Week 2: Home Away from Home

This week has been so incredible. I have run into so many people I know and have seen a lot of new people from home. 

Kyle and Elder Johnson (a friend from home)

With the new investigators that we have they are super receptive to the messages that we have for them and they seem to be really enjoying our visits. I love the people that I am teaching. I can't wait to get out to Oklahoma in 5 days to be able to teach the people there. The days feel like they are shorter here in the MTC. I don't seem to care because everyday I wake up and am excited for what is planned. So far it has been mainly classes and TRC. I love it. The teachers are amazing. My confidence has increased a ton and the spiritual experiences that I have had are incredible too. 

I was never a choir kid growing up but I decided that I would give the choir here a try. The music conductor is hilarious and has a ton of stories about Joseph Smith. I have loved the choir and I did it both weeks that I have been here. The songs we sing and the spirit and message behind them are incredible. 

The devotionals here are my favorite part. This past Tuesday the devotional was given by an emirate quorum of the Seventy. The biggest take away for me was "diligence is more important the intelligence." I will always remember that. It has really helped me and it has helped me recognize how much the spirit has helped me learn during my time here. Oklahoma will be amazing. I can't wait to meet my mission president and his wife. So many people have been telling me how incredible they are and it has made me more excited to get there. More than I was before. My next email will be from Oklahoma so be prepared for that. Don't forget to email me throughout the week because I can view them but I can only reply on P-Day. Talk to you next week in the Sooner state.

Elder McMinn

 

Kyle's roommates

"By helping others come unto Him, you will find that you have come unto Him yourself."

- Henry B. Eyring

Week 1: MTC Life

Elder McMinn and Elder Riley

Life in the MTC is a crazy one. The MTC reminds me of Disneyland a ton... there are long lines everywhere. The amount of people that I have run into here from Pocatello is amazing. It has really helped me overcome my homesickness and stress while I have been here. It is awesome knowing that other people I am close with are making the same sacrifice that I am and that I can make it through too. The first few days you feel stressed and feel like you are getting hit with the fire hose of knowledge and only able to drink a little bit of it. Now after one week everything feels comfortable and relaxed. My days are filled with morning classes for 3 hours personal study/companionship study for 2 hours. Exercise time for and hour. TRC (where you teach either real investigators or recent converts that use their story that happened before they were converted) that is for 30 minutes each lesson every other day. 

My companion and I have two investigators. They are polar opposites too. One does not believe in a physical God and thinks he is more of a sentiment. The other is making commitments to things that we haven't taught him about yet. It's a lot of fun and I feel myself teaching through the spirit a lot. My companion Elder Riley is an awesome companion. He is from Orem Utah and is super down to earth and a lot of fun to work because he has a killer sense of humor. The devotionals are amazing too. I can feel the spirit and the impressions I feel as I listen are incredible. 

I've got a good countdown going. 103 more weeks left. I'm really pumped to be going to Oklahoma but I know that there is a lot more that I need to learn and experience before I head out there. I am able to view emails everyday but I can only respond on P-Day but feel free to send me an emails more than one day. It helps me be motivated through the week.

Sincerely,
Elder McMinn

Kyle and his companion are working super hard and learning a lot. They were called to be Zone Leaders after 3 days in the MTC. He feels like he has gained so many new brothers and friends in the last week. 

MTC District

"You will come to know that what appears today to be a sacrifice will prove instead to be the greatest investment that you will ever make."

- President Gordon B. Hinckley

And he's off...

Yesterday was a very emotional day. Kyle was ready but the rest of us were not. He will be an amazing missionary and we are so excited for the many adventures that lie ahead of him. My heart was so happy to receive this little email this morning. He is going to be amazing.

I apologize for being so late. I was just barely able to get my email to work. I love you so much. I feel like I am getting hit with the fire hose of knowledge but am retaining very little. I'm happy I'm here. I will email you next on P day next week. Love you all. 

Elder McMinn

 "A man who is full of the love of God is not content with blessing his family only, but thinks about all the people in the world, anxious to bless the whole human race."

~Joseph Smith

Called to Serve

We had just returned from an amazing Spring Break vacation on March 25 to find the much anticipated white envelope in our mailbox. On Sunday March 26, Kyle opened it and read:

Dear Elder McMinn,

You are hereby called to serve as a missionary of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. You are assigned to labor in the Oklahoma Oklahoma City Mission.

We are all so excited for this new adventure that he will get to experience. We know that he will be an amazing missionary and that the people of Oklahoma will be blessed by having him serve there. We love you Kyle and are so proud of the amazing young man that you are.

We will be the Lord's missionaries to bring the world His truth.

- Army of Helaman