Just a few fun pictures from the Field!

Silly Pose in a cool car -- and getting ready for BRAZIL with an avocado smoothie!
 Here he and his companion are dressing out a deer for a single mother in their ward.

Grateful note of thanks.....

-This was a note James shared with me, that  he sent to one of his leaders who has been a huge influence for good in James' life -- indeed, in the lives of all who know him: .......

 

 

"You are a model to follow. My companion has been a little under the weather recently, so we have not gotten out as much. I am deffinately not the best missionary, but you and my last companion (who has just gone AP this transfer) have really ingrained in me what President Hinkley's father told him, "forget yourself and go to work." My companion is a good guy and a great missionary, but I'm really striving for charity and humility so that I know what things I need to push for and what things I shouldn't - since sometimes I feel more motivated than him. I'm deffinately not better - just want to work hard! So we're meeting in the middle.

I know that God is watching over your family for sure. Your family truly feels like you are all living up to your potential. The Gospel of Jesus Christ, when practiced, makes the home a safe haven and a refuge from the forces of the outside world. I love whenever I find a family like yours out here in the South Dakota Rapid City Mission.

I have already learned so much here on the mission. One very important thing I learned is that we cannot create miracles/powerful lessons/blessings from heaver, however, we can do the best we can to anticipate. God will ultimately decide the outcome of every effort to bring others to His fold. Some people will choose God and some will not. However, as we do all we can, we can rest assured that we will not miss any miracles that God has prepared for us.

 

I love you Brother L,

Your friendship and leadership has been an anchor for me.

Elder James Reinhardt"


From the tender heart of a grateful and blessed mother -- Thanks to You and your family Brother L.....and all those who have been a force for good in our family's lives.   - James' mom
 

-The framed life of a missionary in Wyoming

The baptism of Bobby Knight and Justyce Viet!

These people were already prepared!

Bobby is a proud Texan Veteran, with the accent, stories, and friendliness to back it up. He has changed his life! He has stopped smoking. He has stopped drinking. He has shown that he is willing to follow Christ the best he can by being baptised!

 

Justyce is his step-daughter. She is the epitome of a high-school girl. She is awesome, but rather air-headed =) Even though she is just a freshman, she has understood what the scriptures have taught and has decided to follow Jesus too!

 

Andrea is the Mom. She was already a member of the church but hadn't gone for a while. It is so great to be able to play a small part in bringing this family together. Andrea is a great mom. Bobby loves his step-children, his wife, and the Lord. 

 

Snow in Wyoming....and James' letter to his Dad - Dennis Reinhardt

 

I hope this email finds you safe, well, and happy wherever you are in the world!

It snowed two days ago! It's worse than North Idaho! Though it has almost all melted by today, the damage is still visable. The trees still had all their (mostly green) leaves and the snow was preceded by a rainy day. That means that all these poor trees - which Sheridan, WY has a ton of - got overloaded with too much heavy snow on their leaves. There are fallen and broken branches all over the town.

Though many were without power, it gave Elder Dahl and I a great oppurtunity to get out and serve! Alot of people don't know that we are not infact a cult and we are infact christian - helping people in our area really helps to clear up this concern. =)

I just had my first experience with what war really does yesterday...Thank you so much for serving, Dad, I just hope that you haven't experience the trauma that this man has.

As we walked, we waved to a man smoking outside his apartment. After coming over and exchanging greetings, we found out that he knew that we were missionaries, and that he was a vetran who while he seemed to be all there, something was a little off.

Long story short, this man has tons of pain. It seems like he has had deep and dark depression that has been eating at him for a very long time. What he had done and what was done to him had left him multilated on the inside.

Promise I won't preach to ya too much, Dad =) But as we talked, you could feel not only the pain that he had, but how much potential he still has! He is a father! Grandfather! Still, he has been trying to deal with this pain for 20 years (at least).

He agreed to meet with us again. I am excited. We really care about him after just meeting him. He has heard for a long time that Christ can heal him...This time, with us and God willing, we will be able to show him how that actually works.

I'll keep ya posted with this guy if that's ok - this will really be a test of my faiths and my beliefs. From my personal experience, if I align my life with what Christ has taught, I have peace, hope, and pain turns to understanding. I have had no hardships that can compare to this man's (his name is James) trials at all!

Love ya lots, Dad

Thank you for all the support, love, and emails!

BRAZIL - and news from Elder Reinhardt

 I love that book of Mormon. That is such a sacred book to me. I know that as i read that book, my life would improve. I hope that you recognize that those notes in there can be a personal letter to you from me and that book is a personal letter to you from GOD. 

 

I am indeed warm enough =) There have been enough leftovers from past missionaries that I have taken for myself. I may purchase some boots - but I don't know if I'll be staying or leaving :p

 

I love you all with all my heart.

-Elder James Reinhardt

 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Hey all! I'll be heading out to Brazil here next Monday! Wish me luck!

I am very excited!!! ...i've been cramming in all the portuguese that I can handle - this means flash cards, reading, watching Buscando a fe em Cristo instead of Finding Faith in Christ. =)

 

Found out that my MTC comp who i love to pieces will be on the plane with me! he has been serving in Minneasota and he just got his Visa too! our Mission President said that Brasil is only handing out 100 visas a month...so the church will not be calling any more foreigners to Brasil. There will still be natives to the country going out to serve, but only those who orignally have calls there have a hope of going still....I'M THE LAST OF THE MOHICANS!...kinda =)

 

 

That's fantastic that you've been reading the Book of Mormon! (I love our message. It's either true or not. Joseph Smith was a prophet or he wasn't. It all hinges on the Book of Mormon!) No, the Book is for you for these two years.  (James sent his studied and highlighted Book of Mormon!)  I cherish that book for the wisdom and truth that it gave me. Now, I get to scour through the quad that you both gave me for seminary. I am learning so much from the Book of Mormon and the Bible!

 

Doing a "companionship study" is such a great idea! As far as what to study? Have a time set aside every day (as best as you can) startand end with a prayer to be taught by the spirit, know how to apply what you learn, to have the truth of what you're reading to be revealed unto you, and then have your first study devoted to page 17 in Preach My Gospel.

 

Our companionship study consists of practicing and reading for our investigators. The first part is just spent sharing what we learned. So one suggestion could be to both have a personal study and then for the both of you, come together and testify of what you read. Tell him what you learned and how it will help you. Ask him for insight on verses that you didn't understand or that you really loved. As he has just studied as well, he may have different promptings on the same verses. What he learned may be different, but as he devoted that study time to God, those promptings are just as important to him as yours are to you.

 

I love you all very much and I know with all my heart that as you continue to devote yourself to God and the Gospel of Jesus Christ, everything will work out. If it didn't God would not be the loving God that we know. Though there are some pains that may not be fully worked out until we stand before our savior, Jesus Christ promises peace in this life and eternal joy in the life to come.

 

God be with you!

 

Elder James Reinhardt 

Lessons Learned.....

I have already learned so much here on the mission. One very important thing I learned is that we cannot create miracles/powerful lessons/blessings from heaver, however, we can do the best we can to anticipate. God will ultimately decide the outcome of every effort to bring others to His fold. Some people will choose God and some will not. However, as we do all we can, we can rest assured that we will not miss any miracles that God has prepared for us.