Week #69 - LEAN ON

Hello Friends and Family!!! 

This week was absolutely crazy. I had so much fun and saw many many miracles. It's yet again a blessed time to be in Texas. I love my Savior and His gospel. 

Sunday morning my mission president, President Peterson, called me and asked if we could meet. 2 hours later he was at my church building and we were having a meeting. Long story short, I'm now one of his Assistants! My new comp is Elder Airth. He's from Rexburg Idaho and just a stud. We've already kind of been comps before in College Station about a year ago. I'm so pumped, he's probably one of my best friends in the mission. It's gonna be a fun time to say the least. 

Jesus is the Christ. He is the living Savior. I'm so thankful for Him and His guiding gospel. I feel His overwhelming joy. I have everything I have because of Him. This is true. 

I'm sorry this is super short but life is crazy!! 

ALSO, THANK YOU ALL FOR THE BIRTHDAY WISHES LAST FRIDAY!!!

I love you all and am praying for you!! God bless! 

Elder Jarrett Pinster

Thanks for feeding Elder Lindsay and Elder Pinster!

Elders Pinster, _____, Pacheco, Lindsay

Lindsay, Smith, Pacheco, Dale, Bussio, Owens, Dennis
Pinster, Hitchcock, Cooper

Yummy Lunch with ____, Cooper, Lindsey, Pinster, Pacheco, Hitchcock

Having fun while volunteering at a donation center

Week #68 - BLESSINGS

HELLO MY FRIENDS AND FAMILY. I love Texas and I love being a servant for our Savior Jesus Christ. 

This week was a busy and super fun week. We had some crazy cool experiences. 

On Wednesday I went on an exchange with Elder Cooper to his area. I love doing exchanges and connecting with the missionaries. We decided to knock all night basically. While we were out we ran into a guy who had learned from missionaries back in Ghana, a young teenager who wanted peace, and a grandpa who is looking for joy. We talked to everyone and before we knew it we had been out for 3 hours and almost finished the entire apartment complex. I felt so dead at the end of the night but the spirit was tangible. I love the work of missions and how the Savior leads and guides. 

On Saturday I got to go with Elder Hitchcock to the temple for one of the people we helped baptize in College Station a year ago! He was getting endowed and going through for the first time. We were so happy for Jeston. He also is about to send in his mission papers!! This gospel is one of happiness and joy. I'm so thankful for my Heavenly Father for putting people in my life to help me grow alongside them in the gospel of Jesus Christ. 

Our area is doing pretty good. Lots of knocking doors and trying to find the elect. Heavenly Father lead us to a man this week who started crying with us on the doorstep because he knew he needed us. The spirit will tell you where to go if you ask. I'm so grateful for the opportunity to be a tool in the Lord's hands. 

This week was a blessing. Jesus is the Savior and He leads. I'm so grateful for this gospel. I feel His power and His love. I'm so happy and lucky to be able to learn, grow, and repent daily. I cannot describe the joy I feel while serving Him. 

This gospel is true. 

Elder Jarrett Pinster

COOPER & PINSTER

JESTON, HITCHCOCK & PINSTER AT THE TEMPLE

PINSTER & DENNIS

Week #67 - SUNDAY CANDY

My o my was this week a good one! We had so many miracles and felt that Heavenly Father was guiding us in every step of the way. I feel absolutely so loved and blessed to be a servant for our Savior. Texas is a really blessed place to be. 

This week we had Zone Conference with Elder Ochoa of the seventy! It was such a spiritual and uplifting experience. We talked a ton about baptism and helping save others. We are here to save and lift people. He taught us to love more, care for others, and love the Lord daily. I also got to see a ton of my buddies because it was like half the mission so that's always fun. 

We also had some really awesome miracles. On Saturday, we had pretty much the entire day to go finding. We knocked and knocked and knocked and knocked all day. We had absolutely zero success in terms of teaching and things like that. However at 8:45 we found our friend Terrance who let us in right away and when we gave him a pass along card of the Houston temple it made him pause. He told us that he had just driven by it two days ago and it was the first time it ever really stood out to him. Then we came over that night and he saw it again. THEN on Sunday we went back over to see him, but for some reason we totally forgot to write his apt number down so we had no idea which one was his. Well as soon as we pulled up he was walking outside to throw away his trash. We were able to see him and he invited us right back. The Lord guides and sometimes we just have to have patience for the blessings. 

On Sunday we had some other miracles!! We found a couple last week and they came to church again this week and loved it!! They are moving into the ward in about two weeks and said they'd like to start meeting with us then! Then in our other ward a member brought two friends who loved it and invited us back over this week!! It was such a great Sabbath day. Heavenly Father really does bless us for our efforts. I feel so much peace. 

I read a quote this week from Marvin J. Ashton:

"My message to you this day is take up your cross. Take yourself the way you are and lift yourself in the direction of the better. Regardless of where you have been, what you have done, or what you haven’t done, trust God, believe on him, relate to him, worship him as you carry your cross with dignity and determination."

I'm so grateful for my Savior and His eternal Atonement. He is the light of the world and through Him we can see all things. I'm eternally grateful that I have been blessed to know that He lives and that He loves. God is always there. Jesus will always save. The Lord is too good to me. I'm so thankful for the opportunity I have to grow and find myself while losing myself. Lives and hearts are changing down here in Texas. I love y'all and God bless.

Elder Jarrett Pinster 

(from my pictures you can most definitely tell that we bike wayyy too much)

PINSTER AND LINDSAY

Week #66 - ANGELS

Howdy yall!!! I know I've said this multiple times but I again restate my thoughts. It's a blessed time to be a missionary in Texas. I'm so happy with my life and the light I feel because of my Savior. 

This week we had MLC (mission leadership conference) which is always fun because I get to see a ton of my mission friends. In it we talked a lot about becoming better and the role repentance has in our lives. We read from President Nelson's last Priesthood session talk. I have never felt so inspired to be better and repent daily. I think a lot of the time we take repentance as a negative thing in our lives or as something that is burdensome. In reality, repentance is change in which we get brought closer to our Heavenly Father and Savior. What a beautiful thing. Every day we can change and come closer to our Savior. Every day we can become. Every day we can grow. I'm so incredibly grateful for the opportunity to become. 

We also set a date this week with a young guy we are teaching named Julian! His family has been coming to church for some time now. We had a lesson just with him and another youth from the ward. During the lesson we stopped and asked him to pray and ask God if baptism was the right next move. When we finished the prayer he looked at us and told us he "felt something." The spirit was there and he knew what his next step was. It's all possible through the spirit. He leads and guides. 

On Friday, we had the opportunity to go with our mission president and speak at a youth devotional in our stake. We even got to eat a roasted pig that was pretty good. We then were asked to speak about the impact our mission has had on our lives. It was truly special to think about the change that has occurred on my mission. I used to not really know who God was, but now I have no doubt that He's there. I've felt the Atonement heal and I've seen miracles that anchor my testimony. 

Learning Heaven down here in Texas. God is so great. His gospel is pure and His love is constant. I am so incredibly grateful for the opportunity I have to participate in such a great cause. I'm thankful for the ability I have to share light with others and help them find joy. This gospel is true. Jesus is the Christ. I love y'all and God bless!!

Elder Jarrett Pinster

MLC

- Service

- Post bike ride in the rain

- pig roast

- With my boy Elder Dennis 

SERVICE

WITH MY BOY ELDER DENNIS!

PIG ROAST AT YOUTH DEVOTIONAL

POST BIKE RIDE IN THE RAIN!

MLC - MISSION LEADERSHIP CONFERENCE

MATCHING 3 HATS

Week #65 - Milagro en Cypress

Hello!!! Boy oh boy am I happy and so blessed. I love being a missionary so so much. I can say there is no other joy out there that is like the one that comes from the gospel of Jesus Christ. Miracles are happening all because of the Savior of us all. My cup runneth over. 

On Tuesday, Elder Lindsay and I had like 15 minutes to go finding before we had to travel to our next appointment. We didn't know what would be best to do so we said and prayer and then decided to go knocking. We were four doors in when we met a young couple and after talking for a little bit they invited us in! They were full of questions and it was such a good conversation. They invited us back the next day and then came to church Sunday!! We are so excited and happy for the guidance we've been giving. Heavenly Father really does magnify us as we do his work. I feel so blessed. Heavenly Father will sustain us as we "go and do." 

I read a poem this week that really stood out to me. It's about the Savior and what He really does for us each day. 

"One night I had a dream…

I dreamed I was walking along the beach with the Lord, and

Across the sky flashed scenes from my life. For each scene I noticed two sets of footprints in the sand; One belonged to me, and the other to the Lord. When the last scene of my life flashed before us, I looked back at the footprints in the sand. I noticed that many times along the path of my life, There was only one set of footprints.

I also noticed that it happened at the very lowest

and saddest times in my life

This really bothered me, and I questioned the Lord about it.

“Lord, you said that once I decided to follow you,

You would walk with me all the way;

But I have noticed that during the

most troublesome times in my life,

There is only one set of footprints.

I don’t understand why in times when I

needed you the most, you should leave me.

The Lord replied, “My precious, precious

child. I love you, and I would never,

never leave you during your times of

trial and suffering.

When you saw only one set of footprints,

It was then that I carried you."

We have really been focusing on trying to always be about the Father's work. I'm so grateful for the spirit and its guidance that comes along. I love being a missionary and serving my Savior. The Lord is there and He really loves each one of us. I'm thankful for all that I have. Love yall and God bless!!! 

(here are pictures because that's probably the only thing y'all look at 😂)

Elder Jarrett Pinster 

TURTLES!

. . . LONG DAYS . . .

SUNBURNS

OUR NEW BEST FRIENDS

Week #64 - ANOTHER IDAHOIAN COMP!

This week was such a blessing. Wow, I love being a missionary so so much! I feel so overwhelmingly blessed to be doing the Lord's work. 

I got a new companion! His name is Elder Lindsay and he is from Shelley, Idaho. He has been out for about 17 months and is a straight beast. We have been having so much fun this past week. We worked hard and saw so many miracles. I just feel His grace and love. 

Here are some way cool miracles from this week: 

So we felt prompted to go stop by a potential family but when we got there they weren't interested. Then we decided to stop by a park on the way back to our next appointment. A completely inactive guy saw us riding to the potentials' house and then was able to see us again in the park 30 minutes later. He told us he has a daughter and nephew living with him that he said need to get baptized and invited us over next week. We are sooo excited!!! 

On Thursday night, we were riding our bikes home and it was pouring. When we got back to the apartment I looked down and my tag was gone. I felt super sad because it was the name tag I wore for my entire mission. The problem was that we had no idea where I had lost it. The next day we were walking between our appointments and I felt a prompting to "look left." I did and there was my tag. Heavenly Father cares about the little things. 

Saturday was the longest but most fulfilling day of my mission. We biked probably over 15 miles total while doing stop bys and tracting. From 10-9 we just worked. We got yelled at (I'll save the comments made) multiple times by people driving by, had some nice hand gestures made at us on multiple occasions, I crashed my bike and flew over the handle bars, and no one accepted our message. It was exhausting but we felt the Savior with us. It was seriously an amazing day. By the time we got home we just felt fulfilled. We were walking side by side with our Savior. 

Then on Sunday the miracles happened. Our wards warmed up to us so much! We got invited to Ward councils for the first time, asked to help with youth activities, a member brought a friend to church who wants to learn more, dinner calandars were filled and all our friends we are teaching came to church. Blessings were given because of the work we did!!! I love being a missionary. 

The mission is so fulfilling. I'm so happy with life and the blessings I receive from a loving Heavenly Father. He really is a merciful and happy God. I'm so grateful for all I have. God is good and the Gospel is true. I love y'all and God bless!! 

Elder Jarrett Pinster

NEW COMPANIONS

PINSTER AND DENNIS ON SPLITS

Dr. Sam knows my sister (when she served in the Waller Ward)

Week #63 - OH LORD MY GOD

My oh my. My heart is full and the Savior's grace is real. I cannot even comprehend and explain how I have felt and grown this week. I have learned more and come to feel my Savior more than ever in my mission. I feel so blessed. 

I can really only try to explain my week in a story that I heard this past week. It goes: 

A man passed away, was resurrected, and was waiting in a room to be interviewed. Another man was ahead of him. The door opened, the first man entered, and the door closed. The man on the outside could hear the conversation on the other side of the door. The interviewer began: "I would like you to tell me what you think about Jesus Christ." 

"Well, he was born of a virgin in Bethlehem. He lived 33 years or so, spending the last three in His ministry organizing His church, choosing His apostles to direct it, giving the Gospel to direct our lives."

The interviewer stopped him and said, "Yes, that is all true, but I want you to tell me what you think of Christ." 

"Well, He was tortured and crucified that we might have eternal life. Three days later He was resurrected that we might return to our Heavenly Father." 

"Yes, that us true, but tell me what you think of Jesus Christ." 

The man paused, a little perplexed now, and then continued: "Well, He restored the gospel in its fullness to the earth through Joseph Smith. He reorganized His church, gave us temples wherein we might do work to redeem our dead. He gave us family prayer and family home evening where we might unite with our families. He gave us the priesthood to heal the sick and personal ordinances for our salvation and exaltation." 

The interviewer again stopped him and said, "Thank you. All of what you said to me is true." 

The man was then invited to leave the room. After he left, the door opened and the second man entered. As he approached the interviewer, his eyes opened wide. He fell upon his knees and cried, "My Lord, My God." 

I saw and felt my Savior more than I ever have this past week. I can feel Him helping and walking with me daily. I'm am so grateful for this past Easter season and the feelings of gratitude, love, and compassion that I have experienced. God is too good. 

We had the opportunity to go to the temple this past week. It really is the house of the Lord. The power and spirit I felt while inside was overwhelming. It was truly amazing to be in the Lord's house and feel His presence. 

There were miracles flowing all week. From finding a new family of 5 from Iran that wants to learn more this week to having sincere prayers that have changed my life; this week was a blessing. I am eternally grateful for this divine opportunity I have to serve. It truly has blessed me in ways I didn't know were possible. God is at the helm and is blessing me continually. 

Jesus is the Christ. His gospel inspires and uplifts. We just have to keep trying and let Him take the lead. I'm overwhelmed with His grace. I know He lives. I know He can heal. I love Him because He loves me. I worship Him because I want to be like Him. I love this work. 

I love you all and am praying for your success. God bless and make this week a great one!!

Elder Jarrett Pinster 

PINSTER & SMEDLEY

CLARK & PINSTER