Before I talk about anything else I just want to bear testimony that everything happens for a reason. When something falls through there is a reason for it. There is no coincidence. Take that into account for a week and see how it makes your actions and reactions different.

Hello everyone!

Another week in the winter wonderlands of Oscoda, Michigan. I don’t at all remember what I wrote last week and I’m running out of time so I am probably going to repeat myself but oh well.

We had four majorly important lessons set up throughout last week with our investigators, and had plans for members to be there at those lessons as well: the ideal situation. All four of them ended up falling through. Additionally, a lot of the other people we attempted to visit were not home or were busy, and I am feeling pretty sick. But friends and family I can promise you that everything happens for a reason, and all of the trials and experiences of this life and of this month and of this week and of this moment are going to be for our benefit. Let it work for your benefit.

Saturday we were knocking in the old air force base. We are not solicitors. We are not soliciting funds. We have a right to knock on peoples doors and talk to them; however, time after time we ended up with people angry and contentious or yelling at us or slamming their doors on Saturday. Oh and threatening to call HOA or the cops. But it was all worth it because we did find one person who is interested in learning, and whose father has cancer. Hope we are able to come and teach them soon.

On a bright note, last Monday, as a district we all went to the Tanger Outlets near West Branch and I ended up with some nice Vanheusen getup. It’s the little things in life, right? 😉
Oh and I also schooled the whole district at Monopoly Millionaire, which gave me a pretty big sense of accomplishment.

Keep pushing through, there is light at the end of the tunnel, there is hope shining brightly before us, and deliverance is nigh. If we hold on to the principles of the Gospel nothing can ever go permanently wrong. The Savior is our foundation for peace and joy in this life and in the life to come, and He is Jesus Christ. Of these things I testify in the name of Him, our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, amen.

Elder Tyler Breinholt

Hello friends, family, and all others concerned,

I just wanted to let you all know that things are going great. Oscoda, Michigan is pretty far north, and seriously right on the coast of Lake Huron, and is therefore a resort town, in and of itself. It’s February. The coldest month. Like 40 to 60% of these home are vacant…. The branch is also quite small during the winter months because many members of the branch only come to live here during the summer when it’s supposedly bright, beautiful, and warm. Yesterday was my first time here at this building, and suddenly, before the first talk, the 1st counselor who was conducting said that the new missionary was going to come up and introduce himself and bear his testimony! So, I did! There were a bunch of visitors because of a baby blessing.

We do have a few wonderful people to teach, but because our area is so spread out and those people are so spread out, our opportunities to see them are limited to what seems to be only once a week. Other than that we get to do a lot of finding. Elder Hudson and I get along well! We share a childhood love of Pokemon. Last night he schooled me at Monopoly Millionaire. It’s honestly been a pretty odd and hard transition, not knowing anyone, not having much direction from others, including my companion, but I’m just doing my best to rely on the Lord.

We’re going to try some very new things in this area. There hasn’t been a baptism here for three years at the least. So we are going to change that pattern.

God be with you all. Never forget that Christ’s Atonement was not only for our sins, but for our trials, weaknesses, and infirmities, and He can and will take away your pain if you will let him. All it takes is a simple, humble prayer.

Headed to my first tradeoff in West Branch, Michigan today. Wish me luck. (Haha, West Branch Branch. And the branch president is the West Branch Branch Branch President.)

I love you all and hope that you have a wonderful week.

Elder Breinholt

Hello everyone! 😀

I have left my “birthplace” of Sturgis, Michigan, and am now in Oscoda! Right on the coast of Lake Huron! Staying in a small individual home that is seriously right next to the lake. It’s awesome.

I’m excited for new adventures which I will tell you all about! There are a couple I want to mention from my last week in Sturgis:

One of our investigators got out of a truck and walked to toward us while we were knocking, and asked what we were up to. And we replied, “doorknocking” and he said, “let’s go!” So off we went to doorknock together! First door, we start a conversation, and Leo, the investigator adds some great input and says that our church has a lot of truth, and then proceeds to pull out a pack of cigarettes, light up, and offer one to the person at the door….

Oh Leo…. ;P

It’s already about time for me to get going. But I love you all! I am so sad to have left Sturgis and all of the wonderful people there. We were teaching a Muslim, a Jew, A Pastor, and today we would have picked up an Amish family, but Elder Janes has taken my place in Sturgis! (He was my MTC companion.)

I’ll talk with you all again next week and let you know just how hard this transition is…. haha. But seriously don’t be afraid to send your prayers. Love you all, so so dearly, and I know that the Savior does as well, or else he would not have done everything that he has for us–and not to mention, everything he continues to do for us. Rely on him, and you will be so much better off.

Elder Breinholt

Hello Everyone!

This has been a great week and I am so grateful for the time I have had to serve in Sturgis, Michigan. I have been here almost six months, so it’s probably about time for me to move on, even though I don’t feel I want to; we have a bunch of wonderful people we are teaching, many of them brand new who are prepared to learn and repent, and will eventually be baptized. But I just wish I get be there through the whole process! That’s kind of the frustration of the whole “transfer” thing… :/ But it’s alright.

So the other day, while in the middle of a lesson, one of those wonderful new investigators called with a slight emergency: She had picked up a woman from off the street who had no shoes or socks or coat, but then quickly realized this person was a little bit unstable mentally. The investigator also had her daughter in the back and, worried at all of the random demands of this stranger and the fact that they didn’t actually know where they lived, called us and had us meet her immediately in Sturgis. So we all sat down in a McDonalds and Elder Liu and I were trying to figure out the situation of this young woman from the street by asking her simple questions. We also quickly realized there was not much we could do for her and she was seemingly delusional and quite possible a danger to herself, so we proceeded to call the police discreetly to have them meet come and be the one’s to help her get wherever she needed to be. The police came in, and apparently there was some miscommunication because they looked around and I kept trying to signal them and they looked confused and left… After which this girl also ran out from the building and across the street…. And yet somehow, it all worked out in the end because she actually came back, and the police and lifecare came and after running away from them, ran to a firefighter who she willingly went with, and that was that. So perhaps this was all meant to be, and she could have hurt herself or frozen her feet off by herself, and we helped her into the hands of those who are trained for all sorts of situations like this. But yeah, that was a pretty weird day.

Things have been great here and I am so grateful to be a missionary, and to be learning to help people draw nearer unto God and overcome their biggest struggles, including addiction. I think we are all addicted to something whether we realize it or not. Society tries to addict us to things all the time–why? Because it makes them more of this: $$$, or gives them fame or popularity or pride. Be aware, my friends. Don’t let Satan pull you into these things. Be strong and of good courage, and do not fear. Pray oft that ye may come off conqueror. I love you all and I hope you know that!

Have a great week and talk with you later! Oh and if you are planning on sending anything this week send to the mission office:

4910 S Hagadorn Rd
East Lansing, MI 48823

Elder Breinholt 🙂

Hello everyone!

Not sure whether I got out an email or not last week so I sent it again just in case… hope that’s okay. 🙂

Had a great week. Having accomplished almost all our goals last week, we shot for higher goals for this week and worked our hardest to achieve them. Some of them worked out. Others, no matter how hard we tried, we could not make the numbers happen. And maybe that’s the problem, because we were focusing too much on the numbers, and not enough on simply doing what the Lord wants or needs us to do at any given time. We are still trying to learn the balances of missionary work, but one day, we’ll find them. Probably not even in this lifetime… but eventually 🙂

Jason the Brony is preparing for baptism! After more than four months he is feeling ready and is planning on being baptized on the 23rd before I leave! I am so excited for him and have loved seeing him progress and seeing his faith grow. He’s already met basically everyone in the ward, and every missionary of the district. Now opposition is going to hit and try to make things difficult and test his faith. Satan doesnt want him to be baptized.

Anyway, we tried hard this week and we were still able to accomplish great things through the help of God, and I am so grateful to be a missionary. We are teaching about 20 very different people right now and it’s hard to know how to manage them all, especially since throughout training the average number of investigators I had at one time was about 3, and for Elder Liu it was 1. God be with us, because we are teaching some wonderful people who are ready to make changes in their lives, but they can’t do it on their own.

If you can, pray for Carrie, who is facing opposition and trying to overcome addiction, for her daughter. The father doesn’t want her to be meeting with us, and doesn’t want her to succeed, and he filled her gas tank with sugar. Her car is indeed ruined, and she lives down in Indiana. This is one of the many ways Satan is trying to stop the work here. But with the help of God, nothing can ever go permanently wrong.

Stay strong my friends and family, I love you all!

Oh. And the title of the email: We taught a muslim the other day and he kept promising us “There is no bomb.” It’s been fun teaching so many different people: A Jew, A Muslim, A Wesleyan Pastor, etc. 🙂

Have a great week!

Elder Breinholt

Hope you all had a happy New Year Anniversary and I just wanted to send out yet another weekly letter and let you all know that you are loved and that you are awesome! You, yes, you. I am talking, to you.

We have not had a baptism for a while, but that is okay. I’m not sure if I mentioned before but the average number of baptisms per missionary in this mission is about 1. So I am grateful for the chances I’ve already had to teach and help people on the path of becoming more like Christ, and I know that some of the investigators we are teaching right now are eventually going to be baptized if they stay on the path they are on. I likely will be leaving this area in the next three weeks or so, which is sad, but at the same time I will have been here in Sturgis for six months, or a quarter of my mission x)

I just lastly wanted to say that I am grateful for all of the wonderful things my Father in Heaven has given me: An amazing family (including extended family), Supportive and Inspiring Friends, Chances and Opportunities to become a better husband and father in the future, and Peace and Comfort in every time of need. I could not ever ask for anything more, and I feel undeserving already of the things I do have. I was a prideful person in the past, and the past I cannot change. But at this moment God is helping me to change, to abolish past attitudes, behaviors, and sins from my life, and become like unto Christ, little by little. I testify that the Savior is real. He is not just in our hearts or our minds, nor is he a figment of imagination, but He is a real being who dwells somewhere more glorious than we can understand at this time. And He loves us, even though we truly are nothing without him. He sees us as what we can become, and not only will he help us to get there, but he will never give up on us. Of this I testify in the name of Jesus Christ, amen.

We’ve probably all already broken some of our resolutions. That’s why I’m grateful for the Atonement and for Repentance. 😉 Stay strong, friends, and family, and do what you know is right. Those are the thing you will not regret.

Sincerely,

Elder Breinholt

Merry Christmas everyone!

It has been a beautiful and spiritual Christmas season here, mostly because there was no snow 😉 just kidding.

Christmas Eve we had a half-mission conference where we played a bunch of games and did a bunch of fun stuff with about 60 other missionaries. I saw Elder Yadon and gave him a gift (which was glow-in-the-dark dog poop,) and Sister Edwards gave him toilet paper. (He absolutely despises bathroom-talk.)

I’m grateful for the chance Elder Liu and I have had to be companions and to work hard here in Sturgis together and to push through difficulties and arguments. We are good friends and we have each other’s backs. It’s been hard because not many people want to meet with us or talk to us because they are annoyed that we are coming around during the holidays, but isn’t this the reason for the season? It’s all about Christ, and that is the center of our message. It’s odd to me that these people get so upset. >:( But it’s okay, because we still had a great Christmas and shared wonderful messages with the members. 🙂

We received more candy and junk food in the past month than I ever plan to eat throughout the entirety of my life. I got some awesome gifts, and probably the best gift was the chance to speak with and see my family using Skype on the 25th. They got a bunch of Star Wars stuff for Christmas, and hey, only 19 months till I get to see the movie! ;P

This year is coming to an end and I am grateful for all that I have learned and the growth that I have had. I am still far from perfect, but I strive every day to become a little more like our perfect example, Jesus Christ, who’s birth and life we celebrate throughout this wonderful Christmas season. He lives, still, my friends and family, and he loves us more than we can understand. Be strong and of good courage, and go out and help and serve others. There is no greater gift than the gift of giving.

The cost of love is pain, and Christ suffered more pain than is imaginable for our feeble minds. He truly loves us, and he lives. Of this I testify in the name of Jesus Christ, amen. 🙂

Elder Breinholt

I just want to start off with saying Merry Christmas everyone! Hope you are all enjoying the wonderful spirit of this time of year when so many people take some time to think about and remember the birth of our Savior, Jesus Christ. Not only was He born, lived and led and served, and died for us, but He still lives and loves each and every one of us. John 14:14 “If ye shall ask anything in my name, I will do it.” He has already given us everything that we have, and atoned for our sins, but He still is willing to give us whatever we desire righteously.

We are having a great time here in Sturgis, and although we had to journey through 28 degree weather plus a big wind chill for seven hours straight the other day, we are having a great Christmas season. We found 6 people on one day, I believe Saturday. Things have been awesome.

We’re doing our best to help those who have been baptized continue to make and keep covenants with God and get on their way to the temple. Our investigators are great, and although some of them have a hard time keeping commitments, we love them and are trying to help them learn of Christ’s love and faith in them. Jason, the Brony, is still investigating and waiting to receive his witness from God of the truth of the Book of Mormon. Josh, a pastor, brought his pastor friend Ryan to dinner with us at El Taco Loco, where Elder Liu, Josh, and I ate cactus. Josh is still wanting to continue investigating, and it seems to us that his desires are sincere, although they may not be “baptism” at the moment.

We are also teaching many other wonderful people, but we don’t have the time to go into detail about each one, unfortunately… ;P

Once again, Merry Christmas everyone, and I love you all, and stay safe, stay awesome, go look for opportunities to love and serve others, and enjoy this picture of my district on the Inidana sign a couple weeks ago. 🙂

Elder Breinholt

Yesterday was the beginning of transfer number four! Elder Liu and I are staying together in Sturgis, and the Sisters are staying too, and Elder Mafile’o our district leader is gone and we have a new district leader who is awesome and his name is Elder Freeman. We just got back from bowling and then eating Taco Bell, and it was a blast. When you’re on a mission, you learn to appreciate the little things that are fun, or good. 🙂

This week Elder Liu and I had the cops called on us because we are “suspicious men walking outside people’s houses.” So in Indiana while we were knocking in the country a sheriff rolled up slowly but he recognized who we are and asked “You guys found anyone yet today?”

Two days ago we had an awesome lesson with a woman named Nancy, who is the mother of one of our investigators–John. John has not been keeping commitments, and we were worried we might have to stop teaching him, but during our last lesson we invited his mother to join and she is completely ready for the gospel. She asked us all kinds of questions about how we came to be missionaries and why we chose to give up two years of our lives. We taught about the Plan of Salvation, and she is wondering why her husband was taken at a young age, but she has a lot of faith and is willing to learn new things. One week soon they are planning to come and visit our church.

None of our other investigators came to church yesterday, and it seems like that’s one of the hardest commitments for people to keep. Maybe it’s the whole “getting up in the morning” thing. But we are on the verge of breakthrough with a lot of people, and they are facing a lot of opposition. That’s how it’s always going to be while we are in this life: When we come close to finding truth or gaining further happiness, Satan is always going to hit hardest at those times, to become that extra wall you have to climb that you didn’t expect all along. It’s always going to be worth getting over that wall, and all will be well in the end.

Elder Liu and I wrote a sick rap. It’s about the device in our car that yells at us and reports to our leaders when we speed or do anything bad in the car. On the way here, Elder Liu got an “aggressive driving” for hitting a dip too hard and now he’s worried he might get his driving privileges taken away…. xD

Anyway, have a great week everyone! Enjoy the Holiday Season and all! And for all of you back in Utah in the middle of snow and storms, it’s a lovely 50 degrees right now out here! 😉

Elder Breinholt

Hello everyone great to be amongst you my brothers and sisters! 🙂

The work is going here in Michigan and Elder Liu and I are doing our best! Last week, I bought a nerdy game for Elder Liu’s sake: Star Wars: X-Wing. It’s like a board game type of deal with little ships and stuff, and Elder Liu LOOOVES stuff like that so we have had some fun with it.

We have been teaching some wonderful people:

Josh the Pastor: Has taken us out to eat three times and we have talked about the Gospel over delicious meals (such as cedar grilled salmon with crispy cheddar bacon potatoes.) Hungry yet? He reads everything we give him and writes down detailed questions which we discuss with him. This man wants knowledge, and he is also a really cool, nice guy with a young family. The other day while Elder Liu and I were walking he stopped next to us in his car to say hi. 🙂 We’re trying to tell him we don’t always need to meet over food…

Joe the Veteran: This man knows that what we are teaching him is true, and he wants to make changes in his life and have “this wicked spirit rooted out of [his] breast, and receive [God’s] Spirit.” He has a lovely family, and they planned on coming to the ward Christmas Party on Friday night, and church Sunday, but somehow, neither of those things ended up working out. That’s one of the hardest things on the mission, because while we are always trying to pull these people to the light, there are forces pulling them the opposite direction at the same time, and last week their car suddenly broke down so I can only imagine what happened this time. He really wants to come. Pray for him and his family, if you can. :/

Jason the Brony: He has now been to church 5 times and has met pretty much every active member of the ward. He is reading through the Book of Mormon, slowly but surely, and is searching for an answer from God confirming its truth. He loves how nice the ward is and has now been investigating for about three months. Jason is a fun-loving guy and I actually think he has received some kind of answer already, but just doesn’t realize it.

These are just a few of the people we are teaching and we are excited to teach some first timers this week as well and see how interested they are in learning more about Christ’s gospel. Thank you all so much for your support–oh, and I bought a 32GB flashdrive today, tried to open it, and accidentally sent it through the air into a pan full of water in the kitchen. ? Have a good week everyone! (sorry I forgot to take pictures….)

Love,
Elder Breinholt 🙂