September 26, 2011

So, Dun dun dunnnn.... I was transferred to a new area! Ahhhhh! That's pretty exciting. Anyways the "post service" is still on strike here, so everything will be going slower, and due to being transferred to the interior, it will take even longer to make it to me once it makes it to the escritorio. Also we get the conference issues in English when it comes out, so that will be cool. And I am super excited to watch conference, and yes, it will be in English. Yay! I hear that we will always get the chance to listen in english which is super cool. Thats crazy that its already time for conference, time flies by so fast it suprises me. As for my goal, I try to always think in Portuguese, and ever since the second day on the mission I have said my prayers in Portuguese. Its really hard to pray in english now, just a little over a week ago another missionary asked me to, and after struggling through it, the others all laughed at the end because apparently I used some Portuguese with my English. Otherwise the goal is going pretty well, my new companion is Brazilian as well. Before I forget... HAPPY BIRTHDAY AUTUMN! Oh yeah, you want to hear about all the changes eh? Here they come. Ha. So I got transferred to the interior in a city called Sorocaba, and its a lot hotter here. The area is ward Julio de Mesquito. It has the feel of a small town, and always reminds me of Canada, though its about the same population as Seattle. Its really different, its all houses, and no buildings, and believe it or not, there is some open space and fields. I saw a horse in a pasture, and also saw a rooster sitting on a wall. Its weird that such a big town can have such a small town feel. It also is quite a bit hotter here, and I'll most likely pass the summer here. I wrote letters and stayed out in the sun today, and now Im burnt and already have a shirt tan (or burn) line. My new companion is Elder Neto, and he is another Nordestino. He is from Arapiraca, which is near Maceió. He is pretty cool, and we talk quite a bit. He just made a year, so we burnt his shirt and he had me write in English on it. I'm his first junior companion, and this is his 5th transfer here, so that's 6 months already here, and it was with the same companion the whole time. The people here all know him pretty well, and he knows the area pretty well, since its not that big really. I hear that its actually one of the  smallest. So, I was reading today, and I came across the scripture 2 Nephi 2:24, and I really like this scripture. Everything has a reason. God is so much wiser than us, and He knows what He is doing. God has a plan, and everything is done in the Wisdom of God. We may not understand, but the only thing we really need to understand is that God knows whats best. I love you all, and wish you all an amazing week.
Abraço,

Elder Tanner Ross Paxman

1. My new companion and I in my new area
2. Me near the Church, and feilds in the background. Wow.

3. My companion and I in our house. (its big now)