Week 54--July 28, 2014

Well this sure has been an interesting week to say the least.

Unfortunately we really haven't been able to get in contact with Ted or Jordyn this week but we have been able to do a lot of service, and we have had some really good experiences talking to people on the street. One really cool experience with talking to people on the street that I had this week was talking to a guy as we came out of Wal-Mart. We came out and I started talking to him and asking him if I could give him any help (he only had one arm) he said no, and then I asked him if he had ever talked to missionaries from the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. He replied that he had but that he was a born-again Christian and wasn't really interested, I then asked him if he and ever just wondered what makes us different from everyone else, or why we do what we do as missionaries. He replied that no he hadn't, so I began to explain to him why and taught the message of the restoration to him, after he heard the account of the First Vision he began to cry, and said "If only I could know that that really happened." I told him that he could and that the Lord has given us a way to know if it is true, and it is through the Book of Mormon, and reading it and praying to know if it is true, I explained what it was and how it has blessed me in my life and bore testimony of the truth of it. I pulled out a copy and gave it to him, and he couldn't believe that I was just giving them away, he gladly accepted it. Unfortunately he doesn't live in my area, so I forwarded his info to the missionaries that cover where he lives. 

The really cool experience we had doing service: On Wednesday a Lady who used to live in our ward

and is a Part-Member family called us and asked if we could help her move some stuff from one storage unit to another. We agreed to do so. We had a great experience getting to know her mom who is not a member, and invited her to take the missionary lessons from Spanish missionaries, and she accepted. Then her Daughter who is the member pulled out this case from the storage unit and gave it to me and said she wanted me to have it, It was a brand new Violin, she bought it several years ago, and had never played it and it was just sitting there, one of the strings broke when she first got it. I told her that I couldn't ever accept a gift like that. She insisted on giving it to me, so now I have a brand new Violin, I don't even know how to play Violin. I am not sure what to do with it, but I guess I'll have to figure something out.

We get to go to the temple tomorrow and I am so excited!

I love Y'all

Elder Bangerter

Week 53--July 21, 2014

It has been a crazy week, as always. It was good to hear from so many people this week. I think I got more letters this week than I ever have thus far on the mission. It helps when there's a family reunion and I get mail from that:). Also on that note to my friend Tori Anderson who got her call to the Virginia Richmond Mission Speaking Spanish! I was Excited to hear that!

Well this week was another pretty tough week, but we were able to make a lot of progress with our investigator Ted. We had a few lessons with him this past week and we did some service for him. Unfortunately he did not come to church, but regardless we were still able to make a lot of progress with him. I feel very good about him, and He is so open to the gospel, but first we need to get him to Church! As far as progress goes with our Investigator Jordyn, she has been in Mexico for the past few weeks and just got back a few days ago and we haven't really been able to meet with her, not from lack of trying on our part.

Other News, as of this past Thursday I have been out on my mission for a year. It is a weird feeling because I really don't think that I have been out that long, and it feels like time has just been flying by! In light of hitting Hump Day, I participated in the tradition of burning a white shirt, so on Thursday that is something that we did! Unfortunately I don't have my camera today, but I will include pictures next week.

Well I hope that All of Y'all are doing good.

I love you guys

Elder Bangerter

Week 52--July 14, 2014

This week was kind of rough. Not too much happened, but fortunately the week ended on a good note.

So this is kind of how our week went:

Monday- P-Day, it was good, we got quite a bit of stuff done, pretty normal day.

Tuesday- Tuesday as a whole was a pretty good day, we had District Meeting in the morning, then we decided to move up our much needed Weekly Planning session. We had a great planning session, got ourselves organized, made some really good plans, and so forth. As we are Finishing up, one of the Elders that we live with comes bursting in screaming at us, telling us how Pissed off he is at us, and so forth. Two weeks ago we had let the Assistants know that this Elder was staying out late, and there were two nights when he didn't get home until after midnight. So on Tuesday this missionary's car was taken away. He was majorly pissed off at us and started throwing some of his weights around (he is a college rugby player), and it was just bad.

Wednesday- We got a call from the vehicle coordinator that we needed to take our car (2014 Chevy Cruze) to the Chevy dealership because of a recall on the front axle. So we got to spend from 9am to 4pm in Riverside at the Chevy Dealership. Then our lesson that evening canceled on us, and all of our appointments fell through. 

Thursday- We had all day to Proselyte, and nobody answered the door all day. It was hard.

Friday- We had one on one interviews with President Mullen, and it was great. It was good to get to know him quite a bit, and get to know his expectations for us and how we can help him. the rest of the day, we spent finding some part member families and working through some of our lists.

Saturday- We had an awesome lesson with one of our investigators named Ted. The lesson was very powerful and it helped him a lot to progress. It was definitely the Highlight of our week!

Sunday- We taught Gospel Principles and a lesson to the Priests during the second and third hours at church. We got some stuff done in the afternoon and evening, and then were ready and excited to get on to this week! This upcoming week is going to be great!

Well I love all of you

Elder Bangerter

Week 51--July 7, 2014

This week was great. Elder Celeste and I had an awesome week. We had an especially good 4th of July, because we met President Mullen, He is great I am so excited to work with him. We got to know him a little bit as a group and he gave his first training as our Mission President. The biggest thing that he talked about was "Don't be Stupid" and he quoted Jacob 6:12. It was a good meeting and I am excited to have interviews with him this upcoming week. 

We picked up a really solid new investigator this week. Her name is Jordyn, she is the friend of one of the youth in the ward, Last week she went to EFY, and the week before she went to Girls Camp, She is one of the most prepared people that I have ever met. She is ready to accept the gospel! I am excited to work with her and see how she progresses. Besides that we have been working a lot with the Youth, and we have had a lot of success so far from it. We feel like the key to success in this ward is the Youth. They are great!

That's it for now,

Love Y'all

Elder Bangerter

Week 50--June 30, 2014

This past week has been a very interesting one.

Last week Elder Celeste, and I got doubled in to our new area, (Doubled in means that we are both new to the area), and unfortunately we didn't have very much to work with, but we did experience many miracles this week! 

On Monday we met with Brother Solesbee, our ward mission leader, and I have to say that he is the best Ward Mission Leader that I have served around. He is awesome and his vision for the work is great and we feel that it is spot on with what the ward needs. We worked with him and established a game plan for the work in the ward, and as we have done so we have seen SO many miracles. He feels like the members in the ward are doing a great job of sharing the gospel with their friends, and as we have visited with close to 30 families this week we have seen that that is true, the problem is many of the members don't know what the next step is, or how to follow up on the commitments that they leave. We have been working on helping them with that. 

As Elder Celeste and I were Studying on Wednesday, we both ended up reading the same chapter in the Book of Mormon, and as we were pondering on how to help the members we both were touched by the same verse, Alma 26:22

"Yea, he that repenteth and exerciseth faith, and bringeth forth good works, and prayeth continually without ceasing—unto such it is given to know the mysteries of God; yea, unto such it shall be given to reveal things which never have been revealed; yea, and it shall be given unto such to bring thousands of souls to repentance,even as it has been given unto us to bring these our brethren to repentance." 

We felt impressed to share this with the members of the ward, and along with that we felt impressed to share Chapter 11 from Preach My Gospel with members. We shared our plan with Brother Solesbee, and as we did so his comment was, "Elders, this is exactly what the ward needs." As we Implemented the commitment to the members we have gotten more referrals than I have ever gotten on my mission! I am very excited to see what the Lord has in store for me here.

I love all of you guys!

Elder Bangerter

Week 49--June 23, 2014

Sorry about how late this is.  I was trying to edit it on my iPad last week and it wasn't working.  I meant to get on the computer to take care of it bu, obviously, I forgot!  Sorry again!!  Sharon

Well I got the call Saturday night saying I am getting Transferred again, Into my 5th area. I am being transferred in to the El Cerrito Ward in Corona, which is on the opposite side of the mission from where I am now. I am getting Doubled in with Elder Celeste, who was just companions with Elder Reed, one of my old Companions. I am really Excited, because being doubled in brings Miracles! It is also very crazy to me that I will be hitting my half way mark in a couple weeks in Corona. I don't feel like I have been gone for a year, only a couple months. 

Well, this week in Hemet was very good, we saw many miracles, Our Investigator Misty is going to get baptized this coming weekend, and it is a great thing to see. We got her to quit smoking, she moved out from living with her boyfriend this week, she is all ready to go. I will get to come back to see it and I am grateful for that. Misty has come so far while I have been here. It has been awesome seeing it all happen. 

We had Multi-Zone conference this past week. It was President and Sister Smart's Last Multi-Zone Conference and they gave us 10 tips to a happy life. Here they are:

1) Commit to living a Christ Centered Life
The First and Great Commandment: Love God
The Parable of the Talents (Matt 25:14-30)
Gratitude (Alma 37:37)
Christlike Attributes (PMG pg. 126)
Dating Tip: Run as fast as you can toward God, and if someone keeps up, introduce yourself
Find an Eternal Companion who is committed and trustworthy
The Family: A Proclamation to the World

2) Be Obedient - it is as easy today as it was when Moses told the Isrealites to look at the brass serpent and live (Numbers 21:6-9). This was very simple; too simple for some (See Alma 37:46). We need to look to the Savior and live. Today the simpleness of the way includes:
Reading Scripture (daily)
Pondering / Meditating (daily)
Praying (daily)
Go to Church (Weekly)
Attend the Temple as often as your circumstances allow

3) Attitude: Choose to be Happy
“If ye know these things, happy are ye if ye do them.” John 13: 17
“But behold there never was a happier time among the people of Nephi.” Alma 50:23
Don’t worry, be happy scriptures: D&C 100:15, D&C 98:3, D&C 121:7, D&C 122:7, John 14:27, John 16:23
Keep a good sense of humor… (Trust Fall)

4) Be Flexible and Adaptable

5) Work Hard
“Sir, I am a true laborer. I earn that I eat, get that I wear, owe no man hate, envy no man’s happiness, glad of other men’s good…” (William Shakespeare)

6) Have a Purpose: define a Vision, Goals, and Plans for your life. "Dominate Chapter 8"

7) Take Care of Your Physical Body
Eat right
Exercise
Wash your hands
Get the right amount of sleep

8) Control Your Thoughts
"As a man thinketh in his heart, so is he." (Proverbs 23:7)
"If you think you’re beaten, you are …" (Poem)
Recognize a bad thought and push it out
String Activity - the mind is a very powerful tool
Don't Get Too Caught Up in What Other People Think

9) Have a Forgiving Heart
It has been said, “A happy marriage is the union of two good forgivers.”
"Be quick to admit wrong, even when you are not." (President Uchtdorf)

10) Serve Others
Model your life after the Savior

It was very good and very spiritual. It is sad to see them go, but I am Excited for when President Mullen comes in next week.

Well that's it for now.

Love all of you guys

Elder Bangerter

Week 48--June 16, 2014

Well this week was very interesting, and it was really hard with Elder Plotkin. I am getting to the point where I am getting super irritated with him. But thankfully I have gotten to the point that I am a whole lot more level headed and I don't let stuff get to me nearly as much.

Well we should have a baptism this weekend. We have been teaching Misty for a long time, and we just barely got her to quit smoking, and to live the word of wisdom, and she has agreed to get baptized this weekend. There are a few things that could happen that would stop it from happening. I am sorry this letter is short, but I'll send a good e-mail next week.

Transfers are this upcoming week, I am almost positive that I am staying, 

I love you guys,

Elder Bangerter