August 25 Pictures - Chicago Temple

What a week!

Last Monday we went shopping with a less active, Margy, so she could have a new outfit to wear to church. She's the same one the elders gave a blessing to last week and she was so excited to see us this week! She took us out for ice cream, even though we didn't have much time after p-day, and I ate a whole shake! It was a strawberry one, but I still ate it! In the car she was telling us about the new shoes she had gotten at a garage sale that she was so excited to wear, so I told her now she had new shoes, a new dress, and almost new friends! She was worried because she thought we were already friends, but I told her she was going to make more new friends and the smile that lit across her face was so sweet. We're excited to see her again, Friday.

Tuesday we had exchanges, and as we were going to one appointment it started pouring like I haven't seen it pour here, before! Sister Caldwell and I ran back to the car after no one answered the door, and weren't super sure what to do, so we ran back to the apartment so we could get my things ready before our next apartment. When we were bringing them out to the car we started talking to a few people outside and one of them, Monica, said her last name was Evans, and was super excited to talk to me! Sister Caldwell started talking to them about family history, and suddenly Monica told us that she wasn't actually a Wicken, or witch, like she had told the sisters before, but she was Christian! We gave them cards to the family history center and saw her again at the stake activity this weekend! I had tons of people coming up to me telling me I had a lady with dark hair and guy with a beard looking for me, and got to talk to her! It was so sweet! We also visited a sister in the relief society presidency who we hadn't been planning on visiting so when we pulled up sister Caldwell asked for my favorite scripture, and the we shared the first one that popped in my head, which was 2 Nephi 31:20. When we shared it with her she said she'd been thinking of that scripture earlier in the day and our visit helped her so much! It was so sweet!

Wednesday we got to go to the Chicago temple!! We went with Sister Braley and had Chicago style pizza for lunch! We drove many hours, talking about road kill, marriage, and the Book of Mormon. We got to see the new new new temple video and it was amazing! Then we sat in the celestial room for the longest time, and the spirit was amazing! That night we finally had the chance to follow a prompting I had received to visit a potential we met a while ago. When we went there, we met her husband, Dan, who was taking care of his grandma, Peggy. It was a strange first contact, and we were out of restoration pamphlets so we gave him a gospel of Jesus Christ pamphlet and set up another appointment. Last night we got to go see him, again, and the member we brought was a Laurel named Angela. When we were talking to him about why he let us back in he said he just wanted to learn more, and give us practice teaching, but when we taught him about the restoration and Joseph Smith, Angela began testifying and you could see the spirit working on him! One of my favorite things in lessons is to watch their eyes, because you can really see them brightening as they receive truth and hope! By the end he was very excited to learn more, we could barely get out! Afterward, Angela couldn't get over how cool it was to have the spirit put words in her mouth as she testified, and couldn't wait to come back! I hope she gets the chance to go on a mission, as well, she was amazing!

Thursday we visited a less active, Sister Roy, who we weren't planning on visiting, either. We went in to teach one thing and came out after teaching her about the atonement! The spirit just took over and helped us to be bold and have the faith to act! She's now reading the Book of Mormon and texting us daily! We also met a sweet girl named Kori on our way back from trying to contact Vikki who was super shy but had a super sweet smile that grew as we taught her about her Heavenly Father's love for her. We are hoping to meet with her again, soon!

Saturday we went to an investigator, Patricia Ann's for her birthday, with a recent convert from the south bend ward named Anna. Those two were like instant best friends, it was so cute! Anna sang her songs on the guitar and taught Patricia Ann the restoration like we have never been able to! Patricia Ann was so fired up she wanted to come to the stake activity that night and church the next day, but had a wedding and wasn't able to. We are excited to go back with Anna and teach her, or let Anna teach her, again! 

Sister Caldwell and I on exchanges

Favorite quotes!

"Hold still!" Brother Smith, before hitting bobby pins out of Sister Clegg's hair that he thought were bugs

"Do you wanna be awesome and come get this?" Sister Caldwell

"What??" Elder Rasmussen

"Do you wanna be awesome??" Sister Caldwell

"Do you want a mint?" me

"Ahhh" Sister Caldwell, opening her mouth to show she already had one

"ok, sounds good!" me

"I never use punctuation...and that's bad...next thing you know, someone will be eating their grandma!" Sister Caldwell

"The lights changed...because our attitudes changed!" me, and street lights

"I can't see you but I'm guessing you're blushing!" Sister Caldwell after lights out

"You're a good hugger" sister Caldwell

"thanks, I like hugs" me

"Hi! How are you?" me

"Good! Just admiring your hair!" lady at the pizza place

"eew I feel like humidity and sweatity!" Sister Clegg

"Oh girl I'm gonna be 59! Don't be giving me an extra 10 years!" Patricia Ann

"Girl, whatchu cookin'?" Anna

"Girl, don't you be a comin' in here with a nose like that!" Patricia Ann

"Anna you were so great! Patricia Ann loved you!" Sister Clegg

"Oh I know!" Anna

"Perfect, thank you"

"Did someone just text us?" Sister Clegg

"Nope, just talking to myself...I don't know what about...awkward..." me

"Oh boy! I haven't had a laugh like that since the 10 commandments!" Sister Clegg (she had sister Mckendrick forgot the 10th when they were teaching it the other day during splits)

"Ya! I'll have to tell Dustin I role played him!" Brother Sammons, after a church tour he pretended to be an investigator during

"This is chinese for 'I respect you'" Elder Rasmussen

"Really? Cool!!" Sister Clegg and me

"No, I just made that up!" Elder Rasmussen

"Ooh! They have forks!" me at the Country fair (they didn't have forks at the Luau, in my defense)

"You know it's humid when you end the day with mascara on your forehead, waterproof mascara on your forehead, no less!" me

Love, Sister Evans

​crazy fog!