Dear Everyone June 24, 2013

June 24, 2013

Dear Dad, Mom, and Jeri Lin,

Well let me see....I am sending a group message to you all today, because I don't have a whole lot of time to email you all. You see, it is Juan's birthday today (and Sydney's as well) tell her happy birthday for me. But anyways, we have a fun day of activities planned out with my good friend Juan. Bowling...mini golf...and just lots of fun. So bear with me, I will try to make this as personal as possible :)

Thank you Dad for that picture of the Elders in Russia. We are constantly trying new ways to find people...going to skate parks...family parks. Anything really. It is hard when people aren't really out and about in this area. That is why I was so happy when we went to the training yesterday night and they mentioned the fact that we will be able to use internet and what not during the morning hours when it less effective. I got really excited when L. Tom Perry said that, because that is a thing we really struggle with in this area. It will be interesting to see how it all works out. Missionary work is changing and I am so happy to be right in the middle of it. The whole time during the broadcast, I was thinking about how much I love being a missionary. How much I have come to learn the area and love all the people in it. I am sure tears are gonna be shed when the time comes for me to be transferred out of here. And not only from me, but members of the ward. They have expressed their love for me these past few weeks...I love it here. Who knew? When I got the call to Reno, I was a little skeptical, but I really don't want to leave.

Mom, I am glad that you are doing well and having a good time with all the kids, with swim team an all. That is a bummer to hear about the car. The trials seem to never stop coming, but that means Heavenly Father hasn't stopped caring. Thank you for all the pictures as well. I really do appreciate those.

Jeri Lin. You are such a good Mom, have faith in that. You will be all good, I know that for a fact. Us Shinkle kids are no wimps. In fact, I split my head open this week...just being clumsy, I will have to send you all pictures. Everything is good, we have it super glued up :)

I want to let you all know that I have had a really good week. We now have two new investigators. An 18 year old girl named Raina. Her Mom is a member who has been inactive for years. It was a referral given to us by Elder Gelert gave it to us, and we had tried contacting them for weeks, but could never catch them. So I finally just gave her a call. She was talking to me like I was her best friend. We taught them on Saturday and they came to church Sunday. Awesome. We are also now teaching a friend of Brother Carter's. He is an ex-Marine, just a huge guy. Super cool. We taught him on Friday. This work is the Lords work, and it is hastening. People are ready. There is absolutely no doubt about it. We are where we are for a reason. Now we just need to open our mouth.

Dad, I am so proud of you and your desire to be the East Valley's Biggest loser. Don't let that fire die. Myself and my friends here are all around you supporting you. I hope you all have an awesome week. Thank you for all you do for me. I love you and miss you all bunches :)

Your Son and Brother,
Elder Bryton Dane Shinkle

Dear Dad June 17, 2013

June 17, 2013

Dear Dad,

So new changes? Why did they move the ward and everything around again? Change isn't always bad though. Haha can you imagine if KJ doesnt end up getting his visa soon and ends up being sent here? Could I possibly train him? That would be weird :) That is a bummer that you no longer home teach Bro. Lewis, but things happen for a reason. I am still in this area for a reason. I can tell that more than ever after this past week. It has been awesome. We have new people to teach that we are meeting with this week. A friend of Brother Carters who used to belong to the nation of Islam. We also contacted a referral Saturday night, and we have an appointment with them on Saturday. The work is really progressing. It is quite exciting. We also have been meeting with all the less actives as well. I have developed such close relationships with them. We taught the Restoration to the Badillos this past week. The spirit was present...it was amazing. I know they can feel it, now they just need to act on it. That is their job, so we will continue to be there to help them and encourage them. :) We also have been starting to teach the members the lessons, that has been awesome as well. It was a request from the bishop. He promised us as the Bishop of the Highland Ranch Ward that if we will do everything in our power to teach everyone, we will see more people enter into the waters of baptism than ever before. I am gonna do everything in my power to follow him up on that promise :)

We also had an awesome Sunday lunch with Juan and his parents yesterday. It was delicious and the Spanish elders were able to get another lesson with them and get his parents number so that they could come visit more on their own. So that was also awesome. I have Juan spreading the word about Biggest Loser, and I will continue to spread the word as much as I can. I am glad you are doing well with Votes. As long as you are in the top 6, that is all that matters. Because the only thing that matters is when the pads come on. Who is gonna have the desire? Who is actually willing to hit and be hit? I believe you can do it Dad. You have always been there supporting me, when I was hit and on the ground, you have always encouraged me to get back up and hit them harder. I know I am about a 12 hour drive away, but I am here cheering you on. I can't wait to hear what happens. :)

It is good to hear that Hyrum and Hayden are surviving with all those girls. Another girl in the family...I can't believe it. But that is really awesome. I can't wait to meet her for real someday :) I am glad everyone is doing well. Thank you for all your encouragement. I love and miss ya Dad. I hope you have a good week!

Love your Son,
Elder Bryton Dane Shinkle

Dear Sister June 17, 2013

June 17, 2013

Dear Jeri Lin,

I cannot believe it! I honestly thought I was gonna have another nephew to be completely honest with you :) I am happy that all went well though and that Lindi is nice and healthy...and big. ;)

I can't wait to hear more about your adventures with little Lindi and goofy Hyrum. You are such an awesome Mom.

Things are going well out here in the mission field. I love it. I have grown so close to the people out here, and I just keep thinking how hard it is going to be to leave the people here. The youth tell me that they are gonna handcuff me to something so I can't leave when the time comes. I am actually ok with that ;)

I love and miss all you Browns :) I hope you have a good week!

Love your brother,
Elder Bryton Dane Shinkle

Dear Dad June 10, 2013

June 10, 2013

Dear Dad,

Thank you for those words of encouragement. I honestly wasn't terribly discouraged...it was just kind of frustrating to have lots of cancellations. I am not a numbers guy. At all. I am here to help people...so it was just frustrating to be wanting to help those people, and then have them cancel. However, I did feel that we could do some things better. So, this past week, we regained our desire to get up, work out, etc. We also set a goal to tract for at least 1 hour a day. We did a pretty good job with that, and saw improvement. We put in at least 20 hours or service and met some potential investigators tracting and leaving blessings upon their home. So, we just keep that smile on our face and like you said, put one foot in front of the other. I know it could always be worse.

Let me know what happens with the biggest loser deal. I hope it all goes well. That is awesome that you have gotten into the finalists :) I will be in my area for another 6 weeks at least. I am happy to say the least. I love this place so much. My companion is still Elder Stevens. Elder Torrescano is currently on shipment to Brazil. President picked him up last night and took him to the airport early this morning. I honestly was really happy for him, and still am, but it was harder than I thought to tell him goodbye. Transfers kind of stink.

I am moving back into the apartment I started my mission in. They are putting sisters into our apartment and moving us in with the zone leaders. I am losing my favorite zone leader though. Elder Shamanis is headed to Carson City tomorrow and he will probably end his mission there. Kinda crazy.

Oh! Some other news...I now weigh 180 pounds....I don't look any different though. I am still skinny. At least I think I am. I found that out yesterday and it has been kinda driving me crazy...at least I know I am being fed well I guess.

That is cool to hear about all the aspects of our stake and all the missionaries that are going out and are currently serving. Kinda crazy. Thank you for the letter Dad. I really appreciate it. I am trying to be better every day and not get into bad habits. I want to be the best I can be. I am learning new things every day. I love and miss you. I hope you have a good week.

Love your Son,
Elder Bryton Dane Shinkle

 Brayan's Baptism

 Elder Torrescano before he left

 Sparks North Zone

Tie Trades

Dear Sister June 3, 2013

June 3, 2013

Dear Jeri Lin,

Well I was really hoping that I could get some news on a new niece or nephew this week as well. Oh well, Baby Brown will come when the time is right :) And I can't wait to hear when that time comes :)

I am glad to hear that Tony is staying busy with work and that Hyrum is having a good time being a kid. Sounds like a pretty darn good time. :) That is awesome that Tony is getting the opportunity to possibly teach online. Is it lots of hours? Or is it kinda just when he has the time not doing BBM and TSA? I am glad things are coming up and hopefully it works out :)

I hope your baby package arrives soon, and I will be awaiting my package tomorrow :)

As for my week...it was a rough one. As far as numbers go...we had all zeros. Every lesson we set up cancelled. We had no luck tracting. We also went to a park to try and talk to people...nobody was there. So...It can only get better this week. We shall see though :) Just trying to keep a positive attitude always. We shall find out if I will be staying in this area this week...I am hoping I stay. Really bad. If one of us gets a leadership call, I will find out tomorrow or Wednesday. If no leadership calls, I will find out Saturday. It has been driving me nuts the past couple weeks.

Other than that, I did have a really good experience at a baptism this week. I will get you pictures from it this week. It was the baptism of a kid named Brayan, who my zone leaders met tracting. He is 18 years old, and he requested that I say the prayer at his baptism. It is amazing to see the changes that people can make. It was a very spiritually filled baptism. So, that kind of made the week all worth it. He even told me that he wants me to marry his sister.....haha. It was just a good Saturday, even though our lessons cancelled on us. The little things like that make everything all worth it :)

That is all I have for now though. I love and miss ya mucho big sis. Have an awesome week! I hope to hear good news :)

Love your brother,
Elder Bryton Dane Shinkle