23 Dec 2013

:D OH it is a great time of the year to be happy!

I am having a blast with all the snow and just having a blaaast! The snow is now able to make a snowman I think so we'll see soon if I can build one.

16 Dec 2013

:D merry merry merry Christmas! well it happens soon don't it?

As I said before time gets slow around Christmas for missionary work but the snow is too delightful here to be sad! I love it when I wake up and see snow laying everywhere making it look like an extra large whip cream bottle has exploded and covered the town.

I am excited, soon I get to talk to my entire family! I will say hi and see all of you! I feel a little sorry for the johnsons since they have to stay up late to see kaj(how late I don't know but I bet it will be late.)

Anyways! I am doing great! we have a new lady to teach that we met with today and booooy does her house....well it's like a hoarder and a catowner (we are talking twelve cats not one)got together, moved in, and then both of them left everything to her in the house.

Yesterday was micah carlsons birthday and we celebrated well enough I suppose, he got a cake and we had fun seeing some members out here. when you're a missionary there are times you feel like a rockstar, everyone loves you and highfives you and talks to you.

Well, great wishes to all of you! may you read the scriptures this Christmas, I would suggest in order to keep it Christ centered just read st luke chapter 2 and read of christs birth. it's an inspiring part of scripture to me.

9 Dec 2013

Ok so the goal of this email is to be much longer and descriptive then my previous ones. As i have time and been told to do so, i shall.
I am excited that christmas is getting closer now!Soon i can call and skype! It's exciting to have this for the very first time and i hope that i get to have more such luck.


i didnt get to see the christmas devotional broadcast because in order to go there me and my companion needed to bring a lessactive or investigator with us and we had neither sadly at hand, so we only got the last little bit of it.

ITS SO COLD!i've never been in single digit weather and i think i would trade triple digit for this ANYDAY! Carlson complains about the desert not having much to offer but at least it doesnt snow and make you want to crawl under a rock for warmth! BRRRR, you know what all the people that complain about phoenix they can keep there seasons, and i will keep my warm winters.

I learned recently what NOT to put into a chicken stew, the answer is if you want to make something overnight, dont make it a chicken and broccoli and cauliflower stew, the broccoli and cauliflower end up smelling TERRIBLE! My companion woke up to it and he pitched the soup out on the rocks outside our home. XD i actually thought it smelled ok but it was quite a strong smell.

Due to the weather people are not as willing to walk outside, and for good reason, we have not had splits in two days because of noone showing up sooooo that kinda stinks.

I must say this, service has never become more all-consuming then for now because lessons have ground down to only being two or three a day.

So i have been asked if i get to drive, the answer is we have a car but since Elder Carlson is the senior companion he must drive. I have gotten to drive when on exchanges but usually not.

We share the car with the sisters and get it friday saturday sunday and monday morning and afternoon, they get it at 6 and have it until friday morning.

Has everyone been good for santa this year!? OH! hey dad i want some of that coal bubblegum if you can find it please.

2 Dec 2013

YAAY i seem to just stay in areas all the time dont i?Maybe that will be my thing to stay in areas around three months each! that would be pretty nice.

Things are getting slow, we're just seeing the same people and checking in on them right now because not much is happening during winter surprisingly...

The ice is slippery though, thank goodness for docmartens!

I hope you're all staying safe out there this christmas, and stay focused on the spirit and reason we celebrate it.

25 Nov 2013

before transfer calls again! It's all passed so fast almost in a blur!

Donna Brash is now a member of the church of Jesus Christ! I am so happy for her, it was a great baptismal service and yours truly got to confirm her, although now when I think back I cant remember what I blessed her with...but it was good is all I remember. funny how when you think back to moments full of the spirit you either remember every detail or it's a pleasant haze in your minds.

Sadly I can't send pictures this week but i'll find a place to do so later.

Christmas and thanksgiving and new years are coming up! isn't this exciting my first one out of the house!?

18 Nov 2013

I was bored looking through my journal before bed and thought about it...it's been four months!? WHAaaaat? i thought that was mindblowing!

Welp, i have to say there is never a dull time out on your mission, and i have learned even more about myself out here. I am at zachariah(i think thats the second to last book in old testament)and i am ready to read through it again!

We ran into an inactive member and we're trying to reactivate a guy after i believe six years of no church or anything!

I'm thinking that we might end up at a kingdom hall at some point in order to get a guy to get to our church meeting but so far it's unclear as to what will happen on that front.

SIGH i have gotten no letter at all here but i can't blame anyone what with me being halfway away from anybody in Cheney.

QUIZ TIME! How many missionaries does it take to stop a car ride from progressing anywhere!? two! one to sit in the passengers seat and one to gripe that he called shotgun and its rightfully his. I sat in the back watching two 19 year olds literally whine about a FRONT SEAT! I was laughing at first then it just got annoying.

so how is life out there!?

28 Oct 2013

WELP I have been moved into an emergency transfer to washington Cheney! Apparently Pres Mullen feels the last transfers didn't take so i am now out here. President has been making some weird calls as of late too but it's his job to make calls out here whether popular or weird.


my new adress is:

210 Simpson Park Way #721
Cheney, Washington 99004

I hope kamiah doesn't get any of my goodies!

Out here is just fantastic! I looove it! I cover cheney 1st ward and i cover a part of East Washington University. So much fun to be out here, i hope i'm busier here as well, and i know that i will be kept busy! So much more people, and it's got that small town feel along with a college feel which is more of a happy feeling along with some excitement. People constantly come in and go out!

i am spending a little while unpacking so i haven't taught a lesson just yet but i hope i'll get around to it, lots of people say hi so apparently missionaries are known out here.

21 Oct 2013

This has been a great transfer and for this transfer i stay in Kamiah some more!

That will be exciting because brother weeks says we get to do some more woodchopping and i am excited for that!

Tell me how is everything back home? what are some good scriptures i can read up on? What are your guys' favorite scripture book(IE: Job, Alma, Matthew, etc. etc.)

We are searching for some new contacts out here but it's been kind of slow so we've been out searching for some of the lessactives out there in the boonies aaand it's been interesting to learn how many people just leave without being removed from the ward list at all. It's almost a shocker! It gets really foggy in the morning.

oooh you can see across the street, but what is missing from here? oooh just a little hill behind the house. yeeeaaah, that's wicked right there.

I am still learning more and more about missionary work and one thing i didn't expect was that i was going to learn about other religions as well.

I never knew some of the stuff people believed in, and it's...its weird alright.

The second thing is people keep telling me what to preach and proselyte about. PFFfffft silly people!

7 Oct 2013

OOooh my gosh it's a double rainbooow! :D (yes it is too there's a lighter rainbow to the left of the more solid one.)

How is my father? are you doing well? I hope so, it seems like the world is getting hectic (all i hear is bits and pieces of war in syria and government being shut down and stuff like that.)

I have to ask you personally one thing. What do you do when the place you are in is going hectic?

I will give one example(no names though because i would rather respect these people)

I was with elder colburn in a house of an active family, granparents the both of them and two hectic grandkids running around without shirts, so it seemed like it would be a funny time to be here, and then the mother called saying that she's found a house. She said hi to her children and said they were moving to the next town over which is 31 miles away from kamiah, all well and good it's not but an hour out.

The Grandma then says(after the mom says she's found a steady job) "She's Selling drugs!" she hisses it out angry as all get out. Next thing i know it all goes downhill fast and the grandma is shouting at the phone which is on speaker "WHat you do is ILLEGAL!"

Then the icing on the cake happens. The mother says with righteous indignation "That was ONE TIME for diapers!" I whispered half way to Colburn "Should we-" "Yep" We tried leaving and the grandma is now in tears because the grandkids are oblivious as all get out whats being yelled and she remembers we are there.

One kid grabs another phone and says he wants to stay because all his friends are here, then his little brother grabs the phone and says "mommy pick us up now, i want to go now" Smiling away like a knucklehead, his grandma in bitter sad tears.


So once the phone is finally hung up we say a prayer and go posthaste for the door but she still lingers after us telling us to pray(which isn't a bad thing it just made it that much more awkward..) and talking about the kids and how she hopes for the best for them.




Soooo...what can i say to quickly leave such an awkward and frustrating situation?

30 Sept 2013

I am having a great time out here! We've done(me and colburn) Lots of service. but it's still getting a little dry around here sadly so we're going out to meet with many of the LA's of the area and check in on them.

I've been reading in isaiah now and have only gotten through the first chapter but it's pretty good. The most interesting thing i recently read in Alma was probably how Alma disappeared(taken up by the spirit). That's pretty neato i think to just be on earth and not even die just getting taken up by god would be interesting.

How are all of you doing out there? I have to say it's exciting to meet others and members everywhere. we were eating in a pizza place in Nez Perce and a guy wearing a poncho we didn't know said "Hi Elders" we didn't know him but he later told us that he had business here to attend to. Then he left temporarily and then came back and asked if we had paid yet for our pizza. We told him no and he picked up the entire bill! members are awesome. Oh I quote what elder Colburn said and then the guys answer "You don't have to do that." "Oh i know."



Interesting fact!

Take a moment and look into your Book of Mormon. First and second ?Nephi happen continuously in what tense? First person present is the answer!

What does the rest of the Book of mormon happen in(most if not all of it)? Third person past!

This was brought up by a man we met with who was excommunicated and having a few issues getting back but he's still a believer in god and the book of Mormon being a true translated testimony of god.

23 Sept 2013

yeps we're back my friend!

Ahhh i am sorry about last weeks short email, it was exceedingly short and sadly was unimpressive i bet to some. I have definitely done better in my emails before.

but this time i will make it nice and long!

First let me say why i had to leave so abruptly last week. Last week me and some of the other missionaries went to play basketball using it as a fellowship opportunity to get someone more interested in the church and we went and tried it out. Played wallball as well, that was very fun. :D (although elder colburn did't want to play the normal rules so we played with three outs instead of with people getting pegged if they didn't make it to the wall.)

yeeah it's an all-time job working in a mission.

I am currently studying in ecclesiastes and Alma chapter 33 i thiiink(might be chapter 32) Proverbs is a looong book that can get a tiny bit repititive but it's still all good stuff. One of my favorites in there is Proverbs 17:6. (its grandpas favorite too. )

The work in kamiah is excellent but we're running low on our investigatos right now sadly sooo pray that we'll find some new people to teach, it's always encouraging to have your prayers go with us.

I am having a great time although recently we accidently locked our keys inside so in order to get in we opened our bedroom window and elder colburn helped push me in. while i was shimmying to the floor elder colburn started laughing. "you got a rip right up the center of your pants!" Ahhhhhhhh! I took it today to a member and she sewed it up thank goodness but man was it embarrassing to me to think about that.

I helped a guy out with moving chairs and couches and other stuff out of storage and out into an American Legion hall for his Auction and that was cool looking through all that stuff he's going to sell. He had a revolver six chamber that was soldered shut on the top which was odd to me(plus the grip was missing on it so it was just a metal fin at the bottom) He had toys, a singing bass fish, a bedset, decanters, personalized shavers, tie clips, ammo, and a bunch of other stuff too! it's amazing how far and inbetween the stuff was, really.

Recently we have been taught to try and teach simply and powerfully so try this out and home and be amazed a little at how well it works. For example let me demonstrate, say i wanted to talk about the restoration.

I would start off with "God loves us all because we are his children and he wants the best for us"

then i would move too"In order to keep us in line he has given us prophets through all of time that have taught us what to do. They were either accepted or rejected even until the time that christ was sent"

"the Great apostasy then occurred and the gospel and the priesthood was taken off the face of the earth once jesus and his apostles were killed. it was then restored though through a latter-day prophet named Joseph smith"

"That priesthood authority was restored and during this time many things lost were brought forth including a book called the Book of Mormon. It's another testament of jesus christ and affirms all the commandments we were given"

"we will leave a copy with you and while you read will you pray to know if these things are true?"

DONE! BAM! Each sentence is simple and gives out a small part of knowledge each. now there are better ways to teach since this is more of a cookie cutter way i was taught to do it but it still works. Try it out with a family member and trust me it will make teaching others or even just sharing your testimony a simpler and more powerful thing. you may have to elaborate of course since it doesn't ALWAYS work but its very nice to try it out.

I have to say as long as people understand the restoration and the atonement they will become closer to god and know for themselves that Jesus Christ is the redeemer and savior of the world.

So is everyone doing well? having fun?

2013 Sep 16

My mission!

is going fantastic!

I am enjoying myself well here!

Sadly this email will be short as i am being swept off for the rest of pday, people to invite, missionaries to have fun with and such.

I don't have much to say as i usually do but it';s really picking up today since i am almost always doing service for others.

Member with Toys

the only difference between men and boys...

is the size of their toys!

OK this is a members house and one room is devoted too trains, and shelves of mugs. The center is dominated by train tracks and different toy houses, and even a flying saucer. YEAH imagine how long it took to get that all together. XP Ridiculous! There are TWO levels for these trains also so keep in mind some of these are the table they're on and others are right underneath it.

2013 Aug 27

Thanks SO much DAD that's an awesome idea, thanks for the blooog! Well let me think hmmm, well i have to say thanks to grandma and grandpa for that pentel multicolor pencil, it's coming in handy a LOOOT! Thanks for all your support! My Companion: Elder Colburn is from Falleen Nevada, he is great and he doesn't care for tracting at all. We did it yesterday, met more people then usual and he was just so tickled red to have to do all that. I think he's been a member all his life, pretty sure of it, his dad's a FAA Worker so he checks on flight bases and such. he was in a base overlooking Area 51 and they took away all his cds, flashdrives, and anything that could record data. Hi everybodddy! It's your favorite silly guy out in Idaho! Well, this week has been fun, out here in this mission we do something called church tours and that's where we talk about and bring people through the church talking about sacrament, baptism, and the pictures of Christ we have all around us. In this mission there are two numbers that we report on this one is called CTI(Church tour invites) and CTA(Church Tour Actuals) and we've had three church tours so far this month but we have invited over 35 people to them! yeaah, that's amazing to look back and see that. Well one of my new favorite things as well is to go on exchanges. for those of you who don't know i will explain simply. Exchanges are when your companion is traded for another person and you then teach without your companion for a little, since my companion is district leader he has to do this most weekly. he doesn't like it much but it's his calling. So i get to hang out with elders from Orofino, Grangeville(also known as strangeville to missionaries), and lewiston(known as lewistank.) Lewiston has a paper factory next to it and to treat the paper they use sulfur...yeah its smelly. I went out to Grangeville last week and...well to be honest it felt like i was beginning to step into a Stephen king novel. there are people looking out the windows that hide when they see us, there are so many oddities there(like a church that looks like a KKK hood is on it) and it's just weird out there.It's the southernmost part of the mission too so I was pretty close to the edge. AH! i just remembered something exciting! Jordan Hrabak(Jim hrabak's granson AKA the newest convert in our area that was baptized last week) has been taking the missionary lessons and he is going through leaps and bounds when he's reading his book of Mormon. Yep, he is truly a golden investigator! I hope to get letters from family too y'know, letters are fun to receive in the middle of the week. Also remember next week is labor day so i might not be able to email you next Monday, but i am always able to mail! ^-^ I'm running low on postage stamps too but when my next monthly allotment comes in i'll buy myself a little roll of maybe twenty stamps or so (= approximately ten bucks i think) How is everyone doing out there!? I am so happy that you all are out there and i pray for my family nightly. Well i have to end this email now it's getting a bit too lengthy and i don't want to bore any of you, LATER! Service Journal: Service is one of the best ways to meet with less actives and just get them friends and interested in the church again. There are many blessings to working with members and one of the most interesting ones was last week. I worked with an elderly gentleman just across the street from me named Tom SEaver. He is a collector of Records, Knives, Guns, and transitional technology(I.E. Stuff that can take reels into tape cassette format and tape cassette to mp3) We were moving stuff for him and we finished moving a heavy old metal generator that uses gas to make electricity and we were about to close it up for him when he opened a box and said "i got to thank you boys so take anything you want, don't be bashful i got dozens of them" The wall had boxes and boxes of knives And i was just in heaven looking at knives and looking at fixed blades, switchblades, fancy knives, russ farrells, and apache cutlery. I know that doing service blesses us in ways we could never imagine and this was one of those moments.

2003 Sep 9

Subject: STAYING in KAMIAAH!!!

WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

I am staying in kamiaaaahhh! i will sample the fruits of missionary work even more here because a part member family is now being baptiiized! they just got married finally after being taught all the lessons front to back and then some.

Jordan Hrabak is on daate! he will be baptized hopefully this october! Oh i love that guy, he is just soaking in the gospel.

I am doing terrific here in my district thank goodness, i am luviiin it! Well darn i can't think of much else to say cuz im so excited for the baptisms...

Welll i guess i could talk about how thankful i am to stay in my area a little bit longer. but i could talk about that another time. I am loving the weather and soon winter will roll up into here. ^-^

They will have snow! snoooooow!

Hmmmm yawn, it gets kinda dry too though after i see some people week after week and they don't show much progression, but once they're in the church and believing i think they'll have dynamite testimonies.

It's sometimes really stressful being out here and wondering what kind of day will we have!? I don't really know until it happens because we do so much!

well that's all i can think about really right now... >_<

2003 Sep 3

I have to tell you one thing alll of you, missionaries are ALWAYS serious!
This is the distict with all of our new regulation bags! For those of you who don't know backpacks have been done away with in favor for bags because they are more proffesional(or so i am told, i heard it's because our area will be getting ipads soon and its easier to have those in bags)

Well as you can see we are all stylin' here so don be jealous ya'll.

Well i learned something that's a good way to stonewall a bible basher(and i's not just for that it's good for disputes over doctrine too) say simply "if the book of mormon has the same doctrines as the Holy bible, why are you averse to reading it?"

To give a quick recap of how i got to this let me tell you about Michael Kellim. Michael Kellim is a guy i met on the first day i go out into the missionfield, he stopped me and colburn on our way to the library to check out emails and lds.org. He told us he wanted to ask what we believed in, we met him later that same day and he threw at us stuff about how christmas today is about pagan worship and so is easter. He is a seventh day adventist so he believes the sabbath is on saturday.

Every visit after he kept asking the same thing over and over "why don't you worship on saturday, why do you celebrate christmas and easter, why eat pork at all?" So i finally told him, "Read the book of mormon and find a scripture there and i will totaly know what you preach is true" Simply put he went in circles after that and i felt kinda bad like i had pinched a moths wing or something but the truth is that the book of mormon was given so we wouldn't confuse doctrine. Read it and be blessed is all i have to say on that for now(although i could go for days now that i am all the way in Mosiah. I read the Holy bible too and i have to say this, Psalms is the most BORING DRY book there is in there. T^T oooh my goodness i get bored to tears reading davids songs all ending with Selah over and over again.)

Last fast and testimony meeting i stood up and bore testimony that was pretty cool. I have been doing well and have done service for so long it's going to become second nature. (maybe i'll join a lyons club once i get back in phoenix, i don't know.)

This last weekend a celebration happened in kamiah called barbeque days, and that was excellent! Bro Weeks made us burgers and fries once for lunch and porkchop and dutch oven potatoes one night and both were sooo delicious. (i hugged him later as repayment and told him he was awesome to feed two missionaries) We met people, handed out passalong cards and it was all so much fun. our phones didn't work because of the influx of people and there being only one cell tower around sooo that was a bit annoying but all still good. I also bought a marine corps. pin and have it on my bag now, it's nice too.

Maaan i have to tell you this though, letters cheer up a missionary to no end, my companion got one last tuesday and is still smiling more today, so lighten up your missionaries day and send a letter every so often.(not this wek though cuz i might not get it, who knows where i will go transfer day. the next sunday this week AKA the eighth of september)

2013 Sep 3

Dear Family and Friends,
I am doing great, I honestly know why Ammon said he could live with the Lamanites until the end of his days, it's because he loved the people with all his heart.

I think being a missionary is like being a father, you love the people with all your heart and wnt them to do good. When an investigator learns for themselves gospel truths, my soul soars. When a pert-member family drops us and asks us to never see us again I am terribly saddened. Perhaps it happenes that we sometimes need space or perhaps our hearts aren't open enough to receive personal revelation, but when they are, it is such a happy and holy time.

I am reminded of a scripture and story in St Mark, I believe it is there, when Jairus' daughter was seemingly dead, but when he had faith and an open heart he was blessed to have his daughter, live again. With faith in Christ all things are possible.

My scripture study is doing well enough, I am about to finish 2 Nephi, which feels like the longest scriptures I've read in a while.

How is Shad and Lyssa? They haven't mailed, or emailed me yet. Neither Cathy nor even Eli is mailing me either. Tell brother Erb there are Erb's here in Kamiah and that they are nice.

I feel eddified most daily because of this work. I hope that all the cousins I love, Padilla and Gardner, to feel this way someday.

Elder "T" Padilla
Missionary Heart.

2013 Jul 24

Success! This is my first pday and everything is going well aside from me forgetting to have a clean tshirt to wear today(wearing a regular collared white shirt) So how is everyone? I am feeling absolutely tophole! the food here is amazing (and fattening i think) the gym is fun too with volleyball, basketball, and four square on the first level and some exercising equipment on the top floor. I must say that my companion elder penrod is one of the nicest guys around and is a solid worker and studier. We taught a real investigator and everything just went superbly with that! I have a great district and i have finished genesis and am half way through exodus (rereading it all once through and marking the best scriptures with my new pen. Thanks Grandma i am the envy of all the other missionaries. ^-^)

Hmmmm...thinking thinking.....

well we've had two devotionals and gotten to practice teaching our teacher who is playing as a jamaican professor. (too bad he doesnt have a bob marley hat with some fake dreads.) i am prayerfully studying up as i said before and must say that the best thing i've learned so far is that the law of tithing has gone back all the way to the book of genesis.

OH! Dad show Shad a video called "The Character of Christ" its a great lesson and its half an hour and i think it will be fun to watch.

Too lyssa i've got to say if you come here you will not run short on friends, all the sisters here are friendly and will help you grow to become even closer to god. Also the food is delicious. :3 Soooo if you still haven't found college interesting or military, or even gotten a cool job i would highly suggest coming here, it is a BLAST!

Well what else, i've got to say thanks to all of you for believing in me and supporting me in this great calling and too my parents i love ou all the more for trusting me out here and letting me go.

(p.s. yes i am just typing what i think at the time its really a good way to get the most out of your time here.) 

Soooo shadrach you having fun at home lazing around? :P just kidding, i hope you have fun while your out there learning to drive and riding your bike. The most dissapointing thing here is really the fact i haven't gotten to wear my stylish trenchcoat and the fact that i am a bit bored walking between gym and the residence hall.(our room) the showers are indeed good too, just grow to be comfortable with toweling off in there and having some garments ready to change into. also remember that in the top of the ceiling if there are panels missionaries love to leave toys up there forfuture missionaries like an etch a sketch or a football(harmless stuff really nothing souldamaging or stupid). If you come here expecting a bad time you'll be right, but if you come here wanting to learn and have a great time you'll be even closer to what you get here, which is love for the gospel and your fellow man.

Well mom i think that this will be fun to get an answer to, i sent a letter home to you guys but i don't know if you'll receive it before i leave. ^-^ The guys who got packages here shared with me and i looove it hearing messages and mail from their family and friends. 

and to christopher(my dad) I love you for preparing me to go out here and sharing with me your testimony on a daily basis. I have grown to love the scriptures and how to become an even better man while im here. I bet you wish you could come here and spend a day laughing and crying a little remembering the practicing, the lessons, and all the fun you had. I know i am(laughing, crying, pondering, etc.) Its really nice here although its a little warm. perhaps in due time we will get to see each other again, maybe even sooner then we need too. you never know the mysteries of christ until you step back and look at the whole picture.

See you later!

(p.p.s. Penrods dad served in the buenos aires mission, did you serve in that or another one? im sorry i forgot my leaky memory isnt what it should be.)

2013 Aug 19

I watch this again and again i have highlighted it in my scriptures, it is excellent.

Http://www.lds.org/bible-videos/videos/the-greatest-commandment?lang=eng

2013 Aug 11

From: Nedra A Andersen
Date: Sunday, August 11, 2013
Subject:
To: chrispadillaaz@gmail.com


We enjoy the elders coming into our home and teaching our friends, they have such a special spirit. Today we leave for Utah to take our daughter to the MTC, so missionaries have a special place in our hearts too. Your son is a fine missionary and we looke forward to getting to know him better.

Dick & Nedra Andersen

2013 Aug 19

Weee First Month Already!!

It's a shocker to think about but i have just finished my first month of my mission. This truly does go by faster then you can know. So how is everyone? I am doing great personally and know for a fact that i am blessed heavily with the spirit. Following spiritual promptings is always rewarding although you may never know how rewarding they are until later.

The oddest service i've fone so far, and this takes the cake, was to help a sister post some quilts on ebay. Yeaaahhh odd...but fulfilling, she fed us well for helping her post up her quilts for sale and we gave her a spiritual thought.

It's cool to be able to watch those"life of christ"bible videos and study your scriptures side by side with what's going on because they do it word for word.

Guess whaaaaat!? Brother Hrabak is now a member! His grandson, the one in front of us all, has asked to be taught the lessons. YAY! I am having so much fun out here!

Well i think this will be some of the best years of my life. You have fun out there in the world of P-days!(nickname for everyone outside of a missionfield)

2013 Aug 12

This fist one is the guy we work with alot during service projects. under that nasty snear is a heart of gold and a devious scrabble player. His name is Brother Wise, first counselor in the Kamiah first Ward. fun guy, fun times.

the second picture is a meal i made for under ten bucks. :3 Yes that is TEN bucks(mostly cuz to make the teriyika chicken i had to improvise with srirachi sauce and a bit of garlic salt. also the soy sauce was already here) That salad is officially my favorite, iceberg lettuce with red cabbage and carrot slices.The title of it is iceberg garden(i think...)

the third picture is of me standing on a hill after leaving a members home we took pictures while we were on the mountainside and that is kamiah and nez perce behind me. ahhh yes it is gloriously cool out here.

And the last picture was a surprise to find. Before it say it i have to remind you that ALL things in the missionary apartments are donated by members. Couches, tables, the fridge, the dishes, and the pots. So this last one is a "Saladmaster". yes that's right, the cooking equipment that must have costed someone a hundred dollars was given, GIVEN mind you, to the missionaries who would probably have nooo idea of its worth. i washed it out and plan on using it to make something sometime, but the members are so diligent on feeding us its hard to think of what to make inside it.

I hope to do the work well while i am here. later dad!

2013 Aug 22

Dear Familia,
¿Hola, Como estás?

Ah, that's enough Spanish for me. well, being in a companionship with the district leader, out in the boonies, is never boring, i must admit. We drove half an hour to the Orofino Ward in order to interview a man for baptism. We've laughed hard and we've been frustrated together.

The people here are good but, sometimes are hard headed. But, that's every mission, eh?

I've got mission tunes! :D Yep got a cd from Elder Colburn and I put music on it. Fun boring out here, really, never dull!

Hope you're all keeping out of trouble.

Elder Padilla
Love YA!!!

2013 Aug 5

GAAAAHH oh nooo he sent the wrong adress. i'm actually in Kamiah which is twenty miles from that place. I'm in suite 3 of a...apartments i suppose its three houses crammed together basically. Our neighbour Dee is nice as well she needed service and we did that (mowed and watered her lawn.) She gave us two pieces of peach pie and wants to make us a roast! :D yuuum!

(Our real adress for the next five or so weeks is

3384 Montana St. #3
Kamiah Idaho 83536)

How is everyone else? I have begun writing letters for you guys and have already sent one out. it should be there by now, hmmm. :? am i wrong?

Also great advice. i have played scrabble today and had a score of 70 while elder colburn(my trainer) had a score of 49.

I have meet some wonderful people in the area and love it. this first week we got three new investigators. One baptism is being done so far in our area too(its a pretty small cute town. biggest place nearby with a walmart is Lewiston)

I bought a crockppooooot!

And have taught several lessons through the spirit which is really a great uplifting experience

2013 Jul 31

31 July 2013



Dear Brother and Sister Padilla,



I was pleased to welcome your son, Elder Padilla to the Washington Spokane Mission this week. I’m happy to report that he arrived safely. I had the privilege of meeting and associating with him the day of his arrival and note that it is evident that he comes with a great desire to serve Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ. Elder Padilla understands the role of the Holy Ghost in accomplishing the work here in the Washington Spokane Mission and has committed to live worthy of that power.


After prayerful consideration, I have called Elder Colburn to serve as Elder Padilla’s companion in the Orofino, Idaho area. It is our objective to call only the best missionaries to serve as trainers and I believe that your son is in excellent training hands. We expect that your missionary will serve in this area for the next 6 to 12 weeks as he begins his mission.


I have enclosed photographs of your missionary and assure you that Sister Mullen and I will love Elder Padilla. Our great desire is that his time here will further establish him on the path of righteousness, as well as bless the many people he will serve.


Attached are the new updated recommended guidelines we have for parents. These guidelines are based on many years of accumulated missionary experience, especially those guidelines concerning personal contact with your missionary. Elder Padilla needs your good example. I sincerely request that you consider them for the benefit of your son and his fellow missionaries.



The mission has a website where you can see what is happening in the mission. Go to: washingtonspokanemission.wordpress.com

2013 Aug 5

My first week has passed by pretty fast and i honestly think that i've been getting better so far at learning some of these lessons. My companion, Elder Colburn, has been out about 10 months now. He says he's past counting, and i guess sometime i will be too.

So it's good to hear from family! how is everybody?

I've had fun here studying and a bit of tracting, mostly teaching inactive members and part member families.

2013 June 19

Sent letter to missionary Travel,  time for T to start packing....

  

Missionary travel was contacted for travel to Salt Lake