January 27, 2015 Working Hard

Cabo Frio
January 27, 2015

Dear Family and Friends, 

We are working hard to turn this area around. We are running from one side of Cabo Frio to the other teaching and inviting and sweating. We are starting to see more results from the hard work that we are doing. We are bringing more people to church on Sundays and we are going to finally have more baptisms on the 7th and hopefully this week if everything works out. 

This week we spent a good time working with a family that is very special for me. This is a family that I am getting a second chance to teach on my mission. I met them in Maricá with Elder Braun. They are a referral from one of the counselors to the mission president here and they moved to Cabo Frio about 2 weeks before I was transferred to this area for the second time. A year ago the parents weren't married and we couldn't get them to start the longggg marriage process here in Rio, but over the past year they started and the only thing left to do is have the marriage and they are married. They have 6 kids in total. 2 who are at the age of baptism. We went there and had a very spiritual lesson about eternal families and we invited them to be baptized. For now only the two sons can be baptized and we marked their baptism for the 7th. One of them is on vacation with an uncle in another city so when he gets home he will get the news that he is getting baptized that day. They are really starting to progress now and I'm glad that I got to return to baptize at least some of the family for now.

We are trying to help this ward get excited again like I said last week. We are starting to see some changes. Members are teaching with us, and helping in the church with visitors and such. Things will continue to get better as the time progresses.

Besides that I am happy and well. Just trying to work hard for the little time that I have left. 

Love, 

Elder Evans

January 19, 2015 "And Another Week Bites the Dust"

Cabo Frio
January 19, 2015

Dear Family and Friends, 

And another one down. I have officially started my countdown. It's getting close to ending. The only reason that I know that I only have 137 more days until I get home is because yesterday started the doctrine and covenants reading challenge. You read a section a day starting at section 138 until your last day. But I prefer not to think too much about it. I have too much to do here in Rio still before I can go home.

 

This week was another long week of trials, they never seem to end, but I guess that is how we grow, right? We weren't able to achieve our goals and yesterday the church meeting was a long 3 hours without investigators there. Wow I felt so terrible without anybody new visiting the church, it was the first time that it has happened to me in a long time. We are struggling to work with the members here. They are great, but it seems like everyone is asleep and depressed. We talked with all the leadership in the ward yesterday about how we need the members' help in our work and we are going to wake them up and get them excited again to help us work. I was looking through the area book here this week in a moment of frustration, and I discovered that this area in the entire year of 2014 has only baptized 3 people. 3 people is ridiculously low. We are here to change that. And the change needs to happen this week because I am thirsty for baptisms.

It's getting really hot here lately. I am praying that it rains soon, just to cool off a little bit, and hide the sun for a few hours. Wow!

I'm doing fine besides being really tired all the time. I hope Madi has a happy birthday this week! And that Ethan does well on the ACT! And that everyone is happy and can do something to help the missionaries in your city. 

Love

Elder Evans

Sunset on the bridge to Rio

Churrasco for Elder Mantilla's bday

Us on a bench. 

SELFIE

January 12, 2015 "Sorry! No time left to write" We take everything we can get from Elder Evans- BONUS 2nd Letter came and the Mama is happy!

Cabo Frio
January 12, 2015

Dear Family and Friends,
 
Sorry! It seems like every Monday my email time gets shorter and shorter.

 

This week was a lot better. We were able to see and plan for the baptisms that we are going to have this transfer. We also had interviews with Pres. Cabral and my interview was the best that I have ever had with him or with my other mission presidents. It was quick, but we had a good conversation and he told me what he felt about my potential and other cool things. He showed me a graph of all of the missionaries here and the number of baptisms they have and I am in second place right now. I gotta get working harder. Because "I wanna be the very best, like no one ever was..."

 

But basically we are just in the daily missionary grind and we are working hard to get things done. We didn't baptize this week :( but we reactivated a man and brought his family to church! And fun fact, it is a family that I started to teach when I was in Maricá last March. They weren't legally married, but they started all the process and the papers  and will be getting married any time now!!! More families to complete and send to the temple to get sealed!

I'm going to Rio again tonight for meetings tomorrow. And we are going to have another crazy week! Whoo!

I love all yall, have a good week and I promise that next week I will write more.

Elder Evans

BONUS LETTER THROUGH HIS FORMER SEMINARY TEACHER


From LeAnne Hansen:
Our class prays for each of you on a regular basis, and I thought it would be wonderful to read your testimonies—and experiences, if you can think of them—of the Lord’s presence and power in the work you are doing with Him

Alex's Response:

Awesome! I studied that section with my mission president this week! My favorite part of the section is the first 5 verses. As missionaries we are those who gave our own names to go out and preach the gospel, and if we go quickly and use all of the time that has been given us and work with all of our strength, we will receive the greatest blessings that God can give to His children. But the best experiences of being a missionary are those when you really feel and recognize these promises coming true in your work. When you open your mouth to spread the gospel and it sounds as if it were a trump that penetrates even the hearts of all who hear. You teach by revelation. The Spirit places the words in your mind.

I have a great testimony of this promise that as a missionary, I can speak by the power and influence of the Holy Ghost. And these words touch the hearts of men and women in ways that I had not ever imagined. It is a privilege to be able to teach someone and the Spirit tells me what I need to say, He tells me the problems and the trials of that person and I can then offer a cure. An example that happened just two days ago, we were teaching a woman and her mother about the Gospel of Jesus Christ using the Book of Mormon, and while I was teaching about enduring to the end I just felt the need to promise them that they could see their loved ones who had already passed away, that they could live with them for eternity in happiness and peace. They both began to cry and after told us that one of the sisters of this woman had passed away 2 years ago, and had thought that they would never have the chance to be with her again. They both will be baptized in the upcoming weeks. I know that if we teach by the revelations that the Spirit gives us, we can help others come unto Christ and receive the Restored Gospel, and be baptized.

I hope all of you can also experience these things serving a mission.

Elder Evans, Missão Brasil Rio de Janeiro

January 5, 2015 HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Cabo Frio
January 5, 2015

Dear Family and Friends,

Due to some other forms and things that I had to do during my email time today, my email will be a little short. I hope everyone had a great new years! It was crazy here in Cabo Frio. Everyone went to the beach every day this week and it was a challenging week to spread the gospel. Lots of partying and noise and everything, but we are managing for now.

 

This week is going to be a lot better. We have to do everything we can to work before Carnaval this year, which is February. Because this city is going to go into another week and half of party. There are people from all over Brasil here for the holidays.

 
Like I said, it was a hard week. We are both new to the area, and the last missionaries didn't leave much of anything for us to do, again. So instead of doing nothing, we practically knocked doors the entire week. It was hot too. I came home ever day this week dragging my feet because I was tired, and because there are better ways to work than knock doors. But with the new limitations of not being able to use our cell phone to call members or investigators, we were basically thrown here alone and told to make something happen. It's hard and at times frustrating because we don't see the results of our work yet, but I have faith that something good will happen. 

This week marks my 18 month mark! Today I only have exactly 5 months left here on the mission and time seems to be flying. We've also got interviews with President this Saturday and I have meetings in Rio this week.

 

Love to you all,

 

Elder Evans

December 30, 2014 Cabo Frio, I'm back!

Cabo Frio
December 30, 2014

Dear Family and Friends, 

As you can see, I'm emailing today because we had transfers yesterday. It was a sad day. Both Elder Luque and I were transferred. But happy news is that we are both in Cabo Frio now! We are both still the zone leaders, but we aren't companions now. We are both zone leader/trainers. I am finishing the second half of training of Elder E. Silva, who happens to be my grandson here on the mission! (One of the missionaries that I trained started his training, and when you train a missionary he becomes your "son") So I am my own grandson's stepdad. Fun huh? 

So we went to Rio yesterday morning, and came back to Cabo Frio last night. I'm so tired today. I lost a pday, and spent like 11 hours in busses in one day...It's rough. But I'm wicked excited to see everyone again here in the ward and the area. And I feel like I know why I came back. 

There is a family that I started to teach my last few weeks about a year ago when I was still in my first area, Maricá. This family moved to Cabo Frio recently. I am going to reactivate the dad and baptize everyone. They are a referral from the one the councilors to the mission president. I'm a little anxious because we are going to have to results and success fast, and plenty. But we can do it. It's weird serving in the same area two different times, but at least this time I already know the streets and the city and I can keep from making the same mistakes as last time.

I don't have much time to talk more. It was great to see most of you on Skype last week! I can't wait until Mothers day already. I'll talk more next Monday!!!

Love you!

Elder Evans

P.S.

We had the baptism on Saturday! I baptized J! He was truly a miracle golden investigator! One more family completed, and preparing to be sealed in the temple.. It was hard to leave them.

December 22, 2014 FELIZ NATAL TODO MUNDO!

Rio das Ostras
December 22, 2014

Dear Family and Friends, 

Merry Christmas to everyone! I love this time of year, and I love spending it as a missionary. We are feeling the love that all the members and our investigators have for us and we are serving as best as we can to help them. We have been blessed with success and we have nothing to complain about. 

I gave a talk at church yesterday. The thesis of my talk was basically this:

The true joy of Christmas can be found when we choose to live as Christ lived, when we follow his example, learn from his teachings, and feel the divine power of the Atonement working in our lives. 

I think it went well. I love giving talks at church. Such a difference from before my mission. I don't even get nervous.

We had another baptism this week! G, the bride from the wedding 2 weeks ago, was baptized on Friday! Elder Luque baptized her and I confirmed her. It was a very special baptism. And we brought another 10 investigators to the baptism and the christmas dinner afterwards. We are on fire. We will complete another family this Saturday with the baptism of J, and next week is L and the following week we have more. The area presidency wants us to baptize weekly, we'll baptize weekly.

I'm getting nervous for transfers that are going to be the 29th. I really really really really do not want to be transferred ever from here. I would be happy to stay here until the end. In the next few weeks my area is going to be split and we are going to form another branch in this stake. It's the most exciting thing ever for a missionary. 

I got my presents!!!! I haven't opened them yet! I am going to open them on Christmas, but they are tempting me hardcore... Elder Luque says thank you for the mini stocking and candies. When I opened the box and he saw the stocking with his name on it he got super happy. He is also one of my favorite companions, he is ALWAYS happy. ALWAYS. And we work super well as a team. He is teaching me a lot as a missionary.

Merry Christmas to all! I'll skype ya on Christmas!

Love Elder Evans

Minha árvore de Natal

O batismo de G

Elder Luque e eu e nossos presentes

December 15, 2014 A missão Rio De Janeiro é só sucesso!

Rio das Ostras
December 15, 2014

Dear Family and Friends, 


A missão Rio De Janeiro é só sucesso. I'm doing well. I'm happy. I love my area, my comp, the people, the work. I have nothing to complain about lately. I hope that I never have to leave here.

This week our baptism fell through, but it's ok, she is getting baptized this Friday. G is the Bride from the wedding that we had last week. She had to travel to her home town becuase her sister is having a baby and she wasn't here to be baptized. She's been waiting for 4 years to be baptized, and this week the wait ends.

We also have been working with another man, L. He will be baptized the next weekend. He is super excited to change his life and be baptized in the church. He loves it. And we are enjoying working with him.

We had our Christmas conference in the mission this week. We went back to Rio AGAIN. But it was fun. The entire mission was there at the same time, and it was the first time in years that that has happened. We ate well. Got some presents and got taught even more. My packages hadn't arrived yet on Tuesday when we were there. There is a chance that I can get them this week. There should be a few missionaries in our zone going to Rio for a training, and they should be able to get them for me. I'm excited for Christmas!

Every week that goes by I enjoy myself more, and feel the importance of what I am doing here. I've seen the change in the spirits of the people that I've baptized and helped, and I live to see that change in everyone.

Our mission is going through an incredible period of change, and we are seeing and feeling the change that is taking place in all of us as we come unto Christ and work to bring others with us. We have a goal to baptize weekly. Every missionary is to have baptisms every week. I'm getting there, and it is the only thing that I want. Weekly baptisms. 

I'll see you all on Christmas (family) and the rest I'll see on June 6th, 2015 when I officially get home. (yeah, it moved again, but this time it's for good). Start planning my homecoming party. You've got less than 6 months! 

Love

Elder Evans

The Babilon Circus "The place of happy people" There ya go.

Have you ever seen that big stadium street in Rio where they do the carnaval samba parades? I got to walk down the entire length of the street. They normally don't let normal people enter. We are special.

The mission Christmas conference

Me with President and Sister Cabral

Me and my sweet bike skills.