Ok, to go along with last week’s
letter, this week we were unable to teach either Laura or Kayla. It
is rather sad, we had a lesson set up with Laura but she became really
sick so we had to cancel and it just didn't work out for the rest of the week
with her. But it is ok! We have a lesson with her tonight so we are excited for
that! With Kayla we invited her to the branch thanksgiving activity (see
below) but she was actually out of town all weekended so that was a bummer!
Hopefully we will be able to see her again soon! We did get another new
investigator this week! Her name is Tara and she is awesome! I'm not totally
sure if we are going to teach her now or not because of the situation. She
is one of those amazing people that just show up to church and wants to be
taught! She is the first person I've met that has done that and it is
great! She showed up to church in the Camino Principal ward a few weeks ago and
wanted to take the lessons. So the missionaries in that area started to
teach her. But because she is YSA age, they let us know about her and
right now are passing her off to us. We had a lesson with her and with the
other missionaries on Thursday and it was awesome!
She is so ready but she doesn't even
know it! She already knows that the Book of Mormon is true, she is
halfway through first Nephi, and she said she wants to be baptized when she
feels it's the right time! Ya, can you say GOLDEN?! Ha-ha One thing that
is good if Elder Nelsen and I start teaching her is that we won’t force
anything on her. A lot of missionaries have the problem of trying to force
baptism on people when they (the missionaries) feel they are ready. but
due to the nature of our work both of us have become extremely patient and
understand that people need to progress on their own speed. Now we are going to
help her as much as we can and we are going to push her a little bit
of course but we actually understand that she needs to do it herself. So we
will keep you posted on that!
On Friday we had a branch
thanksgiving activity that was awesome! It was really successful and we had
lots of people come! We had a few less active people show up that I have not
met before so it was good to meet them! We also had a few really important
people come, one that we really want to work with but we were unable to meet with
her before as it was a weird situation. This lady showed up and myself, and
more importantly Elder Nelsen, were able to talk to her for a while and really
start to make a good relationship with her! It was really good and hopefully
because of that good experience we will be able to go visit her and her family
soon! So for this activity, it was a really good dinner! It was probably the
best church activity dinner I have ever had! It was fantastic! It was the normal
thanksgiving food but with ham, also and with some really good sweet potatoes!
(Oh ya, I love sweet potatoes now dad! haha) It was a great activity and I
really enjoyed it! I have some pictures and videos to send home from it! One of
the craziest things that happened was how much food we had left over! We had
SOO much! So we gave some to a few of the poorer members of the branch and
everything. But then I turned around and I saw a piles of bags they had made
and I asked, "What is that for?" and they told me that the two of us
were taking it home! I was shocked! That was so much food! I tried to give some
more to other people but everyone was insistent that we take it. So now we
probably have two weeks’ worth of good thanksgiving leftovers! I love this
branch! I really do! It is really hard to be in this mission but I truly love
all the people in the branch and they make everything worth it! That is why
missions are so good! It is because of the people you meet! Not because of what
you do, but of who you grow to love! It was a wonderful activity!
The other interesting thing that
happened this week was Stake Conference! We had Stake conference this weekend
and it was a fantastic experience! We had the priesthood leadership meeting on
Saturday afternoon and then our Elders quorum president, Gerry, took us to a
really good Indian restaurant! It was really good! Following that we had the adult
meeting that night! Both of these meeting were really really good! I really
enjoyed them and learned a lot! For both of these meetings I was also asked to
interpret! I know I mention interpreting like every week but sometimes it seems
that is what I do! That is my job! Ha-ha Anyways it was a good experience! It
was a good opportunity to practice and I did pretty well!
Now, the best part of Stake
Conference is what happened on Sunday! It wasn't normal but it was a broadcast
to all of the stakes in Arizona! We heard from the Presiding Bishop, a member
from the RS general presidency, and then from Elder Holland and Elder Eyring!
It was amazing! It was a great learning experience and a super strong spiritual
experience! I really enjoyed it and it was a super strong meeting! One of the
major things I got out of this meeting is that, it is time to stop fooling
around and get to work! This is the last inning! This is the last harvest! Ya,
pretty crazy! Ha-ha we are getting close. It is that time for "all men to
warn his neighbor". That is our responsibility now as members of this
church! We must warn our neighbor! People need to know what we know! For it
truly is drawing to a close. That is an interesting note to end on but that is
important!
Till next time,
Elder Banner
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