My First Talk in Sacrament Meeting!!

SO this week was so fast and it was a very good week. This week we have 28 investigators with a date in the next 3 months, we had 6 investigators at church, 13 recent converts, and 11 less active members at church. It was a very successful week because I involved myself in the lessons and I am slowly but surly understanding the natives. 

Life is getting better every day. Ohh. General Conference for us is pushed back a week so that they can translate into different languages so please dont email me about the talks we will talk on the 13th when I saw them. THANKS!!!!

I will send photos next week now that I know that you are burning them to a disc makes me feel better. Life is great though. The mission is getting better and better.

I cant believe I only have 87 more weeks That is such a short time and it is flying by now that I understand some of the language and can speak a little. Yesterday at Church The speaker didn't show up and I had to speak. I was so scared and when I thought I couldn't do it. I got onto the stand and gave a 5 minute talk in all Ilonggo.

I have learned so much and have changed so much only in 3 months its crazy:) I have become less of myself and more for others which is something I struggled with before I left. Also, thanks for the Kid History bit I haven't heard of that in a while and it made me laugh really hard.

The mission is going great I am loving every second and the language is coming little by little everyday and it is so much fun when I can actually share input in the lessons.

 I will send pictures next Monday because I left my camera at the apartment. I love you so much and will talk to you soon and cant wait to hear from you next week.

LOve always,

Elder Evans

Slowly Getting Adjusted

This week has gotten a lot better.  I know this is where I need to be and the people here are great. The ward is amazing and food here is good because its SO sugary.

Tell everyone that I cant get "dear elder" mail any more so regular email is the only way. I am glad that everything at home is going well.  Also could you have grandma and grandpa send more candy BC that is what is kinda keeping me alive because I eat so much and the people here have so little food. that would be awesome. 

Here is the info to send:

Elder Evans

Philippines Bacolod Mission

Galo street between lacson and Madini

Bacolod City 6100

Put it just like that and then it will go to the mission office and then they send it to me. That is what they have said to do.

I love that everything is going great and that you guys pray for me because I really need it. But anyway, I got my first 2 baptisms this week and that was an amazing experience to be able to confirm them members. Tell meaghen that I am really proud of her same as Nicolas.

Other than the language I am adjusted.  I can speak in lessons but they speak so fast that I cant respond because I dont know what they said. I love being a missionary and everything I get to do and the people I meet I just feel likje I will never understand the language.I have learned how to wash laundry by hand and it is easier then I thought it would be. I miss you so much and cant wait to here for you again. Also, make a skype account ASAP so that we can skype on mothers day. I love you and will talk to you next week.

LOve,

Elder EVans


**Art work by (c) Melonheadz
melonheadz.blogspot.com

Getting Adjusted To My New "Home"

Kamusta,

Life here in the Philippines is crazy. They drive like mad men here but the people in Bacolod are the nicest people. I am on the Island of smiles. I love my trainer Elder Wade. He is great he is helping me learn the language and is like a brother to me. I have been having a tough week this week.

 I love it here in the Philippines but these past 4 days I have had  a lot of Home sickness. But I know that we are reciving blessings and I have been able to press forward although it is my first week so adjusting is hard the language is just biting me in the butt and I thought I knew just enough to teach but now I KNOW ABSOLUTELY NOTHING. I know I just have to keep pushing forward and everything will work out.

 Tokyo was really crazy but I was able to find my way around. I don't know the exact address but the part of Bacolod I am in is Sagay. It is awesome and we have 2 baptisms on Saturday and we have like 19 investigators so.... This area has been full of blessings but I still  don't know the language. 

 I know that if I work hard and think less of home I will be a very successful missionary. So my P-day is Monday which is what I thought but I wasnt sure. The weather is amazing and the color here is beautiful just the only thing I struggle with is the language. I hope I learn it fast. Tell everyone I miss them and love them all. I will talk to you guys on Monday (or Sunday night for you).

Love,

ELder Evans  

ps-I also forgot to tell you one more thing. BAL-UT is forbidden in my mission because 2 elders tried it and got sent home because they got really sick. So I just thought I would share that because I was really excited to hear that. Also I am scared that my camera will get a virus and erase all my pictures so you will only be getting emails for a while. I'm really sorry about that but I want to keep my photos for the rest of my life. 

Love always,

Elder Evans

Now the Fun Begins!

Kamusta Pamilya mo,

I am here safely in Bacolod. I am so sorry I didn't call you in Tokyo it was so crazy and i didn't know how to work the phones because everything was in Japanese. LOL!!! Anyway I am here meeting the Mission President and seeing who my trainer will be. It has been an awesome time so far.

I am already 2 months in how crazy is that. Anyway I believe that my P-day is Monday but I am not positive so stay aware. I will let you know later. Also i am 14 hours ahead so my Monday is your Sunday night. Just some FYI.

I love you all and will talk to you Monday.

Palangga kamo,

Elder Evans

He Made It!

Kamusta Ka,

I have arrived in the Philippines and everything is great. I will email you more on P-day idk when that is tho.

Palangga ko kamo,

ELder Evans

One More Week!

Kamusta (hello) everyone,

This week is going to be a very crazy week. I leave the MTC in 6 days and I am going to Tokyo. Then to Manila. This week has been awesome just getting more fluent at the language and getting ready to leave. I just had infield orientation yesterday and that was awesome. If anyone knows who Elder Christensen from the District is, I got to meet him yesterday and that was fun because he is a very fun, entertaining guy.

 I appreciate all the letters you have sent me. I hope I get more. Nicolas that is an amazing score. 39!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! keep going. Meaghen I cant believe you got called to be the Beehive president. Enjoy it. It doesn't last long. I promise that it will be a very spiritual experience for you.

I got to attend a devotional on Tuesday where brother Cassue of the Presiding Bishopric spoke and that was a great devotional because he spoke with such power and it was great to get someone other than the 70. HAHAH. 

Time here is flying and I cant believe that in one week I will be in Bacolod preaching the gospel. I found out that we are in Manila because our visa is only for 3 months so we stop there to extend it for 2 years.  I will miss the MTC because I haven't felt the spirit this strong everyday ever before.

 I got to teach my second Skype lesson yesterday and I taught a member Annie. She was great and had a great spirit. My teacher brother Winfield spoke to her after and she said that me and my companion Elder Benedict had great companionship unity, and we made the lesson very personable. My teacher said that that was one of the best lessons he has seen in the MTC in a while.  They gives me so much confidence knowing that I can teach the gospel in a different language and with power and authority.

Hey mom I know its a long shot but if you could send a bug net to me before Thursday that would be amazing. I got the package with the socks and I love them. Me and my roommates have eaten all the treats and I wear the socks all the time. I am glad to hear that everything is going great at home, Dad thanks again for keeping me posted on sports. That is one of the hardest things not being able to have on a mission. I have no problems with anything else but sports is so hard to give up for me.  I have been taking a lot of pictures and I will have so many pictures in the Tokyo airport. It is so scary to think that today was the last day I will be in a U.S. temple for 23 months. I am so excited to leave the MTC. I know that when I leave the MTC that the time will fly 3X as fast.  

I'm sorry if some of you are offended because I send you "short" emails. I only have one hour and in that one hour I am only sending one huge mass email to my mom and then she will pass the word to all of you guys. I love you but I don't get as much time as I wish I had. I am proud to say that I have gained 10 pounds since I entered the MTC and 6 out of the 10 pounds is food. The other 4 is muscle from the weight room here at the MTC. I also want to apologize now but when I get to the Philippines most of my emails will be Illongo because when I get the field I will be speaking so much Illongo that I will forget a lot of English so I will try and translate as best as I can.

This last week will fly so fast but I know that I will be ready when I get to the Philippines and I cant wait to go there and get started. I heard that my new mission president is a great guy and I cant wait to get to know him. As I have been here as a district leader it has been so hard to be a leader but I have learned good qualities that I will be able to take and use in the Philippines that will help bless investigators lives.  I was able to host again this week and it is always crazy to think that 6 weeks ago that was me entering the MTC at the start of my mission. If you guys wanna see real life Filipino life watch on YouTube the video "One call, Bacolod City" it is a very spiritual video and uplifting to see how difficult it is to survive in the Philippines due to the poverty that is there.

Along with the language I have learned so much new doctrine of the gospel that I didn't know before.I cant wait to hear from you all soon. Hey mom. One more thing my teacher who went to Bacolod said it would be smart to have jeans. So could you please send a pair of my dark blue hawk jeans. If you could do that, that would be awesome. I pray for all of you everyday and I miss you all so much and thank you for your support that you all have for me. It means so much to me.

Palangga taka permi (Love always),

Elder Evans

I'm a District Leader!!!

Hi everyone,

This has been a jam packed week this week. I was finally able to do my first Skype lesson to the Philippines this week and it was the coolest experience I have had on my mission so far. I was able to go to 2 devotionals and we heard from Elder Allan who is in charge of MTC opporations, and Elder Larry Johnson of the 70. I have also been assigned to be the District leader of my district for the last 2 weeks of my MTC stay. 

Can you believe that 2 weeks from today I will be in the Philippines. WOW!!!!!!!! Grandma and Grandpa I am glad you got my letter and I will continue to write to people. Please keep sending dear elders to me I love receiving mail:) 

This week 2 Cebuano districts that I grew really close to left for Cebu on Wednesday and that was really hard because on a mission you don't have family so your zone pretty much becomes your family and it was so hard to say goodbye to elders and sisters that I have only known for 4 weeks.

The language is coming along great and I couldn't be happier than I am right now.  As of 4 weeks in the MTC starting my 5th week last wedn. I am 80% fluent in the language and I is like REALLY hard to write to you guys in English.

The Yeates family thank you so much for you V-day package the cookies were fantastic. Phelps family same to you.Mom I did get your package and I have not yet ate the treats but I have them saved. The grey suit I have that you all are wondering about, remember the elder that left a rugby contract to go on a mission. well he brought 4 suits and didn't want it and now because I have such an awesome roommate I now am a proud owner of a suit that was made in Australia.

I  was also able to host the new missionaries coming in and that was scary to see how fast time flys. That one day brought back the past 4 weeks of my mission, and how fast it has gone. I was also able to see Chris Reyes in the MTC and that was amazing because the MTC is so big and to be able to see him walking to class was a very astig( cool) feeling knowing that I have a friend from home in the MTC with me and I think we leave on the same day because English speaking missionaries only have 2 weeks. That would be cool to talk to him all the way to the airport.!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 

 I am praying that you make Varsity Nicolas you will have so much fun no matter what team you are on. Meaghen keep at those service hours they will greatly improve your life. Aunt Tracy I will be sending you a letter soon, I have been so busy because here in the MTC we don't have anytime to sit down and relax. 

I am doing great and I cant wait to here from you guys soon. I hope to get letters from everyone because I loved all the notes and letters and packages for Valentines Day. They were all so sweet. I will be getting my travel plans soon and when I do I will let you know. 

I have just uploaded more photos and on is a picture of my new mission president and my 6 teachers all know him from their missions and they said he is loving,caring, excited to talked to and all around a great guy that will do anything to keep me safe. Also another picture is me my companion and my branch president. I will continue to keep in touch as much as possible. Anyway I gotta go I love you all and pray for everyone daily. Hope to hear from you soon.;) 

palangga ninyo,
Elder Evans