Big Changes Coming for Me

Picture Overload before Letter!!

I am blessed to have come in contact with a member in the Columbus area who loves and takes care of our missionaries.  She sends me pictures.

Elder Paxman, Elder Blood and Elder Rowberry

Helping a member clear out a lean to.

 The "Tres Amigos" as Sister Rowberry referred to them.  I like it!

Elder Paxman, Elder Blood and Elder Rowberry.

 Going away party for Elder Rowberry.

Thanksgiving.

Happy Thanksgivng message.

Elder Paxman, Elder Rowberry and Elder Blood making their final visit to their favorite eatery.  Orange Leaf Frozen Yogurt in Seymour. I LOVE this picture!!

Dear Mom,

Thanks for the pictures from Thanksgiving. Alex he looks like he could be gangster, but... he is so freaking lerpy it just aint happenin bro!! bwahahaha and Rachel and Parker... What the freak with the leg thing... 8\ Hands off bub!! I don't see no ring!!... You can see the hate in Rens eyes hahaha as he is trying to not kill him and yet smile for the camera... Brooklyn’s picture, Danika looks like she is trying to be seductive and Brooklyn looks like you caught her off guard. Grandma photo bombing made me laugh; I didn't think she would try something like that. Next who is the unfamiliar chick? I hope to discover that in the letter... Plus, the guy I am guessing is Brenda's boyfriend looks like a backstreet boy all grown up bwahahaha!! I am pure evil mom!!! Anyway I really loved all the pictures and most of my comments were just jokes hahaha. Anyway real letter time. 

I am doing pretty good and things are currently pretty crazy; that will be explained later. Sister Kimberland is a Caucasian lady from the 4th ward I believe. The Branch in Columbus is Spanish that is why it is a branch; there are 3 other words that meet in that building.

What is the news on Transfers?  I heard you will be staying in Seymour and Elder Blood will be going to Indy, is this true and are you excited to be going back to Seymour?Okay as far as transfers go. It is actually a good thing that you will be getting my email today instead of yesterday. So we got transfer calls on Saturday which was weird, but will be the normal thing now in the mission. On Saturday during my transfer call the Mission President gave me some big news. I will be training again; also I will be District Leader in Seymour. Then yesterday when we dropped Elder Rowberry off something happened. Elder Blood and I waited for Elder Rowberry to be done with his exit interview with the President so we could say goodbye.  We both gave him a big hug. When he hugs me he whispers in my ear "get ready for a surprise!" Next thing I know President Cleveland is calling me over to chat with him. He gives me a hand shake, pulls me closer, gives me a side hug and says well some things have changed. First off you are still training and still the DL, but you will now be having a full time car and serving in Columbus!!!!  I was shocked as well as Elder Blood!!! So that was a freaking last minute curve ball to add on to all my nerves for the challenges ahead! So two more recent Elders will be in Seymour, and I will be training in Columbus.  Elder Blood he has no idea where he will be going. My guess is Elkhart. So yea I was super stoked to stay in Seymour, but now that has all changed, I would not be surprised if something else odd happens before tomorrow haha.

Before having to jump back and forth between areas had you finished mapping Seymour? It is mostly mapped, but we will see how all of that goes here in the near future. Seymour I believe has so much potential, then again so does every area. I have experienced on my mission that there is no such thing as a dead area, only dead mindsets. So for both Seymour and Columbus it will be a pretty much fresh start... It will require much faith and prayer. I am positive we will see miracles in this branch in the near future. Speaking of which Carlos was baptized this last Saturday! That was amazing for me. I was able to confirm him on Sunday. I would not be surprised to see Bertin join the ranks here in the next month or so.

We took Elder Rowberry up to Indy yesterday. He should be home now with his family. I will be companion with Elder Blood till Wednesday and then we will go up to transfers and part out separate ways. I will miss him, he is a great missionary. Serving this last little bit with Elder Rowberry again was a great experience for me as well.

Elder Hjelm and Elder Rowberry came home today and they are both ex companions of Elder Paxman.  I encourage you to go to both of their homecomings! They are some of the greatest Elders I have met and I will hold them as friends for many years to come! I think you will really like both of those Elders!

A high school friend of Ben’s came to visit us last week.  We were so happy and surprised to see him. When I read the story of Aaron it brought tears to my eyes... He is a dear friend, I miss him greatly. I am sorry to hear he had to come home a little early for health reasons... It is so hard, harder than many people in this world will ever know. I haven't even expressed the fullness of it to you or dad. He is a great man and I hope to hear from him shortly! So did you give him the right email?? I hope so. I really would like to hear from him soon.

I am way excited to see the packages here soon!! I am also way excited to see the pictures of the trees dad built! I haven't gotten the package with daddy's letter in it. I am sure I will get it here soon. I did get the CD and it was Awesome!! I really liked it a lot. The baptism went amazing; it was a great experience for all. Also for Bertin who was there too, I think it will really help him to know for himself and be excited to go forward with the next step. I was able to confirm Carlos on Sunday which was also amazing. It is amazing to be able to be a direct conduit for the revelations and spirit of God when we are doing blessings. We actually have not really been teaching anyone else besides Bertin and LARCS members. Things are slow in Columbus, but I intend to change that real soon if God wills it to be so.

Did you start your meds?  How long did you actually go between cycles and do you feel it worked out? Remember our Dr. Appointment is this month. I started my anti-biotics just a few days ago. So things are good there. I have not gotten my blood drawn for this month, here soon hopefully. I went a full two months pretty much without taking the antibiotics and it seemed to be fine, so that is what I will probably be doing in the future. I am not sure when the appointment is... I will see if I can find the papers... I believe I have them somewhere... I have an insurance card I believe so I should be good there. If not I will let you know. My weight I think is doing well, I do not have a scale, so I might need to get one... I don't feel thicker, and I hope I don't really get thicker, maybe thicker with muscle!

How was your Thanksgiving? It sounds like thanksgiving was awesome! Thanksgiving was good here, we ate with Kimberland, Sister Kimberlands brother and also with the Nehrings, although Elder Rowberry and I were really sick so we did not eat. We were also down for the entire day and most of the next day it stunk really badly.

Anyway, now on to the next bit, my spiritual message. I would email more, but I do not have much time sorry. So this week I have learned many many things. One of which is how the Spirit allows us to do many MIGHTY things as missionaries. The one I saw this week was like I said with the experiences we had with the baptism and the confirmation of Carlos and the power of the Priesthood and the power of Revelation. When we give blessings it is an amazing opportunity to literally call down the powers of heaven for that persons behalf! What an amazing blessing it is to have! Modern day Revelation is one of the keys to the church being so true. For it is through the Revelation/Answer to a humble boy’s prayer that started the greatest era known to religion! It brought back the very Church of Jesus Christ with all of its magnificent glory! Not to mention there is still more to come! Each General Conference is direct revelation for the church, from prophets who hold that same authority! Personal revelation has helped me so many times in my life, as a missionary and as a normal man/boy. I have felt the love of God through his answers to my prayers, whenever, wherever, and however those answers come. I know God answers prayers and that He loves each of us and hears "every child's prayer" For he has heard mine and many others. Even that of that young uneducated farm boy from upstate New York, and Josephs answer, just like all of ours will be magnificent when it comes! Whether through the same or different means! Well Mom I love you all so much and hope that this is an amazing week for all of you! I will miss you during these seasons, but I look forward to the work and the glory of Our Father in Heaven! I love you so much and can't wait to hear from you next week!

Love, Elder Paxman

P.S. If you could put my name in the temple again it would be much appreciated... I have so many crazy emotions about the new adventures ahead it isn't even funny. Anyway love you!

P.P.S. I need a new camera this one now really only takes blurry pictures and has been having a freakout as of late, so it has been hard to get pictures of things lately! So that would be much appreciated!