Week 60

 Hello from the Philippines!!! 

     It's been an awesome week, we had Zone Conference and learned about teaching the doctrines and principles of the gospel using the Bible and The Book of Mormon together. Then we got a chance to practice teaching. There were three zones there, and Elder Ivins and Elder Mulet gave the workshop on teaching with the  Bible and The Book of Mormon. Then they gave a concern to the group that we had to prepare a lesson in 1 minute to answer the concern. The lesson was to be 6 minutes and we had to use a verse from the Bible and The Book of Mormon. Well, after about 30 seconds we still had nothing. One of the companionships in the group would have to go up and role play what they came up with. And you know who they choose out of ALL those missionaries in the room? Elder Meredith and I. We went up there and pulled some verses out of thin air and made an effort to answer their concern for 6 excruciating minutes. Lesson learned. I will never let that happen again. "I looked like a fool" as Nacho Libre would put it. We weren't that bad, but it just made me want to be more fluent with the scriptures and more prepared to answer from the scriptures. 

     That was the highlight of the week for me, kind of started a fire inside me to be prepared. This is the last week of the transfer, we're excited to give our all. 

     That's all I can think to say right now. Maybe just a quick little love story in The Book of Mormon before I go. It's not really, but it depends how you look at it haha. Turn to 1 Nephi 7:19 for a second, and you'll probably remember this part of the story when they are bringing the daughters of Ishmael back "to wife" and Laman and Lemuel are about ready to kill Nephi and "one of the daughters of Ishmael" helps to stop them. If you'll notice the footnote for daughters then it takes you to 1 Nephi 16:7 which reads "7 And it came to pass that I, Nephi, took one of the daughters of Ishmael to wife; and also, my brethren took of the daughters of Ishmael to wife; and also Zoram took the eldest daughter of Ishmael to wife." Looks like that same daughter that stood up for Nephi caught his eye, am I right? Just kidding, I just thought it was interesting to see that's the verse that the footnote takes you to. Nephi sneaking in some romance to The Book of Mormon. Moral of the story: Get you a wife that will stand up for you. 

     Anyways, thank you all for your love and support! Until next week!

   Elder Banister

Elder Ivins, Batan Family