Monday, March 10, 2014

March 10, 2014

Hello to one hello to all!

So this week has been great. I really love the Wembley Ward and don't want to ever leave. Transfers are coming up next week so I am starting to stress for sure! Just trying not to think about it. Allow me to share some of the highlights of the week.

So Evalina is our Romanian Investigator and she is doing beyond good. She loves coming to church. She feels welcome and at peace. She always feels the spirit but doesn't identify it as that quite yet. We have been reviewing her english with her because she had a test this past weekend and it was so fun. Basically we just got to talk with her and tell us all about herself. She is 21 and so cool. We are hoping to give her a baptismal date this week.

I was asked to speak in church yesterday. It turned out okay despite the short notice. I have learned to love short notice assignments because it forces you to rely on the spirit rather than our own understanding. After I spoke there is a part member family who has a son that is 8 and he told his mom as i was speaking "Thats who i want to baptize me." So they came up after and kindly asked. I am excited for him. His name is Darren and he has autism. Such a cool family. Hopefully the father will come to support the family and have a desire to be baptized as well.

So my companion and I are doing well together now. Last week we went to a part of our area that is like an hour away so he could get new shoes that he didn't really need but wanted. Upon getting there the shop was closed and he got all upset. He told me earlier in the day that he had set an appointment with a less active in the area so right after he bought the shoes we could just go and teach a lesson. Turns out he never scheduled and appointment but he just wanted an excuse to travel up there. So there we were with no plans as to what we should do. A little frustrated, I walked into this shop that was having a sale. I just needed 5 minutes to cool off. He called our district leader and told him this story about how i was wasting time, etc. Later that night our District leader called to talk to me and i lost it. So we had an unplanned companionship inventory that turned out to be really good for the both of us. Now we are good and able to communicate with each other effectively.  

I was on a companion exchange with our zone leader and it was so fun. We met with this family from Ghanna who was sooooo cool. They were the last appointment of the day and we were exhausted. Turned out to be so rewarding. She was a member back in Ghanna but hasn't come out for 10 plus years. Her husband is not a member but wants to learn about our beliefs. We talked and established a good relationship with them. Before I knew it i was demonstrating my modeling abilities or rather lack of them for all to see. We were all laughing so hard tears were coming from our eyes. The result of a solid relationship is unmeasurable. For example, she was planning a meal for us for the next time we came, planning to come to church, gave us referrals, etc. I love the people from Ghanna. They are sooo funny. I tell them im from Ghanna as well and they usually start laughing super hard. Then I speak a little bit of Twee to them and they are slightly convinced. haha...Just something about my skin color throws them off? FYI on numerous occasions, because of my ability to communicate with the Africans, numerous missionaries have told me that I was born in the wrong country....All those rumors about me being adopted when i was little,,,well im starting to believe them...

Every week we have sports on saturday mornings. Its sooo fun. Members, non-members, and random people come. The first few weeks it was a little slow. But this past Saturdaythere was around 20 people there. Mostly non-members. They always ask questions and because a lot of them speak little english, they usually end up coming to the english class we hold in the evenings. I firmly believe that if ever a missionary thinks missionary work is not fun, they are doing it wrong. I have never had more fun in my life. Despite getting a black eye from going a little to hard against a brazilian for the ball...its worth it. 

There is a talk that i read this past week about becoming a consecrated missionary. I will attach a link so that you can read it if you so desire. While it is directed towards missionaries, i think everyone can find personal application within it. I love it. Often times in the church we are willing to do almost anything but there is one thing that holds us back from becoming fully consecrated. If we can let it go, recognizing the lords will and not our own, we will be blessed. I testify to you of the truthfulness of the Plan of Salvation. It is more than just a cool man made idea. Indeed it is our Heavenly Fathers plan of happiness for his children. It is universal. It applies to all. We did live with him before this life. I was thinking a few days ago and it dawned upon me. Just 20 years ago i was preparing to come here to earth. Heavenly Father was embracing me and telling me to make him proud. The best thing we can do to make him proud is return home to him. He sees our potential now we just need to recognize it. 

I love and pray for you all. I love hearing where each of you are at in life. Keep up the emails. 

Love Elder Evans

the link to the talk is copied below. If you havent read it before, do it. I promise you wont regret it.

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