THE JACKSONS BAPTISM

THE JACKSONS BAPTISM

Tuesday, September 20, 2011

haha. Nah thats cool, i figured youd start scrap booking or something like that. That's what I put up the blog for. I got a couple letters from grandma, but were so busy here that we never have time to ourselves. Basically a typical day here is wake up at 6:30 breakfast at 7-7:30, then usually class for 3 hours, then we have TRC, which is when they give us a different "investigator" every time and we go in and talk to them and teach them, usually the restoration which my companion and I know like the back of our hands now. Thats a sactown elder for you. especially when you have 2 as companions. After that is usually Lunch. then either class again or gym. classes are always 3 hours, then well have TRC again, and then dinner, after that if we only had 1 class session before then class again, TRC, gym, or Zone teaching (class with our zone) or District teaching (class with our district) and after that its personal, or companion study, where we plan lessons for investigators, read scripture, or study alone for our investigators. then sleepy time at 10:30. Then we wake up and do it all over again. Sundays are awesome though. study time after breakfast. then priesthood session, and after lunch is sacrament meeting. were singing "ye elders of israel" next week as a district. even though were not very good, the spirit will fix the congregations ears to make us sound good, at least I hope so. -___- haha! anyways. Tuesdays are even better. its P-DAY!!! and after laundry and all that good stuff is done, we have divotional at night, last week we had m. russel ballard, and the week before we got here they had jeffery R. hollard speak. which im mad about because hes my favorite apostle and speaker (no! i dont care if i have a favorite) maybe bednar would speak thatd be so COO! haha. and we also go to the temple for a session. provo temple is kinda wierd though, cause you never move rooms, seems to go by faster that way. but these 2 weeks have felt like 2 months, it goes by so fast, but you learn so much it feels like forever. Were all ready to meet our companions get our bikes and friggin teach some people. but its ok, im enjoying the time we have here. my teachers are awesome, were growing every day, and Im loving every second. I had a dream last night that i woke up from being asleep and i only had 2 months left, but then i really woke up and im like.... oh. -___- haha. but yah. gym is one of the best parts of the day. im not sure if everyones really bad at sports or if im just really good, cause im really good at soccer and basketball. probably cause everyones not the most athletic. but thats ok. The deutsch guys we eat lunch with every day wanna play rugby just as bad, but were not aloud to bring our own balls out. which sucks. Its crazy how many people you meet, and most of the guys we talk to are from europe or someone else. the other day i met a guy from hawaii that went to byu hawaii and hes so cool. luckily we meet so many different elders its easier to stay away from the sisters. haha. even if they are cute. The foods on and off, some good some crap. whoever tells you otherwise was just desperate and are starving. like..... elders from africa. (no offense) me and elder leidecker already made plans to hang out back in sacramento and search for our eternal companions in the process, haha. kidding. that happens when were playing rugby at BYU. we met a couple elders that went there before and a couple sisters too, they all loved it there, so its in my back pocket. so Ive gotta decide whether to be a cougar or a duck within the next 2 years. haha. anyways. 2 weeks down and moving on at full speed. I love it! love you guys tell everyone i have them in my prayers, and tell jason he especially is too. tell them all to write me and let me know  how there all doing. love youg guys!!!
 
ELDER RYAN NONU
 
las vages, nevada
 
ps. probably a good idea to start mailing to my vegas address. and if you guys could send me a care package asap with meat buns, nerds, clif bars, boston baked beans, and other crap you think id like. also, my ruinning shoes i brought are giving me fat blisters and are terrible for what we play. if you could send me some new ones Id love you dearly. preferably like indoor soccer shoes (lots of soccer and rugby when we get out in the field) nike outlet hit it up. but other then that im good. maybe some extra b-ball shors, cause i run out before laundry day. OH!!! and garments please!! im broke here and i need extra. like 5 tops and bottoms. large tall tops, and XL short bottoms. you know what material i have. anyways. k bye!
hey mom, yah I got your letters and it was good to read. The MTC is an amazing place and the spirits crazy strong. The sisters are hecka pretty............. strong daughters of God too.  I love my companion too. If you didnt get my letter yet, hes from sacramento and serving in vegas too. crazy right?! anyways, I hope everyones doing fine and doesnt miss me. Tell Grandma I love her and say hello. Our schedules are so crazy and busy though its hard to keep track of what to do next and find time to study for our investagtors. non stop 16 hour days arent the most fun, but they are SOOOOO FUN! if that makes sense. haha. I LOVE every second here. even though its a little stressful when your investigator teaching doesnt go so well. but thats ok, I see it as opportunity to grow. One of my roomates last night, not my companion, kept complaining about how he didnt have a "connection" with one of the people they were teaching. He felt a connection with every other person but this one. And how much he didnt feel the spirit. Ironically our lesson about 20 mins. before that was on stress relief and that morning on TEACHING THE PERSON not the lesson. Honestly, it was probably the most Ive wanted to punch someone acting like a whiny baby in my whole life. Alas, I kept my fist to my side and told him to humble himself. The spirit was telling me to not be violent or Ill get to see my parents really soon. so yah. Of course were not going to "connect" with every person we meet, but then you have to ask yourself if its the person that were trying to help, or is it the Elder that needs to be humbled and address his attitude. Ive come to realize this morning that the reason I got so angry is because I love these Elders so much, they all felt like family the first day here. We grow closer and closer every day. And, so far, I dont miss you guys. sounds bad, but trust me! ITS GOOD. Its like I have a campus full of long lost brothers. I just want all of us to progress so quickly, but I know its a process. Im really nervous to get out into the field because of the heat, mostly, and because soon it will be REAL people and not "actors". That will be fun. Ive also noticed a change in myself throughout the MTC. I had a good friend on my mind a lot since I walked in. Hoping that they will make good choices and stay on the right track, and I probably spent a good 5 minutes each night, praying just for them. Every time I thought about them I got a sick feeling in my stomach like something was wrong. After the 3rd day or so, I kept thinking about them and hoping there being the best person I know I could, and suddenly, I didnt get that feeling anymore. I felt at peace, which was wierd. But its just a growth of my testimony that if you lose yourself in the work, the HG will take care of you and those people will be put behind you, and you wont care so much to feel sick about them. I still pray for my friend every day because I see the amazing potential that they hold, and rarely do I see someone with that potential and be able to spread it around, like I know they can. But I know that you can only do so much, and those people have to take the time to dig down and change for themselves... on their own time. Which is the same for my roomate, my friend, and even myself. I love you guys so much, but I know youll be there when I get back, even if some of those people Ive come to know and love arent around, Ill continue to pray and hope theyre striving to choose the right for themselves.
 
I love you guys,
 
ELDER RYAN NONU
 
 
Las Vegas, Nevada Mission

Tuesday, September 6, 2011

Hello MTC, Goodbye Saratoga Springs

These past few months have been amazing. Surrounding myself with great friends, family, new families, and new close friends, and new state, has been an amazing blessing in itself. Tomorrow I'll e reporting to the Provo MTC and am as anxious as one can get. Ive appreciated all of the support I've been given, it has meant the world to me, and without that support I wouldn't be as prepared as I am now. Thanks everyone so much, I love you all. May the spirit be with you always.

My MTC mailing address:

MTC Mailbox #173
NV-LV 0927
2005 N 900 E
Provo, UT 84604-1793

And my email:

ryan.nonu@myldsmail.net

See you all sooner then later...