5.28.12

Well hello there family!
Great week, nothing out of the norm really. Monday we went to Capps area and chilled all pday haha I love talking with that kid. Tuesday we didn’t have district meeting because of transfers on Wednesday.
Capps left for lima to be a zone leader. I was bummed cause he left but I was happy for him, he deserved it. Wednesday we went to a little town called Chacrampa. It's what we call in the mission a mine. When we showed up and everyone's eyes lit up, some of us even asked how they could become members of the church. I am way excited, there's a ton of people there to teach and I feel like my last month in Jauja is gonna be a good one. On Saturday we went and did a service there so they could finish picking potatoes early so they could go to a baptism in Huancayo with us. We helped out and ended up taking 5 investigators to the baptism with us. It was awesome. The families there are the nicest and most humble people I have ever met. We have about 8 people we've met so far there that could baptized in June. Pray for them because they really deserve it. So ya I am kinda having trouble thinking of what to talk about. It is crazy thinking that I have less than 2 months left. I try not to think about it usually. A lot of missed feelings and I am not a big fan of that stuff. But finding people like these makes me forget about it 100 percent. I can't believe Johns is home now too. Haha I love that kid. He was an amazing missionary, and a huge example for me. Makes me feel a little more comfortable that he forgot how to say a few words in english too.
Well tell Logan to hang in there, Coleton I will rock you in bowling when I get home, Karleigh get ready for a Cali trip when I get home, Morgan I was looking at the pics of Malorie today haha she is so cute, Marissa we have to do the trips we planned when I called, dad you are the man and congrats on your calling, mom…..best mom ever
Love you all Elder Paolacci

5.21.12

Oh family,
Awesome week. So Monday we had a zone pday and went to that place called Ingenio (where they have those cool ruins). It was fun to be with the zone and only have to worry about my comp and I, and not the whole zone. We had fun, ate trout. Tuesday was district meeting, it is fun teaching the new kids in district meetings. They are learning a ton. Elder Janco is learning a bunch and is getting a lot better at teaching. This week we found a bunch of new investigators that are gonna get baptized in June! Looks like I am gonna have a good birthday month.

But the highlight of the week was the big baptism! Jonathan was baptized Saturday night around 6pm. It was so awesome. Not many members showed up but the spirit was insanely strong. On Friday Elder Capps did his baptismal interview because the zone leaders didn’t want to take the hour and a half bus ride to Jauja, and Capps is only a half hour away. They ended the interview and Jonathan asked me to baptize him, can't say I wasn’t insanely happy at that moment. Well, the next day he showed up about 10 minutes early for his baptism and when we showed up he was sitting there waiting. I was so pumped. We went in got changed to start the baptism right away.

We had an awesome experience in the bathroom after we had changed. I shared with him my experience with grandpa and how much I knew that he was put in my path as a missionary for a reason. I have learned so much from him. He bore a super strong testimony to me thanking me for the help we had given him. So ya all this was before the baptism. The baptismal service started with the hymn the "Spirit of God", not gonna lie I totally chose it. After, Elder Janco shared a really cool little message on baptism and afterwards we passed to the font. The baptism itself went great and after he left the water he gave me the biggest hug. It was amazing. Such an amazing guy. Yesterday he showed up to church, early haha. Came with a dress shirt and I gave him a tie, he is such a stud. The bishop said that next Sunday he is going to get the aaronic priesthood and if he can prepare himself he is gonna receive the melchezidek during stake conference in June. The ward Is super excited for him and I know he is gonna progress super fast. Well this week we gotta look hard for someone to baptize, a couple of the people we had fell away because they haven’t come to church. Well fam that’s all the time I have got, have a great week!

p.s. I haven’t read about Logan's arm yet, hope its not too bad.

Love you all

Elder Paolacci

5.14.12

Well hello there family!
It was awesome being able to talk to you guys Saturday, not gonna lie my head was not in the game for most of Sunday. But now I am good. It was awesome hearing all of your voices, you all sound so great. I am so pumped about dads new calling he's gonna be amazing. (I know gotta keep it hush hush until Sunday) I truly felt like he was gonna get the call  but I was trying not to guess. I am way excited, its gonna be a great experience and such great blessings for our family.


So ya this week was awesome. Monday we spent pday with Capps and Parade in their area, it was fun. Tuesday we had district meeting as usual, it was cool. Our district meetings are a little different here because half of the missionaries are in their first transfer. We are focusing a lot on practices and learning all the tactics from PMG (Preach my Gospel)
Wednesday we had divisions, I went to go check on the other missionary in the district that’s going through training right now too. He is from Mexico, really cool kid and a great missionary. Friday we had interviews with President Ardila, such an awesome guy, it was a great experience. 


Saturday as I said was quite interesting, the bishop disappeared with the key so we had to go do the baptism in the river. It was an awesome experience, the truth is that I was hoping to be able to do the baptism in the river but Elder Janco ended up doing it. It was really cool, it was his first baptism in the field and in the river.

But ya who knows, maybe I can convince president to let us do it again. After the baptism I shared the story of Jesus´ baptism. It was pretty awesome because everyone was involved and shared their testimonies.
Afterwards we passed by the chapel to see if any investigators arrived to the mothers day party. There s was only one but it was totally worth stopping by because all the older lady's were dancing and stuff, got a kick out of it. Sunday was awesome and depressing at the same time. We had the confirmations of Anthony and ,the kid that got baptized Saturday, Robinson. The depressing part is that no investigators went.
But we had to understand it was mothers day. But the good news is that this Saturday Jonathan and Ricardo are gonna have their baptisms. Everyone continue to pray for them please! 

Also a super cool experience I had yesterday, I had the opportunity to dedicate two graves. The prayer was 100 percent lead by the spirit, I actually learned a few things during the prayer I gave.


So that was a really cool moment for me. The wife of the man that passed away chose to finish with the hymn “God be with you till we meet again” I remembered you had told me that’s the hymn you guys sang in grandpas service. Not gonna lie, brought tears to my eyes. Great way to end the week.


Well tell the Jenks theres no elder teemsa in the mission, must be another mission here in Peru.
Yes let's sing the "Spirit of God" best hymn ever at my homecoming. Are you going to tell all my friends we are singing ? Congrats again to dad, you are gonna be awesome!
Well, love you all. They sent me my flight plans today! Super nerve wracking! Can't be thinking about that stuff right now.
I Love You all so much, 
Elder Paolacci

5.7.12

Elder Paolacci's Grandfather John Paolacci passed away on Thursday May 3, 2012

Well my dear family, I am not gonna lie, last night was a pretty rough night for me. After me and my companion had finished planning I was in the process of changing when I received a call from President Ardila. I was actually super nervous because I thought I had an emergency transfer. He started talking to me in a way I have never heard him and I instantly knew why he was calling. I don’t know why or how, but I knew. We talked for about a minute or two when he broke me the news. I love my mission president so much. As he was about to tell me he started to cry. He told me about how his father had passed away and it really helped me out.

After the phone conversation I immediately got on my knees and prayed. It was hard. I haven’t cried like that for a while, but I had the strongest impression that Grandpa Paolacci and Grandpa Harper were right there next to me. I hadn’t had that feeling since the time Grandpa Harper had passed away and in one of my baseball games when I was walking to the mound I felt like he was right there with me.

Last night was one of the most powerful experiences of my life. I asked Elder Janco for a blessing and as he put his hands on my head I felt as though there were two more pairs of hands upon my head. It was an amazing blessing and afterwards I felt so much better. Before I went to bed I read the chapter in Jesus the Christ on the Atonement and also his Resurrection. I didn’t go to bed till very late but it helped me a ton.

When I woke up this morning I looked through the pictures I had of Grandpa Paolacci. I cried again, but felt the impression to read a scripture that I had read when I started the misión. When I read it at the start of my mission I put my name in the place of Joseph and sidney. I was having alot of troubles with homesickness and this scripture changed everything:

D&C 100:1 Verily, thus saith the Lord unto you, my friend Dylan, your family is well; they are in mine hands, and I will do with them as seemeth me good; for in me there is all power.

This time as I read it I thought of this in a way that I have never thought. I was thinking of my grandpas looking down on us and that they could also be feeling the same things we are feeling in these moments. This time I replaced Joseph and Sidney, for John and Kent.

D&C 100:1 Verily, thus saith the Lord unto you, my friends John and Kent, your families are well; they are in mine hands, and I will do with them as seemeth me good; for in me there is all power.

I know as a fact that Grandpa is in a good place,

as it says in verse 4 of section 100 Therefore, I, the Lord, have suffered you to come unto this place; for thus it was expedient in me for the salvation of souls.

Our father does everything in this life with a wise purpose. We may not know what it is but his plan is perfect. If we live according to the gospel in these times we may come to know the reason of the things he does in his life. But we cannot expect to know exactly why he does all the things he does other than the fact that its for the salvation of souls.

There is another passage of scriptures that I read this morning that helped me alot in 2 Corinthians 5: 

6 Therefore we are always confident, knowing that, whilst we are at home in the body, we are absent from the Lord:

7 For we walk by faith, not by sight

8 We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord.

Grandpa was a great and literal example that we walk by faith and not sight. And as it says in verse 7, even though we are here to have joy in our lives, being in the presence of the Lord is uncomparable. And as you all know, he is much happier now, as you say mom, I know he is looking down upon all of us. On Logan playing baseball, on Coleton doing his plays and turning into an incredible young man, on Karleigh being the most enduring person I know, on Morgan being the best young mother and wife that exists, on Marissa with her creativity and always amazing attitude and love for others, and I know he is looking upon me as a missionary.

Last night as I was laying in my bed I started thinking about how close I was to being able to see him, and I started reflecting and thinking on maybe why our Heavenly Father chose now to bring him home. And I feel like I know why now.

One John may have left my life at this brief moment we call earth life, but God has put another in my path as a missionary that is having a serious impact on my life. Yesterday Johnathan showed up to church (like 15 minutes early) with a completely different look on his face. Your prayers are working family. He is changing so much and is extremely excited for his baptism on the 19th. Every time I see him I have the strongest impression that I was put here in Jauja to help the Lord change his life. If possible my desire to help him now is even more than it was before, and I know grandpa is going to support him in this change he is making in his life.

I know this is and will be a very hard time for the family. And I am sure it will be very difficult for me too. But we “are in good hands”. We need to search for what the Lord wants us to do now, and do it.

I love all of you so much and I will be praying for all of you. If there is a Preach My Góspel or a pamphlet of lesson 2 in the house, I ask that you all study the plan of salvation as a family tonight for Family Home Evening, I will be doing it as well.

Gods plan is perfect, don't forget it. And because Christ lives, we will all live again.

I Love You all so very much,

Elder Dylan Thomas Paolacci

4.30.12

my dearest family,

awesome week! Probably my last time going to Lima until I end. Crazy. This week was super sentimental haha. I am trying so hard not to but I keep thinking of how much im gonna hate leaving Peru. But the good thing is that it also makes me wanna work even harder.
This Sunday was amazing!! We had 4 people in sacrament meeting. Two young guys named Kevin and Anthony, they are gonna have their baptism this Sunday. Also two guys around 25 years old. Ones name is Ricardo, he is moving to Lima on the 10th but wants to get baptized with us here before he leaves so we are gonna baptize him the ninth. He's awesome. And guess where he's gonna live in Lima ? VITARTE! I am so excited for him. The ward is gonna love him. And guess who was the other guy that came! Jonathan! Your prayers are working, thank you so much. He's so awesome. He's trying so hard to change and he wants to get baptized the 19th still. Keep praying for him and the two other investigators we have named Rosa and Rosillo. They are two ladies around 25 years old also and are amazing people. I know they will receive a testimony as we continue to teach them and they said when they do they will get baptized. For real this area is amazing, the work Is so awesome and I feel like there are so many people that have been waiting for me and my companion to find them.
Well as you might know by now, there's bad news here in Mantaro. Biliter got changed :(. He's super sad, I am too - but I told him its for the best Even tho I am pretty bummed. There's a good chance that Norris could come as a zone leader but we will just have to see. As far as to what you could send in packages…ha-ha beef jerky is awesome, I love pics like always. Nothing much, just as many snacks as you can shove in there. Licorice would be sick. Well that’s all I got for this week.
I love you guys sooo much but I don’t wanna see you for another 3 months. Tell Logan he needs to be careful. His arm needs to be in tip top shape for when I get home. Tell Coleton I just cant wait to destroy him. Tell Karleigh to keep strong. I know all this work is probably hard but she will be glad she did it afterwards. hang in there kar !
Love you all so much!
Elder Paolacci

4.23.12

Greaaaatttt week! Jauja is so awesome! Me and my comp are having so much success. I am so glad I have been sent to this area. It’s a really different experience not being a zl anymore. Its actually been really weird for me. But the truth is I now have time to study and work. And we are seeing so many miracles. We have about 10 people preparing themselves for baptism in the month of May. I feel like every person I meet here has been prepared especially for me. It is sooo cool. We are also helping the ward out a lot. The missionaries before lost their trust and when we got here they were super cold and barely talked to us. But things have completely changed. 7 of our 8 new investigators this week were references. I am loving it here and I am super excited to finish my mission here and finish baptizing.
Oh so I opened the package!!!! I loved it. Especially the usb and the memory card! That was definitely inspired!
Oh something that I forgot to tell you last week! There's a new north American that entered this change named Elder Chase from Scottsdale North Stake. And we started talking and he didn’t know any of my friends, so I asked him if he knew Don Bluth, and he was like ya I did plays at his house…..hahahah. so I asked him if he knew Coleton. And he said the funniest thing ever. He was like hmmmm is he the kid that everyone called cole train? Oh my goodness, I straight almost died from laughing so hard. So you gotta ask cole train if he remembers him.
Funny huh
Oh ya today I am going to Lima ….again…. 3 times in one month. Just happens that there's a district leader consejo this week. First time in over a year I have been to one. What luck huh
So ya I have a favor. I would like for you guys to pray for one of my investigators. His name is Jonathan. He's about 25 and he has so many desires to change his life. Our lesson with him was soooo powerful and he accepted to prepare for baptism the 19 of may. But his friend that’s a member told us that his friends talked him into getting drunk on Saturday. He called her Sunday morning crying. It is gonna be a hard change for him but we know he can do it. Gracias!
Love you guys sooo much. I loved seeing the pics of you guys and Maggie! Hope you have a great week!
Elder Paolacci
PS - pics from right now. my first release letter :)  

Pictures

You can click on the photos to make them larger

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.