January 25th, 2012

Hey Everyone,

7 weeks down! 3 to go!

So this week was the same as every other week here! But, I will talk about some things that happened that were not totally normal. Elder Sweeten and Elder Walker left this week! It was weird to see them leave especially because I was here a month before Elder Walker even got here! It was interesting because it wasn't hard to say goodbye. It was harder to say I'll see you in a month when Elder Sweeten left from home to the MTC, than it was now to say I'll see you in two years! This is just an example of how a mission changes your perspective on things! I know that when we all get back it will be as joyous as the reunion of Alma the Younger and the Sons of Mosiah as found in Alma Chapter 17!

Ok, so last week I wrote about hurting my wrist, it should be fine. It was just a really bad sprain, it still hurts to sign but it is getting better. Bad news on the Sister in my district that hurt her wrists though, she might be going home because of it. It is sad.

Ok so this week we practiced interpreting while our teacher read from a book. He would read and we would interpret for our other teacher that was deaf. This doesn't sound like anything special but the reading material is what made it crazy! The book that was chosen for us was, 'Jesus The Christ'. If anyone has ever read that book before you can understand the enormity of this challenge! The book is hard enough to understand in English, translating it was insane! But it was finally something that I was the best at in class! I was good because I actually understood what was being said and I was able to interpret the meaning! If you haven't read that book I would highly suggest it! It is amazing!

Something else that happened this week that was different actually happened about an hour ago. Two of our teachers came with us to the temple this morning, because they are both deaf, we were able to do the endowment in ASL. It was really interesting seeing the perspective in ASL. I understood most of it!

We are now to the point that people are getting ready to leave from our district. One of the sisters, Sister Cardita, is going to serve on Temple Square so she is leaving this week. The last time we will see her is on Sunday. My companion will leave on Monday, which means I will be part of a tri-companionship for a week until all the others leave except for Elder Waldron and me. It is going to be really different without these missionaries. Since I have come here I have spent basically 24/7 with them! It is amazing how close all of us are.

Well I love you all! I appreciate the letters and Dear Elders! Thanks for all you do!

-Elder Banner

When life gets too hard to stand, kneel. - Anon.

January 19, 2012

Hey everyone,

I'm going to start off saying that this email is going to be short. I injured my wrist so I am typing with one hand. I was running real fast, the Lord needed to humble me so I tripped and hit a brick wall at full speed, I think my wrist is just sprained but I think I'll go to the MTC doctor today and make sure that is it because I want this to get better as soon as possible so I can continue signing. It is ok because it is my left wrist so I can still do most things.

Ok, one thing I have to mention is an amazing spiritual experience we had on Thursday. One of our teachers, Sister Holland (I love her, she's amazing), was teaching us how to sign our testimonies in blue box, which is signing to those who do not know sign language, basically acting it out. Yes, it sounds way hard and it is! We didn't understand how to do this so she decided to share her's with us about the atonement. Words cannot describe nor writing accurately depict what we saw. I have heard prophets and apostles bear their testimonies of the atonement all my life but it has never been that real to me. When blue boxing you become who you are telling a story about. That was exceptionally true for this experience! It was no longer Sister Holland sitting in front of us but it was Christ! It was Him that was suffering, in agony as He took on our sins. It was Him that looked around into each of our eyes, taking our burdens upon him and returned only love to us! It was Him who looked me in the eye, took my burden on His back and staggered with the weight, and continued to stare at me with overwhelming love yet also sadness in His eyes! It was Him that was dragged away, whipped, pieced with thorns, and crucified! I shuddered with each hammer stroke as the pounded the nails into His hands! It was Him that while on the cross looked us in the eye again with overwhelming love! It was the most amazing experience, and only sign language Elders and Sisters do that. It is my goal to get as good as she is, or even close! No one can explain how that was done and that is what made it amazing!

I also learned how cool it is to be an ASL missionary this week! There are, at any given time, about 50 of us in the world. Compare that to the 50,000 + missionaries out there and that we are quite a small percentage! I love that I was called to ASL, a few weeks ago I had no idea how to teach with my hands but now it is hard not to! I bore one of the most powerful testimonies I have ever born yesterday and that was only with one hand! I can't believe how far I have progressed with the language! If this wasn't God's work there is no way I would be learning this fast! I still have forever in here but I am actually kind of excited to stay here an extra week!

Well, my time is far past gone, sorry I type slow with one hand.

I love you all and miss you but I would not be anywhere else!

Elder Banner

January 11th, 2012

Hey everyone,

Five weeks in! But the depressing part is that I only hit my halfway point in the MTC yesterday! Well, that is a blessing and a curse! I love the MTC and it is a great experience, but I do want to be out in the field. Ok, so I wrote a small list of things that I can write about. Most of these aren't new but I don't think I've talked about them yet.

First, last night we had Russell M. Nelson of the quorum of the 12 come speak to us! It was fantastic and he gave a great and insightful talk on the Abrahamic Covenant and the gathering of scattered Israel. Also, I was finally able to see Elder Walker on Sunday! It was great and me, him, and Elder Sweeten got some pictures together (I will send them as soon as they are developed).

So some things about signing, I learned that signing is actually dangerous if you aren't careful, we had some warnings when we first got here but we thought they were all just crazy. Well,  it looks like they knew what they were talking about. One of the sisters in my district pinched a nerve while singing and now can't sign with her right hand for 10 days! It is crazy! I am actually starting to see a little bit of improvement with my signing! I can now sign full conversations and lessons without stopping to ask what signs are all the time. I'm still not "fluent" but I am starting to improve. My English and thoughts are twisting a little bit as I try to learn correct ASL. It is weird and I say things wrong and backwards quite a bit now. Something I had no idea before I got here about ASL missionaries is Blue Boxing. So basically on our missions (especially mine so they tell me) we will run into deaf investigators who do not speak a word of sign language. Due to lack of education or immigration there will be people out there that we will have to literally act out everything we say to them! It is honestly charades without any hope of cheating! Sounds fun right, well maybe if we weren't trying to teach them the gospel! Go ahead and try and explain faith or prophets or the priesthood without any talking or singing or anything to someone who has never even had religion! It is the hardest thing in the world and only ASL missionaries will ever have to do this. I am actually pretty good at it because I am creative, this is a time when all of the other missionaries experience doesn't count and we are all even so I am actually good at it (comparatively speaking because I still have a hard time explaining those tough subjects)!

So while we have been here we have been watching alot of Mormon messages, I have never really watched them before and they are so powerful! Please go watch them! they are on both mormon.org and lds.org! They are fantastic!

I love being here even though it seems I am never going to leave the MTC!  I hope you are all doing great!

Elder Banner

"How you deal with life's problems is a measure of your faith in Him who allows trials to happen and then helps you to overcome them." - Elder Nelson

January 4th, 2012 - More time in the MTC!

Hey everyone,

Happy New Year! New years at the MTC did not feel like new years at all. Absolutely nothing changed from day to day. The MTC is worried about missionaries missing their homes and their families during holidays so the MTC tries to make it so holidays don't really exist. But I hope everyone else had a great time!

So yesterday I was called into the scheduling office and told that  the missionary I am replacing in the field is not leaving until Feb. 13 so I am going to be staying here at the MTC another week. Needless to say I was rather disappointed about this. I'm not even sure how it is going to work being that my entire district will be leaving a week before me. I might be alone for a week and I'm not sure if I'll have classes or what. But I know that later while in my mission I will appreciate the extra time. One thing that makes me really want to get out of here is I just got a letter from elder Jones telling me about how great and amazing it is to be  out in the field. It was so nice to hear from him and it was great to hear some of his stories.

So what is new in the MTC? Nothing much at all. We were able to hear a pretty good talk on Sunday by the man in charge of all of the International MTCs and guess what, he grew up in Layton! We also had a good devotional by O. Vincent Halek of the seventy. He actually said in his talk that we are going to have Elder Neilson come and talk to us soon which got us all excited! These devotionals and firesides on Sunday and Tuesday nights are my favorite part of being here. Also P day is awesome! We actually look more forward to p day then we were looking forward to Christmas!

I am very excited to hopefully see Elder Walker today! That is one of the coolest parts of the MTC, seeing people you know. While I have been here I have seen and spoken with Elder Robbie Sweeten, Elder Mitch Clark, Elder Brody Burch, Elder John Erickson, Elder Garrison Elliot, Elder Kyle Naville, Elder Johnny Snow, and some more people I know! It is awesome that we are all here together, at least for a little while. 

I'm sorry there is not more to add this week. I have lots of stories and experiences to share but I don't have time to write them all on this email. I wish we had more time to write emails but we do have all day today to write letters.

Sincerest Regards,

Elder Banner