Week 42 - the last moments of the WIM

Bonjour a tous,

July is sneaking up on us and the end of the West Indies Mission. The Mehrs are officially released on the first of July. I don't know when their homecoming is,sorry.

Things have already changed a little this transfer; Right now there are only four missionaries on Grand Terre! It will probably only be for this transfer, until more missionaries come in next transfer; our zone has been combined with the Basse Terre zone.  Time really does fly by, I have been in Abymes for almost six months! I don't want to leave but I have a feeling I might get transfered this next transfer. On verra, we will see.

This week has been a busy one. We had a big miracle teaching Loic and Casia for the first time. At the beginning of my time with Soeur Eyre a really cool family gave us a ride home one day. They said they usually don't stop for anyone, but they did for us; They were talking about how they feel something is missing in their lives; We set up an appointment with them, but it ended up falling through and we could never get a hold of them. This past Sunday we were by a member's house when we ran into them again! We set up an appointment and it was an amazing lesson; They live out in the far reaches of our area, it was quite the bike ride, and it was worth it! Teaching families brings so much joy! The gospel blesses families!

I feel that we have been surrounded by some of  the kindest people this week. I feel truly blessed to be here. I love the Caribbean and the people and this branch. It will be a sad day when I have to leave the people of Abymes; I hope it is not for a long time. I love you all and I love the Lord more. Have a great week!

Much love,

Soeur Banks

Week 41

Ma cher famille,

Time flies, this coming week is the last week of the West Indies Mission! We had some cool experiences this week; One of our investigators decided to start giving up cigarettes this week; We had given him a Word of Wisdom brochure the week before and he called us the next day, very angry, saying he did not want to see us anymore; We decided to stop by this week and he told us he wants to follow the word of wisdom and he is going to start by giving up cigarettes. He made a goal to cut down this week and gave us his cigarettes. It was a miracle that he decided on his own to quit. That is the power of the word of God!

Our investigator, Brenden, finally came to church yesterday! We were so excited. Brenden is an artist. Between Sacrament Meeting and Sunday School he was standing in the hall looking at the print of the first vision on the wall. He stood there for a couple minutes and then told us that he wanted to paint that same image. We were so excited he was inspired by the story of Jospeph Smith and the gospel is inspiring his art!

There have been a lot of moments this week where I have seen the hand of the Lord as we have worked. I love this work and never want to stop doing it. There does not seem to be enough hours in the day to do all that needs to be done; This work is great and I am happy to be a small part of it. Keep living the gospel joyfully! Until next week.

Love,

Soeur Banks

Week 40 in the field

Bonjour a tous,

It has been a miraculous week! We have seen the fruits of the angels working to prepare the hearts of the people in our area - Alma 13:24. There is a part of our area that has not been touched in about 2 years because we did not know it was part of our area. We ventured in this week because as we looked through the branch list we found a few less active members who lived in this area. We found where one of them lives but they were not home. We knew the Lord had sent us there for a reason, so we said a prayer that He would guide us or put the people in our path that we needed to talk to that day. We said this fervent prayer and then hopped on our bikes. We rode around and stopped to talk to this lady. We talked for a few minutes and set up another appointment. We rode around the corner and a guy pulled up next to us on his scooter and asked us if we share the word of God to which we replied yes, and we would like to share it with you. He said yes and we followed him around the corner to a little park where we sat down and taught him the restoration. We invited him to come to the baptism at the church the next day and to church on Sunday. He came to both! On Sunday we were in the neighborhood again and we ran into him again on his scooter and we pulled over and had another lesson with him. We asked him why he stopped us the other day to ask us about the word of God. He said he saw us talking to the lady around the corner and he was curious. He saw that we were so happy and that the people at church were happy and had a certain light in their eyes unlike the other Christians he knows. He said he had lost hope but when he met us he found that hope again and wants to follow Christ and will do anything it takes to do it. He accepted a baptisimal date without hesitation and is preparing.

I know that our Heavenly Father guides us to the people we need to teach. I know that Joel has been prepared for the gospel and that there is no such thing as coincedences. I am always amazed at how perfect God's plan is and how he watches over us. His timing is perfect. It all fell into place so we would meet Joel there at that time. It is a testimony to me that he loves every one of us and wants us to return to live with him again. He is watching over us and is doing everything he can to help us. It is our job to exercise our agency and faith to follow his path.

We have seen so many other miracles this week as well. We set another baptisimal date with our ami, Sonia. She is wonderful. She has had some hard things in her life and she wants a change, and now she has found it. We are looking forward to this next week and this next transfer and and all the good things they are going to bring. I love you and have a lovely week!

Bisous,

Soeur Banks

Week 39

Bonjour,

It has been a good week down here in Gwada. We started our week out with an awesome district meeting with President and Sister Mehr. They left later that day to go back to Trinidad. It was sad to say goodbye for the last time, knowing we wouldn't see them again until after the mission. They will be missed. We are living in the last couple weeks of the WIM. Changes are coming.

We have seen miracles this week and we have been talking to so many people; We found two really awesome families this week. They are not just famlily with parent and children, but extended families with aunts and uncles and cousins and brothers and sisters! We are so excited! Families can be together forever! We are going to be teaching one of the families this week and the other once they all get back from a funeral on another island next week.

We saw a miracle in following the spirit when finding one of these families. We had something fall through and we were deciding where to go. Soeur Driggs suggested that we go check up on a guy named Mike that we met the other day. We went over to his apartment, he said he couldn't talk to us right then but we could come in and talk to his family. We went in and his wife and three of her sisters and their kids were all there! We shared a short message about Christ and the Book of Mormon. One of the sisters really wanted to read the Book of Mormon, she found it to be very interesting. The rest of the family was excited too! It was a miracle of following the spirit. We had planned to go somewhere else but Soeur Driggs followed the spirit and we were led to a wonderful family.

We have seen a lot of other miracles as well, like running into people we have contacted again, we had a great lesson with a less active and she was able to bring Emilio and Evens to church on Sunday, members helping our investigators get to church, fasting, and the list goes on.

Missionary work really is the best! It is true that it is not easy, but it is so rewarding and so much joy comes from it. All I can say is that this Gospel is true and there is nothing better.
I love you and have a great week!

Love,

Sister Banks

P.S. We went on a hike on the other side of the island today as a zone and I got to drive a car for the first time in almost a year! It was fun and the hike was beautiful, sorry I don't have time to send pics.

Week 38

Bonjour a tous,

This weekend has been one of the best weekends! We had Zone Conference on Friday. The sisters from Martenique and St. Maarten flew in and stayed with us, as well as the other four soeurs from Guadeloupe. So many soeurs at our house! I got to see Sister Riley again! It was cool to have so many of my past companions in one place. It was an adventurous weekend including our sink getting broken and us not having any water all weekend.

Zone Conference was amazing; it was our last one with President and Sister Mehr. It was so spiritual and I learned so much. We talked a lot about the doctrine of the atonement.

Saturday we saw so many miracles. We were visiting our friend, Christian, and we invitied him to be baptized in July. Before he said anything he pulled out his phone and wrote it in his calender! It was a cool experience. That night there was a fireside at the church. Earlier we had passed by to see our friend Brenden. He was not there but we met his friend. His friend was super excitied and told us they would both come to the fireside. Brenden had been a little hesitant to come to church. It turns out the fireside and his friend were what he needed. He came and he felt the spirit and loved it! The Lord knows exactly what each of us need, and he knows how to help us.

This week I have really realized the importance of the gospel. Nothing else in this world matters, but the gospel of Jesus Christ. If we follow him, everything else falls into place. I know that is true. It gives me an urgence to spread this to everyone, because it is the only way we can find true happiness here and in the life to come. Follow him.

I love you. have a great week!

Bisous,

Soeur Banks