Putting Eternal Life Before Life

Bonjour bonjour bonjour!!!

Another blessed week. Today I'm just gonna list all the wonderful moments out, cause they are plentiful!

We got a call from our bishop the other week inviting us to come meet a man over a casual dinner at his home. Well, a missionary doesn't say no to that! That's the dream-meeting someone a member found in the member's home. The man had so many questions. He was rattling off his life stories and trials for the whole evening and woven into all of it were so many deep questions. I realized (again) that although these questions are our day-to-day material...people are constantly asking us "why.... and why...."...they are eating away inside of these people. How grateful I am to get to respond to these questions with such surety and hope and calmness. It was really interesting to "feel" the room as he spoke. It felt stressed and high-energy and doubtful and chaotic. Then as we spoke and taught and explained and testified a stillness and peace and quiet settled in the room and upon this man. The Spirit is so powerful.

We taught my favorite mami again! The sweet old woman I've taught since the beginning of my mission. She has such a special place in my heart. Ohhh I love her so! In the past, she didn't understand anything we taught. Today she was teaching us about prophets, explaining the scriptures, warning us again false "seers" and testifying of the truthfulness of the Godhead and building upon Christ. No greater reward, no greater reward than helping people to UNDERSTAND.

On Saturday a couple that the elders in our ward have been teaching got baptized. They are Futunian and have faced a lot of opposition from their family due to their deeeeeeeep Catholic roots and traditions. But they continued on and took that step of faith. Oh my goodness, the Spirit was so strong. The wife kissed her father's cheek right before walking into the font and oh la la talk about getting choked up. He is one of the few people supporting her choice. 

One night we had 20 minutes to spare, so we did some porte-a-porte. At the second house we yelled at we were invited in. Turns out they LOVE the missionaries, LOVE the family, LOVE the Lord and used to take the lessons. We have a lesson and dinner appt with them tonight. Blessings upon blessings. And did I mention that it's a family??

Taught our other favorite couple. The miraculous ones we found doing porte-a-porte one day. In the middle of the lesson their 25 year old son came and asked to join us. YES. So grateful for people who have the courage to follow the Spirit. He is now taking the lessons with his parents.

Some other general things:

-I never tire of the look of complete and riveted attention that comes from people being nourished spiritually. It's like we're handing a bathtub full of icy cold water to someone who just walked across the desert. Their feet are a little burned, exhausted and they're dirty. But their relief has arrived. Their thirst is quenched. Oh it is the most incredible thing.

-When people here experience that spiritual nourishment they always want to express thanks in some way. So we have many days when we have to quickly drive home to stick a bag of frozen fish in our freezer (that is, if no one was home we tried to gift it to :) )before continuing the days work.

-We are now so busy that if people miss their appointment we usually can't see them until the next week. Wild!! It's great cause we're busy, but the worst cause I loooove these people and a week is way too long.

Well I love you all to bits and pieces. The Gospel of Jesus Christ is true. It is restored on the earth. It is the key, the center, the secret to all happiness.

There are no words for my gratitude to be a member of this Church. To be a missionary for the Lord.

Do whatever you need to do to follow the Lord. There is nothing more important. Absolutely nothing. Please don't let life get in the way of eternal life.

Love you all forever! Especially my sweet family!

Soeur Evans