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Author: dreainbrazil

Emotional Rollercoaster

Emotional Rollercoaster

3/20/17

Olaaaaaaaa!!! 

This week literally was an emotional roller coaster. I felt all the feels and it was uncomfortable. It made me think about how Christ felt literally all things possible at the same time and I can’t imagine how horrible it must have been. The disappointment, frustration, sadness, excitement, happiness, sorrow… imagine the agony of experiencing everything all at once. I have been studying in Alma in the Book of Mormon and I found a scripture where Ammon is talking about his missionary work, and I realized that I felt the same way. Alma 26:16 

“Therefore, let us glory, yea, we will glory in the Lord; yea, we will rejoice, for our joy is full; yea, we will praise our God forever. Behold, who can glory too much in the Lord? Yea, who can say too much of his great power, and of his mercy, and of his long-suffering towards the children of men? Behold, I say unto you, I cannot say the smallest part which I feel.´´ seriously. This week I felt the agony of losing yet another soul, the frustration of someone receiving an answer from God, and yet not acting on it, the disappointment following excitement for when someone tasted of the joy of the gospel, but walked away from it for the things of the world. It hurts real badly. But still the one soul that accepts our message and is willing to act is worth every moment of sorrow. God truly loves each and every one of his children, and will never leave us alone. Christ knows how we feel, he felt it too, whether you like it or not. It´s easier to accept him into your life and feel his atonement than to try and go on without him. Jesus Christ lives. 

Amo vocês!!! Sister Evans

our investigator made coxhinhas for us. you americans don´t know waht these are and i can´t explain them but the same investigator gave a me a recipe book on how to make them so fear not, here in 13 months you all can try one. 
Zone meeting
when brazilians try to be artsy in english hahahahaha. same tho.

Sisters Conference

Got to see my trainer Sis Robbi again

Sisters Conference luncheon

What Would Christ Do?

What Would Christ Do?

Hallooo meus amigos!! (hallooo is not Portuguese, just fyi)

Hope everyone is doing well, as it is spring there and still mid-summer here. (It never ends help me) 

But aside from the sweltering heat, (ok it wasn´t super hot, it rained most of the time. I’m just being dramatic) this week was great!! STORY TIME: We were teaching this family of six boys and a mom, but 2 of the 6 don´t live there, as one is off doing his own life, and the other is a drunk who lives on the street here. One day, we were walking past this park plaza thing and my companion felt the spirit super strong with the name Wellington. We walked over to a group of drunks and asked if they knew a Wellington. One answered and said that was his name, and we asked his mom´s name, and it WAS ONE OF THE KIDS FROM THE FAMILY. Turns out he and his family don´t talk to each other, and he is always drunk and smoking all the things under the sun. We talked to him for a bit, asked him if he wanted to change his life, and he said yes, but as he was drunk, we couldn´t teach him, because he wouldn´t remember anything, and it´s hard for the spirit to be there when there is alcohol involved. Anyway, after talking to him, another drunk dude called us over to talk to him 2 other drunk dudes. The first guy was so completely wasted to the point where his eyes were pure red where it´s supposed to be white, and staggering around and not making sense while speaking. The other two was a guy from Peru, and an older man. We invited them all to church on Sunday, got the addresses of the other 2 guys, and marked days to visit. We said a prayer with them, and left. When we went to visit the Peruan, Juan Pablo, he wasn´t home during the time we planned. So we went to visit the older man, Benedito. Our appointment was marked for 3 hours later, but we went early. Turned out, he gave us the wrong house number, so we knocked a couple of doors randomly, and came to this one house that looked locked from the outside, and a neighbor yelled to us that no one lived there. We were about to leave, when Benedito came out all smiley. GUYS. This man was prepared to receive the gospel at this time. We taught him, and the spirit was so strong. 

We went back to wellington a couple more times to teach him, but every time he said, “no I’m not in a good way right now. Maybe later.´´ but he said he would go to church. Guess who went to church? Benedito, not wellington. We were impressed with the name of wellington that day because we already were familiar with the name, as we were teaching his family. But we really were drawn there because of Benedito. After the first time we met Benedito, he didn´t drink again. When we went to pick him up on Sunday, he was all ready to go to church super fancy and everything. Awww. He is progressing so fast!! His baptism is marked for next Sunday the 19th. 

He is incredible. He separated from his wife, who lives in a neighboring city with their 7 year-old daughter. And his wife turned out to be a less active member!! I am so excited I want to cry oh my goodness. We’re going to baptize Benedito, and he and his wife and daughter will reunite and will be sealed in the temple for all eternity!!! I am so excited. After church he said that it seemed like he wrote down all the things he was passing through and gave it to the teacher of the class, because it seemed directed at him. He is so excited to have found the truth, he understands everything, and believes everything and prays and reads the scriptures and wow wow wow. I’ve never had an investigator like him. The lord works in mysterious ways. That´s all I can say. 

Anyway, amo vocês!! Boa semana!!!

Sister Evans

 

Confidence Booster

Confidence Booster

Ola familia! 

Hope everything is well with all of you! This past week flew by, and guess what!! I´m, at 5 months on the 10th!! Already! I can´t believe how fast the mission is going. I feel like time is slipping through my hands and I don´t have enough!!!! I really love the mission. I can´t explain it, but I love everything about it. I love teaching and walking and finding and all the mission things. Ok I don´t love walking, but it means that I can find new people to bring the joy of the gospel to, so I love it. This week I had a cool experience while teaching. 

Throughout my life, I have always struggled with feelings of inadequacy. I would try so hard, but I felt that it was never enough. These feelings were tripled last transfer. I felt like I was constantly disappointing myself, my companion, and sometimes, even God. It was hard, I never received praise from my comp; my testimony was criticized to the bone, and only heard what I was doing wrong. I didn´t have the courage to speak, because I was afraid of messing up. But the other day, we were teaching the Restoration to a family, and I just taught. I didn´t think about what I was going to say at all. I didn´t stutter, there were no awkward pauses, and the spirit was strong. I realized in that moment that the Spirit was putting words in my mouth. The only confidence I need to have is in that I am the Lord´s instrument, and so the Spirit will guide me in all that I need to say. The Lord says in Matthew 10:19   take no thought how or what ye shall speak: for it shall be given you in that same hour what ye shall speak.  And I have a testimony that this is true. I know that we are children of God, and that He loves us more than we can imagine. I have had the opportunity on the mission to feel only a small part of the love God has for His children, and it is very strong, let me tell you. I know that He will guide us in all things, we have only to seek for His guidance. 

Amo vocês, Boa semana!!

Sister Evans

The streets of Pilar Do Sul
Beautiful countryside
Mild Carnival- in apartment of course
The only beach I’ll see on my mission
Funny dog
Storm

Crazy Sisters
Sister Goncalves & Sister Evans
Humongous snails

 

Olaa Gente

Olaa Gente

This week was great! Yesterday we had the baptism of Marcel who is super firm and super excited about the gospel. He was bouncing off the walls before and was so happy afterwards ouch my heart. our other investigator Daniel that I told yáll about last week cut us that day, because  he´s from another state and decided he was going back the next day, so we said goodbye. He said to stop bye later the next day though in case he hadn´t let yet. But we assumed he left, even though we didn´t believe him. And I couldn´t help but feel that he still hadn´t left and that we need to go back. We went back, talked to his sister, and she said he still hadn´t left and his stuff was still everywhere. He wasn’t home at t that time because he found a friend and went off to a sitio to chill. We just hope he´s making good choices, because he told us that he still has a very strong addiction to drugs. We´ll be going back this week hopefully and try to keep working with him because he needs it. 

This week we met this lady knocking doors who is Buddhist and doesn´t believe in God at all, and actually seems to be against Him. She has passed through so much suffering in her life, and she used to be catholic, and left because she does not accept the idea of a Father sending his son to suffer and die. She doesn´t understand why Christ suffered for us if there is still going to be suffering. This really bothered me. In fact, I couldn´t sleep for several hours because of this lady. The next day I studied and studied to find an answer. Here´s what I found regarding the atonement of Christ:

The Atonement consists of Christ´s sinless life, suffering in the garden of gethsemane, death on the cross, and his resurrection(or triumph over death). The Atonement covers everyone unconditionally, meaning we will all be resurrected and have immortal bodies– everyone who has ever lived, good or bad. BUT the Atonement is conditional individually, according to our own sins. We can utilize the Atonement by having faith in Jesus Christ, repenting, being baptized and receiving the gift of the Holy Ghost under the priesthood authority of Christ, and enduring to the end, or striving to be better every day. No matter what, the atonement is there. Christ suffered for our sins so we can live with our heavenly father again. Whether we accept it or not, it happened, and we can utilize it or not. This is all based on our faith. If we do not have faith in Christ, we will not understand the need for his atonement. When we have faith, we enjoy the peace that comes from knowing that we are able to live with our father in heaven again. 

I am so grateful for Christ’s atonement, and the opportunity I have to preach his gospel. I know this church is true, and I know that through Christ, we can have true joy in our lives. 

Love you all!!!

Sister Evans

 

THE TIME I ALMOST DIED and other grand adventures

THE TIME I ALMOST DIED and other grand adventures

P.S. I heard my new area wrong the first time. I am now in Pilar Do Sol, in Zone Sorocaba. 

THIS WEEK WAS FULL OF MIRACLES

Basically I have done more cool things during this week than I have in my entire life. First of all, I almost died. Let me explain.

There we were, walking down the street in the late afternoon, watching the beginning of a storm that we had prayed for because it felt like a drought all week. The thunder and lightning was getting increasingly closer to us, but as there isn´t much we can do about that, we kept walking. We stopped for a moment to look at the rain that was falling in torrents except for where we were, and my companion (Sister Gonçalves) pointed out towards the clouds and BOOM!!!! CRACK!!!!!! The earth shook with thunder and lightning flashed, as I felt electricity surge through my body and crackle in my ears. I was doubled over for a moment and Sister Gonçalves had fallen to the ground. It took a second to realize what had happened, but we got up and ran to the dirt on the side of the road to get off the street. It turned out that as sis Gonçalves pointed, lightning struck, and an electric shock hit her finger, and as we were standing shoulder to shoulder, it went through her and into me. I felt it go through my body and out my right foot. Thank goodness for rubber-soled shoes. There were no side effects, except for the fact that I now have super strength, no big deal. Really though, we´re fine, and afterwards we were laughing and freaking out about how cool it was and telling the whole world about it. But really we could have died, but the Lord truly protected us, and we didn´t die. Woohoo!!

But basically, I got struck by lightning and survived. You know, the usual.

Also, we went to visit some recent converts, and they live in a place called a sitio, which is basically a country home outside the main city with lots of land and a great view. It´s gorgeous up there. Anyway, we went to visit, and they brought out this tupperware full of HONEYCOMB. They told me to eat it, and I was hesitant at first, because what even is honeycomb? Anyway, I put a piece in my mouth, and bit down into WAX. Immediately my tongue was coated in sweet honey and it was glorious. And you just chew until the honey is gone, and spit out a chunk of wax. I now know where beeswax comes from. 

Also I ate a banana straight off the branch, and held this huge tortoise, and saw a huge spider almost as big as my hand. It was incredible. 

So the more important part, this area is incredible. The members are so helpful and have the desire to help us, and people actually progress here! It is so different than Cerquilho in the best ways possible. It´s still freakin hard and freakin scorching, but I can honestly say I have never been happier in my entire life. I didn´t know I could feel this happy. I almost feel bad being this happy, but not bad enough to stop. Here´s a miracle:

We were knocking doors when we realized we had an appointment with a woman 2 hours earlier that we had missed. We ran over there, and she wasn´t home. We didn´t know if she had been there waiting and left, or if she had been there at all. We started walking back, and we saw a young lad sitting on a bench looking off into the distance, and decided to invite him real quick. We sat down and started conversing, and it turns out this kid has already done a year and 7 months of prison and he´s only 22. He was separated from his mom and sister for 9 years for some reason or another, and just found them, but his mom lives in a crack house and his sister lives with another woman. But he was sitting on this bench having just fought with his sister, contemplating what he´s gonna do with his life now. Later we talked to the lady we had an appointment with, and she wasn´t even home that day at all. All this happened to find this kid Daniel. And so we´ve been talking to him and teaching him and he came to church on Sunday. He´s super great. Last night we stopped by to talk to him and follow up about church. He was receptive and everything, just normal, and then my comp said with firmness, “This is the only true church of Jesus Christ on the earth.´´ and Daniel got nervous saying, do you know what you´re saying, and the responsibility you are taking on by saying that? He looked like he was expecting lightning to come strike us down (haha that already happened) but we bore our testimonies, that we know what we are saying, and are assuming this responsibility because we know it to be a fact with everything in our heart, mind, and body. Afterwards, the spirit was so strong, and he felt it to be true too, as we walked down the street, he was practically jumping for joy because “this is the one!! This is the true church! This is the way!!´´ We reminded him that it´s not the church that is the way, it is the ordinances under the authority of god, and our ability to do our part. As long as we have faith in Christ and His atonement, repent, are baptized under proper authority, receive the Holy Spirit, and endure to the end (or strive to be better every day) we will live with God again. 

THE CHURCH OF JESUS CHRIST OF LATTER DAY SAINTS IS THE SAME CHURCH THAT JESUS CHRIST ESTABLISHED DURING HIS MINISTRY, RESTORED IN THESE DAYS. I know this to be true with everything that I am, and I will never deny it. When we doubt, we need only to study it out in our hearts, (the scriptures help too) and pray unto the Lord with a sincere heart and real intent, and the truth will be manifested unto us by the power of the Holy Ghost. This gospel brings true joy. I testify that these things are true. In the name of Jesus Christ, Amen. 

Love, Sister Evans

4 months & getting transferred

4 months & getting transferred

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OLA!!

So I officially hit 4 months Friday!! Passa rapido!! AND I´m officially done being trained!! Woohoo!! Except for now I have to be like actually responsible and know what I’m doing and stuff so this ought to be good. I probably know more than I think, because the Lord´s work is the Lord´s work, no matter where we are. Anyway, my new area is called Morado do Sol, in the Zone Itu. I don´t know much about it except for the word ´sun´ is in the name so here we go. I’m excited!! I’m really gonna miss Cerquilho, because I was born there and my first mission fam is there. But it will be okay. I’m nervous to start a new area, but this time I can understand Portuguese and speak sometimes and I know how to teach and so it should be okay. 

 

As I looked back on my past 2 transfers, they were really hard. I baptized once, and he hasn´t been to church since. I can´t help but think it was my fault that he hasn´t stayed firm, but I also didn´t really know what I was doing. But we talked to him yesterday to say goodbye, and I got some closure. He was struggling earlier in the transfer because he hadn´t talked to his family and stuff and just more stuff. But we talked to him and he is happier and will be going to church. So things are looking up there. But this transfer was especially hard because it has been the hardest I have ever worked in my life, and we have had very little to no fruits. We knocked doors for hours on end, around 40 per day, and that was a lot for me. 

 

But I remembered that I was placed here for a reason, and I will be able to use these experiences to help me through new ones. And that´s really what life is. Learning from our past to be better in the future. Our past mistakes can be forgiven, and we can move on. We should constantly be looking to progress. We should never be content with our current position, because there is always room to improve. But it´s also important to step back and look at your progress, because it is easy to get discouraged when you feel like it is never enough. Realize that you are a child of God, and He has sent you here for a reason. Strive to become closer to Him, and you will be so much happier. You will see your progress and motivated to do even better. I can´t believe where I am today compared to only 4 months ago. 

 

I know that Christ always has his hand stretched out to us, and we just have to take it. When we do our best to fulfill our part, He will always do His. “…For I know the Lord giveth no commandment unto the children of men, save he shall prepare a ways for them, that they may accomplish the thing which he commandeth them.´´ 1 Nephi 3:7 SÓ VAI!!!

LOVE YOU ALL!!!!!

Sister Evans

Pics: my mission fam (irma Jô , kerollene, douglas)

Cerquilho sunset; cool building

“many people follow me, but only God stays with me´´ something like that
lol toilet paper brand
we had to go buy toilet paper for this little market so we could use their bathroom and we used their money and counted it as a service project haha
a majestic snow tiger
shadows of victory
abel my recent convert and me
 
God’s Love

God’s Love

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*unedited- meaning no grammar, punctuation, or English were corrected this time around by mom 🙂

Boooooooooooa tarde meu povo!!!

This week felt like 7 years, and felt like we did nothing even though we were freaking busy as heck.
 
It all started last P-day.
 
We weeded the yard of our Ward Mission Leader as a service project and it was hot. Then our investigator Jessica invited us to eat lunh with her and we ended up teaching her the 10 commandments, during which the mision secretaries were caling us every 3 seconds saying it was urgent. So we finish the lesson and learn that we have to be In São Paulo at 8:00 that night to sleep some other sister´s house to renew Sis B´s visa the next morning. so we go and blow 60 reais each on that, but it was so fun. We hung out with Elder Brum, Christensen, and Alves. It was so fun they are hilarious and basically my long lost cousins except for 2 of them are brazilian haha. 
Also, we got to the federal police place to renew the visa, and the diversity there is incredible. there were peope from the USA, Africa, Syria, Jamaica, and all over. We talked to this amazing lady from jamaica, a guy from india, and a guy from africa that spoke french. So i got to speak english to people from other countires!! it was AWESOME. we played this game i learned in the ctm with them while waiting in line. It was an incredible experience. We then ate lunch with the elders and they said we might have to come back in 2 days, but we went home anyway so we could work. 
so we got home, slept, worked the next day, and got a call again saying we had to go back to São Paulo. Sooo we went back, slept at the sister´s house, woke up the next day and went to go finish the stuff with the elders. (all this traveling includes taking buses and trains and escaltaors and it´s very complicated, but i´m sure i know my way around the stations now.) and it was so fun. thistime in the federal police place we talked to a syrian family who came to brazil because of the war there. It was so sad to see all these people who are so good fleeing their home country because it is not safe there anymore. definitely made me think about how blessed i am to have grown up during a peaceful time in a great country, and now to be serving in another peaceful, free country. people have it a lot worse. 
 
We finished tht up, had lunch, and went back again. so we didn´t meet our goals this week, but we worked hard, and figured out some things that we realized we could fix to have better results in the future. also, the investigator tht invited us to lunch cut us, saying she didn´t want to be baptized becuase she doesn´t feel like she is ready,  even though she is so prepared. sigh. 
 
BUT  we have another guy named flaviano who we are teaching, and helping stope smoking and drinking, and he is doing so good!!!! he was a reference from Dr Julio who lives in campinas but comes everyonce in a while to give us references. and out of the 115 he gave us, only flaviano came through, but it has been awesome. he is progressing so much, and he came to churh for the 2nd time yesterday and he bore his testimony !!!!!!!!! AHHHHHHHHHH!!!! Talk about God´s elect. he will be baptized next sunday. he is so good, i´ve never experienced this before. i have so much love and concern for this guy who i´ve known for 2 weeks, i can only imagine how much he is loved by our Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ. 
 
Miracles are real, people. I know this church is true, and that this is th gospel of Jesus Christ, exactly as He established when He was on the earth, resotred in this day. i know that we are children of God, and that He loves us more than we can ever imagine. i know that there is life after death, and that if we do all we can to become closer to christ in this life, we can be with him and our families in the next. 
 
Eu amo vocês!!!! 
 
Sister (McDanger) Evans
Pics: family that had escaped the war in Syria learned Arabic and drew them; one of the many bus rides, Sister McDanger & Sister McSavage 🙂 Beautiful Cerhquillho
 
Hard work = Blessings

Hard work = Blessings

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Bom diaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!!!

This week was hard, we worked our butts off. But it actually paid off because we finally got 2 people to church this week!!! AND THEY ARE THE LORD´S ELECT. They were seriously both prepared to receive the gospel at this time, and they are going to be baptized next weekend! One is named Jessica, and she is 16, she is so cute and so interested. She believes everything we´ve taught, and she came to church yesterday in a dress and brought her book of Mormon and everything. Plus she got really well integrated with the youth, they all loved her. Ugh I am so excited. We found her knocking doors. The other is named Flaviano, and he was a reference from this awesome dude, Doctor Julio, who lives in Campinas usually, but works in the hospital here in Cerquilho sometimes, and he and his wife are from Peru. They are so great. He comes to church here in Cerquilho every once in a while and gives us like 10 references every time. We have contacted all of them, and only flaviano was the one prepared, but it is awesome. PLEASE GIVE THE MISSIONARIES IN YOUR AREA REFERENCES. Literally give them a list of all your friends and their phone numbers and house addresses. Please, in behalf of missionaries everywhere. 

But anyway, yeah, this week was normal except for that it stopped raining and got super-hot again. But the good news is that January is more or less the hottest month of the year, and it´s almost over!! But I’ve also heard that February is the hottest too so I guess we´ll see. But it´s okay. 

Also we had a multi zone conference last Thursday and it was so awesome I learned a ton. Also we are having a ton of changes, and it´s beautiful. We now only have to keep track of our goals for new investigators, baptisms, confirmations, and marked dates. It´s amazing. It really helps us focus on our purpose, and helps us teach people, instead of lessons. because when we had to track lessons, we tried to have lessons with people, and pray with them on the street, even if they weren´t interested, just so we could meet the goals, but now we can focus on our new people and really teach them and that matters. It’s great. Also we are allowed 3 30 minute breaks throughout the day before 6 in which we can study the language, do training, and companionship study. It’s pretty nice. 

But yeah that was this week, sorry nothing profound this time haha. But I did learn a new word: “pezada´´ which means heavy or deep, so like when someone says “life is short´´ you can respond “pezada´´ like “deep.´´ language lesson of the day. 

Love you guys so much!! Thanks for the emails and stuff!!!!

Sister Evans

Pics: 

I did divisions with our sister training leaders and we worked Indaiatuba and it was great this is sis. Caten and this is her last transfer and she is freaking amazing and super good at missionary work.

We tried to take a picture on the bus together driving back from the multizona but it didn´t work.

The sky is on fire

Meeeee

A bunch of us after church in Irmão Antonio´s Mormon wagon

Our investigator Jessica, and Vilma, the branch president´s wife

Brazilians speaking English ´´it´s revolution babe´´

The sky

Me and the Brazilian horizon

CAUTION: EXTREME REALNESS AHEAD

CAUTION: EXTREME REALNESS AHEAD

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[FYI- Aundrea said last week lightening hit the internet company tower so that’s why no letter. Also, her feet are doing so much better- thank you for your prayers]

This week I realized why the mission is the most difficult and yet most rewarding years of one´s life like everyone says it is.

Let me explain. 

You go into the mission knowing it´s going to be difficult, because everyone tells you that. They say it will be the most difficult, yet happiest and most rewarding years of your life, and you think you know why, but not really. In reality, you have absolutely no idea what to expect. Maybe you will be in a third world country speaking a foreign language. Maybe you´ll be in another state speaking the same language. Either way, all you know is that it will be the most difficult, yet most rewarding years of your life. And you walk in without any idea of what´s to come. 

You´ve prepared for this for a long time. Seminary, Sunday school, mission prep; all this you´ve got behind you, but you still don´t feel ready. What even is the gospel about? 

You enter the MTC, and you find it is nothing like mission prep, except for maybe having to memorize D&C 4. 

Everything feels like a dream. 

Are you really going to do this? Move away from your family and friends for 18-24 months, to a completely foreign territory, to convince strangers to join this church? 

Are you CRAZY? 

And yet here you are, beginning this journey into the unknown. 

Your time at the MTC is up, and you are thrown out of your comfort zone into the missionary field. 

The first week is so hard, and seems to last 6 months. You really wonder if you can actually do this.

You have no idea what you´re doing. 

Why are you here?

You walk and walk and walk and try to talk, but you´re afraid you´ll mess it all up. 

What are you doing here?

You´re walking and panting and sweating and breaking, trying to find someone to accept the message you´re bringing. 

What is the message?

What are you doing?

Can you do this?

Will you do this?

Are you worthy enough?

Are you strong enough?

Why are you here? 

WHY ARE YOU HERE?

Wait.

You know why you are here. 

You´ve known all along.

You are a servant of God, and you have been called to do His work.

You have been called to bring eternal life to the children of God.

You are here, in the name of Christ, to bring them closer to Christ.

You will introduce God´s plan unto His children, so they can have the purpose and the joy in their lives that you have in yours. 

THIS is why you are here. 

`Be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed, for the Lord, thy God is with thee, withersoever thou goest.´

This is His work, and He will see it done. 

And you finally realize why this is the most difficult, yet most rewarding years of your life. 

You are putting everything you have into this work; mentally, physically, emotionally, spiritually. You´ve never exerted yourself this much all at the same time.

And it´s hard.

But it starts to feel real.

In fact, it starts to feel like it is the only real thing left. 

And you know why you are here. 

You don´t know how you make it through each day, but you do, and you LOVE it. 

You love it so much.

Everything aches; your body, your heart, your mind, and your soul,

But there´s nothing else you would rather be doing.

What am I doing here?

I´m preparing the world for the coming of our Savior.

I am preparing the way of the Lord.

Love, Sister Evans

Pics: New companion Sister Bernsten from Salt Lake City, Ut; ceiling in bedroom is leaking; delicious ice cream here; Love the people! 

Change is in the Air

Change is in the Air

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Bom dia família e amigos!!!

This week was transfers!!! I was really nervous at first, because I am new, and I have to show my new trainer around Cerquilho, and introduce people and know the members, but it wasn´t even bad. In fact, it is so good. My new trainer is Sister Berntsen, and she is an angel sent from heaven. (Technically not my trainer anymore because the mission will not be training officially… more on that later.) The problem with Cerquilho is that the same generation of missionaries have been working there for so long, that it has just plateaued, and even started to go downhill. The branch is severely struggling, as we have 300 members baptized, but only 20 come to church. But as I am brand new, I know nothing. BUT my new trainer came in and HOLY COW SHE IS AMAZING. She is so good at discerning the spirit, and has so many new ideas. We´re having family home evening tonight with a bunch of members and nonmembers and hopefully people will show up, because we made a cake and everything. This has not happened in a long while, I can tell. We studied together to figure out why no one comes to church. Listen to this, this is how she works. I am astounded.

We talked to several menos ativos (less actives or people who don’t come to church a lot anymore), and asked them why they don´t come to church. All of them said they didn´t get along with someone, or they didn´t like they way someone did things… basically they were offended. In church, Sis Berntsen heard in her mind ´´gadianton robbers´´ which was like, what the? But she made the connection that if we do the thing like the gadianton robbers, using inside people and underground tunnels and such (metaphorically) we can infiltrate Cerquilho and spread the gospel like that. The members are our inside people of power that seem like normal people, and don´t look like missionaries. if we can use them to help us find people and get references, we can teach the people and baptize them, which in turn, gets the members excited and wanting to help more. As we continued to study, we found in the scriptures that when there is contention amongst the people, it means that they are not united under a common goal. That is so true among this people, everyone has a different goal for the branch, even if it´s a good goal, it´s not the same goal. So, we decided we needed to establish a common goal among them that we can all work toward. But what? Well, Moses 1:39, my friends. God´s work and glory is… to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man. That is our goal. We need to unite together to bring eternal life unto the people of Cerquilho. And if they accept or reject is up to them, but we are going to give them every opportunity. We will not be wasting time with people who are almost ready to receive the gospel anymore. Either they are ready to learn and be baptized now, or they will have to wait. That was a problem of the past… chasing after the people who are almost prepared. They need just a little more time in the oven until we can take them out and put the frosting on top ya know what I’m sayin? We can´t afford to waste time chasing after those who say “oh, maybe I’ll go to church this Sunday… I’ll try´´ because we have SOULS TO SAVE.

Anyway, I would just like to bear my testimony that I know with a certainty that this church is the church of Jesus Christ, and that He established this same church when He was on the earth, with a prophet, 12 apostles, and the authority of God. I know that there is literally nothing better I could be doing with my life right now. Preaching the gospel is everything. I am so grateful for this once in a lifetime opportunity to serve the lord with all my heart, might, mind, and strength, with my eyes set solely on God´s will. There is so much more to life than just surviving. There’s more to life that even just living. This gospel allows you to have true joy in your life. It fills the hole in your heart you never knew was there. It brings you closer to your family, and your relationships have deeper meaning. You are never alone, and no matter what you do, His hand is stretched out still. 

Eu amo todos vocês!!! (I love you all)

Sister Evans