Update on Investigators

Yesterday was a great day. We only had one lesson but it was a delightful one. It was with Roni Gardner. We found her as we were sorting through our unorganized phone (it is now all organized) 3 months ago. It was in the phone as 'roni' and I didn't recognized the name so we gave her a call. She didn't know how we had her number but she knew some LDS people and invited us over. As we started teaching she was very closed to the idea of becoming LDS or taking the lessons. The only reason she invited us back is because she has a few LDS coworkers at the post office in Richland and she doesn't like how they treat her. She gets teased by them and there is a very negative attitude in her office. She wanted us to help her forgive and dispel the resentful feelings she had towards these people. She thought that we could give her some perspective and teach her how to forgive. We were able to accomplish that for her in 2 or 3 visits and then we had a good relationship with her. At that point she had opened up to us sharing more of our beliefs. We started the first lesson with her and she agreed with what we had to share. It ended up taking the next 2 months just to teach the first lesson because she had so many questions and comments. But we finished up last night by watching the 20 minute Restoration DVD. After the movie was done we asked a few follow up questions and she expressed that she believed it all wholeheartedly but she still had a few concerns. We asked what those were and she told us it was mostly Polygamy and questions to do with the Temple. She was sure they could be answered but it seemed to me like she was afraid to ask the questions because she didn't want to offend us. We assured her that we would love to answer those questions for her. When we were done with our explanation we invited her to be baptized and she said yes! November 7th. Only 2 weeks away! She has already been to church once and we have 2 more Sundays before her baptism. It is truly amazing to see the change that has come in her life in such a short amount of time. She went from one end of the spectrum to the other. A lot of it just had to do with getting her the correct information. But the main part was the Holy Ghost. I'm really excited for this baptism, although I have a feeling I will be leaving in about a week.

Transfers are on Halloween. I'm probably leaving. I really am going to miss Pasco. There aren't very many areas that are this consistently successful. I just hope I can bring that with me to my next area wherever that may be. Due to the change, send mail to the mission office until I get my new address:

Elder Chase Paxman
8202 W Quinault Ave. Ste. D
Kennewick WA, 99336

We have 3 other people on date too. Sandra, Anthony Diaz, and Marilynn Scott. We should put Michael Votaw on date on Thursday too, he agreed to do that. Brother Votaw's wife is an active member and he has come to church the past 2 weeks. I think I mentioned last week that he bought clothes for the occasion of coming to church. He is in it for the long haul. He'll get baptized soon. He is ready to go.

Sandra smoked on Saturday morning after going 1 1/2 weeks without doing so but she has recommitted and is trying again. She should be ready to be baptized on November 3rd. Maybe the 6th though because that's her birthday. She wants to be baptized she just needs to go two weeks without smoking! She'll get there

Anthony Diaz is 15 and has been coming to Young Men for the past month. He came to General Conference and has the desire to come to church consistently too. We just need to be able to coordinate with him a little better for rides there. He wants to be baptized but his parents aren't interested. His mom and grandma are fine with him being baptized but they aren't very helpful in making it happen. Oh well, we don't expect them to be.

Marilynn Scott is Sister Mathews' sister. I mentioned that a few emails ago that she was a referral from Sister Mathews. It's Marilynn Brian and Jonathan Scott. Marilynn, Sister Mathews, and Brian are all siblings and Jonathan is Brian's son. Marilynn is ready to be baptized! Brian and Jonathan will get there. Just a little bit slower. November 10th is Marilynn's date.

Unfortunately I will probably be absent from all of these baptisms. But that's missionary work. Oh well. As long as they get baptized it's okay.

We also went to the funeral for Angie Garcia. I don't know if I mentioned her last week. She was 37 years old. Her mom is a member and we were teaching her and her daughter. She got in a car wreck a couple weeks ago when the driver of her car decided to pass illegally on the freeway. She was in a coma for awhile. They decided to pull the plug and we went to her viewing on Saturday. That was sad.

Well...
No se que mas decir

I love you all. I hope this email was sufficient. Oppan Gangnam Style.

Love,
Elder Paxman

Chase had dinner with a family in Pasco and the woman's parents were visiting. He found out that her parents are moving to Rolla, Missouri. Such a small world.