I know it! And so can YOU!

Aloha everyone!!

Another busy and wonderful week here at the VC. 

Transfers are this Wednesday and so all last week, Sister Penales and I spent time working on the video to show everyone the transfer news [new companion, callings, etc.].  We do it a little different here at the Laie, Hawaii VC.  It makes it really fun though.  During the video everyone was so excited.  It was the loudest transfer news reveal I have ever been too. 

My transfer news - I will be staying a Coordinating Sister, but Sister Penales has been released.  She is a WONDERFUL missionary and will be great in her new assignment.  She has helped me a lot to become more like Jesus Christ.  I expect the same with my new companion.  I am actually back with Sister Walker - my MTC companion!!  She is so loving and great at what she does.  I can't wait to learn from her. 

I don't have much to share this week except my testimony, which is the most important thing anyway.  I know that God lives.  I know it. Through the Holy Spirit I have felt a personal witness that God lives and that Jesus Christ is the Savior of all mankind.  I know He is a personal Savior as well an cares about us individually.  I know that everyone can know these things for themselves and that is why I am so anxious to share it with people.  I know the Book of Mormon is the word of God and that prophets are called in this day to guide God's church on the earth.  How wonderful!

I am so happy.  Tired and often stressed - of course!  But I am so happy.  This work and all forms of missionary work are so wonderful to be involved in.

I love you all!

Sister Lindsay Evans

Photo 1 - Friday morning games with the Visitors' Center

 

Photo 2 -  Jack fruit.  Cool, huh?  I have yet to try it, but when I learn how to cut it I definitely well. Also, my friend and companion Sister Penales.  She makes me smile. (:

 

 Photo 3 -  Sister Walker.  We flipped our hair, but got the picture late.  Oh well.  Love her!! Can't wait!

One More Event....

Photo 3 - Sister Walker, Sister Schmidt, and ME.

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An Eventful Week for a Sister

Aloha!

This week was stressful, but let me give you the highlights...

[Crystine] our investigator who contacted us watched General Conference this week and loved it.  We prepared for her lesson and last minute we felt to take it in another direction.  When she showed up she said, "I was hoping to talk about Jesus Christ."  So were we!  She is surely being looked out for by her Father in Heaven.  We asked her to come to church.  She was busy, but without any effort on our part she said she would ask for days off.  We then encouraged her to pray before she asked her boss.  Man, she is great.

[Ling] our other investigator is so sweet!  She knows most everything about the gospel already and has faith in God.  We are encouraging her to develop even greater faith and take those steps that would allow her to feel His loving, peaceful influence in her life in even greater abundance. In our lesson our prayers were answered and were able to share what God wanted her to know.  I know God loves her and all of us. 

I went on an exchange with Sister Walker this week.  She is an example to me and I will tell you why.  She has no fear.  It's not that she is overbearing or overwhelmingly bold [in fact, she is one of the most loving Sisters I know], but that she testifies of Jesus Christ so powerfully at every opportunity she gets.  She is so calm. She never shies away.  Not only that, but her testimony of the truth is always so personal to the people to whom she is talking. 

Lastly, the Lord is hastening His work here.  We are all trying to keep up.  It's amazing. It's wonderful!  Sometimes, though, it is hard.  This is true, especially as a leader. This week the burdens were a little extra heavy on Sister Penales and I because of the changes we are making in the VC.  We are determined to press forward, but not without the Lord's help.  We both received a priesthood blessing from our beloved Director, Elder Swinton.  His wife, Sister Swinton, one of our closest friends was standing by.  I couldn't relate the full experience here and it would not be appropriate because it was so sacred to me, but I just want to leave you all with my witness of the Restoration of this gospel and of the priesthood.  The priesthood IS the power of God and it IS on the earth today.  We can all be recipients of the blessings.  I know that this is true.  I know that Jesus is the Christ, our Savior.  

I love you all.  I hope you have an amazing week!

Sister Lindsay Evans

Photo 1 -  This week I went on exchange with one of the amazing STLs we have here AND my MTC companion, Sister Walker.  Her District of missionaries has a Filipino District Leader.  If you are Filipino and you see the picture below you already know where this is going.  Well, he wanted to make for a more exciting District Meeting and had one person in each companionship blindfold their eyes and take a bite of mystery food that he had given us.  Balut was the mystery food.  Sister Walker and I both tried it.  Mostly it tastes like an egg.  The after taste kind of got me.  I wasn't brave enough to try the more developed parts [i.e. the head and beak that was in ours], but one of the Elders took courage and tried it.  He compared this, in a roundabout way, to the story of Peter walking on water and asked, "O thou of little faith, wherefore didst thou doubt?"  Anyway, the message of faith was as great and the experience was memorable. Thanks Elder.

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Photo 2 - Hawaiian Howlies [Hoale] with Polynesian length hair...

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Life is Good!

Aloha my friends!!

Fun Facts!

At the VC we have Sisters who speak Spanish, Korean, Japanese, Cantonese, Mandarin, English, Cambodian, Tagalog, and Hmong. We used to have German as well.

On April fools someone fake proposed at the temple!! AH!  It's okay because she took it lightly, but he didn't escape without a few punches.

Updates...

I am not eating sugar and am generally trying to improve eating habits.  It teaches you self discipline, so naturally I am thankful for the challenge.
Also I love Asian food.. even kimchi!

The girl we taught before who committed to be baptized is still good to go.  She originally got our number from a member who found our number on LDS Tools. Random! She is learning more and last time we taught her a little bit about the Plan of Salvation. She is so sweet.  We are also officially teaching another Chinese girl from Tonga who speaks both languages. She is sweet as well.  It is such a blessing to be able to work with so many people.  That said, I should mention my wonderful companion. Sister Penales is so great. She works hard and she teaches me life-long lesson without even knowing it.  We are not the same and so we often talk together and figure out the best ways to improve and use our strengths.  She is someone I am grateful for.

My mom would like to know if I am enjoying the beauty of Hawaii.  Of course!  We go on hikes when we can, but you only have to step outside to realize you are in paradise. 

General Conference was amazing.  We watch the first session at 6am here.  I really loved President Monson's counsel to choose the harder right rather than the easier wrong.  It is going to benefit you in the long run and this whole life is basically about doing the hard things.  So do them! 

This gospel is true and this work is miraculous.

Aloha!

Sister Lindsay Evans

Photo 1 - Hawaiian Sunrise

Photo 2 -  Exchange with Sister Furukawa and Omurice - one of my Japanese favorites.  Underneath the srambled eggs is rice and veggies. I often joke around to the Asian sisters that my goal is to be Asian by the end of my mission.  I can't help it! I love the culture!

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