More advice for Westyyyy!

Buenas tardes familia! 

So, I am sorry that my p-day changes. Its a pain, I know. I don't know what to tell ya... I never know what is going to happen with my schedule. I am still in the office. There are still pros and cons to that. I really miss working in the field and my companion can tell. The other day she told me, "Hermana Minnick, in all of the time I have been the mission nurse (10 months) I have never worked so much in the field until you came along!" I think that is a good thing. We are really trying to manage our time wisely! My companion doesn't have much experience as a missionary so it has been a good experience to help her. She helps me learn about nursing stuff, and I help her work as a missionary. We make a good team. I have also been helping her with her English. The office is filled with gringos and so she is picking it up quickly! I am going to make the most out of my time here. I just want to make sure I finish my mission giving everything I have got! We will see what happens. I am so happy and I am willing to go where the Lord needs me!

Right now Paulino is progressing very well. Today we will teach him the Ley de Castidad! Keep the commandments people! Life is always easier that way.

This week was really busy because the new missionaries came in. We had to do health interviews with all of them and give a presentation. Their eyes are always big during the dog bite and parasite slides. haha. Welcome to Guatemala. Also two families from the United States came to pick up their missionaries. It was so weird! I went to go and kiss one of the Moms on the cheek and then I realized that is not normal in the US. Oops. They were all so TALL. It's nice to know that I am not a giant in real life. 

Holy cow!!!! I cannot believe that Westy leaves in 11 DAYS!!!! Live it up Weston!! Take a ton of pictures!! West- start eating spicy, chili... you should start getting used to it. Here are my last words of advice to you:

1. Don't be a wimp. Missions are hard. Asi es. You are going to be going to a country with a culture completely different than yours, new language, new food, new life style, new schedule, you will have a person attached to the side of your hip for the next two years!! Of course, you will have an adjusting period, and maybe you will hate what is happening for a minute or 5 (I'm just being real). This is what you gotta do: One, pray. Two, laugh your head off at your situation. Three, make your companion your BEST FRIEND. Four, don't waste your time wishing for things that you can't have. Five, this is the MOST IMPORTANT ADVICE I CAN GIVE: Forget about yourself!!! When you forget about yourself, there are NO PROBLEMS. Lose your pride and love the people. I have seen in my mission that when I am sad, it is because I am thinking about myself. Don't do it! it is a waste of the Lord's time! 

2. Be 100% honest in your journal. Don't sugarcoat it. All of the missionaries say, "Well what will happen when my kids read it?" They will be able to see the sacrifice you made. Maybe, you will be able to help them understand the atonement. A mission is not supposed to be all flowers and happy smiles. In order to be a disciple of Christ, sometimes we must suffer even as he did. Also, it is super funny to re-read. Be honest! Write in your journal as much as you can! 

3. Write mom good letters. 

4. Be a BOLD missionary. Not the in your face type, but a quiet bold. lead by example. Never be afraid to open your mouth! ABRIR LA BOCA! What do ya got to lose? It doesn't matter if you can't speak Spanish, the more you talk the faster it comes.

5. In every moment remember who you are: A representative of Jesus Christ and a son of God. Always live worthy of your calling. We have the authority but we must work to have the power. 

I love you Weston! I am proud of you! You should be so pumped to get down to Mexico! In these last days, be with the family. Good luck tomorrow with your farewell talk! Pound the pulpit! I am glad that you are going on the mission because now I will actually get a letter from you once in a while. :) 

READ YOUR SCRIPTURES AND SAY YOUR PRAYERS! 

Con amor,

Hermana Minnick

Shout outs:

Well, the only person who writes me is Grandma Linda!! I love you grandma! I am sending you a letter today!

P.S. I know that its been over a year but don't forget about me. You're all great. 

I was on the good end of the chain!

Back on schedule....

Hi family,

We are back on schedule. Finally. I should have my p-days on Fridays from now on... unless I have changes, which is possible, because we have some sister missionaries who can't walk in the mission and need some rest, so I would take their spot back out in the campo...we will see what happens.

All of my wildest dreams came true today in Guatemala. I never thought in a million years I would eat sushi in Guatemala, but I did. It definitely wasn't the best I've had, BUT.. It was SUSHI!! President asked me if he could try some. Hermana Ruiz tried it and did a "this is disgusting gagging face" but their daughter liked it. I told them they needed to come to the United States and try "real" sushi. 

This week was good. I don't know why, but I am 100% more tired being in "the office" than I ever was in the field. We are always running around doing something. On Tuesday I drove to San Marcos (the mountains) and back in one day to help with some of the emergency changes for the sisters. I am so grateful for all of the canyon driving I did in Utah. So many curves... 

As for the field side of things, we have two progressing investigators!! (That is a miracle for how much time we work in our area) Paulino and Maria Jose. They are great. I know that they will be baptized. 

Write me good emails. Or letters. And send me pictures of your beautiful Lake Powell trip.

Love,

Hermana Minnick

P.S.
A guy came to our house this week and was searching for a Gringa to take him to the US.  He told us he helped kill Saddam Hussein.  HE WOULD NOT LEAVE!  We ended up sleeping in a hotel for two nights and the AP's have asked us to find a new place to live.

TAMI NOTE: Whit only told me about moving AFTER I asked her if they had their new appliances hooked up.  She said "No..because we are moving...".   I do know from reading many blogs of the Sisters and Elders in the mission that there seems to be constant movement and change of housing in order to keep the missionaries safe.  Lots of break-ins and stalker stories. Whit always says she will tell me more when she is home. CAN'T WAIT :/  

We've been through it all together!
(MTC COMPS!  Hermanas Parker, Minnick, Ostler --
missing Bontempo in Houston, TX)

It took me three hours to hand wash a month's worth of clothes...
TAMI NOTE:  yes... I send too many pkgs. and yes, they all have clothes. Downeast and Sister Missionary Mall have some cute stuff!!  :) 

So, I whipped this beautfiul thing out today.
I fogot about it in my suitcase for a year.
Trish, I need help-- I forgot how to use it!  

Semana 52.

So this week was crazy. Can someone please give me some more synonyms for crazy? You are probably getting bored of hearing me say that. We finished interviews with President and I probably spent more time in a car than I ever have in my life. I never got bored though because it is like riding on a roller coaster. Guatemala is one big speed bump with pot holes. I need a massage. Also, Guatemala is gorgeous and the car window has a permanent mark from my forehead...too bad they don't have Windex here. I miss Windex. I had to inspect all the missionaries homes with Hermana Ruiz.  Anyway, I could tell you about all of the dirty, clean, pretty, smelly houses I saw but that would bore you and probably scare you. We finally finished ALL of the interviews. It was fun and tiring and I am ready to be on a semi-normal schedule now! 

We did manage to have a couple of lessons in our area this week. One was with Hno Polo. He is the coolest little Guatemalan guy. Estuardo is his grandson- Hno Polo brought him to church.  BTW... Estuardo blessed the sacrament on Sunday. I was just sitting on my little bench beaming the whole time. Back to Hno. Polo and how he is the best. First, he is the best because he brought Estuardo to church and then he got baptised and now he is blessing the sacrament. Second, he is so Christlike. He has literally nothing. But in our lesson he said, "The Lord has blessed me with more than I deserve. I am thankful for everything I have." I just looked around and thought, "What does he have? " This lesson hit me hard. I respect Hno Polo so much and I know that the Lord has a mansion waiting for him in heaven. When we found him he was studying his Liahona and scriptures. He has what is truly important. 

This is Hermano Polo.
He is the most humble person I have ever met.

This is where Hermano Polo studies.
I want to build him a house.

So, I am just loving and taking in every second I have here in Guatemala. Missions are the best. You should go on one.

Also, Dad, HAPPY FATHER'S DAY! I love you! You are the best dad. Hands down. Practice your Spanish. Are we on the same page?

Love,

Hermana Minnick 

Shoutout to Westy! I am so proud of you! 

Across that river is Mexico.  They are waiting for you Weston! 

This is my two year old boyfriend! His name is Emilio.
Every time I walk past his house he yells, "MINNIIIIII VENGA!"

Pick up your trash!

Hey Fam!

I'm writing today because this week we have interviews every single day!  Change of P-DAY!

My heart is a little bit heavy this week. On Wednesday I will have completed a year on my mission. That means that I only have 6 precious months left! I had a freak out attack yesterday! I LOVE my mission! There is no place I would rather be. I pray that when I come home, I can continue to apply all of the  truths I have learned here! I don't ever want to forget my mission!! I have truly felt pure joy here- I think we can only feel this kind of joy as we share the gospel! Yesterday we had a lesson with Estuardo, he received the priesthood and this Sunday he will bless the Sacrament. That's pure joy! He shared with us a scripture that he really likes in the Book of Mormon: 3 Nephi 13:21-24

 21 For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.

 22 The light of the body is the eye; if, therefore, thine eye be single, thy whole body shall be full of light.

 23 But if thine eye be evil, thy whole body shall be full of darkness. If, therefore, the light that is in thee be darkness, how great is that darkness!

 24 No man can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will hold to the one and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and Mammon.

We cannot serve two masters. We have been given the gift of free agency, we can decide for ourselves our eternity. Liberty and eternal life through the great mediator of all men, or captivity and death, according to the captivity and power of the devil!

We cannot pick and choose which commandments we will keep. We cannot serve two masters!!! Mom, Dad, Weston and Zane, don’t ever take your sights away from the temple, the scriptures, or our Prophet. And promise me that if I ever start drifting that you’ll shake me until I wake up! These are the LAST days! Satan is bringing out the big guns! That means that we need to be firmer, stronger, and more steadfast! Don’t forget the simple things.  Many are falling away for ignoring the every day essentials. I repeat: daily scripture study, personal/family prayer, sustaining the living prophet, paying a full tithe, fasting, and sharing the gospel! Satan is bringing out the big guns, but I testify and promise that if we as a family constantly apply the important actions listed above, Satan's guns will have ZERO ammunition!

I know that you are striving with all of your hearts to do the right thing. Keep going! Use the atonement everyday to put off the natural man. We aren’t perfect, sometimes we are straight up dummies, but ya know what, pick up the trash, take it out and DO NOT DELAY! Some day you might miss the trash can a lot -- you raised your voice, said an ugly word, maybe you want to do worse than toilet paper your neighbor. I don’t know. The point is, we all have our bad days, but lets not blow them out of proportion. The atonement is real. Its all good! Eye on the prize (eternal life, and vanilla ice cream with caramel).

Also, sorry this letter is kind of random, but I'm just saying what I feel I should say. I'll let you on in a little secret of mine. I have a lot of weaknesses (that’s not the secret). I have found even more on my mission. In some occasions on my mission I have found myself saying, “What is this 18 year old district leader saying to me, he has no idea what he is doing!?” or... “If I could be Zone Leader for a day..” Well, that’s bad.  Luckily, over time and through fervent prayer, I have learned to sustain my leaders and I now understand the importance of upholding them. Whether it be an 18 year old DL, a deacons quorum advisor, a Bishop or even our Prophet. They need our help, love, and support. Our leaders are human and therefore, imperfect, but I do know that they get down on their knees at night with heavy eyes and sometimes heavy hearts and they pray for us. We must sustain our leaders. Even when we don’t understand. We don’t need to ask “why”? They are called of God. Sustain means to support, love, uphold, and to pray for them. I know from the little experience that I have that when we sustain our leaders and especially our Prophet, life is happier, easier and fluffier. Is that a word?

Next point of business: The Book of Mormon. FYI, its my favorite book. I put a goal to finish reading it in Spanish by June 12^th- my year mark. I’m almost done! I will never tire of reading the Book of Mormon. I always learn something new. Always. My favorite part of the Book of Mormon is Christ's ministry in the Americas in 3 Nephi. Sometimes I find myself speed reading through Helaman and the beginning of 3^rd Nephi just to get to my favorite part.  But this time, I slowed down. I noticed that as I got closer to 3 Nephi 11 (Christ's ministry) I could clearly see two distinct groups: The wicked and the faithful.

The Faithful  

3 Nephi 6:  14 And thus there became a great inequality in all the land, insomuch that the church began to be broken up; yea, insomuch that in the thirtieth year the church was broken up in all the land save it were among a few of the Lamanites who were converted unto the true faith; and they would not depart from it, for they were firm, and steadfast, and immovable, willing with all diligence to keep the commandments of the Lord.

The Wicked

3 Nephi 6:  18 Now they did not sin ignorantly, for they knew the will of God concerning them, for it had been taught unto them; therefore they did wilfully rebel against God.  29 Therefore they did combine against the people of the Lord, and enter into a covenant to destroy them.

We can decide on which side we will stand. We cannot serve two masters!  As I read these chapters, I realized that history is repeating itself. As the second coming approaches it will be clear and easy to see who is a true disciple of Christ and who is not. I love the Book of Mormon and I know that it is TRUE.

Jeffrey R. Holland says, “Be strong. Live the gospel faithfully even if others around you don’t live it at all. Defend your beliefs with courtesy and with compassion, but DEFEND them.”

I love you family! Write me about your lives.

Now go and kick some Satan trash. Onward and upward!

Hermana Minnick

People sweep here too!  

compañeras enfermeras

Pinch me...its a pretty FRIDGE!!

Its CHRISTMAAAAAAAS!

Ventajas y Desventajas

Pros and cons. Its a good and bad thing to be in the office. 

Ventajas: I'm eating like the Queen of England. (I don't know what she eats like, but its probably really good). I have traveled the entire mission now. I have met all of the missionaries in my mission. I can now say that I know my mission president and his wife well. 

Desventajas: I'm eating like the Queen of England. (AKA I'm starting to get fat again.) For example, yesterday we had to do interviews in Mazatenango. We left early in the morning and went to Burger King for breakfast, ate Subway for lunch and Taco Bell for dinner. Now can you see why I have heartburn? I'm in the car A LOT (car sick). We don't get to work as "real" missionaries like I would like to. 

Being the nurse is fun. Stressful too. What I learned this week is that with everything in life, there are pros and cons. I learned that there are many things we have to do in life that we don't want to do, but we do them anyways because its the right thing to do (my writing skills are diminishing rapidly). For example, do I like to wake up at 6:30? No. Do I do it? Yes. Do I do it with a happy attitude? Most days...  

Another...Do I like telling a missionary that they have to go and take a parasite test for the third time? Obviously not. But, I tell them with a happy voice. Sometimes I just wish that I could magically take away every sickness from every missionary. I wish that they didn't have to suffer. I can testify that the worst thing in the entire world is being a sick missionary. Hand downs. Its even worse when you can't help them. 

One thing I have learned here is that the atonement covers ALL. The Lord not only suffered for our sins, He suffered for every pain, infirmity, and sickness. He felt it all. I think in order to understand what He went through, sometimes we have to suffer a tiny smidgen of what He did. I've also learned that the priesthood is real. With faith, obedience, and a priesthood blessing, we can be healthy. 

"Your body is a temple"... How many times have you heard that in your life? If your me, then a lot. How can we feel the spirit if we are couch potatoes fast food junkies? All I know is that my days of Burger King, McDonald's, and Taco Bell in Guatemala are over!! God gave us our bodies that house our precious spirits! Let's take care of them!!

Anyway, I wasn't planning on that rant. Sorry. 

ESTUARDO!! He got baptised!! He showed up to church with his Grandpa wearing a white shirt and tie (I have no idea where he found a white shirt and tie) and I was so happy! We are now setting mission goals!! There is nothing more incredible than missionary work! 

Continuing:

WESTON!! You graduated high school!!!!! CONGRATS!! I am so proud of you! I almost cried when I saw the pictures...Don't waste this last month! Its precious time! Here's my last advice: GO TO THE TEMPLE as many times as you can!! LOVE YOU! Write me.

ZANE: Write me pleeeeaaasssee! You too dad!!

I really love you guys.

Hermana Minnick

Shoutouts:

ALL OF YOU GET A SHOUTOUT! Write me pleaseeee! I promise blessings!

In the office all day long!

Tami:  I sent Whit an email (by accident)  that was meant for our entire family & friends  -- inviting them to Weston's Endowment at the Draper Temple.  Minutes later I got this pic back!!  

This is what happens when you travel the mission! (She's not dead...yet)

I love Hermana Ruiz!!!

President's car in the middle of the jungle!

Estuardo got baptized!