April 19, 2010

Hi family!  ILoveyouILoveyouILoveyou!!!!! I am doing a lot better.  I'm feeling more like my old self.  I'm still seeing areas I need to improve on but I'm not beating myself up anymore.

James: I saw a sign that you would have liked:

 Free Kids

    games

    prizes

Wow, free kids?  What kind of place was that?

I don't have too much time on the computer, so I'll try and write more later if I can, but I do have to pack.

Hello friends and family!

And, it's transfer week!  Aah!  I am being transferred to Hanford which is a little South of Fresno.  I'm going to miss a lot of the people here. The members are amazing!  I feel close to the nonmembers too.  The retired pastor still tells us he feels as close to us as his own grandchildren.  He likes us to call him grandpa.  He volunteered to perform our marriage ceremonies.  He didn't really understand when we tried to teach about priesthood authority and temple marriage.  Sorry, when that time comes I'm going to make sure I'm sealed to my family for time and eternity not till death do us part. 

The members who have the least to give are the ones that give the most.  We were riding away from a member's house when the member noticed my companion's bike was broken.  He stopped us and started fixing her bike.  Then he dug in his wallet and handed us $7 and told us to buy ourselves some water or soda since it was hot outside.   The poorer members of the ward are always the ones who all get out their copies of the scriptures when we share our message and read along. They always try to give.  You don't see it as much in people who have more.   I hope that I never get distracted with things of the world and ignore the fact that it's my responsibility to help others and see the important things in life.

You keep asking if I've eaten anything authentic.  I've told you I think about Menudo that I've eaten which is this soup that's made with cow-stomach.  This week I had langua tacos.  (tongue)  It was actually pretty good. 

My companion shared a quote with me that I really like from C.S. Lewis "I believe in Christ as I believe in the sun.  Not that I can see it but that by it I can see all."    This is really true.  I haven't personally seen Christ or any major heavenly manifestations but by simply living the gospel I can see how my eyes have been opened to the things that should be first in life like my family.  I have been able to truly appreciate so many things and recognize so many blessings. It is the light of the gospel that really lights our way and helps us look with optimism even when everyone around you is determined to see the worst in a situation.

I can't remember if I've shared this before but we visited two different families one time.  Both had had major health problems of one kind or another.  At the first family, all they would talk about was all the things going wrong, like a checklist of all the reasons they feel justified in hating life.  The second family was different.  They talked about how they love to smile even though they've been through hard things.  We could feel the Spirit in that home far more than the other. 

Our outlook really makes a huge difference.  We know which side to be on.  We know the blessings.  We know who's going to win.  We just need to decide where we will stand no matter what. 

I hope everyone has a good week!  Keep smiling and seeing yourself as a child of God like you are!   Christ did not die for you for no reason! You are loved!

         Hermana Evans

April 12, 2010

Hi family!   Hope all is well with you.  I'm doing fine.  I'm learning a lot.  Mom, I don't want you to worry about me.  I know that two people can do anything as long as one of them is the Lord.  I know that He lives and He loves us. Because He loves us, he makes us stronger through trials.  I am blessed to have parents who taught me that.  My weekly e-mails have been as much to me as to everyone back home.  Sometimes even when I've been feeling discouraged, I write home telling everyone to smile and to find humor in every situation and things like that.  I tell myself along with everyone else. My family has taught me well so I know what to tell myself.  Like I said, missions are hard.  You know how they say you're supposed to be in the world but not of the world?  I don't think I have ever lived in the actual world.  I have always been surrounded by people with similar standards at home and at BYU.  I have never associated closely with people of different faiths.  It has kind of been a shock coming out into the mission field and realizing a lot of things I didn't even know existed before. I've felt really oblivious at times. It's kind of like jumping into a cold pool.  But I know, just like 6:30am swim team, if you get swimming hard then you warm up ok.  So I know I'll be fine.  I'm just learning how to swim in a cold pool when I'm used to a Jacuzzi.  I know the church is true because I have never doubted it and I have always been safe and protected.  It's just different coming across people who do doubt and suffer the consequences.  It's hard to know how to help them and it's easy to get downhearted.  And you know Satan, always working really hard especially if you're on the right track.  I hope nothing I've said makes you worry.  Please just pray for me.  I love you all so much.

Hi everyone!  Hope everyone enjoyed general conference last week.  We really enjoyed it here.  Thought it was really hard to tell if our investigators and less-actives were watching or not.

I hope everyone stands up for what they believe in.  I hope everyone sings the hymns even if they think they're tone-deaf.   There is power in music, especially in the sacred hymns. 

We went over to visit a recently converted family and two of the girls had been pretending to be sister missionaries.  One of them played my companion and the other one played me.  That was cute.

We met this family outside their house last week and they said come back another day.  When we came back, the 9-year old son was outside.  He went in to get his mom and after a few minutes came out and said "we have our own religion."  I guess the mother didn't want to tell us that herself.

I love teaching Carla, our recent convert! She has such a pure testimony.  She knew exactly the true meaning of Easter when we were talking about it.  "Jesus!  He was risen! That's Easter." 

I hope everyone is reading the Book of Mormon every day and really thinking about it as they read it.  I was reading. 3 Nephi chapter 5 this morning and Mormon's testimony.  He still had hope even though things were not going great where he was at. He still had reason to be grateful and praise the Lord.  He still had a work to do and he did it. He had his eye on the promises made to all of us for eternity. We can be with our families and our Heavenly Father forever if we just do our best.  He knows what that best is and he expects us to do it. 

Every day an adventure in the mission field! I wish I had time to write everything.  I always blank when I actually sit down to write.  The timer doesn't help. :-)  I hope everyone is doing well and enjoying every breath that Heavenly Father gives you, relying completely on Jesus Christ and what He did for you personally.  He lives and loves you! I hope everyone knows that! 

        TTFN

           Hermana Evans  (hey, that rhymes)

April 5, 2010

Hi family!  I love you all so much!  I miss you a lot! 

Hi family!  Sorry I don't have very much time this week. The only reservation on the computer I could get was for 10 min.  I'll write an actual letter later on.  I'm doing great! I am so grateful for an amazing family!  I don't know what else to say in the time that I've got.  I love you all so much and miss you a lot!  

           TTFN

                  Sarah

March 29, 2010

Apparently I hold a pen weird.  I noticed that it's similar to the way I hold my violin bow.  Music has affected all aspects of my life. :-)  It's great to hear how you're doing so well with the music teaching, Mom!  Keep it up! Children these days need music. Good music in their lives.  And Mom, thank you for teaching me how to do musical numbers.  We were asked to do a musical number for the Elders' baptism on Sunday.  We threw together an arrangement and everyone was very impressed.  We sang "All Creatures of our God and King."  First verse unison, second parts, the 3rd and 4th verse were sort of mixed in a round-type thing.  It sounded really cool. 

I think my mascara is jinxed. Whenever I decide to wear it, that turns out to be a stressful day.  Makeup just doesn't like me. I don't know what I did to make it angry but maybe at least the eye makeup needs some time to cool down.   

This week was fun.  We had dinner with the Achievement Day girls (ages 8-12).  They had made the dinner, set up place cards and we had menus.  The "head waitress" took our order.  They were all just adorable!  For our message we did a visual aid.  We did the one where you take a saucer and put some water in it then sprinkle pepper into the bowl.  The water is the world we live in.  There are lots of temptations and bad things going on.  We have someone stick their finger in and it comes out covered in spots. You can't live in the world by yourself and come out clean.  Only through one person can we live be clean.  I then put MY finger in the bowl (which I had secretly covered with dish soap).  Only through following Christ's example and following His direction can we be clean.  We can also be that example for people to follow. We can live "in the world, but not of the world."  If you haven't seen that visual before, try it and see what happens.  The girls thought I had some technique about how I put my finger in the bowl and they kept trying to get it right before I told them about the soap. 

We had two baptisms this week!  Carla and Bella were baptized on Saturday and confirmed on Sunday.  They were both really excited and very happy.  We felt the Spirit very strongly at their baptisms.  

There is a set of Elders that teach in our ward, one of them came fresh out of the MTC this last transfer.  He is a great example to all of us.  After the baptism on Saturday we thanked the elders for coming. The new elder looked straight at us and said very solidly, "Good baptism! That's what we're here to do! Baptize!"  There's a missionary who has his purpose down.

Right now we're sort of shifting from a lot of investigators to a lot of new members and less-actives that we need to teach.  It's good because that means that we're baptizing.  I just hope I can keep track of everything that they all need. Sister Dunkel is being very patient with me the times where I let that get to me.

That's something that's really hard being a missionary.  The more you realize your purpose, the more you see how much work needs to be done.  So many people need the truths of the gospel of Jesus Christ and the protection that comes from keeping the commandments!   So many people just need to be loved for who they are.  I wonder how Christ did it when he visited the multitude in the Americas. (3 Nephi 11) He somehow had time for each and every one of them there.  Somehow he was able to let everyone there know that He loved them.  He is truly perfect.  He loves everyone as a whole and also very personally and individually. "Oh it is wonderful that he should care for me enough to die for me."  I challenge everyone to remember that this week, especially with Easter.  Not just that He died for us, but that He lives and continues to love us despite all our weaknesses. 

                  Smile!

                     Hermana Evans

March 22, 2010

Hi family!  How is everyone? I got your package yesterday.  Thank you so much Mom!  The clothes are gorgeous! I'm wearing one of the black skirts right now.   Just so you know, you have taught me well in life.  My companion commented that I'm always spouting off things that "my mom always says."  You have always been a great example to me.  So the puppy's name is Cougar?  That's awesome!  I approve. Thank you for your faithful e-mails.  I look forward to them every week. It's the only day I'm sure of hearing from people I love!  

Hi everyone!  I made homemade applesauce this week.  One of the members told me how.  I just sliced a green apple, smothered them in maple syrup, covered with water in a pot and boiled for about 20 minutes.  It was pretty good.  Next time maybe I'll try putting in some cinnamon.  I also tried Manudo (or howeveruspellit) for the first time.  It's pretty popular with Hispanics but this is the first time I've tried it. It's a kind of soup where they use cow stomach.  Kind of ironic. Putting a stomach into your stomach.  It wasn't my favorite but it was good.  My companion didn't like it. 

I love new missionaries! We have a new elder who's being trained in our ward.  We were all at a dinner appointment together in a Spanish member's home and he said "se huele bien" instead of just "huele bien."  So instead of saying "It smells good" he said "you smell good" to the member who was cooking. :-) Reflexives are fun.  He's a good example.  Don't be afraid to be excited, try new things, and laugh at mistakes.  Take chances, make mistakes, get messy as Miss Frizzle always says. Wow, Magic School Bus can be so profound.

We have two more baptisms next Saturday.  Bella is 9 and Carla is in her 40's I think.  They're both really sweet.  Bella was ready to be baptized when we met her.

Missionary work requires lots of patience.  I wrote one of my random poems this week:

Just take it all

one at a time

you'll see the reason

you'll see the rhyme.

A masterpiece wasn't painted

all in one go.

It came by a brushstroke

then several in a row

kind of slow.

Take a deep breath

you'll be just fine.

just take things in life

one at a time.

That's really all we can do sometimes.  I think I said it before that a lot of the times we don't know how to keep going other than putting one foot in front of the other and take each breath the way it comes and be happy for it.  It's hard to see sometimes, but just keep breathing and believing and you'll be ok.

This morning I was studying about Christ and what a great example He was for us.  He was in total subjection to Heavenly Father.  so much that he said "he doeth the works."  ( John 14) Christ was the perfect instrument.  I was also seeing how it makes perfect sense that Christ and the Father are separate beings.  For one thing, he says "I go to the Father."  I don't think you can really go to yourself. You're already there.   Christ does say in John 14:11 that "I am in the Father and the Father in me" which might be confusing like Christ and God are the same being but in verse 20 it says "I am in my Father and ye in me and I in you" talking to his disciples.  If verse 11 means that Christ and the Father are the same person than verse 20 must mean that God, Christ and the disciples are all the same person which makes no sense.  Christ was showing us, again, that we need to be completely humble and submit to Heavenly Father's plan for us just as he did.  I just thought that was neat.

Our answers to prayers are in the Lord's time and in the Lord's way, usually when we least expect it.  One of the things I learned this week is how we need to choose to follow Christ no matter what.  Heavenly Father WILL test us to our limit.  We need to promise that we will be faithful no matter what.  We need to promise that even as we are feeling discouraged.  Just like Nephi who said that his heart sorrowed but "nevertheless I know in whom I have trusted."   If we know in whom we have trusted, it shouldn't matter what happens to us.   It shouldn't matter some of the things we are unsure about.  If we know our Heavenly Father and how He loves us, you'll find the strength to just hold on.  Please, hold on!  We watched a clip at a zone conference when I first got here about a football coach teaching his team a lesson.  He blindfolded one of the players and had him do the "death crawl" across the field with another player on his back.  He told him to go to the 50 yard  line but told him to promise to give him everything he's got. As the player went on, he got more and more tired.  The coach stood by yelling at him to not quit until he had nothing left.  The player kept asking how far he had left to go and the coach just kept telling him not to quit until he had nothing left.  When he finally collapsed from exhaustion, the coach removed the blindfold and told him "look up, you're in the end zone."   Heavenly Father sees our potential. We need to trust that.  

I'm not going to lie, a mission is hard but I am grateful to be here.  I'm helping other people but I'm also seeing ways I can be better.  Sometimes I see warnings.  There are people that have had some of the same temptations as I have felt and I see the result of them giving into those temptations.  They are not happy.  They are searching again for what they had before. 

I feel my Savior's love! He is there for us when we need it. We are to follow His example and don't try to tell me He had it easy. Keep holding on!  Choose good thoughts, happiness and trust no matter what. (on a side note, we were teaching the word of wisdom to Carla and she said "good food, good thoughts" :-) It's true)

Everybody have a great week! That's not a request. :-)

          Hermana Evans

March 15, 2010

Hi family! How are you? Wow, everybody's growing up!  Lila's your soccer picture is amazing!  And the puppy you got is so cute! Michael's starting to look a lot like James.  I miss you all and love you so much!  I hope you don't get tired of hearing me say that. I actually had a dream this week that mom and dad were coaching a professional soccer team.  Then I dreamed that I was out proselyting with James and Clark and Dad.  My companion and I did a scripture mad lib that ended up saying "And when Josh Groban saw our daydream that it was exceedingly beautiful he did belly flop after it."  That made us laugh.  We actually had a lesson with an investigator who was watching her grandson who was 6 but he reminded me of Michael because he was so big.  He kept quietly showing off.  He brought a pirate ship that he made with construction paper and stood next to us just holding it, not saying anything.  Then he stood in the corner of the room lifting little hand weights. 

I saw a sign in an investigator's house that I liked:  "We may not have it all together but together we have it all."  How true that is.

My new companion is super nice.  Again I'm getting used to working with someone who tends to be more prone to stress as opposed to a companion that doesn't know how to stress.  It was hard the first few days after my companion left. 

Funny story, I found out why Hispanics talk so fast.  If you talk slow it can change meanings.  Remember one of my favorite words is cacahuete (peanut).  I was saying it slowly and the member we were with started to laugh.  I guess the first part of the word by itself means poop.  So it sounded like that's what I was talking about.  So if you want to talk about peanuts, make sure you say the whole word without any pauses. No pressure. I think i'll go to my new favorite word: tataratatarabuela. (great-great-great-grandmother)

I read Ephesians 6:5-9 this morning and I really liked it.  It talks about how we all need to serve each other because we're really serving God.  Mosiah 2:17 goes with that really well.  God is no respecter of persons.  We all give service to each other no matter what.  We might not all have the same responsibilities and the same trials in this life but what we're given, we're given for a reason and it's up to us to give to others.  It also came to me this week about service and love.  I've always loved the hymn "Called to Serve." I was thinking this week that I'm not really called to serve. I'm called to love.  When you think about it, service without love does not mean anything. 

We were able to see our 3 baptisms receive the Gift of the Holy Ghost yesterday.  That was a special experience.  They were all just glowing afterwards! 

We were just finishing our morning studies this week when some Baptists knocked on our door.  Their preacher was also there knocking doors and came over and we talked for a bit.  It was different being on the other side of tracting. We gave them a restoration pamphlet and they gave us a card that said "How to get to heaven from California." 

This has been a crazy week, but once again, Heavenly Father is there for us throughout all our trials.  I don't know how to keep going sometimes other than to just keep going. And as long as you're trying, He helps you.  Jesus Christ didn't suffer and die for us for nothing.  He did that so He could relate and help us through whatever we're going through.

Out of time!  I wish I could say more. Sorry if this all sounds rushed.  The Church is true! Keep Smiling!

      Hermana Evans

March 8, 2010

Hi family! First of all Mom I want to let you know that the clothes you sent me are doing great and the skirts are becoming my favorites.  They work great! Thanks!  I am going to have to start throwing away some of the shirts that I came out with.  They're going way off color under the armpits.

I love hearing from all of you! It makes my week!  I miss you all.  I miss hugs.  My companion is kind of a tomboy.  She's the kind of sister that I can imagine going and playing football.  She's not very I'll-put-my-arm-around-you-when-you-need-a-hug type person.  But it's ok.  She is very strong and cares about people a lot.  She notices a lot of things that I miss.  She knows what she's doing and does a lot. She has basically carried this area.  I hope I'll do ok after she leaves tomorrow.  Yesterday was fast and testimony meeting.  After my companion gave a very powerful testimony, a brother got up and said he hopes no one ever forgets that testimony.  I couldn't stop myself from crying.  Several of the sisters in the ward came and gave me a hug.  I felt like a little girl.  This companion helped me with my confidence when I had trouble.  I know, though, that the Lord is in charge.  He puts us with companions that we can learn the most from.  Whatever I am called to do, I will somehow find the strength. 

Hey friends and family!  How is everyone today? This week are transfers.  I have no idea what I'm doing on Tuesday because my companion leaves in the morning (she's done with her mission, going home) and everyone else changes around on Wednesday.  My new companion is an English-speaking sister. So I will still be in a "Zebra" companionship.  It's harder not to have someone to practice with all the time.  I just try and make it a point to talk to a native at least once every day.  Anytime I can I try and speak Spanish and hope that it will start to stick.   So I have no idea if my new companion is coming a day early or I will spend the day with a member.  We'll see. 

Our district meeting this last week had a discussion about agency.  When we don't talk to everyone we see about the gospel, we take away their agency. If someone doesn't have the knowledge to choose, they have no choice at all.  So we were committed to talk to everyone we see and give them their agency. 

We had a lesson with the little boy who was baptized last week.  We asked who wanted to say the opening prayer. The boy pointed to his sister and said "Girls go first! That's what I heard.  Except for food.  Then boy or girl it doesn't matter, I goes first."  It was funny. Whenever we want a laugh, we decided we need to go see him. 

We helped a lady in the ward move some storage boxes.  We probably moved about 300 boxes total.  She has kept EVERYTHING.  Lesson for the week: learn to let go of STUFF.  Remember 2 Nephi 9:30 "Spiritually Minded Is Life Eternal" (SMILE)

We started doing church tours with investigators. Yesterday I we had a tour with the couple that speaks Portuguese.  My companion is English speaking so I did the tour by myself in the Spanish I know.  It was fun.  My mind was tired after. 

Our investigators are doing well.  We have 3 that are preparing for baptism in the next month or so.  

Heavenly Father loves us all equally.  That is why he sent His son Jesus Christ to the people of ancient America just like the people at Jerusalem (that’s where we get the Book of Mormon).  Everyone has a chance to accept Him and follow His example.  Our loving Heavenly Father doesn't compare.  It doesn't matter how much you know, what you look like, what others see you as or what you accomplish as compared to the next person.  If you are trying your hardest, He loves you.  He will help you accomplish what you personally were called to accomplish.  Sometimes I do wonder why I was called.  I have so many weaknesses, why was I chosen as a representative of Jesus Christ?  Sometimes I wonder how I can do this.  I don't know the answer to that but I do know that I can't turn back.  I can't give up.  We heard a talk by Elder Holland in the MTC where he said to missionaries "Don't you DARE go home."  If we quit in the middle of our uphill battle, it will be twice as hard to get back up to where you worked so hard to be.  But if you press forward and make it to the top of the hill, the view is amazing.  We see so many blessings for just doing our best and putting one foot in front of the other every day.  It is easy to lose yourself in either the memories of times gone by or daydreams of what you want your future to be like but the time is NOW to enjoy the blessings you have been given. 

I need to go, time's up, but everyone have a great week! That's an order!

                    Hermana Evans

March 1, 2010

Hello family!

Thanks for telling me about the family trip! That brought back memories.  I'm glad you all had fun. Clark, you'll have to let me know what you buy with that 3/4 of a sand dollar.  Maybe...some sand paper? Or 3/4 of a sandwich? Probably not enough for a sandman. Or some sands of time.  Those run a high price.  Iloveyoualliloveyoualliloveyouall!!!!!!!!<3<3<3

This is my last week with my companion.  She is done with her mission and will be going home to Samoa next Tuesday.  I will probably stay here in Atwater because I don't think they would bring two new missionaries in again so soon.  I am good with that. I like this area.  The members are so helpful. We had 12 lessons with a member present this week.  Our goal was 7.

So I had my first baptisms yesterday!  We thought there was going to be 5 but 2 backed out at the last minute.  They are having some family problems and don't want to be baptized anymore.  We are praying for them and hope that we can help them feel ready in the future.  But we still had DJ, Lilly and Arlene baptized.  The Spirit was really strong at the service and they were all just glowing!  They will be confirmed and receive the Gift of the Holy Ghost next week which will guide and comfort them as they continue to make the right choices.   

We found a new couple to teach last week.  The fun part about them is they speak Portuguese.  I love it.  Between Spanish, English and Portuguese and with the help of the gift of tongues we can understand each other. :-)

So the retired pastor who told us he didn't want to learn more came to church yesterday.  We stopped by and invited him and he said all right, he'd come.  He liked it!  We're hoping he'll give us another chance to teach him.  

I love being a missionary because every day is like Sunday.  You're completely focused on spiritual things all day every day.  That was the best thing about Sundays before.  Now the only difference is Sunday is the day that mail doesn't come. :-)  I love it.

Sorry not much time this week. But it also hasn’t been as long since I e-mailed last so not as much to report.

Keep smiling!

         Hermana Evans

February 24, 2010

Hello family!  Sorry, these last two weeks were kind of different.  Last week the libraries were closed on Monday and we had zone conference on Tuesday.  This week we had a temple trip so our p-day was changed to Wednesday just for this week.  So next week you should get my e-mail on Mondays again.  I miss you all a lot!  I am more and more thankful every day for such a wonderful family that I have! Mom, I thought I'd let you know that we have been asked to be in the ward choir.  I always remember that you told us that we get brownie points in heaven for being in the ward choir.  I try and spread that news around. :-) I saw a funny billboard. It was for an almond company and it said "We <3 Nuts" but the heart was a heart-shaped box of nuts so if you didn't realize it was a heart, it looked like it just said "We nuts".  There's this one house we visited where in the backyard they have a mini-aviary with about 50 cockatiels.  Birds and Chihuahuas are really big here. And the trees really do look like popcorn. I'll take a picture.  Dad, I think I told you before but if you want to you can put all my pictures in my old memory card on the computer, clear it and send it back and I'll send you the one that's in my camera now. We can keep rotating so you can keep updated on my weight gain! Oh, I mean...on my healthy missionary glow. Yes, that's right. :-)  No, I think I'll be fine.  I can't tell you all how much you all mean to me.  Know that I'm always thinking of all of you and I'm sending an air hug out right now that should get to you before this e-mail. :-)

Hello, another week in Atwater, California! You can hear frogs at night here now.  That's not something I'm used to. It's been raining the last few days but somewhere between the rain outside and the sunshine in the soul there's a rainbow. :-)
 I was reminded this week that Heavenly Father is the one in charge of the miracles.  Any miracles I see are done by Him and not me.  So remember I said last week that there should be three baptisms this week?  Well now, if everything goes well between now and Sunday, it's five. We've been teaching two girls who are 13 and 10.  Their mom is a member who is just starting to come back to church. We had invited them to be baptized several times but they weren't sure.  Then on Sunday their mom announces in church that they are being baptized this next week.  I asked one of the girls what changed her mind and she said she prayed and got an answer and the answer was yes.  As a missionary I can invite people to come to Christ all I want but it is the Holy Ghost who is the one who testifies to their hearts and gives them the answer they need.
We got to go to the Fresno temple today (We got up at 4am so we could do laundry before we had to leave). It was amazing.  There is such a feeling of peace in the temple. When I was in the MTC I got to go to the temple every week and this is the first time I've been since I've been in the field.
I love teaching children!  Our 9-year old investigator (getting baptized this week, his mom and brother are members) always volunteers to say a prayer.  He prays for more trees so we can have oxygen to breathe. He prays for homeless people on the street so they can find homes and have food and somewhere to live.  He prays for Haiti that had an earthquake recently that they'll all get better.  He prays for the whole world and everybody in it and he's thankful for the little things that we stop noticing as we grow up.
The Spanish is coming along. It is harder now that I'm not speaking it all the time like I was in an all-Spanish ward but I am learning.  It's hard to see the progress but it will come.
Again, I notice more and more how much the gospel has blessed me and my family.  It's hard to explain in exactly the right words how important the message of the restoration of Christ's church on the earth is because there are no words adequate to describe it.  Christ suffered and died for us and now lives so we can live too if we just have faith, are willing to repent, be baptized, receive the gift of the Holy Ghost and endure to the end! We have a loving Heavenly Father who gives His children all an equal opportunity to return to Him.
As a companionship we are trying hard to focus on the last week and a half we have until transfers at which point my companion is going home. Lots of learning left for me to do.
Thank you for all your support and encouragement.  Keep smiling and laughing because there is so much to be thankful for and so much to smile about if you are only willing to see it.  Like I said, rain + sunshine = rainbow.  Rain is going to come.  You just choose on whether or not there will be sun to go with it.
        Have a great week!
              Hermana Evans

February 17, 2010

Hi wonderful, marvelous family!  Hope you all had a great Valentine's Day!  I hope you all always remember how much I love you! If I don't mention each of you specifically in every e-mail, I’m sorry but I do think of all of you and hope you're all doing amazing.  I wish I had time to write everyone individually every week. I have a funny situation to share with you.  We don't have a scale in our apartment so we both didn't really know if we've gained weight or not. We had a dinner appointment last week.  I asked if I could use the restroom before.  They had a scale in their bathroom so I decided to see how my weight's doing. After we left the dinner I told my companion that I had used their scale and she said she had too.  I thought it was funny that we both had the same idea. I have gained a little weight but not too much.  Blessings of being a missionary as my companion says.  Michael, we're teaching a 9-year old boy who reminds me of you.  He's really smart and knows pretty much everything we teach already.  


Hello Friends and family!  Monday was a holiday and Tuesday we had zone conference so we get to e-mail on Wednesday!  weird. The sun is shining in the sky and in the soul today.  Popcorn is beginning to pop on the apricot, almond and whatever other kinds of trees they have here.  We had dinner on Sunday at a member's house who has an almond orchard.  She drove us around it before dinner on a little jeep-thing as the sun was going down.  It was gorgeous.  Not all of the trees are blooming, but there are a few trees that are beginning to go white.
Speaking of white, I should see three baptisms on the 27th of this month.  I'm not sure if I told you all about the first one but I should have.  We actually committed her to baptism the very first day I got to this area.  She came to church on Sunday and was telling everyone about her baptism.  She's so excited!  The other two was a miracle we saw yesterday.  We had planned to go visit members and ask for referrals but we felt like we should go visit some of our potential investigators instead. We went by the home of a less-active single mother who has two children who have not been baptized.  We go in and barely start talking to her about church when her 9-year old pipes up "Mom, I still need to be baptized!"  Then her 8-year old chimes in "Me too!"  So we started teaching them right then and set a baptismal date for the 27th.  The kids and their mom are all excited.  Technically it will only be one baptism for us as missionaries because the little girl is 8 so she won't count as a convert but her brother will.  We had been by that house several times at different times during the day and night and this was the first time we had found the mother home.
We're still teaching the retired Baptist pastor.  Both my companion and I feel that he knows the Book of Mormon is true and he understands what we teach but he doesn't want to admit it.  Sometimes he'll say "Now that I can't believe. I believe..." but what he says supports what we just taught.  We're going to see him today and talk about Joseph Smith because everything we teach hinges on that Joseph Smith was a prophet.  If Joseph Smith was a prophet then the Book of Mormon is true then the true church of Jesus Christ has been restored to the earth again.  So either this is all a big lie or it is the greatest thing we could ever know. If this brother just opens his mind a little bit I think he'll see that.  We actually found out he has a daughter living with him who hasn't come out because she's sick.  A week ago he told us about her and asked us to pray for her.  Last time we taught him, she called him on his cell phone from her room and asked to be put on speaker.  She then thanked us for visiting her father and that he thoroughly enjoys our visits.  It was a nice gesture.  Her father said she really wants to meet us once she's a little better.
I personally would like to thank everyone who has taken the time to write me.  It means so much.  The letters I have received have comforted, encouraged and even answered prayers for direction. I try and write at least a little back to all the letters I receive.  Forgive me if they're short but most of the news is already in these weekly e-mails.
Alma 37:36 is amazing.  The whole gospel is amazing!
One way we're supposed to contact people is using what we call an “inspired question.”  Your inspired question comes from your morning studies, is short (3-5 seconds) and highlights a unique principle of the gospel or at least ties into the restoration.  It's a good way to start out talking to people.  My only problem is remembering what mine is and actually getting it out of my mouth in one piece.
I am blessed to have my companion. She is actually going home after this transfer if they don't let her extend.  So she has a lot of experience and has been through a lot of the things that I've been struggling with.
I've really been feeling this week about what a blessing it is to come on a mission.  It is really no sacrifice at all.  The more I think about it, the more I realize how can I ever repay my Heavenly Father for this opportunity?  I can't. There is absolutely nothing like it!  Anyone considering a mission, do whatever you can to get on one! I am feeling happier and more thankful every day.  I actually received a letter this week that helped me piece together some things that Heavenly Father's been trying to tell me and it's helped me a lot.  The Lord works through EVERYONE to further His work.   Count your blessings this week everyone! Every time you breathe in and out remember what a great gift it is to be alive and to know that Christ lives and loves us and provided a way that we can be perfect.  We have a Heavenly Father who loves us and is INCREDIBLY patient in teaching us individually the lessons we need to learn.  Remember to SMILE! (Spiritually Minded Is Life Eternal 2Nephi 9:39)
                             Till next week!
                                    Hermana Evans

February 8, 2010

Hi family! I love you so much!  There was a lot I was thinking of telling you but I really forget.  I don't have as much time on the computer this week.  But I love your letters and hearing about everything that's going on.  Your support means everything!

Hello everybody!  This week it was kind of cold and rainy.  Once we got caught in it on our bikes.  That was fun.
We have a lot of investigators but none of them are really progressing.  The thing I have found most frustrating on my mission isn't the flat our rejections. It's the people that just don't seem to care.  I feel like Alma in Alma 29 where he wishes he was an angel with a voice to shake the earth and cry repentance to every people.  Then he says he sins in this wish. I never really understood why until now.  If there were angels everywhere shaking the earth with their voices, it would take away our agency.  People have the choice whether or not to accept the message.  Alma points that out. God gives everyone the chance to hear the gospel and everyone has a chance to say yes or no.  How do you say no to an angel?
We found a new investigator this week.  She was studying for her citizenship test and we offered to help her.  We also taught her about prayer and how if she asks Heavenly Father for help, he will help her. We asked her to say a closing prayer.  We taught her how and she said she would try.  I noticed that her two children became quiet when she started praying when they had been playing before.  When she finished the prayer she had tears in her eyes.  She said she had never done that before.  We testified that it was the Holy Ghost that she felt and we know God loves her and wants to help her.  She wants to have us back to help her and her family know more.
On the other end of the spectrum, we were visiting a house where a MEMBER lived.  The house had its door and curtains open. As we approached we hear the door quickly close and someone hurriedly shuts the curtains.  We ring the doorbell and the only answer we get is to hear the door lock.  As we walked away we waved at the people who were peeking out of the curtains.  Yesterday wasn't a good day for teaching.  A lot of people were watching the super bowl.
I have been trying to focus when I study so I've tried to not snack during study time.  One day in studies I was about to get something to eat and the scripture pops into my mind "lovest thou me more than these?" I couldn't eat anything after that without feeling guilty.
I have learned this week that the Lord gives you trials a lot of the times as answers to your prayers.  You pray for help paying attention and the Lord gives you a member that won't stop talking. You ask for help being more efficient with your time.  You receive a dinner appointment with six people who love telling stories.  Your companion prays for help controlling eating and members start giving you more food. So yes, the Lord gives us trials as answers to our prayers because those are what help us learn.  You just need to learn to recognize those answers for what they are.  I think another one is if you pray for help with Spanish, your companion starts forgetting the little she knows.  My companion was pretty good at understanding at least people but now she says it's harder for her to understand.  That means it's mostly up to me.  I do better at understanding Spanish when I completely rely on the Lord.  That's what I’m learning to do.  If I stress over what I know or don't know, I don't understand anything.  When I simply do my best and leave the rest up to the Lord, I do a lot better. Still not perfect but getting there.   Keep smiling everybody and look for the Lord in your life because he's there!
                 Hermana Evans

February 1, 2010

Hi family!  I was actually really sad when I didn't get the e-mail last week, but I figured it was just a mistake.  I know my family always loves me. I know some missionaries have to be genuinely worried when they don't hear from their family.  I'm very blessed.  It was great to hear from you this week.  I did get the package and your letters.  Did you notice that you always send me a toothbrush?   I think that's kind of funny.  I'm going to have very clean teeth.  It will balance out all the chocolate you sent me too. ;-)  Member meals are not the reason you gain weight on your mission.  Its care packages. :-)   Blessings of being a missionary, that's what my new companion says about gaining weight.   She's great.  Thanks for the pictures too!  Lila I love your hair, Clark and Lila, you're still as silly as ever!  I love the ones of you too mom and dad!  And you say I'm the one glowing!  Tell Malorie she looks gorgeous in her wedding picture!  I'm sorry I missed it but I can tell she's very happy.

So, I'm now in Atwater.  It's about an hour north of Fresno.  Before I left, one sister in the Echo ward made me a special dinner and a cake.  I felt loved. Their family doesn't have very much either.  They live in a two-room tiny house in the backyard of her sister.  It was really sweet of her. She's always been amazing at helping the missionaries.   My new companion in Atwater is from Samoa.  She understood English before her mission but didn't speak it that much.  She's been out “a little over a year.”  She won’t tell me exactly how long.  I forget sometimes that English is her second language, she speaks so well.  She's also learning Spanish right now because we're in a bilingual area.   We ride our bikes most of the time here. The area is smaller and we don't have as many miles on our car.  The members are amazing too at helping us out and giving us rides.  Dad, my bike works great, thank you!  It's a lot of fun.
A great thing about my companion is that she doesn't know how to stress.  That's really good for me.  Sometimes it seems like I’m a pro at stressing.  I worry about too many things.  Worrying too much takes away from the Spirit.  My companion in Fresno helped me with that too. I don't remember if I've said this before but one week when I was having a hard time, she put a sticky note in my bathroom with 2 Tim 1:7 on it which talks about how the Lord does not give us feelings of fear but of power and a sound mind.  I love that scripture.
Anyway, my companion now is really good at just teaching and being happy and really caring about the people we are with.  She laughs at things that I might think to stress over at first.   We've committed 2 people to be baptized since Wednesday.  I really hope they follow through.  One of those is a 70 or so year old lady named Josephine who loves to talk.  She's had a hard family life but she's got really strong faith in God.
On Thursdays here they do a fellowshipping activity at the church. They get together and play soccer.  We invite members and investigators and we get to go to help build friendships with the investigators.  Sister Tea said they do splits every week. One of us goes to soccer and one goes to do the work. Splits, if you don't know, are when you each go with a member as a temporary companion to get more done when you have two appointments at the same time.  I didn't do any splits in Fresno so this should be an experience.  It's also different because now I’m the one who knows the most Spanish out of the two of us.
A member invited us over for lunch this week and they made homemade tacitos.  (Is that how you spell it?)  But yeah, they were really good and looked easy.  You  just put whatever you want inside the tortilla, roll it up and fry it.  I also learned how to make diabetic homemade applesauce.  Just boil apples with cinnamon and Splenda.  That was good too.
We're also teaching this man who's a retired Baptist pastor.  He knows the Bible way better than we do and doesn't want to accept the Book of Mormon. But we actually got him to accept a copy when we visited him last.  We gave him a challenge:  Pray with a question, open the book randomly and read one verse.  I personally have had personal revelation when I’ve needed it doing that so I know it works.  The challenge worked to get this man to accept a Book of Mormon and promise to read at least one verse.  We're praying that if he just is willing to open it and read something in it, he will feel its power and feel a desire to keep reading and to know it's true.  We think he's had it in his mind that Joseph Smith wrote the Book of Mormon and we worship him.  He knows the only way to salvation is through the Savior.  We bore our testimonies and tried to help him see that we believe the same thing.
We visited a lady this week named sister Cizar.  She's got health problems and we stopped to see how she's doing.  She's really into family history and told us of her experiences.  I could feel the power of her testimony as she told about miracles she's seen as she's done work for her family.  She was glowing when she talked about taking those names to the temple.  Family history is something I've always needed to get into more.  To everyone out there, check up on me after I get home and make sure I get into that.  I know that's an important work for everyone! The challenge this week for everyone is to do some family history work.  At least make a start. Ok? Ok. Oh, and if anyone wants to try that pray and open up and read challenge and gets a cool experience, it would be awesome to hear back about it.
I know God is there for us when there is no one else to turn to.  He is our loving Heavenly Father and we can always talk to Him when we think we don't have anyone to talk to.  He helps us see our problems in perspective or at least feel the comfort we need to deal with our trials.  It's a big comfort sometimes to simply know that everything will be ok.  There will be a lot you don't know but if you know that, you're doing well.
Thanks again, everyone for your prayers and support!  Stay healthy! It seems like everyone around here at least is getting sick.
 Till next week!
          Hermana Evans

January 25, 2010

Hi everybody!  The sun is shining the church is true, and I’m being transferred to another area!  (Actually the only sunshine's in the soul right now, but it's all good. I like rain. :-) ) Anyway, like I was saying this week is transfers.  I'm being transferred to Atwater 2nd ward.  That's up north a little ways I think.  I hear it's a bilingual ward and my new companion is an English sister so I’ll probably have to be the one talking in Spanish more.  I'm sure I’ll learn a lot.   I can't tell if I feel like it's been forever or super short.  We've been very busy.  I've learned a lot.  I'm doing better with stress.  I don't think it's because there's less stress but I’m handling it better.  I like that one quote that says something like if you keep working at a task it becomes easier, not because the task itself is easier but your ability to do it has increased.  I know that's true.  If exercise wasn't hard you wouldn't get any benefit from it.  Have you ever heard the phrase: "If at first you don't succeed, skydiving's not your thing"?  Well missionary work is not skydiving. It's mountain climbing.  Sister Gonzalez, the mission president's wife, told me this week that missionary work is 95% HARD and 5% incredibly wonderful.  You just need to hold out for that 5%.
We gave talks in church yesterday.  We had to give talks in Spanish in the MTC but if you made a mistake there, no one knew except one member of the branch presidency. You feel more pressure here.  The members are starting to trust us I think.  And they all seemed sorry that I’m leaving.  All the sisters were giving me hugs on Sunday saying they hope I get to come back to that area sometime.  I would like to.  I like this area.
So we visited the magic house again last night.  We found all three of the investigators that we met there all at home and taught them a really good lesson.  They were asking really good questions and we've scheduled a church tour for them today.  I'm excited.
Hey, if anyone wants a short chapter that explains the church pretty well, go to Moroni 6.  I liked it.
I really do not know everything and I am far from perfect.  Sometimes it hits me that hey, I’m a missionary!  It's still strange to think about sometimes.
I'm not sure if it's Hispanic culture or just the people we've met with this week, but they sure liked to TALK!  We would keep trying to wrap up a lesson so we could be on time to the next one and they just kept going.  I even had to pull one of those "OH! Look at the time! We really need to go."  It worked probably because it was serious.  :-)
My companion and I have an inside joke.  There's this street downtown that's called Stanislaus.  We say "poor Stan! Why can't someone find him?" (Stanislaus sounds like “Stan-is-lost”)  There are lots of "Stans" in the world that we are out to find.
  I love teaching and feeling the Spirit.  I love it when we find someone who will listen and really wants to know more.  These are God's children and my brothers and sisters and I'm here to help them find the joy that the gospel's brought to my life.  Because if I did not have the gospel I, like Stan, would be lost.  Because I do have the gospel, I know who I am and I know where I'm going.  My life has a purpose.  I have a reason to hope.  How can you not share something that wonderful?   I know that God lives and loves us. I know that our loving Heavenly Father will not give us challenges we cannot overcome.  We can become who He wants us to become if we learn to trust in Him. I know if we do our best then everything will be ok.  It's hard to get some of our investigators to see that.  Many of them work on Sundays because that's the only job they can find.  But I know if they just take that step of faith, then Heavenly Father will bless them.  He wouldn't give us commandments if they weren't supposed to be followed.
 I hope everyone's happy and doing well. Send me pictures if you can. I'm sure I’m not the only one having adventures. Keep your chin up even when it's raining/foggy/whatever.  There's lots of joy in the world if you just choose to see it. I hope each and every one of you knows you're priceless. Please keep praying for me and all the other missionaries out there.  We all need it!
                   Till next week,
                        Hermana Evans

January 19, 2010

Hi family! Sorry I didn't write yesterday.  Lila, I got your letter which I loved just like all of yours but I didn't have time to write you back yesterday.  I did, however print out some pictures which I am sending.  I actually think I look fat in them but I weighed myself and I’m pretty much the same so that was a relief. Michael, I hope you’re feeling better.  Clark, I am very jealous of your trip.  That must have been very fun and I am waiting anxiously for the details from you. :-)  I am thanking the Lord every day for my amazing family!  I am very blessed.  I miss you all very much!  Thanks for telling me that people ask about me and I’m not forgotten. It's really easy to forget since, like I said a mission is like Narnia.  It feels like it's been a lot longer than it actually has.


Hello friends and family from not-so-sunny California!  It's supposed to rain a lot the next few days.  Good thing we have a car.  We drive more than bike right now.  Mostly it's because we have a very large area and we have a lot of appointments which is good.
I'm realizing more and more the value of members in this work. In all missions, the highest percentage of people that get baptized are referrals from members.  I can promise every single one of you that you know someone who is being prepared to receive the gospel of Jesus Christ because that's how the Lord prepares them, through members.  Most of our investigators right now are referrals from this one lady in our ward.  Two of them even had a baptismal date.  Those fell through but we're still trying to work with them.  She just introduced us to another friend who seems interested in learning.
Ooh! Before I forget, I learned a new word in Spanish: albondega (I think that's how you spell it. That's how it sounds anyway).  It means meatball. I love how my favorite Spanish words have to do with food.  Did I mention that my favorite word right now is cacahuete?  That's peanut.
Anyway, back to the work. It also is a HUGE help to have members come with us to teach people and even better if we are able to have a lesson in a member's home. We had ward conference this last week where the stake president challenged everyone to have a nonmember over to dinner every Sunday so they can feel the spirit that's in their home and talk about their faith.  If you can build that trust with people and really become their friend, they will feel more comfortable listening to the missionaries, especially if they are able to learn in your home.  I would like to challenge everybody to think this week of someone who they could help prepare to take the missionary lessons because I know you all know someone who needs more hope and joy in this life. Not to mention fullness of joy in the life to come.
We also had exchanges this week.  My MTC companion and I switched places for a day. We're in the same district.  I was with her companion who's nearing the end of her mission.  It was a good experience.  We taught a few lessons and had dinner at the Spaghetti factory with one of the members.  It was really strange teaching in English and especially praying in English.  I haven't prayed out loud in English for awhile.  When I was asked to say the prayers in English I found myself reverting back to Spanish sometimes.  My MTC companion had a good time too.  They met with the Martinez family who we've been working with.  The father actually said the closing prayer in their lesson and they told us to call them at 7:30 the next morning to wake them up for church.  I was excited.  We called the next morning though and no one answered.  That's what usually happens with this family.  They seem excited when we talk to them and willing to read, pray, and come to church but then they don't end up doing it.  Then when we go by and ask why, they smile, shrug their shoulders and say "Well, we're trying.  There's just all these things we're thinking about and all these things we need to do..."  If I could only put motivation in a bottle and give it to them.  This gospel is amazing!  They can't even imagine the blessings that come! We have a loving Heavenly Father who has given us a living prophet today and the power to perform the ordinances necessary for salvation! We're trying to communicate this to people but we're seeing a lot of "Oh, that's nice" type expressions. It's especially frustrating on the face of someone who had a baptismal date.
We discovered a magic house.  Every time we visit, we never find the person we had an appointment with but we end up teaching whoever's there. We actually found 10 new investigators this week.  (Not all at that house)  A person is classified as a new investigator if we teach them a lesson and they agree to a return appointment.  So far we've found Jose, Carmen, Cruz and Sebastian at that “magic” house.  We contacted another family through a missionary referral that ended up being mostly members.  They speak some Native American language as well as Spanish and sometimes in the visit they would start talking to each other and Hermana Hernandez would turn to me and whisper, "That's not Spanish."  I was thinking "now you know how I feel during lessons."  I'm actually understanding a lot more and speaking better too.  If I have patience, I’m sure I’ll keep doing better.
This is the last full week of this transfer.  Wow, time flies when you're having fun.
Keep smiling everybody! "Gospel" means "good news" so be happy and share it! Count your blessings which might be hard because every time you blink, there's another one!..two...three... :-)
          TTFN
               Hermana Evans

January 11, 2010

Hi family! Mom, thank you so much for sending those clothes!  I'm sure they'll be great! And you know exactly what to look for for me. Thank you for that effort.  You've always rushed to give us anything we need, and Dad too.  And, by the way, thank you for being firm with us and teaching us what's right. There's a less-active convert in the ward who we've been visiting because her son is investigating and we've been trying to help her too.  She has I think 4 children. But they are all over the place.  She's really sweet but shy. I think her children take advantage of her. Anyway, I wanted to thank you mom and dad for being such amazing parents! And to James, Clark, Lila, Michael and Natalie, I hope you think of that blessing every day of our wonderful parents! I'm seeing so many families that don't have what we had growing up and I’m appreciating it more.

Hello friends and family! Another week in the mission field. Hard, but we're doing ok. It seems to be foggy and/or rainy every Monday which is the day we wash the car, conveniently.  This is actually the first experience I’ve had with a self-serve car-wash place.  It's pretty fun actually.  I'm also getting a lot better at reading maps.  It's pretty cold right now.   This is a hot chocolate time of year.
I'm learning a lot.  I'm trying to get better at reading people.  I feel like sometimes I’m oblivious to what's going on.  It's especially challenging with the Spanish, but I’m working on that too.
My piano has actually come in handy in the Spanish ward that I’m in.  Not very many people there play the piano.  I always play for relief society and I sometimes play for sacrament meeting if their pianist isn't there or is late.
I found a good scripture this morning. Alma 5:62.  It talks about being baptized unto repentance.  The interesting thing is that it's said to members and nonmembers.  To members, it's a commandment and to nonmembers it's an invitation.  Being baptized unto repentance is a constant thing.  Just because we've been baptized, doesn't mean we're done.  Repentance is a never-ending process. As we go every week to church and take of the sacrament, we renew those covenants we make at baptism and we can better endure to the end and partake of the "fruit of the tree of life."  To nonmembers, it's an invitation.  This is the right way, and the only way to gain a fullness of joy. Coming to Christ is the only way to live with our Father in Heaven and our families forever and so this scripture is an invitation to EVERYONE to come onto that path.   It's sometimes hard to see a good thing that you have until you either don't have it anymore or see others who lack it.  I've seen that this week especially with families.  I've come to appreciate more fully what the gospel's done for my family.  I'd encourage everyone this week to think of something that makes you happy that maybe you haven't noticed before.  Say a prayer every day and thank your Heavenly Father for that great gift.  You'll be happier.  Once you've got that down, find someone else and help them to be happy too.  That's what this gospel is about.  I'm trying to use that as a boost to give me the courage to talk to people.  When we teach, I feel the Spirit and realize that I really do know something special that other people need.  My companion commented the other day that people who don't have the gospel just don't look happy.  We can tell when we see them on the street.
We're trying to convey this urgency to our investigators but it's hard.  One by one the ones we think are accepting and progressing, seem to lose interest and start avoiding us.  But we're finding new people too so we have hopes.
Thank you for everyone who's taken the time to write me. Getting a letter from a friend or family member really does brighten a missionary's day.
I hope everyone is having a great week! Keep Smiling! If all else fails, find a close friend and come up with a secret hand shake or play with a rubber band or a straw.  That's what's worked most for us. (not while tracting) Count your blessings, read street signs backwards to hear how strange the words sound, whatever works for you, but I want everyone to be happy! Life is great!
          Till Next Week,
                  Hermana Evans

January 4, 2010

Hi family!  I love you all a lot!  I think about you a lot, I hope you know that.  I am SO incredibly lucky to have a supportive family.  The mother of my companion has been pleading with her to come home.  She won't but it's hard for her to hear that.

Hi everybody!
My companion and I made up a secret handshake.  That has given us some of the laughs that we need.
There's been a lot of fog this week.  It's strange to be biking or driving and all of a sudden ahead of you, a building or a stoplight looms where there seemed to be nothing before.  We were biking in the fog this week and we both had mist on our hair and eyelashes when we got to the church.
We found a lot of new investigators this week.  It's hard to tell how many will end up progressing but we have hopes.  We're really trying to work with our investigators who had a baptismal date, though it's hard to get them motivated. Rocio who was supposed to get baptized in December has moved her baptismal date twice.  One investigator who we've been trying to meet since we got here has told his mother who is a ward member that he wants to cancel his baptismal date.  This is a learning experience.
 We're working on doing more church tours where we take people around the church and show them paintings that have been placed in an order that allows us to give a good overview of the gospel.  We took a less active member through last night.  He's a convert of 2 years and we found out he does not hold the priesthood yet.  We challenged him to be worthy of that in time to baptize his son. He said he would start coming to church again.  We felt the Spirit in that tour and we're really excited for that member.
We found a great family this week.  They have been through a lot and know very little about religion at all.  They really need friends and the gospel in their life.  We're excited to teach them.  They seem really receptive.
 Oh, I forgot, Happy New Years everybody! The goal for our mission baptisms for this next year is 1200.  Last year's goal was 1000 and we got up to 937 or something.  That was one of the first things they told us when we got here. What does this mission do?  We baptize. Why do we baptize people?  So they can receive the gift of the Holy Ghost. Why do we want them to receive the gift of the Holy Ghost?  So they can endure to the end.  Why do we want them to endure to the end? So they can receive a fullness of joy.   Our ultimate goal in telling people about the gospel is so they can achieve a fullness of joy in returning to our Father in Heaven and live with Him and our families forever.  It's amazing! I want people to have that.  I’m praying for the faith to give me courage to talk to more people and know what to say to share that.  I'm still a little afraid to open my mouth.  That's no way to be.
I know with God all things are possible.  The reason I learned how to ride a unicycle is simply that it never entered into my head that I couldn't do it.  I think that is the key to doing anything that is hard.  For some it might take longer than others but anyone can do anything they set their mind to, I believe. In 1 Nephi 3:7 we are told the Lord provides a way for us to accomplish His work.  Because I was called on a mission, that means I can do it.  No question. Doesn't make it any easier, but it is possible.
 Thank you for your thoughts and prayers.   Keep pressing onward everybody!  Keep Smiling! Please write me and tell me how you're all doing!
            Till next week!
               Hermana Evans

December 28, 2009

Hi family! I miss you a lot!  It was amazing to talk to you on Christmas!  I'm still trying not to be stressed.  It will come. I just keep telling myself that.  You help a lot.  :-) I'm sorry I’m kind of rushed today. I probably forgot half the things I wanted to tell you. Just remember I LOVE YOU ALL!!!

Hi everybody! Christmas was great!  Christmas Eve I ate some really spicy food and couldn't feel my mouth afterwards but it was good.
Our first Zone conference was last week.  It was amazing.  The president's wife gave a talk that seemed to apply directly to me.  I talked to her afterwards and she helped me a lot.  My companion and I have an assignment: laugh out loud every day.  It's been better since we've tried that.
I'm not really sure what to write.  I'm still figuring things out.  I do know I need to be patient with myself.  It feels like it's been longer than a week and a half so it's easier to be hard on myself.
I am so grateful for my Savior, Jesus Christ!  He loves us all so much! I'm praying to have that kind of love for the people I’m teaching.  The gospel gives me hope.  I know that I am a child of God.  I know why I’m here on this earth.  I know where I’m going after this life.  I know that God loves me and wants me to be happy. He knows more than me and He knows what experiences will teach me the most.  I know if we keep open minds and willing hearts, we can learn exactly what we need for us to be happy.  Keep counting your blessings and look for humor in every situation.  Read the scriptures. They are the words of God and they have power. Don't waste a single minute of life.  There is so much to live for even if it's hard to see sometimes.
With God all things are possible.  He loves us and won't leave us alone.
I hope everyone had a great Christmas! Happy New Years!
                  TTFN
                      Hermana Evans

December 21, 2009

Hi family! First week in Fresno.  Hectic.  We had dinner at a member's home yesterday and for dessert they brought out a plate piled high with chocolate chip cookies.  I'll admit, I was excited. :-)  I love you and miss you a lot. HUGS!!!!!

So I'm actually in Fresno right now.  I'm in an all-Spanish ward.  I'm one of the few that's actually in a companionship of both Spanish sisters.  I think all the other sisters in my district are now in "zebra" companionships where one sister speaks English, one speaks Spanish.  My companion is fluent in Spanish and she actually reported straight to the mission field without the MTC.  She's from San Francisco, so not very far away at all.
I understand about half of what people say in Spanish.  It's like trying to read through wax paper which is pretty frustrating.  Both my companion and I came from companionships where our companions liked to make the decisions and sort of be the leader.  That's really hard for me because I feel like I’m new and I don't know anything and my companion keeps asking me to make decisions but I don't know which decisions to make.   It doesn't help that we got "doubled in" which means we're both new to the area on top of me being new to the mission field.  Oh, and my companion doesn't have a license so guess who's the designated driver?  This does not help me not to stress.
We do have an investigator who's getting baptized this next Saturday and we have 5 others that the last elders left who have baptismal dates.
We talked to a man on the street yesterday who turned out to be the 3rd cousin to Elder Christofferson, the apostle.  He's not a member and was willing to hear the missionaries but we can't teach him because we're over the Spanish speakers of the area.
The Spanish ward has welcomed us warmly. I played the piano for relief society and we both got up in sacrament meeting and introduced ourselves.  The mission president was there so he heard my Spanish. The sisters of the ward give us hugs when they say hello.
There is fog here. Most of the time it just looks like it's overcast.
They have a thing among the missionaries called "calling out miracles".  We'll get voice messages every day from companionships who have witnessed miracles in their work.  Most of the time it's when someone has accepted the invitation to be baptized.  Every night our district leader calls and asks if we've had any miracles for that day.  Our miracles have been finding our way around to the places that we've needed to get to.
Please just pray for me. I need all the help I can get. I didn't expect this to be easy.  I have been very blessed and I know my Savior is here with me helping me along.  The church is true!
       Hermana Evans

December 16, 2009

Hi!  They just wanted me to report that I have indeed arrived safely in my mission field.  I taught the first discussion to the people sitting behind me on the plane (I was sitting next to an elder who was writing his girlfriend the whole time) and I committed two people to read the Book of Mormon and pray about it. One lady named Carolyn in the airport and Eddie who was sitting behind me in the plane.  He was traveling home with his daughter Ann Marie.  They were both very nice.  Eddie said he'd also ask his member friends more about the church.  He's the one I taught the first discussion to.  I started a conversation with him and asked if he wanted to learn about what he can do to be with his family forever. He said ok.  When we got off the airplane, we were met by some elders who gave us a pass along card for a Nativity video.  I gave it to Joe, a man I stood next to while waiting for my luggage.  Sorry if I sound like I’m boasting, but it just made me happy to talk about the gospel to actual people.
My mission president and his wife are both great!  We get to go out street contacting later and we'll spend the night at the mission home.
I'd better go finish orientation but just checking in.  I'm still alive.
Love you all!  Gotta run!
        TTFN
         Hermana Evans

December 14, 2009

Hi Family!  I'm finally getting ready to go.  Just so you know, I probably won't call from the airport.  Christmas isn't that far off and I’ll get to talk to you all longer then.  I'm getting nervous but excited.

Hi friends and family!
So this week was awesome.  We had Elaine S. Dalton, general president of the Young Women come and talk at Relief society.  The Mormon message on lds.org from her called "You are Never Alone" has been one of my favorites at the MTC.  I loved her talk.  One of the things she said was never turn back in the middle of a hill.  You keep going to the top and the view is beautiful.
One of my favorite parts of the MTC is the songs.  Some are a little different.  When we sing Armies of Helaman, instead of "We will be the Lord's missionaries" we sing "We are now the Lord's missionaries."  Instead of "Daily we'll learn until we are called" we sing "Daily we learn for now we are called to take the gospel to all the world.” It’s kind of cool.  Also when we sing "Called to Serve"  the second verse is an octave up and at the end of the chorus we sing "As a triumph SONG we sing, God our strength WILL BE" (going up instead of down on the caps parts)

So this Sunday for the fireside we had the BYU men's chorus come.  It was amazing!  I was so excited.  One guy from the choir got up and told how he is from Taiwan and his parents wouldn't let him come on a mission.  His mom threatened to kill herself if he went on a mission.  So he told us to do a good job for him since he didn’t have the opportunity.  He really wanted to go.
I learned something about Handel's Messiah.  You know how whenever the Hallelujah chorus is sung, everybody stands?  I never knew why until this week.  When The Messiah was first performed, it was performed for a king.  A king stands up for no man.  But when the chorus came on, the king stood up because, he said, every man should stand for Jesus Christ, the king of kings.  I thought that was really neat.  I love this time of year when we do remember the King of Kings and Lord of Lords!  Jesus Christ came into the world so we could b cleansed through Him and live with God and our families forever!  He loves us so much! If we only read the scriptures and pray, you can find out just how much. :-)

Last thing I wanted to address, the best way for missionaries to find people is through members.  Missionaries are there to teach but it's really best if the people they teach are found through members.  Everyone knows someone who's going through a hard time, recently lost a loved one, moved, had a child, or experienced any big change in their lives.  I'd encourage you to make a list of anyone you know who fits into one of those categories and start being a missionary.  The gospel of Jesus Christ brings so much happiness into lives!  Every question anyone has can be answered through the Book of Mormon.  Through Jesus Christ, we can be relieved of any burden.  So here's what you do, you be a friend.  You listen.  You bear your testimony of how the gospel has blessed your life.  You invite them to a church activity, then to church, and then ask if they'd like to meet with the missionaries.  It doesn't have to necessarily go in that order or in a short time frame, but please, EVERY member is a missionary.  We have something marvelous and we need to share it! Missionary work does not work without the help of members.
Please have a very merry Christmas everybody!  If you want to send me something for Christmas, I'd like pictures and letters the best. I don't have room for a lot of stuff.
Remember what this season is about!
I love you all!
      TTFN
          Hermana Evans

P.S. Oh yeah, some good advice I got from my branch president:  God gave you two ears and one mouth.  Use them in that proportion.
Listen to others more than you talk at them.  Therein lies a true friend. :-)
H. Evans

December 12, 2009

Hello family.  I got my flight plans. I leave the 16^th of December at about 11 a.m.
I got another memory card for my camera so I’ll send the one I’ve got home and you can have all my crazy pictures.  :-)
My companion and I are still working out differences.  She's still not letting me help her very much with her broken hand and all even though our branch president told her specifically to let me.

Dear Sarah,
Please have patience with your companion.  You may just have to tell yourself that she is "not herself" when she is behaving that way.  She obviously has a lot of things to work out.  Being able to accept help and be a good "receiver" of help takes humility.  There is nothing wrong with you or your willingness to help.  Just tell yourself "like water off a duck's back" and don't take it personally.  You could also talk to the counselor--maybe he/she could explain it better than me.  I've just had a lot of experience with people who have bipolar and also other emotional disorders, and I think sometimes they just can't be helped no matter how badly you want to.  They have to arrive at their own solutions and you have to stand firm in what is right and in your opinion of yourself (not proud, just good self-esteem) so whatever they act like, you will keep your good humor and positive attitude.  I’m behind you!  Keep loving her- even if she won't let you in "close".  Sister Mary Lee Call told me that the best advice she ever got (going into a marriage where some of the former wife's children didn't like her) was "no one can resist constant love".  It may take patience and time, but that is true.
I love you more than I can say!!!
Mom

Ok I’m back.  I'm so glad you're working hard and it makes you happy.  I love you so much!  Michael, I’m so glad you're learning the cello! That's amazing! Thanks for your letter. I enjoyed reading it.  Everybody, you're amazing and I love you all so much!  I think about my family a lot.  I've got the best one ever!   Don't forget me! :-)

Hi everybody! I got my flight plans this week!  Next Monday is the last day I can get mail here I think so don't send the MTC letters for me after that.
Some thoughts from this week:
There are a few phrases that you should never say, especially as a missionary “I can't, I don't want to, I’m too tired, I don't feel like it"  What’s the problem with those?  All of them start with "I".  Not a way to make yourself happy. (That was from Cheryl C. Lant's devotional.)
I wrote another poem, in English this time.

Did Jesus ever say "I can't"
or "I'm not good enough"?
Did Jesus fail to stand up straight
when times were grim and tough?
No, Jesus loved all those around
the rich and also poor
He suffered for our sins and grief
and opened up the door.
This unconditional love we need
for others and themselves
see others as children of our God
and know we are as well.
Try to be like Jesus and
remember who you are
you'll lift others up with you
and God will take you far.

A scripture to go with that: Proverbs 3:5-6.  Trust in the Lord.  He thinks you are special.  Trust in that. :-) SMILE! (Spiritually Minded Is Life Eternal) also ASAP! (Always Say A Prayer)
We practiced knocking doors for one of our Teaching Evaluations this week.  One of the scenarios was a man in a wheelchair who was skeptical, even a bit bitter.  We felt sorry for him and tried to get him to see that there is hope.  He could be happy if he trusted in God.  The teacher asked us after how we could empathize with people like that.  I've never been in a wheelchair or had major health problems.  I've been very blessed, I know that.  So I can't say I personally know exactly how people like that feel.  But I can say that I know someone who does.  Someone who suffered every pain, every sorry, every frustration, every disappointment that we go through so he could be there right beside us and know exactly how to help us.  One of my favorite scriptures is becoming Alma 7:12 "And he will take upon him death, that he may loose the bands of death which bind his people; and he will take upon him their infirmities, that his bowels may be filled with mercy, according to the flesh, that he may know according to the flesh how to succor his people according to their infirmities"   This gospel gives us hope.  No matter what, there is ALWAYS Christ who is close by (if we choose to keep him in our lives) who knows exactly how we feel.  We are really never alone.  I really feel that especially since my companion isn't exactly the most supportive a lot of the time.  Don't get me wrong, I love her a ton, but we're different.  She's got a short temper but forgives and forgets quickly. My problem is I take tempers to heart.  I can't stand the thought that someone might be mad at me.  I think I scared my district leader this week one of the times I was upset.  It's kind of funny looking back.  He had no idea how to react.    Don't worry about me though.  I can't do this without help, but I know I have help.
God loves us.  He weeps when we weep.  He joys when we joy.  The best thing we can do to make Him happy is to be happy ourselves and help others be happy.
I got to watch the first presidency Christmas devotional.  It was great.  I loved when President Eyering said that the gospel is the only way home.  If we choose the right paths, every day will feel like the best Christmases past.

It has snowed a lot the past few days.  Walking to and from the temple sure was fun.  There are Christmas lights and decorations up around the MTC.  It's great.
Don't forget that everyone's a missionary.  We can all make the world a better place and spread joy and happiness.  That sounded corny, I know.
I love you all! I'm glad that you take time to read this.  Your support means a lot to me.
 Till next week!
       TTFN
         Hermana Sarah Evans