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As missionaries, we add our voices to those prophets who have declared the message of salvation as with a "trump of God", or as "one speaking out of the dust", to help bring souls unto Christ. May their voices continue to echo through the ages, declaring the gospel, "till it has sounded in every ear, till the purposes of God shall be accomplished, and the Great Jehovah shall say the work is done".

Wednesday, December 18, 2013

Christmas Party - 18 December 2013

T'was the night before Christmas, and all through the West,
Everyone was excited to Skype those they love best.
Elder Ririe's Red Jacket was hung up with care,
In hopes an AP Call would soon be there.
The Greenies were nestled all snug in their beds,
While visions of Baptisms danced in their heads.
Sis. Ahlander in her PJ's, President Ahlander in his Cap,
They settled down in the mission home for a much needed nap.

When out at the office, there arose such a clatter,
The Highland Hills Zone awoke to see what was the matter.
Away to the door, Barton flew like a flash,
Bruce opened the window, and threw up the sash.
Highland Hills soon realized that they were not alone,
Down Craig road came the Lone Mountain Zone.
With Tanner in front, and Elder George near,
Elders Matthews and Jacobsen bringing up the rear.

By this time the news of the clatter had spread,
Every Elder and Sister were out of their beds.
Mesquite being far, they did drive with much speed
With Herlin and Seljestad's van in the lead.
Spring Mountain arrived; they made their presence known,
Elder Chapman would have been there, but he couldn't find the phone.
Elkhorn ran their way over, for they saw a glimmer,
Hunsaker led the pack (He's been looking much slimmer).
A yell from Elder Lahti, who's in Tule Springs,
Quieted the crowd, "I think I heard bells ring!"

Sister Mataele said, "Do you see that, up in the sky?"
Elder Diaz remarked, "I guess Reindeer can fly....."
Elder West said, "EH! Do you see a man all in red?
He's got reigns in his hands, and a hat on his head!"
President Ahlander then arrived, and got the zones all in line---
"Come Bonanza, and Lakes, and Redrock, and Sandstone!
South, and Meadows...oh wait....now Sandstone's Las Vegas Zone...”
He did what worked best, and the zones assembled,
In the cold even Utah-boys began to tremble.

The sleigh made its approach, led by 9 big reindeer,
Elder Hunt then called out, "Wait! You can't park here!"
Yet the sleigh landed on down, the driver gave a great chuckle,
He stepped out in black boots, a black belt, and belt-buckle.
He was dressed all in red, and his cheeks were red too,
"Ho, Ho, Ho!" he said, "Nice to meet all of you!
I've heard all about your work, with the Gentile and Jew!"
Elder Golden was confused, Elder Aldridge let out a laugh,
Sisters Pulsipher and Hoffman took 2 GREAT steps back.

"Is this really St. Nick?" Elder Titus asked Elder Woody,
Elder Bloomfield replied, "Maaaaan, if it is...I want a new hoodie!"
St. Nick asked the crowd, in a loud voice,
"What would you want, if you had a choice?"
"New Shoes!" shouted Tews, "A new car!” said Elder Gonzales,
"How 'bout work all year round, in fact...for all of us!"

Now with this response, Santa hushed up the crowd,
"I'll tell you what," He said, loud and proud,
"Let me share a little wisdom, a reminder of sorts,
In this test called "The Mission", "you shoulda worn shorts!"
It's hard work, yes it's true, and that's God's great gift.
He's teaching you patience, how he works, how to be swift.

In all that you do, you're learning about him.
Imagine it as a workout, in God's figurative Gold's Gym.
You're stretching, you’re stressed, and people aren't always nice,
But when your time's up, you're a pearl of great price.
My gifts that I give need batteries, and parts,
But the gifts that you give, they come from your hearts.
Your time here is precious, and your testimony is too,
And when you tell a stranger the Blue Book, ‘Yes, it's true’
God thanks you and smiles, and that's no joke.
At least...that's what he told me, the last time we spoke."

The air was thick, some eyes were teary,
No one knew what to say, he'd spoken so clearly.
So he got back in his sleigh, and it started off with a kick,
(Did they just get a training from Dear ole' St. Nick?)
As the reindeer climbed up, and up, and away,
All the Elders and Sisters think they heard Santa say:

"It's Christmas tomorrow, but we get gifts every day!
An appointment, a paid-for lunch, just knowing exactly what to say!
Look up to the heavens, and thank your Heavenly Dad,
Just work hard, you'll reunite, and both of you will be glad,
That you gave it your all, and your all's what it took.
In the city of Sin, Satan's will, you shook.
You may not get medals, awards, or a pair of new kicks,
But your name will be had for good, and that is what sticks.
Away from the Strip, in the West, you are the light,
So Merry Christmas to all, and to all, a Good night!


Thursday, November 28, 2013

Turkey Bowl 2013 - 28 November 2013

The Turkey Bowl has been a great tradition in The Nevada Las Vegas West Mission. It was a beautiful day and everyone enjoyed being together. We were impressed by the great sportsmanship and the athleticism of so many of the missionaries! There were some pretty creative uniforms and T-shirts that were designed by some of our very artistic missionaries, as well.


Monday, November 18, 2013

A "Thanksgiving" Sister's Activity - 18 November 2013

We're so "grateful" to have so many wonderful sister missionaries in our mission! We celebrated this fact by gathering all of the sisters together for an activity and luncheon at the mission home for the Thanksgiving Season.We were so thankful for the beautiful Las Vegas weather that day!

Before we ate, we each wrote down something we were grateful for and placed it in the "gratitude" jar. Following lunch we all got to know each other a little better through a clever "get acquainted" activity. Each of the sisters were eager to tell something about their companion they were grateful for, as well.

I paid tribute to my dear mother, Colleen Maxwell, who truly "lives in thanksgiving daily" (Alma 34:38).  She is continually expressing how grateful she is for her many blessings.  

My father once paid tribute to her when he said, "it reflects the basic set of her soul and permits her to persist and to endure well, because her view of life is positive and optimistic. She is not naive, however, nor unaware of the pains and sorrows that are part of this mortal experience. But she is deeply and persistently thankful for life!"

I have grown to be more and more appreciative of this thought of my mothers:

"Perhaps if we were to take a simple measure of how spiritually well a person is-it would be how much gratitude he or she feels for life."

Several years ago my mother made up a little Thanksgiving booklet full of thoughts, quotes, and remembrances. She gave one to every member of our family for Thanksgiving. In honor of her, I made some copies of this little booklet to share with each of the sisters.


Wednesday, October 23, 2013

Special Training Meeting - 23 October 2013

This month we were given the wonderful opportunity to be visited by Brother Donaldson and Brother Glazier from the Missionary Department! Several missionaries had the opportunity to learn firsthand from these brethren as they (Brothers Donaldson and Glazier) had personally accompanied some of them on their teaching appointments the night before. These brethren gave a special training to many of the Elders and Sisters serving as leaders in the mission, encouraging them to teach and work in new ways - we practiced a lot! At the end of the day, we all felt like we had learned some great new teaching and finding tools, which was very encouraging and helped build confidence and strength in us as missionaries. What a blessing for us to be able to learn from these experienced brethren today.

Tuesday, October 22, 2013

Article - Thousands More Mormons Choose Missionary Service

As we have been well informed by our prophet and apostles, the work of salvation is being hastened. It is inspiring to see the many sacrifices that our young men and women are making to serve the Lord and our fellowmen. With thousands more mormons choos[ing] missionary service, we are seeing blessings all around in unprecedented ways!



Friday, October 11, 2013

Up and Running!

Elders and Sisters, parents and friends!
After an anticipated and anxious awaiting we are online...almost! We are still adding to the various sections of the site and will be making changes no doubt as we progressively add content. We do not intend to leave out events which have occurred before we were able to make this blog, so we will be adding posts of those things! Keep posted! You can receive updates from the blog automatically by e-mail subscription through inserting your e-mail address into the box on the right-side of the page! Also, you can bookmark us to keep these memories close at hand. We are still working things out, so if you have issues using the website or suggestions, please send us a message or comment below!

-Office Technical Staff

Interviews - Spring Mountain - 11 October 2013

Interviews - Spring Mountain - 11 October 2013

CLICK HERE FOR PICTURES

Wednesday, October 2, 2013

Interviews - Highland Hills - 2 October 2013

Interviews - Highland Hills - 2 October 2013

Mission Leadership Council - 2 October 2013

The beginning of this month began with our Mission Leadership Council! This month we met and discussed from Preach My Gospel Chapter 3, Lesson 2 : The Plan of Salvation. As we spoke about how we might help our Elders and Sisters apply the Plan of Salvation to the lives of those investigating the church, we were given inspiring ideas to help everyone understand better this great plan.

Tuesday, September 24, 2013

God Be with You Till We Meet Again - 24 September 2013

Today we said goodbye to a great group of Elders! They have worked so hard and diligently, we know their work has reaped blessings for those they have served.

Monday, September 23, 2013

Transfers - 23 September 2013

This week we experienced yet another transfer cycle! Our missionaries love this time because they get to see friends and companions they have not been with in a while. Here are some pictures we captured at our transfer meeting!

Here They Come - 23 September 2013

Today we welcomed a wonderful group of elders and sisters into our mission! They look so excited to share the gospel! We are so happy to share this great enthusiasm with them as well!

Wednesday, September 4, 2013

Mission Leadership Council - 4 September 2013

Today we had our mission leadership council meeting! Our elders and sisters serving as zone leaders and sister training leaders, respectively, gave us great knowledge as we discussed from Preach My Gospel Chapter 11, "How do I help People Make and Keep Commitments?". Their insights were valuable and we are excited for the learning each of our missionaries will receive from their zone leaders next week!

Thursday, August 29, 2013

God Be with You Till we Meet Again - 29 August 2013

This day we said goodbye to one of our dear Elders. Elder Peacock has been a great help to us as he has so diligently served everyone around him, as he has taught all of us so much!

CLICK HERE FOR PICTURES

Wednesday, August 28, 2013

Zone Conference - Meadows, Elkhorn Springs, and Sandstone - 28 August 2013

The last run of our zone conferences for the quarter were with the Meadows, Elkhorn Springs, and Sandstone Zones. It has been wonderful having the opportunity to visit with every Elder and Sister in our mission, and very faith promoting to hear their testimonies of the Resoration of the Gospel in particular. These Elders and Sisters are truly remarkable!

CLICK HERE FOR PICTURES

Friday, August 23, 2013

Zone Conference - South, Las Vegas, and Spring Mountain - 23 August 2013

This week we had zone conference with the South, Las Vegas, and Spring Mountain Zones! We really felt the Spirit present as we were given training from our mission president, assistants, and zone leaders. And of course, a good time was had by all!

Friday, August 16, 2013

Zone Conference - Highland Hills, Lakes, Redrock - 16 August 2013

As the month has progressed, we have been holding zone conferences elsewhere across the valley! Today we visited with the Highland Hills, Lakes, and Redrock Zones. Everyone had a great time as we discussed and learned about the Restoration of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

Thursday, August 15, 2013

Train the New Missionaries and Trainers - 15 August 2013

This week we had the opportunity to once again have a meeting the new missionaries and their trainers! We had a wonderful time talking about becoming great missionaries and ways we can do that! Go forth and serve!

Wednesday, August 14, 2013

Zone Conference - Lone Mountain, Tule Springs, and Mesquite - 14 August 2013

Each three months we have the wonderful opportunity to meet as zone and zones to have a "zone conference". It is an "all-day-deal" where our Elders and Sisters share their testimonies of the gospel, share ways we can help others as they apply the gospel to their lives, and we learn better how to teach. After a series of training and practice, we leave fed by the Spirit. Today we captured some pictures of Elders and Sisters from the Lone Mountain, Tule Springs, and Mesquite zones!

Tuesday, August 13, 2013

God Be with You Till We Meet Again - 13 August 2013

Today we bade farewell to a number of our great missionaries! We have had fun getting to know them and also sharing with them the joy of bringing the gospel unto others. We are thankful for their great sacrifices.

Monday, August 12, 2013

Transfers - 12 August 2013

Today we experienced our second cycle of transfers! Elders and Sisters came in from all over the valley and mission to meet-up with their new companions!

Here They Come - 12 August 2013

This morning we welcomed our second group of Elders and Sisters into the greatest mission in the world! After a pick-up at the airport we spent some brief time having a morning meal and an afternoon orientation. We look forward so much to serving with your Elders and Sisters!

Friday, August 2, 2013

Mission Leadership Council - 2 August 2013

Today we were able to meet with the leadership of our mission! The zone leaders and sister training leaders came prepared as we discussed (from Preach My Gospel Chapter 3, lesson 1) The Message of the Restoration of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. There was much valuable insight given and many great things were learned!

Friday, July 26, 2013

Specialized Train New Missionary and Trainer Meeting - 26 July 2013

Each transfer cycle we have the opportunity to meet with the trainers and the new missionaries of our mission. We have a specialized training meeting which follows up to our regular train the new missionaries and trainers meeting (otherwise termed STNMT). We learn about the progress of our Elders and Sisters, the challenges they are having, and then discuss ways to resolve these challenges. Everyone adds their input and comes away from the meeting refreshed and edified.

Tuesday, July 23, 2013

God Be With You Till We Meet Again - 23 July 2013

Today we said goodbye to two great missionaries! We are sad to see them go, but we know the effect of their testimonies and work for good will be felt long after this time!

Friday, July 19, 2013

Leadership Training - 19 July 2013

Today we had the opportunity to meet with all of the leadership of our mission! Our trainers, district leaders, and zone leaders gathered as we discussed fundamentals of Preach My Gospel. This time we discussed the principles of "Revelation through Church Attendance" and "Teach People, Not Lessons".

Wednesday, July 17, 2013

God Be with You Till We Meet Again - 17 July 2013

Today we bade farewell to one of our assistants: Elder Dowuona-Hammond. It has been so great to have him here to share his wisdom with us and in helping to make the mission run smoother. We are so grateful for his great help and many efforts to us, each missionary, and all those he has served!Thank you so much for all your hard work! Thank you so much for all your hard work!

Interviews - Meadows - 17 July 2013

Interviews - Meadows - 17 July 2013