Who says it doesn't snow in California?

Email: Christmas Week

Hello Family,
                 Well it sure sounds like if there was any one year to be away from home for Christmas it was this year. I cant believe that basically all of you got sick, that is horrible. To answer your question, no I have not gotten sick out here. There has been a bug going around but I have been blessed and haven't caught anything yet. It was really great getting to see you all and talk to you for so long. I am glad that you all were feeling well enough to be able to talk to me. That also really sucks that there is no Perry New Years Eve party. We haven't skipped that party in a long time. So I guess a little about what I did after skyping with you all. Elder Holbrook and I just headed back to our apartment and cleaned a bit.(I know sounds like an awesome Christmas day activity)ha ha anyways we headed to dinner at a member of the ward about 5. They had a ton of family over, which was a little awkward because we didn't really know anyone that well. They had us play some games with them, which was really fun. Then we ate and took off for the church. There we played basketball for about 4 or 5 hours. It was a blast! We had a whole bunch of missionaries and so there always a game going. So that was basically what we did all Christmas day. A lot of food, a lot of basketball, and a lot of fun. Also to answer your other question, no neither of us were all that homesick. We didn't really have much time to be homesick. So don't worry we were doing just fine.
                     The rest of the week was pretty lame. It was really hard to meet with anyone. Mainly because, basically no one could meet up with us. We spent one day out for about 4 hours  and even with all of the doors that we knocked only like 2 people answered. As you can imagine that was a very long day. Things should start to improve soon though, especially with everyone getting back onto more of a set schedule. There were a few good things that came out of this past week. We were able to start meeting with Juanita and Mario again. They are doing really well and have really recommitted to reading the Book of Mormon and searching out the truth. We are going to be taking them on a chapel tour this week. We also met a new couple, Jerry and Jolene. They are a part member family, Jolene is a member and Jerry is not. We are going to begin teaching them very soon. We were also able to reset Rodney's baptism date for the 19th of January. We are extremely excited for that, and really praying hard that it will go through. Other than that nothing else has really been going on. I guess the only other thing is I hit my 7 month mark yesterday. Pretty weird stuff , it feels like I hit 6 months just last week.
                        I'm sorry that this email is so boring but that kind of how this week has gone. Anyways everything is going great my suits are holding up well, my shoes are still holding in there, and my shirts are great too. Oh and to answer your other question, no we do not ride our bikes in the rain. We actually do not ride our bikes very much at all. Mainly because our area is quite small so we don't really have to, plus it really really sucks riding bikes in the rain. Well that's all for this week I love you all so very much. I think I have noticed that more this past week than I have in a long time. Also thank you for all of the love you have been sending my way. In all of the various forms. Once again I love you all and I hope you have a Happy New Year! Love Elder Payne

Skyping with Elder Payne

Email: Skype Tomorrow!

Hello Family,
                    Well its a little crazy to think that in just a few short hours I get to talk to you all. I was reading your email and it sounds like there are going to be quite a few people there. So I am officially going to be skyping at 9 o'clock my time so 10 o'clock your time. I can probably Skype for about 2-3 hours. we are just at our Ward mission leaders house and there is nothing else going on for the rest of the day. They are giving us a full P-day. Today however is only a half P-day, so we have to be out doing stuff at 2. What is funny though is that they said they don't want us proselyting or doing anything like that, which brings up the question, What are we supposed to do? haha so I guess we will figure something out. I got the big package you sent me but I haven't gotten the little one that is supposed to be for today yet. I hope it shows up soon. Anyways I wont tell you too much about what has been going on so I can talk about it tomorrow. I love you all and cant wait to see and talk to you all tomorrow!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Oh ya and aren't you glad the world didn't end this past week haha
        Love Elder Payne

Email: "Ask the Missionaries! They can Help You!"

Hi Family,
              Well I sure hope you all are having a great week. From the email that mom sent me it sounds like everyone is doing very well and that you all are keeping busy. So I will fill you in on everything that has been going on in just a sec but I have to answer questions before I go on so I don't forget. So being Senior companion is great. I really like being able to lead and be that kind of missionary rather than one that follows. i am just one that likes to lead rather than have to be lead around not knowing where i am going, so I feel a lot more comfortable as Senior companion. Elder Holbrook is great. We have been getting along very well. He is starting to feel a lot more comfortable around me and other missionaries, so he is opening up quite a bit more. He isn't afraid to call me out on stuff now and I am not afraid to do the same. We argue a bit but it is all in fun and it makes it so we don't hold anything in. So yes things are going well.
                                 Yes we did find some new investigators, unfortunately they cant really meet until the first of the year. That's OK though it gives us something to look forward to. We also were able to get a referral for a family that we picked up just last night, and let me tell you they look very promising. The mother is actually a less active member. She hasn't come to church for a very long time, close to 12 years. She just randomly started coming to church last week and saw an immediate increase in blessings. They were having severe financial difficulties and about to go under when they came to church. The week after she was able to get a job and get a bunch of legal stuff worked out. It was amazing to hear her story and how our Heavenly Father had blessed her so abundantly. Her daughter who is 12 and son who is 17 are very interested in being baptized. The daughter literally asked one of the members of the ward,"How do I get prepared to get baptized?" My immediate thought went to Russel M. Nelsons talk, "Ask the missionaries they can help you!" So we are meeting with them this week and hopefully we can get the two kids baptized by the end of the year!
                             So about skyping. We will be at our Ward mission leaders house to skype around 9 o'clock, hopefully. Which would be about 10 where you guys are.I will probably have about as much time as I want. That will be really cool to have it up on the big screen. That way everyone can see. Whats going on. So I am sorry I don't have any more information about it, that's all I know.
                           So yes i did get your package and thank you so much for it. It was much needed. I was having an absolutely horrible week. The man who was supposed to be baptized called Thursday morning and told us that he wasn't ready to become a Mormon. Man that hit hard. It was very disheartening because we have been working with him for quite a while. We went over Friday to talk with him and we found out that a bunch of anti-Mormon people that came and basically talked him out of it. That pretty much sucked, but we will keep working with him and hopefully get him another date soon. So like I said that package was much needed and yes I have been following the rules. It is much more fun that way, because now i get to open one everyday and spread the fun throughout the days. Anyways that has pretty much been my week.
                            It sounds like there is a lot of great stuff going on back home. That's exciting that Rob, linds and drake all get to be there for Christmas. I sent Drake a package for his birthday I hope it got there before they left. If not it will be there when you return. haha

Well I love you all and I hope that you all have a very Merry Christmas!

Love Elder Payne

Email: Senior Companion

Well hello to all,
                         Well this has been an absolutely insane week filled with a lot of change. Just to start things off, Tuesday Elder Newcomb packed up everything and headed down south a little ways to what is called Antelope. He was sad to leave this area but I was definitely ready to see him go. It is kind of strange that now I am going to be senior companion all of the time. Especially with only having been in this area for 6 weeks, but I am up for the challenge. So Tuesday afternoon me and another Elder that is training headed down to Antelope to a meeting with President Weston. All of the trainers got together and President Weston gave us some instruction on everything that will be going on as far as training goes and what he expects of us. He told us that the elders that are 6 weeks out right now and the ones that are just getting here are the two most important groups to come out, because they are going to be the ones to train the brand new influx of missionaries this coming spring. So that was really neat to hear. So Wednesday morning was the day that we actually got paired up with our companions. My new companions name is Elder Holbrook. He is from Meridian, ID so I give him a hard time about being from Idaho all the time. haha He is 19 years old and graduated in 2012. He is really smart and knows his stuff really well. He has great greeney fire so he likes to work really hard. I really believe that we are going to be able to get some really great things done in this area.

                        So as far as the people in this area that we are currently teaching. Hailey is still doing really well. She has been going through a bit of a rough patch as far as transitioning from old ways and old friends and old habits to doing positive and good things. She is a strong girl though and I know she is going to do just fine. The couple with the twins, well that is kind of a sad spot right now. They have split up. It doesn't look like there is much hope for them to get back together either. It is so sad to see a family torn apart like that, but that just shows you how easy it is to walk away when you are not married. We are still teaching him and hopefully things will improve in his life. The man being baptized his name is Rodney. He is in his 50's. We are really excited for it because he has been taught for quite a while. There has been a huge change in his life and in his countenance over the past month and a half. So very exciting news Elder Holbrook and I found 3 new investigators this past week. One is a guy named Manny, the other two are a mother and daughter who are about 77 and 40 something. They seem really interested and I know that the things we teach them will bless their lives. They have both gone through many hard times with loss of family and many trials so I know that they will be comforted by what we have to say. This past Friday we had this really awesome program go on. It was called the Holy Night. It was a big program that was all just singing and musical parts praising Christ's birth. It was such an amazing experience to go and feel the spirit there. Just like you were saying mom, there is a special spirit in the air with music. Anyways what it was, was a big stake choir that sang for about 45 minutes. We were able to get about 4 investigators there, which was great. It was so neat to hear the choir and see the love that they were proclaiming through song. This coming week should be a busy one. We have a lot of people to visit and a lot to do.

                            For all of you that don't know my family sent me and awesome Christmas package, filled with all kinds of goodies and decorations of every sort. I love the Christmas season so it was fun to decorate the apartment up a bit. My pride and joy is the tree that they sent me. I personally think it looks fantastic and definitely gets me in the Christmas spirit. I also got to help a family in my ward decorate their tree it was a lot of fun and made me feel like I was back home decorating the tree their. Unfortunately the tree was a little tall for one of the guys to put the star on top so I helped him out by letting him sit on my shoulders and then climbing the ladder. haha oh what fun!

                             So that is about all I have for this week. Things are going great and I am loving it out here. I love you all and I hope you all have a Merry Christmas!

 Love Elder Payne

Email: I'm going to be training!

Hello family,
                   So I may have forgotten to mention but this week is transfer week. It is crazy this past transfer has absolutely flown by. Who woulda thunk that 6 weeks can go by so stinkin fast. Well I guess I will get down to business and let you know what is going on for transfers.......Drumroll please......blubb blubb blubbb, rrrrrrrrrr rrrrrrrrrr JOY TO THE WORLD! I am going to be training!!!!!! I'm really excited. I was kinda hoping I was going to be able to be training soon so I am really glad that I am getting to now. So I don't know who I am getting yet I will find out in the next couple of days, so I will let you know next week who I get and how they are. Elder Newcomb is heading down south a little bit and is going to be the District leader there.
                 So this past week was kind of slow because there was a ton of rain. I mean we got absolutely dumped on. There was a little bit of flooding in places so it was kind of scary. Luckily nobody in the ward got flooded too bad. Other than that it was a pretty regular week. I am really excited for the Christmas holiday coming up. I absolutely love Christmas. Like I told you last week I have been playing Christmas music since Thanksgiving. haha So I hope everything is going well back home. I'm sure the girls are excited for the Christmas break coming up. Well anyways I don't have much to comment on from back home because I guess you haven't sent your email yet. That's ok though I still Love you haha Oh one last thing the Book of Mormon challenge is awesome Thank you Lindsay for making that template it is hanging on my wall. I hope you all have been able to start and are enjoying it. Well I love you all

Love Elder Payne

Well it totally slipped my mind that I hit 6 months last friday haha Yes I got the package thank you so much for that. It was absolutely awesome. Yes i was able to burn a tie. Isn't it crazy that I am at 6 months already I don't know about all of you but it has absolutely flown by for me. Thank you for all of the love and support you always send my way . I love you all