Monday, August 13

Dear family,

So I guess this is the one week mark. I still love it here and I am so excited for what’s ahead.  So to answer your questions, we cover two wards, they are both pretty similar, and we have a total of 3 investigators.  Total, we have done about two and half hours of tracting.  Not much luck, most people don’t answer the door.  At our second door, and my first door, the first guy I got yelled through the door "I’m miserable. Go away. Shew." The bishop's have a few less actives and all that we teach, and because we have so little teaching opportunities, us and the ward mission leaders sent around a sheet to member families so that they can have us over, and we can practice the lessons, and they can get more confident bringing up the church to friends.  We did that once Sunday night, at President W’s (two houses down in the Stake Presidency), and it was a good experience.  We had a good conversation and I liked him a lot.  Their oldest is on his mission in Tennessee, and they have two daughters at home.  So Sunday I was at church from 830-4:00.  It wasn’t too bad, the Gospel Doctrine classes were interesting.  I’ve met a lot of members I guess. We actually only play basketball Monday and Wednesday, and we don’t get up til 550.  It’s not too bad.  Today was Pday so we played "warball" in the gym with the zone and that was a ton of fun.  Maybe it’s the elevation, I don’t know, but I’ve been dunking really well. I guess that’s it about sports, but keep giving me the updates.  Oh, the other day a Sister did pass me the message from the Goggins, who are in this mission.

I have been buying a ton of notebooks because I record so much from my studies and experiences.  There is never a time we are at home and I am not buried in a book.  I never could have dreamed I could love the Book of Mormon so much.  I think I could tell you exactly what happens in any given chapter up through the end of Mosiah. 

I’ve been sleeping good.  I hope that answers most of your questions.  Thanks so much for the package, I hope the cameras working out for you guys.  Sorry I haven’t sent the pictures, I haven’t taken many.  I’m excited to hear from everyone!

Love, Elder Pyron

Oh, by the way, it is really hot.  Like the thermometer reads over 100 at 9PM every night.  Today it got up to 116

Please note:  Nathanael also included details about the people that he is teaching the Gospel to, but I have left those out in the interest of their privacy.  We also received the following letter and one from 8/6 that is posted with the picture from his first day in Las Vegas.

Friday, August 3

(Letter from the MTC)

Dear family,

I am so sorry I have been so bad at writing letters.  First P-Day I wrote some I never sent.  Hopefully I will do better in the field.  I haven’t taken many pictures, but I’ll get some more and send my SD soon.  I’m still having a great time, and learning a lot everyday and my journal/notebook is still going great.  Basketball is dangerous, 5 ACLs get torn a day.  I don’t know if it’s because people get weak sitting in class all day, because it is crowded, or if people who don’t normally play are too aggressive.  It’s still a lot of fun.  Some people in my district played, so the qualities alright.  But the MTC is FULL of injured people from basketball.  Yesterday was our last gym day, today is “infield orientation” and tomorrow is laundry scheduled at gym.  It's ridiculous how fast time has gone by, it's been great but, there’s not way it has been 16 days already, and we are about to leave.  I’m really excited to get out into the field.  Preparing and teaching has taught me so much.  I am constantly writing down questions, and everything always gets answered.  It is ridiculous how every small aspect of doctrine fits and ties in to the Gospel SO many ways.  I am finally making good use of all the thinking I always do.

I have drawn some.  Drawing temples are easy and fun.  Can you send me some kind of nature or photography magazine?  I want to better understand sunsets and how to draw them right because I always just do a gradient from yellow to purple and it is very unrealistic looking.  I just want pictures to look at so I can better understand how light works on trees and stuff and clouds in sunsets.  I love how many paintings and photos there are around the MTC, probably thousands.

Anyway, the packages have been great.  The socks you sent are really coming in handy.  My companion and I are still getting along and working good, but we are very different and we have learned from each other.  He is organized and neat.  I am really good friends with Elder P from South Carolina, we have gotten really close and have a lot of fun together.  I also really like Elder C from St. Anthony Idaho.  Both went to BYUI as well.  We have a lot of fun together and still get things done.  I’m really going to miss them especially, but the whole district really is great and I love everyone.  I have found a good level of being reverent and all but also having fun and being funny.  I really love this life, and wouldn’t mind staying in the MTC longer.  I absolutely love it, great friends, a lot of fun, and very spiritual.  Don’t worry I still miss you all.  I am really sorry I have been bad with letters, right now is the only time I have had time to write.  There’s a pull up bar in the hall so that’s good.  I try to eat healthy.  I want to try harder on pushups now on.  I can still dunk though.  Grammy, mom, and dad, I again want to apologize for not writing back individually.  I have seen Colin the least, and I have seen and talked to Warren a few times.  Jacob A did not remember me.  I don’t really remember what else you want to know, but feel free to ask!

Love,

ELDER Nathanael Pyron