December 14th 2015

I love you so much!! My new area is pretty good! There are some really
cool members, some of which are recent converts and some of which are
recent move ins, so I am pretty okay with having to spend Christmas
here! As for my comp, I have enjoyed being his companion so far!
We are different in a lot of ways, but at the same time we are very
similar in ways! I like him so far! The work is slow here...
But not for long;) driving is coming along well, I am a little nervous
about driving in the snow, but I will survive!
As for being red dotted, tiwi makes it pretty easy, but the rules are
long to explain in words let alone writing, so I will condense it. Go
over 90 mph, automatic red dot! Get a ton of violations, red dot. You
get violations by stopping too suddenly, speeding up too fast, going
over 7 mph above the speed limit and waiting for 3 warnings to pass,
and Jumping the car. If you get in a crash, and the damaged is over a
certain amount, then you are red dotted. If the crash is your fault,
automatically red dotted! The list continues on a more detailed
explanation, but this is a pretty good list.
As for Christmas, I don't know the time, but we think we know the
place, but we will work that out this week! I will be looking for the
package as well!
I love you so much! I hope that you have an amazing week!

Love
Elder Pennington the younger!

December 7th 2015

Our tree is up too! Haha of you could call it a tree! I will have to
try and remember to take a picture and send it to you! Can't wait to
see the pictures of Meagan! She sent one of her team, but I will take
as many As you send!
Haha, next time Meagan should be more specific! I am not suppressed
that dad said that!
It is awesome that Heidi sand well!
Can't wait to hear more about dad going back into school! What are his
hours for school going to be like?
For Christmas I don't think I need anything specific. Anything works!
Some ideas might be: p-day clothes is never a bad idea, tie bar, grey
socks, ties, beanie, but with all of these, they are not needs only
suggestions! I would be happy just receiving a box with a few letters
in it. :) Anything works, I really don't need anything specific!
It truly is getting cold here, but the worse part is it keeps warming
up a little then dropping again, so it has been a little tough for me
to acclimate (I think that is also why I got sick).
As for Skyping, even if we don't get invited over to a house for
Skyping, since we have our iPads, we can skype from the church! So
Skyping should be a part of the plan no problem!
The most exciting thing this week was we had a baptism! But we didn't
get to go! We taught him, but since he got baptized out of our mission
due to being baptized in the ward where his fiance lives. Sad we
didn't get to go but it is still really cool that he got baptized!
Haha, I miss bad Bry days, even though I can't remember them... Haha!
I love you so much mom! Thanks for all you do and have done! I hope
that you have an amazing week!

Love
Elder Pennington the younger!

November 30th 2015

That is awesome that you got to see one of Meagan's practices! I miss
those late night practices so much! The only thing I would have change
is making it so that you did not have to pick me up so late... Thanks
for everything that you have done for all of us kids!
My thanksgiving was pretty good! Got to play volleyball instead of
having a turkey bowl! (I missed the traditional turkey bowl:( ! Sounds
like the Thanksgiving was really fun there! No stories that stand out!
And my transfers are in 4 weeks! The week right after Christmas, and I
will most likely be moved. My comp right now has 1 more transfer after
this one. It will be hard to leave this area, but at the same time I am ready to
go! I was actually planning on getting some vitamin C today and also Vit
D. I have found that this Arizona boy gets really sad when I don't see
or feel the rays of the sun for days/weeks at a time.
I love you so much Mom! I hope that you have an amazing fantastic week!

Love
Elder Pennington the younger!

November 23rd 2015

This week was pretty good overall! I was sick for a good portion of it
so that wasn't good, but I did get the stuff that you sent home with
the Burketts! Thanks so much! It was just what I needed to lift my
spirits! Especially since the day after I got really sick and had to
stay in all day. I would say that getting that stuff was by far the
best thing that could have happened this week!
The home auction sounded like fun! I will probably experience one at
some point...
It is great to hear that Heidi is growing up! A year ago, I could see
her not even wanting to try something like that! I only wish I was
able to see some of this growth with my own eyes, but that time will
come!
Sorry to hear that you have had a headache for the last couple of
days! We have been headache buddies together! I hope that you are able
to feel better!
Oh and it is pretty funny how Meagan said "the sisters turn everything
into a miracle :)" It is so true! I wish that I had sisters in my
district because they bring a sense of hope and optimism that the
elders don't always have. I have found that Miracles are everywhere
and it is not hard to turn "everything into a miracle", but that it is
hard to remember to do so all the time! It all comes down to being
grateful for the gifts that God has given us, and sisters are
typically really good at that! Haha
Thanks again for the package! I loved it so much, just what I needed!
I may try and use the home card today(just for something small) due to
the last time I used it forever ago, it had a hard time scanning it.
After 6 or 7 tries it was finally able to read it, so I want to check
to see if it is the card or if it was the machine that had a hard
time!
I love you so much! You are amazing! I hope that you have an amazing week!
Love
Elder Pennington the younger!

November 16th 2015

First, thanks for the pic and the funny! I loved it! It made me laugh! It is getting cold here! I have worn thermals a couple of times already! Haha, but it is still okay, I am still alive! Thanks for writing down your thoughts and the quotes from Elder Hollands talk! I love it! Thanks for the update on everyone! It is crazy how old the girls are getting! They are growing up so much! I love you so much! I hope you have a great week!

Love

Elder Pennington the younger!

November 9th 2015

First, I wish I was experiencing the cold there, instead of the cold
here! It is 46 degrees outside right now, and it is 10:30, the high
today here is about where your low for the day is (we are allowed to
have a weather app so I compare Gilbert to Bedford;)... I miss the
heat! :) that is awesome about going out with the sisters! That is a
really awesome idea about the inactive sisters and the rescuing! I
can't wait to hear how it turns out! That is awesome about the
regional stake conference! Yeah, I got an email from the bishop
inviting me to it! :) We had stake conference,
and the Internet was out in our building so instead of watching a
broadcast, we listened to it through a phone... A static connection
haha, but it was still really good (plus we did get to go to the stake
center the night before for the adult session, so not all of it was
through the phone, haha! Can't wait
to see see the pictures of the painted rooms! And don't worry
about selling my stuff, if you are going through my room and you're
like... "why would he need this", just ask and I will probably say...
"I don't remember even having that." As long as I have clothes and
some stuff when I get home everything will be fine. One thing, if you
haven't already sold it, you could sell that bench that I have in my
room. If you are using it in the home gym then don't sell it, but feel
free to sell it if it is just sitting there! I love you so much mom!
You are the best! I hope you have a fantastic week!
Love
Elder Pennington the younger!

Bedford

November 2nd 2015

Not all that much happened this week! "Time in" was really long. I did
not like it very much at all. Halloween night I was so tired, so it
was a blessing that we weren't walking around. I didn't get time to
make the syrup, but I will be making it this week! I will be taking
pictures too ;) it sounds like Meagan had a good time with Parker! I
miss walking around on Halloween night! I never liked to get candy,
but I still miss it for some reason!
We don't have a whole lot planned for this week, but we have some
service and a few lessons with some less actives. A lot of this week
will be finding, so I hope it goes well!
I love you so much! I hope you have an amazing week! The best ever!
Love
Elder Pennington the younger

Oct 26th 2015

This week was pretty good! We didn't do any service:( but we have a
couple of days this week where we are able to so that is cool! Yeah,
the biscuits I made were pretty good! The only reason that I took the
picture is because I realized I need to take more pictures, haha! I am
a little proud of actually making them even thought they were easy...
Flour, baking powder, salt, oil, and milk. I have come to enjoy
cooking, Even if I don't have too much time to practice! If you have
any ideas on something I should try to make let me know! We will have
to be in our apartment by 6 instead of 9 Thursday and Saturday.
Saturday because of Halloween and Thursday because Bedford has their
trick or tweet set up for that night so we have to be in then as well!
So I will have a little more time to possible make something in small
breaks from cleaning and planning (the two things we were told to do
during those time;) I haven't tried making the syrup again yet because
I forgot to get maple flavoring last week, so I will be trying that
again this week!
It sounded like Meagan had fun at Monster Mash! That is always good to
hear! And Heidi needs to stop growing up! Haha! Can't wait to see her
hair cut!
It sounds like Sunday was good! Ours was pretty good as well! We heard
from a young man who is leaving on his mission Tuesday! Levi Felix, he
is going to the Salt Lake City east mission! He is going to be
awesome! The only thing that I would change around hear is the
weather! It is way too cold!( and this week was even warmer than last)
but everything is going well! I love you so much! I hope that you have
a great week!
Love
Elder Pennington the younger!

Oct 19th 2015

Bryant making biscuits with a smile

The companionship is going good. The work is slow right now,
but we are hoping that we are able to help pick it up here soon!
We have one progressing investigator right now, and we hope to set him
with a date,he is 10, the next time we see him, we will just need to
get permission from his dad. His parents are split and his mom is now
married to a member and that is where we are able to teach him! She is
a semi recent convert herself!
Haha, so bother Frankenberry, or Jerry, is our ward mission leader
right now! We were over at his house at that time to cut up some wood!
I still have yet to chop wood though. Everyone here has a log splitter
haha. So anyways, Jerry's daughter is married to brother Weinburg's
brother, I think, and they live in Mesa, which is what brought up the
conversation and the questions! I love those kind of connections!
So the most inspiring thing as a missionary that I have found is that
I am able to do this! I don't think that I would have lasted this long
away from home for the first time, if I was not receiving help! And
just how I have grown so much and am doing things that I never thought
that I would ever do! I never could have imagined that it would be
this hard, but I never thought that I would love it so much!
I love you so much mom! I hope that you have the best week ever!
Love
Elder Pennington the younger!

Oct 12th 2015

Bryant's last district

Proof that Fall actually happens in Pennsylvania

Bryant and his new companion with Brother Frankenberry.

Hey, I love you so much!
My week was okay... There have been some adjustments made...
My comp is elder Cooley. He is from Orem, Utah and he has been out for
20 months. That is an awesome thing about the lady who got baptized!
Stories like that are amazing!
That is really cool that Meagan is earning money that way! She is
growing up so fast...I there is anything that you can do to stop that
you should do it;)! I love you so much mom! I hope that you have a
great week!
Love
Elder Pennington the younger!

Oct 5th 2015

My week was great! I was able to watch all of conference and I loved it! It was great to hear from President Monson! It was also sad to see how hard it was for him to stay standing when he was speaking, but even still, he gave a powerful message! The thing that I miss most about home is the "7 layer dip". I can't wait to watch conference again with all the fam! I found out that I am staying in Bedford and that I am now the district leader here. I am nervous but excited! I hope I get a good companion because the work in this area needs to get done! I can't wait to continue to work here! i love you so much! I hope you have a great week!

Love

Elder Pennington the younger!

Sept 28th 2015

Haha, yeah when he held up the phone to me I had no clue what I was
going to say, since we are not supposed to talk, but I was planning on
saying more, but I was not expecting to talk first, I thought he was
going to introduce himself first. But oh well... That was while we
were at the Mellots, a family in our branch. They love the missionaries.
So to start, we got black boxes in our cars this week! They are called
tiwi's and they monitor our driving. We will find out if I am a good
driver or not, if I am still driving at the end of my mission... The
weather here is starting to get cold. It is averaging in the 60's and
70's and 80's right now... I really wish that it was a 100 here!
It is crazy that I am about to hit my year mark... I have less than a
month. I have been thinking about home a lot since my comp is going
home! It is hard to stay focused when he is packing at night... Haha
he is doing nothing wrong, he has earned packing but I only hope that
I don't have to send any more missionaries home...at least for a
while. The work here is kind of slowing down... Hopefully that will
change soon. We got a new branch president yesterday. It was really
unexpected since president Neuder has not been in very long, but he
has been having some health problems. He was a really good branch
President, but on the same note it seems like Presidents Gates will be
awesome as well! He has some awesome ideas about how to focus on
missionary work in this branch so that are exciting!
I love  you u so much mom! Thanks for every game that you do! I hope
that you have an amazing week!
Love
Elder Pennington the younger!

September 21st 2015

(random surprise picture via text message)

You should tell Meagan to stop growing up! It is great to hear that
she is having fun! It is also great that Heidi did awesome in school/
the primary program! Not much happened this week here! We did have a
general authority come and tour our mission! We had a training from
him, and he may or may not have inspected our apartment since it was
right in between the two meetings he held. We passed for having a
clean house, but we failed by not having a working co2 detector! But
hey, we have one now! :) It was a really great meeting with Elder
Stanfill! I learned a ton! He will be speaking in the Saturday
afternoon session of conference as well! So you will get a chance to
see who he is!
I love you so much mom!
I hope you have a great week!
Love
Elder Pennington the younger!

Sept 14th 2015

First, I miss Sunday naps! Even more, I can't wait to come back and
have a bry day! So if you happen to get a chance to talk to Nathan
before he goes, you should tell him to write me! So I am totally sad
that I missed watching the ultimate gift with you all! But I am glad
that you enjoyed it! So I love my new area, but I can't explain it
very well. I love this area because people here are just good, hard
working people. Everybody is really nice, even if they don't want to
hear about the gospel. The ward is almost all related in some way. Our
ward mission leader is 73 and a convert and he is the father,
grandfather, and great father of a lot of the ward. He had nine kids,
and then they all started their families. It is pretty cool. And as
for my stuff... Haha that's cool. I was just wondering. Not too
worried. Every ow and then I will think of something back home that I
wished I had, but I guess it is not too important because I do not
remember it when I have a chance to write. I love you so much mom! I
am so grateful for your example to me! I love you so
much!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I hope you have a great week!
Love
Elder Pennington the younger!

Last week - Sept 7th 2015

I love you so much! My new area is awesome! It is different being a
part of a branch, but this branch is awesome! If I ever was to live in
Pennsylvania (which will never happen) I would live in a place like
this! This area covers the whole county, which is typical of many of
the areas in Pennsylvania. I have enjoyed the 2 weeks that I have been
here so far so much! It is great to be working with Elder George and
the only down side is that I know that I will only have one transfer
with him! I love you so much, Mom! I hope that you have a great
week!!!!!!! Happy late anniversary! I love you so much!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Love
Elder Pennington the younger!

August 31st 2015

I love this new area and my comp! Bedford is a small town, but smaller and further away from things than Lewisburg. It helped in Lewisburg to have a university near by. Bedford does not have almost anything. But I love it. I am now in a branch, which I am pumped about! My comp is awesome and I am so glad that I have him as a comp! The only down side is that I am going to be killing him off, so I only have the rest of this transfer with him. He goes home on Oct. 7!

I love you so much mom! You are amazing! I hope that you have an amazing week!

Love

Elder Pennington the younger

Transfers

Hey everybody! I am in Bedford Pennsylvania now!

I hope that everyone has a great week! I love you all so much!

Love

Elder Pennington the younger!

oh and my comp is Elder George! He is awesome, I served around him in Pitt!

August 17th 2015

I love you so much! I hope that your week was really good! I love the update!
The next transfer is the 25th, so we will find out what happens this Saturday night.
I really am not thinking about what will happen, just because I don't want to get my
hopes up, then be disappointed. I have grown a whole lot this last transfer, and I
would not give it up, even though it was not easy at all! I know that the Lord will
put me where I am meant to be! I love you so much! Thanks for sending a watch!
I will be looking for it! I love you so much mom! I hope that you have a great week!
Love
Elder Pennington the younger!

August 10th 2015

That is awesome about the staycation. I am glad to hear that all of
you had a great time! My week was good! I don't have any stories off
the top of my head, But I will write some down this week and send them
with my email next week! I love you so much! I hope that you have a
great week and that you are able to continue to have fun, even though
the girls are back in school! I love you so much!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Love
Elder Pennington the younger

August 3rd 2015

I love you so much! I hope that you had a great week! This week was
pretty good. We picked up another investigator. I was on exchanges so
I have not met them yet, but her and her family seem nice. The other
investigators that we have, we have not been able to get in contact
with them for a couple of weeks. One we have a lesson with this Friday so hopefully that goes through. So the watch that I got for my
birthday has already died on me. It slowly loses track of time, where
in a couple of hours it will be behind by an hour or so. I am hoping
that it is just the battery but I am not too sure.
So we do a lot of service. One thing that we do every week is go help
the Hauses. They are the ones that their house was hit by a drunk
driver. They are pretty cool! I enjoy going over there. I have learned
a ton from helping them rebuild their house. We also help a couple
people with yard work and farm work. I really like to bale hay! Other
than that we are trying people a lot. I think soon we will start to go
tracting some more. I am not looking forward to that. But life is
still good!
I love you so much mom, I hope that you have an amazing week!
Love
Elder Pennington the younger

July 27th 2015

Thanks mom, for the update and the birthday wishes! Love you tons! 

I was able to use the birthday money today, I got to get a pair of jeans (my old pair got a hole in the crotch area. and a got a watch since my old one just broke in a move. it worked out perfectly to have my birthday at this time! I love you so much mom! thanks for all that you do and have done for me! I love you so much, and I hope that you have a great week!

Love

Elder Pennington the younger 

July 20th 2015

This week was okay. We got 2 new investigators this week so that was cool! I love the update that you sent! yeah, brother Thompson is the dad of someone in the ward here, just in case he did not tell you (even though he probably did:) I love to talk to people here that are from Arizona! 

Thanks so much for the update about both Brandons and Nathan, It is great to here about them! I love you so much! I hope that you have a great week!

Love 

Elder Pennington the younger!

July 13th 2015

 

Thanks for the update! I love hearing about everything that is going
on with everyone back home.
I hope that your headache is feeling better!
so transfers are tomorrow. I am not getting transferred...and neither
is my comp. I have been here for 2 transfers or 3 months. I was really
looking forward to being transferred but I am here for a reason I
guess so I just have to find what that reason is.
I love you so much mom! I really is great to read your letters every
week! I hope that you have the best week ever!
Love
Elder Pennington the younger!

July 6th 2015

I love you so much! thanks so much for the updates. first before I forget I was able to use the info that you sent. and please keep sending me any cool stories or pictures of anyone that I am related to. I may not be able to use them in my book, but it is my book and I can insert as many pages as I want, right?;) thanks so much for all the work that you do for me! I love you so much! I have had a pretty good week! things could have gone better since we had six LA's set up to come to church, confirmed with a couple of them as close to the night before, and not a single one showed up! but that is missionary work! You have got to love every bit of it. I love you so much! thanks for the Peach cobbler recipe I will have to try it and let you know how it turned out! I love that picture about monk by the way! It is so awesome! 

so as for facebook, we just heard today that currently no missionaries are allowed to use Facebook. We just have to wait and see if they will let us at some point but it is a least weeks away if not a lot more time! That is completely fine with me, I want to learn how to use Facebook, but I was not looking forward to teaching through it. It will probably happen before I go home, but even that is not a guarantee. 

anyways I love you so much! you are the best mom in the whole world! I hope that you have an amazing week!

Love

Elder Pennington the younger!

Last 2 Weeks

June 22nd 2015

I love you so much. Thanks for the update I love anything I can get!
You are not boring and I love you tons! This last week was good, it
could have been better but it was pretty good! I don't have a lot to
tell you about this past week either. (I am driving a ton so that is
scary. It more for the other people than me now that I am a little for
comfortable.) I love you so much! I hope you have a great week!
Love
Elder Pennington
Hey mom, if you could send some family history stories, pics, whatever:
our mission president stated that he will be checking our my family
books in just under a month. Thanks so much for all you do! I love you
so much, I hope you have an awesome week!
Love again

June 29th 2015

First thanks for the family history. It is sort of what i am looking
for. It is perfect for me, because I love reading about family, but I
am looking for the same kind of information for the names on my four
generation pedigree chart. I don't know if you have seen the My family
booklets for the four year pedigree, but that is the kind of
information I am looking for. We are planning on doing some family
history work on Thursday so if you are able to send some more before
then, that would be great. Either way I will have some other stuff to
work on during that time so I don't necessarily need anything. I love
you so much. Don't worry too much about the family history info. I
hope that you have an amazing week!
So for my birthday, I am not really sure what I need or want. But
either way I can't wait for a 4th of July package. I love the small
ones the best! The next transfer day is July 14th. I don't know if I
am staying or not. Elder Beck is going home in 2 transfers, so he
could stay and I could go, He could go and I cold stay, or We both
could stay and I could kill him off as well. only a matter of time
till I find out! I love you so much MOM! you are the best of the best!
I hope that you have a great week!
Love
Elder Pennington the younger!

July 15th 2015

Thanks so much for the update on everything that is going on there! I
love reading about the ward back home. I am sorry to hear about the
funerals. I have come to truly love the Plan of Salvation since I have
been out here. The weather is warming up. I think this last week we
actually hit 100 this week. I love it. The humidity is starting to
kick in. I don't like it as much. I think it will get worse since true
summer here is july and august, just like how true winter here is feb
and march. I just don't understand the weather here, the whole seasons
thing. luckily everyone talked up humidity so much that I am less
uncomfortable than I thought I would be.
So the 3 stages for the ipads are 1. intro and syncing the device,
basically getting it and going through some training. 2. AreaBook App.
This is where we are now, We are transferring all of the teaching
records in our area book and putting them on the iPads. A long tedious
process. 3. Facebook. We will be doing online proselyting but we don't
know all that entails.
so I am still district leader. I have a good district. My son is
actually in my district.
Oh and we were able to go to the temple this last thursday. I really
love the temple! I really love the feelings that can only really be
found inside! I only have 6 more months until I am able to go again! I
love you so much MOM! you are the best! Thank you for teaching and
guiding me in my life! I love you! I hope you have a great week!
Love
Elder Pennington the younger

Sent from my iPad

Mission Conference in Pittsburgh

Stake Conference

Picture of Bryant's Zone

June 8th 2015

Thanks for the update! Meagan is growing up so much! and Heidi did
tell me about learning to ride her bike but thanks for letting me know
about how she persevered. I am very happy to hear that she kept on
going even with bruises!
I do remember that sunday school lesson on councils. Thanks for bring
that back to my memory.
I think that this next transfer will be a really good one. I will try
and keep you updated as much as remember to.
I love you so much! I
hope that you have the best week ever!
Love
Elder Pennington the younger
Sent from my iPad

June 4th 2015

I love when I get random pictures of my son from someone I don't know.

Tender mercies like this are awesome!

May 26th and June 1st 2015

June 1st

 

So my visit to Palmyra did not end up happening:( Our ride had to cancel the night before.

We will be doing face-book but not yet. that is phase 3 and we are finishing phase 1 right now. here it is a different experience than in Pittsburgh but the work is about the same. we still are not teaching anyone. but hopefully we can start to get referrals from the members! that would be great! I love you so much MOM! I hope that you have the best week ever now that you have the girls back at home!

 

Love

Elder Pennington the younger

 

May 26th

 

I love you so much! I hope that you had a wonderful week! I am glad that you got a nap! Thank you so much for the update! I did get the package and the cookies were still fresh (I got the package on Wednesday)! I loved the package! my comp is leaving next week, there is a small chance that i get transferred but it is not likely. thank you so much for the thought at the end of your email. I really liked it. It gives a new perspective.

So we did get our I-pads this week! I was technically able to email yesterday but my comp and one of the other elders that we hang out with on p-days did not get i-pads since they are going home, so since the libraries were closed, we are emailing today. I love you so much mom! you are the best and I hope that you have a fantastic week! love you!

Love

Elder Pennington the younger

May 19th 2015

I love you so much MOM! I hope that you have an amazing week!

Love

Elder Pennington the younger

 

May 11th 2015

First, Meagan looks so much like you in those pictures! As beautiful as ever! Second, notice how my face is in the middle of Easton and Meagan!

 

It was so good to talk to you yesterday! I hope that you had an amazing Mothers day! I am sorry to hear that Meagan did not make the team. she did not tell me about it so I won't bring it up! thanks for letting me know! thanks for everything that you do mom!

 

I love you so much! It was so awesome talking to you yesterday! I hope that you have an amazing week!

 

Love

Elder Pennington the younger

May 4th 2015

That is cool and exciting about Brandon and Nathan! will you give them my congratulations and tell them to send me an email so that I can write them back!

I am so excited to talk to you on mothers day! I miss you so much! I am working the time out with dad. I love you so much and can't wait to talk to you.

the Pirates game was pretty cool! I only wish we had been able to see all of it. Oh and someone was pelted in the back of the head with a foul ball. I bet that you could find the video. She may have died by now, I have not received an update on whether or not she will be able to make it. so that part was not very cool!

I love you so much mom! I hope that you have an amazing week!

Love

Elder Pennington the younger

April 27, 2015

I love you so much! I think that I am going to really like my new area! There are a lot of fields and farms! I love it. way different than the city! I am now a drive elder and I have a lot of practice to do! Pennsylvania has a lot of hills! Thank you so much for the update! I love hearing about what is going on! so, we do a lot of service in this new area! I love it so much! I love you so much mom! I hope that you have an amazing week!

Love

Elder Pennington the younger

 

oh and I might be using the card today, if so it will only be about $10. It depends on if the monthly allotment has come in or not. I have done really well with budgeting up until the last few months so, I need to work on that again. but I am excited since I have a walmart in the area now! Love you!

Last week - April 20, 2015

thanks for the update! I love you so much mom! you are amazing! Life is going so fast. I have been out just about 6 months already! what?!!! yeah and I found out that I am being transferred on tuesday:( I will probably be able to send a quick email in the week giving you my new address! Today we get to go to a pirates game so I am pretty excited for that! Oh and I will be the district leader in the new area where I am going. I am nervous about that. I love you so much mom! I hope that you have an amazing week! You are the best!

Love

Elder Pennington the younger

 

One more thing...

Love you! oh and I don't know if I told you this last week, but I made the white sauce 2 more times and it totally worked. Thanks!!!!! if you have any other few ingredient recipes like that or different, I would love to try them. I am getting to be an okay cook and would love to take my dinner hour to practice harder and harder things! Love you so much!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

April 13, 2015

I love you, MOM!

That is sad to hear about Grandma Green. You are absolutely right, the plan of salvation takes away some of the pain knowing about how she gest to be with grandpa green again.

you should send me a picture of the front room! I don't really remember what it looks like.

I love you so much! You are amazing beyond amazing! I was very happy to see the pics that dad sent me last week that had you in them. I hope that you have an amazing week!

Love

Elder Pennington the younger

thanks for everything you do! I can't wait for the ensign! for the yearbook, whatever is easier. some of the missionaries want to know things about me. I love you so much!

April 6th 2015

Hey mom!

I love you so much!

Before I forget transfers are the end of the month, April 21, and I will most likely be transfer but I am hoping not. But hey, even if I am not, the day before we got approved to go to a Pirates baseball game for part of our P-day! so that is exciting.

Thank you for that story about anger, and that chance for a member to do missionary work. I really liked them!

I got to watch all of conference at the church building. it was awesome! I loved conference and had been looking forward to it all week! (oh and it was cool to here from sister Wixom since she spoke while I was in the MTC! it was cool to remember about that). All of conference was just amazing! I loved every bit of it, even when it was pres. packer and I could not understand half of it but could feel the power of his testimony when he was talking about marriage and how having kids is the plan of salvation.

Mom I love you so much! You have been a strength in my life since before the day I was born ;) thank you! I hope that you have an amazing week!

Love

Elder Pennington the younger

Oh and could you send me a copy of conference when it comes out. we will be given a copy for the apartment we are in but I won't be able to mark it up. also could you send out my yearbook. Neither one needs to be anytime soon and the yearbook is not at all a priority so don't worry about it is you can't send it out. I love you so much!!!

March 30, 2015

 

I love you so much mom! I liked that picture of the bird as well! I believe that it is a cardinal so I had to take a picture of it. That was when we were touring down town! My camera works great because I was not even able to see the bird at all since I was not wearing my glasses. the zoom does a really nice job. the picture that I sent you was a cropped zoomed in pic of the picture I took when I was zoomed in all the way! I did not get to try the white sauce again this week since we were pretty busy, but I will be trying it as soon as I can. Don't worry too much if you forget to mail it out.

I love you so much MOM!!!!!!!!!!!! You are the best! thanks for the comics! I love you so much and I hope that you have an amazing week!

Love

Elder Pennington the younger

and...

oh yeah! so we will be watching conference at our church building! I guess that it is typically just the missionaries there (except for priesthood session since our ward has a tradition of having pizza and ice cream right before!)

 I can't wait for conference!

Love you!

March 23, 2015

(This email was to me...)

 

I love you so much!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! My week has been great! thank you for being an amazing example to me in my life and making sure that I gained a testimony of my own! I have felt the help from your prayers. I love you so much for everything that you have done and do for me! I hope you have the most amazing week of your life!

love

Elder Pennington

 

(And Phil got this one...)

 

Thank you for the example that you are. I am currently going through my second time in the Book of Mormon since being out here. I just started 3rd Nephi today. yesterday reading about Samuel the Lamanite was really insightful. Our work as missionaries is never done. Samuel is getting done with serving a mission, he had been preaching and he was headed home. but then he is told to go and preach some more, and he does. And when they would not let him in, he does not just say "oh well, I tried" no he go and climbs a wall. A WALL!! and starts preaching repentance. Some believe him many try to kill him.

One of the things that I learned about missionary work is that we don't always see the fruits of our labors. those that believed did not go to Samuel to repent and be baptized, no they sought out Nephi. Samuel play a certain part in their conversion and Nephi played another. It gave me new resolve to go and open my mouth, and realize that I may just be planting a seed, but if I don't open my mouth, nothing will happen.

I love you so much dad! I hope you have a great week!

Love

Elder Pennington the younger

 

(Phil got the better one... this week. It is just great to hear from him and know he is doing good :)

Mar 16, 2015

Thanks for the update! I love you so much MOM!!!!! I love hearing about how life is going over there.

That is sad to hear about Porter Webb. I find it so sad when it is a situation like that where there is nothing that you can do about it but pray and have faith. I will have him in my prayers.

Sounds like your going to have a great week! a lot of excitement! I love you so much and wish I was there enjoying it with you but I am still loving it out here and I know I still have a work to do here!

I can't wait for conference! It is my first one out here. the first sat session starts at 12. what!!! the priesthood session is at 8 at night. we stay out past curfew just so that we are able to watch it;)

So the package came and I loved it!!! it really brightened my day! Give my many thanks to rustie as well. You are amazing mom and I love you so much!!!!! I look forward to being able to hug you and right now I am working hard so that I will be worthy to hug you when I come back home. You are an amazing example to me in my everyday life and I love you so much!!! I hope you have a great week!

Love

Elder Pennington the younger

Pictures

March 9, 2015

I love you so much! You are amazing! thank you for the update! I really wanted to see when the game stand tall before I left and can't wait till I can. I am glad it lived up to expectation. How was Annie? Was it as good the first?

the baptism was really good! it was very spiritual. I was so happy that day.

I love the Butlers so much. I am so sorry I have not been sending any pictures. I have been forgetting my camera when I go places so I haven't taken any in a while. I am glad that the Butlers are here to pick up a little on the slack of me not taking pictures.

training is a little less stressful now. I am starting to enjoy it more because I am a little more relaxed.

that is an awesome challenge about the videos, I can't wait to watch them!

I love you so much mom! I hope you have an amazing week!

Love

Elder Pennington the younger

Baptism Mar. 4, 2015

March 3, 2015

 

(Above is a picture I was sent this week on my phone from the sister missionary married to the brother on the left. They take good care of the missionaries and I love the random pictures I receive every so often. Bryant's companion is the elder in the middle. Below is Bryant's email to me this week.)

 

Thanks for the update! I love you so much MOM!!! Yeah that was on the way to the baptismal font since we were in the relief society room. the one being baptized is from Africa and they were a couple others there as well, one being her sister, and I guess it is a part of their culture.

Whatever Family history stuff that you think I would like. maybe some small pictures that I could put into my Family History book for each of the people. then just some stories that you have on some of them. I have missed family history and I did not even do all that much of it before we left. I do have my account, and I believe that everyone is currently updated. I could be wrong on that. I know that I do need a death date for grandpa green.

I love you so much mom!!! you are awesome! I enjoy reading your emails so much! I hope that you have an amazing week!

Love Elder Pennington the younger!

Feb. 23, 2015

I love the picture and the joke!!!!! my week was pretty good! Thank you so much for your update! I love you so much! zone training this week and another day it got to like -9 outside and it was supposed to be a blizzard so we were told to not travel as much as we could. I was sick that day so I am just glad it fell on a day that we were not able to do too much anyways. Thank you so much for your Prayers! I love you so much!!! I hope you have an amazing week!

Love
 Elder Pennington, the younger

(I know it's not much, but I'm so glad I get to hear from him and know he's doing good. I also was able to catch him still in email, which is just sweet :) so he replied again with this...)

yeah I am still here! I love you!!!!

Bryants Zone

Feb 16th 2015

Mom,

I did get the Valentines package! thank you so much. I forgot to tell you that I got it last week (I believe the 5th). Thank you so much for the cards and the pictures. the pictures is one way that helps me remember that we are still a family. that even though we are separated right now, that that will not change. We are still a family. Thank you for sharing that quote that someone gave. I needed to hear that.

Not a lot is going on here. We are trying to find people to teach but that is hard due to the weather at times. We have a baptism set for march 7 and I am extremely excited about that one since we have been teaching him since I got here. He is the one that got married last week.

I don't know when the temperature will warm up. It was -6 this morning when we were heading over to the zone leaders place, and right now it is -3. I can't wait until it is back up in the 40's. I miss the heat but being able to withstand the cold has helped me to see Gods hand in my life (one of the many ways).

Let everyone know that I am thinking of them and that they are in my prayers(family and friends)

I love you so much mom! I hope you have an amazing week!

Love

Elder Pennington the younger

Oh and I am trying to send something through email in the next few weeks, just know I have been trying and it is for your birthday. I love you so much I just want you to know that!!

Feb 9th 2015

I love you so much mom! I hope you had an amazing week!

Thanks so much for the update. so training is fun in a weird way. I have really had a chance to view a lot of my weaknesses. I have learned a ton already. My companion is great. I have no clue how to describe him. This last week was really all about Saturday. Saturday our ward had a wedding and a baptism. The wedding was ours on the north side and the baptism was the other elders in our ward. Ed and angel got married. Angel is a member (convert of about 7 years or so I think) and Ed is one of our two investigators. He is so awesome. He has a baptism set for February 28. He has made a lot of improvement in the gospel even before we started to teach him. The lord Prepared him for this time in his life. 

I love you so much, mom! You are amazing!!! I hope that you have an amazing week!

Love

Elder Pennington the younger

oh yeah, The baptismal service was a lot like a baptist baptism apparently (that is what our bishop told us.) I can't describe it. It was the best.

Feb. 2nd 2015

So to start off, my companion is great. his name is Elder Taylor. This week has been extremely weird now that Elder Dennison is gone. I can't wait to feel like everything is in control again. There is so much more on my shoulders now. I am not complaining, I just have to figure out how to handle everything. It is different running an area. one week down, and the future will only be better:)

I love you so much mom. you are so amazing!!!! It is good to here that your calling is going well. both callings. I hope that you can continue to see the blessings that come from your callings. Will your class always have 20 kids? or was it just for yesterday?

so I tried to send of a letter to Porter with those one stamps and it came back. I had one of my Christmas cards and a some letter. Was that too much weight for the stamp. I will keep trying to send it out. It was supposed to be sent out before Christmas:) 

I love you so much mom!!!! Thank you for the example you have been in life. I hope you have a great week!

Love

Elder Pennington the younger

Jan 26th 2015

So, I am excited for getting my new comp. I am also nervous. I found out yesterday that I was for sure staying in the area and that I will be training. I find out who my companion is tomorrow.

The work is going pretty well. we got a pretty awesome new investigator this week. He has taken the lessons before and had gotten really close with the missionaries. He was a referral from the old Bishop of this ward who just wanted us to go check on them. The investigator understands he is at a different place in his life so he is really awesome.

yeah, so I used the card to get some ingredients for the cookies and then quarters for laundry. I was planning on using my mac card, but when I went to pay I could not find it. So I used that one and then found the other after I got out of line. I am just telling you that so you don't have to worry about me starving out here. I have done pretty well with budgeting the money we get (I learned quickly since Elder Dennison has had a lot of experience with using his money wisely and also not using his money wisely:).  (oh and I almost didn't remember the pin, so you may see me using a little of the money every now and then just so I don't forget the number (haha)

I love you so much!!! Thank you for all you do and have done for me. You are amazing!!!

Love

Elder Pennington the younger

Jan 20th 2015

(This isn't much, but I am grateful to hear from him.)

 

Thanks for the recipe!! I have been meaning to get it from you since Christmas. Just to let you know, it threw me off a little when you mention the Butlers because that is the name of the senior couple in our area. They are awesome and when you said "the Butlers say hi" I thought you had talked to them :) It is good to hear about the Butlers. I have not thought about them in a while. I miss spending time with their family.

So my companion goes home Jan 28th. I get my new companion the day before. These last few weeks have been good mixed with trunkiness.

I love you so much mom!!! I hope you have a great week!

LOVE

Elder Pennington the younger

More Christmas

For Christmas, Bryant's mission president challenged all the missionaries to make this Christmas unforgettable, "We asked them to seek out those who might be overlooked at Christmas and offer them a gift of their hearts."  Bryant's zone went to a senior community center and served lunch, sang Christmas carols with them and sat and visited. And oh course, I did not find this out from him, no mention of it during our Christmas call or emails. Just pictures posted on a blog where the mission president posts a little of what's going on in the mission.

I'm thinking, that could be Bryant at the counter in back.

Yep, that looks like him, behind in the back.

Now I know it's him, and he's avoiding the camera.

There's my son. I love him.

Christmas

From the MTC

 

Emails from the Beginning

Here are the emails thus far that Bryant has sent to me, his mom. I know, its a lot of I love you's, and I love it :)

Nov 10, 2014
I wish I had more time to write. My address is ....... Pittsburgh PA 15233. I love you. Please send out the address to others. I will be able to respond to letters. love you so much.
please tell everyone I love them.
love,
Elder Pennington

Nov 18, 2014

I love you so much mom! You are amazing! Some time soon, if you could send me the jacket I was so sad to leave. I don't always have to wear a suit and that jacket can fit under the jacket I already have! I am going to need as many layers as I can get. If you can't send the jacket that is okay but it is worth asking for! It is pretty cold out here and I really hope I adjust pretty soon. (enough anyway).  I love you so much! It has snowed a little, but apparently if it gets too cold here, it can't snow so yeah! I hope that I snows a lot just because of that little detail :) I love you mom
love,
Elder Pennington the younger

 

Nov 24, 2014

I love you mom! I sent a letter this morning so you should be getting it in the next couple of days, (unless I did something wrong with it). I love the jacket and the hat. The sad part is that this is technically easing into winter. I will survive out though. I have already adjusted a little. It is warmer today than it has been (62 degrees) and it feels great. When I first got here it was warmer and I was cold. So there is hope. I don't think I talked too much about my companion in the letter I sent, but I will be sending another this week. I will probably be sending it around Wednesday or Thursday, so be looking for that. I love you so much mom!
Love
Elder Pennington the younger

 

Dec 1, 2014

How are you doing Mom! I love you so much! Everything is Going great here! Thanksgiving was fun. We had two thanksgiving dinners, but that was more than enough. I only wish I had been able to spend it with you guys. Thanks for feeding the missionaries. For time wise, we don't have a lot of time but we just got a library card when we got here and use that to log on and use the internet. We don't have to pay. I am looking forward to the package and the letters. Thank you so much. Anything, no matter how big, will help keep a smile on my face, so thank you! Yeah I will try and write to you about the person from south Africa in a letter. He was baptized at the end of my third week here. It was a cool experience. I love you so much! I hope you have an amazing week!

love

Elder Pennington the younger

 

A little more about thanksgiving, because I have a little more time. There was a lot of food and it was really good at the first dinner. The second dinner we had was two families combined. One from Porto Rico and the other was the family from South Africa that I have talked a little about. There was tons of food and it was really good and cultural. I loved thanksgiving but it would have been better to have it with you. I hope you have a great week mom!

 

 



Dec 8, 2014

You don't have to worry about the letters. The Christmas package was great! I hope that you had a great week! How are you doing? Things are going really well here. I have really enjoyed getting to know the area. Thank you for everything that you have done for me. I love you so much! Oh and by the way did you get that picture I sent you? I tried it through the camera but i don't have any way of telling whether it worked or not. I hope you have a great week! I love you so much!
Love
Elder Pennington the younger

 

Dec 15, 2014

I love you so much mom! I am getting used to the cold more. People say that it has not been getting as cold this year (they also keep saying that January is the coldest  month so this may be talking to soon). It has been staying pretty consistently around the 30's. It does not seem as cold as it once did. I loved catching you last week as well. I have really enjoyed being out here, but miss you all! I will send as many pics as I can throughout the week when I am at the church. I have to send them one by one and it takes a few minutes for each one to send, but it works okay. I believe that I will be talking to you through Skype. I don't know the details yet but I will try and find out for you as soon as I can. I love you so much mom! I hope you have an amazing week!

Love

Elder Pennington the younger

(can't wait for the letter! I will write back as soon as I get it!) 

 

Dec 22, 2014

I love you so much MOM! You are the best. Thanks for the update! So for Christmas skyping will most likely be anywhere from 12-2 here. I am not too sure on the time because four of us missionaries will be using the same computer. Worse case, I would love to just talk to you on the phone. since the other three have been away longer, I will be letting them go first. I love you so much and can't wait to talk to all of you. thank you for everything you have done! Love you!
Love
Elder Pennington the younger

 

Dec 29, 2014

Hey Mom!

I love you so much! I was really nice talking to you on Christmas! Yeah, we were only supposed to take one hour at the most, but the Butlers did not seem to know that and the other missionaries were just planning on taking two hours! Tell everyone that I miss them as well! I have not gotten Rustie's package yet, but I hope it comes today. Could you get me their address so that I can send them my Christmas card too. Even if it is after Christmas. Thank you so much for everything that you do! You are amazing! I love you MOM!

Love

Elder Pennington the Younger

 

I have a little more time, so that bridge was not closed down. We were there waiting a while for it to clear then one of us would run out there and another would take the picture. We were there for a while :) And for the pictures I have figured out a way that will work, you will just be getting pictures less often for a while. So I will send them to myself on district meeting days and on P-days I will forward them to you with captions. I hope that works! I love you so much mom! you are amazing!

 

Jan 5, 2015

I love you So much MOM! you are the best!!! So, I did get your package! Thank you so much for sending that. I finally got Rusties  package this last Wednesday. It is all beat up and had dirt and grass on it. My guess is that when it was delivered that it was delivered to the front of the house, and we enter by the side of the house because that is where the stairs are to get up to the third floor. It probably went unnoticed and as soon as the person on the first floor noticed they placed it by the mail boxes (just inside the side door).

We really did not celebrate NEW YEARS too much but it was still exciting. This is a whole new world from Arizona. I love it but it is different.

I love you so much MOM! You are amazing!!!!

Love Elder Pennington the younger

 

Jan 12, 2015

I love you so much mom! I hope that you had a great week!

It is good to hear that Mason is still doing really well! You probably did tell me about Matthew, life here just seems like it is going on forever and so much stuff is happening that I forget some of the little things.

Real Estate? nice! let me know how everything turns out! What are you considering going back to school for?

I love you so much MOM! you are the best! thanks for everything you have and are doing for me!

Love

Elder Pennington the younger

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