Things are hard...but I continue to serve the Lord everyday!

Dad,

That sounds awesome about all the other things you have been able to do while your in D.C.  I still need to go do all of that one of these days.  I really enjoy the post cards you have been sending they are very interesting and cool.  I agree, I don't think it will be anything big either with the health, at least I hope not because I do not want people poking at me some more hahaha. No, it actually doesn't distract me from the work as I thought it would so that is nice and makes things a lot easier. Nothing really new out here, we are continuing to work with our investigators and we have a lot of time to find new ones.  This week we only found about 3 which was kind of a bummer but that is ok, the ones we found seem super solid so that should be awesome.

I sometimes think in Spanish, I am not anywhere near fluent but definitely a ton better than before. Which is really good, but it butchers my English and I sometimes say some very weird things that end up not making sense and that is in English!!!

Well I won't take up too much of your time since you are back at the Academy and stuff. But I love you dad and hope everything is going great. I also hope all this medical stuff  hasn't been a hassle on the mission pres. or anyone.  I don't like to be a hassle for anyone, I never really have I don't think. Well you and the fam are in my prayers daily and it is sad to think almost 7 months has gone by it goes by too fast and they say it only gets quicker it makes me wish I could get it back haha, but that is not gonna happen. Love you and hope to hear from you soon

Mom,
Come on I know about the Medical stuff...  Also I don't want tests if I don't have to get them... I chose to come out here to serve the Lord and I stand by that choice and nothing is going to make me move from it, it is as simple as that. Even if something major came up you would probably have to drag me to the hospital, and my companions can attest to that.  My health has been good this week and it hasn't been really slowing me down which is really nice. Although it varies day to day. I also found it interesting that I was referred to a Pediatric surgeon.  Things are hard here yes but that doesn't change the decision I made and continue to make everyday to serve the lord! Yes we came up with a broad treatment plan, well the doctor did, I just agreed.  It is to  try the pills see if they work after which get more tests if need be, also get tests done now to see how things are going. Get surgical consultation for emergencies sake, get the surgeons opinion, see what he thinks is best. I want to avoid anything that would cause a pause in mission or you know EXCESSIVE PAIN all that is a no go unless absolutely needed and no other way around it.

I read a story on how Brigham Young and Heber C. Kimball (I believe) Served missions with a life threatening disease of malaria or however you spell it, so I am not worried, although my mission Pres said something interesting and my companion has said it several times he said. "You know maybe one of the biggest reasons you came to Indiana on your mission was for this health problem, I then gave him a very doubted look and he said often times people don't realize that one of the greatest changes on the mission occurs in the Elder himself, not the other people..." That made me think on that a lot and I was like (to my companion) So I got sent here to Indiana for my benefit!?!?! Which he said maybe, and then I was like, well I think I could go through the same change in Australia too!!! Which we both laughed about, it was kind of funny. I was joking of course.

Other than health stuff not much new is going on in the mission, just the work of the Lord as normal. We keep teaching Ivonne and Jesus but they aren't coming to church very regularly so we had to push back their date and are going to be talking more about that with them today. So we will see how that goes. I will be sad though if they get baptized and I am not here... But as long as they get baptized I am happy. Well it would be nice to at least be able to go... Also a Elder who came out with me went home, it was really sad because he and I were good friends and it was hard to see him leave....

Sweaters, I will probably need larges and several, I love sweaters. I am definitely not getting fluent with the Spanish but it is coming along and I can communicate a lot better now than before.  It does not feel like fall here at all so I hope that changes soon because it is my favorite season. I agree with the bike thing, but oh well my trusty steed will ride on till it requires repairs too costly to fix reasonably. hahaha. My companion has a little computer that goes on his bike and tracks how far we go and how fast. We have been biking like fiends lately and my legs are beasty if I do say so myself, I think I am just getting a little more muscle overall. So if I want to continue to track miles I will have to get one, which I don't know how much that is...

I did get the package with the mitt.  Thank you, we have thrown the ball around twice, it has been nice to do that, I can hurl that thing forever it seems now, it is awesome. Also the ultimate cookie bars were amazing!! I need more of those!  Nothing other than that has changed out here we are getting fed probably once or twice a week now. 

I need to end because this is getting long too and I still have others to write.  Well I love you all so much and hope things continue to go great at home you are in my prayers, Love you all.

Love,

Elder Paxman

A Ride on Eagles Wings

Dear Mom,

Doc stuff first I guess. Well first off I don't know how the tests results are, so I will let you know when I find out.  I think my doctor might be LDS, He knew that I served for 2 years and also that he called me Elder when he first walked in the room.  I also only ate one table away from him at lunch that was funny. Ok other than that he isn’t sure what the plan is. First we are going to try the prescription, but this last week I got pretty sick again, so that wasn’t good. We made a general battle plan.  He said he wants me to meet with a surgeon just in case something goes wrong or who knows what, like a contingency plan.  I will meet with him again on Halloween and he is thinking of getting more tests done. (Upper GI and CT Scan) Also he asked how many Cat scans I have gotten in my life, I had no clue I said a lot, then he is like "number wise?" I said it was like probably in the 50's. (NOT even close, he has had about 5 or 6. 50 would make him a walking radiation zone.  I think he was confused with how many X-Rays he has had) He also he asked me about my other doctors and surgeons and what the whole story was.  He gave me a direct line to his nurse.  I am calling the nurse tomorrow when she is in office, and I will try and get that number to you next week sometime. The x-ray's looked interesting, from my view of what I could tell there looked to be one dilated part on the upper right so my upper left but she pointed at it and said it was gas. The doctor’s office is about 30 min. from the apartment.  It is up in Carmel, so we got to see the temple construction sight, it looked super sick!!! (Remember sick is Indiana speak for awesome) I am feeling good today hiccups every now and then it seems, but overall pretty good.

Although my bike is not doing as well, it is dying which is what I worried might happen, it was a cheaper bike and it has taken me already like 500 miles or more.  Plus the roads here stink, so I might be getting a new one of those.  We now are able to get a discount at good bike stores for like 20% off on bikes, so I will keep you posted on that.

That bites about your foot I hope it gets feeling better, but at least you can bike or swim!! hahaha Yes I read the Book of Mormon  in Spanish, but right now I just do it to help with pronouncing stuff.  I will start entirely reading it in Spanish probably in about two weeks or so. It is getting a little cooler here, it was in the 70's for part of this last week.  I can’t wait for the leaves to change, it will be super nice.  Also we can wear sweaters now, so I want you to get on to the LDS website and look up what kind of sweaters I can wear and then get me some, because you know how much I enjoy sweaters haha.

That is good about bowling. (I asked him how exchanges with his DL went)Yes we did the exchange it was good, nothing too eventful.  We met one lady who was super prepared, she answered the door and when we introduced ourselves she started crying.  We gave our whole introduction and told her some really good messages, so they are looking forward to going back and visiting her. Although, she is in his area, so I won't know too much of what goes on there.  The translating for parent teacher conference was super fun.  I learned a lot of new words and it was kind of fun to see how much I actually know! I also felt the translating went really well overall, although I felt bad if the teacher was rippin into a kid and I had to translate.   I usually fluffed it up a little. I translated a lot for kindergarten through 3rd grade.   We still bike and share the car, we each have it for about 4 days unless one of us needs it for something more specific, then we will switch. 

Transfers are on the 9th I believe... But that is just off the top of my head, also I believe that I am being transferred, which makes me sad... but I am also way excited. (I told him that Kyle bought a new tie every time he was transferred and I thought that was a cool idea)  That would be way cool, I am going to have to do that with the ties, so I am going to buy one here soon. (I also asked him if he can bless the sacrament in Spanish and if he has been called upon to help with that)I do not bless the sacrament, I know how to in Spanish but they usually don’t have us do that.  We sometimes help with passing.  We also help with leading music and stuff if they don’t have enough people or the chorister lady is not there.  

I thought the picture of dad was hilarious!! That is good that you had a thing with the gang I remember when we used to do those all the time. Also thank you for the update on everyone, it is interesting to see what people are doing out there in the world.

Well the work here is going about the same, we are having a hard time finding investigators still, but we work on that a lot.  We knock a ton, but we are going to be working with LARCS more to see if we can improve that, also bring some back to church. (I have no idea what LARCS is)We had 2 come to church last week, so that was really good.  One of my favorite members, Hermano Martinez got back from a business trip so it was awesome to see him. None of our gators came to church....   but that’s okay we will keep working on them. Ivonne knows the church is true and the Book of Mormon is the word of God, she is ready for baptism pretty much, but Jesus is still struggling with getting a good testimony of Joseph Smith.  He is also struggling in picking between our church or another. We will see today, we have a lesson with them later. Other than that lots of biking, knocking and stopping by people.  I also saw Celeste which was nice she is no longer our investigator because she goes to IUPUI which is the ZL's jurisdiction, that made me mad, but she is going to be baptized in not too long so I am excited for that!! I am getting her contact info to stay in touch when and if I am transferred because I might baptize her!!!!!!!! Oh Yea!!!!! I am stoked for that if that happens, but I have no idea haha.  As long as they get her baptized it is good with me. Other than that not much new this week, just keepin on goin and  giving it all we have got.  We are going to try and work out differences in the companionship so we can have more power when we teach, so that is good.  Well I need to end because I have to write other people. Well I love you all and I hope this week will be awesome for you at home, I love you all so much and remember who we truly are, (a deep concept I know) but I like to think about deep things every once in a while. Well Love you and have a great week.

Love, tu hijo, Elder Paxman   

P.S. This statement came from his letter to Bailee and Kyle.  “Remember the Lord is always by our side and has promised us a ride on Eagles wings”

It's the 9th Inning

Dear Mom,

Ok, first before reading the whole letter, I need those medical papers and stuff from you because my doctor appointment is this Thursday...

Bro. Jesus and sister Ivonne are doing well, sister I. told us she knows the Book of Mormon is true, but Jesus hasn't found that yet and is struggling with the word of wisdom.  We gave him a blessing and are really trying to help him with that. It feels OOBER weird being 6 months old, I am older than over half of the other missionaries... We didn’t do anything special but we are going to TGI Fridays today to kind of celebrate.  It is way weird to think it has gone by so fast yet at times it feels as it is dragging.  Like I said before, they say the days feel like weeks and the weeks feel like days, this is very true.

The past week in the mission has been the same.  The last 3 days have been really nice, weather like mid 60's it is wonderful. The Zone Conference was really good, we talked about really teaching the Restoration to members as well as really using the pamphlets. Also, to really focus on people’s needs and not so much the lesson plans, which is good because I am a lot better at addressing needs than doing the lesson plans. The spirit there was amazing as always and yet there was a sense of emergency because it is really coming into the 9th inning so too speak... My favorite part of those kinds of meetings is the departing testimonies.  This is when the departing missionaries who are getting ready to leave  bear testimonies, to feel those elders spirit and their testimony is amazing, although it is sad to see some go who I have started to build relationships with. But it is also the next step, so it is good in the same way too.

The mission is strengthening my testimony, pretty much in every way possible, it is amazing, it grows daily and to feel the power fill the room when you bear testimony is something almost out of this world and it makes me so excited to do it all again the next day. My Spanish is coming along good, I can communicate but I still struggle here and there. Overall though the mission has made my testimony grow by leaps and bounds.  (I shared with him some things from our Regional Conference on Sunday that Elder Nelson and Elder Packer shared)  Those 9 points are very central and something that I have become very anchored to, one of the largest to me is the Atonement of Jesus Christ which includes Gethsemane, Golgotha and his resurrection. Through the Atonement it makes everything thing else possible.  I really like what Elder Packer said it reminds me of a talk Holland gave a while back called "the enemy of my soul" He says in it something like this "We must be determined in saying, I will give place no more... To the enemy of my soul..." It is a really good and powerful talk and one of my favorites as are most of Elder Holland’s. We actually talked about angels in our lives in Zone Conference also, because our mission transfer scripture is D&C 84: 84, (Therefore, let the morrow take ^athought for the things of itself) and 88. 88 which is one of my favorite scriptures of all time and I am glad I now have it memorized. (And after your ^atestimony cometh wrath and indignation upon the people.) It has been a big thing in my life I feel, the whole Angels topic, they say often our Angels are people that have passed on and watch us from the other side.  I instantly thought of Grandpa Paxman, for some reason, also because of the very spiritual experience me and Dad had in the temple my first time... I will let dad tell you that story if we haven’t already. I don’t feel like I know much about him so I am going to have dad send me stuff about him.

(I told him of a story Elder Packer told in Conference)That is a way cool story I have never heard it before, I like that a lot.

The Old Man is finally Engaged.. old Kenster!!!!!!!! Man I can't believe it why does he have to get married when I am gone too, Dang that is just unfair right there.... And Annie what the heck is going on, I am only 6 months out these people can't be getting married already that is just not kosher, and definitely no children or pregnancy that would just be too weird!!!!!!!!!!!!! AAAAAAHHHHH!!!! Mom I am too young for this stuff yet it makes me feel oh so very old..... Oh I also want you to tell me of the people who are getting engaged like Kenzie Belnap, Katy King and all those people from home.

That is not good about the flooding in the house, I hope it didn’t do a whole lot of damage or anything... That is great that Rachel is going back out, I was really hoping she would, it will bless her for life’s great adventures ahead.... like marriage...:/ If she gets married like before I get home I will be super sad.... Brooklyn liking a guy, hijole!! that is not good, tell her boys are evil at heart until the age 17 then they get a little better... But still not much. And geeze are you just dumping information on my fragile missionary mind!!!!! You are supposed to let me wade in the water first not chuck me into the deepest and coldest part!!!!! Freak man!!! Just teasing I like to hear about home!! That is great you saw the Abel's, tell Garrett if you can, well you need to, to email me.  We are getting more time on the computers but that means less time for writing so it is a lot easier to email me instead.  He wrote me but I haven’t been able to respond and I feel super bad.

I haven’t gotten the medical stuff, but it might be there today.  I have exchanges so I won’t be back to my apartment till tomorrow night...  No the times I have been allowed to call home doesn’t make me homesick.  It sounds weird to say but I am not homesick at all, even when I think about home I am not even close to homesick, haha.

Frozen meals and such are my best friend out here and as I was getting in the shower this morning I had a visible six pack!!  I was oh so very excited, but it probably won’t last very long. I eat Eggs lots of those, and cereal that is about my diet, oh and string cheese lots of that, it is a healthy ish snack for me.

To find investigators we thump doors, although in the next 6 months we are supposed to be getting technology to do some of that stuff. We had a big branch activity here for the first time ever, which was good.  We had a good turnout with also non-members so we got some referrals and it was way fun. I am like the best at the game called Taps, dad will know what that is.We have a service project on Wednesday where we are translating for parent teacher conference so that is going to be interesting and a real test on my Spanish. 

My health has been good so it should be interesting with the doctor’s appointment.  Well I love you all so much and I hope everything goes well at home and keep me posted on people and get people to email me.  I feel lonely sometimes, my companion gets 50 plus per P-day.... It’s ridiculous... Well Love you so much and I can't wait to hear from you next week.

Love, Elder Paxman

Hiccups

Dear Family,

Wow that is a lot of rain... I am glad though, dad said he thought there might be a lot of fires because of the lack in moisture. I wrote and thanked Grandma and Grandpa P for the things that they mailed me and I did get their package, so that was good and awesome. I haven’t gotten your package yet so maybe tomorrow or later today.

I didn't know about your foot, be careful and make sure you don't push it, you will have to let me know how that goes, hopefully everything is good and they just give you some meds or something. That is sad to hear about Rachel, which reminds me my companion wants to see a picture of her..... He is a goober. Well I hope all goes well with her medical stuff, believe me I know how that is and it isn't easy in the slightest, but it is all worth it in the long run. I will continue to keep her in my prayers. I don’t know if maybe you could also get her e-mail address for me, I would like to write her a quick something one of these p-days.

Totally let the boys play the PS3 if they wish hahaha, supposedly it will be pretty outdated in about a year, some little member boy was telling me how excited he was for the new one haha, it made me laugh. Also my guess is I won't have a lot of time to really use it that much when I get home, I will want to be in the mountains, on dates, working, college, traveling and all that other crazy stuff. But don’t give it a way, It is still something fun with friends.

(I told him I will start making lists of movies that come out and rating them so when he gets home he will know what he needs to see and what he doesn't)  Definitely do that with movies and music as well because I will need a list when I get home. I have been told of some good ones by members that they really liked.

I do not know how big our new area is exactly (miles wise) still freakishly big.  We still share a car with the Elders we split the area with which is nice. We still might get a car because of the size of the area. The new investigator field is going badly actually, so this week we are taking some different tactics to hopefully get a lot better out come than just knocking doors. Nope, pretty much none of the new elders and sisters are Spanish speaking.  We have about 20 Spanish speaking missionaries here in Indiana and that is only because of Visa waiters.  When they all leave we will have about 14.  All lot of our new missionaries have been sisters now, it is kind of weird.  One of the new sisters is from Texas the Fortworth area I guess, so that was cool. Another just got here that I went to college with, so that was fun to see and talk to her. My companion and I are still getting along very well, so that is good.

Sister Ivonne and Bro. Jesus came to church again and we meet with them tonight to see what they felt about it,  so that is going to be very good. I hope. We meet with them usually about twice a week which is what we try to do with all of our more solid investigators.  (I asked him the protocol of baptizing investigators who wish to be baptized.  Like how many lessons etc.)We have to teach them all of the basics and then they have to pass the interview, come to church 3 times and then if they wish and know it is true become baptized.

Health has been more or less good, still some hiccups  here and there but overall pretty good.  So we will see how that goes.

We get don’t get fed by the members because the members all now live on the other elders side of the new division and not ours, so sometimes they feed all four of us but usually just the two of them. My weight is staying the same I think or maybe gained a little, but I haven’t had a chance to weigh myself and see.

Supposedly the leaves turn here too, but I don’t know and also it is still humid and hot!! Yesterday it was 93 and very humid...  I read the scriptures everyday and right now I am in Alma 57 I believe, which is talking about some of my favorite stories with the Army of Heleman, and so on. Other than that not much new is going on in the mission.  We have an 8 hour long Zone Conference coming up this week which is unusual, but I am excited for it. I really enjoy the scripture you sent me this week it is one of my favorites in the Bible, especially after Elder Holland’s talk on it. Well not much else new is going on here just continuing working and pushing forward with faith everyday.   I turn 6 months old in 4 days!!!!!!! That is a little freaky, well I love you all so much and I can’t wait to hear from you next week and try out the package.

Love, Elder Paxman 

P.S.  Oh also the hiccups aren't actual hiccups, thought I should probably clarify that haha.

My Area has been Split

Dear Family,

My week has been good. Having a few digestive issues, Indiana is just trying to kill me I think.  I also can’t hear out of my left ear very well for some reason, so who knows.  Hahaha.  I only have an hour to email today because of the whole holiday thing, so it might be short.

My doctor’s appointment is at 1 on Sept 19. I don’t really need anything specific in my package I would like a small white board though, that would be nice. Oh and those arrowheads if you can find them, also my mitt, if you can do that too... Lots of pictures of course and goodies are always good.  I spent some money on my personal card this week so we need to check that too.

(I told him our neighbours are now raising 6 turkeys in their back yard and that I thought Lincoln must be a plant whisperer because our garden is producing at an out of control rate.)The turkey thing makes me laugh and dad has always been good at working with the plants and all that stuff so I am sure that the garden is amazing.  We are actually being fed very very little now... They split Cumberland area in half because of the massive amount of missionaries.  This is nice but also I am a little sad... I lost more than 5/8ths of my investigators...  But we still have Sister Ivonne and Bro. Jesus who I am almost positive will be baptized in the coming weeks if not month.

I was sad to hear about Rachel, but the Lord works in mysterious ways... She is in my prayers and I hope she gets feeling better.  Please keep me posted on that. It makes me nervous for my appointment but overall I have been doing okay.   I have had a few minor hiccups and such throughout the last couple weeks but overall not too bad.  I haven’t thrown up in forever so that is good. In the mission, the area split was the big thing that went on this week so that is interesting.  Other than that I’m still biking like a beast and knocking on so many doors I am pretty sure my knuckles are bleeding... But it is good.  We need to find some new investigators since we lost a bunch, so we will see... P-day has not changed; we do all the usual, email and all that.  We have been given a little more time to do email lately thank goodness, except today we only have an hour because of the holiday.  Which bites a big one.

(I told him that his dad has been talking/joking about moving to Emmettsburg, Maryland to work at a really great job at the National Fire Academy, but that I had aid NO WAY.) I wouldn't be too against moving, heck everything changes while I am out here anyway so it would just be one more thing added to the bunch hahahaha.

Other than that nothing much is really new this week, also I have very little time today so my mind is racing.  I have only replied to you and Alex and I have like 10 minuets left so my brain is shot. My Spanish is improving daily.  I could write a little in Spanish but it wouldn't have any accents because I don’t know how to do those on the computer, also you would have an issue reading it.  Ha-ha. I also cannot believe that 6 months has gone by.  In pretty much 10 days I am 1/4 done, it makes me sad... Oh also could you give Joy my e-mail address as well as Calin because lately I haven’t had any time to write letters...

Well I love you all so much and next week I will probably include a little more because I will have a little bit more time.  I love you all so much and I hope everything goes well at home.  Keep me posted and I can't wait to hear about all the things that go on next week... Love you so much.

Love, tu hijo, Elder Paxman