9-13-10

A funny sign I saw last night in the subway.

Erika and Filomina who we went to the Temple with on 9/11 along with a lot of other members of our ward. AMAZING!

We were able to go to our roof and see the lights for 9/11 it was really neat




Hey Family!

Most of my time today online has been reading your e-mails and responding individually. Hermana Reed wrote a great e-mail with more details about specific things and I'll try to write about my own feelings so you can get a better idea of how things have been this week. So much happened this week.

We moved apartments. That was physically exhausting but great all at the same time. We've had to learn different routs to get around and take different buses but we should only be at our new apartments for 3 weeks before we have to move again. It was hard to move as well because we had to take so much time out of proseliting to clean our new apartment and move. I think the people that lived there before us smoked and...ran around the apartment with oil. :) There was a thick layer of oil all over the kitchen. Sicky. It was interesting going from cleaning and moving mode back into missionary mode. Hermana Reed and I were both exhausted this week but we keeped plugging along.

We were able to meet with Is* again. She is amazing! The last time we met with her she told us that she loved us. This woman is amazing! She has such a stong desire to learn more about the Gospel and be baptized. We have to pace ourselves with her becuase as much as she wants to learn it can still be overwhelming if we teach everything at once. She seems to be right on her way to baptism. She is still in the hospital so the only thing holding her back is that she still needs to attend church more before she can be baptised but that is something she is really looking forward to. It amazes me how much these people are preapared and ready for the Gospel.

On Saturday, the 11th we were able to go to the Temple with our ward. There were two people we had been working with who had never gone before. We received special permission from our mission President to be able to go. We met a small group of members at the church and headed to Manhatten. We thought it would only be a group of about 7 members from our ward but when we got to the Temple there was about 27 members there! It was increadable! It was amazing to be in the Temple with people that I love so deeply and see them progressing and doing those things that will benifit their lives for the better. One of the members, Hermana Je* Jo* was there as well. In the dressing room she hugged us so tightly and told us she loved us. It was...increadable!

Lately I have really felt so much love for the people here. I feel as though they can feel my love as well. Hermana Reed and I have been working really hard with the ward and we have seen huge changes. We are excited for the growth that has been happening and seeing that our hard work is moving things forward. Most importantly though, even if we didn't see any difference from our work is the relationships that have been created. They are....I have no words. My heart is here, these people hold my heart in their hands. Everytime we see them, visit them in their homes, it is amazing. I love these people more than I ever thought possible. They mean everything to me and I do everything I can to serve them and work hard.

As I've said before this week has been exhausting in every way possible. We have been working hard with Na* and Hu* to progress and help them reach their baptism date but we haven't been able to meet with them for a long time. We need prayers and lots of faith. Is* is on the right path but we also need more people to teach. There are people here who are ready and need the Gospel in their lives, I know I sure do.

More and more I see how I am nothing. I am nothing with out the Savior, with out the Gospel. This work is hard. But I LOVE it! This work is exhausting but I would do nothing else. I can not express how much I love my mission, setting goals, having a purpose, working harder and more effectivily every day but regardless of all of it, it means nothing with out Jesus Christ. I need to remember that more. I must have greater faith. I can feel things changing. There are only two more weeks in this transfer. I am not sure if I will be transfered but sure don't want to be. Hermana Reed have become great friends and she is a companion I know I will stay in contact with after our missions. She has helped me a lot and we work so well together.

Last night we ate at a members home. Hermana Reed and I were both tired and couldn't wait to crawl into our beds. One thing I have really come to know is how much the members mean to us as missionaries. When we left the members home we felt uplifted as I know they did as well. They members offered to go out and teach with us, knock, and just work with us. Members make all the difference in missionary work. Do all you can to help them by teaching with them, feeding them good...normal food and most importantly just showing them Love. I have realized that it doesn't really matter if people know who I am as Hermana Banaszewski because most people actually can't say my name but rather that I am a servent of our Father in Heaven. However even though I am doing all I can to be His hands, I need to have something to give so I can keep working hard and be effective.

I love all of you so much. I know this work is the work of the Lord.

Love, Hermana Banaszewski