All is Well!

The beautiful view in the area.

Things are going great this week!  We got some progress in some of our less actives this week.  They haven't been to church yet, but little by little they are seeing the importance of the gospel in their lives.  We are working with 10 families and love seeing the progress.

They have farms in the Philippines, too!

So, I know you will be on vaca next week, so hope you and Dad have a fun time.  Tell everybody hello for me and that I love them all so much!!

Things have been getting harder with the "gay rights" issue here.  The other missionaries in my zone have experienced a lot of different situations and are doing their best to share the love that they have for all of the Philippine people and to share the love that our Heavenly Father has for them also.  It does open up your eyes, though, when it is front and center in everyday life.

More fun at Zone Meeting

Elder Cancel is still a great companion.  We are doing really well with the Zone goals and it is great to have such a good friendship when serving.  I struggle now with the food. Having rice for all meals is starting to get tough.  Mom says it is my new challenge to work through since my companion issues from my last area are gone.  HaHaHa! You might be right mom. But I think I will run to a buffet when I come home!

Well, it is time to go play basketball with the members.  I LOVE MONDAYS!!!!  I love you all very much!

Love, 
Elder Evans

I Have a Lot of Pics this Week!!

Last baptism in Sagay

So Mom said she wanted pics, so here they are!!  The first one is from my last area, Sagay.  This is the couple that married and baptized within a week.  Crazy but fun.  I also decided to take a picture of my place so you all can see the lush life that I live in! hahaha  I share a place with 2 elders and me and my companion.  So four guys in one place.  Pretty clean, considering!!

Our "family" room

I am still trying to learn the area so I am considered the newbie in this area.  I really love my area! Things are going well with me and Elder Cancel and we are trying our best to bring our less active brothers and sisters back to church.  They pretty much feel that as long as they are fine and praying that that is all they need to do.  So we pray with them and for them.  Your prayers are great too!

Home, Sweet Home!!

I really don't have much else going on.  We did have zone conference, which is a meeting with all the missionaries in  our "zone", which is my area, Hinigan, and two others, Binilbagan and Isabela.  It was a lot of learning but we had some fun afterwards.

All the misionaries in my "Zone".

Well, I love you all and miss you, but I know that I am where I need to be and that you will be blessed too!

Love,

Elder Evans

Me, Elder Cancel, and another Elder on our way home from Zone Conf.

Thought this was good.  Where will you spend your eternity??

I LOVE MY AREA!

I am doing great!  I love my new area.  On a sad note, I heard that President Packer passed away.  With him and Elder Perry gone that means Elder Nelson becomes president of the Quorum of the 12, right?  I wonder who will be the next two apostles called?  I guess we'll have to wait until October.

I said that there wasn't a lot of inactives in this area.  Mostly investigators.  Well, I was wrong.  This area is much harder because there isnt as many investigators.   I am still learning the area and we are teaching mostly less actives.  We have a lot more members working with us then in sagay. 

Sorry I dont have pictures this week.   This area doesn't have anything picture worthy.  It is a city.... sorta so I don't have anything to take a picture of.

My new place DOES have a washing machine so it makes laundry so much easier.  YAY!!!

I have more choices in food now.  Elder Cancel can cook!! :) So I have had chicken and rice too. :)  He is great!

Our new mission president arrived last week and he seems really nice.  The hard part is he doesnt speak very much english, but at least it will help me with ilongo.

The weather is cooling down... and to be honest i love it...:)   There is a ton of rain. It rains like tornados here and its great....:)

I got Meaghen's picture.  Tell her the cupcakes look delicious.

Mom wanted to know what my ward was since they have a Facebook page.  It is the Hinigaran 1st ward and it is great because I dont have to teach.  :) hahaha They are so kind and loving.  As elders we get to post church talks on the page and the ward posts whatever else. 

Talk with you next week
Love you all,
Elder Evans

Down South!

So my new area is down south of Bacolod.  It is called Hinigaran.   I love my new area and my new companion. His name is Elder Cancel.  He is from manilla.  Hinigaran is a city area unlike Sagay which was more farmland and lots of space.  The only bummer is that it is really close to the beach.  I just want to run into the water and swim!! LOL.

Sundays are different here, too.  We, as missionaries, dont have to teach sunday school like we did in Sagay. The members are amazing and much stronger in this area, too.  However, the are much poorer here than in my last area.  So that is hard. 

Elder Cancel and I don't have as much "less active" visits as I did before. We just find invetigators and teach them.  Oh and my new mission president arrives on Wednsday.   His name is President Barredo and I will let you know more about him next week.

The cool thing is that I get to go on the computer everyday because we have a ward facebook.:)  We go to the computer shop everyday and share messages and other missionary stuff.:)  It is pretty awesome.

Talk to ya next week!  Same time, same place.
Love Elder Evans


****Some information about the new President and his wife:  

       Christopher Alameda Barredo, 44, and Ana Quillo Ongsingco Barredo, three children, Sumulong 2nd Ward, Marikina Philippines Stake: Philippines Bacolod Mission, succeeding President Marlo O. Lopez and Sister Memnet P. Lopez. Brother Barredo serves as a stake high councilor and is a former stake presidency counselor, bishop, institute teacher, Gospel Doctrine teacher, and missionary in the Philippines San Pablo Mission. Area facilities manager, Corporation of the Presiding Bishop. Born in Bacolod City, Philippines, to Carlos Flores Barredo and Rosario Caper Alameda Barredo.

       Sister Barredo serves as a ward Relief Society president and is a former stake Primary president, Gospel Doctrine teacher, institute teacher, and missionary in the Philippines Ilagan Mission. Born in Bacolod City, Philippines, to Robert Daipal Ongsingco and Leonisa Malunes Quillo Ongsingco.

I GOT TRANSFERRED!!!!

My new area is in the south end of the island

Guess what...I TRANSFERRED!!  I am headed to the south part of the island...i forgot the name so I will email you next week the name and my companion's name. I am on splits with another companionship because my new companion didnt come down with me .... transffers are very hecktic around here.  I am p-daying (prep day) in Bacolod because it is a 3 hour ride to my new area.

HAPPY FATHER'S DAY, dad!  I miss you and love you.

So Dad told me that Golden State won...... YEAH!  I did not want Lebron to win.  Don't like him.

The rainy season has started so its getting colder, thankfully. I still get wet, but it is rain and not sweat! LOL   So I have been told that there is a washing machine in the new area apartment and I am sooooo excited.  No more washing by hand!  LOL

Well, this is short because I have to leave as soon as the jeepny gets here to take us south.  It is kinda like a taxi but looks like a bus.  So, I love all of you and thank you all for your letters and emails.  Please keep sending them.  They really mean a lot.

Philippine Jeepny...always room for one more!

Talk with ya next week!

Love
Elder Evans

Another Week of Ailments

I finally got your package!!!  I LOVE the calendar and the pretzels.  Feel free to send any kind of treats you want.  I LOVE them!!

So this week we were in the hospital with Elder Wade.  They thought he might have appentisitis but he is ok now.  The only good thing about the hospital visit was that I got to watch some of the NBA finals!  It was heaven!  :) But, this week should be more teaching, thank goodness.

I can't believe PJ comes home on Wednsday.  That was a fast 2 years.  Mine seems to be too.  Only 19 more months!  LOL

We have two family baptisms this week and we are still visiting with the Villajuan family trying to help them in their desire to become baptized.

I'm sorry but I don't have any pictures to send.  Hopefully next week.  And I'm sorry this is short but we need to catch up on missing last week of work.

Love,
Elder Evans

Fast Week........Slow Progress!

We are guessing these are candied apples, but not positive!!

My favorite investigator is now a recent convert. This week went by super fast it feels like last monday was yesterday. I have been having very good personal studies lately and learning that fasting as a missionary isnt easy.  I cant go one second here without water becasue it is so hot.  But I am working on fasting and getting the water I need.  I hope that your package comes this week. Supplies schedule has been thrown off becasue of all the trainings. I hope you all have been doing good.

Church was good yesterday.  The lesson went well.  It is just so different here in the phillipines.  The ward isnt organized as fully as back home because its so new.  They have relief society, young men/young women, and priesthood.  But young mens president isnt active so it makes it hard.  We are constantly working on retention of the members.  They do get offended very easily here and they hold on to it for years.  But the work goes on and we continue to love and support them.

I read about Nicolas and his permit.  Also saw the picture of him in the car.  That is so freaky!!!  Also, since he is going on "Trek" youth conference this weekend, tell him to do everything and dont sit out on anything.  It will be a good experience for him.

Progress was kind of slow last week because Elder Wade got sick so we had like 3 days of no work. But I have been working on the language and the natives say I am 2 months away from fluent!! :)

Well that is all for now.  Talk with ya next week!

Love,
Elder Evans