Week 96--May 18, 2015

Well this past week has flown by, and so will this up coming week most likely fly by too with all the meetings that there are.

This week has been pretty frustrating, most of our appointments canceled, nobody has been outside because it has been raining, and so on and so on. Then on top of that Elder Luedke broke two spokes on his bike. Unfortunately we had to walk everywhere for two days, fortunately it wasn't too hot, unfortunately it was the days that it rained almost all day, fortunately we were able to get his bike fixed so now we can bike. Well on top of that our week wasn't that great, but that is okay because we found a super solid new investigator this week. His name is Michael, and he is super cool. We have an appointment with him tonight hopefully it goes well.

Tomorrow is my last multi-zone conference as a missionary, I'm not quite sure how I feel about it. I am going to have to share my testimony because it is my last. I guess it is okay.

Well I love all of you guys,

Elder Bangerter

week 95--May 11, 2015

What is more exciting than rain in Southern California? Having a Baptism that was so well attended that we had to move into the chapel. What is more exciting than that? Having 60 family members of the couple getting baptized in attendance!

The Ostlers were baptized on Saturday! It was very exciting! There were so many people at the Baptism I couldn't believe it! It was definitely a reaffirmation to me that it is never to late to come unto Christ! The Ostlers children, and grandchildren are all members of the church, and they have been praying for over 50 years that this day would happen. Some of them had even gotten to the point that they weren't sure that they would be baptized in this life. But Miracles happen! The Lord hears our Prayers, and he will answer in his own given time. We must be patient, and never loose faith in Heavenly Father or his miracles. Believe in Miracles! Pray for Miracles! Expect Miracles! They happen every day. It is truly amazing to see a family come together in such a way as happened this weekend.

Well, I hope everything is going well

I love you guys

Elder Bangerter

Week 94--May 4. 2015

It's May Already!?!?!?!?! Where has all the time gone? It is so crazy to me that May is already here! It is weird!

Well this week has been a little bit slower just because of meetings every day, but I guess that happens sometimes. Everything is all set for the Ostler's baptism this weekend. They both passed their baptismal interviews yesterday. Now We just get to wait until their family starts coming on Thursday and then the Baptism will be this Saturday! It is all coming together, and it is exciting! I have to say this will be probably one of the most exciting baptisms that I have been a part of. It is so cool to see families come together for a baptism.

The Last time that I was at a baptism where so many family members have been planning on coming was in November of 2013, it was Oscar's baptism. Now Oscar has been sealed in the temple and is raising a family. There is just something about this work, something special, something sacred, seeing families coming together to make covenants that will one day allow them, to be with each other forever. That is what this work is all about! That is why we do missionary work, that is why we do temple work, so we can share the blessings that have been extended to us in and through Jesus Christ with others. I have often reflected about that. We have something so beautiful, so glorious, and so joyous, and why would we not want to share that with others. Why would we not want others to feel of that joy and happiness. Someone asked me what the greatest joy that I have enjoyed as a missionary is, My reply is that the greatest joy of missionary work is not having hundreds of baptisms, or teaching fifty or more lessons a week. The greatest joy of being a missionary is seeing the change that takes place in someones life, as they come to accept the gospel. Seeing the change in their eyes, feeling of the love that they come to feel for Jesus Christ. The greatest joy is seeing families come together realizing that they can be together forever.

I want all of you to know that I Know that God Lives, He loves each and everyone of you. If you are reading this, know that he is aware of you and your needs. He is constantly waiting to help you! He loves you so much that he sent his only begotten son in the flesh. I know that Jesus Christ lived, He lived each and every minute of his life for each of us. He suffered, bled, and died for all of us. Most importantly He Rose on the Third day! He Lives! Because he lives, we will be able to be forgiven, and we will live again. Jesus is the Christ! He is our savior!

I Love all of you!

Elder Bangerter

I got this picture yesterday in my email inbox. I assume it's from someone in the ward Andrew is serving in. Those boys look great!  Sharon

Week 93--April 27, 2015

Holy Cow the wind almost blew us away today! It was ridiculous!

Well our week has been pretty good. Working hard as always! Things are going really well with the Ostlers! They are still progressing and keeping all of their commitments, as well as coming to church every week. I really enjoy teaching them a lot! Their baptism is the weekend after next, so they will be baptized the day before Mothers Day. We did have a really good lesson with a new investigator that we have, his name is Justin! He is super cool. Other than that we have been struggling to find new investigators. It is something that we need to work on! 

The weather has been interesting this week, today it was super windy, the past few days it has rained and all week it has been overcast. All of those things are very unusual.

Well Elder Luedke is great! He is a big ole' corn farmer from Nebraska! He is super funny! I really enjoy being with him! He is super cool! This transfer is going to be great!

This week I was studying in Alma and I am in the War chapters, and this verse stuck out to me from Captain Moroni's letter to Pahoran: "And now behold, I, Moroni, am constrained, according to the covenant which I have made to keep the commandments of my God; therefore I would that ye should adhere to the word of God" That verse really impressed me! Moroni honored, and valued, and kept his Covenants that he had made. Not only that, he was not going to break his covenants because of anybody else. How do we value our Covenants?

Well I love y'all

Elder Bangerter

Week 92--April 20, 2015

Well, another transfer has come and gone, and I won't be able to say that too many more times :( Thanks to one of the Elders serving in the ward with me, I am painstakingly aware of how many weeks that I have left as a missionary. Anyway I am not being transferred today, Elder Warren however is being transferred to one of my old areas, Lasselle! My new Companion is Elder Luedke from Nebraska. I don't know too much about him, just that he is a farm boy and he has red hair. I have heard that he is a super hard worker, so I am very excited to be with him! In addition I have been assigned to be a District Leader again, and every one in my district except for One elder and myself are under 6 months out, so my district is going to be very green. We will set the area's on fire! Wait that probably isn't a good idea, there was a huge fire this week. We will do great work!

This week has been pretty good. We had a really good Lesson with the Ostlers this week! They are still progressing great for May 9th! I wish that every investigator that I have had progressed like this. As far as teaching this week was actually pretty slow, Elder Warren was sick for two days again too, so that contributed to it too.

So, Fires: There was a Huge Fire this weekend that was 2 miles away from where our area is we got a call during Dinner from President Mullen making sure that we were safe. Until then we weren't aware that there was a fire. We were heading home and we could see the flames a couple miles across the freeway. It was Dark and we could see the glow too.

Donkeys: This week we saw this guy riding down the street, and he was the most stereotypical Mexican guy I have ever seen. He had on a huge sombrero, a traditional poncho, he had a huge Mexi-stache, and he was riding a donkey. It made me laugh. I wish I had my camera to take a picture.

Well things are going well!

Love you guys,

Elder Bangerter 

Week 91--April 13, 2015

This week has definitely been a good one! We got a lot of stuff done this week.

The Ostlers are doing so well! They are progressing towards their date of the 9th, and it is very exciting. They are feeding us Dinner this week, it should be great! We also have dinner tonight with the Elder's Quorum President, and he and his wife invited our investigator Veronica over for dinner as well. It should be great! They are going to help us teach a lesson about the word of wisdom. They are perfect for it especially since they have both quit smoking in the past, and that is what Veronica struggles with. Other investigators: Alfredo's Nephew we turned over to the missionaries in Bloomington, and we are trying to figure out the situation with Lizette. Hopefully we can figure it all out. We did pick up a few new investigators this week too, but they are all in the works right now.

It never ceases to amaze me how Heavenly Father Prepares people to receive the gospel. I feel like I have been extremely blessed as a missionary to have had so many people who have been so prepared to receive the gospel. It also never ceases to amaze me how it is never too late to come unto Christ. I have had the opportunity to teach so many people who are older, and often times they are the ones who are the most converted to the gospel. 

Well Sorry this is so short, 

But Enjoy some pictures that I have been meaning to send for a while.

Two are from Kassie Cordova's baptism, one is from the temple, one is from Alfredo's baptism, and the other is a picture I took of Elder Warren when he was playing the piano and not looking!

Well love you guys!

Elder Bangerter

Week 90--April 6, 2015

Hey Everybody! General Conference was Awesome! This week was Awesome, and by a miracle we hit the Standard of Excellence.

Before I get into General Conference, I will talk about our week. We had lessons with the Ostlers twice this past week. It was awesome! They set a date for baptism on the 9th of May, which is the day before Mother's day. It will be very exciting for us. Hopefully I will still be here when that happens, because there is a transfer between then and now. One really cool thing that happened this week; there was just one night where everything was just falling through, no one was home nobody was outside. I suggested that we go see someone, and then Elder Warren said that we should go see someone else. We went and saw the family that Elder Warren suggested, and same thing as all night, nobody was home. We then started towards home, and Elder Warren and I both got an impression to go visit a specific Less-Active family, but neither of us said to the other that we had felt the impression, and with out a word we both knew exactly where we needed to go. We got to the house and the Wife answered the door, and was fighting to hold back her tears. She explained to us that she was an hour away from an interview with the doctors that have been taking care of her Sister, who because of a car accident has become basically a vegetable, they were going to discuss taking her Sister off of life support. She also explained that her husband, who got baptized in 2013 and since gone less-active, was at work and not there to comfort her. She said that she hadn't prayed audibly, but had more or less prayed in her heart that there would be some way for her to receive a blessing. It was after she had prayed for that in her heart that we showed up on her doorstep. The timing of it all had her fighting back tears. She asked us to give her a blessing, and as I gave her that blessing that she had desired I could feel the Love that Heavenly Father has for her, and for all of us who call on his name. It was Perhaps a more powerful spiritual experience for me, than it was for her, to me it was a powerful witness of how the Lord can use us as instrument's in his hand. I am grateful that I was in-tune with the promptings of the spirit.

General Conference: There were a few things that surprised me during Conference. First, President Monson did not open the Conference, or close it, and he wasn't the last speaker during the Sunday morning session. I guess his health isn't doing too well, and he can't do as much. Second, I was surprised that Elder Richard G. Scott did not speak at all during the conference. Third, I was surprised that there were dissenting votes in the sustaining of the officers of the church. 

My favorite word that was used during Conference was Pickle-suckers by Dallin H. Oaks. There were a lot of really good talks. I don't think I have ever heard so many talks focused on Marriage. We were watching Conference at the Stake Center, and my companion leaned over to me and Elder McConkie and said that they were all directed right at us, as both of us will go home during the summer. I guess that isn't quite what I want to be thinking about yet. I still have a long time as a missionary! I really enjoyed Elder Oaks talk about the Parable of the Sower. I also like how he called out the youth of the church for being on their mobile devices during the Sacrament. I thought that was really good. I also enjoyed Elder Ballard's talk during Priesthood session, when he challenged all the missionaries and return missionaries to raise the bar of our generation to be the greatest generation of young adults ever, and then what did he do? He said return missionaries do not wait too long to get married, and then he challenged them to not text their dates, but to call or ask in person, and it might shock them into saying yes. I also liked several talks on Sunday including Jeffrey R. Holland's talk about the Atonement, and President Uchtdorf's talk on Grace. Both were very good. It was awesome to see that all of the questions that I asked for conference were answered.

Well I love you guys!

Elder Bangerter