Friday, November 21, 2014

Semana De Intercambios

Wow... What a week family and friends.... Drained from all the spiritual experiences I am having here in the great city of Iquique... I have to literally ask myself why I`m so blessed to have grown so much here in these past months everyday. I can only show a small portion of my love to my Father in Heaven through giving it my all. For that reason it came to a point a few weeks ago where it hit me that the mission ends.... Talking with a few good friends the thought came to my mind whether it would be better to plan for the mission after life right now, or the last month of my mission. As hard as it was for me, and with lots of prayer, I came to the conclusion... and now I`m free.... I`m free of that thought of what do I do when I get home... I'm free to work these last 4 months the best I can. No distractions of the future. Just finding, teaching, getting our investigators married, baptizing, confirming, and doing everything in my power to keep them active and progressing.... That's my focus right now. Plans are made, mind is clear. It's better that way I felt. I don`t know why I thought to share that with you, but there it is.

I would like to start this email to yal with a few of the experiences of some intercambios I had with 3 amazing missionaries this past week. Intercambios are where I grow as a leader more. It not only gives me the ability to share stories of success with some of the younger missionaries, but also its a time to reevaluate myself and if i`m really implementing my time and literally everything I do, every lesson I have, in the best way possible. And obvio to help the missionaries see if they are doing the same, and if they aren`t, help them, with all the love in my heart, to start doing it. We have some Baller District Leaders here in the zone Iquique. All it comes down to what I have to teach them is that If we are obeying what President Dalton has taught us or not. If we are implementing the tools our amazing President has given us, we will see success, we will reach our goal of 240 Baptisms monthly here in the mission Chile Antofagasta. And that is what I saw with my intercambios. That Elder Ngatai, a missionary with 10 months in the mission, first time as District Leader, from Orem, Utah, is doing. He has all the Animo to get the things rolling in his sector and also to help those in his district. The same with Elder Cloward, also from Orem, Utah. I live with him, and we have came  close these past few weeks. Baseball player and Golfer and A bowler like me... We are the same person.... He has 7 months in the mission and as well his first time as District Leader... I learn so much from these young guns here in the mission. I always tell myself, to be like them, Always be one of those missionaries with the young spirit, the faith of baptizing the city that they have, that's what I need, and I love working along side some of these Elders for a Day or 2 to see the Animo rub off on me. 2 amazing intercambios that I will apply now into my work as a missionary to become even more blessed and see even more success here in Lynch. 

The last Intercambio was a special one.... I was able to work with a missionary who has 20 months in the mission like me, one of the Assistants to our President, Elder Palomino, from Cali, Columbia... 27 year old, always smiling, Speaks Fluent English... Amazing amazing missionary.. I will cherish what he taught me and how I felt walking along side him Saturday and all of Sunday. The cool thing about that was that him and his companion Elder Mangum were able to sleep in our pension FridaySaturday, and Sunday night, spending lots of time with us... Soooo great catching up with my Amigo Eterno Elder Mangum. So great to see how far we`ve come, and the relationship we have. Great intercambios this week. We saw miracles, that will take too long to explain them all, but know that I am changed from this past week full of intercambios and learning experiences. Wow.... Just wow...

Our Sector is exploding. With the extra focus in the only numbers we will be counting as a mission of baptisms, confirmations, fechas, Inv. in church, Lessons with Member Present, and New Investigators... We had amazing Results this past week, and to finish off the week of hard hard work finding a complete family of a mom and 3 daughters who all accepted to be baptized the 13th of December.... Amazing... Just amazing... I`m happy... The Lord blesses us when we are obedient.. 

The Zone Iquique is amazing all 24 missionaries are full of Faith and Animo to see success. We will be seeing 3 baptisms in the zone this next week, and here in our sector Thyare will be baptized this Saturday. She is amazing, so prepared and ready to make this step in her life. We are excited to see another Baptism here in the Sector. I still love my Companion Elder Còmena, Such a funny little Peruvian. I still see my best friend Tyler Strehlow everytime I see him. Focused and ready to baptize this City. Love you all so much

Elder Paxman 








Monday, November 10, 2014

Gorgeous Iquique

Familia Y Amigo, Donde Empiezo?¿? 
 
What a great Semana of getting to know my new sector here in Lynch, Iquique even more. By far thee most gorgeous sector I have been in. My sector is literally on the beach. Our pension as well. We live on the beach. It smells like fish all the time, but its something I'm worth sacrificing. Right outside of our pension there are lines of booths selling shark, fish, other sea monsters. As we go more inland, like I said last week, I feel like I'm downtown Miami, or if you can picture Downtown Disneyland where all the small shops and stuff are with the train tracks in the middle of the street, with the happy, tourist feeling... That's how I feel as I walk down the Main Street in my sector. Giant English looking buildings that somehow turn into houses as you knock the door. I'm lost at times just because of the elequince of the sector. The feel of the big buildings, New York rush as we walk down the streets. 
 
Something I have noted is that the people are more happy, more outgoing than they were the past 6 months in Antofagasta. A different feel and attitude to the people, I love it. With living in downtown Iquique we do have a lot of crazies in the street, but that's nothing I'm new to from what Chile has shown me especially coming from such a Flaite-Ghetto sector in Antofagasta. The crazy people are our friends haha. The one thing about working here and living in this downtown feel is that the ward is a floating ward, which refers to members coming and going, Which means baptisms but a little bit difficult for the members to stay for a while, but that doesn't stop us from giving this ward the best with our time here. The members we do have are amazing, hungry to work and bring family members and friends to church without us asking. Great Member Missionaries which means lots of work for us to do. 

Our Papito (Person who cooks for us) is a recent convert of my companion Elder Còmena and his previous Companion. The hard thing with coming to a new sector is that the members and investigators are always super sad to see a new face and not the missionary they are used to, but that's where the Elder Paxman Charm comes into place;) Jk Jk Lol....... But ya, I would have to say that is the hardest thing about missionary work for me right now... hahaha, It just goes to show HOW much I love being a missionary and have no complaints, If that's the hardest thing for me.. I'm doing pretty good. MY ANIMO IS HIGH. My companion Elder Còmena is a baller... literally reminds me of my best friend Tyler... Literally exactly the same... Except Elder Còmena never stops laughing hahaha Never! it makes me Laugh even more.. It is so funny when In a lesson and He Switches Immediately from his normal laugh-joking self to a Spiritual Giant.... hahaha It's hard for me to take him serious when we are in lessons.... I love the kid. I know I always say that the first week of transfers and then sometimes at the end of the cambio I don`t feel the same, but it's impossible with Elder Còmena hahah. My Little Peruvian Pal Pe. 

We were able to see the fruits of working hard this past week with 7 investigators in church, with 4 Fechas Bautismales. We have a baptism coming up this 22nd of Nov. A 16 year old whose mom recently is getting reactivated, Her name is Thyare (In English Tiari) The family is awesome, Thyare is prepared. 

We were able to find 5 new families this past week, Miracles. A few of them are ready and waiting for this message we had. Once again the feeling of someone getting to hear this message for the first time will never get old. La Restauraciòn Del Evengelio De Jesucristo. I love being a missionary. 

About 30 minutes away from Iquique on top of the giant hill is a city called Alto Hospico and that is where you will find my best friend Elder Sargent. I was able to see him a few times this past week, I love that Kid. We are in the same mission for a reason, I need him and he needs me cause I`m awesome. ;) Te Quiero Elder Sargent, He`s a Zone Leader as well and on that daily grind. 

This past week was time for my favorite meeting in all the mission we have, the Leadership council where all the Zone Leaders and Hermanas Lideres Entrenadores go to Antofagasta and hear the revelation from our President Dalton. I love the meeting being able to spend some time with my fellow ZL`s seeing some of the greatest friends I have made here in the mission, We were able to clarify some new rules and Asuntos here in the mission, Now we are only going to be reporting 5 Numbers to our Leaders. Baptisms, Baptismal Dates, Lessons With a Member Present, Investigators in the Sacrament meeting, and New Investigators... This will help the Mission Chile Antofagasta focus more on the correct purpose that we have. I'm Super excited to see the Success that we are going to see here in the mission to help the missionaries really focus on the end goal for the investigators. I receive more revelation in the leadership council than any other meeting. It was also amazing to see the new assistant of the Mission Chile Antofagasta My Boy Elder Tanner Mangum. I love the mission. Looking for the prepared people to give this message to. I miss you all.

Elder Mason C. Paxman
 
 







Wednesday, November 5, 2014

Bringing the Faith to Iquique!!!!

Cambios... Gotta love em. I was transferred to by far the most beautiful city I have been to here in the North of Chile. The city is called Iquique. Google it. Gorgeous. Right on the beach. My Sector is insane, downtown, I literally feel like I'm in Miami. The beaches are insane, some of the best ones down here in South America. A huge tourist city. I fell in love with this city from the second I got off the bus. I'm still a Zone Leader and from the looks of it will most likely finish my mission here in Iquique. My companion is such a funny Guy hahah Elder Còmena. From Perù! I love the kid, He reminds me so much of my Boy Tyler Strehlow, IGUALITO. I'm so stoked for I hope these 2 cambios With him. The zone is the biggest zone in the mission, 24 missionaries. My last zone only had 16, so the good thing is, more Baptisms here in the zone.

As my President told me I was sent here to bring back the faith to the city of Iquique. Lots of missionaries lack faith that they can find prepared people, There is a reason I'm here with Elder Còmena and I are together. He`s got the vision and the faith and I learned from the best about that topic (Elder Mangum (The new Assistant of the Mission Chile Antofagasta)) WE BE BRINGING FAITH BACK TO IQUIQUE BABYYY. I am soo stoked to be here and can`t wait to get to know the sector - Ward - Investigators. I love Cambios for this part but Also was just as hard as it was to say goodbye to Tierra Amarilla as it was to say goodbye to Antofagasta... Especially Dayanna and Her Family and some of the families that I Grew to love... The Fomè(Lame) about the Mission. But The Mission must go on.

Straight Miracles happened these past few weeks in Antofagasta. Investigators popping out of nowhere, prayers said and being answered for them about the true church.... Amazing... Just amazing... I'm going to miss my home town Antofagasta. A total of 9 months there in my mission. But like I said, the faith is now here in Iquique and I am so ready to find those people that the Lord has prepared for Elder Còmena and I to find.

Chilean Halloween was lame. Just half the people fighting the other half of the people that Halloween is the Devils holiday. Obviously if we tell our kids its the Devils holiday they will believe it, but if we tell them it's about candy and dressing up it's not bad.... Whatever... It's not a very popular holiday here in Chile.

I'm happy, full of animo (excitement) for this new city, new comp, new opportunity. I miss you all and I'm focused! Mom you`re the best.