Pictures

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Last P-Day with Elder Van Wagoner

Elder Paolacci traveled to Lima and spent the day Monday with Elder Edwards and the other missionaries who where preparing to go home. I know many of his friends live in South America so I am sure over the course of his life he will make many trips back there. 

If he is anything like his mom, goodbyes are so hard - and he would rather look at as "until we meet again" 

Lucky for him Elder Edwards lives in Queen Creek, AZ 

and so he will be seeing him in 14 weeks

Time for changes

Elder Paolacci has been called to serve as a trainer of a new missionary

 for the next 12 weeks 

(he will have 3 weeks of his mission remaining when the training period is over)

He has loved his time serving as a Zone Leader,

 but is anxious to train a new missionary to serve in the Peru Lima East Mission.

What an amazing WELCOME Elder Paolacci & Elder Janco received

 when they arrived in Jauja (I am sure this is his pension and her family)

When Elder Paolacci arrived in the mission one of the very first things he did was help Cesar Aedo to put up the Circus Tent. Well he sent a picture of this billboard this week. 

Looks like it is circus time again.

I actually found this biography on Cesar Aedo - what an amazing man he is 

César Aedo is a five-foot-five Peruvian native who dedicated his life to learning the art of mime and entertainment, though not before his commitment to God. Raised in Lima, Peru, César attended Sunday school ate age six because after the classes were over, the teachers showed silent films portraying the comedy of Buster Keaton, Charlie Chaplin, and Harold Lloyd. This provided the first blossoming of César’s interest in the art.

César and his family were baptized into The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (often misnamed the Mormon Church) when César was just nine years old. César was already performing in his LDS branch’s (a small congregation) talent show at age eleven. César’s father was a tailor and did not have a lot of money, but César was determined to have an education and to serve a mission for his church (a two-year commitment to the Lord sharing the gospel of Jesus Christ with others), both of which dreams he had to fund himself. César did this by washing and polishing cars near his school. His determination and commitment extended to his work while on a mission. After having an appendectomy, he was back to work only five days later, explaining matter-of-factly, “I have work to do. I am a missionary.”

After César returned from his mission, he studied sociology at Universidad Nacional Federico Villareal in Lima, while also continuing to pursue his interest in the arts. He graduated with a B.A. in Sociology, but intended to study political science in Europe. He earned money to put towards this goal by performing as a mime in several South and Central American countries until he earned enough money to cover a flight to Europe. He did not have more money than this, however, and went on faith and talent.

Upon arrival in Europe in 1979, a series of events prevented him (providentially in his opinion) from enrolling right away. In the interim, he visited his sister for several weeks in Geneva, Switzerland. During this visit, he decided he did not want to pursue an education in political science, but instead wanted to study with Marcel Marceau, a man considered by many to be the master of mime.

César’s persistence finally landed him a spot in Monsieur Marceau’s school, Ecole Internationale de Mime, where César studied not only mime, but also dramatic art, classical and modern dance, acrobatics, and fencing. He was once again able to support himself through gaining his education by hard work, though this time it was miming, not washing cars. After studying three years with Marceau, César turned to Marceau’s mentor, Etienne Decroux (recognized around the world as the Father of Modern Mime), in 1983. After that, César also studied clowning with Philippe Gaulier, another famous teacher. In 1987, he travelled to the United States to study at Harvard University and at the Lee Stasberg Theatre and Film Institute in New York City.

César’s résumé is quite impressive, and he has been both happy and blessed in his career. He has performed throughout Europe, South and Central America, and the United States and has held contracts with many prestigious groups, including Circus Knie and the Big Apple Circus. César found great happiness in his family as well, with his wife, Linda, and their son, Markus.

Though he mostly shares his talents through comedy, César also has a deep testimony of Jesus Christand recognizes God’s hand in his own life. He uses his talent to share the gospel of Jesus Christ, and he has also used the fruits of his talent to help support his own family members, which he feels very grateful to have been able to do.

This must be one of the many things Elder Paolacci is having crafted in Peru.