Monday, April 25, 2016

The Last Email

I know that I've skipped out on some of the past weeks  but I thought I would try to end on a somewhat good note. This week I  will be heading to the mission office in Fuengirola and finishing my  time as a full time missionary. I know that at this point it would be  nice if I could say everything that I've learned but I don't think I  have enough time or the words to type it all out. I have looked back on this past year and a half of my life and feel immensely blessed. I feel so blessed of the time and effort that the Lord has put into helping me. If I have learned anything on the mission its that I have so much to learn. I have had the chance to learn for each and everyone one of my wonderful companions. Starting with my wonderful trainer Hermana Ashby who taught me that you can work hard and have fun at the same time and was also so patient with me. Hermana Smith who came from
Malaga and helped me see the importance of diligence and perseverance. Hermana Merrill who helped me learn the importance of obedience as we walked up and down the hills of the outskirts of Malaga. My dear Hermana Viglione who showed me the importance of truly loving the people and showed me how we can learn if we truly have humility. Hermana Gale who helped me learn patience in the pueblo of Valdapeñas as we knocked on every house possible. My adventure of starting Elche
up again with Hermana Jenkins who helped me learn how to keep calm and centered in every situation and realizing yet again that you learn so much more than you teach in training. Then heading to Alicante with my trio and having the chance to soak up the knowledge of Hermana Jones
and then getting to be with Hermana Anderson for 4 months as she taught me how to constantly work on our weaknesses to make them strengths and end with Hermana Swenson as she shows me how to keep going and always have fire to do the work. I don't know where I would be with out these wonderful Hermanas. They really have become my sisters and I feel so blessed to have had the chance to be taught by each if them. I know that I am who I am because they Lord allowed them to guide me. I love being a missionary for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints here in the south of Spain and even though people may not be able to recognize me by the name tag I'm wearing I will
make sure they recognize me by the spirit that I leave with them. Thank you all for the support that y'all have given me from my time out here.

See you soon!

Hermana Evelo

Monday, April 4, 2016

Hermana Swenson is a Brownie Pro

And here we are again heading down to Malaga on a nice 7 hour bus
ride. This week passed by so quickly. I feel like I say that fairly
often but this week it went by even faster. You might ask  how  that
is possible and to be honest I have no clue. We started out the week
meeting with various people such as our friend Tom who we found while
offering to hold the door for him as he carried a heavy box, the
family of our friend Elena who came with us to the relief society
breakfast last week and our dear dear Lina who broke the news to us
that she was going to be starting a job interna, which means she works
almost everyday from about 8 to 9 but she wants to ask her boss if we
can come by while she works and then our friend Ness who is the friend
of a member from our ward. We had a lesson with her about the
restoration last night and as we finished the lesson she asked if she
could offer the prayer and told us that she wants to come to church
this next week so she can see for herself if this message is true.
All of these people are so sweet and I'm so grateful that they have
opened their homes and hearts to us. I know that not every single one
of them will end up choosing to enter into the waters of baptism but
I'm so grateful I've had the chance to share with them at least a
small part of the message of the gospel. On Friday afternoon and
Saturday morning we had intercambios with the Elche Hermanas. We asked
them before if there was anything we could do for them before and they
answered with brownies. So we kicked off the intercambios with some
brownie making because Hermana Swenson is a brownie pro. You haven't
had a real brownie until you've had Hermana Swenson's brownie's. I
loved the time that I got to spend with these Hermanas to hear their
points of view and see how much they've changed since the last time
they came. Then Saturday afternoon was GENERAL CONFERENCE! I loved
every moment! On Sunday a member from our ward offered to feed
everyone in our district between sessions. The ward takes such good
care of us. Then later the elders made crepes for all! We ended up
watching most of the sessions in Spanish, it was so interesting to
remember the first time I tried watching in Spanish and could only
catch half of what the speakers were saying. I have to say that after
this general conference I have really felt the push to serve and the
desire to really reach out and share the blessings I have with others
so that one day the Lord can say " she hath wrought a good work". Find
ways to serve in your community or even in your family this week!
I love this good news that I can share with others that my savior
lives and through his sacrifice we can became better people everyday.

Hermana Evelo