11/25/2013

This week In a sentence- "I CAN'T BREATHE AND MY FACE HURTS!" the week in a word- everywhere. So this week I was sick with a cold and now as you are aware a sinus infection. BUT I GOT TO MEET NEIL L. ANDERSEN AND SHAKE HIS HAND!!!! he was hilarious. Apparently Elder Packard calls him and several of the others "Kids" and told him to enjoy his youth while he still had it. when he walked in and we were all standing he asked "how long have they made you stand up?" also interesting note is he is a shorter guy and a little pudgy, not super big but he has a little gut, I found this amusing but I'm sick and haven't slept for a week.

 

Elder Andrew Hyde (I doubt I could ever call him Andrew or Andy or Drew or what ever he goes by) and Michael Allred (Please ask your parents about any Allreds in Mapleton as that's where he is from so even if he's not in the same ward he is in their stake and we are related to them through you fathers side (possibly mother I don't have the spread sheet with me anymore) him I could call Michael and he is who I really want to serve with next transfer, as with Carlisle going home in 3 weeks that would leave this area whitewashed or doubled in if I leave and since this is a district leader area and Allred is a district leader it would work perfectly. 

 

I already have lights btw (you can, as I have many times, thank the Clarkes for that one) a LED flashlight/ front lights as well as a back one that is red so I'm good on that front even if all I wear is black.   Also with Washington the spelling will never make sense, blame the Native Americans for that Puyallup, Sequium (pronounced Squim) and there are a few other places but I haven't served near them so I can't remember them.

 

I have mentioned Crystal in the past and I do lots for her, mostly as a joke about her and Carlisle, as he tends to joke around with her. I act as her Jeeves cleaning her house on Mondays, Vacuuming doing dishes and laundry (and the first thought that goes through your head is "who is this kid and what did he do with my son" but hey you can say you raised me right) she has helped a lot this week with us being sick and unable to do much, and now her own child is sick so we are helping her help her son Matthew (she doesn't want him to go by Matt just an FYI possibly because of the New Testament, IDK)

 

I totally agree with that Peterson kid (the name sounds vaguely familiar) and because of that I was kinda an anathema in the mission and I am now 100% vindicated after Elder Andersen's  talk about conversion and baptizing. This mission as I told you was very Baptizing crazy (second in US only to Utah) but about 30%(at least) of those shouldn't have happened but the "you must baptize" mentality still exists, yet here I came saying no that's not why I'm here, I'm here to invite and help others feel the Spirit so that they can make choices to become baptized.

 

It seems I have become the IT missionary in this area and have had to help people with computer problems and the like, which is weird because, well I thought that in such a tech crazy state people would know more then me by virtue of being from Washington. I'm happy to see that you did get Sister Del Valle, her and her husband were great to us (she is the one who made the trifle and the cupcake with yellow frosting in the pictures and her husband is the heavier black guy in the everything is better with bacon shirt (he gained a lot of weight becoming an IT guy) and I still occasionally keep in touch with them.)

 

hope you have a lovely Thanksgiving (if albeit a quiet one) Elder "mah fath hurths" Banks  

11/12/2013

So Carlisles favorite candy is a toss up between Snickers and Butterfingers. so fun story Tomorrow is transfers and for the first time I get to keep both the area and my companion so this will be the second companion I get to "kill" or send home which is always a fun experience. Feeding missionaries should be easy for you since they are sisters and can actually come over even though I'm not there since you are technically a single sister but I don't know their dinner rules so I may be speaking out of place so many places have such different rules and some of them make no sense. Tipton has a Friend in the Las Vegas Mission and they have no rules what so ever as far as I could tell.

 

Who replaced the Coons in nursery or do you not know yet? I got a letter today from the Hundley's which was sent to my Kingston address  so I have no idea when it was sent so tell them thank you for me because I genuinely have no clue when it was sent. IT trouble shooting is always fun. I have had to help far too many people with computer issues. Its just awkward.

 

So turns out I missed Blizzcon for the first time in over 4 years but thanks to Washington people being super nerd and loving to inform us missionaries as to what they are missing I know what the next WoW expansion is going to be and that I will be coming out about 5 months before I go home (so in about a year) so that will be interesting but I will need more information before I care super much. I could really go for a nap because I'm not sleeping well and it is really cold this week.

 

Also I came to a frightening realization  this week. I am not allowed to complain about being hot when I get home next March. I mean I will get so much crap for it after all the making fun of people I did before I left. also I found my cake picture that I thought vanished after I printed some pictures at Walgreens this week so yay!  I've been trying to find stuff for you to do for Christmas and I'm really running blanks her for "fun things"  dad is getting me the GPS ,atleast that is what I was told the last time I asked for  GPS. the oil thingy would be useful as I don't have one and we give tons of blessings. I found a WoW themed journal which would be nice because I almost want to start my old journal over because of how negative and the like I was and a WoW themed one would be very much me, and very cheap.  I don't need ties or shirts or pants or anything of similitude. I also know you like to plan ahead so I have no idea what to tell you.  I'm not super creative and I really don't have much need for things. Which I suppose is good. Kinda frightening to think how close Christmas is on my front 1 transfer and a week, ten after that I'm practically half done with my mission, and then I can't see if I can't wriggle my way back into Kingston my last 3 transfers (4.5 months) which will be about this time next year. uggggggg I don't know where the time is gone but all I know is that it seems to go faster and faster and faster, in a month I'll be 21 AAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH IM OLD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Trunk N Treat

Sister Wilcox called because she remembered when one of her sons was on the mission and wasn't feeling well so a member called them to tell them he was doing well so she makes it a point that when ever she has Elders over she calls their families, and yes she is a super sweet lady. The baptism went well. The power went out twice while we were filling the font so nothing went really wrong and I was in the bathroom (my usual resting place ;) ) so nothing crazy happened both me and Carlisle helped her into the water as she had recently had back surgery, then on Sunday I did the confirmation so after 8 months I can actually say I've done it all.  It went super well and a LA who was her good friend is now coming back to church.

The trunk or treat was kinda chaotic for me as they had to bring it inside due to weather, but it went well. I got pegged in the back of the head by a krackle bar by the second counselor because he was trying to toss it to Carlisle who wasn't really paying attention, but got me in the back of the head, and to make it even funnier Carlisle caught it. At the end he gave me a giant fistful because he felt sorry for doing it. I told him not to worry it wasn't the first time nor wouldn't be the last. Tons of candy from members and we got locked up for Halloween. We watched Ephraim's Rescue, a good movie if it drags really bad on a particular scene. We got tons of candy and donuts and a new scripture marker pencil. 

Halloween

Some funny stories that I don't know if I told you about, but we went up to one lady (possibly slightly younger than Erin by 2 years) and  she told us that this was her first time  to have the missionaries come to her and thought that was "soooo @#$%ing coooool!" she then told us since the strangest thing that happens to us knocking is some people answer naked, so that we should knock on doors naked, My thoughts were 'In Arizona sure, but here heck no I'll freeze!!!' eh crazy people from Evergreen.  Another is apparently some people were celebrating Oktober Fest way legitimately and had the whole wardrobe on and were way drunk - it was funny to me but hey I'm in Oly land of the crazies (more tame then I thought though but I come from the digital world the REAL land of the crazies.)

Week After Conference

Stuffy HAH! yea we're all a little stuffy, seems theres a sickness spreading throughout all of Washington right now most of the missionaries are sick tons of people we see knocking are sick so it's just been a super odd week of calling and canceling appointments because people are under the weather. no letter and that's probably because the mail is backed up since the gov. is defunct.  Not a ton of interesting stuff going on out side of the fact that apparently I've taken up babysitting, we have a lady investigator who I watch her kid while her and Carlisle talk, which sometimes does aggravate me but, it helps her so whatever, although I do have a black(er) eye since he smacked me in the face with a plastic sword. the weather sucks, its gray all the time, and about mid 40's. GOOD NEWS with conference over winter clothing is in session I CAN WEAR MY FIDORA!!!!!! ha :P.  I discovered something you might find interesting. they finally released the WoW sheet music more widely available from B&N so that's something to consider as I would like to pick up the violin again when I have the money for a new bow and strings, or you could practice on the piano, and despite what you think the music is really good and not super evil sounding, ok except maybe lament of the Highborne (its famous and yea its a lamentation) so there's that oh and a GPS..... I spent one transfer without one and albeit I was on bike it still would have been nifty, but I guess that will be part of Christmas, and really that and an oil container (maybe Deseret Industries?) It's sad that I never really thought about getting one, ok some times I did but I never saw one I liked (the MTC had goofy looking ones). I don't know why anyone would want to live in STV but hey most of where I've served in Washington is no mans land so what do I know? I did enjoy Conference EXCLAMATION POINT hrm hrm my favorite was possibly Dube of the 70 but that's possibly because I loved his accent. Holland's was interesting on depression, no one saw that coming. Yea that was weird for church but I don't think that as the first time, (not counting Bishops wife) but who knows I might just be going crazy, my wardrobe form Sunday might say so. I told Erin this story mostly so she could grimace but I wore my pinstripe suit coat with my plain pants because no sleep, dark room, and lack of common sense combined into that. Hey could you please see if you could have Matt get me Ethan Smiths Email? He'll know who I'm talking about. I'm going to try Kirk again and get me Ben's again if you could.

 

                                                                                                        Groggy Elder Banks  

September 8th

Not a ton of shopping (I will admit that I actually like the new font size easier to read) there's a few used bookstores that we frequent because that's one of the few places reachable by bike (I'm still baffled no one has yelled at me for getting in an accident) oh well Erin hasn't e-mailed me a in a few. Sister cooper is the other lady and to be honest that doesn't surprise me that much but she does have some really good recipes. she also likes poking people it is an old fashioned thing people would do so people would know they were thinking about it. and as for getting her address that will be most complicated for me as I have no means of contacting her, your best bet is to ask for it via facebook (you can message people). as for Olympia itself not a super amount of interesting stuff nearby outside of a few graffitied walls, a couple of nightclubs, bookstores, and the occasional boutique. down town Olypmia is believe it or not more boring then downtown mesa. I did do a lovely trip into the actually capital place and took a few pictures of some monuments, the grand irony is that Washington is possibly one of the most anti-war yet it has like 5 statues and monuments for WW2. We do indeed e-mail from a public library titled the Olympia library because well they aren't the most creative folks despite what you'd think with the legalization of all them drugs they seem to be in love with. I have a microwave a hot plate and that's about it (fridge freezer etc. are standard.) not too much on the work front mostly just biking around knocking doors and freezing because well its very wet right now. I wish I had more but sadly not much to say this week. outside of answering the few questions you had.

Update

MY book of mormon statement is that I've met sooo many members who have never even touched the old and new testaments outside of seminary and the Christmas story and that to me is shameful because last time I checked we did believe in the bible, and now I can see why so many non-lds people think we aren't Christian and refer to the Book of Mormon as the "mormon bible". Yes the Book of Mormon is good to read but don't forget it's only part of the scriptures, as you stated yourself yet people often neglect them, because its not "the mormon book". I had interviews on tuesday so I told sister weaver that I will need to see the doctors because the medication isn't helping like it should and its just keeping me from sleeping now so I need to get that all taken care of if I have any hope of staying out the full duration. My main problem with that is the longer I stay out the less I either feel like a missionary or my opinion of them lessens. The motto of the "Wa-Tac" mission is "Baptize" and a few years before I came out it was the highest American baptizing missions outside of Utah, the problem being that the mission presidents at the time didn't care what you did so long as you put up numbers so you had people paying hobos or buying them food to get baptised so there are wards in this area with over 200 inactives that they have no idea if they even exist. The backlash is that, that mentality still exists in this mission where if you aren't baptizing, you are a terrible missionary nad that all they want to do is baptize.  Thats all they look for and if they don't its bad news, yet here I am just happy to be out and working not caring about that because if that becomes my absolute focus, I can only go downhill. I've been in the slowest area for over 3 months, most missionaries in this mission would hate it because they wouldn't baptize here and they'd hate the area and the ward and everything else.  Hence why I would never have trusted Pedersen to lead this area, he was too focused on the end and not enough about getting there. Tipton I might have trusted but since he was leaving at the end he was trying to do alot of other things that he needed too to get all settled into heading home (like his final report, packing, shipping stuff home, getting stuff coordinated with the mission office) so him as  a solid missionary I didn't know.   Bowen I kinda trust, he's a blonde pretty boy is my only hard thing about it and he is kind of a flirt which was a huge issue for the missionaries previous to me (they surrendered an easy baptism becasue one of the missionaries had to flirt with a 15 year old girl and now we are still trying to get her back). The members are great (In my opinion) they try to help us by trying to find people but sadly thanks to the season not so many people are around to help. They feed us well, but sadly I am terrified that with my stomach it might just get so aggitated that regardless of what I eat I'll throw up and I don't want to do that to anyone because they'll think that it's their fault I got sent home and I don't want that which is another reason I am going to see the doctors.   I may also be getting a psych. test since my depression and bi-polarism are getting worse, although that could be a not so great combo of the stresses of just trying to keep moving forward and my pill.  I can't take the melatonin with my stomach pill because that would be a stimulant with a depressant and I don't need a medical degree to tell you  that's a very bad idea (hence why they say don't drink coffee with alcohol).

 

      Mom I can't stres this enough I don't want to come home. If I must because of reasons beyond my control (my body/mind just cna't handle being on a mission) then so be it I can't do anything about it but kick and scream like a kid but that won't help my cause. My initial concern was I was terrified that since my condition got so bad so fast that I would be home by the end of that first transfer whether I wanted to or not. The more I talk to nerdy/geeky people about video games and the digital world, the more I realize I don't want to go home because I don't want to go back to that life style ever again. Mom it was driving me insane. Ironically my greatest stress reliever was also the greatest cause of stress in my life, it was a vicious cycle that I couldn't seem to break. I wanted to go get a job, but I was terrified that what if my arm acts up or I have some attack and then I get fired? It makes getting another job harder, which just made me panic. I was enacting my worst fear and I brought it upon myself for not pushing for medical aid sooner. I was a prisoner inside my own little head I couldn't get out. Now I know what you're going to say, "Well then why didn't you pray for help or get a blessing for it?" Mom, 2 reasons. one of which is you/dad, whenever I went to you two about it you'd both just shrug me off and say that its all in my head and that I shouldn't worry about it I'm just a hypocondriac. the second is, you genuinely thought I wasn't?! I'll openly admit I'm not the most religious, for lack of a better word I'd almost say faithful, but I don't know if thats right either, I know that It's through CHrist that I was able to survive that first wave, but mom some times help won't come to those who just say "fix me now please I don't like being sick thanks" mom we have to put forth our own effort (hence why I am getting tired of my District Leader as well as other missionaries who complain aobut not baptizing tons of people because they want to).  I didn't put forth my efforts to be fixed. One lady I love in this ward who I will probably never see again (She left for Utah to do a mini mission for the geneology dept. and won't be back for 3 weeks and by that time I'll be in a different area since pres. has practically told me I'm leaving kingston because even though Im one of the few who love this style of area where the work may be slow but theres still plently to do) was having really bad problems with her neck and back so she asked us to give her a blessing, right before interviews. So we did and she started to have some relief, well then she went and still saw her doctor and the doctor gave her something that was a huge help. Hence why I would like to go to the doctors, mom they may send me home because it may be too late to help me much (what they can give me and what I can have done is limited on a mission) but please let it be known I may not be the most obedient but I haven't lost my faith in God or Christ or the Holy Ghost or Joseph Smith, if anything its gotten stronger, but my physical ability is draining and that is depressing for me.

 

 I have had plenty of service this week and that was fun. I've spent over 6 hours doing yard work and that was super fun. weeding mostly but hey It's what I did lots (ok not lots but when we did it was a lot) back home.

                                                                             

     from Washington with love Elder "Banksys"(its my nickname now)