HEY!

Hi mom!! 

How are ya!  I liked your letter!

Good to hear all went well with whit and tay wedding!  I don't even wanna think about home... I woke up super early today in a cold sweat cause I realized I only have 6 months left. All the sisters that came with me go home this week... time flies!

I gotta new comp today. That's 4 comps for 4 changes... and he goes home this next change.  So I'll be here in my ward for at least 2 more changes. His name is Elder Meneses.  He already knows you cause every time you have called or emailed the office, he answered.... he says you're already good friends. hahaha but ya he's about as dead as it gets. but we will see how it goes.

I'm happy, healthy, and ready for the new year! love ya mom!

Westy 

MERRY CHRISTMAS!

Aloha! 

I love Christmas! I'll tell ya what we did Christmas morning...

We (the zone) went to an old peoples home, run by the Catholic nuns. (All of the nuns also fit in the old people category too). We got there in the morning with plans to sing Christmas hymns to them. When we got there, they told us to go running around inviting everyone to come... this was the best part. As we tried to invite them we found out that every single one of them had problems with hearing, seeing or walking, and they all LOVE to talk. I was saddened to hear that these people usually don't get visitors, and many haven't seen or heard from their families in years. Well we sang to them, a family from our stake brought them food, and then we all just went around talking to them for about 2 hours, until it was time for Misa... so it was time to go! It was my favorite Christmas day, and something I will do every year! 

James said,

 "Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world."  

That's what Christmas is all about!

Here is another story from yesterday!

We got a call from a member, asking us if we could go to the hospital with him to give a blessing to his dying mother-in-law. (The member is the only member in his whole family)  In hospital I saw the not so pretty side of life. Outside of the hospital, hundreds of people were waiting for the chance to enter and see their loved ones, I was confused why everyone was outside. By a miracle, this faithful brother managed to squeeze his way through the crowd, and talked the security guard into letting us in (It was a miracle). 

As we entered the 2nd doors, I was astonished to see how many people were sick or seriously injured. The walls were completely covered with beds with these people.  The hospital was more than overfull, with doctors and nurse running every where giving medication, moving people around. I thought I was in one of those post end of the world movies... so we got to the bed of hi mother -in- law, and the second we saw her, we knew that her time was coming to a close. We anointed and blessed her. The Spirit was special. We shared our testimonies with her family, of the resurrection, and of the atonement. Then security showed up and shuffled us out of there! 

As I walked out of the hospital, I remembered the words of Alma the prophet, 

"And he shall go forth, suffering pains and afflictions and temptations of every kind; and this that the word might be fulfilled which saith he will take upon him the pains and the sicknesses of his people."

This experience was one I will never forget, and has helped me understand that what Christ suffered for us was something I don't think I will understand in this life. I really did feel in my heart that he suffered for all. Not only sins, mistakes, embarrassment, but sicknesses too. He descended below all, so that he can lift us up when we are down. This year I understood a little better the true meaning of Christmas!

Happy New Year!

Elder Minnick

Candy Service

CHANGOS 

Con Pres

al carbon

noche buena con la familia viveros

buffalo con mi compa mauricio

TEMPLES!

Hey FAM!

How exciting this week was! I went to the temple...well kind of.

The temple in Tijuana was dedicated yesterday, and we got to see it from the extension of the temple (my stake center). We went to 2 sessions and ate with the prior Mission President from Leon and his family. It was a perfect day. :)

Going to the temple for me was the greatest Christmas present I've gotten this year (momma´s Christmas package in a close second place).  I felt a peace and joy that you can really only find in the Lord's House. President Uchtdorf invited the Mexican people to go to the temple often. Go inside, outside, around, and inside again. I extend the same advice to all of you today!

Before my mission, I spent a lot of time at the Draper Temple. In the last 3 months I was at home, I went 2 or 3 times a week. Sometimes, I would sit in my car outside of it, I would do baptisms, I would read my scriptures there. I believe that the best missionary preparation that exists, is in or about the temple. I don't think I would have made it so far without that preparation. SO go to the temple! It should be a priority, not something to do when you have time! As a missionary, I have cherished in my heart family history work, and would love to do it.. but I can't -- that's what little brothers are for!

Whit and Taylor get sealed this week! God blessed me with a very powerful spirit yesterday, and I felt like I was in your sealing! I gotta little sneak peak of what it feels like! I love you guys and I am so happy for you both! I'll be praying for ya'll! :))))

Merry Christmas

Elder Minnick

I received this picture in my Facebook inbox from Stephen Barrus!  He served with Whitney in Guatemala (was her AP)  Stephen is doing a study abroad in Mexico, Queretaro with BYUI.  So fun!!  

Happy Thanksgiving!

Hello, 

Happy Thanksgiving.... and MERRY CHRISTMAS!

We taught Ismael this week. He is/was an alcoholic. He's overcoming his addiction, and wants to get closer to God. He has already been to church once, but the first time he went, he didn't like it and didn't want to receive us again. We were persistent, and he told us, "ugh... okay, I'll let you try and convince me one more time".  So we taught him repentance, and the Spirit came like a flip of a light switch and he started feeling the weight of a lot of sins. He accepted a baptismal date, and we offered to give him a blessing.  After the blessing, we took a step back and just waited a second. He paused for a second then said, "I feel a warm little fire in my chest." He felt the Spirit and recognized it!

He came to church, and LOVED it. He volunteered to clean the building and donate blood. He's going to go to two marriage courses this week, and then the 12 step program... All thanks to the awesome member missionaries in my ward here! I love them!

Pics to come mom!

love you

Elder Minnick

PS Congrats Aubs on the call to San Antonio! You'll kill it out there! :) 

4 cities, 2 weeks and lots of miracles

HOLA!

Well its been a nutty two weeks. I've been all over the place so that means sometimes I sleep on the floor but that's okay, it builds character.

Two weeks ago I did divisiones. I went with Elder Garrett to his area, but he and another elder got really sick in the night, so they went to Queretaro to go to the hospital and I went to a place called Cortazar to do a baptismal interview. The missionaries are only allowed to go there during the day because its "dangerous". But it is cool. Even though missionaries only got to the ward 2 times a week, they still have a baptism, every week! Its all the proof I need to know that the real missionaries are the members.

A couple days later, I went to another pueblito called Paseo de Alto. We didn't have ANYONE there. It was cool. So we said a prayer, and prayed specifically to find 2 families. Within 10 minutes we somehow got into 1 house, and taught a big family. The grandma of the family is 94 years old. After we taught them, they told us to go visit some of their neighbors. There we found our second family!  It's all the proof I need to know that God hears and answers prayers.

I worked in my own area in Celaya this week. It was a little slow, but Karine will be baptized if not this week, then next. We reactivated her family and her dad is preparing himself to baptize his daughters. They have been inactive for years! They have been working on their family history, so I had the opportunity to go to the family search center here. I sent 3 names to you mom that need to go to the temple! 

And then.. I got changed. I'm sitting here now in Queretaro with Elder Mauricio in the Zone Arcos, Ward Colinas. (Tam note:  this is also the Stake / Zone of Weston's mission president Mejorada.... no pressure... haha) Queretaro is AWESOME. I thought my whole mission was pretty ugly until I got here. Its definitely a place I wanna come back to. Its old and colonial. I got here today, so we spent P-Day wandering the centro. Love it here already!

I'm grateful for my family this week!

love ya ma!

elder minnick

Member Missionaries

Hola!

This week was one to remember! President Mejorada put a new goal for the mission...100% lessons with a member present. I laughed a little when I read that. Before, we averaged like maybe 5 of our lessons with a member present per week. So I thought it would be impossible!

As I studied and thought about it for a little, I realized that this goal president made wasn't just a cool idea, but it was revelation from God. So we took it as a commandment, and that just made it a little more natural. We bumped up to 19 lessons with a member this week, and man... it was a breeze! Not only were the lessons a whole lot better, but it was a whole lot more fun, and we hardly walked because we drove around all day with the members.  I also  got to know some of these awesome people better.

I am very grateful for the leaders in my ward here that have accepted the challenge too! Their faith strengthens mine.

Many latter-day prophets have said that "every member is a missionary". I believe that is a phrase taken very lightly! As a missionary, we preach every day --  all day -- and work and work and work, but from all my experience here as a missionary, I know its a lot more effective if the members participate by inviting their non-member or less active member friends to their house with the missionaries.

I invite you all to help your missionaries, by giving them a referral and then opening up the doors to your house so that they can teach your loved ones how to really be happy!

Love ya mom!

Elder Minnick

From Tam: No pics from Elder Minnick - two cameras now stolen.  He told me and I just laughed.  

Weston said, "here is the bad news first... my new camera I just bought got stolen.  I had it a week."  

I told him... "If that is the bad news... we are doing just fine -- go buy another camera."  :)

   

Happy Halloween!

HOLA!

I love this time of the year. Knocking doors Saturday with all the little Mexican kids, we met nice people that gave us candy :) So many people invited us to eat Halloween night. I'm sure I gained about 15 pounds but I don't care  -- I  still have time to burn it off!

I'll tell ya a little about one of my inestgadores, "Mike". He's like 30 ish years old and recently divorced! He was for almost his whole life a drug addict. After he got divorced he decided to do something with his life, he went to a rehab and found a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. She gave him the Teachings of President Ezra Taft Benson and he read the whole book in about three weeks. He decided to put himself on house lock down for three months and decided to invite the missionaries from brother Benson's church to his house. We got there with our Ward Mission leader and the sister that gave him the book.  He lives far away in his ranchito - way out of town, and usually these parts are a little dangerous for missionaries. 

We got there  and introduced ourselves. He was very reserved and didn't say much. We started off with a simple prayer, and he asked us to give him a blessing. Then his mom asked for one, then his nephew. Then we just bore our testimonies! The Spirit filled the room... it was incredible. He felt it and accepted a baptismal date! He left his house the next day and arrived at church. It was the first time he had ever gone to church in his whole life.

We visited him once this week, he had already read to Alma in the BoM and all of the general conference talks from October 2014!

I have felt very blessed to see some one prepared and willing to receive the restored gospel! He gained his testimony in a matter of weeks, but I have received mine after many small and simple experiences after the years. I know, like Mike, that this is God's only true church! I too have found and felt that pure joy that only comes by the spirit!

The gospel is for EVERYONE! I am convinced that if Mike can change, any one can!

Invite someone to learn today!

Elder Minnick

Our "Trio" haha
Hermano Tavitias!  He is AWESOME!