ELDER NONU BAPTISES A FAMILY OF 4!!!

December 19, 2011

well mother of mine. Im pleased to inform you that president has allowed us to skype home this christmas. :D I wasnt going to tell you, but then you said that your ok with me being away from home. so yah! plan on it. Im going to use the burgesses computer (family that fellowshipped kelly) and ill be getting on at about 730-745. we have church at 9 and we cant be late. so yah. Ill call you guys right before to confirm everything. Ill call you or dads cell phone. so... PICK UP THIS TIME!!!!! I get 45 minutes, but if elder roedel is cool he wont care. :P but he might. so well see. doesnt matter either way. 

ill regive you our address.

3944 E. Snavely Cir.
Kingman, Az 86409  

and no, i didnt get the package from you yet. I got grandmas package but not anything from you.

For Christmas were planning on just skyping, church, hang out with the olsen family, the hambricks for a huge breakfast (gospel principles teacher), and the burgesses. so far. Elder Roedel and I made our christmas cards co youll get them soon. Just know and understand that everyone I showed it to loved it and thought it was the funniest thing ever. so yah. :) look forward to that.

the jacksons baptism was saturday and it went awesome!!!!! I baptised 2 and so did roedel. Then I confirmed 1 and Roedel 2 and then Bro. Olsen 1. It was great. Ill attach pictures. The members love us here. They see how retarded we are and then they see us baptize 5 people in a week and a half. So its the best of both worlds. We tripled the ward baptisms for 2011. haha. We have another one coming up in january for an 8 yr old whos family are non members, and were hoping to set a family of 4 today for baptism at the end of january. We feel good about it, they already love the ward and call themselves mormon. so yah. No one in our house got transferred so well all be together for another 6 weeks. I love it here.

Thats awesome about the family Ill be looking forward to meeting them. St. George is right outside our mission. One of the areas is actually in the St. George temple district. So yah. Speaking of temples. Kelly is getting her patriartichal blessing soon and then a temporary temple recommend for baptisms for the dead in january. Does that blow your mind!!!!! Best part is, Elder Roedel has a family he baptized a year ago getting ready to be sealed so I might be able to go with him. If so, hell go to the sealing and Ill go with Sis. Burgess, Kelly, and another lady in our ward and do baptisms for the dead with them. :))))))!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Im so excited. hahaha. Shes awesome. SO Im even more excited about that. 

Everythings still going great and getting even better. Love you guys!!!! Merry Christmas!!!!

Love, 

Elder Ryan Nonu

 Elder Roedel (Ryan's companion), Kelly (this was her baptism), Elder Nonu and Elder Van Bruggen (Canada, he has since gone home).



Elder Nonu, Kingman AZ



Kelly's baptism.  Ryan and Elder Van Bruggen taught her and
were so excited that she got baptized!!!

December 12, 2011

Kellys baptism was saturday and t was awesome! the whole time she was crying, i just kept trying to make her laugh, it pretty much worked. haha. She asked me to confirm her which was really cool. She said thank you probably 50 times. haha. FORMER Elder Van Bruggen (aka "Blaine") came down and baptized her which was awesome. She was so happy all day. The Jackson family is getting baptized this saturday. were crazy excited about it. Bro. Jackson has been reading the scriptures every day and is now in 2nd Nephi. Hes Awesome! Theyre all awesome. After that, we dont have a baptism until the 14th of january (so far!) Everyone else were teaching isnt as solid, but they are definately people that can get to that point.

 

We went to our ward christmas party too. it was "hodown" themed and elder roedel has cowboy hats from serving in elko, so we wore them, everyone thought it was funny. we came home with 10 pans full of meat and food. I wont need to grocery shop for a couple weeks. haha. Im glad they liked my talk though. Ronnie told me probably 5 times how great it was. haha. im like, its only because no one would say it. haha.

 

I WISH we could go to the temple here. Every zone goes once every transfer, except for the ones out of the vegas valley. Thats lame, but Kellys already talking about doing baptisms for the dead soon, so thats really cool. In a year well get to go with her and the jacksons to the temple. :) Cant wait for that!

 

Ill make sure to call you guys early though. Send the package to the Snavely adress. If it gets sent to the mission home ill get it like a week and a half later. Karlie sent me a letter last monday and i still havent gotten it because i think she sent it to the mission office. lame...

 

Ill give the Olsens your numbers and im sure theyll call you some time soon. Theyll be there jan. 6th. so that should be fun.

 

Anyways, Love you guys!!!!!

 

ps: I attached baptism pictures and a bunch of random ones we took on the way to dinner at a mansion in the mountains. :)

 

Elder Ryan Nonu

November 28, 2011

Everythings been awesome. Thanksgiving was fun we had it at 2 peoples houses. It was going to be 3 but we spent like 5 hours at our first members house. we played cards, ate a crap load of food and she sent us home with 5 different home made pies. :DD yah!!!!

 

We spoke in sacrament yesterday. it went really well. everyone liked our talks. I read that story, about the missionary that "FOUND HIS FRIEND" I looked in the crowd and like 10 moms were crying. 5 came up to me. "i loved that story Elder Nonu." We went to the Burgesses house (my home away from home) and the first thing she does is throw a dish rag at my face and goes "You know your not supposed to make me cry Elder Nonu!!" HAHAHAHAH. it was funny. :P btw, one of the other families ive gotten close with are going to provo in a couple weeks and they want to meet you guys. Usually id think its wierd BUT! there lyour guys age and awesome, and Ive told sister Olsen (thats their name) "you and my mom would be good friends." haha. So yah, You guys should go out to dinner or something one night when theyre there. Brother Olsen said he "wants to tell you how good im doing". im like... oh my gosh. sure..... haha.

 

Oh yah! also, Brother Olsen is a foot doctor and he told me that this morning because i was in his office for an xray, and guess what? I BROKE MY TOE!!! :D pretty cool right?? hahaha. Me and Elder Roedel were wrestling and I kicked my foot back and kicked the ground, I heard a loud pop and havent been able to walk normal since. Since Im from california i just make everyone believe its my pmp walk. just kidding. but yah, its fine though, i can walk on it and he said ill be fine in a week. He put a little splint cast on it and im walking fine. The Zone Leaders gave us extra miles so we can drive and not walk so much. So yah, no worries. :) So yah, you guys should hang out, i think itd be fun. :P is it cool if i give them your number and junk? if not, ill do it anyways cause then you guys can have more friends. :D

 

Kelly is getting baptised on the 10th , Elder Van Bruggen is coming back from canada land to baptise her, so im stoked for that. and then the jacksons (family of 4) are getting baptised the weekend after on the 17th. so yah. 5 people in the next 3 weeks!!! ill send pictures after everything. it should be good. other then that, all other people are just a bit slower but still going strong.

 

oh and I thought of a couple things i wanted for Christmas also.

 

-military scripture set (ask bishop)

-pants,short and long sleeve shirts (2 or 3 each?) from missionary mall (mm)

-more socks from mm

-music! polynesian music or acapella groups CDs (mission appropriate)

    If there speaking samoan or something then just as long as its calm stuff, no j-boog (keana) so yah, just burn a couple CDs, I cant stand my companions crap, im giving him culture now.

-A giant samoan flag (we have a flag pole at our house and I wanna fly it on there, or just hang it on my wall.) :)

 

and thats basically it. oh! and my sunglasses I left there and my rubber watch i got in disneyland (i need something durable)

 

anyways. Love you guys. Hope all is well. Ill tell the Olsens you cant wait to meet them. hahaha.

 

Love ya,

Elder Nonu

November 14, 2011

(i wrote this before i read the second email)

hey mom,

I called Ronnie.  She was really excited that I called. It was good to hear her voice. President Nieder is awesome too, i thanked him and told him that ronnie thanked him also. haha. He just laughed and said your welcome. I love president and sister nieder, theyre awesome. One of the members were close to (the burgess family)  told us about that also. Her sons on a mission in Michigan and has only been out 7 months, so she started freaking out. Im like you and my mom would be best friends. she goes REALLY? haha. but i havent been biking much lately. were mostly in our car. Whenever we are on bike though we wear helmets and Sis. Burgess yells at me if I have the strap unbuckled when im walking to my bike. haha. shes awesome. We really only biked the first 3 weeks i was hear and it stayed lit longer also, but ill go do that. I do have a helmet, but its a piece of crap falling apart from walmart, i know mine is a really good helmet thats basically new and will last the mission. Thanks for the money also, i bought a couple long sleeve shirts and extra clothes at ross because i blew out both my suit pants and a pair of regular pants within the first couple weeks. haha. :D i got 3 new suits though! 1 from a missionary that didnt need it and 1 from a missionary that i havent given back to. :D haha!! and a 3rd one from a member that it didnt fit so he gave me a ralph lauren suit for free. haha. great success!! i love members! and then our dinner calendar coordinator bought me a new pair of suit pants for my grey suit and then sewed up my other one. now i have 5 suits i got in a month. sick right? :))))

Ive taught sunday school 3 times since ive been here and twice to elders and high priests combined. so, maybe its just a family thing. and, id love to write her too, but i need an email, actually nevermind, ill write a letter home this week. sound good? k good.

the work here is picking up. My new companion is Elder Roedel. hes a ginger from florida and georgia but with a utah accent. He plays in a screamo rock band in provo and he and his band all turned down a record deal with a label, all to go serve missions. crazy right?? at first, i didnt like him probably because i was freaking out cause i had to do all the planning and direct him around the area. but the work here is picking up like crazy! We reset our family of 4 for baptism on december 17th. Their 11 year old daughter came home from a young women activity and tells her mom she wants to be mormon, and when can she be mormon?? we go to teach our lesson last night and she raises her hand and asks when there gonna be baptised. were like..... uh.... ok? nows good. just kidding. haha. so we talked about testimony, faith, and how we have to have the spirit to know these things are true. it was an awesome lesson. Our 20 year old on the other hand whos baptism was coming up is going south. Her parents have had bad influences and theyre telling her to stop. So were going to set up something and rebuke her. just kidding. haha. but seriously. well work it out. we also had a group of 3 women who live together and all have kids and were fighting over who got to read the book of mormon first. hahahaa. which was funny.

all in all I still love what im doing and its only getting better. :)

Love you guys!

Elder Ryan Nonu

 

ps: im sad but im more happy than anything. Elder Roedel and I are giving talks in 2 weeks. Now, I know who Ill talk about.  Ronnie!!!  Thanks Mom, Love you.

November 7, 2011

Hello family,

My zone leader here just got transfered to be zone leader in elko
today, so if he sees an elder dixon then hell know me. haha. but elder
van bruggen left last night, hes at the mission home and leaves
wednesday morning. im goning to transfer conference on tuesday and ill
get my companion then.

the college girl dropped, but thats ok, and our family of 4 isnt
progressing right now, but were setting something up this week and
well get them in gear. but our investigator thats doing awesome is
kelly, shes in elko right now actually, shes like 20 and weve had like
6 lessons with her and shes set for the 26th. Elder Van Bruggen is
going to try and come down for that, so thats exciting. were really
happy for her. i didnt get to ride in a helicopter after all, but
thats alright, we taught a lesson to kelly that day i think, and thats
when we set her for baptism. so yah! everythings going really well.

it actually snowed here too! it was so wierd! i woke up, and i look
outside, im like "oh, lots of frost." everyones like. dude... thats
snow. i go.... oh.... IM FROM CALIFORNIA! I dont know what the crap
snow looks like when i wake up. but yah, ill try and send pictures of
everything. each "transfer" is 6 weeks long. that means every 6 weeks,
you potentially could move somewhere in the mission. so my first
transfer is down. :D now ill look forward to thanksgiving in kingman.
btw, its freezing here! about 40-50 every day for the past week or so.

for christmas, i want a new suit really, and more slacks. preferably
dockers (more durable) or go to missionary mall, i blew out both my
suit pants. but a member bought me a new pair for my calvin klein and
another just gave me a ralph lauren they had. so yah. pretty friggin
sweet man. :)

anyways. everythings awesome here! LOVE YOU GUYS!!

elder nonu

"god be with you til we meet again."

October 31st, 2011

hey mom glad everything is going well. Im gonna be staying in kingman for at least 6 more weeks. President said Ill probably end up serving in the samoan branch in vegas which goes all the way to the west mission where reno is. I get to learn samoan too as part of my study. So hopefully that blessing will come true. Our investigators are doing great. The family were teaching got back from a hunting trip and well probably teach them this week. Kelly, the 20 yr old were teaching, is doing AWESOME!! weve taught her 5 times and we set her for baptism last night for the 26th of november. were excited. Van bruggen leaves on the 8th, im kind of sad about it, and hes freaking out because hes scared to go home, but i help him as much as I can. Ill get a new companion next tuesday, so im excited to see who it is. hopefully its not some goober i have to slap every 5 seconds. well see.

 

Tonight our mission president doesnt want us going out on halloween so were going to a members home and watchiung 17 miracles in their theatre room (rich people man) so were all excited. Were going on a hike today also up the mountain here, im gonna try to send pictures home this week also. btw, you have wierd dreams homes.

 

paanes a boss for that, im sure shes pretty and theyll have little islander babies running around by the time i get back. when the freak is james gonna pull the trigger on that one?? his gf is pretty so yah, get on it dang. just kidding, but still... :) no, i havent heard from anyone else, im too busy/lazy to write any letters. i just come home plan and then snooze. except for last night we played fooseball on the table we got from a member (sick members!!) until midnight and then fell asleep in the new la-z-boy we got (sick members!!!) at 2am. so it was a good night. :)

 

the bike is awesome, im broke another missionaries bike the other day (mine was at our old house) and broke the crank arms off. he said "crap nonu! your freaking samoan legs are too much for it!!" so im letting him borrow mine since we have a car. So im gonna go buy a tool and get him a new one off an old bike.

 

anyways. everythings awesome in kingman, i love it here. love you guys!!!!!

 

Elder Nonu. :)