Trunkey Papers

Wow so I recieved my trunky papers last week and I need the address of President Smith-ASAP, this is very important don't forget about it. Lets see what else, I think that's it just thank you so much for the package and for thinking about me, for your letters, your dedication and support, for you and for how you raised us. Seeing how people have raised their children and looking at our family you've done a marvelous job--thanks for teaching me about the Gospel of Jesus Christ. I'm so tired and out of it, so sorry if this isn't the best. I love you. We're going bowling, all the Elders and I are bummed I. Polito is leaving, well that's the mission right. okay have a fabulous week. I'll send pictures to make up. Yesterday was emotional.

Not a Big Change

Well the good news is that I’ll be staying in Coimbra, the bad news is the Lord is sending my blessed Brazilian companion to Braga-I’m so saddend-we get a long well and she’s a great accet because I really don’t know this area and I still don’t really know the people and she’s Brazilan and we have a lot of Brazilian investigators that she is very close knit with, and it’s hard because they’re not to loving of us Americans here—sigh—I didn’t feel like this in my other two areas—oh well this is definitely the will of the Lord we’ll see what he has in mind-oh the funny thing is, is that I’ll be serving with Irmã Svedin again-crazy huh. I’m still happy and loving life though so don’t worry, it will be hard but I have learned who I need to rely on, really it’s amazing the changes in me, they just subtly happened-stretching and growing is funny like that.

Talked in Church

I gave a talk in church on the D&C I think it went well; I felt the spirit so yeah I’m pretty sure it did. Ha one of the 5 year olds in our ward decided to make Irmã Polito his girlfriend he told her, her hands smell nice and that her eyes were so brilliant. So funny-oh I miss my own sobrinhos! So my head cold came back, that’s not fun-because I can’t think correctly. I’ve grown a lot this past transfer though, and I have loved this last transfer the Lord has truly blessed me, and I’m grateful for this good time, I’ve been feeling trials probably will be heading my way, we’re going to receive a lot more new sisters-because five will leave with in the next 3 months. I can’t believe where I’m at in the mission—it’s unreal. Anywho it’s been raining like crazy here, and we’re going to be able to go to Viseu for choir practice for Elder Bednar, and there’s snow there.

A Neat Experience

Wow I’m completely out of it today so this won’t be very long, sorry.A neat experience was yesterday we finally got the Elders to come with us in the jail, to meet our investigator Pedro Miguel-his mom is a recent convert and that’s how he found out about the church-he got mixed up with drugs that’s why he’s in there but he’s a really good person. Anywho it was really neat because we’re in this big room with the inmates and their families and everyone is talking at once so it’s noisy and not the best environment for teaching, but we sang Love One Another and then when Elder Johnson was talking and teaching I could feel the spirit bearing witness to what he was saying was true, even though there was all the noise around us, and even when I couldn’t quite hear him I felt the peace of the spirit so it was very good. Afterwards we found out about I. Polito and had a good cry. Also Jessica our 15 year old Brazilian who hates Portugal and wouldn’t leave the house, she’s been playing soccer with us and the Elders and her mom came and was crying because Jessica has been a lot happier and she’s been reading and praying and she’s changing so that was awesome to hear about. All the Elders are staying which I’m glad about, a complete American district; this will be a first for me.

God's Children

Well I love you all and I know this church is true-oh we had an encounter with some JW´s they weren’t listening to us and to prove my point I started speaking to her in English and she didn’t notice just kept arguing—but I didn’t want to take it because it’s all the same—“Qual é o nome de Deus” I should have answered in English. I love them as children of God but really they are quite annoying. We are so blessed to have the Everlasting Gospel in our lives, we have the fullness, and we have authority and revelation, that’s what makes our church the only true church on the Earth that’s what it all comes down to because yes as you all know they all have nuggets of truth, but that’s not enough. I love you all, I pray for you, thank you for your example in my life and for making me the person I am today. I so can’t wait to see you all and my precious America, but I am enjoying serving the Lord for now. Have a grand week, até proxima!Amo vocês,Irmã Evans

Soccer Again

I was able to play soccer again this past week oh how I enjoy it, but I got thrashed this week smacked in the face by the ball and then the head, and then I took a beautiful tumble, if there’s one thing I know how to do that’s take a fall and then just roll right back up, with grace and elegance and all that other good stuff.

Love the Gospel

What is there to say but, I love this Gospel the Gospel of Jesus Christ with all my heart and soul. I love being a missionary and the Lord has richly blessed me, I don’t know what is in store for me in this life but I’m grateful to know that I’ll never be left alone and that we have the words of God to read and examples and lives of the prophets to help us in our own personal lives. Go read D&C 121 it’s so powerful and great. Well this week has been one for learning how to become a better teacher and teaching with the Elders

Helping out the Elders

I really have great Elders here in Coimbra so I am blessed, they have a lot of single women investigators so this whole last week was basically tagging along with them. Elder Johnson I is a great Elder and leader he’s helped me a lot I heard from him that you’ve already talked with his mom, he’s funny he reminds me of Travis, I always like people that remind me of my siblings. Just being able to teach the Restoration to people is so wonderful and the spirit that bears witness that what Joseph saw is in fact real that it really happened and I LOVE history and just how it fits together so perfectly-why things had to happen, what caused things to happen, why we have what we do now because of a loving Heavenly Father it’s so true, that’s all there is to say. The sad thing was though that we didn’t get to really any of our own investigators this past week, they keep cancelling which is making it so hard for me to get to know them, that’s the thing that stinks. We did teach our investigator marked for baptism about the law of chastity, that’s always a fun lesson to give, we’re not sure about if he’s keeping it or not, but he’s really a good and humble person that has a desire to follow and learn about Christ. So the scripture in 1 Nephi chapter 11 I think it is verse 17, Nephi says I don’t know the meaning of all things but I know that God loves His children or something like that, I have a stronger testimony of that, we taught a young couple with the Elders and they have a cute little daughter but she gave us her freshly baked cake after we left it was so good, and they were so kind and they so need the Gospel in their lives.

A Privilege to be Here

I just feel so privileged to be here, to be able to meet the Saints her in Portugal and I’m am so grateful that I am an American we have it so good to live where the church is strong is truly one of the greatest blessings a person can have. I like being in the choir, they’re all so very excited about Elder Bednar coming in February. That will be so much fun, can’t wait for it. I am so grateful that the Priesthood is on the earth once again, I have faith in the power of it, I am grateful for Joseph Smith and the example he was and for his life and of course my Saviour and Redeemer Jesus Christ, go read Jesus the Christ it’s amazing it’s helping my testimony grow that’s for sure. I love you all and miss you all so terribly you don’t understand, but I wouldn’t give this experience up for anything, I am now understanding all those returned missionaries, I’m probably repeating myself but it’s so true. I’m doing great I hope the best for all of you, you are all in my prayers, and I pray a lot. I love you have a great week!

Life is Good!

This week and last I don't know what it is but it's seems like it's been ages since I last wrote you. The Lord had been kind and I've been fortunate to have work to do so my days have been full, I love that, tiring but full, yeah I'll definitely have to sleep for three days straight when I return home. Life is still good I'm pleased to report, I think I'm finally changing for the better, yay, I mean I still have so much to work on, because I can't even see the borders to half way perfection.

Happy Birthday Reddin!

Okay your job is to wish Reddin happy birthday for me, think you can do that, great! Second, have Tiffany and Jenny had their babies? Or do I need to keep praying? Is Taryn getting married anytime soon? What's up with Brian and Shelly, is she still having problems and can she not get pregnant? It's hard to believe you have grandsons that aren't from the M&M's for a while there I thought they were the only ones that could produce grandsons. Tell Travis just to not be like Nikela and Ammon and call there child baby for 2 months. It's crazy who's gotten married while I've been away oh boy have my dreams made me long for home but also they've made me realize I don't want to leave the mission there are still things I need to do. Okay I love you, I despise my complete lack of time. I love you so much mama you are the best, and oh how I can not wait to go to those fall ball games with you.

I Love this City!

So I basically love Coimbra, I don’t know what it is, it’s not like this area is more special than any other, could it be the fact that I get along with my companion, or maybe it’s the fact that yes I have investigators, good Elders and the Lord on my side, I think it’s finally me that’s changing, and I want to let you all know how wonderful that feels, yeah basically I wouldn’t give this experience up for the life of me and I’m so gald that I’ve been going through it and still have 6 months to go through it. I can finally say I love the mission—yay! I’m still a long way from being fluent in the language and some days I feel like I’m getting worse, but the thing I do know is who’s side I’m on, and who’s instrument I am, I know who I am and I know why I am here (both on earth and in Portugal).

We Got Peanut Butter!

Okay I think it’s about time I let you know what’s going on in my area, since it’s been a while. Okay so Monday I went to the center of Portugal and took pictures with old ruins, I think I already said this but oh well. On Tuesday it was great we had members, missionaries and two investigators at the church to watch The Lamb of God and then we all bore testimony of the Savior afterwards. Oh how blessed I am, how blessed we all are. Anywho that was a grand experience, the next day we had District Meeting and President and Sister Henry were there, so I had my interview and they brought Peanut Butter, which was great.

The Lord's Work

After District Meeting, we kept getting cancelled on but the Lord was aware and had a different path for us, when we do His work and try it’s amazing where He takes us so we can find those prepared. We had the Elders with us and I felt bad because we got turned down for the third time, we also had a member with us, anywho we were walking away after being told our investigator wasn’t home, and this man pops out of a door and in broken English is like Americans, er something then he started going on about how good and important our church is, it was funny to be having a conversation in English, but he just kept going on how he has a Book of Mormon and he wants help from God he wants our help, but he can’t stop smoking and then we switched back in to speaking in Portuguese, it was pretty funny. Anywho it was awesome for our member with us that she saw that even though things don’t turn out the way you plan the Lord does provide a way if we’re obedient. After that we went to Paulo’s he was someone my comp and her other comp contacted 2 months ago and every time they tried him he wasn’t home. This time though he was and we had a really good first lesson with him, the spirit was really strong and he’s and intelligent man from Africa, studying to be a doctor, we have an appt. with him today so we’ll see how that goes. This week was good though, we also had Zone meeting where I need to work on some areas but all and all it was good.

Saturday was Fun!

Saturday was so much fun, we played futebol- so enjoyable it’s been a long time since I’ve played a game of anything, I love sports and I love to run around and oh boy am I suffering now because of it, I’m getting OLD. It was fun because it’s been awhile since I’ve played soccer but I held my own with the Elders ect. They do that every Saturday so I’m all excited about that because oh my goodness I eat so terrible here, that will have to be something I work on when I get back home-heh.

I Went to Jail! :)

Okay so on Sunday I went to jail, yep, we have an investigator name Pedro Miguel, when I first met him I’m like what are you doing in here, he definitely doesn’t look like some one who would be in jail. Anywho his mom is a recent convert and that’s how that all got started us going to jail and visiting him. He’s a good guy just made wrong choices with his life (drugs) as for everyone in there. There was a prisoner with his little girl next to him and his wife holding his hand, it was so sad, but yeah we all make choices in this life, oh I love agency. Anywho we have Jessica a 15 year old Brazilian that doesn’t like Portugal and her mom, that we teach and eat with, it’s always fun to go over there, the Brazilians are so different than the Portuguese people, it’s amazing, that’s why Brazil is boming and well Portugal will get there, this really is a great mission I am in, I am really blessed to be here. That’s about it; it’s been really cold here. I miss and love you all so much, but I’m so happy with where I am at. I wish all of you the best, you’re always in my prayers, I’m so grateful for the Gospel in my life and in the lives of the people I love thank you for your examples, this church is true, when all is said and done this Church is true, Christ is the Savior of all mankind and we have a Father in Heaven who loves us. Again thanks for your support and love. Beijinhos!

I'm Learning A Lot :) !

Right back at you the mamma--oh TWILIGHT, 6 more months-bah Carrie doesn't have time, going out to partys and movies, yeah that's hard, estou a brincar, anywho sounds like times are good, that's great to hear. Wow sound like you all had a fun time, next year next year, but no life is good, I'm just learning a whole bunch of things, I like who I'm with and where I'm at. I have been a bit under the weather this week and I do believe everyones new years goal was to cancel on the Irmãs so that's always great, no actually we had a great week numbers wise, we had 5 investigators at church. So much different than Guimarães where it was a miracle if we could get one. The language is coming better now that I have a Brazilian comp, she's a doll um what else, yeah I am generally happy right now--Yay touch down score, I'm still trying to work on not being so worldly and still missing you all and my country like non the other but life is good. I am really glad that I decided to serve a mission, I will forever be blessed because of it, is it the hardest thing I've ever done in my life--darn tootin it is. Well I don't have much time so here is Carrie's letter. Oh that makes me sad that Stephanie Meyers didn't finish it--sigh--one person goes and ruins it for all.

I Love Coimbra!

I love Coimbra, I love it, sure every city and place has its problems but I’m finally at a point in my mission where I’m loving it. I loved Guimarães and Braga, but I don’t know it just really helps when you have a companion that you click with. I still have a ways to go, but what I’ve learned already is wow, amazing I wouldn’t trade this knowledge and experience for anything. I understand all those testimonies now of trials and growth, it’s sad that we have to go through such trying times to learn to rely and go to our Father in Heaven. For comfort, I am really learning what this gospel is all about, what the Book of Mormon is all about and just about people in general and that knowledge is priceless.

HAPPY NEW YEAR AND A HAPPY ANNIVERSARY TO MEGAN AND MARCUSI'm so excited for Elder Bednar to come!!

Where are the Letters?

Oh frarrie dog don't fret, I appreciate that you write me, that's more than some brothers, and the brother that I do have writes crap--lol no I understand that every single one of you is very busy, so I appreciate that you even take the time to write to me.