with are doing well, we have one Jonaris who will be baptized here shortly, and Manuel who is doing good as well, they are both Part member families and it won't be long till they get baptized, at least as far as I know. Church was really good today, a lot of people took pictures of us just in case, and I really enjoy attending this Branch. 

(I told him that his grandparents enter the MTC today) I remember that night before going into the MTC as if it were yesterday, man it feels like a few weeks ago I was there.  I can just see how Gma and Gpa would react to that stuff.  That feeling also comes back pretty much every six weeks as we wait for the call or whatever to find out what is going on for transfers.  I can't believe in this next transfer I will turn 20!!!!!!!!!!!!! That is so crazy, everyone is like what were you doing last year at this time, and I pretty much have three more months till I am saying, oh I was on my mission!! Also 2014 is my missionary year!! The entire year I get to be a missionary, that is super sick!!!  Time goes by way too fast, I feel like I am still very very green, but I am getting to be one of the old dogs...  

Ay mi madre Gilmore Girls Hijole, not that again... Oh the good old Card game nights with your friends, those where always fun, it is really nice to have that group of people to go hang with.  That is how this Branch is, there is a gang or group of friends just like yours, and it makes me laugh.  

(We learned about the dispensations of the gospel in Sunday School yesterday) I don't even know a whole lot about the Dispensations, but that is sad that he won't be teaching anymore I really like Duncan, he will do great wherever he goes though. Speaking of Old Testament, I have started to read the Bible, and I am determined to finish it before the end of my mission, So I started at the very beginning and I am not very far, it is hard to read sometimes, haha. I did love the Book of Mormon, it was amazing, I will probably start it again, in a way, I am going to read it verse by verse, one a day and really ponder what the verse has to say, because each verse is filled with power. It is said we can draw something from every verse, so I am going to try that, at least until I start it more as a read through again. But first, I am reading the Bible, and the Doctrine and Covenants, just a section a day. Sometimes more if it is a tiny section. So I read kind of everything.  

New Year’s here, we have to be in at 6 or at a members, so as of right now we have nothing planned.  We will probably go to the Branch Presidents house or something on that day. I really enjoyed Ephraim's Rescue I thought it was super good.  

(On his SD card there was a picture that looked like a big flat screen was in his kitchen, I have since been informed it’s cabinets not a flat screen.  I posted that picture to his blog. My eyes must be going bad) Hahaha you goob, I told you it was not a flat screen T.V. Now everyone probably thinks you are crazy and that I am super Jack, well there goes anyone looking at my Blog hahaha   

I loved the candy in my stocking (as always) I loved the package and so far have really liked the Ipod and music, I like a lot of the music you put on there, so that was good. I did figure it out it was a little confusing at first, but now it is easy.  

The weather has been decent it got warm for a day than cold again so the same pretty much and it has been really nice to have a car.  

It is transfer P-day, and I still have to write other people. So it won't be much longer. I really appreciate what Trenton has said about me because I feel the same with him, I am glad I get to see his Homecoming. He has always been a dear friend to me, and it is also nice to be in contact with him on the mission. Well to wrap up I am getting Transferred!! I only did one transfer here in Elkhart!! Which is super sad, because I love it here and I love the people here.  Although, something interesting is happening to me. So I get a call from President yesterday and he is like, “well Elder Paxman I have a special assignment for you”... Instantly in my head I am thinking "Freak!! What is it?" “He then says this is going to be a great opportunity for you, so I was talking to a Stake and we have decided to do something. Elder Paxman you are going to open a new area and stripe !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!” WHAT DA HECK!!!!! Who does he think I am?!! I have to open another area!! and stripe it!! Which means, I will be the Spanish speaking Elder, and I will be with an English Elder!! So pretty much any Hispanics we teach will not be we, it will be ME!! I am freaking out so much, but I am also super excited to see how this is going to go down.  This is good and bad, one because it shows the President has confidence that my Spanish is good enough to teach on my own, and that I am a good enough missionary.  It is bad because my companion will be able to do absolutely nothing with Spanish, so I am going to need some major gift of tongues or something because this is going to be an adventure and a half that is for sure. President also said it has pretty much not been touched by Spanish in the past, and to plan on being there for a good couple transfers!!! So yea, that was a whopping bit of news for me this week.  

I just want to share one quick thing I really enjoyed from my studies this week.  It was a quote or a part of one that says "At one moment or more in every man’s life he will be backed up against the wall of Faith and there he must make his stand!" This quote is a big inspiration to me and I really like it. I would normally evaluate more, but I have taken forever on this email.  So next week I will let you know where in Indiana I am at, and who my companion is and everything. It will be really interesting to see how all of this goes. Well I love you all so much and hope your week goes great, I will hear from you soon hopefully, and remember and realize that our Father in Heaven is by our side constantly and is watching over us always. 

Love, Tu Hijo Elder Paxman. 

Heavenly Father answers our Prayers

 The construction sight of the Indianapolis Temple.

Elder Paxman and Elder Hjelm goofing off. :-)

Dear Mom, 

Ok, so first, yes we can Skype, but I don't have an account or anything so I need you or Bai to make me one, and then when I call tomorrow to set things up, you can give me the info and stuff so I can log on, and get all of that sorted out. Most likely we will be Skyping around 6:15ish our time so definitely after 4 your time. Or if you would rather just have a phone call we can do that too. I will let you guys decide.

(His mission President had us send his Christmas package to the mission home so they could be distributed at a special Christmas Conference.  We mistakenly thought this would be on Christmas day, so we sent his whole Christmas.  When we found out it was actually on the 19^th we were distraught thinking that he would then not have any letters or packages to open on Christmas day) I actually didn't open the box seeing as I thought it might be the 25th day of Christmas, so I indeed have not opened it, so I am glad you didn’t mention to me anything that is in it.  

The Christmas Conference was really fun, the first couple of hours was more like a mission training, so that was cool, and the topic was Christ-like Attributes, which is Chapter 6 in Preach My Gospel. So that was really good, I really enjoyed a lot of the talks, and the spirit that was there!  It was really great!  A guy also came and sang and he was really good, he sang one of my all-time favorite Christmas songs, which is "Mary did you know" I love that song. After that part, we went into the Gym and all had lunch, which was yummy (it was ham with mac and cheese and beans by the way). After lunch we stayed in the gym socialized, played a few games and then, a talent show. So there were all sorts of talents, and some I would say not quite mission appropriate, for example one was the Assistants rapping and dancing, it was really funny, but maybe not so missionary like haha. There were also some singers, dancers, piano players and some other talents, of course some weird ones haha. After the talent show we all went into the Chapel and watched Mr. Krugers Christmas which was really good, and I hadn't seen it before the mission, so it was really fun to watch. (I swear we had watched it before…but maybe not) Then after that they told us our family and friends had sent us packages and letters. So they sent us out by Zone and let us pick a Tie out of a massive selection (or a scarf for sisters) and then we went into the Gym and they had some tables set up with all the missionaries stuff that were in our Zone. We each went and got our stuff than drove the 3 hours home, we didn't get home till about 10:45, but my companion and I had split up, because we didn’t want to take our car. So he got there a little earlier than I did. (That little bit of info will come in handy for a story later). (he never relays the story….I will have to ask him about this next time) So overall the conference was really good.  

I have been loving the 25 days of Christmas things.  My favorite stories, well, I really like all of them, but I lately enjoyed one about the Red Marbles, that was super good, also the one about the string of blue beads, I loved that one (maybe because I have no females to write and a good romance story was needed hahaha). I also really enjoyed the one about Friends and relating them to angels. They have all been really good, and I only have the 24th left than my Christmas package!!! The Branch Christmas party was really good, they had food, piñatas, and music. It was just overall a fun time.  Oh all of us missionaries also sang Micheal Buble's version of Feliz Navidad, so that was fun, but there might be random videos now of us missionaries going around the web haha.  

We actually did get hit with some snow the last week or so, about 9 inches is all in total I would say. Although the last two days it has been raining, which is worse because then you are just wet and freezing.  We are supposed to get some freezing rain here soon which will be cool to see.  

(I asked him if he drives yet.) My compa drives, I am still Junior Companion, which usually means he drives, but he doesn't really like the snow so he got permission that whenever there is a lot of snow on the roads that I can drive.  

As far as transfers go I have no idea, I am guessing I will be staying here in Elkhart with Elder Mancilla for another transfer, but he thinks he is leaving and if not leaving going District leader here in Elkhart.  We will see what happens. We find out on Sunday. Although, I am pretty sure we are both staying. I do really want to stay here in Elkhart though, I love it here and hope I can stay here for a while. Although in these transfers that are coming up we will be getting at least one new Spanish missionary, so we will see, I might train, I doubt it, but it is possible.  

As far as teaching anyone new, we found some people here recently, but seeing as we have only taught them once we will see how things go.  Less-actives, we have not found many, a lot of them have moved, so we are trying to get in contact with them. I definitely feel the same about the re-activating, I really enjoy doing it, when it happens as well as teaching new people of course, I just love the work in general.  

I do indeed keep in contact with the Diaz Family.  I e-mail them every week. I am going to have you search her out on Facebook here soon, she says she has tried to find me and can't.  I gave her your info hoping she can friend request you, so who knows with the Facebook thing. Yea anyone that I have developed a relationship with I try and keep in contact with, so that is nice. Once we get permission from the President we can e-mail pretty much anyone as long as they are not in our area.  

We still have Electric heaters, but we do have Hot water.  Our landlord is working right now on installing the gas heater. We do have pretty much everything we need, the only thing we are missing is a microwave, but we have been able to do without it.  

As far as the other baptism pictures on my SD card, yes that is Celeste's Baptism and that was an amazing experience. I did receive an email from Gilda Paxman and gave them the informations about the Elder they were asking about.  That is such a nice thing for them to do.  It was nice to hear from them. 

I am glad you liked the pictures, and yes I am wet all the way down my legs from the pouring rain.  I am glad you liked the little bit of deeper things, (his thoughts about what he is studying) because I will be including more of those I am sure as the time goes by. My health has been good, I started the pills after I got pretty sick to see if they will help at all, the member say I am looking healthier in the face so we will see. Sister Cleveland asks about my health whenever I see her, President not so much, I don't think he wants to stress about that so much. 

I am not going to include a whole lot more in this letter because I will be talking to you on Wednesday!! So if you have questions or anything you want to ask me, write them down, so you can ask me. That way you don't have to think too hard unless there are more that come to your head that you want to ask. I also heard someone suggest recording the conversations we have as a cool keepsake after the mission, I thought that was kind of a cool idea.  

I will be calling tomorrow to verify and set up everything so be ready for that.  I do not know when we will do that, but I will have about 15 min to set all that up and stuff.  

This week not a whole lot has happened work wise because of all the holiday events, I think it will be the same this week and the next, (especially if either of us are transferred). Well as far as studies go I did finish the Book of Mormon, which was awesome!!! Another thing I have been thinking about is outlook, which I have had to think about a lot lately. One of the things that I have remembered from growing up is that a positive outlook makes everything better, even on those days when it isn't super positive.  If you can at least hope for the day dawn to break, than it makes everything much easier.  Also I got a commitment from my District Leader to study a point in Preach my Gospel, it is at the back of Chapter 8, using time wisely. It is in the personal study part in the back, the second point.  I invite you and dad to look at that. I started to get a little choked up about it when I read it and did the activity. The commitment was to do that several times before the end of my mission, so I won't spoil what I got from that. I want you to do it for yourselves.  I would like to bear a little bit of my testimony and end. Really, I just want to say that Our Heavenly Father loves us so much, and that he is willing to answer our prayers at any moment, we must needs only ask with real-intent and a pure heart and he will gladly answer us. Also, that this work (missionary work) is not a hard work.  I had to give my first talk on my mission yesterday and it was on Missionary Work, and I read a few scriptures that simply say to bring about the work of the Lord, which includes missionary work, all we must simply do is Believe, this is so true because even if we are not sure if we can do it, as long as we believe, that Jesus is the Christ the Holy One of Israel and the Prince of Peace, that he died to atone for our sins, then this work will go forward and we will all be a part of it, because if we truly love this Gospel and all it stands for, it no longer becomes difficult to share it with those around us, even if it is just by our example.   

Well I love you all so much and hope that you have a great Christmas, and I am looking forward to talking to you on Wednesday, (and a little on Tuesday). Love you all so much have a great week and hear from you soon. 

Love, tu hijo, Elder Paxman     

A Picture Is Worth A Thousand Words

Today we received Elder Paxman's 3rd SD card while in the mission.

It has pictures taken on it from June to December.

500 images!!

Over the next few weeks I will include a picture with his normal weekly email.

But, here are a few highlights I chose.

Elder Paxman and his current companion Elder Mancilla  

This photo was taken on transfer day.

The apartment he was sharing with 4 other Elders when he first arrived in Elkhart, Indiana.  He lived here for a few weeks and slept on the couch. It was temporary until he and his companion could locate different housing.  It was very crowded, but an adventure.

 He said living out of a suitcase was a bit rough. :)

 The new apartment, located just a block from the house with the 4 other Elders.

When they first moved in, they had no hot water as it was a newly renovated apartment.  So they still had to walk the block to the other Elders house every day for a shower.

 What use could two Missionaries have for a big screen T.V.  I assume this came with the rental.
(I was later informed that what I thought was a t.v. is a cabinet over the range fan. ha ha)

The Diaz Family baptism!

Elder Paxman LOVES this family.  To read about this baptism, scroll down and read the blog post titled "Time Stood Still".

 Elder Paxman, Elder Hjelm and the Diaz family just before the baptism.  Ivonne, Kevin, Jesus and Andee. Elder Paxman baptised the mother Ivonne and the youngest boy Kevin.

The next few photos are all from his first area in Cumberland.

I do not know the story behind this picture.... But I can only imagine.

I am amazed by the random funny images young 19-20 year old boys take pictures of.

 Chillin' in the Indiana summer heat.

 Elder Paxman and Elder Hjelm trying on their Halloween glasses sent from Mom.

 I don't know where he got these.... But they are one of his favorites!

 Elder Paxman said they had a lot of torrential rain.

These next two pictures are proof that riding a bike in the rain, guarantees being wet.

 The Diaz family.

 Elder Paxman and Elder Hjelm.

Ben is rockin' his wedding tie here.

I spent hours looking through all the photos and can't wait to share some every week.

It makes a mom happy to see her son looking healthy and happy.

"Golden"

Dear Mom,

Ok, so to start today, first I did indeed send my SD card, it should get to you today would be my thinking. So you will get to see all of those adventures in photo, it also includes the Diaz family baptism. 

You have been busy, you’ve got to love those busy Christmas weeks, with shopping and activities and all of that stuff. I knew that Bro. Ford played, but I have no idea who the Brooks and Dunn is. I know songs better than artists. What kind of music did they play? It is weird in my head trying to imagine those people (a group of people in our ward sang in a band for the ward Christmas party) doing all of that, but it was probably really fun. (A man in our ward who taught Ben Sunday School for a few years is moving for a better job) That is sad that they are moving to Seattle, but it will be good for them in the long run, but they will surely be missed as you said. That is weird to think that Gma and Gpa had their farewell talks... That is good that everyone was able to go, it was probably really fun.  

I heard that the weather has been really cold there, and the inversion is never fun. (I received another friend request on Facebook and asked Ben about her) Jaunita is actually an investigator soon to be member, her baptism is the 28th and she is super nice.  She always calls us hijo or chumacos or something along those lines, she is very sweet and she treats us like her grand-kids. There is a group of members here that are really close, there are about 3 or 4 families in this group and it kind of reminds me of the gang back home, it is really funny. We have shoveled a few walks, so that has been fun. Yes we did get a good chunk of snow, like 9 inches or so. (I saw some more photos of him and some other elders on Facebook) The other two Elders would be Elder Aranda and Elder Hardester, Elder Hardester followed me up here from Indy and Aranda and I are very close, I really like him a lot he is also the oldest Spanish missionary in the mission right now.  

We are having a Christmas Conference! That is what the mission does for Christmas it is this week on the 19th and I am stoked for it! So for fun things that will be really fun and I have made a really good friend in this area well 2 really, they are English Elders that used to live above us till we moved, Elder Reeder and Elder Haverts, they are awesome and both from Utah, so I hope to keep in contact with them even after the mission.  

I have received a few packages and letters, one was from the priests and the other was from some of the younger kids in the ward. They were really fun to read. Also, I might be writing Bro. Steck through you, he asked a few questions so I might answer them in another e-mail if I have time. I got a package from Gma and Gpa filled with goodies and food hahaha it made me laugh. Also a pooping reindeer, it was super funny because it reminded me of the duck in their house and also a life saver book like always haha. Other than that I haven't received anything else. We have pretty much no Christmas decorations, it is sad... (I guess I should have sent him some, what can I say…I am new at this missionary mom thing. I’ve sent him a lot of stuff, but not decorations) but we make the best of things haha. 

We actually have been on bike this entire month so far.  We get the car tomorrow and will have it till transfers which are Jan. 1^st.  Right now the other elders are teasing me that I will be training or District Leader bahahahaha yea right, I am still junior companion. That isn't happening. We met a few new people this week and I met a fun potential on exchanges with the Zone Leaders this last week/ They are a family from El Salvador, they have only been here about 6 months and this is their first snow, so they asked me and the Zone Leader that I was with to build them a snowman.  The problem was my companion for the day (the Zone Leader) was from Vegas so he was just as foreign to the snow so I had to do most of it. In the end though it didn't work, it wasn't really that good of snow, it didn't pack real well.  We attempted one and then taught them to make snow angels instead and went on our way. We will hopefully meet with them in the next few days.  

Health wise I got really sick again so I started the pills to see if it would help because it had lasted 2 days, so far it is going pretty good. My cough has pretty much gone a way, I still cough pretty bad every once in a while, but usually it isn't too bad. Other than that health is good. 

One more thing you might be interested in is the fact that we might get to Skype on Christmas instead of just a phone call. We got permission; we only need to now find a member who has it so we can Skype.  I am not sure, we will see what happens, but I believe we get to call the day before like last time just to set up things and make sure.  

One of the best new things I have eaten and is one of my all-time favorite things is Mole, it is amazing! I have to find a place or find out how to make it when I get home so we can have it, because I love it. Although, the family might not like it, but you have to try it anyway. When/if we come back to visit my mission, we are going to go to some places that make some killer Hispanic food, so you can try some of the real stuff.  

We have tons of opportunities to speak in Spanish, most of the members speak very little English so it makes it easy to speak Spanish, and church is all in Spanish, all the classes and everything. Yes we actually do speak in Sacrament meetings quite often, in fact I was asked to give a talk yesterday on missionary work, but they cancelled Church so I didn't have to give it. It would have been my first one in the mission yet, haha I have escaped for now, but I will probably give one here in the next couple months or so. If I stay in this area, probably weeks or next month, if I leave I have no clue. I really hope that I get to stay in this area though, I like it a lot.  

I am glad you liked hearing about the Diaz family baptism, I really enjoyed it. That is good that Kathie thought of me and put my name on the prayer role, the prayers and thoughts are always appreciated.  

Well this week in the mission not a whole lot has changed.  I had a thought come clear to me, and I expressed it in the first District meeting I had up here in Elkhart, and the statement was this, "Christ did not suffer for all of us, he suffered for each of us..." Everyone loved it and so did I, so I have that written down as a quote by me!! hahaha another is the thought that needs a little bit of background. So in the mission we have an expression of someone or something as being Golden or in other words super good or awesome. So for investigators that are solid we say they are Golden. Well while on exchanges I expressed a thought that I have had for a while now, and it was this. "Everyone is Golden it just depends on how much earth it is buried under." I found that to be very true. There are not some of us who are only made silver or bronze or Wood or whatever material you would like to think of, but we are all Golden it just depends on how much we have buried it. God didn't make people half way, he didn't make anyone non Golden, he wouldn't do that. We all have the potential as we know to become like him, so we all have that Gold somewhere inside of us, and Christ knew that better than anyone, which is why he suffered for each and every one of us, not for all of us as a whole. Those were some of my thoughts lately. The fact that our Father in Heaven and Jesus Christ love us so much to send us here to choose whether to come back or not, knowing full well that maybe everyone won't make it back, but that he loves us enough to let us go, and hopefully to watch us come back one day. So yep these have been a few of my thoughts and studies well pieces of them anyway. I thought they were pretty cool. Other than that things are moving forward in the mission and we are just trying to enjoy every day. No real crazy adventures this last week, but we will see.  

Well this e-mail has gotten super long mom and I still have to write to other people so I love you all very much and hope you have a great week, and I am stoked to be able to hear your voices soon! Have fun with all the joys of the season. 

Love, tu hijo, Elder Paxman

"Time stood still..."

Dear Mom, 

Okay, I will start from the top and work my way down kind of a thing.  

That is super cold in Utah, here it has been in the 20's and high teens most days, and snow has been on and off. Last night it snowed pretty good. Other than that it hasn’t been super bad. Oh and yes we have to bike in all weather. Wow it sounds like it is snowing a ton over there.  That is interesting how they closed down I-15 and also how they cancelled church in St. George. Aunt Lenore (lives in Texas) iced in for 3 days, that is rough.  My winter gear overall is holding up pretty good, my coat is taking some wear and tear but overall pretty good. My hands are doing pretty good, sometimes a little cold but usually just right.  

That is super exciting for Gma and Gpa, I am way happy for them and super glad that they are serving. I forgot to ask, but how long do they serve for? That is sad dad will not be able to go to the grandparents farewell, although hopefully he will have a good time in Maryland. 

I do have a home and an address, it is just around the corner from the house I have been staying in, so still send stuff to the other address because we do not have a mailbox or a number on the house yet.   

(I received a friend request on Facebook from a member of the branch he is serving in) It is good that you accepted the friend request from Hna. Romero. She told me that you were happy about the pictures. (She had posted pictures of the Elders having dinner at her home…I was so excited to see these, but noticed that Benjamin seemed skinny) Yes I am skinny in the face, my health has been hanging in there, whenever I am healthy and my stomach isn't bothering me, food seems to go right through me, which than causes me to lose weight. Than when my stomach is not so happy and gets upset I don't eat very much because I don't feel so good. So health is a little weird in that way, which is what I think is causing the weird things with weight. I also have had a pretty bad cough and cold.  

We did move into our own place, I really like it although we have no hot water and no heating. So we are using electric heaters to heat the house as of right now, and in the morning we walk to the other elder’s house to shower. Other than that, it is really good I like it. It is great to have a bed again and I like living with just me and my companion.  It was fun with the other Elders, but it is good to have it be back to normal. Other than that, we have just about everything for our new place so that is nice. 

I was able to get my charger and my CD's back so that was good. I have really enjoyed the 25 days of Christmas.  It has been really fun and my favorite story of those... I have no idea, because I really like them all. The other wise man was super good, and so was the one about the gold box, I really liked all of them. I am really enjoying the Christmas spirit this year, so far it has been really good. I really like the new area, things are going pretty good.  We have a sweet older lady named Juanita that should be baptized on the 28th of this month. We have met a few new people, but so far none that have had a return appointment. We are still getting fed dinners about oh 3-5 times a week, so that is pretty good. I really like the small branch they are really gung ho for missionary work and are a bunch of great people.   In general not a whole lot is new on the field front, just really the same stuff, we are teaching several people who could potentially be baptized in the near future so we will see how that goes as the time goes on. We are teaching a couple of part member families as well, the branch is just great overall.  

Are you enjoying Christmas time?  It will be a Christmas call not Skype. I am not sure on the details for that. We can probably work it for any time after 4, that doesn't seem to be a problem, but I am not sure. 

(I sent him a scripture about Spiritual gifts and told him how we had studied and learned about Spiritual Gifts in YW) I really like that scripture and that same topic was talked about here a little bit in a talk by a high council member.

So now the part you have been waiting for. YES I was able to make it down to the baptism!!!!! It was awesome; the ride down was pretty boring except for the fact that I was practicing in Spanish all the stuff I would need to know. We also didn't tell the Diaz family that I was able to come, as kind of a surprise. So we got down to Indy and had to stop into the mission office for some house stuff, but then we got to the chapel at about 630 and the baptism was at 7.  I had time to get changed into my whites and all that good stuff. So we were waiting for them to come and just kind of chatting when I hear this "Oh my Gosh" in a super thick accent.  I turn around and Ivonne came through the gym doors and was freaking out that I was there and so was the rest of the family when they saw me! We were all really excited!! So after talking for just a few minutes and telling them the story of how the mission Pres. said that I could take a car down and how that all happened, we then got them all suited up in their white, took pictures and went in for the baptismal service. Before that though, Elder Hjelm the family and I talked it over and decided to have me baptize two and Elder Hjelm do two. We then listened to a baptismal talk and then it was time to go.  It was decided that I would baptize Kevin and Ivonne.  I was so excited, first went Elder Hjelm with Andee the oldest boy and it took him three tries to do it, the little boys limbs kept popping out, I felt kind of bad, but he did it!!  Then it was Jesus turn. We also found out that Jesus has a huge fear of water and that he has never been submerged under water in his life. So this was a big step for him in many ways. It was amazing to see those two be baptized, the spirit was so strong there. After Elder Hjelm did their two baptisms it was my turn.  So I went and I stood in the water. And Kevin shortly followed me into the water; it was an amazing feeling seeing him in the water. It has been said that that feeling of standing in the water in white with an investigator is one of the greatest feelings on the mission. It is true in many ways. I love it. I said his full name and it was almost like time went still for me, or just super slow motion, as I moved him back to put him in the water. It was amazing... I could feel the spirit so strong. Although haha I forgot to tell him to hold his breath so when I brought him back up he was coughing and everything haha I felt bad. But I did it on the first go so that was good. After, he gave me a hug in the water and then walked out.  He and the other two witnesses waited and watched since now it was Ivonne's turn.  As she starts coming into the font I reach out my hand to help her in the water and it was an amazing feeling! I felt as if I was helping to guide her into the first steps to eternal life, which in a way is partially true. I then got her full name, and it was really really long haha, but I said it all and the same happened again, as if it were slow motion and the feeling was just amazing. So I brought her up out of the water and she was super happy!!  We let them all go change and we got changed back and then as I was changing Elder Hjelm told me that they wanted to do the Confirmations that night so I could be there instead of on Sunday. So I got surprised because no one told me, so I didn’t memorize any of the words for it. So I was to confirm Ivonne and the rest of the family would be confirmed by a few other people.  I was freaking out. Anyway after the rest of the meeting had ended, the branch president than stood up and had the Diaz family stand up and told them all to turn around (because they sat in the front) and too look around at all the people.  He said these are all the people who love and support you. (Which there was a ton of people there, probably a good 70 some odd people) So than he had all the missionaries stand up and said "Andee and Kevin some of these missionaries have had a big impact on your lives and others not so much, but if you continue, you will have the opportunity to be a missionary just as these young men are." So that was really good. Oh I skipped a part, so Sis I. was to be confirmed 2nd so I was freaking out nervous and we all got around and put our hands on her head. Than it just kind of flowed, not fluently though, it was interesting I never felt that I didn't know what to say, but it was still hard to say at times because of the language. To me this was a great lesson of faith because I knew Heavenly Father would give me the words to say.   It made me realize or remember that once again, as I have learned before, miracles often come only after the trial of your faith and I have seen that so much and that was just another moment of realizing it. So after the whole standing up thing he closed the baptism and we all stood around and chatted. I gave the boys their arrowheads which they loved and then got hugs from everyone. After that the other missionaries and I were talking with Ivonne and she was talking to them of how big of an impact I had made on her and her families lives and that if it wasn’t for me they wouldn’t have been where they are today. It touched my heart!! Later, Elder Stone. (who did their baptism interview) said, “That family loves you so much Elder they mentioned you so much in their interview”. I was happy to have been able to be a part of their lives and they have strengthened my testimony so much. I love that family so much I hope one day that you and the rest of the family get to meet them. Overall, it was a very spiritual and wonderful experience for me. Standing there in the water with them was just so... indescribable; it made every hard moment, every tear shed, and every sick day worth it. That is when the scripture that says "Men are that they might have Joy” came into the picture for me.  I loved every moment of it. They also spoke at a thing called “why I believe”, which is where all of the recent converts bear their testimonies.  The President said that it was great. Overall it was a really good week.  

Well I have taken a lot of your time with this email and I still have to email other people, but I love you all so much and I can't wait to hear from you next week. 

Love, Elder Paxman 

Great News!!!

Dear Mom, 

(We told him that Brooklyn is going to try out for the Skeet/Trap shooting team at RHS next year.)

No way, they have a shooting team!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Is this a new development or did I just space cadet it. AWWW MAN... That bites. But that is amazing for her and I am sure she will get in, she is a really good shot. Although the true test of her skills will be the older brother when he gets home!! Oh, and maybe after a week of warm up to get my skills back hahaha. So she will always have a training buddy, either me or dad. And not to brag or anything like that, but me and Dad are pretty good shots. I am excited for her, that will be something really fun for her to try out for and she will have to practice a ton.  

You should be getting some friend requests on Facebook from some great people here in Indy.   So be ready to have some friends from Indy. Oh also Sister Romero posts pictures of us on her Facebook so you will get to see those. (I did and they are great!!  It is so good to see him, we haven’t seen a photo of him in over 5 months…he looks skinny.) 

This letter I sent him a list of questions: 

Did you find a new place to live?  IF so what is the address? Do we send stuff to a new address or still to the one you already gave us?
How has it been living with multiple elders and will you miss it when you move?  We are really interested to hear about the new living arrangements. Did you guys have to find furniture and kitchen stuff for it as well?  How does that work?  Details. :) We did find a new place but we will not be moving in for a while, so keep sending things to my current address. I do really enjoy being with all the Elders, it makes nights fun and same with our breaks if they fall at the same time. Details about it, well I am living out of my suitcase which is interesting. I have no bed so I am on the couch. Although, I will have a bed in about 2 days. As of right now we live in their living room. The new house is an old church an investigator is renting out and re-doing so we are moving into the top floor, after we consecrate/dedicate it or whatever that is called. It is nice, it has all the stuff kitchen, bathroom, living room, bedroom all of it. It is good sized too and we are renting from an investigator who is a very good man!!  He kind of reminds me of dad a little bit. As far as furniture, we will ask the branch, same with all kitchen ware and stuff. Beds, the mission gives us as well as study desks. That is about all I know about that stuff.  

How are you and the new companion getting along?  Where is he from? My new companion and I get along.  I like him and we get work done, so I am really excited and I like him a lot! He is from Mexico City, but he moved to Utah when he was 10.  But, he spent a lot of time back there so kind of both places.  

What did you do for Thanksgiving?  Where did you go?  What did you eat?  Was it fun? For thanksgiving we first went to the church for the branch activity at 12 to 3 and they had food and music and we all just socialized and such, which was good because now I know quite a few members. They danced, I did a little but not really because it is not suggested for missionaries. It was really fun. They had this really good turkey in a spicy sauce and also this green pasta that is a tad spicy that is my absolute favorite Hispanic food I think!!!  After that we had P-day, but we had food at Presidente Alarcon's house at 7 and we had leftovers from the party and some really good ham. It was a really great holiday overall.  

Do you still email us from a library? I sometimes will email you at the library, but today we are using the Clerk’s office in the church.  

How is your health?  Are you feeling well? I am feeling well.  I have lost like 12 pounds since last time you saw me. I weigh like 175 instead of 180 something. So that is new.  

Were you able to buy groceries and do you have plenty of good food? :)

Are you being fed by members at all?  IF so how many times per week?
We were able to buy some groceries but not a lot still, so we will be working with that. I should be ok though because we get fed almost every night. Well actually like 6 days a week so not too bad at all.  

How has your weather been this week?  Snowy or warm? It has been both as far as weather goes. Snowed quite a bit, it turns out we get lake effect pretty bad some times and stuff. Then it got into the 40's for two days which was really nice. 

Do you study your scriptures in Spanish now?  If not, we think you should.  It will really help your Spanish.  Also when you and your companion live alone you should try speaking only Spanish in your residence!! It will also help with your language! :) I read my scriptures in Spanish during Language study, the mission Pres. has encouraged us during personal and comp study to use our native language. Which is fine with me. In comp study though we do kind of both and in Language study we use only Spanish. Although my language is doing alright I feel.  

Have you had a chance to teach any lessons this week?  Do you have new investigators if so who?  We have taught several lessons this week which has been really good. We have about 9 or so investigators which is a pretty decent amount and we have 3 with a baptismal dates for this next month and December. One Investigator I love is a 60ish year old single women named Juanita she has kids but they are all grown up. She is preparing to be baptized the 28th! So that is good, she is very nice and always calls us hijo, which means like child or son. She is just like a grandma to us missionaries, she is very sweet. We have several others but it would take forever to explain all of them so we have Manuel and Roselia, she is a less active and he is a non-member but he is preparing for baptism for the 28th as well. So that is really good and probably the two most progressing investigators we have. We have a lot more but like I said it would take a while to explain them.  

How was the branch in your new area?  Are you and your companion the only Spanish Elders serving in this area?  Did we understand correctly that you and your comp are re-opening this area to Spanish? We are indeed reopening this area it has been closed for a bit. There are 3 pairs of missionaries for this branch and they are in the cities of South Bend, Elkhart, and Goshen. So some people have to drive a while to get to church. We live in Elkhart where the branch meets and the Branch is wonderful!!! I love it!!  It is small, we have about 35 active members but they are all wonderful and do missionary work. In the entire city of Elkhart though, we are the only Spanish missionaries. The branch overall though is amazing.

Did you get your package?... Are you being a nice boy and only opening them as they are numbered?  What did you think when you opened it?  Were you excited?  I am so excited for you to have this fun thing to do for December. I hope it didn't get smashed up too much.  I had a hard time fitting it all in. I did get my package like 3 days before December!! So I couldn't open any gifts for like 3 days that was hard. Also I have only opened two and the first one was awesome!! I really like that tie bar! The stories with both were really great and I also loved the Clementine’s, they are some of my favorites. I really like the 25 days of Christmas package and I really like the gifts inside.  

How is the mission in general this past week?  Do you love the new area?  Write any great stories or thoughts?  Ok so now for mission stuff. So yes I do indeed love this area a lot!! I am having a really good time up here and hope I can stay in this area for a couple more transfers and hopefully be here for a bit. We have been this week mainly looking for a house until about Thursday. Then we got to finally do some more lessons, so the work in general is going really well here. 

One thing that I am super excited for is this; The Diaz family is being baptized this TUESDAY!!!!!!!!! So I will be making the 3 hour trip down to baptize them!!! I am so excited!! It is an answer to many of my prayers. On that note comes the story of the week. So yesterday I was told that they will be getting baptized, so we then got in contact with the mission president and asked for permission to travel back to Cumberland.  He then said he would only let me go if I got a member to take us!! So I was devastated because usually members don’t like to drive missionaries 3 hours to Indy than back again, not to mention they would have to find a place to stay because of the baptism being at 7 at night. That is very difficult for members to do.  So it was looking impossible, but I called tons of members both here and in Indy and tried my best to get someone to take me and my companion. But no one could. So I texted president pleading, and he told me to call him this morning. I think that I prayed some of the hardest I have had to for a while. Well while praying and pondering I got this thought and a quote came into my mind... It is a lesson I learned long ago but had forgotten. It was this. "If you truly love someone you will do whatever it takes to make them happy, even if that means cutting yourself out of the picture..." That thought was a hard one to come to grips with, but I knew from the moment I thought it, that it was true. So I went to bed that night with the belief that if it was the Lords will for me to make it than it shall happen, and if not, than it is what is best for me and for them. This is of course after I tried just about every person I could think of.  Oh, I also forgot I was allowed to text the Diaz family to let them know that I most likely would not be able to make it. So we text back and forth me and Ivonne for a while and then at about 9 I get a call from her number.  So I pick it up and the 12 year old boy Andee answers. I can hear the sadness in his voice as he says "so Paxman, you aren’t going to be able to come" That just about broke my heart right there... It was hard to hear... So I explain to him what was going on and said something along the lines of it will be fine, I will call you that night and see how everything went if I can't come, but I will try anything within my power to make it there okay. It was hard, then after that Ivonne is handed the phone and she starts talking and starts bearing her testimony over the phone, than I hear this pause... I knew she was trying to not cry and I was too at this point (I know I am a boob) and through tears she chokes out some words. Some of which were this, I will be forever grateful to you for coming to my home and blessing my family with this and for being the example to all of us especially to see my kids accept this and hopefully one day become missionaries like you. She continued on and was crying pretty good now, and was like we will post-pone the baptism for you to come if we have to. Which than had me probably sounding teary because I started to cry shortly after her, not for my sake but for theirs, I said (in Spanish) don't you dare do that, it is far more important that you be baptized, than that I be there, I will do my best to make it down there but if it doesn’t happen I want you to be baptized ok? She complied and said yes and bore some more testimony as did I as well. She then said that if God wants it and if I want it deeply enough it will happen.  I told her I want it more than she could imagine. She then gave the phone to Jesus who talked to me and also thanked me for being there for him and how I was an example, he said that he wanted me to baptize him as well and that he would be forever grateful for me guiding him to the truth... After which they all told me that they want me to baptize them, but I had to tell them that It seemed as if it were not going to happen, but that I would do my best and that if not I would call them and talk to them after.  I told them how much they have impacted me and then they did the same and we hung up. It was probably the most spiritual phone call I have ever had. Well, this morning the President changed his mind, which I am sure was an answer to many prayers!  I can take a car and drive down to baptize them!! I was ecstatic. Than this morning during personal study I was thinking over this and reading in Ether 3 which is one of my favorite all time chapters in the Book of Mormon.  The same thought came back into my head. Along with the feeling of Sacrifice, and how when we truly put ourselves out there on the line, in everything, we will see miracles unfold. It then made me think of our Father in Heaven, and how that quote from earlier comes into play. He loves us so much he was willing to send us down to this earth where we will be tried and tested and some will not come back to him, but He loved us so much that he was willing to do it. And then give his Only Begotten Son, for that same great cause of bringing us back into his presence, which brought a whole new meaning of Sacrifice and Love. So that was just a sliver of all the story, but I feel I have grown so much from this experience in many ways, and it has and will shape my mission and my life.  

Well I have taken a very long time with this email, but I love you all and hope you have a great week. I am also excited to be able to speak with you all on the phone. Love you all once again and hope to hear from you shortly. 

Con amor,

Tu Hijo, Elder Paxman