June 27, 2011

This week has been another week in the world of a missionary. I was so glad to talk with my family on Monday night, though it really seems like forever ago. Time is such a weird thing. Time flys by as it crawls by. Ha. We have been visiting our investigators and trying to prepare them for baptism. Roberta is scheduled to be baptised this week, and that is way cool. We have been praying for her a lot, and helping her to stop smoking. We also walked a lot this week, and went all around our area. We'll not all around. It takes about three hours to walk all the way across our area. Its pretty big for having so many buildings, and its all city. There are some areas that have houses in our area, though not really any have a yard. There still is a good amount of trees though. We went to visit a part member family where only the twin girls are members. The Dad wants me to sing "How Great Thou Art" in English, and so we said we would prepare. Holy cow, I'm not a singer, but I guess we got to do what we got to do, ha. They have a parrot that talks and I got to hold it, and it was really cool. And the coolest part, was that we challenged the parents to be baptised, and the mom accepted and we will keep visiting to prepare her. She has already knows a lot because of when her kids were taught. They also like to make fun of me because my face turns red so easy. Ha. Also, we ate dinner at a members house, and the two year old girl really seemed to like me. She pulled me around by my pinkie and showed me stuff around their apartment. She kept saying bird in Portuguese and other little phrases. She would make faces too. Always reminds me of my nieces and nephews, little kids are awesome. Also, as for huge events, there was a homosexual parade here in São Paulo, and it went across Ave. Pulista. We had to get rides to church since all the buses and roads were crazy. I have Cartas on the way...=] Yay! Our zone leader and our district leaders picked up our letters and packages for us the other day, and I will get them tomorrow. Thanks for all the letters and package! Everybody knows a missionary loves to get them. The scripture that I want to choose as the Scripture of the week for this week is Doctrine and Covenants 19: 16-19. I thought about this a lot this week. Christ has suffered so much for us and loves us so much. Please dont let that suffering be in vain. You can repent and take advantage of the Atonement. Jesus Christ suffered for each of us, and in his prefect love we can return to live with our Father in Heaven. Please make the effort to be the best person you can be, and always be charitable, showing your love for your family, friends and neighbors. I love you all, and until next week, I bid you farewell.

-Elder Tanner Ross Paxman

June 20, 2011

First of all, HAPPY BIRTHDAY MOM! and HAPPY FATHERS DAY DAD!  I love you guys so much! Not many questions today eh? Ha. They do have fathers day here in Brazil, but its some day in October I believe. I asked my companion about it. We had a Venezuelan that served his mission in Iowa last Sunday, and he didn't speak Portuguese, so he asked me for help. He was really awesome on tour with an orchestra. I got your package! And I also got two letters! Yay! And I got the "Paxman Times" I loved reading about everyone. That was great. I laughed so much. Like Chads writing for instance, ha. As for Orange sauce, we don't eat rice own our own really, but thanks so much, that's awesome. That stuff is so good. And the other stuff tastes so amazing. I am so excited to call home today. ( I get to call today because i didn't get to call on mothers day, and the white handbook says 2 times a year. So the Mission President allowed it). This week has been a normal week as far as missionary life. We are working with our investigators and trying to help them. I use my imagination a lot when we walk, ha. Which is really good that I have a crazy imagination, because we walk a lot. We had a really awesome mission conference this week, and it was all focused on "Preach My Gospel." The president is really awesome, and the meeting was great. (Though in reality I didn't understand much due to the Portuguese, ha). We have an awesome Bishop in our ward, and we are trying to get the ward to work on the ward mission plan.  Its really important that all people work to bring people to Christ, because though not all people have the call of missionaries, we are all missionaries. The scripture of the week this week is 2 Nephi 28:30. We all need to continue to seek for knowledge and wisdom. We need to realize that the Lord gives us our wisdom, and that we are never done. We always need to seek for more. I know that the Lord loves each and everyone of us, and wants the best for us. Let us all trust more in Christ, whether we know why or not, the Lord knows. The Lord will help you. I love you all, and wish you all the best.

-Elder Tanner Ross Paxman

June 13, 2011

Grandpa, Dad & I

CTM district

CTM teachers

YAY rain!

First of all, I hope that you got pictures with lasts weeks email too. Sorry about that, I have got to send pictures and e-mails separate now just to be safe. The mission president change happens on June 30th I believe. I haven't actually received anything yet, ha. Letter or Package, but we have another chance this Wednesday, so that would be awesome! Thanks for sending one, I cant wait. Ha. So, since last weeks (or what was supposed to be last weeks) was so long, ha, not much has happened since then. It rained! That was pretty awesome, the Washingtonian in me was so happy, and I walked around in just my jacket, my companion with an umbrella. It was really cool with lightning and lots of rain. We had another Baptism this last week, his name is Marco Aurélio, and he is 9 years old. The water was freezing, and when they had to re due the baptism, he at first didn't want too, though he did. The rest of his family is members, though the mom is inactive. They are an awesome family. We have spent a lot of time with them recently, and have become friends. João Vitor is 13, and we´re good buddies now. Ha. We talk with them and joke around. I swear we cant leave their house without eating food. And its always "come mais Élder" which is eat more Elder. Ha. They are really awesome people. We had a family night with another family last night, and it was pretty funny. They joked around about me and Americans, and we talked and had a good time. There are these little balls that I have no idea what they are made of, but they are called water balls, and we threw them off the building. Also some new kinds of food, which aren't bad. Ha. Today we had a zone activity, and we went on a hunt to find all the items on the list. One of the "items" was to go to the top of the tallest building in Brazil, which is awesome, its way cool up there. Buildings expanding in every direction. Its called Banespa, and its super cool. Since I seem to have forgotten the scripture of the week, and I used one as a thought last week, I'll transfer it to the scripture for this week. Its Helaman 5:12. I love this scripture. I want you all to know that I know that the Church of Jesus Christ of Later-day Saints is the only true church on the earth. The best thing for all of us to do is to follow the Gospel of Jesus Christ, and of the modern day Prophet who receives revelation for us today. Have faith in Christ. I love you all.

-Elder Tanner Ross Paxman 

better late then never

I had no idea, but apparently the email from last week didn't send. I'm so sorry, but here it is, and this weeks will come later. I love you. I was wondering why you thought it was so short, i got to stop sending pictures and email together, it exceeded the size limit. Ill send this weeks after our zone activity.

I am super duper sorry that I wasn't able to email until now. Our P-day got changed this week since we got to go to the Temple, and that kept us busy all day. Its been a great day though. I truly love the Temple. But I totally take the blame for not warning you guys. Things are going good here, I'm enjoying it a lot. We have another baptism this Saturday, and another set for July 2. The Irma's family is all members now, and she really wants to join, but she smokes, so she hasn't been able to yet. So if you could please pray for her as she is trying to stop and prepare herself for her baptism. They have a good family too. As for Lego's, ha. You don't need to, I was thinking of one for the armour of God, and another to symbolize the pieces of the Gospel. Or even for a wall analogy I learned. I can easily make due without, but if you want you can. I'd say that people, blocks, or a small vehicle, i dunno really, i have ideas for all. Ha. So Dad is liken his music loud recently eh? ha, man, good times. I love you Dad. I haven't been to that place you talked about, but there are randomly places with trees throughout the city. Its pretty cool, though hardly anywhere can you get away from all the cars. So the huge meal here is almoço, or lunch. We have lunch with members pretty much everyday. We typically have a small breakfast in the morning, and a small snack at night. As for fast and testimony meeting, lots and lots of members got up, not a single pause. As for understanding, mostly no. Ha. I understand more and more each day, though I really have to focus to understand. The culture is way different here, I don't really know how to describe it, but its different, ha.
So the other day, we were talking to one of our investigators and he said that he could see the love in my eyes, and i thought that was really cool. He said it made him want to talk to Jesus. Another Elder today came up to me in the temple, and said, Elder Paxman, your the kind of guy that I look at and know I can trust, I like you, your a good guy. This was the first time we really met, but I thought it was really nice. I taught the plan of Salvation, and I used the visuals the youth gave me, so please thank them for me, it was awesome! The other day I was walking, and we walked past about 20 or more light stores in a row, talk about street of lights, ha. (Lame joke, I know, but i thought it was crazy). I read a really good article about caffeine, and I also found out that Guraná has caffeine in it, so I have stopped drinking the stuff, staying firm to my resolve. I ate at the nicest restaurant I have ever eaten at before, its called Bovinus. Its the kind where they help push in your chair and park your car for you. It was rodizio, and a member took us that had served his mission in Montana. You wont believe it, we made it 9 days without rice and beans! Thats absolutely crazy eh? ha. Also, really random, but a guy in the ward I'm serving in knows Andy Barr, and went to visit him in Sammamish! What a strange co-wink-a-dink. Now I know I'm not supposed to have a scripture of the week this week, so this is sole part of my spiritual thought. Its Helaman 5:12. There is so much power in even a picture, I love pictures of Christ. I can tell you without a doubt that Christ is our Savior, he is our Redeemer. I know that Christ Lives, and I am sorry for anyone that doesn't know this. Christ is so important in our lives, and I would not be where I am without him. Christ has given me so much comfort, and I know that He loves us all so much, and I love him so much too. He is incredible important to all of us, and He wants to help you, so please let him help you. I promise you that if you sincerely pray and ask, you will not be able to deny that Christ is Lives, and that Christ is the very son of God. I know this without a doubt, and am so thankful for this knowledge, and so thankful for Christ, my Lord and Shepherd.
I need to take the time to apologize to all the people I have ever offended. I especially want to apologize to my family, and more specifically my Mom. I'm sorry for all the rude things i have ever done, you mean so much to me, and I love you so much. I love my family so much, and I thank you for all that you have done for me.
With Love,
Elder Tanner Paxman

This is it folks...

The e-mail we received this morning...
I am going to send another e-mail later, I don't have time now. Our P-day was moved to today for just this week. I love you, until tonight.

The e-mail we received tonight...

Glad you got the letter I sent in the mail, Love you guys!

Hopefully a third one with more then one line will show up sometime.