Temple Trip and Familiar Faces

These past few weeks with Elder Croysdale has just been fantastic! Progress and excitement abound in our area! First of all, transfers went great and it was awesome getting to see old companions at transfers again. I only have one companion that has finished his mission so far, but Elder Chesler and Elder Victory will be heading out soon in July and September. Elder Croysdale and I went to the temple with the rest of our mission recently, and there was definitely a lot of memories that were brought back from the MTC. We're enjoying it all.

Elders Cline and Croysdale at the Las Vegas temple

We got to attend a baptism in our ward for a boy named Nubi. His parents dressed him up after his baptism in a Hawaiian/candy outfit. We love Nubi! He's just an amazing kid. We got to give the talks for his baptism, and it was good to be there.

Things are really starting to improve in our area. We're getting to know our ward a little bit and activities are on its way as well. We're also both excited and surprised for this week for a number of reasons. One, we have one year left as of yesterday. May 17th next year will be the day we end our time as Elders. That's actually kind of scary, considering how we still feel new to the mission. Two, on the 21st we hit our year marks! It's the biggest mile marker on your mission, so we want to plan something great for it. Three, we should receive Ipads this week! We've already gotten the instruction manual for it and a safety guideline manual for it. There's going to be a LOT of changes to our mission because of it, which I will talk about next week. Big week!

Thanks for all y'all's love and support and hope you have a great week! - Elder Cline

MTC Repeat!

Hey Everyone, Not much to report other than my new companion today will be Elder Croysdale, my MTC Companion! I'm so excited to have him as a companion again! We're going to hit our year marks of our mission this transfer we're so excited! - Elder Cline

Nearly a Year! A Trip to Mount Charleston

Hello everyone! These past couple weeks has been an adventure! For one, our zone got to go to Mount Charleston recently. It was pretty cool and the sights were beautiful. Although we didn't get to stay for very long, we did get to have the experience.

The work has been going well and transfers are coming up this week. We're expecting for Elder Chesler to leave and a new Elder to come in since Elder Chesler has been in this area for a whopping 4 transfers now. We'll see what happens I guess. If so, this will be my sixth companion in my third area still. Also, the time has come where my year mark is almost here. About 3 more weeks and I will be half way done with my mission in Vegas. Time really does fly. Nothing much to report other than that. Shoutout to my family, the Herrera's, and Elder Shearer for sending me great emails this week! I love all y'all! - Elder Cline

Transfers: Grand Teton and Cedar Springs!

March 30th, 2015

Hello again! The sun continues to get warmer, and the teaching pool continues to get bigger! I got the information this week that I am actually covering two wards here in the Elkhorn Springs Stake: the Grand Teton Ward and the Cedar Springs ward! It was awesome getting to know new people from each ward this Sunday. We have 5 hours of church each Sunday because of the two wards which is new. Transfers came and went. A lot of missionaries went home that I knew and the number of new missionaries I have never seen before increasingly gets bigger.

Posing with the departing missionaries

My trainee, Elder Clapp, is training once again, although this time he is not just half-training (meaning getting a companion after his first transfer), he gets to be the "official" first companion of his trainee's mission. He is now training Elder White. In the picture from left to right, we have Elder Victory (My Trainer), Elder Cline, Elder Clapp (My Trainee) then Elder White (Elder Clapp's trainee). In the other picture we have Elder Gray who was half trained by Elder Clapp. Our posterity is growing!

Our new apartment is awesome and has a great view. In my first area, I remember coming to the apartments I am at now and I thought "man, I wish I live here instead!" and now, I get that privilege. We live with Elder Stoker and Elder Bogle.

View from our new apartment

This week Elder Chesler and I basically prepped the area for the next coming weeks. After splitting up our area into different sections and colors, we assigned ward members according to their respective areas and we have gone to visit them. Not only does this save miles for our car, but it saves time as well. Speaking of a car, I still have only been on bike for 1 month of my mission so far, and it was during the best time of the year so we've been ok as far as the heat goes.

Elders Chesler and Cline

That's about it for this week. Many things in store for later! Love all Yall! - Elder Cline NLVWM

New Companion and Lots of Photos

March 23rd, 2015 Well, this week did not go as expected. It was interesting... First off, I am going to be a district leader in the Elkhorn Springs stake, in northern Las Vegas! I was kinda bummed to leave the singles ward, but I have heard the new ward I am going to, the Grand Teton ward, is super awesome. My new companion is going to be Elder Chesler who I don't know yet. Transfers will be tonight (March 23rd). I have been with Elder Shearer for over 13 weeks now which makes him my longest companion yet, and it's crazy to leave him. I'll miss that boy! The work here was/is going great as well as the work is in my last ward, Meadows 4th! In fact, Austin Smith was baptized a member of the church this Saturday. In October last year, when Elder Clapp and I were first on bike, we accidentally passed by a street we were supposed to turn on. It was weird because we just kept biking the wrong way for some reason. All of the sudden we hear out of the dark night "Hey... Brothers!" and then " Hey, we want to learn!" Our bikes turned around pretty quickly towards the direction of the noise. A family of 7 was out on their porch, waiting to hear what we're all about, and the rest is history. Austin, who's in high school, is the first to get baptized, will get the Priesthood soon, and hopes to baptize the rest of his family when they're ready. We're so proud of him and I am glad I got to be there at his baptism.

Going back to Meadows for Austin's baptism

Everything turned out great. It was also interesting this week that my first companion Elder Victory went to be Assistant to our Mission President this week as well. I'm happy for him.

Miscellaneous Photos from Vegas

Awesome Vegas Scenery

Bishop and Sister Duckworth and I

Ciera our recent convert and Us

Jacob and I

Mackenzie L. and Us

Talbot and I

The Amazing Billy's Barbecue

The Amazing Larsens and I

Vegas Cars...

The Mannings and Us

Zach and I

Hope everyone else had a great week and I hope to hear from y'all soon. Keep the faith! - Elder Cline

Keepin' the Faith

This week was quite an experience, and a joy. First off, our investigator Biunca Tables was just baptized a member of the church by our Bishop, Bishop Duckworth. I thought I might share a little bit of her story as best as I know it.

We met Biunca from a referral given to us. Missionaries in the other Vegas mission had run into her while she was driving her friend home. While the friend told Biunca she didn't have to talk to us and related to her how they were just out sharing a message of Christ, Biunca was intrigued and talked to them. Once she was referred to us, we went up to her door one night, knocked, and what seemed like the happiest most outgoing person stepped outside. We talked with her for a while, set up a day to come back and left. Once she started taking the lessons, she started soaking in all the information like a sponge. She began to know everything we taught her. Only knowing of God and Jesus Christ before hand, we shared the Bible, the Book of Mormon, the Gospel of Jesus Christ, The Plan of Salvation, Temples and so much more to her as new information. As she read, and prayed and went to church, she felt the spirit more than ever in her life, has prayed more than ever in her life, and came to know of the messages' truth. She was baptized 2 days ago, and she loves the gospel of Jesus Christ. I have no doubt she is going to be great in many things as she gets older. She's just amazing.

Other than that, our week went by as just any other week on a mission. Right now we're working on helping less-active members finding their way back. It's a journey for sure. Things are heating up a little in Vegas still and summer is on it's way. I hope I get to stay in this area for another transfer because I have really loved the Spanish Trail Young Single Adult ward. If I stay this, next transfer, I will have served just about my first year of my mission in two wards! Transfer calls come out this week and transfers are next Monday, so we'll see!

The things you find in the church library...

National Treasure reference. Get it?

To all, Keep the faith, Elder Cline

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