FRENCH GUYANA!!!

Bonjour,

I'm in French Guyana!!! I was super surprised to be assigned here! On Wednesday I took a flight with all of the other new French missionaries to Martenique. I got to spend a day there with Soeur Tenny and Gernsey teaching and doing missionary things. The only flights to French Guyana are on French Airlines so that is why I spent a day in Martenique. Met some cool people. Next morning Elder Sackley and I flew to French Guyana. I am pretty sure I was the only white girl on the entire flight, just foreshadowing what it is like here. Everyone was telling me I would be out here with all of the crocodiles and snakes and Elder Sackley and I had a mini heart attack when we flew in and all we could see was trees, but it is not as uncivilized as they made it sound. I have not seen a crocodile or snake yet. We have a car, we go shopping at a grocery store, it's not as different as you would think. Yes, a lot of people live in shacks, but yes the majority of them have nice cell phones. Got here and ate, unpacked a bit and started visiting people. I can understand most everything they say I just can't respond very well. It will come.

We have five investigators with baptismal dates. We found a new investigator on Thursday, a refferal from a member family who are so awesome that I love already. His name is Mike, he is 18, he is eager to learn and change his life. He has had some problems in the past and is still going through some hard things but we hope he will stick with the gospel and change his life. We are so excited to teach him!

My companion Soeur Riley is great. She is from St. George and has been out for about seven months. She was called English speaking but President Mehr switched her to the French side once she got here. Elle etes le meilleure. There are eight missionaries in French Guyana and we are the only sisters. I am the fifth sister to ever serve here.

Yesterday was fun, I got to do a lot of cooking. We went to the branch president's house for lunch and a meeting. He is a butcher so I was excited to eat some good meat, but all that really means is that they use every part of the animal. It was good and interesting. After the meal his wife handed me a little piece of this white stuff that she said they put on top of cakes. It was like fondant, it was sweet and really good? Turns out it was the layer between the skull and skin of a pig. It was good so I ate some more, you just can't think about it too much while you eat it.

Later we were at the Baksh family's house because it was their son's birthday. I helped sister Baksh make roti, a Guyanese dish. It is kind of like a tortilla that has a layer of this pea mixture in the middle of it that you eat with this chicken stew type stuff. Look it up, it's cool. She said I must be part Guyanese because I was so good at rolling them out. I love Sister Baksh so much, she is an angel, one of the kindest people I have ever met in my life.

We live in Montjoly just down the road from the beach. We don't live in our area we are about 15 minutes away. All of the missionaries are right around Cayenne. The people are really nice. We have one branch out here and a small chapel. The members are awesome, we went to a releif society activity the other day and the sisters are the greatest. They were sewing bibs for elderly people. Sister Riley let it slip that I sew. One of the sisters asked me if I could teach her so now about once a week we will be going over to visit her. I'm excited. Whenever this sister sees me she says hello my favorite seamstress. She is the sweetest.

I am so excited to be here. There are so many people who are ready to hear the gospel. I have met some awesome people and am meeting more people everyday. One thing I have learned this week is that everyone has their own trials that we may not be able to see from the outside, and sometimes they are much much bigger than we would have ever expected. Be kind and loving to everyone you meet because you never know were they are coming from of how your kindness can help. I love you all and I hope everything is going well back in the states.

Lots of love,

Soeur Banks

My letter mailing address is:
Résidance "Pont Maggi"
Bat. e Apt. #2
Rout de Badnel 97300
Cayenne, French Guiana
FRANCE

Write early in the six week transfer period or I might not get it. I don't know how long it takes. Post this: I WANT MAIL!
Packages go to the mission office address. Expensive on both sides but if you want to go for it. I'll explain later more.