New Address

Hey everyone!

They'd like for you to start sending my mail directly to my apartment.  My address is:

6717 Rolling Meadows Dr.
Appartment #1613
Sparks NV 89436

Write me.  I'm the coolest missionary you know!

Son of Man, Transfers, Baptism, and a big ol' Hot Air balloon

February 11, 2013

Dear Mom, Dad, and Jeri Lin,

Well I am just doing a mass email this week because I have a hair cut appointment with Sister Corbridge in a little bit. So just bear with me.

Dad, that is awesome that you get to teach the 17 year old Sunday school class. I would honestly kill for that calling. Being out on a mission has really helped me realize just how much I love the youth in the church. They are so much fun. I mean...I'm not that far off from youth age, but I have a blast with all the deacons, priests, etc. in the Highland Ranch ward.

Jeri Lin, being exhausted is a good thing. Sometimes it is hard to be able to get things done when you are tired...but that bed feels just that much better at the end of the day. So just keep working hard. I have noticed that you are blessed as long as you get out and work. Just this past week, Elder Hayes and I were out walking and making visits. It was about dinner time, and we didn't have a dinner scheduled that night, so we started the long 8 mile walk up to burger king. On our way there, a member of our ward pulled off and offered us a ride. He was taking one of his little boys to wrestling. After telling him to just drop us off at burger king, he gave us 20 bucks for dinner. That never would have happened if we had just decided to stay inside and not work. So just always get out and work your hardest even when you are exhausted. I thankful to have a mom that has been such a great example of that.

Mom, It is good to hear that everyone is doing well. As far as my adress, it is the same and it will always be the same throughout my mission. They just forward all of our stuff to whatever our address is at the time. It help prevent things from getting lost.

As for transfers, I will not be a six week trainer like everyone was trying to tell me I was going to do. Thank goodness. I am moving appartments though. Elder Hayes and I will now have a one bedroom appartment. No other elders will be living with us. My opinion of tranfers this time around is kind of stinky though. I am losing two of my very favorite elders in my district. Elder Prescott is being sent out to the Elko zone...which is like a 7 hour drive from here. Elder Chatterton is becoming a district leader of himself and his companion out in Lovelock. So...yeah...kinda crazy. But I know everything happens for a reason. So it is probably for the best.

Now to explain the Son of Man...you know the song from Tarzan. Well we were listening to is last night and I just couldn't help but apply the lyrics to my mission. So here are the lyrics.

Oh, the power to be strong
And the wisdom to be wise
All these things will
come to you in time
On this journey that you're making
There'll be answers that you'll seek
And it's you who'll climb the mountain
It's you who'll reach the peak

Son of Man, look to the sky
Lift your spirit, set it free
Some day you'll walk tall with pride
Son of Man, a man in time you'll be

Though there's no one there to guide you
No one to take your hand
But with faith and understanding
You will journey from boy to man

Son of Man, look to the sky
Lift your spirit, set it free
Some day you'll walk tall with pride
Son of Man, a man in time you'll be

In learning you will teach
And in teaching you will learn
You'll find your place beside the
ones you love
Oh, and all the things you dreamed of
The visions that you saw
Well, the time is drawing near now
It's yours to claim it all

Son of Man, look to the sky
Lift your spirit, set it free
Some day you'll walk tall with pride
Son of Man, a man in time you'll be

Son of Man
Son of Man's a man for all to see

Now...to explain the Hot Air balloon. Elder Hayes and I were on our way to chuch and we saw a hot air balloon taking off. Pretty cool. Now we got to church, set up the chairs and we just went outside to catch some fresh air. And what do you know...here comes the hot air balloon to land in the CHURCH Parking lot! like...What the Crap?! pretty cool though. We went and helped them put it down and then we invited them to come attend church. They politely declined...but hey you don't always get a missionary opportunity to drop in on you like that. I wish I could have gotten pictures, but I didn't bring my camera to church.

Now! the most exciting news. Juan's mother has given him permission to be baptized! We took him to a baptism that some of the other Elders were having on Saturday. It really got him even more excited...so we invited him once again to ask his mother. He said that he would Sunday night. So...We fasted for him and his mother all day Sunday. And we got a text from him last night saying that she had said he could. He said she wasn't super stoked about it...but it is probably the best decision he could make. We are meeting with him again Wednesday to talk and probably work out the details, set a date, etc. So yeah! Pretty exciting stuff!

I love and miss you all!
Here are a couple pictures!

Love
Elder Bryton Dane Shinkle

Picture Update

February 6, 2013

My bed and wall before my last package.

We had a race against the Young Women in our ward.  We got certificates that said, "Congratulations on winning your race, you beat a 15 year old GIRL, you crushed her hopes and dreams, your mother will be so proud."

We went on splits to Pyramid Lake.

We continue to work with Juan. The lessons we have with him go very well. We continue to try and work with less active families to get them back to church. OH! This week, we went and visited the Fritters again. His mother is now on Hospice in their home and we were able to give her a blessing. A blessing that she would go in peace and in comfort. It was really neat. Even though the work is fairly slow out here, I really feel as if I am making an impact in their lives, through Christ.

Dear Sister January 28, 2013

Jeri Lin!

My mission has truly been a blast thus far. As you can tell. It is pure awesomeness. I can't even imagine what it will be like serving a couple mission. For one, your companion is your best friend and you know you already love them, so that is a bonus. But I am excited for that in the future as well :)

It is also good to hear that baby Brown is doing well. I honestly like the name Trekker for a boy, but if I think of any more or hear some good ones, I will let you know.

Haha I think gardens are just weird in general. From what I have heard and experienced anyways. I am glad work is going well, even though the ER is not your favorite. I could never do that.

Thank you for your anology. I honestly think that is what a lot of the work we do here in Sparks. It is good though. I really enjoy it. As you may see in my pictures. I love and miss ya big sis.

Love
Elder Bryton Dane Shinkle

 "Swag Turnt Up" is Elder Chatterton

Dear Browns January 22, 2012

January 22, 2012

Hey!
Well I am sorry that you didn't get an email yesterday if you were expecting one. It was a holiday, so the libraries were closed...so we get to do it today!

It is good to hear that you are doing well and keeping busy. I keep you all in my prayers every night. I am glad you enjoy what you do. It makes things just that much better. I enjoy serving a mission. It is work, but it really is just so much fun. Like last night we were teaching a 16 year old recent convert who was baptized before I got out here. We had a good lesson in one of the members homes and then afterwards they invited us to play a game of apples to apples. It was a blast. It is just the little things like that that keep us sane as missionaries. You can have fun, but still work at the same time.

Congrats to Tony! Hard work pays off. I want you to know that I am not jealous of those Big Boy Mover moves whatsoever, but I am happy to hear that it all is going well.

As for the Fritters, we did not see them this Sunday. However, our ward mission leader had been talking with them and earlier in the week they went and visited Brother Fritter's mother who has been in the hospital for quite some time. Brother Fritter was able to give his first priesthood blessing to his mother who is not a member. Brother Fritter has been a convert for about a year. From what I hear though, it was a pretty awesome experience. He then told Elder Hayes and I that Brother Fritter was talking about taking his mom to church, but to the ward that she lived in. So. I believe that is where they were this Sunday. Kinda crazy how much one visit can change people.

As for Juan, he is 17. He is such an awesome kid. He is so ready to be baptized, we are just waiting on his mother's approval. So...until then, we have been asking him to pray with his mom every night, and bearing his testimony to her. We just have to be patient. So in the meantime, we have just been going over lessons and principles with him. Answering questions that he has and so on and so forth. It will come...we just aren't sure when. :)

We also now have a new investigator. Another youth as a matter of fact. Every Friday we get together with the youth to play some basketball. It is super fun. We invite them to bring their non member friends though. That is how we found Keenan. I am excited to get to know him and be able to teach him. Elder Hayes and Elder Davis are actually gonna be teaching him tonight. I won't get to be there because we are on 24 hour exchanges, and I am with my District Leader Elder Prescott. I am excited for that though. :)

Other than that, life is good here in Nevada. I am just waiting for it to warm up a little bit. I miss the warm Arizona sun. I love and miss you Big Sis.

Love
Elder Bryton Dane Shinkle

Dear Dad January 22, 2012

January 22, 2012

Dad!

It is so good to hear from ya. Today is the emailing day, because all the libraries were closed yesterday, but we still had an awesome P day none the less. We woke up and did a district hike, which was pretty fun. Kinda uneventful, but fun. Then we had a good ol' Mexican standoff as Elder Chatterton calls it.(Nerf Gun war). Then we went out and did some shopping. Went and got lunch at Jazz, where we eat for free. It is a Louisiana type cooking restaurant. I got me some voodoo chicken strips with extra hush puppies. MMMM. And...yeah. that was pretty much our P day. Until later that night when we went to the Metcalf's home to teach a recent convert the last recent convert lesson. It went really well. Then they invited us to play some apples to apples...then they gave us treats...and toilet paper...and money to go to lunch. It was just a really good day. They are an awesome family, just like all the others out here.

I have heard some bits and pieces about the flu. Seems crazy...but I feel like they freak out about it every year. Good to hear that you are playing some ball. We do with the youth every Friday night, and we actually now have a new investigator because of it. I am excited about that. And I think that it is awesome that you are doing another race, but yes, try to get a little training in. It won't hurt. Too much.

I am happy to see that the Chargers are sticking with their Offensive mindedness. Hopefully this new coach can do it a little better than Norv could. I guess we will see. I am sad to see Chip go to the Eagles though. Wish he would have stayed with Oregon, but oh well. I guess we will see with that as well. I hope the Ravens win the Superbowl. Everybody and there dog are 49ers founds round these parts. It should be a good game though. Wish I could see it.

Anyways...I was just thinking today. The gospel is...so much like football. Like I can't help but relate it all back to it. Earlier I was thinking...we have the greatest coaching staff. Heavenly Father, Jesus Christ, and the Holy Ghost. They know how to win. They have given us the perfect playbook. The Scriptures. We are the players. And just like in football, the players have to study and learn the plays. The coaches can help us learn, but it is our job to actually learn the plays. Because if not, someone may come to us with a question...If we haven't studied out play book, we may not know how to answer that question. We won't know what play to run and our coaches will have no way of helping us, because we haven't done our part. It is so important to study everyday. I am really starting to realize that. I know that to be true. I say these things, in the name of Jesus Christ, amen.

I am sorry to hear about the Noyes family as well. I will keep their family in my prayers.

With that, I want you to know that I love and miss you.

Love,

Elder Bryton Dane Shinkle

My Bike Arrived

Hey Dad!

Just letting you know that I got my bike. It is awesome. You definitely picked out a good one. We put it all together yesterday. Elder Prescott and Elder Chatterton helped me out. I hope everything is going well with all of you guys back home. I am sorry the Seahawks lost...and I also heard that Duke lost their first game. That is a bummer. I think I will have to just cheer for the Ravens. Just because Ray Lewis...I respect that man. Elder Chatterton says I am growing out a moustache and my name is the Great Dane. That is all.

Love
Elder Shinkle
(The Great Dane)