Dear Mom,
Okay, I will start from the top and work my way down kind
of a thing.
That is super cold in Utah, here it has been in the 20's
and high teens most days, and snow has been on and off. Last night it snowed
pretty good. Other than that it hasn’t been super bad. Oh and yes we have to
bike in all weather. Wow it sounds like it is snowing a ton over there. That is interesting how they closed down I-15
and also how they cancelled church in St. George. Aunt Lenore (lives in Texas) iced in for 3 days,
that is rough. My winter gear overall is
holding up pretty good, my coat is taking some wear and tear but overall pretty
good. My hands are doing pretty good, sometimes a little cold but usually just
right.
That is super exciting for Gma and Gpa, I am way happy
for them and super glad that they are serving. I forgot to ask, but how long do
they serve for? That is sad dad will not be able to go to the grandparents
farewell, although hopefully he will have a good time in Maryland.
I do have a home and an address, it is just around the
corner from the house I have been staying in, so still send stuff to the other
address because we do not have a mailbox or a number on the house yet.
(I received a friend request
on Facebook from a member of the branch he is serving in) It is good that you
accepted the friend request from Hna. Romero. She told me that you were happy about
the pictures. (She had posted pictures of
the Elders having dinner at her home…I was so excited to see these, but noticed
that Benjamin seemed skinny) Yes I am skinny in the face, my health has
been hanging in there, whenever I am healthy and my stomach isn't bothering me,
food seems to go right through me, which than causes me to lose weight. Than
when my stomach is not so happy and gets upset I don't eat very much because I
don't feel so good. So health is a little weird in that way, which is what I think
is causing the weird things with weight. I also have had a pretty bad cough and
cold.
We did move into our own place, I really like it although
we have no hot water and no heating. So we are using electric heaters to heat
the house as of right now, and in the morning we walk to the other elder’s
house to shower. Other than that, it is really good I like it. It is great to
have a bed again and I like living with just me and my companion. It was fun with the other Elders, but it is
good to have it be back to normal. Other than that, we have just about
everything for our new place so that is nice.
I was able to get my charger and my CD's back so that was
good. I have really enjoyed the 25 days of Christmas. It has been really fun and my favorite story
of those... I have no idea, because I really like them all. The other wise man
was super good, and so was the one about the gold box, I really liked all of
them. I am really enjoying the Christmas spirit this year, so far it has been
really good. I really like the new area, things are going pretty good. We have a sweet older lady named Juanita that
should be baptized on the 28th of this month. We have met a few new people, but
so far none that have had a return appointment. We are still getting fed
dinners about oh 3-5 times a week, so that is pretty good. I really like the
small branch they are really gung ho for missionary work and are a bunch of
great people. In general not a whole lot is new on the field front, just
really the same stuff, we are teaching several people who could potentially be
baptized in the near future so we will see how that goes as the time goes on. We
are teaching a couple of part member families as well, the branch is just great
overall.
Are you enjoying Christmas time? It will be a
Christmas call not Skype. I am not sure on the details for that. We can
probably work it for any time after 4, that doesn't seem to be a problem, but I
am not sure.
(I sent him a scripture
about Spiritual gifts and told him how we had studied and learned about
Spiritual Gifts in YW) I really like that scripture and that same
topic was talked about here a little bit in a talk by a high council member.
So now the part you have been waiting for. YES I was able
to make it down to the baptism!!!!! It was awesome; the ride down was pretty
boring except for the fact that I was practicing in Spanish all the stuff I
would need to know. We also didn't tell the Diaz family that I was able to come,
as kind of a surprise. So we got down to Indy and had to stop into the mission
office for some house stuff, but then we got to the chapel at about 630 and the
baptism was at 7. I had time to get
changed into my whites and all that good stuff. So we were waiting for them to
come and just kind of chatting when I hear this "Oh my Gosh" in a
super thick accent. I turn around and Ivonne came through the gym doors and was freaking out that I was there and so was
the rest of the family when they saw me! We were all really excited!! So after
talking for just a few minutes and telling them the story of how the mission
Pres. said that I could take a car down and how that all happened, we then got
them all suited up in their white, took pictures and went in for the baptismal
service. Before that though, Elder Hjelm the family and I talked it over and decided to have me baptize two and Elder Hjelm do
two. We then listened to a baptismal talk and then it was time to go. It was decided that I would baptize Kevin and Ivonne. I was so excited, first went
Elder Hjelm with Andee the oldest boy and it took him three tries to do it, the little boys limbs kept popping out, I felt
kind of bad, but he did it!! Then it was
Jesus turn. We also found out that Jesus has a huge fear of water and that he has
never been submerged under water in his life. So this was a big step for him in
many ways. It was amazing to see those two be baptized, the spirit was so
strong there. After Elder Hjelm did their two baptisms it was my turn. So I went and I stood in the water. And Kevin shortly followed me into the water; it was an amazing feeling seeing him in the
water. It has been said that that feeling of standing in the water in white
with an investigator is one of the greatest feelings on the mission. It is true
in many ways. I love it. I said his full name and it was almost like time went
still for me, or just super slow motion, as I moved him back to put him in the
water. It was amazing... I could feel the spirit so strong. Although haha I
forgot to tell him to hold his breath so when I brought him back up he was
coughing and everything haha I felt bad. But I did it on the first go so that
was good. After, he gave me a hug in the water and then walked out. He and the other two witnesses waited and
watched since now it was Ivonne's turn. As
she starts coming into the font I reach out my hand to help her in the water and
it was an amazing feeling! I felt as if I was helping to guide her into the
first steps to eternal life, which in a way is partially true. I then got her
full name, and it was really really long haha, but I said it all and the same
happened again, as if it were slow motion and the feeling was just amazing. So
I brought her up out of the water and she was super happy!! We let them all go change and we got changed
back and then as I was changing Elder Hjelm told me that they wanted to do the
Confirmations that night so I could be there instead of on Sunday. So I got
surprised because no one told me, so I didn’t memorize any of the words for it.
So I was to confirm Ivonne and the rest of the family would be confirmed by a
few other people. I was freaking out.
Anyway after the rest of the meeting had ended, the branch president than stood
up and had the Diaz family stand up and told them all to turn around (because they
sat in the front) and too look around at all the people. He said these are all the people who love and
support you. (Which there was a ton of people there, probably a good 70 some
odd people) So than he had all the missionaries stand up and said "Andee and
Kevin some of these missionaries have had a big impact on your lives and others
not so much, but if you continue, you will have the opportunity to be a missionary
just as these young men are." So that was really good. Oh I skipped a part,
so Sis I. was to be confirmed 2nd so I was freaking out nervous and we all got
around and put our hands on her head. Than it just kind of flowed, not fluently
though, it was interesting I never felt that I didn't know what to say, but it
was still hard to say at times because of the language. To me this was a great
lesson of faith because I knew Heavenly Father would give me the words to say. It
made me realize or remember that once again, as I have learned before, miracles
often come only after the trial of your faith and I have seen that so much and
that was just another moment of realizing it. So after the whole standing up
thing he closed the baptism and we all stood around and chatted. I gave the
boys their arrowheads which they loved and then got hugs from everyone. After
that the other missionaries and I were talking with Ivonne and she was talking
to them of how big of an impact I had made on her and her families lives and
that if it wasn’t for me they wouldn’t have been where they are today. It
touched my heart!! Later, Elder Stone. (who did their baptism interview) said, “That
family loves you so much Elder they mentioned you so much in their interview”.
I was happy to have been able to be a part of their lives and they have strengthened
my testimony so much. I love that family so much I hope one day that you and
the rest of the family get to meet them. Overall, it was a very spiritual and
wonderful experience for me. Standing there in the water with them was just
so... indescribable; it made every hard moment, every tear shed, and every sick
day worth it. That is when the scripture that says "Men are that they
might have Joy” came into the picture for me.
I loved every moment of it. They also spoke at a thing called “why I
believe”, which is where all of the recent converts bear their testimonies. The President said that it was great. Overall
it was a really good week.
Well I have taken a lot of your time with this email and
I still have to email other people, but I love you all so much and I can't wait
to hear from you next week.
Love, Elder Paxman
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