Josh Mission Email April 6, 2026: Smile and Duì Boys, Smile and Duì
I’M FINALLY HERE!! I’ve been in training since late January, but I’ve finally made it to the field. I can already tell that P days are going to be a lot more packed here, but this email will probably be a lot more in depth because so much happened.
We had a super great devotional on the last night at the MTC about giving our all for what the Lord has asked us to do, and then we said goodbye to our branch. We had one final branch prayer and said goodbye to all our boys, shoutout Branch 1 🔝🥇.
The alarm went off at 2:30 the next morning, and by some miracle we all made it out of bed and out the door on time. I had already given my 2 big bags to Delta and just barely scraped under the weight limit, so it took some major squishing to get my carry on to close. Everyone going to Taiwan had to leave at 3:30, so I went with them so we could say our goodbyes. After that I just waited around (shoutout Washington gang) until 4 when my group was heading out. We dragged our stuff from the UVX bus to the frontrunner train to the light rail which eventually got us to the airport. It kinda took a while but I’m not mad becuase I got a good nap on the train. Everyone in the Salt Lake Airport loves the missionaries so it was a lot of fun to talk to people there. On the plane I had the aisle seat AND an open middle seat, so I just slept for a couple hours and then talked to the other foreign language missionaries about being cooked for the first little while out here. We met our mission president and his wife at the airport, went to the mission home, had a HOT MEAL 🙏, and a little devotional. After that it was off to the hotel.
The next day was when all the fun stuff started. We woke up, had more hot food 🙏, and went straight to the national mall. As missionaries, we talk to EVERYONE, and that started as soon as we got out of the car. We invited people to church and talked to people all the way up the steps of the Lincoln Memorial, took some pictures and talked about the writing on it. We all got some Book of Mormons to hand out as we split up and walked over to the Washington Monument. In the MTC I got to get to know people from all 6 inhabited continents and it was so cool. Here was no different, in just an hour I talked to people from at least 10 different countries.
Most of the interactions were super breif, but hopefully I get more opportunities to really get to know a bunch more people. We took the Metro for a while and talked to even more people there. Metro contacting is SO FUN, you talk to everyone in the car. It wasn’t too busy so after we talked to people we would get off the car and sprint over to the next one. The doors on the DC subway are AGRESSIVE, I almost got squished and it took two of us to get the doors off of me it was so funny. We got off the subway, and took a van over to the DC temple. It is GOREGOUS, and it has the coolest grounds of any temple I’ve ever seen. In the visitor’s center we took a little tour and talked with president Vance some more. We then went over to the nearby church/mission office, had a little orientation, and met our trainers. My trainer is chill, he’s from St. George and he also had no experience in Chinese before the field. That’s been so nice, he’s pretty good now so there is in fact hope.
Chinese work is pretty interesting, right now we are the only Chinese missionaries in the entire DC North Mission, there is one sister and two elders who also speak mandarin but they’re doing English work right now. We do have a branch, I wasn’t able to meet many of them because it was general confrence. I’m still getting into the groove of it so I’ll have more to report about our daily routine next week. I kinda expected to just be in the background for quite a while I learn the language, but low key I’ve been doing a good bit. I was cool just smiling and saying duì (yeah or yes) but I have been put in a lot of talking situations so far. Not a lot of success on that front but it keeps me engaged, and gives me good ideas on what to study. My comp has my back tho, he’s ready to take over whenever I stop understanding (as soon as they reply to my question).
We’ve only had a little bit of Chinese food this week becuase the best times to find and meet people are during dinner so we have to plan our meals carefully. So far that’s meant none but we’ve been given a lot of snacks.
The people here are great, everyone is pretty chill. Even if they’re not interested, they’re polite. Just going up and talking to people was a worry of mine before the mission, but it’s getting better and better every day out here. I thought people would be upset with us, and some have been, but the vast majority understand what we are doing and a good chunk respect it as well. Honestly the Chinese is a cheat code I think, I’m so worried about the language that the actual cold approaching isn’t that bad. Most people speak enough English to get by as well. Also a lot of people mirror the friendliness when we approach them which is nice.
General confrence was great, both the morning sessions we watched at the church in Chinese （听不懂）but the afternoon sessions we watched in English, Saturday with a member and Sunday at the Temple Visitor’s center. So many great messages about our Savior, I am glad we are led and guided by people qualified to receive revalation on what we need to hear personally and as a church.
Also, we taught English class on Saturday! It was pretty fun, but attendance was low this week because people were busy. I have a lot of respect for people trying to learn English, I was trying to explain why we say some stuff the way we do and I was low key stumped. 因为英文，that’s why. Everyone there also had better handwriting than me, which i guess makes sense becuase they’ve had to write intricate Chinese characters their entire lives. It still stung a little tho.
That’s all for this week, peep the Google photos tho because this is as cool as it’s gonna get for a while. I’m probably 45 minutes outside the city in Maryland becuase thats where most of the Chinese people are. It’s a nice area tho so no complaints on my part.
https://photos.app.goo.gl/AiSMKoR2H7FgMunr5
I hope you all had a great Easter, and were able to spend some good time reflecting on Christ’s sacrifice and all he has done for you.
Alma 34:15
15 And thus he shall bring salvation to all those who shall believe on his name; this being the intent of this last sacrifice, to bring about the bowels of mercy, which overpowereth justice, and bringeth about means unto men that they may have faith unto repentance.
Because of Chrsit’s Easter gift, we will all be resurrected one day. As we turn our hearts to Him and let Him change our nature, we can live with Him and our Father in Heaven again.
Love y’all!
Elder Banks
