N's email 10/31/2016

area: Fred Branch (Silsbee, Texas)

zone: Beaumont

companion: Elder Batista

This week was good! I just want to share a few experiences we had.

The first is on Wednesday we went to Houston and had new missionary training because Elder Batista is new. It was so spiritual, I loved it.

On Saturday we wanted to go to Warren to see Jamie, someone we're teaching, but we didn't have the miles. So we biked there. We rode 43.4 miles that day and nearly 10 miles out of that on a sandy road. It's hard to ride a bike in sand... oh well. It was worth it. We got to teach Jamie.

I love Fred! I love being a missionary.

I love y'all. But I love Jesus Christ more. And this is where He wants me. So this is where I want to be

Your favorite missionary, Elder Combrink

N's email 10/24/2016

area: Fred, Texas (Silsbee, Texas)

zone: Beaumont

companion: Elder Batista

This week was good!

We had a Zone Conference on Thursday and I felt the Spirit so strong throughout the whole thing. At the end they asked missionaries who are going home this transfer to bear their testimonies. I was the second out of three of us.

I said something like, “Well President, I don't know why I'm up here, I've only been out a little over a year.” (Missionaries who have been out over a year usually just keep saying “Oh, I've been out a little over a year” whenever anyone asks to keep from getting anxious about going home.)

I continued, “But I'm grateful for any chance I get to bear my testimony. I would like to start by testifying of Jesus Christ. I know Jesus Christ was born in Bethlehem and died on the cross. I know He rose the third day. I know He lives and loves us. And I know He loves you, personally and individually. I know Jesus Christ appeared with our Heavenly Father to Joseph Smith in 1820. I know our Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ called Joseph Smith to be a prophet. I know President Thomas S. Monson is the Prophet of God on the Earth today.

“My grandpa would often ask me a question while I was growing up that has shaped the course of my life. I grew up in California and he would ask me, ‘If the prophet called on the phone and told you to pack what you can and be in Utah by sunrise tomorrow would you go?’ As a 10 year old I would think, ‘Grandpa, why would the prophet need a 10 year old...?’ But I also decided that if the prophet called, then I would go. When President Monson said that every worthy and able young man should serve a mission I knew he meant me.

“I am so grateful for the gift of serving a mission. I love being a missionary! I wish I had a count for how many times I have said that... I love being a missionary! I waited 19 years for this gift, and I wouldn't trade it for the world. I love being a missionary!

“I know the Book of Mormon is the word of God. And I know God loves His children.

“In the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.”

I love being a missionary!

I love y'all. But I love Jesus Christ more. And this is where He wants me. So this is where I want to be.

From his email to Mom:

I accepted the invitation to attend BYU Provo. It still feels right. Thank you for everything!

N's email 10/17/2016

area: Fred Branch (Silsbee, Texas)

zone: Beaumont

companion: Elder Batista

Fred is great. Just the name is great! Being a missionary is great!

This week was good. We had a Zone Meeting about the importance of reading, pondering, and praying about the scriptures. It was really good.

Elder Batista is a great missionary!

We had a bit of an adventure this week. I thought I had learned my lesson in Jennings about trying to take side roads or shortcuts. Well, I guess I didn't... We biked around the side of a national preserve on a county road and went down about 6 miles looking for a less active member of the Church. We got down there but we couldn't find the address and we were running out of time to get to our next appointment. We knew there was a trail that went up the middle of the preserve so we found the trailhead on the county road we were on, then started down it. At first it was really fun! By the end we were so tired though. It ended up being 8 miles instead of 6. With all the twists and turns and the little inclines and declines, it got rough by the end. Still a fun experience though. We made to our next appointment with 2 minutes to spare.

Again, I love being a missionary. I love serving in THE Mission of the Church. I wouldn't trade these experiences for the world.

I love y'all. But I love Jesus Christ more. And this is where He wants me. So this is where I want to be

From his email to Mom:

I got accepted to both BYU and BYU-Idaho. I'll be praying about it this week.

CONGRATULATIONS Nathan!!!!!

N's email 10/10/2016

area: Fred, Texas (Silsbee, Texas)

zone: Beaumont

companion: Elder Batista

My new companion is great! His name is Elder Batista. He's supposed be serving his mission in Trinidad but his visa hasn't been approved yet so they sent him here until it is approved. He came from the Missionary Training Center in Dominican Republic. But yeah, he's awesome! He's diligent and excited about the work.

We had a few really good experiences this week! We helped the Elders Quorum build a deck for a man, not a member of the Church. Afterwards we asked if we could come back when we weren't all sweaty and share our message with him. He told us to come back whenever we would like, so we went back on Saturday and taught him the message of the Restoration of the Gospel. He didn't exactly accept it, but he was open and he received a Book of Mormon at the end of the lesson. He also sent us home with some deer sausage! Super good! We're going back tomorrow to teach the Plan of Salvation.

We also had another investigator, Tori, say that she WANTS to come to church next week!  Missionaries have been going by for the past 18 months and finally she’s going to come to church!!! We're so excited!!!

I love being a missionary!

I love y'all. But I love Jesus Christ more. And this is where He wants me. So this is where I want to be.

N's pictures from transfer #16 - Fred/Souza - 8/23/2016 to 10/4/2016

area: Fred, Texas (Silsbee, Texas)
zone: Beaumont
companion: Elder Souza




We also had a missionary die...
kinda...
you know... he's going home.
He was in our district so we had a funeral for him on Friday during District Meeting.

N's email 10/3/2016

area: Fred Branch (Silsbee, Texas)

zone: Beaumont

companion: Elder Sousa

This week was good. I absolutely loved General Conference during the weekend! Those talks were so inspiriting! I think my favorite one, for now, was Elder Cornish's talk on Saturday. I love how he said, "we just need to keep trying, and not rationalize or rebel... But we really need to be trying!" in order to one day live with Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ again.

Elder Souza is being transferred. I'll miss him. He's really helped me grow these past few weeks.

I am staying in Fred though!!! I love it here so much! I think I'm very similar to our Branch Mission Leader Brother Balla, or at least I hope I am. We both like it away from the city where we all have elbow room and fresh air. He likes to joke around a little bit too.

I have also been asked to train. I'm excited about that. He'll make sure I stay focused these last few weeks!

I love y'all. But I love Jesus Christ more. And this is where He wants me. So this is where I want to be.

Your favorite missionary, Elder Combrink