There is work to be done and people to help...

This picture is from the summer...I have no words to describe what they were doing.

Dear Mom,

I again sent Elder Paxman a few questons… I learned this great trick from Elder Griffiths blog. (Ben’s friend from our home ward) It’s a fun thing I like to do every once in a while.

1.  Do you use those Pamphlets when you teach investigators.  The missionaries here brought 3 to Regina.  One about the restoration, one about The Plan of Salvation and one about The Gospel of Jesus Christ.  Of course the ones they brought us were in Chinese, but it made me wonder if you use them in Spanish. haha yep the pamphlets are indeed widely used throughout the world, I use Spanish ones quite frequently, they are nice tools to use and really help people to understand things more simply.

2.  Do you feel you are service oriented on your mission at all?  I have seen on Facebook a lot lately missionaries doing service.  Like shoveling snow, working with scout groups etc.  Just service type things in the branch/ward.  I wondered if you and your companion ever do service?  We do lots of random acts of service like shoveling snow or pushing cars out, or things like that, but with planned service not as much, it just depends on how busy we are in the week and what kind of service there is to do.

3.  Have you tried using the GPS?  Does it work? We have tried the GPS It does work, but the maps need to be updated which I guess you can do for free, but seeing as we can't really search the web It is hard for me to do it, not to mention I don't have the cable I need to do it. Overall, though it works alright for now.

4.  Maryann Hair sent you a birthday card.  She was so excited because she sent it in just enough time for you to get it before your b-day and then found out it went to the Elkhart address.  Did you by chance get it?  If mail goes to one of your old addresses do you eventually get it?

I have not gotten the card from the Hair's yet, but if it went to an old address I will get it eventually, it just depends when.

5.  Have you gotten your bike back yet?  Is someone else using it or is it just being stored somewhere?  I have not gotten my bike back yet and as of right now it is just being stored, but it is in the works of finding its way to me.

6.  How many name tags do you have?  What kinds?  I didn't know this, but apparently you can order more, different types, like with magnets or clips or what have you. This is true you can get more name tags, as of right now I have two a clip one and a magnet one, the two they give you in the MTC, I will probably get more eventually.

7.  How did your meeting with the President go?  What was the main purpose of your meeting? The meeting with the President went great, we talked about the area, and how I am doing overall.

8.  Where exactly is your companion from?  What stake and ward?  What is his first name? My companion is from Riverton up near the high school, his stake was the Riverton Copperview stake the 7th ward, and his first name is Alexander or Alex for short.

9.  Do you elders in Indiana make covers for your planners/scriptures.  Our missionaries make them and they are cool!  I took some pictures and sent them in a different email.  If you don't make them, I would be happy to try to make one for your scriptures.  Apparently they make them after 9:00 when they are at home. They make the cases out of a cut off cereal box and put pictures on it using packing tape.  I think they are so cool!!  I have seen the coverings and have made a few for planners, but it is very time taking. And I am not that artsy, I usually throw on a quote and maybe one picture, it depends really, I also don't have the tape for it, and I don't want to buy it. As far as a scripture case goes though I like the ones that you actually open and they are like a cover for the scriptures, those are very popular out here and they protect the scriptures better when on bikes and what not.

10.  How do you like your companion?  Are you still getting along really well? I really like my companion a lot!! He is a little shy and green but I really like him!

11.  How is your health?  I did not like hearing that you were down to 167.  That is about a 15 pound weight loss since you left the MTC.  Do you feel healthy?  Are you concerned about the weight loss? Are your clothes getting baggy? This up and down of your health worries me. My health is hanging in there. I got really sick on Saturday and my weight is moving around so much that it worries me sometimes, but not too badly. I am at 170 as far as today goes. I feel normal and healthy every once in a while, other than that not sick but not peak shape either. My clothes are not getting too baggy although I am just tightening the belt a few notches for a couple weeks than loosening it other weeks so it is interesting. Yea it is a little worriesome, but can't let it drag me down there is work to be done and people to help.

12.  You should download a few pictures and send them.  I haven't seen a recent picture of you since you first went to Elkhart. (Christmas)  :)  I will send some pictures maybe next week; I don't have my camera with me this week.

13.  Your sister Bailee sent you a package for your birthday?  Did you get it? I did get Bailee’s package that she sent on Valentine’s Day.

I am glad you like having the missionaries over, it will help them a lot and I am sure they appreciate it. Holy Cow Maryann had a baby!!  Have I been gone that long? I am glad she is doing well, give her my best wishes

It still feels like winter here, it is supposed to be in the 20s all this week so still cold... Although we had a few days of 40 it was so nice. Yes I need new Spanish scriptures; my English ones are still fine. And some covers for those, but individual covers, one for each set of scripture, and cool ones too, they have some cool ones I have seen.

There is a Facebook group called Missionary Mommas and they are getting together this weekend for dinner and visiting.  Some of Ben’s companion’s moms will be there.  Oh goodness the missionary moms retreat... Oh boy here we go. Elder Hjelm and I only served for 4 and a half months though haha. Also look for Elder VanHaren's mom if you are there, me and him are pretty tight. Elder Hjelm has been one of my favorite companions for sure, so hopefully nothing too bad will come out, haha. Elder Hjelm and I chatted about that missionary mom stuff, it was kind of funny.  He said that his mom was a freak about it, haha and I said mine too probably, it was fun.  You should go though it should be fun, just don't be all freaking out(whatever that means, how do I freak out?) I embarrass myself enough as is, and don't need help with that.

I am still trying to stay up on the Spanish, being in a stripe, it isn’t improving, but also not getting worse, we are also going to start focusing on Spanish work a little bit more so that should be good. (Stripe=one English speaking Elder and one Spanish speaking Elder)

The work has been good, we are getting ready for our baptism on Saturday!! I am stoked, we will most likely be doing the confirmation, so that should be really cool. (he mentioned last week that a family he baptized earlier has not been out to church and dodging the missionaries because they were offended.  I told him I thought he should just email them a letter of love and hope that they are doing well and that he would hear from them soon.  Just to keep doors open or conversation open) You read my mind with the Diaz Family, that is what I had sent them last week so will see how that goes.

As far as the work goes one funny moment, we were helping some recent converts wash their dishes (the Davis family) and during it their daughter blasted me with the freaking sprayer thing, little devil. Than my companion tried to throw the towel on my head and I pulled it off my face and said oh it’s my turn now and started whipping it at him making really good cracks, and well about the fifth one I nailed him really good, but probably in not a great spot.  He instantly starts jumping around freaking out and holding his crotch while the rest of us laugh. It was funny, but I felt a little bad... OH Something COOL that just happened is we got permission to GO TO THE TEMPLE every six months for personal worship and if members go!! So I need my temple clothes prease!!!! I am so excited it has been a year since I have been in the temple pretty much and I am stoked plus another possible two temples off the list!

The last comment you made to remember to enjoy every minute because my mission will be over too soon is all too real and sad. I have started making my mission bucket list which I am excited to have and complete those goals, but it makes me sad, because I am so old. Other than that not much new is happening out here, and nothing has really stuck out to me in studies, so next week I will have more to write. Although we have been contacting less-actives so we will see how all of that goes. Anyway I love you guys and hope you have a great week.

Love, tu hijo Elder Paxman