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