Jim & Jolene Paxman in Nauvoo

The Mississippi You all know how I love to look to the west and see the mountains and enjoy the view that we have at home !  Well, now, I look to the west and see the Mississippi River and am really enjoying the views that we get. Jim spent alot of time next to the river when he was building fence / barricades and got some pics of Canada geese and little ones as well as the barges that go up and down the river.  Fun to see.  The sunsets are pretty spectacular , as well.

House We live in an old historic building that has been renovated by the church and is really quite nice.  One bedroom / one bathroom with our own laundry facilities( that you can see in the kitchen).   We are really lucky because we get a garage, as well.  Many housing units are alot smaller than ours and they have to share laundry .  We have people above us / beside us.   You can see the back of our place and the beautiful magnolia tree in blossom in the top pictures.  If any of you would like to look us up on google earth, our address is 1350 Parley Street ( the front of our building is white)  Come and visit !!!

Nauvoo We made it !!  After a couple of days of orientation, etc. we are busy.  This is how the mission is organized.  Our mission president is Pres. Mark Lusvardi and he is over the Facility Management, Site, and young proscelyting missionaries.  The temple missionaries have their own mission president (the temple president) and we really don't cross paths very much .   The exception is that we go to the temple regularly and see them...also, we , as FM missionaries are responsible for the upkeep of their housing along with all the sites and our own.  Facility Management is a huge complex !  They have a fleet of approximately 60 GM /Chev 3/4 ton trucks that are assigned out .  Therefore, there is a shop and mechanics (hired employee and senior missionaries) who service and repair them.  There is another shop for equipment such as: John Deere tractors and mowers of various sizes, backhoes, dump trucks, etc., etc.   The grou...

MTC  April 9-13, 2018 We arrived in Utah and stayed with Scott & Angelika from Good Friday (March 30) to the following Thurs.  We watched General Conference with them and enjoyed visiting and catching up with their family.  While there, we did sessions at the Ogden temple and Bountiful temple and always enjoy the strengthening that is received as we serve there.  We miss our weekly service in the Cardston temple but know that we will again be there...in a year and a half !!  Thursday, we headed down to Orem and spent the next few days with David & Carol.  They were fun to be with also.  We went to the Provo City Center temple with David and then helped him celebrate his big 60 birthday.  Had a fun time visiting with their family.  Brent & Jenny Harker came over as well and we had a great time catching up.    Monday arrived and into the MTC we went !  It is really hard to describe what an overwhelming/ sp...

Setting Apart - March 29, 2018 We were set apart tonight as missionaries by Bro. Jeff Neilson - a counsellor in our Stake Presidency.  We invited Bishop Chipman & Lisa (wife) to attend along with our children and their spouses.  Bro. Neilson invited the Bishop to bear his testimony and then he gave each of us very comforting blessings.  He then asked me to bear my testimony and I did (not without tears).  We left all the grandkids at home playing with each other.  The families had come out earlier and we shared dessert before going into the Stake office.   We took pictures and gave final hugs.  We are leaving first thing in the morning. Heart-wrenching but we are ready to be off !!