#Hi

Hello People,

The weeks seem to just fly by. It feels like it's only been a few days since I wrote to you all. That's a good thing and a bad thing at the same time. Well all is well, nothing to complain about. I had a baptism this Saturday, Kaimy Elisibeth Muños Castillo. She is an adorable little 9 year old. She is the step daughter of our young mens president and her mom is very active. Why she wasn't baptized still confuses me.. But that's where the missionaries come in. So we asked her this week if she wanted her step dad to baptize her. She said no. Then we asked if she wanted the bishop or the counselors. She said no. Then we asked if Elder Martinez. She said no. Then we asked if she wanted Elder Paxman (That's me by the way) and she jumped up and yelled "of course I do!!!" hahaha She is such a cute little girl. So I was able to baptize her this Saturday. The ward was very confused why I was in the font and not the step dad or the bishop... Oh drama.... Oh well.... Who cares.... Not me... I'm just here to save souls. So that was basically our week.  Kaimy was confirmed on Sunday and also Javiera from last week because we baptized her after church last Sunday so we couldn't confirm her. So this week was a good one. We have 1 or 2 potential investigators hopefully we can baptize on the 27th of this month. All is good though.

Something miraculous happened the other day... Here in Chile we are in winter and guess what... It rained..... IT NEVER RAINS HERE. So flippin amazing. Except when I use the word rain I really mean drizzle... But the gente here NEVER see rain so people were going crazy haha. Some missionaries go 2 years without seeing rain. Nothing much else went on. We are teaching lots of lessons. My Spanish is really coming along and today we are headed to a small little town called Mejillones and the whole zone is going to do a zone attack. 14 Missionaries in one little zone knocking all the doors trying to find some new investigators for the zone. Hahah it should be fun. We are gonna go there, play some soccer, and eat Churipan... (Mini Hot Dog thingys) and then do the attack. It should be fun. 

This week I had the opportunity to teach the law of tithing twice. So I wanted to share that with all of you, the importance of tithing. I think in Malachi 3 it talks about the importance of tithing and how God gives us so many blessings the least we can do is help out the church with 10%. The blessings we receive from tithing will overpower that 10% and we will really be earning blessings in the long run. The church is growing in the world and they need the money to build the church buildings and temples and basically everything to make the church function. That is something Chile has a lot of problems with. People are poor here and giving up their money is difficult for them. But what I stress when I teach it is the blessings that will come from paying. Ya okay I'm done. 

Always try to love everyone. It's REALLY hard for me right now but it's something that makes life easier. Love you all.

Elder Paxman

Baptism, Spanish, Mamita and Completos

Hola Familia, Este Semana was good we had a baptism this Sunday and she is going to get confirmed next Sunday. We also have another baptism Saturday, Kaime and Leonardo. Leo is 21 and me and him have became really good friends. It's very rare you see a man above the age of 17 get baptized here in Chile. There is just so many things that these people are accustomed to doing and trying to change their life is difficult. But Leo has put everything he has into quit smoking and the law of chastity. That's an especially hard thing to get teenagers and young adults to stop. But Leo is a stud and wants me to baptize him this week so I am stoked for that. Kaime is 9 years old and is the daughter of the Young Mens President.... Ya I know.... The church in South America doesn't work the same way it does in the states... That's something I'm getting used to. People are very laid back and chill here and don't take the importance of getting baptized seriously.. so that's where the Missionaries come in haha.

My Spanish is really really improving. My spelling of it is terrible. Sorry for that but oh well. Having to speak it all day every day really helps me out with learning. I know the Lord has His help with me as well. I bore my testimony in church yesterday (In Spanish, ya crazy I know). A good thing here in church is that whenever members go up to bear their testimony they always talk about how the members need to help the investigators because almost all of the members are converts of less than 20 years because the church here is pretty new. So that helps so much when we have investigators in church with us and the members are bearing their testimony of the importance of our investigators. Other than that it's really hard to get references from them for their family members who aren't members hahah. Oh well, thats Chile for ya. 

Oh P.S. family, Tyler Strehlow (my best friend if you didnt know) signed to play baseball at Salt Lake Community College... What a freakin stud right. He is so excited to play college ball, so everyone congratulate him hahah. Ya okay.

We got a mamita this month. A mamita is a ward member who cooks for us so that's chill. I don't like it haha I like having the freedom to eat however much I want and save a lot more money for food. Oh by the way I re watched the missionary broadcast thing and I saw flippin Katelyn St. John.... So awesome hahah. I want her email to email her. So someone help me out with that. Oh Happy Birthday Chase. You're a stud. Dont get Trunky ;) 

I get bored a lot of the times walking so I start singing in the street in English. That might be why people think the Mormons are weird... Oh well... There are also these things that I love, they are called completos. They are basically a hot dog except 10,000 times better. I will never eat a hot dog again because of completos. They are a hot dog with guacamole, tomatoes and mayo stacked on to it.... You have no idea how amazing they are. I´ll cook them for you all in 2 years. Also, empanadas, but that's a different story. You better be ready for some amazing food in 2 years. Anyway, ya I think that's all I'm gonna write about.... Love you all. Go read 3 Nephi 27:16-21. It's my favorite scripture to use to set fetchas (baptismal dates) with investigators. 

Elder Paxman

Chile

Hey people. Sorry I don't have much time. My companion is really fervent on being here for only an hour and responding to 18 e-mails is hard (cough cough why am I so popular cough cough). Jk that was a joke. Anyways, this probably won't make any sense because I don't have much time. Sorry. Everything is good though. My companion, Elder Martinez, is pretty chill. Let's just say that Gringos and Latins have a COMPLETE different culture. The things they find normal are things that might really get on our nerves but it's just the way they are. My Zone leaders, who I live with, are really struggling to get along with him but he it's just a diffirent culture that Gringos and Latins have. All is well. I love him. I go forever without speaking any English. I'm learning Spanish so fast with him. Most times when I don't know how to say something in Spanish I just want to say it in English and have my companion interpret it but he can't cause he doesn't speak any English, so it's frustrating but also very good for me to force myself to learn.

We were riding on a Mecro today and I had an ultimate test of spanish... A couple of cute snakes (teenagers who are in love with Gringo Missionaries aka Me) ;) started talking to us. Usually you want to stay away from the snakes but I felt like I deserve to talk to a few girls since it's been so long. We started talking and they believed me that me and Justin Bieber are really good friends and we even called Justin Bieber and the snakes talked to him hahah. We called some other missionaries and told them to pretend to be JB.... sad Chilean people..... they are a sad people ahahah. I can understand so much more and it's weird cause I feel more comfortable talking to cute girls then actual people hahah I was able to keep a conversation with them for about 20 minutes on the bus. Pure Spanish... All the practice with talking with girls at home really payed off huh ;) They asked for my number within the first 45 seconds... I still got it.... hahaha

About the missionary broadcast last week. Well I had to listen to it in Spanish so I couldn´t catch everything that was being said but I do know that we aren't able to use Facebook in this mission just yet. Sad day... Who knows with the new president coming in last week. He might change the rules but for now, it's the same for us here. At the end of most days I'm so completely dead because it's really hard to interpret Spanish all day. It's a tough process and hurts my head a lot hahah. In the streets at night and especially on weekends the drunk people really really like talking to us... There are a lot of drunk people. It's weird they never want to talk to us during the day when we are trying to get in their house but when they are drunk they love us hahah.

I've been reading the Bible. That's something I wish I did at home. Most people here are Catholic and so knowing the Bible I know exactly what to show them to show that they aren't in the true church. That's not what I do but I just dont get it. They believe the Bible and yet in the Bible it explains exactly why their church isn't the true church.... silly people.

Elder Martinez is a finder of little kids. We have 4 baptism fetchas for this month and they are all under the age of 11... It's not my style and personally I think its chanta to look for little kids, but they are souls too and they need to be baptized so that's chill. Missionaries work different and he is senior comp so he is in charge hahh. All is well though. Just trying to save some souls.

I bought a new jacket. I look real good in it... okay ya that's all I think... love you all :)

Elder Paxman

New Companion

Hola people. 

I don't know where to start and I have a lot of e-mails to write  back to. My companion is a flippin stud, we are still in the honeymoon stage but I'm doing everything I can to serve him. Elder Martinez. He is from Ecuador. He has been out on the mission for 7 months and he is a convert of just 3 and a half years. That helps so much when we are in lessons and trying to help our investigators change because he is proof that you can. He is so good at teaching and getting to know the investigators on a personal level, so they are comfortable to share with us. He is a straight up capo. I can´t speak English anymore hahah. He knows zeroooo English so at times I get frustrated trying to understand him and I'm sure it's the same for him with me being patient with me and my Spanish, but honestly this is the best thing for my Spanish. I'm learning sooooo much because I HAVE to hahah. We found 4 possible baptisms this week while touching doors. When the companionship is obedient you can really see the blessings. In just one week with him I can see so many blessings. I know my sector pretty well now. It's one of the smallest sectors in the mission and I've been here for 7 weeks so all is good. Hopefully things keep going up. 

I live with my zone leaders and they know that my best friend, Joey Sargent is coming in next cambio so they are telling EVERYONE that I'm ready to train...... A gringo who has 2 cambios NEVER trains hahahah but how awesome would that be if I trained Joey. So the assistants are aware and they are basically running the mission  because we get our new president in 4 days. So hey I could be the first Gringo to train hahahaha, LETS DO IT hahahah. 

We have 2 fetchas for baptisms right now. Leo is 21 and he loves me, not to brag or anything hahah. He is awesome. He is the boyfriend of the daughter of my last baptism, so this week we met with him and taught him the importance of baptism. He said he doesn't feel ready but he reallly wants me to baptize him :) so I bore my testimony very very strong spirit and basically said, "as a representative of Jesus Christ, I'm telling you, you are ready." Como Un Represente de Jesucristo, Yo se que usted es listo, Yo se... that's what I said and I have never felt the spirit more strong. That's not even the correct way to say it in Spanish but my point got across to him. He accepted the fetcha and is getting baptised the 13th of Julio. Such an awesome experience to set my first Fetcha:):) We found a few other active 9 and 10 year old members in the church where their parents just haven't baptized them.... Why you ask.... That's Chile for ya.... hahaha complete blessings that we are finding these amazing people to baptize. Gotta flippin love it!!!!!!

Whenever we are in a lesson people see me as the new gringo so they make fun of me for not being able to understand and stuff and its frustrating but it's not like I can't understand EVERYTHING they say. If someone is speaking for a long time I know the topic they are talking about. It's getting better, especially with my new companion having to speak allllll day in spanish. 

The people that told me it's always hot here lied. We are just now getting into winter and the mornings are FREEZING. I get bundled up in my scarf and jacket and blanket hahah. All is well. 

When people ask where I'm from I tell them I'm from Colorado hahah because all Gringos are from Utah so its the " Favorica" so they automatically hate you if you are from Utah. So I say I am from Colorado but I'm studying in Utah hahahha, darn Utah Mormons. Also I get really confused on how many people to say are in my family. It takes me a while to explain... I have a confusing family hahaha. Anyway, I dont have a lot of time. I love you all so much. Thank you for everything. I'm doing well. Hard to believe I have been out 3 months.

Elder Paxman

Cambios

Well Hello Family! Today is cambio day. I was thiking that I would be staying with my Papito Elder Smith but it looks like he is going to a different sector. He is not very happy about that at all.... He wanted to die here in Centenario so he is kinda upset he is leaving but I have mixed emotions hahah. I love him to death and am gonna miss him. He only has 4 weeks left in the mission so he is gonna die with someone else. My new companion is Elder Martinez. He is from Ecuador and doesnt speak ANY English hahahha. I'm in trouble hahahah. Nah, I'm just kidding. I'm super super excited to be forced to learn Spanish with him. He's gonna be my Senior Companion but I'm gonna show him around the sector for the first few days cause I know our sector pretty well. I'm excited but nervous because I cant understand or talk Spanish very well. But it will be good for me. He should be coming in about 8 o' clock tomorrow morning.

This week was alright. Still trying to find my place here in Chile but everything is alright. Don't worry about me. This week was good. We wanted to try some new things to find some investigators so what we did was had an open house out in front of the church and did street contacts to everyone that walked by hahah. We asked them if they would want to come take a tour of the church. We hate working in the mornings and knocking doors all morning without getting in so we tried this and it really was successful. We found some good new investigators and got them to come to church through the open house. It sure took me out of my comfort zone of walking up to EVERYONE in the street and getting to know them and ask them if they wanted to hear about our church. That's what the mission does to you. It makes you get out of your comfort zone. Let's just say I'm pretty much a pro at getting rejected and doors slammed in my face haha. Gotta love it. We have one good progressing investigator, the boyfriend of the daughters mom we just baptized. He came to church by himself yesterday and asked Elder Smith straight up what he has to do to be baptized.... Obedience brings miracles, so hopefully Elder Martinez and I can close the deal this Thursday with him. I love to baptize. That's why I'm here and that's what I'm gonna do. 

The culture here in Chile is really hard to transition to but its very fun and weird to see how these people function. If you see 13 and 14 year olds walking around pregnant, thats normal. You're not normal here if you dont have a baby by the time you're 17. Its just the way they are. The way they expect to be... its sooo sad. These women have 4 kids by the time they are 23 and the husbands RARELY stay. Its so sad to see but so common here. As well as drugs here. Kids start smoking and drinking when they are 12 and 13 years old.... It's just the culture here. They think its normal to be having sex and drinking as a 14 year old. It hurts me to see these kids ruining their lives. So most of our investigators have a big problem with the Law of Chastity and the Word of Wisdom, but all we can do is invite them to come unto Christ. 

Thanks for the love. Pray for me. I'll pray for you. Miss you all tons.

Con Amor Elder Paxman

 

Rough Week

Hello Family and Best friends,

Pretty rough week, Hope everything is good with you all. I love you all so much. Thank you for all the support you´ve given me. I got my first baptism. This church is true.

Elder Paxman

Po...

Hello everyone. Im sitting in a Jumbo right now... it's like a Wal Mart. It's the first time ive seen actual American food so you can understand my excitement.... It's the first time I've seen Dr. Pepper..... Ya, I might have possibly over spent hahah. I flippin love Dr, Pepper.. I spent 26 Mil, which comes out to be like 52 dollars, but its okay because the first 3 weeks I was here I only spent 3.7 Mil (7dollars) on food because I had noooo idea what was going on hahaha silly Mason....So for that reason I have a loooot of extra money from last month. So i decided to go all out today now that I sorta know what's going on in life around me... not completely but a little....

The Baptism this week fell through again... I'm still really upset about it soooo I just will avoid the subject.... but this week we have Aliza... she is so perfect. She bore her testimony this week in church. She has been going to church for 12 years and she just got married on Friday so she said, "Now that I'm married, nothing will stop me from getting baptized." She is so awesome. We spent Friday helping her get ready for her wedding, so this saturday she will be getting baptized!!!! My first one. I'm super excited. 

The love I have for these people is really insane.... I hated everyone back at home... that was a joke... sorta. I just always loved being by myself and hated to talk to people. But since I've been on my mission I have gained such an amazing love for the people and want nothing more than for them to be baptized... That's why I'm here is to invite others to come unto Christ. And that is where I find all my happiness here is through the people. I've always asked myself why return missionaries or members of the church aren't out everyday showing that same love to people. Why aren't you still baptizing people after the mission? And I believe that it is because of me being SET APART as a missionary. I have a power right now and it gives me the ability to love and to care for these people. It's so amazing the feelings I have while I'm teaching the people. All I want is for them to be happy. Even the little kids who swear at me in the streets. I flippin love them hahaha.

I dont know if it's all of Chile, but here in the north they have very poor living conditions. Beat up houses, tiny tiny rooms, and yet amazingly you'll see the same houses with flat screen TVs and they ALL have iPhones hahaha it's quite funny to see where their priorities are. hahah. Thank you so much family for my birthday package. I believe everything got safe to me. I absolutely LOVED everything in there. So thank you sooo much. I had a great great birthday. The members and my companion took care of me very well. I'm using my candy as motivation. I'm not eating it until I complete my goal of 5 baptisms. And then I'll eat the next one when I get 10 baptisms haha. 

Chileans speech is very confusing at times. They have a lot of different slang words than Mexico and Argentina. It's like the US having all of our crazy slang words. So it's fun to learn them and to say them hahaha. The common ones are bacán which pretty much means cool. I tend to say that a lot. Another is Qué Foamy (That might not be how you spell it), which means "How Lame" hahaha. I like that one. And another one they say a lot is "Pucha" which is like "shucks, or shoot" And also one more is "Flayte" which is like the hood, or the thug part of town or how someone dresses is Flayte hahaha. I live where it is very Flayte hahah. Something that EVERY FLIPPING Chilean says is "Po".... Yes Po, It has no meaning... they just say it after their sentences.... Its so random and it was so hard for me to understand what they were saying because they talk so fast. They dont say the "S" if it's at the end of a word. And they say Po after every sentence. You guys are gonna have a hard time understanding me when I get home haha. It's a different world here in Chile. 

Everything is going good. Frustrated with my Spanish, but good. It will come... I hope. 

I miss you all so much. Thank you for the prayers. I think about you all the time.

Con Mucho Amor Elder Paxman