Week 17

Dear Friends and Family,

The start of the week has been really good for the most part. In news unrelated to missionary work, I'm getting a pretty sick tan from walking around in the sun all day.

We had a Zone Conference this past Tuesday all about us getting Facebook. Just FYI, if you message me on Facebook, I can't respond at all. You can see my posts though.

Other than that, we've been trying to increase our teaching pool, which has been pretty successful. We found a couple of new investigators named John, Doug, Chuck and a couple kids. It's been good.

Elder Hepworth has been trying to get us bikes in our area for the past couple of weeks, but it got shot down by our Vehicle Coordinator named Elder Rose.

I have become super tight with the members here in the Paradise and Lakes Wards. It's going to be hard when I do eventually get transferred.

Thank you for the support and prayers. The Gospel is true.

Elder Rexinger

One of the member's dog named Cici

We were out finding and this guy had his Harley in the garage.

Week 16

Hey Everybody,

Last week was Mother’s Day, so I talked to my family. It was awesome. I have only been out on my mission about 4 months so far, but it has flown by. I keep getting told it just gets faster and faster as time goes on, which is weird. I feel like I'll just wake up tomorrow and be on a plane home.

My new companion is Elder Hepworth. He has been out in the mission serving as long as my trainer Elder Lindholm. He's really good. We are working on increasing our teaching pool. We are also talking with a lot of part-member families trying to work with them. We did a lot of service this week. We went to a mutual activity with the priests quorum to help out Bishop Dye with yard work since he recently hurt his back really bad. Then, for a Mothers Day present for his wife, we helped mow his lawn, pull weeds, and built a box thing for their garden. We also helped out a family in the Highlands Ward named the Martins. They are awesome and super fun. I'm also super solid and great friends with the members in the Lakes and Paradise Wards. They are awesome wards, with tons of people in them, and I know almost all of them.

Happy late Mother’s Day to all you moms out there. Just letting you know you're appreciated and loved, not only by lots of people, but also by our Heavenly Father.

Thank you for the prayers and support. The Gospel is true.

Elder Rexinger

Saying goodbye for now at transfers

Out for a hike on P-day

Week 15

Dear Family and Friends,

This week has been a weird one. Transfers came upon us and Elders Lindholm and Zachary are leaving our area. My new companion will be Elder Hepworth from Laverkin, Utah. This week had us all stressed for this morning when we got the transfer call. Other than that, it's been a pretty good week. It was interesting to go on exchanges with a 1st transfer missionary who didn't really know what he was doing. I wonder if it was like that for the Elders I hosted for exchanges my 1st Transfer. In other news, Elder Zachary had his birthday, We set up a bunch of streamers, pictures, etc. It was awesome. I am also excited to talk to my family on Mother's Day.

Unfortunately, there isn't any news or progress on anyone we're teaching. It is ridiculously difficult to catch Lupe or Lexie and their families at a good time. I haven't had a lesson in forever! However, my relationships in the Lakes and Paradise Wards keep getting better and better. I love the members in our here. The area has just been picked so thoroughly clean that it's hard to find anyone to teach. However, we must move forward with a steadfastness in Christ. "And we talk of Christ, we rejoice in Christ, we preach of Christ, we prophesy of Christ, and we write according to our prophecies, that our children may know to what source they may look for a remission of their sins." 2 Nephi 25: 26

Thank you for the prayers and support. The Gospel is true.

Elder Rexinger

Hanging out doing the Work

Me and Elder Hepworth

Talking with the family on Mother's Day

Week 14

Hey Friends and Family,

This past week has been the hardest week of my mission for sure. We had some issues during exchanges with our Zone Leaders. That’s about all I will say about that. Then, two days after that, I found out my Grandpa died. I heard it from President Montierth, who drove about an hour and a half to tell me in person, instead of over the phone. He offered me the chance to call home to talk with my family, but I decided not to. That was a hard decision to make. I knew that it would just mess with my head if I called home. I have to admit that I kind of shut down for a while after that and slept like the whole day. Everyone was worried about me. I'm sad I can't be there for his funeral. I wish I could be there, but I swore I would see this mission through to the end.

I recovered relatively quickly after that. I decided to turn myself outward to continue doing the Lord’s Work. In our trials, it is easy to become selfish and blame others or even God for our shortcomings and trials. We must hold fast to Christ and be as Nephi in the Book of Mormon, instead of like his brothers, Laman and Lemuel. Let us go forth “feasting upon the words of Christ and be of good cheer,” for the trials will not cease. Helaman chapter 5 Verse 12 states: "And now, my sons, remember, remember that it is upon the rock of our Redeemer, who is Christ, the Son of God, that ye must build your foundation; that when the devil shall send forth his mighty winds, yea, his shafts in the whirlwind, yea, when all his hail and his mighty storm shall beat upon you, it shall have no power over you to drag you down to the gulf of misery and endless wo, because of the rock upon which ye are built, which is a sure foundation, a foundation whereon if men build they cannot fall."

Jesus Christ loves each and every one of us. He is reaching out his hand continually. If you choose to take his hand with all your strength, he will NEVER let you fall. He will continue always to lift you higher and higher.

After everything else that happened this past weekend, we had a fun P-day. I climbed a tree, ate some frog leg and a gopher leg. One of our Elders is from Texas and likes hunting. It was fun mission stuff.

Thank you as always for the messages of support.

I love God and Jesus Christ, and I love all of you.

Elder Rexinger