Week 33

Bonjour a tous,

This past Saturday Soeur Eyre and I went on an adventure to Basse Terrre (way on the other side of the island) to go to a baptism. Fedler got baptized! Attached is a picture of Soeur Dorsan and I with Fedler and the Basse Terre Elders (Elder Roberts and Elder Stewart-Johnson) who taught him after he moved. It was an awesome baptism, the spirit was so strong and he was so happy to finally be baptized. It was a great day!

We had an awesome experience yesterday with a family we have been trying to teach. The missionaries before had taught them, but we had not been able to teach their whole family yet. The Dad is a less-active member and the Mom used to study with the missionaries but for some reason stopped, her three kids used to meet with the missionaries too. We passed by earlier in the week and taught the 13 and 11 year-old boys and helped them with their English homework. Yesterday we decided to pass by to see them. The adventure started when I fell off my bike right in front of their house. I didnt get hurt, just scratched up my hands a bit, but it was kind of a miracle because she let us in and fixed up my hands. We talked to her and her kids and showed them the "Because He Lives" video from Easter. The spirit was so strong and it testified to them that they need to start back on the path of Christ. It was powerful. The best part was her son Eric's prayer at the end. He was grateful for the lesson and asked Heavenly Father to bless them so the missionaries could come over more often so they could all be baptized. It was a sweet experience.

We have this really awesome old lady who is a member in our area, her name is Mamie Pauline. She was one of the first members in Guadeloupe and she used to walk to church, quite a ways, when the church was new here. She is awesome and we know her testimony could really help our investigators. Last night we came up with a great plan. We have an investigator who lives by Mamie, so we are going to bring her over to Mamie's house so we can teach her together. I am really excited for it. Our first lesson is on Wednesday. We have some awesome members here.

Speaking of awesome members our branch President, President Bargo, is awesome and so excited about missionary work and our branch mission plan. And he gave us Marcudjas yesterday (in English it is a passion fruit, also there is a pic attached) , so good. 

That's all for this week. Have a fabulous week and know that I love you.

Bisous,

Soeur Banks

Elder Roberts, Soeur Banks, Fedler, Soeur Dorsan, and Elder Stewart-Johnson



Marcudjas

Week 32

Bonjour a tous et a tout,

Do you know what is crazy?! I hit the halfway mark of my mission this week! Time flies and I don't really like that it is going so fast! It has been a great week here in Abymes. We have been working hard and I think we biked the Tour de France twice this week! We have biked alot and seen a lot of great things.

We were biking out to Perrin this week which is one of the farther places in our area. We had some time before our appointment so we decided to find the house of a member who lives out there. We knew the name of the road so we started biking around looking for it. After a few minutes we found it and a few minutes after that we found her sister-in-law's house, who then guided us to the member's house. We stopped by and she let us in. We started talking to her about the branch mission plan and she told us she had been thinking about it and she gave us a list of 8 people she wants us to teach! It was truly a miracle! We showed up at her door out of the blue and she was prepared for us. We are excited to teach her family and friends this week.

We also had the oppourtunity to find some less active members this week; our district president was working with us and introduced us to a less active who then showed us another less active and his family (who are not baptized yet)! There are so many exciting things going on in Abymes! We have had some amazing spirit-filled lessons this week and we have 6 investigators who are preparing for baptism.

Today for P-day we went on a hike with all the missionaries on Guadeloupe and the Assistants to the President who are here for a few days. We hiked to a waterfall on Basse Terre. It was beautiful and a very muddy hike, it was fun.

There are so many things I want to tell you, but I can't fit them all in this email. This week I have felt so grateful to be a missionary and so grateful for the Lord. This work is truly amazing and I am so glad to be a small part of it. This gospel holds so many blessing for those who are willing to follow the example of Christ. I love this work and I love these people. We are looking forward to another great week. I love you and have a great week!

Bisous,

Sœur Banks

Soeur Eyre and I at waterfall

Week 31

Bonjour a tous,

It has been a busy week in Guadeloupe with all of the changes. I spent Wednesday helping the Petit Bourg Sisters move in and rode around with them as they learned their area from the Elders. We biked for about an hour up a big hill to a member's house, we were dying. I'm kind of glad it's not my area, haha. It was a fun day and a half in Petit Bourg and it was a fun bike ride down the hill.

Thursday afternoon Soeur Eyre got to Guadeloupe!! She got in and we got right to work. We have met a lot of cool people and taught some new investigators. A lot of cool things have happened this past week.

Referrals from members really is the best way to do missionary work. Saturday at a fireside at the church, we got a referral from a recent convert in one of the elders' areas. She has been teaching her friend but now he wants to meet with us, he even went to church on Sunday. On Sunday, a member in our branch brought a friend and as we were talking to her she told us she wants to be a member. We have a Family Home Evening with her and some members tonight.

Also on Saturday, at the fireside, I got to see my old companion Soeur McDaniel again! She is now serving on Guadeloupe on the other side of the island in Goyave! It was fun hearing all about Guyane. She told me that our recent convert, Marianela, is going to be in the Dominican Republic in July and is going to do baptisms for the dead at the temple there!! I was so excited to hear that!

Yesterday we taught this family that we found about a week ago, Jessica and Gregory. They are a couple who have 4 kids. We brought one of the most awesome couples from the branch with us to the lesson, and it was an amazing lesson! They really opened up to us and now we know more how we can help them learn the gospel. They have committed to come to church next week and the Felicites (the member couple) told them they would come by to pick them up for church so they will know where it is. After the lesson the members were so excited. It is so cool to see such fully converted members in the church.

Another miracle we saw yesterday was Evens called us asking how to fast. We had a lesson with him Saturday, Emilio wasn't there, sadly, but it was a great lesson. Yesterday he called telling us he wants to fast so he can know if these things are true and to have the courage to talk to his sister about the church and to soften her heart. We explained fasting and he is going to study it more in the Book of Mormon and we are going to fast together tomorrow. It was really a miracle. He is only 16. He is going to be a great missionary one day!

I am looking forward to this transfer with Soeur Eyre, I know I am going to learn so much from her. We have some great goals and know we are going to see miracles in the next 5 weeks. We are excited. I love you all and have a fabulous week! Bon semaine!

Bisous,

Soeur Banks

P.S. At this fireside on Saturday there was a guy there from Cedar Hills, who works for the church, I think. I talked to him, he lives in the Cedar Hills Stake. It was funny to see someone from so close to home.

Week 30

Bonjour a tous,

Sorry this is a day late, I forgot to tell you that we got our P-day moved because nothing was open yesterday because it was a holiday. Transfer news!! I am staying in Abymes and Soeur Eyre is my new companion!!!! I thought I would never meet her because she was in Grenada but she is coming back to Guadeloupe for her last transfer!! I am so excited! Soeur Dorsan is going to Petite Bourg, which is an Elders area that they are switching for sisters. They closed Moule, the other sisters area on Grand Terre and opened Petit Bourg for sisters; She is so excited, this was her dream to serve in the Lamentin Branch. Now there are sisters in all three branches on Guadeloupe. Soeur Eyre flies in Thursday, but I get to spend Wednesday in Petit Bourg with Sister Dorsan and Sister Gill.

I told you about Fedler last week. He moved to Saint Clause and now is the Elders' investigator. They got him an interview and he is all ready to be baptized this Saturday!  We are still going to the baptism on Saturday. We got to see Fedler Saturday at conference, it was so good to see him after not seeing him for a while. He was so happy to see us and we were so happy to see him.

General conference was great! I learned so much. One of my favorite talks was Elder Anderson's about the Music of the Gospel. He is in the presidency for the Caribbean so I might get to meet him someday. It was a great weekend. If I am not mistaken Nick's mission president, President Brough, is in the YM General Presidency, N'est pas? Exciting stuff!

Sister Dorsan was so excited about the temple in Haiti, and the members here as well! It is exciting for all of the Caribbean! It is just about as close as the temple in the Dominican Republic, but the members are more excited about Haiti because it is more like here with the Creole culture.

A crazy story from yesterday. I bet you remember the story of how my bike was stolen right out of my hands in February. Yesterday we were riding around and we went right past the guy who stole my bike. He was sitting on a porch and my bike was sitting right by the house! I wanted to leave my bike with an investigator who lived around the corner and go steal my bike back, but we decided to be good law-abiding citizens and call the police like they told us to. We called the police and they showed up about 10 minutes later. We described the guy to them and showed them where he was. By that time the thief had put the bike inside the house. He walked right past the police car, but the police did not see him! The police didn't do anything to help us. They just drove around the neighborhood 5 times. Now we know where he lives, hopefully we will get the bike back soon. Crazy stuff!

Yesterday we had a regular working day because we got our P-day moved. We went to follow up on some contacts we had made on Saturday. We are now teaching two very cool families. The first is Jessica and Gregory and the second is three sisters; Cindy, Sofia and Sandrine. The sisters' parents were leaving just as we were getting there, but hopefully next time we can teach them all. Their dad recognized us because we ride past the house he is helping build everyday and we always wave to him. Being friendly really does bring blessings. The sisters had lots of questions and we are excited to go back to talk to them Friday.

This week is going to be fun and crazy with transfers and going to Petit Bourg for part of the week. I am really excited to be with Soeur Eyre for her last transfer! I am excited to see what this next new transfer brings. Thanks for all of your love! I love you all and have a fabulous week!

Bisous,

Soeur Banks