.: The mEjor Week en el CCM

This week in the MTC has been the mEjor week!

Here's why:

1. Carole Mikita spoke to us in Relief Society! Who doesn't love Carole?! She has a really soothing voice.

2. Both of our investigators are getting baptized...Edith and Marta! I love them!!

3. I found almond milk in a deep corner of the MTC cafeteria and literally shouted, "BEST DAY EVER!!! ALLLLMMOONNNDDD MIIILLLKKKK!!" Yeah, dumb move Hermana Minnick!! 20 other Hermanas heard me and came running. It's okay though, I've learned to share aqui. Everyone should be able to enjoy almond milk here in the MTC.

4. Richard I. Heaton spoke for Sunday Night Devotional! He is incredible! I went up to him afterwards and shook his hand. I told him who I was and he said, "Oh I LOVE LeRoy and Esther!" I also met Grandpa Heaton's sister-in-law! She was so kind and sweet!

5. My district has MTC senoritis. We are all stir crazy! At night we have light shows (don't ask), we have puppet shows with flashlights on the wall, we make up missionary raps, and dance. Also last night I hit rock bottom and sang a beautiful opera rendition of "God Bless America" in Spanish to my class. I used a black dry erase marker as my microphone if you were wondering.

6. Hermana Bontempo and I were chosen to be examples to the new missionaries on Wednesday. We taught investigators (members) who were actors. There were like 100 new missionaries we were teaching in front of and they had their notebooks out, writing down every word we said! I was like don't write that down! I don't know what I am saying! On top of that, it was in english...you would think that would be easy for me, but NO. I have zero grammar/language skills in ingles ahora. Teaching in spanish is much easier for me now! It was so fun though! The investigators we taught were converts. They used their real stories! One of them, Hely was from Guatemala! We were so excited to talk to her! I said, "We are so excited to go to your country! We have only heard good things!" She looked at me like I was insane and then she started talking about the war there and how many people she saw killed. It was so sad! She was so kind though, I love the Guatemalan people! The next investigator we taught was Arnold. He was really in to the acting... He had a witty sense of humor and keep shooting snide comments at me. His witty humor brought out mine and we had fun! Totally related.

Me teaching the ley de castidad (law of chastity)

7. Yesterday was in field orientation. IT MADE ME SO EXCITED/SCARED/READY to leave the MTC and get out into the field!

8. On Tuesday night Richard Hinckley spoke to us! He sounded exactly like President Hinckley and I'm not going to lie, I definitley teared up. We are so lucky here at the MTC to hear from incredible people! I think in every talk I have heard the speaker makes a point to tell us that we need to be worthy to keep the spirit with us at all times! When we receive promptings, we must ACT right away!

9. We sang "Sirvamos Unidas" (As sisters in Zion) in Sacrament meeting on Sunday. I sang with the altos again. I'm not a quitter. When I get home I'll being fluent in Spanish, Kekchi, and I'll sing alto like a boss. I'm becoming one of those weird Mormons who bursts out in song at random times in the day. People enjoy my renditions here. If I were in Draper, I'd probably have a black eye.

10. Kekchi... Mom, thanks for sending us those BOM's.. they scared us to death. Kekchi looks like a mix of Chinese, Russian, German, and Spanish!! Today we found another hermana who went to Guatemala last summer. She told us that SO many people speak Kekchi and that we will learn it. She said the people there are incredible!

11. I leave the MTC in tres days. In the past six weeks I have learned A LOT! I have had a lot of fun- as much fun as a missionary can have! But, I will leave this place with the most important knowledge. That I am a daughter of God, the most powerful being. He knows me. He knows you. His son Jesus Christ LIVES. He suffered for ALL of our pains, afflictions, sins, worries, and heart aches. He knows us, He knows how we feel. The atonement covers all! The price has already been paid! Place your burdens on the Lord. Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ love you! They want you to be happy. That is why they have given us modern day prophets, the Book of Mormon, the ability to receive personal revelation, and temples!!! Live to your potential! Try to see yourself the way Heavenly Father sees you!! Yo se´ que Dios les ama! Se´ que esta iglesia es VERDADERA! JesuCristo es nuestro redentor y salvador! El Libro de Mormon es Verdadero! I know it is true. I am so happy. We are so blessed.

12. Now, I´m off to GUATEMALA! Pray that I won't get bit by a huge jungle spider, that the water won't kill me, and that puedo aprender Espanol!

I LOVE ALL OF YOU! Thank you for the letters! Keep them coming!

Con MUCHO amor,

Hna. Minnick

sidenote: I'm sorry my emails are not very entertaining/uplifting. I'll make sure I improve when I write from Guatemala! Les Quiero!!

Amigos! If you want to write me here's the mission home address for now:

Hermana Whitney Minnick

Guatemala Retalhuleu Mission

Iglesia Mormona, Boulevard Centenario

Salida a Coatepeque, Zona 2, Apt. Postal 26

Retalhuleu

Guatemala