Sunday, September 9, 2012

September 4th, 2012


Hey Everyone!

So Sorry I missed a week! Last week was super crazy! I feel bad! But last week we had to take our car in to get it fixed so we didn't have a car on Monday or Tuesday! But it is ok because we have it now and we really didn't have anything super exciting to report from last week!

This week is a different story! We had lots of different things happen this week! First, on Tuesday, we moved one of our active members. Yes, we lost another one. We moved Doug Cluff, he is a really good guy and we are really going to miss him! I can't tell you how disappointing it is to see an active priesthood holder move from the branch without having more come in! The branch has been getting smaller and smaller as more and more people are moving to Utah and Phoenix! It is crazy!

I also had two interviews this week, interviewing people for baptism! My district has, all of the sudden, lit a fire and is going crazy right now! If everything goes according to plan, as of right now we will have 9 baptisms this month in our district alone! That is fantastic! Right now we have 4 companionships and the goal per month is to have 1 baptism per companionship. We are going to have more than double our goal! It will be fantastic! I am so excited!

We had a baptism for one of the guys I interviewed on Saturday. That was a great experience! It was one of those guys that you normally wouldn't think to even talk to. His name is Jim; he has full sleeves of (weird) tattoos on both his arms, and both his legs, as well as a tattoo across his entire back. He also doesn't have most of his teeth and really long (and ratty) pony tail. Yet, he is one of the most ready people I have ever met. He is such a good guy and will do so well in the church.  He actually asked me to speak at his baptism! I was a little bit surprised by that but I was more than happy to do it! We had a lot of people show up for that one! Quite a few investigators as well as lots of members, and right as it was going to start President and Sister Killpack walked in as well! It was fantastic! It was a really spiritual baptism, they all are, but this one was extra spiritual for some reason and a great experience for all that were there!

The big news of this week started with a phone call from President on Wednesday night. He called and asked to be put on speakerphone. I had to go get Elder Bradley from the other room and the whole time I was thinking of all the reasons that he would want to talk to us at the same time. None of the things I came up with were really good but I think that is due to the fact that I couldn't read his emotions from his tone when he asked! Ha-ha Of course it was nothing bad, on the contrary, it was something really really good! He told us that we would be getting a new companion this week! So on Friday we went with President and Sister Killpack to pick up Elder Nelsen!

Elder Nelsen has been serving in the LA mission for the past 14 months and they decided to send him here to help us out! He is deaf!! That is going to help so much! He is one of the best and hardest working missionaries I have ever met which will also be great! While in LA he had 7 baptisms! All ASL! That is amazing! He is originally from Nevada (near Reno) and is going to be a real asset to us! This puts me in a situation that is totally and completely unique! I am living with my dad (1st companion) and my mom (2nd companion) at the same time as a happy family! But the weird part is that I am senior companion over both of them!! When has that ever happened before! Weird! And to be honest, both of them should be over me! They both are great missionaries and know what they are doing and how to do it and I am still trying to learn! This will be such a great learning experience for me! Elder Nelsen will have really good success in the deaf work that I get to be a (small) part in! And I will be able to learn how to do it! Also my signing will improve greatly as I am going to really have to interpret for him all the time! I already had to interpret at the baptism, for two of the three hours at the YSA ward and then little instances through everyday life that requires it! I am really excited to work with him! It
Will be great!

Well that is all the time I have to write, there was a lot more to write about but I am out of time!

Hope you all have an amazing week!

Elder Banner

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