October 12, 2010

Hi family!  Hey mom, thank you so much for going through those clothes! Sorry if it was tedious.  I think the ones that would work are the black skirt with blue flowers, pink with large dark pink flowers, green one that I sewed, the white shirt with large black buttons, brown short sleeve sweater and the black shoes. We did go on a shopping trip to Ross the Monday after we got the new dress code and found a few things. I got this bright red short-sleeved jacket that has an elastic belt. It can go over a few of the other shirts I have or undershirts. 

James, if you're reading this I would encourage you to LISTEN TO MOM especially when it comes to dating.  She knows what she's talking about.  Looking back at all the people I've dated and all the advice mom and dad and Natalie gave me, it all came true.  But glad to hear (from other people) that you're having a good time.  :-)

I love you all so much! I miss you! I have the best family ever!  I'm sorry if I ever seem ungrateful or uninterested in what's going on over there.  Even if I don't respond to something, I really appreciate and enjoy every single thing I hear from you! 

Hi everyone!

Another week in Atwater.  Or, as a brother in our ward says, @H2O.  :-)

Karly and Amanda received the gift of the Holy Ghost in church on Sunday.  It was a beautiful experience. Karly actually broke her arm last week and had it in a cast.  She was baptized at the right time.  If we had waited a little she would have had to wait more because you can't go under water with a cast.

We have a Spanish family of 3 that will be baptized on the 24th.  They have gone through a lot and Satan has really been working on them the past few weeks but things are finally working out.  We can see them changing.  They are happier. They just have a glow.  When we watched conference with them Jose was deeply moved by the prophet's talk.  He said it's his dream now to meet the prophet. They want to be baptized and then work towards entering the temple to be sealed as an eternal family. They are thinking of their son as a future missionary.  I love teaching them because they see the big picture.  Baptism isn't just a checked box that we need to get done.  It is a gateway for the rest of our lives and our eternal salvation.  There is more to do after the actual ordinance. 

Some advice that I might have said before: Think before you promise to do something and if you do promise to do it, make sure it gets done no matter how small.  You never know who is relying on you.  Also, don't say anything about anyone EVER that you wouldn't say to their face.  It's best to actually say it to them so they don't hear it in a twisted form from someone else who maybe just overheard.  It's ok to disagree as long as you can come to some sort of conclusion or understanding. Just remember, what's in the past is in the past.  Start today and look forward.

Here's some poems I came across this week:

Humility

If you go to your knees before you are brought

Oh how much greater the change that is wrought.

Our Heavenly Father is always there

to answer the humble petitioner's prayer

Some scriptures that go with that one:

Matt 5:5- "Blessed are the meek for they shall inherit the earth"

Alma 32:16- "Therefore blessed are they who humble themselves without being compelled to be humble; or rather, in other words blessed is he that believeth in the word of God, and is baptized without stubbornness of heart, yea, without being brought to know the word, or even compelled to know before they will believe."

Faith

Stop wishing on stars

and picking up pennies

start to live

by counting your blessings.

Don't just stare off

into the darkness and whine

to things that do twinkle

and things that do shine.

No globe of fire

light-years away

can give you the happiness

that comes with faith.

Follow the dreams

you have in your heart.

Acting on guidance

and doing your part.

Inspired will be

the path that you walk.

Talents uncovered,

practiced and taught.

Happiness does not

in shadows lurk.

As we can see

Faith = work!

I'm sorry if it seems like I'm lecturing all of you at home.  I just get excited about things that I learn and I want to share them.  If it bugs anyone you can just skip it.  But I feel my mission isn't just what I do every day but it's what I'm learning as well and I wanted people to know it all. Just like a journal shouldn't be just what you did that day but how you felt about it. I'd hope to hear the same from all of you.

Hope everyone has a great week!  Keep Smiling!

                       Hermana Evans