Snow

It snowed on Wednesday. and it has been all week. It is a lot colder now. Kinda crazy. I wear a beanie every day now so that my ears don't fall off. I'm able to stay warm. I've got a coat and I wear my sweats under my church pants HA! It totally works. Yes, I stay warm.

So, on Friday Elder Monson got Emergency Transferred. Elder Monson is one of the Spanish elders in our district and we spent a lot of time with him and his companions Elders Hansen and Nilson. It was a bummer to see him go. I didn't expect him to leave. Transfers calls will be coming this Saturday and I expect Elder Boswell to leave and I will stay in Yakima and get a new companion. I thought Elder Monson would stay in Yakima too but he got ET'd. Elder Marroquin took his spot. Elder Marroquin and Elder Hendrickson were having issues in their companionship in Benton City (near the tri-cities) so President decided to split them up and Elder Monson was the one who moved. Elder Marroquin is from Ecuador and is awesome. I do see how he could rub someone the wrong way though... So he's here now but everything could change in a week... Elder Nilson is going home this Tuesday and Sister Cooper (in my district) is probably also going to be moving somewhere. So, in the district, that would just leave me Elder Hansen and Sister Brown. Then a bunch of new faces. That is what I see happening, but again, you never know. I will update you next week on transfers.

We almost nailed a dog on exchanges the other night. We were out with Brother Flowers and it was dark and cold and kinda hard to see I guess. we were cruising at about 40 miles an hour and then out of no where there was a dog standing in the middle of the street. Brother Flowers Swerved and barley missed the dog. It was a good sized dog. probably 50 pounds. It would have been bad. For us and the dog.

OYM's have been down because of the snow. The work really changes when the weather changes. No one is outside and even if they are they don't want to talk because its cold. We are starting to knock more doors because its getting colder and because we have few good investigators. Anna didn't come to church on Sunday despite her promise that she "already had her clothes picked out". She is a good soul. She will get it one day.

We have seen the Hansens a few times recently too. They said they would come to church as well but they didn't show so we visited them last night and they had a good excuse. Dawn's dad thought he had a stroke. It didn't turn out to be that bad but they had to drive to tri-cites to visit him just in case. So they missed church. I hope they can come next week but they work so much that its hard to catch them on a Sunday where they don't work. Mark really wants some answers but has a hard time understanding. He reads the Book of Mormon and doesn't fully understand what he is reading. But he wants to! If he keeps looking I know he will find what he is looking for. We will continue to meet with both of them and answer their questions. Hopefully they progress toward baptism.

We also have been talking to this young man named Josiah. He is probably 25 years old. Married. No kids. His wife hasn't yet warmed up to the idea of having two strangers in her home so we teach Josiah in the cold on his doorstep. We were walking down the road one day and Josiah just got home from work and got out of his truck so we stopped and talked to him. He told us he has a friend who just got home from a mission. Steven Corbridge. Steven lives in the Terrace Heights ward which is covered by the Sister missionaries in our district. So we got Steven's number from her and talked to him. He went over there and discussed the gospel a little bit with Josiah. Then we went and followed up. Josiah is awesome. He is very Christian and he relies on Christ fully, but he questions himself. He sees the life that Steven lives and he thinks he is too weak to stay away from sin. He doesn't think he can overcome temptation. We try to reassure him and tell him that he can. He served in Iraq but I have no idea how. He is the biggest softie ever and he will be the first to admit it. He is so whipped too. His wife Emily has him wrapped around her finger.

Mike is still doing okay. He had a little scare with his health the other day. He had a minor stroke but is back home with meds. I think he is doing better and the ward is taking care of him with meals. He is very gracious towards us for all the help he is receiving. I love Mike. He wasn't able to come to church on Sunday because of his health but that's okay. He wanted to come really bad. He is getting stronger each day.

Good work. Good food. Good times. On thanksgiving we are going to the Garcia's in the morning and the Gailan's (best ward mission leader ever) at night. Mike will be at the Gailan's too. I'm excited.

I love you all. I've been getting letters and emails. I just said I wasn't because I want more. Greedy me. Miss you.

Love,
Elder Paxman