Hi family! I love you so much! I love hearing about your lives and everything that's going on. I don't feel so far away. We asked one of the young women in the ward to play the hymns for the baptism next week. She was really excited. It made me happy. I remember how we used to play for the deaf branch and that's how I learned a lot of the hymns. It's nice to give someone else an opportunity like that. There is a lady in the ward giving organ classes because, according to the ward bulletin, the need for organists in the church is becoming critical.
Thank you, mom, for all you have taught me, especially how to deal with stress. I was a little frustrated one night this week so I baked some cookies, ate half of them and went to bed. It worked. :-) Yay for dollar-store cookie dough.
Lila, I LOVED that poem, it made my day! It looks like you had an awesome time at Girls camp. Thanks for writing me in the e-mail everybody! I really love hearing from all of you. I wish I could see how all of you are growing and learning. It's going to be really different when I get back.
Hi everybody! It's hard to believe it's almost the 4th of July! We get reminders every time we pass by one of the seemingly hundreds of stands selling fireworks all over town. That's something you don't see in Arizona. It's getting really hot. We're using the car more. My companion likes to make fun of my driving. We still jog every day (except Sunday) and we can feel how it's getting warmer even in the early morning.
Brother Clark is going to be baptized next week on the 3rd of July. He just had to stop drinking coffee. But he's doing really well. He told us he wants to start the Book of Mormon from the beginning and read all the way through. He got a highlighter to use when he reads. Seeing his progression is amazing!
We tracted into a man named William about a month ago and he really likes talking to us. We have helped him in his yard a few times. He just accepted an invitation to come on a church tour tomorrow. We're excited.
People keep giving us extra fruit and vegetables they have. The most so far is zucchini squash. It's really good. We had interviews with President Gonzalez last week and he brought plums from the mission home. Mmmmmm!
We kind of had a funny experience. We were visiting a member and the doorbell rang. It's one of the doors with a screen on the outside. We opened the inside door. The two ladies on the other side said "Hi, we're from the First Baptist Church!" We opened up the screen and said "Hi! We're from the LDS church!" We introduced ourselves and shook hands but I don't think they really wanted to talk. They seemed really nice and I'm always up for a pleasant conversation but they left pretty quickly. Oh well.
We contacted a man and his mother sitting outside on their porch the other day. His mother only spoke Spanish. Once I started speaking Spanish to her she invited us to sit down. We had a really good conversation and the man accepted a pamphlet to read. We were able to clear up some misconceptions he had had about the church. We explained we do believe in and use the Bible and we do not worship Joseph Smith. The man was very friendly. When we left, his mother said "Ya se fue?" (you're already leaving?!?) She was so nice!
I have been feeling very grateful this week for a living prophet. I've been reading the conference editions of the Ensign and really feeling the power of President Monson's words. It makes sense that God still speaks to us through a prophet today like He always has.
One of the questions people have a lot is why do bad things happen to good people. I was thinking this week that if there was ever a person who did not deserve to have anything bad happen to him, it was Jesus Christ. In 1 Nephi 19:9 it says he was bruised, scourged, spit upon and he suffered it because he loves us. I know I am not better than Jesus Christ. Why should I expect my life to be any easier than his was? I'm personally glad for trials because they remind me of how much I need Him. And because He suffered as He did, he knows exactly how I feel and He is always right there beside me through everything as long as I let Him be there.
We press on in the work of the Lord! Miracles have not ceased in this world!
Keep Smiling!
Hermana Evans
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