Conference with Elder Clarke and a Baptism!

May 5, 2014

Wow! This week was a bit crazy but it was an really awesome week. First of all, let me just start out with the highlight of the week. We had a conference with Elder Clarke, a member of the First Quorum of the Seventy. He is an older guy with a lot of lightning. The whole conference was just crazy. He was macheting everyone left and right. He is not afraid to speak his mind, let's just say that. He talked a lot about everything. He really is a very dynamic guy and I really enjoyed it. The conference flew by and we were there from 6:30 in the morning until 7:00 in the evening. First we had the normal conference at 6:30 and then at 3:00 we had a special conference.


He really was a rough on us but I had some very spiritual experiences. One thing that got to me is that he was talking a little about the less active members that we have in our lives. He asked everyone to stand up that had a family member that is inactive in the Church. Everybody stood up. Not a single person was sitting. He started asking some of the missionaries who it was that was inactive. He finally reached the elderly couple that was standing next to me he asked, "Who is it that is inactive in your life?" The Elder started crying... after about 10 seconds he said that it was his daughter. Elder Clarke then asked, "What would you do to have your daughter in the church again?" I was close so I heard him say "I would give my life, I really would." It really touched me because we have people in our lives that are not active in the church and they do not know how they affect their family and their Heavenly Father. I have people like this in my life and I would like to invite you guys to remember your covenants and be better. Be better saints!!! You will not realize the blessing you are loosing until you pass to the other life but you will be grateful if you give it your best to be a disciple of Christ. I love you guys and our Heavenly Father and our Savior, Jesus Christ, love you too.

Elder Clarke gave us a lot of tips for the mission. but he also gave us a lot of tips for life. One of the things he said to the elders is that when we are looking for a wife we have to take her on a hike on a really tall mountain and if she even complains once leave her. :) He was a really cool guy and really funny. I was so ready to get out and work after the conference.

Well I have a new companion. His name is Elder R--. He is from Mexico. He is from the southern part of mexico (Tabasco). He is a really cool comp. He is really laid back and just kind of goes with the flow. This week we were able to finally put a baptismal date with E--. He's the dad of the family we have been visiting. We already baptized the mom and one of the kids might be baptized this Saturday as well. We are doing well here in San Juan Ostuncalco. I really like our area even though it is a bit tough with the branch and it is struggling a bit but I love it. I want you guys to know that I love the mission and I want to take advantage of these last months I have. Well I will be talking to a lot of you guys this week. Adios. "Wiyaa" in Mam.


Elder Reinhold

Birthday, Baptism and a Premature Amen!

April 28, 2014

Well Family, this week was actually pretty good. Our companionship is feeling a little bit better as far as the stomach goes. This week was also really good because we had a baptism. E-- was baptized and it is about time that he got baptized!  He was ready when I got here to San Juan. That means that right now we have baptized 2 possible future branch presidents which was part of our goal.  E-- is a really good person.

This month was also pretty good. Last month we had 4 baptisms and this month we finished with 8 so we doubled the baptisms and that feels good. This month we are not starting with a ton of baptismal dates but we are going to keep working to put more. This month our goal is to have 10 or 12 baptisms. 

This week I had the opportunity again to speak in church. I talked about the talk that President Uchtdorf gave 2 conferences ago named "Come Join Us." It was a great talk and the branch needed it a lot. It was kind of funny though I was reading the last part of the talk and I didn't have a ton of time to prepare the talk so I read the part where it says, "In the name of Jesus Christ, amen."  Everybody thought that I finished my talk and so they all scared me when they all said "amen."  I thought for one second, "Should I just sit down or keep going?"  So I told them that I was just reading the talk and that I was going to keep talking. Everybody was laughing a ton. It was really funny.

This week I will be getting a new comp. My companion has changes. He really is a good comp. I am going to miss him a lot. Well that is about it and I will talk to you guys next week.

Elder Reinhold

Jakob Turned 21 This Week!

He was a bit sick but had a good

day thanks to his friends.

Make a Wish!!

Baptism and Semana Santa.

April 21, 2014

Hey family,

How is life?  Well this week I do not have a lot of time to write but this week was good and bad.  We will start off with the bad. First of all this week was the semana santa or the holy week for the Catholics. That basically means a pause of the missionary work. It doesn't matter even if we go and knock doors they do not answer.  It is a really hard week for the missionary work.  

Also my comps and I have been really sick this week. We ate something bad and we have been suffering all of this week. I thought about 10 times this week that I was going to throw up for the first time on the mission but I am still going strong and hold the record strong. 

Also the family that we were trying to get baptized did not get baptized as a family... hahahaha. The good thing is that we had a baptism and it was the mom of the family Hermana A--. It was a bit crazy having the baptism when we were sick and when it was the semana santa but it all worked out. Thank you guys for your support and stay classy.

Elder Reinhold

These are the afombras of the semana santa.