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 a thought 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 a testimony 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.
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
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