Philippines week 1

Hi everyone. I made it safe to the Philippines thank goodness. Not sure I trust those huge planes all the way yet, but it was cool to fly in one. It's as hot as they say it is here which came to a surprise to me for some reason. We took a bus to the mtc from the airport and the traffic was INSANE. there's pretty much no rules and I thought we were going to crash like 20 times. There's a million people on scooters cutting through the cars. But we made it safely to our little mtc bubble. It's really pretty here. I haven't seen any big spiders yet, just a cockroach. Nothing special there, I saw those all the time in the Borah locker room. There's some massive bumble bees though. Like the size of a half dollar all over the place. The food is really good here so far. And the rolls and bread are all home made and I eat so many. I even eat the eggs because I don't want to waste food. Everything is super cheap and I almost feel bad wanting to buy everything. But that's not really important, what's important is what I'll be teaching. Anyways, the temple here reminds me of the Boise temple. The outside at least, I'm going there later today so I haven't been inside yet. Glad you finally got a tree. It doesn't feel like Christmas because it's so dang hot here, it's a little weird. But it's alright, I'll get used to it. I'll be in the field next week so I'm sure I'll have some more to say then. Love and miss you all

Elder Banister 2

MTC week 5

Hi mom, I can't believe that you guys are actually painting my room! and that turkey looks so good. Thanksgiving was super good here, but just not the same. We had a LOT going on though. That's not me in the picture you sent at the service project, but it does look like me haha. We just packed some breakfast meals for people that don't have them. I was a weigher and made sure that they were all within a certain weight, it was pretty fun. We had a morning devotional and ELDER UCHTDORF AND HIS WIFE SPOKE TO US!!!! It was super awesome. Then we had another devotional about the light the world project this year and conversion. Then we had a musical devotional that was pretty cool. Also we got to watch the other side of heaven. And they're making a second one next summer, so that's pretty cool. So just a pretty full day. I also found out yesterday that I'm leaving on the third and that seems sooo close. It'll be alright though. I don't really know anything else I need, but if you're sending a package anyways then maybe you could send some Christmas crack haha. Either way it's all good. The Christmas lights are all on now, so it's cool at night. I'm a lot closer with the district now, we've all come pretty close together. There was a 2 hour power outage during class and we had to bring our lights and that was interesting. Oh, and I got your other package, thanks for sending me all that stuff. Alma 34:38 is a good scripture that I came across for this week. I put more pictures on my drive, so you can look through those. Hope everything is going good there. Make sure Hazel doesn't forget me.

Love, Elder Banister 2

Link to article about MTC Thanksgiving!!

Nate Hart (friend from school) 

Power outage!

View from his room

MTC week 4

This is Kolby's reaction after he took off the plate and there was NOTHING inside. 

Hi mom, it's been a pretty good week. Elder Gary E. Stevensen came and spoke to us and it was broad cast to all the mtcs. And Brayden emailed and said he saw me so that was pretty awesome. I'm having a little trouble not pounding some elders into the ground. Some of the crap they do here, oh my gosh. I'm just too used to Preston or Dallin doing something stupid and then I can just smack them and they stop. Guess that's part of my training. Also tell Dallin and Tayla thanks for the cards and why didn't Preston write me one. These stupid scales say I gained 13 pounds from the last time I checked, but I'm starting to wonder if I gained some of that during the summer... Either way I'm pushing 160 now haha. There's another apostle coming on Thanksgiving so that'll be awesome. I also sing in the choir and it's only fun because Brother Eggett is the director. He has a lot of cool stories. My district is Elders Briggs, Matina, Dean, Barahona, Shaffer, and Chubbuck. Only elder Briggs and I are going to Quezon City. My new favorite words of the week are Gagamba, Manok, and nakakapagpabagabag.

Kolby's desk area. (I sent him a bunch of mormonads and pictures!)

Also something I've been studying in depth this week is Alma chapter 14. It's pretty powerful. Worst thing that happened this week was our whole zone had to go meet with mtc President Martino and get roasted because someone drew on our doors and we didn't wash it off or report it to him. That was terrible. I've started hiding Mountain Dew in bushes at night so in the morning it's Ice Cold. it's pretty awesome haha. I haven't gotten 1 of the packages, the one with my shoes I'm assuming, but that's okay. Another one of my friends came on Wednesday, his name is Nate Hart, he's super good at singing and it was nice to see a familiar face. Hopefully the ribs are good, but all I know is that when I get back, we're making some dutch oven turkey. I miss you all and hope everything is going good at home. Also thanks SOOO much for the caramels, those taste amazing. 

Talk to you in a week
        
Elder Banister 2

MTC week 3

Provo, Utah temple across from the MTC

Mural from the MTC

I'm doing well, I'll email you later today, I just wanted to check what you sent. We go to the temple in the morning on p days. I'll Email for real later. Love you

Alright I tried to share some pics in the photos section, I hope it worked. I hate technology, I'm so glad that I don't have to have a phone during my mission. It took me like 20 minutes to try and order a mission shirt on this stupid Ipad. The food never disappoints, I eat like 3 plates a meal and it's awesome. Elder Matina, a Samoan elder in my room, and I always go get more. My favorite thing so far is hard to say, there's been a lot that's good. Plus they have the blue powerade and it's awesome. Sometimes I mix that and mountain dew and it's sooo good. But enough about food. I got a package from the Stolps earlier this week and I have a new favorite tie now. I've worn the same one for the past 5 days I think. Grandma and Grandpa also sent me a card and that was awesome. When you send the package can you send me another shirt? like my long sleeve white wrestling one. Lightning during exercise time gets intense and my shirts reak afterwards. A typical day here is wake up, Breakfast, study, exercise, shower, Lunch, Class, Dinner, Class again, Bed, Repeat. It goes by pretty fast which is nice. I hope everything is going good at home. It's starting to get colder here. Another thing you can send if you can find one is a bit to fit the super weird head on these screws. I'll send a picture of it. It took me like an hour to get four of them out with some push pins. Oh, and that's another thing you can send is push pins. And maybe a bunch of orange tic tacs. I ate all the ones Kerri gave me haha. I haven't gotten sick yet so don't worry. I'm learning Tagalog just fine too. We've already had to do our first TRC in Tagalog. That was pretty stressful. Some words I have to try and say like 15 times before it sounds how it's supposed to. Like pananampalataya. That's the word for faith. Anyways, I hope everything is good there. Also you can send me my green label mountain dews, that would be super awesome. I'm through about half my supply that I brought. Love you all.

Love, Elder Banister 2

MTC district in front of Philippines flag

Kolby finding treasures behind the wall plates!!

Note on back of the wall plate

Elder Matina

MTC week 2

Mural from the MTC

Hi mom, I'm doing pretty well. I'm adjusting to the mtc pretty well, My companion's name is Elder Briggs, He's pretty awesome and helps a lot. I already got my visa and as far as I know I'm still leaving on December 12. I'm still healthy, I eat a ton every day and I don't really care, I'll just lose any weight I gain in the Philippines haha. I miss everyone a lot, and I'm glad that the trim is being worked on, I actually thought that it might not get done. On one of the nights while I was in the dorm I was just curious what was on the bottom of my drawers underneath, as any person would be, so I laid on the floor and checked and found a note card with a quote. THEN on the back it had a number out of 38, so I checked all the other drawers and found a bunch more. I found some in the lights also, it was pretty awesome. I found 22 so far and don't know where else to look. It was probably a prank to put out of 38 but its a conspiracy now and I may never know. Along with my shoes you can send that side by side Tagalog English Book of Mormon. Also some Carribeaners. I also picked what scripture I want on my plaque, its 1 Nephi 7:12. I'll try to send some pictures later today. Thanks for the Halloween snacks, I have so much candy still. I also have like 40 Mountain dews left so Thats good. I'm doing well with Tagalog and there's a lot to learn but Ang Kaloob ng mga Wika is real. I love you all and miss you all so much. I'll be back before you know it. Also, can you send some screwdrivers so I can look in the vents and the outlets. Thanks mom!
Elder Banister #2

Elder Briggs

Kolby's suitcase full of Mountain Dews and candy. (over 60 lbs!!) Elder Matina

MTC week 1

Mural from the MTC

What a happy surprise to get an e-mail only a few days after leaving Kolby at the MTC. His p-day must be Friday! Just a note: Hazel's special name for Kolby is bobo and his special suitcase was over 65 lbs full of Mountain Dew!!

Hello family, it's been a crazy first few days. I'm on the top floor in the dorm building and I had to haul the "special" suitcase all the way up 4 flights of stairs. Now I've earned everything that's in there and will appreciate it more I guess. Tagalog is supposed to be similar to Spanish but so far I don't see the connection, but hopefully I will as I learn more. Wednesday hit like a ton of bricks, especially when we first walked into language class and our instructor started rambling on in Tagalog. There's a lot to learn and it feels like I'm already running out of time.
I have started to learn some of the language though, yesterday I learned that bobo is a derogatory word that means stupid or dumb in the Philippines, so that's ironic. I have pretty nice elders in my dorm, they're all from Utah. I'm curious to see if this food really does make me gain weight also.  It's not bad, but definitely not as good as at home. I saw my friend elder Makaafi and elder Seyfreid and I've never been happier to see those two. It was really awesome and made me feel better about being here. I hope time goes as fast as they say it does and that I survive these next few weeks. I miss you all and don't forget to take care of my motorcycle.

Love, Elder Banister

Kolby and Terrence (a friend from our home ward!) Philippines and Germany!

MTC drop off

We took Kolby to the MTC on October 24th 2018. It was so hard to say good-bye! We still miss Logan so much and now the hole in our hearts seems to have grown. He was so happy to be there though, and so excited about his suitcase full of over 60 bottles of Mountain Dew. He is ready to go, he is ready to learn and he is prepared to do this work!!!