Christmas!!!!

I HAVE ONLY 30 MINUTES!!

I LOVE ALL OF YOU AND MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!

So cool things real quick, we set our investigators Sophie and Robert with baptismal dates. Sophie in February and Robert in January. We went on two exchanges this week. One with Elder Sorochan up here in the YSA and also Elder Judd in the YSA. Both were tons and tons of fun! I was really lacking on sleep after both of those and I don't have enough time to do either of them justice. ​​​​​​​​

But the week was good! Miracles happened and now we are enjoying our Christmas. Yesterday we didn't get to proselyte because of Christmas eve, and today it's the same thing! Super strange days!! 

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

Elder Miner 

Merry Christmas

Hello Family!
This week has been good! Elder Steck and I have really tried to hit the ground running. We've been out contacting and talking with everyone that we possibly could. So many different less-actives. There are a TON that are YSA age in the Reno area. So that has been waaaayyyy sweet!! On Friday and Saturday I think we had maybe one or two hours open each day. They rest of the day we were teaching and testifying. We've been operating a #LIGHTtheWORLD booth on the institute where we normally did the Waffle Wednesday stuff. We offer out free hot chocolate to everyone we see. Since we usually do this at night when it's pretty dang cold, we have a good amount of takers. Then once they come we tell them that their cups have a link to a website with a sweet video about Christmas. We usually give them a little calendar that a lady at the institute had printed off . We met quite a few people by doing this. And we had a good amount say that they would be interested in attending a service. The Sisters are also seeing a lot of success with this as well. 

Elder Steck is a solid missionary! He is from Richfield Utah. He has been out as long as Elder Wegelin. I really like him. It's kinda strange because he was in my zone about four transfers ago when I was in Reno North. But that has been nice to know about him and know him beforehand. We get along well. We seem to do the work well together too. He has jumped into the YSA work and he loves it. 

Winter Break is nearly upon us. It will run from December 22 until January 22. So the rest of the transfer we will have a closed campus.... But, many of our people that we work with are local! So we won't really be losing much of our investigators or Less-actives! We are happy about that. We hope to continue seeing miracles! 

Last night we were able to participate in the Reno stake Sing-along. It was well done, and didn't take too long either! At the very end the whole stake divided into Soprano's, Alto's, Tenor's, and Bass's. Then we all sang the Hallelujah Chorus from the Messiah. It was sssssssssssssssssooooooooooooo sweet!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! It was powerful to sing praises to the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords. It brought the spirit in a big way. As we stood together as missionaries, we were able to stand as his soldiers and representatives, bound by covenant to serve him. We gave glory to him who deserves it all It was a first and it was spectacular! 

I love all y'all and each y'all

Elder Miner 

MERRY CHRISTMAS

Transfers!!!!

Here is the ominous news........ I"M BEING TRANSFERRED!!! TO CARSON CITY!!!! jk I'm staying. But Elder Wegelin will be leaving and going to Sparks! My new companion is Elder Steck! He is a cool guy. I took his spot in Fallon when i got transferred there. He is a great missionary! Elder Wegelin is taking his spot in Sparks, so they just switched places I am super super pumped! 

So this week, I honestly can't remember what happened actually? Something happened! I know we did a TON of #LIGHTtheWORLD stuff! So every Wednesday we go on campus for 2 hours and essentially yell at people to come and eat some free waffles This week we did Light the world stuff too! Gave out free hot chocolate!  

But I honestly can't remember what happened? I don't have my planner from last week?

It was great! let me tell you that! 

So everyone keeps making jokes about me going home. It's a pretty common thing to do in the mission. Make fun of those who are soon to "die". So a ton of missionaries have been saying that to me, expecting me to react in a certain way. Something along the lines of "Heck no I'm not leaving! I'm staying out forever!" But my normal reaction is "Yeah, so?". And to that they have no response and it's super super funny! The mission is the best decision of my life. I don't know who I would be without it And I don't feel stressed at all. it's pretty whatever actually. I don't feel different than when I did when I came out. Except I feel more confident . I know I can handle any situation the Lord places in my path. I know where I stand. But gosh dang it I'm old. I've been out for a while. But I love this life. It's the best way to live. Focusing our entire lives on Christ!! I love it! I would use so many crazy to describe how much I love it, but I'm terrible at typing now.... So I can't do that haha. 

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

Elder Miner 

NRM

PS

I actually just remembered something I did! We were able to have about half of the zone go to the Grand Sierra Resort ans we got to collect food donations for several hours in the shadow of the largest Casino in Reno! So that was pretty cool! It was a ton of fun! Super dang cold! But good times all around!

pps-  Here are some funny pictures.

December

So on Monday, we had our weekly FHE. We were able to run this one and to create the program. We had a musical number and also some speakers. A recently returned missionary spoke about the success he had with #LIGHTtheWorld last year. And then we had President Perry speak about Christmas and #LIGHTtheWORLD. The spirit was so strong as both of them spoke and testified of the validity of this initiative! Then after they spoke, we watched the video together. We then passed out two pass-along cards to each of the members there. We told them to write down a good deed, or a way to #LIGHTtheWORLD. Then we gave each of them balloons with LED lights in them. They attached the cards to the balloons and we filled them up with Helium. Then we all proceeded to walk to the campus, from the church building, and we gave out the flashing balloons and cards to people we saw on the street! So at first there was this MASSIVE mass of glowing balloons, but slowly you saw single balloons walking other directions. Our giant group got smaller and smaller. We had so much fun wandering around campus inviting people to participate with #LIGHTtheWORLD! The ward really really loved it!

On Tuesday I was able to be on exchanges with Elder Whetton! He is a super super good Elder! I would also say we are now close friends. We hit it off super well earlier in the transfer. He payed me probably what has been the highest compliment I've ever heard. A couple p-days ago he asked me, "Do you know what I see when I look at you Elder Miner?" I said nope! He said, "I see myself in one year". Now I don't think that I am a good goal to have in mind of someone to emulate, but apparently he does. I've never thought of anyone trying to follow my example before. Anyway, Elder Whetton understands the doctrine super well! We had a stellar lesson with one of our investigators named Richard. Elder Whetton jumped right in and we had a blast! Also, we had all you can eat sushi too.

On Wednesday we had another exchange. This time I was down in Damonte Ranch. I got to know Elder McBride super super well! I really like him a ton! He has only been out for 3 transfers, but he has the attitude of being out for much much longer! We did a lot of walking and we set up many appointments.

I've been sick for most of the week, and on Saturday Elder Wegelin told me that I wasn't going out. And to top that, he arranged splits with other Elders to cover our appointments for the day while I was in the shower... So I had to stay in. I feel better, but still not terrific.

On Sunday we did this super cool activity in Elder Quorum and I wanted to share it! We had to come up with a name for the Savior for each of the letters of the Alphabet! Here is what we came up with:
Advocate, Adored, Alpha
Beloved
Christ, Counselor, Creator
Divine, Deliverer
Emanuel, Eternal, Everlasting Father
Father, Finisher of our Faith, Friend
God, Good Shepard
Healer, Holy one of Israel
Instrument, I AM, Imanuel
Jehovah, Jesus, Judge
King
Lord, Lamb of God, Light of the World, Lion of Judah
Messiah, Master, Mediator
Nazarene
Omega, Only Begotten
Prince of Peace
Quieter of the sea of Galilee, (Un)quenchable fire
Redeemer, Rock, Rabonni
Savior, Shepard, Son of Man, Son of God
Teacher
Upholder of all things
Victorious one, Vine
Wonderful
(E)xalted
Yaweh, Yeshua
Zion

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

Elder Miner 

Elder Miner and Elder Coronado

You don't want to know how many miles we used...

So this week was insane! We had Interviews, Thanksgiving, three exchanges, and gave talks in Sacrament meeting. Needless to say, we are tired....still. 

Tuesday was a great day! We had district meeting, which was a lot of fun and enlightening. We also had the interviews all day long. President Chesnut changed the way that interviews work. Now ever Sister Training Leader gets 30 minuets to train each of her companionship's that she covers, and the Zone Leaders get 30 minutes to train each companionship of Elders. So we did 8 thirty minute training! We started at 9 and finished at 5... That honestly took a lot out of us to do so many. We were really tired afterwords, but we were so glad that we had done it! We got to know the zone sooooo much better. We were able to laugh with them, cry with them, and teach with them. We loved every moment of it! And then that night we were to go on exchanges with the Washoe Valley Elders. I was with Elder McGee and we had a TON of fun together. It was just like old times when we were in the same district back in Fallon! We had "Pillow Talk" till midnight and we talked every spare moment of Wednesday! We talked about just every subject imaginable. It was a lot of fun to be with him again. We got to talk with everyone we saw and I was able to answer some of his questions with regards to his responsibility as a district leader. 

Thursday was Turkey day. It started off with a zone breakfast at the Wanless home. Strange side note: Their nephew is in my Grandparents Ward. But we ate lots of food. Had a "snowball" fight with large cotton balls. We had two dinners. One at our bishopric members house, and the other at a families house who is in a nearby ward. The bishopric member lived in Cold Springs, so I got to point out to Elder Wegelin all the cool stuff up there. Thursday night we started an exchange with The Marina Elders. Elder Schloemer came with me into the YSA! 

We saw tons of miracles on Friday! So turns out, walking on campus on Black Friday does not work. There is no one there at all! But we talked with everyone we could and taught a super sweet Plan of Salvation lesson to our investigator Chloe. They had some whiteboards in their living room, so I got to draw the plan out, and got to draw a gate and a straight and narrow way(Run on sentence I know). It was a ton of fun! She understood it and we were able to answer her questions about works and necessity of baptism super well. We were panning on one member present, ended up having four! Including the ward mission leader. It was a solid time! Then we ended that exchange and began another one with the Skyline Elders. I was with Elder Jones in his area. So we did a little flip flop Elder Wegelin and I.

We saw good things happen with Elder Jones too. We enjoyed the time getting to know each other better. I was able to answer tons of misc questions about every subject! We talked with everyone and had fun doing it! 

Sunday was a good day too. We gave talks in Sacrament meeting about the #LIGHTtheWORLD campaign. The ward has responded super well to it, and we will be leading the FHE tonight with a cool activity involving balloons and pass along cards. 
We also got to teach 3 kids who were from the local community college who had to observe a church service for a world religion class! It was a lot of fun! And one of the kids was actually interested too! He kept asking question after question and his friend made a remark about how this is the most he's talked all year. And he said something about actually being interested in this. 

Also, we got to have a lesson with a less active named Cii Maama. He is a tongan guy who wants to come back to church It was a pass off with the Sisters because they had been teaching him in the Tongan ward, but he wants to go to the YSA ward. It was a slap in the face for him with some of the scriptures used, but he loved that. We talked about the "Holy Habits and Righteous routines" that Elder Oaks had mentioned in the Face to Face. We will be meeting with him again tonight. He is excited to work with us. In the language of our Ward Mission Leader, he is a "homie". 

Also got a new temple recommend. Now I have a Nevada Reno Mission one! 

The Lord does provide! We love this work and it never stops!

22 Months

This week was great! We had a lot of just good days. Those kind of days where you go home and you feel pleased with what was accomplished. We had a lot of good contacts this past week. More less-actives who are allowing us to come back and visit them. We've been seeing a lot of miracles with that aspect. I'm really enjoying my time here. It is a good place to be a missionary. The Bishop has his focus's and I like them. We are trying to align our will's with the Lords, and the Bishops. We wish to be the best missionaries that we can be! That is what we are shooting for! 

So being able to watch the Face to Face last night was AMAZING!! It was first of all, super funny! Elder Oaks said so many things that made the whole congregation laugh! I loved it! The Apostles are not stoic robots. They are real people with real emotions and real thoughts. I loved the insights that they had! As I look to the future, I saw the answers there that I needed. They truly are Apostles of the Lamb. The YSA's of Reno and Sparks gathered with all the Missionaries in those zones to one building in Sparks. So we watched the broadcast with our missionary friends and our ward members. Super strange! 

So we had this HILARIOUS thing happen. We have this investigator named Richard who used to have a problem with hard core drugs. This past week he almost slipped again because he reached out to his drug dealer. However, earlier in the week he had prayed that all temptations would be removed. And they kinda were? So he reached out to his dealer, they set up a time to meet, and Richard gets there. 10 minutes go by and the dealer isn't there so he calls him. Turns out, the dealer had gotten HIT BY A CAR on his way to come. So the temptation was kinda taken away? But that was one of the coolest answers to prayer that I've ever heard! So that is how Richard avoided doing hardcore drugs this week...

The Lord looks out for us haha

I love all y'all and each y'all! 

Elder Miner

NRM

P.s. the Dealer survived being hit by a car and he threw away all the drugs! 

YSA Miracles

So a crazy thing happened this morning! We went out of our apartment to load up our car for the day, and DAVIN LYMAN(Chandler's first companion) came up and gave us hugs and said hello! His parents were with him and it was just crazy. I wan't expecting it and it was awesome to see him again! Also pretty strange to see him in street clothes... 

We had a really neat thing happen this week. Two weeks ago we were contacting on campus and this lady said hello Elders (which usually freaks us out). In a very short 45 second contact we learned that her name is Rachel Mallon, she had just started her freshman year, she was from Vegas, and she hadn't been to church since living at home. We got her number and then she had to run off. This past week we met with her and two other sisters from the ward and she connected super super well with one of them! They became fast friends and have a lot of the same backgrounds. Rachel came to church this Sunday with that new friend, and met just about everyone I the ward at the linger longer after church! She participated in the lessons, met the Bishop, and is now integrated into the ward! What also was good is that her name was on a list of less-actives that the Bishop wanted us to find Her phone number was wrong on the list and her address was incomplete. So there would've been no other way to find her except for the way we did The Lord truly provides a way! 

We've seen other miracles this week too. We have an investigator who told us yesterday at church that he would like to be baptized this weekend. So we shall see how he does with the interview questions tonight. So that might be happening. His name is Robert. 

But the work is moving along in this half of the YSA ward. We are seeing good things happen here. Reno is just a great place to be a missionary. I've been able to perform to baptismal interviews in a week, and Elder Wegelin has performed one. So the missionaries around us are doing great in their own areas! 

We are on what the ward lovingly calls the "YSA diet". We don't get fed a ton here, but they just called two people to specifically be the dinner people for the missionaries. So we will see how that goes! 

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

Elder Miner 

Reno Zone

YSA Reno

This week has been great! Elder Wegelin is awesome! I really enjoy being his companion! We are having a lot of fun together and we are teaching well together too. It is a little weird to be teaching only people who are really our age. I've gotten so used to teaching and talking to people who are two or three times our ages, and it has been an adjustment to talk to people who are our age. Being on UNR campus is even odder! It is strange to see a bunch of college students. I enjoy being able to relate to the people better with the things that I know. And since I went to a semester of college before the mission, I can kinda relate to the college students in some aspect. Even though I am only 20, I've been looking at virtually everyone around me as if they were younger than me. I look at 60 year olds and think that I am on par with them. That's just how it's gone. And now suddenly I'm back at it with the millennials and it is the strangest thing ever! 

But there are a LOT of good things that come from working the YSA ward. We can wander around campus for an hour and set up 2-4 appointments and find less-actives out of no ware. The dark hours essentially don't affect us because college kids never sleep. We can be effective at literally all hours of the day. The only down side to being here is that the driving around is a pain. We cover 1 and a half stakes, and it takes a long while to get anywhere. But I love it. 

We found new investigators this week! Both of them being very very solid. One is a lady who's name is Sammy. She grew up Jewish, but has no understanding really of any religion at all. She is dating a member and they have been attending church off and on for a couple of years. And we were the first missionaries to meet with them as of this past week. She is super excited to learn and to grow! And then another man named Daniel. He has investigated before and knows EVERYTHING. He moved and his Mom has health problems so he didn't get baptized before. But now he is stable and ready to learn! We are super pumped!! 

The zone seems good too! A lot of new missionaries to meet, but a lot of familiar faces too! 

I love all y'all and each y'all

Elder Miner 

Elder  Wegelin making bacon

making bacon

Reno YSA

So I will be transferred to the Reno YSA ward. I will be serving with Elder Weglin. 

I saw another Elder do this, and I thought it was cool so I'll do it too

Mission Breakdown:

4.5 months in D'Andrea ward in Sparks

4.5 months in Spring Creek 3rd ward

4.5 months in Ely 2nd and Lund wards

4.5 months in Fallon 3rd and 4th ward

4.5 months in Cold Springs and Silver Lake wards in Reno North

this leaves about 3 months for the Reno YSA ward

As my time here in Cold Springs and Silver lake draws to a close, I feel sad and excited. I am so excited to serve in the Reno YSA ward. But I love the people here. I will come back. I will see the people that live here. I love this place. I have a lot of memories that I will cherish that come from this place, and this time with my companions. I have had 3 companions here! That will be a lot of conversations to remember. I am so grateful that the Lord sent me here. I truly have enjoyed this time, and I've felt that I have grown since coming here. I am not the Elder who left Fallon. I left Fallon tired, slightly defeated, and unsure of what to expect. Now as I leave Reno North for Reno, I feel confident, excited, successful, happier, and with a better understanding of who I am and what I have been called to do. I will take those tools that I have sharpened in the north and bring them to the south ready to go! I'm also excited because down in central Reno it's about 10 degrees warmer! 

I really have loved Elder Coronado. He is someone that will be a friend for life. We had pretty good unity from the moment that we were put together. Our unity in lessons and during street contacts is very good. Elder Autrey brought something special to this mix too. The three of us saw miracles daily. I will miss them a lot. But I am so excited to be with Elder Weglin now! This is kinda weird because we know each other already. When we were at the mission office last night to look at transfers we had joked around before we went inside that I would be his companion. And then we went in, looked at the paper, and there we go! New companion right there and everything! I am so excited for what this next transfer will bring! I am excited for this final area It will be a good one. I am ready to work and hit the ground running. My zone has a lot of people that I have served around before. I am super pumped to see them again!

I've got to say too, we LOVE biking! We have seen miracle after miracle doing it! We went up to Cold Springs this week and biked around for maybe a total of 5 hours? We filled out 2 pages of potentials!!! And they are solid potentials too! We set up return appointments and gave out Books of Mormon! Biking Brings Miracles. I will forever have a testimony of that. I am curious to see how much biking we can do serving in a YSA ward... 

Going to the temple this week too was AWESOME! I love the temple and the spirit it brings! It was good to sit there in that session. I felt as though the eyes of my understanding were opened. I saw the significance of the temple in a new light. I think I am beginning to understand why the general authority's say to go often! 

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

Elder Miner

Briawna Got Baptized!!!!

So i really don't want to write a ton today, I am really tired. 

 But this week was very good! Briawna Sims got baptized and confirmed!!!!!! That was a very special time! So much ward support for her. She spoke at the Why I Believe fireside and spoke straight from the heart and spoke true doctrine Her testimony was powerful!!!! 

We had 3 investigators at church. Lots of less actives. Found a family of 5. 4 of them are non-members. One of the non-member daughters came to church with her member mom. They really enjoyed the spirit that was at the meeting. I'm sure witnessing a confirmation helped a lot with that. The less-active mom was in tears for almost the entire service! 

Exchanges with the Assistants. I was with Elder Tolbert again. He is a good man, and a good example. 

So in other news, because people asked, our mission will be receiving smart phones sometime in march-may of next year. SO LUCKY ME I GET TO AVOID IT! And I am being serious about that too. I don't want the tech. Give me a paperback Book of Mormon, a paper map, and a paper ward list and watch the miracles happen. I am glad that I get to avoid the tech.  

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

Elder Miner

It snowed!

Briawna at her baptism

Ups and Down

This week was good! I went on exchanges with Elder Clark into his area. He is a pretty dang good Elder, and I love him a lot. We had such a good time together. We got to help investigators, and we had a HUGE miracle happen. We were finishing up some training, and we got a call from the Stead Elders asking if we were busy. All we had planned was to try some unknown Less-Actives, so we said no. We ended up going with a member of their ward to visit his sister who had a dying lady in her home. This woman, Teressa, was a member, and we gave her a blessing. Mostly of comfort for what will be coming in the next few days. But afterwords we were talking to the Sister, who told us that she was a less-active herself. She said that she needed to start getting back into the church and that her and her husband needed to get sealed. Her husband isn't a member! So they gave us the go ahead to come on back and begin teaching. And on another note, they are trying to move up to Cold Springs with us! So that was cool that I was able to be there with them at this critical moment. 

We had a few ups and downs this week. We had two investigators drop us. Their main reason was because of medical stuff. But I think that the wife just didn't want to change. She also had questions about Joseph Smith, but we didn't get the opportunity to answer them before they pulled away. 

Briawna Sims baptism was postponed. It will be this Thursday at 7 pm. This has ended up being a good thing, because a TON of people were able to meet her at church yesterday. We are thinking that about half the ward will show up! They really want to come out to support her! Also we have the Why I Believe this Sunday too. We are getting prepped and ready to go for that. 

But speaking of church, we had four investigators there: Chris Hammond, Lora Wilson, Myah Dressback, and Briawna Sims. We also had 9 less-actives there: Sister Cook and kids, Sister Huston and kids, Carlos Castellon, Sister Beach and her daughter, Brother and Sister Shaff, and Brother and Sister Andrews. It was a really good week for church attendance! Tons of people were able to come and feel the Atoning power of the Savior through the Sacrament. And this was spread between both wards too! But mostly into the Silver Lake ward. We are so very excited for Briawna this week. She will do so good in the church. This gospel has already changed her life, and it will continue to do so! 

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

Elder Miner 

Sunset in Susanville

Conferences

So this week was another busy busy busy time! 

1 Zone Conference

2 MLC

3 Exchanges with Elder Anderson

4 Briawna Sims baptismal interview

ZONE CONFERENCE! It was a great time! I got to conduct it again, since we hosted, and it was just as nerve wracking! But lots of great "how-to's"! Lots of good info! We got to give a training, and it seems to have resonated well with the zone. We heard multiple references to it in the days afterwords. It was a great experience and great time! Lots of pictures! Lots of friends seen too! 

MLC was a lot of fun! As of right now, for the month of October we have, as a mission, 46 people set with dates for baptism! And we will be helping with that number! We have never gotten more than 31 baptisms in our mission for any given month since President Chesnut has been here. So this month should be a huge step forward for us! We have caught the vision! We heard some great training's about leadership and how to get the work going in areas through Less-Actives. Saw tons of friends here! 

I had the opportunity to go on exchanges with Elder Anderson in our area. The three of us, Elder Autrey, Elder Anderson, and I went up to Cold Springs and biked around for most of the day. We talked to every person that we could often turning around to talk to someone we passed. Nothing particularly major happened that day, but it was just a good day. It passed by quickly and let us see the how to's of missionary work. I spent a lot of time working with these two other Elders and teaching/showing them how to do missionary work on a bike, and in English. Elder Anderson said that "this has been the most productive day of my mission". And the reason for that, is that we talked to people. We gave invitations. We spread the truth to all those that would listen to us. And because of that, we were very effective. 

We did meet this man on that exchange named Edward. An old trucker who kindly talked to us about trucking. Once we told him we were LDS, he said "well why didn't you say that earlier!". Of all the religions in the world, that is the only one he likes. The rest of them he says, "cause trouble and wars. But you Mormons take care of each other." He said that of all the church's in the world, he would only ever join ours. But he doesn't believe the Savior actually existed... Small problem right? He asked about the local meeting times and said that he might show up one day. 

 

So Briawna passed her interview with President Perry, 1st counselor in the mission presidency. He invited me into the interview with them just before they started and he asked me some questions. How long I had been teaching her? How did we first meet her? My favorite thing about teaching her? It was a neat and unusual thing to do that! it allowed me to think back on this month or so of us teaching her and remember the different experiences. She has been waiting in our are for 3 years. Just no one ever found her. She is really described as someone "who [is] kept only from the truth because [she] knew not where to find it". That was the coolest thing ever! She will be baptized this weekend! 

Here are some pics to enjoy

I love all y'all and each y'all

Elder Miner

North Reno Zone

Zone Leader Conference

Elder Miner, Elder Coronado and Elder Anderson

Conference

You would not believe what has happened this week. And I don't have 4 hours to tell you all the details, so I will say what I can.

1 WE HAVE A NEW COMPANION

2 Two exchanges

3 GENERAL CONFERENCE

So we now have one of the Puerto Rico missionaries with us! We picked him up on Thursday. Two weeks ago I had no companions, now I have two! This has been a lot of fun and a lot of adjustment for all the members and such. It has been cool. So now I have two spanish speaking companions and I can't speak it still...

This week has been insane. So many miracles have happened. Never a dull moment up in Reno North. Two exchanges A new companion. Good times. Elder Horstmann came to my area with me and we had a good and successful time. Elder Merrill came with Elder Autrey and I later in the week. With both of these exchanges, we saw extreme busyness The busyness was of a good kind though. It all lead to someone growing close to salvation and exaltation. We met with many investigators who have made these changes in their lives to come close unto the Savior. One even told us that she is ready for baptism and that she knows it's true. She has been married to a less-active for 15 years, and is finally ready for this huge step in her life. 

So something from General Conference that really inspired me was President Nelsons charge with the Book of Mormon. It isn't just knowing the book is true. It must become part of us. It should change our soul! it should be a very central part of our lives. Also I loved the phrase coined yesterday "Love without service is like faith without works." I love my companions, but do I really? I love my family, but how do they know? I am going to change the way I love people. I am going to make it more meaningful for myself and all those who are with me. I will change my nature to align myself with God. There were so many insights. I feel as though I have been changed. My life is different now. I am so looking forward to receiving the conference issue of the Ensign so that I can review the talks. I loved Elder Renlund's talk in the priesthood session. His story about the man who had been re-baptized and then went onto have his blessing restored unto him touched the innermost part of my heart. As Elder Renlund shared that only his original baptism, confirmation, priesthood and temple dates would show on his record, the spirit confirmed to me the absoluteness of repentance. Nothing is held back when we truly repent and come unto Christ. Even the worst sins can be overcome through the atoning power of Jesus Christ, and not even a blemish will be left upon us. We truly can become as white as snow. That changed me.

I love all y'all and each y'all

Elder Miner 

Elder Miner, Elder Coronodo, Elder Autry

The Herron kids with the Elders

Super busy week.

So exciting news from this week. 

1 bye bye missionaires

2 Elder Coronado

3 Service

4 misc

5 more people!

So this week I said goodbye to a lot of good missionaries who I have known for a long time. Elder Lyman. Elder Latham. Elder Williams. Elder Gamble. Elder Hiatt. Elder Ramirez. Elder Werner. And many more. Some of these I've known since my first day in the mission field. That was so weird...

Elder Coronado is a great missionary. I am going to learn a lot from him. A lot in the ways of talking with people. I am still trying to get better at talking with everyone and Elder Coronado is very good at that. He has jumped right in with everything here. We are going to have a killer transfer! We are so pumped!!! 

TONS OF SERVICE THIS WEEK. When we were totaling up our zone stats this morning I just wrote down "A lot" for service. Like we seriously did hours and hours of it. for a food bank, Habitat for Humanity, and moving someone. 

This past week we have been super busy. Spontaneous things have just happened that lead to us finding people to talk to on the streets and being with people in their homes. we have seen miracle after miracle! We are both excited to be here serving together.

We have a new investigator now. She was in the Marina ward. Her name is Lora Wilson. We will be teaching her every week. Her member daughter will be participating in the lessons also, because she moved in 6 doors down from her Mom! So that will be a solid time with that. Chris Hammond is slowly progressing to baptism. He is starting to live the Word of Wisdom again today so that he can be interviewed by President Chesnut in two weeks. He is the one who is on probation. Briawna Sims, the lady who the Stead ward members found, is doing well. She is excited for both our General and Stake conference. 

Great things are happening! 

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

Elder Miner 

The view from Chandler's apartment

Changes!!

How is everyone doing? Life out here in Reno is pretty good! Things are going well. We are seeing good things happen with the work. The weather is pretty nice right now. It's cooling off. Just about sweater weather. So no complaints on my end. 

A couple of cool things have happened this week.

1 Trio life

2 Brianna Sims

3 Air Races

4 Why I Believe

5 New Companion

Let me tell ya, being in a trio is a ton of fun! Especially when that trio can change any given day. It just means there is never a dull or quiet moment either. It is pretty sweet! Like sooo much fun! I have been with the Stead Elders this week for the most part. Elders Werner and White. Now Elder Werner goes home tomorrow and Elder White is training and will be the new district leader in the north valleys, as well as on a bike. 

So last Monday, with the Stead Elders, we taught a lady named Brianna Sims. She went to the church when she was a kid, and also has gone 3 times now. Twice to Stead ward and once to Silver Lake ward. We taught her again on Friday. She is very prepared and had started reading the Book of Mormon before we met her. She has also accepeted a baptismal date of October 14! When we had asked her about who she thought Joseph Smith was her responce was: A Prophet. For a lot of the lesson we were pretty stunned with her understanding of everything. We are excited to keep teaching her!

I'm not sure how many of you have heard of the Reno Air Races, but they are held in my area up here. You probably have heard of the tragedy that happened several years back when a plane crashed just before the grand stands. We have been able to watch planes fly over heard in formations and and doing different tricks all week out here! While teaching Brianna at a park we saw a plane fly straight up spinning until he stalled, and then nose dive until he could pull out and repeat the process. It was pretty dang cool! As a lot of you know, I love planes, so that was a real treat to watch! 

Last night we had the Why I Believe fireside! I really love these things. It was a little odd to be the one to organize and carry it out. We got HUGE coverage for this one though. Every ward got this announced way in advance and we had representatives from every ward in the stake except for one. We had about 87 people in attendence. Normally it's close to 30 people... We had to move from the the Relief Society room to the chapel. But the speakers spoke with power of their conversion. The Holy Ghost testified of their words and bore witness to all who were in attendence. We had some miracles happen because of this. We had taught this man, in the trio, named Storm. He is an older gentleman who knows his bible pretty well. I was able to have a pretty nice chat about it and he gave me righteous envy for some of his knowledge and materials. Now I really want a Geneva bible. But anyway, he doesn't think there is one true religion. He doesn't think the priesthood is nessisary. But a nice man. We invited him to the fireside yesterday. He said he wouldn't be able to make it. But he ended up coming to church to ask when the fireside was. Then he came to the firside. And now, he wants to meet with and get serious with missionaries! The spirit testified to him and he recongized it. A lot of other miracles like that happened as well. It was really strange to sit on the stand and to conduct the meeting. I'm not sure how I feel about doing that. It isn't exactly in my character to do that. But what the Lord asks, I will do. 

So transfers.. There was a lot of changes in he mission this transfer. A lot of missionaries are only staying for one or two transfers in their areas. A lot of people are training too. I got to see all my friends in the mission and where they are, and who they are with. But as for me, I get to stay in Cold Springs and Silver Lake. My new companion is Elder Coronado. He came out one transfer after me. He is a spanish Elder. I think the Lord is trying to tell me to learn Spanish.. He is coming to here from ELY!!!! So I have someone to talk to about ELY. He was a Zone Leader out there. So We will be able to just do the work. No worrying about training or anything. Just two missionaries doing their job. I am excited for it! And another plus, I get to drive! I like driving. But It will be a good transfer. We have good things lined up. General Conference is coming up, and Stake Conference is the week following that. The work never stops. Even when companions go home and move on, this work never stops. 

Well I love all y'all and each y'all

Elder Miner

Elders Miner, White and Werner

Elder Miner, Elder Werner and Elder White

A Mobile Mini!

Trio for days!

So this week has been bonkers with all the driving and just everything going on! 

1. Elder Jensen went home!! (@3:45am)

2. MLC

3. Trio Life

So my companion just had to go home early and leave me in my lonesome. But it is okay. It's working out super good! We are seeing miracles and the Lord is making up the difference. We have to spend time in other areas, so the Lord is providing in mine when we can't be there. I love it! We could have 5 baptisms this transfer if all goes well!

MLC was a ton of fun this time. Lots of good council and advice. A lot about new areas to open. We will be opening about 13 new areas these next two transfers. 9 This one. It was odd to see Elders Lyman and Latham bear their final testimonies in front of the leadership of the mission. They have served well and faithfully. They go home next week. I can't believe it. My two trainers are going home. It just goes to show how old I am I guess. After this transfer I will be the oldest person in the zone. 

But it has been fun to be with these other Elders out here. Elders Werner, White, Austin, and Millett. I have gotten to know all these so much more! I love these Elders and we have a lot of fun together. It is essentially going from appointment to appointment. It makes it super busy. But I have enjoyed it. Different dynamics to work with and to see. It will be fun to keep doing it for another week. 

Sorry this is short, but kinda forgot to write this.

I love all y'all and each y'all

Elder Miner 

The Elder's I've been hanging out with.

Elder Millett and Elder Austin

Elder Jensen Goes Home

So this was my last week with Elder Jensen. And it was a pretty good one!! It felt like we were always laughing at all times!!

Highlights from the week:

1 Hiked a mountain

2 Exchanges in Quincy

3 Sushi

4 2 new investigators

5 Random "Christian" bashers?

The hike last P-day was a lot of fun. It wasn't too hot and it turned out to be a pretty cool thing. Some Elders grumbled about it, but it went well. 

Exchanges in Quincy went pretty good! I was with Elder Horstmann. Saw a lot of trees. Saw a fire. Met with the Quincy Stake President. Helped to wrangle up some cows. Ate a burger that was a 1/4 pound of ground beef mixed with a 1/4 pound of bacon. It was pretty good! Elder Horstmann ate a camel burger. Apparently Camel tastes good?

Elder Jensen and I went into town and got some all you can eat sushi. We ate 11 rolls together. So that was pretty fun to do! Sushi is expensive though... But we spent the whole time talking and laughing and having a good 'ole time. He is a fun companion. I will really miss him a ton

Found two more investigators this week! Part member families are a pretty good source of that! So things are going well. I get to keep the work going by myself for the next two weeks. I will be bouncing between two other sets of Elders up here and going on splits with a lot of members too. So hopefully nothing will slow down or stop! 

And yesterday this crazy thing happened. We were meeting with Chris Hammond and a park by his house sitting on the grass and these two guys pull up and walk up to us with their bibles. One of them has a shirt on for a local church. They ask if we were Mormons and we said yes and Chris said " I'm a Mormon in training". They said that they were here to warn us about the mistakes of man... Chris asked them if they wanted to start with a prayer before we got into "discussing doctrine" and they said no.... They said that we pray to a different God? So Elder Jensen and I looked at each other and quietly mouthed flip to each other. So for the next hour they tried to prove us wrong, but we agreed with just about everything they said, so they got really confused and we got one of them to agree with us on everything. The only thing we didn't agree on is the trinity. It was pretty annoying and I don't understand why people go around trying to do that. We kept saying that we didn't want to argue and contend and the guy was saying that he "has thick skin, so bring out the contentions". We didn't, but we couldn't leave because we didn't want Chris to be alone with them. Instead of shaking out faith, it just gave us a greater desire to do what is right and to speak the truth! Chris didn't understand what they were saying so that was a blessing. And someone from their congregation came halfway through and started backing us up. So afterwords we just kinda laughed it off. The strange things that happen as a missionary...

anyways. What we talk about is true. No one else can take that knowledge away from me. I am excited for these next two weeks and the chance to proclaim the truth with so many different people

I love all y'all and each y'all

Elder Miner 

Beautiful Sunsets

My Son and Grandson

Zone P-day

District Meeting

Cool Sign

The View

Elder Jensen at the airport