Week 5

Dear Family,

   Oh Claire, I am so excited for your little family! I can't believe that when I come home it (I don't know who all knows) will be walking and talking! 

   This week I've seen a lot of growth. Ever since March 1 hit, my shoku and I have the goal of only po flasim vëtëm shqip (Speaking only in Albanian). It can be very difficult at times but we seem to always get what we want to say across. Honestly, now sometimes when I pray I think in Albanian. Weird, I always that that kinda stuff happened in movies! March 1st was our goal because it is one month before we leave to Albania. Speaking of Albania, they are about to have a major change in the history of the church come Saturday and Sunday! They are GETTING A STAKE! The First Stake of Albania. It is so exciting, especially because our teachers are excited about it! The work is moving forward at an awesome speed. I'm excited to get there and help them strengthen a stake!

     Happy Birthday Grandma and Seth! I've thought a lot about both of you this week. I truly am amazed every day about the sacrifices that you both have made to serve missions. I desire to read your mission journals because I know that during a mission is where you see someone develop into the person they will become (I hope that made sense:). 

   Again, I had an amazing experience concerning Grandpa Bangerter...again. I thought I'd learned everything, but I was wrong! Yesterday was the Tuesday Devotional and who do you think spoke? Elder Aidukaitis from Brazil. Oh sa mire! I was so excited because I knew that we have connections in ways I don't even know. His talk was so powerful! Everybody loved his teaching style and the whole time all I could think of was, "He reminds me of Dad." Brothers and Sisters (literally), Dad is Brazilian. He may not look like it but it shows in his personality. He has a way of being so happy, personal, and then touching the personal side of things. Elder Aidukaitis' accent also reminded me of when dad would do his impersonations of Brasilians, and you can imagine how much I liked it (hehe). I loved how he talked about baptizing. He said, "Some people go out and say 'I'm going to plant seeds.' We've been planting seeds for 6,000 years! It's time to harvest! The Field is White!" He talked just like dad does, that baptizing is not hard, and that great promises come from hard work. 

     He also mentioned a scripture from Alma 26 that I call Grandpa Garlick's scripture. Grandpa, I know you said to keep it a secret, but I'm sorry, Elder Aidukaitis found it and decided to tell the entire MTC. But, lets be positive about it. It was probably a good thing. Now I think everyone has the motivation to find "thousands" AFAD.

    However, the most personal part of this was going down to meet him. I shook his hand as he warmly smiled. Every word from his mouth didn't remind me of a foreigner, but more of a friend. I've heard the Brazilian tongue ever since I was little. Listening to him is like hearing Grandma and Sonja just talk and talk! I felt so at home! (Oh ya, I'm going to Albania, not Brazil, whoops. Am I allowed to feel this way towards someone that is not my mission nationality?:) After I met him I was about to walk away when I heard, "Elder Bangerter, is there an Elder Bangerter somewhere?" I turn around and you'd never guess who was yelling my name...President Nally...like MTC President Nally. I again was SHOCKED but warmly approached him. He and Sister Nally took me and my splits-companion (Elder Smoot) to take a picture together. I was still kinda unsure what was going on, but sister Nally let me know, "We're related!" Oh ya, I forgot, we're related to everyone! She is an Eyre...well her mom is. But we talked and talked and talked. Then it turned out that they know Aunt Julie, Uncle Cory, Uncle Grant built their house, Uncle Howard is there Stake President on and on! I was just overcome again and again. THEN, she says, "OH ya my brothers were best friends with your dad." "What?" Turns out, she's a Priday, and her brothers and the twins. She went to american Fork, She was a cavette. It went on and on and I loved every minute of it. I'm sure my pseudo-companion was more shocked then me.

    To continue, who walks in next? Elder and Sister Aidukaitis! Suddenly the conversation turned towards Grandpa and his teachings...I could keep going but I won't. The most important thing I learned was this: God is watching us, he KNOWS us, he places us in the right places at the right time  EVERY time. He knows what makes you happy. For me, its family, connections, nature and cheerios, and Heavenly Father usually works through one of those means to show me he loves me! We need to always be aware that we can be great. We can be a beacon of righteousness. "Consider the Blessed and Happy state of those that keep the commandments of God" I think that describes our family perfectly! We must share that light. Especially all you siblings going out into the east, you MUST be the example. I'm sure each of you felt it on your missions like I do. But you must continue to be Better. 

   Thank you so much for your prayers and continued love you show for me! I love you all so much, I'm so glad I have pictures of all of you to show everyone. I feel as proud as a grandparent!

Love your son and brother,

Elder Bangerter