Teach With Enthusiasm!

March 26, 2012

Dear family and friends,

I'm so pumped right now I can’t even explain it. My new companion is the man and we are just living every second on fire and ready to approach everyone we see about the gospel of Jesus Christ. We both have the mentality that it’s time to go all out and if people think we are making them a little uncomfortable, well it’s all good because that’s our calling. It’s really cool as we are being bold, loving, and saying what needs to be said and having a companion that has the same thought process and excitement you do makes it so much fun to do missionary work. I’ve loved every second of my mission so far, but I can tell that this transfer is going to be super sweet. Sometimes when I get down, my boy Elder T says, “Hey man, what are you doing, you can’t lose your animo (enthusiasm) we got this!!" Then I just get pumped up again. We have set some pretty awesome and high goals this transfer and we know that the lord is going to help us reach them. The theme of this transfer is “Ensenar con Animo” or “Teach with Enthusiasm”!

Basically what I have seen on my mission is that there are a lot of great missionaries but when they teach or tract or do whatever, they don’t show their excitement for the work and that is one of the key parts to helping people understand the importance of the gospel. If they can see that you’re not excited about the gospel, the chances are that they’re not going to get to excited about it either. The theme of this transfer is "if you’re not excited about serving the Lord, you might as well.....GO HOME". You can really add in any sentence in the beginning like, if you’re not going to be obedient and wake up on time, you might as well go home. We get all excited in District meetings when we say that to each other ha-ha. I’m personally waking up every day ready to rock (Spiritually).

We have set the goal to double the church attendance this transfer as there are a lot of less active members that are not coming to church right now that we want to reactive. We have already had some really awesome tender mercies that I will let you know about after I answer all of your questions. I’m just feeling it and it’s my goal to help every missionary in our area get catch fire and get excited about the service of the Lord. Let’s be real here, being a missionary is the coolest thing ever, there’s no better two years a young man can have and I know that. I have an experience about how sharing that testimony really can touch people but I’ll save that for later on in the letter. Let me answer your questions first G!!!!!!

A few questions for you my boy!  How is your goal to read the entire missionary library in your last six months going? I’m about done with the Book of Mormon, almost half way through Jesus the Christ, and once I get done with the Book of Mormon, I’m going to get started on the New Testament.  The Old Testament is super long and I might be able to use my time reading other things ha-ha. I will finish the D&C and Pearl of Great Price before I'll try the Old Testament.  Do you still exercise every day?  I exercise every day and I’m in pretty good shape, I still weigh about 150 pounds and I don’t have too much fat. We have a gym in our apartment complex so we bought some protein and we are going to get swollen this transfer. Did you get to show little R the fireman’s carry and some other cool wrestling moves before leaving Woodburn? Yeah, one Saturday morning we went over to teach his family a short lesson and then afterward we talked wrestling. I showed him a couple of tilts, breakdowns and the fireman. He is the man and if he sticks with wrestling he will be a state champ one day!  What areas are in your Zone?  We are in the Spanish South Zone or “Los Soldados Del Sur” (Soldiers of the South).  Our zone goes all the way up to Tigard and all the way down to Salem. The District Leader lives in Molalla and the Zone Leaders live in Tigard.  How big is your area as it seems you will have to cover more than just Canby as it looks small, do you have Molalla, Newberg, Oregon City or Wilsonville? We have to cover Canby, Oregon City and Molalla so basically we cover the whole English Stake area. It’s a huge area and there is a ton of work to be done.   Were you able to listen to the talk “Profile of a Prophet” by Hugh B. Brown I sent you in an mps file? Yeah, I was able to listen to that talk and it was awesome. It got me so pumped up. It’s funny how people try to disprove the Book of Mormon and the alternatives that they come up with are so absurd.  Often they haven’t even read the book or been honest enough to seek an answer about its truthfulness from the Lord.  I am so grateful for the Prophet Joseph Smith and for the Book of Mormon.  The Book of Mormon is the key!  Anyway, I love the talk and thanks for sending it to me. 

Okay,  so I’ll give you the quick scoop about one of the tender mercies I have seen in my short time here in Canby. My second day here we went over to visit a member family and they have a son that is 19 years old but hasn’t decided to go on a mission yet. We have stopped by almost every day this week to read the scriptures with him and try to explain to him the blessings that come from serving a mission. Most importantly we told him he needed to ask God about it and that he would receive an answer. We received a text from my boy after church on Sunday telling us that he talked to the Branch President and he’s going on a mission! CHYEAH! We didn’t really do anything but it was through the power of the Holy Ghost and the faith of this young man that he made the decision to serve. It was pretty awesome and Sunday night we baked him a cake and some Mexican soup called Pasoli at his house for a Noche de Hogar (FHE). Life is great and I love every minute that I have in the service of the Lord. I know this church is true and all I have to do is share the gospel with all the people I can. Be safe and keep it real.

Love,

Elder Payne

Moving to Canby, Oregon!

March 20, 2012

Hey family and friends,

You’re premonition was right Pops, I got transferred and now I’m in my new area, Canby, Oregon!  And guess what, it’s only like 20 minutes away from Woodburn!  Chyeah!  I got sent to the area right next to Woodburn and it’s a little branch. I’m pretty pumped as I have heard the members are great and this place has a lot of potential. My new companions name is Elder T and he is from New Mexico. He has about two transfers left on his mission so I will most likely kill him and send him home when his time is up. I’m thinking that this is going to be my last area in the mission as well and I’m so happy to be here. I know that I am here for a reason and that I need to learn something and need to find some people that are ready to accept the gospel of Jesus Christ  and be baptized.  Well, Elder T is the man and we are excited to work together and we have common goals and we both have the same mindset. We are here to work and we are going to tear things up. There is a ton of farmland in Canby and it’s pretty rural. There are a ton of fields and most of the Hispanics that live here in Canby work in the fields. One day I would like to go out there and pick some fruit!  Anyway, everything is going good out here and from what I’ve seen, I love this place. It’s hit me that this is probably going to be my last area so it’s time to pick it up and leave it all on the mat.

It’s pretty cool because Woodburn’s so close so I will be able to visit the members and keep in contact with the investigators over there. Saying goodbye to everyone in the branch on Sunday was a really spiritual experience as I was able to thank them for the love they have shown me and for their examples. I will never forget Woodburn as I have learned so much there and I love all those people. I really learned how to love from the many experiences as I served there and I’m grateful for the companions I had as well. Yesterday the Branch President from Canby picked us up from the transfer meeting and I got a good chance to talk to him and get to know him pretty well. He is a really nice guy and he is involved with the missionary work in this area. Something that made me feel really good is that while I was talking to him he asked me where I was from and when I said Georgia he asked if I spoke Spanish in the home before the mission. I told him I learned it out here and he said I spoke pretty well. I felt like that was a tender mercy as I’ve been trying my best to learn the language and know after serving with a Peruvian companion for a transfer and not speaking English for 5 months straight I have finally achieved the goal of speaking Spanish like a native. I’m going to keep with the goal of only speaking Spanish for the rest of my mission but I felt like that was a pretty cool experience.

At transfer meetings, I said goodbye to my main man Elder W as he is going home. I told the big guy that I loved him and that he helped change my mission. It’s interesting to see how some missionaries feel like they didn’t do too much on their mission when they really impacted more people than they can ever comprehend. Elder W was my follow up trainer after Elder H and I know the Lord sent him to me specifically as he taught me so much. I’ll never forget Elder W and we will be lifelong friends. At transfer meeting I also got to see all of my boys like Elders B, W, Y, P, F, R, and the list goes on. It’s pretty tight how the mission is like a brotherhood and we are all trying to accomplish the same goal.

Well you wanted to hear more about tender mercies and last week was full of them. We saw so many amazing things happen that I was busy writing in my journal for hours. I know that everything I have learned up to this moment on my mission has come line upon line, little by little and now in this final area and time of my mission, it’s time to sharpen the sword, polish the stone and basically learn what the lord has prepared for me this whole mission of molding and sculpting. I know that where I am right now and who I am with is what is going to help me to be the best me. It’s crazy to recognize that all the things that have happened on my mission, the good and the bad, have only been for my benefit and now I am reaping the benefits as I am becoming more confident and sure of what the Lord desires.

Well, as I told you about my last Sunday in Woodburn, I was able to say goodbye to all of the people I have been able to work with while I have been in Woodburn

As we visited the families in the Branch, I told them how much I appreciated them and I have learned that a really big part of letting people know that you love them is by showing it and expressing it. There has been a lot of growth in the branch from our focusing on working with members and less actives and strengthening their testimonies. I have come to realize that the way to do missionary work is to work with members, truly show them your gratitude and love, working to strengthen the less actives and asking for referrals. As we  teach the friends of the members and their friends are there we see so much more success than if we went tracting for 40 hours a week. This is where my testimony and thoughts on missionary work are now. How can you bring new converts to a place where there is not a firm foundation? Now I’m not against tracting, I’m down with inviting or knocking on a million doors if that’s what the Lord wants but I have come to know that there is a better way. It’s not always an easier way and maybe that’s why a lot of missionaries don’t do it but I have seen the fruits and I’m glad I have learned these things with a lot of time left to use what I have learned. I will also share these thoughts with the missionaries around me so we can really see some changes. The current thought on missionary work here is that we are supposed to tract, contact, find, teach and baptize. There’s nothing wrong with that approach but I believe that there is a better way. I have learned from my last six months in Woodburn that strengthening the members and less actives is so much more effective. I don’t know if this is how things are in your branch but here in Oregon, most of the Hispanic members are still relatively new in the gospel.  Some do not have family prayer every day or read in the scriptures. Some have not even read the whole book of Mormon all the way through even though they have been members for more than 5 years. I think once we get the foundation solid through daily prayer, daily scripture study and FHE every week, then we are going to see some major growth. If we focus on this then the members will have a stronger foundation and have the desire to share the gospel with all those they meet. If we don’t do this and continue to tract and find new people, we will help others come unto Christ through baptism but we will just be putting more people in the church that will not have this strong foundation that is needed to withstand temptations and challenges that will inevitably come.

It’s sad to see people go and leave the church because they did not have strong enough faith or maybe didn’t have a solid testimony but it is my goal to leave this area when my mission is over stronger and with a firmer foundation. Sorry for the rant but if I want to preach this message to the Elders in my new area I have got to back it up right G? I believe once we implement this as a mission and as missionaries in general we will truly see true growth. My companion Elder T feels the same way and so did my last comp Elder H and we are going to do something about it here in Canby. I’m pretty pumped and I can tell you with all the conviction of my heart that I love the Lord, I love being a missionary and right now I have no greater desire other than to help others come unto Christ by understanding who he is, what he did for us, and what we must to do follow him. I love you guys and I hope you feel my flow.

Love,

Elder Payne

Come Listen to Living Prophets

How time flies!

March 12, 2012

Dear Family,

Hey what’s going on family, it’s good to hear that all is going pretty good at home. A lot has happened this week and I was able to see the Lords hand many times as a lot of miracles are happening here in Woodburn.

Well Pops, I’m glad you called me out about the recurring theme you have seen throughout my mission and what I have been doing. It’s true and I have seen that I have been so open to suggestions and criticism from my companions throughout the mission and at times that’s all they are, just suggestions. When it comes to companions, I’m pretty much willing to compromise everything except the mission rules so my companions feel comfortable and the spirit can be with us but I do have to admit some of my enthusiastic personality has been put aside as I have tried to accommodate the feelings of my companions. More than anything, the problem has been that I have a big personality and in order  not to overshadow some of my quieter companions, I have had to tone it down a little bit. Just recently I have realized that that’s just who I am and I have to just keep on keeping on. I can compromise and try to make my comps feel more comfortable but when it comes to teaching and missionary work that’s just how I share what I  know and I love to do the work of the Lord.

I’m still super happy and having a good time but that is something I need to work out with myself and the Lord.  It’s interesting how I only have 4 transfers left after this week and I still have a ton to learn about myself and the Lord. I’m kind of bummed that I only have a short amount of time left as I love being a missionary so I avoid thinking about it even though I know it’s going happen anyway ha-ha. Well I’m just ranting now but thanks again and I’ll make a mental note of what needs to go down.

Well it sounds like the Jazz aren’t doing too well but maybe with some good trades they will pick things up. I don’t know if I already told you this but this is the final week of the transfer and we are thinking that Elder A is heading out and I’m staying for another transfer. We will see but if I stay or if I go, I'm ready to serve wherever  I’m needed. I would love to stay for another transfer as I love this area and I love the people. We will see and I will let you know next week.

Well like I told you last letter, we have been working with a lot of the members and less actives in the Branch. We have been doing family home evenings with them and all the members have enjoyed the activities and the lessons. We are seeing the fruits of our labors as we are receiving referrals and more confidence from the members. We have decided to hit the basics as that’s where it all starts. We are inviting the members to have daily scripture study and prayer with a FHE every week. We must strengthen the foundation before we put all of our focus on building the walls if you feel what I’m saying. Well everything is going great and I love every minute of being a missionary. I know that the Book of Mormon is true and I can’t believe how people can read it and not believe that it is the word of God. I know that this is the Church of Jesus Christ and that I am his servant. I don’t know where I will go this next week but wherever I go, I know it is where the Lord needs me.  I love you guys and keep on keepin on!

Love,

Elder Payne

Tender Mercies

March 5, 2012

Dear Family and Friends,

Well this week just flew by and it was an awesome week. We were able to get a lot done as we have made it a goal to have a Noche de Hogar con cada familia de la Rama. Everything is going great and the member’s love this game we play after our FHE lesson, called Snort. After teaching a short lesson we play this game and everyone goes crazy. What you do is sit everyone in a circle while there is someone in the middle that is blindfolded. The person with the blindfold has a stick in his hand and he has to go around the circle giving the stick to one person at a time. The person is blind folded so they don’t know who grabbed the stick so they have to make a snorting noise like a pig. Then the person sitting has to respond my snorting.  The person with the blind fold gets to guess who it is according to the noise made and if they guess wrong they have to keep going around in the circle until they guess correctly. Man everyone loves this game out here and it’s a great game to play for a Family Home Evening.

The missionary work is going great and we are continuing to get the members fired up to share the gospel. Our big family that had a baptismal date, we are still working with them. We hope and pray that their neighbors aren’t having to big of a negative influence but sad to say the dad really doesn’t have any desires to read or know. The 14 year old boy, R is a stud. His family couldn’t come to church yesterday for some reason but he showed up by himself. When we asked him how he got there he told us not to worry about it. He is the man and really has a desire to learn and follow the Lord. I believe that he will be the key to softening the heart of his pops. Anyway, R wrestles in middle school and he has a tournament this weekend. I’m going to stop by one day this week and teach him how to do the fireman’s carry and maybe some tilts so he can be ready to take some kids out. I see this kid like my little brother and he is going to be an awesome missionary one day.

Anyway, you wanted to know about some tender mercies that have happened out here recently. Well the other day I was studying in Preach my Gospel and I felt inspired to study about charity and the pure love of Christ. I began to study the principle when I realize that a huge part of showing love is showing your gratitude. I ran across this quote from Shakespeare that says, “They do not love that do not show their love” and it hit me pretty hard. I thought about my love for my investigators and the members here. I thought about how I showed my love for them and if they really felt it. I then thought about all the things that people do for us missionaries and for me and sometimes I have taken it for granted. I thought about my experiences in my mission and all the things people have done for me to express their love for the Savior and his servants. I thought about how I thanked them and tried to express my gratitude. Sadly, I realized that I had not done that great of a job and after reflecting on the matter I have realized that to show my gratitude and love it’s going to take a little bit more than a thank you or a handshake. I have decided to write down all the things that people in the branch and in all my areas have done for me and the missionary work and thank them. I am not sure if this is the best way to show gratitude but I have decided to write them a thank you card and let them know that we as missionaries are aware of what they are doing and that we are so grateful. Well this was my tender mercy that I learned and I’m glad the spirit guided me and helped me recognize that I have a lot to be grateful for and that I need to show it. 
I love you family and I am truly grateful for your support and your love. I can’t wait to go to the temple with you guys as well.  I look forward to talking to you about the gospel and the amazing truths I have learned while in the service of the Master. I love you guys and I know that Jesus is the Christ and this is His work.

Love,

Elder Payne

Faith, Hope and Charity

February 27, 2012

Dear Family and Friends,

Hey what’s going on family? This week has been crazy and super busy! I have some bad news but it’s not all bad because all in its due time right, we are on the Lords time table and not our own. Our investigators who had a baptism set for last Sunday did not get baptized yesterday as she has recently had some doubts that have come from her next door neighbors of another faith. It’s all good because we are not giving up. We had dinner with the family last night and she made us tacos de pollo asado. They were so good and probably the best tacos I have ever had. We will continue to work hard with them and I know they are close. The kids are awesome and came to church all dressed up in there suits yesterday. I really think the two little boys are going to be future missionaries. Anyways it’s kind of sad that the baptism didn’t go through but all is well as this just means we have to depend on the Lord more to help them gain a testimony through the spirit.

I have come to realize the importance of having a friend in the church and how this has helped S to talk about her thoughts. We talked to the Relief Society President last night and she said she would pay her a visit. The members are so important in missionary work and right now we are working really hard to gain their confidence and get everyone missionary minded.    I know that the family will be baptized soon and we are going to have to exercise some stronger faith and pray harder than we ever have. As I have worked with this family I have come to understand the true importance of what I’m doing as a missionary from a more eternal perspective. I see the two little boys that can be missionaries one day. I see the parents and how they can be sealed in the temple as a family one day. This means more to me than just teaching but I truly desire that this family will come unto Christ because I truly know it will change their lives. I’m grateful to have this gospel in my life and I’m trying my best to have the guidance of the Holy Ghost so he can testify to the people that live in the area of the truthfulness of this message. Everything is going great and I will continue to search to find the elect.

Well I’m loving life out here in Woodburn as my companions are awesome and we truly are unified as we teach. I have set some new goals for myself as I know that time is short before I head back home so I set the goal to read the whole Missionary Library before I come back home. I want to read the Book of Mormon, Bible, Jesus the Christ, PME, D y C and the Pearl of Great Price. It’s a huge goal but I know I can do it as I have been waking up early enough to get a lot of reading time in. The medicine is working great and I am able to get a lot more done as I am able to focus on a task and get it done. I talked to the doctor the other day and he said everything seems to be going well and if anything he will reduce my dosage.

We had some pretty cool experiences last week as we have been starting to have more Family Home Evenings with the members of the Rama. We have seen a huge change in the members and their desire to do missionary work as we share a short lesson and then play a quick game. We invited S and her family to a Noche de Hogar with a family in the Rama and everyone had a good time. It’s a great way to fellowship and teach an investigator all at the same time as we strengthen the members and their testimonies. I have seen that this is the key and now the members are wondering who they can invite to their next Noche de Hogar because they had such a good time. Tell the Elders there in the Cherokee Rama that knocking doors is not the answer and that should be a last resort. There is always service to do, plans to be made, less active families to strengthen and  the list goes on forever. Especially in a little branch where most of the members are new to the gospel, they need the lessons too and need to be strengthened. It’s a win-win as they will improve their Spanish as well.  Well that’s my opinion and I have seen miracles in Woodburn as the members here are catching on fire. Well I love you guys and let me answer that question real quick that you asked me.

Okay Son, a new question for you to ponder.  How do you answer when someone questions if Mormon’s are Christians and how you feel about the Savior?

Well when people ask about Mormons and if we are Christians I always point to my nametag and say, "We are missionaries from the Church of JESUS CHRIST of Latter Day Saints." Then we explain to them our purpose and how it is our desire and duty to bring others to Christ. We also share our testimonies of the Savior and his role in the life of all of Gods children and without the Savior or his sacrifice we wouldn’t be able to return back to the father. We testify of the divinity of Jesus Christ and that he is the Son of God.  I have seen on my mission that a testimony is something that people cannot deny. They may not agree with you but they can’t argue with a personal testimony.   I have especially learned this as the neighbors next to S have been trying to prove everything with their interpretation of the Bible but we can see what happens with that as there are more that 100 church’s alone just in Woodburn that try to interpret the Bible and don’t believe in the need of a restoration of the Gospel or modern day revelation.  Well guys, I love you and I love this work, there’s no place I’d rather be than in the service of the Master.

 Love,

Elder Payne

Woodburn, Oregon Pictures!

Loving Life in Woodburn!

February 21, 2012

Dear Family and Friends, 

Hey it’s good to hear back from you guys and I’m really glad you liked the journal. It’s really hard to remember all the experiences in the mission I have had so I’m glad I have written most of them all down. I agree with you guys and I think I should put the date next to the experiences so I can remember when it happened. Well, life is going great out here in the Oregon Portland Mission. We are having a ton of spiritual experiences and the Lord is really blessing this area. I love Woodburn and rumor has it that I might be staying here for another transfer but we will see.  President M talked to my companion Elder A and he said that the Trio is temporary and Elder A will be transferred most likely at the next transfer meeting. We are all enjoying our time together and I love my companions.

Yesterday we played futbol with the whole entire Spanish mission and it was pretty tight. I got to see all my brothers again like Elders W, H, W, B, and the list goes on. We also invited Hermano P and his son Junior to come with us, they are members in the Woodburn Branch, and they tore things up as they are really good at soccer. We had a good time and we played almost the entire P-day. Well things are going cool with the ADHD medicine and I’m really able to get a lot more done now.

I’m going to answer some of the questions you wanted to know about. Let us know more about your companions, where they are from, where they have served and how things are going with investigators. Well to start off, Elder A is from Peru and he is pretty cool. He is about the same height as me and then we have our other companion Elder H who towers over the both of us at 6 ‘4 or something like that ha-ha. Elder A is from Chiclayo, Peru but I’m not sure if I spelled that right. He has been out for 6 months in the mission field and is a really hard worker. He served his first area in McMinnville just north form Woodburn. Elder H is the man and he is from California. He is 23 years old and when he teaches the gospel he lays the law done ha-ha. He has served in 6 different areas and was a Zone Leader in Spanish and in English. He has about 4 months left in the mission field so he will most likely die here or end his mission here. We are all pretty different but we all get along really well. It’s pretty fun because we don’t speak English at all unless we have to go to Wal-Mart and other places to shop. But things are great and this transfer is flying by. I’m glad for the opportunity to be out here in the service of the Lord and thanks for all of your support.

This weekend we have a baptism with a family of 5 but recently the father of the family has been showing some doubts as his next door neighbor is telling him a lot of lies about the Church.  I’ve learned that the adversary always tries to mess things up as families get close to making covenants with the Lord but we are on top of it.   We will continue to work with the family as we know that it would be better to baptize the whole family instead of just the mom and the children. The children really have strong testimonies and are doing their part to show their desire to learn. We had a Family Home Evening with them the other night in the house of a member and they showed up wearing white shirts and ties!!!! I love those kids ha-ha.

I need to think a little bit more about BYU Idaho but it would be nice to start in the winter so I could have a few months to work and a little time to adjust to real life ha-ha. But at the same time maybe going right away in the fall would be good as  I need to get going and find my wife and start my foundation for the rest of my life ha-ha. Obviously this will require more prayer but we will talk about this some more in the next few months. I love you guys and keep on keepin on.

Love,

Elder Payne

Woodburn, Oregon

Trio in Woodburn!

February  13, 2012

Dear Familia y Amigos,

I love you guys and you guys are the best. I just sent you a package today with my 5^th journal, 6 gigs of pictures and some CD's that I have received from members that I can’t listen to in the mission field so I will have to wait until after my mission. I hope you enjoy them and after you are done copying the pictures to the computer can you erase all the pictures on the flash drive so I can start adding more pictures? I am sending a lot of pictures home and hopefully you can get the  feel for some of the things that have happened during the last couple of months. I put some videos on there and they all need explanations and I hope you don’t think I’m going to crazy out here. Well everything’s going great and the missionary work is really on fire. My 2 new companions are really hard workers and this transfer is going to be awesome. I’m really excited that I’m in a trio as in the MTC that didn’t really count. I decided to bring the come over back so I cold rock one with my new companions Elder H who is the man. Elder A from Peru is a G and I’m glad we are all serving together.

After quite an ordeal, I got my medicine from Dr. P and he put me on 50mg of Vyvanse. I have been taking it for about a week and I feel like I can lift a BUS ! My studies in the morning are a lot more effective and I am really able to learn a lot more. It hasn’t made me feel moody but I will keep tract of my feelings. But as for now I feel like a million bucks. I’m losing a little weight as the medicine reduces your appetite. I hope the members here don’t get offended because I’m not eating 3 plates of food anymore ha-ha. Well other than that nothing’s really new.
I’m loving life out here in Woodburn and it’s the best place ever! My companions are awesome and the work is going really great. Well I have to say that I have two of the best companions in the OPM. Elder H is a great example to me and a very hard worker. Elder A is a great missionary and really has a love for the people. I have learned so much from them and it has only been one week ha-ha. Well these missionaries are awesome and again I’m grateful to have the opportunity to serve with them here in Woodburn.

We have been teaching this family of 6 for a while now and they are progressing. The father still has a hard time understanding and his heart is a little hard still. 4 members of the family have a baptismal date for the 26th of this month. We will continue to pray so that they will be prepared for this date. We are also teaching the husband of one a less active member that decided to reactive in the church again about 3 months ago. Her husband is a great guy and really sincere. He has already read all the way to Jacob and he really likes the Book of Mormon. We were able to set a baptismal date with him as a goal for the 18th of March. He is really progressing but more than anything his wife is super happy. She is an older lady and every time we stop by to visit her she tells us about how much her husband has changed.

We had an awesome week as I said and on Saturday we had the Valentines party. We showed up there as the 7 missionaries in the Branch. It was a fun activity and we were able to talk to a couple visitors that came to the activity. At the party, all the couples from the Rama that were there got to play games. There was this one game where the couples had to put an orange in between their foreheads and dance to some Latin beats. It was really fun and I didn’t know that my main man Hermano P had moves like that ha-ha. It was fun to enjoy the night with the members and see them have a good time too. Well I am learning so much out here and I know that I don’t have too much time left. I’ll try to write my sisters and let them know what’s going on here in Woodburn and how much I love them. Out here in the mission I have truly learned about the importance of family and how it is the key to happiness. I teach people that they can be together forever as families if they keep the commandments and follow the Savior. But when I think about my family and how we can be together forever if we do what is right, it makes me really happy. I know what I’m teaching is true and I am so grateful to have this opportunity to share this gospel to the people in Oregon.

Something funny happened the other day. We were sitting in gospel principles Sunday school class learning about the plan of salvation. Elder H and I got up to draw a diagram on the board to help the class visualize the plan of salvation. As we drew the pictures, one of our members raised his hand and said you forget to draw the temple. I thought it was pretty funny as it was so true that the temple is essential but I never thought of drawing it. I love Hermano P!!!!!

I love you guys and have a good week.

Love,

Elder Payne

Changes in Woodburn!

February 6, 2012

Dear Family,

Woodburn is the best and we have some changes coming our way. After being with my boy Elder B for 3 transfers, he is being transferred to a bike area so we are thinking that it’s his time to serve his six months in English. We will see as we will find out in about an hour and a half and I’ll let you know when I find out.  I’m grateful to have spent 3 transfers with Elder B and to have made a lifelong friend. We have truly had a good run together and I have learned so much from him.  A lot has happened this week and the missionary work here in Woodburn is going great.  Well his last week here we were able to get a lot of work done and taught a lot of people. Our family with a baptismal date is doing really well. I believe that they will be able to be baptized on the 26th of February. We are also teaching another new investigator named F that lives with a less active member that has recently been reactivated. Things are going great out here and we are constantly finding new people to teach and have the support of the members. I truly love this area and the people.

All the Elders that are getting transferred are really good friends of mine so whoever the Lord sends here I know that it will be someone I can learn from. My boy Elder W is getting transferred too so I’m crossing my fingers that I’ll get to serve with the Big man for at least a transfer but we will see.

You had a question about the wrestling match with Elder N from Arizona. Well we both gassed out after about 4 minutes of wrestling and it was pretty even. He had the weight but I had a little more conditioning ha-ha or better said I eat less tacos and burritos then he does. He’s going to BYUI too after the mission and we are planning on wrestling out there together in the wrestling program. I got a letter from my friend H H who I wrestled with at BYUI and he told me the program is really picking up. He said they are traveling to other colleges to wrestle like Colorado and Boise State. It sounds like Heath has taken the program to the next level as the Wrestling Coordinator.

This weekend was really fun as one of the members invited us to her house for a fiesta to eat tamales. There were a lot of members there and we had a good time chatting about life and missionary work. After eating we all sat down in the living room and sang songs as Hermano T jammed out on his Spanish guitar. It was a pretty cool experience and I’ll send you guys some videos so you can jam out too ha-ha. O yeah, I have an appointment with Doctor P this Tuesday at 7 in the morning so you know I’ll be there bright and early. I’ll let you know how it goes and thanks for being supportive. I fine and think I have everything I need in the mission.  Well, like I said I’m loving life and every day I wake up grateful to be in the service of the Lord. It is such a wonderful gift to see people change their lives through exercising faith in the Lord Jesus Christ and following his commandments.

Okay,  for the question of the week!  How has better understanding the principle of faith helped you be a more effective missionary?

That’s a great question and I don’t know where to start. Once I started exercising faith in Jesus Christ and depending on him more than I did upon myself, that’s when I began to learn. When I started setting goals through prayer and searching for answers that’s when my faith was strengthened. I have come to a knowledge that God lives, Jesus Christ is his son and that this is their work. Having this knowledge and testimony has given me the strength and faith necessary to complete with his will and do things more effectively. I used to wonder if what I was doing was right but now I know that I am doing everything I can to serve him as I exercise my faith. Faith is like a seed as Alma said and I have to nourish it every day. Then it becomes knowledge as we come to understand and recognize our answers. All I can say is that my mission has been a period of watering this seed in my heart and day by day it grows bigger as I am asked to do things that require my faith in the Savior. It’s an amazing feeling to say that I truly know that Jesus Christ is my Savior and that all I have to do is follow him and do what he has asked of me. I have found that once I have lost my desire to complete with my own will and do what I want and instead do what the Savior wants, that’s where my faith is strong and how I have been able to use it to be a more effective missionary.  I no longer care about what I want but only desire to serve the Lord and by doing that I have found true faith.

Well I love you guys and I hope you can make sense of what I just wrote as I just typed down what came from the heart. I love you guys and keep it real!!!!

Love,

Elder Payne

Transfers Coming Next Week!

January 30, 2012

Dear Family and Friends,

Wow, life is good and a lot has happened this week. I don’t have to much time to write this week because I’ve been hitting up the family in Chile con algunas cartitas. Well I got another appointment with the Doctor to get my medication to help me focus further more on the work of the Lord. This is the last week of the transfer and we are all thinking that companion Elder B is out of here, but you never know. We could both be out of here but only time will tell. It has been an awesome run and we have had a good time working with the people in this area. We had a Zone Conference meeting last Friday and when President M talked to Elder B he said good luck sleeping the night of transfer calls Elder. We were wondering what that meant but we will see.

Well the work here in Woodburn is going great and we are seeing a lot of Miracles as always. We did not have a baptism yesterday as we planned but we did reschedule the date and now we have the Father of the family committed. Before we were just planning on baptizing the Mom and her 2 children but I think is better to wait and have them make the covenant to enter the waters of baptism as a family. Church was great and we had another investigator that came to church that is friends with a less active member.  He was super happy to be there and received a huge welcome from the Elders Quorum when he stood up to introduce himself. We have invited him to be baptized as well and he told us he will need to think about it. We hit our goal of 20 lessons and we plan to get 25 this week. If it is Elder B’s last week here we want to work as hard as we can so he and we can leave this area with no regrets. Things are going great and I am seeing so many miracles every day. I love missionary work and I love Woodburn!

My companionship is going great, Elder B is the Man. I have learned so much from him and I know that we were sent to serve together for a reason. We are almost exact opposites in every way but our desire to serve the Lord has helped us to put that stuff aside and put our shoulders to the wheel!!!

That’s cool that you guys were rocking out in Utah and got to see Abuelita, Nana and Claire. I have got to write them again and let them know how things are going. Last week I noticed that there was a video of Abuelita on a flash drive you sent me. It was awesome to see her and listen to her talk in Spanish and a blessing to understand it all now. I hope she stays healthy and well so I can have a good visit with her. I know at 90 years old she is getting weaker but I hope she will be with us for many more years to come as I love her so much. 

Well I’ll try and answer the question that you wanted to know in the short time that I have left. Wow, as you know to sum up this question in two minutes is going to be tough but I have got to say that the biggest thing that has helped me to grow my testimony is prayer. If I didn’t have the ability to communicate directly with my heavenly father I think I would be lost. Through every situation that I have faced out here on my mission that has been difficult, I have found the only way to conquer or overcome it is through faith and prayer. Upon this building block I have learned how to love and grow my testimony. One thing I have come to know is that we have our companions for a reason. Before I thought it was all random, you know President M was just throwing darts at a board but I have come to understand that we have our companions for specific reasons because the Lord wants us to learn from them.

I just want to say I love you guys and hopefully next week I will be able to give you a solid letter.

Love,

Elder Payne

Smiling in Woodburn!

January 17, 2012

Hey Family and Friends,

Woodburn continues to be the best place on earth and I’m grateful to be here. I really enjoyed your letters this week and it’s good to see that you’re all doing well. Thanks again for the Sonicare toothbrush and you have started a revolution out here. After I got my toothbrush my comp started to covet it and went and bought his own the next day ha-ha. Now that’s what I call comp unity, we even brush with the same kind of toothbrush. Now the Elders from Gervais that live in our apartment complex have decided to get some Sonicare toothbrushes as well.  We will have the brightest smiles in the mission ha-ha.   Next thing you know the Silverton Elders will be using Sonicare and all the missionaries in the branch will have one ha-ha. Well I would like to go get a cleaning from a Dentist but I feel bad because there are going to be a lot of medical bills coming your way.

Yesterday I saw Doctor Perez about my ADHD and he said he thinks it would be a good idea to start me on a new medication called Vyvanse. Then he told me to go get an EKG so I can make sure that the stimulant doesn’t mess up my heart since I had SVT. I have to go to the Doctor tomorrow to get my EKG and I feel bad because they always charge a ton of money for like 10 minutes of work. I guess I have to do what I have to do to reach my full potential. So no I haven’t started the medicine yet but the Doctor said in a week or so, I just have to get the EKG cleared by the heart Doctor and get permission from SLC.  All the missionaries here are telling me not to take the medicine because I will lose my personality and turn into a robot. I told the Doctor my concern about that and he said that this medicine won’t do that and if it does I've got to go off of it. The medicine shouldn’t make your personality flat but should keep it the same. I hope that’s the case and let me know if it’s still cool to go get my teeth checked after all these tests.

That’s good to hear that the jazz are picking it up and not getting rocked every game. That’s so cool that Pope got its first state title and is leaving a legacy for Coach Haskin. I loved wrestling and now I miss it. We are teaching a family that has a 13 year old kid that wrestles. I taught him the firemen’s carry and he said we would use it in Regionals. The kid is the man and he is going to be a state champ in the future because he’s got the talent. I also have exchanges with Elder N tomorrow, the 2 time state champ from Arizona. We will probably wrestle for morning exercises. O yeah, I told you I wouldn’t wrestle that kid because he’s too big but as always I couldn’t turn down a challenge. We wrestled about a month ago and I got rocked ha-ha. I scored a point on him but he was just too big for me, but we will see what happens tomorrow ha-ha. I saw the picture of my boys from the old wrestling squad and it seems like they are doing well. I miss their attitudes and they were truly my brothers.

That’s really awesome that things are going good with the missionary work out there and that the Rama is exploding. We too are hoping to have a baptism soon so we will have to keep on praying. By the way I’m about to finish up with my journal and send it home with some pictures. Yesterday I bought another journal at Deseret book and it’s amazing looking. It looks like scriptures except its blank inside. Well I’ll send that home soon but the journal I bought will most likely be my last one of the mission. Can you believe it, 5 journals full of the best memories a missionary could ask for ha-ha. Anyway the mission life is the best. I’m just super happy to be an instrument in the Lords hand so I can accomplish His will. 

In answer to your question, what would you say is the most important lesson you have learned on your mission and how do you think it will affect your life in the future.

Well I don’t think there is just one thing I can share that would be the most important thing I’ve learned but I can tell you about something I learned the other day. Yesterday I was reading in D & C 84 about my duty as a priesthood holder and what the Lord expects of me. As I was reading I was really impressed by verse 85 that basically says to not worry about what you are going to say but more trust in the Lord and the Holy Ghost will give you what you need to say in the right moment. Well I meditated on that and found myself guilty of not trusting fully in the Lord. Usually when I teach the gospel, I like to plan out what I’m going to say in my mind so it comes out right and by doing that I don’t exactly hit on the needs of my investigators. I decided to pray for help and ask the Father to help me have the trust sufficient to let the Holy Ghost guide me in all that I do. That night I was able to let go of my own thoughts and I was truly guided in what to say and do in the lessons we had. I had been praying a lot before that experience to know what I must do to be a more powerful teacher. From this experience I learned that the scriptures are full of answers and can direct us to the knowledge we need. I am grateful for this experience because not only was I able to speak with my father in heaven about how I felt, but I truly knew he was there listening to my desires.  That’s a cool lesson I’ve learned and since that experience I’ve been less stressed about what to say and more concentrated on what the investigators needs are. I love the Lord and I love being in his service. I have learned so much about how the Lord works with his children on earth and how gaining a stronger faith in him can help us in our daily lives.

Thanks for being there for me family and I hope you have a good week.

 Love,

Elder Payne

Futbal and Crablegs in Woodburn

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.

Love,

Elder Payne

Fishing in Woodburn!

January 3, 2012

Dear Familia,

 Things have been awesome this past week and it’s good to hear that you guys had a good time in Florida. Thanks for the pictures and it was good to see how everyone’s doing. That Indian guy with the Alligator looked like it was a fun show to watch and its sounds like you guys had a blast together. I’ll be sending my memory card home soon that will give you all the pictures from my last couple of weeks in Seaside up until now. I had a good time talking to you guys on Christmas too and I’m glad you feel like my Spanish has improved. Thanks to the help of the Lord and diligent study, I have been able to improve. In no time, instead of saying I’m from Georgia, I will say I’m from Chile and people won’t question ha-ha. Thanks for updating me on my boy Elder Hardy. I talked to him last week and he told me that he wants to go back to Georgia and go to school at GA State. Before the mission, Lansky, Hardy and I talked about getting together and getting a show started and it seems like it might be a possibility ha-ha. Well I still have a lot of time and I don’t need to worry about things like that yet, just got to keep my options open.

Well that’s pretty cool that President P called you to give you a report on how our talks went. The 6 missionaries in the branch all gave talks and it was an awesome experience. This was my second talk I have given on my mission and I learned that if you truly prepare, the Lord will guide your words through the Holy Ghost. President P is the man and it is a privilege to serve with him in the Lords work. Well a lot of things happened this weekend and daily we see the miracles of the Lord.

 Yesterday we had a great experience with one of the members from our branch. He took us and the Elders from Gervais to go crabbing at the beach. So we got ready to go early in the morning and left to go to the beach. It was really fun and we joked around and after 6 hours of fishing and crabbing, we caught 1 crab!!!!!!!!!!!  It only had 5 legs instead of 6 because he lost one so that meant one leg for each of us, Chyeah!!!!!! It was super cold but the jacket I bought from Columbia that is waterproof really helped out and deflected all of the rain. I also used the gloves you sent me for Christmas and they really helped to keep my hands warm. Not to mention I was able to fish with them on since I could use my fingers ha-ha. Anyway,  things have been really good and the work is going really well.

 New Years Eve was pretty exciting as we returned to the apartment around 9:00pm and went to bed at 10:30pm. All in all it’s just another day for a missionary but we had our members let us know when it was new years by sending us some texts at 12:00 and waking my comp up ha-ha.

 I love Woodburn and I love working with the members here. It is a great place and the work is going great. The less actives are coming back to church and little by little things are progressing. We are seeing the fruits of our labors as yesterday we set 3 baptismal dates with a family and hope they will be prepared by the 29 of January. We have been praying hard for this and I feel like the Lord has prepared this family to receive the gospel at this time. We will continue to work with them and help them progress. I’m just super glad to be in this branch and to be working in this exact place at this exact time of my mission.

Things are going really well between Elder B and me as each day we find ways to improve. He is an awesome missionary!!

This week we had some pretty funny experiences and one of them was while we were eating out at a restaurant, this 92 year old guys comes up to us and says "Como estan?" We didn’t know who he was but later he told us that he was a member. He told us that 70 years ago he served his mission in the Spanish States that covered the now southern part of the United States. He kept on telling us that we were great missionaries and to keep working hard. It is always a pleasure to meet other former missionaries!

Love,


Elder Payne