WEEK37: MARCOS' BAPTISM & NERF WARS ON P-DAY

Marcos' baptismal service

This week was pretty great!  I got the opportunity to be a witness at one of my investigator’s baptism that I taught in Jurupa.  His name is Marcos and he is a stud!  He moved to Mt. Rubidoux, and the Elders there Elder Young and Cornaby set everything up and he finally was able to enter the waters of baptism! It was awesome!  Other than that, Pat is still doing well and we are slowly waiting for her Baptism on the 30th of July.

We were able to go to a stake activity.  It was a chili cook off, and it was a ton of fun! There was a lot of great food, and a petting zoo.

Stake Activity w/petting zoo

 

Stake activity petting zoo

I love petting zoos this much!



On our way to 7-Eleven

 

Elder Westenskow, Elder Gulbranson and I have gained an addiction to 7/11 and their birthday cake slurpees.  Everytime is a good time for slurpees!

 

Being in a pod is pretty fun! Especially with Elder Westenskow and Elder Gulbranson.  Elder Westenskow goes home after this transfer, so we are going extra hard so he will finish with a bang!  Other than that this week was just tiring as always.  But there isn’t any time to stop working, especially when the Lord is blessing us with people to teach.

Congrats to Hallie Jo on the engagement!  Proud of you!  Hope all is well with everyone, and you are all in my prayers.

Love,

Elder Pennington

Multi-Zone Conference

Nerf Gun Wars

Elder Pennington - the Sniper on the ground

This is what winning looks like

Bishop Garcia's visit on his way to Atlanta

Bishop Garcia hand delivered a box from
Elder Pennington with California T-shirts.

Nana & Papa got shirts too!

 

WEEK 36: SLURPEES AND BURROS

We didn't receive a letter this week, but we did receive a ton of pictures with brief explanations.

With regards to the Lord's work, he did email his mom and say that everything is going great and that this was a really great week.  He has a baptism scheduled for this Sunday (July 17th) as well as baptisms scheduled for July 30th and July 31st so we will send pictures of those later.

Enjoy the pictures!!!



Taking advantage of the free slurpess at 7-11 on 7/11

Exchanges

Exchanges

Hostage Prank - I wonder who's idea this was.  Probably
the Elder who isn't tied up maybe?!

Hostage Prank

Elder Pennington bit his tongue

OUCH!  That's a big chunk of tongue missing!

Bishop Garcia was a bishop in the stake where Elder
Pennington served who liked to come out and
play basketball with the missionaries.

Bishop Garcia - he stopped by our house in Memphis on his
move to Atlanta and brought us a box of California
T-shirts from our missionary

POD2016 at the view



Elder Westenskow - one of his last trips to the
View before he goes home



The View of Moreno Valley

Hello Burro.  Are you a nice burro?



Look at me mom! I'm standing by a burro!



I'm so strong like a burro.



Take a picture of me walking by my pet burro



Yep, just me and my burro



Apparently, burros just run wild in the neighborhoods
in Moreno Valley.  "Hey, the Mormon missionaries
are in the neighborhood again playing with the burros!"

Elder Gulbranson picked out his favorite at the Petting Zoo

WEEK 35: MY GREENIE HAS GONE HOME TO HEAL

POD2016 - Gulbranson, Westenskow, Pennington

Denny's

So the past week has been an unsuccessful, uneventful week up until Friday morning.  Sadly I had to say goodbye to my greenie, because he broke his collarbone, but we got to say hello to the POD2016.  I am with Elder Westenskow and Gulbranson.

 

 

 

We are working hard, and so far it has been great.  On the fourth

of July, we did a lot of shopping, our mini fridges are full! Then we did the usual laundry, and then we went to the church for our zone activities where we played trash ball and basketball, and then watched some fireworks from our apartment!

 



Matching outfits - Team Unity!

It has been really good the past few days.  We had a baptism for the Hidden Springs ward that I am also in now and our investigator Patricia Cox came, she felt the spirit super strong, and she is going to be baptized July 30th! From being inside, I have had alot of time to reflect and study.  Listened to a ton of talks, and practiced the uke a ton. Also, cleaned our apartment and made it spotless hahaha dad would be very proud. Well hopefully I'll be able to check up on more, love you all and hope everyone had a great fourth!

 



Dinner with POD 2016

Love,
Elder Pennington

WEEK 34: MY GREENIE HAS ARRIVED

Last days with Elder Smith

So the past couple of weeks have been pretty good.  Sad to see Elder Smith go, but very excited to take over the area and for the opportunity to train a new missionary.






Elder Larson

So Monday I hung out with another missionary who is training, Elder Larson.  He's awesome.  I love that guy.

Elder Pennington & Elder Cousineau

Elder Cousineau was wiped out!

 

So we got our boys Tuesday and my new companion.


Elder Cousineau fell asleep in MY chair
while studying. Hahaha!

His name is Elder Cousineau, and he is from Wisconsin.  On Friday, we were riding our bikes from an appointment, and I hear a yell.  I turn around and Elder Cousineau had crashed his bike and landed on his shoulder.  Four hours later in the urgent care, and he has a broken collar bone.  He has to go to the ortho surgeon, but until then, we have to stay in the apartment, and he has to stay in bed.  The latest they will call is Wednesday so if you don't get an email, it's because we can't leave the apartment.  If the healing process takes longer than 10 days, he has to go home to heal.  So there goes my training experience.  Anyways, just keep my comp in your prayers.

Love,
Elder Pennington



Pennington, Cousineau & Westenskow

Elder Pennington & Elder Haggler

Elder Haggler

Elder Pennington & Elder Sy



WEEK 33: FISHING FOR MEN AND FISH THIS WEEK!

So we heard from Elder Pennington, but he still hasn't received his new "greenie" companion to train.  He will be arriving on Tuesday and so we should know more about that by next week.

We received quite a few pictures to share with you this week though which is always great:

Elder Pennington getting to do what he loves on a
Preparation Day - catching a big one it appears!

Reel it in Elder Pennington!

Fishing buddies

Elder Smith is going to be a daddy! Weird, but fun mission
tradition. A trainer becomes a Dad when the person he has
been training gets a new missionary to train.

More of the same for Elder Smith

Elder Smith and Elder Pennington had a car for 3 days.
They were very excited to be off their bikes for a few days.

Elder B burning a shirt to celebrate his 1 year mark.

Leave it up to Elder Pennington to fine the intersection of the
two streets - Elder & Cool.

Elder Cool intersection with Elder Pennington's name tag.

Found this little guy while out proselyting. Yikes!

Go home snake and don't come back.

WEEK 32.5: SPECIAL NEWS FROM NATHAN'S MISSION PRESIDENT

Jon was sitting in church today and a notification popped up on his phone that an email was just sent from Elder Pennington's mission president.  Those emails are few and far between.  The first one we ever received was to notify us that all missionaries were safe and accounted for immediately following the shooting in San Bernardino, California.  The second one was just a couple of weeks ago and was to notify us that all missionaries were safe and accounted for following the recent earthquake in California.

Jon quickly opened the email and below is what he read:

19 June 2016

Jonathan and Lisa Pennington
1485 Siskin Drive

Cordova, TN 38016

USA

Dear Brother and Sister Pennington,

Elder Nathan Charles Pennington has been given the new assignment to serve as Trainer of a newly arrived missionary. He has received this assignment because of his dedication and unselfish service and because of the confidence the Lord has in him. He is a fine missionary.

The position of Trainer is considered the most important assignment in the mission, for it is the Trainer who establishes the foundation for his companion's success and the ultimate success of the mission. We appreciate his willingness to be an exemplary missionary.

We thank you for your continued support and prayers for your missionary and the work in the California Riverside Mission.

Sincerely,

John H. Mullen, President

California Riverside Mission

Jon was so excited to receive this news on Father's Day - what a great present to receive such a wonderful compliment about one of your children.  We are so proud of Elder Pennington and his dedication to the Lord's work.  We wish him well in this new responsibility he has been given and are confident that he will fulfill it well and have much success.

We can't wait to hear from him tomorrow and find out who his "Greenie" companion is and where he is from.  Stay tuned for all this... Jon will update his blog tomorrow.