1-24-11

Hno & Hna Vasquez
Casarez Family minus Hno
A party after a baptism
The Diaz Family at their youngest daugher's baptism
Marshmallow gun wars
Breakfast for the Nunez family
Makin' breakfast
Oopse!
Zone marshmallow gun wars
Hna Mejorada, Ethan and a baby they were babysitting
Making jumping frogs with Fatima and Johnny



Hey Family,

Can I just say...It was another GREAT week to be a missionary! I LOVE LOVE LOVE life right now! I feel so good. I'm dead exhausted everyday. Hna Sorenson work as hard as we can and have doing everything to strengthen our faith.

Saturday we had another Street Sweep in Jamaica. We talked to some pretty neat people. One man, he was HUGE, came up to me as I was filling up cups of hot co co ( We were giving out free co co to get people to check out our table and so we could talk with them) and went off about how Christ will come again to the earth in the flesh and that we have a purpose to having our bodies. I agreed with everything he said. He was a little confused and just expected me to bash with him. Then he changed his topic to prophets. He said, where is the prophet? We are suppose to have a prophet on the earth. Christ said he would never leave his people alone, and so forth. I looked at him in the eyes, even though his eyes where about 2 feet higher than mine and said, "We have a prophet." He was surprised and stuttered on his words. Then he asked who this prophet was over. I replied, "He is the prophet of the world." He then asked me what he prophecied of and I explained. I felt the spirit testify to me that what I was saying was true. The man then left but I was at least able to leave him with a pass-along-card. It was a really fun and COLD street sweep. We'll have another one this Saturday as well.

This week was all about loving people up. We have seen how much love these people really need. We were working on loving our investigators, the members, less-actives, all of them. We have seen some pretty big differences with people as we focus on loving them. We made cup cakes for a family and brought them by. We made breakfast for two families and so forth. It has been so much fun. The members have been a lot more open to help us and...our investigators are moving forward as they know that we truly do love them and aren't there for any other reason.

The Mi* family is doing well. They are still reading in the Book of Mormon together as a family. They really could be baptized at anytime. We have been doing everything we can to help them. They are still changing and learning a lot. We are praying for a miracle with them. They will be baptized some day, it is just a matter of the right time.

We started teaching a man named Al*. Hna Winfield and I started teaching him but then it was really hard to get in contact with him. We taught him on Friday and he remembered A LOT from our first lesson with him. He will progress a lot as long as we can keep teaching him and he comes to church.

So, as usual there is a lot I would like to write about but time is short and it is FREEZING in the place we are doing e-mail today.

I want to tell you about a neat experience from yesterday. We had planned to go cook breakfast for Ro* and her family Sunday morning. This is where the original idea come to cook breakfast for people came from. Well, we couldn't get a hold of them in the morning but we felt we should just go anyway. We got everything together and walked to the bus stop. Right before we got on the bus the English Elders texted us and told us that Ar* was not at church. He has been struggling. We thought, maybe we should go over there and cook the Pe*'s breakfast. We stood there and thought about it as we waited for another bus. Then the 2nd bus came. I turned to Hna Sorenson, "I really don't feel like getting on this bus" So we decided to show up at the Pedraza's. We called Hna Pe* 5 min before we got there. She was happy to have us over but wanted to know if it was OK because she was still in her jammies. lol. We got there and when we rang the bell Ar* RAN to the bathroom. He had no idea that we were coming. It ended up being a really good thing. We didn't say anything to him about not going to church, he knew where he needed to be. Hna was SOOOO happy. She was beaming! She said she hadn't had anyone cook her breakfast like that in YEARS!!! It was such a blessing to us and to them. Later that night we went over again and talked to them about how much Heavenly Father Loves them. They are incredible people and I know that I am hear to help them feel how much God loves them. We are praying for Ar* and that he will get back into things.

It is so easy to doubt, think less of our selves, and struggle in this life. Heavenly Father wants us to be happy. That is why He sent His son, Jesus Christ to rescue us and be a comfort and guide. I love being here. Next week will be interesting. Saturday we will get transfer calls : / Hna Sorenson and I really want to stay together again but it really doesn't seem likely. Please pray that whatever happens will be the will of the Lord, I know it will be.

I love all of you so very much. Thank you for all of your love and support. I pray every time I write e-mails that you can feel the spirit while reading them and know how much I love being here.

Have a great week, I'll be praying for all of you,

Love,

Hermana Banaszewski

1-17-11

Study is always more fun with gummies!
Nijas at English class
This guy came into the church drunk and we saw him later outside on the street.
New Years fun with Silly String
New York sun rise
Whipping up some breakfast


Hey Family!!!

It was another great week to be a missionary! Can I just say, again, I LOVE doing this work! I LOVE IT! It as sure a crazy week. We had a lot going on and a lot of different things happen.

On Wed we were able to go to Manhattan to visit the Va* Family. There youngest boy was burned but he is doing really well. We have really been focusing on working with their family so we called President on Tuesday night and he said we could GO!!! We weren't sure if he would let us go or not but it was sure a blessing to be able to go. When we got there the boy was doing really well. We brought some food for Hna Va* which was a big help for her. Right before we left the hospital she found out he was getting released! He was only there from Sat night to Wed. When he first came in the doctors told him he would be there for at least 15 days. Power of the Priesthood.

On Sat we had a street sweep. I was really excited about it. I found out that from out last street sweep in Jamaica that there is someone who is going to be baptized! I was so excited to hear that. After talking to the other sisters who live with us and more about the man I think I remember contacting him on the street! That last street sweep was a lot of fun. I felt so filled, energetic and ready to go! It is always easy to doubt and have fear while contacting people, especially in New York, you never know who your going to get. I remember the man walking by, he passed about 4 missionaries. I thought, he doesn't look like he would have an interest at all. He is Indian and most of the time they tell us they are Muslim and do not believe in Jesus Christ. Then I just found myself talking with him. I brought him over to the table we had set up and other missionaries began talking with him and I went to go contact more people. Can you believe that he's is going to be baptized this coming Sunday. The Elders that have been teaching him are awesome and they say that he is ready. Miracles continue to happen.

The street sweep we had on Sat was really fun. It was SUPER cold outside. I had about every warm thing I own on and at the end I still couldn't feel my toes. It was really neat though because I talked to a lot of really neat people. We also sang hymns in the street and I really felt the spirit. Before the street sweep I was studying faith. Hna Sorenson and I have been talking about things we feel we are lacking and I think for me lately it has been faith. We work SUPER hard but I need to strengthen my faith with the work that we are doing. I felt the strength that we can have as we have a greater faith while talking with people.

I don't have much time but so much I want to say, so instead of going into detail I'll just put it out there. Sunday was CRAZY!!! I felt like I was in a circus. I sang in sacrament meeting with another missionary and Hna Pe*. It was really good and one of the best time I've ever sang. Then there was a baptism. The water wasn't going fast enough and all of the hot water was gone when the fount was only 5 inches deep. Hna Sorenson ended up filling the font up with pots of water for about 30 min. It was fun but crazy running around. The Ca* boy was baptized. We have been working with is family. I LOVE them so much. Hna Ca* was SO happy. I have never seen an 8 yr old so emotional at his own baptism before. His sister was too.

The Mi*'s are still doing well. They are reading and coming to church. I can't believe how quickly they are starting to progress. It is only a matter of time before they are baptized as well. Ro* is great. She came to church on Sunday and we are still teaching her. She needs prayers.

Ar* and Hna Pe* are awesome. I love them so much. Ar* received his blessing yesterday. He is incredible! I can not even discibe how much I love those two people.

All I have been able to think about this morning is how much I love these people. It is incredible how much I love them. One thing that I have seen on my mission is that its all about love. That is our goal, to love these people up. Miracles happen when we love people. When we teach with love, they change. When we serve with love, they feel it.

I love all of you very much. We have to run to our Zone activity and trust me, I would love to keep writing. Most importantly I hope all of you feel the spirit while reading this and know how much Heavenly Father loves all of you.

I LOVE YOU,

Love,

Hermana Banaszewski

1-10-11

Hello Family,

It was another great week to be a missionary! This week we went out and crushed the work. Hna Sorenson and I have really been working as hard as we can. We really started to feel it the end of the week but we are gearing up to go out there and crush it again this week. The last couple days Hna Sorenson and I have had some great conversation about what we want to accomplish the rest of the transfer, 3 weeks. Can I just say, I LOVE BEING HERE! I LOVE BEING A MISSIONARY! I LOVE doing this WORK and WORK it is! Hna Sorenson and I have a quest for consecration. This has been a theme of my mission but we both think that we have an opportunity this transfer to really dig deep into it.

This week we had a HUGE miracle. We have been praying for Ro*'s husband. Ro* really wants to be baptised but she is not married to her "husband." She is still reading a LOT in the Book of Mormon and progressing. Last Sunday we fasted with her that we would be able to meet with her husband and that he would have an open heart. We really think that the only way for Ro* to progress more in the gospel and be baptized would be if we begin teaching her husband and he has the desire to get married and learn as well. Well...we had set an apt up on Thursday night with Ro*. She is incredible, really. We got there and asked how she was doing. I asked her how her husband was and she said, "great, he's here!" What?! He is ALWAYS ALWAYS working in Manhattan! His work was slow and so they sent him home, the NIGHT we had a apt with Ro*! It was an incredible lesson, not because we had anything to do with it but we greatly felt the spirit and it was a spirit lead lesson. Ma*, Ro*'s husband wants to learn, he wants this for his family and sees it as a good thing. Now the catch is being able to find time he can meet with us. The lesson was as if we had a member present. Ro* continually testified of the things we spoke about. She bore her testimony and felt the spirit as well testifying to her. On the way out of the apt I turned and and said to Ro*, "Answers to prayers" referring to the lesson we had just had with her and Ma*. Then she said, "Yes, and answers from fasting." Ro* gained a great testimony of fasting from that experience and so did I.

Right now things regarding the work are going pretty well. We really need to find some new investigators and are working as hard as two missionary's possibly can. It has been really fun to work with Hna Sorenson because we are both towards the end of our missions and have had a lot of experiences. However, as we were talking about the work, how we are doing, and becoming better, what the Lord would have us become it hit me more that we can do all of these things but we need to be relying on the Lord more. I saw miracle after miracle while I was training or in situations where I had no choice BUT to rely on the Lord because it was so clear that I had no idea what to do or what was going on. That is what we must do now. Work our hardest but rely more on the Lord. A problem that many missionaries have at the end of their mission is that they recognize that they know how to do things, they can do them, they've done them before and they rely less on the Lord. It is a goal of our to rely on Him more. It is my goal to rely on Him for EVERYTHING! Don't get me wrong, I don't feel like we've forgotten the Lord in...the work of the Lord but we recognize room for improvement and I am excited to get out there and do the best we can.

Update on the Mi* Family: They are changing and progressing at a great rate. Why? What changed? I have no idea, something changed/clicked with them and they are progressing. Last week we were FINALLY able to get over and teach them. It had been about a month from the last time we were in their home. We focused on the Book of Mormon. We reviewed what is was, the importance and we used the Gospel Art book to give a summery of the Book of Mormon and the stories inside. We then reviewed and taught how to read the Book of Mormon and to have them use the study journals we've given them. To top it off Hna Sorenson donated her alarm clock to them and together we set it at a time where they can all come together EVERY night and read. There 16 yr old daughter is a member and she is helping them with questions and so forth. Guess what? THEY ARE READING!!! EVERY DAY!!! YEAH!!! They are reading and they have a new light in their eyes. Hna Winfield and I both thought they they would not progress or be baptized until they started reading. Guess what? They are reading. We asked them at church how it was going and they said they LOVE it and they are learning a lot. One thing that I think stood out to them was we mentioned to them they we will not always be around and that they should not have to wait for us to come into their home for them to learn. Hermana Mi* jumped on that and said, "Yes Hermana! We need to be learning all of the time." Something clicked there, she realized she can't rely on us a missionaries to be spiritually feeding her and they need to learn how to have the spirit and progress. We have an apt with them on Tues. They will be baptized someday, it could be this next week, it could be in a year. We'll just keep praying for them and doing our best.

Last night we were able to teach Hna Pe* and Ar*. They are doing really well. Ar* is getting his Patriarchal Blessing on Sunday. This is going to be huge for him. I am so grateful for my Patriarchal Blessing. It has given me so much guidance in my life and I have relied on it in times of great need and direction. Last night as we were there I felt such a deep and great love for both of them. It is incredible to me at how much love I really have for these people. There are certain people and companions that have a special place in my heart and the Hermana and Ar* are defiantly two of those people. Sometimes it is hard to have a desire to go out and do things that aren't so fun as missionaries but then everything gets put into perspective when I feel the love that our Father in Heaven has for them. Then I think, what am I going to do when I leave this area? I can't leave! But I really can, the quest isn't to get these people going to church or teach 100 lessons a week, it is helping my brothers and sisters to be able to return to their/our Father in Heaven and to see them again in the Celestial Kingdom. That is why I see to have and teach with the spirit, so these people will progress and understand what they need to do to progress and one day make it into the Celestial Kingdom. That is where I want to see these people again once I leave this area.

I'm not sure if I will be staying in Richmond Hill or not next transfer. The theme of my mission has been that I spend 3 transfers in every area and that's it but I only have 2 more left and this is my 3rd one here. I would love to stay here one more with Hna Sorenson but what I really want is what ever the will of the Lord is. If that means my heart gets ripped out again leaving people I love then that is what is going to happen. I love all of the people here, in Richmond Hill, in Flushing in Brooklyn, EVERYWHERE! More and more I have felt the love our Father in Heaven really has for His children. It is incredible. Peoples lives change when they feel that love for themselves.

Just as some fun comments: On Wed...we had 4 FOUR...FOUR dinner apts. We actually only had 1 of them planned to be a dinner apt and we were fed at every other apt. Wow...all I have to say is I am going to work out like CRAZY when I get home. I feel like a balloon BUT it is all for a good cause, I'm eating the love of the members/investigators and showing them how much we really love them. There were also two other things that happened this week that I think I'll leave out but take note, I'll tell you all about them when I get home: Drunk man in church on Monday, and a Sister from the English branch during planning. They are funny stories and need to be told in person.

I have been able to keep up with the goal our mission has to read the Book of Mormon in 5 months. We are suppose to read 2 chapters a day and mark 3 things. 1 any references to Christ 2 all words of Christ and 3 all references to the Atonement. It has been incredible how much I have been learning and that I have been able to keep up. 3 things that I have learned or re-learned. 1.) Everyone, including Nephi must receive a witness from the Holy Ghost from praying and acting to gain a testimony of the truth. When we have that witness we are able to rely on it for the rest of our lives and nourish it to grow. 2.) We must keep the commandments, if we do we are GREATLY blessed. 3.) Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ love us more than we know.

I love this work so much. Its been a great week and I'm really praying for another great week and relying fulling on the Lord. I love all of you so much. I pray for all of you so much. Thank you so much for all of those that have written or sent packages. They are received with great gratitude.

I love you, have a great week, and know that Heavenly Father loves each one of you. Now show Him that your love by serving, praying, and/or reading in the Book of Mormon. :)

Love,

Hermana Banaszewski

Ringing in 2011
Hugs and Kisses for a member
A NY Sunset


Hey Family!

How is everyone doing? Thank you again to all who sent me presents and letters. That was GREAT! It always seems that towards the end of a missionaries mission the letters die down so that was GREAT to get bombarded with love from home. Thanks!

Things have been going really well here. I love being a missionary, I love working, I love...I LOVE IT ALL!!! This last week was really good. I really felt the strength of the Lord to do all that I needed to and work hard. Every night I have gone to bed exhausted but it has felt really good. Hermana Sorenson is awesome. She goes home next transfer...in 10 weeks and wants to really go out strong. I am so grateful she is here. She's funny too. We laugh a lot. On Tuesday the buses were still not running how they normally do. Things have been running slow because of all the snow. SO MUCH SNOW!!! We had an apt at a members home at night in Ozone Park. We waited for the bus for about 20-30 min and then decided to do what I call, "musical buses". Where you start walking wherever you need to go along the bus rout and if a bus comes you hop on it. Well, we ended up walking all the way home and it took us an hour! The best part was we just told funny stories the whole time while we were walking and laughed our heads off the whole way home.

Yesterday we fasted with Ro*. She is going really well. I was really worried that she was slowing down her progression, she was but its picked right back up. We had gone over to teach her and she was at 2 Ne 13 and the next day we went over, four days later she was already in Jacob! She learns very well by reading. I know she will be baptized someday. We fasted with her that we would be able to begin working with her husband and/or he will want to get married so Ro* can be baptized. We have an appointment with her tonight to see how it went for her. She is having a hard time being able to make it to all 3 hours of church now that church starts at 1. She has to work on Sundays. We'll praying for her.

We are also working with Cl*. She is ALSO an investigator from English Class. She hasn't been progressing. We've taught her about 4 or 5 times now. She was going to come to church yesterday and when we called to ask her if we could pick her up she said she couldn't make it because all of her family was over. I was really sad about it but she promised to come to church next week. We went to church and were talking to members before church started and...SHE SHOWED UP!!! She decided that her kids who are adults weren't being so fun so she decided to come to church. She didn't even tell them where she went, she just left. She stayed for all of sacrament meeting and then went home. We will be meeting with her Tuesday with Sister Nelson, she is going to come teaching with us before our Presidents Interviews.

We also have a couple other people that we are doing our best to work with. Hna Sorenson was serving in Flushing before she came back here to Richmond Hill. In Flushing, about 5 mo ago she talked to a man on the bus. All of his family are members of the Church except him. He feels that the true church is either our church or one other church. He has not received an answer yet but is looking. Hna Sorenson wasn't able to get his info that night nor give her info to him. But she decided she was going to pray for him and that some day he would be taught. Guess who showed up in our Chapel yesterday, Ed*, that man. Miracles are all around us. I have really seen a lot of progress here and within myself. These last 5 mo have been incredible. I have learned more than I ever thought and I am eternally grateful for them. Even though things are and have been hard I love this work, I love my life. Its not easy but its great. I keep telling Hna Sorenson that its like getting back on the horse.

New Years was really good. One thing that has really surprised me is that we had more people tell us happy new year than Merry Christmas. We didn't do anything really special. We had to be back in our apts by 6, do our weekly planning which was really fun. We planned but also ended up talking about some funny things and just started laughing again. We also ordered Chinese which was really good. I haven't had any since Hna Winfield went home.

Our mission has a goal to read the Book of Mormon in the first 5 mo of the year and mark all the references of Christ and His words. It has been really neat for me. I have been learning so much. That is one thing that I've learned lately. There are so many things we can learn from the Book of Mormon. The hardest part is to actually read it. We hold it in our hands, let it sit on our destk and so forth, we need to READ it. As a missionary that is our greatest tool, the Book of Mormon. If everyone read the Book of Mormon, member, investigator, and less-active, things would explode!

I have felt so much love of our Father in Heaven for the people here and for myself. I love being here. This last week was really good and I have high hopes for this coming week. Thank you so much for all of your love and support. I love all of you very much. I will be praying for all of you!

Love,

Hermana Banaszewski

The YSA Branch in Richmond Hill. They are awesome and I love being able to help out with their Family Home Evening.

This is a funny picture I took at Hna Bustos's work. She has a hair salon and she had us come into the back and eat with her. I peaked into the "waxing" room and started laughing. Before we ate with her we were talking with her about her reading in the Book of Mormon, where she is and how its going. If you take careful note, on the stand to the waxing bed is her Book of Mormon. She really is reading!

Our Christmas Tree

Some of my Christmas goodies! Thank you so much!

Christmas presents!!!

Hna Sorenson has things to make Reindeer cupcakes! We took them to a family for Christmas.

Hna Sorenson...she was a little sick :)

Merry Christmas from Jamaica Ave in Queens, NY!!!

The crazy amount of snow on our balcony

Last night

A van than must have gotten stuck last night in the middle of the road and is STILL sitting there!

SNOW!!!


Hey family!

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year! Plus...who said it was going to snow 2 feet in NY?! Wow! The first REAL snow we've had in the area I'm serving in and it DUMPED!!! Last night we were told to come home early because it was so bad. By the time we actually got home it was only about 45 min early! I hope the pictures speak loud enough. I'm so grateful I have some pretty good boots and snow gear. Wearing skirts is a little difficult but...we get creative.

My Christmas was GREAT! Honestly I think it was the best Christmas of my life. I really felt that I was able to focus on the TRUE meaning of Christmas and not gifts, where to go, food, or anything else. What a blessing it has been to not have to fight with the world about Christmas. Instead I was able to go out and proclaim the glad tidings of great JOY! That is how I have been feeling lately, full of Joy. Things as a mission are still and always will be difficult but I just feel a sense of Joy in my heart. It was a great Christmas. There were so many people that sent packages or cards. I wish I was able to thank everyone individually but I am overwhelmed with how much love I received. I will always remember who sent a package or a loving card. Thank you. I know they were sent with love and I felt it.

For Christmas we: 1st opened all of our presents and had some fun together as sisters, then got ready for the day and were able to visit with the Ro* Family and eat :) then we called home and ran to the Pe* home. I LOVE that family so much. Ar* was really funny. Hna Pe* had been praying that she would have all of her kids home for Christmas and SHE DID!!! It felt so good to be there with them. We were even able to share a really good Christmas message with her daughter and family that aren't members. What a great day to be a missionary!

Today we helped four people dig their cars out and then dig them a path to the main road. We ended up shoveling for over 3 or 4 hours. It was so much fun. Its a snow day! and as a missionary that means SERVICE!!! All of the people we helped were around the church. They always asked, so are you from there, pointing to the church and we would happily say, "Yes we are!" and keep digging their cars out. The snow is so bad that most of the cars we dug out were actually jeeps or off road vehicles.

Things are going really well in Richmond Hill right now. This last week FLEW by really fast. We've been working really hard to figure out who we need to be visiting, picking old people back up, setting up appointments like no body's business, and just working as hard as we can. I am very grateful Hna Sorenson is here. She's served here 6 mo ago so its nice that she knows the area and people already. We are working really hard to work more with the members and have been doing pretty good with that. I know there is a lot to come but I am excited about it. Things are still hard, that's just how life is but I LOVE it! I love working hard and just crushing it out. I feel like with every companion we've been able to crush things out rather it be "missionary work" or other things. I'm so grateful for every companion I've had and the opportunities to grow, change, and improve. Wow, I LOVE being a missionary!

I know that Heavenly Father has a personal hand in our lives. Last night we were at Ke* and Me*s home. They are Dominican, I LOVE those people. I feel like I connect with Dominicans a lot, even if I can't always understand them. They are passionate, loving people. Me* said some really neat things to me and I knew that I needed to hear them. Life is amazing. We come in contacted with so many different people and have so many different experiences. All of us have the choice to decide how we are going to take life, the hard things and the easy ones. We fought to come to this earth and experience all of these things.

I know that Christ lives. That is why it is OK when bad things happen to good people. Because Christ understands, suffered for it so that we might be healed. He walks beside us, His hand is outstretched, we decide if we are going to take it or not. Its not always easy but its worth it. It can become easier as we turn to Christ.

I love all of you very much!

Love,

Hermana Banaszewski

12-20-2010

Hna Olsen and Hna Banaszewski
Laundry in NY
Hide and Seek
Tiny Christmas tree


Well, as I'm sure all of you would have guessed this week has been CRAZY but good. I have to be quick because I've used up more time than I should have already.

Well, Hna Winfield went home on Wed. That was so hard! I love her so much. I know it was right for her to go but that doesn't make it any easier for me to say good bye to a dear friend. She got permission from President Nelson for me to take her to the airport Wed night. On Tuesday I had talked to President Nelson on the phone and told him how exhausted I was, I just started bawling. I was suppose to have another Sister come back to my area with me and start doing the work. I was overwhelmed with everything and he told me that I could spend a couple days at the Mission home with Sister Nelson so that's what I did. They were amazing times. Sister Nelson left me alone a couple of times. lol. She just forgot that I needed to have a companion even though she didn't need one. It was funny. They just loved me up and told me to rest as much as I could to get ready to go back to my area Friday afternoon. I learned volumes from both of them and I felt that my fire for this work came back with vengeance! I'm so pumped up about everything. I'm still exhausted but...its a balancing game.

On Friday we picked up Sister Olsen from Flushing and she has been with me helping to get things ready for next transfer. She is amazing and has been such a trooper with all of this. She has been...such a blessing to me. She will go back to Flushing on Tuesday and I will get a new companion. So, in 6 days I will have gone through 4 companions. Wow! What a run around hu? I also just found out that there will be 2 more sisters moving into our tiny NY apt on Tuesday as well. There is just so much to do!

Well, I better get to the point of everything I want to say because my time is long spent. Merry Christmas! Sorry I wasn't able to sent ANYONE any gifts or even cards this year...next year. Things just ran away from me and with everything going on I wasn't able to do it. But...most importantly MERRY CHRISTMAS!!! I look forward to being able to call home.

There are so many things that I have learned this week. One thing is that the Lord truly is in charge. He is! I know I was suppose to be companions with Hna Winfield and that we had to experience those things together. I know that Hna Olsen was just the right person to come be with me for 5 days. Everything connects. I have seen a huge circle in my life be connected. I know that the Atonement of Jesus Christ is real. He walks beside us and carries us when we can not carry our selves.

One thing I've learned as well is that all I need to worry about is to do my best. Whatever I lack will be made up. I've also thought a lot, who am I to mess up the work of the Lord. If I truly have a desire to serve and work hard than I will be blessed. I love this work with all of my heart. It is not "missionary work" but living the gospel work. The opportunity to serve with full energy of heart, learn about the Savior, be more in tune with the Spirit, and feel the hand of the Lord that I love. It is something that everyone can truly do. I love this gospel. I love the Savior. I am so grateful that He came to this earth and sacrificed Himself for a sinner such as I and the entire world. What a blessing to know that He lives once again!

I must say, there are many people who have sent me letters and packages that have kept me going. I can not write everyone back right now but I have to say thank you. My heart has been full with all of the love that I have been receiving.

OK, My time is up. Most importantly I am doing great. Its taken some time to go from OK to good to great and I know I still have to be patient with myself but I am excited to go crush it.

I know that Christ lives. I know that this is His gospel, His teaching and that He will return once again. I love all of you very much and Merry Christmas.

Love,

Hermana Banaszewski

12-6-10

Exhausted Rachel
Rachel's new hair cut


Hey Family!

What a week! I don't even know where to begin, that's been a theme of my e-mails. All I have to say is I LOVE DECEMBER and CHRISTMAS!!! Today we had our very first snow fall! I was sitting at my desk studying this morning and it started! It was just really tiny floating flakes but it was great.

This week has been interesting. I have really felt the strength from Heavenly Father and our Savior carrying me along through everything. Before I go on I just have to say, I LOVE BEING A MISSIONARY!!! Last night Hermana Winfield and I were having a very spirit lead conversation about the Atonement and some other things and I could feel the spirit speaking through me. It was incredible. I knew the words that were coming out of my mouth were not from me but from Heavenly Father. I am so grateful for the experiences that I have had with the Atonement and with the Savior in my life. All of the moments of my life where I've wanted to give up, be done, or thought I couldn't do it anymore have been worth it. The Atonement doesn't just heal us or make us how we would be if we didn't have the pain, trial, sin, or struggle in front of us but it makes us BETTER. What a blessing it is that we have a SAVIOR! He LIVES!!! What a gift to the world, a Christ Child, the Redeemer of the World! How grateful I am for this time of year that all have a greater opportunity to remember His birth and the gift His is to us.

I need to make sure that all those that have sent a letter or a package this week know how grateful I am for it. Those letters have been exactly what I've needed and when I've needed them. They have filled me when I needed it and I'll be honest, some of those letters have meant so much to me I keep them in my backpack and carry them with me where ever I go. Words can not express how grateful I am for them. Thank you.

Funny moment of the week: I know Hermana Winfield is going to write about this as well so check her blog to get a different view of it. So...as missionaries and Sister missionaries at that we have the opportunity to sing to people a lot. Well...those who know me know that my singing voice isn't...its not Josh Groban or anything although I've started to think it is :) We were at a families house last night and decided to sing Christmas songs with them. One of the ladies said you just sing, looking at the two of us, I said, "No, you need to sing as well ( This was all in Spanish by the way )" She said she didn't sing very well and it would be a lot better if we just sang. Then I said, "before my mission I didn't sing very well and its still the same on my mission but now that I'm a missionary sometimes I can feel the spirit while I'm singing." She laughed at me and we all sang. Well...we sang Joy to the world in Spanish. So...I've been getting ahead of myself and I LOVE to mix things up a little big with the songs. In our apt I always belt it and sing all different parts. Well...on this song there are two parts you can sing for the chorus...I was getting really into the song. On the third verse I started singing the other words while the rest of the family sang the normal parts. It actually sounded really good (At least that's what Hna Winfield said, not out of pity) Right when I started to sing the other words EVERYONE in the room looked at me with big eyes. They kept singing and then we finished. I had told Hna Winfield that i was going to do that sometime. At the end of the song I leaned over and said, See, I told you :) Then we started laughing just between the two of us because it was funny. Then everyone else asked what we were laughing about. We told them and they all BUSTED up laughing! They were so confused at what I was doing...it ended up that all of us go into a laughing spell and just laughed for 15 min about the whole thing. I hope you understood and it was kind of funny to you at least.

This week we also had Zone Conference. I have developed such a great love for President Nelson. I've really been able to get to know him a lot better this transfer. He is such a loving man and I've learned so much about love and leadership from him. Zone Conference was good. This week we fasted as a mission for help to have guidance as a mission to develop mission goals and bring a greater unity together. The past year we experienced many mighty miracles and changes. I've seen them in myself as well as the mission and the work. I am excited to see what this coming year brings. I LOVE THIS MISSION!!!

So this transfer ends on Dec 19th. Transfers happen on the 21st. Sad that it is right before Christmas. I am praying about transfers and what needs to happen. I pray that whatever happens will be the will of the Lord. I know it will be.

Small blurb about my Spanish...please keep the prayers going that I will be able to speak when I need to. Lol. My Spanish is still there but...its not coming as fast as I need it to and would like it to.

Anyway, that was just a small part of my week. Overall I've really felt an added strength from Heavenly Father this week. That is what I need. I can not do any of this on my own. There is A LOT going on right now and...I am so grateful for the gift of prayer along with the gift of the Atonement and our Savior. I can not describe the joy that comes into my heart knowing that someone loves me enough to go through EVERYTHING with me. He loves all of you that much as well.

I can not describe how much all of your love and support means to me. Thank you so much. I love all of you more than I could express. I love this work and our Savior.

With Much Love,

Hermana Banaszewski