Hiya :)

Hello family!

How is everybody this rainy day?  Have you had a good week?  Amber's wedding plans so far sounds great...I approve.  Send more pictures though.  And send me her engagement pictures as soon as possible.  I'm pretty much dying to see them.  Pretty much everybody emailed me this week! ha so thanks! 

This week the weather was up and down.  Rain then hail then the past couple of days have been BOILING.  (I don't think I'll be able to survive a summer at home ha).  My mood has kind of been like the weather.  It's been a good week, but that just means Satan will give you something to try and bring you down.  But it's okay...all is well. :)
We have someone new we are teaching!  His name is Matthew.  He's really, really good.  Here is the story: A couple weeks ago we had two sets of sisters in our area.  Sister Clegg and I were together and Sister Larsen was going around with her new comp Sister Rousseau.  The other sisters were waiting at a bus stop and a man was running by.  He stopped and asked them the time and got into a gospel conversation.  he was really interested in learning more!  The sisters wrote his information down, but we didn't see it.  A few days ago we were waiting at a bus stop and this guy runs by.  He stops and asks us for the time (haha at first this story may appear creepy...and at first we thought so too.  But don't worry it sorts itself out ha).  Then he tells us how he met the sisters and had asked them the exact same thing.  He had been baptised in another church and was really 'into God' for a long time.  He even tried going out on Princes street (busiest in Edinburgh) to talk to people about Him. :)  He fell away for a long time.  He told us he's been ignoring God for too long, and when he had passed the sisters before and us that day-he felt compelled to stop.  He felt like he needed to talk to us.  Anyway!  We had a great lesson with him and he accepted the invitation to be baptised!  He came to church with us yesterday and really enjoyed it.  A member called us and said they had ridden the same bus after church and Matthew said he was coming back next week.  Woo!  Pray for Matthew!
We also had an interesting fireside at the church this week.  A couple from America came to speak to us...they're doing a European tour.  They are both Mormon historians or something.  It was really interesting.  They're really smart.  Sister Clegg wrote a note to me that said, "I feel really stupid."  I wrote back, "Me two." haha we thought it was hilarious.  Sister Caswell was like, "Guys, it's spelled too." hahaha Anyway that was a tangent...It was interesting to hear all their theories and such, but the overwhelming feeling I came out of there with was, "I believe in Jesus."  There was a lot of deep doctrine thrown out there, but to me the gospel is simple and "I believe in Jesus."  I liked something they said about faith: "Faith has to operate where there are reasons to believe and reasons to doubt.  And every soul is free to choose to believe."
Well, have a great week.  Write letters and emails...you don't have very long left!  I'm expecting lots of redemption mail. :) (haha just kidding...mostly)

I love you all!

Sister Rindlisbacher

Well hello there er'body!

How is life?  It's been another good week here in Scotland.  I had a dream last night that I was on a.....date......and they asked me where I had gone on my mission.  I remember saying I went to Scotland and then I just started bawling.  The sad fact is I can see that happening.  Love it here.  Here is a quote from Sister Clegg: "The work is hastening here in Scotland and it's in the form of estrogen."  haha so true!  We have about a million sisters in the mission now.  I used to know all of them, but now I know about 1/3 of them.  Weird.  But it's great that there are so many missionaries.  There are so many new areas being opened.  Soon Scotland and Ireland will only be populated with missionaries. :)

We have a new companion!  Her name is Sister Caswell...she is from Washington state.  We had a really fun day on Wednesday climbing Pratt's hill with all the newbies.  I had to say goodbye to all the missionaries going to Ireland cause I won't see them again on the mission/ever?  Hated that.  But the day was fun.  We had a lot of meetings as usual and even though we always go over the same thing in the trainer/trainee meetings I still learn what I can improve.  Humility and charity.  Yep.  The hardest ones. :)

Have I ever told you about the baptist family that we are "teaching"?  We were chapping probably back in March and we met this guy named Allie.  He said we could come back later in the week.  We did and we didn't really know what we were getting ourselves into. haha.  They are a big, English, really strong Christian family.  I think they have the bible memorised.  :)  We have met with them on and off.  They are interested in learning more about our church...general knowledge I suppose.  Although they intimidate the heck out of us we really love them.  And they invited us over for dinner this week!  Isn't that sweet?  It was so fun too.  We even got to play a game with them after and just relax and not have to defend the Book of Mormon or our church. :)  No...they are an awesome family and really great examples of Christians.  Their oldest daughter Elspeth is great (she's around our age) and we are even gonna do something with her on P-day. 

Cheryl has had a pretty hard week.  We couldn't get in contact with her for a long time, so we were kind of in panic mode.  We saw her at stake conference though and she was doing okay.  We were about an hour into stake conference and Sister Clegg looks at me and is like, "is that Ethan?"  haha In fact it was!  So glad that she came!  She has had a tough week, Satan is really trying to work on her.  She has so much potential and he doesn't want her to reach it.  But she's tough and she'll get through. 
Yesterday was a long day of finding.  We thought it would drag, but we were blessed with tons of success.  It was about 8:30 and we were walking home and we stopped a lady named Carol.  Her brother had recently died and she was struggling.  She told us that she's really scared of dying.  She hopes God is there, but just doesn't know.  We told her about the Book of Mormon and read a little bit with her.  We even invited her to be baptised (sister Caswell's first! woo) and she said she would.  We said a prayer with her before she left and she teared up a lot.  She just said thank you for what we told her.  Hopefully we'll meet with her again this week...I'll let you know how it goes!
Quick request: We are having a zone conference next month and some family history people from SLC are coming to talk about how we can use fam. history in missionary work.  We are supposed to have some stories of ancestors and a 4 generation (?) pedigree chart.  Could you send me at least the chart.  Grandma Bacher sent me some stories that would work. (thanks!)  gracias.
Okay. I'm gonna go, but have a brilliant week!  Love you,

Sister Rindlisbacher

ps..someone told me this week that our last name means deer basin....???

May 14th

Hey family!

It was pretty great getting to talk to you on Sunday!  And it was fun to meet Dave, hopefully he doesn't think I'm too much of a freak. haha.  I don't have too much time...again!  I'll tell you about Cheryl though.
Her baptism was on Saturday!!!!  It was soo so good.  We actually had a wee bit of a scare on Friday.  She was coming to dinner with us at the bishop's house, but we couldn't find her anywhere.  We tried by her house, called her, texted her...nothing.  And we didn't hear from her until Saturday morning.  ugh.  She has had a few baptismal dates in the past and even had a baptismal service and didn't show.  so we were scared!  But we found out she had been in the hopsital for her stomach and had left her phone at home.  We felt pretty bad for our lack of faith.  :/  But we met with her before the baptism and she was so excited.  Her family took her to the church (her aunt and uncle are members).  She looked like an angel in her dress.  She loved it! :)  There was also a mother and two kids being baptised, which was awesome.  A lot of people came out to support.  The program was really nice.  We had to (yes. had to.) do a musical number.  We sang I am a Child of God with Cheryl.  :)  The water was super cold.  She said she couldn't even breathe, but when the bishop (who baptised her) started to talk she just felt warmth.  She said she just felt so happy.  She even bore her testimony after-it was beautiful.  She was confirmed on Sunday and it was a beautiful blessing.  Ethan was even quiet...the whole time!  Miracle.  We just love Cheryl.  She'll be a really strong member.  She loves the gospel.  Ach-it makes us happy.
Okay I better get going.  Oh!  Did I mention I'm staying in Edinburgh?  Edinburgh till the end.  Sister Clegg and I are both staying and getting a new missionary.  :)  It'll be grand.
Have a great week.  Amber...keep me posted on the wedding plans...I have many ideas. haha
Love you all!

Sister Rindlisbacher

 

 

Heeeey!

Wow.  Just wow.  It has been a really interesting and fun and exhausting and awesome week.  I don't even know where to begin!  I'll just dive right in.
1. Cheryl is doing okay.  She had a couple setbacks this week.  We didn't get to see her all week long; I think she didn't want to see us and disappoint us, which of course we weren't.  We are really sad, but we just love her.  She got some news this week that was really hard.  And because of a couple of other things she was worried she couldn't be baptised.  She was just heart broken, she wants it so much.  She didn't show up for a few of our appointments this week and so we decided to do a suprise attack (haha) on Saturday night.  We got her in!  We were able to talk to her and help her and pray with her, which she hadn't done all week.  When we first walked in I could tell something was wrong, but as we left she was almost back to her usual self.  She told us that it must have been Heavenly Father that sent us there that night. :)  She also came to church yesterday!  Ethan came too!  I think she had a good day, she just gets stressed about Ethan.  The good news is, despite some new trials, she is still working for baptism (not so sure on the day yet though....I'll keep you posted.)  Pray for Cheryl, please!
2. Gary.. poor Gary.  We didn't see him at all.  We aren't sure whats wrong.  He's been struggling and not feeling so well.  We just need to see him and figure out whats wrong so we can help him.  Pray that he gets better and can feel the spirit again.
3. Have I ever told you about Jackie?  She is the best friend of one of the members here.  She has been taught a couple of times by missionaries and will come to church or activities every once in a while.  We seen her a few times and helped her paint once.  We just really love her.  She's so great.  Anyway she had a really bad week.  She called us on Saturday and we told her we'd come see her that day.  She really opened up and told us her struggles.  Breaks my heart, but I think us just being there helped her out.  And she fed us tacos!  yum!  Sister Larsen and I were talking later that night about how we felt like "real" missionaries that day. :)  Sometimes you get caught up/go through the motions and live for how many lessons you get or whatever, but we feel like real missionaries when we just do what Jesus would have done...minister.  We liked that feeling.
4. I had a cool experience after interviews (we had interviews on Friday and it was great-how I love the Browns!)  We were waiting at a bus stop and this guy came and stood near us.  I was thinking of how I could start the conversation without being too awkward...oh wait...not possible.  haha So I turned to him and was going to comment on the weather (haha it was sunny and scottish people like to talk about their weather) but as I turned to him he put his hands together, like he was praying and pointed to my badge.  I soon realised (I hope you don't think I stupid for the way I spell-they spell things differently over here) that he was deaf.  He was trying to ask me something and I was trying to make up signs to answer him back ha It wasn't working very well (too bad I dropped out of my sign language class)  So I took out a piece of paper and a pencil and we wrote messages back and forth.  I asked him if he prayed, believed in Christ, in God, etc....he told me he didn't really believe but he wanted to try.  He also told me he has been sober for 5 years and his mom was ill.  It was such a cool experience.  We were sitting there writing back and forth while everyone else watched us.  I gave him a book of mormon and my testimony and we are going back to see him this week! 
5. We had a Relief Society activity!  It was all about missionary work.  We talked about standing as a witness of God.  We did some skits.  We ate cake.  it was a great night!  Here is a paraphrased quote from one of the relief society counselors..."We all go through trials.  And I'll be the first to admit I don't like them.  They are hard.  They can be painful.  And sometimes we feel like we can't get through them.  But what's even harder is watching someone I love go through a trial, because I can't take their pain away from them.  I can't be brave for them.  But I know someone who can."  She then just bore her testimony of the Saviour and His atonement.  Ach, it was so good.  There are so many people out there who need help and we know someone who can help them.  That's the beauty of sharing the gospel.  When we open our mouths or invite or are a good example we help people find the one who can take the pain away.  Who can help them be brave.  (Share the gospel with somebody!!!!) :)
6.  This email is getting too long.  One more thing.  Last night we had a brilliant fireside.  It was a group from the Glasgow stake.  They sang all the songs from the Nashville Tribute Band: A Tribute to the Prophet (or whatever it's called) and had testimonies and a slide show and clips about Joseph Smith and the saints.  It was smashing.  The singing was ridiculous. (in a good way)  It was an 18 year old kid that put it all together.  Jackie came and she cried through the whole thing.  It's just  the thing she needed. One of the guys in the show came up to us after and asked if we had any investigators there and we pointed out Jackie.  He went right over and started talking to her.  People are good. 

Okay, I'm going to go!  Have a great week.  HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO SHANNON!  I hope you got the lovely card I made you. :)

Love you,

Sister Rindlisbacher

 

pic 1: me and the castle...don't look at me...just look at the castle

April 15th!

Dear Family,

Hi!  How are you this week?  Hope mom's shoulder is okay.  And I'm really glad you got to go to Missy's farewell! I'm jealous. ha.  It was good to read Hermana Rindlisbacher's email!  Crazy that she's out already...she'll do great!  We had a great week.  I always jot down little things to tell you and keep it in my plannner, but guess who forgot their planner?  So...I'll try to remember and recap!

Cheryl is awesome!  She is doing so well.  We taught her a few times this week.  She was willing to live and try everything we taught.  I even invited her to live the Word of Wisdom after we taught the Law of Chastity lesson. haha.  woops!  She is reading the scriptures and praying everyday.  She even takes notes in a little journal about what she learns and feels.  She has written down her testimony and adds to it every so often (she wants to read it at church soon!)  I don't have any specific moments or stories, but it's just so great to see the chagne in her.  She tells us how different she feels.  She looks better, takes care of herself, she eats now (we just lead by example there haha), she's happier, she is more patient with Ethan, she's really developing her faith in Jesus, and it's amazing to see what can happen in a few weeks.  Mom...do you remember when you sent me a couple pictures of Jesus holding that wee boy? (I think it was back in the MTC maybe?) anyway...We gave one to Cheryl and she LOVED it.  It's hanging in her front room, and she talks about it all the time.  The little boy looks just like Ethan.  And Christ just looks so happy.  Anyway, she looks at it and it gives her strength when she needs it.  She came to church too!  Everyone was really great to her and I think she loved it.  The only thing was she was pretty stressed out about Ethan.  He's kinda crazy sometimes. haha.  I don't think anyone minded though, and I thought he was okay for his first time at church.  We're all just glad they both got to come.  That's something I've learned whilst (ha) out here...it doesn't matter who we are or what we're like...God loves us.  And we should love and take care of each other. 

So...Gary.  We got to see him once this week.  He's been kind of ill and has also worked a ton. (including sunday...couldn't come to church. waa)  He had a way hard week though.  We went in planning to teach the Word of Wisdom.  We got talking to him and he just told us it's been rough and he's been really down.  He even started smoking again.  We just had the thought to read the Book of Mormon with him.  I just opened to one of my favorite chapters (3 nephi 17) and we read that with him.  I think it really helped.  He was able to feel the spirit and come to know Christ's character and love for us all.  My favorite part in that chapter is when it says "all who are afflicted in ANY manner..come and be healed."  No matter what it is in our lives...He can make us whole. :)

I'm trying to think of a good story or something...my mind has gone blank!  So, I guess I'll just sign off...I hope you have a good week!  I love you,

Sister Rindlisbacher

pic 1: I saw Sister Shead!!!!!!!! She was at the mission home (she's training!!!). Our reunion was priceless. hahaha.

 

 

pic 2: me, sister shead, and my grandchild that I met for the first time, sister francis (sister millward trained her) :)  I know they both look nice and cute..I was playing chair football. :)

It was really great to read all your emails this week.  Even if they're short....haha ;)  Was it spring break this week?  How was it?  We had a really good week.  We had so much to do!  But the sun was shining and I don't think any of us stepped in dog poop this week. :)

Did you watch general conference???  I sure hope so cause it was so good!  We didn't get to watch Sunday afternoon because of the time difference, but I'm gonna look up those talks today after I email.  My favorites:

1. Did you hear Sister Dalton talk about SCOTLAND??!!  She talked about the 'act well thy part' sign that used to be in front of the mission home.  I was literally like 30 feet from the spot.  Ach, I love Scotland.  We were all so proud.

2. I liked how Stanley Ellis said something like, "We need to know the doctrine, hearken to our leaders, counsel with the Lord, and then govern ourselves."

3. Of course I loved Elder Anderson's talk about missionaries and the miracle of missionary work.  There are 65,000 full time missionaries, 20,000 more that have been called, and about 6,000 in the interview process.  That. is. so. great.  He talked about how the Lord is preparing more missionaries so He is definitely preparing more people to receive our message.  "Be a part of the miracle."  I like that.  It's not enough to have the gospel and live the gospel...we need to give the gospel to everyone.  They deserve it. (so family go find someone!)

4. And was it just me or did alot of the talks focus on marriage and family? hahaha My companions are making fun of me because that scares me a lot, so they think it was meant just for me.  I'll just stay over here in Scotland for a wee while. :)

5. Loved President Monson's talk.  Obedience is the price and it's the key to happiness. 

Anyway, I loved conference.  It's like Christmas for a missionary.  You know that feeling you get the night before Christmas and you can't sleep...I think that's how I felt the night before conference. haha.

Moving on!  Gary is doing well.  We don't get to see him very much because he works all the time!  (and he couldn't come to conference...)  But we did have a great lesson on the Gospel of Jesus Christ with him.  We couldn't find ANYONE to come teach him with us, so we thought we were going to have to cancel.  Then we had the idea that we could meet him at the church and have one of the office sisters come over with us (the mission home is right next to the church)  Even though they had so much to do Sister Price came and we got to meet with him.  And we feel like it needed to be at the church. (He's in the details)  We talked a lot about repentance and about the sacrament and the spirit was very strong.  He's becoming converted.  He even broke up with his girlfriend because she didn't want him to learn about this and join the church.  That's dedication.  

Cheryl had a really hard week this week.  But she made it to one session of conference!  Unfortunately, Ethan is a little stink :) and she had to sit out in the hall most of the time and she was feeling really sick.  We were on the bus after conference and she sent us a text that said, "Hi sisters!  Please don't give up on me.  I just haven't been feeling 100% lately, but I still know that Jesus Christ is the Saviour and Heavenly Father is there.  I'm going to read my scriptures and pray tonight...." and so on.  Ach.  Our hearts just broke.  We love her-even if she has a long way to go.  Don't we all?

Well, I better get going!  Oh yeah..we had moves call yesterday.  dun dun dun....we're staying!  I love Edinburgh.  Hopefully I stay until June.  Also, how scary is it that I only have 2 transfers left?  I'll tell you...it's scary.  Have a good week.  Love you,

pic 1: You can't really tell, but a couple weeks ago my face was attacked by a football during an intese match of chair football.  All thanks to sister Clegg.

 

pic 2: I finally found Hogwarts

 

 

pic 3: This was on one of our mission newsletters and I thought it was humorous