November 10, 2014 weekly update, teaching at a zone conference and holding snakes

Hey everyone! This week was good. We had zone meeting this week and they talked a lot about miles and stuff. The mission is starting to crack down on miles. Before they never cared if we went over, but the new pres cares a lot so we are having to adjust. Our district is pretty good, we are usually 100 over so we can probably take that out no problem. I had to give a training on respecting your car, pretty funny since only 7 months ago I flipped one on its side and totaled it hah. But it went well, President really liked it too. We went to the temple on Wednesday, that was awesome. We getto go once a transfer now. Other than that, things are going really well. I hope ya'll are doing well, things are great up here! oh yea, I held a couple of snakes the other day. a ball python and a king snake. It was pretty cool haha, a member has em as pets. Well love ya!! elder p

November 3, 2014 weekly update

Hey everyone. This week was good. Getting settled with a new companion and seeing how things are changing. Elder Sorensen is pretty cool. He's only been out 6 months so he has a lot to learn but I think we will be ok. Transfer meeting was cool. Took a samoan picture with my samoan friends. We ended up teaching 18 active member lessons this week. That is insane. But we were able to get elder Sorensen introduced to a lot of members, which is good. There was a trunk or treat on Halloween, but we had to go in early because president didn't want us out too late. Things are good here, hope yall are doing well love elder p

here are a couple of pictures of his planner that he sent to me:

October 27, 2014 weekly update

So this week was good! I got my transfer call and am staying in Alpenglow, as DL. Should be fun. my new companion is Elder Sorenson. At district meeting the senior couple makes our district lunch, this week they made a birthday cake for me haha. white cake with chocolate frosting. the best! Here's a district pic too. left to right, bottom first Elder Farmer, Sister Hedengren, Elder Hedengren, me and Elder Hinckley Elder Stepaniak, Elder Poulsen, Elder Caulford, Elder Van Tress, Elder Va'aulu Pretty awesome district. Thanks for the bday wishes :) love yall elder pawson!

October 20, 2014 weekly update

Hey everyone! This week was great. we picked up a few new investigators. Two of them were a couple that Elder Van Tress tracted into with his old companion, but they are super busy so they weren't able to meet with them until Saturday. Well they are super ready to hear the gospel!! They are ready to drink in the gospel!! We set up another rappointment and they are so excited! So its my birthday on Sunday! I'm pretty excited ot be 27... not. I feel pretty darn old haha. if any of yall have cards or something you wanna send, the address is 3250 strawberry rd anchorage, ak 99502. It snowed today. and its sticking, and still snowing. pretty crazy. But its good. I love snow and am ready for it!! Well I gotta run, love you all!! elder pawson

October 13, 2014 weekly update

hey everyone. my week was great! We worked relaly hard and spent most of the time teaching. I did exchanges with Elder Poulsen in his area and that was fun too!! I really don't hav emuch to write today. Transfers are coming up soon and I'm exzcited for the chance that I might train. So..yea.. I relaly don't have much to write today. .. But go see Meet the Mormons!! We saw it last week and it was amazing!! Even if you are'n ta member, go see it, because it isn't really preachy or anything, its just awesome. I wish I could see it again!! love yall! elder p

October 6, 2014 weekly update exchanges with elder hinkley

this week was good! My companion got a speeding ticket for going really fast on exchanges, so he was worried he was going to lose his driving privileges, which would mean one of us would get transferred, since I can't drive, so he was super stressed about that. The APs told the ZLs he wasn't getting ETed this transfer, so things are kind of back to normal. Conference was cool, I liked Jorg Klebingat's talk, and Lynn G. Robbinns talks th ebest. I can't wait to get my conference ensign and read em again. I went on exchanges with a new missionary last week, elder Hinckley. He's from Ohio, so that sucked, but we got over it. Funny, he's related to Gordon Hinckley, but his family is converts haha. This week we get to see meet the Mormons, the movie that is coming out oct 10. Pretty excited. Ya'll should go see that movie too!! Hope ya'll are well, love ya! elder p

pictures 9/29

Elder Dela Pena and Elder Pawson in the first picture. Elder Shurtz and Elder Pawson in the second picture. Third is an eagle.

September 29, 2014, weekly update, 6.2 earthquake

Well this week was good! Kind of hectic, had to meet with president a lot and I was sick for a day, but we still got a lot done. I went on exchanges with the Zone Leaders too. So in a mission we have our areas with our companions, then a few companionships make up a district, with a district leader (that's me), then a couple of districts make up a zone, with two zone leaders who are companions, then a couple of zones make up a mission, with the assistants to the president over all of them, and president over everything. for those of you who aren't members. But yea, so I'm a district leader, and so I'll trade companions with the zone leaders for a day, for training and other purposes. And I'll also do exchanges with all the elders in my district, which start this week. So yea, its fun. I was in Bear Mountain ward with elder stepaniak and we had a really good time! There was a really big earthquake up here! it was a 6.2 magnitude and lasted about a minute. At first I thought someone had loaded a washing machine wrong, so it was shaking the building, but then it got way worse and the whole building shook. I started to roll under a table but it was early in the morning so I said, "screw it" and I just laid there and hoped nothing fell on me haha. But I'm alive! I forgot my camera cord again, so I have no pictures, but I"ll send some next week for sure!!1 love you all! elder p

September 22, 2014 weekly update

hey everyone! this week was good. We moved into our apartment at alpenglow and started to get to know the ward. Its a lot different bag of tricks to be a district leader somewhere where you are actually around your district, and having 4 other areas in it. Its fun though. I served with one of the elders and have been in districts with a few of em, so its a pretty cool time. We had Elder David Evans visit the mission last week. He is a member of the first quorum of the seventy and he is the executive director of the missionary apartment. It was pretty good. He rebuked everyone for not following the rules. He focused on music and on being what he called "stupid." A few months ago I had set my standard higher then most by only listening to general conference and motab. That was basically what he said to listen to, but didn't make I ta rule or anything. He was really nice and I liked talking to him. We had stake conference here in the chugach stake, and he was the speaker for adult session and general sunday session, so that was cool. Have a great week! Elder P

September 15, 2014 weekly update, transferred to aplenglow ward with elder van tress, FHE bear

Well.....I'm getting transferred again!! I'll be going to the chugach zone, serving as a district leader int he alpenglow ward. my new companion is elder van tress. my first comp who has been out not as long as me, kinda weird. This week we did a lot of packing and cleanin'. but last Monday we had a hilarious experience. we were at empty nesters family home evening, and it was kind of in a rural spot. Well there was a bear that kept coming by, but no one saw it but the head of the house. So the third time it came by, everyone was looking at it through the window, but the head of the house was like, "excuse me I'm going to my room real quick." While everyone was oooohing and ahhhing, I looked over and saw brother friend sneaking out the side door with a R700, and a few seconds later, BANG! the bear was shot through the heart, and he was to blame. One of the old ladies there, and ironically the one who hated me, just burst into tears and was unconsolable. Did I mention that this happened right in the middle of our lesson? I was sittin' there and was like, uh, can we say a prayer? and then after that prayer all the old ladies left and we went out with brother friend and dragged the bear in and took some pics. it was awesome!! hope yall are well! love elder p

September 8, 2014 weekly update

This week went by pretty fast actually. We've still been focusing a lot on community service, instead of just randomly visiting less actives or door knocking. Sure our numbers are lower now, but I feel it is a much better use of our time, to be honest. One of the nonmembers there is sending their kid to mutual this week, which is sweet, and we were able to hook up another rone with the dentist in our ward to help with her teeth problem, so its really makin a difference! transfer calls are this Saturday and from what president said, I am 90% staying and e. Webster is definiately out of here, I guess we will see what happens!

September 1, 2014 weekly update

Hey everyone! This week was great! I went to Kodiak! We had to drive to anchorage to take a plane there. I went with one of my zone leaders, elder shurtz. The first plane ride we took there was turned around after we got there, because it couldn't land. There was too much fog or something. That kind of sucked because I dont' like sittin in a plane for so long, and plus we had to get up at 4 to get to the airport by 6am for our flight the next day. And since we were spending the night with friends, we maybe didn't get to bed on time haha, but it was all good. We made it there the next day and spent the day working with the elders there. I was with Elder Loy and Elder Shurtz was with Elder Owen and Elder Dela Pena. They took the car and Elder Loy and I were on bikes, that was an experience! I hadn't ever been on bikes before. I was pretty tired by the end of the day, but it was a great time. The next morning we took pictures and then got on our flight home, and drove back to homer. A lot of travel but it was really worth it, I had a blast! Took a lot of pics and sent a few for ya here. Love yall and hope yall are doin well! love elder p

August 25, 2014 weekly update

This week was ok. We did a lot of service. We are getting really involved in the community and it is changing how people see us now, which is good. Our bishop is back in town which is good and bad, the ward council is really fired up about missionary work now, but he has been gone for the igniting, so he came back without the same fire and it showd in ward council yesterday, but we have dinner with him on sunday so that should be good. I don't think I took any pictures this week, well of my wall and a puzzle that Elder Webster did with an elderly member of the church at the hospital. I'm not very good at puzzles so when we do service at Long Term Care I just talk to the other old people and leave the puzzles to them. Then I guess here Is a picture of my wall so you can know what it looks like? Wednesday I'm leaving for Kodiak with Elder Shurtz my ZL. We are gonna do exchanges over there so that will be fun and I will probably have pictures from that, so, look forward tot aht! Love you all!! Elder Pawson

August 18, 2014 weekly update

Hey everyone. This week was good. We had exchanges and I was with Elder Hamilton again while Elder Webster went to Soldotna. It was a lot of fun. We had our first district meeting, which is done over a computer, which kind of sucks, but its a lot better then phone, which is how they used to do it. The pictures were from an activity they were doing where they made obstacles in the room and had ot maneuver around them blindfolded. The second time they had a missionary guide them and I compared it to their planner. Overall it was pretty good, but Kodiak was 20 mins late due to computer problems. I get to go to Kodiak next week with Elder Shurtz to do exchanges. pretty awesome, I'll have a lot of pictures of that! I included a picture of prices of groceries, incase you don't believe what I say. Yea that is 6$ for grape juice. We have been doing a lot of service at a place called Homer Thrift. It is run by a battered women shelter, they love us there! Its pretty fun to serve in a place where it benefits the community so much. President told Elder Webster one of us would be leaving next transfer, which was kind of a relief to be honest. well lov eyou all, hpe you are well! Love ELder Pawson

August 11 weekly update

hey everyone! this week was good. We got to go to Soldotna for zone meeting, I learned a lot and gave a training on working with active members. the technology pooped out so I was there to save the day with my skillz We've had some good success working with the members in the ward. We had another 7 member findings this week. Our goal for august was 12 haha. We will have to set a higher goal for next month, that is for sure! Another one of my companions went home this transfer meeting. Elder Worwood was with me in the samoan ward. That was when we tracted all day every day for a few weeks. I have my first district meeting that I planned for tomorrow. I'm going to use the video "The Pump" from the family home evening DVD to talk about accountability for our choices. you should watch it, its hilarious. well I didn't take any pics this week, sorry. I'll repent and try better next week. love you all! elder pawson

August 4, 2014 Transfers, Seldovia and Service

Well we got our transfer calls. I'm staying in Homer. WIth Elder Webster. But I'm not JC anymore. They made me a dang District Leader. I'm the Eagle Point District Leader. My district is Kodiak and HOmer. That also means I'm senior companion now. I made it a year and was hoping for more as JC but I guess not. We went to Seldovia last week. Its a little town only accessible by plane or ferry. It was kind of a waste of time though. No one wanted to hear our message. We did get to see the salmon running, and I bought a seldovia shirt, but yea. Atleast it was fun. We moved someones outhouse too. Oh man, that was disgusting! IT was pretty darn full. We put down planks and tilted the outhouse so we could slide PVC pipe under it, and rolled it to the new hole. yuck haha. Had another 8 member findings this week. We are leading the stake in missionary work! Pretty awesome!! Love you all, hope you are well! Love Edler Pawson

July 28, 2014 weekly update~

Hey Everyone, this week was sweet. We got like, 5 referrals this week. Thats a lot for Alaska. We also got 12 member findings. A member finding is when a member wants to share the gospel with someone and asks us to help. We set a goal for 12 this month and reached that goal last week, and this week we got 12 more haha. One member who just moved here said her mom wants to be baptised, and so we set up an appointment for Friday. w00t We helped someone build a part of their house this week, that was cool. Put up some supports and some Logs to hold it up. I didn't take anypictures this week though, so .. sorry. haha Well I hope you are all well, miss ya ! Love Elder Pawson

look what the Young Women from GR Stake sent me! (July 21, 2014)

my camera is h igh enough megapixels that you should be able to read them all. aren't they wonderful?

Here are a couple pictures Elder Pawson sent to me

I sent a picture with some stuff in it. Your belt you sent me, the one dad sent me, the red and blue striped tie is from elder springer, or..rj i guess. And a tie i traded ELder Webster for, ask andrew and jack what it reminds them of, they better say Minecraft cuz that what it reminds me of haha.

July 21, 2014 Baptism Nall, old war ruins and forgot to text in again

This week was pretty sweet! Saturday we had a baptism. Shirley Nall was baptised. She met her husband over the internet while he was in Florida, and they got married in Vegas and he moved in with her in Seldovia. She was so prepared when he shared the gospel, and now they are planning hteir temple trip and mission haha. Pretty sweet! Last monday we went and checked out some old War ruins. I haven't gotten a straight answer on whether they are WWII or Cold War Radar stations, but they are tight. It was kind of private property so we were hididn gfrom construction trucks. It was fun haha. On the picture where I am standing on the one that slid down, I actually slipped climbing up there and slid like 50 feet down a gravel hill. Got all dirty haha. Ha. so funny story. I forgot to text in again, I don't know if I told the story about Big Lake, but yea, we text in at night to let our leaders know we are home, well I left the phone in the trucka nd went ot bed. Well President called our bishop and told him to go check on us, he couldn't get in and we wouldn't wake up, so he tried to break in. The police caught him and told him we were probably out having a good time on friday night, but he tried to explain we are missionaries and don't do that. Eventually they woke up Elder Webster, I was still knocked out. This was around midnight, it was pretty hilarious. Bishop was a little upset but he isn't mad. Well that was my week. Love yall! HOpe you are all well! Love Elder Pawson

July 14, 2014 Hand cart Douglas

hey everyone, this week was sweet. Monday we visited a member who has been struggling with kidney stones that are caused by something unkown. She asked us to give her a blessing and we were happy too, and it was way good. We shared a lesson about how CHrist has overcome the world, so we can get by trials. John 16:33. Tuesday we met President RObinson. Ho boy, he is awesome! He is so fired up and wants to do so much good here. He's a hugger too, so thats a nice change. President Beelsey wasn't much into that haha. Well kind of. We have a baptism on Saturday! That is exciting. Shirley Nall, who just married a member, is getting baptised! She is way excited and already is planning her mission and temple sealing. pretty tight like unto a dish. We helped set up a yard sale for a non member too, and he had this cart for firewood. we used it to bring stuff from the house to the shop, and you pulled it like a handcart, so finally I got to be a pioneer haha.. Love you all, hope you are well. Elder Pawson

July 13, 2014 My 10 Favourite memories of Grandpa

My mission president said it would be a good idea to list my 10 favourite memories of grandpa, and I would like to share them with you! :) Admittedly, it was hard to come up with 10 specific events, because most of the good times I had with him I remember more as feelings and happiness, but I did come up with a sweet list :) These are in no particular order! 1. I loved visiting him in Puerto Rico. It was so fun to see El Morro and to just be on vacation in Puerto Rico with you guys. It was something I always looked forward to, and even more so when you moved to Wisconsin! 2. I loved goign to Wisconsin for Thanksgiving. Sleeping in the condo and spending the holiday shopping with you guys and watching thanksgiving football with grandpa was always so fun!! 3. Costa Rica. I didn't even want to go originally! I'm not sure why, i just didn't feel like I wanted to. But while we were there it was so fun! It reminded me of the vacations to Puerto Rico, all of us just hanging out having a blast. 4. Another thing I loved is how he would always try to make fun of me or somethign I was doing, but he could never keep a straight face or would start laughing. It was awesome, and I loved it! 5. One thing I remember a lot was how we would visit in Wisconsin, and we would go play Nintendo, and grandpa would always talk about how he played those games back ni the 80s. 6. I loved watching football on Sundays with him. We always cheered for the same team and it was such a blast! 7. One thing I loved about him was how badly he wanted me to get an education, but as long as I was doing something worthwhile with my life, he was happy and supported me. 8. He took me to a brewers game once! I remember having so much fun there, and thats when I became a brewers fan, but not more than the tigers! 9. I had a lot of fun going tubing and cruising on the boat with Aunt Sue when grandma and grandpa would come to visit! 10. The biggest thing I love and will miss is just how happy he was when I was around him, or when I would call him. He was such a light in the world and will be missed, but I know I will see him again! Hope you enjoy! Love you all! Elder Pawson

July 7, 2014 weekly update

Well this week was good. Interesting at least. We have been working hard to try and get the work moving here, and its slowly but surely getting going. We have an investigator who is getting baptised soon! She met an LDS guy on an online dating site, and he shared the gospel with her, and she loved it! She was really prepared. They got married a few weeks ago and He is coming up to baptise her, and he gets here this week. So I think next week is the service. Pretty awesome! We have been doing a lot of active member lessons, trying to help them to share the gospel. We show a video from hasteningthework.lds.org and talk about how we can be the toolbox to help them share the gospel. It's been going well, people are excited to share the gospel I think. 4th of July was good. We went to a barbeque and then we went and tried to visit people. It was hard though, since everyone was at the parade. In a town like HOmer, literally everyone goes to the parade. So we though, "who doesn't celebrate 4th of July?" and boom, it hit us, russians! so we went to the Russian village, but by the time we found it we had to turn around and go to dinner haha. Well that stunk but what can you do, atleast we found it now! haha. We get to drive up to Soldotna tomorrow and meet our new mission president! I'm excited! He seems really awesome and I'm excited to see what he does with the mission. Well I hope you are all well, love you all! Elder Pawson