It´s true. This week was long, but not too long. In the beginning we did a service project for a lady who was a reference from a member in another area. It was fun, and she gave us breakfast and it was so fun. We also had another investigator there who helped us and also 2 other companionships from our district. It was fun. The rest of the week was weird weather, one day was super-hot and the rest was cold and rainy and feels like snow. But I kind of wish it would stay hot, because there is already Christmas music floating around, and add cold weather to that, equals one trunky sister Evans. Not cool. But this week we were preparing this guy to be baptized, and he had an answer from God and everything. He was ready, and everything was set, until Saturday night we went to his house to follow up, and he said he was going with a group of people from another church to a mount to pray or something. And I felt in my heart that something was wrong. But we couldn´t do anything. He said he´d be back tomorrow when we come get him for church. When we went to get him Sunday, he wasn´t there, and his phone was off. His mom said that he never came back home. So we went to church, solemnly, and I asked God what I could have done better, and I didn´t get an answer. Our ward mission leader later received a message from our investigator saying that he got back 10:00 am because he passed the night on the mount praying. Which is a kind of good thing, except for that he knew what god wanted him to do and didn´t do it. But anyway, I couldn´t understand what I did wrong for his baptism not to happen. We even fasted. My companion got really down, because she doesn´t have much time on the mish, and has already passed for a ton of trials and couldn´t understand why the mission is so hard. I, on the other hand, was disappointed, but not feeling like I wanted to give up, and I was able to explain a little bit to try and help her, even though it´s really hard to explain. 

And then today I read an email from my littlest brother, and he said that head fasted for me. And then I understood. What had happened wasn´t a consequence of something I did or didn´t do, but was simply another trial in my life, and I was strengthened by the faith of my family and friends. and then I remembered an email that my cousin on her mission sent, about how the Lord didn´t take away the burden of a certain people, but he made the burden light so that they were able to carry them. And then it made sense. I know that the Lord knows all things. We don´t understand things all the time, and He answers our prayers in different ways that we weren´t expecting. I know that prayer and fasting are powerful tools through which we can exercise our faith to produce miracles. 

Thank you all so much for the prayers and fasts, they are truly felt, and help a lot. Love you all!! Boa seamana!!

Sister Evans

**Note from her letter to me just in case you’re wondering where she lives too. 😉 “mom, i do not live in a favela. i live in a nice little house with nice neighbors on a nice street. i just work in the favelas because the people are more humble. i´m safe. don´t worry. the angels are present.”