Week 23: The Village is awesome!

The Village is so awesome! The area is a lot different than Moore and I am actually thankful for that. I am in the heart of Oklahoma City some days and it is the most fun things. There are neighborhoods that have homes built in the 1930s and 1940s and a lot of them have been restored and redone and they look so awesome! My days of watching HGTV have helped me notice some things around the area. 

Soccer on P-day

We have a lot of investigators and there are so many people who are down to talk. We had some interesting experiences this week. There is an investigator named Trudi and we have tried to get ahold of her every day this week and last week. We were in the middle of our companionship study and we get a text from a member of the ward telling us that Trudi is ringing the Salvation Army bell at Walmart. Right when we saw that we both hopped in the car and drove up there as fast as we could and saw her! Turns out her phone was broken and she is now living in Chickasha with her son. We finally got a hold of her and she is doing way good. 

So we met with another guy named Todd Walker this week and he has been investigating the church for about 18 years now off and on and this past week we actually tried to set a baptism date and he was so close to doing it but had one little hang up and then backed out but he has been coming to the ward every week for all those years. He has been helping the older single sisters with service and comes to all the ward activities. He is seriously a member without being baptized. He is so close. He is the nicest guy ever too. 

Todd Walker with Elder McMinn

The coolest thing that we did this week was that we set up a free hot chocolate stand at the Walmart and handed out hot chocolate and Mormon.org pass along cards. We were out there for maybe 3 hours and we handed out hot chocolate non-stop! We had to run into Walmart 2 times just to buy more cups. There was a lady who worked for the local news station and she took a picture of us and a picture of her and posted it on twitter and it made it up on Mormon.org so that is so awesome!! This week has been stellar!

It is starting to feel just like normal life when I wake up in the mornings too so it doesn't bother me anymore. I honestly love it now. I was super hesitant about the whole missionary life but now it just keeps getting better.

Elders Christmas Card

Christmas time is so awesome. There is a lot less commercialism that we see and there is a lot less that we have to deal with when we are cut off from the world. I like it a lot. This Christmas is going to be very different but a really good day. I read Jesus the Christ chapters 7 and 8 and those have some of the greatest things that I have ever read on the birth of the Savior. 

As we seek Christ, as we find Him, as we follow Him, we shall have the Christmas spirit, not just for one fleeting day each year but as a companion always.

Thomas S. Monson

Elder McMinn

Week 22: Welcome to The Village

Elder McMinn has a new address:

1301 W. Hefner Rd. Apt # 3502
Oklahoma City, OK 73114

This week was transfer week. I had to say goodbye to a lot of the people in Moore those last few days but the Village is way cool. The top of my area is in Edmund and the bottom is in South OKC. You get a little bit of everything. Edmund is the richest and the South is not. We have an area called Nichols Hills and that area has some of the largest homes that I have ever seen. There are so many more people here outside for us to talk to then there were in Moore. 

Joe 

JT

My new companion is way cool too. His name is Elder Wright and he is from Nephi Utah. We have both been on our missions the exact same time so that is fun to be both learning the new things. I have a feeling this transfer is going to be awesome so I am way excited! I am really excited to be in the Village. It is way cool and I like it here so far. There is a lot of investigators but also a lot of people that we can just talk to outside because there are more people outside here than there was in Moore and I love that. I saw Elder Riley at transfers the other day so that was way cool. I am pumped for my new area because the people here are so cool. My new zone leader, Elder Berrett, was actually the first missionary that I spent the night with when I got here in OKC. 

The Village apartment

Elder McMinn and Elder Wright New Companions (both in the back)

He who gives money gives much. He who gives time gives more but he who gives of himself gives all.

- President Thomas S. Monson

 Have a good week.

Elder McMinn

Week 21: Last Week in Moore

Oh, you know...just out here chasing storms in Oklahoma!

My week has been a good one. It almost just felt like we were going through the routine but it was still a good week. We have been looking for part member families and have had good success with being invited in and teaching them. 

We were able to set a baptism date for Joe Ferrera. December 16th. Sadly I am getting transferred out before then. He has been looking into the church for 6 months now. I am super excited for him. I never thought that I would love and care for someone who was a total drug addict but when you look at them for what truly matters it doesn't matter what they did before only who they have the potential to become with the help of our loving Heavenly Father.

I am going to the Village. I have no clue where that is but it should be good I hope. I really didn't want to leave but thats how it goes. JT Alvarado and I both were almost in tears when I went and saw him last night. He is the recent convert that I myself baptized back in September.

The Alvardos with Elder McMinn

Today for P-day we are going to see the Native American man who helped us finish the flutes last time and the other elders in the area are going to make some before they leave. Should be good to see all the other missionaries before we all leave.

I have loved Moore so much and the people here are seriously the greatest people ever. I am going to miss it. 

Love,
Elder McMinn

Heavenly Father loves all His children. No matter where they are on or off the path. He wants them back home.

- Linda K. Burton