Transfers and New Beginnings

Chance has a new companion.

It is common on a mission to be transferred to a new town or get

a new companion every few months.

This past week, Chance's companion was sent to another city to serve

and Chance got a new companion.

It can be hard to say goodbye to companions and cities when transfers occur,

but it is also exciting to get to know new places and people.

Chance really likes the area he is serving in now and 

has met some incredible people.

He also got the opportunity to visit some local sites:

Chance got to visit a cathedral

Chance found a snitch pocket watch from Harry Potter!
Chance's younger brother thinks it is the find of the century.
We are big Harry Potter fans over at our house. 

Here is part of what Chance had to say in his weekly email home:

Ever since I have come on my mission, I have been able to increasingly recognise the holy ghost and it has been such a blessing. Sometimes following those can be hard, but I have come to learn that when we follow those promptings, we feel peace and joy. It's amazing the feelings we have and the personal conversion that happens when we allign our will with Heavenly Fathers. So this week I invite you to pray, and ask God to have the ability to recognize the Holy Ghost. Pray that you will be able to not only recofnize them but be able to follow them. I promise that as you do this that you will feel more peace and joy. I love you all! Have a great week!

Christmas In England

Chance and his companion after they made
their regular everyday sweaters into Christmas
sweaters using stickers etc. at a church members house.

Chance has celebrated his first Christmas season over in England.  There were some wonderful people in England who helped make his first Christmas away from home special.

We got to talk to Chance on Christmas and his companion took a video of Chance opening up the presents we sent so we got to see his reactions.

One of the things that we sent was an apron that just happened to come in a two pack.  Chance and his companion were trying to figure out what it was as he unwrapped it.  Chance had to spread it out and hold it up before they realized that it was an apron.  It is true, that Chance didn't ask for an apron, but it was suggested that missionaries could use one and that made perfect sense so we sent him one (or two).  Missionaries in Chance's mission spend most of their days in white shirts and ties or sweaters so having an apron to protect your clothes while you make your meals makes a lot of sense.

We also sent Chance a set of small wooden logic puzzles that he had to figure out.  He was working on one of the puzzles in fact when he called home on Christmas. For Chance's entire life, he has had something to put together on Christmas.  Some years it was Lego sets, other years it was 3-D puzzles with directions only in Mandarin.  Chance loves to put things together and figure them out.  We figured he needed something on his mission to put . together on Christmas morning to keep up the tradition.

Christmas Pajamas

Since missionaries transfer to different areas every few months on a mission and only have limited luggage space, it is difficult for them to carry lots of extra items around with them on a long term basis.

Being in England, Chance has access to some delicious chocolate and treats so we sent a small dose of goodies he liked from home and then just sent money for him to buy what he wanted there.  Chance would have to transfer and carry a Christmas stocking with him through out the rest of his mission, so instead of a traditional stocking, we sent warm socks with tread on the bottom that he can wear around his flat to keep his feet warm.  And we sent Chance and his companion a set of our traditional Christmas pajamas so now they match the rest of the family.

Chance sent out a heartfelt message this week about Christmas  and The Savior:

Another Christmas has come and gone and we've all had the opportunity to spend it with friends and family. We've shared laughter, gifts, and stories throughout the Holiday Season with those we love. Perhaps you've continued traditions that you've had for years, or maybe even started a new one this Christmas season.

These are all amazing things that we have been able to do over this holiday season, but the real reason why we celebrate Christmas is because of our Savior Jesus Christ. We celebrate his birth and the gift of Jesus Christ given to us from our Heavenly Father.

But it seems to be that after the Christmas season is over, we forget the kindness, the love, and the joy that we felt or gave during the Christmas season and even sometimes why we celebrated Christmas in the first place. The amazing thing is that we don't have to let it stop after the holidays are over. We can continue to be kind and loving. We can continue to experience the joy that comes form our Savior Jesus Christ and learning more about him.

So this year, after the holidays are over, I invite you to not get too caught up in the busy demanding things of life, but rather, to think each day of someone you can be kind to, someone who could benefit from you telling them you love them and most importantly, to continue to remember our Savior Jesus Christ and learn more about him.

I testify that I know that Jesus Christ lives. I know that he is the Savior of the world and has atoned for all mankind. I know that as we draw nearer to him, we can experience more peace, joy, and happiness then we have ever

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays

Making Christmas Cookies

Chance's cookie chilling in milk.

Chance always did love wearing a hat!

Celebrating Thanksgiving and Visiting a Castle

Chance got to celebrate Thanksgiving in England with an American

family. This ensured that he did indeed get some

pumpkin pie for the holiday.

He also got to tour a castle. When one is in England, touring a castle or two should

be a must do activity.

The picture they took as they came out of the castle is breathtaking.

Here is part of what Chance wrote home about this week:

We also had an awesome Thanksgiving on Thursday! We had a member who is from The United States invite us over for Thanksgiving and it was so good and we got to play board games with them afterwards and got to know them some more and that was so awesome! We also had pie and that was amazing! We also gave the father a blessing afterwards because he wasn't feeling too well.

This week I want to share a part from The Living Christ that really stuck out to me. It is in the 6th-7th paragraph and it says:
"Even the voice of Jehovah, saying: 'I am the first and the last; I am he who liveth, I am he who was slain; I am your advocate with the Father'"
I really love this because it is Jesus Christ speaking to us and my favorite part is when he says "I am your advocate with the Father" because he really is our advocate and he really does want us to return to God's presence. He is our older brother, our redeemer, the savior of mankind. He truly wants what is best for us and when we come before God at that judgement day, he will not be telling of our wrongdoings, but rather, will be expressing the good that we did. Because of his Great Atoning Sacrifice, we can have mercy present and he truly is our advocste with the Father, and he wants what is best for us. It is up to us to choose whether or not we will follow him, and learn more about him, and grow closer to him. My invitation to you this week, is to read through "The Living Christ". It is magnificent and if you want to come to know your savior more, that is s great place to start. I know that Jesus Christ is my Savior and my Redeemer. I know that he felt everything that I have felt and that he has felt everything you have felt as well. I know that you can come to know this for yourself, just look to him, pray to the father, ask him with real intent if he is there and if his son Jesus Christ really did atone for our sins, and I promise you that you will receive your answer that God loves you, and that Jesus Christ really did atone for our sins in Gethsemane.

I hope y'all have a great week! Keep me updated on what's going on in life for ya! 

Chance finds a piece of nature

Chance likes the fact that he is near the water now.

We don't have an ocean that is

close to where we live

so oceans are a treat 

to see.

Chance loves nature.

Mountains, animals, clouds. lakes, rivers, and oceans.

Nature is his happy place.

This week Chance and his companion were told by a lady they met that they 

could date her daughters.

Since missionaries don't date on their missions, 

they politely declined.

Chance also met another Elder who likes

trucks as much as he does, so it was a good week.

Here is what Chance wrote home in his email this week:

Doctrine & Covenants 122:8

"The son of Man hath descended below them all. Art thou greater than he?" I absolutely love this because it points out that our Savior, Jesus Christ has descended below all of our pains, our problems, our trials and not just one of us, but all of us, he has descended low enough that he is able to lift every single one of us up. Think about it, he didn't just feel the pains of one person, he felt the pains of all the world. He suffered, bled, and died for all of us, giving us the chance to gain eternal life and to return to the presence of our Heavenly Father. It's quite amazing!

So because he has descended below us all, he understands when we go through those hard times, through the trials, through the times when we feel that the "very jaws of hell shall gape open the mouth wide after thee". He truly understands all those things, he is there to help us. And because we have the Atonement of Jesus Christ, "all these things shall give thee experience and shall be for thy good." We can go through this life experiencing it, learning, and becoming better. When we make a mistake, it isn't the end, we can learn from it and become a little bit better and become more like the person we are meant to become.
The Savior truly does understand us and everything and that each one of us goes through. I know that he truly loves us, and when we are going through those dark times in our lives, that we are not alone and that he is with us every step of the way. If you do not know this for yourself, I invite you to come to know, to read the scriptures. To pray. If you have any questions feel free to reach out to me, or the local church leaders or missionaries to come to know more about our Savior Jesus Christ.
I love y'all! Have a great week!

Chance Sees the Sea

Chance got to see the ocean!

And he is back in a hat.

I think his head was getting a bit lonely 

without one.

The hat will help

to protect his implants.

As a missionary, Chance is out 

and about outside a lot, so his implants

need some protection from the elements.

Chance has been getting a taste of 

the local cuisine as well.

The food is a hit with Chance.

There are some wonderful people out in Chance's 

mission that help the missionaries

and feed them every once in a while.

This is what Chance had to say in his monthly email this past week:

For Halloween, we went to another area in our district for exchanges with the elders and it was so much fun! We went finding along the ocean and met a lot of good people. I also found an American Shop and was in heaven! I didn't get too many things though because it was pretty expensive as you can imagine. We watched a Book of Mormon movie while there and it was awesome!

This past week I was reading through D&C 18 verses 43-44 which says:

"43 And now, after that you have received this, you must keep my commandments in all things;
44 And by your hands I will work a marvelous work among the children of men, unto the convincing of many of their sins, that they may come unto repentance, and that they man come unto the kingdom of my father."

I was reading through this and I found it has a really neat message that it shares. It shares that once we keep his commandments, that by Our hands, by our efforts, that God will further his work. Think about that, when we are obedient, we become God's instrument in the convincing of others of their sins and helping them come unto repentance that they may come unto the kingdom of God. We have that power, as we are more and more obedient, the more the Lord trusts us with bringing others to his fold. Imagine the joy that we can feel in bringing others unto Christ, even if we aren't full time missionaries, as we are obedient, the Lord will provide opportunities for us to share his gospel with others. We can be that person that is another's first good introduction to the gospel and we can help them toward meeting with the missionaries and repenting and getting closer to God. What an amazing opportunity we have to share of this joyous and happy gospel that we know with others. It may seem scary, but don't be, be natural about it, as Elder Uchtdorf said, "Share what is in your heart". As we do these things, we will feel the joy of bringing others to Jesus Christ and getting to know him more. I love you all so much! I hope that you all have had a great week! Don't be afraid to shoot me an email if you have questions or if you want to talk about anything. I am here for y'all! 

Chance Is Transferred To A New Town!

Chance has moved!

It is common on a mission to transfer every few months

and this past week, Chance transferred

to a city closer to the ocean.

Chance was really happy to see green fields full of animals again!

And he has some beautiful churches around his new home.

Chance had this to say in his email home this week:

Alright y'all! It's been a crazy week! Transfers were on Tuesday and we had to wake up early so we could get to our trains on time. My train came and I said goodbye to my old companion.

I met my new Companion in Norwich!

Y'all Norwich is so amazing! You walk like every 2 minutes and you see a church. There are so many churches here. It is incredible to see the history here in Norwich. The weather is tempered by the ocean so it isn't as crazy as it was in Nottingham sometimes.

Spititual thought:

16 Behold, my soul delighteth in the things of the Lord; and my heart pondereth continually upon the things which I have seen and heard.
17 Nevertheless, notwithstanding the great goodness of the Lord, in showing me his great and marvelous works, my heart exclaimeth: O wretched man that I am! Yea, my heart sorroweth because of my flesh; my soul grieveth because of mine iniquities.
18 I am encompassed about, because of the temptations and the sins which do so easily beset me.
19 And when I desire to rejoice, my heart groaneth because of my sins; nevertheless, I know in whom I have trusted.
20 My God hath been my support; he hath led me through mine afflictions in the wilderness; and he hath preserved me upon the waters of the great deep.
21 He hath filled me with his love, even unto the consuming of my flesh.
22 He hath confounded mine enemies, unto the causing of them to quake before me.

I love this chapter because first of all it is what is called the Psalm of Nephi and also because this chapter really helps us to see that Nephi is a normal guy too. He isn't some guy who was always perfect. Here we can see that Nephi, even though he was a great man, was brought down in sorrow because he was falling short and also that even though he was feeling down, he was praising his God and recognized all that the Lord did for him. He felt of God's love and recognized all the Lord had done for him in delivering and protecting him from his enemies. Nephi felt these things, and it is okay that we do too, but keep going, keep trying. He felt these things and felt down, he felt short, and thought that he wasn't doing enough.  I don't know about y'all but I took great comfort in that because he is a great man and he felt these things, and so when I feel these things, I know that Nephi felt the same sometimes as well.

My dear friends, pray to God, seek his power to be strengthened against temptation and ask for the strength to continue improving. It only takes one itty bitty step everyday. Sometimes even two steps forward and one step backwards. Just keep trying, keep looking to God and praying to him, and I promise you that he will guide you, and he will help you, you will feel his hand in your life and his power.
I love you all so much! Keep trying!

Chance Glimpses a Soccer Match

You know that Chance is having a good day when he gets to watch a 

bit of soccer.

While he was out eating with other missionaries,

he got see catch a glimpse of the

Liverpool vrs. Sheffield United game.

He also got  to visit Lord Byron's grave

And take pictures of a beautiful night sky. A sight that Chance loves.

This is a view of Sheffield at night.

Here is what Chance had to say this week in his weekly email home:

Hello Everybody! Hope this past week has been good for you all. I don't have too much time but I'll share a quick few things. 

We went on exchanges with our zone leaders and it was really good and we also got to see Liverpool play against Sheffield United while we had lunch! It was soo good go see a match! 

I want to share a scripture I read this week from the Book of Mormon:

"6 Nevertheless, I do not write anything upon plates save it be that I think it be sacred. And now, if I do err, even did they err of old; not that I would excuse myself because of other men, but because of the weakness which is in me, according to the flesh, I would excuse myself."

I love this scripture because Nephi is an excellent man and follower of God and yet he made mistakes, he struggled with trying to do everything the best he could. We will all fall short, but that is why the grace and Atonement of Jesus Christ are so amazing. We will all make mistakes, and we will all feel that we are not enough, that we have fallen short, but the grace of Christ covers it all. What we don't accomplish because of our shortcomings and our weaknesses is covered by the grace of Jesus Christ. Jesus fulfilled the demands of justice so that we don't have to, he has instead turned around and given us a different requirement, to do our best. Now we all are sometimes hard on ourselves about if we are doing our best, I certainly am. And sometimes it feels that we are hardly doing anything, but one thing another missionary pointed out to me was a scripture along the lines of him who prayeth not in secret has his reward but him that prayeth in secret, God shall reward openly. God sees our efforts and sees the things that we do even if we don't see it ourselves. And he will reward us because of our diligence, work, and faith. I know I already suggested it, but if you haven't listened to it yet, listen to "His Grace is Sufficient" by Brad Wilcox. It is so good. 

I love you all. I look forward to your emails that you send me. Remember that God loves you. 

Who Needs To Shower

Chance's shower apparently had technical difficulties this week.

Chance wrote home:

So this past week our shower has been broken and so we have been needing to take bath's. The problem is, they don't make the bath's for grown size men so it's been an adventure! One of the parts in the shower is broken, specifically the part that runs the hot water and so every time we run the hot water through the shower, the breaker turns off. 

It makes me laugh just a little to picture long

lengthy Chance trying to fold his body

into a tub that apparently was not made

for long people.

At least we know he is having some fun.

Missions are adventures, and the journey would not be complete

without some sort of apartment malfunction.

On my mission we had a washer at one of apartments that

turned one of our loads of clothes pink. 

We never found out why the load went a 

pink hue.

There was nothing in the load that was pink, red or any like color.

That load of laundry was an inside joke between me and my companion
for a long time.

The missionaries are actually very well taken care of out in the field.

It is just that when ever you venture out and live 

on your own as a young person, it is not unusual to have some 

sort of an apartment adventure. 

Chance sent home pictures that are very Chance-like.

Nature scenes and of course, some sort of critter he found.

And of course, a spider friend he found while out and about. 

Chance closed this week's email with a cowboy reference naturally.

 Our heavenly father really does love all of you and wants you all to experience joy! So seek him and you will experience that joy! 

Y'all are amazing! I love you all so much. Keep riding on, and when you get sore, remember that is part of life, but God will lift us and help us be strengthened. 

Have a great week y'all and let me know how y'all are doing! 

Chance is Eating

One thing we know for sure, is that Chance is indeed eating in England.

He keeps including pictures of his meals in his emails.

Chance also saw a windmill! I love windmills.

My mission in The Netherlands

had lots of windmills so I am 

glad that Chance got to see one

in the flesh.

A beautiful night time sky. It is just like Chance to 

be watching the skies.

He notices the beauty of the natural world 

around him. 

One of Chance's letters home in the past month included this:

This past week we had interviews with our mission president and it was awesome! While I was in my interview, I asked President Green if it was alright that I start learning British Sign Language because I've had a number of people that have tried signing BSL with me and he said that was alright so I've been learning BSL now, and we call it Deaf Hour! 

Catching Up on Elder Paxton in England

So this month has been a busy one for our family.  We did our annual camping trip where we really missed Chance, but we are all happy that he is where he is.

We'll have a great camping reunion two summers from now when Chance is home again. And then he can chop the wood for the fire as usual.

Chance has been seeing the sights of England and taking pictures.
Some pictures are better quality than others.

 Trees, clouds and green space.....this is the stuff of Chance's dreams

I think this picture speaks for itself.

Chance took LOTS of pictures of this particular spot so I think he really likes it. He is a nature lover in his core.


Here is a portion of what Chance had to say in is letter this past week:
It was very touching to read his thoughts about families.

Ever since I have been out on my mission, one of my main motivations and driving forces to do missionary work and desire to teach has been about the Family, particularly how I have been so blessed by my family and the wonderful blessing I have to be together with my family forever. It brings much comfort and peace to my soul to know that I will for sure see my family again after this life, as I strive to follow the teachings of Jesus Christ and to be more like him. 

There is no family that is perfect, but we can all strive to do our part to make our families a little bit better. Do you find yourself being a little bit selfish to your siblings? Strive to be nicer and selfless. Do you find yourself possibly distancing yourself a little bit further away from your family? Evaluate if you have shared your testimony with your family recently and if you have spent some quality time with them. Have you noticed that perhaps you spend a little bit more time with friends then with family? Try to change that. Perhaps you don't listen to your parents as much as you should, they are there for your good, and they have been in your shoes before, they know a lot of what you are going through. Consider giving them a listen when they give you advice, and who knows, you may learn something new about your parents. There are many other different things small or big, that we could do to improve our family relationships. 

My family is not perfect, nor am I perfect, but I have a wonderful family and loving parents that care for and nurture each of their children, including myself. I have been blessed to be raised with the gospel and the wonderful knowledge of the Plan of Salvation. I have been blessed with a loving family who support me in everything. 

Now I understand that there may be others that may not be as fortunate as myself in having a loving and supportive family, or may not have had a strong gospel centered home or childhood, but I would encourage you to look at those things and figure out what you can do now to improve those things. Whether it is for now or for the future. Remember that God is always with you and that he loves you very dearly and that you are his child regardless of your circumstances. He loves you more than you can comprehend.

I know this email was kinda long but I wanted to share those thoughts with you. 

I love you all so much and I hope that your weeks have been good and that you are enjoying life!