January 9, 2011
Dear Family and Friends,
Life is good as I serve in the promised land of Woodburn, Oregon. We just got back from a Zone activity where the North Spanish Zone played soccer vs. the South Spanish Zone. I had a pretty good time but I did get rocked at the game. The futbal was going my way and I was just about to kick it as hard as I could so I could send it flying the other way. I wound up to kick it and right before I was about to kick the ball my boy Elder W came flying out of nowhere and stepped on my shin. It hurt pretty badly but thanks to my buddy Elder W picking me up off the floor and carrying me off to the sidelines, I recovered quickly. O yeah, about Elder W, we chatted about our plans after our missions and how we are going to rock out at BYUI. We want to room together and get all that stuff set up so you have got to contact his parents and chat about it. I think his parents still have to get his paper work done but we feel like that’s where we need to go. At least that’s what I’m feeling, that BYUI is the place I need to be up to this point. I know it’s a long way off but better to be prepared. Anyway the activity was good and it was funny to see all the Spanish Elders again and talk about the work that is going on in the mission.
To answer your question about the crab legs, I ate crab legs like every day when I was in Seaside. Well maybe not every day but often and it was so good. When we were at the ocean last P-day we caught the one five legged crab but also some clams and ate them the other day with Hermano B! Thanks for sending me the Sonicare tooth brush!! That thing is amazing and it’s a lot better than the old ragged one I was using. Every time I brush my teeth with it now, I feel like a new man. Thanks again!
Too bad the Utah Jazz are not picking things up but at least Portland’s doing well. When Portland beat the Lakers, we got a text at 12:00 at night from one of the members informing us about the victory ha-ha. That’s crazy about all the talk about Mormons that’s going on with the presidential primaries. I haven’t heard much about it as the Hispanic community isn’t really into that stuff, at least not out here. That’s really cool about my boy Elder Hardy finishing up his mission in Spanish just like he always wanted. We have kept in contact our whole missions and it’s really cool to see him get the desire of his heart at the end of his mission. I know he will do great!
That’s really great that you guys are having a baptism at the Cherokee Branch. Last Sunday here in Woodburn, a little guy named J, the son of one of the members was baptized after church and everyone showed up. It was so awesome to see the room so full that people had to stand up. It’s good to hear the joy your feeling from being in the service of the Lord. It makes me happy to hear that you’re supporting the Elders in your branch and helping them to do the Lords work. I’m grateful for couples out here that help the missionary work and really love the Lord.
The work here in Woodburn is going amazing. We are seeing a ton of miracles out here and it is awesome. Sunday was great as it was testimony meeting and we were further able to see the miracles coming to pass from working with the members and the less active members. J, one of the less active members we found a couple months ago got up to bear his testimony about how his life has changed as he has come back to the Lord. It’s amazing to be an instrument in the Lords hands and feel of the joy that comes from seeing the Lords lost sheep come back into his fold. J and his wife E brought his sister that is not a member. I can see that when less actives get fired up about the gospel they are willing to share with those that are around them and he has invited all his family members that aren’t members to come to church. Also, we have been working with their family recently and they are progressing and doing great. We were able to see how the Lord works in people’s lives as one of the daughters that has been less active for more than 1 year came back to church. Our investigators that have a baptismal date this month came to the baptism and they had a good experience. Things are going great and I am so grateful to be a part of this work. Daily I see miracles as people are ready to exercise their faith in the Savior.
My companionship is going great and we are both improving 100%. We have both made it a goal to wake up extra early to practice our Spanish and we both have improved dramatically. Elder B is the man and we are learning a lot from each other. I know now why we are together for another transfer.
We had a funny experience this week. J and E invited us to eat lunch with them last Saturday. There Jose had a chugging contest vs. Elder S so we could see who could chug a Squirt the fastest. It was pretty intense and they both were neck and neck. But Elder S managed to pull out the win as he chugged it in 7 seconds and J chugged it in 7.2. I love teaching the gospel and just having fun with our families so they can see we are just like them too.
Elder Payne
