WEEK 39: PATRICIA'S BAPTISM & SAYING GOODBYE

Hanging at the View of MoVal

This week was a very bittersweet week.  I found out that I am training again, which will be fun, but there are 25 outgoing missionaries this transfer including my trainer/dad :( It was a fun last week with Elders Westenskow and Gulbranson though.  We worked hard and picked up some new people so hopefully that will continue to progress.

Headed to the View with our matching ties

Night view of MoVal

Elder Pennington at the View



Sunset in MoVal

We also, finally had Patricia's baptism! It was so amazing!  It was great to see her and her son enter into the waters of Baptism, and then see her son confirm her a member.  It really was an amazing experience seeing someone go from not praying in front of us to wanting to pray all the time! It truly did strengthen my testimony of the restored gospel.

Elder Smith came back for Patricia's baptism



Patricia's son baptized her

Loved teaching Patricia

Patricia and her son

 



It's HOT out here!

Starting tomorrow I will be back on bike, so that was really short lived, kind of not looking forward to it but it could be a lot worse.  I just hope the weather cools off.  It has been in the 115's lately!


Things are going well in our area, the ward is super good to us!  I’m happy I am still gonna be serving here.  This ward is very missionary minded.  I will more than likely be here for 12 more weeks since I am training so I will end up being in this area for 7 and a half months!  I hope all is well, love you all.

Elder Pennington

Elder Pennington dabbing

We are so creative with the baptism programs

Making sure the font is ready

Font looks pretty good.  Let's fill it

Wait... Look what I found

Zoom in on the spider

Elders Dyer and Westenskow prepare to go home...

Well done faithful servant Elder Dyer

Elder Warren is headed home too

Elder Westenskow, well done good and faithful servant

Training class to prepare Elder Westenskow to return
to civilian life as Brother Westenskow.  The main focus
from the mirror appears to be "Girls."

Our mini-missionary is worn out!

 

WEEK 38: THE WORK IS PROGRESSING

Elder Pennington writing letters.

This past week was really good.  We have four people on date or the Canyon Springs Ward.  Patricia Cox is still on date for July 30th, which I am so excited for!  Also, we have a guy named Lucio on for the 31st of July!  Pat brought a friend to church that we are now teaching and is on date for the 21st of August.  Also, we are teaching a 9 year old who is on for August as well.




Elder Westenskow

We are getting a mini-missionary next week, so hopefully that will be fun!  There are 35 new missionaries next transfer!  I wonder if they'll trust me with a new greenie again!

Love you!

Elder Pennington



Memories of Paw Paw

Grossest thing ever!

Map of our area

They really like each other

The Pod 2016

Elder Pennington is always talking
about their mini fridges.



Elder Pennington's desk

More of the apartment.  Look at the
planning going on with the mirror

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