October 29, 2013

My family!

Well goodness!  I love you guys!  But down to business.  

Yesterday was the funniest day.  The funniest.  Why? because of this.  During pday, I bought another umbrella (ive have umbrella problems... long story) but i still had another really big one that was dying.  We were going to take an investigator and his kids to a family home evening so we took all the umbrellas we could find.  We get out of our house and 5 seconds later the umbrella starts falling apart in front of our eyes!  (the big one) like the rod that holds it all together, the little parts that are supposed to make it function, the umbrella part... all of it.  out of nowhere!  hermana Yepez was laughing SO HARD while i was watching in shock and horror as this umbrella died a super random death. I hadnt even touched it.  So that happened, we threw away all the little pieces.  Later we were running to another appointment and hna Yepezs backpack just busted.  The strap busted off... so  we had to fix that in a jiffy, and then!  her watch flies off a few seconds later and just breaks right then!  It was the funniest things!  Satan was trying his darndest, and in the weirdest ways to slow us down.  It was so funny.  SO FUNNY!  

But ok, we found a super awesome and pilas family this past week... so we called them on sunday so we could walk with them to church!  They said sure and we were freaking out we were so excited.  So we went to their house and the mom had a t shirt on... so we asked them if they were ready to go and they looked all sorts of confused.  So we said how we talked to her husband and he said they were going to all go to church..... but apparently we had called the wrong family... so hna yepez and i were super confused too, a) because this family was super pilas and were supposed to go to church, b) because who did we call and where is this other family that is super pilas? So that all happened on sunday... and then yesterday i think it was, we were buying pan dulce to take to the family night and a family showed up behind us, so we contacted them!  And whatta ya know, we have already talked to that family.  AND THEY WERE THE FAMILY WE ACCIDENTALLY CALLED!!!  We had no idea who we had called and were all sorts of sad that there was a family ready and willing to go to church but we didnt know who or where.  Guys, miracles happen.  I dont know how, but Heavenly Father put that family in our path again.  We are going to baptize them.  I can just feel it.

We are preparing (the whole mission is) for a perfect week in november.  the 3 to the 10.  And we will all reach our goals and everyone will end with a baptism.  Its going to be so cool!  We have so many people that are on the edge and are so ready to be baptized!  They just have little challenges!  But heres news, EVERYONE IN THE WORLD HAS PROBLEMS.  That is something I have learned as well.  

Something that is way cool is when we find people out of nowhere that have real questions of their souls that this gospel can answer, I know God puts them in our path or us in their path because they are awesome.  Guys, we need to ask questions. If you dont ask questions, you dont get anywhere.  If Joseph Smith hadnt asked a question, we wouldnt be where we are.  If we dont ask Heavenly Father things, He cant answer.  These people that actually have questions are the ones that progress and move forward.  If they dont have a question about what church is true, or who has the authority, they will never find out!  They will continue in the path that is leading them to no where.  We can ask questions.  We can ask for confirmations, we can ask for forgiveness.  If we dont, we will never get these things.  We cant just be forgivin for all our sins just by leaving the sins.  We have to ask for forgiveness.  The relief of forgiveness is literally right around the corner. Right around the corner of our humility, and our willingness to accept a change and ask a question.  

Ok, thats all i got for right now.... love you guys!  Be safe and happy and I love you! 

Love Hermana Evans.

P.S.  we dont have transfers this time!  whoo!!

October 22, 2013

My family!!

I love you guys, hope you know that.  

So this week was full of fun things!  Hna Yepez tried to wake me up again because she was a little sick....but this time I didnt wake up... Para nada!  Like a rock folks.  Thats how i sleep.  I didnt believe her when she told me she tried again.  But at least she thinks its funny too!  At least shes not mad!

Yesterday we went to Antigua for a pday de Zona.  It was pretty sweet.  We went to the market and I found some really sweet stuff.  REALLY sweet stuff.   OHHH!!! Yesterday we saw hna Merrell and her comp in Antigua!  So cool!  She is doing great!  

I'm pretty sure they pump happy gas in parts of Antigua... It would explain why everyone dresses so weird, but honestly, it smells just like the stuff the dentist gives ya.  

With Juan Miguel, we are SO CLOSE!!! He wants to be able to explain the book of  mormon, so tonight we are going to explain who is who, and who is who's son.  Its kind of confusing guys, we drew a picture.  But now i understand more of who is who too!  So its a win win win!  He will know, i know, and we have a picture!  

oh yeah, while we were in Antigua we took the opportunity to send a letter or two. San Martin doesnt have a post office.. So I sent a letter to you guys and to Kenzie in Bolivia.  POR FIN!!  

We found a pretty cool family on Sunday, the man came up to us and asked for a book of mormon... so we asked how he heard about the church and apparently the missionaries have visited him, and he loved what they had to say!  Now we just need to baptize him.  Boom.  

Hna Yepez and I are working on letting the Holy Ghost guide the lessons.  You can really tell what lessons we taught and what lessons the Holy Ghost taught.  

We have also been teaching a less active man named Roberto.  I dont know if i mentioned him in the last letter, but he is a return missionary, and when he got baptized, he looked for the missionaries and asked if he could get baptized.  Pretty sweet!  So we are trying to get him to remember his mission and the covenants he has made.  But last night I think I scared him.  I said something along the lines of, "Hermano, this invitation is not coming from us.  As representatives of Jesus Christ, we are inviting you to pray for an oportunity to share the gospel and open your mouth tomorrow. Are you going to do it?!"  And then we prayed and left and his eyes were all sorts of wide.  But guys, lets face it, i dont think the Lord said, "well if you want to keep the commandments, youre welcome to... if not, dont worry."  I dont think He said that at all.

And yeah!  Thats what ive got for you guys right now.  :)  LOVE YOU GUYS!

Be safe and happy and have a great week!

Love Hermana Evans

"I made cookies... with eggs, flour, sugar... a little water... and some chunks of chocolate.  they didnt turn out so bad!  I kind of liked it!"

 Enjoying some treats

Hermana Evans and Hermana Yepez celebrating 5 months and 5 weeks

Oops Robyn's Balloon POPPED!

October 15, 2013

My family!!  

I love you guys, hope you know that.  

This week was great!  We had divisions with the sisters of training and we've got some awesome goals.  The mission also has a goal to have a perfect week in November. Every companionship in the week of nov 3 to nov 10needs to reach all their goals and then baptize on the 9th or 10th.  Guys!  We're gonna do it!  

Also, I got to be with Hermana Turley again for that day!  we just forgot to take pics... so sorry.  

Uh, i have a couple funny stories for you.  Ready?  

So in Gospel Principles again, Carlos the mission leader, was asking questions to all of us.  But usually when people get the answer wrong the asker of the question says something like, "close! But also, ....."  He does not do that.  When people would get the question wrong he would straight up say "NO! Its this......" Hahaha... No mercy, folks.   

Also, I dont know if I told you guys...but Guatemala is changing me.  Seriously.  We were in a lesson and the man was talking SO MUCH!!!  and about nothing important.  So I just started talking over him!  Finally I just told him, Hermano, Im talking.  And then he stopped!  Then a couple nights ago, we were in a lesson with a family of very religious evangelicals.  The dad was reading the bible when we got there and during the prayer did the usual murmering and shouting that they do.  the wife was chanting something.  Poor Hermana Yepez was so scared.  But it was SO FUNNY!  And then he also was talking a ton!  So i pulled the, "hermano, Im talking.......(he kept trying to talk).... yep, still talking, hermano."  And then to end the lesson we kneeled to pray, which he was just thrilled for, and it was his turn to pray.  So he began shouting and raised his right hand to the square.  His wife just sang chanted again and hermana Yepez and I ended up getting up mid prayer and said AMEN a few times and left. They will come around some day.  But it was really SO funny.  Maybe you had to be there.  

Oh, there was a woman the other day that I was contacting on the bus and I was inviting her to attend church with us and she just kept saying "im the church!!  we are all the church!" (they say that a lot here) and then she said "you are the church too!  Are you the church?"  So i said, "no hermana, Im not the church."  Her face dropped!  She was shocked that im not the church!  Well guys, the secret is out.  I, Hermana Evans, am not the church.  

There was also a man that I contacted that was a little nuts... he started asking how many books were in the bible (we counted after, there are 66, btdubs), and where was i from (i might have lied... I told him I was from here) he just started saying "lies! shes not from here. (and then he asked hna Yepez) is she from here?!  Have you confessed?  we all have to confess!"  Heck of an experience. Haha..

BUT!!  Good news.  There is a girl that has about 13 years that came to church with us this sunday, she accepted the challenge to be baptized and we are planning on her baptism for the 27 of this month.  She is randomly super positive! Hopefully we can help her family move along as well!  Her name is Carmen if you guys can pray for her.  

Also, Hermano Marco Tulio is SO CLOSE!!  He needs prayers too.  He told us that his baptism is coming really soon!  He just has to be married first!  Also, Juan Miguel.  He has had a hard time with alcohol, he needs prayers too.  We are shooting for the 26 of this month with him.  

We had a lesson with a less active man the other day... his name is Roberto.  He broke my heart.  Straight up.  He was baptized about 20 years ago, served a mission and hasnt assisted in years.  It started out as a good lesson about keeping the sabbath day holy and slowly evolved into sweet chicote.  The man has made very sacred covenants and promised that he would go to church EVERY WEEK!  And be a representative of Christ.  So we just started helping him realize what that means, and that he literally has to do it.  He told us, he knows its all true and that he needs to go to church, but that we shouldnt worry about him.  He will come when he is ready.  How many members do this? I started thinking about all the members that I know that have left the church or arent keeping their covenants.  Guys, Heavenly Father can't even let one little sin in His kingdom.  A sin is a sin.  And God is loving, but He is just.  These people know the truth!  They need help to return!  Alma 31:30-35.  

But yeah!  Thats about all, This week was good!  :)  How are all of you doing?  Nate?  Hunter?  Isaac?  Michael?  Mom and dad?  Hope all is well!  Love you guys!

Be safe and happy and I love you guys!  

Love, Hermana Evans

Pictures sent October 8, 2013

Church in Parramos is being remodeled

Hermana Evans, Hermana Turley and (Robyn will have to fill in the rest when she gets home)

October 8, 2013

My family!!

I love you guys!

Ok, so conference was awesome!  LOVED IT!!  We got to the church to watch and I was about to have to watch in spanish, and then there was a girl that got back from her mission 3 months ago and she was watching in english, so i was able to listen to all but the last session in english.  SO AWESOME!!  Guys, missionary work.  Thats where its at.  Im totally going on a mission for old folks someday.  I hope everyone at home is helping with the missionary efforts.  i can tell you one thing, the people that have a friend in the church are a lot more eager to get baptized.  

This week someone asked me if I'm from china.  just a btdubs, i could be chinese.

So i saw Kenzie Bowcutt in the choir from the mtc?!  Where is she going?  I had no idea!

Umm... oh!  one of our investigators that has been lost for a while came to general conference!! So awesome!  He has some problems with the word of wisdom that we are working through before he can get baptized, but it was so awesome, he hasnt come to church in forever and he finally got to hear the prophet speak! 

Hermana Yepez has been a little bit sick lately and last night at about 11 something she woke me up, but you know how I am when im sleeping... a rock.. so it took a while to wake me up.  and when she finally did wake me up I was under the impression that I had fallen alseep while we were praying!  so i was saying how sorry i was and everything while she was trying to say how sick she was.  And then i fell asleep again... i remember thinking, I should probably go help her, all i told her was "you can go to the bathroom" and then about 30 minutes later she woke me up again to say she was still sick and my advice was to drink some water?  yeah, i dont know either... #suckycompanionaward I am absolutely no help when I am asleep.  absolutely none.  

Dont hate me, but thats all ive got for ya... I do love you though!  and ill try to send pictures!  

Be happy and safe and i love you guys!  

Love Hermana Evans

-----------------------------

I have a little bit longer so I thought I would tell you guys a bit more about my investigators!

So we have one woman named Telma that really is awesome. She is lost right now, but she is awesome.  Her husband lives in the states but we got to her house the other day and she actually had read part of the Book of Mormon!  How awesome!!  I love it when people actually do the things we leave with them!

Marco Tulio went to General Conference this weekend!  He wasnt going to go, he was tired, but we called him sunday morning and he decided why not.  So he went!  And we want to get him baptized really soon, he just has to be married, and his wife doesnt want to marry him... but dont worry guys, well figure something out!

Another, Juan Miguel, he actually is reading the book of mormon too!  And he has so many questions!  he has already told us that he knows he needs to get baptized, he just wants to be more sure of himself.  

We found one kid that has 16 years and he is kind of into hoodlumry, but he is really kind, and his mom wants us to change him.  That was actually pretty funny!  She came up to us in the street and asked us to visit her son and one day we came back to visit him, and she was there alone... so we taught her!  she just kept saying, "oh i really just wanted you to visit my son!"  But she is pretty positive too.  

There is one girl that the elders that were here a while ago were visiting her, but not anymore, so we found her again and challanged her to be baptized and she really is super positive!  She really has questions of her soul!  Its the people that actually have questions that progress.  They want to learn more, so they really try!  

We were looking for a family the other day, but we never found them... instead we found a guy that has about 17 years and his little brother or cousin, i dont remember.  but it was so cool!  the little kids are always the most positive!  Seriously!  The little kid paid attention the whole time and we are visisting them today.  Turns out they dont really have parents, but they have guardians, and we are going to baptize them all.  Im sure of it.  but ok, thats about all i have time for.

I love you guys so much!!!  Adios!  

October 1, 2013

My family!!  

I love you guys!  

This week has been so great!  Yesterday we bought new shoes for Hna Yepez so her feet hopefully wont hurt so bad.  But other than that, things are super great!  I might have forgotten to write anything down to remember to tell you guys again... so this might be a short letter.... but!  I do have a VERY funny story.  

So we were sitting in church in the Gospel Principles class and a very old man named Hno Chico was called on to answer a question.  But he just responded my shaking his finger and saying, "tengo dolor de la cabeza" (I have a headache) and then another very old man Named Martin said "y si la quitamos?" (and if we take it off?) Haha.... as if that wasnt funny enough........ Carlos, the teacher and branch mission leader, walks upto Chico and starts vigorously rubbing his head and neck.  We were talking about death and the spirit world..... and HE KEPT TEACHING THE LESSON!!  Hahaha... and Chico continued to make comments about death and what not, meanwhile, Carlos is litterally pulling Chicos hair and scalp all over the place.  DURING THE LESSON GUYS!  He just kept teaching!  I was laughing so hard silently!  It was horrible, but SO FUNNY!!  

We also had a lesson with a woman named Telma.  She is pilas.  In the lesson she asked how we found her because she talked to missionaries before, but they never came to visit her.  So we were in the lesson and she told us how she really felt the love of God when we came into her house.  She felt the Holy Ghost when she read the Book of Mormon and the folleto we left, pamphlet is what that thing is called, sorry, but anywho, we challenged her to be baptized on the 13 of october... and I feel like she will make a really great member of the San Martin branch.  Maybe she hid from us yesterday, but not to worry, we will find her and baptize her.  

Another thing!!  So we were in a lesson with Marco Tulio, sorry if i havent mentioned him.  He is awesome.  Just has to get married!!  And his wife doesnt want to right now.. but he taught the lesson last night and he chose the topic of baptism.  SUCH A COOL LESSON!  He was asigning scriptures, asking questions (questions that he really had, but still, it was awesome!) And he even had a snack all ready to go for the end.  Hes a regular member!  

We made more cake yesterday.  Thats a thing now, we are going to make cake and take it to a family every week.  Its sa darn fun!  I also may have gained a ton of weight eating all this cake and pan dulce, but what the heck?  How often do you get to make cake made in a toaster and eat real guatemala bread?  The bread is the best here too, just btdubs.  

Ok, I cant think of anything else.... THank you and I love you!

Be safe and happy and I love you!

Love, Hermana Evans