Good things to come!

HOLA!

First, THANK YOU all for all the birthday emails! I'd love to respond to them all but I only have an hour to write and I gotta dedicate at least half of it to writing mom! Thank you all.  I love you guys! 

This week started off rough. We had two bad days and decided we had to change something... so we went home in the middle of the day and decided we needed to humble ourselves. We prayed and repented separately and after we did so together, then we went and worked hard!  It all went uphill from there!

Shortly after we found two new families!  One of them is a family of a bunch of older ladies. They just don't get more Catholic! They invited us to eat, and we invited them to baptism! They politely rejected but it was okay cause we still ate. ;)  The other family is the "R" Family!  We only had 15 minutes to teach them, cause we had to get home on time, and we couldn't find them any other day we visited. The 15 minutes was enough for them to feel the Spirit though, because they showed up at Church! They loved it and we are hoping to baptize all of them this next month.

We've been teaching "M" too. She's 16, and her parents are going through a divorce. She's the first person I've taught in all my time in Mexico that has not been baptized in any church. All her family is atheist, but she's gotta firm faith. She's the first investigator I have that also reads all the pamphlets we give, and even does the additional study. She teaches us!

Its been a pretty good week...just a series of miracles for me! We went from not having any success to having a very bright future in a matter of days. President Monson was right on when he said, "Your future is as bright as your faith."

I love the Lord!

Elder Minnick

Espanglish

HOLA!

I can't really remember the last time I wrote...my bad. Don't be too mad!  I'll be home in like five months :0

I'm with Elder Meneses now... He is from California. I'll just say we talk a lot of Spanglish and we just laugh too much. I'd be lying if I told y'all we don't have too much fun but its okay cause we are obedient and work hard. He always says he's the bad cop and I'm the good cop. He usually tells people to repent and then I reinforce it with a lot of inspiring stuff to take the sting off a little. It usually works pretty well... usually. ;)

I would also be lying if I told you we've been having a ton of success. We've been finding a lot of people, and teaching some really powerful lessons. Some of the most spiritual lessons I've ever had in my mission I've had in these last two weeks. We've got a lot of Investigators that are receiving testimonies but then the real problems come in... Abusive spouses, money problems, legal problems, or justing getting robbed. You name it!  These good people are going through it all. 

Sometimes we get a little tempted to look at all these black dots in on the white wall of our area, but we've just been focusing on looking up! It'd be real easy for us to just give up and complain all day but I've learned from many experiences that acting like that gets you absolutely no where! 

I often think of my Savior, who had a lot of long hot days without much success. He suffered and prayed with and for the people He taught. He cried with them, and laughed with them too. Even when He suffered the most, He turned out! He kept working, and trying, giving it all He could. And when things got really dark, He gave His life!

The Savior hasn't asked me to die in this work, but He has asked me to give my life to missionary service for two years! As I count my many blessings, I realize it is a very small price to pay :)

Zane, you look taller every time I see pics of you!

Love y'all,

Elder Minnick

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