Monday, December 24, 2012

December 24, 2012

 My son - Me - My Grandson (from my other son), and my Great Grandson
My crazy companion, Elder ALLAN !!  and I

Dearest Family and Friends,

MERRY CHRISTMAS! Yay! Its here ... though it doesn't at all feel like it. Also, this week is someones birthday, so HAPPY BIRTHDAY KITT! So, now for the big news:  I am now training my new companion, Elder Allan from Draper, Utah. He is crazy, funny, and a great guy. It's going great. We are both excited to talk to our families tomorrow. So, this last week was my second talk in the mission that we gave in sacrament meeting, and that went pretty well. We are working on Elder Allan's Portuguese and we are working with several families and people to be baptised. Everything is going super great, and I am really happy here in the mission. I hope that everything is going great with all of you guys, and that you all will have a great Christmas. I also want to send a scripture that is very similar to last weeks, but it is the accounting of what happened in the Americas on Christmas. Its 3 Nephi 1:19-21. Christ is our Lord and Savior, and I bear my testimony that this is His Church, and that He lived and died for us, and now He lives again. I hope that you all can remember our Savior and Redeemer Jesus Christ this Christmas day. Sadly my time is already running out, but I still will be able to talk to some of you guys tomorrow. I love you all, and once again, Merry Christmas to all, and to all a good night.

Abraço,

Elder Tanner Ross Paxman
 

Monday, December 17, 2012

December 17, 2012

Batismo de Léo e Gabriel! 
Baptism of Léo and Gabriel! 
  "Benzinho!" Thats the nickname we give to the "Relogio" (clock), here in Jaguaré, meaning "Little Ben." Ha.
 Elder Nóbrega! He's going crazy  --  He completed his mission ...
 My District without Elder Nóbrega.
Were Crazy! Our district is big and Zone is even Bigger!

Lots of good memories at this wonderful time of the year. It truly is the "most wonderful time of the year." So we just received Transfers, and it looks like I'll die training. In other words; I will now be training again, and I find out who on Wednesday. I am staying here in the area though, which will be awesome, even though I'll miss Elder Wolfe. So, this morning, Elder Nóbrega left us to go back to his home, as he completed his mission. That was super weird...  that's got to be a weird feeling at the end of the mission. He was hilarious and a great missionary. These transfers will be great and interesting. I am excited for these coming weeks, and this week went great as well. We were able to baptise my two friends Gabriel, and Léo, who are both about 12 years old, and are pretty awesome. Ha. They both will be a great example in their families. We are working with Léo's mom to be baptised as well, but she needs to complete the law of Chastity. We have several other people that we are working with as well, and are trying to help a lot of people to be baptised. I am excited to be able to train again, and remember all the basics that I will be able to teach. The work is going well, and we are always trying to improve. Please keep praying for us, and for our investigators. I wanted to send home a scripture that is in Helaman 14:3-8 that talks about the signs of Christ's Birth. I always think it is important to remember the "why" of the Christmas season. Our Savior and Redeemer was born and gave us so many great gifts including eternal life if we but do what He asks. I ask you all that as you go about giving and getting gifts, to think about what you will give to the Savior this Christmas Season. I know that our Savior lives, and I know that the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is His Church on this Earth. I love you all, and wish you all a great week before Christmas.

Abraço,

Elder Tanner Ross Paxman

Monday, December 10, 2012

December 10, 2012

 The Baptism of Gesi !!  Yay !!
 Elder Wolfe  --  It's Christmas time in Brazil!
Yup ...  we're weird ... and pretty scary ...

This week flew by yet again. Its weird. Anyways, its been a pretty good week. I even got a package from Amber! Yay! And this past week was our Mission conference and we had a gift exchange for Natal (Christmas). I got a compactable sack. Ha. People are crazy. The conference was really amazing as well. President Martins is a really inspired man, and I know that he was called of God. This past week, we have been working with several people to try and progress towards baptism and we were able to baptise irmã Gesi this week. That was a cool experience, and hopefully next week we will have a similar experience as well. We are really trying to fulfill our potential as missionaries and servants of God in this part of the world. The work is going well, and we are trying to find new people, and help the "older" ones to progress. Elder Wolfe and I have a good friendship, and we are working hard. Transfers are next week, and so we'll see what happens then. Our President showed us a scripture that I really liked, and I would like to share with all of you. It is in Genesis 18:14 when three men of God visit Sariah (or Sarah), and told her that she would have a Child ... and she thought that it was too difficult to happen. The Men replied with the first line that I like a lot. Truly all is possible with the Lord, and nothing will be "too hard" if He is on our side. I love you all, and hope that you all have a great week this week.

Abraço,

Elder Tanner Ross Paxman

PS: As for Christmas songs -- they are all pretty much the same, just sung in Portuguese. They do have the same melody. English is better. Ha. They have some songs like jingle bells, and they have quite a bit of music in English too.  As for Christmas decorations, its pretty much the same stuff. Some houses have lights and stuff. They all seem to have fake Christmas trees like we sometimes do in the states. (Though real is better). And they do have some nativities like ours. The biggest and strangest differences, is that there is no snow, and its really hot outside. Ha.
PSS: The Temple here is a small temple and it is about an hour or so from us by bus.

Monday, December 3, 2012

December 3, 2012

 Merry Christmas to all !!!
We took fotos for Christmas - this is us walking back to the camera
I love you all.

So, this time it wasn't exactly a week, but it sure went fast. Ha. So, the other day, we were walking and we went to leave a pesquisadores house, and it started to rain, they invited us to wait out the rain, but we decided to risk it under the tiny umbrella that we had. We ran into another family that wasn't previously home, and we were able to mark with them, and I said, God sure works in mysterious ways. Then, the rain really started with thunder and lightning, and it got really close, it even hit a building right next to us. We decided to stop under an overhang of someones roof, and get a little bit out of the rain. A young man showed up trying to get into the house, and he stayed there a long time. I thought it was weird he doesn't just go home, but then a young women came out about 15 minutes later, and turns out he was trying to go home. Ha. They invited us in, and we ended up teaching them. It was great!  We are hoping that they can progress in the gospel.  My time is already short, but I wanted to pass along Alma 26:37. God is mindful of every person on this earth and knows us by name. He loves us and wants us to be happy. He will have mercy on us, according to our obedience and our diligence. I love you all and hope you have a great week.

Abraço,

Elder Tanner Ross Paxman