Week 19--November 25, 2013

Happy Thanksgiving everybody! I hope everybody is having a great week and that everyone can enjoy this holiday season.

I can't believe that this transfer is coming to an end at the end of this week. It seems to me like every transfer gets better and better. The way it is kind of looking they are going to split the area at the end of the week and put Sisters in the ward too.  It is also very likely that Elder McConkie will be transferred to a new area since he is still in his first area. So I may be getting a new companion again. But I'll worry about that Next week. We need to be finishers at the end of each transfer and not be lazy.

It has been a good week and a good transfer. We have achieved the mission Standard of Excellence every week so far this transfer, We have Baptized and we should have two more baptisms this weekend, but if we don't it is okay, because both of them are totally committed to being baptized. The only thing that would stop them from getting baptized this weekend would be if the boy's mom doesn't recover from her surgery in time, so if it doesn't happen this weekend it will happen in the very near future. It is exciting to see the work progressing.

We had an awesome experience yesterday with a man we met on the street named Mark. So Mark lives up the street from us and we saw him bringing a HUGE fish tank out of his car and into his house. We helped him carry his tank into the house and then we taught him a lesson. He has committed to read the Book of Mormon, he hates his pastor because he mixes the bible with his own philosophies. Mark my words we will be baptized before the end of December. He is prepared and is ready to receive the gospel. It's incredible to see the Ballard Promise in action. (see this post.)

Elder Bangerter

Week 18--November 18, 2013

Sorry I'm late in putting this post up!  sharon

Family and Friends,

It has been another great week this week, we have seen a lot of miracles, and a lot of not-so-miracles. Elder McConkie and I didn't have a baptism this weekend, but that's okay I was going to have a baptism in Lake Elsinore this weekend, so we work out a ride for me to Lake Elsinore, and a team up for Elder McConkie, and we get to Lake Elsinore to the Church and there is a Youth Committee meeting in the Relief Society Room and I am thinking "what the heck there is supposed to be a baptism tonight," so I call Elder Reed and Elder Albright, and they don't answer. So a Sister at the church calls Elder Randall and the Wildomar Missionaries, and Elder Randall tries to get a hold of them and they don't answer. So I'm in Lake Elsinore and I have no idea what's going on, and Elder Reed and Albright don't answer their phone, so I asked Brother M to go to the member's house, because if there's anywhere in Lake Elsinore that the missionaries would be it's there (they live there), and the member's are the fellowshippers for the family getting baptized, so even if the missionaries weren't there they would know what was going on. So I get to the House and all the cars are there including the missionaries, so I knock on the door, enter the code to unlock the door and Sister P sees me and starts to say Yay, and I cut her off and say SHHH. I then go up the stairs and go into the Elder's room and I say "So how about that Baptism?" They turn around and go so red, and tell me that the Chen's canceled on the baptism the night before and they forgot to call. Apparently Brother Chen and Trisha (the daughter) got in an argument about whether or not she was ready to be baptized (Sister Chen was the one supposed to get baptized that day, and Trisha who is the 14 year old daughter wanted to be baptized), and Brother Chen ended up getting Drunk and calling off the Baptism for the next day. Not-so-miracle

But we did experience many Miracles with my district leader as my companion I get to see the ups and downs for all the Sisters in our district, One set of sisters had been working very hard with a lady for months, and all of a sudden she calls the sisters up and says I want to be baptized. Miracle

Elder McConkie and I found a girl who was looking for us and now she is on date for baptism in December, Miracle

We have had 5 new investigators and all but one are on date, Miracle 

And Many more miracles that I can't write for lack of time.

I hope everyone is good

Elder Bangerter

He also included a picture, but we don't know who it's of so I'll wait until we have the details before I share it.

Week 17--November 11, 2013

Family and Friends,

It has been a crazy week again. 

The biggest thing this week was that Oscar got Baptized!! It was an amazing Baptismal service and it was one of the most spiritual that I have ever been to. 

Oscar is a great guy and it was a miracle to see him get baptized. Some background information about Oscar, He was introduced to the church by his girlfriend who is a return missionary, He had been taught for almost 6 months and had been dropped by the missionaries 3 times and then picked up again after a while. Right before I came in to the area, Elder McConkie and Elder Hill Picked him up again. Oscar had been a pretty bad basher before he was picked up again, but I was able to come in and helped him resolve his concerns through the Book of Mormon. He was Baptized 3 weeks later. It was amazing to see his heart change and to see him come unto Christ. 

At his baptism there was a lot of opposition but the spirit was so strong at the baptism, and we were kind of scared that he was only getting baptized for his Girlfriend, but he bore his testimony and said "I got Baptized to pursue God" The spirit hit me so hard and I knew he was Converted to the Gospel. It was an incredible experience.

Well in other News Elder McConkie and I got the Standard of Excellence again for the mission, making it two out of three weeks this transfer that we have gotten it.

I hope everyone is doing well

Elder Bangerter

Week 16--November 4, 2013

Friends and Family,

It has been another great week! We are working hard and the Lord is blessing us!

We got to go to the temple this week on Friday, and it was great. I had been praying about something that Elder Reed had told me before I left Lake Elsinore, and he told me that He thought that I was going to be in leadership next transfer, and I had been Praying a lot about it, and when we were in the temple I recieved my answer. It is good to know that the lord does answer our prayers, because he definitely answered mine. It was a great and much needed experience.

We did have a baptism yesterday of John "the Baptist", it was one of the most inspirational baptisms that I have ever been to, and it really strengthened my testimony that it is never too late to change to follow the lord. John is 75 years old! if it's not too late for him it's not too late for anyone. I am so happy I was able to be there. I am honored that he asked me to be the one who confirms him next Sunday.

We do have a baptism again on this Saturday, for Oscar S, I have been there for the teaching of all but one of the lessons for Oscar and helped him realize that the Lord had already answered his prayer about the Book of Mormon. I think that I am going to be the one Baptizing him on Saturday but I don't know for sure.

If all goes well we should have a baptism every weekend this month and that is our goal, and right now it is looking like it is going to happen. And I get to go back to Lake Elsinore to See Jennifer C get baptized in two weeks It is awesome. I love this work so much.

I hope that all is well with everyone

Elder Bangerter

Here's a picture from John's baptism.

Pumpkin carving pictures thanks to the family he's living with.  :-)

Week 15--October 28, 2013

Well this week has been a very interesting week. 

My new Companion Elder McConkie, Bruce R. McConkie's great nephew, is great. Moreno Valley is great. I am in the Lasselle ward and it is awesome, the ward isn't as missionary focused as the Lake Elsinore Ward, but the members love us missionaries. 

I had an interesting experience this weekend though, So it was the Moreno Valley Stake Conference, and the missionaries were invited to the adult session of stake conference, and Elder McConkie and I were late getting there and this guy was up speaking and it was the end of the session and I asked Elder McConkie if that was the Stake President and he said "No, I don't know who that is." So we go to conference the next morning and this guy who was speaking comes up and talks to Elder McConkie and I for a few minutes, and by our last names he says you must both be from Utah, both of us said no, he thought that it was pretty interesting that both of us having Prominent LDS last names were companions, but then he went up and sat on the stand. It turns out that he was Elder Smith of the Seventy, that was a pretty interesting feeling realizing that we had just talked to a General Authority. But He is also one of the Seventies in charge of the Southwest United States, and with President Smart on the stand, over the pulpit he said that getting to look at the numbers for missions in the area and around the world, the California Riverside Mission is the Most productive mission in the United States west of the Mississippi river (most Baptisms per Companionship).

It was a great conference and it is great to see the Lord working miracles in this area. We have a baptism this Sunday, and we are Baptizing John the Baptist, Not really but that's his nickname, He is a 75 year old black man who was a devout Baptist for 60 years and now he is getting baptized it is awesome!

I hope everyone is having a great week,

Elder Bangerter

Week 14--October 21, 2013

Holy Cow I'm Getting Transferred to Moreno Valley. It has been an amazing three months In Lake Elsinore. I have learned so much from being here in Lake Elsinore. I am being transferred to the Laselle Ward in Moreno Valley, My new Companion is Elder McConkie, I am so excited for this up coming transfer. All I have heard about my area is good stuff, and I have only heard positive things about Elder McConkie. I am Excited.

Here is my Letter to President Smart:

 President Smart,

I want to say thank you so much for the opportunity that I had to Serve in Lake Elsinore, I have learned so much from serving my first three months here in Lake Elsinore. As I got the call from the Zone Leaders on Saturday that I was being transferred My Heart was full of gratitude, I received very strong Impressions that I was leaving Lake Elsinore during General Conference, I am so very thankful that I can know that I am in tune with the spirit. 

I have seen so many Miracles the past three months and have truly learned so much. I remember when I first came into the area and I had almost no clue what was going on. But through trials and blessings I have grown so much. I think I grew a lot with Elder Elliott and learned a lot about my self, but then when Elder Reed came in I learned so much about being a hard worker and teaching by the spirit.

I have learned that as I set my mind to a goal that I can always achieve it, as long as it is in accordance with Heavenly Father's will. One thing that Elder Elliott said was that he didn't think that we could achieve the Standard of Excellence in Lake Elsinore, but I always had that as my goal, and when Elder Reed came in we set a goal to achieve the Standard before the end of the Transfer, and through many miracles we achieved that our second to last week together.

I am so excited to serve in Moreno Valley,

Elder Bangerter

I hope everyone has a good week.

Here's a picture of Andrew and his new companion.  They are living with a family again and they sent me a picture!  :-)

**Let me know if you want his new address...or, as always, you can send letters and packages through the mission home.  Sharon**

Week 13--Unlucky?--October 14, 2013

This weeks letter was hard for me, as his mom, to read in light of this story

Luckily Andrew was alright!

So this week I have learned that with every trial comes many blessings and how much the lord will bless us for our faith.

So the week started off pretty well on Monday we hiked up the Ortega Mountains and got to see the Ocean, which was pretty darn amazing. Then we had French Toast for dinner and it was awesome. Tuesday was a pretty regular day. Wednesday was interesting, we were on exchanges and I was with Elder Baker in The Ortega area, we had multi-zone conference with President Smart It was really good we talked about adjusting to missionary life. Then we went back to proselyting  and It POURED rain all afternoon but it was a lot of fun. Fast forward to Saturday we need 5 member present lessons and 5 other lessons to achieve the standard of excellence for the week and while riding between lessons I got in a bike wreck, but  My bike doesn't even really have a scratch on it besides on the pedal, my pants that I was wearing is a different story. So what happened I was coming around a corner at a fairly good speed and took the turn a little wider than I expected and there was a car coming so I slammed on my back break and my bike went out from under me and I slid with my bike on the asphalt to a stop. The thing about it that I wasn't very happy about was that the lady in the car just drove off. Anyways the whole thing wasn't too bad I only ended up with a torn up pair of pants and a bloody knee, my knee was scraped up until where my garments started and then there was nothing, my pants got all torn up but there wasn't a single mark on my garments, no dirt, no blood, nothing. luckily we were only a block away from our house so I was able to clean up and get going again. Then later that Day I got Beer spit on me, and then when we were riding home Some guys threw full beer cans at us. It was one heck of a day. But then on Sunday we had 5 investigators at church. Then by truly a miracle we got all the lessons we need and we achieved the weekly standard of excellence.

I am running short on time so I'll have to stop there but it was a CRAZY week

Elder Bangerter