It's the small details that have always changed my life....

 A picture posted to an Indiana Mission page I follow of Ben's district.
Ben is almost right in the middle, back row.

A picture I stole off of Elder Trenton Griffiths blog... from right to left starting at the top.

Elder Marse, Elder Bawden, Elder Griffiths, Elder Butterfield, Elder Simms and Elder Paxman.

These fun boys were all in the same primary, cubs together.  Now all serving missions!!

What a handsome group!

Dear Mom,

Okay, so first I will try and think of something for the missionary momma’s thing for you. Although I already have an idea for your mother’s day gift so we will see with that. Also how long do I have for the missionary momma’s thing? Because I will need time to think of a missionary mommas thing to do, I hope I can do something cool, but I will need time.

I am doing good this week, my health has been better. Scott Beckstead got re-married that is good, and I hope Kenny Graffs fiancé can get her visa and stuff, who knows maybe it will come sooner than they expect. I hope all is well with Eric Vance.  Damon Harker was always saying he wanted to go to Alaska, so maybe he is living the dream who knows; hopefully he is doing well though.

(I shared with him some fun experiences Brooklyn had at the Stake Dance and after this past weekend) Oh great.. so the boy stuff starts with the youngest.... Let us just say, that is something that I could wait another two years to have to deal with. So one of the missionaries that I knew out here just got married, now that was really really weird, anyway that was just a side note. Hopefully Brooklyn will be all mellowed out with the boy thing by the time I get home hahaha, but knowing my luck that is not going to be happening.... That is cool that she and Bai did a song together in church. Kevin Ford said he is anxiously awaiting a trio when I get home.... Yeeeaaa Right!!!!! He does write me about every week so it is good to hear from him.

Conference was amazing, and I got 450 views in 2 days holy cow!!!! hahaha that is really cool, although who is reading my blog...?? Well I am glad, as long as it might be helping someone out there, that is enough for me. Oh before I forget can people comment on blogs or how does that stuff even really work...??  Oh which reminds me you have to watch a video that is really cool called "Because of Him".  It is super cool we all got to watch it the other day and it is amazing, it only lasts like 3 min. but it is about Christ.   Yep me and the companion are doing well, every once in a while there is an issue but we resolve things pretty quick, so we get along well.

(I told him that since his companion is a good Spanish speaker he and his companion should make a goal to only use Spanish with each other.)That would be a good goal we will have to see how that goes. Also I am reading the Book of Mormon, I am actually doing the Translation Challenge in Spanish!!! I am in like second Nephi chapter 2, I think so that is going good. How is the challenge going for you?  I have found a lot of really good scriptures that I enjoy.

As of right now we have no plans for Easter Sunday, but we will see.  Although this week we are getting fed a lot, which lately it has only been once a week so that is nice. I also had Mole which is probably my favorite dish, so that was really good!!  I hope to learn how to make it and some other foods so I can cook some stuff for you guys when I get back. It is Spanish members that feed us.  We were fed homemade chicken nuggets this last time... They were good, oh wait actually we were fed Enchiladas which where amazing, the nuggets were before that, so we actually usually get fed one to two times a week.

I am excited for the Easter package, although I cannot think of anything that I need... Maybe two pairs of socks, some of mine are getting pretty thrashed, but I only need a few pairs. That bites about Grimm getting erased from the DVR, but at least you can still catch up online, it would really be bad if you couldn't catch up the rest of the way. I will definitely be watching Grimm when I get home... sounds good to me, I really liked it!! I was the one who got all of you hooked on to it after all!! BWAHAHA. I’m glad you are going to see Grandma and some of the family, I miss them, especially Calin, me and him are buds for life haha.  Could you just try and get Gma Paxman to email me, I hope she will. I also hope she is doing alright.

Anyway it is indeed crazy to think that I have less than a year left.  It is said that it becomes even more crazy when you hit single digits. So who knows we will find out, sadly. I love the mission so much, it is by far one of the harder things I have ever had to do in my life, but it is so very worth it. I am glad that you have enjoyed me serving, as have I, but I am still young and full of youth so we aren't on the homeward stretch yet.  When I only have 4 months left, okay, then this conversation will be a little more depressing and exciting all at the same time haha. Plus remember Uchtdorf's comment, this gospel is not filled with endings only Everlasting Beginnings, and that is one thing that I believe helps every missionary move forward, whether that is from area to area, or mission to home. The mission is going good though overall, the week has been good and nothing really new has happened, at least not that I can remember right now. Things are going pretty good with the investigators that we have right now, everything is kind of moving slowly so we are trying to find ways to really get this area going again and to think outside of the box, so if anyone has ideas feel free to shoot them my way. I am glad that you added my companion to your prayers, I feel as though he needs them right now, he is doing good though as far as I can tell.  (his grandmother just passed away) There is still a little bit of a wall there, but I am trying to break it down and he is trying too, so with time things will continue to get better. I just hope I can be the companion and help he needs right now. Today for P-day just the usual, going to the church to play sports and have fun, that is about it. We usually play Volleyball which I like, I am not great, but I at least feel like I can do alright.

Mom… no worries, we have a Tornado plan, although as pretty much as you said, it just consists of not dying! hahaha We will be alright though.  I have been thinking, it seems my life has been filled with little events that have shaped my history, even in the midst of the big situations it has always been the details that have changed my life. Well today to finish off, I just want to share a little bit about Jesus Christ seeing as this is Easter week. One thing that has been on my mind a lot lately, is how much I mean to him? I have come to the conclusion in my mind that if the Atonement could have saved only one of Heavenly Fathers children, that Christ would have done it. I truly believe that is how great his love is for us. Luckily though his Atonement is not for just one, but for all, for that is the invitation right, that all may come unto Christ and be perfected in him. Another thing that I have liked is in reading pieces of the Bible I have found a scripture, although I do not know where it is at in this moment. It is very short but it just talks about how the Savior went to the Garden of Gethsemane and pondered or stayed there for a while. I feel as though one thing he could have been doing is thinking of the great challenge he was soon to face there in that place. Christ is everything to us, and even though in the scriptures it states that we are less than the dust of the earth, we are indeed everything to Him! I am sure of it!! I believe one can feel this for themselves, by simply thinking of what it would take to go through what he did, and not just in these last moments of his life, but in his entire life.  The hardships, the trials, the scorn, the temptations, all of it, and then if we simply kneel down and humbly ask, with a sincere and earnest desire to know, not as a witness or proof or miracle or anything, but simply so that we can know and feel it for ourselves, which honestly I believe many of us already have and we just forget it. But that we can ask to feel the Love of Our Heavenly Father and his Beloved Son Jesus Christ has for us, and that it will be made known unto us!  It may be made known in a hundred different ways, or maybe only one way, but I know that we will feel of it! I mean just think, he made this world for us to come down and live on it, and be happy "Adam fell that men might be, and men ARE that they might have JOY". Joy is what is meant for us in this life, and in the life to come, and it is all made possible through Jesus Christ and all that he did and continues to do for us, because after all he is not among the dead, but among the living. Anyway that is what a lot of my thoughts and studies have been on.  I have already taken a lot of time and I still have to respond to a couple of people. So, I love you all very much and hope that this week is filled with hope and blessings for you and those around you. Have a great week and hope to hear from you soon.

Love,

Tu hijo Elder Paxman.