January 30, 2017

Hello Everyone! This was truly another fantastic week. We had a worldwide missionary broadcast where they shook some things up like our daily schedule, we are now going to be planning for our day in the morning, at least the rest of the world is going to now, President Chesnut told us a week before the broadcast, so we've been living the new schedule for awhile now. We had zone conference in Elko, so we drove up on Thursday and stayed with some elders there, it was fun to be able to see elder Carpenter again (He's my half-Brother, in mission lingo, and also one of my past companions, that was a fun transfer), as well as a lot of other missionaries I've served around during the last year. Since we are 3 hours from the nearest Walmart, President let us go there after zone conference, we then ate dinner at the Costa Vida (also the only one for three hours) and then made the three hour drive back to Ely. Sometimes I like being literally in the middle of nowhere, sometimes it can be a little lonely, but the Ely zone is a really close knit zone because of it. We also had interviews yesterday during church, and since president didn't have anything to do for the rest of the day before he drove 5 hours back to Reno he came to sacrament meeting to hear my talk! I love President and sister Chesnut! 

The biggest miracle we had this week, The Jacobisins were able to come to shift sacrament meeting! (since the biggest employer here in Ely is the copper mine, and the miners have crazy 12 hour shifts that aren't the same from week to week, the Ely stake set up a shift for the workers who have the Day shift on Sunday that meets at 6:30pm) I was pretty disappointed when they didn't show up for sacrament, especially when we had a lesson with them earlier that day. But after church got out we saw them! they told us that after the lesson, Brother Jacobisin went back to sleep, and sister Jacobisin wasn't there for the lesson, so they slept through church, but sister Jacobisin knew the importance of coming to church to partake of the sacrament, so she came to Shift sacrament with her kids. She is definitely the driving force that will get their kids baptized. The kid's names are Jayden (8), Saybree (9), and Gavin (10). They're getting baptized in 12 days!!!

Well that's just about it for this week, 

Stay righteous Y'all!

P.S. Just in case you wanted to send me a letter, we don't actually have a mailbox, we see the other missionaries in our zone every day, so send letters to their address: 1144 Avenue D, Ely, Nevada 89301

-I love the Icicles here!

-Elder Carpenter and I

January 23, 2017

Hello again from the winter wonderland of Ely, Nevada! We had an amazing miracle happen yesterday in which 8 investigators and potential investigators came to church!!!The Jacobisins, the Kelly's, other less active families with unbaptized kids we're working with, and a new investigator who used to be a drug dealer but has since turned his life around and his daughter. Needless to say, Elder Davis and I had a really fantastic week! The field is certainly white both figuratively and literally. (we're having a really big snowstorm right now) We were able to set the Jacobisin's kids (a LA family who has 2 unbaptized kids, 9 and 10) With a baptismal date for February 11th! They have a brother who is 8 who is going to be baptized on the same day as them. Elder Davis and I are getting along very well, and I'm learning a lot from him. Things are getting rolling in the Ely 1st ward, the ward council has set a goal for 10 baptisms this year, and I wouldn't be surprised if we were able to get 8 in the first 6 months. We have Zone conference In Elko on Friday, So that means we'll be driving up 3 hours to Elko on Thursday night and then drive back after zone conference the next day. Also I love that there are some super awesome Icicles here. While it gets very cold during the night it warms up during the day, making for some really impressive Ice spears...

'Till next week

Stay righteous Y'all!

Oh yeah, and Elder Davis Sprained his foot, But he's taking it like a champ and it hasn't even slowed him down!

Random pictures that we received from members working with Elder Stotts 

January 16, 2017

Hello everyone! My first week in Ely wasn't really spent in Ely. I spent the night in Sun Valley with the sparks zone leaders on Tuesday, and then spent 6 hours on the transfer van headed to Elko, where I got to see elder Carpenter again! I got excited to see him and slipped on the slush... And then Elder Davis and I drove 3 hours down to Ely. AAAANNND then on Saturday we got up early to drive 5 hours to Reno for a mission conference with Elder Christofferson! He was accompanied by Elder Pearson of the seventy and Elder Larkin of the Area seventy. We had a Q+A session with Elder Christofferson and I certainly learned a lot from the experience. It was a once in a lifetime opportunity to talk with an Apostle of Jesus Christ. Ely is awesome!  It isn't the biggest town, but people are So much nicer here. They actually want to talk with you! I feel like I'm going to be here a long time. I'm definitely happy about that!

One thing I learned from the meeting with Elder Christofferson is that I need to be grateful more. The Lord is anxious to bless us, and how he want's us to develop an attitude of gratitude! It makes life so much easier! 

Stay warm! Unless you're my parents, then you should stay cool, have fun in Florida!!

January 9, 2017

Hey Guys! First things first, I got transferred to Ely! 

I'm so grateful that I was able to serve in the Spanish Springs and Red Hawk wards, even if it was only for 2 transfers (or 3 months for you normal people). I will be serving in the Ely 1st ward and the Garrison branch. Garrison covers the only part of Utah that is in our mission, so I can say I served my mission in Utah!

I don't know my new companion, elder Davis, But I know he's from Utah, and I'm his second companion, So I'm excited to work with him!

Next, Clara got baptized! And her mom came to it! She's super solid, I'm glad I was able to teach her the lessons. Standing next to her is her Friend who introduced her to the church, Aubrey Borino. Brother Borino baptized her. See how powerful a simple invite to Youth activities can be? That's how it started, Aubrey Invited Clara to the youth activities, which she liked, and then invited her to church! That's all it took!

Third, We get to hear an Apostle on Saturday! D. Todd Christofferson is coming to a mission wide conference this Saturday! So it looks like I'll be making the 6-7 hour drive to Ely 3 times this week.  But I am DEFINITELY not mad about that.

Other than that we almost drowned with how much rain we got! Jk, There was just a lot of puddles everywhere, granted they were really big puddles. Some of the roads were also recommissioned by the rain into rivers. We weren't able to help, but tons of people were sandbagging all day Friday and Saturday. They said that it was going to be a once in 50 year flood, but they had another bad flood just in 2006, so I guess now it's a twice in 10 year flood ;)

I forgot my camera, so I can't show you pictures... sorry...

A little bit about Ely: It's in the mountains, so it gets cold and lots of snow, like Minnesota! Minus the mountains of course. The Ely Zone is in a 3 way tie for the smallest zone in the mission, there are only 8 missionaries and 1 district. I think it's about 2000 people "large" and it has a whole stake, granted it's a small stake. I'm excited! one of the things I miss being here in Sparks was how little snow we had, but I don't have to worry about that anymore!

Stay righteous Y'all!

January 2, 2017

Hello everybody! You'd think that since it was the holidays people would be more willing to talk to us, but nope! People are still going on vacations here. Most of the schools have 3 or more weeks off for winter break. Things have been cooling down here lately too. At least it's not so bad during the day. President Chesnut has told all the missionaries in the mission to go and visit every member in the mission, and share with them this initiative, and I want to share it with you guys:

Get a brand new copy of the Book of Mormon and begin to read it cover to cover. As you read it, have someone in mind of whom you could give it to, and then with them in mind, mark certain scriptures that you think would be beneficial to their conversion. By the time you finish it you will have a personalized Book of Mormon for that person. And then share your testimony with them and give it to them.

Another thing you might want to do is invite your friends to a convert baptism in your area. The church has studies that show that 80% of investigators who attend a baptism will eventually go on to their own. Baptismal services are a fantastic tool for missionary work!

That's how Clara started, she attended the Endemano's baptism, felt the spirit, and afterward told her member friend that she wanted to be baptized as well!

Oh, and by the way that's happening on Saturday!

Till next week!

December 26, 2016

Hello everyone! I hope you had a merry Christmas! I loved seeing my family on Skype. I love this time of year, especially as a missionary! The world seems to be filled with an extra portion of the spirit during this time. While you're throwing away wrapping paper, testing out the new gadgets you got, or boxing up the Christmas decorations for next year, make sure to ponder on the supreme gift that Jesus Christ gave us. I love saying this, but there wouldn't be a Christmas without Easter. I know that Jesus Christ suffered the ultimate price, and in a supreme act of love, He offered to us the ability to improve ourselves until we are able to do as He would. I testify that He is our Savior, our Redeemer, and our exemplar. I'm so grateful I have this opportunity to share this message with the people of northern Nevada.

Stay Righteous Y'all!!!

December 19, 2016

Another great week! We had a Zone Conference/Christmas party on wednesday with all the west side zones (Sparks, Reno, Reno North, Quincy, Fallon, and Carson City) So about 70% of the mission was there, so I got to see a lot of old friends that I had served around before. We hung out at the institute building for the University of Nevada. I didn't lose a single game of Foosball (aren't you proud mom?)

It also snowed! Driving hasn't been too big of an issue, but the roads do get a little icy at night, but it hasn't been anything too bad.

Clara's Baptism has been moved to January 7th, and since she'll be out of town for the next two weeks the last time we have to do her interview is tonight! Elder Hadley is my District leader, he's also in a biking area, so that means we'll have to pick him up and bring him back home, so long miles!

This week ended with a dual sparks stake fireside, "a living Christmas card" as the called it. It was awesome, they had some awesome music and showed video presentations of the Savior's life.

About that, It's Christmastime! I truly love this season. I love how it inspires us to be more kind and loving towards each other. But one thing I've noticed is that rarely that feeling persists very far into the next year. So my invitation to you this week is to try to have that spirit of love and giving in your heart until next Christmas. Think of the gift that God gave us, a chance to become better, become more holy, more Christlike. I can promise you that If you look for little ways to keep the Christmas spirit with you throughout 2017, you will become a Christlike person, a true disciple of Christ. I love you all!

Merry Christmas!!!