Week 94 – July 29, 2013

Hello Everyone!

Elder Olson and I have had a great week here. President Wada was actually in America this week so we used it to go on companion exchanges. I was able to go to Machida, Atsugi, and Kanagawa.

My time with the Machida Elders (zone leaders,) was a lot of fun. We worked as a three-man and I tried to teach them to always be talking to people whenever and wherever they were. I know that great friends and investigators can be found through that. Elder Olson is a great example. We found many new potential investigators and saw a great miracle as we were ending the exchange. At the station waiting for Elder Olson, we met and talked with a small group of teachers from a nearby international school. They invited us to come and visit their school next month and meet their students!

My exchange with the Elders in Atsugi was really interesting. Elder Hoshino and Elder Takaya aren't zone leaders or anything, I just felt like it would be good to go on exchange with them. I've actually been on exchange with Elder Takaya probably ten times now, but this was my first time working with Elder Hoshino. Atsugi isn't a very metropolitan area, but still not extremely rural. On my mission I've been used to always having a lot of people to talk to, but walking down the streets in Atsugi, there are a good amount of buildings and homes, but not really anybody in sight. I guess they all head into Tokyo for the day to work. I think we all got to know each other better and learned and grew.

With going to Kanagawa, I worked with my former companion, Elder Hill, and Elder Olson worked with his MTC companion, Elder Young. Elder Hill is a great missionary and I was inspired, as always, by his faith and diligence. We had a great time preaching the gospel together.

Other than our exchanges this week, yesterday Elder Olson and I went out and had a bunch of great conversations. We had about four hours on the streets and met many great people. We received six phone numbers from strong potential investigators and hope to begin meeting with them soon. We also had an investigator, Jett, attend sacrament meeting and Sunday School and have a great time. If you remember, he's the one whose Gospel music class we went to. Anyway, we've been trying to always have our investigators sitting on the third row with a member and it's been working really well. Sister Wada also attended the meetings here as President Wada was away (they're normally at different wards each week speaking) and she fellowshipped Jett and bore great testimony. We're hoping we can have him and his family to the Wadas' home for dinner sometime soon.

Last night Elder Olson and I went with Sister Wada to pick President Wada and their youngest son (of two,) Takuto (who's 15 going 16), up at the airport. We got back and to sleep around 1:00 am. I guess that might not sound so interesting to you as you don't have a curfew to be in bed by 10:30 pm, but after getting up at 6:30 am and going to sleep at 10:30 pm every day for a year and a half it gets pretty crazy to stay up until 1:00 am. Not getting much sleep has caught up and I'm pretty tired today, but will probably get some good time to rest. Hopefully, at least, as this week will be another busy one! 

We have a few appointments with investigators this week. In addition, we'll be having a training for a few missionaries to improve their translation skills for upcoming conferences, we'll attend the temple as one of Elder Olson's former investigators will be going through for her first time, and we'll be having another mission leadership council. Also, this Saturday is Elder Olson's 21st birthday. This week, as all others, will be as good as as hard we work. That's normally how it works, the more you put in the more you get out.

I have one favor to ask of mom. I'll send in another email the username and password I'm using to apply for BYU because I'll need you to help get transcripts from Kamehameha Schools and UH - Maui sent. If you also see other information that you can enter in it would help out a lot. If possible, would you be able to have that done by the end of the week?

Other than that, is there anything anyone would like to know? If anyone has any questions about my area, the mission, Japan, etc, I'm sure I could make my letters a little more interesting. Anyway, I love you all so much!! Thank you! Have a great week! 

Love,

Elder Rindlisbacher

Week 93 - July 22, 2013

Hello,

It sounds like everyone's doing good. It's been an eventful week here in the mission. I've been driving a lot and I'm sure by the time I head home it'll take a little while to get used to driving on the right side of the street again. Driving on roads not as narrow as these will be nice though. It's like a video game every time we get in the car.

On Tuesday Elder Olson and I were able to register ourselves as now living in Kichijoji and I was able to pick up my license. That night the new missionaries flight was supposed to arrive at Haneda International around 11:00 pm but it was delayed and ended up arriving around 2:30 am. We left the mission home a little before 12:30 am and waited at the airport for a little under two hours before the missionaries, 4 sisters and 3 elders, came through customs around 3:15 am. We arrived back at the home at 4:30 am and got to sleep around 5:00 am, as the sun was beginning to rise. Then it was up at 6:30 am to begin the day! We had an amazing breakfast made by Sister Wada and President Wada trained through the morning. Sister Wada had a great lunch made and Elder Olson and I trained through the afternoon. We sent the missionaries out onto the streets for a little so they could do some of their first proselyting and give a few copies of the Book of Mormon out. They gave it their all and came back excited and with a stronger desire to be 'more profitable servants in the Lord's vineyard.' We had eikaiwa Wednesday night and the new missionaries all had a great time. The trainers came in Thursdsay morning for breakfast, we announced companions and trained a little, and sent everyone out to their areas around 12:00 pm.

The next day we had mission leadership council with all of the zone leaders and sister training leaders. That was great of course. We had a full agenda, but the main focus of the council was to teach the zone leaders and sister training leaders how to teach the Restoration using the pamphlet. The Spirit was felt strongly.

Our Saturday evening was spent first in Hibarigaoka where we went actually to have our pictures taken for a new flyer the church office will be making advertising family eikaiwa lessons. We hear it's supposed to come out in about a month or so. From there Elder Olson and I went to Machida, Sagamihara (one of my previous areas), and back to Kichijoji, as an elder had hurt his feet and will need to stay in the mission office for a few weeks until he's able to return to proselyting. So we went to pick an elder and his things up to transfer him to Sagamihara, then brought the hurt elder with us back to the mission home. We got back and in bed by 12:00 am that night.

Other than all of these various events and things going on Elder Olson and I have been making as much time as we can to get outside and invite people to learn about the gospel. We've met and made friends with a lot of people and hope to start seeing who of them have the most interest and who we'll be able to begin teaching.

 The work is great and I'm excited for all that the future has in store. Of course we always want to become, as President Monson said, "more profitable servants in the Lord's vineyard," so it's an ongoing process of work and growth. It feels like the time's gone by very quickly, but at the same time it feels like it's been a good while since I've been out on my mission. I've definitely grown and learned a lot. The memories and, best of all, friends I've been able to make here are wonderful. I have a testimony of the gospel and know it's true. I love you and pray for you!! Take care!

Love,

Elder Rindlisbacher

P.S. The address of the new mission home is:

Japan Tokyo South Mission

1-7-7 Higashicho Kichijoji

Musashino-shi Tokyo

180-0002    Japan

Week 92 – July 15, 2013

Aloha,

We didn't have any time to pick up my driver's license this past week so we went today, not realizing that today's a national holiday (Beach Day) and that all of the government places are closed. I'll be going to get it tomorrow.

I went on exchange with the Yokohama zone leaders this past week, Elder Hill (my former companion) and Elder Young (from New Zealand.) That was a lot of fun. It almost felt like I never transferred out of Kanagawa.

Yesterday I had an interview with President Wada. We had a great time talking for about 50 minutes. I'm so grateful for the relationship I have with my mission presidents. They have been such a great source of inspiration and support.

This week will be a busy one. We have staff meeting (a weekly meeting) followed by transfer calls tomorrow morning. I'll need to go get my license tomorrow because we're picking up eight new missionaries tomorrow night and I'll need to drive one of the cars home. Wednesday will be spent training the new missionaries and getting them off right. They'll attend our eikaiwa and stay in the mission home/our apartment (Sisters in the mission home and Elders in our apartment) another night, then we'll train them and their trainers a little Thursday morning and send them off to their areas. Then on Friday we have a mission leadership council where we'll train the zone leaders and sister training leaders. Normally we have mission leadership council at the beginning of each month but we've called this one specially because we have a bunch of things we want to train and 'cascade (pass on) to the mission. 

Is Elder Hathaway still in the ward? Sister Hathaway doesn't know this yet because we'll be making all of the transfer calls tomorrow morning, but she'll be white-washing into a new area and training a new missionary. It'll be an exciting call for her and I'm sure she'll have a lot of fun.

Regarding my returning home, I've changed the date again. With the mission split, the transfer dates for the Tokyo South mission have been offset from the Tokyo Mission by three weeks causing my original return date to fall right in the middle of the transfer. We talked with people from the area office and I've been able to extend my mission to November 19, 2013. November 19 is two days before that transfer will end, but that day is 2 years and 45 days after the day I entered the MTC (October 5, 2011) and there's no extending longer than 45 days without going to the Bretheren. I am excited to return and see everyone, so I hope you don't feel like I don't want to see you. But I think that will be a good time to finish my mission. And I'll get back just in time to spend Thanksgiving at home. Also, thinking about plans after getting home, as far as school I've been thinking about either trying to go straight to BYU or maybe take a semester at UH-MC. If I was to stay there on Maui it would be cheaper and I could take a lot more classes (maybe 21ish credits) and maybe work part-time and save some money. I'd also be able to spend time with Keanu and Keawe (and mom and dad of course), going to seminary every morning and doing things on the weekends with them if they have time. I know mom and dad are probably thinking you'd rather have me off to BYU as quick as possible, but I'm sort of leaning towards staying on Maui for a semester. I haven't really put a whole lot of thought into it, there's no time to, so it isn't decided or anything. Let me know what you think.  

Time has really flown. It's hard to believe my mission's gone by so quickly. Of course I still have about four months left, and I promise I'll give as much as I can and sprint to the end. I've loved my mission so much. I've grown so much and had so many good experiences. I'm so happy to hear of all those leaving from the ward on missions. It's so good to be a missionary!

I do have a favor to ask, if possible. Would you be able to buy two copies of a book, 'The Power of Everyday Missionaries: ' by Clayton M. Christenson for $6.99 each? Here's a link to Deseret Book:

http://deseretbook.com/Power-Everyday-Missionaries-Clayton-M-Christensen/i/5097487 

It's an amazing book on how to do member missionary work. If you could I'd love it if you could buy two, send one to me and have the other sent to you for you (mom and dad) to read. Could you do that? If shipping's really expensive to here will you at least buy just one and read it? Let me know.

Thank you so much for all of your love and support! I hope you're all doing well and finding the joy of the gospel! I love you so much!!! Have a great week! 

Love,

Elder Rindlisbacher

Week 91 – July 8, 2013

Hello, 

Happy Fourth of July! And Happy Birthday, Mom!!! Sister Wada actually shares birthdays with you. I hope you had a great day.

 

How is Mikela doing at school? When do/did her classes begin? When does Kauluwehi head back to school? I hope everyone's enjoying Summer. The humidity has definitely set in here. We open the door and get hit right away. It's not overly hot yet though, so kind of just feels like Hawaii, in a sense.

 

It's been an eventful week as always. We've gone to each zone with President and Sister Wada for conferences. This past Tuesday we went to the Yokohama and Fujisawa zones, and on Wednesday to the Musashino and Machida zones. All of the missionaries were able to meet and get to know the Wada's a little. After the conference with Fujisawa zone on Tuesday we went back to Yokohama (kind of in between here and Fujisawa) because President had a meeting with the Yokohama stake presidency that evening. President and Sister Wada took Elder Olson and I out for dinner and it was really nice getting to know them better. President Wada then stayed there in Yokohama and we drove back to Kichijoji with Sister Wada. The streets in Japan are pretty hard to understand, basically impossible without a navigation system in the car, and Elder Olson was driving. We're normally able to get around okay using the navi, but that evening we just had a really hard time for some reason and were lost for about a half hour. It was really comical as the navi would tell us where to go and Elder Olson would accidentally turn onto the wrong street. That happened a bunch of times in a row, but we did make it back home safely and were able to get outside for about 45 minutes to talk to people on the streets. We met some nice people and exchanged phone numbers.

 

Speaking of driving, I took my driver’s test again on Thursday (4^th of July)... and passed! I wasn't able to receive my license yet however because I've moved from Nakano to Kichijoji and have yet to register and receive proof of residence. As soon as we can get that done I'll be able to go and pick my license up, probably sometime this week.

On Friday we had the first Japan Tokyo South Mission Leadership Council (since the mission's been reopened.) We had all of the zone leaders and sister training leaders with President and Sister Wada and Elder Olson and I. President Wada presided and conducted the council. With the Tokyo Mission we always held mission leadership council at the church, but because there was only a total of 15 people at this conference we were able to have it in the mission home. We spent the morning studying from the Book of Mormon. President Wada helped everyone to liken scriptures unto themselves and really bring the scriptures alive. His basic vision for the mission is for every missionary to return from their mission with a strong testimony and conviction of the truthfulness of the Book of Mormon. He knows that parents would be proud to have their son or daughter return from their mission and say with honesty and conviction, "I know that it's true." And when every missionary has a true testimony of the Book of Mormon they will really want to and be able to share about the Book with anyone. Anyway, we then had lunch and following lunch we spent the afternoon practicing teaching. It was a powerful meeting and we hope that each zone leader companionship can take what they learned and felt to their zones.

Saturday morning Elder Olson and I went to a Gospel voice training workshop with a guy we met the night before on the street. He's actually from California and has a few CD's out and is pretty good. He taught and had everyone sing 'Oh, Happy Day.' It was fun and an interesting experience for Elder Olson and I. He's busy but we'll probably be able to meet with him again sometime soon.

 

Last night we had dinner with the Saito's, a great family in the ward. They had all of the missionaries serving in Kichijoji over (nine total with this being the mission home.) We have three sisters, Sister Sasaki, Sister Brown, and Sister Miskin, along with Elder Tauchi serving as commisarian, Elder Nagaoka serving as recorder, Elder Olson and I as assistants, and the Yamashita's serving as mission secretary and financial clerk.

 

So everything's going great here. The time's going by quickly and Elder Olson and I really want to get this area going more. We're trying to make all the time we can to find and teach investigators. It's a great area and we enjoy it.

 

Have a great week back home, or wherever each of you may be. I love you!!!

 

-Elder Rindlisbacher

Week 90 - July 1, 2013

Week 90 - July 1, 2013

Dear Family,
It sounds like everyone's had a good week and are enjoying their summer. It's starting to get pretty warm here, but not too hot yet. We've had a busy week! The Japan Tokyo and Japan Tokyo South missions are now both open and going. Today's actually the official opening day for this mission. We're here in Kichijoji working hard. President Wada is Japanese, but very American. He moved to Utah when he was 16 years old, just after being baptized, and has basically been in the states since.

President Budge was left with the responsibility of learning the Lord's will as to which missionaries would be in which mission. He prayed, fasted, and went to the temple. He went through many different (about 14) 'scenarios' and we met with him as it was starting to wrap up and come together. Some big changes were made right in the end, but after prayer we felt like the Lord was pleased with how it ended up.

Well, here's a quick recap of this past week here. The returning missionaries came into the mission home (Nakano) on Monday and had their final interviews with President Budge. That evening they all had dinner and a testimony meeting together. The next morning, Tuesday, we had breakfast with all of them and a few of their parents. Then they were off to the airport or with their parents. We had a few meetings during the day, organizing and planning everything going on with transfers, etc., then that night we went out to the airport (Haneda International) to pick up the new missionaries. We left the mission home at 9:30 pm and arrived at the airport around 10:30 pm. The new missionaries' plane arrived at 11:15 pm and they finally got through customs around 12:00 am. From there we loaded all of the luggage and missionaries onto a big bus and went back to the mission home. 25 new missionaries came in. On the bus back to the mission home we announced that half of them would be going to the Tokyo Mission and half would be going to the Tokyo South Mission and read the list of who was going where. We had already assigned areas and companions before they arrived because the final split of the mission had to be submitted even before they arrived. This transfer just happened to fall at a really awkward time with the mission split and everything going on. We ended up getting back to the mission home and going to bed around 3:30 am. We were up at 6:30 am the next morning as usual. The new missionaries were still on Utah time so they didn't really notice the difference. That Wednesday morning we had a buffet-type 'come and eat when you can' sort of breakfast put on by sister Budge from 7:00 am to 9:00 am while President Budge interviewed the new missionaries. We started training just after 9:00 am, but it was a little different than previous trainings. President Budge welcomed everyone and then we had everyone say their last goodbyes to those going to the other mission than them. Then Elder Olson and I took the 12 new missionaries and took the trains down to Kichijoji where just he and I trained them for the day. For lunch in Nakano the new missionaries had a meal prepared by Sister Budge. For us in Kichijoji, we took the new missionaries out to an ATM where they were able to make their first withdrawl on their new mission cards and go out to eat. There are a lot of restaurants and places to eat around here in Kichijoji, so we just had them stay in groups and eat where they wanted but be back at the church by 1:00 pm to continue training. Kichijoji's a really happening place and actually the most wanted to live in city for young families in Japan (of course, because there's a nice big church where they can all learn about Christ and how his gospel blesses families!) The afternoon portion of training was very powerful and the new missionaries and trainers left for the areas with great faith! They're all amazing missionaries.

On Thursday and Friday Elder Olson and I went around with President and Sister Budge to the four zones that were to be the Tokyo South Mission for their final "training" with the missionaries. President and Sister Budge had to be sure the missionaries were all very well "trained" for the new mission. In actuality these conferences weren't anything formal, they were just to say goodbye to everyone and get closure. It was such a great opportunity for Elder Olson and I to spend time with them as we drove to each conference. After the conferences on Friday we also had the opportunity to go out to dinner with them (on their 'date night', that of course doesn't happen every week.) It was so great. We talked and got to know each other a lot better. I really, really love President and Sister Budge and are so grateful for the influence they've had and will have on my mission and life. That night was Elder Olson and my first night staying in the Kichijoji mission home rather than the Nakano mission home. Anyway, running around without much sleep caught up to us and we all slept like rocks.

President and Sister Wada arrived Saturday evening. It's been great working with them and getting to know them. We've been running around with a lot of new mission things to do. Today Elder Olson and I went to lunch with President Wada and were able to hear about some of his thoughts and plans for the mission. He wants to really focus a lot on the Book of Mormon and we're really excited to lift the mission to new heights!

I'm really glad that everyone's doing good. Keep working hard and having fun. I love you all so much!! Take care!

Love,
Elder Rindlisbacher

P.S. I'll attach and send pictures of the office and apartment today.

 Elder Olson, Pres. Budge,Elder Tauchi (commissarian),Elder Nagaoka (recorder)

 First Meal

 President and Sister Budge with Elder Olson and myself