First Week as District Leader

Group photo after the wedding

Dear Family,

This past week was a really stress FREE week. I am loving it as District Leader and I don't take it as a way to see myself over other missionaries but a way to prepare myself for future callings. 

I love you and it was great to see you all last week. I love this new area but my companion knows little to nothing of the area so we have to build the area not knowing much about it.

Youth of the branch

I am so happy to be back in my first zone and every prep. day be able to see the members of my 1st area. I downloaded more photos so you can add those to the blog:)

Not much else is new. I love my new branch and they are so engaged in missionary work!!  So that helps a lot!!!

Please tell grandma that I have an apartment and that even though my area is in the mountains I am safe and healthy.

The "sacred grove" in my area

My duties as district leader are to collect the numbers of studies, weekly numbers, etc. of the District and to teach district meeting every Tuesday. I have learned so much about leadership in these 4 short days and... The zone leaders say they love my leadership skills and say I am a good leader:)

I love you all,

Elder Evans

S E L F I E !!!!

New Calling, New Area

Dear Family,

LaCarlota District

 HAPPY MOTHERS DAY, MOM! I totally forgot to say that in the skype call but I definitely didn't forget about that today. I was so happy to see and hear that everything is ok in the family.

This week after the skype call we had the marriage/wedding, 2 baptisms and 5 confirmations.:) I was so happy to see the progress and see the love and growth of the branch.

So indeed as I said in the skype........I transferred!!!  Just yesterday night (Sunday) my trainer called me because he is the AP (assistant to the President) and told me I am transferring to one of his old areas. It was so hard to leave Masville and to say goodbye to all the success I had there but now I am moving to a new area and I am now the District Leader there. I am so excited to be District leader and I hope I can live up to Heavenly Father's expectation that He has for me at this point in my mission.

I am so excited to see the success I find in this area which could be my 2nd to last area because I am probably going 4 months here 4 months in one more area:)

I was so full of mixed emotions when Elder Wade called about transfers:(. I am nervous to become District leader but I am more scared that I will not meet the expectations that Heavenly Father has for me as a District leader. I am totally ready for this assignment though and I have been waiting for this opportunity my whole mission.

My new area is in Colonia Devina and my new companion is Elder Dela Cruz. Colonia Devina is in the Sagay Zone just more into the mountains and not the city like my first area. I am so excited to see the members of my first area again, because every monday we stay in Sagay for district meeting the next day. SO i could go on splits with the Sagay 1 elders to go see my Recent Converts and members.:)

Not much else has happened since the skype call.Other than Election day Today. There is nothing really exciting to report. 

Anyayway I love you all very very much.

Love,

Elder Evans

Picture Time

***Mommy note:  Spencer did not send a regular email this week.  I was out of town and he IE (instant emailed) with his father.  I was going to try and piece together their conversation, but it mostly consisted of "yes", "ok", "how are things", "good", etc.  So this weeks entry will just be pictures.***

Sadiasa family baptism

My baby carabo friend in our area

The beauty of our area... this river use to be full of water

Our Branch President is in the blue

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