Tuesday, January 13, 2015

Cerro De Dragon

Como están Familia y mis Amigos,

Great week. The Iquique, Lynch is booming. So many investigators who are really just being dropped from the Heavens prepared. A few of them went to church without us even knowing them. Miracles happening of getting calls from random people telling us they want us to tech English to their whole family, and turns out they are more receptive to the Gospel than to the small English class I gave. Now they only want to hear the lessons from us hahah. Really we are just seeing blessings here. I don`t think I have prayed so hard in my life for prepared people... The majority of the people we find need to get married so at this point in my mission, as my President told me in our interview on Friday, "Just because you won`t see these people get baptized doesn`t mean they aren`t your Eternal Friends, Up until the last name and address you write down, the very last day of your mission, those people will come up to you in the Celestial Kingdom and thank you Elder Paxman, for helping them". President Dalton has his way of always saying the exact things I need to hear. The interview was needed and we talked about a lot of other things to keep me motivated and I`m good now... working, finding those Eternal Friends. Writing down names and addresses. But like I was saying.. My prayers are being answered. I have so much faith and trust in the Lord. It's incredible what he knows I need each point in my life. I am so weak, it's so hard for me to accept why I am the way I am, but I know the Lord has it that way for a reason. It's not meant to be easy. And trust me it's still not easy. All this time in the mission, and I still have not overcame some of my biggest weaknesses, the most important weaknesses, The most Notable from the people around me; but Like Elder Palomino told me the other day, the atonement is meant for situations like that. I`m learning more and more, sometimes the same things over and over about the atonement daily. The flesh is weak. I`m imperfect but I know the Lord has me the way I am for a reason. I`m very content with the fight I'm on, That daily grind like Elder Sargent always says #ShoutoutMonday I don`t know if that Paragraph made any sense but ya.. it's how I feel. I am forever greatful for my weaknesses the Lord has gave me to overcome. I am forever greatful for this mission, the only way I could have come to know of these weaknesses.

The investigators who are progressing most are The Familia Cáceres, Marraige We hope is on the way, Alejandro (Brazilian) he is going to Bolivia but will return soon, Carlos (He randomly showed up to church with his daughter yesterday and he is very receptive, looking for a change in his life), Sandy (Complicated Situation), Maria (Finally we made a leap with her, We talked about the Family History and baptisms for the dead, eyes and hearts where opened in that lesson. So amazing the spirit felt talking about how her son who recently passed away how she can see him again. I see a great future with her), La Familia Paucar (English Class Miracle)... hahah I just realized that everyone on that list except for the Familia Càceres are from another country other than Chile hahaha thats how the Misión Chile Antofagasta is... We teach sooooo many foreigners hahah, I love Bolivians and Peruvians but of course Chileans also :) Success is happening here in Iquique. We are working so hard. Keeping the vision in mind. 

After writing my email last week, I got stuck reflecting on 2014, my only full year in the mission... How grateful I will forever be for what I learned, experienced, saw, lived, etc.. in 2014. My Companions in 2014, Elders Mangum, Malan, Choque, Antonio, Mendez, Cómena, and Contreras. The Families I met, Eternal Friends I made... It's impossible for someone to put into words. I just want yal to know, I will never forget most likely the most important full year of my life. 

I would like to wish a very happy birthday to my lovely sister Ciera Lancaster, and my homie brother Zack Markel. !Cumpleaños Feliz (FELIZ FELIZ) Te Deseamos a Ti (A TI A TI) Cumpleaños Ciera y Zack, Que los cumplas Feliz. The Chilean birthday song. Eat extra Cake for me. Love you both (Someone show this to Zack, I know he doesn`t read my Emails haha.) How old is he? 16? 

Today we visited the Famous Cerro de Dragon (Dragon Hill) here in Iquique. We had a fun time with a few recent converts and other missionaries... A giant hill full of sand overlooking all of Iquique. We had a great time, My Camera Fell in the Sand haha oops... It wont turn on haha Silly Elder Paxman, I used my Fanny Pack all day, haha I`m funny. After we ate at the Agro (Giant Garage sale, Food, Cualquier Cosa Allí, Demasiado difícil a explicarlo en Ingles) we also went to this theater that we have passed by everyday not knowing that it existed... Such a cool old theater, it made me think of Phantom of the Opera. I love getting to know the cool places in this amazing country of Chile. Chi Chi Chi Le Le Le Viva Chile! (Fotos Included)

Elder Paxman
 






 

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