Nov 24 2013

So this week had lots of ups and downs. I picked up my new companion in Piura, his name is Elder Vasquez from Chile. He just came from the CCM in Lima. We got to go to chiclayo with the whole mission to see Elder Nelson speak so that was awesome!! All the missionaries from the mission Piura and Chiclayo were there and we all got to shake his hand. He talked a lot about how we can hasten the work of Salvation and talked about how our families will be alright and that we need to lose ourselves in the work. I saw a ton of friends from the CCM there and one of the friends I met there was at the conference as well and in his 8th day in the field he lost his finger playinng baksetball. He had a ring on and when we dunked the ball his ring got caught and ripped his finger off.

But anyway, after that we went back to Morropon and my companion got very homesick, and the net day he got physically sick for two and a half days so we literally did almost nothing this week. No priesthood holders could stay with him and go on splits with me to visit people, we only have like 4 or  priesthood holders in the branch in the first place. So I am super bummed with this week with our work in Morropon. He's better now so this week should me better! We did have a big activity with the ward and investigators and it was all about the family. The whole district came to help with referencias. The activity was super fun and we got some referncias now too so I am excited about that!

Have a great Thanksgiving! I'll try to remember and celebrate in the room a little haha.

Love, Elder Evans

Nov 18 2013

Hey everyone! This week has been a wild one. All week I have felt pressure on whetherI'll stay in Morropon and teach the area to an experienced misionary or leave. Then we found out that a huge group of new missionaries are coming in so that changed things. Either Elder Roman will stay for two more cambios or I will to train. I went on splits with Elder Chen in Chulucanas and that was great. He is a very hard working missionary and we taught a lot of good lessons. Then on saturday night we had noche de hogar in the ouse of a member, once we got back to the apartment the pressure was intense waiting for the call from the zone leaders. When they finally called they told us that Elder Roman is going to serve in Sullana and I will be staying in Morropon, to train a new missionary! I'm pretty nervous because I only just finishe my training, but I am really excited as well. Today I am serving with Elder Chen because his companion Elder Farnsworth and my companion Elder Roman left to their new areas. Tomorrow Elder Chen and I will go to Piura to get our new Elders, fresh from the CCM, and then sleep in Piura with other Elders because on Wednesday we travel early to Chiclayo (3 hours away) to go to the devocional with Elder Nelson. I'm so excited and pumped for this week, I get to start training and I get to hear another apostole.

This makes me think of Ether 12:27-30 because I am so new and I still have a long ways to go with my spanish but Presidente Rowley received revelation that I should be a trainer. The Lord does call the weak, so they can become strong. I know other americans that started their missions with me and some of them are being transferred to other areas instead of training or teaching the area to an experianced elder so it makes me wonder why I was chosen to train. I look forward to it and to learning and I know the Lord wants me to train now, so early in my mission so that's what I'll do, he has a way prepared for me to do it. Plus I love challenges, I'm always up for a new challenge, so here we go!

Have a great week and keep smiling!

Love,

Elder Evans (Paul)

 

 

Nov 10 2013

 So this week was pretty sweet. It was mainly two or three days so I won't write a whole lot.

We started teaching seminary classes this week to the 3 youth in the ward, we teach the classes el martes y el sabado a por 2 hours each class. And this month we happen to have to teach the book of revelations (since we started so late) so not only am I teaching seminary, I am teaching seminary for the book of revelations. Oh, and in spanish, so it's a little rough haha. Luckily though this past week my spanish has improved so much. I just noticed different grammatical frases or something that has made it so much easier. On martes only the branch president's son showed up though, and on saturday, no one did...

Then on thursday we had splits, Elder Farnsworth from Georgia came to Morropon to serve with me and it was so fun. He only has one more transfer so he was talking all about the classes he is going to take at BYU, it made me prettty trunky but we did a lot of good work that day. We challenged 2 people to baptism, both accepted for th 30th so we're hoping to close out the month with two baptisms. We taught 4 other lessons, 6 in total, which is rare in Morropon, we just need to find more nuevos investigadores. Anyway, that night Elder Farnsworth and I made a giant dinner of spaghetti and garlic bread (we just poured some liquid garlic on the bread and microwaved them because we don't have an oven) and the next morning we got up at 5:30 to go running and exercise an extra hour. We ended up running up a mountain and there were some ruins up there so that was way cool. The mountain wasn't super big, and there was no climbing involved so it was all good.

Hermano Clemente is doing great, he tried to bring his neighbor to church who we are teaching but the neighbor Miguel Angel is very shy so he didnt want to this week. We'll get him there though. Oh and on suday I gave another talk with a last minute notice. I spoke on the scriptures and how through them, we partake of the love of Christ (similar to Lehi's dream and the iron rod).

That's all for now folks, have a great week and do some good!

Love,

Elder Evans, Paul

I sent some pictures. One of my zone at the zone activity we had last monday, and one of Elder Farnsworth and me in my room after a very successful day in Morropon eating a spaghetti dinner and garlic bread and drinking milk. He only has one transfer left so I'll miss him. He gets home the 31st of december and the semester at byu starts the 6th or 7th for him. The next morning we ran up a mountain and those are the next pictures.

 

 

 

Nov 4 2013

Hey Everyone!

This week was not as successful as the last few but we're working hard. We only have two weeks left with this transfer so Elder Roman or I will be leaving most likely, more likely I will stay to teach someone the area. I have been reading the Book of Mormon like there is notomorrow (during my study times or before going to bed) because I want to get this language down quick and learn new things to share with my investigators and less active members. 

This week we walked into Hermano C______ outside his house again in his chair, and as always, he was reading el Libro de Mormon. It's awesome, he has learned a ton. And he wanted to tell us his life story, which is very sad. His parents both have passed away and his mom was blind the last 15 years of her life, one or two of his siblings have passed away as well and hes only 51 or so years old. He was a drunk before he joined the church but now he stopped drinking and reads el libro de Mormon cada dia. He bore his testimony to us and broke into tears and thanked use for all we have done for him and he thanked God as well. He told us he wants to take their names to the temple and be baptised for them and have all their work done. We are going to try to help with that. It showed me how reall and true the Book of Mormon is. It changes lives. It turns them around and puts them on the path to Eternal Life. I'm grateful for the opportunity to be out here sharing this message and this book with the Peruanos. 

Also, the branch is going through some major changes. the Missionaries will be starting to teach all the sunday school lessons on sundays, and seminary classes for the 5 youth (2 of which are investigators but we can't get them to church so we don't know if they will show up), and the Branch president doesn't have counselors because there are only 2 elders, the branch president and the elders quorom president so he wants us misssionries to be his counselors so we'll see how these next few weeks go. They will be crazy with teaching seminary and sunday school and if we do end up being called to be his counselors. Seminary, however, will only be two classes per week, 2 hours each class.

That''s abaout all from the southern side of the world. I'll be back in a week!

Love, 

Elder Evans, Paul