New Investigators, Less-actives, and Scriptures

This week we found two awesome investigators! They are great and they are really searching for the truth. We met both of them through tracting and one is a former investigator from a different area.

On Sunday we had a great lesson with a less-active family that we teach each week. Brother Payne said something great. We were reading in 2 Nephi 31. We talked about all of the verses in that chapter that says “follow me” and what it means to follow Christ in conjunction with “enduring to the end.” Brother Payne said that we are not just following Christ. It is not about following Christ. It is following Christ so that WE CAN return to God. It was really powerful. Christ is not the end result. We do not want to just stop at following Him. We want to get to God and He is the WAY to do so.

We had a lesson with an investigator Eric and it was awful. He said that he does not believe that Joseph Smith was a prophet. He had been studying a ton of anti-Mormon literature. It was so sad to see.

This morning, the binding to my scriptures broke and my poor scriptures ripped and fell out. So sad. I am ordering new scriptures today. At least it happened on preparation day so that I can order them today! So many things are going wrong the past few weeks.

In my studies I have been focusing on the basics in teaching. I am learning how to teach simply, clearly, and effectively. I have also been studying a lot on the Atonement and Condescension of Jesus Christ.

Love,

Sister Diamond Evans

2 Nephi 31:10

Training, Splits/Exchanges, and Studies

This week has been a week of learning. Tuesday we had zone training and we got to be trained on the mission rules and changes to the mission. We are no longer having Departing Missionary Firesides (which honestly I am happy about because I do not want to get up in front of people and tell them about all of the things that I have learned).
On Thursday/ Friday we had exchanges with other missionaries. Sister Crockett came with me and it was wonderful. I learned so much from her. She is such a go-getter. She does not mind literally talking to EVERYONE. She is great at relating to others, she can always find things in common with them. It was wonderful. We saw so much success and met three potentials (one of which was a man named Steven who said that he is looking for more than a religion but a community of believers). We invited him to church… and he came! Saturday was wonderful. We went on splits with two Laurels in the ward and we saw so much success. We found 5 potential investigators. And in the end Sister Knutti said now she feels like she wants to go on a mission. It boosted my faith by so much. Sister Knutti is awesome. I have become better at change.
This week I have been studying the article: “Stand by My Servant Joseph” from the current church Ensign and it has been eye opening. I need to have more than just a testimony of the Restoration but I must be loyal, I must live up to my testimony. I do not want my investigators to just have a testimony of the gospel but they must be fully converted to the gospel.
 I have also been studying the New Testament using the Seminary Guide and I came across this quote while studying Matthew 14:
“It is my firm belief that if as individual people, as families, communities, and nations we could, like Peter, fix our eyes on Jesus, we too might walk triumphantly over the swelling waves of disbelief and remain unterrified amid the rising winds of doubt. But if we turn away our eyes from him in whom we must believe, as it is so easy to do and the world is so much tempted to do, if we look to the power and fury of those terrible and destructive elements around us rather than to him who can help and save us, then we shall inevitable sink in a sea of conflict and sorrow and despair. At such times when we feel the floods are threatening to drown us and the deep is going to swallow up the tossed vessel of our faith, I pray we may always hear amid the storm and darkness that sweet utterance of the Savior of the world: ‘Be of good cheer; it is I; be not afraid’ (Matthew 14:27)”- President Howard W. Hunter
Love,
Sister Diamond Evans
Matthew 14:24-27

Interesting Week

This week has been a wonderful week. I have noticed Heavenly Father’s hand in this work because I do not know the area and we have a certain mile allotment each month, that I do not want to go over, I have been praying so hard to have Heavenly Father help me in determining where we need to go, how long do we need to be there, and who do we need to meet/ see. It has been so wonderful! On Monday we had “Half Day trot-about Tuesday (6pm- 9pm) and it was wonderful. We had a member go out with us and we had a great lesson with the Turners.

On Trot-About Tuesday we got a new investigator named Loy while tracting. She said that she only let us in because our name tags say “Jesus Christ” we got to teach her the Restoration. She said that it was exactly what she needed. She is awesome. Then we went on exchanges and had success with member visits and teaching Peter. On Thursday we had another wonderful lesson with Peter this time Brother Elliott (a recently reactivated member) got to help us. Brother Elliott was awesome and he thanked us for turning his “bad day” better.

On Friday we began teaching our first family the Parks. We met them while tracting. It was awesome. We saw them leaving their house, we stopped them, they looked at our name tags and said come back between 7:30 and 8pm, we did and we taught them the Restoration. The husband is very interested. They go to the United House of Prayer for All People church and they say that it is super similar to our church. Then on Saturday we met their adult son, Nikkolas, and made him a new investigator as well. It was awesome how we met him. We were finishing tracting their street (after daily contacting them) and the last house that we went to dog came running out of the door. So we began helping the dog sitter catch him. Then Nikkolas (who the day before came home while we were teaching his parents and went in the basement) stopped Sister Russell and asked if he could get a pass along card like the one we gave his parents. We taught him the Restoration right there on the spot and he said that he would be at the lesson that we set-up with his parents!

Heavenly Father really is in this work. I am so grateful to be one of the instruments by which he works. Saturday night I had a really interesting experience. We went to check on a headquarters referral (at about 6:30). We called him and set-up the appointment. We were so excited because from the telephone call that we gave to him he seemed so interested. When we got there he came out and began talking to us and immediately I got a very strong and distinct impression that we needed to leave. I thought that it was a joke (I have never gotten an impression like that before) but as we continued to talk to him (nothing out of the ordinary, just nice conversation) and then I got the impression again so then I interrupted Sister Russell and asked him if we could meet at the church at a better time. Then his eyes kind of went dark and he very reluctantly said sure and I asked if he could meet us at the church. Nothing happened, we walked away after getting the return appointment. I told Sister Russell what I felt and she said that she did not get that impression. I am not sure why I got it and she didn’t but I am grateful for following the Spirit. Then we went tracting again in another neighborhood to finish the night. We walked pass a couple heading home and then we went back and as we walked up the stairs I felt again that we needed to leave this time the feeling was super slight, subtle. Because I didn’t feel the strong impression, that I had felt only thirty minutes before, I chose to shrug it off. I took it as just my reaction to the guy that we met earlier and just being “jumpy.” Well the guy said really rude things to us. He called us “stupid” for walking around at night. He just wasn’t very nice.

I am so sorry for not heeding the promptings of the Spirit. But I am grateful for learning the lesson that I needed.

In my personal studies I have been studying the talk: “Preparation in the Priesthood: ‘I need your Help’” By President Eyring. I felt really strongly that I needed to study it, which was weird since I am not a Priesthood holder. However, it was wonderful. I really needed it. I have been feeling so overwhelmed at my calling as a missionary and in taking over an area. I felt really inadequate, as I do not know the area and everyone loving Sister Jeppsen. But it was great to read the talk and see that I am needed and I am loved but I must continue to be humble so that I can be taught all of the things that Heavenly Father needs of me. It has been humbling in seeing all of my flaws lay out there (spiritually and physically) but there is no other place I’d rather be. I love my mission and I love teaching others.

Love,

Sister Diamond Evans

3 Nephi 11:15

What I Have Learned from Sister Jeppsen

With the impending transfer on Thursday and the chance of me and Sister Jeppsen parting (she has been here for six months and there are about fourteen new sisters coming in) here are a few thoughts on the things that I have learned from her:

1.      Sister Jeppsen has an excitement for missionary work unlike anyone I have ever seen! She just loves to find and teach people. She is always happy to run to the other side of the street to talk to someone. She just loves to share with others our beliefs. I love to see her eyes light up whenever we see someone that we can talk to. It has been so wonderful to see myself start to catch that fire.

2.      She loves with all of her heart. I am a natural safe guarder of my heart but she is an open book. She loves to tell people how much she loves them and how much Heavenly Father loves them. It has become easier for me to tell others that Heavenly Father loves them. And I have noticed how much easier it becomes for me then to ask the investigators or members to do hard things (like stop drinking coffee or to meet with the bishop to start becoming worthy to partake of the sacrament).

3.      Sister Jeppsen is also very good at making analogies. Like with the organization of the church (like military ranking), authority (ice cream man and police man writing a ticket), etc. She is just so good at also making it relevant to them.

4.      Sister Jeppsen is really good at using church quotes as a teaching tool. I have never done that before. I use it as a spiritual thought for dinner with members but I have never used them in teaching a lesson. It has been really cool to see her use them with members and investigators.

5.      She is definitely positive Pauly whereas I am more of a negative Nancy. It’s more of me being vocal with how I am feeling but I can tell that not everyone wants to know what’s going on in my head. So I have been learning the past few weeks how to focus on what’s going right than what’s going wrong. I am learning to balance it because you want to know what’s going wrong so that you can change but you don’t need to dwell on it.

It really has been a great experience with being in Centreville with Sister Jeppsen. I am so thankful that we got to be together for the holidays. I am learning so much about myself in having companions. While it is still taking some getting used to being with someone you do not know, who is different from you it has been rewarding as well.

This past week I have been trying to focus wholeheartedly on nothing but my area (personal counsel from President Riggs). During breakfast, lunch, and dinner instead of resting I have been pondering what my area needs. My personal study time has also been completely geared towards them and not myself. I have been trying to be the missionary that he and Heavenly Father want of me and it has been and interesting journey. It really has been good for my area.

This week was a successful week. We had 16 lessons and got 8 new investigators. I cannot believe that I am almost halfway done with my mission. Time really does fly by!

Love,

Sister Diamond Evans

2 Nephi 4: 32-33

Low Lessons, Transfers, and New Beginnings

This week a ton of our appointments fell through! It was so sad but I am grateful for the three new investigators that we got this week. They are super solid as well. Two of them are best friends and have been searching to find the truth! We had a wonderful lesson with them on Friday at the church. Brother Elliott came with us and he bore his testimony. It was so powerful. I love teaching at the church and going into the chapel and talking about the sacrament. The Spirit is so strong.

On Wednesday to kick off the new missionary focus of Mutual we were asked to teach the Young Women. We taught them the Restoration and then had them teach it to each other. It was so fun and then we had the Laurels bear their testimonies. It was so wonderful.

I am still here in Centreville and my new companion is Sister Russell. She is from the City of North Salt Lake. She has been out for six months. It is so hard taking over an area. I realize that I do not know the area very well. It is so hard. But I know that things will get better. I am relying on the Lord to direct me and this work. This is His work I am just his instrument.

On Saturday I had the privilege of going to Mount Vernon and see the baptism of Rob Erwin! I have been waiting for so long for him to be baptized. We began teaching him in July; however, he works for the Nationals and is always super busy so we would end up going weeks before we could teach him. Then he decided he wanted to go to Utah and be “fully immersed” in the Mormon culture. Well on Tuesday I got a text message from the Mount Vernon sisters saying that Rob came back and wants to get baptized on Saturday! And one of the “witnesses” of the baptism was David Velasquez (one of my recent converts)! I was so excited and thrilled. Of course, Friday morning I woke up to a sad thought… I lost my camera! I have no idea where it is. Oh well, there were like one hundred million people taking pictures so I am sure that I will get some.  

I have finally finished studying Jesus of Nazareth, Savior and King:

·         Stretching our soul: with tests, trials, prayers, etc.

·         Personal possibilities: Christ teaches me that I am important and there is a purpose to this life.

·         Little universes of experience: birth, school, dating, graduation, working, mission, etc.

·         I have been pondering on: Am I always being bold or am I sugar coating the truth? Am I managing my time as a missionary? Am I working hard? Am I talking to everyone?

·         He complemented Heavenly Father so gracefully: I am about my father’s business; He whom sent me; came to do my father’s will

·         He honored Heavenly Father so constantly: Did the Atonement like God asked; Christ was baptized to fulfill all righteousness.

·         He trusted in God so completely: Not my will but thine be done.

I have been studying Doctrine and Covenants with the Seminary Guide and it has been eye opening:

In section 17 it talks about the three witnesses and Elder Bruce R. McConkie says: “One of the most solemn oaths ever given to man is found in these words of the Lord relative to Joseph Smith and the Book of Mormon ‘he has translated the book, even that part which I have commanded him, saith the Lord, and as you Lord and your God liveth it is true.’ This is God’s testimony of the Book of Mormon. In it Deity Himself has laid His Godhead on the line. Either the Book is true or God ceases to be God. Their neither is nor can be any more formal or powerful language known to men or gods.

I never thought of it that way.

I am so excited for the second half of my mission! I look forward to the trials and the triumphs that will proceed. Next transfer I am more than likely going to train. There are only four sisters not training this transfer and there are like a bazillion sisters coming in. I am both excited and nervous about the prospect but I am excited that Heavenly Father and President Riggs trusts me enough to allow me to do so. And I am grateful that I am not right now because I am learning to become humble enough to be teachable. I am not quite there yet. I still need some time.

Love,

Sister Diamond Evans

Scripture 1 Nephi 15:24

Quote: Elder Neal A. Maxwell: “Real disciples absorb the fiery darts of the adversary by holding aloft the quenching shield of faith with one hand, while holding to the iron rod with the other…. There should be no mistaking; it will talk both hands.”