December 3rd 2014: Thanksgiving on the Beach

Jose has been TERRIBLE at writing letters but he continues to tell us that he is doing really well and he's happy! We'll get to skype with him Christmas day and we're SO excited to spend a little virtual time with him :)

He said to his sister Saychelle, "Thanksgiving seemed uneventful this year for you and bryan and the ATL fam. Ahh the hardships a family goes through when the favorite son is serving a mission for the Lord!

My turkey was pretty shweet this year. Instead of the usual rice beans, platanoes pollo guisado and fruit. I had rice beans, yuca, pollo guisado and fruit. God bless the Dominican Republic."

October 7th 2014: Playa Rincon!

Elder Rincon has recently been transfered to Nagua where the internet connection is iffy at best. For the past few weeks we either haven't heard from him or have only gotten a few pictures. We know that Heavenly Father and his earthly father are watching out for him and that he is safe. 

Hopefully we will get an actual missionary update soon!

A waterfall in Limon

July 16th 2014: Marriage, Baptism and a lot work!

This week was great!!!!
We were able to help a family get married and get their daughter enter into the waters of baptism. The plan was that Efulgencio, a less active member who we reactivated, and his wife Nena would get married this past Friday and then on Saturday, his wife Nena (who is crazy spiritually ready and strong) and her daughter Chrisleth would get baptized. It seemed the Lord had another plan. 

Three hours before her wedding we were filling out their baptismal form. She began to explain to us that her ID information and her real life dates are different. When we asked why, she began to tell us a little part of her past life that she had never told us before. To make a long story short, Nena, this super powerfully strong spirit, so ready for baptism, is not actually Nena. She has had to change her identity completely in order to erase her past life (of a different name, birth date and everything) after she was imprisoned for four years (and in every other thing possible that a young Dominican mom of 17 can go through in this country. Basically, she has been through crazy trials in her life and has had to truly depend on the atonement of Jesus Christ to be able to overcome these weakness and actions. Because of these past life experiences, she needs authorization from the first presidency and prophet of the church to be baptized. Because we found out these things just before the wedding she was not able to be baptized with her daughter on Saturday (the authorization from the prophet can take a couple of days or weeks). We are now waiting for their response. She has overcome life's most craziest whirl winds, which have shaped her and her family into a powerful instrument in the Lords hands. She continues to prepare for her own baptism, after witnessing her daughters, as she increases in faith, testimony and virtue. They are determined to be an eternal family and show God through their actions that they will achieve and can do all things in Christ who strengthens them. I pray that we too have this determination to complete all of gods commandments and overcome all of life's struggles though the atonement of Jesus Christ. I know and testify that we can! In the name of Jesus Christ Amen.

Siempre Con Amor

I'm still really happy in Puerto Plata! And as we come up on transfers in two weeks and I've begun to count down the year, I can't believe ill be back Home so soon. Crazy. Love you All, Siguen Fuerte!!!  

Family Package!

5 Minutes from his Front Door

Coral!

Puerto Plata Beaches

May 21st 2014: More Members, More Fun

hey everybody! 

Today I completed my second week in puerto plata. Puerto plata is basically the opposite of fantino. (my last area). fantino was a a tiny country town that only had little farmers market and a lot of cows and dirt roads.I was also in a little church branch of 60 members. Puerto plata is a huge tourist city right next to the beach. There are tons of americans here on vacation and I can literally find any american food in walking distance that my heart desires. Im also in a ward where there are tons of return missionaries and the 180 members love to help the missionaries. Although I loved and will always love fantino and the nine months I served there, it appears that there is luckily still room in heart because Im starting to love Puerto plata as well. Elder glasgow (my new companion from the virgin islands) and I have been working hard every day to be able to grow this ward and invite all of the souls to come unto christ. Here in puerto plata I am the district leader of six other missionaries and I am also step-dadding my companion ( although I am not exactly training him, im training him, because his trainer did not teach him very much and they fought a lot so he's is pretty scared to talk in lessons or in the street) so I have a new and different responsibility along with my calling to serve. It has been an amazing two weeks, I have been able to get to know my zone, district, ward members, less active members and investigators. I was even able to host a meeting for the ward leaders this past sunday where I was able to teach them a model of excellence for missionary work that consists of a ( vision, goals, a plan to complete the goals, working hard and checking  weekly and monthly progress with accountable progress formats). The ward members and the missionaries are beginning to work as one in this amazing work of salvation. We have had a member accompany us for every appointment we had this past week. Our unity as a ward has allowed us to be unified with the lord. We are now preparing two families to get married and baptized this next month in June!!!!!!!! There names are familia nena and abigail and familia de joanna and wilson!!!!! They are preparing beautifully to make an eternal covenant with God! I am happy! There is truly nothing more important for our eternal progression and happiness as spirit children of god than making and keeping covenants, DYC 82.10. and mosiah 2. verse 41. Interestingly I understand that more every time I renew my own covenant and help others to make and keep their own. I Love you all and pray and hope that you are striving to put God first in your Lives. Dot forget to Write me back doh!!!

siempre con amor, Elder Rincon

P.S Im not sure if there was an email prob.(or maybe you guys just didn't write me) this week but the only email I received this week was from saychelle. Love yah! Pero, escribenme por favor !

May 7th 2014: New Area After 9 Months!

Hey Familia! 

So right now I'm writing you guys from an internet center in Puerto Plata! I just got transferred after 9 months in my first area Fantino to one of the biggest tourist places with the nicest beaches in the world. My area is called San Felipe B, in the Puerto Plata zone! Look it up on google! I live 15 minutes from the beach, so ill probably have to do a lot of service picking up trash on the beach in the mornings. Hey someones gotta do it. 

Anyways my new companion is Elder Glasgow. He is from the virgin islands and doesn't speak any spanish, but seems to be pretty cool. I will be the district leader here and responsible for six other missionaries, I will also be step-dading my companion which means that I will be he second companion on his mission. I'm really excited to start fresh in a new area and although there will be a baptism in Fantino every day for the next two weeks, I am more than satisfied with all of the work my Savior allowed me to do there. Still really Happy!!!! 

So on other news! We will all get to skype this upcoming sunday on mothers day!!!!!!!!!! Or at least my immediate family! I'm in a new area and do not know anybody yet so I don't have skype plans, But I need to everybodys schedule.

Whats the Plan Fam? 

Siempre Con Amor, 

Elder Rincon

April 2nd 2014

So busy and so happy! 

Preparing 4 souls and and another family to be baptized in these next two months! The lord has continued to bless me and Fantino with miracles everyday as i have continued to put all of my confidence and faith in him and worked hard! i love all of you guys soo much and hope to be able to write a real letter next week! I am truly happy! I need to hear at least one spirtual experience that you will each have this weekend from conference! Write it to me and I promise to write each of you back! keep doing work!

siempre con amor,

Elder Rincon

March 26th 2014: Santiago Prep Day Y Familia

MOM....... I love you sooooo much! There is a scripture in the book of mormon that helps me understand the relationship that I am able to have with you even though we are millions of miles apart. It is Alma 57:21 that states, "Yea and they did obey and observe to perform every word of command with exactness; yea, and I did remember the words which they did say unto me that their mothers had taught them". In this passage, Helaman is recounting the battle between the 2,060 stripling warriors and the Lamanites. He later recounts that 200 of the 2,060 stripling warriors had fainted because of loss of blood nevertheless, because of the goodness of God, not a single one of them perished. As a representative of Jesus Christ, I have promised my God and my Savior that I will obey every command and rule with exactness. With sufficient faith, I am promised in return great miracles and eternal blessings. I have been promised eternal happiness, protection and great blessings for my family (D&C 31:2-6). 

Although I am far away from you and in battle here in D.R I am able to be happy because with every decision I make and with every step that I take, I think of the memories and the teachings that you have given me! I guess that makes me somewhat of a Mommas boy! I testify that I am receiving those blessings as a missionary everyday because I am breaking myself physically and spiritually to magnify my calling, fulfill my covenants and remember the words which my mother has taught me! I pray specifically every night that my God will bless my family and my mother. There is a missionary phrase that says, "be the missionary that your mom believes you are". I am the missionary and man of God I am today because of the most amazing mom ever, which I have been blessed with! Dads very lasts words to me while he was alive on this earth were "We are receiving the fruits and blessings of your labors"! I so pray that you are still able to recognize those sweet and tender blessings every day. I love you sooo much and am eternally happy and thankful to be your son! 

In the Name of Jesus Christ Amen!

Your son, 

Siempre con amor,

Elder Rincon

This QT is one of our cousins here in Cotui. When I saw her, she immediately reminded me of Imani and Saychelle when they were little babes. #alwaysthinkingofyouguys #Eternallove #alldominicanslookalike