Do I really have to go? - The Weekly Email

Remember how last week I said I was ready to leave? I think I lied. We've been very blesed over these past couple of weeks with lots of appointments and new people to teach, and every time we set a new appointment for next week, I think, "oh man, that's my last week...." and it hurts my heart to have to leave these people, knowing that I won't be able to continue to get to know them and help them progress in the Gospel. The thing is, I love people as soon as I meet them here more often than not. That's the thing about missionary work, it binds you to people like nothing else. And a place. A wonderful island place.

So speaking of lots of new people, I want to talk about a few. First off, Louca and his family. Louca plays on an American Football team here with a bunch of members (I'm not kidding, real American Football!). He was drawn by their example, and has come to church for the past six weeks now, including a session of General Conference. He and his wife have been looking to find God, feeling disillusioned with the Catholic church they were raised in, both of them being from Wallis. We were able to have a Family Home Evening with them last Thursday at a member's house from the team, and we taught them the Restoration. They're basically ready to be baptized, in Louca's own words, he wants to join the church where "he feels good" and he feels good here. We also taught a young guy yesterday named David who recently came here from France. We talked and he said that he basically has no idea what to do with his life, doesn't know where he's going, and wants to do more than just "get a job, retire, and die." Well, the Plan of Salvation has answers. What I've been learning more and more over the past couple of weeks, the Gospel and the Church of Jesus Christ have an answer for anything and everything in life. It may not always seem related, but answers are there.

I love you all, one email left!

Elder Miner

Did most of the Mont Dore hike last P-day.

Cool night views from our sector

It's been cloudy and rainy for the past couple of weeks

Trunkiness begins to set in... - The Weekly Email

Honestly, the days are blurring together more and more now. I wish I could say more about what happens from day to day, but I'm really just trying to put my head down and sprint to the finish and do my best to leave it all out here for my last transfer especially. More and more, I find myself wanting to leave a legacy here, that even if I haven't baptized as much as other missionaries or something like that, I can look back and say that I've helped improve the church here, or the missionaries, or the members, etc. The musings of an old dying missionary I guess. I think I'm beginning to pass the point where I'm apprehensive about coming home and I'm becoming more and more excited instead. For better or for worse, but I really am excited to begin the next stage of life.

Elder Hable and I have been working like crazy out here doing contacting this past week, and it's been yielding its fruits this week in terms of more and more appointments this week. We've had some really good and some really weird experiences, but that's mission life. 

Some updates on investigators, I have good news and bad news about Bernadette and Lyzalysse. Bad news is, they won't be getting baptized at the end of the month. Good news is Bernadette's husband has decided that he wants to take the missionary lessons again so they can be baptized as a family. I think that's better, don't you? Our other truly progressing investigator right now is named Ernest, he's been coming to church for the past 4 weeks, except for conference where he wasn't able to attend. He's from Lifou and he's family with some members there, but he doesn't know much about the church. He's progressing really well though, I'm excited to teach him tomorrow. Those are our most progressing investigators, there's a lot of things that are starting to move here, but I don't wanna jump the gun talking about it here and have it not work out. Even if I only have 2 more p-days left here...

Anyways, the work is good, this chruch is ture, and Jesus Christ lives.

Love you all!

Elder Miner

Got special permission to go out and about for my birthday, so we got lunch downtown and then hit a cool hill called Ouen Toro with the ZL's. I can't think of a better way to celebrate my 21st birthday. 

#ldsconf - The Weekly Email

So we got to watch conference this weekend, and it was a great experience. I especially loved Elder Bednar and Elder Stevenson's talks. They both gave a lot of answers to the questions I've been asking myself as I begin to prepare to come home from my mission. My heart goes out to the family of Elder Hales as well after their loss. 

Conference kind of consumed most of this week, we did have two investigators come to some sessions, a newer investigator named Armand, he's 19, and then Bernadette came to the Sunday Afternoon session. She's thinking that she wants to postpone her baptismal date, but we're still working on it. She's ready, she just needs to know that she's ready. Other than that it's just been missionary work, lots of contacting, training and studies, alll the normal missionary things. The days have slowed down somewhat, I'm just trying to pass on all the knowledge I've gained to Elder Hable so that the mission can continue to go to new heights. Life is good, God is good, and this work is true.

Love you all, see you in a month!
Elder Miner

PS Sorry, no new pictures this week, I haven't taken any since zone conference...

Longest Week of My Life - The Weekly Letter

Wow do I have a lot to talk about this week! And like no time to do it today because it took forever to get my new companion his library card. It's been quite an intense week, I saw Elder Kessler off and then on Friday got to meet my new companion! I think I'll start there, his name is Elder Hable. He's an American, but his Dad works for the State Department, so they're currently living in Indonesia. Most recent American city is Boston though. He reminds me a lot of me, but better, honestly the caliber of missionaries we're seeing here, and I'm sure it's the same the world over, is just getting higher and higher. His attitude is great, he wants to work hard, he studies like a maniac, and he speaks French pretty well already since he studied French for 6 years. We've only been together for like, 5 days, but it feels like so much longer. He's also a great athlete, plays rugby, soccer, and baseball. In short, he's great, we get along great, he's happy to be here, and I'm as happy as can be to be training for my last transfer.

Most of our time these past few days has been spent in zone conference, basically only Saturday were we able to get any real proselyting in. Zone Conference was great, it felt a little strange knowing that it was my last one as a missionary, it almost felt like something was missing. I did translate one last time, I'd rather help others to understand more of what President Granger says since I'll be leaving soon.

Bernadette is still on track for her baptism, we saw her yesterday and everything is going great, she's given up coffee, now we're just working on cigarettes, and she needs to get in contact with her husband on Lifou just to make sure that everything is good.

I love you all, I'd love to send more but I'm a little low on time today, hopefully I'll get some pictures sent off too that'll fill in some more details. See you way soon!

Elder Miner

Got to see Elder Kessler off as well, Godspeed Elder.

Once Elder Kessler left I got to spend time Monday - Friday with the North Zone Leaders, y'all probably recognize these two, and it was a great time.

Last Zone Photo

The Veterans

Fathers and the next generation

On Vacation in Tontouta - The Weekly Email

Hey everyone! This is Elder Miner signing in from Paita right now. I've been chilling up here in Tontouta with my Zone Leaders waiting for my new companion to fly in on Friday. I'll be training Elder Hable, a brand new American missionary, and I'll be staying in Riviere Salee. I'm really excited to train, and I'm happy to be staying in the area, there's a lot of cool people there and Elder Kessler and I put in a lot of work to get it humming again, now we just need to keep working. 

Elder Kessler has gone home, he should be home tomorrow here, Wednesday for you, which will be the same day he left, because the international date line is confusing. I loved being with him and he was a great missionary. I wish him all the best as he returns home. 

The last week with Elder Kessler was all pretty much the same, we just kept working, things have plateaued a bit in our area, but we still have a lot of things to do and a lot of doors to knock. We were able to visit our investigator Bernadette on Monday, she just got out of the hospital with her newborn who is healthy and adorable. Albert Joseph is his name, and she kept making the joke of "Albert Joseph Smith." Haha, aren't golden investigators the best? We also got to teach two new investigators the lesson of the Restoration on Elder Kessler's last morning. I can't think of a better way to go home. 

Love you all! I'll let you know all about Elder Hable next week.

Elder Miner

PS Sorry, no photos, this cyberbase won't let us. Next week! :)

Getting Ready for a Funeral - The Weekly Letter

Well everyone, this is it, Elder Kessler's last week, or as we say in mission lingo, he's about to "die." We served a total of 9 months together between or three times as companions, and he's become one of my best friends, and he's an amazing missionary. He's spent two years here, and now it's time for his family to get to enjoy him as much as I and the people here have. 

The biggest news for this week is about Bernadette. You remember Bernadette? The sister from Lifou who's pregnant and came to Noumea to give birth that we set a baptismal date with? Well, we stopped by yesterday to say hi since we were in the neighborhood, and she told us she was having contractions and would probably be going to the hospital that day or the next, so in all likelyhood she's there now. We also started teaching a new investigator, she's the mother of a young member who is the only member in her family. She asked for a blessing and after giving the blessing we asked if she wanted to take the missionary lessons, and she said yes and asked to start right then and there. It was a great lesson and she has a lot of potential, especially since she already has family in the church. 

All I can really say right now is that Elder Kessler and I have been extraordinarily blessed recently with miracles and people to teach. For a sector that was and has always been a little dead, it's been amazing to see what a lot of work can do, and the blessings that flow. I think that's a pattern for life, the Lord will always bless us according to the effort we put into something. Even if it looks hopeless or we're discouraged, if we keep enduring and keep pushing, the Lord blesses us as we stay close to Him. 

Love you all! See you in a transfer!

Elder Miner

Nice views of the sector.

All in day's work here

Farewell Elder Kessler and Sister Pahio, farewell...

"13 Days...." "Stop it!" - The Weekly Letter

Hello one and all! So recently I've been bothering Elder Kessler by commenting on how much time he has left here in New Caledonia. I don't think he appreciates it. But it's fine, because he's probably going to be one of my best friends for life. Interesting how a mission can do that, bringing people together who never would have met otherwise, missionaries, members, and investigators alike. Always interesting to see who clicks with you, sometimes it's the people you'd least expect. But I believe fully that we knew and were destined to find people that we knew from the pre-mortal life  here in this life, and sometimes it takes going halfway across the world to do it.

Honestly all I can say about this week is that the Lord is blessing immensely. Will we be able to baptize before the transfer is out? It'll take a miracle, but for a sector that had been having nothing going for it and a bad reputation for the longest time, things are really moving. Just last week we started teaching two new part member families and another family from Vanuatu. Our efforts can only goes as fast as our two feet (or two bike tires) can carry us, but the work goes on. I'm so grateful for this chance I've had to be a tool in the Lord's hands during this time, and to have a front row seat to His infinite mercy and beautiful plan, in my life and in the lives of others. 

I love you all, see you in a couple months.

Elder Miner

Best Comp ever! :3

P-day activity last week, we went out to some cannons in Nouville on the far edge of Noumea

Destiny photo, Parc Riviere Bleue take 3

This is my new friend Steeve, our shuttle driver in Riviere Bleue, our last P-day activity before Elder Kessler goes home.