Week 20 - Kalgoorlie, Australia - December 28, 2015 - HAPPY NEW YEAR!

WELP... don't have much time today! I utterly loved seeing all of you on Christmas! It was good to have a few laughs and I was happy to see you all pretty much look the same:) haha! Serious tho, I love you guys and thanks for that Great Christmas gift:) 

I am leaving Kalgoorlie! It is bittersweet. I have loved it here and I love the people soooo much...I am going to miss it but I am excited to see what awaits:) 

I have been called to be a zone leader of the Southern River Zone. It is the largest zone in the mission and all I have heard about my area is that it is somewhat near the coast near Free Mantle, a poplular beach.

Saying goodbye to everyone here has sucked:( especially L. She just started crying and I wanted to give her THE BIGGEST HUG! But obviously that is highly restricted - so I denied myself. 

I love being a missionary. I love all of you more than anything! and I am excited to pour my heart into the work in the CITY AREA! I will leave for Perth tomorrow morning on train. btw. My boy Elder Jensen is training and he is the new district leader! 

Love you guys! HAPPY NEW YEAR!

PS> LOVE YOU KENZIE

The end of an era.  The Kalgoorlie Family.

Kambalda, a small country town we just went to.

        

Kambalda

Christmas Eve 

S.S. - MY BOI <3

KAMBALDA 

Kambalda again

Little M - from a part-member family.

An emu.

Week 19 - Kalgoorlie, Australia - December 21, 2015 - SEASONS GREETINGS!

This morning me and Elder Fowler ran like 5 K's to a members house worked out, 

ran home and got on the bikes went to play bball for 2 hours and then rode our 

bikes to the church. Haha I feel good! I have lost a lot of weight by 

the way Haha mostly just muscle. The other elders just followed on their bikes. 

So first thing first.... skyping will commence at 6pm on Christmas eve...for you guys. It will be 9 o 'clock in the morning here! So hope that works for you guys! You will have to step away from the prime rib for a few minutes but I will keep it quick so you guys can get back to your festivities;)

So President Fife was down here on Wednesday and we were a little nervous. He brought with him his RM son who is like 25 and went to Brazil on his mission. So the night he got here (he flew in) we rode our bikes to a restaurant where he treated us to a meal (a delicacy only country missionaries have the privilege of enjoying) but then the next morning we met early at our flat for studies with President which was really awesome. He just dropped atomic doctrine bombs on us! Then all day he went out with Elder Jensen and I and his son went with the other Elders. We had prepared a super solid day with tons of appointments so we pretty much just drove from appointment to appointment. He really helped us with some concerns the people we are working with have that are surrounding marriage and baptism and stuff like that so it all went super good! He was very impressed with the day and went on his way! So I guess it was a successful exchange! 

Not much else this week that I can recall. I can't wait to skype you guys on Christmas Eve in America:) Thanks for all the letters they are much appreciated! I hope all of you have an amazing Christmas.  While you are bundled up by the fire with the delicate snow flakes falling sipping on a cup of cocoa, think of my dust covered face and chapped lips biking through the Australian bush. 

I love this true and living Gospel. I love Kalgoorlie and serving the people with everything I have! Don't worry about me getting enough to eat this Christmas. The Polynesians will have that one covered....I am sure I will eat more Pig this christmas than any of you:) I love you all MERRY CHRISTMAS!

ELDER CORDNER

P-Day with Zone Leaders

These pics are from our country trip to Leonora and Laverton.  Elder Preston from NZED and 

I were in Laverton. It was one of the coolest days of my mission. We saw miracles this day.

Elder Preston and I were driving back from Laverton to Leonora and a 

wild dingo ran across the road in front of us and this is the shot we got! haha

Creepy cemetery.... btw...sorry I am not very sentimental and did not send you all 

christmas gifts.I have always struggled to do awesome stuff like that:( sorry and yes 

I got the ties in the mail thanks so much! but I haven't gotten the other 

package. don't worry tho I don't even care. I love you all:) 

Elder Fowler and I on exchanges. Some guy we visited gave us some peppers. 

That little crusty brown one is the hottest in the world.. even smelling it saddled me haha.

(It looks like Elder Fowler just ate the hottest one:)

The Solipas the Iosefas and T from Samoa and NEW ZEALAND.

A and his bike.  (Yes...I know Mitch needs to get some longer shorts!)

And I took a pic of these plumerias for you mom....at least 

thats what they smelled like:) love you mom:) (My favorite flower:) Thanks Mitch)

Christmas caroling!

Made a birthday cake for a member.

Week 18 - Kalgoorlie, Australia - December 14, 2015 - Big Baboon

Big mining hole!

How is my family doin??? As we approach Christmas, I have often pictured in my mind, Uncle Jared lying under his little tree in New Mexico and crying himself to sleep while listening to Breath of Heaven.... hahaha (Mitch's Uncle Jared shared this story with him about his first Christmas on his mission.  Sorry Jared - hope you don't mind the whole world knowing now) Makes me laugh every time:) well this week has been busy. We went on a country trip to a town called Leonora. It is like 3 hours from Kal, but it was totally worth it. We taught so many lessons and actually met some part member families clear out in the middle of nowhere. Elder Preston ( the zone leader) and I went just outside of Leonora about an hour and a half to a town called Laverton. It was sweet! We taught some awesome lessons out there and helped out a part member family. There could possibly be a little branch opened up there some day. 

Pres Fife is coming up to Kal tomorrow night and is staying all Wednesday. He is coming on splits with Elder Jensen sand I o we have been setting up appointments for that. I would be lying if I said I wasn't a little nervous:) but it should be good. I will learn HEAPS. I am so excited to skype you guys on Christmas! I love you guys so much! Sorry this letter is lame:( Have an awesome week!

Love Elder Cordner

A cake we made for Brother Heke's birthday!

With the zone leaders playing bush frisbee last P day.

'Twas violent jumping over bushes and logs haha. One is 

from South Africa the other is from NZED.

Carol singing the other night. btw we sang hark the herald angels sing...  

in sacrament meeting in which i had several solos haha. turned out good. 

Week 17 - Kalgoorlie, Australia - December 7, 2015 - Greetings from the Bush

These are everywhere.

Family! 

I am sorry I didn't have time to write you all an email last week hopefully I can write one that can make up for it. 

So Elder Jensen and I got our bikes stolen again....We went to follow up with an former investigator and she invited us into her backyard...We totally forgot we just left the bikes sitting in the front yard. Well, in Kalgoorlie if you take your eye off something for more than 20 seconds, I kid you not, it will be GONE. So as soon as I remembered we had left them there, I ran to check on them but they were gone....UGGGHHHH!! We were so mad at oursleves. We took the long 1 hour walk back to the flat in the blazing sun. But I was not going to just give up. We got in the car and went hunting. I knew that if we went to the most ghetto part of town we might be able to find them but we had to hurry because they always immediately take them home and spray paint the bikes a different color. So we were driving around, we said a prayer and kept driving and just as I was about to give up, we rounded the corner and there in gleaming orange was Nemo, my bike and with a mole riding on top contaminating her. He immediately saw our white shirts and he took off. But he was not quick enough. I throttled the car into park and before Elder Jensen had time to take a second breath, I was sprinting full speed down the road after him. Haha! I was screaming at him telling him to get the heck off. Well, he was bewildered when a man in slacks, church shoes and a tie caught up to him and as I reached out for him I saw the fear in his eyes. Just before I throttled him off the bike he jumped off and went smacking to the ground. I figured since I am a missionary, I should just take the bike and let him go but I felt like doing a little more. He went sprinting off with his buds but the good news was I retrieved Nemo. Somehow, later in the week, Elder Jensen retrieved his bike also because someone put up a facebook post because apparently the kids who stole the bikes got scared of us so they ditched his over a fence. We were blessed to get them back. That would not have been a fun call to the head office:(

After I reclaimed Nemo

Other than that, we have been working really hard on finding new investigators. It's hard but I know as long as we are just doing our best and going boar mode every day, that that is all we can do. The rest is up to the Lord and his timing. We had a ward Christmas party the other day and we got A LOT of less active members and a few investigators to come. It was super good for them to see and meet everyone in a setting like that. The zone leaders are coming up from Rockingham today so we are about to leave and go pick them up they are staying up here till Wednesday. Should be fun:)

Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.

Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls.

For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.

As we approach Christmas time, my thoughts have been heavily turned to the Savior. I have been reading all of the talks from last General Conference every spare second that I have had. My testimony of the Savior, Jesus Christ, and his role in each of our lives, individually, has grown each day as I have read, pondered, and prayed seeking greater faith, understanding, and power. I want you all to know that I know more so now than I ever thought I could know, that Jesus Christ is the Savior and Redeemer of the world. It is ONLY in and through him that our souls can find peace and fulfillment in this life and in the life to come. I testify to you all that I know Jesus Christ's Church is on the earth in its fullness. I testify of Christ and His Gospel every day, and it doesn't matter if people mock me to my face, or swear and tell us to go away, the Spirit confirms my words to my heart. Matt 28-30 has been written on my heart this past week. Christ is the only way. 

I love you all and thanks for all the letters and support. Have an amazing week:) 

Last P-Day in the Bush

We found these massive gold mine shafts in the middle of the bush. 

They are so deep. When we dropped rocks they never hit the bottom to our knowledge. Haha 

Doing the Haka

This is Tai. He gives us smooth hair cuts. 

This is L and her partner J and their three children.

L did not want her picture taken.

BBQ with J