Hola Familia,
Yo decidi (perdon pero yo no puedo poner los accentos) a escribir todos mis emails en Espanol. Entonces si quieren entender lo que you escribo, tiene que aprender el Espanol.
Okay, so I guess I better write my email in English this time. I am sure you are all waiting with baited breath to know where I got transfered to. I am serving in a little town in North Georgia called Dahlonega. It is actually a very historic place. It was the site of the first major gold rush in the United States and the birth place of the phrase "thar's gold in them thar hills" (seriously) It is a lot different than my last area. I have always been in the city, now everything is very spread out. We determined that our area is about 600 square miles. We cover half of the Sugar Hills Georgia Stake. I also found out that the Sharon Springs ward where Joel and Linda Hiatt live is covered by my new area. It is exciting (and a little bit disorienting) to finally be in a new area.
My new companion is Elder Braydon Muffins, I mean Uffens. No it really is Uffens. He always jokes around about opening a bakery called Uffens Muffins. He is from Centerville Utah and I think is one of my favorite companions so far. I am really excited to be working in this area. There seem to be many great people here. I have actually been on bike a little bit here. We share our car with two English Elders here so we don't always have a car to drive. I have discovered that I am not in very good shape. We have been running every morning too, and sometimes I am very tired. Georgia most certainly is not flat. In this area they even have "mountains" ( more like the Boise foothils). We have done some pretty tough rides lately.
You guys should look up stuff about Dahlonega on Wikipedia or something so you can kind of see where I am serving. North Georgia College is in Dahlonega. It is a pretty big millitary school. There are a lot of kids in ROTC. We were at Walmart today and there were a lot of army kids in there. We actually met a returned missionary there that is about to finish school.
Wow I am really surprised to hear that Kent and Marshiela are moving to Nampa. Have they been wanting to do that for a while? I had not even heard about that yet. It will be really cool to have some more Banners at Skyview high school. Tell Ryan to get used to having teachers ask him if he is related to us. Also tell Ryan congrats on getting his Eagle Scout. That will be a really good thing, especially on a mission. Members are always asking if we got our Eagles becuase they want us to be good examples for their kids. (Oh also, tell Ryan that if he doesn't write me soon I am going to beat him up when I get back).
Kudos to Marcie for having a friend a church!!! That is awesome! You have no idea how much it helps missionary work when members get involved. It would be imposible for the missionaries to share the gospel with everyone alone. I am very proud of you. It sounds like Angie and Ben made it to Idaho Falls alright. I am really happy that they are still close to home, and also to Rexburg.
Well I guess I better wrap this letter up.
I love you all,
Keith (Elder Banner)
Monday, August 9, 2010
August 2, 2010
Well first of all I am getting transferred. I will miss John's Creek a lot. There are so many cool people here. I don't know exactly where I will be going but I am sure I will love my new area and companion.
This week was a pretty good week. We found someone really cool on Saturday. Her name is Isabel. She seems really interested in our message. She has four little daughters too (I think the oldest is about 10) I gave them stickers that said "Soy una hija de Dios" or "I am a daughter of God" They were all excited and they went up to their mom and were showing the stickers to her and asking her questions about stuff we had given her. One of the daughters asked her what the Book of Mormon was and she answered by saying it was a book she was going to study all week. That was pretty exciting.
Another cool thing that we found out about last week is that John Schmidt is coming to the John's Creek ward for a fireside. He is a famous pianist. I don't know if you guys remember the video that I showed you with the combination of the song Viva la Vida by Coldplay and Love Story by Taylor Swift. It was a really cool piece of music and it will be a great opportunity for missionary work. Unfortunately I will be missing that since I will be in a different area.
I have learned so much in this area and it has been awesome to see how I have changed and how other missionaries have changed. It will be really cool to get to see another area because all of my areas have been right next to eachother. I hope that I will be in a branch again because being in a translation unit can be very exhausting.
Love, Keith (Elder Banner)
This week was a pretty good week. We found someone really cool on Saturday. Her name is Isabel. She seems really interested in our message. She has four little daughters too (I think the oldest is about 10) I gave them stickers that said "Soy una hija de Dios" or "I am a daughter of God" They were all excited and they went up to their mom and were showing the stickers to her and asking her questions about stuff we had given her. One of the daughters asked her what the Book of Mormon was and she answered by saying it was a book she was going to study all week. That was pretty exciting.
Another cool thing that we found out about last week is that John Schmidt is coming to the John's Creek ward for a fireside. He is a famous pianist. I don't know if you guys remember the video that I showed you with the combination of the song Viva la Vida by Coldplay and Love Story by Taylor Swift. It was a really cool piece of music and it will be a great opportunity for missionary work. Unfortunately I will be missing that since I will be in a different area.
I have learned so much in this area and it has been awesome to see how I have changed and how other missionaries have changed. It will be really cool to get to see another area because all of my areas have been right next to eachother. I hope that I will be in a branch again because being in a translation unit can be very exhausting.
Love, Keith (Elder Banner)
July 26, 2010
We have had an amazing week. The Lord has really seen fit to bless us in this time. For reasons that I do not fully understand many of the members that we had had challenges getting to trust and support us have really begun to support and trust us. We had two members at church yesterday tell us they had people they wanted us to work with.
We found a family of seven on Saturday that are all of baptismal age. One of our investigators also had a baby on Thursday and she will now be able to come to church. Before she was on bed rest a lot of the time. I think that she will be baptized soon.
We are also planning more activities to get members involved in missionary work and also to reactivate less-actives. We have found two less-actives this week and the English Elders have also found a less-active member this week.
I am really enjoying my mission and I hope that we can continue to find success. We have been so blessed. I have met some really cool people.
I love you all and I am sorry that I didn't get to write a longer email today.
Love, Elder Banner (Keith)
We found a family of seven on Saturday that are all of baptismal age. One of our investigators also had a baby on Thursday and she will now be able to come to church. Before she was on bed rest a lot of the time. I think that she will be baptized soon.
We are also planning more activities to get members involved in missionary work and also to reactivate less-actives. We have found two less-actives this week and the English Elders have also found a less-active member this week.
I am really enjoying my mission and I hope that we can continue to find success. We have been so blessed. I have met some really cool people.
I love you all and I am sorry that I didn't get to write a longer email today.
Love, Elder Banner (Keith)
July 19, 2010
We have had a good week this week. I feel like we are getting back on our feet as a Spanish only area again. Our investigator pool is finally getting full and we are starting to sift through and get to the point where we can spend our time on those who really have interest in the message we bring. We have one family that will be having a baby this week, and they have promised us that as soon as she is back on her feet after having the baby she will come to church. I feel very strongly she will be baptized. She has been reading and praying. She tells us that she has not received an answer yet but that she knows that God answers in His own time and in His own way so she will not give up.
The English Elders had a baptism on Friday of an investigator I worked with. His name is Khiel Franscois. He is now a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. It was really cool to see that changes he has made. When we first found him he was super shy. He wouldn't really talk to anyone but now he knows tons of people and even goes to FHE in the singles ward.
Well we now have only two more Sundays of the transfer. I am sure that will be leaving this area. I will really miss it.
Love, Elder Banner (Keith)
The English Elders had a baptism on Friday of an investigator I worked with. His name is Khiel Franscois. He is now a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. It was really cool to see that changes he has made. When we first found him he was super shy. He wouldn't really talk to anyone but now he knows tons of people and even goes to FHE in the singles ward.
Well we now have only two more Sundays of the transfer. I am sure that will be leaving this area. I will really miss it.
Love, Elder Banner (Keith)
July 12, 2010
Hey Family,
Well first of all, thank you for getting me Kyle's address. I am sorry to hear about all of the trouble you have had with the cars. I can't believe it has been that much of a problem. Hopefully this will be the end of it.
To answer your question about transfers the next transfer is August 4th, a Wednesday. We will know who will be transferred on the Sunday before. I will let you know if I will be transferred on Monday the 2nd. I am pretty sure that I will be transferred.
The English Elders have a baptism coming up on Friday. It is an investigator named Khiel that I worked with when I was covering English and Spanish. We also have a family that we are teaching that I am sure will be baptized. I am sure that Elder Hardman and I covered English and Spanish to help prepare us to teach this family. She speaks mostly English and He speaks mostly Spanish. So I have felt prepared to be able to teach her the gospel in the language that is best for her. I feel so blessed to have the opportunity to preach the gospel in English and Spanish. Some missionaries are telling me that I will end up switching to Portuguese next and learn another language. Who knows if that will happen, it is all in the hands of the Lord. If he asked me to learn Russian and start speaking the gospel, I would do it. It would be hard but I know it would be what the Lord wanted me to do. Fortunately we don't have too many Russians here so I won't have to worry about that.
I can't believe all of the people that are now returning from their missions. I can't believe that Jordan Woodruff, Blake Wasden, and Kurt have all returned now. It seemed like when they left it would be forever before they returned. It just goes to show that time is all relative. I have heard that as soon as you start to feel like you have missionary work figured out it just flies by and it's over. I am afraid I am starting to get to that stage. This transfer will half over on Wednesday. I can't believe it! I hope that I will be able to do all the Lord has in store for me in this area before I get transferred.
I have a crazy story to tell you all. The other day one the English Elders, Elder Olsen randomly asked me if I knew someone named DJ Savage from Boise. I was really surprised and asked him if his name was Donald, and he said yes. I don't know if you remember Donald Savage, but he was in my third and fourth grade classes in grade school, but his family moved to Boise and I hadn't seen him since. Elder Olsen was in his MTC District and he showed me some pictures. It is amazing how small of a world we live in.
Yesterday at church a lady came up to us and told us that they had some food for us in their car. I was imagining a few boxes of cereal or something but instead she had an entire trunk full of food in her car. I was completely blown away. Our cupboards are now completely full of food. We were also very excited to find an entire box of skittles in there too. It is amazing how kind the members are to us here. Someday when I get back to college I am going to wonder what happened to the people who feed us dinner almost every night and bring food by for us. The life of a missionary is hard but full of tender mercies of our father in heaven.
I testify that miracles are happening all around us and I encourage you to pray and ask our Heavenly Father to remove your fear and open your mouth. I know that it will be filled with the words that need to be said to bless the lives of those around you.
I love you all and hope that you have the best week possible.
Love, Elder Banner (Keith)
Well first of all, thank you for getting me Kyle's address. I am sorry to hear about all of the trouble you have had with the cars. I can't believe it has been that much of a problem. Hopefully this will be the end of it.
To answer your question about transfers the next transfer is August 4th, a Wednesday. We will know who will be transferred on the Sunday before. I will let you know if I will be transferred on Monday the 2nd. I am pretty sure that I will be transferred.
The English Elders have a baptism coming up on Friday. It is an investigator named Khiel that I worked with when I was covering English and Spanish. We also have a family that we are teaching that I am sure will be baptized. I am sure that Elder Hardman and I covered English and Spanish to help prepare us to teach this family. She speaks mostly English and He speaks mostly Spanish. So I have felt prepared to be able to teach her the gospel in the language that is best for her. I feel so blessed to have the opportunity to preach the gospel in English and Spanish. Some missionaries are telling me that I will end up switching to Portuguese next and learn another language. Who knows if that will happen, it is all in the hands of the Lord. If he asked me to learn Russian and start speaking the gospel, I would do it. It would be hard but I know it would be what the Lord wanted me to do. Fortunately we don't have too many Russians here so I won't have to worry about that.
I can't believe all of the people that are now returning from their missions. I can't believe that Jordan Woodruff, Blake Wasden, and Kurt have all returned now. It seemed like when they left it would be forever before they returned. It just goes to show that time is all relative. I have heard that as soon as you start to feel like you have missionary work figured out it just flies by and it's over. I am afraid I am starting to get to that stage. This transfer will half over on Wednesday. I can't believe it! I hope that I will be able to do all the Lord has in store for me in this area before I get transferred.
I have a crazy story to tell you all. The other day one the English Elders, Elder Olsen randomly asked me if I knew someone named DJ Savage from Boise. I was really surprised and asked him if his name was Donald, and he said yes. I don't know if you remember Donald Savage, but he was in my third and fourth grade classes in grade school, but his family moved to Boise and I hadn't seen him since. Elder Olsen was in his MTC District and he showed me some pictures. It is amazing how small of a world we live in.
Yesterday at church a lady came up to us and told us that they had some food for us in their car. I was imagining a few boxes of cereal or something but instead she had an entire trunk full of food in her car. I was completely blown away. Our cupboards are now completely full of food. We were also very excited to find an entire box of skittles in there too. It is amazing how kind the members are to us here. Someday when I get back to college I am going to wonder what happened to the people who feed us dinner almost every night and bring food by for us. The life of a missionary is hard but full of tender mercies of our father in heaven.
I testify that miracles are happening all around us and I encourage you to pray and ask our Heavenly Father to remove your fear and open your mouth. I know that it will be filled with the words that need to be said to bless the lives of those around you.
I love you all and hope that you have the best week possible.
Love, Elder Banner (Keith)
July 5th 2010
Hey Family!!!
We have had a great week here!
On Saturday we went to an event they were having for the fourth of July in Duluth. There were a ton of people there. We were trying to contact people to share the gospel. It was pretty cool. We also got to watch fireworks from outside of our apartment.
We have really been enjoying this transfer. I have felt so relieved not to have to worry about so many English Investigators. One of my old English investigators named Khiel is getting baptized next Friday. We are really excited.
We are having success here. We have been so blessed to find many amazing people. We have had a very busy week. It was really great to hear from you all and I hope that you all had an amazing fourth of July. God bless the USA!!!
Love,
Keith (Elder Banner)
We have had a great week here!
On Saturday we went to an event they were having for the fourth of July in Duluth. There were a ton of people there. We were trying to contact people to share the gospel. It was pretty cool. We also got to watch fireworks from outside of our apartment.
We have really been enjoying this transfer. I have felt so relieved not to have to worry about so many English Investigators. One of my old English investigators named Khiel is getting baptized next Friday. We are really excited.
We are having success here. We have been so blessed to find many amazing people. We have had a very busy week. It was really great to hear from you all and I hope that you all had an amazing fourth of July. God bless the USA!!!
Love,
Keith (Elder Banner)
Monday, June 28, 2010
June 28, 2010
Hey Family
Thanks for all of your emails!!! I hope that dad got my father's day card in time. I thought it was pretty funny. Angie sent me an email partly in Spanish. I thought that was pretty cool too. New rule all of the emails sent to must be in Spanish, Just kidding! I got my new companion on Wednesday. We also got English Elders again which has been a huge relief. It was very difficult to be doing English and Spanish. My new companion is named Elder Johnson. He is from Rock Springs Wyoming. He has been out about 8 months, but like many of my companions he started out as an English Elder. He has only been Spanish for six weeks, so it is up to me to teach him some more Spanish. I really like him. The new English Elders names are: Elder Olsen and and Elder Oxley. They are both from Utah. We had a really good time at church on Sunday. We had an investigator come to church for the first time, and she really needs it.
We have had a ton of success these last couple of days. We have found some really cool people.I am very pleased with all of the blessings we have recieved and are still recieving. We can never catch up with him. Whenever we do more, he does double of that.
I can't believe that Kurt is going home tomorrow. He was only out about a year when I left on my mission. If I were him I would be really scared. I am already scared and I still have about a year left. It's wierd to think that one year ago today I gave my talk in church. People always say it goes really fast, but you never really understand until you actually experience it.
I love the Lord and I love this work. It brings great joy into my life. I hope you all have the best week ever!!!
Love, Elder Banner (Keith)
Thanks for all of your emails!!! I hope that dad got my father's day card in time. I thought it was pretty funny. Angie sent me an email partly in Spanish. I thought that was pretty cool too. New rule all of the emails sent to must be in Spanish, Just kidding! I got my new companion on Wednesday. We also got English Elders again which has been a huge relief. It was very difficult to be doing English and Spanish. My new companion is named Elder Johnson. He is from Rock Springs Wyoming. He has been out about 8 months, but like many of my companions he started out as an English Elder. He has only been Spanish for six weeks, so it is up to me to teach him some more Spanish. I really like him. The new English Elders names are: Elder Olsen and and Elder Oxley. They are both from Utah. We had a really good time at church on Sunday. We had an investigator come to church for the first time, and she really needs it.
We have had a ton of success these last couple of days. We have found some really cool people.I am very pleased with all of the blessings we have recieved and are still recieving. We can never catch up with him. Whenever we do more, he does double of that.
I can't believe that Kurt is going home tomorrow. He was only out about a year when I left on my mission. If I were him I would be really scared. I am already scared and I still have about a year left. It's wierd to think that one year ago today I gave my talk in church. People always say it goes really fast, but you never really understand until you actually experience it.
I love the Lord and I love this work. It brings great joy into my life. I hope you all have the best week ever!!!
Love, Elder Banner (Keith)
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