Monday, December 5, 2011

First Week Back

Oh my heavens it feels so good to be back in the mission! Everything feels like it´s been this huge dream. I´ll first start with the wonderful redeye. I was so thankful that they got me back to the mission so quickly and how everything worked out so great, but I just have to tell you waiting in the airport and sitting on the plane and flying all night long was super rough. The planes were backed the first flight to Atlanta and then to Nicaragua was ok but I couldn´t sleep the first flight I tried sleeping a little in the airport in Atlanta but didnt´get much done and then on the way to Nicaragua kinda spred out on the seats again and slept a little bit but the attendent kept coming by and waking me up asking me things I didn´t care about so I didnt sleep much there. I got off in Nicaragua and just felt happier then ever, I was waiting for my bags and saw president waiting outside because you cant come inside you just wait for people behind the glass so I saw him and couldn´t take the smile off my face. I was like coming home to dad. We talked and everyone was super excited and president just said it was good to have me back and that everything is great. I don´t remember exactly what he said but the office took me to subway and told me there I was going back to my same area and going to be companions with Hna. Galdamez! I was comps with her before and I love her to pieces so I was stoked! So I´m here in Nagarote and loving it. we live with 4 other hnas.
Things well the first day was rough because I was super super tired and just didn´t believe it, I seriously feel like I was gone just a few days and now I´m back it´s amazing. I have a new part of the area that I don´t know so thats good. I am so happy to be back in the sun, I just sit in it every min I can and they all think I´m crazy but knew before home much I love the sun so it´s not that crazy to them. I couldn´t wait to give the Hermanas their clothes so I told them it´s christmas early and they loved their clothes! They were so happy and were like oh thank you so much, I am saving the soaps and candy for Christmas tho. It´s crazy living with 5 other girls the shower situation they do not know how to take brazilian showers here I am the fastest one and we just wait and wait all morning so we can shower but it´s all good.
Things that I have learned from being home and just being able to be back in the mission. I have no doubt in my mind that Heavenly Father hears and answers our prayers and he is aware of us at every min of every hour. I think to myself sometimes that why does he answer so many of my prayers? Why am I so blessed? I am no perfect and I make mistakes all the time why is this and this happens to me? I know no one is perfect and that we all make mistakes, I know that the Atonement is real and that because of it we can be forgiven. I know we all pass through trials and tests for one reason or another and I am very grateful for them. The things we learn through them and the stonger we become. I have no idea why I got to come home and why I got to come back to my same mission and to my same area when people usually don´t go back to that but I know the Lord has his hand in it. I know that I am going to work my hardest so that I can know why I am recieving so much.
We taught a lesson the first night to a guy named Byron, he just blew me away, he was agreeing with us on everything and was telling us that he blieves the same thing, he was a golden investigator. We gave him the book of mormon and he said he was going to study and read it so he can learn more. He understood everything and why we do things, he was so interested and starved for the truth that we just taught him everything, the book of mormon, tithing, prophets, just whatever he brought up. It truely was a guided lesson but not because of us. Then we went and taught Martha her husband wasn´t home so we just kinda visited with her for a min then she asked about temples and we got to teach her about temples and how families can be together forever. Those 2 lessons that first night I just wanted to cry because I had been missing this for so long, I missed going and speaking with people, being in Nicaragua, having the spirit testifying. It was amazing!
I´ve been studying and trying to firuger out some goals and things to do and that I want to accomplish while I am here and it´s amazing how the Lord speaks to you and gives you answers while you ask and how you can recieve them in such a different way. My focus is different and I am ready to go and to work. We got to go to Leon and watch the devotional last night which was amazing! I was sad because I was going to be missing it but they told us Friday we were going, I watched it in English because I don´t like seeing the Prophet or Uchtdorf my favorite speaking in spanish it just throws me off, so I watched it in English and how cool is that new video and the talks. I have to say it doesn´t feel like christmas to me maybe because it´s 80 or more degrees I don´t know maybe when it´s closer I guess. The Holidays for me just don´t really exsist here in the MIssion sometimes.
For pday we went to Leon and we got to play ontop of the cathloic church it´s a national monument or something like that, it was pretty cool. We also played games as a zone and just hung out. It´s kinda like I am a movie star tho with my return everyone is super shocked and happy and so am I. I haven´t had much personal study time because planning and then sunday and everything but I have been studying about christlike attributes and why it´s so hard for me to get them, oh but no so while I was studying I had the thought, Satan is always trying to get it everyday all day long and I thought about it for a min and was like it´s so true, From the minute the alarm goes off in the morning we get to exercise our agency weither we want to obey or not or get up or not. Then he tries to get us while were getting ready you look so ugly, why do it like that no one will like that, you are do dumb why did you forget your make up.. Then when we are studying or at school or work, you are so dumb you don´t know anything, they all hate you why bother, why do it that way when so and so does it the other way. He is always trying to attack us and make us feel bad and think bad about ourselves, but when studying and praying and working and doing what we know is right and what we need to do we have happiness, we win the battle with satan and we are happy and free from his traps. I love knowing that and knowing this battle or game stan is trying to play with me I´m going to win and totally kick his trash. I want that all of you can try to beat satan this week to try to think how he is going to try to get you and have a plan on how you are going to beat him. It truely works this I promise. thank you all for your love and your support and for everything if it wasn´t for you guys things would be alot harder for me.

Love Hna. evans

Thursday, December 1, 2011

She's Baaaaaaaacccckk!!!!!

That's right, Hermana Evans is back in the Managua Nicaragua mission.

The day before Thanksgiving, she was able to get clearance from all of her doctors/ physical therapist. It was only a matter of a couple of days before she heard from church headquarters. Monday she received a call asking when she could go back out on her mission. She replied "tomorrow, today?" The church doesn't mess around. At 6:30pm she was set apart as a missionary again, and at 12:55am she boarded her flight on her way back.

It is truly a blessing that she was able to go back to Nicaragua. Often when missionaries are sent home with circumstances like Sabrina's, they will be sent state side to finish their mission. She loves the people of Nicaragua, her mission president, and everything that was going on down there. Thank you for all of your prayers offered in her behalf.

Thursday, November 10, 2011

Day 3

So today is day 3 after my shot and I'm suppose to be feeling like a million bucks. As I went to bed last night with ALOT of pain in my back, not only in my lower back but now into my tailbone and up my back higher. I was for sure that this shot was going to be the ticket and the magic trick to get me back out there quickly and well... It's not. Out of the 8 days i've been home I've been at the doctors 6 of those days trying to get things better and figure out what can help me. Monday I went for the shot, Tuesday to some lady to get my engery flowing the right way or something like that. Then today I went in for acupuncture or however you spell it. They are all telling me I should be feeling these results and feeling a litle better and this and that.
I haven't given up faith and I'm sure not done fighting but it's getting a little frustrating that nothing is working. I am ok with it though, I know that I am here for something and that I'm suppose to be learning and maybe helping other people while I am here. Tomorrow I will be going in for physical therapy to get things working and stretching and strengthing my back.
I love the tender mercies that the Lord gives us. Yesterday as I was reading I was to tired to keep reading and so I stopped thinking that the next chapter was super long and that I wouldn't be able to stay awake to read it. Today after the doctors and after talking with my mom, and feeling a little not uneasy but my mom is worried that I won't be able to return back to Nicaragua and that I will have to serve somewhere else. I had been thinking about it and talking with a friend asking how I would ever be able to accept that and how can I accept the fact if I can't go back out to Nicaragua and also just the whole change. I was taught that it doesn't matter where I serve or what I do as long as I am doing the Lords work, as long and I am being a missionary and teaching and having and helping people change their lives. I walked in the house and started reading my scriptures for comfort and strength. I opened up to where I was and started to read and laughed out loud to my self. I opened to Alma 29 where Alma is saying " O that I were an angel, and could have the wish of mine heart, that I might go forth and speak with the trump of God, with a voice to shake the earth, and cry repentance unto every people!" The whole chapter was for me and also what I had came to love and want to do while I was on my mission.
I know that I will be healed and that I will be helped through this hard time and this trial when the Lord wants me to be, that he will heal me the day He wants me to and I will be where He wants me to be. The Lord has a plan for each one of us and it's not what we want sometimes but it's things we learn to love and be grateful for.
I am very grateful for my family, also for the video game "Just Dance" I am thankful for whoever made it up because it has provided me with alot of laughter in my life. I am grateful for my neighbor/mom who has always been there for all my medical needs and questions always looking out for me. I am grateful for my fat dog who still loves me and was very happy to see me when I got home and won't leave my side whenever he does see me. I am thankful for JK who has made my stay here great and the things I've learned from him. I am very thankful for rice packs and blankets and thick socks they have kept feeling in my body how much I miss Nicaragua.
Life is great! and oh heavens... Here comes the snow.

Wednesday, November 9, 2011

Changes

I'm getting alittle more use to being home which is scary and I don't want to be but don't worry I will be going back out. We have made phone call after phone call to find out what hoops we need to jump through and what we need to do to get me out and running. I have felt like almost everyday i have had an appointment with the doctors and it's pretty much been that way but whatever if thats what I need to do to get me back out there I'll go see them all the time. I am very thankful for them and for their understanding and their love and concern. We have been so blessed to get into returned missionary doctors or they have been able to work us in quickly so that my recovery time and my time home is the fastest it can be.
What we have found out so far is that I need to start a little bit of physical therapy so that we can show them look I am going to be fine out there i know these exercises to do and I will do them to help strengthen my back so that i won't have a problem with it while I am down there. Also we have had to call a few people to just give them heads up's whats going on and how they can help in this. I'm frustrated because it's not the timing that i want. I told my mission president when I first left that I would be back this week. I would have been back to working by now, but like I've said before my timing is not the Lord's timing and well I guess my mind just doesn't capture everything thats going on and understand that it take a little time to get things fixed. We're not just putting a piece of tape over a ripped piece of paper. So far we are hoping for the week of Thanksgiving, keep praying and having faith that this will be the time.
I'm very grateful for the memories I am able to make here while i am here before my brother leaves for his missoin and for the insight that I am able to teach him. Believe me I am no professional and I don't know everything but i am able to read with Map and stephen in the mornings and teach them a little bit and help them understand a little bit more. I'm grateful for my zone back in Leon Nicaragua who gave me a surprise phone call yesterday and made my day a little better and reminded me that i am loved and missed.
I'm grateful for warm blankets because I am freezing here and socks and sweats. It's a little bit of a different temp here then in Nicaragua I don't think I have been able to feel my feet since I have gotten here.
I'm grateful for goot parents who are going to work their very hardest to get me better and get me back out there, who will call the people for me and get everything worked out because I sure don't want to do that.
I'm grateful for the scriptures and for the comfort that they bring and the teachers we can recieve from them. In many cases bad things happen to good people. In the scriptures we read abou people wo are going to respect their convents they have made wih the Lord and not go to battle with others, or who are trying to be faithful and bad things happen to them. Many people while reading these stories would go, why is the lord doing this? Hello these people are trying to be good, they are doing what is right and they die? Everyhing is in the Lord's hands and happens for a reason. When we feel as though we are trying our best to be good, that we are doing everything we can we are still going to face hard times and have trials that we pass through. It is part of life and part of a learning experience in our lives. I am very grateful for the Lord and His love for me for giving me these are times and trials. I love the talk about the little current bush from last Aprils conference about the gardener loving the bush so much that he is will to cut him down so he can grown into what he wants him to be. If we can remember this while we are going through hard times that we really are loved and that when we finish this refining we are going to be better, but also it is our job to make ourselves better. To understand that He loves us so much to do this. That he hears our prayers and is going to answer not in our time but in his time. We need to keep being faithful and keep pushing forward there is a light at the end of the tunnel just keep going, one foot infront of the other and we will get there.
I'm so very blessed and thankful for this gospel in my life so that I can grow and that I can know these teachings of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and His father our Heavenly Father. I am grateful for the Atoneing sacrifice for me so that the mistakes that I have made and that I will make I can become clean, I can be forgien and I can be reminded that someone else has felt the way I have felt before. That I am not alone and that I can be freeed from this feeling if I but turn to the Lord and simple ask for help.We need to ask and to communicate with the Lord, He can read our minds but he has given us our agency and our free will .He is not going to step in and take over with out us asking for it. Just like in a car you can not be on cruise control if you do not put in on. Pray to him and ask him for whatever you need the blessings and comfort we will recieve is unbelievable. This I testify of in the name of Jesus Christ Amen.

As for the back, here is day 2 after the shot and I feel a little better but I still have pain. I don't know if it's because the shot or just different things working I'm hoping it will continue to get better and to go away. Will see how it feels later on and tomorrow.

Tuesday, November 8, 2011

update

So yesterday I went in for my shot and things went well. They were able to find the right spot and get the steriods in there. I felt fine, I walked out of the office good to go. The nurse told me that I wasn't to do ANYTHING. Not to move, walk, bend, lift just do nothing for the day. I asked her if I could play just dance, the game my family has just interduced me to. She laughed and didn't know how to take me, if she should take me serious and also what and how to answer that. She laughed nervously and said no but you can be the judge and hold up the score.
my mom was so excited for me to be home and that we can go to Savers 99 cents Mondays and I told her no mom, I can't do anything. we went home and a few hours later my mom got a great idea. She told me Sabrina, there is a wheel chair up at the city we take that and go! We loaded it up and went shopping for the Hermanas that are in Nicaragua who wanted me to bring back a few things. I just laughed because of how serious she was about this plan so that I can go to Savers. I don't know if just the shot or sitting in a wheel chair for hours is what did it but I was in alot of pain. I do have to say i would never want it but I would make a good person in a wheel chair.
Today I am feeling a little bit better I still have some pain and maybe it's still because of the shot but I think it's helping. I should start feeling and knowing if the shot works more by tomorrow or by Thursday. I was very excited and hopefull because I had my shot in and had an appointment for the next Monday for my follow up and then I would be gone the 15 or 16th I was happy and thinking YES everything is working out how it's suppose to be.
My mom called this doctor who in charge of me while I am home, as she was explaining and telling him whats going on and what has happened. She hung up the phone and told me that I won't be leaving next week and we have to work and pray really hard because the doctor told her that I might need to except the fact that I won't be going back to Nicaragua and that I might not be going back out on my mission. This news for the both of us was very frustrating and sad, but I am still hopeful and not to worried about it because I know I will be going back out on my mission, I have a good stake president who will go to bat for me.
This is very frustrating, and hard for me to except that all of this is going on. It's very hard for me to be here and not in my mission, i feel horrible and I just have alot of shame being here. But i am thankful for the testimony and the strength that i have gained from the few months I have been out so that I can help strengthen my family and also others around me.
I'm very thankful for the missionaries in my mission and for the strength and support they are giving me and for the encouragement that they also give. i am very blessed and very thankful. Also I am thankful for my family, for the work they are doing and for how they are here to take care of me and help me. I am very thankful for the game Just Dance so that I can laugh me head off while my mom stays up all night playing it. I am thankful for the fact i can talk with my sister in canada and see my new little nephew. thank you technology, and also thank you for all our personalities. I am also very thankful for good friends who are always there for me. No matter what they are listening and they are great teachers for me. I'm very grateful for my life and for the trials we go through.

Sunday, November 6, 2011

1 Year many more to go.

It has been a year from today that I went through the temple for the first time, as I said yesterday I was able to go to the temple with my mom and was able to sit and think about the convenants that I made and also the feelings and reminders how I want to live so that I can be with Heavenly Father again.
Today I was super nervous to get up and share my testimony with everyone because I just feel like I blab on and on and that my thoughts are always scattered brained, its so much easier for me to express myself in spanish and I am alot less nervous. After trying to talk myself out of it I got up and shared my testimony. I knew that many where thinking what? why is she here? has it really been a year and a half? I quickly but the thoughts and wondering down and told why I was there but also just started to bare my testimony. I prayed before hand to be a instrument in the hand of the Lord that I would be able to share my testimony and help someone here who is listening. I was trying my hardest not to cry or just lose it and I thought I was doing well till I brought up Nicaragua and I started to lose it but quickly regained everything. I started talking and testifying of the love the Lord has for us and that He is always there and knows each one of us and loves us. I saw a few wet eyes in the crowd and was trying my hardest not to look at them because I would lose it even more but I sat down and was juse like feeew I am done with that.
I was told by a few people that they really enjoyed my testimony and that they really needed to hear that. I felt good about that and thought well maybe thats why I was suppose to come home and to have them hear my testimony.
I was sitting in mission prep today which heavens I think i have everyone beat at mission prep I have taken it for years and years but as we were sitting in mission prep the teacher was explaining to us about how our parents feel because there were two missionaries leaving and me and then another return missionary sitting in the class. He was saying how happy it makes our parents and how we are keeping the commandment of God by honoring them. I thought about when my dad saw me coming down the stairs at the airport and smiled HUGE and ran over and gave me big hug he related that to our Heavenly Father how its going to be when we return back to him how He will be running to us to hug us and to thank us for our servious and for helping Him build his kingdom and helping His children come back to him. That hit really deep for me to just think of that and from having that experience with my dad at the airport to think thats how its going to be when I get to return to my father in Heaven its going to be amazing and I cant wait.
Tomorrow I go in for my shot and I'm praying everything goes well so I can be back in Nicaragua quickly. I'll keep you updated

Saturday, November 5, 2011

Understanding

I really dislike when we have time to just think and have our minds racing. I've had a few days to myself to just think and dream. In the mission we always joke about having a super Pday if we could just go to our houses for like 3 days or something see our families, eat the food we miss, and change our clothes out because we are sick of them. Here I am living the dream, and it sucks! I love being home with my family and seeing them but I would give anything to just be back in Nicaragua and back to working. At times I have thought and complained about being with a girl 24/7 because sometimes they just really get on my nerves but right now I would love to have my companion right next to my side.
I'm very lucky to have this time and this chance to really think about how my mission is going so far and what things I need to and want to change so that i can be a better person and a better missionary. For all those ex missionaries I know you would agree that having time to look and see things from a different perspective would help alot. Right now is just my half time and I am making my game plan to get back out there and playing my game and I'm going to win. I dont know why and I think alot of times why am I so blessed? why does Heavenly Father give me all these things I do not deserve them. I have my dream mission, great people I have met there, and now living the dream of some missionaries. Maybe I just have alot to learn.. I'll be the first one to say that I have alot alot to learn, I just hope and pray that one day I will able to learn it all.
Yesterday as I wrote in the mid of frustration and a breakdown I wasnt thinking clearing or understanding exactly what was going on with my back. To me having those fatty tumors is a serious thing, as my mom and others have explained to me that this right now is a big thing, this bulging disc right now we have catch it before it has gotten worse and before I had to get something fixed with surgery. With this shot they will be giving me on Monday will help strengthen and prolong and maybe help with this for now. As time goes on we can live on these shots or if things get worse I will be looking for surgery. I feel dumb because I am here in my house to get a shot in my back, but still after much praying trying to understand why I am here and praying to try and help me to understand why I am here why is this happening and if He could help me wrap my head around this. I have learned that I may not really understand why I am here at this time and may not get my answer until further down the road, now is just a time to push on and put my faith in the Lord and try to be the best I can and continue to serve and help others while I am here. Some of the reasons medically why I'm here is because of the pain, I am here because in Nicaragua they dont have the technology to be doing this, I will be getting a shot in the area they give you the shot when you are going to be having a baby. they will inject a dye and then the shot and we will know within a few days if it is working. I am postive it will and then I will be shortly back to the mission.
I'm very grateful for really good friends who have been there for me to help me through this and help me wrap my head a little around this and to calm me down.
One thing I havent done in a while is go to the temple I got to go to the Bountiful temple today with my mom, as we drove through the snow to the temple the peaceful and wonderful feeling the temple brings was something I had been missing for so many months. I love the temple, I love the tender mercies of the Lord and seeing His hand in my life. He hears you, continue to pray always.

Friday, November 4, 2011

My ways are not your ways.

I can not deny that the Lord loves me and hears prayers and answers them and that he prepares a way for men to accompish the things that he commands them to do. The last doctors appointment was today after getting right in to every doctor very quickly the first day I was home to the quick MRI to the specialist appointment today to read my MRI. I was for sure that it was the little lypoma tumors that were the things that were bugging me in my back and causing me to much pain. As the doctors were talking to us and doing the routine checks I was just thinking why am I even here I know whats wrong with me, I know how to fix it I need these lumps taken out and I am good to go. As the doctor continued to talk and explain that I have a bulging disk in my back and that is what is pushing on the nerves and that is what is hurting my back not the tumors. (so they say) I am having a very hard time excepting that answer and that with just a very little shot it will be fixed or wont hurt me anymore.
Heavenly Father has planned all this out for me we were able to get all the doctors quickly, we were able to get the quickest appointment for this shot even though the doctor was booked out for a few weeks. He made a change and he got me in early Monday morning. I cant say that Heavenly Father has left me alone but just right now I just feel so dumb, and so frustrated with all the is going on because I am home from my mission for a shot in my back. I feel dumb seeing people like others are judging me but also I am wasting the Lords time being here at my house. Its very hard for me to handle this and understand why this had to happen to me right now and I know I should never ask that but it just doesnt make sense to me.
There are good things about being in my house all the missionaries always are saying they wish they could be home for a few days and just see their families and get a fresh new look on the mission and things I need to change and to fix. Right now its just a test of faith I guess. Just like the scritpure that says my ways are not your ways neither are my thoughts your thoughts. Maybe I will be able to understand this down the road or maybe this is part of my mission to be serving here in my house to help my brothers and my family out I dont know. I guess I will just have to see how things go from here.
Heavenly Father is very very kind as I am here writting broken hearted, frustrated and discouraged my sister Mindy had sent me something in the mail and I was able to get it today, it is a new Hilary Weeks cd called every step and it talks about and songs that really are hitting home. A beautiful Heartbreak and others have been some that I have been able to relate to. A blessing that has come from all of this is that I will be able to see Matthew before he leaves on his mission, and also we will be able to go to the temple as a family to for to take our his indownments which he had never spoke of until now.
I cant wait till I will be able to be back in Nicaragua and this will hopefully be the week of the 16th. I know we go through troubles and hard times to learn and to show our faith and this is a time that I cant not choose when and where I will be serving but I know if I have faith I will be able to make it through this hard time.

Wednesday, November 2, 2011

Always bumps in the road...

When things are going good, and when we feel like we have things under control is usually when we have times of humbling and when we hit the road bumps in For almost 2 months now I have been having pains in my back from tumors, which I had before the mission. I guess thats my punishment for starting to exercise in the mission, no but these pains just happened to not leave no matter what I would do, no matter what I would take I would always be in pain. My wonderful old companion Hna. Galdamez is a nurse and is always there taking care of me she told me that we needed to go to the doctors and get things figured out and maybe get these things taken out. I was done for having surgery in Nicaragua its a great story to tell right? We went to the doctors and they said yes this is your problem duh I knew that, but they sent me for blood work to get me ready for surgery. The blood work was fine and just like usual in the states but then they pricked my ear I still have no idea why they just made me ear bleed for no reason.
we have been waiting for the results and to know what my mission president will say about the surgery and also my parents. I was very smart and didnt say anything to them about my pain because I knew they would start to worry so I just let my mission president handle that for me. After a long while of waiting they put me on bed rest because I started to loose feeling in my back, I start to have tingling in my back, butt, and legs which they think is because of the tumors pressing on my nerves. They told me I couldnt go out to work that I just needed to rest and wait things out, I was DYING... I would read, then cook, then watch a movie, then write letters and just do alot of things and then I would look at the clock and its only 4 oclock. I was like a little dog or a kid waiting for my companion and the other Hermanas that I live with to come home. After about 4 days of that I was DONE I didnt want any more after the first day but President Arredondo called me and told me that on Monday I needed to be in his office with all my things. He told me what the doctors have said when he had talked to them and said that I cant have my surgery done in Nicaragua. I really was done to have it but they thought maybe they just dont know quiet enough to make things safe and make sure I live. Anyways I was at the office on Monday with all my bags and talked with my family, next thing I knew I had a plane ticket to Utah and was leaving the next day.
I just have to say I love my mission presidnet with all my heart he is such a great man, but he got things taken care of and after spending the night in a really fancy hotel so that i can be well rested I was on the plane for utah.
The plane ride from Managua to Atlanta was LONG and COLD I was freezing and bored there was no one on the flight and well nothing much to see out the window. After waiting hours in the airport in atlanta just sitting and waiting and sitting and waiting trying to deal with pain and with having no heat in my body, I finally bored the plane at 8 oclock. I started my journey at 1 in the after noon, I was on the plane at 8 and again frozen and waiting and bored out of my mind. Finally after a super long, painful, and boring plane ride I landed in Utah at 1230 with my parents and brother waiting for me.
It was really great to see them and to be with them, this is just a huge dream for me, I dont believe that I am in my house for this little bit of time, here with my family and just its a dream. I cant wait till I can get back out in the mission field I am hoping not to long. We went to the doctors today and have a MRI tomorrow morning then we go from there when the surgery is going to be. That really changes things and what I was planning and thinking and I never would of dreamed in a million years that this would happen to me but there is a purpose in everything and Gods will will be done. We all need to pass through tests and trials in our lives to help ourselves and others grow and I am so happy that we get this and that the Lord loves us enough to strengthen us and to purn us. This gives me time to reflect on my mission, to learn and to change things I wasnt doing quiet right or see how I need to change so I can be a better instrument in his hands how lucky I am to have this.
I love this church and being a missionary!

Sunday, October 30, 2011

October

A quick update, I have finally gotten out of the city since being in there for over 4 months, I have to admit i have never loved the city well to visit yes but it stresses me out thats for sure. Also I just like being laid back and free to roam and not worry about a huge bus or car or motorcycle killing me if Im not always watching my back. Also I do not miss walking in the roads when they are flooded with water knowing that each step I take into the water is nastey sewer water I am walking into.
Not all was bad about the city I learned alot about myself and about how to be a missionary and a person that my Heavenly Father wants me to be. Im not saying that I am perfect and I have everything figured out thats for sure but I have learned alot in just a little bit of time. Also the people I was able to met and to talk to while I was there have had and will forever have a huge impact on my life. At times I felt like I was doing nothing! No one wanted to talk with the Missionaries and no one wanted to go to church everyone just wanted to lie to us and just say they go to another church. My hopes and faith in people were fading quickly and also I had my had times with my three comps that I had in that time period. For those who are counting yes I have had a companion every change a new one honestly its pretty nice becaused sometimes I get sick of girls. I ask myself alot of times I gave up getting married or doing other things to come and live with a girl 24/7 I just dont get along with them very well. I have thought many times to ask my mission president if I could just be companions with the elders but I am pretty sure he would say no to that so I havent asked.
I will never forget Hna. Carlos Lopez we contacted him and I told him it was his lucky day he thought we were coming to give him money or something but no we just came to invite him to go to church. He told me he had to go to the dentist sunday so he couldnt come to church I thought he was lying and was like whatever! He went back and thaught him and he never missed a church activity since. He told us he needed to get baptized and was going to get baptized on his birthday the 12th of nov.. For a missionary that is like crap! he was going to wait 2 months to get baptized I was crushed because I knew I wasnt going to be there for it. For my birthday he called to wish me a happy birthday and told me he was going to get baptized that saturday. He showed up a hour early to his baptism and was just great he told me to take a picture of him sitting in a chair in his baptism clothes he can speak a little english so in his broken english he told me take my picture and he just sat there smiling. He reminds a little of my grandpa J they way he sits and looks. When he came up out of the water after his baptism and also coming down off the stand after the comfermation he gave us the peace sign. I love that old guy.
The family Jammey and Hna. rebekah I wont forget either they were so sweet and willing to do anything. My little boyfriend bradley who also spoke a little english told us he was strong. Whenever we would walk in he would tell us to ´sit down please´ it was so cute. Hna. Estella who turned to me my first sunday in the city and told me " I think I need to be baptized " I didnt know what to say because I didnt really speak spanish and didnt know if I understood her correctly. I asked if she was a member she said no thats why I need to get baptized. I quickly found a elder and he talked with her and that Wendesday she was batpized. The family medina who where the family who cooked for us they turned into my family and I just loved being with them and talking with them. We would play uno every sunday night for PREP PDAY!
I love the mission with all my heart and there is no whree else I would rather be. At times I think what am I going to do when I go home? I dont want to leave this place, the city was ugly but the people and the culture and everything I just love. The family Medina and also the elders I was with, I kept telling everyone I was born the wrong race and they soon quickly started telling me that as well.
I am no opening an area that was the South mission that we just got its called Nagarote I love it. It reminds me alot of my first area but its just a small in the middle of no where place that you just pass by to things you dont ever stop there for anything its like fillmore when you are on your way to St. George. The people here are so humble and sweet and willing to listen, still we are working on the not being liars part but whatever. I am living with 3 other hnas. and I just love it. I am with Hna. Galdamez again and I love her to pieces I also love my comp Hna. Menendez shes great and super sweet a hard worker they both are from El. Salvador I love the people from there I will for sure visit but things are just going great. I almost have a year in the mission and I love every minute of it. The hard times, the sad times, the funny times, the rain and rain and more rain.
So recently in Managua well about 2 months ago my back started giving my problems. Last summer I had a surger to remove fatty tumors that I had in my back they were removed and everything was fine. I came out on the mission with out a problem until now... I started with this pain in my back that I couldnt get rid of then I started feeling the same way that I did before I had my surger that my back would buckle and pain and just not good things. So went to the doctor and she told me to take 800mg of IB profein and we will be looking into what we can do. With this 800mg it wasnt helping me. I kept asking Galdamez for something else because she is a nurse and she said I couldnt take anything else and still work. I thought its fine I will just put my big girl pants on and go to work. I tried doing that and am still doing that. They have but me on bed rest for right now, I cant leave to go out and work, I cant do anything. Its horrible I hope I never have to be like this again I am going crazy. I read, cook, clean, write letters just do a bunch of things and when I look at the clock its still only 5 in the after noon I wait by the door till the other Hnas. come home just like a little kids its horrible. I am sorry for any of you who are on bed rest I know how you feel!
At times I just think why is this happening now? I have so much to do here, I love this area I love my comp I need to work I am here for a reason why is this happening now. I have had many moments where I have got different answers and different tests and strength. I know that things are going to be ok and that this is suppose to pass at this time in my mission. I know that there are things to learn and from this I will be a better person and I will learn and also feel better. Sometimes God calms the storms and sometimes God strengthens his children so they can make it through the stroms. I know that I am not alone that I have many prayers in my behave and I am very grateful for them. I am very grateful for my testimony of this gospel and for the strength it gives me daily.
As I encouage everyone always to start reading the book of mormon your life will change and you will be blessed because of it. I stand all amazed at the love Jesus offers me. The blesses we recieve when we are obedient and the blessings we can recivev if we just sacrifice just a little bit. I love my Savior and My Heavenly Father with all my heart and am so grateful for the chance I have to be a missionary and a instrument in the hands of Him. This gospel is so true I know with all my heart. I love you all
Hna. Evans

Monday, July 18, 2011

You Are LOVED!!

Holy cow I know you guys are probably sick of hearing how fast the week goes by for me but really I just feel like at the end of the change the time flies by. Its close to changes this week tomorrow we will know if my companion or I have changes. I don't know I think we are together another change but we will see what the Big guy has in store for us. Anyways, there is only 1 new Hermana coming this change so I think she will be sleeping at our house and we will take care of her for her first day and a half like the hna. did for me my first day.

I have to just tell you guys this story because it impacted me a lot this week on how the spirit testifies of the truth and when following the spirit we are blessed and people really do change. So Saturday night we went to find a family that the others had talked to for us, We went to their house and the lady was like no we have our church her name is Cicila she came out and we started contacted her and talking her about how the elders talked to her husband and said we could come teach them and she was not having it one bit. She was like no we have our church, we go to our church no you cant come back no no no just negative but kinda in a nice way, anyways I just started asking her questions about God and how we can show our love for him and if she thought he answers prayers and hears our prayers and then just started teaching about little things that we believe just random things whatever came to my head i taught her and testified of things. After about 10 min from when we first met her she was softer and she told us to pass and to come into her house. We walked in and started teaching her about the plan of salvation by the end of the lesson she told her daughter they invited to go to church with them tomorrow and the daughter was like ya lets go come get us in the morning ya we are going with you guys. The lady Cicial was like I know I have my church but you guys explained things and this and that and she just liked what we taught her. I know its because the spirit testified to her and things were brought back to her remembrance and she felt it was true. I wish I could tell you that we went to their house they came to church and are getting baptized this week but that would be a lie. But we are going to keep teaching her and will see where it goes. Lesson here whenever you are prompted by the spirit just say something or do it and you or someone else will be blessed for it.

We also found a really cool lady named Hazel she has 5 kids which here is really odd because it's hard having a lot of kids and it's a lot of money and just birthing kids here is a little different. Anyways she is super positive and nice. Anyways we taught her lesson one about the restoration and she couldn't come to church with us this week because there the only really good schools are the Catholic schools, and if you go to those schools you have to go to church on Sunday and just do different things. I don't understand that stuff really anyways her sons had something for their school that they had to do so they couldn't come this week I hope next week they can come with us.

We live with a little old lady who is just super cute I need to take a picture of her one time, anyways its raining pretty much everyday here and she stresses about our umbrellas then she tells just everyday to wake out for the man holes because people fall in man holes and it's dangerous I get a good laugh out of it everyday. What I don't laugh about is that we are walking in poop every time it starts raining because the sewers flood and our comes the poop so our shoes smell really really bad, our house stinks really bad its just great. My companion and I are working on her English and she knows "I hate poop in my shoes", also "eww yep this is poop." I know what a great teacher I am right? No really I am teaching her little by little its just hard when people don't want to listen or practice. The mission is a great teacher and a great humbler!

I am really sad I missed out on Clinton days. I haven't missed that for how many years now? But really I have been thinking a lot lately on how we are prepared little by little in our lives for the next step in our lives. I think about when I was little at Clinton days they had a truck with a cage and mattresses in the back and they drove around the softball field and we just bounced everywhere and it was just madness, that prepared me to take the buses her in Nicaragua! I think about how my love from cafe rio and rice and weight watchers eating black beans and sour cream prepared me for the mission to eat rice and beans everyday! Ok seriously thou just the Lord really does prepare us to receive little things in our lives or big things so that we can handle them and we are ready to learn from them. I am so grateful that I have the chance to be here and to learn of these things and to be prepared for the next step.

It's hard work working with other peoples recent converts because they have a relationship with the other missionaries and we have to come in and try to win them over. Right now I don't know how great of job I am doing with them because well this old guy who got baptized who knows not that long ago hes smoking and drinking, so every time I pass by we have a great time smashing cigarettes on the ground I think like off Saturdays Warriors when the missionaries step on them. I don't know but we do that and hopefully one day he will learn the word of wisdom. But I can't really say much because I have my first baptism that is getting robbed in the street because hes drunk. I just love Nicaragua and I LOVE SATAN NOT! But we all have to go through our own difficult times and our own testing periods and have to come to the Savior. Really I have heard the expression you can lead a horse to water but you cant make then drink. Its so true in missionary work well in all our life we can teach people and help them but we cant do it for them.

But really it all comes down to have a testimony of the Book of Mormon if you know the book is true, you know Joseph Smith with a prophet if you know he was a prophet you know we have a prophet today if you know we have a prophet today you know that he speaks with God and receive revelation for us. It is the key the keystone to our religion that is why I tell everyone of you to read this book. It blesses our lives more then your mind can understand. You will not understand all the words you will not understand everything but when you start with obedience you are blessed then you start to have a desire then you start to understand. Please listen to me and try this for your selves, I testify that it's true and that you will be so blessed.
Yo se que esta libro es verdado, esta libro es la clavy por nuestras felizidad. El Señor quiere nos ayuda quando hacemos la cosas que el tiene por nostros y la cosas que el mandar por nostros. Yo se que Jesucritso es mi slavdor y redentor, por que el muedo para mi yo puedo ser limpio de mi pecados y vive con mi padre oltra vez estoy muy feliz por esta conocimento que yo tango sobre esta. Yo se familias puede ser eternal y quando viviemons bueno vidas y trabajo juntos por la mismo pruposity podemos tene exito. Requirdo siempre que Dios Nos ama es no impòrta que hacemos aqui el es siempre esta por nosotros.
I love you all and hope that all is going well that you all are working together on your relationship with each other and that you are working on finding good friends. Keep in mind that you are loved and that everything is great.
I love you all and see you in a few weeks freaks
Hna. evans

Thursday, July 14, 2011

The Work Moves Forward

I feel like I go to bed on Monday nights and the next thing that I know its Saturday, then Sunday then Monday things just fly by. I am pretty sure time here in Nicaragua is faster then in the states. The sky moves faster and so do the clocks. I think that its because well the numbers here in Spanish things are just faster..

Ok to answer a few questions our churches here are just like the churches back home we just don't have a gym inside this church, it looks like a old fashion church it's two stories, we have about 120 people each week. We have to work our butts off to get people in church and here during the rainy season if its raining on Sunday they aren't coming to church. I think latinos are like the wicked witch of the south because they don't go outside if its raining they just wait in the nearest shelter to wait for the rain to pass. We do a lot of contacting people in the street and asking if we can go teach them at their house, but also we talk to them at their house. Things work a lot quicker and easier when the members give us referrals but not a lot of that goes on here. Anyways we have people who play the music and they are really good better then my last area, people don't know how to sing here and sometimes investigator call them out on it or ask us why people sound so bad.. Were sorry we just teach the good word not people how to sing. But thats pretty much how things work just working and walking up and down streets talking to people and teaching them. Its kinda hard because everyone is working during the day so we have a lot of appointments at nights which is hard because we can't teach everyone at night because we only have like 3 hours to work. We have to be in our house by 9 each night.

This week we are teaching a lady called Melanie she has been really flaky and hasn't prayed to know if what we taught her if true, and just always has excuses when we go by her house and when we teach her. This week we taught her a little more about prayer and told her and asked if we could pray with her right now to know if these things are true. She didn't want to pray at first I love when people say they cant pray and start saying this and that because I know that my Spanish isn't good and I get to teach them that my first day in the MTC I had to pray in Spanish and I use that example that I couldn't speak Spanish but I was able to give a little prayer I tell them it doesn't matter how long or short it is its talking to your Father in Heaven. So she started, it wasn't perfect at all she kept messing up but prayed to know if these things were true. I felt the spirit and I know that Joseph Smith was a Prophet of God and that the restoration is true. I am so grateful for it and so grateful for the priesthood it is such a great blessing for us to have again on the earth. She hasn't came to church for like 3 weeks she always has an excuse so this Sunday I bet my comp with the money that we have in the street that she wouldn't come to church. We passed by her house and she was ready and came to church with us!! I know that its because she felt that things were true when she prayed and she knows the truth. We will see what happens with us but I know the Lord loves us.

I love being able to see the change in peoples lives here on the mission, to see the change in their face and in their attitudes. We were teaching a lady named Maria, we were there for her sister who is a less active and we were talking to her because she asked about our church. At first she was fighting with us about what we believe and what she believes and it was just the spirit of contention and I was like oh great this is horrible my comp started teaching the first lesson about the restoration of the gospel and the spirit came into the room and by the end of the lesson the lady was talking to me and telling me she has gone to all these different churches she even has a certificate to be a preacher, but she is just so confused and doesn't know what to do. I told her and gave her a Book of Mormon and told her to read it, also I told her to come to church with us and she will get her answer and know what is true and not be confused anymore. It was just a great lesson for me to know why we are here teaching this lesson and the power that this lesson has.

The mission is just amazing! I love being out here and an so happy that I have the chance to serve here in Nicaragua and to learn. I love studying in the mornings I read a great talk in the May 2009 from L. Tom Perry about all of being missionaries read the talk tonight for family night and talk about how we can all be missionaries. I love you all so much and keep up the great work. Keep reading the Book of Mormon because its so true and blessings all of our lives. The Lord loves us keep working hard and I will too see you all in a few weeks.
Love hna. evans

Rainy Season

It's been raining like crazy here. so I have gotten to use my boots again which I just love running around in my rain boots because I can splash in puddles and it doesn't even do anything. My comp is like ya sure keep rubbing it in because she just has her shoes and they get soaking wet so fast. I am now starting a new trend here with the Hnas running around in boots and loving every min of it.

The things that you learn on a mission are amazing! I always thought about things before the mission like visiting teaching and being a teaching and helping the missionaries are like blah! Because I was so sick of the missionaries always coming to our house asking mom about so and so or asking if we knew anyone else they could teach I was like just go out and find them yourself. But really being on a mission and seeing how helpful it is to have members to work with and also for members to work with families its great. This is my challenge for you guys is to have a family home evening with a family that is not a member of the church or friends. I have also been thinking a lot about all of us being missionaries and how we are afraid to talk to our neighbors or friends about the church because we think they don't want to hear about it. This week try to find someone that you can talk about the church with or just share your testimony about somethings with them. I promise you will feel the spirit and you will feel so happy about what you just did. But remember everything good in life Satan tries to trick us and make us feel dumb about what we had just done. Don't feel dumb or bothered by what you just did because what you did was right.

We are just contacting people which is just going from house to house and inviting people to church and also asking if we can come back and teach them more about our church. It still amazes me how much people are willing to listen even thou they go to a different church. They are like ya come talk to us, but also oh my heavens there are so many liars here in Nicaragua and they are good at it. We think we are getting their real names and addresses but when we go to find them nope it was a lie. I am getting a little sick of it so I call people out and tell them straight up we don't want to waste our time if you don't want to do this or that we cant teach you anymore. I had to do that with a family Carmen and Domingo this week. The other missionaries had been teaching them so a while and they kept saying they would do things and do things and I tried having faith in them but its been 3 weeks with me now and I told them on Sunday if you don't come to church we cant come by and teach you anymore, I'm sorry we are friends but we are here to invite people to come unto Christ and be baptized.. They didn't show up to church so we aren't showing up at their house.

Another great thing, we have a family of recent converts who live in this house with a cross dresser, my comp and I went over to invite them to an activity and the cross dresser was like can i come? My comp was like yes you can everyone is invited thinking that well she or he wouldn't come.. about a hour later it shows up at the church and we both look at each other like oh crap what in the world are we going to do? The name is Jackelyn and well it came to church this Sunday and is going to come to another activity this week. I don't know what to do we aren't teaching my comp just keeps inviting her. Honestly I hope that we see a change and that the gospel changes its life but I know its wrong and against our religion so I don't know what to do.

My Spanish well yesterday a guy in a lesson and my comp well my comp asked what was up with my Spanish I couldn't speak, and a guy in a lesson told me he couldn't understand me but understood my comp, under my breath I said I hope you can understand her she has been speaking it all of her life. I was really bothered because 4 times he told me that and Sundays are just really hard days because we wake up earlier and Satan goes to work all day long.

The bus we take not as much but they are crazy drivers but honestly I trust them and the taxi drivers more then I trust the APs that we have here so thats saying a lot right? It was so funny tires just fly off the cars here they don't have very good mechanics so when they are turning the corner sometimes they just go rolling down the street I saw it 2 times this week and its makes me laugh.

Today I got to play basketball with the elders and they call my the x factor because they think that girls cant play sports but well they found out that I could very quickly after I stuffed an elder then got a few steals and other things, yes playing with my brothers did pay off. Thank you all. Anyways it was fun then we got to watch toy story 3, thats my second time seeing it in Spanish and well tis funny but a lot funnier in English. I don't feel as bad not understand it because people who have a lot of time on the mission don't understand either. Its hard, anyways

We got to help elders with their baptism and wedding with week which is fun. This family her name is Elizabeth she is amazing I told the elder she was my rc because I love her she has been wanting to get baptized for a while just waiting for the divorce of her partner now husband to go through and now it did and they are married and baptized she was so excited and happy.

I love this work and I know its so true. I love you all keep reading the Book of Mormon and keep being a better you everyday

Love hna. evans

4th of July

Well here I am in Nicaragua on the 4th of July and am very upset that I missed the Kaysville parade. I don´t know why I love going to them maybe its just because its something to do and we are together as a family, or maybe its because we get a lot of free things like ties, and water bottles and things like that. But Im just letting you know right now that WE WILL ALL be going next year to it so you have a year to prepare. I am also a little sad I am missing fireworks, and chasing after Toby because he hates them. I am sorry you guys get to deal with that while I am gone. I don't know why I picked the sissy dog of the group but there is a reason in almost everything and well the reason and lesson to learn with Toby is patience right?

Today I tried planning something super fun for everyone from the states to do like make hamburgers and eat watermelon and do relay races but I have learned a lot on the mission that elders sometimes aren't very fun and don't always like taking pictures and documenting things but whatever, I will change that because they need pictures of their mission right? Anyways ya they all bailed and did other things so what did we do? We went shopping! Ok not really we went to the mall to print pictures because its only 3 cords to print a picture which is I don't know because 20 cords is 1 dollar so you do the math of how much it is. We did that and then ate hamburgers to celebrate the 4th of July, and of course I dressed up and sang I"m proud to be an American.


This week I know I say this a lot and I am pretty sure I repeat myself a lot but really this week flew by and I can't believe we only have 2 more weeks until changes. I am pretty sure I will be keeping my record of a new companion every change because my companion she is sick of the area and asked for changes because her and the bishop don't get along very well so will see what happens maybe we will be together another change.

We had an activity this week and got to watch the Joseph Smith movie which I just love! I know that Joseph Smith was a Prophet of God and that he restored this gospel and how lucky we are to have it. The priesthood is amazing and I am blown away each time I get to watch and see it in action. I cant help but just smile whenever someone gets a blessing.

The Elders that live in our area had a baptism this week and I adopted their recent converts to be my own because they like me a lot, and always want to sit by me. The lady looks like the lady off I don't know maybe the maple syrup. But she just is a black lady with a cute little husband I will take a picture with them and send it next week but they were baptized on Saturday and she got up on Sunday and bore her testimony and I just thought wow this is why we are here to help people come unto Christ and find real happiness. I read a talk today The Way of the Disciple by President Uchtdorf from May 2009 and it goes along great with this he says ¨´ after the excitement wears off, the hollowness remains as we look for the next new idea to unlock the secrets of happiness.´I thought how many people look for the next new diet to drop weight fast, the next new clothing, the new big thing and yet when its all said and done we are not happy. Its true that this gospel brings us happiness, knowing that this brings us happiness, service brings us happiness and closer to Christ.

As I said we eat dinner and lunch with elders who are in our zone but live in our area they are so funny and great elders and missionaries. As we were writing last week one of them received a letter from his brother saying his dad had died almost a week ago. He was devastated as you could imagine. But I knew that he was going to be ok because he knew and had a testimony that he could see and be with his dad again. He has been a huge strength and building of testimony to be seeing him go on working and being happy knowing this. This work is great and The plan of our Father in Heaven is even greater.

I really like the talk by Elder Richard G. Scott in November, The Transforming Power of Faith and Character. It says they recognize that when the challenges intended to be growth opportunities come, they will find ways, as prompted by the Holy Ghost, to overcome them in ways that are productive and character building. He goes on to say we become what we want to be by consistently being what we want to become each day... I really thought about that for a long time because I am here representing you guys and also Jesus Christ. I am to become from this saying become what I am constantly doing.. Am I constantly being a good example? Am I pushing myself and others around me to be there best? Am I being what I want to become? I have thought a lot of the mission why is life and changing and being good always so hard? Why can't sometimes doing the right them and just being more like Christ more easy because I want to change daily but yet I fall short daily.. I have come to learn that if things were easy then we wouldn't really appreciate the things that we get in return.

I read this week in a talk I think that we get what we pay for. I know mom and dad and Jonathan and Shane know how it feels when you have worked so hard with a family or a person and finally they are baptized the joy that you have for them and for their happiness is amazing! You cant explain it. Just like when we complete a big goal or a project we have been working on forever we get the reward and are so proud of ourselves. This week work on being what we want to be by consistently being what we want to become. See the things in your lives that you could change they might just be little things like being more obedient. Honestly always, reading your scriptures, praying, being a better example in what you say, saying no to something that you know is wrong. just a little change little thing everyday you will begin to see a difference I can promise and testify that its true.

He goes on to say that with even your strongest faith, God will not always reward you immediately according to your desires. Rather God will respond with what in His eternal plan is best for you. Be thankful that sometimes God lets you struggle for a long time before that answer comes. That causes your faith to increase and your character to grow. He says you are making better progress then you think.

Life is hard but with the knowledge that we have of this gospel we can be so happy in our lives if we just listen and try our best to be better.

Anyways so this week funny story we have this investigator Francisco, he is great comes to church and activities and is just a good guy his wife wants nothing to do with us but we are working on her. Anyways he went and watched the Joseph Smith movie and we were talking with him after, my comp started asking him if we would follow the example of Jesus Christ and he started freaking out and was like no no only he could do that for us, no I am not going to be like Joseph Smith and just kept saying all this stuff I thought I understood him correctly but wasn't sure if my comp had asked him something different because when we ask people to get baptized we ask will you follow the example of Jesus Christ and be baptized by someone who has the proper authority blah blah and he thought we were asking him to be a sacrifice.. To die like Jesus or Joseph Smith.. We quickly cleared that up and had a great laugh about it later on.

We spend a lot of our days just contacting because we don't have families right now that we are teaching we find them in the beginning of the week and then they want nothing to do with us after we teach them and so its frustrating but I get to practice a lot of my Spanish and also we get to practice and show a lot of faith in Heavenly Father that he will lead us where we need to be and by working and showing that we are willing to work and find them we will be blessed with them.

This picture of a sandwich is what my comp gave me to eat one morning its like ham on one half and them beans on the other half how yummy right? Really it was pretty good, I cant believe the things I am going to eat after the mission because of the things that I eat here. I wouldn't ever thinks to put things together but here I am always putting different things together and trying different things and its usually really good. So don't be afraid to try new foods. Mom I don't know yet if I like bbq but I do eat it sometimes so will see when I get home.

The time is passing by so quickly I don't know if I told you or not my comp and I have the same time we started our missions together and the elders as well so on Friday all of us completed 7 months and yesterday my comp told me wow how fast things are going, we almost have 8 months I had a good laugh about that because we just completed 7 2 days before she is a little trunky.

Anyways things are going great the weather is super warm and I love it but now we are in winter which is rainy season so it rains a lot here and yes I get to use my boots sometimes because it rains so much. But I love the rain, its a blast. I love Nicaragua and everything about it. Everyone says that when they get their call they feel like they know this place that its their home like they have been there before and really I know how it is. I feel like I have been here before and its my home. Its sad to say that I am the best again with the directions but its how I know how to receive directions its like go to this color of house then at the stop sign turn right for 2 streets then after this car and this and that I can do that give me go south then east and this and that ya no dad can testify to that that he would just tell me go towards the lake or towards the mountains.

The buses are still my favorite when I get to sit down because they get going not even kidding like 50 in a street that is like our street then slam on their brakes because of a speed bump then do it again for the same amount of road then slam on the brakes its so funny and I just love watching people so its great. My comp and I stated a new thing well I started it. the 5, 10, and 25 cents or pesos here are not worth anything so people always throw them in the road so my comp and I to pass time in the street besides playing soccer with rocks and kicking through each others feet for goals we pick up the money in the street its so funny my comp is like a little kid I point them up and she goes running after them for me. She bends over in the middle of the road to pick them up when cars are coming, I don't know how I am going to tell the president when my comp is in the hospital what happened... Um sorry prez we were picking up money in the road and my comp got hit by a car? that will be a good one.

I feel bad I don't have many families to tell you about that I am teaching but I promise I will keep looking and find them for you and tell you about them. I love you all and enjoy this time together because I miss you all and cant wait till we get to do things together again. Enjoy the fireworks and all go as a family. I know its a lot of hassle but its a great memory trust me you will love it when you are older.
Have a great week family and read the scritptures
Love Hna. Evans



Monday, June 20, 2011













Yes I got changed this week and now am in managua. Let me back up and give you a recap of my week and will get to changes next I know you all are dying to hear what its like here.Monday after I wrote you guys we went and had a lesson with Bismark who is really cool I have been working with him for 2 changes and his wife is a member. We have been teaching him because he has just gone to church for a year or more with his wife but never has listened to the missionaries or got baptized so we started teaching him. He was kinda against baptism didnt feel ready and didnt really want to get baptized. So we kept working with him and teaching him he kept going to church, but for a little bit we didnt teach him because we could never go to his house because it was late at night and he was never home because he works like crazy. Anyways we finially set a time and sent to his house last monday. We were talking him and I joke around all the time because he is just a jokester and just a really good guy I love the family alot. But I knew I had changes so we went to teach them and we were talking and I asked him how his scritpure study was going.. He said bad then I asked about praying the same I asked why and he said he just didnt read or pray but he had an idea, that we needed to give him something to read and he would read and we would talk about it the next time we came. So we were like what in the world ok we will do that. So we gave him alma 32 and we had an appointment for the next day because the zl were going to give him an interview to get baptized. The next day tuesday we went back and when he came to the door he just seemed really different and quiet and not joking around with him or any of us so I was like oh no whats going on.The elders started teaching the lesson and the spirit was so strong. I started getting a little teary eyed because I could see the change in him while we were talking about alma 32. Then the elders asked him if he would get baptized and he said YES I lost it. I started crying in the lesson because he is amazing and the change and the miracle that I just saw was amazing. He got baptized on sunday I wasnt able to be at the baptism but Im just so happy for them. His wife told me on Monday to take the battery out of the phone and not answer it when they call me to tell me that I have changes. I love that family and know I was suppose to be in Matagalpa for thats reason and now my job is done and its time for me to be in another area. Managua the place I did not want to be in on my mission! its everything I thought it would be and Im trying to get use to it. Matagapla was just another world everything was so calm and chill and happy and just a little isolated place and here its crazy and busy and ya. My comp is Hna. Winter so if you are keeping track I have had a new comp every change and I have learned so much from every comp every change honestly its good but its sad to because I loved Hna. Galdamez so much we had so much fun together and just laughed but I know the Lord has another job for me to do here. Mine is not the options to pick and choose when and where and how I will serve inthe Lords kingdome.
I love reading Alma I love the scriptures and the stories that are in them what in the world they are crazy. But also I was reading in the ensign from Nov. Quenton L. Cook Hope ya know we had a hard time and really that was an answer to my prayers this morning I want you to read it for family home evening tonight and each have a copy and read it because it talks about we all go through hard times in our lives but there is hope and we are promied blessings if we just hold on a little longer. We sometimes ask O God where art thou but heavenly father never leaves us alone and tells us my son or daughter peace be unto thy soul, thine adversity and thine afflictions shall be but a small moment and then if thou endure it well god shall exalt thee on high. I think oh small of a moment because when I am going through a hard time it seems like forever and I hate it. But reading this I have thought this mission is just a little tiny part of my life, this change is a even smaller part this life I have here on earth is even smaller it blows my mind but God promises us we are never alone and we will be blessed after the hard times. I really like the quote from Harold B. Lee which says sometimes the things that are best for us and the things that bring eternal rewards seem at the moment to be the most bitter, and the things forbidden are oftimes the things which seem to be the more desirable. Its so true in our lives. I also like the scipture wherefore be of good cheer, and do not fear for I the lord am with you and will stand by you. What more do we need? In mormon 9 I was reading today and well in alma and everywhere else I thought how many times in the book of mormon does the Lord tell us not to doubt? not to doubt him? but how often in our lives do we doubt that he will bless us with this, we doubt ourselves we cant do this but with the Lord we can do all things. Do not doubt yourself, do not doubt the power of the Lord like it says in Mormon 9 miracles seized because of our unfaithness our unbelief. God is the same today tomorrow and forever he doesnt change he is a god of miracles and they do exist today I get to see them everyday here on the mission and I testify they are true. It gives us a warning in the end of the chapter BE WISE in the days of your probation. Be wise family do the things we are suppose to and dont doubt in the Lord he loves us and want to help us. I know the atonement of Jesus Christ is true with all my heart and it heals us. I know that Heavenly Father is there and he hears every one of our pleads and our tears I know the Savior knows each heartache that we face and if we go to him he will heal us. I know this church is true and I know if we are wise we are blessed. I love you all family and hope that you have a great week. Hna. Evans


Whenever we have storms in our lives we just have to hold on for just a little bit and the light will come and the storm will pass. I dont really like change in my life I have decided and I have a little bit of a problem with it. But this week I have learned after much prayer I learned that I was in matagalpa for a reason to baptize or teach someone and now my time there is done, its time to move on and close the door behind me. Not forget the people there but forget about there and focus on being here, I am here for a reason and comps with my comp for a reason right now its my time to now go and find out what that reason is. Managua is fine its a little more boring then the Moutains because we could just go play in the mtn for pday here we have Mcdonalds which is horrible ya Im not going there any more. But I dont know we have only had 2 weeks here so we will keep looking for fun things to do. I have so many clothes I broke our little cheap closet that we had for us because we just live with a cute little old lady that is our recent convert but anyways i broke it after I finished hanging up all my clothes we had a great laugh because I had just stepped away from hanging up the last thing and it started breaking little by little and falling little by little till everything broke. We have had 2 families baptized last week and got the Holy Ghost this week. One family was a miracle because we got to their house Sunday morning and I knew that satan was going to work hard on this family because theyhad to wait a whole week until they got the holy ghost anyways the lady was ready but the guy was not going to go. We talked wtih him the elderst talked with him ya nodda. So we left, I had a feeling that it was going to be ok while we were driving away but I didnt know what it meant just felt ok about it. He is a good guy and knows this stuff is true and he is a softy and is close to his feelings I think so I knew he was goin to feel bad after we left. We were sitting in sacrament and after we confirmed her and another lady we baptized to complete a family and then took the sacrament he came walking him.. We were all so happy he got the Holy Ghost and was just happy and everything was great. The Lord blesses people and loves families. This work is amazing. Right now we are looking for families to teach because all the families my comp had progressing have fallen and we are starting from scratch. I do know and can testify thou that when we forget ourselves and go to work we are blessed and I am starting to figure out why I am here on the mission and finding a love for everything. Last night I stayed up because during the sacrament I thought of with the help of the spirit and Heavenly Father a way that we can better our retention here and also find people to teach and plan better and alot of things so last night I was color coding things and writting and planning and figuring things out. I love the mission and love working and finding and teaching, its true what the prophets say and what everyone says that to forget yourself and go to work, and to work, work, work it makes you feel alot better and makes the day fly by. I love it thou I love going to teach and contacting people and getting to know people. The work is amazing and it really blesses and changes lives. I read a quote this week well alot of things this week that I like. This one is from Fulton J. Sheen Choose your goals, work towards them. Direct your thought, control your emotions get into action and you ordain your destiny. I like this one alot for me because its hard sometimes on the mission because I am tired or hungry or just not having a great day and I have to be happy and its hard but this reminds me to be happy and I can do anything to forget myself and work. Also I really like a talk says come to know the savior no on is perfect but the commandment to become perfect is to encourage us to achieve the best fo ourselves to discover and develop the talents and attributes with which we are blessed.. God will not require more than the best we can give neither can he accept less than that. I really like that alot we have to work hard and give it our all because thats what the Lord wants us to do. I love the talk from last conference about the current bush because thats me right now I was complaing about my change and i read that and was like oh ya you are the gardener here you know what you want.. Its true I am learning to be a Indidan not a chief. I really like this one with thoughtless and impatient hands, we tangle up the plans the lord hath wrought and when we cry in pain he saith be quiet man while I untie the knot.. The Lord is so patient with us and blesses and loves us so much I stand all amazed alot of time at this work and our lives and the blessings that we have. I do have a food lady again here she isnt as good as my other one she gives us the same things for dinner every night which is fine because I like the food but still a little bit of different things would be great right? anyways yes I have her she always has a washing machine so she washes our clothes which is so nice I love it. We walk alot but also take the bus sometimes and the bus is crazy there are so many people on the bus. But I have gotten use to it, I have also just been super happy I dont ever have to drive here. The city is crazy there are alot of weirdo and drunks which are everywhere but I had one scream at my today bad words in enlish and tell me to watch my mouth.. I dont know its really weird that people here when they are drunk can speak english. Anyways yesterday the elders dared me to put a baptism date with a drunk so I did becasue they thought it was funny and he asked for my name and told me he had a computer we could chat I said sorry I am a missionary I dont have a computer he said give me your number I will call you I said sorry I dont have one of those either he then asked if I wanted him to give me one so we could talk... I was like oh my heavens have a great day and then went and thanked the elders that were laughing their heads off just a little ways away.. Oh elders are great.



So the pictures are we were walking down the street today and I found this store with my name I screamed shut up and told my comp she had to take a picture of me how fun is that? Also that is my closet that I broke with all my clothesAnd my dirty clothes and clean clothe how I look when I take them to the lady to wash them.. I think I like it I could easly back 4 kids around with me one on my back, on in the front and one in each hand.. I told my food lady that and my comp and they just laughed but I was serious I could do that.. I know I have told you I love their broken english it makes me laugh so hard we plan games in reunins when they have to say things in english and i just laugh and laugh.. Also my comp the other day we were walking past a fence that had a dog and she just said talk to my hand and held out her hand infront of the dog it was so funny..

Tuesday, May 31, 2011

Sorry It's Been Nearly 3 Months!

The work is amazing here I love it and I am loving everything including the food which I use to hate but now I love with all my heart. I love eating beans and rice and thought my brother was crazy when all he wanted to eat was beans ad rice after his mission and thats what I crave everyday.
The families are amazing we baptized this family on the end of the world 21 of May somehow we are all still here it must of not been the end of the world. Anyways we contacted them I had a feeling while we were sitting in distric meeting that we needed to contact down a little path we had never gone down before so after we went and I was like what in the world nothing is coming from this maybe I was wrong and started second quessing myself about the thought I had. Just when I was sinking into the water yelling Lord please save me and when I wanted to give up and didnt have any more faith we contacted this family. he was amazing the first day we talked to him and went back and taught him a little more then he came to church and was baptized the next saturday. He goes to church with his wife and daughter who was baptized every week well for the last 2 weeks and he got the priesthood Sunday. He is just so cute and amazing. He corrected the Elder during the baptism prayer because the elder messed up and he corrected him how great is that? I finially feel like this baptism is mine that I helped teach and get them ready and also was able to talk with them. I have had other baptisms on the mission that I have helped with but they didnt feel like they were mine because I didnt say much, this and the little girl Kathern who was baptized in April I feel like are mine. She is a miracle story she is 12 and wasnt baptized her whole family are memebers and they have had missionaries work with her forever she has gone to church forever and everything but never wanted to be baptized. I worked with her with Hna. Willford and also Hna. Tunche.
One day Tunche and I were walking to the bus to go to our area that is along was away. We had to be back shortly because the other hnas needed our help with a baptized that was in a hour. I told her we didnt have time and I had the thought to call and invite or go and invite Kathern to this baptism. She wasnt super happy with me and this idea but we went. While we were there I also had the thought that we needed her dad to help us talk to her about baptism and why she needed to be baptized. Her dad was sleeping in another room and I was like oh well will just talk and things will go however. So we were talking and when we were about done he came out, he told us that she needed to be baptized and lets do it tomorrow. I was like what? ok lets do it... He said wait and took her in another room and talked to her and came back and said ya tomorrow she wants to get baptized. She was so happy with this decision I have never seen her like that just smiliing and happy and it was great. She was baptized the next day and I know that Heavenly Father answers prayers I know it wasnt me who had those thoughts or its not because of me she was baptized but I know that Heavenly Father speaks to us and if we listen we are blessed.
I have a new comp Hermana Galdamez from El. Salvador and we are having a blast here working on saving some souls and husseling guys in the streets for hammicks. I bought one for 100 cords when the guy wanted 150 I only told him I had 100 ya it was a little bit of a lie but well thats what you do in the streets they trying ripping me off and I rip them off. We have successfully done that 2 times now and I enjoy my hammick everyday and night it is the most relaxing thing in the world.
Spanish is coming along not super fast but not super slow. At times I feel like I can speak and there are times that Im like oh heavens how long do I have on the mission? But I know that in lessons when I do speak I know that the Lord is helping me so much and I amaze myself. Words do truely come like it says in the scriptures and I remember and say things that I dont ever remember learning. I know that this work is so true and the Lord really wants his children to hear it.
We dont have water sometimes in the mornings or during the day so one morning we woke up and no water, we have 4 hermanas living in the house and we all needed to shower, we waited and watied and studied and waited still no water. So we called the Elders who lived down the street from us, after a few phone calls and getting promission the elders left their house and we went and showered in their nasty shower and nasty smelling room. It was so funny because we were going to write a letter to guy and we started the letter there, just like in the movies we got busy and finished getting ready and left. The elders called us about 10 min after we gotr home and asked us who this person was.. We all just busted up laughing and couldnt belive that that really happened. We all deny knowing who it is or anything about it.
I am still In Matagalpa and am coming up on 6 months this week and I cant belive how fast time has gone by. I love the mission and this area. I have 3 changes here and think I am going to have more time, who knows maybe Ill be like my mom and only have 2 areas in my whole mission. I love it i still call it my never land and it makes me happy. I am going to buy boots right now and I cant wait! I will for sure send pictures of them but its the rainy season right now and well my shoes are falling off in the mud and flooting down rivers also I am getting eaten alive by misquitoes I dont know why the other hermanas dont have any bug bites but I have alot they just like my blood I guess. My comp says its because I eat so much sugar from the pulparas and its true thats why I am getting fat on the mission but I love the stuff and when in Nicaragua do what the Nicaragans do right? Just eat...I sleep with a misquito net over my bed and I love it it makes me bed look like I am a princess or something because it covers the whole thing.
I want to challenge everyone reading this blog again to read the book of mormon and pray to try and better your life and listen to the spirit more. If you are struggling with things in your life pray to your Father in Heaven for strength I testify he answers and hears you and wants to bless you. I testify that as you do what he asks he will bless you more then what you are struggling with is worth. I know that the Atonement is realy. I was reading today in Alma 37 I love the book of Alma I use to not like it because it was so long but I love the teachings in it and love studying it. I really like verse 40 When it talks about the Liahona working to their faith that Heavenly Father works according to our faith. I also love verse 46 Where is says to not be Slothful. It is so easy when life is going good to foget to go to church, or read or pray for one or two days then a week then who knows how long, it is when we are really falling and struggling is when we are like oh man and see where we stopped reading and praying and where we started being slothful. I hope that now we can see where we are being slothful at and we can improve so that we can always live worthy to have the spirit with us and help us in our lives. We can not make it alone in this world.
Thank you for all your support and your love and for reading my blog you all are amazing. keep being happy and loving your life
Love Hermana Evans

Pictures to come in the next couple of days... :)

Tuesday, March 8, 2011

Work!

People have said so many times that you change on your mission... I was like
duh you change you are living somewhere else, your doing different things
daily, you are becoming a different person. I have been out one month today
March 1st its a really easy day to remember because its the first, but
anyways I have been out and I have already learned so much and have changed
my thought process alot. How I view my life and life is alot different. Its
really hard remembering all the time the things I need to work on to better
myself well because Im not perfect and dont have a very good memory but I
know the things that I have to work on and by working on them daily I can
see my life changing and I am so excited!
I have felt so left behind because I havent finished anything in my
life I have just kinda been floating down the river of life not really
letting life pass through me. I think in the Mtc maybe the CCM someone told
us to let the mission pass through us not us pass through the mission. I
have also thought about that in life. How many times do we just go through
the motions in life getting one day out of the way. Thats not a very fun
life style to live I have learned. Since the CCM I have made it a goal to
make everyday the best day ever! So everyday is the best day ever, also I
have started living still working on it though but have started living like
it was my last day to live. Living with no regrets and its great. In my
mission prep class we were always told every week to serve our missions with
no regrets and so thats what Im doing. Im not going to lie I do have some
regrets already but again Im not perfect so I am trying to better myself.
Im stressing about Hermana Willford leaving me soon and Im going to
have to be the one talking with our families and taking my companion around
and doing alot of things and thats pretty freaky because Im fine just
sitting back and letting others take charge Im just along for the ride. But
now I have to put my big girl pants on and take the lead, will see how that
goes. With having her as my first companion I have thought alot about how I
want my mission to be and how I want to be when Im going home and things
that I want to do when I am out here.
Im going crazy here with all the shops, everything is so cheap and cute I
have to really be smart with my money here or else I wont be able to buy any
food. Well lets me honest I am kinda a not a tight wode but I am being very
careful with my money here because once its gone its gone and I cant get any
more. I cant really use my personal money on the things I want to buy
because I never know when I have to pay for people to get married or my bus
rides to Managua so its kinda sucky seeing everything and wanting it but not
being able to get it. Its funny all of us here well the missionaries we look
at things and calculate them in our heads like thats 4 dollars what Im not
spending 4 dollars on that... But really its alot cheaper then in the states
we are funny.
I love when we are able to go to sleep at 1030 well before 1030 i usually
am in bed by that time but when its before that time and everything is done
I love it so much I am so happy. And when we get to sleep until 630! thats
something that doesnt really happen often but when it does it makes my day.
Our days usually go like this... Monday we have Pday well we think we do for
most the pday I have been in Managua and we woke up at the crack of dawn to
get on the bus but we have pday and I cant really tell you how it goes
because they have all been so different. Then monday night we go have family
home evening with someone then go home. Tuesday we wake up at 630 sometimes
and we go to our distric meeting forever. There we talk about families and
how to be better and blah blah. This week I was told MOnday night at like 9
I was teaching the next day and teaching on Patience... Great topic for me.
I went home and studied and tried preparing my lesson. I think that it went
well I just talked about how we need to be patient and how Christ was
patient when he asked peter 3 times if he loved him then go and feed his
sheep. I love that chapter. But after the meeting we usually go eat then out
to teach and visit all day. We have alot of things and errands to do so I
feel like alot of the time were running around like chickens with our heads
cut off. Wednesday is a normal day that I love. We wake up at 630 get time
to study in the morning then we are out the door to go to lunch, then we
just teach the rest of the afternoon or contact and then that night we have
a thing at the church its like young men or womens but for the whole ward
every wednesday night. Thursday we have planning and zone meeting which is a
very long thing as well both take up our whole mornings then we eat and run
around like chickens with our heads cut off finding families to baptize and
helping other missionaries witht heir families. Friday is pretty much the
same we wake up early and were out the door helping people with their
families and getting our families ready for Saturday. Saturday we just spend
all day well most the day in the church with wedding and baptisms. I hope
you never complain about a wedding or meeting or anything starting late..
Here everything is at least a hour late starting but we have to be tere on
time just in case by a miracle things start on time. Sunday we wake up at 5
and are out the door going to round up and talk our families into coming to
church with us. They have more excuses then I have ever heard in my life.
Sundays are always super long days because we get up early we run around and
around sit in 2 sacraments. I really cant wait till I can take a sunday
nap.. All that are blog stalking me please take a sunday nap for me every
week. Also I cant wait to eat potatoes and gravy and roast. I have been
craving a baked potatoe like no other lately. Thats kinda a brief review of
the week. It really is never the same and planning is really hard because we
never know whats going to come up or happen. I think we are the runners of
the zone when something needs to be done or someone needs something they
call us and we do it. So we run alot of errands but its fun and the Lord
really helps us out with our families I think one because they are willing
and we are willing to teach them but also because we are helping others out
and serving them and our families.
We met with this really nice guy Tuesday night, I hope that he changes
his life and that he really wants to hear what we have to say not just
because we are girls.. His mom said if he went to church on Sunday she would
go, if they all go then Im pretty sure we will be baptizing 3 people well
that family next week so thats pretty exciting. We waited for a bus for over
a hour to take up to another area of ours. We got on the crowed bus I do
love them just sometimes I really dont want sweaty people all up on me. But
we rode the bus and got to the area which is about 15 min away and Hna.
Willford was like were not getting off. This is the last bus and we wouldnt
be able to get back home tonight so we just rode on the bus back it was a
nice little trip and I got to see the area. We have to cross this little
river int he bus I will try to take a picture or video or something and have
Mindy post it but I love it here. The hills we hike up everyday still arent
getting any easier and I dont really think they are ever going to but hey
its one way to get rid of thunder thighs right?
People watching here is proabaly the funnest thing ever! I wish I could
read minds sometimes because I want to know what in the world they people
are thinking in their heads when they are doing things or well not doing
things. Things here are alot different then the states for one they just
throw their garbage on the ground, they dont care if you are walking on the
sidewalk they body check you or bump you off the sidewide with their purse
or hip or tummy... ITs funny but sometimes is like what? they just cut
infront of each other in line, talk over each other, ride 4 people to a bike
or like 5 people on a motorcycle. Being here really makes me want a
motorcycle real bad after the mish so will see what happens there too, they
just look so fun and easy to travel around in and everything. I know Utah
isnt the best place to have one but just maybe one for the summer.
I really really want mexican food right now like chips and salsa and a
burrito and well lets be honest I would kill for some batos right now not
even going to lie! ALso maybe some homemade cookies and a delicious
Sandwhich would really make me super dooper happy. My list isnt very long of
things I want just those little things. Oh and big fluffy slippers, maybe a
pillow, and thats pretty much all I want right now. Not to bad right? I saw
a lady with some slippers the other day and was like what the those look
really nice right now. For my pillow I just use my extra towel and it works
just great. Im really blessed and loved by the Lord. I use to not be able to
really sleep many places besides my house and sometimes during movies or
band pratice or here or there but I was blessed that I would be able to
sleep and well every night I am out cold. I love it.
I love my mission so far and Im loving learning and growing daily.
Sometimes I dont like my eyes being opened to this world but other
times I like it alot because Im growing and learning new things. Love
you all and thanks for the support
Hermana Evans