9/19/11

Hi!


My goodness did I love and enjoy that email:) Thank you. I hope Peighton knows how much I look up to him as well. I could only imagine what his face looked like after all that happened. I'm glad he's able to laugh about it now. And Landon is the man. I sure do love him. I'm glad to hear about the cardiology appointment. He's running off of blessings! Tell him i'm excited to study the scriptures with him when I get back. What a man!

I think i've told you this before but I gain so much strength from your and dads faith. I always have to get teary eyed during an emailing session. Thank you for pleading with our Heavenly Father on my behalf. I feel those prayers being answered. We had a good week. We taught a ton and had fun. We've been fasting and being as prayerful, obedient, diligent and faithful as we can to find new people to teach. It's been great. We haven't found many but it doesn't get us down. During a lesson we had last week we were teaching and I stopped so my companion could take over and as I did that it was silent for a bit, which is fine, but then after a minute I looked at him and he was stuffing his face with ice cream cake hahaha. Oh my goodness it was so funny. When he realized that we were teaching he felt really bad and said sorry a few times and then was able to carry on. See junk food is distracting spiritually! He must have been pretty hungry for sweets:) Good thing the lesson was with an active member:) He's such a good Elder. He's only been out 3 weeks and is exactly obedient and willing. We have great studies and each day is so much fun because we can focus on what's important rather then silly selfish things. Maybe I just can't explain how great life is so I attempt through talking about certain experiences that don't really describe anything that goes on. I just hope ya know that I love the Lord with all my heart. I really do. I try my best to follow the spirit and do what he would want me to do and because of that I can feel confident, peaceful and full of joy.

We've gotten a running routine. Last week I ran 3 miles and averaged a 6:57 mile. We run 3 miles each day but I haven't been trying to get faster just been trying to get a good cardio workout. His ankle is fine now and we run hard each morning. We've set goals to reach by the time next transfer ends so a 9 week duration. By the end I want to be able to run 3 miles in under 20 minutes. This morning we ran a 4 mile at 7:40 pace and tomorrow we'll have a .5 mile warm up then sprint a mile and try to do that in under 6 then have a .5 mile cool down then Wednesday will be a good run at around 7:30 for 3 miles and Thursday will be .5 warm up 2 mile sprint at 6:30 then a .5 cool down then Friday and Saturday will be 3 mile run at a good strong pace. Then next week it'll be a bit different. We ran this morning in Bidwell Park. It's a huge park here that is pretty much just forest and wildlife. We saw a deer this morning on our run. I'm very grateful for my body. They really are such a blessing to us and we each as individuals can take care of ouselves. By doing so we learn so much. There really are hidden treasures of knowledge in living the word of wisdom. Oh and my companion runs quite a bit faster then me ha i'm usually way behind. 

All is well here. I love being a missionary. I hope the ward knows how much I love them back there. Please don't forget to hug and kiss the littles for me. I love you mom. Thanks for everything. Please let me know if I can do anything for you all. Love ya.

Love Elder Paramore

9/13/11

Hey!

 

     Holy cow life is so so so so so good! I love being a missionary:) I really really do. It makes me so happy to pray then to act then receive guidance and follow it. It's the best feeling. I'm grateful for the week we've had. My companion is great! He's willing and he just enjoys baring testimony and working hard. We've really just tried our very best to be exactly obedient. It's changes a person if they can truly dedicate themselves in all the small ways:) I know it's true! We're still just doing our best to find people to teach. We've had success in our efforts and we love love love just contacting people we see in public. It's so much fun to walk up to them and really just listen to the spirit as they talk. The Lords promises are real. We had an experience just this morning as we were taking some clothing to a Hmong family and a man was walking by, we said he and he walked over to us. We were able to listen to him and the spirit told us everything we needed to say. He broke down and cried as we bore testimony of how much our Heavenly Father loves him. Moments like these are more rewarding than most and it warms my heart. As I looked into his eyes and told him these things I knew he was in that moment lifted up a bit from his state of unhappiness and stress. He said a prayer right there with us and he wants us to come over on Friday. It's so important for us to be ready at all times and in all places. My companion actually rolled is ankle last preparation day so he hasn't been able to run and it's killing him ha. He's taking it pretty well. He's tough. English class was wonderful on both Friday and Saturday of last week! We taught and drew out the connection between the spirit world and temples. Hmong culture worships their ancestors so we taught how Gods culture helps their ancestors then the next day we drew it out again and taught about the celestial kingdom and bore testimony that the Gospel of Jesus Christ really is the only way. After we finished a women asked if we'd teach her how to pray so she can begin to ask Heavenly Father if these things are true:) Life's good. When we can't see the small miracles in our lives it means we aren't looking. They're there and they are so so so fruitful. The conference we had yesterday was great! We heard from Elder Kearon of the seventy and we talked a lot about the spirit. Sometimes it seems I have to labor so hard for spiritual things to come. It was great. There was also a music video we watched were there was a picture of the Savior holding a young girl and she looked liked Shenise. I just love her so much. She's so precious. Elder and Sister Kearon had a boy die at 3 weeks in open heart surgery and the moment they told us that the spirit was so strong. I don't think Landon can even begin to comprehend how important he is in this great plan. I hope he knows that and I hope he knows that we're so lucky to be apart of his life the way we are. I love him. I'm glad to hear that all is well.   Life is good. I love you all. Please don't forget to hug and kiss the Little's for me. Mom and dad I don't know if I've told you this before but I sure am grateful for all your love and faith. I can cry at any moment if I think about how much I love you and and how much you've always loved me. I also love my wife and children so so so much! I don't know exactly who they are but I know we're preparing together to raise beautiful children. If there's anything I can do for you all please let me know. Ha ya there are a ton of little birdies out here:) 

 

Love Elder Paramore