My Mission Just Got Wild.

The District-- transfers to remote areas

Bonjourrrrr and BRACE YOURSELVES.

Last Friday we got transfer calls. And I am leaving Paita. So is Soeur Gunn. Where might we be going? To the NORTH. Ok, I realize the rest of the world does not understand mission lingo, so I will try to fill you in on what exactly that means.

Delicious Roasted Bananas... MMMMMMm

The DUO

Me and Soeur Gunn both got transferred to Bourail. The last time there were missionaries there was 4ish years ago. And we are the first sisters to ever be sent farther north than Paita. 

Bourail is the branch for the whole north of New Caledonia above Boulouparis. Aka, before, I was in the Tontouta ward with Tontouta elders and us in Paita. After that, if you go any further north, there's just the Bourail branch. Which means that the branch is spread out all over the north half of the island. We don't really know that much, but we've heard there's 10-15 active members, 2 of which live in Bourail. Hahahaha unreal. 

Also we will be a walking secteur. 

WE ARE FREAKING OUT A LITTLE BIT. But in all the best ways!!!! 

That all being said, we're not sure when or if we will have internet. We'll go up next Tuesday or Wednesday we think, so hopefully we'll get to email next week. But after that we literally have no idea if we'll get to send emails. The Lord will watch over us, so don't worry about us if you don't hear from us. 

Mango season has arrived.. Breakfast of Cake & Mangoes-- Living the Dream.

Evening Planning Prayer with Baguette.  We love Baguettes.

Yep, that's pretty much been the central focus of our minds for ooooohhh the past week or so hahahah. Can't really focus on anything else. We are so happy to be going up together,
because me and Soeur Gunn I swear are the same person just 6-months-on-mission apart. Aka we have the same goals and drive and work ethic and everything and can't wait to work ourselves silly up there. 

Other highlights of the week:

-Ate my first New Caledonia mangos!!! Everything I've been dreaming of for the past 10 months. It's finally mango season at long long last.

Had a ward activity watching "Joseph Smith: Prophet of the Restoration" and it was just absolutely wonderful. That film is incredible and makes me teary every time. It is the truth. Some of our amis and less actives came too and all left saying how touched they were. By the mouth of many witnesses.

-Got served some cinnamon tea yesterday. She literally took cinnamon leaves and boiled them and then gave it to us, but it was deeeelightful! So yummy. 

Good Bye Paita.. It's been delightful making your acquaintance.

-Been experiencing some heartbreak over some amis this week. It just KILLS me seeing people come so stinking close to fulling accepting the light of Christ and the joy of His gospel in their lives and then turning their backs to it. I can't even comprehend it. I learn a little better everyday how the Lord and our Heavenly Father must feel watching us make mistakes over and over. Watching us be disobedient. He literally gave us the RULES OF HAPPINESS. So simple. And over and over we DON'T DO THEM. Why do we do that??? Well, all I can say is God is so incredibly loving to give us a million second tries and  to love us despite all the disappointment and heartbreak we cause Him. 

-Found out Paita is being turned into an Elders secteur. That will be different. 

Basically this was the most wild transfer call of all time. He sent us up North. He opened up another part up north. And He OPENED UP THE ISLANDS. There are two native sisters in Mare, elders in Ouvea and elders in Lifou now. WILD. This mission is progressing and expanding faster than I ever imagined it would . What a blessing to be a part of all of this progress and growth and hastening of the work. 

Be good by good people! Give God something to smile about this week. Multiple things to smile about. Hope you feel my love radiating across the oceans because I'm sending it as strong as I can :)

Much loves,

Soeur Evans 

French Keyboard and Conference

saaluuuutttt!!!!

ok. just a little discloser or whatever that english word is ahahah. This keyboard is french and for time's sake i'm gonna type like its english. so: q is a, z is w, and , is m. and : is a period: ok here i go::::

zqqqqhooooo ze hqd qn AWESOME WEEEEEKKKKK!!!!! (McKay's Mom has  tried to make it easier to read)

We got to have Zone Conference with President and Sister Brewer and it was just divine: They are such inspired; incredible servants of the Lord and it is truly an honor and a blessing each time we're with them, We love them so much, and oh ,my goodness , her stories are unreal: Their lives are out of this world: You want  to hear some crazy stories; talk to the mission president of this mission with 3 countries; tens of islands; at . least 7 languages and living conditions from  shacks and chickens to fancy French city::::such as  Noumea: haaahhahh unreal: 

We had an ami and his friend come to General Conference!!!! Quelle miracle! What a beautiful thing to know they were hearing the Prophet and Apostles' direct counsel and words: Can't go wrong with that :)

Taught the Word of Wisdom, to our 72 year old sweetie ami: At the end she just goes "before I didn't know about this: Now I do: So I guess that, means  I'll stop drinking tea and coffee and alcohol" Mind you that she drinks coffee once a month; tea once a week and a beer once every "5 to 10 years" Well easiest Word  of Wisdom, lesson of all time: True humility: True obedience:

Had the most absurd dinner appointment: It was t with a French couple; who speaks some  English; us; and their Fijian friendswho speak some English: So all of us are together speaking English (none of us very well ,I might   add) and eating past: It was just one of those surreal ,moments  only on a  mission when I realize  I can speak another language: We even shared a  spiritual thought in English and afterwards  Soeur Gunn said I talked so funny: Hahahahah oops: Losing my  touch with the English language; pas grave ahahaha

sorry this email is so hard to read. hope you can decode it. I'm out of time now, but next time I'll  try to talk a little about conference because oooweeeee i was just eating it up! Our leaders are so very very inspired. I'll follow them happily! ( McKay's mom tried to decode it for you to make it easier)

Love you all to a million miles and back!

Soeur Evans

I Believe

Bonjour tout le monde!!!

Well there's a cute little boy waiting to use the computer so I'm gonna keep this brief. 

Paita has been doing GREAT lately. We've been finding finding finding and knoooocking (actually knocking!) doors up the whazzoooo and it's working! We've got some new amis that I"m so excited about. And we've been teaching more lessons than ever which feels so stinking good. 

Had an interesting lesson yesterday. We were talking to a woman and she proceeded to tell us all the flaws in her church and her religion because there are loads of things in the Bible that they don't do. We proceeded to testify of the truthfulness of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latterday Saints and how we really truly follow the teachings in the Bible and the organization that Christ set up-apostles, quorom of the seventy. prophet, priesthood power and authority, preaching the good news, respecting our bodies. It was a powerful moment for me to realize how much I believe in these things. That our church is truly the same church that Christ established on the earth, with the same teachings and the same power and authority and the same blessings for living His teachings. 

Also let me just say that my testimony of keeping the commandments has skyrocketed on my mission. We see firsthand the pain of so many people that comes because of their disobedience to commandments. Really hard family situations for breaking the law of chastity. Crippling addiction. Satan and sin truly makes us a slave. It holds us captive. And oh how sweetly does obedience make us FREE. The commandments are NOT boundaries. They are God's secret to happiness. Why do we make it so hard and unpopular to follow God's secret to eternal and earthly happiness? You would think that was pretty straightforward. 

We had a inactive member talk to us about his situation. And he continued in pleading with us to repent immediately when we mess up. Begging us not to make the same mistakes he did. It hits so deep. How grateful I am to know that through the Atonement of Christ these people can find hope again. THAT gives me hope too. We can ALL come back to the pathway to eternal life. That's the gift of our Savior to us. 

We are beyond excited this week to listen to CONFERENCE GENERALE!!!! And ZONE CONFERENCE. Spiritual highs all around! 

Summer has finallyyyy arrived and I think this super white missionary is finally bronzing a little. Sweet praises. 

My new favorite pasttime is reading Gen Conf talks and the scriptures. And then having the most delightful insightful discussions about them after. It is seriously so good. 

I feel like so much of me has changed. The things I care about, the way I think, the way I react to things. I'm still me, but at the same time I'm not at all. Everyday I thank my Heavenly Father that He told me I needed to serve a mission. I had no idea how much I did. But man I needed this. 

I love you all to pieces!!!

We're so happy! 

Soeur Evans

Photos:  Typical breakfast, chocolate bread, chocolate/almond croissant with MILO 

Me doing my BOM Thing

My house--in Paita