#givethanks -- #dargracias -- Miles

I am very grateful for a living Prophet. 

Estoy muy agradecido por un Profeta viviente.

I'm so thankful for Temples!

Estoy muy agradecido por los Templos!

I am so thankful for my Family!

Estoy muy agradecido por mi Familia!

I am so grateful for music!

Estoy muy agradecido para musica!

I am grateful for all of the super awesome companions that I've had through out my mission!  Neal Secrist, Jony Per, Kyler Alvarez, Jaron Goddard, Mason Rapier, Kayden McKinnon are the best!!

I am so thankful for the church of Jesus Christ and the peace he has brought in my life.  

Estoy muy agradecido por la iglesia de Jesucristo y la paz que ha traido en mi vida. 

 I am so grateful for all the wonderful examples and people I have met on my mission. 

Estoy muy agradecido por todos los maravillosos ejemplos y personas que he conocido en mi mision. 

Week 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34,35...

Let's see... so in the last nine weeks, a few things have happened.  

Miles stopped emailing.  

Because he began calling more.  He calls three times a week. He transferred to Carrollton, TX and his new companion was curmudgeonly.  He didn't want to eat meals together, to study together, to chat or play games.  Not an ideal quarantine partner. 

We however play games with him... virtually.

The boys enjoy their chess matches against Miles.  The Lego men are so that Miles can say... "move the rook on the purple Lego side forward 4 paces."  

Miles coped.  He had his Rubik's cube and a ukulele.  He also began working on his 'mind palace'.  A method of memorization and short-term memory improving techniques. He wowed us on a game night when we played the 'tray game'.  He remembered all 50 items in the order they were on the tray and he never wrote anything down.   He also remembered all 50 items in order days later!

Miles was needing some new Spanish reading material.. We did our best.  Duncan scanned each page and sent them.  We've been looking for more grown up Spanish articles and songs so he can keep up his translating.  

After only a few weeks, missionaries were transferred and Miles stayed where he was but Elder Birch became his new companion.  Elder Birch loved that Miles could cook, and called home and requested old favourite recipes for Miles to make.  They also started jogging. Miles, not such a big fan.  His shins hurt.  

Miles baked a cake, bread, made black bean burgers and chile rellanos.  

He's done so much cooking and become known for it and is referred to as the cooking specialist.  If any missionary has a cooking question, they call Miles.  

Miles also became the District Leader. (DL)

His first task as DL was to create a better name for the companion of the DL.  Until now he's been the district monkey.  Miles first companionship; he was the district monkey.  He was the district monkey a few times.  He didn't think it an appropriately descriptive title.  He is endeavoring to change the name.  The companion will be now be known as, 'CDL' (Companion to the District Leader).  The district monkey will now be... just that.. a district monkey.  

I crocheted little monkeys and attached a note, 

I am the district monkey

-keep me moving around the mission

-move me along each week

-be creative hiding me in another missionary's belongings... but don't get caught

-don't hide me so well that I never am found!!

So far the monkey has been a success.  

The weeks before Covid were very similar... so Miles always said... now they are VERY similar.  including the days all running into each other.  

Added to the isolation because of the Virus, just after becoming district leader, the riots began.  He said from their place in North Dallas they often can hear rioting.  Each of the missionaries in his district have to check in with him each evening.  They're officially on a lock down until tempers cool.  

He seems to be busier these days, with some online lessons and other responsibilities in the district.  

We haven't heard from him as frequently.  In fact not Thursday, Friday or Monday... But Tuesday he called.  Apparently one set of missionaries came across some fishing poles and since they may now go out as missionaries together during the daytime.. they went fishing.   That explained one of his days not calling... another was that they had appointments and lessons.  And another was that he forgot to charge his phone.  

Jam sessions

Some of our laid back days of autumn.

While Jill was visiting we had many a musical jam session.  

She also taught us to make pepper jelly.  mmmm...we're all hooked.  We sent Miles to get crackers but he couldn't find any in the store... as in he couldn't find them.. not that they didn't have any.  We did eventually procure some crackers however these days we discovered that they're really yummy on cucumber slices!  We also mixed a softened cream cheese and a jar of jelly together and it was a great veggie dip. 

Week 24 Transfers

This week is transfers and I will be getting a companion, his name is Élder Stringfellow and I'm moving to Carrollton. This won't happen until tomorrow and we are still in quarantine so we can't do much.

I hope every one is healthy and having a wonderful quarantine.

Élder Noble

This week they were able to break up the monotony a bit and drive to his old apartment and he was able to get all of his things.  For the last two weeks he's been living out of a small back pack.  He had been told he would be living with the foursome of missionaries for a day or two and it turned into two weeks.  So now he and all of his things, including his rubik's cube and his bike, were reunited.  Just in time to be transferred.  

He hasn't called since the transfer yet.. he typically calls on Thursdays.  He was also able to join us for a few minutes on Friday night.  He said it was a lot of fun to listen to the chatter and laughter. 

He gave himself a much needed haircut.  He just buzzed it all off.  His scar is once again prominently displayed.  Buzz cuts are not typical missionary approved styles but in desperate situations...   He was able to rearrange the zoom calling with the district so that he could have earlier meeting times.. He was having troubles with staying up so late and was having headaches.  Now he's better again.  That boy needs his sleep schedule. 

Some members dropped off some Easter eggs for them.  The Mexican traditional Easter eggs are hollowed out egg shells, filled with confetti.  They are then smashed against each others foreheads and the confetti goes everywhere.  

Sounds messy to me.  Perhaps there is more to it than that but that was all the instructions given to the quarantining missionaries. 

The four missionaries have been taking turns cooking and finding interesting things to cook with the food they have on hand.  The one missionary from Puerto Rico made a dish they'd never heard of and Miles thought it was pretty tasty.  

That's it for this week.  

Week - 23 Conference Weekend

Other than Conference this weekend my week has been the same. 

Still on quarantine.

Still can't leave the apartment. 

But this conference was amazing I don't know about any of you but I won't be forgetting it any time soon. I hope all of you had an amazing experience watching conference like I did. One of my favorite speakers was Elder Holland. He has always been one of my favourites.

I wish you all the best and hope you are not to bored while in quarantine.

Élder Noble

Week 22 - No Companion

This week a lot of missionaries went home because of COVID-19.  One of them was my companion, Élder Erickson. None of them had the virus but they had a higher risk if they got it. For most of this week I have been without a companion, and I still don't have one.

We have been stuck inside all week and have been teaching people over the phone it has been an interesting experience for all of us. 

There are no pictures this week because we didn't leave the apartment. I'm currently with three other elders, this P-day is going to be interesting most days we get up, study, have lessons, then call people and try to set up some more lessons. When that's done we don't have much left to do, as for me I go back to studying but the other elders don't like having 7+ hours of studying every day. So I would like to ask for some ideas of things we can do during our days of quarantine.

I hope everyone is healthy and are having a wonderful day.

Élder Noble

He has also asked for 

Recipes

Card Game rules.  they have 2 decks of cards and 6 dice.

Music..  any mp3 or digital music is appreciated.  He can listen to anything instrumental or uplifting/inspirational.. 

This week on the phone he mentioned that the other elders were talking about things they missed so far... mostly it was foods.. burgers, fries, onion rings... then Miles hopped up.. "Don't we have an onion?"  "yes..." 

So he made them onion rings.  Now they are eager to see what else he can cook up in their isolation.

Week 21 -- No Word??

Dear Miles, 

All Well??  No word today?  

Staying out of trouble?

Photo was posted of you on Facebook.. hanging out with about 15 missionaries eating fast food... hope that was weeks ago!!  

Did you receive your package... hope you handled the box as little as possible and just dumped out contents and threw away box and then washed your hands before looking through the contents!!!

Mum

I just received this package for Elder Noble.  I wanted you to see the condition it arrived in in case there is a problem.  You might tell him to check it when we get it to him sometime this week.

Dear Miles, 

So the mission office just emailed that your packages arrived and that the one I sent came damaged.. the pics show that it likely didn't lose anything... but it was battered ..

they said they hope to get things delivered later in the week... so we'll see... don't want anyone getting exposed on our account.  

Mum

In the package was oatmeal packets, juggling balls, seaweed, candies, mac n' cheese, cough drops, vicks vapor rub, vitamin c, and a Miles inspired bookmark.

Complete with zigzag scar from ear to ear and a smirk.

I finally received a phone call just minutes before the end of his p-day.  They no longer go to the church building and he doesn't have wifi for calling.  He has been transferred.. sort of.. he has three days of clothes and is staying with another companionship and is okay.  he will be calling a few times a week now.  No idea when he'll have access to wifi again or what the next few days hold.

Week - 20 -- Crazy

Hi every one.

I hope your week was less crazy then mine. Starting off with the good, my companion and I learned alot about doing missionary work on face book and that was a lot of fun so you will probably see me on there, more often now. We also had a couple of great lessons this week and we had some great dinner lessons. I had the opportunity to help eat a 32 inch pizza that was fun. 

Then the crazy stuff started happening around Friday. We were told on Friday night that it might be a good idea to go and buy some food so if we get told we can't leave our house for two weeks we would not starve, so the other spanish elders, my companion and I left for Wal-Mart. Wow that is a crazy place they were out of so much food but after an hour we purchased almost every thing on the list. The next day we received another email saying we should drop everything we are doing and finish getting all the things on the list. So we went out in the morning and got the last three items on the list and sorted all our food into bins for quarantine. 

Then church was canceled and we were told not to knock on doors and we should not visit members if possible, And that brings us to, today. We were told last night that we should not meet in groups bigger then a district (8 people). So our zone P-day was canceled and we are just going to meet with our district. It's just a matter of time before we are told we can't leave the apartment. I hope this week has been less hectic for you guys and I wish you all a wonderful healthy week.

Élder Noble

MY RESPONSE

Glad you are getting food.  Get more!

We are in Utah today..  wearing rubber gloves and not interacting as much as possible.  Whittaker has his appt.  And we're stocking up and then getting out of Dodge.  

I worry about you and Sarah..  you both interact with lots of people.  We are eager to get home and be hermits.  Wash wash wash.  Don't shake hands with people .  They will appreciate it also.  Just bow.  Or curtsy.  

You seem in good spirits.  I hope you are able to find a guitar.  It will help pass the time while isolated.  

Phone is dying.  Going to charge 

Til later

Week 19 - Grand Prairie

I got transferred and I'm now in Grand Prairie.

I don't know a lot about Grand Prairie other then Elder Condie served here before he went up to Denton to train me, He said that he loved it. There are not a lot of pictures this week because I arrived here on Wednesday and I haven't had a lot of time to take them. 

Elder Erickson is my new Companion and he is such a great companion. This week we did a ton a missionary work in but not a lot of people wanted to answer the door but that's not much different form Denton but the work must go on. Elder Erickson is the district leader so I get to help out with that again. 

There will be more to talk about next P-day but this week has been just go go go missionary work so other than that there is not much to report on.

I hope you all are staying safe and healthy.

Elder Noble

This week's call was more enlightening than his email!!

1.  We tracked down the link to the video he said his old district made.  https://www.facebook.com/followersofchristdecatur/videos/211499630044352/
He said that this new district is also working on a video.

2. He learned that zone leaders discuss missionaries that are being transferred.  Supposedly so important things are known.. like allergies or issues.  Apparently since he was transferring, he was discussed.  He said there were three things brought up.

• Elder Condie said he thinks Miles is part sorcerer because he saw him solve a rubik's cube blindfolded!
• He said his scar was discussed.  Nothing to worry about.. He has a skull now and just chooses not to play the more contact type sports.  
• He was banned from playing in checkers and chess tournaments.  (Apparently if Miles is in the tournament there's no chance anyone else will win)  When the new zone leader came to the last area he liked to play chess and checkers and set up a tournament for the missionaries on a P-Day.  Miles joined.  They first played checkers.  He made it to the finals bracket very quickly.  Then he won.  So then they challenged to chess.  He won in minutes.. A second challenge.. Again he won in minutes.  After nine games, which Miles won, he was told he took all the fun out of playing since NO ONE stands a chance and he wins way too fast!

3.  Thankfully they do more than play chess and checkers and he seems to be well liked.  He's enjoying being in Texas even if it's already warm! 80 degrees f. 

Week 18 - Transferred

Well it has been a wonderful time in the Denton 6th ward and I'm going to miss all the wonderful people that I have met but the Pioneer B zone is about to get a new missionary and I can't wait.

I don't have much time so I will type fast, this week has gone by so fast but one of the best days was Wednesday. We had an activity with the ward and we went over Lehi's dream and we set up a party on the stage for the Great and Spacious building.  It looked really good but the coolest part was the tree at the end  it was a bit small but it looked so cool. There were a lot of people that left the road and went to the party on the stage but there were cookies there that had salt instead of sugar and they tasted so bad.

Then last night I found out that I was getting transferred, and it's a new zone only 2 transfers old and they messed up on the transfer email so I still don't know who my companion is because when you look to see who it says my companion is, all it says is Elder Noble. So unless there is another Elder Noble in the mission. I'm companions with myself?  So i'm still waiting to see who my new companion will be.

I hope everyone is doing wonderful this week until next week

Elder Noble

Another missionary send off home.  He will be missed. 

A few tidbits from our phone chat.

This week is Miles birthday and he baked fresh bread for his district for p-day.  He said, 'I forgot to bring butter or jam but it didn't matter because the bread wa all gone so fast."  

He also made cookies but forgot to bring the dough to the church to bake so now there is a large batch of cookie dough for the next set of missionaries in that apartment.  

He is transferring to Irving, Texas on Wednesday, his actual birthday.  

He's in good spirits and seems to be thriving.

Week 17 - Blitzing

What a great week!

This week I did a ton of service and tracting. We started the week with helping at a food bank we moved a lot of frozen food to freezers and sorted things on to shelves. The next day we went tracting in the spanish Élders area aka mine : )  Then we had some service at ODB (we do that every week) Then we went on a road trip and did service at a zoo and made some eggs for the reptile exhibit. The rest of that day we did a blitz in four of the sisters area. Then it comes to the last day of the crazy week, we had service at Shiloh then had another road trip (we are going on 6 hours of driving now) we helped and elderly member clean out her basement she is trying to make it into a sweet for the sister missionaries. Then we blitzed in their area. 

We also made a video about what missionaries do and why we do it, it's on our face book page (followers of Jesus Christ in Denton) it's a really cool video.  I encourage you all to watch it and then share it.

I hope you all are have a wonderful day. Keep Smiling

Sorry for the lack of pictures but I don't have them because they are all on other missionary phone's and they have not sent them out yet.

Élder Noble

This was posted on his mission facebook page this week.  He's not in it, but I'm curious if there is a story behind the need for a song about cleaning for the missionaries????

https://www.facebook.com/brian.highfill.3/videos/10221660029473492/

I tried to find the video that he referred to but can't seem to access that page.  I'll keep trying. 

He only had three minutes to chat with us this week on the phone... had a busy day ahead.  

Week 16 - Time Flie when you preach the Gospel

Well to be honest with you all I don't remember much that happens this week because it went by so fast (I'm going to have to refer to my journal for this one)

We had interviews with the mission president this week on Tuesday and that was awsome I had the opportunity to give a training to the rest of the missionarys in my zone on "Being the Measage" fun part of that was I was told to give the training untill Monday night. Let me just tell you the Holy Ghost is such a great teacher because I did not feel ready but I was told by 7 of them they learns alot from my training.

Then the rest of my week zoomed past. We rescued our other zone leader from the african area and now we are no longer one zone leader short. Then Élder Henderson and I went trackting for the rest of the week or At least that's what it felt like.

That was realy all that happened out of the ordinary this week. I love all you guys and Thank you for all your support.

Élder Noble

Pictures from their work day at Shilo Farm

Just a little Bok Choy for this weeks pot.

He said they couldn't eat it all... 

Week 15 - Un Poco Loco

Oh wow this week has been crazy one of our zone leaders had to leave to go to the African area because he speaks french. So what does that mean about our other zone leader... He has 6 companions or more specifically 3 sets of 2 and he has been jumping from companionship to companionship and he has been helping them with their area and we have been helping him.

So I was in the YSA for 3 days this week and I had a blast. Still not sure why the Spanish elders got invited to toco Tuesday. still trying to figure that one out, but we talked to a ton of people this week and had a bunch of lessons with the Spanish ward and YSA.

I hope every one is doing great this week I don't have much say this week I did all the normal service projects and then all the ones in the YSA that I went to. It was so much fun. I hope you guys are all having a great time learning in come follow me and you all are having a great week.

I just want to challenge you guys this week to look for Gods hand in your life at the end of each day look back and see where He helped you that day. I can testify that if you do this your testimony of Him will grow.

Thank you all so much for your support.

Élder Noble

I love you guys


NO PHOTOS... AND NO PHONE CALL
We definitely expect some follow up.  

Week 14 - The Weekly

This week has been really slow. I was sick Tuesday through Friday witch was the worst thing ever we tried to leave the apartment so many times but we ended up coming back after an hour or so because I was so sick.

But that didn't stop the work. We had some trainings this week about Pathways. Pathways is an online school that the church is trying to get started and they have asked the missionaries to recruit people for the program. 

We also had a training on Facebook and how we can use that for missionary work so that's what my companion and I did most of the week.

We were also told to use are musical talents to better spread the message and they showed some really cool examples of songs people had shared that got a ton of views. I'm really excited to try some things :)

Other than that this week has been me trying to find my voice. All the missionaries said I sounded like a chain smoker. It was also my companions birthday this week and we went out to dinner with a member. That was super fun.

I hope you are all feeling a lot better then I was, have a wonderful week.

Week 13 - New Companion Elder Henderson

What a bitter sweet week. With Élder Condie leaving me and my new companion joining me, our week was very fast. We visited all the people that Élder Condie and I were teaching to introduce them to my new Companion Élder Henderson. 

We had another chalk board activity this week but I don't have a picture for it because the district leader of the other district in our zone has them all on his phone.

My new companion has a guitar and he just started learning on the mission so I have been teaching him a little but we don't have much time during the day so we have been playing at night.

It has been really humid the past few days and really foggy so we were warned to bike slowly and make sure cars can see us.

Our new zone leader shared with me a new talk about the 17 points of the True Church and it was so cool I have a picture of the 17 points so I'm not going to type them all up. But I encourage you to read them over because I really enjoyed them.

I wish you all a Christ filled week.

Élder Noble

Week 12 - Transfers

Hola amigos.

As you can see, P-day was moved to Tuesday again, but this time it was so we could spend all day helping with the MLK (Martin Luther King) day celebration. 

Other then that not a lot has happened this weight was out of the ordinary, until we were having dinner with a family on Sunday. We received a call from the mission President and we got some news. My companion is getting transferred, and is getting a promotion from district leader, to zone leader.

But he didn't  finish my training, and my new companion has only been out two transfers longer then me, it's going to be vary difficult because we don't have a lot of Spanish under are belts, but that will force us to learn quick.

As for the rest of the week. We found two new people to teach and one seems really interested in learning about are church. We hope it dissent turn into a bashing situation. 

On a sad note my zone leader is going home he served a full two years as an ASL Elder and he has been a great example to me over this last transfer.

One of his best qualities is he always chooses the way he feels and he dissent let his surroundings make him feel down.

Moving across the street meant needing to make some changes to the dryer from a 3 prong to a 4 prong plug.  Missionary work is many faceted. 

They decided a smaller version to carry around with them all day might be less heavy.  They found this cute Christmas decoration and a few minutes of arts and crafts with a pass along card and the tiniest Book of Mormon was created.  

Martin Luther King day.  The staff running the event.

Where's Waldo... (Miles).... back row four from the right.

Elder Renlund.. 2nd row center.

Giving an elder a send off.  He leaves for home this week after two years.  

A silly bunch.

In Texas EVERYTHING is bigger!  Including billiard balls.  Soccer billiards for a fun P-day activity.

I wish ustedes the best,

Élder Noble.

Until next week when we will meet the new companion Elder Henderson.

Week 11 -- Crashes and Apostles

To start off, no I was not in a crash, but someone in my district was. no one got to badly hurt Her shoulder but she is already up and doing the work.

and as for apostles, Elder Renlund came to our mission. It was amazing.

We also moved this week form one side of the street to the other that has been a big obstacle because we can't find anything. and that was basically my whole week. it took about two days to move and we had a road trip from Denton to Fort Worth and that took all day and then we had church and now it's today so not much and everything happened. not much else.

I hope you all are doing well and have a wonderful week.

Sinceramente

Élder Noble

Sweet Breads from a family in his area

Elder Condie and packing up the apartment

The new apartment... an exact layout in reverse... they seem to keep entering the bathroom instead of the bedroom but after a while they ought to be able to re-adjust to the altered layout.

Moving day

I didn't get an explanation for this photo.  

Today we had a chat and were able to 3-way with Caleb.  Mostly silliness chatter but it was good to see him doing well.  They spoke of snow in Texas.  (they've no idea!)

He's still struggling with haircuts.  He isn't allowed to have a buzz cut or even the bald fade that he likes so much... it has to be an approved missionary cut... and they can't seem to get his hair to cooperate.  So he spends a great deal of time combing his fingers through his hair in an attempt to train it to lie down.  

Today there wasn't a good connection and we get dropping the call so until next week.

Week 10 -- Feliz Ano Nuevo!

Happy new year every one I hope you are doing well with your resolutions.

This week has been a bit slow no one really wanted to meat with us. So as a zone we got together with a massive chalk board and wrote four questions on it.

1. What is the purpose of life? 

2. What are you grateful for? 

3. What happens after death?

4. What is happiness? 

We had some amazing responses to all the questions I think the coolest thing was when we started talking to some one and they said I don't speak English. 

And me and my companion translated for them and even they were able to answer. I would love to see what all your answers are. 

A really cool poem about perspective I found this week. 

Today was the absolute worst day ever
And don't try to convince me that
There's something good in every day
Because, when you take a closer look, 
This world is a pretty evil place.
Even if
Some goodness does shine through once in awhile
Satisfaction and happiness don't last.
And it's not true that
It's all in the mind and heart
Because
True happiness can be obtained
Only if one's surroundings are good
It's not true that good exists
I'm sure you can agree that
The reality
Creates
My attitude
It's all beyond my control
And you'll never in a million years hear me say that
Today was a good day

If you can't figure it out try reading it backwards (not word for word but one phrase at a time)

Any way I hope every one will have a great day witch in turn will be a great week. 

Sinceramente

Élder Noble

Trying on his companion's glasses.

The massive chalkboard!

Our call this week was filled with silliness.  We took him outside to check out our new ice skating rink and impressed many of the elders with how much snow we had and a quick look at the thermometer and our negative teen temps had them feeling much better 'the cold' in Texas.  

It was exciting to discover that we finally stumped Miles.  For years we have tried to find a brain teaser or rubik's cube type puzzle that he couldn't solve in the first day... typically in the first hour!  But this year we happened upon a brain teaser puzzle that consisted of horses.  The 4 sided squares each had either a horse head or a horse tail .  There were 16 squares.  The horses needed to be matched up heads and tails.  And the horses had to match in colour and pattern.  Apparently he couldn't solve it on Christmas day before heading out for other activities.  All week he spent a few minutes trying to figure it out.  The other elders who stopped by became obsessed with solving it.  On the p-day before new'years, he was told to bring it to the stake center where the entire zone was planning to meet for a conference and some volleyball.  He brought the puzzle and as we chatted on the phone a table surrounded by elders sat trying to systematically figure it out.  They made a chart to mathematically attempt to solve it, but to no avail... they went home disappointed.  What a pleasure for us to know we stumped Miles!