Nov 24 2014

Hey everybody. This week was pretty sweet. This week, and last week as well, we changed the roof of two houses. The elder's quorom president needed our help taking down his roof and replacing it the week before. This week we helped an inactive member replace his roof as well as he and his wife are preparing for the summer here and bought new roof pieces that donn't absorb as much sunlight as the other metal sheets they had on the house beforehand. I got pretty sunburnt. Also, this week while tracting, or knocking on doors, looking for new investigators, we found an inactive lady who got baptized about 30 years ago. She was one of the first people baptized in the Piura area or something. She was super nice and was very happy that we had passed  by. She doesn't go to church because every sunday she goes looking for food to eat by doing small chores for her daughters or granddaughters like washing clothes or dishes or something. She is really poor but the relief society went to visit her to see if she can receive help to provide for herself (she is too old to work and her kids don't do much for her). No one accepted us that day except her but we are happy to have found her and hopefully we can help her. On sunday we went on splits, I went with the bishop, the second counselor of the bishopric, and the relief society president to visit a few families while my companion went with the ward mission leader and the other elders to the coorilation meeting. They planned the final details for our "open doors" or "meeting the mormons" activity we'll have on saturday and I and the others already mentioned visited a less active family and some familiies of investigators we have to help them feel more welcome in the church and feel comfortable. It was super cool.

On Saturday we receive the news for the transfers. Anything is possible!

In my studies I've been reading in Mormon, coming close to the end. I love the later chapters 7 and 8 when he and Moroni talk about the Book of Mormon being revealed in the latter days and how it was written to help us develope faith that Jesus is the Christ, the son of God. So keep reading it! 

Have a great week! Love,

Elder Evans

Nov 17 2014

Hey everybody! Today was a good week. We set a baptismal date for the 6th of december for our investigator Angelica. We also have to talk to her son to baptize them both together. This week we went on exchanges with the zone leaders and it was awesome. They had moved to a new apartment and it is way nicer than any I've seen here. It has 3 couches!!!! And two small rooms and a kitchen and the bathroom in the back. I was astounded. I learned a lot from the exchanges. I was with Elder Arce in his area. Also, on saturday we had a conference with the whole mission and with Elder and Sister Evans. Elder Evans is from the first quorom of the seventy. He taught us a lot about how to be a Preach My Gospel missionary. He showed us a lot of misunderstandings that missionaries have about how to be an effective missionary and all. It was very eye opening hah. When we shook their hands, Sister Evans said to me "Oh I like that!!" Right after looking at my plaque ha. Elder Evans has a sister named Katherine so I told him I do too, and he said thats cool, and that his brother or somebody was a mission president in Minnesota a few 20 or so years ago. A less active family we have been teaching for months finally went to church all TOGETHER! My companion and I are way happy. But not one of our progressing investigators went this week even though they said that they would :(

Today we had a zone activity playing soccer and volleeyball and then we went to Papa Johns. The missionaries always have a 2 for 1 discount just for being a missionary, but I have no idea why. I told them I had worked in Papa Johns for almost 2 years, about 3 years ago. And they invited me to make the pizzas for my companion and two other elders. My companion Elder Melo entered with me to take pictures and so I wasn't alone. Then toward the end one worker said the boss was pleased with my work and offered me a job  :0  ...I politely declined explaining I am dedicated to be a missionary for the Church of Jesus Christ for two years. They said I am always welcome to come in and make the pizzas I buy haha. They will make money and not have to work for it haha.

Hope you all have a great week and have fun!!

Elder Evans

 

Nov 10 2014

Hey everybody. This week the zone had interviews with President Rowley and my ward held an activity in the church on saturday. A ton of the appointments fell through and my companion had an allergic reaction this week an dgot sick so we couldn't do a whole lot this week. The activity went great though. Everyone had a blast. It was like a sports night with small games and competitions. A bunch of members came and the purpose was that they would bring non members to get to know each other and receive referencias. About 3 or 4 investigators of ours went and had a great time and met some of the members and 4 more people came and we wrote down their addresses and numbers to visit them this coming week. We didn't have as many references as we wanted, but a ton of members came and enjoyed themselves. We have another activity coming up in a few weeks that is pretty much an 'open doors' activity or however it's called in english. In spanish it's 'puertas abiertas.' Hopefully that activity turns out well. One of our investigators Alex and his less active wife attended the activity and said they wouldn't be able to attend church but they did anyway. It was the first time for me seeing them together in the church on a sunday. Alex at times goes but not his wife. It was awesome. But unfortunately they had to work after the sacrament meeting so they left early.

This week on Saturday Elder Evans from the seventy will be coming to the mission to address us so that's pretty exciting. 

Have a great week! Love ya!

Elder Evans

Nov 3 2014

Hey everybody, I hope you all had a great Halloween and that the Prior Lake Cross country team ran fast at state. Were there a lot of people out trick or treating? Because here in Piura I didn't see a single one. Here they don't celebrate halloween much at all. It falls on the same day as a day of the criolle music or however that ord is spelled. But the people barely celebrate that either. So it's pretty much a double holiday and they didn't do much for either, but I think the students celebrate it in their schools.

 Anyway, I had a good week, we taught a less active this week and we met her brother and mother and the mom had listened to the missionaries a year or so back and was going to get baptized but her husband didn't want her to. We taught them about the restoration and the mom remembers a lot and hopes to be able to start going to church again and possibly get baptized with her son. Hna. Angelica, who we started teaching 2 months ago but left to Lima for a month, went to church yesterday! We can only count the attendence if she stays the three hours and she said she had to go home after the sacrament meeting but the bishop and a bunch of members of the relief society welcomed her and they became friends...she ended up staying the three hours. Many times there are investigators that don't wish to stay the three hours or get baptized just because no one takes the time to get to know them and be their friend. I am so glad that the members this week stepped up and made her feel welcome in the church. In a stake priesthood conference yesterday evening a zone leader spoke (Elder Parra who was in the CCM with me) about just that. People, investigators and less actives, need to feel welcome. We have no idea what is going in their lives and a hug or a friendly conversation might be just what they need.

In the same conference the first counselor of the stake presidency talked about the people with testimonies and the people who are converted. Those with testimonies go to church and pay tithing and all but those who are converted are those who change their beliefs, heart, and life to accept the will of the Lord. The true converts don't get tired of doing the right, and if they do, they quickly surpass it and keep it up. It was a great talk. And on the 15th of November the whole mission will come together to listen to Elder Evans ;) he's from the 70.

 

I don't have much time to respond but this week in church the Christmas music has already started. And yesterday I got the 'dear elder' letter you sent in september. Thanks for the letter. And the package. That also arrived. I greatly enjoyed the candy corn and I shared some with my companion. It lasted a day or two I think. Thanks again!!

Have a great week! Love you all!

Elder Evans