Lesson on Humility

I will just write Justin's words for this post.
"This week I was reading Ether 12:27 because I felt like it was pretty applicable to me right now learning Spanish. What it all really boils down to is humility. It is key to recieve promised blessings, God's help, and answers to prayers. We need to always acknowledge and give thanks to Him for all things, and acknowledge our constant need for His help in all things. I noticed for the first time that the scripture uses the word "weakness" in the singular form rather than the plrual "weaknesses" as most people often quote it. So the scripture isn't necessarily referring to our many individual problems and difficulties, but the fact that we are all weak compared to our Heavenly Father. If we are shown how we are weak, it makes us recognize the power, strength and greatness of God and thus compels us to be more humble. And with this humility, and with faith, we will be strengthened. So our weaknesses really prepares us to be worthy to recieve blessings." Thanks Justin for sharing a lesson we need to always be learning.

He also goes on to say that they will be teaching English lessons at the Chapel. The people there really want to know english. He asks if any one has any ideas on how to teach people English. He says that a lot of them speak Spanish and Catchaua (the language the Indians spoke here before Spanish). He says his companion tries to say things in Catchaua and the people get a kick out of it. He also says they get a kick out of Justin when he speaks Spanish! In church, they love to call him for prayers. He opened sacrament, closed Sunday School, and closed priesthood (he is either entertainment or they are trying to help him along!). He said," Oh well, I guess that is just more blessings."

Kindness and Faith

Justin has been a little frustrated with the language. Both speaking and understanding it. One Sunday, he and his companion went and visited the bishop's wife. She told him he wasn't going to learn Spanish if he didn't speak it more. So, she had Justin sit with her for 20 minutes while she listened to him speak Spanish to her. He said it was a really great experience. She helped him along and told him he had great pronunciation. He said it wasn't anything big, but it made him feel a lot better about his Spanish. That is kindness. I'm sure she had better things to do than sit and listen to my son speak poor Spanish to her. But that kind act helped my son feel good about a weakness he has been frustrated with. From one mother to another,"thank you for your kindness and helping my son feel better about himself."

His kind companion also told Justin that the old mission president used to tell them that Spanish should be the very least of their worries. Knowing and learning the gospel is more important for teaching the people. Justin said it was good to hear that. Kind and patient people are a great blessing in our lives!

He had a great faith building experience with a man that was baptized 7 months ago. The man told them that his work told him he needed to work on Sundays. He is a taxi driver. He did not think he could go to church anymore and wanted to know what to do. They read 3 Nephi 13:31-33 and 1 Nephi 17:3 and promised him the Lord would provide a way for him to complete his commandments. Justin said," It is really hard to make those kind of promises here especially because you know that they really need that money and work to live. He specifically told us that they often don't have money to eat and they are already in debt because he had to buy a car for the taxi service. But you could tell he trusted us, and that Heavenly Father would provide a way. He said he would fast and pray before he talked to his boss. It is tough for us to promise people that kind of stuff here too, it takes a lot of faith on our part too to really trust Heavenly Father to follow through on the promises we make the people. It's almost scary sometimes. So we are going to pray really hard for him tonight, and we know he has the faith to make this happen. It will be a great testimony builder." We have since heard that he quit his job and goes to church every Sunday. Justin said that all worked out for him and his family.The Lord has provided a way for this man because of his great faith. With the Lord, anything is possible, Not many of us go through such experiences that require us to put our faith to a test like this great man. What a great faith builder for Justin and his companion as well.

Bolivia.... The Good, The Bad and The Disgusting

Let's start with the good. Here is the temple in Cochabamba, Bolivia.

Here's what Justin has to say about the temple there. "Have I told you how cool the temple is here? It is so nice, it feels a lot like Newport inside but a lot bigger." It is beautiful

The first Sunday Justin went to church in Cochabamba, he says," It was really good, we had about 6 investigators there which was nice." Wow.... that is really good!

On a p-day, he and other missionaries went to play a game called Wally. It's volleyball in this room the size of a court and there is no out of bounds and you play off the walls. He said it was really fun and played for a couple of hours. Afterwards he got a chance to wash his own laundry in a stone sink, outside. He said he scrubbed each piece of clothing by hand and then rung the soap and water out of each piece. He says," It was really tiring, and not fun at all. But I guess when in Bolivia you do as the Bolivians." The things we take for granted here at home.....

Now, for the bad. Justin had a chance to go to a Burger King and eat a hamburger, fries and an ice cream cone. He says it was heaven! At least until he woke the next morning throwing up. It was his first time being sick since leaving home. He was sick all day, but still went all day for his appointments. He was miserable, especially when the kind Bolivians fed him food and drink that he had to eat and drink. He said nothing makes him miss home more than being sick. Luckily, he woke up the next morning feeling fine.

Okay, now the DISGUSTING! The day before he got sick, a couple of elders held his mouth open while his pension (cook) shoved a chicken heart into his mouth. He refused to chew it and it just slid down his throat. As his dad says about this, "boys will be boys!" Even missionary boys... I guess you are only 19 years old. Knowing that you are only 19 years old though, makes it even more remarkable that you are doing the things you are able to do. With faith and the pure love of the Savior, you can do anything. " Keep doing good things."

Phase Three: Justin is In Bolivia.... and Happy to Be There!!

Three HAPPY missionaries..... Yea we made it!!!

Finally... he has arrived!! After nine weeks of sitting in classrooms for ten hours a day, first in Provo, Utah then Lima, Peru.... Justin is in Bolivia and going to work! Justin left Peru on Tuesday, August 5, 2008 and flew to La Paz, Bolivia. ( We got a nice phone call. He was SO happy to leave Peru and go to Bolivia! On the phone his little four year old sister, Sutton asked Justin when he is coming home. Justin replied,"It is so long you might as well forget about me!") The following morning, he flew from La Paz to Cochabamba. The first day there, he was able to stay in the mission home all day and they were fed a big breakfast and dinner. He thought it was wonderful! His Mission President is President Miguel A. Tenorio and his wife is Sister Elizabeth G. Tenorio.

All the newly arrived missionaries with the mission president and his wife. Sweet!

To quote Justin when he arrived in Cochabamba, " The air is so crisp and clean here. It smells like you are in the mountains camping or something ( more like the "something " as he, like his family are NOT campers!). weather is perfect too. The area the mission house and temple are in is sooo nice. I wouldn't think this place is third world at all. It looks like California actually. Same weather, houses that look American built on the hills around the temple. Even the hills and the plants on them look like California. It's nice."

Sounds like he is off to a great start! Nice for Justin to feel the familiarity of home. I bet that felt good. Justin will be in Cochabamba in an area called La Chimba to start off in. He will have a North American companion. Justin said, " None of the missionaries here have ever heard of two North Americans being put together, so this is a first." His name is Elder Brinton and he is from Idaho. Justin thinks he is "great." Sorry, Justin hasn't sent a picture with him yet.

Justin and his companion live with a member family that is inactive. They have a room in the back, a bathroom, and another room with table, chairs, fridge and a stove. He says, " if it sounds nice or anything, it's really not. The family has a maid that they can pay each week to do their laundry. He says," They just wash it in a sink outside, but apparently they can get the clothes really clean here by hand." Here are some pictures. Warning: the toilet is SCARY!

Justin's bed is the one that does not have the Batman sheets!

Looks like his closets in the CCM/MTC.

Looks like the kitchen/living room.

The lovely bathroom.

Now.... for those with strong stomachs......

Home sweet home!

For meals they have pensionistas or these ladies who make their meals at their houses. For dinner, they feed themselves when they get home around 9 p.m.. He says," Lunch is a bigger meal here, but I wish it wasn't because I often don't like the food they give me too much. I have to force it down a lot of the time. And even then I start gagging sometimes." Justin is very picky and does gag easy with food he does not like. But in his defense, we warned by people we know that have served missions in Bolivia that the food in Bolivia is really bad. I don't think he will be so picky about the food he eats at home anymore. That's a good thing.

The first week he was there Justin says," we were stuck in our house allll day because of the election of the president." There was a potential of violence.

Electricity went out, so candles it is.

Well enough of the trivial things. Justin said his first two days out were really good because they taught a lot of people. He says," The people here seem really interested. My Spanish is coming along. I think I learn a lot just by listening to the way they talk all day. My companion always gives me the opportunity to teach and talk during our contacts and lessons, and is always there to help me if I get stuck. " He also asks for everyone to write him letters! His mission president asks that only his family email him as his time on the computer is very limited. Here is his address:

Elder Justin Evans

Bolivia Cochabamba mission

Edificio confort, septimo piso

Oficina #7, Avenida Villarroel #1132

Cochabamaba, Bolivia

He always ends his letters and emails with "keep doing good things." Good advice.

Last Week in Peru!

Justin's last week at the Peru CCM (Centro de Capacitacion, Spanish for MTC) has finally arrived! After sitting in a classroom for ten hours a day, he is really looking forward to going to Bolivia and start work there as a missionary! He wants out!

I thought I would show some pictures of Justin and his life in the CCM:

This was "home sweet home" for the past six weeks.

Here he is with all the elders in his district. What great young men.

They play soccer every week on their p-days (their day off / preparation day). Justin hasn't played soccer since a youngin' in AYSO. When in South America, you play soccer!

Justin with the CCM president and his wife. The Grobergs.

The Lima Peru CCM.

Beautiful Peruvian children! Justin was visiting a museum this day.

The Lima Peru Temple

At the airport in Peru with his companion Elder Carpenter.

"I'm leavin' on an airplane"......see ya Lima!! Date: August 5, 2008

Upon leaving the CCM in Peru, Justin said," Hopefully it will be a pretty easy adjustment into the mission field, not that anything is really easy on a mission. But you grow and learn from it all. When I was reading in Moroni, I found a scripture about how we can have the spirit in our life, what the key to it is. I think it's the something we all wonder. Chapter 8, versiculos (verses) 25-26. 1. We need to have faith unto the fulfilling of commandments (aka obedience), 2. From that we receive repentance and forgiveness, 3. We can then have the spirit, which manifests itself through meekness and lowliness of heart and gives hope and perfect love (charity), and 4. to keep the spirit, we need to pray. So in a nutshell, if we are obedient and pray we can always have the help of the spirit in our lives. I've noticed that with the spirit I am able to remember what really matters in life, in what I am doing. To be able to to look forward, not dwelling on the past or getting lost in the insignificant troubles and worries of the present. I am happier, and everything is just easier. It is an essential part to being of any worth on a mission, to be able to make it through 2 years."

We love it when he teaches us!