Life in Meridian

hey fam and friends! its good ol' elder p here! had a great week here in meridian. elder beals and I are putting in work! and also having a lot of fun! this week had a lot of good progress I am meeting more and more families and I am getting the area down, we had a couple of really great trainings this week! one was the missionary broadcast and then the other was the new missionary training. I learned a ton from both, but mostly just tried to focus on how I can strengthen my relationship with my Heavenly Father! Those were great! 
Our lessons this week were solid! I'm trying to contribute more and get out of the fresh missionary mode. I'm having a great time out here, I wouldn't give this up for anything! 
I hear the cards lost - that stinks but hopefully the broncos will win it - I want peyton manning to finish out on top! 

Miss you guys! Idaho is awesome and kinda cold!  here are some pics hope you guys have a stellar week! 

Seeing Stars !!!!

Last week we sent a "Box of Sunshine" from Arizona to Idaho

Time if Flying

Hey guys - it's Elder Paolacci here

We couldn't email yesterday because it was MLK Day so we kind of just did all of our other P-Day stuff. It was a pretty great week - our investigators are progressing pretty well and I'm getting pretty comfortable in the area. I'm starting to recognize a lot of people here and everyone is starting to remember me hahaha. The worst thing so far is probably how poorly the streets are planned out here and how they are building sooo many houses here but still super small streets. Then there's no numbered streets - they all have weird names and there is like two or three of the same street. It is just super confusing - but I'm getting used to it - kind of. 

It's not as cold as it has been usually here - it hit 50' yesterday and we are all so stoked about it hahaha. AZ is probably around the 70's now. 

This week something pretty funny happened we had this special zone meeting and everyone thought it was for iPads and the first thing Pres. Winder says when we get there is that we aren't getting any! But he did a great training and called on me to bear my testimony in front of like 50 missionaries (that's the mission life I guess)

We are walking a lot here and having a great time, Elder Beals is stoked because Bama won! It was so cool to see his face when he heard they won! ah man what it would feel like to have a winning team :) But go cards - they are totally going to beat the Panthers! 

Remember to Pray - it is such a powerful tool in your life and Heavenly Father only wants the best for you! 

I love you guys!

Happy Missionary - Loving Serving in Meridian, Idaho

meridian worldwide!

hey friends, family and dogs. (josie)

I have recently realized that my emails have been super unorganized and really confusing so lets see If I can fix this problem early in the mission hahaha. 

It was a great week here in the Meridian South Stake. Both wards we cover are progressing amazingly and we are teaching a couple of really awesome people. Still teaching Kai as he awaits his baptism. Progressing with Danielle. Amazingly both times when we have taught her we have had so many people in the room and it's kind of intimidating but super fun. One cool experience was that I was able to bare a full testimony of my knowledge of the gospel. I mean I've done little testimonies here and there but this was super powerful and I'm glad I had the chance to bare that to Danielle.

Otherwise the teaching this week was a blast! It was Elder Beals' birthday on Friday and we did so much fun stuff. Had my first Zone Meeting that day which was really interesting and eye opening and I loved how we got to work together as a zone. We then visited more people and then headed over to Bro. Andersons house for some cake and played games and had a lot of fun! He's such an awesome guy, amazing stories and probably the funniest person I have met in a long time. But yeah Elder Beals' birthday was awesome and he's super stoked for Alabama to beat Clemson! ROLL TIDE!

We have been working out at 5:30 in the morning on our bikes and its freezing but such a good experience  hahaha. One funny experience happened this week - my comp said we were going door knocking and so we did and we knocked on this guys door and he answered and it was my job to get in the home and share a message but it was going so awful and I just said " well it was nice meeting you have a good one" and then my comp goes, "PRANKED" and the guy was a member - it was super funny ahahahaha good stuff!

Have a great week guys! Can you believe its almost been a month? 

Questions of the Week

1. So are you still in a car or on Bike Now ?  

Bike

2. If you are on your bike, how is it ? Do you have everything you need ? 

It's super cold and I might need a face mask so my nose doesn't fall off

3. How large are the wards that you cover ?

Our wards are about as big as Mountain View, maybe a little bigger, it is a lot like back home

4. Do you meet in Stake Centers or Ward Buildings ?

We meet in two ward buildings 

5. How many missionaries are in your zone ? When do you have zone meetings ?

we have about 10 in our district and 20 in our zone. What we do varies for every meeting, there never usually the same

6. What did you do for PDay ? What are your plans today ? 

We usually play sports and go shopping. I got a haircut today in Boise at this barber college. It was sweet reminded me a lot like Portland

7. Tell us about some yummy things you have ate ?

Probably the best thing so far was cheesy fried potatoes . 

8.What do you do for lunch and breakfast ?

We have to buy all our food so I just buy some smaller snacks, cereal and then stuff to make quesadillas, Our room is about the size of my room back home

9. What types of service have you done this week ?  

Because it is so cold outside we have just done service of helping people move furniture inside

Questions & Answers

1. Are you on bike or do you have a car ? If you have a car what do you guys drive ?

we have a car for the time being but we will probably end up on bike soon enough (like TODAY) but the car is a chevy cruze

2. Where have you been staying while waiting to move back into the Peterson's ? Did they have family come for the holidays ? Is that why ? 

we have been staying with the ZL's and some other missionaries in this totally cool house straight from the 70's its has green shag carpet. The Petersens daughter was in town for the holidays

3. What other missionaries did you live with this week ? Where are they from ?

the ZL's are Anderson (he's my grandpa.. my trainers trainer) from Ohio and Richards from St. George and then Elder Bartley from California and Elder Symkins from New Mexico

4. Are you guys living in the basement of the Petersons or on the main floor ? 

we live upstairs

5. Tell us about the dinner appointments you had this week ?

We've had way too many appointments some with non members but mostly active families

6. Tell us about the families you met this week.'

We have met a lot of families this week some of my favorites are the Beals (Bishop Beal ) and the Stasnys 

7. Are you teaching any investigators or working with less actives ?

We are teaching a couple investigators and working with lot's less actives - all really great people

8. How are the wards ? What time do they meet ? Are they in the same building ?

I am serving in two great wards and they meet in separate buildings down the street from each other at 11 and 1

9. How where your first ward council meetings ? How are the ward mission leaders & bishops ?

We havent had ward council but the bishops are so awesome

10. Have you spent the week teaching everyone how to say your last name ? 

they have a hard time pronouncing it 

The Land of Meridian

HEYYYYYY guys! 
Hope your New Year has started off great, you know mine has!
The families in these wards spoil me so bad and feed me way too much, but I'm working out a lot so hopefully it transforms into mucho muscle.
I've met a bunch of really awesome people here so far and my trainer is awesome! 
I've been reading "Our Search for Happiness" by M. Russell Ballard its an awesome book and I have learned soooo much already. 
We have been meeting with this kid who is about to be baptized, his name is Kai he is 10 and probably the smartest person I have met here so far and the best part is his favorite part of the scriptures is Revelations! Kid is a genius, probably knows more about the gospel than I do. 
The mission has felt like 3 days and its already been half a month! I miss you guys so much. I don't really have any pictures this week but I'll be sure to take some today and the rest of the week so look forward to that.
It's kind of weird - I actually really miss the MTC and all of my zone! 
I have been so lucky for this chance to serve a mission and everything that has happened during my mission so far, I'm really happy here and I feel like I'm at home.
I love you guys so much and hope you have a good week! 
Remember the power and importance of prayer and how when you pray it will continue to grow your faith with Heavenly Father and blessings are in store! 
Keep a smile on your faces and go cardinals? I think they are pretty high in the ranks as the playoffs start. I don't even know what happened to the colts. 
Well good luck with your weeks as some of you start school. 

Peace, Elder Paolacci