11-8-2010

Some doors we knocked at a apt complex. Do you like how the doors are so close together?

We were looking up a referal and...we walked out of "safty zone" we ended up walking into a park but it was late at night and raining. If I wasn't a missionary I would not have done that. I prayed the whole time and felt we were ok.


We were walking out of our apartment and saw some big trailers and this sign. They were filming right behind our apartment. As we were walking around we saw some people that looked REALLY familiar...aka...we had seen them on TV before our missions. It was a fun little exciting moment to start off our week.

Hna Winfield as we worked on planning and mapping out our area more.


Hello Family!

How is everyone doing? How is the weather in Chicago? It is getting pretty cold here. Today it is really cold and raining. It just helps me to really love those bright sunny days even more. Yesterday was a beautiful day and we saw so many beautiful fall leaves.

This week was really good. We have a baptismal commit! Yeah! Her name is Ro*. I'm not sure if I have told you about her or not yet. She is a student from our English class. She has come pretty faithfully for a while. Hna Winfield and I both felt like we needed to teach her. About 3 weeks ago we got her information and set up a time to meet with her. We had the wrong address and then she didn't come to English class the next day. We found out that she still wanted to meet with us but her son was sick. Needless to say last Sunday she came to church and loved it. We taught her again on Saturday with a member, Ke*, who lives just down the street from her. Ke* served her mission 13 yrs ago in her country, the DR. She is an amazing member and teacher, plus she speaks perfect Spanish. When we got to Ke*'s home on Saturday to pick her up for the appointment her and her husband had cooked us a huge breakfast! It was amazing! As we ate we planned out our lesson and then headed over there. My Spanish is still horrible but I can say what I need to when I need to. I was so grateful Hna Winfield has great Spanish and Ke* was there. I could feel the spirit really strongly and knew the lesson was going really well. Her date to be baptized is November 21st. We have a lot of work to do and a lot to teach her. She is going to need a lot of prayers as well to help her keep progressing. Last night we called to see how she was doing. She is reading in the Book of Mormon and progressing! Please keep her in your prayers.

This week has been full of ups and downs and yet again I just can't write fast enough do describe the experiences how I would like. Oh, by the way I got a hair cut. It is just simple. It was funny because we went to visit Hna Bu* at her work and say hello. We sat down and when she was done cutting a girls hair she said, "OK, who's next?" I couldn't describe how I wanted my hair in Spanish and honestly I didn't know. It looks good. It was a funny moment.

Funny moment from the week. We received a phone call about our free English class we teach. Hna Winfield had a hard time understanding them and handed me the phone. I spoke with them for a little bit but then couldn't say what I needed to, we ended up both talking on the phone and translating for each other and the lady thought it was the same person. What companionship unity hu?

We found out that Hna Winfield and I will be together for another transfer! Yeah! I am really glad. We had just gotten things going the way they should be and it would have been really hard to stop the momentum we have. Our next transfer ends Dec 19th. We did find out that the other sisters that live with us are both getting transferred out and they are closing the area. We will be the only sisters in this Zone and in our apartment. Oh~ before I forget next week we are having a sisters conference on Monday. We don't know if we will be e-mailing on Monday or Tuesday. If we e-mail on Monday it might be really early or really late in the day, not like normal. Just a heads up so you know :)

This week we have had many amazing experiences with the Atonement. It is so hard to describe them. We met with Hna De*, Ar*, and the Ca* Family. Hna Winfield is writing down her thoughts about the experiences and I am going to try and do my best as well. ( Julie, Please continue to change the names on the people before it goes up on the blog or is forwarded out, thank you!) Ar* has gone through so much in his life. He is 28 and on fire. The Atonement is so incredible and infinite that regardless of what we have done or ever will do in our lives the Atonement truly does cover it. We were talking with him on Thursday. He came to the church to clean it and do service. He is doing his best to change his life around and he is doing exactly that. When he came into the church we knew something was wrong. He began cleaning and we began studying Spanish with the Elders. After studying Spanish I turned the Hna Winfield and said, "we need to go talk with him" We found him in the church and sat down with him. The conversation was lead completely by the spirit which makes it harder to describe. I testified that I know that regardless of how low you are, how far down the path you have gone that you can still become so much. As if on a graft and some one is at -10, most people start at 0, and we all want to get to 100. It is still possible to get to 100 even though we may have started at -10. It just means that our slope needs to be grater. I hope that makes sense. Regardless the spirit was so strong. All of us where there crying. After our discussion was over I asked how he was feeling. He said he feels like each tear was 100 pounds and he felt a lot better. The I said, "That was the Atonement, you just experienced the Atonement." It was such a powerful experience. I know he learned a lot about the Atonement as I did as well.

We had a similar experience with Hna De*. She is moving this week with her 3 children. She is such an incredible woman. She has been so concerned for her children and that they will not feel the effects of others in there lives and they will grow up and be righteous. I testified how it doesn't matter where we come from, what happens to us, who effects us because the Atonement is real. Not only will the Atonement of Jesus Christ heal our souls but it will make it as if there was no scar. I guess you just had to be there.

I am so grateful to be a missionary right now. We experienced many miracles. The week still had its hard moments but it was worth it. I felt so much love for the people here. This transfer I have a goal to sanctify myself even more, to be come more consecrated than I had once been. I know that this transfer Hna Winfield and I both have an opportunity to do that, to work hard, do the will of the Lord, focus, and experience miracles. Joshua 3:5. I stand here as a servant of the Lord. My weaknesses are great but my faith in the Lord is real. I know He will bless us as we seek to become more sanctified in this work.

I love all of you so much. I hope you have a great week.

Much Love,

Hermana Banaszewski

11-1-2010

Pictures are brought to you this week by Sister B! Way to go B!

1. This would be a bridge we found as we "took our time" aka got lost getting to graffiti park. And yes, the other side of that water is Manhatt. baby!

2. Can you see the love!?

3. View of graffiti park from the train

4. Yeah, that's serious graffiti......legit from the streets. Don't you LOVE it?!

11-1-2010

Hello to all those I love!

How is everyone? This was one of the best weeks of my entire mission! So many things happened this week and I have felt the love of Heavenly Father so much! Wow, where do I even begin? I feel like this week was relieving, joyful, full of love, and full of miracles! I sure have felt the tender mercies of the Lord. I am overwhelmed with the Love Heavenly Father has for each one of us. I have felt His love for me and for those I am serving and serving with. One of the most incredible things on my mission has been to feel so much love for those we are teaching, visiting, or even just contacting on the street. He has more love for us than I think we can comprehend.

I am just so full of joy, happiness, love, AHH!!! Anyone who knows me well I feel as though I just can't contain myself because I'm so happy! Really,the word joy doesn't even cut the explanation of how I feel. It is one of the most incredible feelings I have ever had. I love these people, all people, so much. Wow, I wish I could describe how I feel better. This is really one of the happiest moments of my life. I LOVE being a missionary and seeking to become a true disciple of Christ. My heart just feels like it is going to burst open! Wow! What a blessing from God.

One of the highlights from this week is that Is*, sometimes I wrote Is*, same person...well, SHE WAS BAPTIZED!!! What a miracle...WHAT A MIRACLE! Hermana Winfield and I received permission to go down to Brooklyn for the baptism this Sunday! We were able to go to Sacrament meeting in our ward and then we had to leave right after to make it for the baptism in Brooklyn. It took about 1 1/2 hours or so to get there by train. It felt really good though because I felt I knew where we were going and when I didn't know exactly were to go we could figure it out. I love New York so much! Out of all days to leave our ward early this didn't seem like one of them. We had five investigators at church yesterday, that made me SOOO excited. Two of them had never been to our church before either. I was worried about leaving early but Is* had asked me to give the talk on the Holy Ghost at her baptism and we HAD to be there. I couldn't miss seeing this woman be baptized. Right after Sacrament we talked to some members and they were really excited to walk our new investigators through church! Hermana Winfield and I were so grateful for them. Even if we were there that is the best thing for the investigators, to have the members help them out and be with them the whole time. We can feel and see the ward is improving here. There is still a LOT of work to do but just being here for 5 weeks I have really seen a difference.

Speaking about the ward, this week we went through the 12 pg ward list with two amazing members, the Bishops wife, Hna Ga*, and Hna De*. We had planned to meet both of them at Hna De* home, eat breakfast and work on the ward list. We are both new in the area and don't know everyone or what their stories are yet. On our records it shows that about 70% of our ward is in active. This is the biggest ward I have been in yet but that is what the records show. When we got to Hna De*'s home she had invited her neighbor to come an eat with us. She is in her 30's and fit right it. What a great example of member work! Once her friend left we spent a good amount of time figuring out who people where, if they moved, or what happened to them. This was such an example to me that Heavenly Father really does love His children. Even if thy may feel forgotten, lost, or alone, some one is always thinking about them and on there way to invite them back to the fold.

Ok, back to the baptism. It was incredible. After she was baptized she stood in the fount for a while and sobbed. Her life has changed in so many ways. I gave the talk in the Gift of the Holy Ghost. All week I could not put my finger on what I needed to talk about. I didn't want it to be the typical, This is the Holy Ghost, talk. During the service it came to me what I needed to talk on. I shared an experience that Hna Reed and I had had with the Holy Ghost, how he can guide us in our lives, protect us, and help us learn and receive answers. The experience was finding and teaching Is*. Then I talked about how I was so proud of her and wished I could give her a gift but I was a poor missionary and couldn't give her something sufficient enough but how Heavenly Father will, the GIFT of the Holy Ghost. I felt the spirit so strongly there and while talking. I was blessed to be able to speak with the spirit...in SPANISH! What a blessing!

This week we were able to meet with Ro*. She is a new investigator from English class. We have been having a lot of success from finding people to teach from teaching English class. She is ready! She always come to English class, the other day she came to our building for an exercise class a ward member teaches and THEN she came to our ward party and THEN...she came to CHURCH!!! She really wants to learn. She doesn't have much religious background but she listens and accepts everything.

One thing I've really learned this week is that I have been really hard on myself. I felt as though this week I enjoyed my mission even more, if that is possible. I always want to grow and improve and I felt that I was stopping myself by being too hard. This week Hna Winfield and I have really come together. I love that girl so much! When we first got together it was a little hard because we are so much like each other. Last night we had an amazing time talking and...I just love her so much. We had to be inside at 5pm. We did our weekly planning and really enjoyed each others company. I really hope and pray that we are together next transfer as well. She has so many gifts and talents and...I just love my companion.

Last Thursday we had a fun and BUSY day. We had apt to apt. We visited all members or less-active members. I could really feel how much Heavenly Father loves them. The only problem with all of our apt's was that we were feed an entire meal EACH TIME! Prayers were answered and we were able to get through the day with out dying from being over fed. :) We are doing our best to work hard and love our missions. I know this week has sure been a blessing from Heavenly Father. Oh-really quick, Ar*, and Hna Pa* are SO neat! They wanted to make sure we had Thanksgiving at there home so they invited us early. I've seen SO much progress in his life. What amazing people. When someone has a true desire to change, they change.

I love all of you so much! Keep up the great work and know that I will be praying for all of you.

Love,

Hermana Banaszewski

PS- Make sure you read Hna Winfields blog. She has some funny things added in her e-mail that I didn't share.

October 25, 2010

Hello Family!

How is everyone doing? This has been a fun week. We had our ward activity where we celebrate all Hispanic countries. Our work with the members is picking up. Both Hermana Winfield and I were really sick but feeling MUCH better now, I am learning a lot about...everything!

Where to start? This week we were able to meet with the Mi* family again. They are doing well. We have really seen some good progression with them lately. They have had some really good lessons on baptism as well from Relief Society and Priesthood lessons. Last week we talk about the importance of the Book of Mormon and how it would feel if we came face to face with Christ right now in our lives. We used the Testaments movie to help teach. There are so many times we get complacent with how we are doing and don't think about how it would be to face judgment. This week we also used a Mormon Message from Mormon.org called, "Choose ye this day" There are things I am personally working on that I have always wanted to work on but said, "someday I will be better at that" instead of, "I am going to start today to be better at that" Anyway, the Mi* family is doing well. They are ready for baptism but don't believe it. They are more active than a lot of the active members.

We have really been focusing on Part-member families in this ward. There are a lot of people in our ward and we've found that almost all of them have someone in their family that is not a member. Every day we finding out that someone we thought was actually a member isn't! The other day we went over to our High Priest Leaders home to visit with his wife. She is a recent-convert. Hermana Winfield thought that their daughter was a less-active member. When we got there we found out they actually have a 21 yr old son as well and both are not members. We are finding a lot more people we could teach this way, the catch is to find those that are interested in the Gospel of Jesus Christ, people that aren't complacent and have a desire to improve there lives.

So, just as a funny note because I realize I don't always make my e-mails as funny and crazy as life really is here in New York. Every morning I get up and get breakfast after I'm ready to go for the day. Lately I've been eating bagels for breakfast. However, in New York we do things a little differently. Before I even get my bagles out which are in the refrigerator to keep them away from cockroaches, I "pre-heat" the toaster. :) Yes, it is a necessity here. I've found when I do that most of the cockroaches come out of the toaster before I put my bagle in...otherwise sometimes my bagle is just a little "extra" crunchy. :) Fun stuff hu?

The other day Hermana Winfield and I walked into our apartment and found Sister Mammon and Sister T, the other sisters we live with at home screaming. I looked up and thought, "Whoooow! That is a huge cockroach....I've seen them REALLY big before." Sister Mammon was in the kitchen with a can of Raid and I saw something running across the counter towards me! It then ran behind the microwave and I said, "what are you doing?" It was a mouse! Funny how one can confuse a mouse for a cockroach! After running around and taking the can of Raid away from Sister Mammon we still we not able to get rid of the mouse...I'll update you on that next week...hopefully :)

Things are going a lot better here for me. It has been a process for sure. The work is getting better but I think that is because of the attitude we have about it. I LOVE the members here. There are people here that I connect instantly with and know that I was sent here for them. Hermana Dexter, Armand, Hermana Bustos and the list goes on. The members mean so much to me. At times when I am down or just need a little extra boost they say something nice or just help out. Remember that you anything you do for the missionaries really does make a difference for them.

One thing I've really come to know this week is that I have been putting my weaknesses and faults right in front of my face. I recognize that there are a lot of things I don't do really well, my mission has sure taught me that, but there are things that I can do really well. The past four weeks I have had a pile of faults, weaknesses, struggles sitting in font of my eyes. I have focused so much on them that I haven't been able to see all those other things behind them. I realized this while I was attending a baptism on Saturday and President Nelson was talking about having joy, becoming perfect, enjoying the journey. I realized that I haven't felt that joy that I love so much. I use to feel so much joy I just couldn't contain myself! I need to truly trust in the Lord more, have grater faith and do my best, being OK at where I lack and just doing my best. I love this work. I love being a missionary. Sometimes I think this mission is more for myself than those we are teaching.

I know the Gospel of Jesus Christ is real, I need to apply it in my life more and more. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day saints is how we can feel that joy once again in our lives. It is through the gospel that we overcome our trials, our struggles, our temptations. New York is so much fun. There are crazy things that go on here. How grateful I am for the Atonement of Jesus Christ. I love all of you so much! I pray for all of you individually. Oh how I love this Gospel!

Have a wonderful week!
Much Love,

Hermana Banaszewski

Pictures:
Hermana Winfield & Hermana Banaszewski
Love messages
Images from a ward activity from different cultures and countries

October 18, 2010

I got pooped on by a pigeon while teaching someone at the park. It was really funny. I was having a super hard day but things just seemed to be getting better. It was funny because I could see my attitude changing to where it needed to be regardless of what was happening all around me.

Hna Winfield and I waiting for a train.

One picture is from the Jamaica Chapel. Some of the class rooms have windows that open up to a food court. One sister missionary said, "No wonder our member have a hard time keeping the Sabbath day" Some of the church buildings here are really funny.

We made pupusas with one of our investigators, Hermana Pa*. She is from Honduras. She is SOOO neat! I love that woman so much!

A couple got sealed in the Manhattan Temple and we sung at there reception. The spirit was so strong. Their reception ended up being a fireside and then eating afterword...but Hispanic style meaning TONS AND TONS of food. We sang a compilation of Families can be Together Forever, I am a Child of God, and Love at Home. We had a missionary from another area come in and play the piano for us. We also sang with the Elders in our ward. It was so good. When we were done singing I thought, "There were angels singing with us." There were a lot of non-members there that were family members.



Hello Family!

How is everyone doing? I always feel like I never have enough time to e-mail or express myself the way I would like. I will do my best this week. This week has been really good. I realized last week when I got of the computer that I was a real downer. I'll be honest, I've been having one of the hardest times on my mission but at the same time I am learning a lot and being tested like crazy. The most common thing I do and I think most people do as well is to think, "What am I doing wrong, or what did I do to cause all of these things to happen?" Sometimes we are just being blessed with trials so we can learn and grow, sometimes it is because of other people, and other times...I don't know but we learn a lot don't we :) A quote that has helped me out this week was, "Sometimes the Lord through our trials and challenges allows us to hit rock bottom just so we know that the rock at the bottom is Him." This week really has been a lot better. It has been a very busy week and I wish I could describe all of the miracles I saw and experienced.

This week I've been a little sick. However I've seen the blessings from heaven come down. I've been given strength when I didn't think I could do it. On Saturday we had a street sweep again and I felt like I was myself again. Even though in the morning I felt horrible I knew we needed to go. We weren't able to stay the entire time but while we were there I didn't feel sick or tired at all. We were able to get two new investigators in the 20 or 30 min. we were there. How incredible. It may seem small but to me they are miracles. It is difficult to describe or write because they are more of feelings and things working within that creates the miracle.

I wanted to tell you a little more about Richmond Hill. I know I haven't said much because I've been so consumed with those things I've been struggling with. Richmond Hill is awesome. It is like living under the L train in Chicago. There are little shops everywhere. There are people from every country you've ever heard of plus from places you never knew existed. There are a lot of Indians here as well. In Brooklyn most of the members were from Mexico. Here there is a great balance. People are from El Salvador, Ecuador, Honduras ( A lot of people from there), Mexico, Guatemala, just everywhere. It is so fun. This Friday is our, "Dia de los Pieses" The day of countries-kind of. Every country is represented in a ward activity and people make food and they dance their traditional dances. I'm REALLY looking forward to it. OK-I only have 10 more min-

The members here are incredible. Last night we had an appointment with Hermana Pa*. She is so neat. We have been working with their 28 yr old son as well. They are strong in the church. I have seen so many changes in both of them. Hermana Pa* hasn't been to open with us but last night she opened up. She expressed her love and...it was just one of those moments. On Tuesday we had an apt with Ke* and Me*. They are both from the DR. She served a mission there 13 yrs ago and he is a new member. Their home felt like heaven on earth. They cooked traditional DR food for us...it was so good! I keep asking everyone to teach me how to make it so when I go home I wont miss it because I can make it myself. The people here are amazing. More and more they have my heart. I have been study charity this week and praying for more charity. I have felt an increase as I have been studying and praying for it. What makes my mission is not the amount of people that accept the gospel but the people, whether they be members, investigators, or less-actives. The people make this work what it is suppose to be. I feel so much love for them, more than I ever thought possible. It takes work on our ends as missionaries and we have to put ALL-ALL we have into it but it is ALWAYS worth it in the end.

I've seen a huge change in my attitude this last week. A test of that for me was when I got pooped on by that pigeon. lol. The work is becoming what it should be and has been in the past. I don't know exactly what the trials have been but those things that I can change and improve have been happening. What a process! I've come closer to the Lord through my trials.

This week we also had a couple in our Ward be sealed! There are not many people here who are sealed or who have gone through the Temple at all. We could not go but we were able to help with their reception and sing for them. That is the long range goal.

Our investigators are doing well. The Mi* family is progressing. Hna Winfield had a great idea to teach a "silent lesson" with them. We went into there home and said hello and then told them what we were going to do. We had scriptures, songs, and questions all typed out and all we did was hang up the paper and give the lesson with out talking. They had to write in journals we got them as they went through the lesson. It went really well. Hno Mi* has a date to be baptised on the 24th. We're not sure if he is going to be able to make that date or not but we're trying. They have been investigating the church for over a year now. Their 16 yr daughter is a member. They always come to church and are stronger than some members here. Hna Pa*, the one we made pupusas with is the same way. We went into the lesson really focusing on Hno Mi* feeling that Hna Mi* isn't ready yet. When we left we felt that the lesson was more for Hna Mi* than Hno. :) We could see that she felt the spirit and it gave her more of a chance than usual to participate. Usually Hno Mi* talks and rambles.

I feel myself changing. I know one reason why I have been struggling so much is because I have not been allowing the Lord to be in charge. Hna Winfield and I talked for a long time about that. We are really learning and growing a lot together. I know that both her and I need to be here at this time. The work is progressing, not the way we would like it to be but the way the Lord would have it done. We have begun working with the Relief Society President and Bishop more. About 75% of our ward is in active. The members that come are absolutely amazing! There is a lot of work to get done here and I LOVE it!!!

Family, I know this is the work of the Lord and not my own. I am learning more than I could ever describe and doing my very best. Oh! :) I gave a talk on Sunday! In SPPPPANISH!!! My Spanish is still pretty bad but...it is there when it needs to be. Hna Winfields Spanish is amazing so with us together we do OK. I know that the only way to TRULY be happy is with the true and full gospel of Jesus Christ. How grateful I am to have what is most important. It is now our responsibility to share that with others and invite others to come unto Christ. Thank you for all of your prayers. I have felt them this week. I love all of you so very much. Have a great week! I'll be praying for you.

With Much Love,

Hermana Banaszewski

P.S.
This is Hermana Winfields info to link her blog to mine or share it with other people. The e-mail address is her mothers if you can't find it.

www.SisterRachelWinfield.Blogspot.com

jmwinfield@msn.com

10-11-10

A baptism on 10-10-10 of a 10 year old girl
I love NY!
Richmond Hill Chapel


Hello family,

Again this week I don't have as much time as I wish I did. I spent more time responding individually to e-mails. This week has been good. Honestly it has been a struggle. I know this work is important to the Lord.

Al* was baptized this Sunday! Yeah! It was a great feeling. We were able to teach her and it went so well. It was really cute what she said as we were teaching her as well. We asked her the baptismal questions and asked her if she had ever committed any crime. She said yes! (did I tell you this already) I thought, what?! We talked about it and she said when she was in kindergarten that she stole her friends money and used it to buy ice cream. She was so funny. I was impressed with the great testimony she has of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. She is an incredible young girl and I pray she will stay faithful for the rest of her life.

This week I have seen so many of my weaknesses. I have struggled in every way I possibly could. I know that I need to develop greater love. I need not be selective with who or when I love someone. So, this week I am going to study charity.

I wish I could describe some of the experiences that I've had this week. There were two people that really stand out to me. As we went over to teach them they opened up to us and cried. They cry because they feel the love of our Savior for them, how much our Heavenly Father has for them, how much they want to change and improve their lives. It is incredible to me to watch these people. To be able to get to know people on such an intimate level. I love this work. I recognize I am nothing but a servant of the Lord all at the same time. I have so much to improve in my life. I pray that this week I will be able to do so.

How is everyone else doing? All I ever do is get on and talk about how things are going. How is home? Those I miss and love? Anything fun, exciting, hard going on?

This week Hna Winfield and I have both found comfort in watching some of the Mormon messages. We have been doing our best to work and do what the Lord would have us do.

I love each one of you so much. My heart aches at times for the wretched person that I am. I have so many weaknesses, my Spanish is horrible, and my Christlike attributes are not where they need to be but I am doing my best. I will keep each one of you in my prayers. Thank you for all of your prayers. They keep me going when I can not go on my own any more.

With Much Love,

Hermana Banaszewski

10-4-10

I am currently serving in Richmond Hill. My companion is Hermana Winfield from WA. She graduated in Financing from BYU in Dec.

The picture with food is what I ate. I ATE A FISH HEAD!!!! What? Yep. The power of prayer is real. lol

Hermana Winfield and I on Sat before conference

A view from our Apt



Hey Family!

OK-lets see how much I can write out in 20 min. Thank you for all of your beautiful e-mails. They lift and inspire me. There is so much I would like to tell you about. Right now I am serving in Richmond Hill, NY. There is a Spanish ward and an English branch here. There are a lot of people from Peru, Colombia, El Salvador, Mexico, and...everywhere. In Brooklyn the people were mostly from Mexico. My companion is Hermana Winfield. She's great. This is her 2nd transfer. She has only been out for 6 weeks but her Spanish is great. Honestly it is better than mine but that just means another opportunity for me to learn more humility.

The area here has been struggling. Last transfer they had two baptism which were great. It was a mother named Cl* and her 9 yr old daughter. Coming into this area with Hna Winfield being so new has been as if we have been whitewashed or blinded in. There are a lot of things that both of us want to change and improve upon. Its really exciting to change things up and have a companion that sees the need for it as well. That is on thing I've been really grateful that Hna Winfield is willing to do. We both see a great need for change here. We have spent a lot of time planning, printing off maps of the area, and setting goals. Last week we went through lists of people and made a list of our own of who is closest to baptism. As of right now we only have 1 investigator but there is a lot of hope for other people. There are a lot of part member families and people that have come to church for a long time but have never been baptized. I feel like this has been a personal calling of mine. As Hna Winfield and I were making a list of people that could realistically be baptized this months, this is the last month of year for the goal our mission has, we both felt very strongly about a girl who is 10 yrs old.

Her name is Al*. Her mother, sister, and grandma are members. To make a long story short we both felt that this was her time to be baptized and that we needed to start working with her more. On Wen. we saw her at the church as we were making copies of ward lists, maps, and everything else you could think of. She was taught by missionaries before and was asked to pray about a date she would get baptized. She said she wanted to do it on her birthday in Feb but then after she prayed she had a dream and said she wanted to be baptized on Dec 9 and thought that would be cool. Hna Winfield and I both felt the spirit. It was not a typical setting for us to feel the spirit, children were running around, Al* was dancing as we talked to her, I then said, "How cool would it be to be baptized on 10/10/10." She thought about it and then Hna Winfield said, will you pray about it tonight? She agreed. Yesterday we talked to her mother about Al*. Her mother said she wanted to be baptized this Sunday, 10/10/10. All we did was suggest the date and ask a little 10 yr to pray about it. She did and with out us asking had already talked to her mother and the Bishop. Miracles do happen. We will be meeting with her every night while her older sister is in seminary. They have seminary at night in the ward.

I have realized more and more that I need to have greater faith and trust in the Lord and in this work. I have felt more and more that to develop the greater spirituality that I need that I need to read the entire Book of Mormon this transfer. It is going to be difficult but I will do it. Things are going great here. It has been hard and I sure do miss Brooklyn but as hard as it is to say, I know this is exactly where I need to be right now. I apologize for this letter being so short. We don't have as much time to e-mail here. What a blessing it was to attend conference.

I love all of you so much. Have a wonderful week and don't be shy to drop a letter in the mail :)

With great love,

Hermana Banaszewski