super late Christmas

Hola,

I need to thank all my wonderful friends, family, and Abbey Kener for the packages this week! 

(TAMI: Weston sent a separate email that said he got packages from Aunt Kim, Jill Klein, The Willes Family, Keners and ME.  SO SO happy he finally received them.  I'm not sure if the Mexican post or the mission is just WAAAAAY slow at delivering... but Weston didn't seem to care, just loves hearing from you all!!)   

My zone leaders hate me, cause they had to bring all 6 packages here all the way from Queretaro :)     Ha Ha Ha they will forgive me after I share all the candy I got.  Elder Perez told me to tell you thanks Mom!  He told me that this week I need to help him write a thank you letter in English! He is learing fast... he can say "Elder Minnick is pretty" and he can almost pray without help!  WOO!!!

This week was super normal. We worked hard, walked a ton, and ate too much. Yesterday we were walking to a members house to eat, and they live in a not so pretty place.  This drunk guy started talking to me in English.... and next thing I knew he had one of my shoes!  It was awesome!  But he was super drunk and fell over... he dropped my shoe and then started talking in Spanglish again like nothing happened.  We had a good laugh!

We are going to have a wedding next Monday!!! Judith and Oscar. We are hoping they will get baptized the 24th... I'm praying for it!  They asked me to be a witness but I don't think I can! Either way I'm stoked. We've been working with them forever.

Well there's your little update of my life. Hope all is well back home, and if not, its because you need to read the Book of Mormon MORE, and exercise MORE humility!!!! 

elder minnick :)

Christmas finally came!!  Thanks Aunt Kim, Jill Klein, The Willes Family, Abbey Kener, and MOM!

Christmas!!  

2015

Familia,

I had a wild New Year's Party! Bought a bottle of coke and lit a fire in my house. Burned some cockroaches and made a torch with an axe bottle. Went to bed at 10:30.... pm or am, I'm not sure. The two liter coke hit me hard.  Legit though, the morning of the New Year was HILARIOUS. So many drunk people in the street. Most of them were sleeping.  Everyone lit fires all over-- so that was fun. I had some really great conversations! Won't forget this day.

No but really this was a super crazy week! So many things happened and I had a ton of cool experiences. We had two surprise baptisms! They weren't so much a surprise but EARLY! We had them both planned for the 10th of January but Maria de Jesus told us Wednesday that she got a job on the other side of the country, that she was leaving next Tuesday and it would be better if she wasn't baptized. It was a littttle frustrating in the moment but we didn't take no for an answer...I was ready to drag her into the baptismal font if I had to. We have been working with her since November, passing by her house almost everyday and she is so awesome! But after some super powerful lessons and some inspired promises, and asking President if we could baptize her this past Saturday -- she got baptized! It really was a miracle, and I won't forget this tender mercy. The other baptism was Erik! His mom is a member, but they became less active two weeks after she was baptized, and that was five years ago!! It was cool to see the family reactivated! Erik is a stud. The baptism was last minute but we still had an awesome experience! 

We contacted this guy in the street named Pablo! He lived in Utah for 17 years, his two kids and ex-wife are members, and some missionaries at Temple Square gave him a B of M. He got deported 8 years ago. This guy has been an answer to my prayers. I found another B of M in English to give him. He's been typing it up, because he wants to practice -- next month he starts his job as a customer service guy. He did a ton of construction back home. He told me he worked on the temple grounds and he always talks about President Hinckley. He told me one day he met him! I don't know how much I believe because he's convinced hes still alive! Pablo is a funny guy and will be baptized next month!

It was a super hard week and sometimes I just wanted to fall over cause I was soo tired, but it was so worth it. There is no greater feeling then helping other people come unto Christ! My testimony of prayer and fasting was strengthened this week!  I know God hears and answer every single one of our prayers, and answers them in the perfect way!

Happy 2015,

Elder Minnick

Tam:  Comp desk clean... Elder Minnick desk dirty -- Weston doesn't have Britt around!!!  :)  

"My Saturday is better than your Saturday!!"
Tami: Weston has the knee pop down  

 

Tam:  Love to see them BOTH smiling!!  Good sign!!  

2014

HELLO,

Feliz Navidad and Happy New Year!!!

SOOOOOOO GOOD to see smiling faces of family. Love you guys :)

2014 was too good for me. I decided this week that it was the greatest year of the 18 I already have! I received the Melchizedek priesthood, graduated from high school, got into college, received my mission call, received my endowment, , and now I'm here in the misión. I can't think of one more thing that could have made it better. I'm extremely grateful for all I have, and for the life God gave me. Without the Atonement of Christ I'd still be sitting at home wasting my life! One of the many things that I have learned down here in Mexico is that there is no better way to live than giving service! I thank God everyday for the impact my misión has had on me!

This week wasn't super eventful! Everyone is on vacations, so the odds of finding anyone at home is 0 to 100! Wooooooooooo! I didn't ever think I'd see sooo many drunk people in the street either. Usually the drunk people are nicer than the sober people. Silly lamanites are sooo confused on what happiness is. But through the craziness in the streets we still managed to find some new people! I'm hoping for a Little more success this week  :)

I hope your 2014 was as good as mine and you have as many new years resolutions as I have!! Bring it on 2015! I'm excited for this year! My only full year in the misión!!!!!

Elder Minnick


Skyping with Elder Minnick on Christmas Day!!  

Weston and his comp!

District

Merry Christmas!

Home Alone 2 on P-Day at the Church

Frozen 

District Meeting

Sunday Miracles!

Happy CHRISTmás Week!

I'm a happy boy today. Bought myself a cowboy hat and belt buckle for Christmas...Dad would be proud.  Super excited to see and talk to my FAMILY this week. I'll be a little anxious until Christmas is over.  Can't wait to see your smiling faces!  Family really is the best gift of Christmas!

Let's remember our Savior this week!  I'm blessed to have the opportunity to testify that He lives everyday! I know without a doubt in my mind that he was born into the humblest of beginnings, and that he lived a perfect life even though Satan tempted him daily.  He taught big things plainly and simply not only with words but by His example! He suffered, bled from every pore, was beaten, humiliated, and murdered so that we can feel peace in the midst of adversity and feel clean after we sin! He died, but more importantly, He lived again! He lives, and we will live again too. I testify that we can only reach our divine goal of eternal families through Him! Don't let this sacrifice go in vain this Christmas!  Serve one another as He would serve! Give to those in need, comfort those in need of comfort. I don't believe the Savior would spend Christmas in his home, He would spend it with the needy! EL es la Dádiva. Feliz Navidad!

This past Sunday we had a miracle! We promised our investigator, Maria Jesus, that if she made the promise with God to go to church every Sunday possible that she would conquer any sickness...So this Tuesday we were happy to hear that her minor heart problem went away, and then she gave us all her coffee :) She'll be baptized the 10th of January! I know God hears and answers our prayers, and that He ALWAYS keeps His promises!

Smile lots cause your a child of God!

Elder Minnick

Casi Navidad!

Fam,

Bienvenidos a Utah Hermana Minnick! Estoy bien feliz por que ahora yo soy el hijo favorito! La recibí su carta que me enviste en Agosto..... Me encanta tu cita de Elder Holland...jajajajajajaja no manches te amo mucho y no seas una flojerita por fa. 

No changes this week!!! WOOOOOOOO I'm here with my son Elder Perez for one more change!  Pray for my safety! 

Had some more baptisms this week too. Gali and Diego!  They were GOLDEN!  Both of them shared their testimonies yesterday because we had fast and testimony meeting a week late! A couple of our other converts bore testimony too... best sacrament meeting of my life.

We had our Christmas activity this week! Super fun...lots of food, presents and Santa.   Presidente came and we watched a ton of videos and had a training!  Christmas is in 10 days!!!!!!!  We got the details on skype!  We only get a hour because of disobedience last time, but I'll let ya know what time next Monday! I'm skyping from one of my convert's homes so Whit can talk to him! 

Spent all day cleaning my house and then we went to Disneyland (Costco) so I'm tired! See ya next week!!!!!! :)

Elder Minnick

Tam NOTES and PICS:

We received a package from ELDER MINNICK -- WOOT WOOT!  He put some handwritten letters in the package.  Here are some excerpts!!  

He added a list of things he was grateful for -- made it to #221  then wrote:  "This was supposed to be 2,000 things I am grateful for, but I ain't got time for that!!"  Missions are BUSY!  The list was darling!!!

Letter to Whit:

"Welcome home SISTER!!  Look...I know at home it is a whole lot easier to get all lazy and stuff but don't do that! I'm hoping your learned a thing or two, or three, or a billion things on your mission but that doesn't mean diddly squat unless you put it into action everyday.  Since I am the only full-time missionary in the family now, I'm officially the only favorite kid.  Don't forget that!"

"No more hanging out with the ladies Whit... you're on a man hunt. Find some guy who makes you better.  And...if you get married before I get home..... I'll give you $10,000.  I don't wanna be around when mom is planning a wedding!"   

Letter to Tami:

"Everything is going good here! My area smells bad, can be sketchy, dirt cheap, and I hate the bugs, but I still LOVE the place!  My area is not the safest place.  This is the only area in the whole mission that is yet to have sisters.  Don't think there ever will be.  My house is cool.  No matter how long you spend cleaning -- its still dirty.  We have a tank of gas so that means hot water and hot food!  YEAH for pancakes, hot dogs, eggs, noodles, and rice!  That's about all I eat!  We have a fridge too, I count myself lucky!!"

Letter to Jay: 

"We baptize every two weeks.  My personal goal is to baptize every week.  My ward is small...only about 75 active members.  Little priesthood too.  I speak at least two times a month and help with the sacrament every week.  Before investigators can be baptized they have to attend church 5 times!  Hardest part of my mission right there!"

Letter to Zane:

"I miss you bud!  Make sure you are getting good grades and actually paying attention in school!  Don't be a dummy!  You better be reading your B of M too!  It's more important than puppies, volleyball, and TV!  I promise if you read your B of M everyday, God will give you a lot of cool blessings!"

Letter to Family:  "Merry Merry Christmas!  I hope you have all shared the 'He is the Gift' on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram and all that Jazz.  Remember the ultimate gift our Savior gave to us!!  His Life! I finished reading Jesus the Christ this week.  I share testimony that he lived, he taught, he worked countless miracles, overcame temptation, suffered unimaginable pain, he died, and most importantly he lived again.  I know he is the Son of the Living God.  I know that he is the only way that we can gain eternal life and receive forgiveness from our faults and sins!  Because of HIM I will live again.  Repent daily!"

  

I'm taking them home with me!

Elder Baldwin and Elder Minnick 

My ZL, Elder Romero, went home this week!

Gail and Diego

Weston: "I promise he loves me!"

(From Tam:  What are they eating at the Christmas Party???)  

The assistants!

America!

My messy life!

ONE pic from Tami:

ELDER MANNING is HOME!!  This is Weston's trainer!  I love this dear Elder!  So does Elder Minnick!  He got off the plane on Dec 17th in SL and came straight to our home to deliver a note to our family from Weston!!  How cool is that?!?!  I hope we can get together soon and talk about everything Weston wouldn't tell us!! Welcome home ELDER MANNING! 

Turkey Week!

I could probably list a billion things I am grateful for and 75% of those things I have received because of my mission. I only have an hour, so I'll just make the list quick:

1. Family

2. The Restoration of the Gospel

3. The Atonement

4. Temples

5. Mexicans

Saturday this week was nuts. We were supposed to baptize Lucy, but when their family was walking to the church building, Lucy's little sister Martita, who has bones of crystal, fell out of the stroller and broke an arm and a leg. She's five years old and is tiny but is one of the happiest people I have ever met.  I was filling the font while the other Elders in our ward were walking with them.  Elder Preece called me so we took a cab to their house.  I could write a whole other letter just on priesthood blessings and Martita because we've seen miracles with her before, but we gave her a blessing and I went with my Ward Mission Leader to some sketch pharmacy to buy her some medicine. It was rough because poor Martita was in a ton of pain,  Lucy was bummed because she's been waiting for months for this day. She left her boyfriend and pretty much all she had -- to be baptized. But all is well now, and she will be baptized this week!

My comp finally opened up to me!!!! If I'm grateful for one thing this week -- it's that my comp and I are tight!!!  He turns 19 on the 11th de December.... Should be a good day back at home too!  Give Whittles a big hug for me and don't have too much fun in Hawaii  :)   Can't wait to see and talk to you guys on the 25th!

Love, 

Elder Minnick

P.S.  

Turkey day... ate at Costco because the members we were supposed to eat with weren't home.... MOM SO MUCH BETTER THAN YOUR THANKSGIVING!  :/

Painting a house!

My comp and his sick new jacket I bought him! (Thanks Dad!)

Catacombs under the Expiatorio

He's a fatty!!

BE grateful for something simple this week!

Hola!!!

 

Busy busy busy busy week for me down on the brighter side of the border.  Elder Perez is finally starting to open up to me a little more... One day he will be my best friend, whether he likes it or not. :)

 

We had Presidente De Hoyos come to the mission this past week.  It was super inspiring. If I could show you my notes I would, but they are in Spanglish and I cant even read my own handwriting.  It will take a prophet to translate -- somehow I'll figure it out.

 

Baptism this week!  His name is Tadeo. He's the man. His whole family is less active but he decided to come to church by himself. He's only 10 and we took him to a lesson with us. He said a prayer to help one of our other investigadores receive the same answer he had. It touched our other investigator so much that he asked if he could be baptized sooner. He's proof that every member can be a missionary, no matter the age!

 

If I have learned two things on my mission it would be 1) really live in the moment and 2) simple things are the source of our happiness. One of my favorite things about my mission is that I don't have to worry about my future, I can just focus on God's work.  I'm happier than I've ever been in my whole life because I can focus on the small and simple things that God has blessed me with. At home its sooo easy to forget that we have so much, and we still aren't satisfied.  I'm grateful for my family, the temple, the covenants I've made with God, and for the knowledge that I have about God's plan!  BE grateful for something simple this week!

 

Happy Turkey Day!

 

Elder Minnick :)

Tadeo