February 8th, 2012

Less then a week to go in the crazy place!!

Ok, so it has been an interesting week! My entire district left this week! It was weird saying goodbye to them and even weirder to not have them with us yesterday and today after being with them all day every day for over 2 months! It is going to take some getting used to not having them with us.

Some cool things did happen because of it though. On everyone’s last day, our teacher Bro. Ikeda (He is deaf) said the prayer for us in Japanese! And he did the ASL at the same time! It was crazy and he even has an Asian accent (We still can't figure that one out)! Also Bro. Peterson (also deaf, the one that can play the piano amazingly) had a whole conversation with us in English (his deaf accent is noticeable) and he also started speaking Spanish! It was weird! And then to top it all off, he started singing! He sang multiple songs and he is a better singer than I am (not very hard, but he is deaf!)! Crazy!

Fast Sundays are weird here, we have a 2-hour mission conference and then after we have the sacrament, then testimony meeting.  There is never any time that no one is baring testimony here! haha

I got my itinerary this week!!!! I leave Monday at 4 in the morning! Ya, I know what the heck! But I am so excited! I was called to be the travel leader, which means I will be in charge of 8 other missionaries that are flying with me! I hope they are not stupid! I have had thoughts about maybe one of them missing the plane or something! That would be terrible!

I have been working with my new companion this week! I know that he is my companion here just so that I can learn patience! He is soooooooooooo slow at everything! He has no get up and go in him! It took his 25 minutes to get dressed the other day and not even into a suit! And I can finish two plates at mealtime (including standing in line) before he finishes half of his plate. It is not that he is slow upstairs or anything, that would be easier to deal with, he just takes his time with everything! But I like him and we are getting along fine! He is going to be just fine as a missionary.

Other then that there is not much new! I am just so excited to get out into the field! 

Thanks for all the letters! 

Elder Banner 

"Put you hand on a hot stove for a minute and it feels like an hour. Sit next to a pretty girl for an hour and it seems like a minute. That's relativity!" - Albert Einstein

February 1st, 2012

I am so close to going into the field! One week from Monday!

Ok so yesterday was the 50th anniversary of the MTC! It was really cool and a great experience! We were able to hear from Jeffrey R. Holland (my favorite!) and Russell M. Neilson! It was a great meeting and it was so cool to be in the front again! We were right in front of Elder Holland and as we were signing one of the songs he looked right at me a smiled! It was awesome! Since being in the MTC I have had three different apostles look right at me! It is so cool and you can literally feel the Spirit that is with them the second they enter the room! It is amazing!

Also this week my companion, Elder Livengood left, I must say I took it with mixed emotions. I was very ready for him to leave, and he has been on my nerves constantly the past couple weeks! I wish him the best and he'll do great things, but he and I were just too different!  I have a new companion now, his name is Elder Burton and he is an English Elder. He fractured his leg so now he has to stay a few extra weeks. He will now be coming to our ASL classes with us so maybe he will pick something up. He is interesting, I like him a lot! He does have something going on that I can't place though; some wire is not totally connected upstairs if you know what I mean! It is a good experience for me because I now have to interpret what is said during our lessons. It is so hard to try and teach and interpret at the same time! It is a great learning experience though, and I am fine with being his companion!

One of the Sister's, the one that hurt her wrist is going home! It is really sad! Hopefully she will be able to come back!

I have been improving as a teacher a lot! I am actually getting it down! And my ability to sign is improving greatly! I am so excited to get out into the field! As I have been teaching I have learned how to ask questions that make a person think deeply and bring out what they are really thinking! My teachers are saying that I am getting real good!

Well I love you all and I hope everything is going great!

Warmest Regards,

 Elder Banner

"Most things in life we can't control, but we can control ourselves, just be the best you can be and everything else will take care of itself." - Jeffery R. Holland