Heating Up in Vegas

March 3-9, 2015 Hello again! It's another beautiful day down in Vegas! The cool breeze has come and gone, and the Vegas heat is almost back again! This week has been an amazing ride, and the work here is definitely a thrill. We have had an amazing couple weeks, and I wouldn't trade it for anything! First of all, it's scary to know that after this transfer (March 23rd) and the next transfer (May 4th)ends, all the missionaries I have known that came out a year before me are all going to be home, and my group of missionaries will all be at a year. It's also been weird that getting close to 10 months now, people have started calling us "veterans" in the mission... I am not even at a year yet people, come on!

Elder Koluse from Tonga who just went home

Elder Shearer and I have found a common interest in ties these past couple transfers and keep changing which ones we like the best and which ones we are going to wear the most. I've found that gray, blue, red, and black are the colors of ties I love most. I have to tell you, It's hard to pass up some good looking ties at the stores a lot of the time.

Elder Shearer and I in front of the church

Our main investigator of the church, Biunca Tables, is just flat out the bomb diggity. She was referred to us by some missionaries over in the East Mission, and I have seen that she is one of the most, if not the most prepared individual to hear the gospel. Having a knowledge of just God and Jesus Christ before, we helped her to understand about the truths of the Bible, the Book of Mormon, the Holy Ghost, and the main points of the Church. She gained a testimony so quickly, and I know the Lord is proud of her for her faith. She is getting baptized by our Bishop, Bishop Duckworth this Saturday. She's so excited for her baptism! The work is hastening and the gospel is true! Never forget that! Jesus Christ lives and latter-day prophets lead and guide the church. I have a testimony of that. I love all y'all! Keep it cool, in Texas, Utah, Idaho, or wherever y'all other people are! - Elder Cline NLVWM

Close to the Strip

What a beautiful day it is to be in Vegas!

The sun is shining bright and it is a brand new day! The week went pretty good and there is much work that is still to be had in Vegas! Our main investigator had the opportunity to attend FHE, Institute, and Church! He loved them all and loves the social aspect of it a lot. We hope to see him again for FHE again tonight. It's really a miracle! For FHE last week we got to play dodge-ball and we were encouraged to play in our missionary clothes and name tag. Although for the first half of the event we chose not to participate, we were eventually influenced by the persuasion of the two wards who were there and we played 3 quick games with them. We were all having a blast. It was a great activity! Institute really caught my interest as well. I learned a ton.

I never really have told how close we are to the strip in our area so I thought I would attach a picture. If we drove less than 10 minutes past our area, we could be on the strip. I have more pictures yet to come of the pictures we took yesterday. It's really cool because with the area we have, we get to see the glamorous view of the strip as we drive to and fro. It really is a beautiful sight. I imagined having this great of a view of Vegas before my mission, and now we get to see it every single day. I am so glad we are here.

If you haven't heard from before, Elder Shearer and I are in a singles ward. The benefit of being in the singles ward is that for one, our ward is ridiculously huge (bigger than some missions in Utah even), and two, everybody is young and on fire! I'll attach a photo of our ward to show you really how huge the area is. It's marked in blue.

Other than that life is going swell. For February, we have a couple of new implementations so it will be exciting! Will see all of yall later!

- Elder Cline

The Gospel... Every Day we're Preachin' it!

Note from Elder Cline's mom:

Here's the last two blogs... all caught up now!

Jan 5, 2015:

Hello everybody once again! Crazy experiences were had yesterday!

For one, one of our investigators Jennifer got up to speak and bear her testimony during fast and testimony meeting even though it was her first time at church! It was awesome! Not only that, she feels welcome in our church and can't wait to become the next newest member of the Spanish Trail YSA ward.

We also had something really cool happen to us last night. Last week we ran into a guy named Franchesco on the street who was helping his daughter try out her new toy for Christmas (one of those mini cars). We got to know him for a little bit and then handed him a card. He gave us his address number and after asking him, he told us we could stop by sometime. He seemed like a nice guy. Yesterday we went to go knock on his door and his wife answers. We told her we met Franchesco and that we would like to come in and share a message about our church. She said "Please, come in, it's cold outside!" We went in, got to know them and taught the Restoration lesson. Everything went perfectly. We asked his wife to pray afterwards to know if these things are true and she got an answer! We set up a return appointment. After we got out of the house Elder Shearer and I looked at each other and practically screamed with excitement. Unfortunately, we have to hand them off but it's these types of moments on your mission that gets you excited to talk with everyone.

P.S. - Happy 2015 everybody! Till next week,

- Elder Cline

Jan 12, 2015:

Hello, my good friends and family,

This week has been a blast (as always). Our investigator Jennifer is set with a baptismal date and is just rockin and rollin. We see her all the time and she is very ecstatic. I really do know that Elder Shearer and I were meant to talk to her at the library the one first day we met her. We also have a bunch of people in our ward who are super good to us, feed us well and keep the work going. A new year of missionary work has begun!

As I have pondered my time as a missionary so far and as I come up on a third of my mission being gone next week, I have grown a little scared of that day when my mission will come to an end. Never did I think an 8 month period would pass by this quickly. I've learned so much about my life and I have met so many people here that I have truly cared for and will stay in contact with for the rest of my life. The great thing is, I still have two thirds to go. I still have time to change what I could have improved on in the past, as do we all. Through the Atonement of Jesus Christ we can be cleansed of sin and we can look towards the future with a smile. I know it to be true, and I know this gospel to be truth!

(Every Day We're Preachin' it! Get the Reference?)

- Elder Cline

The Nevada Las Vegas West Mission

Christmas in Las Vegas!

Note from Elder Cline's Mom: While we were out of town for Christmas, I was unable to post the blog. So you get two in one today!

Dec 22nd, 2014

Merry Christmas everybody!

It's Christmas week and everyone in Vegas is jumping up and down with joy! I am just super excited because I get to see my family who I haven't seen in more than 7 months! My new companion Elder Shearer will be spending Christmas with me this year at the Manning's house and at our apartment with other Elders. We plan on Skyping, opening presents, board games and Hot Chocolate hopefully!

Not much to report on, I am just super happy for everything that has been going on. I really do hope that everyone has a wonderful Christmas with family and/or friends! Remember Christ!

- Elder Cline

Nevada Las Vegas West Mission

Photos from the Mission Christmas Party

Dec 27th, 2014

Hello Friends and Family! It's Elder Cline again!

This week was an emotional one, especially since the realization that a companion of mine is home now, and that I got to see my family and extended family over Skype on Christmas. I miss them soo much! It's crazy how my younger brother Danny is growing up so fast and how I actually got to talk with everyone face to face via Video Chat.

My parents also sent a package with Christmas Gifts that I thoroughly enjoy and will be using a lot. It's been a long time since I have seen them but at least I will get to see them again in May for Mothers Day!

Not much to report on except for the fact that Christmas is over and the New Year is about to begin! It's pretty crazy that 2015 is going to be here in 3 days! I hope everyone had a great Christmas and has a great new year!

With much love, Elder Cline

P.S. - On sunday we had to teach Gospel Principles class for the first time in this ward and guess who showed up?!? The Mission President and Sister Alhander! We taught well though it was awesome!

Vegas (Week 30)

Hello Everyone! It's great to be a week closer to Christmas!

This week has been a different one! From doing the He is the Gift initiative here in Vegas and getting more used to street contacting, the other day we ran into someone who we started talking to, who later started taking the discussions with other missionaries and has a baptismal date! All because we were not too afraid to go and talk to him! It's awesome!

My companion Elder Miller along with Elder Till (who is also from Katy, Texas) and about 30 other missionaries are going home this week. Transfers are on Wednesday. I am super excited to get my new companion! I don't know how to spell his name but he's been out for about 5 1/2 months I think!

This transfer I have been assigned to be a district leader! My first district meeting is December 23 I believe, right before Christmas! Everyone I know that will be in the new district is awesome, so this next transfer I know will be a blast!

Christmas is in a week and a half and I can't wait to Skype family! Just 10 more days! The time has flown by so fast, it's crazy! I would send pictures of our Tiny Christmas Tree, but my battery recharger is still in my other ward. Pics soon!

Hope everyone is getting together with family this year to celebrate the birth of Christ! Have a merry one!

- Elder Cline, NLVW Mission

Here is the video Elder Cline is talking about. It's worth your time.

Heidi's Conversion Story

Hello my friends and family! I just want to say that this week has been one of the best I have had so far on my mission! It just keeps getting better!

I would like to begin by telling y'all the conversion story of Heidi.

Elder Clapp and I had been assigned to bike last transfer and one particular day a month and a half ago we had accidentally showed up early to our dinner appointment. We were wondering what to do, so considering our circumstances we started tracting up and down the members street. We got to a house and knocked. A lady came out and told us basically that she really wasn't interested in talking to us but she was a Christian and is a very big advocate of the bible, as are we. She politely said goodbye and then we went to dinner. A month later we got a call from a member named Winn and he told us that his girlfriend Heidi had received a knock on her door from us and was interested in coming to church the next day. On Sunday we saw her at church and after sacrament meeting went up to say hello again. We scheduled a time to meet with her.

Our first appointment with her went smoothly, and I really liked the fact that she really knew her bible really well. She said during the lesson that she had heard things about the Mormon church that she was hesitant about, but again, she was willing to listen to us. She gave us bible references to everything we were talking about which was awesome. Once we had finished teaching the Restoration, she said "So what's the next lesson?" I told her it's the Book of Mormon lesson and then she said "Can I just hear it now?" So we taught it too and committed her to read and pray about it. We had another lesson with her a couple days later and she seemed a lot more open to what we had to say. She had read 4 chapters of the Book of Mormon. We got through half of the Plan of Salvation lesson when Elder Clapp asked "So how do you feel about the Spirit World?" and her answer: "You know, I just really like it, it makes sense. I believe it's true." Elder Clapp and I paused for a moment then I asked her a little while later "So how do you feel about the Book of Mormon?" She then said "I really like it." She talked about how it went hand in hand with the Bible and how she had read it and had definitley felt the spirit while reading it. She told us how she knew what the holy spirit and how she knew what it felt like because she has felt it before reading the Bible and praying. She then said "I know it's true." We paused again. I referred her to the front of the Book of Mormon where it says once you know the Book of Mormon is true you can know that The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day saints is a true church and that Joseph Smith was a prophet. I asked her "Do you understand that?" She said "Yep." One more pause. I then asked "We're holding a baptismal service on November 29th. Will you be baptized by someone holding the proper priesthood authority of God?" She said "Ohh, that's Thanksgiving week... can we make it the 22nd?"

After 2 weeks of lessons, Heidi Ugarte was baptized a member of Christ's church. Her testimony of the spirit and the Lord answering prayers is one of the strongest I have ever seen in someone. Her true knowledge of the Bible had helped her to be on the right path, the path that Heavenly Father wants for us. I will remember Heidi and her testimony for the rest of my life.

Getting into my new ward with my new companion Elder Miller was awesome! We had a great time meeting new members and also getting to know Ciera who was also baptized on the 22nd. Elder Miller is a really awesome guy and he is going home in 3 1/2 weeks. Don't worry, we're not getting too "trunky" as missionaries put it. I had church with our YSA ward for the first time sunday and it was one of the best meetings I have been to in a long time. Everyone is so active and is happy to get to know everyone else. I was introduced by Bishop Duckworth (who is an awesome bishop!) like 4 times and was introduced like 2 other times. I felt very welcomed. I'm going to love being here for the next couple weeks!

I hope everyone had as great of a week as I did this week. If not, remember that God loves you, and you can uplift your day by hymns, prayer, and scripture reading. Never cease to keep a prayer in your heart!

Adios Amigos, Elder Cline

Hey Brothers!

Hello Again from Las Vegas! I thought i'd give an update on all the miracles that have happened this week! One, We had two baptisms this Saturday for Paige (9 years old) and Makiah Aviso (11 years old)! We just taught them all the investigator lessons and they were totally ready. They were actually getting their mother to come back to church by telling her "We love church! Why haven't we gone?" They're both amazing individuals and they both have a good heart! Elder Clapp got to baptize both of them and for the first time in my life I got to confirm both of them with the Holy Ghost which was also an amazing experience.

Two, we have another family that started investigating our church a while back. We were biking down a street in the dark and we were supposed to turn down a street but we didn't. I called to Elder Clapp and asked why we didn't turn. Right at that moment, still biking the wrong way, we heard: "Hey Brothers!" We looked around, couldn't see anybody and kept going. We then heard "Hey, we want to learn!" Our bikes came to a halt immediately. We saw who had called out to us and swerved our bikes around towards them. There was a man on the porch waiting for us there. When we got to his front gate, we soon found ourselves surrounded by their family of 8. We taught them the lesson and since we've had over 10 lessons with them. Once they solve legal complications, they want to be baptized. Not only that, one day when we were in our apartment they brought us over a BIG cart full of food for us! We still feel like we haven't repaid them enough for what they've done for us.

By the way, About a month ago we were 20 minutes early to our dinner appointment so we tracted on their street. Two houses down a lady opened her door and told us she was a Christian and had no intention of changing what she believed. A week ago we got a call from her... I can't tell the rest until next week but it's one of the most humbling experiences on my mission so far. Our area really has started to pick up, especially because since I have gotten Elder Clapp, we have gained about 10 new investigators! Speaking of our area, I leave today (Monday) and I am going to a ward in The Lakes zone! I am covering a singles ward with my 3rd companion, Elder Miller who is going home in 4 weeks. It's just crazy.

Love ya all and miss ya all! - Elder Cline