11/22/11

My goodness Mom, I sure do love you and I can't believe how much love I feel from you. Your words always mean so much to me and I am truly jealous that you get to hang out with my dad:) I want to go on a date with him ha. He's the best dad and I hope he knows that every single one of us feel the effects from his love in each moment in our lives. Thank you for the words to come come ye saints. I love that hymn and sometimes I just need to read the words and feel the power within. I love being a missionary. It really is the best. I'm staying in Chico again for the 8th transfer in a row and it doesn't get old. I love the members and I love all the people we work with. I feel fortunate to be here. I was a bit surprised to find out:) Elder Sandall and I are very anxious and ready to work hard. We've set some good goals to improve this transfer.

 

We had a good week. On Friday we had a big dinner with the Hmong that come to our ESL class. Members came as well. I love people and I enjoy learning from them. Nblia's husband who is old culture came to the class the day after. He's really opening up. We had a rough time getting into the homes of all our investigators and even Less actives this week but we accomplished much good and have seen fruits from our labors. Elder Sandall is an awesome Elder and impresses me how hard he works and willing he is. Yesterday we had Stake Conference and the messages were perfect. 

 

Thanks for all the updates on everyone:) I love hearing how everyone is doing. I took a lot of pictures for you to see but I won't be able to send them till Thursday or maybe next Monday. Sorry! I wish I had more time to write so much more, sorry again ha. Life is good and I can feel your prayers. Please let me know if there's anything I can do for you. I love ya. Please hug and kiss the Little's for me and let them know that I love them.

 

Love Elder Paramore

11/14/11

Mom,

You must have truly been inspired to stop and ask me the questions you did. Thank you:) Even though the work is going great right now and we're laboring diligently and striving to be exactly obedient so we can do what we need  to do and become who we need to become I feel beat up. I'm tired. I'm in tears... I love being a missionary so much. I would've quit a long time ago if I didn't know this was all true. There is no choice but to push forward with my GREATEST efforts. There's a very deep feeling inside me that reminds me continually at how it felt to not have faith in the atonement. It's so real. I FEEL the fruits of our Saviors love and dedication to doing the Fathers will every single day. I'm doing good. I'm just tired. I sometimes hang my head, to quickly realize that I'm in this for the long haul. I want to literally spend my life away in the service of my God. There really is nothing better or no greater feeling when one knows they've done what they're suppose to or when they've followed the promptings of the spirit. Thank you for following with your email. I try not to think about the fact that I come home 3 months from today but it's hard, I've never been home sick but I've always been family sick. I love you all so much. I hope you feel how hard I'm working through the blessings you're receiving. What's even better is I know that our families exact obedience and dedication to the gospel isn't dependant on outcomes. We do it because we HAVE FELT our Savior in a very literal way put His hand on us and say "your forgiven." Because of that I know we all work hard each day at becoming more like him. I push myself to stay effective and prayerful every second of everyday. I've come to understand that becoming like the Savior isn't for sissy's, it's only for those who are willing to stretch and struggle to BECOME over and over again. It's the best. It really is fun but my goodness it is hard, well for me. I'm probably weaker then most so this carnal man is hard to overcome but I hate him and he will be overcome. Your boy is good:) Your boy is happy. Your boy is grateful to feel like your right next to him and he can just talk to you. My strength is weak but my spirit is strong. My testimony is undying, I promise I will never quit loving the Lord. My attitude is great as well. I love all that I'm asked to do and understand that anything and everything that comes my way can be for my benefit. I hope ya know I love you too mom, so much. I hope dad knows just how much I love him as well. Please keep hugging and kissing those Little's. They really are mighty spirits and you've been trusted with them:) Holy cow! Mom you're quite the woman and we all know it. Thanks for being you. 

 

I couldn't believe it either that Shenise was turning 22! Ha I'm sure it was one tasty burrito:) How is she doing? 

 

I'm glad to hear that you had such a good weekend! You have such a good attitude all the time. You really are amazing mother. Will they let a young man come to the sisters luncheon? It sounds so nice. Ha  Thanks for sharing all that. I feel bogged down sometimes with my responsibilities and I can't imagine how dad must feel. What a blessing it is to have him. 

 

Next week is transfers. If I stay one more then I will have been here for every month this year and every holiday. We'll see what happens. We had just 1 non-member at church yesterday. It was a good sabbath though. I enjoyed it. I'm grateful for the commandment to take the sacrament and to observe the sabbath day. We saw an older lady last night and we taught her about the restoration of the gospel and she prayed right there to know if what we teach is true and if the priesthood was restored through the prophet Joseph Smith. It was really fun:) She'll pray each day this week and remember to ask that. We'll see her again tomorrow. Our ESL Class is going very well. People are becoming more and more confident in their English speaking abilities. Elder Sandall and I still run hard each morning. This morning we ran 3 miles and my first mile was 6:30. His was even faster. It's fun to try and keep up:) I'm grateful for my body and all it can do. Taking care of it is so fun and quite the learning experience each day. 

 

Yeah the New Year is basically a fair/huge celebration, yep. Yes we just had a booth and people would walk by and we teach them about the gospel. The sister you wrote is doing well. She came to church yesterday and is staying strong:) Thanks for writing her. Thanks mom and yeah I'll take more pictures ha. Sorry. I think the only thing you all can do for me is keep loving the Lord and striving to become more like Him each and every day. I love you all so much. Thanks for all you do and for all your prayers and love. Please let me know if there's anything I can do for you all. 

 

Love Elder Paramore

11/7/11

Mom,

 

     Let me just start by saying that I'm full. I'm so grateful for your love and dedication to the gospel. I see a lot of sad families out here and my heart hurts for them and for their beautiful children. The other day in Sacrament meeting I received a bag of muddy buddies from a family in the ward that knew I liked them. I asked them one day if the container of food on their fridge was muddy buddies to find out it was only dog food. Hmm... Anyway they made some and gave them too me. Maybe I told you that already, it's the same family where their husband shoots squirrels for our people:) So I was sitting in sacrament meeting next to one of Nblia's little boys (this was last week not yesterday and yes Nblia came again and brought 4 kids this time) and I remembered that I'd been given the muddy buddies so I cracked open the bag and we shared them during the meeting. I remember feeling the spirit very strongly then looking at this little boy and his cute smile and thinking that I have no idea what it'd take to get him on a mission in 15 years. He's so cute and so innocent and he'll be the product of the faith his parents show. His mom, Nblia, is so faithful but is held back by a deep culture. We're just blessed and it makes me so happy to see that my very own family recognizes the hand of the Lord in their lives. Thanks for loving the Savior and thanks for loving me. I know dad loves me. I feel it everyday. I've driven through Orland a couple times lately and every time I think to myself that my dad could be here. My heart seems to jump onto the top of the car and search for my dad. He's the best. You're one lucky woman! We had countless miracles happen this week... 4 non-members came to church yesterday. One of them is a recent converts husband who just got out of prison and his brother, the other was Nblia and then an older man. My companion and I were so grateful they came, it was exciting for us and it was exciting for the ward to see as well. We're so excited to work hard this week and know that as we're truly dedicating ourselves to the work then whatever fruits are born will be tasty. We had a good week. We went to the Yuba City Hmong new year on Saturday. It was good to see the 4 other Hmong elders in the mission and to talk to people about the gospel. One man was brought over by the church from Thailand, he lived in Salt Lake for two years and then moved to CA about 30 years ago. Another man was hovering around our booth so we went up to him and just started talking about what he believed and he really opened up and when they open up it's so much fun to testify because you know they're eating what you say. Another Elder was standing with me as we taught him about the Book Of Mormon. He was my MTC companion so it was a lot of fun to do that with him. He's a good Elder.

 

I think it's so cool that you all got to go to the temple visitors center! Those Little's are so darn cute:) My goodness do I love them. I hope they know that. I think about them often and how faithful they are and how much of a blessing they are to our family. Tell P Wang to keep being a good example to all the other Little's, to give them hugs and tell then he loves them and to always help them and you when y'all need it. I can't believe how big Haizlee is! She couldn't even grow hair when I left and you were scared it might never grow ha. I love you all very much. Chandis let me know about the car situations:) That's great! I think we should just get horses personally:) I don't think dad would object. Anyway... I love you all. I hope you know that. Life is too good so I hope you have your smiles on this week:) Thanks for all you do and thank you thank you for the pictures. Elder Clawson is the man. If you get to talk to him let him know that I'm grateful for him and all he's done for me and to have lots of kids right when he gets married:) oh and no skydiving and call him a dirty dog:)

 

Love Elder Paramore

PS I already know who my wife is, Chandis found me one:) Haha