TRAINING--- July 25, 2016

So transfers are on Wednesday!! I get to train a new missionary this transfer!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I'M SO EXCITED!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 

But on the downside, my companion is going home.......

So that kinda stinks...

But this week has been good!! Lots of changes are happening this week. Lots of people getting moved around! But change is always good!! Good things come from change. Staying the same isn't good. 

This past week I've been a little sick. I was down most of yesterday and Saturday. Really not feeling the best, but I got some meds from my former Bishop last night, so I'm all good! 

Speaking of which, we got a new bishop yesterday!! Totally called it too haha. Super awesome guy. Bishop Hatch. The old bishop is now the second counselor in the stake presidency! The ward here is super great! Really really really nice people. I'm slowly learning the members.

We had a majorish thing happen this week. We spent about 8 hours working on a fence!! I'm getting really really really good at building fences haha. So if any of y'all need my help in 18 months, I can do it! It was a really good experience! He is actually the non member neighbor of our new bishop. He really liked us and we talked like normal people. His nephew was helping us too and he said something that really struck me. We were pulling some fencing over and he said "if you guys hadn't told me you were Mormon, I never would have guessed. You guys are so normal and cool." It blew my mind. He thought Mormons were weird and stuck up and "quoted scripture all the time" It was a really good experience and chance to show this family that we actually are normal people. We had the privilege to change their entire perspective on members of the church. That doesn't happen very often. 

So all you people back home, show people that we are normal. And that we don't quote scriptures all day long. We are people too. Sometimes they don't know that. But that's part of the reason why their are missionaries I guess. We all have our purposes!

I love all y'all and each y'all 

Elder Miner

Elder Shearer's last meal before heading home.

The Elder's enjoying the Pioneer Day celebration!

We got this sweet email this week....

Brother and Sister Miner,

My name is Brother W.  Your son served in our ward in Sparks for a number of months. He since been transferred, but we miss having him in our home very much. He is a great missionary and a hard worker. Thank you very much for your sacrifice that allows him to serve here in  Nevada. I have attached a couple of pictures with his second companion, Elder Latham.

Best regards,

Chandler and Elder Latham in Sparks

6 MONTHS---July 18, 2016

So I've been doing good our here in Spring Creek.  Its a lot of fun! People are getting a little antsy because transfers are next week, and I am for sure getting a new companion! Little weird knowing that for sure! But it'll be okay! I know that what happens will happen for a reason. We have a baptism happening this week. Two people from first ward are getting baptized so that has been really cool to get to work with them!!! 

This week we also found an incredibly prepared guy who cannot wait to get baptized and get the constant companionship of the holy ghost. That is just crazy to me. Those people who are prepared really do exist!! But he is in the first ward, so I won't see him after the transfer. Its good to be out here in this area. Some pretty cool stuff happens out here!! I love seeing the changes that take place in people when they embrace the gospel! It is the most amazing thing in the entire world! It makes it all worth it!

Out here I have done quite a lot of service and been able to do a lot of stuff. Like fixing and working on fences. Mixing and pouring concrete. Feeding cows. Horses. All that good stuff. Its really different out here than in sparks. But I love every second of it!!

I know the work we do out here is good work and it is for a reason!! We are on The Lords Errand. We are doing the work we are supposed to be doing, no matter what happens to us out here. We are to invite people to Christ, and I like to believe that we truly do that every single day. We do our best out here to find those who are prepared, and we do find them. Eventually. Turn unto Christ and all things are possible.

Love, Elder Miner

The Work in Spring Creek!!

This Week---July 11, 2016

I am really tired from this week. Just a lot of stuff going on. 

Some fun stuff went on. We were biking on the highway and Elder Shearers tire exploded! Covered all three of us in slime! So that kinda stunk. Sounded just like a gunshot! Didn't quite understand why and how that even happened! 

Then the next day on exchanges we biked 26 miles on dirt trails up and down hills both ways. So that kinda stank! Trios are the most fun companionship ever in the whole of all the missions! So much sass goes flying around! We made a constitution for our companionship. And then we have a list of rules that we all voted on and agreed to. It is going so very very very well.

Exchanges with zone leaders are kinda nervous, especially when they are in your own area. We are doing our best out here to find people to teach, but it is not the easiest. People out here like to run away from utah and the church. So lots of inactives and part member families. We are trying to wake up the ward to missionary work. Because really missionary work cannot progress without the members. We are here to teach the lessons and to take care of convert baptisms. In theory the members should be the ones who are doing the finding and fellow shipping. Because when that happens, it works so much much better! The work progress so much!! 

We had interviews with our mission President this week! It was super cool! He hinted to me that I needed a haircut by saying that it was the longest he's ever seen it. Then he told my companion to cut it haha. Good times haha. But he is awesome and it was really really good! I'm excited for the work that will come

I know the people will come. It will be super good! I'm excited for the future in the area. Next transfer will be great! I know the Lord will provide a way. He will show the path for me! The people are there. We WILL find them!!  

Love Elder Miner 

Elder Shearer

Elder Shearer, Chandler and Elder Bentii

Soooooooooooooooooooooo--July 4th

Well first off HAPPY 4TH OF JULY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 

HAPPY BIRTHDAY AMERICA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

So this week was so freaking insane. Like what the heck insane! 

Elder E, the other Elder in the district went home this morning! He got type 1 Diabetes this week....... He was feeling super duper sick and was peeing a lot. Then his diabetic companion tested his blood sugar and he was over 600!!!!!!!!! Super crazy!! So they went to the hospital and the other elder is now in a trio with us.And has been since they went to the hospital. Super duper crazy!!!! So he got released yesterday and is now on a plane ride home. Elko has a small airport??? Its probably the size of a stake center. No joke. So now the three of us cover both Spring creek 3rd ward, and Spring creek 1st!! We also moved into the 1st ward place. SOOOO that has been our week. Because of this we have not been able to get much proselytizing done because we have gone back and forth to the hospital I don't even know how many times. We drove like 300 miles in 4 days. Which is super super bad!!  But we have two cars now, so oh well. 

He is doing better now!

Oh we got to be in a parade today!! I held a mini American Flag out the window of our car! 

So that little event of him going home has really consumed our lives since Thursday. 

Hope y'all are doing good and having fun out wherever you may be! Be safe!

But real quick, the Lord really is out here looking out for each and every one of us. There are two diabetic missionaries in the mission and the fact that Elder E was companions with one right when he was diagnosed with Diabetes is a miracle. We aren't just put out here willy nilly and moved around when they feel like it. It truly is inspired and no one in the entire planet can tell me otherwise! Our companions are our companions for a reason. Whether for missionaries or for eternity! God is there, just look for the miracles!

The left bottom is ZLT Elder Murdock. Top right is ZLT Elder Han. The bed is Elder Erickson. The Middle right is Elder Bentti (new comp) Bottom right is Elder Shearer(old slash current comp)

This Week-- June 27, 2016

Howdy y'all!

This week was very interesting. We didn't find as much success as we normally do. Things are run a little differently out here. And most of the ward was out of town because trek was this week. In Nevada its actually possible to do trek in the summer haha.
 

But on a more somber note, the first counselor in the Bishopric died this week. He was hit by a car up in Elko. Everyone has been really sad this week and not sure what to do. Its really too bad. Church was pretty sad yesterday. Poor bishop could barely speak. He had to have the stake president conduct for him because he couldn't make it through it. It was super sad.
 

Tonight is a memorial service for him that we are going to. But he is up there somewhere doing the work of the Lord. So it is okay!
 

Spring Creek is a lot of fun! There's not a lot to do out here? Mostly just sage brush. Everyone here has many many many many many many guns. Like a lot of guns. Like hot dang lots of guns.
 

Elder Shearer and I are really unified. I feel like a normal person around him and that I can be myself around him. We work really well together in lessons and street contacts! I love him lots and we are doing good out here. Trying to find new people is kinda tough, but that's missionary work. The people are out there, and we are getting closer to finding them!
 

I went on exchanges this week. Another Elder came to our area with me. I feel very very comfortable in this area. Even though I got here a week and a half ago. I know what I am doing out here and Elder Shearer and I are equal partners out here in this area. We are working together in unity to discover together what the best route for this area is.  

So this keyboard i am typing on is really weird and sometimes keys don't work, so this'll be short.  

But no matter what happens out here, I know that Christ Lives. I know that through Him I can be raised up as a might tool in his hand. I am a missionary of the Lord Jesus Christ. I know it. I live it. I LOVE it.
 

The savior is the way to eternal life. There is no other name given, nor way.
 

Read Abinadi's address to the people in Mosiah, It has lots of good knowledge in there.

I love all of y'all!

Love Elder Miner

Spring Creek--June 20, 2016

Howdy y'all from the east side!!! 

Dang Spring Creek is for sure out here. Its crazy!! But SOOOOOOOOOOOOOO MUCH FUN!!!!!!!!!!! My new companion Elder Shearer is so awesome!!! He knows what he is doing. That is for sure!! He is amazing and ready to work as hard as he can for his last 6 weeks. He had a disobedient comp for the past 12 weeks so he is super excited for me to be here so that we can go to work! This area is so ready for missionaries and ti will be super awesome!!!!!

So I am slowly developing a southern accent.... Slowly.... It started out in sparks and is further going out here....... Kinda weird and funny! 

But there are some pretty great benefits to being out here. Like how Walmart sells Grandma Sycamore bread!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!    So that is pretty dang sweet!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Also the car we have out here is a 2011 toyota corolla, which is definitely the same car I have back home!  SO that is pretty cool! 

SO I think that everyone here plays baseball. Because everyone is talking about it and everyone plays it. Plus two of the talks in sacrament meeting were about baseball.....

I have gotten quite a lot of "Miner" Jokes out here..... People think its hilarious. Now I know how Elder Gamble felt in downtown reno 

It is a lot of fun out here. There is a lot of work to be done out here! Lots of people for us to go and visit. We saw some success this week to! Lots of fun! Got some less actives who hadn't been to church in 18 years to sacrament meeting this week! We just dropped in and invited them! It was a huge miracle!!!!!!!!

There is a lot of potential out here, And it will be poppin in a few weeks! Its funny, Elder Shearer has been asking me what people say back home because he talks like he's from 2 years ago and I keep telling him hes out of style haha. He's a really funny guy and super sarcastic

I love the mission. This week here has been a testament to me that people are just waiting to be talked to. SO many are waiting to be found. We just have to find them. Thats why I am out here. To help find those who are kept from the truth only because they know not where to find it. 

I love All y'all and each y'all

Love Elder Miner

Ps its my Moms birthday so tell her happy birthday

Remember 

Big Week---June 13th, 2016

So this week was crazy!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Got a couple of friends who got mission calls. Got to go to the temple! Got to do some exchanges. Got to meet an apostle. Had my ward dissolved. Saw a Filipino miracle. Get to go east side for my next transfer!! 

Man to start of holy heck totally met an apostle. Elder Stevenson!!!!!!!!! Pretty flippin awesome! Super amazing man!! He really hit home as an apostle. He definitely is one!! He is a pretty cool guy. Rocks some hipster glasses! He said an amazing quote about sacrifices. That is what he talked about. Sacrifices that we all have to make! He said something really good, but I forgot the quote in my old planner....

Man the temple this week was amazing too! Always super good to see that! But I won't be seeing that for a while, because I've been transferred to SPRING CREEK 3RD WARD. East side! Now I get a 4 hour drive to the east! yippee. And president freaked me out too. He called us on Saturday to tell us that our ward was going to be dissolved and he told me i was getting transferred and that i needed to step up and learn the area very fast and well, because my next comp goes home next transfer. Then he said the same warning a couple more times on Saturday and Sunday as we met at stake conference. And he hinted that i might be getting leadership soon? Really really freaked me out. But I am soooooooooooooo excited! My new comp is Elder Sheerer! 

Man I am so excited! Our ward got imploded though. D'Andrea was split into 4 different wards. Pretty bummed about that! But oh well I guess. Thats what happens.

I'm kinda sad to be leaving west side, because there are missionaries I will never see again. But it has been a good run!! I'm sure I'll be back! 

So our Filipino miracle is this. All of the speakers Saturday night talked about the Philippians in some way. All of them. There was even a Filipino sister missionary who got called up to speak! That was truly inspired. There's no way in the world it wasn't. because we had a Filipino investigator there that night. She cried the entire time. She told us afterwords that we needed to stop pulling their weeds, because that is how we got in, and to start teaching the book, meaning the book of Mormon. Such a miracle

I love being a missionary. I love being out here and doing the work. This is the work of the Lord. I have met an Apostle of Jesus Christ and can testify of his calling and his position. I know Christ Lives. His hand is in our lives our here and at 

home.

Chandler and Elder Latham and the Bishop of their ward.

Hot Hot Hot--- June 6th 2016

Okay so it's not as back home, but it still pretty hot here. Hitting high 90's and low 100's. And we were on bikes the entire week. Like the entire week. We have been trying to find more and more people, but with out much luck on our own efforts. We are setting mission records for referrals contacted, but nothing of value is coming of it. we've contacted 41 referrals in the past two weeks. Non of them are interested. So we were getting really frustrated this week because we were getting nothing from our efforts. We have tried literally every method to find people. Even probably the least used method of Family history. And nothing. But then 3 miracles happened these past 3 days. The Tongan man, the nice Jewish Man and a sweet Cancer patient. 

In preach my gospel we are promised that when we search for new people to teach, either we will be lead to them, or they will be led to us. And this week was an amazing miracle of the latter happening!!!!!!!!!!!! 

The First miracle that happened was Friday when Charles the Tongan came up to our car and told us that he had met with missionaries about a year and a half ago and that his mom needed some prayers and he told us to come back and to teach him and his family! He even remembered the missionaries that used to be teaching him!  

Saturday was the second miracle. A very nice Jewish man came up to me while we were waiting for the the crosswalk to let us go and asked me what a messiah was. He then introduced himself and asked if we could meet up and talk about things. So yesterday we met up and talked about the book of Mormon and soft committed him to baptism. He was a very nice man! But now my companion and I understand how Christ felt when he laments about Jerusalem and the Jews.

Last night as we were about to leave a families house who we've been working with, this lady came up to us and started talking to us. She opened up about how she had just been diagnosed with cancer and that she would be starting chemo this week and that she needs some help moving. And also she is moving into  a different part of our are! She shared how God is helping her with her life and the miracles she has seen and she is super open and willing and she used to meet with missionaries before. So we are going by on Wednesday to meet with her and talk with her. 

God really does answer our prayers. He really does help us when we beg and plead with him for help. He truly does care about two missionaries in a tiny area of sparks. He truly does care about the details, not because they necessarily matter to him, but because they matter to us. I love Him, and I love the Savior. With all of my Heart Might Mind and Strength. When we serve Him, He serves us 

I love all of y'all and each y'all. 

Elder Miner 

Memorial Day--May 30th

So today we are emailing at members because of the holiday so it'll be super short.

Real quick I want to tell you guys about John. He is an investigator. he is the husband of our recent convert Devon. When I got here 4 months ago he didn't believe in God. Now he wants to be baptized and he believes that God has a plan for him. He knows that this is the path he needs to take. He is the reason why I am in this area. He is the reason why I am out here. I know that the gospel can really change peoples lives and that it can help anything! I know that it can and will change anyones life who applys it! I have seen the changes that come from it. So has John. He knows the future and what lies ahead. 

This really can change lives out here. I was in Sun Valley on exchanges and it was super fun. I had one of the most spiritual experience's of my entire life. As my temp companion and I bore testimony to a man who hates the book of mormon, we each felt the spirit so strongly. That was the biggest spiritual experiance of my mission thus far. I know that I am out here for a reason! I know that I see these people for a reason. The book of mormon is true! There is no doubt in my mind that it is. But if there is a doubt in any of your minds about it, pray. Read. Follow the promise of Mornoni. I promise the answer will come. I add my testimony to millions who have lived that the book is true. And that it will come

Sorry for the length. 

Love Elder Miner

Chandler and Elder Latham and a dog.

THIS WEEK--MAY 23RD

So this week was super cool! We had Zone Conference, Zone training and other stuff. It was seriously a cool week! 

We had to give a training at zone training. So I'm starting to get good at those! It went super good! Everything we have learned this past week has all been about 1 thing. PLANNING

Like they are pushing planning so very very much! We now use the weekly planning steps while daily planning. Kinda crazy. But it has been super good! Our planning has definitely gotten more productive. But along with that came a new directive from church headquarters. We are not supposed to pray with people on the streets anymore. So no more street contact lessons. It's weird having that happen. So our stats this week were awful because of it. But stats don't matter. They really don't. The church doesn't look at anything except baptism stats. So yeah. At least thats what the director of Proceyting said. He's kinda in charge of a lot of stuff. 

So our planning takes a lot longer.

In preparation for the stake/ward split we have been talking to our ward council for people to go visit. So yesterday we got 23 referrals! So now we have TONS of people we can go try. Things are going really good out here. We were told not to push people anymore to do things they clearly do not want to do (like pray on the street) and we have seen many miracles because of it. Like multiple people ask us when church is. Without us even bringing it up! So pretty cool! I really like it out here. The Nevada Reno Mission is by far the BEST mission in the world! 

It's so strange how time flies out here! It has already been 4 months since I entered the MTC! And it has already been a flippin year since we graduated! Like what the heck??? Where has the time gone??????????? I really don't get how much time flies. 

But zone conference was super good! It was all about using planning more effectively and using the book of Mormon more! It's always nice to see President and his wife. They are super nice and really cool people! He had me give the spiritual thought on our monthly recitation. And it was on obedience too. So either he trusts that I'm obedient, orrrrr he thinks I need more? I think it's the first one. I really love the people out here. It was a ton of peoples last zone conference. That was super weird. And that even includes one of the AP's too. So lots of people are going home the next two transfers. The July and June transfers are always big.

So lots of new people will be coming in! 

Being out on the mission really changes your perspective for everything! The mission is the MTC for the rest of our life! And so far it really seems like it. Unexpectedly I have learned a lot about families and about marriages while out here. Weird how that works. 

Like I said at zone conference in my testimony, I know that I am here for a reason. I know that i am in this area for a reason. I know I have my companion for a reason. This mission experience is for our benefit. It takes a bunch of 18 and 19 year olds and turns them into servants of the Lord. It is the refiners fire. it makes us into the people we need to be for the rest of our lives. When you see missionaries in a lesson they are the most amazing people ever. And that is who we are becoming each and every day.

Love Elder Miner