The Humidity is a Beast!

Hey, sorry this is leaving on Tuesday, the library was closed on Monday because of the Holiday so we got to mail today, although quite a bit less time so I can't make it really long...

The humidity here is a beast, especially on the days it rains than stops because it just sticks to you.  It makes us all so sweaty and nasty... In fact a fun story for you, so yesterday we were up in the Carmel area because it is dodge ball p-day that day.  While we were in Carmel playing dodge ball it was sunny but just a little after some pretty hefty looking clouds rolled in.  We were in Arby's eating (which by the way I had to use the personal card again because of the whole library closed thing I didn’t know how much I had exactly on my missionary funds so I just used personal to be safe all of our companions did). So anyway we go to Arby's to eat and all of the sudden it starts coming down in torrents outside and my trainer (Elder Cozzens) had hit his head pretty bad playing football earlier that day and had a nice gash, we/I had to super glue which was awesome, anyway, we didn’t really want it to get wet because we just finished super gluing it like 20 min before.  Me and the visa waiter (Elder McDaniel) had to run out to the car and get his umbrella.  We fling open the door to the restaurant and sprint the 20 yards or so to the car, we both dive into it and we are soaking wet!!  We were only out in the rain for probably 12 seconds and we were so wet that my planner got thrashed as well as a receipt in my wallet.  We were literally dripping wet in just ten seconds, it was ridiculous!  After we get him the umbrella it slows to just a light rain :/ ridiculous right!! It was really fun though.  

Other than that, much has been the same.  No new gators really, just one or two is all, which is good but we will see how they go.  We usually pick up a lot but they either don’t show interest or we can never meet with them again for a second appointment... So that kind of stinks. 

I am loving it here though... So with members we have been eating with them a little more now since we changed our focus onto the members and referrals, because we know we can get so many investigators this way.  We are also focusing on the less actives because there are over 500 in our branch, 500!!!!! That just aint right!! Anyway so we are busy here that is for sure.  We eat mostly original Mexican food, which is good.  My stomach is doing great still.  Although my favorite meal we have been fed so far (although it kind of reminded me of home and the good old days haha) was someone made us fresh hamburgers and hot dogs it was sooooo goood, except they put guac on it which was actually pretty good.  So that was awesome. I have been taking pictures of the food they feed me so my next SD card home will be awesome with a bunch of food haha. The Spanish is coming, I am still way bad at it, but they say it is improving daily... 

I believe we can get packages either way I have seen them get them both ways, the mission office is probably the safer or better bet. I just might not get it till next district or zone meeting, which isn’t till later.  Or they might forward it too, whichever one is quicker. Well I am loving it here more and more every day.  I still have to write dad and bai so I will wrap it up because I only have like 10 more minutes. Love you mom let me know how things go and questions are always great if I can remember them.

Your son and humble servant, Elder Paxman

*email received Tuesday May 28th due to the Library being closed in Memorial Day.

I saw the Goodyear Blimp!

Hey Dad

I would love those books.  We are allowed to read and I would love all of those... And any posters you think that I would like especially cool ones, ones of Christ and anything else you think I would like.  I can never have too many of those.  Also, with the music anything you think I would like!  

That’s ok about the snail mail.  I am just starting to get a little better at that. I have seen one or two elders getting snail mail by dear elder so if you want to use that it will be fine.  

Oh on the field side we do A TON of tracting!!! hahahaha I feel the same but I also enjoy it, although we are going to change our tactics a little and try out some other things here. One that I am excited for is putting our names down as Pastors at the Hospital. It makes me think back of a story that happened to me in the hospital that I don't think I have told any of you.  It was one of the days I was on my own for a time and a Christian Pastor dressed in black poked his head in and we started to talk. I told him that I was LDS, he said he guessed as much,  but that that didn’t matter to him. He would visit with me anyway.  We then talked about Christ and other fun Gospel topics. I saw in that moment, that even if people aren't of our faith that they are still great people. I believe that was like my second stay in the hospital.  It was amazing just to have someone to talk to about things, especially a man who was a stranger brought that happiness to me just to talk to him.  I want to be able to do that for some other person in need.  Remember that God’s blessings come in every way shape and form.  Whether it be a minister not of my faith or a deck that is being a pain in the keester. We often forget what message is given to us in D&C 121 and 122 when Joseph is in Liberty jail.  I invite you to read it and ponder it for yourself, because it is one that has helped and helps me every day to be able to deal with the events of my life.  I am also way excited for Spanish.  Even though I am bad at it now it will get better, simply because for every shadow that is cast on the ground there hast to be a light behind it.  

Well I love you so much dad and I can’t wait to hear from you next week I will also try and get better at snail mail... I am bad at it.  Keep an eye on the Fam for me ;) oh and make sure to be there for Cameron in everything, I can only imagine what he is going through right now.  I keep him in my prayers. Love you so much dad, stay strong as you have always been for me and be that same light on the hill for others as you were and are for me. 

With all of my will, Elder Paxman (Luke 15: Last parable)

P.S. I enjoy the entire chapter it is really good, you will recognize the stories quickly. 

Mom,

Things have been going good here.  I am finally back to full health which I love because I hate being sick. This last week was rough to say the least.  We had about 25 lessons planned I think like 28, but we only taught six!!!! They all fell through or bailed on us so we are trying some new things out. I also took for granted our ward because the Branch here doesn’t help at all except the Ward mission leader.  That is what we are going to focus on, helping the members, as well as gators.(I assume this is short for investigators) The baptism went great she loved it and we still teacher her because we teach after baptism lessons which are all the same lessons just a little different.  

Something cool happened, I saw the GOODYEAR BLIMP!!!!!!!! I had never seen it before and it was sick!!!! Oh also we have free tickets to MOTABS touring concert, so we are going to that with some gators and it should be awesome.  

Yes I can listen to EFY type of music.  There are 2 specific CD's I want.  One is called “Joseph”, the other “The Work”, they are by like a Nashville tribute or something.  Also, anything else similar to those.  You can NOT listen to “The Work” CD because it has a song on there that I want you to listen to about one week before I come home in 2 years... So no, no listening!! 

Also it is by my choice that I don’t have a blanket on my bed.  It is because it gets too hot so I sleep with a sheet. So don’t worry about that.  I am addicted to otter pops, but the no name brand. I got a box of 100 this week and the remainder of the one last week because me and my companions cruise through them, they are way cheap, like 4 bucks for a box and very refreshing.  

So how did you like the pictures?? I took a few good ones if I do say so myself... :P So that has been just about it here in the field I am glad the Recital and everything went well. We did have like a hurricane here, it was ridiculous and we weren’t prepared so we got absolutely dumped on and soaked.  It was really fun though. 

Anyway I will wrap up because I have to email dad too.   A word of advice for your young women... (I had told him that our lesson this last week was on how to make our prayers more meaningful) Prayer is the key to many things in this life, accompanied with the Book of Mormon and other words from prophets.  Prayer, in the easiest way for me to explain is a direct connection between us and Heavenly Father. Not that we can talk to him but that he listens! He listens to our hearts and minds just as much as our words. One thing that is forgotten is that he answers and that is where I see people struggle.  They pray, but only for their own self benefit and I know that sounds weird but many times we pray because we are supposed to or because it’s what we are told.  If you pray simply to ask for yourself or to sit there and go through the motions you are not only robbing yourself but you are robbing God.  People expect all too often that all of the sudden a voice will enter their mind or they will "see a pillar of light" but those things are very rare, and for the people who desire those things they are often the least prepared to receive them. Prayer is essential to everything we do, for it is our own personal connection with God, a TWO WAY connection... If you do not listen how can we expect to receive an answer.... Also answers come thru everything in this life, but I have found the greatest being modern prophets, the Book of Mormon, D&C, Bible etc... Prayer is so essential, and it took me forever to realize it... and really I ask myself if I was truly praying.... I do not want them or anyone that I come in contact with to get to that point, because it is hard to come back from the Brink.... Anyway that is my advice.... I love you so much Mommy and I hope you are having a great time!! 

With all my soul, your son Elder Paxman 

Snail Mail and the SD Card

Friday I received a letter in the mail from Ben.  It had his first SD card in it.  It was so fun to look at his pictures from the MTC and a few from Indiana.  For Mothers Day he also included two videos he took.  He gave us a tour of his apartment and introduced us to his companions.  It was great!

Dear Family,
Alma 7:22-25

Sorry I didn't write much in my email, but there are two videos on the camera and pictures.  Make sure you watch them in order.

All My Love, Your Son and Stud, Elder Paxman

P.S.  Everyone in the zone calls me Pacman. 
(We laugh because this is the nickname his dad was called by while serving his mission.)

Here are just a few pictures....

MTC Room

 Elder Paxman and Elder Johnston Teaching

 Temple Walk

 

 The Red Monkey

 Poser...I love this photo.

 Elder Paxman and His MTC companion Elder Johnston pointing to where they will be going.

He just loved Elder Johnston.

 

 After arriving so late...this is how they spent their first night.  At the mission home on the floor.

 His Bedroom

 The Kitchen, looks pretty clean.

 His companions and the car.

I'm Feeling Good

Thoughts from Mom:  We had a great conversation with Elder Paxman yesterday, Mother’s Day.  We talked for a little over an hour.  He is doing fantastic.  It was great to hear his voice and know his health is better.  I can always tell how he is feeling by the sound of his voice.  He is feeling great!  The Mission Presidents wife also called me on Saturday night to assure me he is feeling better.  We were able to get him medicine that is working. 

He is loving his experience in Indiana so far.  He did say it is hard some days, and some days are not great, but he knows they will make him stronger and a better person. He said it is an experience he is loving! His Spanish is coming along.  Not as quickly as he would like, but progress is progress.  He bore his testimony to us in Spanish and it was awesome to hear.  It’s going to be a long wait till Christmas to hear his voice again. J  

Mom, 

Things are going great here I am feeling good and eating a lot again, but I agree and I will be watching my food intake and keep everything in mind.  This e-mail is going to be short, sadly we had an issue with laundry and getting the car in for tire rotation so e-mail time was cut short to comply with a dinner appointment we have.... Sorry.  In my snail-mail I will include more details, then you can just type it up and put it up on the blog and stuff.  

I have heard of the “Walking Dead” and I had seen a few before I left, it is pretty good. A movie everyone is saying you have to see is one called Oblivion.  It has Tom Cruise in it and it looked really good when we saw the preview at home, but everyone is saying it is amazing and really good.  

My list of stuff to include in my package is more like this:

CD's. We can’t use IPods’, at least not right now so lots of those for the car.

Mints tons of them.

Pictures of the Fam and the family pictures, as well as others, oh some of just me, include some of the older ones.  People really want to see the change of weight and height and stuff from my surgeries.

Cookies if you can.

TIES like 3 of them

PEZ I like those.

Anything else you think I would like. J

Oh sorry, I had to use my debit card for groceries today.  It was about 40 bucks, for 2 reasons one I had to get cash back for quarters for laundry and the smallest amount they had was 20, and two because I hadn’t received my balance as of last week so I wasn’t sure where I was on money on my card.  

Anyway we have our first baptism tomorrow which is AWESOME!!!!!!!  I am so excited for the people. I am doing something called the "Purification Process" in a good from Elder Cook a while ago.  (I have tried to decipher what word he meant to put here instead of good, I have no idea, If anyone knows what he is referring to, please share so we can read it and do it) It is awesome and I highly suggest the family do it, at least choose one thing. I promise it will help with so much stuff.  

I loved the pictures you sent in the e-mail keep those up of things you see and do while I am out here as well. Well I should probably wrap up because I don't have much time.  I hope to include more in my letter home through snail-mail it will be sent tomorrow so it will get there probably around Saturday. 

With all my love, Elder Paxman  

News from Indiana, week 2

Mom,

Hey, my stomach is doing really crappy, the food or something is absolutely killing me and it isn’t getting better.  I might have you send my prescription meds to me just in case.  We don’t get fed by the members every night, thank goodness because they get offended if we don’t take seconds and our first serving is so huge that I struggle to eat that... My stomach is really bloated which makes me really nervous, so I got some Miralax today to see if it will help and I have been watching my food a ton because I don’t want issues. 

Overall things are going great here besides the stomach.  P-days generally go something like this: we wake up, work out/ eat then study, then after study we do laundry, then clean the apartment, then get the car washed, then do e-mails (my favorite part).  Then we go to a church in White River and play games which is way fun.  Today I am way bloated and feeling like garbage so I am going to take it easy and write. 

I have not gotten your snail mail yet, it is probably going to get here today.  The only other people I have received mail from are the New Mexico relatives. That was fun.  It has been hard here, but worth it.  Most of our appointments still fall through, we end up teaching probably 2 times a night if we are lucky.  My trainer and I butt heads a little, he thinks we should solely tract to find new people but I believe if we could get referrals it would be much more effective. I also think we should maybe put our names on a hospital pastors list, or something like that. 

We only speak Spanish outside of the residence and sometimes inside but rarely. Yep our visa waiter is still with us and I like him, it makes not feel so alone with my terrible Spanish.... Yea I am glad I do not have to wait for a visa!! It is hard some days to stay positive and love everyone but I am getting better at it as the days go on. 

Grimm got transferred to another night?  That is weird, but how are you liking it, is it really good?? 

I do not drive, my trainer is the driver, but I will be eventually, which is good because he drives like a maniac!! That is weird with the musical thing, but she should definitely do it, I think she would really enjoy it if she did. (Our stake is putting on the musical “The Music Man” and I told him I was trying to get Brooklyn to get involved in the production) 

That is good your dinner went well with the DeYoungs.  I am excited to hear some of the wedding plans (hint hint). .  It rains probably 4 times a week which is nice.  I quite like it and it is very green here.  It has warmed up a lot for us, it was like 88 the other day and humid as all get out, but it is quite rainy today... it is green here and they say the fall is beautiful so I can’t wait for that.  Overall things here are going good.  We have found some solid Investigators and I can’t believe I have been in the field for 2 weeks now, it seems really really weird. I have not sent the SD card because I forgot that I have like no time to write during the week after I write in my journal, but I have been getting quicker so it should be coming sometime this week and that way I can write back snail mail when you write me some. 

I eat cereal and soup or kind of whatever is around, it changes on day to day... We are all from Utah, my trainer is from southern Utah and the visa waiter from Provo... I have only like 5 min left so I am going to have to wrap up...  

I have done a little bit of Spanish study as Ren suggested, one of the hard things is with my stomach I get hardly any sleep lately which makes the day very hard, but “he never said it would be easy he only said it would be worth it”.... (The suggestion from Ren is to study with the Book of Mormon in both languages open side by side) 

How is my plaque looking? That is exciting that school is almost over. It will be fun to be out of school for a while, especially with the weather and summertime. I just got a few minute extension so I will keep going... How is everything at home?? The same old stuff kind of? Here the days can get really repetitive and start to blend into one... I am really enjoying it here though!! Despite those few things I have already mentioned.  Are you looking forward to summer break and the wedding?? Tonight and tomorrow we are blitzing our section, which is where the Zone Leaders come with us and work our zone so we can get twice as much done. That will be interesting.  My Spanish is improving a little I am just way hard on myself with it, and it drives me insane not being able to understand or talk when I want to. I hope I start feeling better soon or I do not know what I will do....

I am excited to receive your snail mail today... and with the mother’s day call I don’t really know when I can call.  They haven’t told me anything and when I ask, my trainer gets a little frustrated with me.  When I find out I will try and let you know, but be ready anytime of the day.  My guess is it would be later in the day like 4 for you, but I have no idea, it may be early, I wish I knew... Sorry, so just have all of the phones on and I will call one of them, probably your cell first, but at an unknown time so sorry if something goes awry.  I will try and work it out so things will go ok and I can talk with all of you at the same time. But I have no clue. 

Well I have to go here soon so I love you all and stay safe, I miss you and pray for you daily!! 

With everything I have and all my love, your son Elder Paxman  

Dad,

I really enjoyed that short story it was really good, I really really enjoy those... I am doing ok... my stomach has been giving me some major issues.... I thought it might be beans but we haven’t been eating hardly any, so I think I might have mom send me my pills from home just to be safe... Other than that things are going great!!

My trainer and I butt heads a little because of some difference in opinion on how to find people... But I just go with what he wants... We get fed a ton of Mexican food and they feel bad if you don’t take seconds.  They give you a huge plate to start, so I have to figure out a nice way to let them know that I can’t eat that much, because it is killin me.  It is really good food though. My companion helps me with the language somewhat but it is hard because he has to teach two of us, since we are still a trio till he gets his visa. We speak it outside the apartment only and sometimes in, but it is difficult when we are doing studies because we need to understand each other. Yea I am hoping it will get better soon because it makes things so difficult...

Our residence is in a semi-ok area, if you go about a mile in any direction more it gets pretty bad especially east. Tell Aaron that I say Hi and hope he is doing well, also if he wants to write or e-mail he is welcome to! Work sounds like a doosie, the fires were probably really cool to go work, even the bus one.

Well here we are getting ready for our first baptism on the 14th and just continuing to teach and learn with each day. That’s awesome you ran a 5k.  I don’t think I could do that, I am not very good at running. It will be way fun when you and me can do some serious hiking.  We have found some really cool new people that I think are not far from baptism, once we teach them a few times.  They seemed very interested which made me so excited.

I am so excited to call on mother’s day.  They do not let us do skype here, so it will be just a call.  I have no idea when... I have asked around a little bit, but my trainer gets kind of impatient...

It is actually nice with all the rain here, it has rained a ton here... So that makes things interesting. I like it though.

We have a few very concentrated areas of Hispanics and one is like a huge trailer park. That is were we found 2 great new investigators... I have to get you and the fam my SD card.  Well Dad I have to go.... I can’t wait to hear from you on mother’s day and next p-day.  There are some really cool monuments here that we will have to go to when we come back in 2 years or so.

With all my love, your son, Elder Paxman