New Address Spring Creek

25 Arroyo Vista Dr.
Spring Creek NV 89815

This is my new address! Let everyone know :)

Dear Dad July 29, 2013

July 29, 2013

Dear Dad,

The New Area is good. Different...but good. The trip out here was not too bad...just a whole lot of nothing to look at. Elder Stevens is from Virginia...just like my companion now. Elder Anderson. Yes. The same one from the MTC. It has been interesting learning to work with him again, but I am looking to make the most of it.

As for the area, definitely a lot more spread out than Sparks. I always wanted to be a cowboy when I was younger, so I guess this is my opportunity now. The other day we unloaded 5 tons of Hay from a trailer. Each bail weighed about 110 pounds. We run 2 miles every morning...So I am planning on staying in plenty good shape. I am serving in the fifth ward and there are tons of members here. The ward directory is like...25 pages long. However, most of the members are inactive or work the mine on Sundays...so we have to learn to work with that. I like it so far though. I was spoiled in Sparks though, that is for darn sure. We live in the unfinished basement of a member, but it is nice. :) And they do say creek...I haven't heard crick....YET.

It seems like you have had a pretty busy/ fun week. I am happy to hear that you are doing so well with the Biggest Loser. I am glad people are starting to notice the difference. Just imagine the difference I will see once I have finished my work here. It is gonna be awesome.

Thank you for everything Dad. I love you so much. I will be letting you know on all the happenings over here in Spring Creek when they happen. This past week has just been setting up the area book and getting to know the area book more than anything. I miss ya. Have a good week!

Your Son,
Elder Bryton Dane Shinkle

Dear Dad July 22, 2013

July 22, 2013

Dear Dad,

So to answer the big question of the week...Yes. I am being transferred and so is Elder Stevens. They are putting Sisters in the ward here. I will be heading all the way to the east side of the mission. Spring Creek to be exact...just south of Elko. I am thinking Fajardo is gonna be out there still, so I am gonna be excited to see him again if that is the case. I am super sad to leave this area though. I have come so close to the people here...it is my home. I honestly almost feel like I am leaving home again. I am going to be the senior companion...and I think my companion is my companion from the MTC....not a 100% on that one yet though. Needless to say, I am going to have my work cut out for me there. I hear the ward is great though. One of my zone leaders here used to serve in the ward I will be serving in. I believe the area is being split and I will be double transferred into the new half with my companion. We head out there early Wednesday morning. So...we shall see.

In the meantime, I have been saying bye to everyone that I can. I have lots of pictures to send this week, and I am sure there will be more this coming week. And the role plays were just like...practicing street contacting and all that good stuff. Just practicing starting up conversations with people. Gotta love dem role plays. As for getting picked up, it isn't a problem at all. President doesn't care as far as I know...I dunno what I would want though. I think it would be cool to be picked up, but I also would want to be back here...released...so IDK.

That will be fun to go to Spokane. And that is good that you are going to support your brother and I am sure Syd is super excited. I hope grandma gets and feels better...doesn't sound like a whole lot of fun.

I am glad to hear that you have been keeping up with the workouts. No matter how tough they may be. Nothing better than that sore feeling. This week I worked out with Trey Hagler...we maxed out on bench when we had dinner with them. I got 165...I was impressed since I haven't been doing very much of that stuff since I have been out. Keep up with the hard work...it is definitely going to be worth it.

That is awesome that the monsoons are there...I miss them. Oh well though.

This week I had the opportunity to baptize, Raina. Talk about an amazing experience. She is so sweet...and she did awesome despite all her nervousness. I am grateful for the opportunity to know her and be such a special part of her life. The ward here is awesome and is gonna take care of her for sure. That is the most important thing...especially since I will be leaving here in a couple days. It was a small baptism, but it was amazing. This gospel is so amazing. I think one of the big things that helped her was the Mormon Message "You know enough" that we shared with her. I highly recommend watching it. Missionary work is awesome. I love it.

Thank you for everything Dad. As for that picture of me, I was messing around...telling Juan I was exhausted and he...took a surprise picture of me. He likes to do stuff like that :) Gonna miss that kid. I love you Dad. Have a good week with all your adventures. Oh! and I have a coke hat to send to you. I will do that as soon as possible. Smile!

Your Son,
Elder Bryton Dane Shinkle

 Raina's Baptism

 The Haglers

 The Metcalfs

 The Smiths

The Terassas

Dear Dad July 15, 2013

July 15, 2013

Dear Dad,

7 months...it is crazy. It really has just flown by. I can't believe it, and I will be a 1/3 of the way done in a few weeks. I mean...at times...I feel as if I have been out forever, but then I start to think about it, and I feel like it hasn't been very long at all. It is gonna be bitter sweet at the end. I know that for sure. Just thinking that I am probably gonna be transferred out of this area within the next couple weeks is tough. This place has become home to me. It is weird. I can't imagine what it will be like when I am completely done. We will definitely have to make a trip up here after, k?

I am so glad to hear that you are doing so well with the Biggest Loser workouts, and that Coach is helping you so much. I love that guy, he was such a help to me in football, so I can imagine how much he is helping you and pushing you. People in the ward have asked me how you are doing with the workouts, so I will be happy to report to them how much progress you have made this past week. Burpees are like up downs, right? Gotta love them ;) Keep working hard!

So sisters, eh? I am not sure I would be super stoked about that. Have you talked to them much? Are they weird? It will be interesting to see what they can bring to the table. I talked to a kid yesterday that has been called to the Mesa mission. He was asking me for advice and whatnot. Kinda cool :)

The discussions went really well this week. Especially with Bonnie and Raina. We have just been trying to get Raina more comfortable with the idea of baptism. Our goal is to hopefully have her set with a date by Wednesday...our goal for the date is hopefully this Saturday. I guess we shall see though. Gotta follow the spirit with this one. I guess if it happens though, we will have pictures this next Monday.

You know...when I first read that I had been called to Reno, I wasn't the most excited person in the whole world. However, people had always told me that I would love my mission and that I would love all the people of my mission. Me? Love Nevada? Pfff. They couldn't have been more right. I love this place more than anything. And that is what this gospel is all about. Love. Our Heavenly Father loves us so much, He sent his Son. He set this plan for us. When we realize that, we want to share that love and our knowledge of that love with everyone. It is just natural. I love this place...this area. I honestly don't want to leave. I realize that love of my mission and the people of my mission now. It is so amazing. That love has grown so quickly. Even with people I wouldn't normally associate with back home. This gospel is amazing. We can't take it for granted.

I love ya Dad. Miss ya too. Have another good week! I can't wait to hear :)

Your Son,
Elder Bryton Dane Shinkle

  The Badillos are an inactive family that I have become really close to. They are one of the ones that I had to say bye to. It was tough. I have gotten such a good relationship with them. I will be sending a picture of them with me. Love them to death. I am gonna continue writing them letters and what not once I leave the area.

 Juan also likes to take weird pictures of me when I am not paying any attention...

Elder Stevens, Juan, and I

 Brother Hagler is GM of Coke. This stuff isn't even in stores yet, but they know how much I love Taylor Swift. So they hooked it up when we went over there for dinner last Monday. I love it :)

Dear Dad July 8, 2013

July 8, 2013

Dear Dad,

I am happy to hear that you are making progress with the weight loss. Even if it is only a little progress. As long as working your hardest and leaving it all in the gym, that is really all that matters. Just like missionary work. :)

When I saw that you are only eating 1600 calories...pfff...dang. That would be tough. I am glad you are doing pretty well with it though. Thank you for the picture as well. It looks like coach has put on a little bit of weight. What is up with that? Just keep up the hard work. It is definitely worth it :) I am very proud of you.

As for the trampolines...yeah. I am staying away from them for a while. I learned my lesson. I will have pictures that I am sending. It looks bad, but it is basically all healed and the scar isn't bad thank goodness.

The discussions with the investigators. Awesome. It has been going so well with Bonnie and Raina. They were there again this week. Bonnie even bore her testimony. She thanked the missionaries (us) for our teachings and she said she is here to stay. They were so ready for us, it is amazing. We taught them on Saturday, did a little service in the yard for them, and then invited them to a baptism that some other missionaries were having. They came and loved it. It was really good to help get Raina comfortable with it all. I dunno if I told you that she is slightly autistic...so she gets really stressed out with new things and big groups. She has opened up so much to me though...she loves drawing and loves sharks. She and I were doodling at the baptism. It is awesome. I am hoping we have her baptized before I am out here. It amazing what the gospel and the spirit can do. It helps people bond. I am gonna be really sad when my time comes to leave which will probably be this transfer on the 23rd. My hope is to stay in the city. We will see though.

Thank you for the package this week as well. I appreciate that. I love and miss ya Dad. Keep working hard. Be better this week than you were last.

Love your Son,
Elder Bryton Dane Shinkle

 My good friend Austin

 Elder Flake

Super Glue

Dear Dad July 1, 2013

July 1, 2013

Dear Dad,

I am happy to hear about the soreness that you are experiencing. That means you are working hard. I am so proud of you and your decision to change your life. It is gonna be so worth it, and I hope that I don't really recognize ya when I get home :) Keep up the hard work!

Thank you for the package, I will be awaiting its arrival. If it is sent to the wrong apartment, I will just let the sisters know that live there now. I am excited :)

As for the head split open. I did it at the Corbridge home after I got my hairs cut last Monday. I was just jumping on the trampoline and I did a backflip. I landed it and kept jumping, but them being dumb, I jumped funny and landed on my back while hitting my head on a spring. I got up and kept jumping. Afterwards, I was walking back inside and just touched the back of my head, it was covered in blood. So, the Corbridges super glued it up for me. It has held up, so I dont think the scar will be too bad. I don't have pictures right now, because I forgot my camera at the apartment, but I will be sure to get you some.

The pictures from last week were from Juan. He had a birthday party that he invited us to for a little bit at a park. The girl would be Hailey Hagler. She is a girl in the ward that was there as well. We were just playin on the ropes at the park.

It has felt a little like home the past couple days, but I know it is nowhere as hot as it could be. It isn't the most fun thing to be out in the sun in dress clothes though. Oh well though, it is only for a little while. Just gotta get through it, and if time keeps going like it has, it will be freezing cold again in no time. Elder Flake and I always joke about how wimpy people are here ;)

That is cool that there are so many missions opening up. I think that the Gilbert mission will be similar to this one. You will start to see a lot more missionaries in the stake and out and about. It will just be a matter of time :) Our mission has been around for a year today...that is kinda crazy. I remember when it was just like 6 months old. It has been so much fun though. I love it.

The work here is progressing. It is amazing. I love it. We had another lesson with Bonnie and Raina this week, and they came to church once again. There isn't a greater feeling, then seeing people wanting to make a change in their lives, and really being dedicated to doing it, because it does make a difference. I have a poem that Juan wrote that I will be sending you. It is what makes all the hard work worth it. Juan also wrote me a letter this week, which made my week just that much better. Knowing that we can make a difference in somebody's life as long as we open our mouth. That is really all it takes.

Thank you for the emails, I also look forward to them every week. I love and miss you Dad. I hope you have a great week!

Love your Son,
Elder Bryton Dane Shinkle