Dear Dad March 25, 2013

March 25, 2013

Dear Dad,

I have heard bits and pieces about the tournament, but I didn't know it was that crazy. I think it is awesome that some of the underdogs are doing so well though. You never know what is gonna happen, and when teams have something to prove, I think they leave it all out on the court. I never did get a bracket though, mine probably would have been trashed though too, but that is ok. I will probably hear about Duke later today, but I hope they did end up winning.

I hear you about work though. Sometimes, there are things that we really don't like about work. But in life, sometimes we have to do things that we don't necessarily want to do. That is something you have taught me. As a trainer, I have to make decisions, keep track of stats, and teach this new missionary how to be a missionary in real life while applying what he learned in the MTC for only 13 days. Sometimes, I wanna just sit back and just go with the flow. But I can't. It is harder somedays, but I keep moving forward. I want you to know that I already do keep you and your job in my prayers everyday as well as your foot. Just pray for guidance.

As for the first week of training. It has been totally awesome to be completely honest with you. Kinda busy, but good. So, I picked Elder Flake up on Tuesday night and we still had Elder Hayes with us till Wednesday morning when we had to drop him off so he could head out to Eureka. Then we also had Elder Harless with us all day till Wednesday evening when his companion got here from Spring Creek. So the first couple days were kinda crazy. So Thursday was our first normal full day together. It was pretty uneventful, but good. Then Saturday, I had five hours of leadership training and Elder Flake went into Reno with some other Elders to buy a bike. Then Saturday, we had mini missionaries. It is a thing that the Sparks stake every year for the young men and young women. We had two young men assigned to go out with us for the day from the Sparks First Ward. I am technically still a greenie. I am training a greenie. And then I had two young men with me as well. Brother Jimenez told me that it was like they gave me the players, but I had to call the formation, the plays, snap count, everything. Pretty much that is how I was feeling. And we didn't have any appointments set up for the day. So...I picked a section of our area to go tracting in after we did some companionship study. The first house we knock. No Answer. Second House. Come back on a weekday around 12. Woah...that is a first time deal for me. Cool. Third house. A 15-16ish year old girl answers. Blah blah blah...Would you like to learn more about our message? She says "Sure". Now what???? I have never gotten that far. So...we agree to come back to teach at 3:00. The kids are asking me, does this happen all the time? no. And this is the first time that I have taken Elder Flake out tracting as well. I was kinda freaking out. Anyways...we worked the area for a little while till lunch. Then planned the lesson at 3. We go back and knock...an older girl answers the door, we find out she is the girls older sister and the other girl isn't home. At this point I was starting to think we werent going to be able to come in. She says she wants to hear what we have to say though. So...we teach the first lesson. Yajaira is our new investigator. She committed to read the Book or Mormon and Pray, and we are planning to hopefully meet again this Saturday. Soo....Keep her in your prayers.

As for my companion...Elder Layton D. Flake. From? Mesa, AZ. Heck yes. Went to Westwood. His cousins? Chad and Curt Done. Tall, Dark, and Handsome. Every body says we look like brothers, and we have had so much fun the past few days. It is going to be a good three months if everything goes right. :)

As for that look from President, he had a confused look, but it only lasted a couple of seconds. :)

Thank you for the Email and for all you do dad. I love you. Tons. AND. Miss ya.

Love,
Elder Bryton Dane Shinkle

Dear Dad March 19, 2013

March 19, 2013

Dear Dad,

First of all, I didn't get the opportunity to email yesterday, so that is why I am doing it today. Second of all...It is crazy to think that three months out here have come and gone. It went so fast...but then I still do feel like there is a whole lot of time I still have out here...That year mark seems so very far away at times...and don't even think about two years...sometimes it seems like that day will never come. It will though...eventually. 

I am glad you enjoyed the pictures from my last emails. It was really a good time. And a really good bonding experience for all of us. As for why we did it...Haha we are teenage boys...and we like doing crazy things. And...when a brother of yours needs help, you go and help. No matter how crazy the situation may be. It was really a lot of fun though. 

I also really enjoy that article you sent. Thank you for that. I was thinking, as I was reading it, of my trainer and how as we walk down the street...it may be freezing cold, we may be getting cussed out with the F-bomb, or being called dorks. Whatever the situation may be...Elder Hayes always says..."eh...could be worse". It is so true. That is one thing that he has taught me these past 11 weeks. Now...I will be training this transfer. In fact I am picking up my new trainee this morning. It is really quite nerve racking. I have no idea who he is, where he comes from, and I have a major responsibility to show him the ropes now. I hope I can be a good trainer...and even better than my trainer. I am sure it will be a good experience, but holy moly am I nervous. 

It is good to here that it is getting nice and warm again. That is my favorite. The weather here has been really nice the past week or so...it can never decide if it wants to be warm or cold though. Oh well. As for march madness. I am excited. Bummed that I don't get to watch the games, but excited to see what happens this year...I really think it is a up in the air year as far as I know and have heard. Are you sending me a bracket? I have heard a lot about the free agency stuff...Brother Carter likes to keep me updated on those types of things. Wes Welker to Denver? I thought that was crazy. Percy Harvin will do well in Seattle. That is awesome...I think he has a lot of problems with Migraines though. Hopefully he can do well though. 

It is good to hear that you are doing well though. I keep you in my prayers...Jacob 6:12. I love and miss you. Thank you for all that you do.

Love,Elder Bryton Dane Shinkle

Dear Everyone March 11, 2013

March 11, 2013

Dear Mom, Dad, Jeri Lin, Tony, and Leslie,

Well...I decided to write just a big group letter today, because I have a lot to say and not enough time to write all of you. So are you ready? Here it goes.

It sounds like you guys had a good time at the Mud run. For the most part anyway ;) I really like doing hard things like that...and I miss water. So you know I wish I could have been there right beside you guys doing that :) I hope you guys are alright now and recover quickly. Every Monday we have been playing football with the youth. It is a freaking blast. There is a park here called the Golden Eagle and they have tons of turf football fields open to the public. Needless to say, we are a bunch of turf burned, beat up missionaries afterwards. I love it. Maybe I will be able to get some pictures for you sometime. I will have to see.

I am glad to here that the family continues to be blessed and that you all are keeping up with temple work. I was able to go to the temple this week! It was so cool. I chose to do baptisms. The cool part is that I was able to participate in every part. I got to confirm, record, witness, baptize, and be baptized. I was honestly kinda nervous at first, but it was really super cool. And I am surrounded by awesome missionaries, so that helps. That was on Wednesday. It was fun.

Hmm...well we met with a guy named, Tom Dawson this week. Played some ping pong with him. He is a previous investigator that we found in our area book. His wife is a member, but he travels a whole bunch so it is hard to get things set up. But we were able to set up a lesson for the 24th. Hopefully he won't have an emergency business trip, and I am hoping I will still be here after tranfers. Transfers are the 19th and we will be finding out what happens with that this week. President told Elder Hayes that our area is being considered for a sister area. So...who knows. I have also been told that I will probably be training this transfer...and Hayes tells me that I will be District Leader and be double transfered into a new area. I really hope not though...I really want to stay in this area...at least for one more transfer. But...who knows. We will see and I will be sure to let you all know.

So...now for a funny story. On Saturday, we were on splits with our district leader, Elder Koster...from denmark. Really cool guy. Anyways, We were also with Elder Stene and Elder Nicholson, because they have a car and they were taking us to lunch. And...the power steering went out. The fluid was fine, and Elder Stene, being the strong Texan he is just said he would deal with it until he could get it fixed today. So..we continued driving and they also went to dinner with us, because they didn't have one scheduled. Well on the way home...the car started dying...like everything. We barely made it back to the appartment. We said a prayer thanking that we could arrive in safety and asked what we should do next, because Elder Stene ane Elder Nicholson still needed to get back home. So...Stene tried starting the car again. It started. BARELY. SO...What do us teenage boys do? All jump in the car. As we are driving out of the appartment complex, the other elders with a car pass by, we yell to them to follow us. SO...we are going a total of about 5mph...and the ford fusion is following behind us with their hazards on. We have everything turned off so that all the power is going to the engine. We barely make it over some of the hills...and then about on the second round about on hubble, the car totally dies. So what do we do? Jump out and start pushing. Up the hill we go. Anyways...long story short...it was a good workout. And a good bonding experience. :)

Anyways...I think that is all I have for now.

Mom, as far as the tortillas go..it was good. Just don't send so many next time. Some of them went bad :P

Dad, I hope your leg is alright. Let me know.

Jeri Lin, I loved the story about Hyrum shooting beans out of his nose.

Leslie, Stay awesome. And remember, all is fair in love and war ;) think about it.

Tony, Thank you for your analogy. Haha I hope your feet feel better.

I love and miss you all!

I am sending pictures. I can only attach 3...so I will send the rest to Jeri Lin.

Love,

Elder Bryton Dane Shinkle

View of Reno from the Temple

Juan's Baptism

March 4, 2013

Dad,

Well this week has been nice and busy to say the least. I say we put in at least...20 hours of service or so. Helping a brother in a ward right next to us. We had to move engine blocks, transmissions, and pretty much every kind of car part you could ever imagine. It was fun. We had two other sets of elders helping out. One, Elder Stene, has been out for quite a while. He is from Texas and he used to work at Home Depot as a Lot guy. So we have gotten pretty close...sharing stories and what not. We also both really enjoy football and we have been playing every week on pday. It is a blast, and a freaking good workout.

We also got the opprtunity to teach seminary on Thursday morning. That was fun...except for the part of waking up at 4:30 in the morning. I respect those kids. We had a really good time.

And then we had all the preparation for the baptism this week as well on top of all that. It was so good though. I designed the whole program...drew the artwork and everything. I will send you a copy of it sometime. But then I also had the opportunity to give a talk at the baptism as well as conduct the whole thing. It went well. Elder Hayes did slip as he was getting in the font though. Haha. It was pretty funny. The whole thing was fantastic though. It was very well attended and everything. And Juan, couldn't be happier. His parents attended as well. I think that was really good for them. I think it even has caused them to be interested a little more in the gospel as well...so we will see what happens with that.

I am glad to hear that everything is going well though. And it sounds like you guys have a lot of pretty fun things that are coming up! I think that it is awesome that Bro. Peel is a bishop now. He is a cool guy.

Elder Hayes and I went up with Juan yesterday and bore our testimonies after he had received the gift of the Holy Ghost and everything. It was so good. I will just kinda share what I said. The night before, the night after his baptism, I was writing in my journal. It kind of game me time to think and reflect. Especially after such a busy week. As I was thinking, I was thinking of what a blessing baptism really is. It is the one thing that allows us to take full advantage of the Atonement. And of course...I thought of some song lyrics...and of course they are from Miss Taylor Swift herself. In one of her songs, she says "Lost your balance on a tight rope, It's never to late to get it back". How true that is...We have the sacrament every week that allows us to regain that balance once again on the tightrope called life. No matter what we have done, the Saviour will be there to help us along. I say that in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.

I love and miss you!

Love,

Elder Bryton Dane Shinkle