I Love it Here

Hey hey hey family!

 

I'm going slow today so this might be a short one.

Life is so good here right now. It's finally warm! It's been in the high 80's and low 90's this week. I love it! People are outside now! Especially in the evenings. It gives us the chance to talk to a bunch of people. Elder Metz is really good at that too. Of course we talk to everyone but Elder Metz is great at striking up conversation and getting to know people. I wish I could serve with him longer. There's so much I can learn from him!

 

He is sad to go home. It makes me want to be more sad to go home! You know what I mean? He and many other missionaries are worried about having less of the Spirit after being a missionary but we had a good experience that probably helped him and definitely helped me. Elder Gudjenov was back visiting tri-cities this weekend to be at the sealing of a family he taught when he served her about 1 1/2 years ago (its crazy how long it's been). He was AP when I came into the mission, Elder Metz and I both really looked up to him. We happened to run into him at the church at the reception after the sealing and he gave us some really good advice. He told us how it can be weird to go home because while you're on a mission all of your prayers and studies and efforts are all based on helping others and building their testimony. But when you go home you no longer have that responsibility. Some RM's feel selfish praying for themselves but Elder Gudjenov's advice was that we shouldn't feel guilty. That's what the Lord wants for you when you go home. He said that his prayers and scripture study have been even better since he went home which is definitely something I needed to hear. It's an irrational fear but a lot of missionaries are afraid of losing the Spirit when they go home. So it was good to hear the testimony of Elder Gudjenov to let Elder Metz and I know that it will be good to go home.

I forgot to let you know! Last week I ran into Dillon Manwaring! I went into sacrament meeting and sat down and then I saw Dillon walk in and had to double take! It was the weirdest thing. He definitely was thrown off too. But after church I went up to him and we talked. He's marrying a girl who lives here in Tri-cities and he was in town over the weekend to visit her family. He's been home from his mission for 6 years now! That was the last time I saw him! 6 years ago at his homecoming talk. Wow. Crazy! He seems to be doing well. Still doing lots of skim boarding hahaha.

We have a zone focus to get 85 new investigators before the end of the transfer. The transfer ends on Father's Day so we're calling it OCHO CINCO FOR DAD!!!!! We're at 63 new investigators already so we're killing it! Life is good! I hope we can keep everyone motivated in the zone. There are so many missionaries here...

Also. We got a new assistant this week! His name is Elder Bennett. With the upcoming mission split, part of the Spokane mission will be coming into the Kennewick mission. So they called a missionary serving in the Spokane mission to come serve here as AP. That way, when the split happens all the new missionaries will have an AP that they know. So Elder Bennett just got here on Wednesday and has been trying to learn everything haha. Imagine it, it's like he's a brand new missionary because he knows no one but he is the Assistant to the President! He has the deer in the headlights look a lot lately. I feel bad for him but he seems to be learning quick! He's a way cool guy. It's fun to have an extra roommate.

Transfer calls this Saturday so I will find out who my last companion will be... Crazy.

The Stickely kids came to church as usual. Their names are Austin and Madeline. They should be baptized really soon. Their dad got baptized about a year ago and they are with him and their step-mom on the weekends. They live with their mom in Sunnyside during the week. We've worked it out and if their mom is okay with them getting baptized then it should happen within the next few weeks. Super excited!!!

I also found out that Mike Munoz in Hermiston will be getting baptized soon. Do you remember him??? I sent a story about him a few emails back... He's way cool and I'm way excited for him. So happy to hear that he's progressing.

I'm sure there's tons more I could say. I love it out here. I love being able to talk to people. The authority that I have to go up and talk to strangers about the gospel is going to be something I miss...

I love you all!

Elder Paxman