Bannon's Mission Blog: 2/4/15

I am being blessed with so much success right now! I had a baptism last week, another one this week, two more on the 21st, a wedding in March and 3 more baptisms the day after. I am so excited and love my area! Thank you for all the love and prayers and fasts!

So last week, we went to the house of one of the sister missionaries’ investigators who I am really close with. As we got to talking during our lesson, we came to understand that he hadn’t eaten in a while because he didn't have any money at all. He literally lives in a tiny, one-room room with only enough room for his bed, a tiny shower and bathroom, and a small sink. The whole room is about the size of a small public bathroom to give you guys a picture of just how small it is. So after the lesson, we went to a nearby colmada (Dominican snack bar thing) and bought him a meal and some juice. As missionaries, we don't have much money as it is, and this day we were literally almost out of our mission money which is all we have if we don't have a personal card, or money from home. We spent almost the rest we had on his meal but I just figured I would go to an ATM after and get just enough personal money to get by for the next two days until we get our money from the mission again. As we returned to his humble home, it brought tears to his eyes. It was a really awesome experience and I could tell he was truly grateful. He thanked us a ton and said we lifted his spirits with our message, and even more with the unexpected meal. We then called the bishop to see if he could take care of this man and help him out through our church program for the needy. The bishop took him shopping that night and took care of him. I am baptizing this man on Saturday and am so excited about it. After that, we walked to multiple ATM's, but none of them were working. Luckily we were able to make it the next two days without anything because Heavenly Father blessed us. Usually I always have some extra for emergencies and stuff, but we had to do a lot of traveling that week so we were super low.

I finally bought a Price Smart card so I can buy well worth it, expensive, imported American, name brand products! haha. So family, thank you for the money you all put on my card! I definitely used some of it well in Price Smart! It'll be nice to have something else in the house than the same Dominican things we eat every day. Especially from America! Haha.

Speaking of Dominican food, I have been realizing a lot lately that in our rice and potatoes and other foods, there are worms and eggs in them! So we are being extra careful about the things we buy now. We bought rice in the Colmada next to our house, and found worms in it. So who knows how long we've been trusting that food we have been eating/buying! We even went to a regular store to get potatoes that we could trust, but when I was cooking them, I found a bunch of eggs in one of them! So we had to throw them all away because when I looked at the other ones I was going to eat, they had worms too. So yeah, I don't know how I haven’t gotten sick yet, I guess because I am in the work of the Lord! :) But I mean, maybe the worms will give me a little more taste and protein to my diet?? ;)

So an interesting fact, the boss of our investigator with a baptism date is like a crazy voodoo witch lady that openly does satanic things! She asked our investigator for her blood so she could do a sacrifice! So yeah, we are definitely on the hunt for a new job for that investigator!

The other night as we were walking down the street back to our house when all of the sudden, ten feet away, this car and motorcycle crashed into each other and the people on the motorcycle hit a concrete wall and fell into a ditch! It was crazy because we usually walk on that side of the road, and where they crashed is exactly where we would have been! So big thanks to Heavenly Father for looking out for us! We ran over to help and they were all bloody and one of the guy’s foot was all jacked up way bad. In a matter of like 1 minute, the whole neighborhood was outside and someone quickly took them in their car to the hospital. The sad thing is that that's a totally normal thing that literally happens all the time so I wasn't even surprised.

I want to share a part of this email from one of my best friends from back home who is a convert. She says I am an example to her, but she is more of an example to me an everyone else than she even knows.

"I don't tell you & everyone else that's out in the field enough how great of examples you guys are to me and how much I admire all of you. Lately I haven't had many people to look up to. My testimony is still strong and I'm so thankful to be a part of this church. Although high school has just never felt more "high schoolish" then it does this year. I have to actually fight to be who I am which is kind of weird. The typical saying of "remember who you are" is something I actually apply to myself instead of just a head nod back to my mom. Although I've gained a new and different gratitude for the church at this time. The standards we all have are kind of actually hard to hold up to at times and are seen as weird and crazy. What's even crazier is how weird other kids really think our standards are. I've never given them a second guess. It's not too fun feeling different, which for some reason has never been an issue before for me until now. Although I know I'm given strength through Heavenly Father and that I have the holy ghosts with me. Knowing these truths have allowed me so much freedom because I already know who I am & I haven't had to make these decisions when they are thrown at me during a stressful time. The adversary knows how to make us tick. More importantly the spirit knows how to help us thrive. I have the constant companionship of the holy ghosts with me & he's a pretty darn awesome friend. I'm so thankful for weird stuff that goes on in my life. It's crazy and really sucks sometimes but it helps my testimony grow in ways I have never thought about before. I know we are all here with purpose and in keeping the standards of the church we will be blessed. Even though it seems a little hard to be different at times I think of how much harder it would be to not live the standards & a life without integrity to myself and heaven father.

One more thing I want to share is my testimony that Heavenly Father works in mysterious ways & wants us to be happy. Living a righteous life and being open to the spirit allows promptings which allows us to share our love and help with others in need. & I don't know about you but that's about the most rewarding thing in the world to me! True happiness is found when you love. Loving the sky, loving chocolate, loving your mom, loving fuzzy socks.

This scripture testifies how everything we have is a "witness" of god.

44 But Alma said unto him: Thou hast had signs enough; will ye tempt your God? Will ye say, Show unto me a sign, when ye have the testimony of all these thy brethren, and also all the holy prophets? The scriptures are laid before thee, yea, and all things denote there is a God; yea, even the earth, and all things that are upon the face of it, yea, and its motion, yea, and also all the planets which move in their regular form do witness that there is a Supreme Creator.

Alma 30:44

When you love the earth, people, & life you are loving god! This is happiness! LOVE!"

I loved that email!

Well, somehow I have 6 months! Don't know how! Seems like I'm still a greeny!

Love you guys!

Elder Greer