Merry Christmas

Well Merry Christmas everyone!!!! I hope y'all had a great time celebrating the birth of the Savior! And also getting some gifts!

I love this place out here!! Even if it does get to -13 at night!!!! Coldest morning ever!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Not okay!!!! I like dry Christmas's I think? It's a lot warmer down in Arizona that's for sure!!  thats for sure! But thats okay! Even through the cold and snow we had a Great Christmas!! 

On saturday, because I almost died driving last week, the elders in our house took me out to practice in the snow! We went up and down the streets in Ely practicing in the snow! It was a lot of driving and it seemed to have gone pretty good! At least we haven't died yet, so that's really good! Saturday night we were able to sing Christmas Carols in McGill. Thats a town about 11 miles north of Ely. We sang as a whole zone/district. It was super powerful!! I felt like what maybe the angels felt like who proclaimed the birth of the savior all those years ago. I was able to sing and bear pure and simple testimony as i did so. I was able to feel the warmth of the spirit despite the snow storm we were in and the fact that we could no longer feel our hands nor our feet. The spirit was poured out on us and we had a lot of fun!! We also sang some funny baptist songs haha.

I have loved this time we've had to remember the savior. He is the reason I am on this mission. He is the reason for why we are able to keep going on day by day. He is the Prince of Peace and the Light and Life of the World. Without him we would be in darkness. We wouldn't have a purpose. But He is here.

And I testify that he was born 2016 years ago. He lived and died in the lands around Jerusalem and Galilee. He died for us. As great as it is that He was born, we wouldn't have much to celebrate if He didn't die. But He lives again, and because He does, we can too! I love Him

I love all y'all and each y'all too! 

Elder Miner

Elder Miner and Elder Rivers with Christmas stockings from members!

Talking with the family!!!

So cold-- -15degrees.

Elders in the Apartment

I almost died

hello everyone! 

So I may have made a slight mistake this week by telling my parents about how I almost died this week by going off the road twice on the way to Elko......But the good news is that we felt the spirit while it was happening! 

So we were on our way to Elko right? We left at 6am and at about 7:30ish we encountered rain. And then we hit a wall of ice and snow!! It was cool at first! But me being a not intelligent Arizona driver, I didn't think to slow down from 70 miles per hour. Then we started to fish tail and so i stopped accelerating and then i started to over correct one way. Then the other way. Then next thing we knew, we were facing the wrong way off the opposite side of the highway! Narrowly missing a guard rail by about 2 inches. God really does look out for us out here and makes sure we are okay. We felt totally calm as it was all happening and it went as well as it could've. Elder Gamble offered to drive, and I said "once it happens again". So about a mile later it starts happening again. This time my canadian companion talks me through what to do, and since there was oncoming traffic, I gently took it off the side of the road. After that Elder Gamble drove. And there were no more incidents! SO it was good!! God really does watch over us. And then at zone conference in Elko I had been assigned a talk on Peace in this Life. So i was impressed to share that experience and it really illustrated the point well. That the savior can bring peace even when your care is falling off the road. I love the Savior!!!!

At zone conference we heard two very exciting bits of news!!!

The first one: on January 14 and Apostle of the Lord Jesus Christ will be coming to our mission with two 70's! We don't know who yet, but we are so very excited for it!!! The ENTIRE mission will be gathered into Reno!!! That means a 5 and a half hour drive for us in Ely!

The second but of news: There will be another worldwide missionary broadcast on January 25! 

January is a busy month because that is also when i hit my year mark!

January is just a really good month!!!!

Well now that I've scared everyone, I love you all and hope you have a great week!

Merry Christmas!!!!!! I love all y'all and each y'all!!!

Do good things!!!!!!!

The savior looks out for that. I am a living witness of that. By the fact that I am still alive I mean. The church is true. The gospel is truer! And the Book of Mormon is the word of God! I give my name unto the world as a witness of that. And may God bear record of that. I lie not

Love y'all

Elder Miner! 

This is how close Elder Miner came to going off the road.

Just inches

Short letter

HELLO EVERYONE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I love you y'all!!!!

This week has been more or less a standard week. Except for one thing. 

This week we've been starting what we call the book of Mormon Challenge! This is a mission wide thing. This is the way that we are going to get the work moving in the ENTIRE mission!

The thing about it is that we are giving every member a book of mormon. A fresh copy. Unmarked and ready to be read. We are asking every member young and old who can read, to read this copy and mark and study it for the next year for another person. So that when the year is up they can give it to that person. Think about it, a personally marked Book of Mormon from your friend. The hope is that this will make a difference! The hope is that this will change their lives. We will be keeping track of everything to do with this all. And we are going to be personally inviting the members to doing this. And so I am inviting y'all from Nevada. Pray who to study for, get a copy of the book of Mormon and read and mark it for someone else. I know it will come! And I know that it will not only help them, but it will help you too! I know without a doubt in my mind!! 

I love all y'all and each y'all! 

ps my companion ate a pound of bacon for lunch! 

Cold cold cold cold

So out here in Ely, I haven't been warm in about a week and a half! It is quite cold. All the time. And even in the house it's cold because we don't have insulation in it? For whatever reason? 

But anyway!! This week was super great!!! President definitely has a sense of humor since he put the Canadian and the Arizona missionary together! Elder Rivers is super cool! He is an awesome missionary! And he is a spanish missionary too! So we are working on teaching in english haha. But we have been having a lot of fun serving together so far! 

We are seeing miracles out here in Ely! The ward members is really where it is at! THey are the way to get the work moving forward! We have had some really spiritual dinners with the members these past weeks. Having the missionaries over for dinner is great and all, but the dinners are supposed to be super spiritual experiences. So I challenge all of you to have the missionaries over for dinner and to try to keep the conversation focused on the gospel. It will make the experience that much sweeter!! 

The Christmas devotional yesterday was super cool! I had never seen one before, so that was really neat to see! I loved every moment of it! The hymns were super cool and powerful! The testimonies that were born were all about the savior and it was really neat to see. 

The past few days I have said 2 Nephi 11 17 a ton!"And I said unto him: I know that he loveth his children; nevertheless, I do not know the meaning of all things."       

Mostly because When someone asks me a question that I don't know the answer to I answer with that. But It really is a great thing to know.That God loves his children. If we know nothing else, at least we know that! I love it a ton!!!!!      

Make sure everyone knows that God loves them. We are all his children. The Love of God is Christ. He sent he son for a reason! 

I love all y'all and each y'all! 

Elder Miner 

Posing for their Christmas card

This is the one we went with!

SNOWING A LOT

Howdy y'all! 

So I don't know how it is going for all of you out there in the distance, but for us in Ely IT IS FREEZING COLD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I AM SO COLD ALL THE TIME. But that is okay. At least I'm not in Canada. But speaking of Canada, my new companion Elder Rivers is from there!! So that is pretty cool!! Literally. 

Elder Anderson will be going to sparks! Along with all of my old companions? They all will be in sparks and in the same zone?? Strange? But they will all have fun where it is warmer! 

I love it out here!! On monday we had a nerf war as a zone.......pretty sweet as far as I'm concerned!! 

That night we got the chance to teach a man named Jason Spear. He is a less active man who has cancer. he is 26 and has blood cancer. he spends 1 week out of 3 doing through chemo therapy in Salt Lake. He is a good man. he loves the savior and knows that there is a reason for him being where he is. He has a 20 percent chance to make it through all this. And he believes he will. But he trusts God even if he isn't! This man has incredible faith, and is truly humble. And because he has a weakened immune system, we have to wear a mask to be with him. It's crazy!! 

We have had a lot of teaching happen this week! It has been tons of fun! I love being a missionary will all my heart!! 

In 2nd Nephi 25:10 it talks about how many jews will be destroyed and the rest were carried away captive into babylon. It happened because they were so wicked. They made so many mistakes that they lost the right to be in zion. In our lives out here we make mistakes. We can let them destroy us even. Or we could let them carry us captive into babylon, or the world. But even if we do get carried captive into babylon because of our sins, we , just like the jews, can return. Once we turn unto the Light and Life of the world. Once we come unto Christ. Unto him who is Mighty to Save. Unto the Prince of Peace. Unto the Lord of Lords. The King of Kings. Unto Imanuel. Unto The Redeemer. unto Jesus Christ. He will carry us on his back into Zion. Into the fold. We are loved by Him. This Christmas season, do one of the things on the church advent callender. There are videos for each day and a list of things to do. Do at least one a day! I promise you will feel the Light!! 

I love all y'all and each y'all

Elder Miner 

Suiting up to visit Brother Spear

Work in the snow

Keeping warm in the apartment...

10 Months!

So this week I hit 10 months. 10 months in the service of my Lord and Master. 10 months in the service of my God. 10 months focusing on the service of others. 10 months on what truly is important is this world. 10 months to say "not my will, but thine be done". 10 months to establish life-long habits. 10 months to build a foundation for my life. 10 months to be a representative of the Lord Jesus Christ at all times. I love my Master. I love him will everything that I am. 

Lots of things happened this week. Lots of fun crazy things. I got to see missionaries at zone conference. I got trainings upon trainings. I gave a training. I ate food. Lots of it. Shopped at walmart. SO many funny things have happened. And I would love to tell you those things later. But yesterday I felt like I needed to share something I heard during sacrament meeting 

A high councilman shared his talk about the 10 virgins. The parable that the Savior gave. About how there were 10 virgins and 5 were wise and 5 were foolish. We are like those Virgins. We are living in this world waiting for the bridegroom, or the Savior, to come. And he is tarrying. He is not here yet. The oil in our lamps is our testimony. When night came 5 of the virgins had their lamps go out and they had no more oil. The other 5 had extra oil. How much oil do we have? How much are we prepared. The long night of darkness is waning on, and the bridegroom is coming. But are we ready? do we have oil enough? I know I do. I think. But do you? How do we build up our supply of oil? Here in Ely the nights are very cold. And are getting longer and longer. But we stay warm the best we can. This night is long and cold. But dawn will come. We need to make sure we stay warm and lit up. That way when the Savior comes, he will know who his people are. He will reconigze us from who we are on the inside. So who are we?

This time of year is a great time to think of the Savior. It is a time to think about whats important. He is the light of the world. #LIGHTtheWORLD 

Love y'all!!!!!

Chandler's pedigree-- Elder Hawkes who trained Elder Lyman who trained
Chandler who trained Elder Gailey.

Chandler and Elder Lyman

DRHS represents-- Sister Paul, Chandler, and Elder Judd-- Go Jags!!!

This Week......

So this week has had its ups and downs for sure!! 

Monday we had fun doing P-day stuff. A new store opened up in Ely and we were all super excited!! Its called Shopko!! Now we have two places to shop at here!! We went to Lund to visit our people down there and it was a lot of fun! We taught them all about the prophets today and they were super super excited to know that there are people today leading and guiding us!!

On Tuesday we had zone training and I didn't have to train this week so that was kinda nice. Had some stellar trainings and I learned a lot about how to apply our purpose every moment of every day!!!

On Thursday we Helped in a food bank and that was super cool to do that. We also got some cool rocks from a less active!!!! 

Friday I got super sick. From trying to eat two boxes of kraft mac'n'cheese at once.......I think I got food poisoning. So Friday I had to stay in and also all of Saturday. Which was probably hands down the worst two days of my entire mission, because I wanted to bang my head against the wall!!! But it was good anyway. I read from alma 56 to the end of the book of mormon. Watched all the bible videos. Watched how rare a possession. And talked with the elder I was on exchanges with for about 4 hours. it was a long long day. That was Super cool though. I was on exchanges with Elder Day. He is one of our zone leaders and I love him lots. He lives with us haha. But we had super good talks about missionary work and our companions we've had and all the things we have learned from them so far. We both have come a long ways, and we both have lots and lots of things to do before we go!! 

Ely truly is the promised land. Our bishop Talked yesterday about Hope. And where our hope lies. If our hope is in an Ideal or person, and that person or ideal fails, then our hope is gone. But if our hope is in Christ, then it will never be gond! I promise you that! No matter what, have hope in Christ!!!

I love you all

Elder Miner 

P-day Pizza

Look what he found in Nevada!

EEEELLLLYYYYYYYY

This week was a lot of fun!!!! I love it out here!!!!! We love the people out here! My companion is super great!!!!!!!!

We saw miracles this week!! I didn't die this week, which is truly a miracle!!!!!!!!!!!!!

So on exchanges I went with an elder named Elder Katsilas into their area, Ely 1st ward. they cover a small town called Ruth. Well actually New Ruth. Old Ruth got buried by the mine..... But anyway, so there are these less actives called the Stewards. Their house is old and covered in tons and tons and tons of garbage. And so we helped them do some yard work. And by yard work I mean pulling sharp metal poles out of the ground that are covered in 3 feet of concrete with a tow truck! Kinda crazy! We had to stand on chains to get them to move. Then we had to move their fallen over shed with the tow truck also! I had to lift the shed with a crowbar to get it to move and it probably weighed several hundred pounds. So that was fun haha. But it was super neat to talk with them. They are super old and obsessed with aliens! So kinda funny people! We are happy to help anyone!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! haha. 

But we set 3 more people with baptismal dates this week! All three in february, but we are excited for it! We had some people at church this week and had a neat experience with everyone for fast and testimony meeting! 

There is this chilean ex area seventy, who is now in the stake presidency, in our ward and his wife has been with her mom and her mother in law all week. She said that her mother in law says to "never miss an opportunity to pee" Apparently this is an issue with old people. (the mother in law was peeing while she said this too haha) And sister Gimenez used this to say to "never miss and opportunity to testify" So that is my message to y'all this week. Never ever ever miss a chance to testify! because you never know what you say that can change someones life!

I love all y'all!!

Elder Miner 

Chandler and Elder Anderson 

Doing something weird

funny signs

Ely Week 2- Oct 31, 2016

So i'm in a tiny town. And that is because there is only one place to buy food! this is weird! 

But it super awesome out here!!!!!!!! I've been using rat traps to teach people! And whoever wants to know what that means, "ask the missionaries, they can help you!" 

I love being out here! We had some less actives come to church for the first time in years! 

The ward out here is really good and i actually got to meet them this week! It is a super small ward! They don't even fill up the chapel, but they are all really awesome! The missionaries out here are really awesome too! They are doing good and having fun! Which is super great! We are all seeing tons of miracles! From defusing bombs about the church being anti-gay, to helping people feel the spirit for the first time in 11 years. It really has been a good week! I love the people out here and they are special to me! Dear to my heart already! I really love the people. There is this man named Brother Jensen who has opened his scriptures for the first time in over a decade! So we have been working with him a ton! He really wants to be better and overcome his issues and his past! We love him and love being in his home and reading with him. His testimony is rekindling! 

Well I love all y'all! 

Elder Miner \

Ps

Shout out to the Bonds, Shaws and Miners for the package palooza this week! 

Between the four elders in our house, we got 14 packages this past week!  

His Kylo Ren outfit courtesy of the Bonds

Mustaches also courtesy of the Bonds

Ely - Week 1--Oct 24, 2016

SO this week I got sent out to ELY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Our here is the promised land!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I love it out here!! it is freezing cold out here in the mornings but that is okay! During the day it is about 70! Every morning we have morning program with the whole zone. All 8 of us haha. Wahoo smallest zone in the mission! And the one that is closer to about 8 mission offices than to our own! Yippee! 

So the first half of the week was wrapping things up in Spring Creek! Then on wednesday I got to make the 3 hour drive from Elko to Ely!!!! And the only thing to look at is Sagebrush. hot dang it is a boring drive!!!!!!!!!!

But we got here about 6 on wednesday night! And it has been great since! We got right to work! So we cover two wards. Ely second ward. And Lund ward. Lund is a small small town about 45 minutes away. We have two investigators out there who are set with a baptismal date! They are Jake and Faith. They are 14 and 10. Kids of a returning less active mom. They are studs and super awesome! They are getting baptized January 7th right now, which is a little far away, but it is because they are out on their ranch friday and saturday and they want to have the baptism on a saturday so that all their family can come! So january 7 is their first free saturday still in town! But we are super super excited for them. We taught them the restoration and plan of salvation last thursday! We are going back out there on tuesday!!!!

We have lots and lots of less actives we are working with out here! And it is super nice to be here because we live with another set of Elders, who are the zone leaders, and it is super fun!!! I love being around missionaries a lot! It is something I missed in Spring Creek. We see all the zone every morning and every thursday and tuesday we eat lunch together! Members own stores and they feed us for free!!! 

Yesterday was kinda crazy!!!!!!!!!! So friday night the zone leaders got a text that we needed to be in Elko for interviews with President Chesnut yesterday! So we got to drive the 3 hour trip there. And then the 3 hour trip back!!!!!!!! We got back about 8:45 and left about 12:30! There was a meeting for new missionaries being trained and so we drove up with the elders who are being trained in our zone! And I drove too! man oh man that was a long ride! But it was fun seeing President and seeing the training meeting and being with the elders! 

In our zone there are two brand new missionaries! A sister and an elder! So pretty cool!

  

Nevada Drivers are all crazy! They are super risky with the way they drive and we almost died about 3 times! granted twice was because we were following the sisters...................... not doing that again.....

But out in Ely is a lot of fun! I love it out here lots!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

And I love y'all lots!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Elder Miner

Elder Anderson and Elder Miner and a cool car

Ely Zone

Elder Anderson and Elder Miner

Last week in Spring Creek-Oct 17, 2016

So we had a fun week this week!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Lots of a miracles too!!!!!

We found 3 new investigators!!!!!!!!!!!!

But I'm also being transferred, so ya know. 

I get to go to a little town called Ely Nevada! Apparently its the coldest place in the continental USA? So that'll be fun!!!!!!!!!

But this week we had zone training so that was a lot of fun! We got to hear a lot of great training's from some great missionaries! i really liked being in this zone. I like the sheer amount of people here. It's nice!

We had two blitz this week. We helped the sisters in spring creek find all the members in their ward. We all went on splits with a member from their ward and went out and met tons of people! Holy dang that feels like so long ago!

Then the next day we had a blitz in our area with the zone leaders and they went with one of us each and we went out and tried to find for 3 hours. Long story short we found 3 new investigators! So that was really good!!!!!!!! 

We had a Why I Believe fireside and we had lots of people from our ward there and some nonmembers! It was super cool to see all them! The people we've told I'm leaving are really sad, but it's okay

Spring Creek is an awesome place and probably the only place in Nevada I would live. Even though the water prices aren't that good out here.

The 3 new investigators and the other people will be under good care here with Elder Gailey and his new companion! 

The Book of Mormon is true and is the convincing evidence of everything we say!!!!!!!

I wish I could add my name to the page of witness's to say how much I know it is true!!!! There is no doubt about it's validity! i know it without a doubt!

I love all y'all and each y'all!

ELder Miner 

Elko Zone

Elder Miner and Elder Gailey

Elders are strange!

Spring Creek--October 10, 2016

HOWDY Y'ALLL 

Out here in the crick Is a lot of fun!!!!!!!!!!!

We get to see all kinds of stuff! Like deer every day! And also the fact that everyone here is ready to shoot anyone who says they like Obama or Hilary is kinda funny, but also really not good! 

So this week, In honor of one of the most inspired men in history, and since today is the day we remember him, here's a cool scripture about him! 

From the Book of Mormon 

1st Nephi 13:12 And I looked and beheld a man among the Gentiles, who was separated from the seed of my brethren by the many waters; and I beheld the spirit of God, that it came down and wrought upon the man; and he went forth upon the many waters. even into the seed of my brethren, who were in the promised land. 

This man changed history and led to a lot of cool things happening, including the most butt kicking best country this world has ever seen! (aside from the city of Enoch)      

The hand of God is in every little thing in the world! i challenge each and every one of you to go out into the world and see what God has done! 

And if you feel like you can't see the good that God does, then I have a different scripture! 

this one is in John 6:68  Jesus has just asked "will you also go away?" 

To his eternal credit Peter said "Lord, to whom shall we go? Thou has the words of eternal life" 

God and the Savior have the way and the path to salvation. There is none other way. And God has given all of us the option to accept him. Please do. He has His arms outstretched to us

God Loves you! I love You!!!!!!!!!! Let the Savior help!!!!!!!!!!!! 

I love all y'all and each y'all! 

Elder Miner 

Oh here is a new scar I got out here! I got it from throwing a fence over another fence! That was a fun time haha 

Scar he got from fixing a fence

CONFERENCE WEEKEND!!!!!

SO THIS WEEK WAS PRETTY GREAT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

For one thing I had steak 4 times this week! 3 days in a row! And two of those times it was Elk steak and Elk is one of the most delicious things ever to exist on the face of the earth! 

Also got to wear a jaguar mask thingy and for anyone who has seen the Testaments of one Shepard and one fold, I thought I was being really funny! Or maybe I'm not..

But this week has been full of driving around and trying to find people! 

Last Monday we had to wait for an hour and a half to get our oil changed, so we wandered around Elko for that time! Elko is boring.........

on Tuesday we had district meeting. So I totally got two other elders to try to drink a raw egg with hot sauce in it with me. Yeah we totally failed.....twice...... We gave everyone else a couple of really really funny videos!!! SO yeahhhhhhhhhhh

definitely threw up....

But after that we had exchanges and we saw some super cool miracles happen! I was with Elder Thomas and that is when we had the first steak. And it was Elk!! Super flippin good!!! Had a super good lesson with some of the people! Then the next day we ended exchanges and Elder Gailey and I went with our ward mission leader to the Star in Elko! We had Steak sandwiches!! And oh boy they were great!! Then we went out and tried to find tons of people! But we didn't....We had some great genuine conversations though! It has been rainy and stormy this week! But lots of fun! That night we had more elk steak for dinner! And then the next day we made steak! 

But really the highlight of this week has been Conference!!! We watched all of it and oh my gosh we had lots of fun watching it! we watched most of it with other missionaries! There is some really good stuff in there! Unfortunately I forgot my notebook with all my notes, so I can't send highlights! But I absolutely loved Elder Uchtdorfs talk in Priesthood session! It was all about finding your Alma or your Amulek! And which one am I? How am I like Amulek? It was a really good talk! Everyone of you should go read that one! It was really great! And also I loved Elder Hollands talk! All about home teaching. 

Also Elder Nattress talk was super cool!! He had some super good stuff in there! 

oh also we kinda had snow today! 

Love all you! 

Elder Miner 

Elder Miner and Elder Gailey at Zone Conference

Random pictures: