March 28, 2011

Hey Family,

How are all of you? I hope you are all well. 

You´ll have to remember to watch the TV program in between conference sessions because they are doing a thing about the MTC there too.  I might be on it, I know for sure that Elder Forkey from my MTC District is.  That´s crappy about BYU, oh well, Sweet 16 is pretty good.  I can´t believe it´s snowing there still.  Mom I still haven´t gotten your package.  Let´s just say that the Argentine mail system is less than efficient.  I should get it in the next week or so hopefully. 

This week has been a pretty good one for the area.  Things are starting to turn around in Portezuelo.  We are now able to get into doors where a few weeks ago we weren´t.  We are also just now seeing the results of some of our work a couple of weeks ago when we thought nothing was happening in the area.  People are walking up to us left and right that we contacted a few weeks ago.  It just goes to show that work you do doesn´t always produce immediate results.  Our numbers were almost doubled from last week to this week so that´s good news. 

We have also started English classes, we only had one person come but a lot of people here are interested in learning.  Argentines are interesting people.  They are pretty prideful in the fact that they are Argentine, but I think a lot of them are jealous in what we have.  I don´t know that´s a personal observation.

We are still working with Stella and Miguel.  Life is pretty complicated with them right now though.  They are fighting a lot and they just moved their store from their house to another place down the street.  They have stopped coming to church and don´t really have a desire to get married anymore.  They are lacking in the faith area.  Sometimes I just want to shake them, but things that are completely obvious to us aren´t to them.  That´s where patience comes into play I guess.  President Northcutt said that the church down here is equivelent to what it was in the states 100 years ago.  They are still learning, a lot of the members struggle with things too.  It´s not uncommon to see them in a bakery buying stuff a few minutes before church starts.  We are just praying the Stella and Miguel gain the faith to continue on.  We have been blessed a lot with really great investigators this week though.  One of them read half of the Book of Mormon in like 2 weeks.  So things in the area are turning around. 

Wow this is the hardest thing that I´ve ever had to do.  Through all of the hard times that I´ve had though I know one thing.  I know without a doubt that this is God´s church and that Joseph Smith restored it. I know that without a doubt, this knowledge and the help of great people are the only things that have gotten me through this experience.  I am so gratful for a family that taught me these things.  I just want to say thank you to all of you.  I love you.

Love, Hermana Wendy Evans

One Transfer Down... - March 21, 2011

Hey Family,

I guess this week is birthday week for all of you huh? HAPPY BIRTHDAY MOM DAD & AL BAL!!! Dang it I wish that I was there with all of you.  I can´t believe I´m famous and in the Deseret News and I´m not even there to see it. People from the Deseret News just came in one day and started randomly taking pictures of us...I can´t believe I actually made it in there. 

Transfers were today.  Looks like I´m staying in Portezuelo 2 with Hermana Olsen.  This is her last transfer so we knew we were pretty much secure in being with each other again.  It´s crazy because the other two Hermanas in our apartment, Hermana Jensen and Hermana Lara stayed together as well.  This hardly ever happens.  So that´s pretty exciting.    Anyways so life is pretty much going to stay the same here in Salta. 

This week was an interesting one.  Everyone in the apartment got deathly ill except for me.  Hermana Olsen had a really bad stomach infection, Hermana Lara (who is from Nicaragua spelling) had a really bad allergic reaction to something, and Hermana Jensen got a really bad cold with a fever of over 100.  I´m just the exempt one I guess, anyways so we spent a lot of time in the apartment this week. 

These last couple of weeks have been really difficult because everyone just started school here and no one wants to listen to us.  So we knock doors for hours and no one will let us in.  Let´s just say there have been a huge drop in the numbers the last few weeks.  We are still working with Stella and Miguel.  They have just stopped progressing, we´re going over tonight and having a conversation with them about priorities.  They are just getting so caught up in other things.  The bad thing is that you love these people so much that you start to get caught up in all of their family problems, their money problems etc... but in all reality, it isn´t stuff we should be getting caught up in.  Our primary responsibility isn´t to advise them about all of that, just to teach the Gospel.  We´ll see what happens I guess.  We are working with a single mom named Laura.  It´s kind of funny because the Lord seems to send missionaries to people right before they need it.  A few days after we started talking to her, her Grandma died.  She´s super depressed but her kids love to learn. Anyways, we´ll see what happens there. 

Our new mission President is native Argentine.  He´s from Santa Fe, that´ll be interesting to see the changes he makes.  President Northcutt is pretty strict, but in a good way.  I´ve just heard that the natives are a bit more lax.  That change will happen in July I guess.

Today was a good P-day we went and shopped at one of the shopping centers in Downtown Salta. I bought a few things, today was the first day that I have bought stuff so that was fun.  Anways, sorry this is short, we just spent a lot of time in the apartment this week so not a lot happened.  Thanks for sending the box, I´ll be looking for it in the next few days.  Please keep checking my bank account.  I love you all! Happy birthday.  I really do love all of you.  Tell Grandpa Evans thanks so much for the letter.  Give him a big kiss for me.  Tell him I don´t know much about the cattle herds here because I´m in the city, but that it does snow here.  Eww... not looking forward to that, but it´s better than heat I guess.  Haha! Love you all!

Love,

Hermana Wendy Evans

One Week Left in My First Transfer - March 14, 2011

Hey Family,

What´s going on? I´m glad to hear that you´re all doing well.  Did Dad finally make it to Nashville? And he thought we wouldn´t ever go back there again.  Dang BYU, I just want them to win something once.  Even if it is on my mission.  Haha! I´m glad to hear though that they´re getting some respect for doing what they did. Tell Grandpa Brownell Feliz Cumpliaños for me!  I can´t believe he´s 82.  Tell Cami and Alex and Becca I want to hear from them sometime. 

Well this week in Salta has been pretty uneventful.  Other than it´s been super duper cold.  I was not prepared for that.  Will you send me some warm stuff.  Like more cartigans, especially a black one, and maybe my coat.  I know it´s expensive and it takes a lot of time but I had no idea that it gets cold here.  But apprently it gets a lot colder than it is right now even.  It´s really humid so I guess the humidity just goes right through you. 

We are still teaching Stella and Miguel and their family.  They are progressing and were supposed to get married and baptized this Saturday.  We´re thinking that they will still get married this week but not baptized because Miguel needed to come to Church yesterday, he didn´t because Stella flipped out.  Haha! Gosh I´m so gratful for my family... Can I say that enough. They have so many family problems that I´m just so glad I never had to deal with as a kid.  Home was a constant, that´s exactly what a family needs in a world like this, especially down here.  Prostitution is legal down here, it´s a regular occurance to see 6 year olds buying beer so their dads or brothers can get drunk.  On Saturdays and Sundays we have to be careful where we go.  Especially because I´m tall, American, and red-headed.  They are all obsessed with my eyes and my red hair.  Anyways, I am just so gratful for everything that I had and where I was raised. 

The work is really slow right now.  On Saturday we knocked doors for 4 hours straight and didn´t get into one house.  That´s really weird for my mission.  My feet were so swollen, they looked like Cheryl´s right before she had the twins.  We still are counting our blessings though- we have about 5 really solid investigators right now and we have others that are semi-interested. 

Since it was a pretty slow week, I´ll try and answer some of Dad´s questions, sorry if this gets long and boring.  I´m pretty sure I get released June 26^th.  Our Mission President right now is pretty firm on those dates, who knows the new one might be different.  In my District there are 4 sister missionaries.  There are like 8 in my Zone I think.  Salta has the most sister missionaries in South America I believe.  I think it has like 30.  So you do the math.  I think there´s like 15 areas with sisters, but I know for sure they are the safest.  My companion and I are pretty sure that we will be together another transfer, she only has one left and it´s pretty common thing for them not to change anything your last transfer.  We´ll see on Friday though. Spanish is coming along okay.  I can understand or get the jist of what everyone says.  Speaking is a different story though, I´m still improving everyday though.  I can pretty much talk about the Gospel with people, it´s the other stuff I struggle with. 

We pretty much have lunch with members everyday.  It´s a very rare thing when we eat in the pension, so I calculated it and I only spend about 10 American Dollars on food every week.  Pretty good huh? Our pension is really nice, we live behind a rich doctor.  It has a bottom floor with a kitchen and then kind of a loft where the bedrooms are.  Washing machines don´t exist here, we do our laundry in a big barrel with a spinner.  Then we have to wring out our clothes and hang dry them.  Did I mention I´m gratful for the US?

Anyway, I hope that answers most of your questions. Let me know if you have anymore.  I hope you all have good weeks.  Please send me warm clothes ASAP because it takes forever for things to get here. I finally got Chaise´s letter on Thursday that you sent mom.  Thanks.  I love you all!

Love Hermana Evans

Sorry I'm behind!  Here are Wendy's last three emails!

A Whole Month in Argentina - Monday, February 7, 2011

Hola Family!

 

I can´t believe I´ve been in Argentina for an entire month.  At some points it feels like an eternity, others I look back on it and I can´t believe it.  Things have kind of been the same this week.  We work really hard and are experiencing a lot of blessings.  We tract a ton.  It´s a pretty good source for new investigators but we´re running out of doors to knock.  Hermana Olsen has been here for a while in this area so she´s knocked pretty much every door.  We are trying to find new sources, I think we´re going to start English classes.  Things are going well with Stella and Miguel.  Athough for a while there last week we were a little scared.  Wow Satan has so much power over people who are trying to progress.  He worked on that family so hard, Stella even brought up the fact that she was maybe going to go back to fortune telling.  My experience with this family has taught me so much.  It has taught me how grateful I am for the way I was raised.  You guys are seriously the best.  It has also taught me what I don´t want to do in my future family.  Last week we found this woman named Laura, she´s the bomb!!!  She´s a single mom with 3 kids, so we´ll see where that goes.  The family of 7 that we found in the rainstorm told us that they are Catholic, their family is Catholic.  But they see the corruption and problems with the Catholic church.  We have faith that that is our way in, they are looking for the way and at least they are still talking to us.  

Today we went on a hike.  It´s called San Lorenzo, the view was awesome! It looks over the whole city of Salta! We went with the Zone.  Last week we went to a huge Catholic church here in Salta.  It was beautiful. But there were more satues of the Virgin Mary than of Jesus.  The Catholic church has such a hold on the hearts of the people down here.  It´s almost a part of their very fibers...very much a part of their traditions.  Anyway, it gets frustrating to deal with.  My Spanish is improving daily.  I wish I could say I understand everything and that after a month I´m fluent.  But I´m not, these things take time.  That´s a struggle. This whole experience has been rough, but I know that my Heavenly Father has been right there with me.  I have never known Christ so well, or had this good of a relationship with Him in my life.  I am so gratful for the things I have learned out here on my mission.  I am a different person, I don´t think you´d recognize me. Anyway, I just want you all to know that I know that this is true with all of my heart.  I couldn´t have done all of this without that knowledge.  It´s that knowledge that gets us through whatever hardship that comes our way.  This is the Gospel of happiness, of true and lasting happiness.  I know that with all of my heart.  I love all of you, more than words can say. Thanks for all of the words of love and encouragement! 

Love you,

Hermana Wendy Evans 

A Week of Ups & Downs - February 28, 2011

Hola Familia,

 

How are all of you? I hope everything is great! It´s good to hear that Cami is doing well... even if she is addicted to pain medication. Haha!  Tell her Feliz Cumpliaños...19 Holy cow she´s old! I can´t believe it´s been like 7 years since the girls last went to State. That´s embarassing!! Meh... What do you do? Tell Doug to keep pushing them.  That´s crazy that yo Beav gets married in like 2 months.  Where is her wedding going to be? Tell her I expect an invitation!! I can´t believe you have so much snow there... it´s a balmy 75 degrees here usually. It rains everyday here now because their summer has pretty much ended and we are now entering the rainy season.  It is SO HUMID!!!! You can probably tell from the pictures that my hair is freaking out here. The coat has been wonderful...worth every cent. It´s just really hard to imagine that it´s still February and that there is still snow on the ground.  It´s like I´m in a dream world most of the time, like time at home has completely stopped. 

 

Salta is a beautiful city, it is so green.  It is surrounded by really green hills.  In the distance you can see mountains, probably the Andes. Salta isn´t really that big. Big cities here in South America are a lot different than in America. I have come to really appreciate so many things about America in the 3 short weeks that I´ve been here. The food down here is so good though.  They eat a lot of pastries...they are a lot different than the pasteries in the states though. They have a ton of delicious desserts here! I am probably going to gain so much weight. They eat a lot of meat here. They eat these things called Empandas.  It´s a mix of meat and vegetables in a pie crust shell. Then they bake it! SO good! Tacos and burritos are a foreign food here. I have not once had a taco. These people are very interesting.  They think that Americans are so uptight.  They have absolutely no concept of time or keeping appointments so it´s a good day when catch people at home.  A lot of times I think people make appointments with us so they know when not to be home! Haha! They sleep all the time too! There are absolutely no people on the streets during the siesta from 1 to 3.  Dad, guess what, the compass still points North here.  Wierd huh... I thought for sure it would point South.  I was mistaken though.  I also saw a drunk Gaucho! haha! That was fun!

 

When I say this week has been full of ups and downs I´m not kidding.  We had two more baptisms this week.  Paula and Rita. They are twins!  Oh my gosh I love these two girls! They understand English so I talk to them a lot! They are members of the family that I mentioned a few weeks ago that gave us the bags, the family of Miguel and Stella.  Not the ones from the rain storm.  I LOVE the family of Miguel and Stella! I was having a hard time in church yesterday because I was frustrated with the language and the culture, I started to cry but Stella gave me the biggest hug and told me that everything was going to be okay. She said that she would help me with the language.  Anyways, I love this family so much.  It was really awesome to see them get baptized.  They used my white shirts from Banana Republic and my white skirt to get baptized in... I´ll probably end up using those a lot! Anyways, the dad Miguel and mom Stella aren´t married.  That´s a big problem down here.  Miguel has been dragging his feet and waiting for an answer that the church is true for a long time.  He has had a pretty hard heart... what´s cool though is that in the short time I have been here, I can tell he is changing.  During Rita and Paula´s baptism, a member of the Area 70 showed up... scary.  Anyways he wanted to talk to their family after the baptism.  HOLY COW!!! Amazing, that doesn´t just happen! Anyway, the spirit in that meeting was so strong, even I could feel it and I can´t understand the language very well still.  Anyways after the meeting Miguel came up to us and said that he wanted to get married and baptized on the 11th of March!!! So cool! We are so blessed in this area. 

 

Anyways, even though all of that happened, we have not been able to find new people. That is a huge part of this.  We knocked doors for 2 solid hours yesterday and no one would let us in. When you hear of doors getting slammed in your face, that is truly what was happening to us.  We even found two Athiests... do you know how rare that is here? We also got, Don´t bother me I´m Catholic...that´s a super common one. To top it all off we got water dumped on top of us... not even kidding.  My companion even got hit. Yes, hit.  We were standing at a door and a crazy guy was walking past us and he like slapped my companion in the back of the head.  I´m sure my face said it all.  So for finding new people and with the language it´s been pretty hard.  I just have a hard time thinking I´ll ever learn this stuff.  Hermana Northcutt came to our ward yesterday and I had a complete break down in front of her. She´s like my mom out here, it´s like I was talking to you mom.  I´m okay...you just have to take it a day at a time out here. Everyday is a new adventure.

 

Sorry for the novel, there is just so much I want to tell all of you.  Mom, will you just keep watching my account.  I´m going to make a pretty big withdrawl here in a few days.  I want leather scripture covers, they are like $50 dollars a piece in American money.  Is that okay? I think I´m going to get about 3 of them.  Will you tell Brother Wood sorry, the Teachers Quorum wrote me and I haven´t had stamps so I can´t write them back. I´ll write them ASAP  I´ll let you know when I get the package. Will you send me a white Shade cap sleaved shirt sometime too?  I love all of you... SO I might attach some of them too.  Thanks for the letters, keep em coming!

 

I love you!

 

Hermana Wendy Evans

 

PS Mission policy here is that Sister Missionaries go home a half a transfer early so it looks like my release date is going to be June 26, 2012.  Are you guys wanting to come down here?

Baptism Pictures

Wendy, Alfredo (their newest convert), & Hermana Jensen


Familia Rodriguez, Alfredo, Hermana Jensen & Wendy

Living & Loving in Argentina! - Monday, February 21, 2011

Hey All!

 

It was really good to hear from so many of you! Thanks so much for all of the letters! I´ll try really hard to answer all of your questions. 

 

This week was pretty crazy.  Really cool though.  We are experiencing so much success here in Portezuelo II (that´s what my area is called).   It is right in downtown Salta.  We live about a block West of the Mission home so where you were looking is pretty accurate on where I live. Not very accurate on where we work.  I think all of you would be pretty shocked at some of the things I see.  Everyone lives in houses made of cement.  The culture here is really laid back so everyone lets their houses go.  No one, and I mean absolutely no one has carpet.  There are a million dogs with fleas that run around in the streets and just poop whereever they want.  Lice is pretty prevelant.  I´m pretty much guarenteed to get it once or twice during my mission, so I´m looking forward to that one! haha!

 

My companion is amazing.  She is so awesome!  Like I said she is from Draper.  She had a pretty hard time learning Spanish so she is super patient with me.  She really is my mom. She is so kind and makes me feel so comfortable.  I love her.  She makes me drink water and put on my sunscreen so don´t worry mom. 

 

Well, I was pretty sick this week.  We went to an investigators house, Stella, she´s the one that gave me the purse.  Anyway, she gave us bread from a street vendor.  Number one no no here in the mission, don´t eat anything from street vendors.  Well I really regretted it.  I was really sick for about 3 days.  We actually had to end up coming back to the pension early.  I tried so hard a few days to stay out and work because we have quite a few investigators that need us, but I just couldn´t take it.  My stomache was actually churning.  I never threw up but I had nausea really bad.  I had diahrrea pretty bad too.  TMI I know.  I thought you´d all like to know about that! haha!  I feel a lot better now.  For the most part though the water here is alright, we can drink it.  The thing I struggle with the most though are the eating habits here.  The eat a huge meal at like 2 in the afternoon.  They stuff themselves until they are completely sick and then they sleep for a few hours, they sleep so much here!  And they don´t really eat anything the rest of the day. So i am sick pretty much ever afternoon.  I hate it!!!! They eat so much sugar here too.  Just so you know I will not be drinking pop when I get home.  I´m already sick of it.  But the food here is really good!  They all are excellent cooks.  I could learn a thing or two. 

 

Anyways, We had a baptism on saturday!!!! Wahoo!!!! His name was Alfredo Torres.  He was actually the first real person I had a lesson with here on the mission!  He is a really sweet guy, so it was pretty cool for me to sit in on that one.  We have 2 more baptisms on Saturday.  We have been blessed with a lot of success in this area.  I asked my companion if this much success is common.  She said it´s not but it can be.  Anyway, it was really exicting.  We are working really hard and having a lot of success here in Salta. 

 

On Thursday, we were out working and it started to pour down rain.  I´m not kidding you it was pouring.  Water was like rivers in the streets.  I forgot my coat so I was pretty much miserable.  My companion just said we need to keep working.  I didn´t have a very good attitude but we kept working.  We knocked on this one door and a kid came to the door, then he went and got his dad.  Anyways we ended up teaching a family of 7!!! That is freaking amazing.  Anways they are Catholic, pretty strong Catholic.  Everyone claims that here.  Anyways, turns out their family was praying that day for their Priest to show up and we showed up.  We are really excited about them. Faith, attitude and hard work are  incredible things. We will have to see how it turns out.  We have another appointment with them on Wednesday. 

 

My Spanish is coming little bits at a time.  I think I expected it to just turn on once I got here.  The Argentines have an insanely wierd accent so they are pretty hard to understand.  But I can tell I understand more and more everyday, and I speak more and more everyday.  Anyways, its a process, but its getting better daily...

 

Mom did you get my stuff from the MTC.  The mail system is pretty reliable so send stuff to the mission office just throught the United States Postal service.  Also tell everyone else who is not immediate family to use Dear Elder.  It takes about a week.  It might take a while to write back, but oh well I guess. 

 

Tell dad I saw a drunk Gaucho yesterday.  Thats a pretty common sight, drunk men.  They love my red hair down here so I get stared at and cat called at quite a bit.  Ahh the beauties of the mission. 

 

I love you all and I pray for you everyday.  Thanks for the updates.  Did Cam get surgery.   Tell Grandpa I love him and that he has to make it until I get home.  I cant believe that Grandmas siblings and inlaws are all almost gone.  Sheesh.  Life is crazy.

 

I love all of you,

Hermana Wendy Evans

Monday, February 14, 2011 - First Week in Argentina!

hey family

 

the shift button on this keyboard is really stinky so sorry my punctuation is going to be really bad. so here i am in argentina.  holy cow. i don´t even know where to begin.

 

well we got into buenos aires at about 8 in the morning.  we got in a car totally just trusting this guy named alberto.  we had no idea what was going on or what anyone was saying.  we started driving into buenos aires.  i guess the driver realized that we forgot our passports or something.  so we turned around.  anyway we couldn´t find our passports.  so we ended up just pulling off the sides of the freeway and waiting for our passports.  this wouldn´t have been scary except that the drivers here are NUTS! I really don´t think I can emphasize that enough.  After we found our passports...which was scary just handing them off to people.  My identy could´ve been gone.  They drove us through Buenos Aires.  We had no idea where we were or where we we going.  Turns out they were dropping us off at the airport to fly to Salta... we were soooo tired, not to mention we already had culture shock.  Well we almost missed our flight.  Luckily nothing in Argentina is on time. Haha!

 

We flew into Salta... President Northcutt was there waiting for us.  He is super nice, quiet and tough, but way nice. His wife is such a sweetheart. 

 

The first thing he told us was, we´re going to take you to the mission office and you´ll be working in your area tonight.  What the heck.  I just got off like a 24 hour flight. I was tired.  I´m sure I looked like it too.  ´The office Elders gave us a little orientation.  We said goodbye to my District.  That was hard because I know I probably won´t see some of them again.  They only let Hermanas serve in areas in Salta and Jujuy.  All of the Elders went to Tucuman. 

 

Anyway, I am serving right in downtown Salta right next to the mission office.  Me and 3 other Hermanas live in a Pension right next to the office.  Sister Amanda Jensen, who Aunt Mary Kay knows lives with me.  My trainer is SIster Heather Olsen from Draper.  She´s so great.  She has two transfers left in the mission.  She´s really positive and that´s good for me.  She´s great. 

 

The first night I got here, we taught two lessons.  I realized really really quickly that I have no idea what anyone is saying.  When I left the MTC, I had a pretty good grasp on what everyone is saying.  The accent here is totally crazy though.  I pick more and more up everyday.  Now I can pretty much follow every gospel conversation. 

 

The people here are really humble.  The houses are maybe the size of our kitchen, dining, room, and living room. They pretty much have nothing but each other.  It is pretty shocking for me to see.  They are so happy though.  It´s really crazy how faithful a lot of them are.  They are willing to give up so much for the church. 

 

The food here is really good.  They eat a huge meal at Lunch time and then they don´t really eat the rest of the day.  It´s killing me... I don´t like to stuff myself and then not eat the rest of the day.  Everyone is right about the beef though! IT´s delicious. 

 

It´s been pretty mild here as far as weather.  It is sooooo humid.  My hair freaks out. 

We have a lot of really good investigators.  We are working with a really great family right now.  They love me for some reason.  THey have like 6 kids.  The kids are baptized except for 2 and the parents aren´t either.  The parents aren´t married so we´re working on getting them married.  The mom is so faithful. She has threatened to leave the dad if he doesn´t come around.  They are such an awesome family. They gave me a purse yesterday and they´ve only known me a week.  I´ve probably only spoken 10 words to them.  Ahhh! It´s so frustrating not to be able to communicate...it´s even more frustrating when you get laughed at because your Spanish sounds so American.  I bore my testimony in Church yesterday and the kids laughed at me.  It was pretty hard. 

 

We walk a ton.  Yesterday we did doors all day.  I can´t really help because I can´t really understand or speak, so I¨m basically a prop.  We did pretty good though we have close to 15 investigators. So that´s exciting. We should have a baptism Saturday.

 

Everything is so much different though.  I just wish I could carry a camera around with me and let you see everything that I see.  I think you´d be shocked.  I´ll try and take some pictures but I can´t carry around a camera because it´ll probably get stolen.  Hopefully next week I´ll have some for you. 

I´m getting eaten alive by mesquitos! Ahh!!

 

Good luck with the surgery Cam... I wish I were there to nurse you back to health.  You can DearElder me. It takes about a week for me to get them.  Will you send me some US stamps through the mail mom.  It´s easier to send stuff back through the pouch system.  Well there´s so much I want to tell you but I really don´t know how to explain it all... I´ll try and explain the cultural things a little at a time through emails.  I hope your weeks all go really good. I love you.

 

Love, Hermana Wendy Evans

Hermana Evans Has Arrived!!!

Hi Everyone!

Just wanted to let you know we received an email from Wendy's mission president.  She made it safe and sound...whew!  She has been assigned to her first area and is out preaching the gospel.  We couldn't be more proud of her!  Please keep her in your prayers!

Love,

Cheryl  

Wednesday, February 2, 2011

Hola Family!

Can you believe that I'm in my last week at the MTC.  Holy cow! I never thought that this day would ever come.  I got my flight plans! We leave on Monday, we leave the MTC at 11:30 and we leave Salt Lake at 3 PM.  We have an hour lay-over in Dallas Texas then a 16 hour flight to Buenos Aires, Argentina.  We stay in Buenos Aires for a day for visa processing and then we fly to Salta.  I've heard that Salta is pretty remote so i really might not make it to my area until Wednesday or Thursday.  I'll email you as soon as I can though.  I need you to DearElder me and tell me you got this email.  It's an assignment from our Branch President that we hear back from you about it. 

Dad I got the dresses! Everyone is so impressed that you have such great taste! I'm really sad that I have to send the brown one back, it just doesn't fit.  I was super sad! But I love the other two.  So thank you Daddy! I have the best family in the whole world! Thanks for the backpack and the duffle bag mom! I love the backpack and the duffle bag will work great! 

This week has been a really tough one.  I know right, I've gotten hit with about everything the MTC can throw at me so how can it get worse.  Well my companion, the one I love so much from Morgan left the MTC.  I'm pretty much heart broken right now.  I'm with the two other sisters in my District but things just aren't the same.  I miss Sister Cameron.  I didn't get a chance to learn a lot of Spanish this last week because I was trying to help Sister Cameron figure some things out.  But you know, that's okay.  I have learned so much in the last week.  I have come to find out what a mission is really about.  It's just loving God's children, wether it be our companions, our investigators, members, whatever.  I didn't know that I had this capacity to love someone that I just met 10 weeks ago.  Sister Cameron is an amazing person! She taught me so much! She taught me what I'm really here to learn, that's Charity.  I miss her, but she's going home to fulfill a different kind of mission.  Anyways, so I'm sad.  It kinda scared me these last couple of days, I really don't want to fall into the state that I was in a few weeks ago, especially right before I leave.  I wrote you a letter mom explaining all of this, but I sent it to the house.  So look for it when you get home.

I'm going to miss the Elders from my District so much! They are going to another mission in Argentina.  It's going to break my heart to say goodbye to them on Monday.  It's going to be really hard to say goodbye to all of my teachers here too, I've really come to appreciate them.  Heck, let's face it, I'm going to miss America! haha!

The Spanish I know isn't as good as it should be, but you know what, that's okay.  The Lord has accepted my sacrifice and will continue to support me.  I'm just really excited to get out of the MTC.  These next couple of months are going to be difficult, but one thing I've learned here is that a miracle isn't very far away.  As long as I'm looking for those and not focusing on myself, I'll be okay.  I just have tendencies of taking life way to seriously.  But you all know that! haha! 

Mom in my letter I asked for a pouch thing that Aunt Mary Kay carried around Europe.  They've warned us about Argentina, it's a pretty sure thing that we'll get mugged at some point.  I just want my travel documents to be safe, so if you have time send one my way. 

Thanks for all of the updates.  PLEASE keep them coming.  I just love hearing from all of you! I just want you to know that I love all of you.  All of your faith, prayers, and examples are the reason that I'm doing what I am doing.  Even though I get frustrated, I know that this is where I am supposed to be.  This mission is meant to change me,  I need this, my life wouldn't be enough without this experience.  Thank you! I love you! I'm really excited to talk with you on Monday!! Woot! Sometimes I look at time and it seems to be flying, before I know it I will be with you all again.  Love you!

Hermana Wendy Evans

January 26, 2011 - 10 Days Left!!!

HOLA!!!

 

Just so everyone knows, I only have 10 days left!!! Holy Cow! It's coming up so fast, you think it will never come, then here it is.  Nothing much is new, I'm still just trying to take as much as the MTC has to offer in.  Things are really good. My District and I have really become a family and we're getting sad to leave each other. 

The language is coming along.  I gave my first talk on Sunday completely in Spanish.  I got a ton of complements, not that that's the most important thing but it made me really happy! So I have that going for me.  I feel bad because there's not a lot to write about.  I'm just learning a lot and I feel really lucky and blessed to know  that this is for sure where I'm supposed to be. I once again just feel so lucky for a great family.  I'm sorry this is so short.  I was hoping that I'd have travel plans by now! Tomorrow hopefully! I love you all!!

 

Hermana Evans

The Nametag

Wendy & Hermana Cameron on one of their temple walks

Roomies!

The zone showing Argentine pride!

Pictures!!!

Wendy & her companion Hermana Cameron at the MTC before Christmas

Wendy's zone

Wendy and her roomies showing all their Christmas gifts...they even made the tree:)

Wenda and her Christmas loot!

January 19, 2011

Sorry this is a little late.  We are so excited to get Wendy's letters every week and are so happy that she is doing so well.  As of last Wednesday she only had 2.5 weeks left in the MTC...CRAZY!  She sent pictures home last week as well, I'll try to post some this week. 

Hey everyone!

Como Estan? This week has been so great.  The Lord has blessed me so much.  This week is truly the first week that I have felt whole since being in the MTC.  It's like a huge weight has been lifted off of my shoulders.  I am just enjoying the MTC journey now!  Ah! I have such a grateful heart right now.  Thank you for all of the love and support that you have given me! It’s really hard to believe this, but my love for my family and friends has grown 100 fold!  I just cannot express to you the joy that is in my heart right now.  All I can tell you is that I know Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ are so aware of us! They really just want us to succeed.  The problems I was having with the language and things haven't really changed, it's just my outlook that has changed.  I just know now that there is a difference between being a perfectionist and becoming perfect in Christ.  Through all that I have learned I feel like I can go out and conquer the world.  I know there are still tough times to come, but I also know that a miracle isn't that far behind.  I seriously can’t wait to get out and share that with the people of Argentina!

This week we taught our first lesson in Spanish.  Sister Cameron did so well! I am still learning to open my mouth, but it's coming.  We can do anything when we have the Lord with us and when we are truly focused on something other than ourselves! I know that to be true.  Other than that, it's been a pretty basic week.  Our District is the oldest in our Zone.  Only 19 days left!!! Can you believe that!?! I sure can't!  Time is such a weird thing! I feel like it's on time warp- I honestly can't believe in less than 3 weeks I will be in Argentina. 

Cheryl guess who I just saw at the Provo temple this morning? Stacey Kay! It was sooooo good to see him.  I hugged him.  I hope I don't get thrown out of the MTC for that! Ahh it was so good to see him!  I also saw Sister Petersen, you'll have to tell Cub and Shelb... I still haven't heard from him yet!

It was so good to hear that you all had a nice Martin Luther King Day! Just business as usual for us! AHHHHH! My nephews are getting so big!!!! It made me sad yesterday to think, about all I am missing, but I know the Lord will make up that time for me somehow. 

I hope all is well for all of you! I love you so much! I can't even express the love I have for you and this church.  I know it to be true with all my soul and I'm just excited to share it with the people of Argentina!

Love you,

Hermana Evans

January 12, 2010

Hey Family,

What's happening? I'm having a hard time thinking of stuff to write because not a whole lot happened this week.  I just ran into Josh Curtis though! That's exciting!  He looks good. Mom the reason I wanted to ask you about the Jill story is because you'd be really surprised at what a converting point that is.  People aren't generally looking for the Gospel when they don't have questions about life or when things are going just fine for them.  I really can't believe how many people get converted because of that one subject.  That doctrine is pretty unique to our church. 

Last night Elder Holland came to the  MTC.  Holy cow I was blown away. He is such an amazing speaker and a lot of what he had to say was exactly what I needed to hear.  He said, "We live in a troubled world and you are the Hope of Israel at just 19." Um. Whoa! He also said "I stand all amazed at what missionary work is in this church.  God has his full trust in you." He also talked about how we cannot convert others until we are converted.  That means that we will stay faithful through out our entire lives.  Preach my Gospel came about because President Hinckley was really distressed by the fact that so many RM's were going inactive.  President Holland said again, "You will break my heart and the heart of God if you fall away from the Gospel."  He said all of this in the powerful President Holland way.  He said more.  He's an amazing speaker really. 

Other than that I've just been studying Spanish really hard.  Gosh learning a language is so frustrating.  I'm learning a lot and speaking more each and everyday.  That's the key to learning a language, just speak it. 

I'm sending my SD card tomorrow I think.   I'm going to record a video of me speaking Spanish.  You're probably going to think, whoa she's been there that long and can only speak that much.  Just warning you it's going to sound rough.  Mom I got your package on Saturday.  How's that for next day delivery?   I got Cheryl's on Monday.  I think I'm good for food until the end of the year.  Haaha! Thanks I really appreciate it! 

BEAV IS ENGAGED and no one had the courtesy to tell me.  Thanks guys! I just got a letter from her yesterday.  That would happen, 3 weeks after I go into the MTC.  Sheesh... What else is going on at home?  Parowan's Birthday eh? haha!

It's been soooooo cold here.  I'm glad we  don't spend much time outside because seriously I would freeze to death in this dress.  Sorry I don't have much else to say, like I said it's been a pretty slow week.  Anyways, Cher be looking for my SD card like Friday or Saturday.  I love you all.  Thanks for all the prayers!

Love,

Hermana Wendy Evans

January 5, 2011

Como Estan Familia?

 

I hope everything is going well for all of you.  Sounds like everyone's New year's was rockin'. Sounds like there was a lot of snowboarding that went on.  You all know how much I don't feel bad about missing out on that one! Haha!  I miss you guys though! I feel bad about the dress thing too dad.  Dad I want a dress that I can say my dad bought me.  Don't worry about it if you don't have time though.  I can't believe you guys ended up goin to Vegas.  You just couldn't handle it could ya?! Haha! It sounds like ya'll had fun though.  Thanks again for all the letters and everything.  Again- I'm trying to get you all written back.

There's not really a lot that happened this week.  Thanks so much Cec for the party in a box.  We had a ton of fun with it! My roommates and I and the sisters from upstairs got together and had a little party.  We ended up going to bed at like 10:30.  Exciting huh?  I guess the Elders from our District got a surprise at midnight when the Elders from Russia went nuts at midnight! Haha! They're crazy!

Gosh I can't believe how fast this week flew.  This week I finally feel like I've made some head-way with Spanish.   I can actually write sentences with correctly conjugated verbs.  In Spanish everything is centered around verb conjugation.  The trick is learning how when why to use a verb.  One word can be conjugated a ton of different ways.  Anyway I just feel like I'm getting it.  It's just a ton of memorization at this point. I need Cade to write me and give me some advice about how to learn this stuff.

Anyways it's coming a little bit at at a time.  I'm just working on my perfectionist  attitude.  When learning a language you'll always come up short.  It's having the faith that God will be there to fill in the holes with the Spirit.  More often than not converts won't remember what the missionaries said, they'll remember how they felt.  That's what I'm working on, relying on the Lord more.  I'm learning a ton.  My grasp on the Scriptures is 100% better and I just have learning to do. 

I still love my companion and District.  We have the best time together.  Dad, in gym I've started just messing around with a basketball.  My shot is incredible, if I do say so myself.  Haha!

We just got back from the temple gosh I love that place.  I got the strongest impression that God loves me, he is completely aware of everything that I'm going through and no matter what happens He loves me and just wants me to be happy.  Words cannot express what I felt today in the temple.  

Next week we have to teach a lesson completely in Spanish -   I have a tough week of learning Spanish ahead of me.  Man I wish I would've learned  more.  Anyways - Mom are you working on my yellow card? I need to know.  I have a few weird requests.  Will you send me my black heals with the strap across them?  Also will you send me a few boxes of cereal.  Like oatmeal squares or something?

 

Thanks, I love you all!

 

Hermana Evans