Phenix City, AL - Week 8

Dear Family,

I am so excited for Christmas this year!  I have felt the spirit and the promptings of the spirit more recently than any time in my life.  My heart is filled with joy as I get every opportunity to share my testimony about the Savior and His birth.  I can't wait to see you all on Christmas and see how you all are doing.  I know I have changed a lot in the six months that you last saw me.  My testimony and my spirit has grown because of all that I have been through, and I know you all must have grown as well.  

Elder Duran and I are doing great together!  We have been seeing some awesome things happen in our area!  Like on Saturday we both felt like we should return to our apartment early around dinner time.  It was a strange impression but we trusted in it.  In the parking lot near our apartment complex we saw two men trying to move some furniture on their own.  We parked our bikes and offered our assistance.  They said we were sent from God because they really needed some help due to the well built and heavy furniture.  When we got everything inside, they couldn't thank us enough. The woman that was actually moving into the apartment said she had been meeting with the missionaries before she moved here.  It was divine inspiration and I can't even express to you the special feeling you get when you are used as a tool in the Lord's hands, becoming an answer to someone's silent prayers, and know you did the Lord's will.

I love you all and I thank you for all the presents, love, and support you all give me!  Have a wonderful Christmas!

Love,

Elder Hinrichs

Phenix City, AL - Week 7

Dear Family,

My new companions name is Elder Duran from Arizona.  He and I get along awesome!  There were only three new missionaries that were coming in this transfer.  I felt so thankful for the privilege that I was trusted enough to be training one of three new missionaries.  I couldn't express enough gratitude to Heavenly Father, especially after I got to know Elder Duran.  He and I like the same stuff and we get along great, and he came out as prepared as one can get before a mission.

We had our Christmas Mission Party two days ago in Macon.  It was awesome seeing and feeling the spiritual side of Christmas!  President Cottle read Christmas stories, we sang fun Christmas songs, some missionaries acted out the nativity scene, we even had a member of the Quorum of the Seventy come speak!  And for a small moment I felt like a child again remembering the first time I felt the spirit of Christmas in my life.  Then I realized this is my last Christmas in the mission field because I will be home this time next year.  It only seems like a month ago I was in the MTC celebrating Christmas looking at the next two years of missionary service ahead.  Now it is that time of year again and time only seems to be going quicker.  Thank you all so much love y'all!

 

Love,

Elder Hinrichs

 

 

Our District

Elder Duran & Elder Hinrichs

Phenix City, AL - Week 6

Dear Family,
I will give you the much anticipated news that you have been waiting for: I will remain in Phenix City for another transfer, and I will be training a new missionary!  I am excited to be given the opportunity to train for the fourth transfer in a row!  I love new missionaries because they are so willing to work!

The weather has been good and we have been sharing the new "He is the Gift" with everyone.  I really hope you all have watched it because it is powerful every time I watch it.  I will be excited to hear about your stories when you pass out those pass along cards that I told you about in the Ensign.  We have been teaching a few people here and there but nothing too solid.  I think this transfer I will see more success.  We ride our bikes maybe 10 miles a day.  We try to keep biking to a minimum because of the big hills here in Phenix City.  The members are really awesome and they said they were going to make a missionary Christmas care package for us!  

As for the gun story, Elder Porchatis was surprised it happened but it was almost so surreal to our minds that we just didn't know how to react.  When the time is right, I will tell you all of other cool spiritual stories that I have.  But I can't ever forget the calm that I felt, and having a defining moment where I could clearly identify the Holy Ghost without a doubt in my mind.

I love y'all so much and I hope you can share the Christmas spirit this season!

Love,
Elder Hinrichs

Phenix City, AL - Week 5

Dear Family,

Thank you so much for the package!  Thank you for being so supportive of me!  Thank you for your love!  And THANK YOU for raising me in this gospel!  I cannot express my gratitude enough to y'all!  I am glad to hear your Thanksgiving went well!

 

My Thanksgiving didn't go that well this year.  I don't know if it was something I ate, but on the day of Thanksgiving I woke up feeling a little sick to my stomach.  So I didn't get to eat all that much.  We also had another Thanksgiving dinner at the Howells on Friday and I was still sick for that, so I barely ate one small plate of food.  And I am still feeling a little sick.  But hopefully next year will go better.  It just made me that much more thankful for Thanksgiving back home.  You just can't beat a mother’s cooking.  But I am so thankful for the family that I have been given!  Love y'all so much!

 

Love,

 

Elder Hinrichs

Tornado Warning 11-23-2014

Severe Storm in Phenix City

 

Phenix City, AL - Week 4

Dear Family,

I had a good week!  Members have been feeding us more.  We had a dinner every night this past week which really helped us get to know the members, and now we have more members that are willing to go out with us.  Yesterday we had another tornado hit just southwest of Phenix City. We thought it was coming our way because we looked out our window and saw sheets of condensed rain coming down, the wind rapidly picked up, the parking lot was flooded, and it got dark really quick, and the tornado sirens were going off. Thankfully it was just that and not a tornado.  I guess it was just some of the effects after a tornado hits.

As far as us missionaries go, we are a fun bunch!  It is hard to believe how fast this transfer has gone by because it is already week 5 of 6.  I guess when you work hard, time flies!  Love you all so much!

Love,

Elder Hinrichs

Phenix City, AL - Week 3

Dear Family,

I had an interesting week.  I think I have met more people who claim to see
angels and Jesus than I have in my whole life in the past couple of weeks.  This morning there was a tornado that touched down 30 miles from us and we woke up to tornado sirens going off.  They definitely get you out of bed and awake faster than an alarm does!  But thankfully I am safe and no harm done to Phenix City.  This week a member named Carlos, who is into fashion, was cleaning out his closet and found some leather jackets he doesn't wear anymore and gave them to Elder Thiel and me when we were on exchanges.  They are super sweet!  Love y'all so much!

Love,

Elder Hinrichs

 Elder Thiel & Elder Hinrichs in their leather jackets

Blessed Pressure Washing & Detail

Serious Monopoly Game!

Augusta Zone Conference

Augusta Zone Conference 10-20-2014

Phenix City, AL - Week 2

Dear Family,

I had a pretty good week this week.  Elder Peterson and I have been able to find some really cool new people to work with.  We had a pretty awesome experience yesterday: So this week we went and knocked at an apartment complex, and only four people answered.  One of them said to come back on Sunday, and the other three were quick to turn us away.  Well last night as we went to go visit the man who said to come back he didn't answer.  So we went and re-knocked some of the doors.  After talking to one very rude man who claimed he already knew everything about Jesus, we heard someone from behind us say "Hey, my husband and I would like to talk with both of you."  We turned around to see it was one of the people that had actually turned us away.

The lesson went well, both of them expressed how they believe this is how Jesus Christ's true church should be.  After leaving them with the challenge to pray about what we taught them, and a word of prayer, we went to our bikes and were about to leave when from behind us again we heard someone else.  It was a different lady and she apologized for not wanting to talk to us or take a pass along card.  She said we could come back later and teach her about our message.  Miracles and faith go hand and hand in all circumstances.

We have a great group of missionaries and all of us are pretty motivated to work this transfer.  Our current investigators that are progressing have turned their life completely around from what they used to be.  This gospel is amazing!  Thank you for all that you do for me!

Love,

 

Elder Hinrichs

Phenix City, AL - Week 1

Dear Family,

Yep, I am in Alabama!  The hills here are absolutely ridiculous since I am on a bike again!  We live at the top of one of the biggest hills in the city, and we have to go up and down it every day, but thankfully it is winter time and it isn't too hot.  Definitely different from Thomson, a lot bigger and more traffic to bike in.  As you know I am not the biggest fan of the city life, but I am here to grow and stretch.  I am with Elder Peterson who is from Southern California.  I am finishing his training because his trainer, which just so happens to be my trainer Elder Young, finished his two years and is now home.  

The ward is a younger ward that is really involved in missionary work.  We are usually fed three times a week.  We get to the church by getting a ride from the Fort Mitchel Elders when they come up on Saturday to stay the night at our place, and we all go to church on Sunday.  We have a few investigators.  Love y'all so much!

Love,

Elder Hinrichs

Thomson - Week 24

Dear Family,

I am getting transferred!  I am actually a little sad to leave Thomson.  I have grown to love the people here.  Plus, yesterday I had one of the most successful Sundays on my mission.  We had Becky come to church and she brought her friend Margret, we got our investigator Jeremy to church which was a big surprise, and we got a less active guy we have been working with to come back to church.  It was the Primary program and it was so funny and all of them loved it.  Jeremy expressed to us how our church just felt good and there was just good people here unlike the other churches he has been to, and he really wants to come back.

In the evening we stopped by Jeremy's house to see if he had any questions. He said unlike other churches he felt like he was learning, and he was coming closer to God.  He thanked me personally for helping him.  I am really going to miss this place because there is about to be a lot of success to be reaped.  I am glad that Elder Godwin will be able to see it for me!  After six months of hard work put into this area, which many people said was dead, it is now up and running and producing the results we desired.  I can also say that Elder Godwin will be a really great missionary on his mission.  I am so thankful that I was able to be his trainer.

I just want to express a little portion of the gratitude I feel.  I am so thankful to be on a mission!  I am so thankful for who I am becoming because of this Gospel!  I am so thankful for this wonderful Gospel and the richest blessings that it brings and how much it can change lives!  And I am so thankful for the wonderful family and friends Heavenly Father has blessed me with!  I love y'all so much!

Love,

Elder Hinrichs

Thomson - Week 23

Dear Family,

Well sounds like y'all had tons of fun right next door to me.  I guess that means you will just have to go back there with me!  This week was pretty good.  We didn't get anyone to church.  But Becky took us out to eat on Friday and she brought her friend that came to church with her last week.  We were able to place a Book of Mormon with her friend and we all felt the spirit at the dinner table when we discussed the gospel.  So hopefully we can get them to church next week.  Nothing really out of the ordinary happened, but every day is a new adventure as a missionary.

I find out this Saturday evening if I am getting transferred or not.  There is a very good chance that I will be transferred since I have been here for 6 months in Thomson.  The time flew by fast and I wouldn't mind one more transfer here.  We have been growing in our success rate with people letting us in for lessons, or at least listening to us.  So we have been creating success instead of just waiting for it.  I will have to send you all a letter of some on the funny things that have happened this week!  Love y'all so much!

Love,

Elder Hinrichs

 Bridger, Elder Godwin, Sis. Walker, Sis. Anderson

 Oliver Hardy Festival Parade

Thomson - Week 22

Dear Family,

This week was pretty awesome!  We got Becky to come to church yesterday! And she brought a friend!  And she is going to feed us this Friday!  It was pretty awesome!  Only problem is that if she gets baptized I probably won't be here to see it.  Regardless, she is on her way and it has been cool to be a part of it.

Also we got to watch "Meet the Mormons" this Tuesday at Zone Conference.  It was hilarious, super powerful (would highly recommend on bringing tissues, especially for the ending), and very inspirational!  I would be more excited to see Meet the Mormons again, than to see the Hobbit.  Yes it is that good, and goodness the world needs it more than ever right now.  Make it a priority to go, it will bring more happiness into your life, and you will be able to talk about it with others.

On Saturday we played softball with the Elder's quorum in the morning, which I have not done in a long time.  After we were about to go out with Brother Phillips and do missionary work when his friend called and asked if we could help him move.  So we went and helped his friend moved for three hours, and did almost all the heavy lifting.  But it really impressed all the people there that we would be so willing to help, even though we were in missionary clothes.  We might possibly get an investigator out of it because one man named Scott, who was Brother Phillips friend, said he wanted to feed us dinner sometime.

This P-day we got a solid plate of nothing fun planned.  The usual.  But we usually have plenty of fun throughout the week with all the funny things we experience as missionaries.  

Thank you!

Love,

Elder Hinrichs

                                                  Helping Brother Hockenberry

                                      The floating pass-along-card (spider webs!)

The best parking ticket I have ever seen!

Thomson - Week 21

Dear Family,

General Conference was amazing!!  The appreciation, knowledge, and spiritual boost I gain from watching as a missionary is so much greater than when I was at home.  Our ward showed it at the church building in Harlem, so I brought the snacks you sent me in and shared them with the other missionaries.  I really enjoyed Jorg Klebingat’s talk on how to gain spiritual confidence, because really I wish people could learn this concept and apply it more to their lives.  Even as members of the church we significantly forget and often doubt our divine potential children of an almighty God.  If we could gain the confidence mentioned, then we could be some of the greatest tools in the Lord's hands, and become some of His choicest sons or daughters.  A lot of people forget that your nature controls your circumstances, not the other way around.  A lot of people forget that we were always meant for greatness, not mediocrity.  A lot of people also forget this most essential perspective in trying times; you are free to choose, you have agency (2 Nephi 2:27).

Also this week we were able to meet with Becky again, and we had another miracle happen!  We pulled up on our bikes, and she eagerly came out her door to greet us.  With excitement in her eyes, I could tell something good happened because of our prayer with her.  With tears in her eyes she expressed the gratitude she had for us and for having God sent us there at that time that she needed Him most.  Yesterday she stopped by and said how our Gospel is really starting to just make so much sense to her and she agreed that she will come to church next Sunday.  I know that she has been prepared to receive this Gospel, and whether I am here to see her baptized or not, I know that she will be baptized one day.

Love, you all so much!

Love,

Elder Hinrichs

Thompson - Week 20

Dear Family,

Things have been going good here in Thomson and the work has been picking up!  I think I have hit my all time high for the number of investigators we are teaching.  And, we actually got one of our investigators to church!  Her name is Tyesha.  We had a ton of miracles this week, so many that I couldn't even express them all to you.  But I will tell of one: Recently we have been teaching an elderly lady named Becky.  It was a miracle that we even began teaching her, but that is a different story.  So Friday we were out with a member and we were going to see some of our potential investigators.  But Elder Godwin and I felt as though we needed to go see Becky.  Boy, did we ever!  We were an answer to her prayers.  We went to her house and taught a lesson and as we were about to leave she asked us to come inside and pray with her husband.  Well we said a prayer with him, and he felt the spirit so strong. They thanked us so much, and said we were an answer to their prayers.  It was amazing to be a tool in Heavenly Father's hands.

Love y'all so much!

Love,

Elder Hinrichs

Thomson - Week 19

Dear Family,

I have had a pretty good week!  We were able to follow up with one of the inspired investigators we found last week, and we saw her last night.  It was an awesome experience!  We first went to her house, and no one answered.  It is a typical thing here to do in the South if you are not interested.  So we were about to give up and leave, but I felt like we should go knock her neighbor’s door.  And sure enough, we knocked and the lady we were supposed to see answered.  Her name is Betty by the way.  So she had just been visiting her neighbor, but she was still wanting to hear our lesson that we had for her.

When we started teaching, both Elder Godwin and I didn't feel like we needed to teach her the Restoration lesson at that time.  So we asked a few inspired questions and she brought up tithing.  And go ahead and ask any missionary, but tithing is usually something people struggle with.  But Betty was different.  She expressed how a couple months ago she had been praying and she said she received an answer that she needed to pay tithing.  But she didn't know where she could go pay tithing where the money would actually go towards the Lord's work and not a preacher’s pocket.

We taught her about how we do tithing, why we do tithing, and the blessings from tithing.  She expressed that she knew how much tithing could bless her life and she wanted to pay it as soon as possible.  She committed to be a full tithe payer and she isn't even a member.  It was amazing to see how she had been prepared for us, and that specific lesson.  We should be meeting with her again this Tuesday, and I know she will be able to see the blessings of tithing.

I love y'all so much!

Love,

Elder Hinrichs

Thomson - Week 18

Dear Family,

I get to stay in Thomson another transfer with Elder Godwin!!!!  I am so happy that I get to complete his training because he is an awesome companion!  Last night we were out looking for somewhere to go and he felt like we should go knock somewhere that Elder Cherry and I had already knocked together.  I was a little hesitant at first, but I thought we could give it another shot.  Well, in under 2 hours we taught 5 lessons and got 3 new investigators!  It was so inspiring to see how our teaching is getting more refined and how we can be inspired.

I realized I got bit by the fire ants when I was standing there and felt them bite my ankles.  I just never realized why fire ants were called fire ants.  Boy, do those bites hurt from just a tiny little thing.  I did catch a few Bluegill, but nothing too big.

The only people in our district that are leaving are a sister and an elder and another elder has been called to be a trainer again.  So we are going to have a pretty solid district!  

Thank so much for all y'all do for me!

Love,

Elder Hinrichs

Thomson - Week 17

Dear Family,

I will admit this week wasn't the best week I have had on my mission.  On Monday I had a super awesome time at Brother Phillips doing all of the fun things at his house.  But while I was fishing, I failed to realize that fire ants like to hangout on blades of grass around fishing ponds.  So probably after an excessive amount of fishing, I got nine fire ant bites around both ankles.  I honestly think I am allergic to fire ants, because after taking the scouts fishing on Tuesday evening, my ankles really started to hurt.  It got so bad that it was extremely painful to even put pressure on them, not to mention I got the chills and it is Georgia there is plenty of heat.  So that put me out of missionary work for three days, since I am in a biking area. 

My ankles are healed now and I am feeling better, so no need to worry.  I have really come to an understanding on why they are called fire ants.  But all is well.  Georgia has lots of bugs.  Most of them are big, annoying, and can inflict pain. Georgia is also the home of the top five most poisonous snakes in North America.  Also, the dogs want to eat us!  Tracting is actually not too safe.

There is the phrase, "missionary work is hard work."  Yes it is hard, but so rewarding, and I realize that, and that is why I am still out here on my mission never giving up.  I mean I am fighting a war over people's eternal salvation, it is pretty cool to think about.  Thank you all so much for the packages this week, we are thoroughly enjoying them!  Thank you all for the love and support!

Love,

Elder Hinrichs

Thomson - Week 16

Dear Family,

Thank you so much for sending me the cool shirt and glasses!  I am actually wearing them today at Brother Phillips and they are pretty nice!  Brother Phillips is the Ward Mission Leader and Brother Hardwick is the Assistant Ward Mission Leader.  Work in Thomson is going alright but still slow.  But we are still having success here and there. 

On Sunday one of the members named Brother Wells, who is the Young Men's Leader, was talking about fishing.  So I overheard him, and happened to drop in on the conversation.  Turns out he doesn't know how to fish and he was wanting to take the young men fishing this Tuesday.  I happily volunteered to sacrifice my evening on Tuesday to help teach the young men how to fish.  So hopefully that will go through and I get to go fishing for service!  It is my favorite kind of service!

Love,

Elder Hinrichs

 Elder Hinrichs & Bro. Phillips' horse

Elder Godwin & Elder Hinrichs

 

Thomson - Week 15

Dear Family,

This week went by really fast, but it has been great!  The Zone Conference went awesome with Elder Kopiske!  He taught us by having us write down questions at the beginning of the meeting, then he used the spirit and promised that our questions would be answered, and sure enough all of them were!  He said that if we and our investigators use this at church we can receive more personal revelation!  It was a fantastic experience, and he is German and was a Mission President in Germany for a while, so it has been cool to see how Dad's and Elder Kopiske’s experiences in Germany were quite similar.

Today Sister Walker, Sister Curtis, Brother Hardwick, Brother Phillips, Elder Godwin, and I went up to Augusta to see some historical sites.  It was a blast!  We went and saw this "haunted pillar" that had this awesome story behind it.  I will have to write you a letter about it, but basically one of the three Nephites made a prophecy over it, and anyone who tries to move it has and will be struck dead.  It was actually really cool to literally feel the spiritual power that it had.  That will be an experience I won't forget.  Here is a picture (left to right) of me, Brother Phillips, Brother Hardwick, and Elder Godwin touching the pillar.  We also went to see the Savannah River and a hydro dam.

We hold District meetings at the church and tomorrow will be our first one since the transfer!  Well, love y'all so much!

Love,

Elder Hinrichs

 

Thomson - Week 14

Dear Family,

This week has been pretty good!  I am starting to learn a lot about being a leader and what it requires.  This week has been full of lots of hard work.  I do have an interesting tracting story: Elder Godwin and I were out tracting last Sunday evening and I felt as though we should go visit a potential investigator we have.  Well she was busy, so we knocked on the neighbor’s door and started up a good conversation about faith.  At first she was really trying to say how Baptist she was and tried to get us to go away, but I wouldn't take no for an answer.  So I started talking about how the world needs Jesus and the got her to open right up, and she ended up giving us some water.  Near the end of the conversation I saw the neighbors pull up so we ended with a prayer and went to the neighbor’s house.  And we had a really awesome spiritual lesson with them.   Elder Godwin said he hasn't ever felt the spirit so strong in his life.

This week on Thursday we are going to Statesboro with half the mission to see Elder Kiposke for our Zone Conference, so that should be tons of fun!  Love you all so much!  

Love,

Elder Hinrichs

Thomson - Week 13

Dear Family,

This week has been pretty good!  My new companion’s name is Elder Godwin.  He is from Highland, Utah.  Elder Cherry was transferred to North Augusta with Elder Pulu.  Those two are basically best friends so it was really funny when President Cottle announced that those two were together!  They started jumping up and down cheering!

The missionaries in our district now are:  Sister Curtis and Sister Walker, Sister Szilagyi and Sister Arrieta (she is being transferred here from the Salt Lake City Temple Square Mission for the last 3 months of her mission), Elder Nelson who is training Elder Christensen, and Elder Porchatis who is training Elder Burgess. So who has the greenest District in the entire mission?
My duties as District Leader include:  call in reports, baptismal interviews, organizing district meetings, organizing exchanges with the other Elders in the district, helping give information from the Zone Leaders, and help solve district drama if there is any.  Myde is going back to Philly to find work.  He is staying with a General Authority.

Thank you for everything!

Love,

Elder Hinrichs

Thomson - Week 12

Dear Family,

I have exciting news for you all this week!  I will be staying in Thomson, I will be a District Leader, and I will be a trainer for a new missionary!!  It will be tons of fun, and I will find out tomorrow who it will be!  So Elder Cherry will be leaving, but he has been a good companion to me.  

This week we helped out Brother Hockenberry again with getting manure for his yard, but this time we got to help him do his burn piles which was tons of fun!

We usually get to church through members in Thomson.  There isn't too many in Thomson but the members here are awesome!  The best place to eat in Thomson so far, in my opinion, is Ming Wah Chinese Buffet.  It is cheap, delicious Chinese food that I love.  P-Days usually consist of cleaning, writing, napping, and finding small fun things to do, and the very rare opportunity to go fishing.  There isn't too much to do in Thomson, but it is all good.  Thank you all so much!  I will have a lot to tell you next week!

Love,

Elder Hinrichs

Myde & Elder Hinrichs

 



Our District & Augusta Zone Leaders

Thomson - Week 11

Dear Family,

I am doing well this week.  The summer heat and humidity are picking up. Some days are starting to get into triple digits.  But I am one of the few missionaries that doesn't mind the humidity.  This week after a lesson I went outside and my back tire was flat.  So we went to Walmart to see if we could get one, but I bought the wrong size.  Also when I looked at my current tube it was totally shredded.  I have used it for the past 7 months.  So I returned the other tube.  Walmart didn't have any in my size, and my other one was beyond repair.  And this was about 9:00 so we had to walk home for 2-3 miles, and for a cherry on top it started pouring.  That wasn't fun.  But the next day we got a ride from a member to go to the Grovetown Walmart and, to my surprise, I got the last tube of that size for my bike, so it was an absolute miracle.  I think I ride about 50ish miles each week.  It varies but we do a lot of peddling around.

Last week we got a lot of meals with members, which was rare, but this week is pretty light.  This is the last week of this transfer and I will find out Saturday if I am leaving of not.  A typical day of tracting in Thomson involves a lot of sweating, very little success, and usually one or two crazy people.  But we have fun doing it!  We had one new investigator until we realized that there was never a time when he was sober and could remember what we taught him, so we are fresh out.

They had Zone Conference in Augusta and we are in the Augusta Zone, but Zone Conference had both Augusta and North Augusta Zones.

I love y'all so much!

Love,

Elder Hinrichs

Thomson - Week 10

Dear Family,

This week went alright.  I learned what knocking doors in the pouring Georgia rain is like.  You get really wet really fast.  This week we had Zone Conference up in Augusta.  President Cottle gave one of the most amazing and most inspired training I have ever heard.  Also I just heard today that there will be an area Seventy that will be coming to our mission August 20th, so it should be exciting!   Unfortunately this week Walter called and dropped us so we have been doing a lot of attempts to find people.  It happens, all a part of being on a mission.  It was Elder Cherry’s birthday yesterday and that was fun because it seemed like everyone sang to him.  That stinks that Matthew broke his ankle.  I hope he gets feeling better soon.  I am super happy to hear that he is being an awesome missionary!  Sounds like he is going to be a great missionary when his time comes!  Thank you so much!

Love,

 

Elder Hinrichs

Thomson - Week 9

Dear Family,

This week was really great!  Germany won the World Cup!  And I totally called it! Also I had some good experiences this week.  We have been in contact with Walter almost every day this week because he is a single older guy, that can't walk too far with his cane, doesn't have a driver’s license, and is always welcoming of us. Unfortunately due to some of his personal circumstances wouldn't come to church again.  His heart is still in the right place, but despite our greatest efforts, the choices still all come down to him.  The sad part is that I bore one of the strongest testimonies I have ever bore in my life to him yesterday after watching the “Lamb of God” with him.  He still wants to be baptized just not at the moment.  I still love him just as Christ does with much patience and humility.

At church we were not expecting anyone to come.  To our surprise though, an investigator we are teaching showed up!  His name is John and he left the church 30 years ago, but is now ready and wanting to come back to church.  When he was in Sunday school with us, we happened to be having a lesson on the Holy Ghost, and he told us of his experience.  John told us of how when he was a member he used to be joyful and the spirit came easy, but since he left the church he has struggled to be able to formulate even a simple prayer.  He said you don't realize the blessing of the Holy Ghost until it is gone from your life entirely.  I felt how special that moment was for him.  We talked to him after and he said that was the first time since he left the church that he felt a prompting and influence of the spirit.  And he said it felt wonderful.  I have very high hopes for John and I know he will be baptized again.

Love,

Elder Hinrichs

Thomson - Week 8

Dear Family,

Thank you so much for the wonderful 4th of July package this week!  My 4th of July was pretty boring.  I am feeling alright.  Basically since it was Friday, it was weekly planning day and they had a lockdown after 6:00.  So, I pretty much stayed inside all day.  We stopped by Walter’s yesterday and he said he is getting cold feet about his baptism.  He still really wants to be baptized because he knows he needs to but he just said right now or at least the next week will not be the time.  I told him to pray about it and give us his absolute answer today, so there is still hope.  This next week should be pretty good for our missionary work because we have a lot of really good plans that will hopefully bring some success.  So hopefully it goes well!  Love you all so much!

Love,

Elder Hinrichs

Thomson - Week 7

Dear Family,

 

This morning I went fishing finally!  We went with Brother Hockenberry and I caught 2 crappies and 2 large-mouth bass.  I wish Matthew was here because I hear about catfish about once a week from some random person. Almost every pond has some catfish in it.

 

This week has been good with lots of sweating involved.  The humidity and heat are turning up, but my pedals have to keep on turning as well.  Walter is doing awesome!  Recently he moved out of his sister’s house, because it was a bad situation.  He is so excited about getting baptized! I really think it will happen this time.  If it does it will be both mine and Elder Cherry's first baptism.  The Lord works in mysterious ways, but it is amazing to see how even a simple blessing is so powerful.  Well, I hope you all have an awesome week!

 

Love,

 

Elder Hinrichs  

 Cool sunset in Thomson

Bridger & Elder Cherry doing service at Bro. Hockenberry's home.



Thomson - Week 6

Dear Family,

For my birthday we spent all day doing service at our ward mission leader’s home, Brother Phillips, in the hot sun.  But it was fun!  This week we also got an investigator of ours named Walter on a baptismal date for July 12th.  He is progressing great and really enjoys the gospel.  Oh and by the way, we had transfer calls on Saturday, and neither Elder Cherry nor I are getting transferred.  So at least six more weeks in Thomson!  Also we have been working with a less active member named Myde.  He has been super awesome and has been coming to church.  Next week we and the sisters are putting on a missionary fireside about how every member is a missionary and how to begin teaching.  

Love y'all so much and thank you for all the birthday wishes!!

Love,

Elder Hinrichs

A turtle we found on my birthday!

Thomson - Week 5

Dear Family,

I had a great week this week!  It is so exciting that I have already been out 6 months.  Time flies by fast, and I am almost 19!  Well since there has been some wanting to know about my bike crash I will tell you about it. Basically, I was biking to an investigators.  Georgia's roads are not the best and their sidewalks are questionable.  Most of them are not even and end abruptly.  So while I was skillfully maneuvering my way through the sidewalk, it ended and started up really quickly.  I didn't have enough time to try to jump the curb, so I veered around it.  My tire was caught against the curb on my right, while there was traffic on my left.  My tire licked up, I bailed right onto the side walk with my bike, and I took most the damage.  Yep, it was pretty epic and lots of cars saw me do it.

This week I also discovered fireflies.  They are pretty cool and we even caught some in a jar.  They more so blink at each other rather than constantly glow.  But here is a picture.  

I love y'all so much!!

Love,

Elder Hinrichs

 

Fireflies

Sunrise in Thomson