WEEK 1: THE MTC - A SPIRITUAL BOOT CAMP



Elder Pennington and his MTC companion Elder Walker

Hello Everyone!  Day 7 out here in the jungle and I am still alive and breathing. The MTC is like spiritual boot camp, but in a good way. The teachers are great at teaching with the Spirit and helping you feel the Spirit as well, but still give you time to have fun. I am learning a ton and this Gospel has never meant so much to me.





Elder Pennington and his MTC companions.

So in my district it is me and my companion Elder Walker (I'm the senior companion btw) and then it's Elder Smith and Elder Hubbard, and then a tripanionship consisting of Elder Anderson, Elder Corbridge, and Elder Langly. Sadly an Elder, Elder Ashcroft had to go home because of health reasons. But he is going to try and come back out so keep him in your prayers.

It's snowing...

So we are meeting with a PI named Shantele. Our first two lessons went great and then the third we didn't even get to finish. the lesson went in the direction we were not expecting but thats alright. We ended up answering her questions and invited the Spirit. I challenged her to pray about what we were teaching her and if she thought it was true and if she did find out that it is true, if she would "BE BAPTIZED"-Nacho Libre Quote. but anyways she said she would so that's awesome, we meet up with her again tomorrow so I'm pumped. Also tomorrow we have a first appointment with Ny. She's an investigator we got assigned to that was referred to our missionaries so pray for Elder Walker and I and also for Ny so that we can be able to get her baptized. Also, for the Spirit to be recognized in our lessons, because one thing I have come to find out is you don't convert or teach the investigators, the Spirit does.

 

... wait! It's sunny!

The lessons are already getting easier and my studies are getting harder so I guess that's pretty good.  I'm ready to get out in the field, but also I know there is a lot more things I need to learn.  Food is great here, the weather is not. I thought Memphis had bipolar weather but this, this is ridiculous. It's been sunny, sunny and 75!! and then it has hailed and sleeted and snowed and rained. This is ridiculous thank goodness I brought chapstick because that is awful as well.

I can't send any pics here yet because apparently I have an $11 dollar adapter I have to buy just for the MTC and my inner Jon Pennington is telling me "no", so y'all will just have to wait until I get into the field for that.

 

A room with Ping Pong and Basketball - He's all set

Thank you everyone who has sent me packages!!! It makes me feel loved and for those who haven't I mean what can I say no one's perfect haha just kidding your prayers are more than enough.  But if I were to send some requests out Sprite, Powerade, and candy and stuff like that would be appreciated hahaha. so our dorm room is sweet. We got a ping pong table and a basketball goal so we basically are living the fancy life out here. I don't really have much else to say and I'll try and figure out the whole camera thing so bare with me on that I know everyone misses my beautiful face! Oh and mom guess what I think I found the fountain of youth cuz I don't have a single pimple! Okay I'm sorry I forgot missionaries can't lie, but to make you feel better I'm putting my medicine on day and night to try and get these constellations off my face. Oh one more thing, I'm gonna leave a challenge with you Dad. Go watch Elder Bednar's Christmas devotional he gave at the MTC and accept his B.O.M challenge. By the time I get back you should have like 30 copies of the Book of Mormon marked up and on a shelf. Good luck bishop.

This goes to the young men in the ward. STUDY YOUR SCRIPTURES. STUDY YOUR PREACH MY GOSPEL. This will make your MTC experience so much better, don't be afraid to "LARP'' or role play because you'll be getting alot of that here. Practice talking to random strangers, doesn't even have to be about the gospel. We had a teacher Brother Farr who has taught us to where I can now teach the third lesson in 60 seconds.  So if I'm ever standing in line somewhere and only have that amount of time then I am good to go. It's awesome learning with the Spirit. If I had the spirit in school I would be going to Harvard. I hope on the plane I get to sit next to someone random because they are gonna have to listen about the gospel :) Well I hope all is well and y'all are all in my prayers. 

Love, 

 

Elder Pennington

Elder Langley and Elder Pennington looking like the FBI
instead of Mormon Missionaries

Not sure who this Elder is.  His hand is covering his tag.

Elder Pennington playing with his digital camera - no
kissing on the mission Elder

 

IT'S NOVEMBER 4, 2015 AND HE'S OFF...

Elder Pennington saying goodbye for 2 years at the Memphis Int'l Airport.

November 4, 2015 came much quicker than we expected.  We arrived bright and early at the Memphis Int'l Airport with our newly set apart missionary - Elder Pennington.  Everything he would need for the next 2 years was packed away in two suitcases and a carry-on bag.  He was nervously excited but had faith that the next two years would truly be "The Best Two Years" of his life so far...


Elder Pennington with Bishop Pennington at the Memphis Airport- 11/4/2015

Elder Pennington with his big brother Josh Kennedy who just got home from his Mission in Brazil only 1 month earlier.

As we were taking the last of our pictures, a gentleman approached us and asked if he was headed to Salt Lake City.  He was headed there too and brought great comfort when he said he would keep an eye on our missionary for us.  Below is part of his "momma's" FB post that goes with this picture:

(this picture was just sent to me by a sweet man on the same plane as my son heading to SLC letting me know they were boarding and he is watching over him. God is always aware of our needs and places people in our lives at the right time we need them)

Elder Pennington arrives safely at the DFW Airport - thank you kind gentleman for texting us this photo.

Elder Pennington made it to the SLC Airport and was met by his cousins - The Brandon & Amber Moore Family and the infamous Harper too!  We have a nice picture of this reunion too thanks to that nice gentleman who watched over him for the duration of the trip.

Elder Pennington meets his ride in SLC - Brandon, Amber and Harper Moore!

After being picked up, he had a little time before his scheduled arrival time at the Missionary Training Center (MTC) in Provo, Utah so they made a quick stop to eat at Café Rio and guess who surprised him next at the restaurant...  Aunt Ginger and Cousin Dawson!!!

Elder Pennington at Café Rio with the Moore's and Ginger & Dawson.  He looks like he's doing OK :)

Hurry up and finish that burrito because the next stop is the MTC in Provo.  He had two more surprise guests waiting for him there to say their last good-bye's - Brigitte Andersen and Wesley Stokes.  Brigitte surprised him with some homemade cookies and his favorite Utah treat - a Fruity Pebbles Smoothie from Jamba Juice.  Below are the final pictures of him before he entered the MTC for the next 2 weeks of intensive missionary training before heading to Riverside, California:

Elder Pennington getting ready to fit in with all the Californians - Hang Loose!

Elder Pennington's last picture - man, he looks GOOD!

Missionaries who have already been training come out and help all the new incoming missionaries bring their luggage into the MTC - there's no turning back now!!  :)