Loving It!

Dear family,

After a lesson w/Julia Jabagat & Sister

I glad to hear that you week went well:) Its always fun to get a visit from the Utah gang even though they are never at the house...LOL!!! I am amazed to hear about the new young mens presidency and I know they will do amazing things to that program:) I'm glad the ward asks about me..hhehe tell them I said hi back and tell Sister Nguyen that I appreciate her sending me Micheal's emails.I love reading about his mission:) So give her a huge thank you for me:) 

A Philippine Sunset

Transfers this past week were emergency transfers but they were not because of me. hehe I have a feeling I will either be training or DL (district leader) so they are just giving me 2 weeks to learn the area:) I don't know for sure:) 

We get revelation during personal study

I love my new area and my companion, although quiet, has a really powerful testimony:) Nothing probably will be able to replace the freindships I made in Tuyom but nothing is impossible:) 

Baptism of Nicolas Pineda

I downloaded more pictures so if you want to check them out go ahead:) We had a baptism on Saturday and he is a very strong RC (recent convert) because before, Elder Barrera (my new companion) said he had a lot of personal things to work out.

Philippine scenery

Not much all is going on but I will let you know next week all my adventures:)

Love you all and I hope all is well

Love,

Elder Evans

I love the view

New Area - La Carlota

 Dear family,

I didn't know there was a country for "X-Box"! Hahahaha

This past week was a great week we had very good lessons but no investigators attend church so that was kind of a bummer:(  So some "out of the blue" news, I got transferred and I am now in the La Carlota zone which is still south of Bacolod... It feels I have spent all of my mission in the south..hahaha!!!!I miss my friendships in Tuyom but I look forward to a new start in a new area.

Tell G&G Evans thanks for sending yet another package and I look froward to seeing the treats that they send me this time:) I feel really bad about Justin and I will totally keep him in my prayers. :)

The 5 most gupo (handsome) men in the branch

I am glad to see that you see progression in my faith and Testimony and I see it too. It has been and still is an amazing experience on my mission and although there is only 340 days left I know there is still alot of hearts to touch and more I can do to become more converted to the Lord:)<3

I know that Bishop is exactly right with his talk and I wish I was there to hear it. I am so excited for brother Snow and I knew it was only a matter of time...LOL!!! I know whoever is called as YM president... they are called by God because everything in the Gospel happens for a reason:)  

I am excited for dad and tell him good luck for me as I know he will do great as usual:)

I miss you all so much and time is flying here... few more months and I will be home..CRAZY!!!!!

Love always,

Elder Evans

Joy, Sorrow & Pain -- Life

Dear Family,

Me and the 2 future missionaries of Tuyom Jan Paulo Dayondon Piella, Bush Magbanua

This week has been a week of joy, sorrow and pain! We have a lot of investigators and we are getting this area to the place we know it is capable of being. We had members work with us everyday and we have that as our companion goal for this upcoming week. We had 3 investigators attend church and if they attend next week we will have a baptism on January 30th.. (So pray that they keep the Spirit and desire to get baptized):) 

This was a spiritual week because I had a personal interview with President and I felt the spirit of the Lord in that interview. I know that I will come out of this service and mission a better and changed man!!! I love that I can go to my mission President with any matter and know that he will be there to help:)

After the FHE at Bush Magbanua's house

The meaning of an "RC" is recent convert and they just graduated to a member because they have been baptized for more than a year. An RC is only a title if you have been a member for less than 1 year:) We have an FHE at their house later tonight and I hope that we will have a big turnout and a really fun time:)

A package update.... I have eaten everything and I am loving that I have more/extra paper and razors:) I am downloading more pictures now and adding captions to the pictures that I forgot.. HEHE!!!!

We are finding new investigators every day and even though they didn't go to church they are a true testament of the Lord preparing people for his disciples!!! I love this work so much and this 2nd year is going so fast and I will be home faster then I want:( At the beginning of my mission I wanted my mission to go faster, but now I wish I could extend because even though I hate when they say," HEY JOE...WHY ARE YOU HERE" I have still grown a love for these people and my love for my Lord and Savior. :)

MOM... MOM look what I made... I can make adobo (filipino dish:)
pork,potatoes,soy sause, pinapple, and love

I miss you guys so much and I hope all is going well:) You are always in my prayers and even though I am far away I can still feel the love from your prayers:)!!!<3

Love always,

Elder Evans

P.S. 347 days left till I come home :D

357 More Days!

Baptism day for Sister Villa

Dear Family,

This week was a great week because we actually had the baptism.:) iI was my first baptism since my time with Elder Wade in June.. ahhaha it was a really special service and the spirit was definitely there.:) she had the easiest name I have ever had to pronounce.:) Jona Paduhilao Villa!!!!! It is officially the hot season so we are back to the 100's with 100% humidity :( not looking forward to that:(  My companion and I are doing really well.:) Time is flying and that is a good thing and a bad thing...AHAHHAH:) 

Second floor of one of our RC's in Tuyom

Grandma to answer your questions, I am sad that I missed Cabo with you guys but its ok we will have plenty of time to go back:) The food of the packages are down to granola bars, starburst, skittles (eating those now) and rice krispy treats:) So if you would like to send more I would Love it because I really miss the mac n cheese:) I love you guys and miss you guys a ton:)

Mom about the ward, I got a parcel from the primary... is that the package you are talking about:) I love reading all the christmas letters from the primary children... its so sweet:) Although I don't know half of them because they are new.. ahahah. Nothing else is really new here. hehe

The tagalog is coming slowly but surely because I got set apart to speak ilonggo not tagalog hahaha!!! It is the main language of the philippines so Im sure I will pick it up:) 357 days ad counting!!!! Excited hahaha lol just kidding that's actually really far hahaha.

My new clay bound scriptures.....the ones that I left with.

Since I hit my year mark I have noticed I have gotten more stressed and I flipp out a lot:) Ask Elder Candilasa This week of the baptism I was praying like crazy, and literally acted like a chicken with its head cut off:( Nothing else is new. Another branch member Brother Bush is opening his mission call tonight so I will let you know where he goes:)

Love you all,

Elder Evans

An entrance to a cave in the back of an RC's property

New Companion, Same Place!

FHE at Edgardo Lamis Sr. house

Dear Grizwalt Family,

HAHAHAH... I just really wanted to say that and i am dying in laughter..hahah.

So as you all  know by now... Elder Dio has transferred and my new companion is Elder Candilasa!!!! I know its a mouthful but I love him and I know that we will do very well together:)

This is Tito's daughter... HE is getting baptized on the 25th:)
She is so cute and adorable

As of today President has taken away Facebook but he said that it will be back in the near future:) It was crazy.... 70% of the whole Bacolod mission transferred and it was so funny that I got to see everyone from Provo today. :)  Sister Allegretti,Schultz,Lewis,and Marriott were all there and so was Elder Benedict. :) Me and Elder Benedict were the only ones that didn't transfer... the 4 sisters did..HAHAH. It was great to see them and to hear about their successes thus far.

I cant believe next week I will only have 1 year left:) Elder Candilasa just hit his year mark last week and he goes home December 5, 2106. :)

Its weird to not have Elder Dio by my side because I have been with him for 4 months but I cant wait to get started with Elder Candilasa!!!

Elder Wade also transferred and I got to meet up with him as well... He is now the new Supply elder so maybe if you send packages... they will arrive to me faster..HAHAHA LOL...:)

The Panes Family...smile emoticon MY favorite family here in Tuyom:)

So again I will not be on Facebook for a short time but I will be back on when president gives us the OK!!!

I love you all and hope everything is going great:)

Love Always,

Elder Evans

Me and brother Bush Magbanua after a dinner appointment

From left to right:
Bush Magbanua, Jan Paulo Dayondon Piella,
 me, Kerwin Panes, Kevin Panes, Kenneth Panes, Elder Dio

Me and soon to be Elder Jan Paulo Dayondon Piella
with his mission call going to the Philippines Lagazpi mission:)

*** Mom Post ***
I would like to apologize for not having Spencer's blog updated for the last three weeks.  I can give the excuses as to why, but you probably don't really care, and I really don't want to tell you!  Just kidding! :)  The truth is, Spencer hasn't really shared much of his "exceptional efforts" because he says he doesn't really do anything "interesting".  Well to him it might not be interesting because he is more comfortable now in his "foreign" surroundings.  But to his family here at home, EVERYTHING he does is interesting and fun.

He simply just wants to know how everything is here in California and only shares a brief comment here and there about his service.  He did say last week, however, that his best Christmas gift is having two baptisms on Christmas day.  He is really looking forward to that.

So with that, I will post the pictures that he sent us and pass along his Christmas wishes:
"I hope everyone has a very Merry Christmas and remember the reason we have this great holiday is because of our Lord and Savior and his sacrifice for us.  I love and miss you all!"

Traveling home from a lesson

Zone meeting with Elder Archuleta, on the left
(No relation to David Archuleta!)

Slow Week

Spencer's blog will just be pictures this week.  He said he had a pretty slow week since he and Elder Dio are getting over some kind of "bug".  Enjoy the pictures of Cauayan.  These were taken a couple weeks ago.

View from the Hike

A monday morning hike in Cauayan:)

Everyone from the Cauayan District on the
hike minus Elder Dio and Jan Paulo Dayondon Piella

Another view from the hike