It's in the Lord's Hands

This letter requires a preface from mom.  Elder Paxman had an upper GI last week at the request of a surgeon at Riley Children’s Hospital at UI.  The surgeon called me Friday to give me the results.  Elder Paxmans small intestine is not working as well as it should.  Because of this, there has been a lot of discussion from us on his diet and what he can do to help matters.  So this letter has a lot of reference to this. He will meet back with the GI on Halloween.  He is doing well and working hard. 

Dear Mom, 

First I don't drink soda out here hardly ever, only when members don’t have anything else.  It is expensive and it isn’t as good as it used to be. Also I know what to do when I have bloating, whenever it does happen I usually cut way back on eating because I figure that I would rather be hungry than in a lot of pain. My thoughts about it (the test results) all are still unsure and in the air... One, I am glad that as of right now the times when it gets bad are few and far between.  The only thing I don't want to happen (which probably won't) is sometimes in the past when we have gone with waiting and time, it has gotten worse. Because of the slowing I worry that my intestines could dilate more, which could cause some more problems down the road... But overall I am just game with whatever goes as I usually well pretty much always have been. Other than that, just to keep doing everything I know how and put it in the Lord's hands! He knows what is best for me, so I shall do his will and not my own, even with things as simple as my health, well okay maybe not so simple haha.

Conference I loved!!!!!! Of course!! I had three favorite talks because I felt they applied exactly to me and everything that is going on, they were Uchtdorf's on Saturday it was amazing, Holland's and Nelsons. All three were amazing and touched me very deeply and will probably continue to do so as time goes by. We were able to watch all 5 sessions, and in English at our chapel.  Ivonne and Jesus came to a session which is really good, they finally are starting to have that testimony and act, so their baptism is this month and I am more than excited.

Yes I need to get all the Grimm's and watch them when I get home, as well as a bunch of movies and other things.  Me and the guys already have some plans forming for that. (I had told him of a goal I have started to re-read the entire Book of Mormon in a certain time frame) Also with the Book of Mormon thing it takes about 36 days for those things to become habits so keep it up and if you slide one day pick it back up and start again, the day to start is now, "You can do it now!!" that was a quote from Uchtdorfs priesthood talk. J

Transfers are this week and me and Elder Hjelm are staying together in the same area again for another transfer.  This will make 7 and a half months in my first area haha. Yes I still write Elder Johnston every week me and him were very tight and are planning to get together after our missions on multiple occasions. Well Trenton, Joel, Cameron, Garrett, Elder Johnston, you, Dad, and usually a few others are who I get regular letters from. Mi compa is the designated driver so he only drives which means I have to do back ups,  which makes me look like a doofus at times, last time mi compa clipped me with the car.... it was very funny after the fact. There is a good chance I will get to drive at some point.  We drive a Ford Fusion like 2012 I think, it is nice I like them. Yes I still listen to CD's but we can now have I pods so I am debating that possibility.  Yes I need more music, lots of cool renditions of hymns of like solo singers and instrumentals, also that musical thing about Christ that Bai has, oh and another musical opera thingy called the Garden, Oh and Ryan Shupe and the Rubber band Christmas and a bunch of other Christmas music. Also some movie soundtracks like Dances with Wolves, Lord of the Rings, movies like that. And not the real heavy stuff of those either.

As far as the field goes not much is new this week because we had Zone training and doctor and conference, so this week wasn't very eventful.  Although, it dumped here big time. I got soaked again. Also I spent 60 bucks on the card today because I tried those drinks dad suggested and it is pricey, I got 2 bottles and than 10 bucks cash back and groceries as well. We had a very spiritual lesson with Fransico and his family this week that was powerful.  They are not progressing and have been investigators for around 10 months, they were almost baptized but than they had some issues to work out.  But we are working with them and had a very powerful lesson. We also had a revelatory moment for Ivonne and Jesus where they discovered how true the Book of Mormon really is and also how much Jesus wants the priesthood for his family.  They know this church is true, but they like the social aspect of the other church, which our branch is sometimes not the greatest at but we are working on them and once they stop going to the other church and come to ours more frequently they will be baptized.  Probably around the middle of this month!!  Also Ivonne asked me to baptize her, so that will be cool if that happens. That was it for this week, oh and Celeste is getting baptized this month as well, which I am very excited for. That was it pretty much. Also my Spanish is going alright I can communicate and operate so that is good.

Well I love you all so very much and I hope you enjoyed conference as much as I did remember it is just as important to study the talks after the fact so we may receive even more revelation!  Well love you all and I will hear from you next week.

Love, Tu Hijo, Elder Paxman