Going back home . . .

Wow, I've got some crazy news! I'm being sent to Cosenza!!! (Where I started my mission). President Kelly said that normally he wouldn't think to do that, but he felt really strongly from the spirit to send me there. This time is going to be even more fun than last time because I'll be Zone Leader for the Taranto Zone. That's going to be a blast!

This week has flown by, it's been really incredible. I can't believe that I've been living the last 6 months in Sicily! I can't believe I'm going to back to Calabria where I'm going to eat spicy salami every day! haha. I seriously love the mission.
The other really cool thing is that in ten days I'm going to Rome for Zone Leader Council! That's going to be incredible.
Unfortunately I'm going to be missing Cristian's baptism by just a few days, and he's being baptized in the sea!!! My companion promised he'll take lots of photos, that way after the mission I can photoshop myself in. hahaha.

I'm really excited for this next transfer. My new companion is from Argentina. He's only been on the mission for a few months. One thing that I really love about being transferred is that it gives more motivation to improve. It gives you a fresh start. I feel really happy about what I've done in Gela, and I'm satisfied with the work I did in Cosenza a year ago, but this time it's going to be totally different. Now I'm comfortable with the language, I have a lot more experience, and I really think that things are going to go well there. I probably will only stay for a couple of transfers (3 months) because I already served there once before, but we'll see.

What did you think of General Conference? I thought that it was totally amazing! In the end I managed to see all of the sessions, but unfortunately I had to watch them in Italian (except Priesthood). It's definitely not the same: I much prefer hearing their real voices.

One thing that I thought was that I'm sure glad that I'm going home in 6 months and that I'm not home now or else I sure would feel pressured to get married! haha.

It's incredible how inspired General Conference is. It's just like the talk that Elder Holland gave; we really find the responses to all our questions there (if we look) and there is always some talk that is specifically for us. While I watched conference I also thought about how some of those talks were specifically for our investigators, or specifically for Nicola. Speaking of him, he's doing a lot better now. He's been really happy these last few days. I think that conference really lifted his spirits.
Then there was the talk that President Uchtdorf gave that was amazing, and Cristian and Antonella showed up to that session of conference right after his talk! I couldn't believe it!! I told them that they need to go on the internet and look it up because it is perfect for them (the one from the Sunday Morning Session).

Anyway, I just want to say that I am really grateful for you and your faith and your support for my mission. I know that going back to Cosenza is going to be amazing, and that with your faith and prayers I'll also be able to learn a lot as a Zone Leader there. I don't know who the other Zone Leader is going to be, but I think that it's going to be someone that you know, so I'll let you know next week.

Thank you for all your support. If you need me to do anything for you here, just let me know.

Love,
Anziano Banks

p.s. Wish me luck!