There is Happiness and Faith in the Future...

Me in my costume for our costume Zone activity.

Dear Mom,

Well I was hoping I stayed this transfer, but it shall not be, I am getting transferred... My guess is back to the city, but who knows... We will find out on Wednesday.  I love the Logansport area and my companion, but there is happiness and faith in the future, so onward we go.

I am sorry your B-day didn't turn out the way you wanted... But my present will be in the mail shortly.  I am going to tell you part of what it is, first it is a big blue binder that has a lot of memorabilia kind of stuff in it, that I want kept.  I thought you would like looking through it and the other part is a surprise.  In total you will get about 3 packages from me, I know I have a ton of stuff!! I am sorry again your B-day was cruddy and I do remember that med I thought it was an anti-nausea drug, but my medical stuff is getting a little shady, a full year has killed many things in my memory, haha. You got the movie Frozen for your birthday, Frozen I have heard so much about that movie and I want to see it!! Grrrr...... Anyway I hope you like my birthday present; it will get there in probably about a week.

That is unfair with the warmth you are having, here it is still like 32 degrees.   I am still in sweaters which is alright because I look adorable... Okay adorable was a bad choice of words, lets go with studly haha. I am glad to hear Nick Simms did a good on his farewell talk, my companion right now and Nick were friends back in High School.

I can’t believe how many people have had accidents long boarding. Long boarding is interesting, but lets just say me and a flimsy board that has four wheels and requires me to look cool and ride it BAHAHAHAHA yea I don't fill any of those qualifications.

Purdue and other campuses are their own area, but you have to be a ZL to work on them, and I don’t think that is going to happen for me in my mission, so I probably won’t serve in those areas.

(In his last letter Ben mentioned using Balogna in quesadillas, I asked what he was thinking and who he learned that from) Bologna is great, and mainly I used it because it was in the fridge, after I finished the Balogna I just put lunch meat that I liked inside it. You gave me Bologna as a kid, so it can't be that bad, and Vienna Sausages which are like Bologna so yea. I taught myself to make those; it was a creation out of my ingenious mind of awkwardness haha.

The Spin class thing sounds like a good idea, riding freaking destroys me, and my guess is I will be back on bikes again here in the not too distant future.  So I have to find a way to get my bike from Elkhart and then, if it dies, buy a new one for cheap

(I had two questions for him this week, just my random curiosity.)

How much money do you receive from the mission and is it per week or every other week?  Do you find it is sufficient for your needs? I get 70 bucks every 15 days or so, most the time it is fine for my needs, but other times it is a little shy.  The times I need money from my account are when I am sick and have to buy saltines, Advil or Tylenol or other stuff like that, or Healthier food that is better for me.

When you were living at home you would have delirious moments when we tried to wake you up, where you would talk in your sleep etc.  We always had a good laugh about it. Have any of your companions mentioned this is still something you do? I grew out of me being a crazy freak if you try and wake me up, unless I am on cold medicine, than it is a little different, but not as bad even with that. Actually sometimes I am a light sleeper out here, it just depends really.

The work is going good we found a really solid guy named Aaron who asked us if he could be baptized, also Donald came to church yesterday which was amazing because it was my last week there.  If he keeps it up he will be baptized shortly and also he wants me to come back and baptize him so we will see.  If the Elders here do good they should have 6 baptisms by summer time in this area alone and that is if they only maintain who we have been working with.  I do not speak a lot of Spanish for a few reasons, but I am getting transferred, so it doesn't really matter anymore.  I am going back to Spanish land for real, at least I think... Teaching is going good a lot of people are sad I am leaving, I will miss them, but I will hopefully come back and visit... if they even remember who I am by then.  haha.

(I asked him about the title given his tie in the last letter, and why his shirt looked big) Ok haha, it is probably a little big because I am skinny and muscly, but the comment of his about my tie refers to Oklahoma City Thunder (a Basketball team and Kevin Durant is a player there)  

(Through Facebook I have learned that the mission President has moved an Elder from English speaking to Spanish) President Cleveland has moved one to Spanish, but just because I am striped doesn't mean I am not Spanish it just means that I am not with a Spanish Companion. We have not found any Spanish people to teach in this area, that is probably why they are kicking me out hahaha, but oh well. The shirt was one I went out with and if it is a little wrinkly it is because I didn't want to Iron it... My clothes are hanging in there so we will see.  It is just me that uses the Juan faces, there isn't anything that I can think of that I need right now, but I will let you know. The new Spanish Scrips are awesome so thank you again for those. My companion noticed my new case, but they stay at home and I use them for personal study that way I don't get them messed up, but I need you to make a new case for some other red scrips I have that will be in one of the packages. I have gotten close to several families one is the Smiley's, another is the Tincher's, they want to set me up with their Granddaughter when I am done,  so I am down with that... Another is the Hernandez, but I do not know them too well they just came back from Texas not too long ago, so we will see how that goes.

My health is doing really good.  I have that follow-up Doc appointment here in about 10 days so we will see how that goes. Ok a short funny story because time is on the short side a little because of the transfers and I have to pack. So this morning I was backing up out of our little parking area behind the house and your companion has to stand out of the car behind you, and guide you while you back up.  So I put it in reverse and make sure he is out of the way a little, then I hit the gas and fly back and then hit the brakes and he turns and runs with his arms straight above his head flailing back and forth like noodles screaming. I could not stop laughing for the life of me! Another was while we were cleaning he comes out, and I tell him "you have got a little brown speck or spider or something on your shirt" At which point he looks down and freezes a horrified look on his face as he freaks the heck out, kind of like the news reporter with the lizard, but while screaming like a small child! He then wouldn't hit it off with his bare hand so he ran grabbed a paper towel and then smashed it and threw it in the garbage exclaiming that it was disgusting in a very female voice.  I died of laughter; he has been such a fun companion.  Anyway, that is it for this week, I love you all so much and hope you have a great week, and next week I will let you know what happens for transfers. Love you.

Love, Elder Paxman