Helllllo my lovely family!!
Happppppppppy 4th of JULY!!!
God bless america!!!
I am ticked I don´t have any Fireworks to shoot of or anything like that! Its weird being gone for a holiday that´s for sure! I hope you all have such a great American day! When I am back I will teach you all how to make a real BBQ! Argentina style. Se llama Asado! Its amazing! hahahah Mother do you mean TRC? I have no Idea what CRT is in the MTC. But what is it? Thats awesome, you really will feel so good in the MTC so much peace! How is the Temple? I miss it so much, I remember that day when we went through! Such an amazing one! President Reichman tell him hello and thank him so much for me! shoot Real Salt Lake Game hu? picture me out there playing ok! haha that´s going to be so fun! I miss you all dearly!
Here is my week!
So pretty much every monday we go bowling with our investigators! it´s so fun, but the bowling alleys here are awful they have strings hooked on to the top of the pins so they don´t fall down. hahah it´s still fun. The week went by really really slow, hahah but it was still a good one! It was transfer week so it was tough to focus on things! It has been a good week though, visited a lot of members and helped that out with some things. hahah we had service this week, we had to help this lady move her stuff from one house to another. we were walking in the middle of the street with one of those things that carries furniture. with chairs and cupboards and everything. We had a baptism planned for saturday but it go changed to this saturday so in 5 days which is going to be so awesome, really have been blessed in this area with 6 baptisms! its awesome! This month of July we are planning on having a few more, so I am excited. I have a new Companion. I still haven´t met him. His name is Elder Adencivia from Rosario Argentina. hahah so all spanish now! I am looking forward to it! supposively he has a way cool accent so I will have to learn to speak like him! Yesterday we were at a members house saying bye for Elder nitta, and this memeber callled this other Elder to say bye. And it was the coolest thing I have ever seen. This member was going to commit suicide when this Elder knocked the door. and this member last night was balling and was saying thank you so much! it was so powerful. hahah of course I was crying becasue I always do. The miracles of this work is absolutely incredible! I hope you all have such an amazing week! The best way to feel the spirit is by bearing your testimony! we are all instruments in Gods hands which is such a gift for all of us! Thanks you for all the support every week fam. I love you all.
Elder Payton.
Frit.
Friday, July 8, 2011
HELLLLLOOO!!!
Another week went by so fast! I am doing really really well. Lots to tell you so get ready!
So this week we started and we had a meeting with our Obispado our bishop and counselors about the progress in the ward. We talked about our baptisms and the one we had scheduled for saturday the 25. It was awesome becuase it was planned and everything and it was good to go, they supported us on it and everything. So you guys remember cecilia the girl that two months ago didn´t believe in God and then started to pray and everything? AAAAAHHHHHH she got baptized!!!!!!! it was the coolest thing ever. So the baptism we had planned for saturday with magali was set, but we no only had that one we had two together! it was so awesome. So the story with cecilia we callled her up and were like we are going to baptize you tomorrow this saturday! she said me. and we were like yes you! she then said I need to talk really well with you guys. So we met up in the church and finished teaching her and then she had her baptismal interview! She passed! It was such a blessing! So saturday comes around, ahhhh probably the best day of the mission so far! my first baptism! I was so nervous, I had to memorize the saying in spanish and all of it and I didn´t want to forget it. So I had my compy give me a blessing to help me in it. It helped me so much! My comp baptized Cecilia first! I was standing at the door of the fount and when she came out of the water it was so powerful, she put her hands over her face and was starting to cry, the happiness in her was finally all there! I had never seen it before, it was awesome. Then It was my turn to baptize Selene Magali Rodriquez. I escorted her down into the water, and explained what to do as best I could. then did the baptism. I was nervous but I said everything right and I DID it! ahhhhhhh I was so happy after! I loved every second of it! no doubt one of the best experiences ever! two baptisms in one day! It was such a blessing to see! the next day the confirmations went really well! everything worked out well! There were scares at times, we had to go find Magali becuase she didn´t have a ride to the church sunday morning! Woooo! loved this past week.
Today we all got together as a zone and played futbol and did Christmas in July! with white elephant gifts and such it was fun! The last week before the new transfer! it went by so fast! I will probably be getting anew companion and maybe a new area!
It was such a blessing this week, and I know that those decisions by those two girls to be baptized was a miracle!
I love you all so much! Miss you.
Elder Payton!
Another week went by so fast! I am doing really really well. Lots to tell you so get ready!
So this week we started and we had a meeting with our Obispado our bishop and counselors about the progress in the ward. We talked about our baptisms and the one we had scheduled for saturday the 25. It was awesome becuase it was planned and everything and it was good to go, they supported us on it and everything. So you guys remember cecilia the girl that two months ago didn´t believe in God and then started to pray and everything? AAAAAHHHHHH she got baptized!!!!!!! it was the coolest thing ever. So the baptism we had planned for saturday with magali was set, but we no only had that one we had two together! it was so awesome. So the story with cecilia we callled her up and were like we are going to baptize you tomorrow this saturday! she said me. and we were like yes you! she then said I need to talk really well with you guys. So we met up in the church and finished teaching her and then she had her baptismal interview! She passed! It was such a blessing! So saturday comes around, ahhhh probably the best day of the mission so far! my first baptism! I was so nervous, I had to memorize the saying in spanish and all of it and I didn´t want to forget it. So I had my compy give me a blessing to help me in it. It helped me so much! My comp baptized Cecilia first! I was standing at the door of the fount and when she came out of the water it was so powerful, she put her hands over her face and was starting to cry, the happiness in her was finally all there! I had never seen it before, it was awesome. Then It was my turn to baptize Selene Magali Rodriquez. I escorted her down into the water, and explained what to do as best I could. then did the baptism. I was nervous but I said everything right and I DID it! ahhhhhhh I was so happy after! I loved every second of it! no doubt one of the best experiences ever! two baptisms in one day! It was such a blessing to see! the next day the confirmations went really well! everything worked out well! There were scares at times, we had to go find Magali becuase she didn´t have a ride to the church sunday morning! Woooo! loved this past week.
Today we all got together as a zone and played futbol and did Christmas in July! with white elephant gifts and such it was fun! The last week before the new transfer! it went by so fast! I will probably be getting anew companion and maybe a new area!
It was such a blessing this week, and I know that those decisions by those two girls to be baptized was a miracle!
I love you all so much! Miss you.
Elder Payton!
Helllo Fam!
Your brother, and son! What´s up? Shooooot no way Scott is going pro in golf? That is so sick, I have a famous cousin! haha now its my turn after the mission to go pro! haha we will see! When you talk to him tell him congrats from me and I am so proud that´s so cool he is living his dream! I got the package Mom! it was the one with the weird calendar hahah jk I love it thank you so much! OOOH congratuations on your 5 year anniversary! wooo you and peter are just darling hu? Tooties dearest sister! I´m so so sorry your finger is hurting! I´m glad it is slowly getting better! hang in there! your finger will always have memories of being slammed in the door! haha love me. Happpppppy Birthday this week sue! have a great one!!! old? 23! David Beckham number! My finger is a lot better it was infected with an ingrown nail! I need to learn how to cut my nails better! but today I ripped the nail out so it´s good, I was almost in tears it hurt so bad! yes I play soccer every Thursday with the members and investigators! I love it, every thursday night in bed I always have dreams of my past soccer goals! it´s always a good dream! I love it and i miss it a lot though! but it´s all good!
Anyway family this week was soooooo sick! Definitley blessed like crazy from heavenly father! We put 6 baptism dates! it was so awesome every single time it was so powerful to see them respond! My compy and I went through a little spunk the weeks before and didn´t put many dates for baptism. Honestly I think it was a test/trial for us, and it helped us so much this week! for sure a baptism this saturday!!!!! ahhhh I am so excited! So we went over there yesterday to have the baptism inverview with the Zone Leaders! I played with the 9 year old Magali( who is getting baptized) milly 5 and David who is 4 the whole time hahah I loved it! Magali asked me to baptize her!!!!!!!! I think i understood right! But I am going to get my first baptism in white! ahhhh I am so excited it will be this saturday if everything goes right! I wlll make sure to take pictures to send to you! I am doing amazing the weeks are going by so fast, almost done with the second transfer! I don´t know if I will be staying in the same area or not but we will see soon! My shoes have a hole in them hahaha they are done for, but I am still wearing them til I can´t anymore. I think I step in poop atleast 5 times a day! it´s great! I miss you all so very much! Have a splendid week! Love you!!!
Elder Payton.
Your brother, and son! What´s up? Shooooot no way Scott is going pro in golf? That is so sick, I have a famous cousin! haha now its my turn after the mission to go pro! haha we will see! When you talk to him tell him congrats from me and I am so proud that´s so cool he is living his dream! I got the package Mom! it was the one with the weird calendar hahah jk I love it thank you so much! OOOH congratuations on your 5 year anniversary! wooo you and peter are just darling hu? Tooties dearest sister! I´m so so sorry your finger is hurting! I´m glad it is slowly getting better! hang in there! your finger will always have memories of being slammed in the door! haha love me. Happpppppy Birthday this week sue! have a great one!!! old? 23! David Beckham number! My finger is a lot better it was infected with an ingrown nail! I need to learn how to cut my nails better! but today I ripped the nail out so it´s good, I was almost in tears it hurt so bad! yes I play soccer every Thursday with the members and investigators! I love it, every thursday night in bed I always have dreams of my past soccer goals! it´s always a good dream! I love it and i miss it a lot though! but it´s all good!
Anyway family this week was soooooo sick! Definitley blessed like crazy from heavenly father! We put 6 baptism dates! it was so awesome every single time it was so powerful to see them respond! My compy and I went through a little spunk the weeks before and didn´t put many dates for baptism. Honestly I think it was a test/trial for us, and it helped us so much this week! for sure a baptism this saturday!!!!! ahhhh I am so excited! So we went over there yesterday to have the baptism inverview with the Zone Leaders! I played with the 9 year old Magali( who is getting baptized) milly 5 and David who is 4 the whole time hahah I loved it! Magali asked me to baptize her!!!!!!!! I think i understood right! But I am going to get my first baptism in white! ahhhh I am so excited it will be this saturday if everything goes right! I wlll make sure to take pictures to send to you! I am doing amazing the weeks are going by so fast, almost done with the second transfer! I don´t know if I will be staying in the same area or not but we will see soon! My shoes have a hole in them hahaha they are done for, but I am still wearing them til I can´t anymore. I think I step in poop atleast 5 times a day! it´s great! I miss you all so very much! Have a splendid week! Love you!!!
Elder Payton.
Helllllloooo Wonderful Family!!
This week was a goooood week I love it here, still in the same place doing the same thing but there are so many miracles each day, which is so cool to see! Can you believe it already 4 months!
This past week we had a Zone meeting with all of our zone, which is always way fun to meet all the new Elders. We played soccer, and went bowling it was so fun, they had american music playing which was a little bit tempting to start dancing and singing. You know me. haha. ´We are teaching this little girl named Magali, haha the first thing she said to me is why are you so timid? haha which means shy! I thought I was outgoing but she didn´t think so. She is awesome though she wants to get baptized very badly she goes to church with her grandma. Her parents are members but they don´t go to church, so she goes alone sometimes. She has been going for the past 3 years. We put a baptismal date for next weekend! She prays and everything, her prays are so simple but she is so sincere with them and is always willing to talk about Jesus and pray. I bought two alfajors for her and she was so excited! We are expecting a baptism this weekend! We are praying for it, we are going by the girl three times this week to prepare her for her baptism. The week of baptisms are always hard because the advesary, But we hope she can keep her faith and move forward and perform this baptism because we know that it will change her life! and the life of her family!
Ahh yesteday we had Stake Conference which was so dope it was a live broadcast from Salt Lake. Elder ziviv spoke, Elder Neil L. Anderson, President Boyd K Packer, and Hermana Wixom spoke. it was so powerful! The wards here are so different from The states not a lot of people go to the Conference but those that went definitley experienced something amazing. President Packer, spoke on the Holy Ghost and how we are the only people in the world that have the Holy Ghost in our lives, and that is what makes our church different! We have such a blessing to have that guide in out lives every single day!
Oh mother and Pete, do you remember what was said in my setting apart blessing? if so could you help me remember and write me a little of it? Love you.
I love you all!
Sounds like everyone is just doing amazing! Proud of all you!
Love you Elder Payton.
This week was a goooood week I love it here, still in the same place doing the same thing but there are so many miracles each day, which is so cool to see! Can you believe it already 4 months!
This past week we had a Zone meeting with all of our zone, which is always way fun to meet all the new Elders. We played soccer, and went bowling it was so fun, they had american music playing which was a little bit tempting to start dancing and singing. You know me. haha. ´We are teaching this little girl named Magali, haha the first thing she said to me is why are you so timid? haha which means shy! I thought I was outgoing but she didn´t think so. She is awesome though she wants to get baptized very badly she goes to church with her grandma. Her parents are members but they don´t go to church, so she goes alone sometimes. She has been going for the past 3 years. We put a baptismal date for next weekend! She prays and everything, her prays are so simple but she is so sincere with them and is always willing to talk about Jesus and pray. I bought two alfajors for her and she was so excited! We are expecting a baptism this weekend! We are praying for it, we are going by the girl three times this week to prepare her for her baptism. The week of baptisms are always hard because the advesary, But we hope she can keep her faith and move forward and perform this baptism because we know that it will change her life! and the life of her family!
Ahh yesteday we had Stake Conference which was so dope it was a live broadcast from Salt Lake. Elder ziviv spoke, Elder Neil L. Anderson, President Boyd K Packer, and Hermana Wixom spoke. it was so powerful! The wards here are so different from The states not a lot of people go to the Conference but those that went definitley experienced something amazing. President Packer, spoke on the Holy Ghost and how we are the only people in the world that have the Holy Ghost in our lives, and that is what makes our church different! We have such a blessing to have that guide in out lives every single day!
Oh mother and Pete, do you remember what was said in my setting apart blessing? if so could you help me remember and write me a little of it? Love you.
I love you all!
Sounds like everyone is just doing amazing! Proud of all you!
Love you Elder Payton.
Helllllloooo Family!
How is my lovely family doing? This week went by so fast It feels like
yesterday I was writing you all!
Well this week was a way good week for me, a tad frustrating and sad
but still it was a way good week!
We have this investigator who´s name is Cicilia she is 16 and has had
some tough times in the past. She doesn´t believe in God. She doesn´t
know her mom, she lives with a member in my area and doesn´t have any
friends. She is living a tough life. We have been teaching her for
about a month now. It definitely has been tough teaching her, the
first times we would just tell her about God and that he lives and
that he loves her so much and wants her to be happy. We would ask her
to committ to reading and praying but she wouldn´t. We decided to just
begin teaching the lessons and started with the first lesson about
Joseph Smith. She opened up to us and this week and her mom that she
has never met in her life, called her older sister and is asking about
her. She got really quiet and was tearing up, the miracle in all of
this is she prayed for the first time in her life and we put a
baptismal date for this month! It was so cool to see the change in her
life, it´s going to take a little bit more but I hope and pray she can
trust and believe that God is with her.
Sad news, I have an infection in my finger. And I had to go to the
hospital, the have to amputate my finger. I don´t know what to do, I´m
scared. hahah jk, but no seriously it is a bad infection. I went to a
member yesterday and she works in a hospital and gave me all this
stuff to put on it and everything. It hurts so bad.
Every Thursday night we play futbol with the ward and this past week
was so kapo the ward is awesome here, haha the didn´t know americans
can play soccer. The first counselor in the ward and the stake
presidency told me on sunday that they have a plot against me this
Thursday so I don´t score anymore. haha it is funny!´
I have been studying the gift of Discernment a lot lately and it´s so
cool how awesome it really works! There is a talk by Elder Ballard
that was like how do you know if the spirit is there with you? He said
don´t worry about it! it´s so simple, if your bearing truth with all
your heart you can tell. The mission is amazing some days are hard and
some are easier. But it is all amazing! The miracles every single day
from this work is so cool to see! I am happy and loving it here! and
am so happy to know you all are doing amazing!
This week we have Stake Conference ha I hope I will be able to
understand a little bit of it! The spanish is so much better now, I
understand almost everything now and am talking all the time! it´s a
miracle haha I remember in high school with the language it was
impossible. but now its not bad! I love you all!
Have an amazing week Family!
Elder Payton!
or what everyone calls me here Elder Paytaton!
hahaha funny story real quick! Every time We call our mission leader
he says my name in the funniest Accent! Elder PAAAAAAYTOOON. Love you
all! Ciao Ciao! I´m Italian! :)
How is my lovely family doing? This week went by so fast It feels like
yesterday I was writing you all!
Well this week was a way good week for me, a tad frustrating and sad
but still it was a way good week!
We have this investigator who´s name is Cicilia she is 16 and has had
some tough times in the past. She doesn´t believe in God. She doesn´t
know her mom, she lives with a member in my area and doesn´t have any
friends. She is living a tough life. We have been teaching her for
about a month now. It definitely has been tough teaching her, the
first times we would just tell her about God and that he lives and
that he loves her so much and wants her to be happy. We would ask her
to committ to reading and praying but she wouldn´t. We decided to just
begin teaching the lessons and started with the first lesson about
Joseph Smith. She opened up to us and this week and her mom that she
has never met in her life, called her older sister and is asking about
her. She got really quiet and was tearing up, the miracle in all of
this is she prayed for the first time in her life and we put a
baptismal date for this month! It was so cool to see the change in her
life, it´s going to take a little bit more but I hope and pray she can
trust and believe that God is with her.
Sad news, I have an infection in my finger. And I had to go to the
hospital, the have to amputate my finger. I don´t know what to do, I´m
scared. hahah jk, but no seriously it is a bad infection. I went to a
member yesterday and she works in a hospital and gave me all this
stuff to put on it and everything. It hurts so bad.
Every Thursday night we play futbol with the ward and this past week
was so kapo the ward is awesome here, haha the didn´t know americans
can play soccer. The first counselor in the ward and the stake
presidency told me on sunday that they have a plot against me this
Thursday so I don´t score anymore. haha it is funny!´
I have been studying the gift of Discernment a lot lately and it´s so
cool how awesome it really works! There is a talk by Elder Ballard
that was like how do you know if the spirit is there with you? He said
don´t worry about it! it´s so simple, if your bearing truth with all
your heart you can tell. The mission is amazing some days are hard and
some are easier. But it is all amazing! The miracles every single day
from this work is so cool to see! I am happy and loving it here! and
am so happy to know you all are doing amazing!
This week we have Stake Conference ha I hope I will be able to
understand a little bit of it! The spanish is so much better now, I
understand almost everything now and am talking all the time! it´s a
miracle haha I remember in high school with the language it was
impossible. but now its not bad! I love you all!
Have an amazing week Family!
Elder Payton!
or what everyone calls me here Elder Paytaton!
hahaha funny story real quick! Every time We call our mission leader
he says my name in the funniest Accent! Elder PAAAAAAYTOOON. Love you
all! Ciao Ciao! I´m Italian! :)
Hellllllllllloooo!
I am so glad to hear about your guy´s week! It makes me so happy knowing that you all are doing just dandy! I miss you all so much, and am glad you all got to be together this week!
This week for me was probably the most spiritual I have had so far in my mission!
Shoot alright I´ll tell the story right now, ahh its so dope. Okay so we had to travel up to Alma Fuerte for a District Meeting which is about two hours away. We had our district meeting and after My companion and I stayed in Alma Fuerte instead of coming back to Rio Cuarto, to help the Hermanas in our district in their area. That was the best decision we could of made. We were blessed so much. So hear is the story now. Her name is Edith. or something like that. ha. So we walk up to the door, and the odor is really strong of pure smoke. So of course we are like ah shoot. So we knock, the first time nothing. Knock again. I look in the window and there is a woman looking at us. So she opens the window, which is kinda a sign of I don´t really want to talk, so in my mind I was a little bummed. We introduced ourselves, said we are missionaries and had a little questionaire we wanted to share about faith and relgion. We started asking questions like, Do you think it is important to follow the example of JesusChrist in all things? Do you think Jesus Visited the Americas? and this is the question that hit her hard, If Jesus was standing in front of you right now what would you say? she said perdon, and salud, which is forgive me and health. We told her after she said that, that she can have that and that is exactly what our message can bring to her life, we bore testimony on her front porch and she starting to cry. "she said, this mensaje es para mi" ahhhhhh. so dope. We then asked if we could come in and teach her a little bit more, we got in! We started talking for a bit and then asked her about Baptism. We showed her a lamanite of how Jesus Christ was baptized by John the Baptice. She looked at it for 1 minute and then said Explicame. Explain. We explained it and she was balling the whole time, we bore testimony and it felt like everything we were saying was straight from the spirit. She said where is the water!! haha. We put a fecha for June. Before we left she said in a prayer or to us, I made a promise to my house that I wouldn´t let anyone in my house who isn´t Catholic! she then said gracias a Dios por Los Elderes! It was so powerful!
I loved it and love how everyone who feels this spirit knows how powerful it is.
I gave my first talk in spanish in Argentina yesterday hahahah I was so nervous. I prepared a talk, but for some reason I didn´t even open my notebook to look at it. I know dumb. hahah so I just bore my testimony and talked as best I could about the missionary work in our ward. Everyone said I did a really good job! The language is getting better each day the more I speak.
I had lunch with the Verges family on saturday and their grandma and cousin were there from oregon so they speak english which was so nice, America. haha. But I gave a spiritual thought to the family before we left. Jacob 5:72. And it was awesome, I was crying, the kids, the grandma, it was so spiritual. May flew by hu?? goodness!
It´s starting to get frigid here haha it rains a lot! But I am loving it so much!
I miss you all, and love you!
have such a fresh week!
Love Elder Payton.
I am so glad to hear about your guy´s week! It makes me so happy knowing that you all are doing just dandy! I miss you all so much, and am glad you all got to be together this week!
This week for me was probably the most spiritual I have had so far in my mission!
Shoot alright I´ll tell the story right now, ahh its so dope. Okay so we had to travel up to Alma Fuerte for a District Meeting which is about two hours away. We had our district meeting and after My companion and I stayed in Alma Fuerte instead of coming back to Rio Cuarto, to help the Hermanas in our district in their area. That was the best decision we could of made. We were blessed so much. So hear is the story now. Her name is Edith. or something like that. ha. So we walk up to the door, and the odor is really strong of pure smoke. So of course we are like ah shoot. So we knock, the first time nothing. Knock again. I look in the window and there is a woman looking at us. So she opens the window, which is kinda a sign of I don´t really want to talk, so in my mind I was a little bummed. We introduced ourselves, said we are missionaries and had a little questionaire we wanted to share about faith and relgion. We started asking questions like, Do you think it is important to follow the example of JesusChrist in all things? Do you think Jesus Visited the Americas? and this is the question that hit her hard, If Jesus was standing in front of you right now what would you say? she said perdon, and salud, which is forgive me and health. We told her after she said that, that she can have that and that is exactly what our message can bring to her life, we bore testimony on her front porch and she starting to cry. "she said, this mensaje es para mi" ahhhhhh. so dope. We then asked if we could come in and teach her a little bit more, we got in! We started talking for a bit and then asked her about Baptism. We showed her a lamanite of how Jesus Christ was baptized by John the Baptice. She looked at it for 1 minute and then said Explicame. Explain. We explained it and she was balling the whole time, we bore testimony and it felt like everything we were saying was straight from the spirit. She said where is the water!! haha. We put a fecha for June. Before we left she said in a prayer or to us, I made a promise to my house that I wouldn´t let anyone in my house who isn´t Catholic! she then said gracias a Dios por Los Elderes! It was so powerful!
I loved it and love how everyone who feels this spirit knows how powerful it is.
I gave my first talk in spanish in Argentina yesterday hahahah I was so nervous. I prepared a talk, but for some reason I didn´t even open my notebook to look at it. I know dumb. hahah so I just bore my testimony and talked as best I could about the missionary work in our ward. Everyone said I did a really good job! The language is getting better each day the more I speak.
I had lunch with the Verges family on saturday and their grandma and cousin were there from oregon so they speak english which was so nice, America. haha. But I gave a spiritual thought to the family before we left. Jacob 5:72. And it was awesome, I was crying, the kids, the grandma, it was so spiritual. May flew by hu?? goodness!
It´s starting to get frigid here haha it rains a lot! But I am loving it so much!
I miss you all, and love you!
have such a fresh week!
Love Elder Payton.
Sunday, May 29, 2011
Hola Familia!
¿Como Anda?
This week was awesome!
On tuesday I was in an Intercombio with Elder Riquelme from Argentina, We worked in his area in downtown Centro Rio Cuarto! Which is tough place to work in because it is so busy. And plus they have so many clothing stores that are so dope. haha but it was fun working with him. He also has four months in his mission so we were both new missionaries walking around. i like it like that. We had the opportunity to give three blessings that day to a member who was feeling sick, and to this hermana who was having a hard time. We knocked on her door and her mom answered who was about 80 years old. and she let us in and her daughter was in bed crying. She was way sick had an infection or something in her leg. We talked to them for a little and then asked her if she wanted a preisthood blessing to help her! She said yes, I did the first part of the consecrated oil and my companion did the blessing! Right after the blessing she said, I want to go to your church! it was a miracle, she never has gone. That shows the power of the preisthood and the power of the Holy Ghost!.
On Wednesday I was in my area with Elder Riquelme. We had District meeting which is always good to see everyone. After we went and picked up lunch from a member and my laundry. The food here makes me fat, but it´s so good. hhaha it´s harder to not eat. We had two noche de hogars or family nights. We made two brownies which were really good, The family nights were with two girls and there mom and a member. One of the girls is pregnant, and has many hard problems in her life. We talked about the after life and what happens to us, the had no questions about it. Elder Riquelme told me at the end of the lesson when everyone was talking, I interrupted them and starting baring my testimony he said the whole room went queit and he felt the spirit so strong in while I was talking. He told me that after we had left. it feels so good to help people in any way possible. This gospel we have can fix any problem!
Sunday we had a baptism for a members son! It is so cool to watch the dad baptize the kid and see the love and pure joy in the faces of them! it always make me cry haha I get so emotional! I love seeing it though.
yesterday was the end of my first transfer I am staying in my same area with my same companion. I love it here and am so happy to be here! I am loving the mission and seeing the miracles each and everyday of the power of the holy ghost guiding us!
I miss you all so much and am so happy for abby and her graduation! Tell pops and jen I love them and everyone who comes over! I miss you and and am so thankful for everything! For the month of june we are expecting atleast 3 baptizms! We are working hard everyday to prepare them for their baptizms! The best work I could be doing. Have an amazing week!
Love, Elder Payton.
This week was awesome!
On tuesday I was in an Intercombio with Elder Riquelme from Argentina, We worked in his area in downtown Centro Rio Cuarto! Which is tough place to work in because it is so busy. And plus they have so many clothing stores that are so dope. haha but it was fun working with him. He also has four months in his mission so we were both new missionaries walking around. i like it like that. We had the opportunity to give three blessings that day to a member who was feeling sick, and to this hermana who was having a hard time. We knocked on her door and her mom answered who was about 80 years old. and she let us in and her daughter was in bed crying. She was way sick had an infection or something in her leg. We talked to them for a little and then asked her if she wanted a preisthood blessing to help her! She said yes, I did the first part of the consecrated oil and my companion did the blessing! Right after the blessing she said, I want to go to your church! it was a miracle, she never has gone. That shows the power of the preisthood and the power of the Holy Ghost!.
On Wednesday I was in my area with Elder Riquelme. We had District meeting which is always good to see everyone. After we went and picked up lunch from a member and my laundry. The food here makes me fat, but it´s so good. hhaha it´s harder to not eat. We had two noche de hogars or family nights. We made two brownies which were really good, The family nights were with two girls and there mom and a member. One of the girls is pregnant, and has many hard problems in her life. We talked about the after life and what happens to us, the had no questions about it. Elder Riquelme told me at the end of the lesson when everyone was talking, I interrupted them and starting baring my testimony he said the whole room went queit and he felt the spirit so strong in while I was talking. He told me that after we had left. it feels so good to help people in any way possible. This gospel we have can fix any problem!
Sunday we had a baptism for a members son! It is so cool to watch the dad baptize the kid and see the love and pure joy in the faces of them! it always make me cry haha I get so emotional! I love seeing it though.
yesterday was the end of my first transfer I am staying in my same area with my same companion. I love it here and am so happy to be here! I am loving the mission and seeing the miracles each and everyday of the power of the holy ghost guiding us!
I miss you all so much and am so happy for abby and her graduation! Tell pops and jen I love them and everyone who comes over! I miss you and and am so thankful for everything! For the month of june we are expecting atleast 3 baptizms! We are working hard everyday to prepare them for their baptizms! The best work I could be doing. Have an amazing week!
Love, Elder Payton.
Tuesday, May 17, 2011
May 16th
Hey Family!
What´s up everyone?
This week has absolutley been crazy! haha I honestly felt like it was never going to end, but it did. It was such a good week, the most walking I think I have ever done in my life. We had splashes all week in which all the Elders work in one area. It is a lot of fun to work with Elders from different countries, haha it´s funny when they speak English and it sounds so funny, but that´s probably how I sound when I speak Castoshano. hahah I was finally started to get confidence with the language when this little punk told me I speak crazily haha I was like come on. it was pretty funny though. So definitley this week was guided all by the spirit, when I had my meeting with the president he read a scripture in Alma 13:24 I think about angels and says that the angels are with us preparing everyone for us to teach! you could see that everyday this week, House after house we would enter and teach a awesome lesson. We put a lot of baptismal dates, or goals we like to call them. Oh so you all remember when Christian Cannovino would bring down his argentine treats those way way amazing ones like the shape of a leaf? I bought so many of those this week, I eat them all. shoot some good news, I am finally gaining weight! 13 pounds I am up to 152. talk about a miracle I know. hahah.
I just want to share with you guys how much this church has changed my life, you all know when I didn´t go for a while and my life was troubled. Mom would always ask me to come to church as well as lovely madeleine. But I never would, I just didn´t think I needed it in my life, I thought I was happy. But let me tell you when I returned to chuch the first time in almost two years I had felt that peace that I had been missing in my life. I know this is the only true church, which brings so much happiness. And I know it has changed my life so much and has given me a new life. This church is how we can be together forever and always know that we are a family. How amazing of a blessing is that? the best blessing, our savior sufferered everything for each and everyone one of us, he knows what we are going through and he is the only way we can be healed, I love knowing that! I am know this is the only true chuch, our savior lives, and the covenants we make with our heavenly father is what brings true joy to our lives! I love my mission, and have had so many experiences that have brought true joy to my life!
I love you all!
Elder Payton.
What´s up everyone?
This week has absolutley been crazy! haha I honestly felt like it was never going to end, but it did. It was such a good week, the most walking I think I have ever done in my life. We had splashes all week in which all the Elders work in one area. It is a lot of fun to work with Elders from different countries, haha it´s funny when they speak English and it sounds so funny, but that´s probably how I sound when I speak Castoshano. hahah I was finally started to get confidence with the language when this little punk told me I speak crazily haha I was like come on. it was pretty funny though. So definitley this week was guided all by the spirit, when I had my meeting with the president he read a scripture in Alma 13:24 I think about angels and says that the angels are with us preparing everyone for us to teach! you could see that everyday this week, House after house we would enter and teach a awesome lesson. We put a lot of baptismal dates, or goals we like to call them. Oh so you all remember when Christian Cannovino would bring down his argentine treats those way way amazing ones like the shape of a leaf? I bought so many of those this week, I eat them all. shoot some good news, I am finally gaining weight! 13 pounds I am up to 152. talk about a miracle I know. hahah.
I just want to share with you guys how much this church has changed my life, you all know when I didn´t go for a while and my life was troubled. Mom would always ask me to come to church as well as lovely madeleine. But I never would, I just didn´t think I needed it in my life, I thought I was happy. But let me tell you when I returned to chuch the first time in almost two years I had felt that peace that I had been missing in my life. I know this is the only true church, which brings so much happiness. And I know it has changed my life so much and has given me a new life. This church is how we can be together forever and always know that we are a family. How amazing of a blessing is that? the best blessing, our savior sufferered everything for each and everyone one of us, he knows what we are going through and he is the only way we can be healed, I love knowing that! I am know this is the only true chuch, our savior lives, and the covenants we make with our heavenly father is what brings true joy to our lives! I love my mission, and have had so many experiences that have brought true joy to my life!
I love you all!
Elder Payton.
Family!
Shoot I just want to say that it was amazing to talk to all of you yesterday and to just hear all of your voices, it makes me more happy to know that you all are doing so well. It was crazy. I love you all, and I miss you.
So this week was suppose to be our Semana Santa, like our perfect week in the mission everything perfect. obeying all the rules, contacting like crazy, teaching tons of lessons. but it turned into a hectic week! Wednesday we had a Splash, its when everyone works in one area for the whole day. We were in Parque which is 20 minutes away from Roque. That day I think broke me out of my shell, for some reason I did the best and I was contacting and teaching alot. My companion for the splash was Elder Jensen from Vegas. It´s way fun to have different companions every now and then. So one story for that day we were walking and he just asked me what he could do better, me being here only a month was like I don´t know, you have been here so long and i´ve only been here a month. he insisted me to tell him something he could do better, I told him our testimonies are where we invite the spirit the most when we testify. So the next house we contact, this hermana walks out she is smiling so big, I contact her and say hello and everything and say we are missionaries we want to share a message about the plan of salvacion and our savior jesus chirst. She was legit, she was way into and everything and asked us to come back. We testified, and seriously my body was on fire with the chills and the strongest spirit ever, my companion was crying and we walked away from that contact just in awww about what had happened. I asked him how he felt and he said I feel amazing, He told me thank you and said that my spirit I bring invites the spirit so quickly! I love this gospel, love the joy, the peace, the knowledge that it brings to our lives. Its the best gift we have and I am so grateful to share it! The next day I was so so sick! so i had to stay in the pension all day which stunk! the food here is starting to get to me a little bit! I miss home cooked meals! Saturday we had the chance to meet with president salas! He is the coolest man.
We had a meeting and he asked me how everything was going and I told him this first month has ment so much to me, the change in my life already, our investigators, the baptisms! it has all be amazing!
The baptism and confirmation are my favorite thing about the mission, its beautiful to see the happiness, I mean we all see happiness everyday but this happiness is different its pure joy, being clean of everything and moving on from those things. The atonement is for everyone on this earth! We need to use it!
So this week was suppose to be our Semana Santa, like our perfect week in the mission everything perfect. obeying all the rules, contacting like crazy, teaching tons of lessons. but it turned into a hectic week! Wednesday we had a Splash, its when everyone works in one area for the whole day. We were in Parque which is 20 minutes away from Roque. That day I think broke me out of my shell, for some reason I did the best and I was contacting and teaching alot. My companion for the splash was Elder Jensen from Vegas. It´s way fun to have different companions every now and then. So one story for that day we were walking and he just asked me what he could do better, me being here only a month was like I don´t know, you have been here so long and i´ve only been here a month. he insisted me to tell him something he could do better, I told him our testimonies are where we invite the spirit the most when we testify. So the next house we contact, this hermana walks out she is smiling so big, I contact her and say hello and everything and say we are missionaries we want to share a message about the plan of salvacion and our savior jesus chirst. She was legit, she was way into and everything and asked us to come back. We testified, and seriously my body was on fire with the chills and the strongest spirit ever, my companion was crying and we walked away from that contact just in awww about what had happened. I asked him how he felt and he said I feel amazing, He told me thank you and said that my spirit I bring invites the spirit so quickly! I love this gospel, love the joy, the peace, the knowledge that it brings to our lives. Its the best gift we have and I am so grateful to share it! The next day I was so so sick! so i had to stay in the pension all day which stunk! the food here is starting to get to me a little bit! I miss home cooked meals! Saturday we had the chance to meet with president salas! He is the coolest man.
We had a meeting and he asked me how everything was going and I told him this first month has ment so much to me, the change in my life already, our investigators, the baptisms! it has all be amazing!
The baptism and confirmation are my favorite thing about the mission, its beautiful to see the happiness, I mean we all see happiness everyday but this happiness is different its pure joy, being clean of everything and moving on from those things. The atonement is for everyone on this earth! We need to use it!
Another P day is here! Time goes by so fast for me! hahah maybe not for all of you but I miss you and am so grateful for you all!
Love Elder Payton.
Love Elder Payton.
Tuesday, May 3, 2011
FAMILY!
Hola! how is everyone?
This week was crazy! It went from being the hottest weather I have ever been in to the coldest in one day, I disliked it so much haha. It was a huge rain storm and the wind was so strong. It was frigid. But we still had to go out and work and everything which is actually so much fun! I love it here and I love being a missionary! So this week we had a lot of good lessons and we have a baptism for this saturday at 5! second one in a month I am so grateful for heavenly father preparing these people for me and my compy! I am so excited for it! What was my baptism like? I dont remember but baptisms really are so amazing, so I might have to do the confirmation! ahhh in Spanish! crazy haha i don´t know very many words still but I will do it is she asks me to! So we have that baptism and then hopefully 4 more in the month of may! its crazy to think I am almost done with my first transfer! only three weeks left! it really does go by so fast. The family´s in the ward are amazing they feed us buffets for lunch everyday we are so lucky the food here is really really good. WE have lots of pastas and empanadas and chicken. Which is exactly what i need to gain some pounds! Mother why haven´t I gotten a package yet? haha I miss american chips and candy so much.! I watch soccer during our cetas with members at lunch they had the champions league game on of barca and RM and it was amazing i miss playing soccer but we played today and it was really fun! We had a zone meeting today and the spirit was so strong! It is crazy how the spirit radiates off of the other missionaries! The zone leaders asked me to bare my testimony today and I did and they all started crying and told me right when I started to talked they were hit with the spirit! Family let me tell you we are so blessed to have the knowledge we do in the church this is the only way we can actually have true happiness! Its the best feeling walking out of a lesson and knowing that the spirit was there and know they felt it. I love this work and am so happy! I miss you all!
Elder Payton
Saturday, April 30, 2011
Hola!!! 4.25.11
A what´s up family? How is everything back home? down here is Rio Cuarto it is amazing. we have had a lot of success this week with everything i love it!.
So last night we had a family night with the gonzales family and Estefani who is a investigator. She is 14! but the family night was way fun! we played a game and then taught the first lesson to her! and set a date for her baptism on may 7.! she said she would prepare to be baptized.! it was such a cool experience. The gospel really is the light of the world. She was so happy and excited. She has some doubts but everyone has doubts about something! But we are going to prepare her and hopefully she will be ready for her goal on the 7th. Thank you for supporting me in this Family! it really is the best thing I could be doing in my life! I´ts a lot of work but it is also a lot of fun! you see a lot of things that just make you laugh. hahaha this week we almost got locked in our church and would of had to stay there until someone came back. we walked in to go to the bathroom and the relief society was saying a pray and didn´t know we walked in and when we left the church was empty and the doors were locked. we were locked in. we had to knock on the door and luckily this sister heard us! it was funny though! My castashono is getting better each day the more I use it! I found the best time is when I get to bare my testimony with people! It´s such a warm feeling that i feel when I do so! We eat a lot of food from the members they are really nice and want to meet with us! haha it´s great they feed us pasta, chicken, empanads, bread, lots of soda. which i always have to burp. but I hold it in! WE are hoping to get 8 baptisms in the month of may and we have lots to do but we can teach and prepare them.
love you all!
Elder Payton
HOLA! 4.18.11
Argentina is so fun! We got here and we went straight to downtown cordoba. Let me tell you it is absolutley insane down here. Ha i love it. They argentines are crazy drivers. They all drive scooters and honk like none other. My first Area is Rio Cuarto about 3 hours south of down town Cordoba. It is a pretty big city! lots of people. My Companion is Elder Nitta. Ha I don´t understand really anything anyone is saying down here. Every one calls me nuevita. Which means pretty much newbie. But ah the people down here are so nice and friendly. I really am loving it. Its sooooo hot. Guess what????? I had my first baptism on yesterday. Ah I was balling. Guess what the hermanas name was? Madaline. haha it made me so happy. she is 11 years old and you could see the glow in her eyes. She is so awesome. The Second Baptism was a hermano named Miquel. Who is an absolute stud. The Del Rio family is amazing. The Padre is awesome, he helps me with my spanish and knows a little bit of english as well and helps me with saying stuff. the lord has really blessed my companion and I in this area. The second night we went to visit the Gomez family. 4 kids. and a mom and dad who are waiting for there papers to get married. So my companion asked me to give a spirtitual thought so i was way nervous. But I shared alma 26:27. and bore my testimony about it. in Castagano. which is there spanish name. the esposa wife. started to cry. i didn´t know if i said something offensive so i was so scared. but she told me that she needed to hear that scripture she had been going through such a hard time and needed to hear it. I was pumped. I know it wasn´t me who did it, it was the spirit. I love teaching. even though my companion is doing most of it. I love bearing my testimony about it. But a little bit about Rio Cuarto. There are lots of amazing foods. empanadas. fratelas or something like that. lots of dirt roads and very poor people live here but i wouldn´t want to be any where else in the world. I just got done playing futbol I don´t think the latino missionaries like me that much. becuase they didnt know a gringo could play soccer. haha. Tell everyone Hi!!!!
love, elder payton
love, elder payton
YOUR MISSIONARY HAS ARRIVED! 4.15.11
Dear Parents,
We are happy to inform you that your missionaries have arrived safely to the Mission Argentina, Córdoba. They are currently with their trainers and have already begun to serve the Lord! If you have any questions or concerns feel free to call us, or send an email. Have a nice day.
-Elder Hebertson
Secretary to the President
Wednesday, March 30, 2011
#6 Hey Family!!
This week has been a great week for me! I have less than two weeks in the MTC and I am getting nervous for the field! But more excited, We have been doing a lot of teaching lately. Every single day actually! Our teacher acts like our Progressive Investigator and we have to teach him everyday. He dropped us last night because he was bored while we were teaching. It was pretty funny but a great learning lesson. We learned that we need to involve him a lot more and to not be so boring. We need to tell him why he needs this in his life. It's pretty hard sometimes. But when you don't think about yourself it just comes to you. I had the most spiritual experience of the MTC last week when I contacted my teacher and he told that the spirit stabbed his heart, he told me that he felt that God was talking to him personally through me! I had never thought that anything like that could ever happen. It was something that helpled me so much and knowing that this is where I am suppose to be and those moments are what I want more of. I really do love this misson. I have been thinking a lot about the people in Argentina and the people Heavenly Father is preparing for me right now. It makes me kinda scared knowing that they are prepared for me, I just hope I am prepared for them. I have been studying a lot about prayer lately. Have you ever asked yourself why we pray? It may seem like an easy question. To talk with our father in Heaven. But think about all the people that have never prayed and have had good lives. It's something I need to study lots more on this week and find out exactly why we need to pray. I am so excited for General Conference this week, we have no classes on saturday so we just watch it all day. I am excited. I know that when the aposotles and the prophet our talking its God talking. I never have thought of it that way. So I'm stoked to listen with knowing that! I hope all is amazing back home and everyone is striving to be better. I know I am not even close to perfect but I know that we are't suppose to be yet. It's all a learning experience. I love you all!
I hope you all have a great week!
Love and miss you.
Elder Payton
I hope you all have a great week!
Love and miss you.
Elder Payton
Tuesday, March 15, 2011
Hello Everyone!
How are all of you? This week was so much fun, I taugh in spanish this week. It was so cool knowing that I can talk in a different language. haha a real language not the ones I used to make up. I had no idea how powerful the gift of tongues is. I still had problems but I said what I needed to. I did the whole story on Jospeh Smith is spanish and the first vision. It's awesome looking right into the investigators eye and sharing that story of our prophet Joseph Smith. The devotional for tonight I will sit right in the front of the bleachers so look for me if you watch. I love the devotionals. I love to sing. I found my favorite hymn in spanish it's called secreta oracion. It's so good. I'll sing a solo for you when i'm back. Every sunday we talk to our Branch Council and just tell him how our week goes. This week was the best experience with me. He told me as we sat down that he can look in my eye and say that I am going to be a great missionary and change peoples life. I don't know how he does it. Well I do. From the Lord. But knowing that he can see it makes me want to work harder and harder each day. I love being here. We have less than a month left in the MTC. It's gone by so fast. In class we talked about how as missionaries we shouldn't be scared going into bad neighbor hoods and such. The only thing we should be scared of is beind disobedient. I have learned so much that the little things in life that the lord expects of you are the most important. It's a test to everyone to see if they are willing to give things up to do the little the lord asks each day. Just the little rules that us as humans don't understand why. Heavenly Father knows why and that's all we need to know. We need to do all the little things, because that is what he wants us to do. He will bless us more than we can think. I am growing into the person I want to be for the rest of my life. This decision is the best thing I have ever done in my life. I know it is going to be the hardest but the most rewarding part of my life. The rest of my life will be determined on how I do on my mission. I know that to be true. If you put your full effort in everything will be good. I am starting my first progressive investigator this week. Teaching is the best part of the MTC I think. It puts you in situtaions and positions that you will be in during the field. I think about all you every single day and pray for you. I miss you all so much. I am hoping this week the devotional will be an apostle. Its bound to happen. It's been way to long since one has come. I hope it is. I went to the temple today for endownment. I love it. I think my favorite to do is sealings. Just becuase everytime I am in there I picture the kid running to their parents in my head and the smile on their faces makes me so happy knowing that we can all live together again. I am reading in jacob of how strong your family's need to be. I know by your decision to marry Pete, mom was the best decision. Pete was that example to me. Of someone who would do anything for their family. I am so grateful for that choice. It blessed me more than I ever thought. I read in Jacob chapter 3 I think of how the father is the example to the children. Pete was that for me. Even though he is a goon berry most the time He knows how to love, support, and lead by example. I love that. The friendships I am making here are eternal. This is the happiest place I have been, beside the temple. I love YOU all.
Oh so I guess in Argentina while I am there it's the copa america tournament.!!!!!! So sick huh? I can't wait
Oh so I guess in Argentina while I am there it's the copa america tournament.!!!!!! So sick huh? I can't wait
Tuesday, March 8, 2011
#4 Buenos Dias, Esta Dia es Bonita.
This week has been so much fun for me. We are half way done in the MTC. I've been gone a month. Longest I've ever been gone from home. But I do feel at home here. I CANNOT BELIEVE I SAW YOU AND ABBY ON SUNDAY!!! It was funny, so we were all crossing the street and I look over and see a black car and I was like to mi Compeñero if that license plate says 108 PEN on it or something like that It´s my family. So as the car was getting closer and I read 108 my heart jumped. I was so excited. I had no idea what to do though. I was nervous. But the joy I saw from Abby made everything feel so good. The smile on her face brought me peace and comfort. You both looked so happy and amazing. That wasn´t all Right after I saw you both Madeleine drove by. It was crazy. Then she drove by again. And she stopped by the fence. and We talked for a little bit. I had nothing to say. I was so happy and words woulnd´t come out of my mouth. All I could do was sit there and smile. It was such a blessing to see everyone. And to see the joy you all had. It made everything I am going through so worth it. I love this work. Thank you for sending me the ABC´s to missionary work it helps me so much. This week has been pretty crazy. To be honest I dont know what happens each day. The days seem somewhat of the same to me. Usually the same schedule everyday. But one day I do remember is the day Mi maestro Hermano B. was teaching us and he said. "The lord puts up walls in front of us, so we can reach them and get over them". That hit me hard. The times in our family that have been tough and things happen that we don't know why. It's becuase the lord is testing our faith. God doesn't give us trials that we can't overcome. That's what I have learned here in the MTC. You can overcome anything with the Lord by your side. It's such a blessing as members of the church to know that. I start teaching is espanol starting on monday. It's going to be hard and there are going to be times where i'm just going to be so down on myself. I know it. But Work is what get's us through it. If you do your part and WORK the lord will help you. Yesterday in our distrcit we all talked in spanish to one another for a good half hour. It was our first time doing it. It was powerful. Knowing that we can understand and have conversations in another language was so cool to me. I bore my testimony to my district of how I felt after that experience. I told them I felt power in that room and love. It was Awesome. I know how true this church is. Before I came here I knew but I didn't know everything. I can tell you the work that this church does is incredible. The truth of the Book Of Mormon. The love from our Heavenly Father. He Loves all his children. Then plan he has for each and every one of us. The sacrifice Jesu Cristo made for each individual person makes me so happy but sad knowing that I put him through pain. I know that he did that for us. I Know and testify that this is true. My mejor amigo Elder Klaasen and I usually every night go and do front flips on the grass before we go to bed. It is so fun. Funny Story. So you all know that I pee ALOT. everynight I have to go usually at 2-4 in the morning. It's the worst. but this one night, I wake up to go and I walk into the Bathroom and Elder Klaasen is in there to going to the bathroom. I am exhausted when I go in there. He told me I looked so funny with my onsie on and I had these slippers. After we both went we just laughed because we thought it was so funny. Sometimes you just laugh for no reason here because you don't know what is really funny anymore. I dont know if that was funny to you. haha but it was. I miss you all so much. I love you and hope you know that the lord is there for you. Call upon him with a sincere heart and he will help you. Have faith in him. Faith is hope in something you can't see but know is true.! that is so important.
I love you all!
Elder Payton.
Tuesday, March 1, 2011
#3 Hola!!
What a week! I dont know where to start. I know I say this everytime but I do love being here. It's such a blessing to have this opportunity to serve the lord and follow his example, and share that example with others who are waiting to recieve it. Our schedule is the same everyweek so im starting to get use to where I am suppose to be and what I am suppose to be doing. It's been a difficult week with our district. We had one elder who went home last week. It was the hardest thing to deal with. I look up to him so much. He is such a good example and such a great elder for doing what he had to do. The MTC is hard. Then this week two more Elders in our district leave for the Dominican Republic MTC. Our district is soon going to be down to 5. It's not going to be the same. You grow to love the people in the MTC so quickly. I heard a story of an apostle who drove down to the MTC and said he saw angels protecting the boundaries. I thought that was the coolest thing I heard that day. It reminded me kindof of Harry Potter in a way. But good angels not the scary ones protecting Hogwarts. I am learning spanish pretty quickly. I will write you in spanish one of these times when I know exactly what I am saying. Today I went to the temple to do a sealing. I absolutely loved it. It was such an amazing feeling in that sealing room. I acted as a child to be sealed to his parents. Let me tell you I was shaking. The work that goes on in the temple is so sacred and special. I feel so blessed to have that chance. I love doing laundry. I love the smell of downy. haha. I sometimes just smell my G's after I wash them and soak in the scent. I'm craving chips and lots of them. and pretzels. So whoever reads this email feel free. I miss you all so much and am so grateful for the support I recieve from all of you. We taught the second lesson yesterday. The plan of salvation. It was the most comfortabale I had ever felt teaching. We taught a middle aged woman. I didn't know if we got her to cry or if she was just sick. But I know that the spirtit was helping my Compenero and I during that discussion. In our last devotional the speaker said. How do you know if it's the holy ghost or just you speaking. He told us to quit worrying about it. It seems so simple but that advice makes it so much better. Being around so many powerful testimonies and thoughts has helpled me throughout this experience. I am almost half wasy done in the MTC. It's been so much fun. I always wake up happy and ready to go. I saw Elder Saquibo. Im so proud of him. He is going to do so good. 3 Nephi chapter 11 is such a powerful chapter. We always ask our investigators to read that as a committment. After the read that and pray about it they will recieve an answer. I hope you all have a great week!!
I love you all so much!
Elder Payton.
Tuesday, February 22, 2011
#2 Hola Mi Familia
I can't believe it's already been a week since I last wrote an email! The time goes by so quickly here. I am loving it more and more each day. I have learned a lot this past week about my self. I have a testimony of how powerful the repentance process is. I never have felt the love so dearly from my Father in Heaven than when we go trough hard times and repent of them. I want you all to know that nothing in this world can't be forgiven. Jesus suffered in Gethsamene for each one of us, it's such a blessing to have that in our lives. The spanish is coming along pretty good. Yo estoy feliz hoy!! that mean's I am happy today! and I hope all of you are so happy as well. In class we are learning more about the gospel. It's crazy how deep we go into depth about certain things. I found out my purpose as a missionary. I always thought my purpose was just to convert people to our church. I soon found out I was wrong. My purpose as a missionary is to invite and to help others. If I dont do this the investigators wont come and recieve the gospel and the blessings that come from the covenants we make. It makes my brain hurt about all of this stuff. There is so much learning and growing that takes place in the MTC. Every monday we teach an investigator. This week we had to contact him in spanish for 7 minutes. It was so fun but also really hard to try and understand what he was saying. I didn't know what to say back most of the time. So I would just say Sí and bien. I probably answered most of the questions wrong but It was awesome. So we taught the first lesson again. It feels so comfortable teaching I love it. Even though they are just investigators I truly care for them and want their lives to be better. It´s so important to understand where they are coming from so you know exactly what to teach them and how. 1 Nephi 3:7. It's an amazing scripture. I read a talk a few days ago and it had a huge impact on my day. Life isn't easy, but the gospel is. The gospel never changes it should and is permanent in our lives. If your having a bad day turn to the scriptures and read. Or to your father in heaven he is always there listening to your prayers. Pray with real intent to learn and you will recieve an answer. Nothing has value in this life, that's easy. Thank you for all your support, I miss you all. We have a devotional tonight. I hope it's a general authority! There is a good chance that it could be. We had a fireside on sunday and we sung army of helaman and I started to ball. I cry more than some of the sisters, that's not good. haha. Have an amazing week. Love you,
Elder Payton
Tuesday, February 15, 2011
#1 hola familia
Hello,
The MTC is so much fun. I am enjoying every second of it in here. The first day was really hard, I didn't know what to do or what to say to anyone. That changed quickly. The love and kindness each Elder and Sister and everyone at the MTC shared was incredible. My companion names is Elder Conidaris. He is from South Jordan. We get along really well so it's good. We jumped right into work right when I got here. On the second day I learned how to say my prayers in spanish. It all is coming pretty easily to me so far. The next day we learned how to bear our testimony is spanish. That was a little harder. I'm still working on it. I am learning so much about myself that I never knew. I am forgetting about what I want/need and caring for others. Thats a huge change for me. I want to lose myself in the work and I know I already am. Studying the gospel each and everyday for hours has been such a blessing. I never have done this so it's a bit challenging for me to stay concentrating. Doing this though brightens my day so much and I can always go throughout a day happy. Yesterday we had our first real TRC. Which is a teaching lesson that you give to an investigator. It was really scary at first and me and my companion were quite nervous. We had to contact them in spanish and ask if we could come to their house and share a message to them. It was hard asking in spanish but the investigators were really nice and understood what we were trying to stay. We gave a lesson on the Restoration. Oh how God loves each and everyone of us, the blesses of family and how family is essential, the early dispensation, prophets, preisthood, Jesus Christ and the atonement, the apostasy, and restoration of the church through Joseph Smith. It went really well. I memorized the first vison and stated it word by word and bore my testimony on it. Probably the most spiritual experience I have had so far. The food is pretty good. I can't sleep at all at night the AC doesn't work in my dorm room so it stays hot til about 1. So Im usually tired throughout the day. Somehow I stay awake. Today is my first P-day. Every tuesday. It's going well, we met with the Argentian consel and got finger printed for our visas. The MTC is truly a unique and amazing place to be. 2,000 missionaries going all over the world here to do one thing. Invite others to come unto Christ. Such a powerful statement that is. I am loving it here and am so grateful for the support everyone is giving me. It's been tough. So close to home but I wouldn't want to be anywhere else. I miss you all very much and hope everyone is striving daily to be better. Almost a week in and it went slow but time is going to fly by. It already has. You lose track of everything in here. How is the Champions League going? I miss soccer. Oh I do. Im going to try and break the MTC juggling record sometime this week. It's 1676. I think I can do it. I know you all were worried and freaking out because I hadn't written. Im doing amazing. No more worrying. Please. Read this scripture it has a powerful meaning. Mark 8:35.
Love you,
Elder Payton.
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