Dear Mom,
Happy Birthday! I am glad it was a good birthday. Chocolate
covered strawberries, oh my goodness mom haha. I am glad that I do not like
those things that much haha. Because if I ever had them, you would steal them
before I even got a chance to eat more than one. I’m glad Bailee cooked
birthday dinner, it sounds good, and you not having to cook on your birthday
seems to be a plus. There is a member here that is teaching me how to cook a
little. So hopefully when all is said and done, I can cook us some awesome
food!! Maybe we will see though.
I have taken it into thought to maybe keep writing my thoughts after
my mission. Writing on a blog or something. Maybe even novels or something. We
will see. You can be my editor? What do you think? Up for the challenge? Haha,
kidding, maybe in my dreams.
How have you been
feeling? Any news on your test? My health is doing pretty
good. No news on the test though. So I figure that is probably a good thing
haha. Some minor issues with health, but for the most part, I am doing pretty
good. It was an MRI and it took maybe an hour. It wasn't bad. They put me in an
MRI machine, and did a lot of pictures. Put in some different contrasts and such.
I had to get an IV... Fooey... I hate those things. Although I am so used to
them now, it is just like whatever, pick the vein you want. We had the test at
8:30 a.m., but we had to be there at 630!! Freaking early drive was killer,
because we live about an hour away from Indy. After the test we went and saw
Celeste, a convert of mine in the city. After that we went out to eat, and went
home. The plan from here on out, is to continue to take Oral Iron it seems and
also to try the new drink she has for me.
How are things going with
your investigators? The investigators are doing pretty good. Hopefully we can find
some more this week. Margarita, we have not been able to meet with her again,
because her husband has been working quite a bit and he needs to be there for
us to teach her. So hopefully this week we can get a hold of her and teach her
again. The 8 year old is named Santiago, he is a little boy. He is the son of an
active family. They want us to teach him though. I think Elder Trapp is going
to baptize him, which would be great for him. Santiago’s family is awesome they are
called the Rodriguez family, they are from Cancun, they have only been here for a
little time. I think like 3 months maybe. They are super nice. We are also teaching
the mom and daughter English. The daughter is 16 and reminds me a lot of
Brooklyn. She is super nice. I think of her as my little sister in this area.
That is neat that your
one investigator wants to be baptized in a River? Will the branch President approve it? Do you have a river that would work? Yea it is really cool that he wants to be
baptized in a river. We haven't gotten the permission from the Branch President
yet, because he is in Thailand till Thursday. Although by the sounds of it, he
won't really care. It would be so cold to do it in a river and freaking
awesome!! President Horton will do the baptism though I think. We have plenty
of rivers. We can find one, haha.
How was church on
Sunday? Do you have to translate in this
branch also or do you just get to participate in the meetings? Church was really good.
No one translates. So I just get to sit and listen which is nice. Unless a
white person comes who doesn't speak Spanish. Then I translate for them.
Something cool about my language though. I have now had several of the members
here ask me if I lived in Mexico or other places for a few years. I guess I
speak like I lived there for some time. So that was really cool. I even have
gotten people to believe I am from Mexico. A state there called Hidalgo,
hahahah, it always makes me laugh. They believe me sometimes too. Anyway,
enough with that.
How often do you have
District meeting? I have noticed on the
Indy page that some districts have themed meetings, do you theme yours? District meetings are
every week mom haha I swear I told you that... Anyway we have had a few. I don't
theme mine. I like to focus on some more spiritual things hahaha. So I just
don't do it.
How do you like working
with the sisters? The sisters are nice, they are not too bad to work with. They
are really fun, haha so I like them a lot. I feel like we are friends, but we
are still getting to know each other.
How often are you eating
with members/investigators in this new area? We get fed about 3 times a week or so.
What was your favorite
meal prepared for you this week? This week my favorite was probably omelettes or Tacos we had
with the Rodriguez family. They are so awesome mom hahaha. I really like that family. I
hope to keep in contact with them after my mission.
What is the weirdest or
most unusual Hispanic food you have been fed lately? Weirdest thing...
Nothing really, we had tacos with only peppers and onion and cheese. Those were
different, but really really good! Tacos are one of my favorites or Mole!
Although, I haven't gotten Mole for a while. I love good tacos though.
What kind of car are you
driving in this area? I am driving a gun metal colored Chevy Cruze. I really like it.
It is probably one of, if not my favorite mission car.
Have you eaten all of the
snacks from your package? I have eaten the hoho's. The R family helped me eat the
cookies. I also ate the honey candies. They are amazing!!! I loved them! We
need to learn how to make them. They are soooooo good!!!
What is the strangest or
bizarre thing you witnessed this week if any? This week, the most strange or bizarre thing...
I really have no idea. I can't think of anything. Although I was
able to fool Hermana Rodriguez into thinking I was engaged, hahahaha with my CTR
ring!!! That was really funny. Also, that I had been stabbed in my past by
showing her my port scar. It was awesome! She is really fun to mess with. I
really love that family, they are awesome. I really like everyone in this
branch, they are awesome!
Any spiritual experiences
stand out from the week? A spiritual experience I had this week.... hmmm.... I have a
lot. One was I was listening to a talk from an old GC and it said that every
person you touch on your mission will be forever grateful for everything you
have done for them. I hope this is true for those whom I have met. Also the
general authority said that every mission is specially formatted to help the
individual missionary grow the most. I really liked the talk. There were many
this week.
Daddy and I had a talk about trying harder to listen and pay
attention to impressions and not question where they come from, our own head or
the spirit, but to just act. Sometimes I get an impression and I doubt what I
should do and then the opportunity to serve is lost. I am
the same sometimes, with my thoughts and impressions. I have tried to make a
goal, when I feel an impression, to do whatever I feel at that moment. It then
later allows Heavenly Father to trust me with more of them.
Okay well I will wrap up with the spiritual thought. I was given a challeng/commitment to read the D&C
backwards, starting at 138 and ending at 1 of course. In the last 138 days of
my mission. I have been doing this and as I was reading today, I realized that
today is my 100 day. I have 100 days left in the mission. Including today. That
was a crazy thought for me. I remember when I reached day 100 on the mission.
It felt like I was on my way to bigger and better things... Let's just say I
may not feel 100% the same way ;) hahaha. It makes me sad to think it is coming
to an end... I know it has been worth every sacrifice and hard time. I was
reading a scripture in the D&C and came to a realization. It mentioned about
if necessary laying down one’s life for the Lord. I have never taken much
thought of it, because that does not happen much in these days. I then in a non-prideful
way got a feeling, that I had done it before in my life... I was confused and
started to think back. I was taken back to when I left the mission the first
time. I realized that, then and there, I would have laid down my life for this
Gospel. I wondered how I could have been so strong in that moment. I had almost
lost my life it seemed, and it has been but a small thing to me. I realized
that when we do hard things for the Lord we in reality are taking His yoke upon
us. I learned that He has already taken mine, and tries to take it every day.
The only reason He is not carrying all of it, is because I will not let Him.
The same goes for everyone. His yoke is easy and His burden light. It always
has been and always will be. What makes it seem so hard at times, is we want to
carry His and ours at the same time. This is nigh impossible. To live the life
of a true disciple we must be willing to sacrifice everything, our very soul if
need be. To bring to pass His great work. Christ has said, "For he who
loses his life for my sake shall find it..." Or something like that
anyway. There are times where we feel so strong and that we would lay down our
lives for this Gospel and what we believe. There are others where we cannot
even lay down the remote to answer the phone, let alone do his work... I know
for I have been in both places it seems. As have we all I feel. The thing is we
may never ALWAYS feel ready to lay down our lives for this work. Joseph Smith a
far better man than I will ever be, at the end, when balls were flying and
death was at the door, ran for the window. He did not want to die; he had so much
to live for, as do we all. So how and why do we expect others and ourselves to
have the conviction to lay down their life at all times, when we do not even
comprehend the full magnitude of it, nor may we ever. There was only one man
who ever did and He gave his life, and took it again. So that one day we may
follow in His footsteps. I have felt the waves of conviction in my life. We all
have. Our goal is to have it be a constant flow of waves not one great Tsunami
that comes in one great wave only too seep back in the ocean from wens it came.
I am trying to be more dedicated and have more conviction so that when my time
comes to return to the normal walk of life. I can do so with arms held high
knowing that even though this stage of my journey may be done. I will forever
hold its memories in my heart and the lessons it taught me as clothes on my
back. Maybe a better word should be Armor ;) I hope to be like I was in the
hospital those days when I was willing to lay down my life for what I believed.
Maybe my conviction then wasn't even that strong, although I felt it was. I
hope to obtain that once again, and do my best to have it the rest of my life,
and if not, at least know I have increased in conviction in some small
way.
Well This letter has gotten long. I hope that someone gets
something out of it. If not it is nice to write what I feel at times. So I feel
that I get things out of it. Well I love you all so much and hope that this
week is filled with so many blessings, that you can "scarce but take them
in". I love you and can't wait to hear from you next week.
Love, Elder Paxman
Hopefully this wasn't too preachy. I do not feel as though it
was, but sometimes my judgement can be off. Well love you and hope to hear from
you soon!
No comments:
Post a Comment