Week 73- Mr. M and other Dandy travails of Elder Minson

Welcome to my Precious email. I almost didn't write an email this week due to LOTS of fun activities planned for the day, altho none of which went according to plan, buuuuut I've caved after several humans have poked and prodded.

So this week was just dazzling. Imagine a dump truck dumping a load of diamonds on a massive black velvet carpet. Dazzling, right?

Recently we met a man named M. He's suffering currently from unemployment. But this unfortunate happenstance is a fortunate stance of happening for him, because he's been humbled. 

Think about soldering copper pipes together. When you heat the pipe (us) with a torch (refiners fire) and then press the solder (gospel) to the hot pipe, it melts rather quick and fills the cracks.

In the same exact way the gospel will cling to us when we've been humbled. 

True dat Elder Minson. That's gospel right there, yessir. Well that the was case with M.

It's been quite magical to see. We have a lesson with him tonight at 8, so everyone keep your fingers crossed. We'll be teaching the gospel of Jesus Christ.

Love you all a large amount!

Classically,

Elder Minson 

 

 

 Our most recent baptism. A young lady and her brother got baptized. They're great, we love them soo much.

 

 Us writing a weekly email to all the stake leadership. Haha fun

Week 72

Well we found a very good new investigator on Saturday night. His records were lost and he really wants to be rebaptised. He even came to church with his wife on Sunday!  Also, it snowed! And that’s pretty much the funnest thing that has happened.

Elder Crocco and I at a dinner appt

Playing Harry Potter game

Me and Elder Crocco

Haha

Week 71 - Vernal Vernal

Hello my fellow earthlings!


So this week has been rather eventful, and in a sort, unorthodox.

To start Last Preparation day we called our senior office missionary about getting a washer and dryer. He said that El Presidente would bring some up when he came for Zone Conference which was held on Wednesday. Oh joy! Haha it was actually a great meeting, good way to celebrate V-day.

Ahh! I’m getting ahead of me self. So, President brought these rather large and spacious laundry machines for us to install in our place. First and foremost, there is physically not enough room for them both to fit in the space that was built for them, yah, we measured. But we were feeling bold (or faithful) so we tried any way. Holy smokes! It was a squeeze, but they fit! Not sure why they fit when the measurements don’t add up, MAYBE God wanted us to have them? Who knows? We’re super grateful! Soo that was a joyous occasion.

Also I got a dental checkup! That was sooo much fun. Our steak 🥩 President is a dentist and I mentioned something to him about one of my teeth bothering me. “Oh come on in to my office, we’ll get you scanned, cleaned and if you have a cavity, filled too. No charge.” “Oh President,” I said, “you really don’t have to do that, buuuut, if you insist.” Alas I had no cavity’s and I got a free cleaning, they complimented my teeth a lot! Annnd the two dental assistants were both nonmembers so we got to plant some good seeds there. They were asking all sorts of questions. (This area is truly amazing to missionaries)! Haha, to all you unbelievers, yes, I do actually brush and floss my teeth every night.

I wanted to share a few quick thoughts from the scriptures. Recently I discovered this, who knew that Ammon is ACTUALLY and Egyptian name? Annnnd according to ancient Egyptian history for an Egyptian warrior it’s an honor to cut off the right arms of your captives and show them off as trophies.

Now wait, this sounds familiar. Ohhh that’s cause it’s in the Book of Mormon. Could “ol’ joe smith” have known that? No.

How about this?  It’s a common practice for Mesopotamians to give their children names with the same beginning consonant as their “celebrities”. So when gadianton was around we all the sudden start seeing g names. “Gad, Gadiomnah, gadiandi, gid, giddianhi, giddonah, gidgiddonah, gidgiddoni, gimgimno, gadianton. Ever noticed that? Take a look. They all pretty much range from beginning of 3rd Ne to the end of the scriptures, (besides of course the book of Ether because that was a while before), exactly where the gadianton robbers begin to take siege.

Ohh right right, I’m sure Joseph smith knew that though, with all of his ancient history degrees.

So what about this, as he was “creating the Book of Mormon” he decided that there would be a place called Nahom, and that’s where his character named Ishmael would die and be buried. Soo to back it up he scurried off to the Arabian peninsula and made an altar and on it, wrote the exact Hebrew characters for the word “Nahom”.  (That was all sarcasm btw) Joseph Smith translated the Book of Mormon and that “aforementioned” part is only in there because that is the exact place that lehi and his family traveled, therefore that is where Ishmael died.

True story. I only kept out the fact that an altar with the transcription “Nahom” which was found in the location was carbon dated to back to before even Lehi got there. Confirming the fact that it was a genuine place!

Ohh I love this soo much. The Book of Mormon is amazing, I could go on. After having taken President Monson’s challenge seriously, I have learned and grown in the Book of Mormon sooo much.

Questions anyone? I certainly do love y’all!

me and Elder Yenson

Week 70- The dark and dreary wilderness

So there I was,(dramatic drumbeat) in a dark and dreary wilderness. Lost amongst the sage brush and scattered mountains, I started to feel like I was back in Aridzona. Hot in the day and cold at night (not like Arizona) but regardless, this desert(ed) valley needs me. In my short week here I’ve come to love the dark and dreary wilderness, though I suppose the residents call it Vernal.

ACTUALLY, If you think about it, it’s sorta like we’re the reclaimers to those that let go of the iron rod who are all currently lost in this here wilderness of dreariness, and we’re trudging out here to find them, amongst all the mists of uncertainty, trees of destruction, and deer of adorableness . (That was a very long sentence)

But alas, here I am!

Soo.. Vernal. It’s actually quite nice out here as a missionary. In Vernal alone there are two districts, a total of 14 missionaries. The population is quite small, and Elder Crocco and I cover just one stake.

For missionaries there are SEVERAL free things. There are over 16 free restaurants, and about 10 free commodities, including dentist offices, VERY discounted clothes stores, hair saloons (emphasis on SALOONS because yep we is in the Wild West out here), ANND a place that dresses and cleans our shoes for us. Therefore, if I don’t come out of here 40 pounds heavier, I did something wrong.

As far as work, I just happened to be placed in a very high baptizing stake because the members of this stake are Extra missionary minded. Although the work is suuuuper depleted right now due to the oil fields not doing too hot. But who knows, it might be time for God to flip it around. So yep, there is pretty much everything that a missionary can ask for out here. So don’t worry we’re well taken care of.

So in the words of Book of Mormon prophets “something that has deeply impressed my mind” would be the importance of loving our scriptures more than our phones! Thus, I have begun carrying around a miniature Book of Mormon with me, EVERYWHERE I go (although I actually started doing it In Payson a couple months ago..)! It’s soo fun to see how useful it actually can be..

I LOVE the scriptures.

Alas My friends, I don’t have any pictorials! Except for the living room of our place. We have an air hockey table!

Love y’all much
Elder Minson

Week 69- Transfering to Vernal!

I’m getting transferred to Vernal this week! Haha, that means there is only one zone left that I haven’t been in yet.

I'm doing awesome! Things in the Utah Provo Mission are going quite smoothly, and they're progressing and people are doing awesome. We got a new investigator tonight and it was super cool to teach him, he has a few different beliefs than we do, specifically regarding the Godhead and it was cool to specifically understand his point of view and help him sort of like Ammon helped King Lamoni believe in God, or a Great Spirit. We actually taught him on the temple grounds, at the temple pavilion which was a cool experience, a lot of people were passing us by and giving us good looks, haha.

The mission has done great things to me, I'm a lot different, trust me!
Love you, bye!

Dinner appt at the Sanfords Friday night

i need a hair cut, but I ain’t getting one

Week 67- Snow!

This is Elder Minson. Hello Everyone! Mosiah 2:41 is a scripture that I have examined my whole mission. It states plainly the very obvious fact that the gospel blesses us as families and individuals. We have met several recovering addicts. All who, because of their addictions have been living on the street. A few of which have become clean, through very diligent effort. It is soo clear to me that god loves us, in and out, through and through. This is clear to me because of his commandments, mission rules, laws, and all of the procedures that we as his children follow. And AS we follow them a lot of worry And doubt WILL be dispelled. God KNOWS what his children need. He is surely the master creator. And each of us are his greatest work.

Elder Taylor and I have been pushing through. We have both (I think) thoroughly enjoyed and grown in and from this transfer and each other. My family back home is great. God is surely blessing them. But even if they were struggling i still consider it god showing his love.

 Monday we had a good night of finding. And we worked on exercising our faith. Tuesday we woke up super early to go work out at the provo high school gym. I love the feeling of tension in muscles after you work out. We also met a man named Ryan who wanted to learn about the gospel so he could go through the temple. Wednesday we went on exchanges with Elder Ficklin and Elder Morris.

 Friday we had a fabulous lesson with a man who we thought was less active. But he turned out to have not even been baptised yet. So that is now what we are working towards with him.

Saturday.. IT SNOWED! it was amazing! I love snow soo much! Call me a traitor but Arizona is just too hot and boring for me. When I graduate 👨🏾‍🎓from college I’m moving to Montana. Also on Saturday night. We realized that we had talks we needed to prepare for on Sunday! Whoops! Sunday we gave the talks and it went great.

Sly, Elder Minson

A scooter couch

District Meeting:

Some dinner appointments:

Week 66- The temple and stuff

Hola my peoples!

So I don’t have a ton to write today.

The coolest thing that happened was that my recent convert J went to the temple to do baptisms for the dead! Man he is awesome!

Also Elder Taylor and I had a very spiritual experience one day when we were kneeling in prayer. God gave us strength and powered us through the night. It was a very successful night. 

God certainly lives!

Sly, (shore love yah)

Elder Minson

 

We went to a sushi place last Wednesday when dinner canceled

At the temple with J

 

Week 65- The Good old Freedom area

Hey Eveyone! Elder Minson here! I guess you probably figured that though. I don’t have much to say. But one thing I have been learning is that missionary work is not always butterflies and tulips. The work in this area is extremely slow. We have almost no one we are teaching full time. But that’s not to say that we aren’t doing good, or that we don’t have a purpose. We are in this area to do something. It takes time and patience. Also I have been sick a lot in this area. Meaning we haven’t been able to go out and work quite as much. Maybe god has been saying “rest son, there is a lot of work ahead of you.” Recently we have been pushing a lot for the Ward Mission Leaders and their ward missionary’s to go out and do visits. It would be a lot more effective if we did it that way. Because think about this, 2 Elders going out, on foot, knocking about ten doors a night. (We do not tract because it is extremely ineffective In this mission.) And maybe 4 of those door will be opened. Where as if 4 Ward missionaries from 7 different wards go out one night a week with a car and each knock 10 doors. THATS A LOT MORE EFFECTIVE. Haha so that’s what we have been devoting time to organizing. Any who, that’s a sneak peak into the life of Elder Minson!

I love you all 🆙
Sly, Elder Minson

Week 64- Happy New Year

President has said I better start applying for colleges soon. So in a couple months I will apply for ASU.  I really enjoyed talking to you on Christmas! It was super special. Imagine, in 1 pregnancy I will be home, that’s not very long!

For Christmas we ate dinner at some houses and played some board games in a chapel with other missionaries! For New years we are going to this place called Good Move Cafe. There we will eat and play some cool games.  Elder Taylor and I are  are doing great. He is a lot like me in different ways. He has ADD too. but he loves to work and so do I. So things are great. Even though this has been my slowest area...  no one is really progressing in the discussions right now.

The best thing that happened this week: We got bikes! So now we travel faster than ever!

 I took a video of me driving past a window and I took a screenshot of the video.

Before he got transferred Elder McKinney found and MTC teacher who gave us a ride. 

Pretty cool!

 Just some Elders in the Apartment complex

Week 63- Merry Christmas

Written by Mom: (Preparation Day this week was on Christmas day so we didn't get an email from Elder Minson, but we loved getting to video call him!) 

 

(We received this picture in a text on Christmas Eve, where he spent with his new companion Elder Taylor and his recent convert Jamal.)

Week 62

Sorry I haven’t written the group in so long. It’s been crazy busy!  Since we use our Shoeberoos, Lamborfeeties, Chevrolegs, Nissandles, Ford F1feeties, Legus, Mitshibishoes, Kawasocksi’s, Ishoezu’s (Isuzu), Pontislacks, Kia souls, Footieraris, Ford legspidition, Kneesans

OUR FEET so much we have to leave thirty minutes early most of the time, and all the productive times in the day get cut down.. though we still talk to people on the street.  Lol,  when I was with Elder Conley, we came up with all of those feet analogy’s. Haha it was super fun!

I want to share one neat experience that happened because of my ignorance. It was actually last night. Elder McKinney and I had gotten so busy on Friday that we didn’t have time to Weekly Plan. So we were finishing it up last night. Eventually somehow we started talking about (a topic) and then that led to an argument which led to some yelling, which led to Elder McKinney storming out of the house. I kept the phone. So he had nowhere really to go. A lot of the argument came because of me. 

The problem was that I wasn’t trying to understand his point of view. Instead I was trying to push my point of view on him. 

You see, that’s the key, the key to a healthy companionship is “understanding” if I had understood where he was coming from then less yelling would have happened.  Because I understand some of his other flaws I get less impatient with him as a person.

Moral of the story OH I totally forgot to say that he came back shortly after with another set of elders that live right next to us, and he was totally okay. He told the other elders that he was not even mad when he stormed out.. :/ 

Any way.

Sly, (Sure Love You)

Elder Minson

 Pictures!

 Here we were helping with a food bank that Bishop S started. It was amazing!

Baptism of J.

Lunch at Taco Bell :)

We went to the temple last Monday! Yay! ALSO SUPER COOL THING. Yah know how I trAined Elder DeAlba? Well his brother was at the MTC going to the temple the same time as us! So I met him! That was crazy awesome!

This is A. She is the daughter of someone we teach. She is crazy adorable and kept asking me to take pictures of us. Lol

Week 61

My district at District Meeting,

Saturday we had a baptism of J. It went phenomenal! J is amazing, he really wanted to bear his testimony during it but he was not given the chance. He is a very solid convert! WOW.

 SADLY it hasn’t snowed yet!

Week 60

We were going to have a baptism but we moved it to this Saturday. And he wants me to baptize him. So yay!

 

This week we put M on date to be baptized second Saturday in January. She really wants to be baptized so we are super excited. She even went to church last Sunday. 

We also met and taught D who also wants to be baptized and went to church on Sunday. He is super humble and and cool. He wants to understand everything before he get baptized. So it will be slow with him. Haha :) 

 

At service a few days ago

At the mall

 

Week 59

For Thanksgiving we got to sleep in, and had a Turkey Bowl with our zone,  then had Thanksgiving dinner with the Aranda's and the Balls.

Spoke in church yesterday in Freedom 4th Ward and I noticed a girl from my home ward right before I gave my talk. So as I was saying I’m from queen creek I looked at her and we both smiled super big. It was crazy! 

We have a baptism for a super man on December 9th!

Me and Elder McKinney at a dinner appointment

My favorite shoes are all taped together now.

Week 58- Provo Freedom and Elder McKinney

Hi every one! I didn’t write last week due to a series of unfortunate events. But here is the email I drafted last week.

Dear people who listen.

Hi everyone! Right now I’m sitten by a lake fishin.

You can very easily compare this to missionary work. We are told to teach those who will listen. Similarly in fishing we are to catch those that will bite.

Here is a quote from Preach my Gospel, it uses fishing in its analogy so I thought it was fitting.    None of us should be like the fisherman who thinks he has been fishing all day when in reality he has spent most of his time getting to and from the water, eating-lunch, and fussing with his equipment. Fishing success is related to how long you have your line in the water, not to how long you are away from the apartment. Some fishermen are away from home for twelve hours and have their line in the Water for ten hours. Other fishermen are away from home for twelve hours andhave their line in the water for only two hours. This last type may wonder why they do not have the same success as others. .

This week has been super eventful. My new area is Provo Freedom, and my new companion is Elder McKinney from Arkansas! We are in a walking area so it is super different trying to have multiple lessons every night. Our area is large and people’s schedules are tough. It’s been a good experience in managing time and resources. It’s also been super fun to talk along the way as we walk, share cool lessons and ponder about the things of God.

I’ve recently studied the tree of life a lot lately. It’s been really neat to see the similarities between it and the life we have right now. Also, at church Sunday we spoke on member missionary work and received several referrals.
Sly,
Elder Minson

Here is me and Elder McKinney:

This is what our new area looks like:

Week 57- Transfers!

We just got back from fishin!

As far as transfers I’m moving to Provo to train a new missionary. Y Mount Zone. Most likely in a walking area for winter. (We are not allowed to bike in winter.) Elder Conley is staying in Payson. I feel good about it. Email is being very wonky for the whole mission. I might not get any other emails out.

Sly,

Elder Minson

 Fishin at the lake!