AWE-Mazing!!!

Bacolod Philippines Mission 187 Missionaries

Dear Family,

This past week was so spiritual of course! Elder Nelson was so amazing to meet. He is so much shorter than I thought. They had a professional photographer so I will try to attach a copy and you can try and find me in 187 missionaries..heehee!

I am so happy for dad! That new calling is perfect for him. Did he replace BJ Hunter:) Its good that he got another Mr. Incredible car. Hopefully I will be able to see him squeeze into it in 10 short months. :)  Hopefully he gets a "blue" cruz.. hahaha I jut had to throw some Jeff Dunham in there haha.

So you are still in the Primary huh. I would expect you and sister nguyen to be a tag team in RS!!!! But that's OK Heavenly Father has a plan for everyone! 

The weather here is the same. One day just hot and humid, then over night we get typhoon weather but no typhoon:) thank goodness. I like the typhoon weather  because its not hot and the rain feels so good when we walk to appointments.

How are the siblings doing in school?  The extra curricular activities are great and I am so happy and excited for them:) Tell them to focus in school. I wish I would have paid more attention to get better grades:)!

My new area is great and I think I am starting to see the fruits of my labor:) We had Nicolas, (the baptism in January) get confirmed and we have 1 baptism each week for the next month:) I am so excited and hope they go well.  My new area is Masville in the La Carlota zone. I am still in the South the only area that wasn't in the south was Sagay.. (My first area)! Elder Candilasa and I were in Tuyom in the southern most zone of the mission! I dont have that many pictures this week but I will send you the pic of Russell M. Nelson:)

Elder Nelson taught us more about Jesus Christ and his titles so that we could have a better knowledge of who we serve! He was accompanied by his secretary and 1 body guard that was like the size of a WWE wrestle.r I was scared. His secretary was a twig.. I was like," HOW IS THAT POSSIBLE!" Elder Hayne of the area presidency accompanied him too and he said something that I hold really close to me, " The world will attack the prophet Joseph with NO SUCCESS." I thought that was the coolest thing bc he gave proof of Joseph Smith from the Bible.(Isaiah 29). I learned so much but I have it all writen in my study journal.

I hope all is well and if you could send me a picture of Pj. I ask this becasue Elder Cagampang who is in the same house says he knows Pj.  He was in his ward apparently because he is from Quezon city. So if you can send that that would be AWE-Mazing!!!

Love,

ELder Evans
****Mommy note:  In the picture, Spencer is third row in from the front and third missionary in from the left.  Hopefully you will be able to find him :) ***

Blessing of Work!

Alahado Family FHE

Dear Family,

I am super excited for Elder Nelson's visit this Thursday. I got the dates mixed up so its this Thursday not last...:)

We have 2 baptisms scheduled for the 27th and I can start to see the results of my entire mission start to shape in this area. I say that because we got a referral and we gave him a blessing, shared about the priesthood (last Sunday) we didn't teach him the whole week and he still came to church this Sunday:D I totally see that as a blessing:)

Local fishing (snake skin)   :)

So what part of the temple does Grandpa Rimington work in!! That is so cool that he works in the temple that is the first thing I am doing when I get home is become a temple worker because Christie said it is the greatest feeling. Its totally on the top of my to do list.

If you haven't heard, Christie leaves March 1 for Tacoma, Washington for her mission:) I am super excited for her!

Anyway.. Thats all for me. I will have stuff next week because of Elder Nelson's visit:)

Love Always,

Elder Evans

I love the water spots in the Philippines

What a Great Week!

Beauty of the Philippines

Dear Family,

This week has been great becasue I learned more of the area and I built more relationships with the members:) We had member splits on sunday and it was the first member splits I had as a missionary..PRETTY AWESOME!!!

Anyway.. thats awesome news about Grandpa Rimington.  What part of the temple does he work in?

Splits with members and goofy!

President Nelson is coming to the mission to speak to the missionaries on Feb.18th. I am super excited to meet him and that will be another Apostle marked off my list hahaha:)

Nothing crazy happened this week. I have some AWE-Mazing photos that I am downloading for you. Did you hear about Christie? She was called to the Tacoma Washington mission. :)

On top of the Jeepny

Happy for the whole family and all their accomplishments thus far!!! Not mush to report....I love you and will have a lot to say next week about President Nelson!!!

Love,

Elder Evans  

Family Home Evening

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