Week 1

greetings family!

writing you a bit early this week because i leave for london early wednesday morning. I only have a short time to update you so i will try to make it good. I am loving the work and learning about the gospel so much. i feel like i know so much but remind myself that i really know so little. i am excited to be out in the field finnaly and preach the word. Today i taught my first real lesson to my doctor out here. So a bunch of kids had to go for our perscription meds and when i got back there she asked me what it was that our church actually believed. So i taught her all about the restoration. it was pretty nerve wrecking but i enjoyed the opportunity. last wednesday i got the chance to go to the temple and put grandmas name in. how great that was to feel of the saviors love as a servant of him. So all my roommates and i enjoy having a goodtime and word got out that we built a fort in our room that we study in each night for the short time before bed. so now there are a ton of people that come with study material in hand. there is a missionary here named elder lieu that is learning english and he is super funny. he uses the time to develop his english skills. a couple days ago in class i guess they were going over meanings of different hand signals and he took it upon himself to share the knowledge of the middle finger. haha. he had no idea what it meant and was embarassed when he found out it was bad. we had a testimony meeting this past sunday that was great. every missionary preparing to leave was able to share the simple things they know to be true about this gospel. i have enjoyed growing and watching those around me grow in the faith. what a wonderful thing.

before i go i just wanted to share with you one of the things that impressed me this week. we watched a devotional given by david a bednar that talked about the character of christ. if you get the chance please watch it for it is such a testimony builder. he talks about a quote that he heard from another apostle that went along the lines of the atonement could have never happened if it wasnt for the CHARACTER of christ. we know that chirst never looked inward but rather outward. during the atonement when he literally suffered more pain than anyone can begin to comprehend he did not look inward but rather outward in his healing of the ear of the guards ear. finnaly on the cross when he is suffering excruciating pain and being mocked and spat upon he exclaims to his father forgive them for they know not what they do. he was teaching as he was with the robbers preparing to be nailed upon the cross saying today you will be with me in paradise. i testify that the character of christ is real. christ always put others before himself and never looked inward. how grateful i am that christ never turns away from us. even when we turn our back on him and sin he still looks towards us. he loves us and knows the pain that we are going through for he felt it personally. how grateful i am for that love and the sacrifice he made so that we are able to return to live with him. i love this gospel so much. i testify to you that it is true and perfect! i love what elder holland said when he talked to anyone who may not have a testimony. he said feel free to lean on mine. as mine continues to grow it is my desire that i can let the investigators that i teach lean on my beliefs as i help them know for themselves. thank you for all that you do. i love each of you and keep you in my prayers. best of luck in surgury to both dad and grandma i will pray continually for your sucess and recovery. i miss you all and love hearing from you. know that i am growing and doing exactly what i need to be doing at exactly the right time. i know that and love that i know it!

 

love you all!

 

Elder Evans