Week 64

 Hello from the Philippines!

   It has been a pretty good week, I'll share some of the highlights. So first, we had an awesome finding experience with finding. We were redirected with a few of our appointments, so we decided to do a little bit of tracting. We barely start and a sister calls to us from the side of the street: "Elders!" So we go to talk with her and she's a member! Her name is Ethel Pascua and she was baptized back when she was a youth, but moved away and married a nonmember and lost contact with the church. Now she has 3 kids ages 13, 11, and 9, who we were able to teach. What a BLESSING! The Lord prepared them to be taught and put sister Ethel in our path at that time. I'm excited for the opportunity to help them move towards being baptized and eventually to be sealed in the Temple. 

   Another experience I had this week was about breaking false limitations. Those of you that have actually read these emails, you may remember that when I first got here to Angono, I mentioned that there were 3 different unlimited wings places. Some may also know that I am sort of a wings fan, I guess you could say, and an unlimited wings place is a Tender Mercy of the Lord in my book. But anyways, the way they run it is you order a flavor of sauce and they bring you out 4 wings in that flavor. Then after you eat those, you can order again. Well, I've never really tried to push myself there, but that all changed this past week. We go in and I really wasn't expecting to do great things. I'm not sure if the spirit moved upon me, or it was just my pit of a stomach, but I just kept on ordering. Soon enough there were 10 empty baskets stacked up next to me. The other three missionaries, Elder Evans, Elder Araga, and my companion Elder Yaba were stunned. They started to egg me on, kind of jokingly, and I was just thinking back to an episode of the office when Michael Scott quits and he leaves saying "You have no idea how high I can fly" and walks out. Well, they had no idea that I was still gonna eat more, so I threw down another 20 wings, totaling to 60 wings. Talk about flying high, am I right? Get it? Chickens can't fly, but I can, by eating their wings? Not sure where this is going, but the point is that we can always do more, so DO IT. 

   That was the week, hope yours was as inspiring as mine was! 

  Elder Banister

Week 63

 Hello from the Philippines!!! I have pictures!!!

     It's been a good week, we celebrated Valentine's Day with a day full of work in the summer heat of the Philippines, and I loved every minute of it, except for the ones I didn't haha. Highlight was we got to go to the Temple this morning! We had to wake up at 3am, but it was worth it. I hope we don't take for granted the chance we have to visit a house of the Lord, especially if we live close. The work is going good, we see the Lord guiding us as we go out every day to gather Scattered Israel. I'm so grateful for the chance I have to serve, through the thick and the thin. I don't have much to say this week, but next week will be a Good One....... Hopefully haha. Thank you all for your love and support! Until next week!

   Elder Banister 

Week 62

 Hello from the Philippines!!!

     It's been a wonderful week, I finally got rid of Elder Meredith, glad I made it. Haha, just kidding, I was sad to see him go, we were really close. But my new companion is super awesome, his name is Elder Yaba from Bicole. This is his third transfer, so fresh out of his training and ready for the big dogs like Elder Banister I guess. But we've already seen some awesome things happen with just the past 4 days we've been together, so I'm excited for the rest of this transfer. We had Stake Conference this past Sunday and Elder Wakolo visited and spoke. I was really inspired by his teachings, especially about the 5 saving ordinances and the Sacrament. He said that in a very real sense it is a Life and Death Situation, whether or not we will qualify ourselves for Eternal Life by making and keeping sacred Ordinances with God. Sometimes I forget how important missionary work is, but that was a nice little slap in the face by the spirit to remind me. Another thing that has really been focused lately in the mission is preparing for the upcoming General Conference to make it an unforgettable experience. I hope we are all preparing for it as Prophet Russell M. Nelson coulseled. IT WILL BE LEGENDARY in other words. But anyways, I hope that everyone is doing good wherever you may be, thank you all for your love and support!

     Elder Banister

sa susunod nalang ang mga pictures

Week 61

 Hello from the Philippines!

     It's been a good week. Bet you're all sick of reading that same opening every time you read this... wait, do you even read it? Probably not, just a bunch of picture scrollers. Well, that's alright. The point is, Elder Meredith and I had our last week together here in Angono. It's gonna be hard to say goodbye to him, we really were a power companionship. This next transfer is going to be awesome though, I'm super excited to work here in Angono for these next 6 weeks. If I'm being honest, I really am drawing a blank on what to say in this email. I know the work that we do to help gather Israel is truly the Lord's work. I have seen a lot of miracles as I've been called to serve. I've seen The power of the Book of Mormon in the conversion of others. It truly was preserved for our day. I know whoever reads it and ponders it every day will never fall away, but will grow firmer and firmer in faith and testimony. I hope we can all continue to do things to come closer to Christ and stand as a light to those in need. 

     Thank you for all your love and support! Until next week!

  Elder Banister