August 31, 2015

Hey y'all! 

Ahhh! It is so good to hear from y'all this week! I loved all the pictures of Harrison at the airport :) I've been beaming from ear-to-ear today...dang! What a handsome guy! 

Well, I am back in Lubbock! It's kind of nuts! I served here for my first 3 months and now I am finishing my last 3 months in the same city! I love it :) My new companion is Sister Manning, she is actually from Texas! haha- she moved to Phoenix after High School and got called back to Texas! She is almost 23. We have had quite an adventurous week! We are "pink (or white) washing" into the area, so it's been kind of interesting trying to figure our way around and meet everyone! We got here on Tuesday and were informed that we wouldn't have an apartment until Saturday, so we spent 4 days living with Sisters Carroll, Udall, and Beesley! Haha- we had wayyy too much fun! One night we all wanted ice cream SO bad, so we put all 3 of their bikes on our bike rack and they hopped in our car- Sister Manning accidentally hit a dip in the parking lot of DQ... and BOOM! All of the bikes plopped over on the street and the bike rack bolt snapped in half- oopsie! That was just one of the adventures this week... 

We have been teaching English to students who are learning English as a second language! I taught L and B (their American names!) from China! It was lots of fun! We were asked to come do some service on the temple grounds- we washed and dried all of the granite so that it was shiny for all of the weddings that were to take place over the weekend- the Temple Engineer/Mechanic took us on a tour through the basement and attic of the temple and it was so neat!! He even took us on top of the roof!! I'll have to send pictures soon! -Sister Carroll has them :) 

We went to church yesterday and HOLY COW! Our ward is HUGE! ....well compared to the tiny branches I've been serving in! We have a great ward and there are so many people who are STOKED ON LIFE about having sister missionaries again!! haha- it's been like a year since that last happened! We seriously have the wealthiest ward ever- I think everyone lives in a mansion haha... lots of doctors, professors at the Tech, attorneys, etc. It's so crazy to me how many connections both my companion and I have to the members of this ward! I met Sara Eggleston (Durrett) yesterday who went to Highland, but we have mutual friends! Also, Mindie and Eric- I met Lydia Johnson and Cody Nelson yesterday! They are in my ward and live in Ropesville, TX! I heard all about your seminary shenanigans! My new address is: 

I LOVE Y'ALL! Have a great week :) 

Love, 

Sister Evans

(we forgot to take a good picture the first day, so excuse our poor, self-timer picture this morning!)

Bike Rack Down!

On Da Roof!

These Homes in My New Area! Wow!

My Friends :)

August 24, 2015

Hello! 

How are y'all doing? Happy Monday! I bet all y'all are so excited for Wednesday to roll around- Harrison is coming home!! IDAHOME <3 yay! 

This week was really good for me! We got to see the P Family in Tucumcari- they are so awesome and are working towards the baptism and priesthood ordination taking place over Labor Day weekend! I learned something really neat this week from the Spirit- THIS (Texas/Idaho) isn't home- but our TRUE HOME is back with Father. The gospel is the stepping stones to get us there and I am so grateful for the fullness of the gospel of Jesus Christ! We have no need to wander throughout life confused and lost- the gospel of Jesus Christ has all the answers we need and are searching for. 

We were able to attend Stake Conference this weekend in Amarillo- it was SO good! The Saturday night adult session was all about the importance of the Sacrament and keeping the Sabbath Day Holy! I learned so much :) President Heap instructed about when we take the sacrament each Sunday, it ought to be our bodies that are on the altar (the sacrament table) and we should be switching places with the Savior that week- we must come back the following week to repent and try again because we will always fall short! I loved it! After conference, all 10 of us sisters stayed the night in the tiny Canyon Sister's apartment! That's right! 10 girls! Crazy! We all were together when we got our transfer calls :) I will be headed back to LUBBOCK, Texas! I will be with Sister Manning (who goes home in 6 weeks) and we'll be opening or "pink washing" into the Frenship Mesa area/ward! It will be great! I'm so excited to (most likely) finish my mission strong in the big city! woot woot! 

I'm sad to leave Dalhart and the wonderful people here, but it will be a good move! I love y'all so much! Have a great week!

Love,

Sister Evans

(I got to see my BFF Allison Priest at Stake Conf!!)

10 Sisters in one Apartment!

Bye, Bye Dalhart! I love the Panhandle!

Timmell and I Copying Each Others Awkward Pose :)

This is for my DAD :)

August 17, 2015

Hey Y'All !!

Hello there! We have had a really good week- it went by super fast for me! This is the last week of the transfer.... crazy! Harrison will be home next week! :) YAY! Thanks for sending me so much love and support! I just read Riley's 1st email- I am so proud of that girl!! It makes me so happy to see the changes that the gospel brings into the lives of those that are so close to me :) 

At the beginning of the week, we received some sad news- Santiago, the less-active Spanish member that I was visiting each week passed away. He was so young- probably 50's! I know he's in a better place, I just wish I could teach his sons who don't have a knowledge of the Plan of Salvation. 

We went to TUC this week- twice... and had a really neat experience! We tried some former investigators and ended up meeting a really neat family- later that night we tried a less active member and found out that this lady was the mom of that former investigator! The Lord clearly needs us to be working with this family :) We stayed at the Thompson's home- the Elders who used to serve in Tuc lived in their attic for 2 years.. so that was an adventure! I hit my head several times and I'm way short! Those poor tall guys! We met and taught a new investigator, R and her 6 year old son who are really prepared for the gospel! He loves attention and sprayed us with the hose a few times during our lesson haha. I love kids! 

We got to see two recent converts that same night, Sister Gunter and Gracie. They are the sweetest! Sister Gunter loved the gold leaf necklace I was wearing, so I gave it to her- and Gracie loved my Texas necklace, so I gave that one away too! So mom- if you find a cheap little Texas necklace, would you mind sending it my way? :) Por favor? gracias! 

I met a sweet couple in Tuc yesterday in church who were on their way home from serving their mission. Elder and Sister Cook served in the Washington D.C. temple with Grandma and Grandpa Evans!! So Cool!! They said they hope to see y'all at the mission reunion!

Well, I love y'all! Have a great week!! :)

Love,

Sister Evans

Sister Gunter and Gracie

This is Cleo-he mows our lawn. He is so sweet!

I found Evans Ave. !

The death trap stairs to the attic!

The attic.  I have slept in some weird places on my mission! 

August 10, 2015

Hello, Hello!! 

AHHH I loved seeing all of those pictures of the Loosli family's sealing from this weekend! How exciting is that!? I am so grateful for my family! We really have been blessed with such an incredible support system! 

This week was really good for me! We had to go to Amarillo on Tuesday to replace our windshield...  our fresh rock chip spread too far! While in Amarillo, we went on a quick exchange with the Canyon YSA Sisters, Sisters Udall and Nichols! Sister Nichols came with me to the chiropractor and then we taught this super sweet old drunk guy about the Book of Mormon :) Then the next day, we had another exchange and Sister Carroll (one of my really good mission friends) came with me to Tucumcari!! We had so much fun :) We taught the P family and they are still really progressing! We found the hotel, The Blue Swallow, which inspired the movie CARS and took a picture there! We have been teaching a really sweet older lady who has like 15 cats... well, while sitting on the edge of her bed teaching her, this scrawny black cat came and laid it's frail head on the edge of my Book of Mormon... at the end of the lesson, Carol went to pick up the cat and she freaked out because it was stiff and was dying!! YIKES! I really really really dislike cats. Actually, I've pretty much gone "anti-animal" on my mission! Texans and their animals.... the only animal I love is my own puppy Bentley Dale!! 

Anywho- we got to go to XIT- The "World's Largest FREE BBQ" right here in good ol' Dalhart, Texas! Lots of fun! I spoke in Sacrament meeting this week as well. I loved being able to speak about True Conversion and Missionary Work- two of my fav topics! It's been great! I hope y'all are doing well! I love y'all! :)

Love,

Sister Evans

GOT BEEF???

August 3, 2015

Hello! 

It looks like y'all had a good ol' time together this weekend! I had a good week too! We started off the week with a really great Zone Conference! We learned a ton about teaching skills.. I learned a lot about using the scriptures more as I teach and how important it is to be genuine with people! 

We are working with a sweet lady who is bedridden and has been investigating for a really long time. She is beginning to progress- all because she is now consistently and intently reading the Book of Mormon! Yay!! 

This week I finished reading the Book of Mormon from cover to cover and WOW- what a treasure we have! I love that book so dang much! I have a testimony that Joseph Smith truly is a prophet and that the words that are contained in that precious book are for our learning and challenges TODAY! I also have gained a testimony while on my mission of fasting! The Lord has blessed us with some wonderful miracles! 

A new family from Utah moved in and their daughter who is 11 hasn't been baptized yet and is dying to be!! So now we are teaching her along with a new investigator in Tuc, S who is the sweetest little grandma ever! The P's in Tuc are doing great as well, J's dad will be driving down from Oklahoma soon to ordain him to the Aaronic Priesthood and then he will be baptizing his wife soon after! 

In fast and testimony meeting yesterday, a brother shared something that I love! He said, "The gospel is true. Why? Because it works, it works, it works!" I testify that this statement is 100% accurate! We are so much happier and more successful when the gospel of Jesus Christ is rooted in our lives. I love y'all so much :)

Have a great week!

Love,

Sister Evans

(The church has recently been talking a lot about the necessity of multi-generational families.. meaning children and converts are baptized, endowed, sealed in the temple, have children, and repeat!)

THIS IS MY OWN MULTI-GENERATIONAL FAMILY!

Sister Udall and her trainee Sister Nichols... Aren't they beautiful!? wowza

Sister Udall :)