Monday, March 26, 2012

Service and Teaching

Family and Friends,

This week was a very good week. We have gone up in lessons each week I've been here. Last week we taught 18 and we put someone on date! Kyle Rather. I'm not sure I told you about him. He is a 19 year old kid and he is planning on marrying Sam McClain. She is a member and they are living together in the McClains home currently. He was in jail for a year because he and Sam got in an argument while Sam was driving and he wanted out but she wouldn't pull over so he got mad enough that he grabbed the steering wheel and pulled. Bad accident. Sam had some pretty bad head trauma and Kyle went to jail. He's out now and he wants to change his life but he still acts pretty stupid sometimes. Its funny to think that I'm only a few months older than him but he is so so far away from where I hope I am. We are trying to point him on the right path but he still has his hang ups. He respects us as missionaries and he wants to be baptized (April 21st is the date we set with him). But he still smokes. Sam and him aren't married and they are living together, among other things. They want to get married but Sam's parents don't want them to because Kyle still doesn't get it. He needs a job and needs to quit wasting time doing pointless things... I hope he gets it sometime. Sam works. But that's not going to cut it. He could be baptized on the 21st but right now it seems like a long shot.

We had a Specialized Training this past week. President was in town and he told me that all the baptisms that we had lined up in Yakima all happened! they had 6 baptisms last week! So so sweet. Also, at the specialized training was Spencer Larsen. He is President Greer's nephew and he plays football for the Broncos. He played for the Broncos the past 4 years but just signed a contract with the Patriots. He talked to us about his mission and how it trained him for the rest of his life. You could tell he was a football player. He tried real hard to pump us up! He told us that we need a 'why'. The 'whats' don't matter. Whats are the rules and Whys are the reasons why we are on a mission. If our whys are more important that our whats then we will follow the rules no matter what because that's what we need to do to achieve our why. Our whys are because we want to be a better more celestial person. Because we love the people we serve. Because we love the savior. Because we want to share what we know. Or at least those are what our whys should be. That's what we are trying to do. We are trying to align our desires with our Heavenly Father's desires. That's what Brother Larsen talked about.

We saw Sister Zerckel this week. It was pretty regular. We are going to help her move things on Wednesday. We're also going to help the Fullertons rebuild their burnt down home. Construction has been going on for a few months now and we need to tear down a wall. We can do that!

We helped with some yard work at the St. James Family Center on Saturday with Brother Tannahill. He volunteers there and offered to let us help. So we accepted of course! It was a great excuse to get into human clothes. I actually wore shorts and a t-shirt. It was a beautiful day. When it doesn't rain it is usually in the 50's and sunny. Perfect. But it usually rains... We get a week of rain then 2 days of not rain. We are just starting the week with rain. But it is getting better. Spring just started. Kristen's favorite season! I wish it was summer already. But doing 4 hours of yard work on Saturday was refreshing.

Nothing much else to report! Love you all! Keep the letters coming!

Elder Chase Paxman
391 E SR #4
Cathlamet, WA 98612

Love,
 
Me

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