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