Christmas was good. Thank you for the package. The music will be good. We listen to a lot of the same things over and over and it can get a bit boring. Thank Cassi for the Jamba card. My companion and I searched for the nearest Jamba Juice on his GPS, and it is over 50 miles away. I guess I will have to wait to be transferred before I get reunited with the Orange Dream Machine.
Time has to be the weirdest thing on the mission. Days seems to drag on and feel like weeks, but next thing you know it has been another week and I'm writing home again.
We have been doing quite a bit of teaching. We are teaching the Elders Quorum President's, Bro Green's, children. They live with their mother most of the time, and it sounds like she isn't very fond of the church. We taught them about the restoration, and they seemed pretty standoffish. Brother Green invited us over to teach them again during the week. He is one of the most humble men I have ever met. He gave up a very successful custom woodwork buisness in Utah, and moved down to Texas to live where he could have visitaion with his children. He still does custom wood work, pool tables, furniture, and rocking horses, but now he lives in a shop in downtown Gainesville. It is cold and he only has a makeshift restroom and kitchen. We brought over a movie and watched it with the kids and then we all went over and played vollyball at the church. They seemed quite a bit more receptive.
We also had an appointment with an investigator we hadn't met yet. Her name is Crystal and she is the mother of three children. She had been meeting with the elders before we got here. We went over and taught a first lesson. Afterwords we were talking and she said that she knew that the Book of Mormon was true, but didn't want to lose all of her friends from her old church. I think next time we will teach her about the importance of baptism.
We got a phone call early in the week and it sounds like we will be getting a new ward mission leader---darn. We had just gotten confortable with the first one. Oh well, we will get used to the new one.
Love,
Elder Rindlisbacher
PS: I hope you guys are having fun in Utah. Let everyone know that I love them and miss them alot.
Thursday, December 31, 2009
Thursday, December 24, 2009
Singing Elders -- Christmas Eve
Today the library is closed, so we are writing you from the Cravens' home. Their family is very good at inviting. The last baptism was their friend, and the one we had scheduled for this weekend, Nick, was another friend of theirs. We got a text on Sunday and Nick has decided not to be baptized... yet. I think he was feeling pressure from his family, and wasn't 100% ready yet.
I didn't do 12 days, but we have been singing on every doorstep that will let us for the last week. Yesterday Elder Taulanga and I knocked doors for four hours. We sang to 59 people. We also went in the evening and helped an older couple in the ward deliver some gifts to their neighbors. My package hasn't arrived yet, but I will do alright. I haven't forgotten about having Michael's name, but I haven't purchased anything yet. Let him know that is gift will be a bit late.
I am excited for Cassi. She will do great at BYU. Tell her to work hard, but not to forget to have fun. It is her first semester of college anyway. Tell her congratulations for having a successful ward Christmas program.
Love,
Elder Rindlisbacher
PS We will be receiving our phone calls at the Lybbert's home you can call 3 pm California time. Love you guys and talk to y'all tomorrow!
I didn't do 12 days, but we have been singing on every doorstep that will let us for the last week. Yesterday Elder Taulanga and I knocked doors for four hours. We sang to 59 people. We also went in the evening and helped an older couple in the ward deliver some gifts to their neighbors. My package hasn't arrived yet, but I will do alright. I haven't forgotten about having Michael's name, but I haven't purchased anything yet. Let him know that is gift will be a bit late.
I am excited for Cassi. She will do great at BYU. Tell her to work hard, but not to forget to have fun. It is her first semester of college anyway. Tell her congratulations for having a successful ward Christmas program.
Love,
Elder Rindlisbacher
PS We will be receiving our phone calls at the Lybbert's home you can call 3 pm California time. Love you guys and talk to y'all tomorrow!
Friday, December 18, 2009
Rugby Playing Companion
Texas is growing on me day by day. The weather here is pretty crazy. It says that it is 40 or 50 degrees, but with the humidity and wind it feels much colder. The people here are all very polite, even if they want nothing to do with Mormons. Everyone talks with a bit of a southern drawl, but most of them aren't too bad. We went to an older brother and sister's house for dinner this week, and if I wasn't playing close attention and looking at him I had no idea what he was saying. I just nodded a lot and smiled.
It's beginning to feel a bit like Christmas. On Sunday we went to a Stake Christmas singing thing. It was pretty good. Some of the choirs were really good, but my favorite part is they had a trombone quintet that played some Christmas songs. I never thought a trombone could sound so good. Yesterday we had our Christmas zone conference. President Thurston and his wife spoke. They gave us some challenges. Then we ate. The members prepared some brisket for us. I am still waiting to eat some brisket that is better than tri-tip, if that is possible. After that we watched Presidant Thurston's favorite movie. I got really excited when he said it was over three hours long and had won eleven academy awards. I thought we were going to watch Lord of the Rings, but it was Ben Her. After that we had a White Elephant gift exchange. I ended up with a bottle of bubbles that was re-labeled "Super Miracle Baptisms."
My companion and I get along very well. He and I are both easy going. He has a pretty cool life story. He has grown up all around the world: Hawaii, Tonga, New Zealand, Australia, Great Britain, and Utah. He played rugby at the college level in Australia, and has an associates degree in law. He worked at the courthouse in Salt Lake for a bit before he left. He only has a couple more months in the mission.
My ankle is doing really well now. I played basketball today. I am still trying not to push too hard off of it and I am really careful when I land.
We are both new to Gainesville, so it took us a bit but we are getting to know our investigators. We have one named Nick. He is the boyfriend of one of the young women in the ward. He is a smart kid with a good head on his shoulders. He is preparing to be baptized on the 27th of this month. Another investigator is Joanna. She is a sixty year old woman. She has a testimony of the Book of Mormon, and a desire to be baptized, but she says that she wants to quit the habit of smoking first. We are headed there tomorrow to set an action plan to help her. We also met with a young man who is the step son of a man in the ward. His name is Chance and he is 12 years old. We taught him the first lesson and answered some of his questions. He is really knowledgeable about the bible, and had some really good questions that I didn't have until my late teens. I think he has a real desire to know if the Book of Mormon is true.
Well time is about up and it's time to run off to a dinner appointment. I love you guys, and love hearing from you.
Love
Elder Rindlisbacher
It's beginning to feel a bit like Christmas. On Sunday we went to a Stake Christmas singing thing. It was pretty good. Some of the choirs were really good, but my favorite part is they had a trombone quintet that played some Christmas songs. I never thought a trombone could sound so good. Yesterday we had our Christmas zone conference. President Thurston and his wife spoke. They gave us some challenges. Then we ate. The members prepared some brisket for us. I am still waiting to eat some brisket that is better than tri-tip, if that is possible. After that we watched Presidant Thurston's favorite movie. I got really excited when he said it was over three hours long and had won eleven academy awards. I thought we were going to watch Lord of the Rings, but it was Ben Her. After that we had a White Elephant gift exchange. I ended up with a bottle of bubbles that was re-labeled "Super Miracle Baptisms."
My companion and I get along very well. He and I are both easy going. He has a pretty cool life story. He has grown up all around the world: Hawaii, Tonga, New Zealand, Australia, Great Britain, and Utah. He played rugby at the college level in Australia, and has an associates degree in law. He worked at the courthouse in Salt Lake for a bit before he left. He only has a couple more months in the mission.
My ankle is doing really well now. I played basketball today. I am still trying not to push too hard off of it and I am really careful when I land.
We are both new to Gainesville, so it took us a bit but we are getting to know our investigators. We have one named Nick. He is the boyfriend of one of the young women in the ward. He is a smart kid with a good head on his shoulders. He is preparing to be baptized on the 27th of this month. Another investigator is Joanna. She is a sixty year old woman. She has a testimony of the Book of Mormon, and a desire to be baptized, but she says that she wants to quit the habit of smoking first. We are headed there tomorrow to set an action plan to help her. We also met with a young man who is the step son of a man in the ward. His name is Chance and he is 12 years old. We taught him the first lesson and answered some of his questions. He is really knowledgeable about the bible, and had some really good questions that I didn't have until my late teens. I think he has a real desire to know if the Book of Mormon is true.
Well time is about up and it's time to run off to a dinner appointment. I love you guys, and love hearing from you.
Love
Elder Rindlisbacher
Tuesday, December 15, 2009
Information About Gainsville Texas
Nathan's first area of service in the mission field is Gainsville, Texas. This city is just south of the Texas - Oklahoma border located on Hwy 35 north of Fort Worth. It is 29 miles from Denton, 46 miles from Plano, and 61 miles from Dallas.
In July 2008 the population of the city was estimated to be 16,452. According to City-Data.com the demographics of Gainsville are 74% White, 18% Hispanic, 6% Black, 2% American Indian.
About 20% of the residents have reported income below the poverty level.
73% of residents over the age of 25 have completed high school or higher. 15% have a Bachelors Degree or higher.
Gainsville has a campus for North Central Texas College with enrollment of 3018 students.
61% of the population report being affiliated with a religious congregation. 40% are Southern Baptist, 37% are Catholic, 8% of Methodist, 5% are Churches of Christ, 2% American Baptist, 1.6% Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
In July 2008 the population of the city was estimated to be 16,452. According to City-Data.com the demographics of Gainsville are 74% White, 18% Hispanic, 6% Black, 2% American Indian.
About 20% of the residents have reported income below the poverty level.
73% of residents over the age of 25 have completed high school or higher. 15% have a Bachelors Degree or higher.
Gainsville has a campus for North Central Texas College with enrollment of 3018 students.
61% of the population report being affiliated with a religious congregation. 40% are Southern Baptist, 37% are Catholic, 8% of Methodist, 5% are Churches of Christ, 2% American Baptist, 1.6% Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
A Picture from Texas
We just arrived in Texas. We went to the home of President and Sister Thurston where we were served dinner (Brisket) and had a testimony meeting. The Spirit was very strong. We have a great group of missionaries.
I love you guys and miss you, but that's OK. When Elder Holland came and spoke to us at the MTC (Missionary Training Center) he told us that if we feel homesick to understand that this is the way our Heavenly Father feels for all of us all of the time. I will bring people to the waters of baptism so they can go home to him.
Love,
Elder Rindlisbacher
I love you guys and miss you, but that's OK. When Elder Holland came and spoke to us at the MTC (Missionary Training Center) he told us that if we feel homesick to understand that this is the way our Heavenly Father feels for all of us all of the time. I will bring people to the waters of baptism so they can go home to him.
Love,
Elder Rindlisbacher
Friday, December 11, 2009
I'm In Texas
Hey, I'm in Texas. We got here on Wednesday. I was really surprised to see how flat it was. It reminds me a lot of Fresno, but a bit greener. When we first got here we were greeted by our Mission President, President Thurston. He is a very large man. Probably 6'5" and 300+ pounds. He was very happy looking...
We all piled into a van and a car and headed to the mission home. When we got there President had some opening remarks and then we ate dinner. They served us brisket and beans. It was really good. It is similar to TriTip just not as good. We then had a testimony meeting, we have a very powerful group of missionaries. After that we headed over to the Stake center where we had some orientation and sandwiches. Then all 14 of us new elders spent the night at the AP's (Assistant to the President) apartment.
When we woke in the morning we all got ready---that shower was sooo cold. And then we headed back over to the stake center. All of the new elders waited on the front row and studied for about an hour and then we started the transfer meeting. I was assigned my trainer. His name is Elder Taulanga. He grew up all over the place, Hawaii, New Zealand, Austrailia, and Tonga, but now his family lives in Salt Lake. He is very large, and happy.
We were assigned to the Gainsville area. It is a pretty small town. Probably somewhere around 6,000 people. We went tracting last night, and it was a pretty positive experience. We only had one or two people that were very negative toward us. Then we met our WML (Ward Mission Leader). He took us out for Chinese food, and then over to the church to brief us on how the ward is doing.
Today we went down and played basketball and volleyball. I played a bit but I'm trying to take it easy on my ankle so it will heal properly. Then we went and went shopping for food. I will be eating pretty simply. The budget is pretty tight, but it sounds like we have dinner appointments almost every night.
Love
Elder Rindlisbacher
PS Our Preparation Days are on Thursdays. All of my mail can be sent to the mission office by USPS and it will be forwarded to my apartment.
We all piled into a van and a car and headed to the mission home. When we got there President had some opening remarks and then we ate dinner. They served us brisket and beans. It was really good. It is similar to TriTip just not as good. We then had a testimony meeting, we have a very powerful group of missionaries. After that we headed over to the Stake center where we had some orientation and sandwiches. Then all 14 of us new elders spent the night at the AP's (Assistant to the President) apartment.
When we woke in the morning we all got ready---that shower was sooo cold. And then we headed back over to the stake center. All of the new elders waited on the front row and studied for about an hour and then we started the transfer meeting. I was assigned my trainer. His name is Elder Taulanga. He grew up all over the place, Hawaii, New Zealand, Austrailia, and Tonga, but now his family lives in Salt Lake. He is very large, and happy.
We were assigned to the Gainsville area. It is a pretty small town. Probably somewhere around 6,000 people. We went tracting last night, and it was a pretty positive experience. We only had one or two people that were very negative toward us. Then we met our WML (Ward Mission Leader). He took us out for Chinese food, and then over to the church to brief us on how the ward is doing.
Today we went down and played basketball and volleyball. I played a bit but I'm trying to take it easy on my ankle so it will heal properly. Then we went and went shopping for food. I will be eating pretty simply. The budget is pretty tight, but it sounds like we have dinner appointments almost every night.
Love
Elder Rindlisbacher
PS Our Preparation Days are on Thursdays. All of my mail can be sent to the mission office by USPS and it will be forwarded to my apartment.
Thursday, December 3, 2009
Flight Date
Hi Mom:
So I want 2 kings 2:23-24 on my plaque. I got my flight date. I have to be at the transportation office here at the MTC at 5 am. It sounds like I will be in Texas around noon.
My ankle still hurts a bit but the physical therapist let me get off of the crutches. The last week has been a real experience. They are definitely not up to code on any disabled person stuff. Every room in every building can only be reached by using the stairs. I only had a couple scares where I thought I was going to fall backwards and die. Walking has never felt this good and hurt so much.
They feed us plenty here. The food is better than camp, but worse than home. Thanksgiving dinner made me really miss Nicki's baking, and your cooking. I was eating pretty healthy until someone else was getting my food for me, because of my hurt foot, but now I'm back on my feet getting my own meals and it should be good.
Things don't really change much here. Class, large group meetings, studying, gym (ankle exercises), meals, devotionals, and sleep. I am learning a lot and growing more and more confidant in my teaching skills.
Today was our first real Preparation Day. Last week was Thanksgiving and was a busy day. We were able to go to the temple this morning. It is a lot bigger than the Fresno Temple. I spent the morning writing friends, and I'm sitting in the laundry room right now.
I love you guys and miss you, but I'm happy to be out here.
Till next time,
Elder Rindlisbacher
So I want 2 kings 2:23-24 on my plaque. I got my flight date. I have to be at the transportation office here at the MTC at 5 am. It sounds like I will be in Texas around noon.
My ankle still hurts a bit but the physical therapist let me get off of the crutches. The last week has been a real experience. They are definitely not up to code on any disabled person stuff. Every room in every building can only be reached by using the stairs. I only had a couple scares where I thought I was going to fall backwards and die. Walking has never felt this good and hurt so much.
They feed us plenty here. The food is better than camp, but worse than home. Thanksgiving dinner made me really miss Nicki's baking, and your cooking. I was eating pretty healthy until someone else was getting my food for me, because of my hurt foot, but now I'm back on my feet getting my own meals and it should be good.
Things don't really change much here. Class, large group meetings, studying, gym (ankle exercises), meals, devotionals, and sleep. I am learning a lot and growing more and more confidant in my teaching skills.
Today was our first real Preparation Day. Last week was Thanksgiving and was a busy day. We were able to go to the temple this morning. It is a lot bigger than the Fresno Temple. I spent the morning writing friends, and I'm sitting in the laundry room right now.
I love you guys and miss you, but I'm happy to be out here.
Till next time,
Elder Rindlisbacher
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