First of all Tierra Amarilla was the sector that changed me... I will never forget the amazing people-branch that changed my mission. It was really tough to say goodbye to some of my greatest friends. Like Andres, Ximena and Alleen, Mamita and all her daughters, Bastian, the dogs in the street.... Literally everything. I love that city so much. A family gave me a Tierra Amarilla jersey, It was the best gift I have ever received.. Other than the gift of birth, thanks Mom. *High Five*
Alright first of all my companion.... I can´t explain
much... He is thee best missionary I have ever met in the existence of
my life... He is going to be finishing his mission in 2 transfers so
most likely I will be killing him... Not literally don´t worry...
Missionary term for his last companion. He served in Bolivia for 3
months waiting for his Visa for his real mission call to Venezuela then
his mission In Venezuela got shut down about 3 months ago so he was
reassigned to THE BEST MISSION IN THE WORLD, Chile Antofagasta. It's funny
he always tells me stories of his ¨First Mission¨ or ¨Second Mission¨
hahah. He actually extended his mission a month because he wanted to learn English... So we try to speak a lot of English in the pension for
him. He is one of the best teachers I have ever met and he just has a
gift for being a missionary. I honestly feel like I'm a new missionary
again.
First of all being Zone Leader over 16 missionaries and also
trying to learn the be at the level of Elder Choque. I feel honored but
also like I'm not living up to my calling at times. I am not gonna lie...
I was a terrible missionary before. Getting here and seeing how obedient, how he teaches, how he acts, is really just on a WHOLE new
level of what a missionary should be. I am sooo excited to hopefully one
day get to his level. He was Assistant in his last mission right before
it got shut down so he really knows what he´s doing. I have never been
so tired. So obedient, my legs have never hurt so bad, for how hard we
are working. and it's only been a week. It's hard to explain of how my
mind set has changed in seeing what potential I have as a missionary and
how I haven´t been living up to it the past year of my mission. I know
Elder Choque is with me for a reason. I am starting from scratch on how
to REALLY be a missionary. I couldn´t be more excited. Elder Choque has 3
Siblings, 2 are return missionaries and he is from a place called Santa
Cruz Bolivia. The same city where all my Bolivian Converts are from. He
is awesome. We never have a dull moment together. Super super easy to
get along with. I´ve got a lot to learn.
Also like I said I'm living with
my BFF Elder Joseph Sargent. He´s quite the clown. It's awesome being
with him. I'm sitting right next to him right now. It's so weird telling
all the members that we were best friends growing up. We have a lot of
fun together. He is a great missionary that just hasn´t had the success
he deserves with the baptisms. But he has helped so many people. I love
the kid to death. He is a great District Leader!
Last week the mission had the sick opportunity to
hear from a quorum of the 70, Elder Spannous. He is from Argentina and it
was such an amazing experience. Too many things to write that I
learned. But he did leave us with a challenge to read the Book of Mormon
before September 1st
marking all the things that talk about Jesus Chirst, the Atonement, and the doctrine of the church. He promised us with a greater testimony of
the BoM and of Jesus Christ. So I started the Book of Mormon from the
start, I'm on Chapter 15 right now. I can already see the difference
from marking all those things. It really is another testament of Jesus Christ. I love that book so much.
Here in our Sector we are on the hunt. We don´t have
very many investigators that are progressing so we are doing lots of
activities to find new people. Something we are focusing on is going to
the Feria. It's like a yard sale except in the street and it's about 3
miles long of people selling clothes, food, random crap, and missionaries shining shoes for free and giving out free candy to hear
about our message :) hahah it's super fun. We have found some really good
prepared people through this and actually one of the people that we
shined his shoes came to church yesterday. MISH. (Chilean word for cool)
The Feria is a great place to find people. haha Elder Sargent and I got
a Chilean Kiss (on the Cheek) and offered 1 Luca (2 Dollars) from an
old lady who really likes to hear the word of God hahah it was super
funny.
Our pension (house we live in) is on the 3rd story.
We live above our Mamita, and recently they built a new Level for us
missionaries. We call it the Tree House because of how small it is and
how high we are and how freezing it is in the morning and just how much
fun it is hahahah. The whole pension is as big as my room back in Tierra
Amarilla. I can walk from one side to the other in 9 steps (I tested it
out haha). All 4 of us sleep in the same room with our beds right next
to each other and then our kitchen is our living room as well and then
the bathroom. We actually have hot water so that makes me happy :) We are
super close with the Elders living in the pension cause we literally do
everything right next to each other. Elder Sargent and I have fun
living with 2 Latins. Elder Sargent´s comp is from Santiago Chile. The
Pension is right next to a busy busy street but I'm already used to
hearing car alarms and big buses passing by. It's like the movies when
you think of New York City... I'm living in New York! Our Mamita cooks
soooo delicious!
Our Sector is super super flaite, or in English terms, ghetto. Elder Sargent has had some crazy experiences here and
there are very very bad living conditions for the people here. It is a
very humble part of Antofagasta. The very most northern part of Antofa.
There are lots of crimes that happen here and it's just super flaite
haha I like it a ton. It makes for cool pictures. Our Sector is also a
giant hill. We walk so much up and down the hill haha My legs are
getting a burn! But it's all good. The Sector is right next to where I
started the Mission, about 10 minutes walking I can be in my first
Sector. I have already seen 1 person I knew from a year ago. It's
awesome.
Antofagasta is gorgeous the sunsets are out of this
world. It's so gorgeous being right next to the beach. I love it here. It actually rained on Thursday
for the 2nd time in my mission. Funny thing is the first time it rained
in my mission I was right next door here a year ago in Antofagasta. It
was actually raining pretty hard which sucks for the people here cause
their houses just aren't made for rain. Lots of damage was done. But It's
only water... I have fleas right now. The first night here and lately I've
been getting bit sooo much I think they are in my bed.. My stomach is
full of bites haha I think its kinda funny I hope I don´t die. I´ll
spray my bed today.. Darn fleas... hahah
The ward is doing great about 80 people are coming
every week, There have been some bad disobedient missionaries here in
the past so we have gained a lot of confidence with the members and
especially the Bishop lately. The Bishop is super super good very direct
with the members, maybe too direct but he wants them to work. Now that
the Zone Leaders recently started being in this Sector the Bishop has
more confidence in us. Our investigators are awesome we have 2 that want
to get baptized so bad they just have to get married first... Chile for
ya... We are working hard with them to get them over to the government building and get them married. They are so prepared I love it. The
Sector and the mission is great. Sorry this was a long email. Lots to
say. Love you all so much. I'm happy. I'm excited to learn so much from
Elder Choque, my new Companion. I'm a new Missionary!!
Mom You´re the Best
Elder Paxman
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