Rachel's letter12/1/09

Hello Loved ones! How are all of you. I only have a 30 min to be on the internet thus the quick email.

First off, I LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE DearElder.com When you write me from there I get them either that day or the day after and I love feeling like I am part of your life and not on dely with the US mail.

I LOVE being a missionary. The first 10 days were rough, really rought but life is so much better. It is true when people say the MTC rips you apart and builds you back up. I can't even pin piont what was so hard but I do know it was a blessing and brought me closer to Heavenly Father and wore my knee's out. Please send knee pads :) lol.

I truely do love this work. Yesterday I went to the TRC, a place were you can practice teaching, door approaches and so forth. People come in to volunteer and pretend they are investigaters. Some people actaully are. Its really neat but also really stressful. Yesterday my companion, Sister Hinton, and I had to knock on a door, intoduce ourselfs, talk about the message we have regarding families, testify, and make a return appiontment ALL IN SPANISH!!! AHHH To say the least Hermana Hinton spoke the most :) lol. I bore my testimony about the the truethfulness of the Gospel and that the Gospel blesses families. Before going to the TRC we practiced like crazy. After practicing Hermana Hinton needed to use the bathroom. I was waiting outside the door like a good little companion does and just started crying. I am very humbled to be learning spanish and that is EXACTLY why I am. One of the teachers, all of the teachers are RM that are going to BYU so they are my age, anyway, the teacher has been one of our subs and she asked me how I was doing. I just started crying. I said I was ok, which I was, just humbled about this whole spanish thing. I love spanish and what I can say I say really well but its not much.

OH!!! EVERYONE SAY HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO RACHEL TOMORROW! Its her birthday, she's going to be 23! Woot Woot!!!

Thanksgiving was wonderful. Elder Holland came and spoke. I was still having a really rough time then. As I sat waiting for the morning fireside to start I prayed that Sister and Elder Holland would say what I needed to hear. I've never done that before having this much faith KNOWING that I would get an answer. I did hear exactly what I needed to hear. I'm not ever sure what exactly that was but my prayers were answered. The food was great. The MTC put a LOT of work into making our Thanksgiving so wonderful. People volunteered in the kitchen to serve us. I would love to be able to do that some day. THey had turkey and all the food requirements for such a day. One of the other Hermana's from my districted called the kitchen in the MTC a Turkey killing machein. It was really funny. Overall it was a great day but I sure did miss my family. Elder Holland said we should, that is how our Heavely Father feels ever day for His children and how our investigators feel as well, a longing for home.

I love being her for many reasons. One is when all are gathered for a fireside or meeting I LOVE hearing the great booming voices of the Elders. Its heaven on earth. Just being here is a evidence enough for me that the church is true. I have been watching miricals happen every day. Seeing little 19 yr old boys be mature, respectful, WANT to study and pray is AMAZING. I can hardly believe that some of them are only 19. However at times I have to remind myself that they are 19 and sometimes I find myseft saying, "What were you thinking?" or, "Elder, your probably shouldn't do that." I love being a Sister Missionary. We are WELL taken care of.

I've meet a lot of people I know here as well. (Rachel, please tell Sister Spaulding I saw Shea Mount here) I've seen Elder Holloway, a friend from the 1st ward and a whole bunch of other great people. One of my teachers is Brother Clark. He is Jessie Clark Funks brother. I love her music and then Bam, he's my teacher. Fun stuff like that happens all the time.

OK, There are two pictures I'd love to have. Julie, could you send them to me, the Gentel Healer if you can find it in a small form and then the picture that is distributed from the church that is Christ washing the feet of the disciples. If you could send those to me I'd love that. They are not a need but a great want.

Julie, I know you will be in Provo soon. You are allowed to drop off things that resemble medication AKA vitamens. I am already half way through my V. C. and I don't see the sun very much...ever and V. D might be helpful. You just drop them off at the front desk or if you want you could just send them. You don't even have to do that but if you'd like to it would be much appriciated.

So...something else with spanish. Some how...I have no idea how...I speak English, spanish, and then poof French starts coming out as well. Its been fun learning a language. Its hards hard to speak anything any more and I find myself mostly making sounds and waving my hads around.

I spend most of my time in my class room with my districted. They are great missionaries. There are two other sisters besides Hermana Hinton and I. The rest, out of 10, are Elders. One night I walked in the class room and the Elders had the light off and were looking out the window. They were watching the sunset. :) they're softening. If the lights were on you would only be able to see darkness. Then I said, "You can see some of the brightest beauty in the darkest moments." Its very true. More and more I am greatful for the trials and test I go through.

I love this work and the Gospel. It sure is exausting but I love it. I live for moments to testify and feel the spirit.

Please send this to Rachel.

I love all of you VERY much.

Hermana Banaszewski