My Spanish?....

We google mapped his address and this is what it shows.  Doesn't seem to sketchy to me. 

Hey, Mom.

So I will start with the travel. We got to the airport at 5ish in the morning, then we waited about 45 min for the truck with the rest of our luggage.  After we got through security and everything, we went to our gate and found out that our flight was going to be delayed for a long time.  We were supposed to leave at 7:15 a.m. but we didn’t leave till about 11:50!!  Then we flew to Phoenix and had to wait for about 1 hour there.  Then we flew all the way to D.C. and we had to wait there for like 2 hours. So anyway, we flew into Indianapolis at about 1:45 in the morning.  The mission president, his wife and the APs were all waiting for us. After we shook all their hands and gave hugs we left for the mission home.  We got there at about 2:10 a.m.  After we got there they fed us a few snacks and such which was really nice.  All of the missionaries slept at the mission home.  There were about 15 elders and 6 hermanas, but 9 of them will be going to Brazil once they get there visas. So we just slept at the mission home, and they let us sleep in a little.

The next morning we all got up and they fed us a good breakfast and had a little testimony meeting where we got to meet everyone some more. After which we went to a chapel and were assigned companions... I am in a trio with a visa waiter and then the trainer. Elder Cozzens is the trainer, he speaks really good Spanish, but Elder McDaniel speaks Portuguese.  He is the other person who will be here just till he gets his visa.  After which we went shopping and I got just a few odds and ends. Then we went back to our residence and put away most of our stuff except our luggage.  We only had about 5 min to do that, because we had an appointment for that day. We went to our appointment and they weren’t there.  We had some more appointments, but they were all no shows except our dinner plan with a member named Marta. So that was good.  It was good Mexican food, some beef fajita like things... After which we went tracting!!!!  And yea I thought I knew some Spanish, but it is just like the best 2 years... I DONT KNOW JACK!!!!!!!!!!!!!! They talk so fast I can hardly understand them, I can get some ideas across but it is in very butchered Spanish comparatively. So we went back to our apartment that night and I just felt like this stinks.... They said it was going to be hard but this is ridiculous, we weren’t even able to teach anyone one stinking lesson. Our apartment is a little sketch, (meaning sketchy, scary) all three beds are in one room and we have a small kitchen and living room. It is on the 3rd floor.... So when we got back I was able to unload my stuff and get somewhat ready for the next day. I slept well that night.

The next day we woke up at 6:30 which is usual, and then we started studies at 8 after we were all ready for the day. We have studies for like 5 hours!!! We don’t get out of the residence till like 12:45.

We have a car in our area. My area is called Cumberland and is in the West Indianapolis zone. So we have the entire down town pretty much. That day pretty much all of our appointments fell through again, except one with a young girl named Yazmine.  She is 17 and will probably be getting baptized in about 3 weeks.  After that, we did more tracting and found one really good investigator, well potential I should say. After which we tracted more and talked to one or two people but really only taught the one lesson and we didn’t participate much because I know no Spanish. So over the next few days we did more tracting and we had a total of like 1 actual scheduled lesson that we actually went to, which was awesome. Then Saturday we found an amazing new investigator who I believe will get baptized in the next 2 months or so. Other than that we study a ton. I still know absolutely no Spanish.  On Saturday, we were fed some food late (7:00) Saturday night, and it didn't sit well with me.  On Sunday I got pretty sick with my stomach stuff, but I went to church and taught Yazmine again, but after that we decided to head back so I could rest and hopefully get better. I still feel don’t feel great today which stinks.  Someone else fed us and I hate being rude so I ate some... Stupid idea by the way.

Overall though I am liking it, not as much as the MTC right now, but still really enjoying it.  I think I will like it more when I don’t feel yucky. My address is 5925 East 12th street Apt. C2 Indianapolis, Indiana. I am sending you my SD card today sometime... It has some pictures of the field. The weather here is interesting... mostly it just pours.... or is really cloudy, but I don’t mind it, it is still pretty warm either way. The people here are interesting.  Some of the areas are a little nerve wracking.  They are pretty friendly though.

I have a story.  On my first real day when we went shopping for some food and such, we were going out of the Wal-Mart, like checking out.  This Caucasian guy comes up to us and is like "I know you guys are being watched, and I know they kill some of you and torture you.... but now is your chance to get out now”... So instantly we all thought he was threatening us which scared us.  But then we realized he was talking about the church.  So we tried to talk to him but he was having none of it... He thought our church was of the devil and evil stuff happens in it.... (So I take this to mean the man was trying to offer them a way out of the evil church they are in, lol) So that was my first impression of the people.... interesting no? Other than that they are pretty friendly, you know at least from what I can understand. So it is definitely interesting here, a little freaky but I like it, and I will like it more once I get better at the language.

That is really sad that Martha passed away.... (Our neighbor passed away and I had told him about it) Give my condolences.... She was such a sweet lady, and she will be missed greatly.

I have been here for 5 days my p-days are Mondays still, but they only last from 10 to 6 so they are kind of short.  I really like my companions and I am getting better at the language daily so it will get better soon... I hope.

Stay strong on the DC I know you can do it... oh and I doubt I will be able to skype then, but I will figure out in more detail as I go. I don’t know if it will be skype or a phone call. So yea... things are ok here, they will get better... Have everyone send snail mail and lots of it...

I will let you go because I still have a lot of e-mails to write and not too much time. Have Dad read this too that way I don’t have to re explain, I can just answer his specific questions. Well I am glad things are going good at home and I can't wait to talk to you all on mother’s day.   I should have a baptism by then!!!!! OH YEAH!!!! Well I love you mom.

With all my Love your son Elder Paxman, Ben

Dad,

Yea the field is going pretty good I will just have you read moms letter so I don’t have to re-type everything. I didn’t see many of the monuments (When flying into D.C.) I only saw the capitol and the Washington monument.

It has been pouring here mostly... I traveled with an Elder who also didn’t have a travel buddy.  His name was Elder Utaichai so that was really nice. My Spanish is not going that great hahaha.  It is but it sounds bad and I feel like I don’t know anything at all. Write me a bunch because I love mail, and get everyone else to write me as well.  If anyone writes have them give a return address.  I promise to write back. It is really hard here but I kind of knew it would be in the back of my head. I just hope I start to feel better soon. My p-days are on Mondays. My mission Pres. is really cool I enjoy him a lot and will be kind of sad to get a new one in about a month.

I just can’t believe I am already 1/12 through my mission it makes me really really sad. Because I know I will grow to love it as the time keeps coming... I just wish I could understand stuff. We found a super solid investigator named Jo we taught him the restoration, and got him to commit to baptism on our first meeting.  I was way excited but then the trainer told me that only about 30% with a baptismal date actually get baptized. I decided right then, that once I can speak that that number is going to jump up to at least 60% if not more... Because I can definitely see room for improvement, especially since we are getting no referrals and they say that is the best way to get investigators, so that’s about to change.

Well I have to go get ready for the rest of the day, and hopefully get feeling better. I love you all so much, stay safe and have tons of fun in Utah tell everyone hi and that I miss them. Love you all..

.

Your Dearest son, with all his love Elder Paxman, Ben

Indiana Here I Come!!

Here are a few pictures of my District and our two teachers.

 Love these missionaries and friends.

 One day during free time we had a huge Nerf gun war.  It was so fun.

Dear Mom, 

I guess I will start with the questions although the screen is blurry because I was crying... (our little family dog passed away and we had told him about it) 

The airline I am flying with is US Airways.  It is a direct flight and I have to leave for the travel office at 4 A.M.  I don’t arrive in Indiana till 4 P.M!!!! 12 hours of transit total.  I am a little nervous, I fly with 19 people to Indiana, but they say most will either be a layover or be English speaking... When I get to the airport in Indiana I have no idea what will be happening, they never told us...  So I hope someone will be there to help us.  I have a travel companion but I have no idea who it is.  

Yes the SD card is sent and there are about 220 pictures on it. I hope it doesn’t break in the mail.  The scripture thing is driving me insane, I have too many I love... It is hard to pick which one of God's passages of wisdom is my favorite. :/  Well since they need it, put Matthew 11: 28-30 on there.  That is a really good one, or the entire section of D&C 6, 11, 33, or the entire Chapter of Luke 15. There are just too many!!!! 

Packing is going well.  We have dropped some weight so it shouldn't be a problem with weight. I am so excited to leave, but we are all really sad to see our district go... They keep saying that they will never see anyone from the District for 2 years, but most all of them have at least 2 people from the district in there Zone... EXCEPT ME!!!!!! (From his MTC district all of the other missionaries are going out into the field in pairs or more.  He is the only one going to a mission completely different from the rest)

Today, seeing as it is our last day we are having a fiesta with a piñata and everything. Also tell Bai that Spanish people still laugh like hahahah not jajajajaja whatever the heck that means.  

I forgot to tell you, RICHARD G SCOTT came and talked to us on prayer, and it was amazing.  Me and my companion were like 20 feet from him and sang Nearer My God to Thee with the choir, it was awesome. Overall the CCM is going great still and we are having way too much fun.  Although if Lauren or one of our older cousins needs to be set up, my teacher is available...:)  (he did not tell me to say that) His name is Ammon Halstead. We were also his last district in the CCM.  It was sad because he was my favorite, but we have a last class with him tonight.  I have gotten all of their email contacts so we can hopefully stay in touch.  

Well I have to go change over my last load of laundry in the CCM. Funny story of the day from the CCM, my companion (Elder Johnston) doesn’t know how to shave.  I had to teach him.... it was really funny because he stuck his razor up his nose to get his nose hair.  I could not stop laughing. A very similar experience happened with shoe shining.  I told him if you want to get a really good shine on the second coat you get it a little wet (which is true) so my ingenious companion looks at his shoe for a minute then he bends down and gives it a big long lick. It was way funny though, because he then proceeded to be disgusted because he had shoe polish on his tongue, Well I love you all so much and I hope it is going well there. Most of what is in the hand written letter is for Bai and Brooklyn, because I forgot their emails... so yea love you all

Love, your son, Elder Paxman. 

Dear Dad,

I actually really like the short stories and quotes you sent me, especially the 5 important lessons one. I really enjoyed that one it was great. The dog one is great, I love it.  Although, it was kind of blurry, I was tearin’ up when I read about Caesar passing away. 

I really hope that we have the opportunity to talk as well.  When I get to call, I might end up calling shortly first with a few quarters just to see if you will pick up then use the card thing.  

I hope the garden does well too, that is one thing I miss a lot here in the CCM, is not being able to just go outside and lay in the grass or enjoy a nice day, but that’s ok. Oh and you are more than welcome to give Dan and Aaron or anyone else that wants my email, we can email everyone now and they are increasing our time. Our branch pres. also said that he would not be surprised if they start having missionaries use facebook, which was a very weird.  He said the church has been testing it out and seeing how it runs. When you get my SD card if you or the family see any pictures and are confused you can always let me know afterwards, and I can tell you how or why I took them. Do Not delete any of them though.  

It has been interesting talking with the other missionaries, most of them think I am some outdoor nut because of all the stories I share, but I don't really see it.  It  is way fun here, we got all of the mattresses and played dominoes with like 20 missionaries and the spare mattresses it was really fun. (this was in our free time of course)  

If you have any more of those quotes or stories or anything I would love them... Even if you just get them off of the Internet. I love the creed that you sent me like a year ago, I still have it and carry it with me wherever I go. Spanish is going good I guess.  I can generally get across ideas that I have but there are times when I definitely struggle.  The teachers have told us to not worry about the language because we will not be fluent for another 5 months!!  

The Hermanas are really sad, as we all are, that we have to break up the district.   But, I'm ok with it... They are amazing people and I would gladly spend more time with them, but it is on to greener pastures. The Gospel knowledge is way intense, there is so much, I have a hard time keeping it straight.  In fact if you get the chance I suggest you read the last chapter in 1st Peter it is really great. 

In gym we have been playing volleyball which everyone says I am very good at for my size and stature, but compared to the Polynesians,  it is terrifying they are HUGE, it is really fun though. We had our last gym 4 days ago and now I get real stir crazy by having to be in a class for 14 hours a day.  But it is still awesome even when that does happen. We have a piñata for our last day and a bunch of candy.  It has been really nice having P day as our last day.  We all took a nap because the first of us have to be gone by 3 a.m. and we are all so anxious we are having a hard time sleeping. 

I showed some of the pictures of me from when we were hiking and they think that I am a wildman, but it is way fun sharing stories and being able to talk with everyone before we leave. I am getting all of their contact info before we leave so we can stay in touch. (I wouldn't mind dating some of the Hermanas when I get back in 2 years if they are still single, which won’t happen. hahah) Well I should probably go so I can Iron the remainder of my non packed clothes, then pack them and weigh my bags... before I head off though I would highly suggest reading the scripture I put earlier and Luke 15, the entire chapter it has 2 of my favorite parables in the entire scriptures in it. You will have to let me know how you like the pictures I took.  Tell everyone I love them and I hope your trip is going really well, good luck and I hope to hear from you tomorrow at like 6 in the morning. 

Love, your son, Elder Paxman

Eight more days in the MTC

This is the first picture we have of Elder Paxman since we dropped him off at the MTC nearly five weeks ago.  And it came via my niece Sister Rachel Merritt.  I am so glad she had this taken.

 

 

Mom, 

The remainder of my week was great.   I am feeling tons better.  

(I sent him a package with a desert he really likes and asked if the package arrived intact) The PB frosts made it ok, a little damaged but still tasting the same, and they loved them.  I only got like 2 because it was like a swarm of vultures. But, I saved the candy for myself.  

(Our bishopric asked me to get his favorite scripture from him for his plaque) My favorite scripture!!!! There are simply too many, I will try and get you one in my hand written letter with the SD card in it.  

(I asked about the Kenzei he referred to in his last letter, wondering if it was the one I knew, also if he had seen his cousin Rachel who arrived in the MTC on Wednesday) No it was not Kenzie Belnap, it was a different one that I saw here.  Yes I saw Rachel and my companion was there, and he thinks she is amazingly attractive... The Goober. 

 

The Spanish is going pretty good I can convey most things I want in the lesson so that is good.  I can speak all Spanish in a day and get what I want across at least most of the time anyways.  

(I told him that Bailee, Kyle and I had a Pride and Prejudice marathon on Saturday and watched the BBC six hour version)  Ok that movie.... I could go for a movie right now, and I still wouldn't watch that movie.  

(I also asked him if he has been able to be a host to a new incoming missionary yet, or if he will)  I haven't taken part in being a host yet, if I do it will be sometime this week.  

8 days left till I leave the MTC and if you want me to call it will be at like 530 in the morning... So it is up to you, but you need to let me know before Thursday. (Like I care what time it is, silly boy)  

(He requested Bouncy Balls a few letters ago, we asked him what they have been doing with them?) The bouncy balls, we haven’t done too much... Broke a Light, that wasn't me though.... ummmm lots of stuff, mostly just goof off with them though.  

(I asked if the empty two bunks in his room had been filled, and also if he was given Spanish Scriptures and Preach My Gospel)No I have not received any more roommates yet, and we won't either. Yes, they did give me Spanish Scriptures and PMG.   I use them both, mostly the scriptures though I am trying to memorize D&C 121 7,8 in Spanish, as well as the first vision.  It is difficult!! 

In my last package I want a bunch of candy, mostly PEZ and Hi-Chews, also lots and lots of quotes, good ones too. I also need more note cards for studying, the work ones not the fancy ones.  

Other than that things are going amazingly here. I am way excited to leave to Indiana.  We finally got our travel plans and it makes me so excited just simply looking at them. Although, I will be sad so see everyone leave when we all leave from the MTC. Well I have to go change over my laundry so I will let you go, but I will hand write a letter this week so I can get you the S.D. card. 

With much love

Your Son, Elder Benjamin Paxman  

Dad, 

Life here is going good.  I am feeling a lot better since last week.  Not much has changed here... Except I did get my travel plans!!!!!!!!! I have to be at the travel office at 4 A.M.!!!!!!! I am so excited. We spent the last forever jumping up and down like small children.  It was kind of awesome.  My flight leaves at 7:15 a.m. so it is going to be around 5:30a.m.  if you want to hear from me on the phone.  Let me know if you do because I have to buy a pre-paid card.   I also will have to pay 70$ in baggage and then 200$ in emergency funds just in case.  

The peanut squares made it semi-intact, all my roommates loved them. The hi-chews were awesome, especially the grape ones,  it was great.  I need only really one thing and that is quotes, really good ones preferably presidents, great men, creeds, anything pretty much.  Some funny ones would be goo too.  There is one by Theodore Roosevelt, that Kennedy gave in his Inaugural speech and it was amazing.  I want it.  

I am dying to get to Indiana.  I am so excited, although I am still the only Missionary I have met going to Indiana Spanish Speaking!!! So that is going to be very very interesting. The spring weather is great here.... well when it is here anyway. How are all the Fireman, I was thinking about them the other day. Thank you for the letter in the package I loved it. Oh and the PEZ I have been the envy of everyone with those things, so you should send more of those.  I also need my mission address.  I don't have it to give to other people so I will need that. Other than that things are going amazing. 

Everyone is a little sad thinking about leaving because we all have gotten really really close to one another, and only a few of them live in Utah.  We all want to at least try and get together when we all come back.  

Well I will let you go, have fun on your trip and I can't wait to hear from you afterwards.   8 days left till I leave. I am freaking out.  I will leave you with one of my favorite sections of scripture, it is D&C 11. Read it and I hope you love it as I do. 

With all my Love, Your Son

Elder Benjamin Paxman.

Conference

Dear Mom, 

Ok yes I have been getting all of your packages!!  You saw us on the Conference thing!!! That’s awesome! Yeah that was probably him wearing his goofy fake glasses, he is such a dork, he thinks it makes him look more like Clark Kent.... (this was his reply to me asking him if the Elder next to him in the footage we saw was his companion)  

Spanish is coming ok definitely hard but fun. We speak some Spanish to each other, but most of the time it is English except when we are in class. What really stinks is the last 4 days or so I have been way sick.  My companions finally forced me to go to the doctor.... :( and he said I have a pretty bad upper respiratory infection.  He is making me take like 6 different meds... it bites.  When I first saw him I was running a fever of 102 so that wasn’t that good, but I’m slowly... very slowly getting better. 

Someone said that you should call my blog "Onward to Indiana" because of the song and well it sounds catchy.  Yeah no friends have written me. I have ran into probably 20 plus people I know.  I saw Drew, Kenzie, Cameron, Christina, Chalene, Jevin and Kenny Marse!!! Which was awesome.  Cameron’s class is like 5 doors down so I see him every once in a while. 

 

I might send more than one e-mail to you because I have to go pick up more prescription meds. In the other I will include stuff to everyone else, but otherwise everything is going really good. I had several favorite talks and moments during conference.  One of my absolute favorite talks was in Priesthood session and it was by Robert D Hales, and then one on Saturday by a guy named Cardon. They were both really really good I also liked all of the Presidencies talks. We had a really cool devotional yesterday after Conference... Vocal Point came and sang a bunch of songs and talked.  It was really neat. I am also DL (District Leader) now which is kind of cool. It has been fun here (besides being sick). Conference in the MTC was pretty much the same as it is at home. Sit and watch and sneak in snacks ha ha. Other than that it is the exact same.  

Our investigators our going well except it seems they are all drinkers which really really bites ha ha. Well I will probably send you another e-mail, but I have to go get the Meds. 

Love,

Elder Paxman (Ben)

Mission life in the MTC

This is a long one because he wrote to all of us individually this week and I thought I would share each letter.

Dear Mom, 

Easter here was awesome, we had a massive sacrament meeting and it was way cool, over 3000 missionaries getting the sacrament at once. 

Overall the food has started to repeat so it is kind of not tasting as good anymore...  I have gained a total of 6 pounds :/, although my companion has gained 20!! Things are fun here, Spanish is going well, and so far I have taught about 11 lessons to investigators.  It is really hard but easy at the same time, the spirit is great here. 

 

I mostly play volleyball at gym time and am rockin it!!! Oh yea.  

I fell asleep in a devotional the other day because my companion had to get up and use the bathroom twice in the night... now I know how dad feels hahaha. 

 

I wish I could see the fox it must be so cool.  

I have received four nicknames, they are as follows. 1 The Bard: they call me this because I tell really good stories I guess.  It has gotten to the point where it is like telling bedtime stories to 5 year olds, half the time they give me a topic and I make up a story, it is funny. 2 Maverick: I was singing danger zone and they said that since I am like a cowboy to them it sounds cowboyish, it is kind of ridiculous... 3. Pacman: this is simply for my last name... 4. The Boy Scout: they call me this because I got my Eagle at such a young age and I am like the biggest outdoor nut to them... They are all just city slickers. Anyway, it is fun here.  

Sister Romans in my district, she is the one I talked about. (She is the one whose father is a fireman). The reason I brought her up is because she and I have a lot in common, except she is chicken over some weird stuff... for example she is afraid of birds... weird. Anyway life here is good... loads of fun. Well Love you Mom and read Matt 11: 28, I think is what it is.

Love Elder Paxman

-------------

Bailee!!!!!

How are things?? It is cool here and I mix drinks together.  

One of the things I wanted to talk about was Sister Wallentine, she knows you from Weber and she knows Kyle.... Her name sounded so familiar. Anyway thought I would mention that I met her. 

Sorry this is going to be short I only have like 5 min left. I am in the choir here at the MTC.  You and the family need to watch the pieces of stuff between conferences... because one has us singing in it and I might be on there so Watch it!!!! Spanish is going well I can now talk to someone a little hahaha, well "it’s all good" here and things are tons of fun. Oh and a guy from West Yellowstone works here, he was the one that sang "How do you like me now." I haven’t had a chance to talk to him, but I see him every once in a while. 

Tell everyone I love them so much and that I am going to start Hand writing messages just to get in the practice, so make sure Brooklyn doesn’t feel left out because I am going to hand write her. My hand writing stinks though. 

Love Elder Benjamin Paxman, brother, and loving servant.

 ---------------- 

Hey Hopper, (Brooklyn) so the CCM (MTC in Spanish) is going pretty great, one thing you will enjoy is this one time me and my companions were going on a temple walk and all of the sudden we look on the grass and there is this bunny!! A bunny, it was like a magical creature, we took a solid ten minutes taking pictures with a freaking bunny, it was sad. Things are going really well here other than us being weird. 

There is an elder in our district that is really good at art he took 15 min in class and drew a tree that was intense. 

We have been having fun and learning a lot of stuff here. I would type in Spanish but my grammar isn’t that great.  The food isn’t tasting so good and it makes all of us gassy... except me!! So it bites.

All around we have been teaching 3 investigators.  A bunch of people want pictures of all sorts of stuff from home, so if you and mom could get pictures of tons of stuff that would be great.  The sisters want one of me when I am like 6, like the one grandma has of me, so find that.  They all really liked the picture you sent me already. With any pics you send me make sure that you have copies.  

One of our teachers named Brother Hollstead is a really really good acapella singer he and his buddies started the UVU group that is equal to vocal point and he helps vocal point when they need it. He has had a lot of fun.  I am desperate for mail so make sure that it is on Facebook that I want mail and put my address on there because everyone here gets like 3 letters a day and I get maybe 3 a week... it is really sad.   You would like some of the sisters in my district you would get along with them. Well my time is running out so make sure to hand write me or dearelder.com  works too.

List for package.

Cologne: either Black or Bleu de Chanelle,

Note cards... A lot of them

Bouncy Balls

Photos lots of them

Addresses of people who want hand written letters.

Tell everyone that I can email anyone now

Good pens

Lead for my pencils they are .7

Quotes, lots of them from people I like and just good ones. Funny and serious have mom and dad assist, that’s about it.

Love Ben
----------------------------

Dear Dad,

Yes the Easter holiday here was great!! We had a special devotional where they passed the sacrament to the entire MTC, it was really cool, over 3000 missionaries getting the sacrament all at once. After which the Presiding Bishop of the Presiding church bishopric talked to us.  It was a really good talk.  He is from France. Overall Easter was great here in the MTC. I got to watch a movie here called the Characters of Christ... I wish you could all watch it, it is a talk that Elder Bednar gives to the MTC about the "Character of Christ".  To everyone’s knowledge you can only see it here and it is one of the most amazing talks I have heard in a long time.  

I am the only missionary I have met so far that is going to Indianapolis, Indiana Spanish speaking, it is really odd, but cool at the same time.   

We now get an hour on the computer so I am trying to include pictures that me and my companion took. I am hoping I can send them in e-mail so we are going to try it out... if not I am still going to send an SD card home here soon, even though it only has about 200 photos on it. I am going to give you an explanation of my companion... 

To start he is tall like 6 foot 5, he kind of looks like Clark Kent, oh and I had him read all this so he approves.  He is awesome and we already did something stupid of course... I took pictures.  But, pretty much we were given a toddlers bowling set with like 6 pins.  The ball wasn’t working to well so a genius member in our district (he is from the military base on Okinawa), anyway he decided to use an un-opened frosting can to bowl with... Yea... It wasn’t the brightest idea. The first 2 bowls went ok and then after about 5, I went in the room to grab something and all of the sudden I hear this HOLY COW!!!  I come running out and the frosting can had exploded and sprayed chocolate frosting all over the hallway, so far it has gone undiscovered, but it took us at least 2 and a half hours on our p day to clean it up... Morons... Anyway back to my companion, we gave him the nickname of "The Taker" he has a habit of stealing everything,(I’m pretty sure this means taking/hiding in a joking way) like for example one day I couldn't find my nametag anywhere and I asked him if he knew where it was... (We are given two by the way) and all of the sudden I look at his shirt and wouldn't you know he jacked my name tag!!! The bugger.  I had to explain to him what a season was... like summer winter fall kind of a thing. I love him, overall though and he is pretty awesome. He is strong in the spirit too. 

So that’s how life is in the MTC. Well I have to go change over my laundry. I might start writing some hand written letters just to get in the practice of it... Well tell everyone I love them and to have fun. Read D&C Section 6 or 11 both some of my favorites. Oh and sorry my email was way short last time I had like 5 seconds left and had to just end it.

Love, Elder Benjamin Paxman, your son.

 

The bowling with frosting story had me shaking my head.  I guess they are still 18 and 19 year old boys. :) I did wonder who sent them a bowling set?...;)