Link to YouTube Video when Nathan received his Mission Call on November 27th, 2012

I'm bad. This should have been the first post but oh well.  Here is a link to Nathan opening his call to the Rome, Italy Mission. It is a fun video to watch.  Here is the link to YouTube.

First Email from the Mission or MTC

Ciao e Salute mi familgia! Come stai?

How are you guys doing. I apologize for not emailing you on Monday, but my P-Days are on Thursday here at the MTC, so you'll only get an email from me then. If you're wondering why that is, well, if everyone had P-Day on Monday, we'd never get anything done. HAHA!

I'm so glad to hear from you guys, and love that you're doing well. Honestly, it's been really fun here. I haven't been homesick so much because I don't find myself focusing on what's going on at home. Have I lost myself in the work? Honestly no, but I'm doing the best I can do. It's rather interesting that out of all the things I've been learning in the last week (and there is a lot), I've really been learning how to listen to the Spirit, and having guide me to teach others to what their needs are. We're not actually teaching any investigators, but we are teaching teachers who have friends who are investigators. They really take on the role, they don't roleplay, but they are the investigator, and I love that. My last lesson I got hit with a left, and had to do an inpromto lesson on "why should I get baptized?" That was really fun and testing, but I felt it went great.

Okay, in case you haven't gotten my letters yet, yes, I have a pair of jeans. I'm missing my big laundry bag for my colored clothes, and if you can send me another shirt and some hair paste or hair gel (paste is my preference) that would be lovely. Also for the care package, I really don't care about the contents, as long as it's stuff I like. You should know.

My companion is Anziano Teichert (tie-ker), an athletic cowboy from Wyoming. Seriously. He played football, wrestled, and works on a family ranch. Opposite end of the spectrum from me am I right. But we get along really well, shockingly enough. I don't know if that's because I've been blessed with the gift to make friends easily, or just because we're two young Anziani thrown together into the fire and had to bond quickly to survive, but we are pretty good friends.

Actually, I lucked out here at the MTC. My dorm mates are the greatest. We all get along really well, and laugh a lot. And our district is very, very close. We basically do everything together, from eating, to studying, to even doing the laundry like I am today, right now in fact. So, overall I lucked out.

Oh and Mom, don't worry, I'm keeping my area of the dorm nice and clean and organized. Shocking, I know, but I'm managing it. Don't worry, you've taught me enough to get on my own, and you will always be able to take comfort in that fact.

Faith has gotten me so far here, and when supplemented with works has been one of the greatest things I've ever experienced. I know that the Lord is blessing all of us, each in our own endavors (sic), and that he will strengthen us and will never give us more than we can handle. 

I love you all, and I wish you to know that I have never been more sure of what I'm doing in my life. 

Arriverderci for now,

Anziano Eads

Entering the MTC: Wednesday March 20th, 2013

Nathan, or Elder(Anziano) Eads across from the MTC. 

     Well, Thursday March 20th, 2013 came quickly.  In November it was like yesterday when Nathan received his mission call. For those who haven't seen that November 27th, 2012 experience, here is a link to my public Drop Box where you can watch it. What a night and how excited Nathan was and we all were.  Jumping forward to December, on the 21st of December, 2012, Nathan took out his endowments at the Logan Temple in Logan, Utah. The Logan Temple holds deep significance for Lynda's (his Mom's) family.  Lynda, Nathan's mom, was adopted and sealed to her parents there. Lynda's parents, Nathan's maternal grand-parents were sealed in Logan as were Nathan's ancestors on his maternal side. Nathan actually has an ancestor who helped to build the Logan Temple in the 1800's.  Here are some pictures of the day Nathan took out his endowment. 

Here is Nathan outside the Logan Temple. 

 Nathan and his Mom. 

Nathan and his Mom and Dad. 

Nathan and his "older" sister Kendra. 

Well, that was a very personal and wonderful day for all of us.  Nathan was talked to by the Temple President as were the three other missionaries who were in the Temple that day.  Nathan loves the tie he is wearing. He wears it again to the MTC on the day her reported.  One thing about Nathan that is missed very much is his upbeat and positive personality and that wonderful, large smile. His smile is contagious. 

Well from that December day til March, time flew by.  A Super Bowl loss by his Dad's 49ers, a Valentine's Day Holiday and finally a St. Patrick Day Sabbath where Nathan delivered a talk on the atonement in sacrament meeting.  I have the talk and just need to figure out how to make it public on iTunes if others want to listen to it. It was an absolutely wonderful talk, one of the best I've heard in quite a while even if Dad is a little bias, others also felt so who don't have that bias.  

On Tuesday, March 19th, Nathan's Dad (me) took the day off work and together, the two, father and son spent one last day together. We went to the temple and then Nathan went to a Gamestop and bought a refurbished iPod shuffle since that with a speaker he is allowed to have.  We went home and spent the evening together as Nathan started to pack. On Wednesday, March 20th, Nathan finished packing. I made a video of that and you can see that from my Drop Box located at this link.  Sorry it is sideways at times. I gave Nathan a final father's blessing before we left, and then we drove down to Provo, Utah, about 35 minutes away.  

Across from the Missionary Training Center, where Nathan or Anziano Eads is going to spend the next six weeks, is a parking lot. Next to the parking lot is a trail that leads up to the Provo Temple and as a family we went up there and took pictures as we did our final conversations.  Here are the pictures: 

 Anziano Eads on the trail that leads to the Provo Temple, the spiral is in the back, just off of the left shoulder and arm of Nathan. 

 Nathan and his Mom. 

 Nathan, Mom and Dad

 Nathan, Mom and Dad with a poise that Nathan often has. 

 Nathan and his sister, Kendra

 Nathan and his Dad. 

Mom, Nathan, Kendra and Dad, one last family shot. 

Anziano (Elder) Nathan Daniel Eads

Well, that is a short snippet of Nathan's journey to March 20th when he entered the MTC.  Nathan has worked so hard, dedicated so much of his time in preparation and class attendance and in service to prepare him for this experience. I have to admit as his Dad, and as a man who wears his emotions openly on his shoulder, I really, REALLY miss him! I know that what he is doing is such a wonderful thing having done it myself. The highs, the lows, the successes, the personal growth and the opportunity to share what we hold so dear to others is a tremendous experience. However, as his father, I love him so much and I miss doing things with him and just having him around the home.  Well, the good news for Nathan is he is free from the gluten free requirement in our home for the next two years. On the other side of the coin, when he comes home he will have to readjust to that!  Well, I pray that our Father and our Savior watches over him, keeps him safe and returns him in two years to us, older, wiser and a spiritual giant.  He's well on his way to the last one already. God speed Anzino Eads! 

Either Lynda or I will be posting here as we receive pictures and letters from Nathan to share with family and friends  Thank you for being Nathan's friends, family and loved ones and for keeping up with him.