The Breakdown

Dear Padres y Familia,

        Everything is back to normal again. Nothing happened really crazy or terrible this week soooo that's nice. And honestly, I don't really remember what happened. It was just kind of a big blur. One of my journal entrees from the last week actually says, "I think something happened today, but what it was I have no idea. I can't remember anything anymore." This is what my life has become. A blur of spanish, dogs, and argentines. 

        At least my spanish is getting better, it was a little stagnant for a while, but now it's improving tons every week. I'm getting to the point where I don't feel like a fool everytime I open my mouth, which is a lovely feeling. I think I now have the spanish ability of about a 7 year old and that's good enough for me. The sad thing is that as my spanish improves and I speak it more, my english is starting to suffer. The other day we met a member who is really good at english and I just had an awful time trying to talk to him. It took a good 3 or 4 minutes before I could speak without thinking about it again. It was so weird. 

       It's transfers time again this week. I think I'm probably going to stay here again, but I have the weird feeling like I am going to be transfered... I dont know. I'm going to buy a couple souvenirs just in case, though. 

       This week I had divisions twice. The first was with Elder Perkins from Utah and that was interesting. I swear, for every normal missionary there is in this mission, there are at least 2 others that are really weird. Don't get me wrong, Elder Perkins is super nice and I have no problem with him. I feel bad because he tries so hard but he hates germs, other people, to have his clothes wrinkled, and so much more. He only has 6 more weeks than I do here, but the people can not understand him at all. I actually had to translate for him because he has retainers in his mouth and his words slur really bad. So sad. Then, this Saturday morning we got a call from the Presidente that we needed to do emergency divisions with Elder Perkins and his compañero that morning because Elder Perkins had a crazy breakdown and started yelling at Elder Astete in english (his companion, who doesnt speak english) and crying. So I went to a little tiny town called General Acha (coincidently where Mr. Mason served for a litttle). It was ok because I needed a little change of scenery and I love Elder Astete. I now know that there is beauty in Argentina, just not in Santa Rosa.

           And thats pretty much all that happened,

           

            Love Elder Evans

Noah's Flood Part 2

¡Hola Familia y Amigos!

        Oh it's been a little bit of a crazy week. It started out good. I bought a camera (it works), we found a bunch of good investigadors, had some good lessons and all that jazz. Then, for whatever reason, the theoretical poop hit the missionary fan. Thursday morning it started to rain... not kind of rain, but RAIN with a capital wet. It was like Forrest Gump when he is in Vietnam but I was in a tie. The streets weren't streets anymore. They were rivers of 6-12 inches of water flowing. I saw dogs not being able to cross the roads because they would get swept away, if they did. I was actually having a grand time playing in it, you know, one of those "this is so horrible that its laughable" situations. However, that changed a litttle bit when its stopped raining and just got really cold and really windy. I was so very cold and wet. Then we got a call from our zone leaders that we had to walk to the bus terminal 30 minutes away and pick up another Elder who would arrive at 10:30. Of course he didnt get there until 12. Then our washing machine broke, so we have to wash our clothes like pioneers. Then the next day, we found out that Elsa (the cancer and pamphlet lady) got sick after going to church and she thinks its a sign from God that our church isn't true. So that kind of stinks!

             Ana and Alexis are still coming to church every week, though we are struggling to get anybody else there. Its ok though, they are great. I am happy, don't worry, some dumb week isn't going to get this pelirrojo (Red head) down!

Answers:

-I don't really know about recipes, just stuff! good chicken and things like that. I don't know... sorry

- No, no bug experiences yet, Argentina is dirty, don't get me wrong.

Love 

Elder Evans!

I Testify of Christ... and for Alexis

Dear Family and Friends,

        So I got asked to testify in court this week. So I can check that off my bucket list. One of our investigators, Alexis (the one in the couple that is going to get married) had served jail time a month or so ago because he has a crazy sister that is a pathological lier or something that likes to pin crimes on him (sad, I know). So he got accused of committing another crime this week (I don't know what it is) that was supposedly committed the same time as when we were teaching him one day. They came to us  and asked us if we would testify for him if it went to court. We said that we would love to but we had to check with Presidente to see if it was all good. However, Presidente said we probably shouldn't because we are americans and they don't like us here and he didn't want to cause an international incident or something. Luckily, now it looks like Alexis won't have to go to court, so they will not need my awesome testifying skills. I'm not going to lie, though, I really wanted to testify in Argentine court. I was going to cry and everything on the witness stand. Maybe rant about political oppression or racism or something to inspire the judge into throwing out the case.... its probably best I don't testify for anybody... 

        Alexis and his future wife Ana are probably the cutest family in the whole world. They have two kids. Isaih (that one prophet in the bible that I dont know how to spell) who is 4 years old and their baby Shayla who is 3 months old. Isaih is crazy, he has more energy than I thought was possible to contain in such a little package and Shayla is the calmest baby in the whole world. I think I have only really heard her cry once in the billions of times I have met with them. Alexis is super funny because he is like a little kid when he gets excited about something. I taught him how to tie a tie on Saturday for church and he was so excited to wear it. It was awesome. Ana is great too. She loves to watch movies about the church and they both love to talk about all things they've learned. 

I don't really have a ton to write about this week, sorry. I'm sure there will be stories next week.

 Answers

- The lady with throat cancer is great, she's probably going to be baptized at the end of this month

- My healthiness depends on the week and if I need cookies or not.

- The happy birthday guy has to work a lot, so we're trying to get a time to meet with him still.

- Sam, you are going to be better than me at soccer when I get back. They don't let us play soccer because missionaries aren't allowed to have fun... just kidding.  It's  probably just so I dont get hurt or something.

Love 

Elder Evans

My Testimony of the Happy Birthday Song

Hola Familia and Amigos!

       I got my package yesterday! It was awesome! Thank you! Good Ol' Argentina doesn't have anything delicious like jelly bellies or goldfish because they don't like to import things for some reason that I can't figure out. I guess they just like super high prices? A pack of 2 snicker's bars is $5 american dollars. No idea. I loved the pictures that I got and the letter from Julia was my favorite. GOOD TIME. If you would tell her that I am, in fact having a good time, that would be great. 

       The weather is being absolutely nuts right now. Last week was one of the hottest weeks that they have ever had in August. It was like 80 something degrees when it is suppose to be the middle of winter. Now its super cold and ridiculously windy. I dont really understand. Its so windy that I regularly almost get blown over. I bet all the stray dogs are having a great time.

        Our investigators are still good, technically none are proggresing at the moment because they still won't come to church... sigh..... but its ok because nobody in our entire district had anybody in the church this week. Actually... thats really bad. But oh well. Alexis and Analisa are going to set up a date for getting married today or tomorrow and then they can get baptized! WOOO!! YAH! But I'll probably will be transfered before that can happen. I only have one good story this week, it was kind of a rough one, not gonna lie. We didn't find anybody good. I'm still happy though.  It doesn't bother me too much.

         We were walking down the street the other day and we said hi to these two guys and one said it was his birthday. So Elder Bloomfield asked him if he wanted us to sing him happy birthday (E' Bloomfield has lightened up a ton, I have corrupted him) and the guy said no. Then Elder Bloomfield asked him what his name was and he said Gabriel. Elder Bloomfield then looked at me and with our companionship telepathy, we both started to sing happy birthday to him at the same time in english. He didn't really know what to say but he thanked us for our song and laughed. After that we just left and didn't really expect anything more to come from it. Much to our suprise, two days later we were walking home at like 8 at night and this dude rolled by on his bike and yelled "Elderes!!" We walked over to him and it was Gabriel! It turns out I had actually met him once before, really breifly because he is the brother of an inactive member in our ward. He told us that he has a drinking problem and he wants help quiting so he can be a better father to his daughter. We are going to start teaching him this week and its gonna be awesome. I now have a testimony of the power of the happy birthday song.

       

Answers for Questions Time!

Food- I eat noodles... lots and lots of noodles. Usually its got this greasy sauce with beef in it, its not bad, not amazing but not bad. I also eat a lot of something called milanesa. Its just breaded and fried steak, I think, but its really delicious. Probably bad for me, but really delicious. Occasionally we have chicken too and maybe some salad. And that's pretty much all I ever eat. Argentines don't like variety in the slightest. It may sound like I'm strereotyping but Argentines would be the first to tell you that its true. They hate spicy things too. Just a tiny bit of pepper and everyone wants to die. It would be paradise for you, Mom.

Spanish - Its coming, not super fast, but its coming. I'm right on the edge of getting a lot better, I can feel it. However, I am not quite there yet.

My Companion - He has loosened up a bunch, but he still loves to work and that's fine with me. It makes the days go by faster!

Scriptures: John 14:18 or Alma 26:12, I cant decide..

Sending you copies of my letters to the president: Yah they are in spanish.. but are those supposed to have spiritual experiences in those? Mine are always just a sentence or two. Oops.

Love You All!

Elder Aybons (thats how they pronounce it here) 

Week 12...Another Week in Santa Rosa, Week 13...The Proposal

Dear Familia y Amigos

        I'm still here in Santa Rosa, not that it is much of a surprise.  Elder Webb is gone! He got transferred to a town way down south called Vierma. Where, coincidently, Elder Giliam is. Dang Vierma! Stealing all my friends! I'm getting a new compañero named Elder Bloomfield and from what I've heard he seems like a cool guy. He's not here yet, so I'm just chilling with my Mexican roomate and his new companion from El Salvador. I'm excited for my new compañero but I am now the only one in the companionship that knows anything about my area, which isnt much! Its hard because everything looks exactly the same, dirt roads, piles of scrap metal and garbage in people's yards, dogs, and dog poop. Oh well, it will be an adventure.

           My spanish is getting sssoooo much better, I actually understand people now and, for the most part, people understand me. Its nice because I actually have friends in the ward and in our zone now. Our zone is pretty cool, actually. We have chilaens, columbians, paraguy-ans, americans, an el salvadorain, a peruvian, an australian and a guy who was born in finland (his name is Axeles Medenloto, super dope, right?)

Answers to your Questions:

- I have pictures, but I have no way to send them. My camera is pretty much dead too. Can I buy a new one?

- I cant print nothin

- My investigators are good, the dad didn't come to church sunday. That's ok, nobody comes to church.

- the corner of Chaco and miseones, its the big building complex

- My divisions with Elder Rodriguez was the longest day of my life, we just walked around annoying people who didnt want to talk

- Weather here doesnt make sense, its really hot, then its super cold.. I dont understand

- I sleep on pday or go play something with the other elders and buy stuff.

- I have one friend from another zone at the ccm in my zone here, so thats nice. I email Hermana's Romerel and Wooley sometimes

: HAPPY ANNIVERSARY PADRES!

LOVE

Elder Evans

Week 13...The Proposal

Dear Family and Friends,

        I have decided to make the subjest line of my emails more interesting, hence the interesting subject today. I have a new companion now, Elder Bloomfield. He is a great guy but my goodness, is he serious. He has the the personality of a 2X4, but a 2X4 that I like. He also is the hardest working individual I have ever meant which means.. I have to be a hard working missionary too. Last Thursday he had a bad fever and he decided that the only way it could be cured was by working twice as hard as we had been. The only thing I dont like about him is that he doesn't like to visit members, which is my favorite thing to do, because he feels that it doesnt have a purpose.
      I am tired. I have never been so tired in my life. I fall asleep every time we stop moving for more than two minutes. 

      I have been here for 2 months and I still haven't baptized anyone yet, but its ok, we've got some dope investigators. The only problem is that 3 of the families we are teaching, are not married... because in Argentina getting married is a fat pain in the butt, so the people just say they are married and they never do it legally. I guess just one day they wake up and say "hey honey, we are married, k?" and then just go on with their lives. So the other day we were teaching our investigators, Alexis and Analisa, and we commited them to baptism. Then Elder Bloomfield said "but to be baptized you have to be legally married" and then he looked to ALexis and said " are you willing to get married?" and Alexis said that he was. Then I, because you are always supposed confirm commitments with everyone there, turned to Analisa and said "Will you get married?" and she said yes. So, in a nutshell, I proposed to a girl and she said yes. And my companion proposed to a man...

       Fine, due to popular request, here is a dope spiritual experience. Last week, when I was still with Elder Webb, we were walking on the road and I said "I would kill someone to just get an investigator who actually understands what we are teaching." So we decided to knock on the door of a lady that nicely said hi to us on the street (that doesnt happen very often). She opened the door and said "oh come in! come in!" but we couldn't because she was alone in her house. She said "wait one second" and she ran inside her house and ran back out with her jacket on and said "Ready." So Elder Webb and I looked at each other and communicated telepathically (good companions can do this) "this lady is awesome!" After we talked to her a little bit, we found out that she had once talked to missionaries before but told them that she wasnt interested because she was jehovahs witness or something and they just gave her a pamphlet on the restoration. Then, a year later , she had cancer in her throat (6 months ago) and had to be in the hospital for 7 days to get it removed. For whatever reason, she accidently brought the pamphlet with her and because she didnt have a lot to do she read it. Then she decided to read it every night before she went to bed and kept it under her pillow because she loved how she felt when she read it. Then one thing lead to another and we are teaching her now.  She

wants to get baptized! 

       Thats all you get, 

           Love, 

             Elder Evans

Week 11

Dearest Familia y Amigos

            It has been a very crazy week in Argentina! and guess what!? I went on divisions again! And was the elder normal?! Of Course Not!! He was some guy from Bolivia who didn't like to say anything to me but, "Elder Eevvvvvaaaaannnns....... Elder Evvvvvvvaaaannnnnsss es me amigo.." Over and over again. He took 3 naps for a grand total of 3 1/2 hours when I was with him. We are not even supposed to take a 20 minute nap! Even better, I found out that tomorrow I will probably be on divisions with the Zone Leader that loves to put me out of my comfort zone and thinks that I am not trying hard enough. But if there is one thing that I have learned so far in this mission, is to have no fear when talking to someone. So I'll just tell the elder what I think about him... I'm Kidding of course. Maybe.

               In sadder news, Elder Andersen, the elder from the mtc and who has been in my zone here, went home friday. I actually saw him every week at our district/zone meetings and he wasnt doing so well. He never helped his companion teach and pretty much never said anything to anyone in spanish. He and his latin companion could not get along too, which was sad because his companion is awesome. In a weird way, I will miss the big guy.

              We're still meeting very interesting people here, the other day we were talking to a lady and she said that she really needed help and peace. So we asked her what was bothering her and she said people were physically hurting her. So then we got all worried and asked her who was hurting her and she said she didn't know, thats why she needed help. (yes I know that was a giant run-on-sentance) Then we realized that she was crazy. We also taught a homosexual man yesterday who has two kids. He is awesome and loves what we taught him.

            We have two good families we are teachng right now that are great. I'm really starting to actually understand people now. I dont get every word but I get the gist. Now I just need to get better at speaking. I almost hope that my next companion is Latin so that I am forced to speak more spanish.
            

     Love Elder Evans

Week 10....Another Week in Paradise

Dear Padres y amigos

       Its finally starting to calm down a bit for me in the fabulous country that is Argentina. I'm starting to get into the routine and thats kind of nice. I am starting to understand the people a lot more, except for the ones with no teeth, which is far too many. I am actually contributing to lessons now, before I just prayed and bore my testimony and now I actually teach stuff.

       Now that I have a little less to talk about, I actually can answer your questions and stuff. 

1. I don't know what my favorite scripture is, I'll think of one this week.

2. My apartment: It's a three bedroom, 1 bath apartment with a little kitchen and laundry room. The living room is a good size and we dont have couches or nothin', just padded metal chairs that we stole from the church. Its nice but super dirty. However everything here is dirty, so its not abnormal. I have to wear shoes constantly or I will get some crazy foot fungal disease and grow an extra leg or something (which is not necessarily a bad thing). I miss carpet and walking around barefoot.

     The laundry situation kind of sucks, we dont actually have a washing machine, its just a glorified plastic barrel that turns the clothes in water. Then we put the clothes in this spiny thing that spins super fast to get the extra water out. So essentially together it makes a crapy washing machine. I never realized how much I could miss something that washes clothes! And heaven forbid that anybody in Argentina has a dryer. Not even the rich have dryers, they'll drive an audi and still hang their clothes to dry.

3. I do door approaches sometimes, but I really suck at them and I prefer to just talk to people on the street.      

4. Our Investigators are good but wont freaking come to church. Argentines are the laziest people on earth.

5. Im having lots of fun, its just a little hard every once and a while.

6. Tell Michael to email me

7. Its real cold and windy

8. Yah put some pictures on that package.  Also, I have heard that packages from Canada come a lot faster and easier, so thats something to think about.

The Argentines still continue to crack me up. On Thursday, I saw two drunk guys crash on their motor scooter at 7 o'clock at night. Nothing like a drunken Thursday night joy ride to undwind a bit. People still dont know where I am from, I'm just some alien who speaks bad spanish. I am the only red head I have seen since I arrived, but its cool cause little kids are fascinated by it and my blue eyes, those don't really happen here either. It 'twas a good week though I'm not complaining!
 

Love,

Elder Evans