Upon the Isles of the Sea: Out in the Boonies--

Hello loved ones!!

I finally get to write to friends too yahoooo! And I get an hour and a half so maybe I'll actually get to respond to some of your incredibly kind and uplifting notes. Goodness I love you all so much. If you are getting this email, or if you are simply reading this, know that I think about you constantly. You have no idea. I think about ALL of my friends and family (especially cause a-duhz you're my family and i'm obsessed with you) everyday. This little not-so-little missionary hasn't forgotten you!

Well hoo-dog. I am in the COUNTRY!!!! I'm serving in Rivanna, Virginia. Google map it or something because it's pretty much wide open space with houses every mile or so and mile-long muddy driveways and acres upon acres of rolling farmland. hahaahaah I about died when I found out where I was assigned because Heavenly Father once again showed His delightful sense of humor. Hahaha I love His loving jokes that make up the changes in my life. No sarcasm, I really do.

Get this. I live on a farm. Hahah like a real life farm. Seriously. Heavenly Father sent this international, city-loving girl to the country. My apartment is in the basement of some members, and they own horses and donkeys and a giant white 4-ft irish wolfhound named Happy (ha nice) and....llamas. (KAILEN STUCKI shoutout!) IS THIS NOT THE COOLEST EVER? I shall paint you all a picture: I'm on my morning jog, around 6:30. Behind me is a private lake, with barren trees and a gorgeous sunrise behind it. And I'm just jogging up and down the only paved section of the driveway so my shoes stay any color but brown. And 4 horses and 5 llamas are staring at me, turning their heads every time I turn around. Unreal. It's just unreal. And then I run back toward the house and Happy freaks out and starts barking at me and the whole family upstairs starts opening up their windows and I'm all, "sooooorrrrryyy!! I'm just jogging!" Hahah so funny. Oh and in the meantime the donkeys are getting all concerned and start looking and the sheep and ducks are going nuts. Man, it's just too good.

My companion/trainer is Sister Redd. She is an absolute doll and I love her! Everything she says is full of love and kindness. She used to be in the other half of our area, so people already know her and they all adore her. Which I think says more than anything. Also she wants to be super healthy too which is great! Especially since she cooks like a boss: lunch today was lentil soup made from scratch. Yup I'm a happy camper.

We haven't gotten to teach too many people, because we've just been moving in and getting situated. But last night I taught a recent convert L. I had planned on studying baptism during personal study, but felt prompted to study afflictions and our reaction to them instead. So of course I did. Well guess what. That exact topic came up with L and I was overcome with how prepared I was to answer her questions and share the verses I'd studied that morning. Miracle. I was also overwhelmed by the love I felt for her. I have been filled with so much love already, love I KNOW isn't my own. It's Heavenly Father's love for His children and I just get the blessing of channeling that love and sharing it with them. Wow, this is the best job ever.

I just realized last time I wrote I was in the MTC. So quick recap. My teachers in the MTC were Sister Garlick and Brother Kramer (Sister Garlick is in the far right on the picture in front of the map in the classroom). They were angels for me and taught me so much. I left on Wednesday morning and talked to people in the airport again. Gave away 2 pass along cards! One woman on the plane was very spiritual but had a lot of skepticism about absolute truth and religion and stuff. But 4 hours on a plane next to me and she took the card :) I arrived in VA at 4:30 to a gigantic snowstorm. All of the later flights had been cancelled and 19 missionaries weren't able to make it here, only visa waiters. So President Wilson and Sister Wilson took us out to dinner and then dropped me off at some other sisters homes until Friday (when the other 19 arrived). Alas, I should write a book on how to go insane because it's quite simple. Be a new missionary in a new area with a snowstorm that makes driving impossible. Aka, be a new missionary who literally doesn't get to leave the house for 40 HOURS. Yep, that is the secret to insanity. But bonus: I read half of Preach my Gospel and did a ton of other studying :)

Also HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY! We heart attacked people's doors. Valentine's day as a missionary rocks, since we just love EVERYBODY!

And then it was transfer day and now here I am!

I'm just having a blast. This is an adventure for sure. It's been a little tricky to know how to approach being excited for my visa to come while still being so happy to be here too. A little bit of a torn heart about that, but Sister Redd suggested thinking of it as another transfer, so I'm going with that. Pray for my visa to come, but not too quick :)

Thank you for all of the love and prayers. I need the prayers for sure. You can be sure I'm praying for you too!

All my love and happy smiles to you!

Sister Evans

Favorite scripture of the week: Moroni 7:33 and D&C 100:5-8

New address: 495 Deep Woods Farm Dr., Scottsville, VA 24590