I Love Jesus So Much!

Sister Cluff fractured her finger! Three Mondays ago, she hurt it trying to catch a football thrown really hard by some elder. She was crying. We told Sister Bellamy, the mission nurse, and she said to massage it and pull on it to see if we could unjam it. So we did. The next day it was huge. She saw the finger at zone conference the next Friday and said, yeah, massage it. Then last Monday we get a call, she told us to go in to urgent care. She wanted us to go right then, but we called to see what the wait was, pretty long, so we went on Thrusday. She has a spiral fracture! And now she has a dandy brace! We go back on the 7th to see how it has healed! 

We had exchanges and I was with Sister Christensen! Working in the YSA. It was so fun to be back with her for the day! We had lots of fun and actually taught an LA woman from Michigan who is down here for work. She had a very sad story as to why she and her husband are less active. So we had to pass her on to different missionaries because she isn't YSA and not in my area. The elders that have her though will do so good with her. 

Thanksgiving was so great! We played flag football as missionaries. I didn't really care for that part, but then we went to the chapel and played board games or sporty games. We went to two different homes and ate food! The Bates, who have a son who just started his mission a few months ago in Georgia Atlanta North mission, and the Paynes. We got to go out of boundaries for that dinner! Sister Payne's brother lives in Osino, which is the zone leader's area, and her whole family was there! It was really fun!

We also spent two hours with a less active family. The mom and return missionary son, talking about his mission and really getting to know them better. It was super good! From the start of the transfer to now, she has warmed up so much to us and was excited to see us (Our guidelines for the ways to strengthen relationships with investigators, members and less actives). We pretty much know all his problems now, and we didn't even have to ask, he just talked and they all came out! But it was really fun to hear about his mission in Montana. He went out just before 9-11. Every time we tell members that we are visiting their family, they are all amazed a bit and have little tidbits of info to give us each time! We are slowly piecing together the story. One day they will be remember the love they have for the Savior, and how much they really do need the gospel in their lives. I don't think while Sister Cluff is here, but I know it will happen. 

The rest of the week we taught and visited people. We were visiting some of the new families to the ward from the boundary changes and we were in the Sandle's. Just as we were leaving, we see two men walk up the steps of the member's that live across the road where we were going next. They were Jehovah's Witnesses. We rush back in the Sandle's and watch the Garvin's. They sent them away pretty fast. We leave materials with Sister Sandle's and skidattle on over to the Garvin's. Brother Garvin made the joke, "we should have kept them here and when you came you could have talked." (loosely what he said) "Nooooo." 

While we were there, they came back up the street to the Sandle's. Sister Sandle gave them the invitation to the interfaith Creche thing this weekend and we think the light the world pass along card. It was pretty great to watch!

LIGHT THE WORLD IS HERE FOR A SECOND YEAR! WOOOOOOOOOOO Everyone gets a chance to do it again! I am so excited! If you are looking for a way to bring Christ back into Christmas for you and your family, it is such an amazing way! Oh man. I love it so much! https://www.mormon.org/ Just go here, it is right there! It is for people of all faiths, not just Mormons! There were like 82.5 million views and such, and 32,000 referrals from last year! I love Jesus so much! The church is true. This is so great!

Our ward mission leader served his mission in Brazil. I have an automatic response to say "Oi!" to people I am familiar with, and he is the only one who has said Oi! back while I have been out bound other than sister Smith A., but she is five hours away in Reno. #trainedbyagreatbrasileira #euseiqueéverdade

I gave a talk on Sunday in 2nd ward. I have given better talks than that one by far, but this will be my most memorable. There is a sister in the ward who has health problems. I was speaking, scanned over to where my comp was sitting and I see her rush up and to the sister with health problems and she was having SEIZURE! And I just faded out of talking, I had no idea what to say after that. Turns out she has them often and they called an ambulance too. The bishop told me to keep going once they got it managed. All I need now is some crazy story for my departing talk back at TS!

There was a baptism in the YSA Branch! And our investigator Will went to it! He is getting baptized in January. Sister Cluff started teaching him with Sister Thomsen. He is still pretty solid though. A great guy. 

Work is going, building is going, and I love being out here and being a missionary!
Sister Glanzer!

There was this family that set up the gym for a nerf war they have every Thanksgiving

Perfect picture time

Football

Games at the 5th street building

They played mom's favorite game. I didn't, I played VB and Phase 10 cards

The Work is Slow, But the Work is Good

This is the most important thing, what I am about to say. Pre mission I have only met about two people named Jason. During my Temple Square time I have met I think 4-5 people, that is about 12 months. But in nine weeks of being in the Nevada Reno Mission I have meet three elders (two are companions), and two members, and have two less active members on the lists. What? That's like 6 people! That is super cool... My dog's name is Jason, and all of them know it. And you know what? No one here has given me a funny look or mean comment about my dog's name, or makes fun of it. 

Tuesday, we had zone training meeting with "How to Build an Area." Every time I hear it, I learn something new, which I am glad for because it would get very boring after the first week. 

Sister Cluff and I biked in the rain on Thursday because we wanted to! Super good!

We had zone conference. I love Zone conference, they officially gave the case study to everyone! I had to give a departing testimony.... I am not even going home home. But President Chesnut told everyone that Sister Christensen co-wrote the case study and I helped a bit too and that we were here to get it rolling  Way to throw us under the bus! I have no idea what I am doing out here, don't tell them I do!

Also! They are doing #LightTheWorld again this year! Super cool! I get to listen that song again for a month! It is so good, the 24th it will be world available! 

At zone conference we got flu shots. Our 3rd ward mission leader is a pharmacist and he gave us all shots that needed them. Then we did this change a tire on a bike thing, and the bike we were working at kept getting worse! So, we split into two groups, one person had to take off the tire replace it and put it back on, while telling us all what to do. 

1. Put the back tire tread on backwards

2. Sister Christensen pulled a goat head out of the front tire causing a hole, so we had to change that

3. While the front was getting fixed, the elder, one of the Jasons, was pumping the tire up so much that it popped! It sound like a gun shoot! It freaked everyone out! He seemed very shaken up.

That bike got two brand new tubes that it didn't even need! Funny.

This was stake conference weekend for Elko West Stake. Sister Cluff and I decide to text all the less active members about it. This took at least two hours to do. We had a few responses, mainly people telling us that the number is not that of the person we think, but our favorite was John Beck from Jackpot NV, who is a traveling musician with his wife, and they are currently in North Dakota. And them some called us a cult. Good times.

But now, for exciting news! They redid the ward boundaries, and only 2nd and 3rd wards got bigger and new people. All of the English Elko missionaries have to give us lists of the people we gained. Super fun! Sister Cluff and I are excited! 

The work is slow, but the work is good, and if it doesn't take off while I am here, it definitely will next transfer! 

Sister Glanzer

P.S. I cut my hair, just in case I forgot to mention it. It feels really short, but I guess it is still the typical long length for girls. \_(' ' )_/ Who knows? 

Mini Missionaries

Since I serve in two wards again I get to go to both services! We go between 2 buildings on Sundays. I am doing church things and meetings from 7 am to 4 pm! We eat lunch in the car really fast as we drive to the other building. We actually had two investigators, one in each ward. Which was super exciting! 

We found a new investigator, or rather she found her neighbor, a member, who called us! Her name is Becky and she is here getting clean. We have seen her five times this week! The first lesson, part 1 of the plan of salvation, dinner, our family history open house, part 2 of the plan of salvation and Sunday! She is so prepared. Like really open.

Sister Cluff had a family history event organized that was open to the public to learn the basics of Family History, and we missionaries where going to give church tours! Sounds good right? Well, not a lot of people came, but there were small successes. Becky came to that and we gave her the tour (we walk around the building, see the baptismal font and chapel parts). When we were in the baptismal font area she told us se would like to get baptized! YAY!

But here is the catch! She goes back to Tennessee in twoish weeks, so we won't see her baptized here. We will continue to teach her regularly then get her info sent of to those lucky Tennessee missionaries. The Bishop of 3rd ward told us that he would also help when the time comes to get in contact with the Bishop in Tennessee where she lives. All that matters is that she is converted to God and the Gospel and that she has a good support set up in Tennessee! Still sad though, I was hoping I could help teach someone all the way through, from lesson one to baptism. 

It is steadily getting colder down here. 

On Saturday, we did mini missions, where the Priests and Laurels (16 and up kids) come out with us for the day. Sadly, I totally forgot to take a picture with my temporary companion, but we had fun. She is super super quiet.... And I felt like I had almost no idea what I was doing.

There are a lot of trailer parks here, and I got the numbers and address confused, so we tried all of the numbers of both areas we were going to in one area. We think that is why no one answered the doors. We also let some know that their propane tanks were leaking. I think that is my favorite thing, letting random people know there is something wrong. The man was too focused on the tank or us to get into missionary mode and talk gospel with him, but that's okay. Kamysha, the name of my mini missionary, was very nice, I think a bit scared, but we had fun! A good break from the everyday missionary life! 

Now, the investigator that was already being taught when I got here, passed his baptismal interview, and Pres. Lloyd, in the mission presidency, who watches us out here on the East Side, conducted it. He told Sister Cluff, get him baptized as soon as you can, he is ready! YAY! WOOOOO! So, last night we go to set an official date, our hope was the end of November, but as we were setting it with him, he told us that he wants to wait until January. Now this guy bares his testimony in 10 to 20 minute intervals. He know it is true, is 100% converted to the Gospel. We were shocked, but had great poker faces. He wants to wait so that his family can attend. Which, of course, we can't argue that at all. We are all about family unity. We still have no official date with him, but we will be calling him later today to figure it out. Stab in the heart, me just a little, but Sister Cluff a big one. She has seen him progress and grow and turn for the better since the first meeting with him. He is another one of those super prepared people. 

My Companion Sister Cluff would go to lake Tahoe every year for family vacation. She is from Alpine, Utah. She has been out nine months, and she is pretty fun! We get along great! She likes to work hard, missionary focused, and she loves the people here and they love her! 

Quick!

Zone Leaders: Elder Bridge (MD) Elder Harmon (DE) 

District Leader: Elder Abbot (UT)

His comp: Elder Lee (Michigan)

District

US

Elder Slay (TX) and Elder Chesley (OK)

Sister Traning leaders (in the other district): Sister Neely (claims W.Virgina and Alabama) and Sister Christensen (UT)

There you have it!

Sister Glanzer

Weekly planning!

Waiting for mini missionaries

Waiting for mini missionaries

Me, sister Cluff, sister White, and Becky

Sister Cluff and me

We set up the stake center for the church tour, to teach the message of the Restoration of the Gospel of Jesus Christ! Two actual tours were taken, and two practice tours with the Elders.

Welcome to Elko!

It has been rainy and cloud here in Elko, Nevada. Not much to look at. My area is actually small enough we could bike it! Now I have a bike. But we are going to have the elders fix it for me today at p-day activities, which I think are just like last transfer. We go to a chapel and play sports. It feels weird to say "play sports"... have gym class? I did something terrible and waited until the last 10 minutes to write my weekly... Oops! 

What are some highlights of Elko? There is a Costa Vida. That is pretty good, but I have never eaten there until I got to Reno. I hope to find one in WA. We cover two wards, and it is super hard to keep everyone straight. like who is in what ward, because the areas are right next to each other and there is no cultural difference between the two wards. BUT! my area is still waaaaaay bigger than temple square! The people are so nice and good, and I can't wait to help them get even more excited for missionary work! 

We have one investigator, Will, who they had to reschedule the baptism for, because of his job. Many, many people work for the mines here, so there is a lot of weird schedules. They have a 30 minute night time sacrament meeting on Sundays for those who have to work on Sundays. That is super neat.

Sister Cluff is like me! Youngest of five kids with a pretty big age gap. Her gap is ten years, and mine is seven years. She loves the people here and loves the work! 

This is definitely very different then a YSA ward. I have two new distractions, pets and children. Especially shorter haired cats. Even these past few days it is crazy how my attitude toward the area fluctuates when there are no lessons. But I am keeping up a good outside, so that it will turn into a better inside.

I am doing the kind of missionary work that I always thought was missionary work. Sister Cluff is amazing with the members, and I think I might be testing her patience a little bit about asking which members can come with us for the few lessons we do have.

There has been a few successes in this short time with trying just LAs! We were walking about one night, and we passed a house with people in the garage, invited them to the family history night that we are really trying to get tons of people to. While talking to them, we found a hidden member! We were inspired to go there!

Also, there is a family where the wife got some anti material 5-10 years ago from one of her in-laws that added to her troubles, and just pushed her over into inactivity. Well, after three days in a row stopping by, we had a 30 min controlled focused lesson, and a return appointment! So good! She also gave us a treat! I think she likes us! 

Sorry, gotta go bye!

Sister Glanzer! 

All that you see was my old area, and what you can't see way behind us! All of sparks and reno!

The lonely road

This place looks like WA

Sister Merrick and a fresh from the MTC sister on the transfer van

Stopped in Winimmuca for a drop off, switch, refuel, and go!

Those v's are actually u's

Look at the bumper sticker!

Last zone morning program. Quincy district excluded

Last lesson with these three, Sis. christensen and I left them behind in Elko!

Look Who Found Allison in Elko Nevada!

Allison is assigned to Elko Nevada where her sister's friend Amy Still lives.  Amy and her children found Allison at church on Sunday.

Why do you need the Savior?

​​I think I have told y'all, but Sister Christensen and Sister Lovstedt have been writing a case study about building an area, and how to use the members and stop finding through our own efforts and go strictly to LARCs. For the past five weeks this was all of our non existent free time. I got to read it a few times, hear the trainings a few times, and listen to it over and over again while I contacted people on the LG Flip! Listening to it was so inspiring. Now, I would have quick thoughts that I would shoo away, "That would be fun to implement that in a new area" or "That would be cool to go apply this in area that needs it." I never prayed for it. I never put too much thought into it, but guess what, I am transferred to Elko, which 4.5 hour away from Reno. Who would have thought? And now I get to help start the case study mission wide. How nerve wracking is that?

My new companion of is Sister Cluff from UT. I hope she knows how to drive in the snow. I don't have a tiwi card. Tiwi is the box that regulates our driving. To let us know if we are driving to fast or if we took a turn too fast. He lets us go seven over the speed limit. that is pretty generous.

The funny thing about this is that Pres. Chesnut told Sis. Christensen on Friday after Sis. Conference. So we told a bunch of elders that Sis. Christensen and Lovstedt dreamt about it. The Assistants thought that was pretty funny.

This is how you know Heavenly Father gives inspiration to mission presidents and the assistants. I have maybe talked with Pres. Chesnut like twice, and once was with Sis. Smith at the beginning of the transfer, and the only thing I remember from that, "I can trust that you will be obedient?"  "Yes, President!" I wonder what my companions were saying about me in their letters to him every week. Thanks Heavenly Father, I'll do my best.

Also, Sis. Christensen, who spent her whole mission on the west side, (Reno/Sparks area) is getting shipped out with me to the east side her very last transfer! Also in spring to summer next year all there will be 162ish missions that will be using smartphones in their proselyting. How crazy is that!?! Man, too bad it wasn't early, while I was still here, I would have loved to help prep everyone on technology!

I am a bit sad to be leaving the Reno YSA because I was really barley getting to know the people better, and there are going to be two more baptisms here next transfer. This is nothing like getting transferred to a new zone every transfer at Temple Square, I still see all the missionaries I kind of made friends with. BUT! Elder Harmon, who is in the YSA ward with us, and Sis. Merrick from the zone are coming with us! So there will be three people I know!

WE WENT TO THE TEMPLE ON TUESDAY! That was amazing! I never thought I would be so excited to see a temple! The Reno temple is pretty small, but I like it! That temple is beautiful! We went as a zone. This was the first time in a long time that I went to the temple and their were more men than women going through. Good boost before I am shipped off!

We had Sisters' Conference, where all the sisters in the mission come to the Prater building right next to the mission office. We have trainings from the STLs, Sister Training Leaders. They were all really good trainings. We had a senior missionary talk to us about the priesthood, about what it is and means to him. That was very spirit filled. We got a copy of it!

I never have talked much about the rough tours on temple square, or the rough over-the-phone lessons. But Sister Lovstedt and I had a legendary lesson with an investigator we had on date. This was the worst lesson ever. We would ask a simple question, he would go off on tangents like nobody's business. Literally, I asked, "Who is Christ to you, how do you feel about him?" I gave him an example, and he goes on to talk about James Bond! Then I asked a simpler question, "Do you know why we need a savior? Yes or no?" That answer was waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay off! Way off. Then he told us that he learns better from men, so we gave him the Elders. They had a better lesson with him, which we were happy about. After that lesson as soon as I was in the car, we just laughed out heads off. It was ridiculous and funny! While this lesson was going on, the YSA Elders were making funny faces in the classroom window! 

My invitation is to study and find out why you need a savior. Who is Christ to you? Not only will you find the answer, but your love for Him will grow, and you will trust Him more.

Last six weeks in Reno Nevada Mission!  It is going to be great!

Sister Glanzer!

P.S. I have a new address: 1140 college ave elko nv 89801 the Zone LEaders didn't give us an apartment number if there is one. We'll find out next week I guess. A member told us there is going to be a snow storm on Friday in Elko! Yay! I got some boots.

Reno has a mission blog!

http://nevadarenomission.com/

Reno Mission Photos

Sister Cluff and Sister Glanzer in Elko Nevada

Reno North Zone Temple Trip