Oct. 21, 2011

Aloha,

It is 5:55am... My roommates and I put our laundry in at 5:30 am so we would miss the traffic jam later and not have to wait for machines. After this we're going to get ready and be at the temple by 7:30 am to do initiatories. We aren't going to do a session this week.

I really hope all of you are doing great. I'm sure the weather's been nice. The Kealas have written and told me a little about it. How is school for all of the kids and work for mom and dad? I hope great. How's the ward? Probably same as usual? I love all of you.

This past week was good. It was long, but at the same time it went by really quickly. On Tuesday we had our usual Tuesday devotional and myself and a bunch of other missionaries who are headed to Japan sat outside the door for a little less than 2 hours again. It worked out really good because we ended up with some really good seats and Elder Richard G. Scott spoke. It was a great meeting. The opening hymn was “ Called To Serve,” which is always great, and the choir sang a nice hymn. Elder Scott had a bunch of great points and scriptures. He said to watch and emulate the sister missionaries, because they didn't have a duty to be here and they have a sensitivitiy to the gospel that we don't have. That was really good. I've been thinking about that a little lately. It's amazing seeing everyone here... and it's more amazing seeing all of the sisters here. Elder Scott also spoke a lot about the spirit and how to increase its guidance in our lives. He stressed to ALWAYS have something to write impressions on. You can't control when the holy ghost teaches. But you can record it. Near the end he gave two Apostolic blessings: one to know our strengths and another to, through prayer, know our weaknesses. He was not able to shake hands after, but it was a great night.

We reviewed our first investigator and got two new "progressing investigators." Progressing investigators are basically our teachers playing the role of an investigator they had on their mission. The lessons seem very real. My companion and I have taught one of them twice and the other once. The investigator that we've taught twice is named Masatoshi. He is college-aged, indecisive, and struggling with something that we have yet to uncover. Our lessons with him have been going really well. He has committed to attend church with us on Sunday and we were able to leave him a Book of Mormon and ask him to read, ponder, and pray about it. We've also extended an invitation for baptism at both lessons. We're taught to extend the baptism invitation early, preferably in the first lesson, so it's good that we were able to do that.

Here almost everyone lives from gym-time to gym-time. Lately, I've been playing mostly soccer and softball with a little basketball every once in a while. We only have 50 minutes 5 days per week, and it's never enough. I've heard that on Halloween they're going to open a free weights gym, so that’s exciting. I've been working out a little in the evenings with a few guys from our residence. It's good, but a gym with weights would be really nice.

I traded a few ties; three that I would probably never wear for one decent one... and another decent one for a nice one. We had a "tie convention" in our room a few nights ago. Our neighbor saw that we were looking at ties and walked down the hall telling everyone we had a tie convention going on. We probably had about 18 elders come in through the course of the evening.

I won't be able to upload pictures to that website... we're only able to access MyLDS Mail, LDS.com, and Mormon.com. I'll have to print pictures at the bookstore and get them out to you by regular mail.

If you haven't sent my other pair of shoes, could you get those out to me sometime soon. Also, I need my immunizations ASAP. I don't have them here, they weren't in my suitcase. I've had to meet with the health clinic people and they need them ASAP. Maybe get a record from the doctor? I just need those records now. Oh, can you get that ward list out me sometime?

I'm still excited to see Dallin. I hope he's excited too. He will be able to learn so much here. It's weird, the outside "real world" seems so crazy and bad. It's weird to think of all of the things going on "out there." I'm sure it isn't bad on Maui, it's just really good in here. Everyone is here for a purpose. People get sidetracked sometimes, but pretty much everyone is working hard.

I love all of you. I hope you're doing amazing. I miss you. Keep reading the scriptures and praying. Heavenly Father and his son Jesus Christ love you. They want the best for you. Seek to obey counsel already given and you will receive more that will bless you so much more.

Take care,
Elder Rindlisbacher
PS I love the letters