Happy Monday!

Hello Family,

Zone picutre

My baby carabo friend in our area

So our 4 baptisms got pushed to the next week because our district leader felt they needed 1 more week of support and lessons. It was tough to accept but if they are not ready then they are not ready.
Elder Lubrin is great! He speaks Ilacano which is close to Tagalog and his home is close to Manila. I met him while I was in Tuyom so I knew who he was before he arrived.:)
Not much happened this week. The branch is really struggling to grow.  Many things that are just a bunch of misunderstandings are causing hurt feelings and the Filipino culture hold on to things personally for a really long time.
Its hard because all of our RCs (recent converts) are easily offended :( and our teaching/missionary work struggles. But we are going to continue and hope that everything will just smooth over.




This is one of our investigating families.

Not much else happened here... I downloaded more photos for you:) Can you believe it's almost May already??? hahaha. ITS INSANE!!?!?

Anyway I am happy to report a healthy happy Elder Evans and happy to know the same is there in AMERICA!!!!

LOVE ALWAYS,
ELder Evans

Golden!!

Teaching Relief Society how to hula!  :)

Dear Family,

Thank you for the pictures of Nicolas at prom.  He looks good.  I really love the color of Nicolas' vest. It stinks that my dates' colors weren't like that ahaha. Where was prom this year?  

Its good to know that Meaghen and Nicolas are the same when it comes to sacrament meeting... So I guess I haven't missed much:)hahah  RIGHT!!!!!! I sound like Aunt Tracy.. hahaha but seriously its almost May and that means my mission is getting closer to being over and that is hard to swallow every month. 

Lesson with the Cabuguason family

Baptism of John Rey Compacion

So my new companion's name is Elder Lubrin and we were in the same district for a little while when I was in Tuyom. ( my last area). So if you look back at past pictures you can see him. I am downloading more pictures and he is in those so you will see him either way. The work is progressing and we had a baptism on April 16th, 4 are scheduled on the 23rd, and 4 on the 30th. This area is totally the definition of what missionaries call GOLDEN areas!!!

Anyway that's all for this week. I have been listening to the conference talks all week on my flashdrive and just like  President Thomas S. Monson said in a past conference we learn more from General Conference when we listen and read the talks over again.:)  I loved the talk about family counsel by M. Russell Ballard too... I thought President Utchdorf was hilarious in conference.. ask Nicolas about Priesthood session!!!!

Anyway,

LOVE YOU ALL TONS AND TONS!!!!

Elder Evans

Photo op after the baptism

General Conference - Load of Inspiration

District photo

Dear family,

This past week was a very inspirational week. General Conference was amazing and I learned so Much:) I loved priesthood session and I thought in priesthood session President Utchdorf  was so funny. I thought my favorite session was Saturday morning but everything was so inspirational:)

SO huge news.... Elder Barrera transferred....I do not know my new companion but I will let you know next week:) I am excited for a new start and I am so very grateful for the experiences that I had with Elder Barrera.. although not all of them are good I learned so much from him:) I notice that while I am with a companion I don't get along with and always want a new one... But once they leave I notice that I want to be companions with them again and I am unblinded from the things I couldn't see when I was with them.

Young Mens group putting in a walkway

I would love to see a picture of Nicolas in his prom suit. I am so happy and excited for him:)

I am so grateful that everything in my package made it and now I can stop stressing about it..! Please don't look anymore till I get home:) I want to make it special.:)

A huge question.. WHO IS BROTHER PASTOR???? WHen I come home its gunna feel like i just transferred to a new area instead of coming home.. hahaha

I can't believe how fast time is going.... How did the family like my letters:)

FHE dinner

I would love to hear what everyone learned from General conference... Ive learned that talking about it helps you remember and keep the spirit of conference with you longer.:)

Anyway I love you all,

Elder Evans

Young Men's President w/Spencer

Short and Sweet

Dear Family,

I'm glad all is going well with you guys:) I am happy to hear about Meaghan and Nicolas and there successes in sports:) I remember those days:)!!!

Our "pastor" investigator is Ok.. he still hasn't gone to church but we are going to invite him to baptism this week and we will see how that goes:)

I am also teaching the RS how to hula because there is a RS anniversary and they are presenting the Hawaiian culture:) And also its general conference weekend so I am super excited for that:)
Not much more is going on here... I downloaded a couple more pictures:)

Thats all folks... hahahah
Love,
Elder Evans

Happy Easter!

Our baptism on March 26, Maay Panaguiton
and family

Dear Family,

I am so happy and relieved that you received the package.... Where is everything else... the suit and the survivors....DO NOT OPEN THOSE TILL I COME HOME!!!!!!

I am so sad about Meaghen's knee but I know that that will be a fun learning experience. At least it is only for a few weeks.:)hahaha

Me and my friend Mrs. Carabo...
but she is camera shy

You're so lucky you got to go to Disneyland.I want to go back when I get home. :) How is Nicolas doing with junior year soon to be a senior?  hahaha

This past week was ok. The only thing that is bothering me is I am having frustration with some things and so I worry and then I make myself sick from worrying. I guess you know that mom.  I worry just like you! hahaha RIGHT::)

I downloaded more pictures if you wanna check them out.....! 

We are teaching a 7th day Adventist pastor and he has 2 doubts.  One being about the Sabbath..... He knows the book of mormon is true... so we are going to invite him to baptism soon:)

Not much else is new... 

I LOVE YOU ALL SO MUCH,

Elder Evans

FHE with the Joame family

Maay Panaguiton and her cousin
 Joy baptized her

A Strong Testimony from a Strong Member!

Dear family,

That is awesome to hear about Nicolas but my question.. WHO IS BRIANNA THOMAS:)!!! hahaha. That shows you how much I know about our ward/stake. I am supper happy for him. Mormon Prom is really fun and he will have a good time.

Grandma emailed me about Meaghen's interest in sports and I am super excited to hear she wants basketball and golf.. but sorry to break it to you all.... I think I am still the best hahaha. We will find out in 9 months:):)

The funny thing is your weather is the exact opposite of my weather... 100 degrees and humid... BLAH

An amazing member of the ward

This week Ryian Suyo got baptized and Jing is getting baptized next week and I FINALLY have weekly baptisms:) It took me 13 months but I finally got there:) Ryian Suyo had little interest in our message but as he came to church that next Sunday he grew interest. He went to the YSA (young single adult) devotional with Elder Nelson and then he had "no doubt to be baptized!" His mom said, "Is this really what you wanna do..." Ryian replied," I have made up my mind!" He wants to serve a mission and I can see him being a branch president in 5-6 years:)

SO I have an amazing story about a member that has taught me to not take things for granted!!! This member has the exact face as Grandpa Rimington and he has been a member a long time. He is endowed and really active! He had a stroke a while back and his whole left side is non functional that's why when he walks his leg is little hard to move. He wakes up at 4:30am to get ready for church on Sunday.  He leaves his house at 5:30am! He arrives at 6:30am and church does not start till 8:30am! He has been my motivation in this area. And I think to myself when I have been too casual or take things for granted I remember this awesome member and his testimony of our Savior!

Love,

Elder Evans

Testimony of Fasting and Prayer

Philippine Foliage :)

Dear family,

This past week was a huge testimony building week. So I lost something on Tuesday and I had prayed and retraced my steps and asking everyone we went to and visited... They all said that they hadn't seen it.... I was running out of places to look and I was loosing faith and hope... and just as I was about to give up, Sunday came around and I fasted for help in finding it..... We went to a family we went to 3 times since Tuesday and she said, " Der... sa imo ni" (is this it) and with a huge smile on my face I said, "YES!" After that experience I have such a strong testimony of FASTING and also of Prayers. I know God answers our prayers but it always happens in his time. He waits till the lowest point sometimes to see if we will stay true! I am so thankful of that sister helping Heavenly Father answer my prayer. 

Cute little photo bomber on the right

I know God watches out for us but we need to keep the commandments before he helps us:) Me and Elder Barrera are doing really well.. we had a break from baptisms this week but the next 3 weeks of march we have baptisms:)

The Baptism of Nanay Vicky did go through:)!! ( If you remember she was the miracle story!!!) I love this area of Masville because the whole branch is pretty much RMs (returned missionaries) so we have a lot of member help:) and in return we have a lot of baptisms<3

I love all the water here!

We have been getting rain but it is still extremely hot... to give you an idea of how hot at 7pm here when the sun is down it is the hottest point of the day in California... so our hottest point here is 3X that amount... HAHAHAH. What a joy:)

 I am thinking of sending a package home so that I don't have too much stuff and I have room for all of my things:) BUT I don't know how much it costs :(

SO how is the ward...I bet when I get back it will feel like just another area transfer because there are a ton of families that left or moved in right??!

That's it as of now... I really need to learn to write the questions I have for you down..... Because when we go to lunch I will remember the questions I forgot to ask.. hahah

I love you all and hope everything is going well.

Love,

Elder EVans