Nathanael Pyron

Nathanael Pyron

Monday, September 30, 2013

Monday, September 30

This is Nathanael with Mitchell Aldridge and Brian Goodhue, his friends from Richmond who are also missionaries in Las Vegas.

Dear family,
     Thanks for the tree picture- it doesn’t look good yet but it looks like potential!
     So the week’s been good of course.  Tuesday we met our new ward mission leader and he took us to see a falling away recent convert of 1 year and a half.  He’s living in one room of this tiny house.  He’s a smart guy  and used to have a good family and a good job, and but now he’s in an awful state and embarrassed.  But he’s really nice and has a testimony, and lives in the 4th ward, so we got a ride set up for him on Sunday and he made it, met people, loved it, etc, so we’re excited there. 
     Wednesday we were trying to figure out what to do in this ward so we tracted...just one road, and met a less active family that’s really nice and has potential, met a few ward members, had a great talk with two kids 18 and 19, (senior and recently graduated) in their garage about the gospel and life and all.  I think it was just a seed planting, but a really good one.
     We also tracted into a family who offered to feed us that night because we didn’t have a dinner so that was good of course.  That night we got to see K’s mom and her new boyfriend, and K’s grandma who is really old, but recently had a blessing and is surprisingly out of the hospital and all so that’s exciting.  For some reason the mom thought I was the one that gave the blessing and was telling the grandma "this is the one that saved your life"…so that was funny. But the mom is coming to church frequently now and has a great relationship with the bishop.
     Then Thursday we were able to catch C and K. It was great.  First we talked to K, things are real well, she’s going to be getting 40 hours at Walmart and 40 at Smith’s here soon which is fantastic.  So we had a good talk about the priesthood with her and C, and gave her a blessing in a chair in their driveway (chaotic inside).  Then she went in to sleep, and we got to talk with C for an hour.  He recently got a grasp of what he wants to be for P (the 6 month old) and K for his whole life.  Now C just delights and enjoys living full days, and accomplishing.  He was telling us with such excitement how he loves getting up early, getting things done, going to church, coming home, doing yard work, taking pride in those things, preparing a life and example for his son, he has goals to get their own home, he’s real excited for that.  He recently started weight lifting, and is really excited over the gains he’s made, a new found talent (he’s like 5'11 160, but apparently lifts a lot for his size) and is real excited to develop that, and overall just stay busy doing good things, no longer hanging out with lots of old friends, and being a new man.  He doesn’t fully understand a lot, but still exhibits a peculiar desire to one day baptize his son.  He loves Bishop S (who unfortunately was out of town Sunday), and has a good relationship there.  So I really love C, K and P, and am excited. Friday we tracted some more, met some cool nice people like always, some good seeds and all. 
     Friday night we stopped by J’s, their really old dog had just made a mess, and they were outside cleaning, and its hard with J’s foot but they were out there cleaning with the hose at about 8.  So our timing was perfect, we got a lot done, I replaced a filter because I’m tall, and we had a good time talking with them all.  G said he'll get baptized if we get bishop to fill the font with bourbon.  The change is hard for them and J; J doesn’t feel nearly as comfortable from the one visit with the sisters.  C doesn’t want to get attached to them like she has us but we got J’s mind a little more clear, I told him if he tries and makes them feel appreciated, they’ll feel more comfortable and things will get going smooth in no time and all.  So things seemed well and we departed. Sunday at about 7:30 we biked over, (we didn’t tell them we were) and they were super glad, we clarified everything about a recent misunderstanding, told them why things were said and what needs to happen, that the sisters were just passing down what they heard from the ward mission leader, and he just needs to let them know how bad he wants/needs the visits and things will get sorted.  He hadn’t done his "homework" to read Enos, and a couple verses in Alma, so we then read that with him, me and him connect well so I explained the story and he wrote down what the things meant, it was really good, and we got that done right before the sisters came.  Then we talked for a minute and left, C kept telling us she had never been more excited to see us than ever when we came by, and things were a big mess, but we left J and C with way more peace of mind and all, to go into the visit with the sisters.  J kept saying we came to the rescue like Batman.  He left a voicemail later last night, thanking us, he told me that the sisters were shocked by what he got out of the scriptures and what he wrote, and he didn’t tell them he had done it right before they came, (we cleared the evidence right before they got there), and he told us after they left it brought tears to his eyes, to see how timely and effective and loving our visit was.  It was short, quick, turned he and C’s mind set 180, and he had a good peaceful spiritual experience, and I’m seeing that this change may be for the better.  Our role is still there, but it can work well in helping him transition to the sisters being the teachers.  So I’m super glad, because things had potential to go really bad with J and his progression in the church could have ended there, and that’s such a big difference in years of progression and service.
     Saturday we did service to help with a race to raise money for a kid that needs a kidney.  That 50 some year old with the toe shoes finished in second by a long shot, and his son won.  But besides his son, he smoked the whole cross country team and a lot of other young fit people.  But after that we marched in the Homecoming Parade with a "Is there more to life banner?", so that was a lot of fun, we were right behind the Taco Bell float, so I’ll see if I can get some pictures. 
     Saturday and Sunday evening we met a family, they’re reactivating, and so we’re doing lesson practices.  She’s got a decent gospel knowledge, and has a real sweet testimony especially of God’s love and grace.  She was sick one time so we just talked to her husband.  He considers himself a member, believes the gospel, celestial kingdom.  He’s nice, and thinks he has testimony, (sometimes).  So I figure my best shot is to fill his mind with facts that he can find neat and take hold of and incorporate to make his overall stance a little better, like polygamy and its practice in ancient times is something I simply described, said it’s in the Old Testament, and he found that all neat and latched on, even though he would never look to try to understand it or even see if it’s really there.  And he believes a lot of prophecies of latter days so I just tell him simple things he finds neat and so I’m just kind of getting rid of the dirty water which is his brain, by pouring more clean water in cause he’s too stubborn to get rid of the dirt.  He and his wife always bicker but finish laughing, I have no idea how it doesn’t escalate, she’s a women of good sound understanding.  So that’s good. 
     Anyways…pics will hopefully come soon.  I’ve got to wrap up, biking is well.  My companion has wrecked twice recently but he’s all right.
     Love,
     Elder Pyron



Monday, September 23, 2013

Monday, September 23

This picture was sent to us yesterday.

Dear family,
     So this week has been of course another good one.  J is still doing good.  The other J finished the Doctrine and Covenants, asked simple questions about polygamy and tithing from her reading, but all made good sense to her and stuff.  We had some good lessons with P and A; the first one we tried to watch The Testaments but their kindergarten daughter was disruptive so it didn't go too well.  But they watched it again on their own, then we talked again.  P said he had a problem believing those things because they're different than what he was taught his whole life.  He believes in Christ, and Adam and Eve, and that there is no hell as many see it, and those are kind of his 3 main things he thinks everyone knows, so we tried to help him understand spiritual learning, how he knows he loves his kids, and can pray and learn, so it went well.
     We also found out we are trading the first ward for the 3rd to accommodate biking, which is hard, but I'm excited.  K and J aren't excited, or P and A or J or R and N.  I hope things go well.  Today's a weird pday because there's transfers and all, and most everyone has to go down to Vegas, and two are going home.  Biking has been fun, we have to go up a big hill to make it home; my companion hasn't quite made it yet, but he will.  We're talking more for real about a diet and all; some random members sat us down after dinner and told us their diet so... it's been a pretty good week. We get to see C and K again with this new ward which is cool.  And their bishop is much talked about, I'd heard about him before I came to Mesquite.
     My bike was an easy fix, I had tried to raise the handlebars more then what they can so it was loose and came undone.
Love,
Elder Pyron

Tuesday, September 17, 2013

Monday, September 16

Dear family,

So first, yes we did move in with a couple and their kids have all moved out.   Both teach school. We moved in Saturday.  We’ve got a lot more space and privacy (kind of) at least. When you walk in the front door of the house there’s a curtained door to the left where there’s a bathroom with two sinks, and two bedrooms. We were able to put in a pull up bar which is exciting (well they haven’t said anything about that yet).  The family is pretty nice though.  We have one shelf in the pantry for both us to share, and one shelf in the fridge for both of us to share. And we live way out of the way of where our work is, and we live up top a giant hill. (Nathanael has been on bike for the last month or so.)

And mom, I haven’t gotten a chance to look at other glasses so I haven’t done anything with it yet.  Once I do I'll decide if I want some more of the same or some new ones.  And it’ll be really nice to have this pair for just sports and stuff.  In hindsight I’m surprised they lasted as long as they did but that’s that. 

J is still well. (A recently baptized man)  So yesterday we watched the first half of The Testaments with him, and helped set the scene of what’s going on. He enjoyed it, gets it, and loves the scenes of ancient South America, as he’s way into some history channel stuff, where it just shows the ruins of them.

J is also is still well (A woman they are teaching)  She’s in Doctrine and Covenants 102, has found nothing and no questions so far that disagree with her previous beliefs. Among her questions this time was the protection from poisonous serpents and all. She heard of Pentecostals doing that stuff as signs as mentioned in the end of mark, and believes that to be way false, so she just confirmed our belief on those things and then she enjoyed D&C 77 because her favorite scriptures used to always be Revelations, Isaiah, Ezekiel, Daniel and all which is cool.  Still hasn’t made church yet but she tries. 

Tuesday night we met J and S, a young family.  Probably like 25, with a 1 year old, not married.  They were an old potential we had tried tons but they were always busy or something. But finally Tuesday night they were free and let us in.  S is pretty shy and all and was about to leave the room when J told her to sit down.  He said he'd try to talk to missionaries several times before, has always been curious, but what they said never made sense and he just wants a basic understanding of it.  So we did really simple quick full restoration, and he loved it.  He kept smiling a really big smile saying "it just makes sense".  He came here from Mexico at age 11, was Catholic and really felt the spirit of Christ and certain things, but never thought it made sense.  He loved it, and the idea of the Book of Mormon, and is excited to learn more, but isn’t confident in his ability to read it.  He and S both have one and are excited. She lived in Mesquite her whole life but never had LDS friends or was invited to anything, so it was all brand new to her to and she definitely opened up some throughout it and loved it.  We talked about church, they were uncomfortable about it so we went through what it was and all and they were still nervous but seemed excited.  J told us how he’s seen a lot of darkness in life, and knows he wants the light and this is light, but admitted he really struggles often times to choose the light even when he knows.  We bookmarked themormonchannel on his phone and he said he will watch stuff when darkness and temptation is strong. They told us that right before we came they had just finished a family walk, which was rare, and then sat down and discussed what they could do to make their family work and have peace and love in their home and right when they finished that is when we came and we could tell when we came in that the spirit was there.  He also had a copy of the famous Christ picture of the portrait of him in the robe, and he doesn’t even know where it came from, but he framed it with this cool gold frame.  So we left with a kneeling family prayer, and it was awesome.  We’ll meet with them again soon, but it was amazing. 

We had some meetings and service and stuff this week.  Elder Anderson and Tad R. Callister came to talk to the two Las Vegas missions so that was really cool and I learned a lot, and it was cool to see how inspired the things they prepare really are. Maybe I’ll tell you more about it another time.  I saw Brian Goodhue there.  But I’ve got to go,

Love, Elder Pyron

Monday, September 16, 2013

Monday, September 16

     So here is a recent picture we received.  Nathanael has been serving in Mesquite, Nevada since July 1.  He is doing well and I will post today's letter soon.