to really be working for something

November 8, 2010
MTC, Provo, Utah

Well, what a week guys.  It was pretty crazy.  It's all slowed down, but in a way it's all sped up. It's a pace I can take, but it hardly seems like a week ago that I wrote you.

M. Russell Ballard spoke to us last Tuesday night. It was very cool.

Tagalag is going pretty well.  I have one teacher that I especially enjoy.  His name is Brother Welch, and he is a great teacher.  I learn quite a bit each day.  It's crazy to look back at the morning and see what you didn't know then.

We've been teaching the missionary lessons.  It's been ok.  I'm pretty smooth at them. We even started a progressive investigator, much the chagrin of my companion.

I kind of like it here.  Some things are tough, but it's nice to really be working for something.  It is tough for me to study when others are horsing around.  It’s like I'm pretty serious here - It's kind of crazy. I'm the same person I've always been. That won't change.  I know that, but I have become more responsible and hard working.  Working at the gun range would seem like cake now. 

I don't really like horseplay except for in appropriate settings. So when it is an appropriate setting, I fool around.  It's kind of a more reverent Groucho Marx type humor. Like the other day, I wrestled with Elder Doig, just for fun. 

I sing “Nearer My God to Thee” all day long.  It's the best.  I've arranged that song for violin, piano, and two part harmony. It sounds really good.  We're going to sing it in sacrament meeting soon. I have to finish it though.  Elder Thayne and I really like to sing.  We do it a lot.  Yesterday before church we went on splits so we could go work out “Nearer My God to Thee” with a piano.  Later that day we sat on the temple grounds with a few other elders who like to sing and we sang hymns, in harmony. It was a great day yesterday. 

Elders Waggoner & Thayne

A couple days ago we had a large group meeting. There was a piano and violin overture. Elder Thayne and I got up and pretended to be playing it while everyone came in.  See, I'm not so high strung. 

Thank you so much for the letters.  They are really nice to receive. 

I'm having trouble thinking of what happened this week.



Elders Lowry & Waggoner



Well, Elder Lowry is our zone leader.  He's the best.  I get along with him about as good as I get along with Ed.  He loves the Avett Brothers, he's form Athens, GA.  He's a great guy.  At lunch we sit together, and in the evening he's comes in to my room and we talk about whatever.  It's nice to get along with someone so well.  Sometimes at gym we run together and sing the Avett Brothers.  There is a lot of singing here. A lot.

Earlier today we went to the temple again. We did sealings. A lot of the names were from the Philippines.  One of them that I did was from Oklahoma, and the last name was Guthrie!  It wasn't Woody Guthrie, but it was still cool. 

Annie and Sarah have been great thus far.  (Dad’s note: Sarah and Annie have frequently mailed cookies, cupcakes, and letters.)  My roommates are so jealous.  It's funny.  I haven’t gotten a letter from Ed yet.

I'm so excited for Ben getting his call to Germany.  I'm really happy for him. 

  

There is an Elder Shroedter here from Jeffersonville, Indiana.  Maybe Dad, you know his dad?  (Dad’s note: Yes, I do.)  He's a good guy.  I run into Justin Roundy a lot.  The other day, Justin told my companion a story about my first mutual in Las Vegas, and how i punched that guy in the nose.  (Dad's note: It was an accident in a swimming pool - at least that's what we were told at the time.)  My companion was stunned.

It's nice to hear from you guys. I really hope you send me more letters. 

I'm stoked for New Years in the Philippines. It's anarchy, with homemade bazooka style fireworks.

Love, Nate