An Apartment Break-In

 Elder Paxton got to experience more snow while away in

England.

He also got to enjoy the sight of a charming English church.

Elder Paxton experienced a little break in across the pond!

His email home explains what happened:

This past week has been a good one! We have finished all of the filming for the video about my Deafness and we are now editing it! We still have a lot of work ahead of us in the editing but it is going to be so worth it!! 

We were able to meet with loads of members, start working on some musical pieces, and also work on and finish a video about how faith compares to bunnies in Mandarin and it is awesome! I have a lot of work ahead of me this week. We have a lot of lessons and a lot of videos that we are working on which I ain't gonna complain about because it keeps me busy and it keeps me going!

This past week we actually had an incident occur. We went shopping and came back to the flat and our window was open and we were all like, "uh oh." We went inside and there was nothing that had been taken and so we were curious as to what someone had broken into our flat for. Fast forward to that evening, the other Elders were making some deep fried Oreo's and they were joking about needing the fire extinguisher because it was getting smoky, so they looked at the wall where the fire extinguisher is supposed to be and it was gone! So we came to the conclusion that perhaps someone had a fire and needed an extinguisher real quick. Who knows haha. We ended up buying some locks for our windows so no one can get in now. 

This past week I learned a really valuable lesson. I learned the principle of doing our best then letting go. I had been talking to my older brother last week about some challenges I was facing and he reminded me to do my best and then let go of the rest. That really stood out to me. I was able to feel a burden lifted off my shoulders and the presence of the spirit more as I applied that teaching. 

There will be times when despite all that we do, things will not go how we want them to, or how we hoped they would. When we do all that we can, and sometimes fall a little short, or someone chooses contrary to that which is right, that is where the Savior's atonement comes in. After we do all that we can do, with a prayer in our hearts, the Savior takes care of the rest. We can do everything we can to help souls come unto Christ, to invite them to better themselves, and walk in righteousness, but in the end we are just an instrument in the hands of God, Jesus Christ is the one that does the work. This is his work, not ours. He is the one that changes the hearts of people, not us. 

My dear friends, do what you can do. Keep trying, keep giving it your best, and once you have done all you can do, give it over to the Savior. Completely. If we don't let it go, the Savior cannot take it, even if we hold on to one itty bitty piece. Do your best, then let Christ take care of the rest. 

I love you all! You are amazing!

Love, 

Elder Paxton