James is in South Dakota - mining for Diamonds in the Rough!

James is waiting for his Visa by serving the people of South Dakota!  ( -- mining = proselyting; Diamonds are people who don't yet know their true worth!)

The Address is:
SDRCM
2525 W. Main Suite #311
Rapid City, SD 57702

SDRCM stands for South Dakota Rapid City Mission!


He arrived last Monday!  We got this email yesterday and are tickled to share it with you! - This is a letter to his Mission President:

This mission is the best!  My companion is the best example of what a missionary is all about.  We work hard for the people of Rapid City and work hard to follow all the rules.  I have noticed that my capacity to love people has increased.  I do feel crestfallen when our investigators do not keep out commitments and am overjoyed with the tell us what they've read in the Book of Mormon.

One couple that we've focused on recently is Ben and Meri.  They (and we) have seen that the Book of Mormon applies to their lives.  We have recently shared Mosiah 4 with them.  We can experience the same feelings that King Benjamin's people felt -- clean hearts, pure consciences, and a desire to do evil no more.  President, rest assured that this Gospel is true to me.  I can see it work in my life and in the lives of the people around me.  Elder Edwards and I go to bed exhausted each night and having no regrets about our day!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ and in a letter to his friends he shares this story I'd like to share with you!:

....I told myself, sarcastically, that my companion would be captain of the XC team and wanna run up a mountain every day before proselyting...so guess what? - Every day at 6:30, we run up a ountain and back down =D!  Love my companion and I love this Mission!

If you have your book of Mormon, read Mosiah 4 and look and feel for what the atonement feels likein the peoples' lives!  We got to share this inspired scripture with a man who has had a rough life. His "street name" was 'the Reaper".  He's witnessed suicides, homicides, substances, abuse, and everything else you could possibly think of ... but he is changing his life!  He has a daughter now, Sylvia, and when he looks into her eyes, all the pain that he carries seems to melt away and you can only see the love that he has for his family.

Not only that, but the missionaries always say that if you wanna change your life and have all the commandments of God be easy for you -- you just need to READ SCRIPTURES,  PRAY, and ATTEND CHURCH!  This is sooo true!

Gotta Go!

Love ya all!!!!

James

Lots of Love - Lots of pictures!

         In the Celestial Room at our last temple trip, I had a chance to talk with my eloved friend, Elder XS, I told him that instead of just experimenting on the word, experiment on the Spirit!  The MTC has such a strong Spirit that based on your obedience - you should pray with a pencil in order to receive personal revelation to heartfelt prayers.  I was so grateful when he took me up on my word, but bummed when he expressed 2 days ago that he's been praying hard for investigators and personal questions without receiving insight. 

6-28-13:

I love hearing tat the gospel is going to town in our home!  that's so great!  I remember how much you helped me with my Faith in God Award!

Thank you for sharing my letters with them all!  Thank you for all the love, support, packages and letters!  They seriously mean sooo much to me.

A lot of the district just got reassignments today!  Yahoo!!!  One elder is going to Denver, Colorado and we haven't seen where the sisters are going yet!   - Perhaps that's why we're staying here a bit longer -- Read my email about Elder X -- we still have lives to touch!

[Email reads:  "this is what a weekly report to the branch presidency looks like: 
     Dear Presidency,
         This week has been so fantastic!  Today we wnt through the 'in-field Orientation' which out and out got me pumped for the mission field!  Though I do not feel ready in the langage, I do feel that through high expectations, smart goals, and faith - I can do anything.
         I've been thinking quite a bit about faith this week...what's faith and what's just brazen wishful thinking!  If I set a goal of 25 baptisms in a month, am I having faith, or just a crazy hope?  The difference is that you ave to start with the Spirit, let go of the natural man (am I doing this for me or not), and follow through having a trusting hope that our God is a God of miracles.
          He wants to receive a solid testimony for his investigators, faith for miracles, and insight for his questins (they all go hand in hand).  Elder Capawana and I have been talking with him and trying to help him best we can.  Last night, I shared Alma 32:16 with him.  We asked if he had a sure undeniable knowledge of the things he was teaching.  He didn't.  We asked him if he had a desire to believe and a hope that he would receive inspiration.  He did.  We then asked him what this was.  His reply?  'hmmm.... I do have faith.' 
         It was the best thing ever!  Elder X wants so badly to have faith and all he has to do is recognize that he already has it.  The next step is to find out how the Spirit talks to him.  We suggested that perhaps, his Father wants him to search what He has already given him: scriptures, Patriachal Blessing and MTC devotionals.
         Not only do we love this elder but we love being able to share some of the doctrine, wisdom, and insight that we learned - and wish we had a lot sooner.
        I understand that this letter should include more topics than what was written, but I felt that was important.
       As for my progress, please know that I made a personal VOW to preach the gospel to every creature because I didn't share enough to my friends back home.
      I love you all
      Elder Reinhardt'"
 By the way, you were right!  Family history is COOL!  We all watched a video on family history as part of our MTC training.  Can you tell me your testimony of family History?  Do you have any stories to tell?  I have to know more about how awesome it is so I can use it!

They said that family history is the 'bridge between casual conversation and sharing the work of salvation with God's Children."  Key indicators for family history and where it can make an impact is when people:  1) Move from home  2) Have family reunions   3) Marriage/birth    4) death or illness   5) retirement 


July 5th:
It's so good to hear from you Mom!

......you're so right, Mom, Satan's working hard, but GOD'S WORKING HARDER!!! 

 

Poor Jamie! I'm sorry you're hurting sissy! I love you! You'll feel better soon I know it! I'm glad that you're still watching the parade though! You and Brooklyn look great! Will you tell her to email or write me! =D

Sure, sometimes Sandpoint doesn't have much to do, but it sounds like it's waking up! Seeing all those pictures makes my heart soar! Jayson being a magician (and wearing the hat I gave him =)  ) and winning at checkers! Jamie being a cowgirl in a wagon!

 

I love you all so much! We celebrated the 4th of July by watching 17 Miracles!!!

You HAVE TO SEE IT....it is a hard movie, but it is MTC approved. Listen to the young couple in the beginning and why they want to treck all the way from England to Zion. Feel the love of Brother Savage and how he just wants to be back with his boy and follow the will of the lord. It was a tear jerker, but a testimony grower! I expect an email about you watching it soon! ;) oh, and this is the 'stadium of fire" in the background.

The MTC Presidency honestly said, "Since you've all been so good, we are going to let you stay up past your bedtime." So we got to watch fireworks =)

Love you Mom, Dad, Jayson, and Jamie!

Elder James Reinhardt

Relationships are borne of heaven

...I saw Parker Davis the other day! - My best friend in 8th grade?  His dad wrote The Other Side of Heaven!  Also, saw Sister hiatt!  One of Prez Hiatt's daughters!  Oh!  And I saw Sister jocelyn Verkist as well!!!  So long story short, it is soo cool (when you haven't seen a friend in soo long)  to see them at the best place they could be!  The MTC!  I imagine that the same experience will happen in heaven....Wow!  I'm so stoked we made it!

Thank you for all your prayers!  I do go to bed on Fire!  i feel that I get inspiration on a daily basis!  I just need to follow it more!

Tried to go up a cement step yesterday and instead, proved gravity exists...I slammed the pavement... mas, Tudo bem!

We heard a fantastic talk on Sunday by Stephen B. Allen - He showed a lot of Mormon messages - commercials -- the best one talked about the Spirit.  We are counseled to lean not unto our own understanding, to expound on that, when we follow the Spirit, we must not seek the reason - just be obedient.

We watched the Testaments this Sunday and I felt like I watched it for the first time!  I want you all to know that Eusei que Jesus Vive!  Eu tento animo por cuando Ele volta na terra Var ser LEGAL.  Nos devemos trabalhar a conhecer Jesus Cristo por meco da Expiacao antes de Ele vem.  Eu amo ele, e eu posso pregar suas palavaras. Eu gusto deste Igresia, e eu espero que todos pessoas podam escutar meo testamuntro.

Before I close... I want you all to know that I love you.  I could not ask for a better family, and I'm sure that we had already decided that we were going to help each other out in this life -- in the life before.  If you need anything from me - anything at all, let me know!

With muito Amor,
Sev Filho
Elder Tiago Reinhardt!

PS - Get some of my friend writing me!!!!


PPS -- The night I received the letter saying that Grandpa wasn't doing so hot..... I prayed HARD.  It was not a fun night.  I can tell you though that as my companion, Elder Capawana and I stretched our voices up to heaven, I received a personal witness that God loves Grandpa and Grandma.  He truly does whether they like it or not.  And even though I would love to see Grandpa on earth -- if I have to see him again on the other side -- that is ok.  I know that if so, Grandpa will be receiving the blessing promised in 2 Ne 24:3.  I know that if anything, when I see him in heaven, his mortal body will be perfected.  His stature will be coupled with Heavenly Glory.  Though I pray that I can see him again...and I know he can do it!  I also trust that God has a hand in whatever happens.  I received a witness that God would take perfect care of our good Grandpa.  I know that no matter what, God's perfect plan of justice and mercy is designed to bless Grandpa.  I know that our relationships are not bound to this earth!  If I will not be able to see him again, then I will see him as described in Alma 11:42-45. 

Tudo Ben,.  Ate-logo.  Eu amo voces.