Elder Parker Banks

           

 

This week was a blast. I am so tired I just want to fall over and die but it has been so worth it. Monday was awesome because we got to go to the Cardinals Cubs game. It was raining forever so it started late but it’s ok because we still got to stay for the whole game and it was a great game. It was really funny/sad because we were sitting on like the 4th row next to the foul pole in left field and for the 9th inning we got up and started to walk over to where president was sitting right behind home plate. As we were walking over to meet up with president a cub’s player hit a home run and it hit our empty seats... We were so mad. But the Cardinals won so it was great. We got home at about midnight so we were really tired the next day when we went to pick up all the new missionaries. We got 7 visa waiters who are going to Australia and 11 that are staying in our mission. We had a really fun time hanging out with them at the mission home that day and taking them around to see some things. And I got to have a great humbling experience when one of the new sisters, Sister Anderson beat me in speed about 100 times before I finally gave up and went inside. 

 

            The next day started great because we had transfer meeting .Transfers is always fun and we had the biggest transfer ever this time with about 200 people. It was a sad experience to hear President and Sister Clarks departing testimonies and Elder Beans as well. But it was a great meeting and I got to bear my testimony a couple times to the whole mission so that was a cool experience too. The rest of that day was really fun but really sad. Elders Barney, Bean, and Bullock all went home and they were some of my best friends out here. There were about 4 other missionaries who went home who I was really close to so it was a really hard sending home transfer. And we got about 5 hours of sleep that night as well so we were ready to die at that point. 

 

            The rest of the week we just did normal work and went around and worked with new missionary companionships. Elder Rhymer moved in with us this week because he has been going to the doctor and the hospital. He got shot in the eye with a paintball and is in really rough shape. His dad is flying out today and they are going to the hospital. Thankfully one of the best eye doctors in the Midwest is a member and is helping them out a lot. Keep Elder Rhymer in your prayers for the next couple days. 

 

            Yesterday (Sunday) was a pretty cool day. Kimmy Shutt came back to the mission with her mom and we got to see her last night and that was really cool. We also got to watch the broadcast about missionary work and we were really excited to hear the prophet and apostles make these announcements that President Clark has been trying to make forever. Hopefully it works! President Clark goes home this weekend so that will be a sad day. But we are excited for the Morgan’s to come in and it shouldn’t really change our job that much. We still just go out and work our brains out with every missionary we possibly can. We will just be reporting to a different face now. I am so thankful for the Clark’s and the Morgan’s and the sacrifice that they are making. Thanks for all of your support and prayers. I hope you all have an awesome week.

 

-Elder Banks