Fresh Air from Nathan!

10/25/10

Dear Family,

I am sorry I have not written the past few days.  We have been very busy.  We learned some stuff at Zone Conference that will help our area.  We are trying to get it going.

Today we got a little snow!  It was very windy yesterday, and when we got up this a.m. there was about 2 inches!  Most of it melted away.

How have you all been?
What has the weather been like?

10/29/10

Dear Family,
Today we had interviews with President Miller.  He gave us some advice for our area.  He met with both of us at the same time.  Afterwards, I talked to him alone for a few minutes.

Elder Perisich is a good missionary.  He does not break the rules, but has been out for awhile and is not very motivated.  For example, I know how to plan very well.  I have been taught how to plan by the head of the missionary department.  When I first got to this area, Elder Perisich did not plan.  Well, I have been slowly gaining his trust, and teaching him how to plan (without him knowing).

So, anyway, if we want to keep our car, we have one month to get this area busy!  That has helped Elder Perisich get motivated!

Anyway it has been a good day so far (I'm on lunch).

11/3/10

Dear Family,
Today was p-day.  I really enjoyed "chatting" with you today via email.

We have a lesson at 6pm, a lesson with some YM/YW at 7pm and another lesson at 8!  Tonight is going to be very busy!

Well, tonight did not go as planned.  First, I thought Elder Perisich was going to invite Chuck to be baptized as we planned.  He did not.  At first I was upset but I calmed down and learned a good lesson.  If you want something done, do it yourself.

Okay, second, our lesson w/the twins got cancelled.  Hopefully it should be on for tomorrow.

And third, my first real problem w/Elder Perisich is getting close.  He is planning on visiting some members he knows very well.  The problem is it is not in our area, it is not on p-day, it is not a good time, and he doesn't not have permission!  Don't worry, I'm going to talk to our district leader tomorrow.  He will most likely do an exchange and Elder Perisich won't go.  So, I am kind of upset, I am willing to work hard and Elder Perisich does not seem like he careas as much as I do.

It will all be okay.  I just have to work with it.  It is just part of being on a mission I guess.  I know It will get better.

11/5/10

Dear Family,

Okay, so I was kind of in a bad mood last time I wrote.  Thast problem was solved pretty easy.  Elder Perisich just asked for some permission and got it.

I am not mad at him.  Contention drives aways the spirit.  I thought about rewriting this page, but you should see and know what's going on.

Okay, so yesterday we went tracking.  We knocked on this one door and some guy invites us in.  He told us he is Catholic but said we could come over any time to talk to him.  We set up a  time for today.  It went well.  He is going to take some time.  His name is Mike and he is in his late 30's or 40's.

Tonight we had dinner with a cool family.  The dad is part chinese and samoan.  His wife is white and from UT. He went to school for accounting and also got his MBA.  He talked to me about business for awhile.

After that, we helped a family move.  The Bishop asked us to help.

Then, we stopped by some bishops.  We talked to the bishop of one of our YSA wards about Simon and Colin.  Then we talked to Bishiop Fillmore in the Cobble Creek 4th ward about a less-acive 12 year old who wants to get the priesthood.  He is a very good bishop. 

He is very excited about missionary work.  He is working hard to get people for us to teach.

Anyway, that was today, tomorrow we are going on exchanges.  I will be going with our district leader .  It will not be overnight, so I will write more tomorrow.

Love you very much,
Nathan

11/8/10 - Monday

Dear Family,
Yesterday was Sunday.  We were very busy.  We had a lot of meetings to go to.  It was very helful to have the car.

Today was kind of slow.  Not many people were home.  It was also cold, wet and rainy.

I am working on letters for each of you.  I will send them all together this time!

I love you all very much!  You all mean SO much to me.  I pray for you every night.
God bless,
Nathan
You
Always
Make
Me
Smile!

Baptisms and such

9/13/10 Monday

Dear Family,
Today was p-day.  Thank you so much for the surprise!  I was amazed! (Me:I have no idea what surprise he's talking about lol)

9/18/10
Dear Family,
I am so sorry I have not written this past week.  We were on exchanges this week on one of the days.  Other than that, we have been very busy. 

Today we had a baptism.  It was for a 9 year old girl named Annie G.  Her family is kind of less active.  We are trying to get them to church.  They wanted her to get baptized but they never come to church.

Tomorrow we are giving a talk.  It is on member missionary work.  I hope it goes well.

I have to go, I have a few more things I need to do for my talk.

Love,
Nathan

9/21/10

Dear Family,
I am going to write the names of the people we have baptized so far:

8/7/10 -    Alexandria Z. age 13
8/19/10 -  Kayden N. age 8.  I did the confirmation
8/27/10 -   Wyatt Clark age 9, I did the baptism
8/28/10 Cahlyn H. age 9
8/29/10 - Jordon L, age 22
9/4/10 Cheyanne S, age 11
9/18/10 Andrea (Annie) G, age 9
9/25/10 Anne C, age 40ish.

Alecandria was my first baptism.  She lives with her aunt and uncle.  Her dad used to be "anti", he is better now.  Her mom is  less active.  Alex is doing great! She gave a talk in church 2 weeks ago.  She acts like she has been a member all her life.

Kayden, age 8
We taught Kaden and his less active mom.  They asked me to do the confirmation.

Wyatt age9
The family is great.  They are less active and love the missionaries.  All of their kids have been taught and baptized by missionaries.

So far, they are still coming to church.

Anyway, they love us and asked me to do the baptism and Elder Harman to do the confirmation.

Cahlyn, age 9

Caylyn's dad is not a member, her mom is less active.  Now her mom is coming every week.

Jordan age 20ish

We found Jordon through his now mother-in-law.  He was dating a member, now they are just back from their honeymoon.

He was ready, he understood everything.  He is great!

Cheyanne, age 11th
Cheyanne has a lot of friends who are members.  Her mom, sister and brother are not.  We hopefully will be teaching them soon.

Annie, age 9

Her family is less active, however they love the missionaries.  They don't really come to church as much as they should.

I am so sorry I have not written much the past few weeks.  This past week has been crazy!  I have been on exchanges 3 times in the 6 days.

We had another baptism on Saturday.  We baptized Anne C.  I sent you the picture.

Today they made some changes in the mission.  Starting on Oct 11th, p-days will be on Wednesday.

Transfers are this Wednesday.  It is kind of exciting. 

I love you all very much.  
Love,
Nathan

"Busy hands are happy hands"

9/13/10  (We got puppies so Nathan is responding to that)

"You got dogs!! HOW!  Tell me about it!!  How big to they get? I have no idea for a name. Button sounds good, I think a one word name may be easier.

I am soooooo surprised!!!!!!

Okay, the tie I was wearing was my new tie from missionary mall.  It is great!

Could you please send be 2 things?  One, could you send my old scriptures. They have lots of great scriptures marked, and it would be nice to have 2 sets.  Second, could you please find my priesthood line of authority?  It would be great to get it.

I will send pics very soon.  I will try to get some ready today.  I am thinking  I can email them to you next week.  That way you get them sooner.

I am doing very well.  We are very busy.  Yesterday, President Miller came to one of our stakes and did a training for all the Bishops, the Stake presidency, and the Ward Mission Leaders.  After the amazing training, he met with the Stake Presidency. They told him we are the best missionaries they have had in their stake for as long as they can remember.  They told him the last missionaries were very bad, and we have turned it all the way around.  He called us and told us all of this, and then said he was very proud, and we made his day!

I love you very much!

Letters from Nathan

8/22/10 - Dear Family,

Today was Sunday.  It was kind of hard.  Church was great, but two of our lessons fell through.  It is okay.  We found someone we may be teaching soon.

8/24/10  Dear Family,

Today was transfers and district meeting period.  Elder Harman and I are staying here, but Elder Harman is now a district leader.  I will be able to learn a lot this way.  We are going to be moving soon.  We will be living in our area, and we should be keeping our car!!  Okay, I need to get ready for bed.

8/25/10  Dear Farmily,

Today was GREAT!!  We taught 4 lessons, it was very busy!!!  I'm going to work on my letters for friends.

8/29/10  Dear Family,

I'm sorry I haven't written the past few days.  We have had a few crazy days.  On Friday I went to Temple Square.  Pres.Miller took us through the SLC temple!  We are the first set of new missionaries to go to the SLC temple!  It was amazing!!  I took a lot of pictures!  On Friday night we had a baptism. I did the baptism.  On Saturday, we had two baptisms, we have been very busy!

8/30/10  Dear Family,

This past Wed was transfers, Elder Harman and I are staying together.  Today was p-day.  For some reason, the internet was having problems.  It may have been because of the weather.  We taught a lesson tonight, it went well, we taught the plan of salvation.  I love you all and pray God will bless you!

9/2/10
Dear Family,
Today was a good day.  We taught two lessons.  It went well.  I am starting to get used to life as a missionary and I am really enjoying this.  I love doing this!  I love you very much!  I think about you every day!

9/5/10
Today was great, I saw _____ at church!  That was wonderful!  Yesterday we had another baptism it went very well. I love you all very much!

9/6/10
Dear Family,
Today is p-day.  Tomorrow we are moving to our new house.  I will be sure to take plenty of pictures at both places.

9/7/10  Dear Family,
Today we moved into our new place.  It is very nice!!  I will send you pictures soon.  I am sorry I didn't have much time to write to you on email today, moving was crazy! 

9/11/10  Dear Family,
Today I am going to send out this letter.  I am sorry for how long it took me to send it.  We have been very busy the past week.  We moved into our new place, are getting settled and had a mission tour yesterday.  The mission tour is like a conference.  Elder Grow of the seventy spoke to us, it was great!!!  I hope all is well wilth all of you.  I love you very much!! Love, Nathan

"Declaration of Independence by Ezra Taft Benson"

"May I...pay honor to the founders of our beloved republic.

The Declaration of Independence to which these great men affixed their signatures is much more than a political document.  It constitutes a spiritual manifesto-revelation, if you will - declaring not for this nation only, but for all nations, the source of man's rights.

Nephi, a Book of Mormon prophet, foresaw over 2300 years ago, that this event would transpire.  The colonies he saw would break with Great Britain and that 'the power of the Lord was with (the colonists), "  that they 'were delivered by the power of God out of the hands of all other nations.' (1Nephi 13:16, 19)

The Declaration of Independence was to set forth the moral justification of a rebellion against a long-recognized political tradition - the divine right of kings.  At issue was the fundamental question of whether men's rights were God-given or wheher these rights were to be dispensed by governments to their subjects.  This document proclaimed that all men have certain inalienable rights.  In other words, these rights came from God.  Therefore, the colonists were not rebels against policial authority, usurping power.  They were thus morally justified to do what they did."

("Our Priceless Heritage", Ensign, November 1976, 33

"Fresh air" i.e. received Nathan's first snail mail letters and journal entry!! Awesome!

Journal entry: 6/23/10
Today is my first day at the MTC.  It is amazing!  The Spirit is very strong.  It is very cool.  I saw Luke (Zsembery) at dinner.  This place is very organized.  Every minute has a purpose.  I know I'm doing the right thing.

6/24/10
Today we met our branch presidency.  They are truly men of God.  I was called to be a senior companion.  Halfway through our time here, we switch so we both get a chance.

There are three other elders in our district that are going to the same mission as I am.  Elder Kurtz is from CA, Elder Huber is from TX and my companion, Elder Bartlett is from Alabama.  He has an interesting story.  He is the only member of the church in his family.  He has only been a member for a year and a half.

6/25/10
Today we had a huge fireside.  Elder Oaks spoke to us.  After that, we got to meet our mission president.  That was amazing.  The funny thing is, he and his wife are not the ones in the picture (that came in his mission call).

6/26/10
I feel I have grown so much the last few days.  When I first got here I thought I would have to read or memorize all the lessons in Preach My Gospel.  I have learned that is not true.  The purpose of Preach My Gospel is for me to learn the doctrine.  After we learn the doctrine, we are able to teach with the Spirit.

Fresh air

We received Nathan's first email today.  We call it "fresh air" because it was so absolutely wonderful to hear from him.  Six days is a long time.  Here it is...
"Nathan: " Hi family  I loved the package you sent me. I got it on friday, and opened it. I was touched by all the thought you put into it. Every gift meant alot to me. For some reason, the computer I am on does not let me hit "enter". Thank you for your prayers, I can feel your love and support. Thank you for using Dear Elder.It helps so much. I am able to recieve the letters, and think about how I am going to reply. Ok, as for GA's we had a huge meeting on Friday night. Elder Oaks spoke to us. on the stand were 8 of the 12. I saw Elders Christoferson, Holland, Ballard. That is all I have seen, the main building was pretty much in lockdown this past week. In the last week, every member of the First Presidency, and the 12 have been here. I have not seen any one else but who was at that meeting. I am running out of time for email, they cut us off after 30 min. I will be sending regular letters to each of you today.  Love eternally, Elder Nathan Phillip Watrous P.s. my p day is on tuesdays. I have a few minutes left, I will use that later to here what you write back.)

MTC Update

Hey everyone! I wanted to let all of you know that while I am at the MTC, I am not able to send any emails anyone but my family.  I can still write letters. I would love to hear from you.    Check my blog for my mailing address.

NOTICE: This email message is for the sole use of the intended recipient(s) and may contain confidential and privileged information. Any unauthorized review, use, disclosure or distribution is prohibited. If you are not the intended recipient, please contact the sender by reply email and destroy all copies of the original message.

Nathan's MTC address, he'd love to hear from everyone! :)

Elder Nathan Phillip Watrous


MTC Mailbox # 238

UT-SLCS 0714

2005 N 900 E

Provo, UT 84604-1793

Lori's Update

We had a beautiful Sabbath with Nathan's farewell and lovely luncheon with friends and family following. Monday a.m. Nathan was "set apart" as a full-time missionary by Pres.Clark and Dennis. Aunt Heather, Amberlynn and Landon and I were there and it was an amazing blessing! Spent precious time together as a family on Mon and ended it with a beautiful visit with Mr. and Mrs. Benedict. Tues at 4:30a.m left for airport, arrived safely with beautiful view of mtns, warm temps and lots of sunshine! We love our mtns and our relaxing time together with Nathan. We love our hotel and they welcomed "their" missionary when we arrived. Dinner together and breakfast together at hotel - delish!We're going to SLC together, and then to the MTC so Nathan can start his mission - we call it "Rescue Mission 104" because he only has 104 weeks to love and share and serve our Heavenly Father's children all day, every day! Thank you to all who have shared this amazing experience with us and PLEASE write to ...Nathan, it'll mean a lot!!

Missionary farewell

Hey everyone!

Today was my missionary farewell. I was deeply touched and moved by the love and support that was shown to me today. 

Tomorrow, I  get set apart at 7:30am.  After that, I will be officially on my mission.

If anyone wants to keep in touch with me, you can email with me at nathan.watrous@myldsmail.net.  If you want to follow me and keep updated, you can view this blog, or follow me on Facebook (my mom will be running it) http://www.facebook.com/home.php?#!/profile.php?id=100000265103927

God bless you all,

Elder Nathan Watrous

It's a Party!!!

Hi everyone! I will be having my missionary farewell on June 20th at my church.  You are all personally invited.  My family and I will be giving talks during the normal worship service at 9:30am. We also will be having a luncheon at 12:30pm.

Directions: Follow route 31 to route 14.  Take a right, go over the bridge, pass the VFW (on your right), turn left at cemetery (Sohn Alloway Road). After you turn left, you will see the Church up on the left.  Go to the first entrance on the left . For more directions, click here.


Please RSVP by calling me at 315-946-1111 or by emailing me at npw2005@verizon.net

Having you share this time with me is very special and meaningful to all of us!

p.s. my Mom is a GREAT cook!  Come and enjoy her yummy food! :)

My last day at work

Today was a bitter-sweet day, I punched out for the last time at work. I know today opens a new chapter of my life, but I can't help but feel a bit sad for the chapter I am now closing. I enjoyed my time at Wal-Mart, both in lawn and garden, and in produce. I will miss everyone. I made some wonderful friendships that I hope will continue for years to follow.