Week 16

Hey everyone! This week has been a tough one! We just couldn't get much done no matter what we did, but that's how it goes some times!

 

Monday, the week started off fine, it was P-Day obviously then at the end of the day we had dinner with a family from Colombia, in South America and one of the grandmas there who doesn't speak English so we spoke mostly Spanish, the Grandma isn't a member so we taught a little lesson in Spanish and then gave her a Restoration pamphlet in Spanish, at one point during dinner someone asked if we could teach her a lesson, she said "Si, pero no hoy" which means yes, but not today, and the of the kids in the family said that means she's not really interested, but we found out yesterday that she read the pamphlet and has a few questions! So we are going back on Wednesday to meet with her... that was the highlight of our week.

 

Tuesday, We found out mid day that we were losing the car, so we had to drop everything and go give the car to some other elders, which meant that we had to cancel some appointments because they were spread out, and that we couldn't really visit a young man who we are teaching who lives in the ward boundaries a ways away from us, for the entire week. So we gave the car up, and then went to the P. family's for dinner. After dinner we helped a family tear up some carpet because they were getting wood floors in the next day.

 

Wednesday, We went to visit someone, and when we got there after walking for like 40 minutes, Elder Valdez said, "wait a minute, I've visited this house before, she doesn't want any contact with the church!" so we walked there for nothing, and we had to rush back to our house to get ready for district meeting, in Independence. After District meeting we were picked up for dinner with an older couple that just got back from a mission to Pittsburgh where they worked in the office, they were super nice. Then we had an appointment to teach a youth in our ward, that is something our stake does, the missionaries teach the youth to show them how missionaries teach and stuff like that, while we were in that appointment our last appointment for the day canceled so we just stayed at the youths house and shot a few hoops, fellowshipping, right?

 

Thursday, we went on splits. I was with Elder Elwood in our area and Elder Valdez went to Riverview with Elder Kiene. Elder Elwood is from Gilbert, Arizona. And is a genius, he got accepted to MIT before coming on the mission, so he will be going there when he leaves in June with Elder Valdez. All day we just walked around and tried to visit people, but we only got into one house, a members house. After failing to visit people, we just went home where someone dropped dinner off. After dinner we walked to the church which is like half a mile, maybe a little farther from the house. And after walking all day and having nobody say anything bad to us, we were stopped TWICE to get chewed out by people, that was one of the most frustrating things I have experienced yet, even the Elder Elwood, the Zone Leader, was mad about it. Well after that we were picked up at the church for correlation which went pretty well, we planned a ward activity that I thought up, watching Meet the Mormons as a ward with maybe like a dinner or something.

 

Friday, we had weekly planning, after which we had a meeting with the 17 year old Brother G., our recent convert, at the Historic Liberty Jail, where we told him that he lives in another ward, Liberty 1st ward, and that we would take a little time to get a smooth transition in. I think a member of our ward said it right, "Is it more important that a soul is saved, or that the number look good, Is the ward boundary more important that this kids salvation?" I loved that. It boils down to the fact that we taught him without knowing where he lived, because we taught him in the church every time. Well that night we had appointment with Brother H., our investigator on date for this coming Saturday, May 2. He has struck a relationship with a lady in the ward who is kind of crazy and may believe in some things that the church doesn't, so we told him that if she ever tells him anything that we didn't or if she contradicts anything that we have said, to ask us about it, and he completely agreed with it, so that was relieving!

 

Saturday, we tried out a few people with little success, like our entire week went. Then we did some service for a member of the ward, we helped him clean out his rain gutters. After that we had dinner with his family, the Antezana family, they are one of our favorite families, the dad served a mission in Colorado and isn't much older than us, they have one daughter who is just a few years old. We love visiting them. After dinner we visited for a little with them.

 

Sunday, we had church. Which was very good. For sacrament we had a little performance from the stake choir about the temple, it was really nice. the rest of church was very good as well, I felt like I really needed that. After church we had choir practice, we joined the ward choir! Then after practice we walked home where we were picked up for dinner by a family that we love, and they really like us! It is the family that pulled us aside from the Presidents devotional last week and said that we are the best missionaries the ward has had. They are a really great family!

 

The week has been a long one. No matter what we have done it feels like we couldn't accomplish anything, but I still remember when Elder Torgerson told me that the mission is like a rollercoaster, that right after the lowest lows come the highest highs and vice versa, and honestly that is what has kept me going, is the faith that something greater is in store, that if I keep working my hardest we will find success! I love you all, I pray for you daily! Have a great week!

 

Elder Hinrichsen

Week 15

This week was insane!

 

Tuesday we went down to independence so Elder Valdez could get a haircut from some other Elders who we didn't have a chance to see Monday; our Zone Leaders actually, Elder Kiene and Elder Elwood, super cool guys. We stayed their all morning, then went to lunch with them, at this Mexican restaurant in Kansas City, but right near the Independence/KC border. Then we went back to our house and visited a few people following which we did our Mormon.org time. After that we went to dinner with a member from Elder Valdez' last area, Sedalia, Missouri. After Dinner we had to rush to a meeting with the young man getting baptized that Friday. We had to do like a 2 hour lesson, which we aren't supposed to do but we had no choice, he couldn't meet any other day and we had to teach him the commandments and the laws and ordinances, and then we had to meet with his mom because he is 17, so we had to talk with her to approve  him joining the church, which she did after asking like 20 questions, which was cool because she was already talking about him going on a mission, and we told her it's not a requirement, she said, "Oh, so he doesn't have to go if he doesn't want to?" then he butted in and said, "Mom, who said I didn't want to go?!" that was pretty cool! 

 

Wednesday we spent the whole day visiting members and telling them about the Baptism, telling as many youth as we could, and getting a whole program set up. Speakers, prayers, and little entertainment when he was getting changed, he was baptized by a member of the ward, actually the dad of his girlfriend. Well we went to the library and I made the program for the baptism, which a member later printed out for us.

 

Thursday we had dinner with our ward mission leader. He and his family just moved from Mexico. We had the interview for the 17 year old being baptized at the church, everything went well, so we were good to go for the baptism the next day. Then that night we had our correlation meeting and oh boy. We found out when filling out the baptism paperwork that he doesn't live in our ward, we had always met with him at the church because the rest of his family wasn't members and we met right before mutual and he would just go to that after the lessons; so we were freaking out, calling the elders in his ward to meet with us and to have them their at the baptism not to tell him he was in the wrong ward but just to introduce him to them.

 

Friday we had zone training about many things but what I really took from it was that when we focus on the numbers of missionary work instead of the people of missionary work, that is when we falter and are not successful, the numbers aren't there to make us look good but to help us in our work, and in the end, we are accountable to God and Jesus, so if they are pleased with our work, then we are doing good. After Zone Training we had the baptism of the 17 year old young man, which went good. The best part of the day, and maybe of my mission so far, was after the baptism, almost everybody had left the room and he came up to us in the back of the room and started tearing up and said, "I just wanted to say thank you guys so much" It made everything we do worth it. It made the long days and the tiring efforts worth it, it was truly amazing.

 

Saturday we spent the time visiting active members, and just introducing ourselves and asking for referrals. Funny story though. We were going to visit a man of another faith who we talk to occasionally, he asks us questions, but is very respectful... we had forgotten the phone at one of the houses who we had visited so we showed up to his house, and he has been having a lot of health problems, so we offered a blessing and shared the scripture in James 5:14, he accepted and we gave him a blessing. It was really cool, he was very touched and grateful for it. Then he invited us to be in charge of one of the Bible studies that he does, they are on hour long and he said, "You guys have proven that you are good men, and I would like you to come to one of my Bible Studies, and I would just give you the time, about 45 minutes, and you could teach whatever you want" then he told us some cool stuff about being a disciple and things like that he said, "If you just go up to people and say 'God Loves you' they will think you are like anyone else, but you show them that you are real, that you actually care about them, not just that you want to convert them, then they will ask 'so who are you guys?' then that is your opening, they open the door themselves, they invite you in and that is when you are successful, instead of forcing yourself in, you let them open the door" it reminded me of the picture of the Savior standing outside the door, but there is no handle, we can't force ourselves into people lives they must allow us in

 

Sunday was pretty normal. We had an investigator who was at church and is planning on getting baptized May 2, so it's good we have someone to work with, but we are little worried that after him we will have trouble finding someone to teach, that's what we thought after the P. family baptism and look what happened there! Tender Mercies! So we will see how that goes! Other than that Sunday was good! It has been a stressful but good week! I hope everyone is doing well! I pray all the time for you! Take care!

 

Elder Hinrichsen

Week 14

This week was good, then bad, then good.

Tuesday: we went around visiting people, less-actives and potential investigators nobody was interested. But that's what we do, we keep trying. That night we had a lesson with an investigator who was planning on being baptized on the 25 but yesterday told us he wants to be baptized on the  17, this friday so we are stressing to get that taken care of haha, he is as super good kid, he is 17, and his parents aren't members but approve of him joining the church 

Wednesday: was another day of trying a lot of people with little success, we had a lesson that night with another investigator who had a date for the 25th but is wanting to change it around because he wants a friend to be able to be there.

Thursday we had Zone Conference. It was about many things, we got these black boxes in our cars to monitor our driving, they tell us when we got too fast, when we brake too hard, accelerate too fast, don't wear seat belts, or drive to aggressively, as in turn too sharp or things like that. then we listened to a talk by President Uchtdorf that he gave to new mission presidents. it was really good, all about Peter and how before the resurrection, Peter was the kind of man who beat his chest saying he would never deny Christ, then when it came time to not deny him, he feared and did the opposite of that, then after he had seen the resurrected Savior he was bold and unafraid of anything. and President asked us what kind of peter we were, the one before or the one after. it was a really good talk. then we had a few other trainings with lunch in the middle of all that. it lasted for 8 hours then we went with some other missionaries to eat, that took all the day

Friday, we did our weekly planning, and visited all the people that we planned on visiting on Thursday. It was also my birthday, but birthdays on the mission prepare us for birthdays for the rest of life because it wasn't really significant... until dinner. A family in our ward got in contact with my mom through Facebook and found out it was my birthday, which was ironic, because it was their sons birthday too! They took us to Red Robbin and had the waiters and waitresses awkwardly sing to us lol, i have never been a fan of that. Then they took us to their house where we had Texas Sheet cake, my mom told them it was my favorite, and they gave Elder Valdez and I presents, they didn't want him to feel left out, we got Missouri Tiger hats and cool socks. it was really nice of them. 

Saturday was a really rough day. We did service by helping build something to give to a member in our ward, which was really cool and actually took a couple of weeks to complete. But before the service we had an appointment with a man who went rogue on us for a while, that was canceled, then while we were doing the service our appointment later in the day canceled, and we got a call from a friend of an investigator who told us she is worried he might not be joining for the right reasons and that she's not sure if we should baptize him, so our two appointments with people who were progressing canceled and we found out an investigator might be fake... so that was really disheartening. After we finished that service a member called and asked for some help moving some furniture, which we gladly did, then we went around trying to find people to teach. It was a frustrating day for me because we actually had stuff going on, or had planned on having stuff going on, then everything just dropped at once. Elder Valdez wasn't really phased by it, but i was really disappointed, so that was when the week was bad for me.

Sunday we had the investigator who's friend didn't feel solid about him at church, which was reassuring, and we sang in the choir, which was really nice. Sacrament was all about tithing and the importance of it. All was well until we went to sunday school. This crazy lady, i mean she has legit mental problems, made some crazy comments contradicting the teachings of the church... it was 'fun'. priesthood was about the importance of prophets and apostles and the role they play, and how we have divine guidance. Then after church we had dinner with a family in our ward, they are super cool. Then we went to visit with a man who has a grandson who lives with him and we have been trying to visit with Derrek for a while but haven't been able to meet up, and every time we do its really good. The grandson just happened to be there so we tossed a football around, hey it was missionary work, and then had a lesson from the scriptures. we read the story of the Alma the younger and talked about how we can all be changed through Christ. Then we talked about having strength in our trials through Christ, because he is going through a lot, and he doesn't know that we know, but his grandpa told us. That was the whole lesson. Then on the drive home Elder Valdez said, "For a minute in the lesson I thought we should have asked him to get baptized haha" but then I told him I felt the same thing and we were like "We need to talk to him tonight about it" so we the grandfather and grandson and he said he would pray and if he feels good, he will be baptized in 2 weeks!!! How cool is that! After having a terrible day Saturday, Heavenly Father just said, hold on for a little longer, because there is something great around the corner. So we went from having everyone drop us, to having now, if everything goes well with Derrek, 3 investigators who will be baptized in the next couple of weeks! It is so cool to see so many miracles out here. The Lord has prepared so many people for the Gospel, we just need to be the vessels to deliver this 'good news' to them. It is my hope and prayer that everyone can find someone to share or try to share the gospel with. Have a good week! I love you and pray for you all!

 Elder Hinrichsen

Week 13 - General Conference and Easter

This week was nothing special... this WEEK, not weekend, the weekend was great!! haha

  Tuesday was the day that we would get a call to hear if anyone was getting transferred... we taught a young man named Austin, who is getting baptized on the 18, and then played a little soccer in the gym with the young men which was really fun! Then we swapped cars with other elders so we got it now, which is always a great week, when we have the car. That night we got transfer calls and... Elder Valdez and I are staying for the next transfer, and we both think I am going to stay here and send him home because he only has one transfer left after this, he goes home in June, and it is hard to have a missionary take over the area after just 6 weeks, so we might stay together until he leaves.

  Wednesday was a normal day, we spent most of the time trying less-actives and few people were interested, so nothing special

  Thursday was transfer day and we drove some missionaries to transfers because Elder Valdez had to say bye to one of his best friends on the mission, Elder Lokeni. He is from Utah, and has been one of Valdez' best friends on the mission, so he was really sad all day because, as he said, "it is all coming to an end", it made me realize how fast this time here is really going to go by! 

   Friday we went around encouraging people to invite others to watch conference

   Saturday was, as you know, General Conference!!! We watched it all at the church. It was all so good. But I think Saturday I noticed a focus on families and marriage more than I have ever heard before, the church realizes that the family is under more scrutiny and attack than ever before and that being the center of God's plan for us, they want to defend that. I loved the talk by Elder Oaks about the parable of the sower and how he went through and described that, the Propst family, the recent converts, listened to that talk and they said that it really touched them, which I thought was super cool! From the afternoon session I loved the talks by the 70, Elder Andersen's talk about dancing in the gospel versus hearing the sweet music of the Gospel, that one was really good, then I loved Elder Renlunds talk, he is the 70 that came and spoke to us in March!!, his talk about how being a Saint being someone who never stops trying, I loved his quote at the end that went something like, "If we don't keep trying, we are Latter Day Sinners, If we don't preserver to the end, we are Latter Day Quitters, and If we don't allow others to try, we are Latter Day Hypocrites; but if we keep trying and allow others to try, we are Latter Day Saints"; I loved that quote. But then was my favorite talk of all conference talk, By Elder Michael T Ringwood. He spoke about how service is greater than prestige in the sight of God, that's what I took out of it, the quote that really hit home for me was when he said, "Great women and great men are always more anxious to serve than to have dominion" It is so true, callings don't signify that we are better or higher on the totem pole than others, it is service and the desire to do such that are truly improve us in the sight of God, not only that but like Elder Ringwood said, "The service that counts the most is usually recognized by God alone." don't think that having the highest calling is what means you are truly a leader in the church, it gives you a call to be a leader, but we can be leaders without callings to our name. Priesthood session was really good. I loved Elder Uchtdorfs talk about Potempkin Villages, just listen to the talk to understand that haha, can be used to aid us, be can turn from useful to deceitful, we shouldn't try to pretend to be something that we are not, but realize that we are all imperfect and that we all need the love and grace of God to aid us in our quest for perfection. 

   Sunday morning was great, I loved the Music and Spoken Word! My favorite talk in this session was from Bishop Gerald Causse about the wonder of the gospel. It really touched me because I think at times we all feel like the gospel has gotten boring because we think we know everything we can learn, but that is so false! each scripture and quote can be looked at with a different perspective and it is by studying the simple doctrines of the gospel that we truly gain testimonies. In the Sunday afternoon session, I liked Elder Hales talk about defending the freedom to believe, it is a very sacred freedom that we have, it reminded me of the talk about standing up for our beliefs and tolerating others beliefs as well; this was a great talk but I think my favorite talk from this session was given by Elder Kevin W Pearson about enduring to the end or as he put it, "staying by the tree" one of the things i loved that he said about the people in the great and spacious building might have been "politically correct, but they are spiritually lost" that really hit me, are we more worried about what the world thinks of us than what God thinks of us? Do we care more to satisfy the corrupt and imperfect world than to follow our incorrupt and perfect Savior?

   after conference we had dinner at a families house for easter, then we had a meeting with our new investigator Scott, he is planning on baptism on the 25 of April! He is rock solid, and we taught him the restoration yesterday, he told us that before he had ever met with the missionaries he planned on proving them wrong, because he was going to sit in as a friend was taught and he was going to try to prove the elders wrong (the friend was being taught in another area) and try to get his friend to leave the church as well... but then he realized the things he had read of the mormon church weren't right, that he had a tainted view of our beliefs; funny how once people actually meet us and hear what we have to say, most times they actually WANT to be baptized haha, if the message is presented right! But this week has been good! Conference was great, and really is a time of spiritual uplifting for all! I hope everyone has a great week! Love you all!

  Elder Hinrichsen

Week 12

This week has been super awesome!

  Tuesday we didn't really know what to do, we kind of scheduled all our time killing activities to get stuff done so that we could think of things for other days, we went and did mormon.org, we visited a few poeple, and thats really it, nothing too exciting... until that evening when we taught a young man who we met at church, he is 16 years old and is super cool, we taught him the restoration and at the end he said he would get baptized on the 18 of April! That's super cool! We were really worried this week because after the baptism we had 2 people to teach and 1 we have trouble contacting, so that was a great miracle. Then we went with a member of our ward and taught another man. He is studying to become a preacher for another church but he has read the Book of Mormon, twice now which is really impressive haha, and he said, "I have been able to destroy all other religious texts with the Bible, but i struggle with this one more than any other book" So we talked about how we learn of gospel truths from God not from man and used the scripture in the Bible where Christ says Simon is blessed because the spirit revealed it to him, not man, then we referenced the scripture in Moroni 10:5 that teaches the correct way to receive the spiritual feeling of the truthfulness, because he likes to see physical evidence, so that's why we talked about that... and we set up another appointment with him for two days later. 

  Wednesday was my first day of splits! Elder Valdez went to Independence and another elder came up here, Elder Fastje, pronounced Faw-she. We went and talked to a part member family who is one of the guys we are working with, we gave him a Book of Mormon. Then we went to the our convert's where we helped with a service project, and had dinner. After Dinner we had a New Member lesson, the restoration, with their home teacher. If I have learned anything it is the fact that it is nearly impossible to read, hear or say the first vision without an overwhelming feeling of the spirit, that alone is a testimony enough that it truly DID in fact happen!

  Thursday we had our appointment with Mike. I was really scared going into it because I thought he was just going to try to bash with us, and I remember Dad saying that as soon as you start to bash you lose the spirit. But it went well, he asked us some questions, most of which we answered, but he said one, "How come nobody saw Joseph Smith get the records? and how do we know he didn't just write them himself" Good question, Elder Valdez talked about how Joseph Smith had an 8th grade education, making it nearly impossible for him to have written them himself. That was our answer. Later that week a member showed us something cool though... if you read the testimony of the three witnesses and eight witnesses, the three witnesses had it manifested to them by the "grace of God", a phrase they use many times in the text, that the works were from God himself, so there are testimonies proving that Joseph Smith didn't just write it himself, and the eight witnesses saw the physical plates and used words like "hefted" "saw" and things to describe a physical evidence so that's something pretty cool! Then later that day we went with another member, Brother Coleman, to visit the people he home teaches, he is super cool! we just talked about college basketball *cough* i mean the scriptures haha, he keeps me updated on the bracket haha. After that we had dinner and then correlation at the Jail.

  Friday we had district meeting about being diligent and focused on the work and never being satisfied on your mission with a certain number of baptisms, but always striving to be better and improve. Before district meeting we spent the first hour of the day trying to find a house that should have taken us 30 minutes to find, and we found out the guy wasn't even home lol... but something really cool came out of it, someone pulled up next to us, and we thought either it was a member offering a ride, which by the way is incredible for the missionaries so if you see them walking and you can give them a ride do it, or we thought we were gonna get cursed at lol, but a man rolled down his window and said he always appreciated the mormons and the things they did, and how our church produced the best quality of people and he just told us he appreciated the work we were doing, he was a baptist... which are the people that usually don't like us the most haha so that pretty much made my time on mission worth it! After district meeting we had dinner then we did weekly planning which took the rest of the night.

   Saturday we met a referral at the Jail, who is ready for baptism on the 25 of April! Then we visited a less active. Then we walked to the church where the Bishops daughter was baptized. and we went to dinner after that with a member who is a trucker and after dinner took us to his Semi, it was pretty sweet up there. 

   Sunday, was fast Sunday which is scary for missionaries because you never know if some crazy person is gonna get up and say some deep stuff that scares people away haha. but it went really well, and after church we had a break the fast with the ward, but the highlight of the day, was when i had the opportunity to give Shawn Propst the Aaronic Priesthood, which was super cool! I think that family is going to be strong in the church for a long time to come! Which is exactly what we do as missionaries, we give it all up so others can gain it all. They already plan on going to the temple on the April 11 to do Baptisms so we might go with them, seeing as my birthday is the day before so that would be the best present I could ask for. 

   Well this week has been really good. The tender mercies of the Lord have been upon us. After last Saturdays baptism we realized that we were gonna have nobody to teach and nobody who was near baptism... but the Lord stepped right in and gave us 3 new investigators two or which are ready for baptism this month! that will be 5 baptism in 2 months in this area, if i stay, transfers are this week, but Elder Valdez and I both feel that we are going to stay because of all the success we are having here, before Elder Valdez and I were together, this ward hadn't had a convert baptism since last May, almost a year, now we have had 3 already and probably 2 more this month!! The spirit is an incredible thing, able to get so much done through the weak and simple of the world haha. The coolest thing this week was Friday at dinner when a member said, after we had told her of all our recent success, she told us "We have been praying for missionaries like you for a long time" That was great. I have a strong testimony that there is no greater feeling than being the answer to somebody's prayers. 

   One thing I want everyone to do is watch the new video the church has put out for Easter called "Because He Lives" and share it on social media! Go to helives.mormon.org, the video is up and share it to all the people you have on your friend lists; then share your thoughts on why knowing that the Savior lives helps you in your live, and hash tag "#BecauseHeLives"!! I will finish with how that knowledge has helped me in my life... Without the knowledge of the resurrection, I wouldn't be on a mission, I wouldn't do anything I do. Everything I do in my life, and especially at this time, is because of the knowledge that the Savior lives, He truly does, I have yet to feel the impressions in His hands and feet, but I have felt His impression in my life so strongly that I cannot deny that He is there. He lives and as I once heard Elder Bednar say, "The tomb was empty"! He has restored His church in the latter days, He leads us all with a modern day prophet, Thomas S Monson; and He has given us the fullness of the Gospel once again on the earth, don't hesitate to share this glorious message with others, don't hesitate to bring others the joy and happiness you have experienced because of it, and if you fear being rejected and mocked, just know that the Savior knows the feeling. Have a great week! Enjoy conference and once again, invite someone to hear the Prophet of God and his Apostles on the earth today!

   With Love,

Week 11

This week has been super awesome!

  Tuesday we didn't really know what to do, we kind of scheduled all our time killing activities to get stuff done so that we could think of things for other days, we went and did mormon.org, we visited a few poeple, and thats really it, nothing too exciting... until that evening when we taught a young man who we met at church, he is 16 years old and is super cool, we taught him the restoration and at the end he said he would get baptized on the 18 of April! That's super cool! We were really worried this week because after the baptism we had 2 people to teach and 1 we have trouble contacting, so that was a great miracle. Then we went with a member of our ward and taught another man named Mike. Mike is studying to become a preacher for another church but he has read the Book of Mormon, twice now which is really impressive haha, and he said, "I have been able to destroy all other religious texts with the Bible, but i struggle with this one more than any other book" So we talked about how we learn of gospel truths from God not from man and used the scripture in the Bible where Christ says Simon is blessed because the spirit revealed it to him, not man, then we referenced the scripture in Moroni 10:5 that teaches the correct way to receive the spiritual feeling of the truthfulness, because he likes to see physical evidence, so that's why we talked about that... and we set up another appointment with him for two days later. 

  Wednesday was my first day of splits! Elder Valdez went to Independence and another elder came up here, Elder Fastje, pronounced Faw-she. We went and talked to a part member family who is one of the guys we are working with, we gave him a Book of Mormon. Then we went to the Propst where we helped Shawn with a service project, and had dinner. After Dinner we had a New Member lesson, the restoration, with their home teacher. If I have learned anything it is the fact that it is nearly impossible to read, hear or say the first vision without an overwhelming feeling of the spirit, that alone is a testimony enough that it truly DID in fact happen!

  Thursday we had our appointment with Mike. I was really scared going into it because I thought he was just going to try to bash with us, and I remember Dad saying that as soon as you start to bash you lose the spirit. But it went well, he asked us some questions, most of which we answered, but he said one, "How come nobody saw Joseph Smith get the records? and how do we know he didn't just write them himself" Good question, Elder Valdez talked about how Joseph Smith had an 8th grade education, making it nearly impossible for him to have written them himself. That was our answer. Later that week a member showed us something cool though... if you read the testimony of the three witnesses and eight witnesses, the three witnesses had it manifested to them by the "grace of God", a phrase they use many times in the text, that the works were from God himself, so there are testimonies proving that Joseph Smith didn't just write it himself, and the eight witnesses saw the physical plates and used words like "hefted" "saw" and things to describe a physical evidence so that's something pretty cool! Then later that day we went with another member, Brother Coleman, to visit the people he home teaches, he is super cool! we just talked about college basketball *cough* i mean the scriptures haha, he keeps me updated on the bracket haha. After that we had dinner and then correlation at the Jail.

  Friday we had district meeting about being diligent and focused on the work and never being satisfied on your mission with a certain number of baptisms, but always striving to be better and improve. Before district meeting we spent the first hour of the day trying to find a house that should have taken us 30 minutes to find, and we found out the guy wasn't even home lol... but something really cool came out of it, someone pulled up next to us, and we thought either it was a member offering a ride, which by the way is incredible for the missionaries so if you see them walking and you can give them a ride do it, or we thought we were gonna get cursed at lol, but a man rolled down his window and said he always appreciated the mormons and the things they did, and how our church produced the best quality of people and he just told us he appreciated the work we were doing, he was a baptist... which are the people that usually don't like us the most haha so that pretty much made my time on mission worth it! After district meeting we had dinner then we did weekly planning which took the rest of the night.

   Saturday we met a referral at the Jail, Scott, who is ready for baptism on the 25 of April! Then we visited a less active. Then we walked to the church where the Bishops daughter was baptized. and we went to dinner after that with a member who is a trucker and after dinner took us to his Semi, it was pretty sweet up there. 

   Sunday, was fast Sunday which is scary for missionaries because you never know if some crazy person is gonna get up and say some deep stuff that scares people away haha. but it went really well, and after church we had a break the fast with the ward, but the highlight of the day, was when i had the opportunity to give Shawn Propst the Aaronic Priesthood, which was super cool! I think that family is going to be strong in the church for a long time to come! Which is exactly what we do as missionaries, we give it all up so others can gain it all. They already plan on going to the temple on the April 11 to do Baptisms so we might go with them, seeing as my birthday is the day before so that would be the best present I could ask for. 

   Well this week has been really good. The tender mercies of the Lord have been upon us. After last Saturdays baptism we realized that we were gonna have nobody to teach and nobody who was near baptism... but the Lord stepped right in and gave us 3 new investigators two or which are ready for baptism this month! that will be 5 baptism in 2 months in this area, if i stay, transfers are this week, but Elder Valdez and I both feel that we are going to stay because of all the success we are having here, before Elder Valdez and I were together, this ward hadn't had a convert baptism since last May, almost a year, now we have had 3 already and probably 2 more this month!! The spirit is an incredible thing, able to get so much done through the weak and simple of the world haha. The coolest thing this week was Friday at dinner when a member said, after we had told her of all our recent success, she told us "We have been praying for missionaries like you for a long time" That was great. I have a strong testimony that there is no greater feeling than being the answer to somebody's prayers. 

   One thing I want everyone to do is watch the new video the church has put out for Easter called "Because He Lives" and share it on social media! Go to helives.mormon.org, the video is up and share it to all the people you have on your friend lists; then share your thoughts on why knowing that the Savior lives helps you in your live, and hash tag "#BecauseHeLives"!! I will finish with how that knowledge has helped me in my life... Without the knowledge of the resurrection, I wouldn't be on a mission, I wouldn't do anything I do. Everything I do in my life, and especially at this time, is because of the knowledge that the Savior lives, He truly does, I have yet to feel the impressions in His hands and feet, but I have felt His impression in my life so strongly that I cannot deny that He is there. He lives and as I once heard Elder Bednar say, "The tomb was empty"! He has restored His church in the latter days, He leads us all with a modern day prophet, Thomas S Monson; and He has given us the fullness of the Gospel once again on the earth, don't hesitate to share this glorious message with others, don't hesitate to bring others the joy and happiness you have experienced because of it, and if you fear being rejected and mocked, just know that the Savior knows the feeling. Have a great week! Enjoy conference and once again, invite someone to hear the Prophet of God and his Apostles on the earth today!

   With Love,

   Elder Hinrichsen

The Yawn (poem from week 10)

The other day I yawned at a members house. I thought I of how bad I probably looked, my companion was giving a dinner message and I was yawning like it was boring, which it wasn't, I was just tired, so I thought about that yawn for a while, and something came to mind, the significance of the yawn of a missionary, I hope everyone likes this, I wrote it the next morning:

THE YAWN

"Preach my word to all the land"

Says the master to his servant

And to obey the master he departs

with will unwavered and fervent

He goes to lands mysterious

where the master had in mind

Anxious to encounter what lies ahead

and longing for what he left behind

"What have I done?" he asks himself

"What am I doing here?

I've left my family and my friends

I won't see them for two years!"

But then remembers his master

the man he's serving for

the man who in agony fell on his face

and bled from every pore

The man who took the lashing whips 

whose hand and feet nails were driven through

and yet he, on behalf of his abusers begged

"Father forgive them for they know not what they do"

The man who left it all to serve his master

His broken body his testament

"Into thy hands I commend my spirit"

His body had been spent

And so this servant, humbled now

Swore to give his all to his master

To invite as many as he could

into the shepherds pasture

He promised he would devote himself

and on his way he went

He'd give his all and like his master,

he'd go 'til he was spent

And as the days went, he never faltered

his walk did never slow

a day, a week, a couple months,

and it began to show

"I'm not tired," he'd tell himself,

"I'll go from dusk until dawn!"

And then it came, his biggest fear

the terrible, the dreaded, yawn

"A sign of weakness!" he was shocked

"I will just work right through it!"

But came another, then three and four

His body had taken a hit

Then came the time, the end of day 

he crawled right into bed

Frustrated, then understanding why

and to himself he said

"How can I be tired already

My time is not nearly done?"

But as he thought it over more, he realized

"This means the battle has been won!

A chant of victory, a battle cry

like those of past ages

I have made my victory cry this day

In the war the adversary rages

I've done my best, fulfilled my purpose

the reason why I was sent

I have gone as far as I could today

My body has been spent"

And so went the months, flying by

he bringing many to the fold

But more than this the months did bring

his body was taking a toll

A year had passed, he'd hardly noticed

walking had become a chore

he'd never stopped, but then came the thought

"I don't know if I can take any more"

He'd look for rest, where ever he went

a chair, a bench, a tree

then one day he walked into his house

and collapsed upon his knees

"I'm done!" He thought, tears in his eyes

"I can't go any farther!"

With nothing more within himself

he pled unto the Father

"I know you've always protected us

I recognize your hand

I've given my all in your service,

my legs are too weak to stand

my body's spent, my feet are tired

my back is really sore

I struggle to walk, my mind can't think

I can't give any more!

I need your help, you're all I've got

I've emptied all my tanks

I've done all I could for your cause

when left to my own strength."

And so it ended, his pleading prayer

closing in "amen"

And as he closed his eyes for the day

his thoughts toward heaven did send

He dreamed of the Father, arms open wide

"Well done thou faithful servant

I'm pleased with you, you've done your best

your labors, diligent and fervent"

A warm embrace that seemed to make

all problems disappear

"I love you son, I'm always here," he exclaimed

as he wiped away the tears

"I know you're tired and want to quit,

but I know someone with a similar story"

Up walked a man he'd seen before,

with immortal fame and glory

"You're not alone," said the Savior

"I'm with you every day

when you can't go any farther,

I carry you every step of the way,

my legs were tired from the carrying the cross,

my feet were sore from the nails

my back was bloody, bruised and sore 

from the wipings in the jails

 my head hurt too when upon it

they placed a crown of thorns

and in Gethsemane my body hurt

when bleeding from every pore

All the things you're feeling now

I've felt them once before

So always know I'm there with you

when you feel you can't go any more"

Then he awoke, with commitment new

he set to give his all

His walk still tired, with little strength

but confident and tall

He had some extra help he knew

those whom with him did abide

A father watching watching over him

and a brother at his side

The days again turned into months

his time had come to an end

He'd given his all in the service of God

and noticed his eternal friend

with diligence and faith unfeigned

he'd learned to serve his master

"It took me two years," he thought

"But I have made it to His pasture!

I have learned for myself the meaning of

the sacred word 'atone',

yes it means a change, to become anew

but more than anything it means 'never alone'".

He boards the plane, its time to leave 

the place and people he learned to love

But he knows that never leaving

is his father and brother up above

He closes his eyes and before he knows

he feels as the plane descends

It's been two years since he's seen

his family and closes friends

He runs off the plane and  offers a prayer

"thanks again" is what he mutters

He seems his loved ones standing there

and runs without a stutter

He hugs his family one by one

this spiritual man of brawn

then he offers one last victory cry

a strong and faithful, yawn

I have never been into poems, never think I will be haha but I have noticed something out here more than anything else, the atonement is so very real. The strength we receive as missionaries could come from no other source than a divine one, which is a testimony to the divinity of the Savior. We can't do the work alone, he is with us every step of the way, I know that to be true.

I love you all, and know that God is always watching over us, every step of the way.