4/22/2013

Hey Everyone

   It has been a good week up in New York. I had a lot of learning experiences and walking this week. I have been going on companion exchanges a lot since the end of the month is rolling around and my companion is the Zone Leader. It is good for me to go out and experience how other missionaries do missionary work (whether good or bad). I am starting to learn that patience is a virtue and you get a lot of practice out here perfecting that.

    I had the opportunity to give a talk this past Sunday. It went pretty well at least I think it did. The topic I was given to speak on was being anxiously engaged. I am not sure if it was the Lord telling me to work harder or what! I did however learn a lot from it and am grateful for some of the chances I had before my mission to experience this.

    I did have a unique experience this week. My companion and I got invited with another companionship to go to this bible study in the ghetto. It was held in this unfinished basement that had pit bulls running around. We (the missionaries) were the only white faces down there. At first I felt a little uncomfortable and out of place when everyone started yelling AMEN! But all the missionaries were invited to go up and bear testimony. It was cool to be able to add insight to their beliefs and share a little more knowledge that they did not have. All around it was a really neat experience and we gained a lot of new friends.

   I just wanted to thank everyone for all their support and encouragement it really helps me keep working hard and pushing along.

Love Elder Bevan

 

Elder Bevan's New Apartment

                                   

                                                  Palmyra Temple



April 14, 2013
Lewiston, New York                                               ELDER BEVAN MAKES THE PAPER

A little background to this story.

My companion and I have been trying to get in to the newspaper up here in Lewiston to publish an article about our religion and we have had no success.) The night before the experience we had a companion swap and I was with another new missionary. I have been his companion before and well he is not the most motivated missionary, but he was in my town now, and he was going to work! Anyways we started our day with normal stuff, we went to a few appointments, had a few visits but nothing really too exciting. On top of that it started raining/snowing...so we headed back to the apartment for dinner. After eating dinner, my companion wanted to sleep but I told him we needed to go walk around and try to be productive. So we headed out back out into the rain and of course no one was out walking around, and it was "too cold" for them to open their doors and to talk with us. We were walking down the street toward the river when this black sedan pulls up in front of us and stops. The driver wants to take our pictures...? We said sure, and then he told us that he was with the Niagara Gazette and that he wanted to put us in the newspaper! He asked us our names and, then asked us why our names were the same, both Elder. We proceeded to tell him we were missionaries for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. He was pretty interested, and told us that he would be sure and get us in the newspaper (follow link to a photo of Steven and comp in the paper).http://niagara-gazette.com/snapshots/x563623296/Picture-of-the-Day  There we are! we are down the page a little but still there!!

 

I felt very humbled that Heavenly Father was mindful of our desires and made it happen. It was a testimony that any righteous desire is a desire of our Father in Heavens. He loves us and wants to bless us, and HE DOES!! Thanks for all the prayers in our behalf. We are so grateful to be out here. I definitely don't consider serving a mission a sacrifice.

Love,

Elder Bevan

A MIGHTY BAND OF YOUTH. KSL TV special report broadcast between sessions of conference on Saturday, April 6, 2013. SALT LAKE CITY — Like 10,000 legions marching, from the words of a Latter-day Saint hymn to the halls of the missionary training center, a new generation is rising to accept the call to serve a mission. A prophet's voice brought the good news; Young men may begin serving missions at the age of 18, young women at age 19. So many are prepared to serve it is time for a new MTC and new missions. They all usher in a new day for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. They are a mighty band of youth, and these are their stories. Follow this link http://www.ksl.com/?sid=24703772 and see if you can see Steven singing in the choir. Watch to the right of the conductor, on the aisle, about 5 rows up. What a great experience for Steven. When you watch this, make sure you have plenty of tissues close by. It will touch you. 

 Steven with Elder Danielson

 Niagra River just above the falls - anyone got a barrel

Niagra Falls which is actually three water falls. From largest to smallest, the three waterfalls are the Horseshoe Falls, the American Falls and the Bridal Veil Falls. Located on the Niagara River, which drains Lake Erie into Lake Ontario, the combined falls form the highest flow rate of any waterfall in the world, with a vertical drop of more than 165 feet.

April 8, 2013

Dear Everyone,

   It has been a great week up here in NY, but pretty darn cold. The weather up here is so weird! We had a white out just the other day (blizzard of Doom) but nothing stuck? It was pretty interesting. Ok aside from the weather the work up here is pretty interesting itself. Like I said all of our investigators are single ladies over the age of sixty and I think they just have us over because they think we are cute.... Yeah we have really been praying for some male investigators and you know what? We got one! So that is pretty sweet. A lot of our work up here is re-activation. The key to finding success with this is the love that you show to these struggling members.

   General Conference was absolutely awesome. Never before have I sat for ten hours, my eyes glued to the television, and learned so much. Every question I had was answered and even questions that I thought I knew were answered. Lets just say 12 pages of notes later. I have a lot of studying to do now however, but that is the fun part.

   So my companion is one of the Zone Leaders I am not sure if I said this before but this means we have a truck (not a car) and we also get extra miles. Sounds good right? Well it is except we have a huge area and we run out of miles within two weeks... Oh well because walking is really fun especially when we get to talk to all the people and tell them how really "un-set" they really are. My companion and I have made two goals this week they are to testify to everyone and to ask everyone for referals. This sounds simple but when someone tells you to "get out of here" and "don't even" you really struggle to say "who do you know that would benefit from hearing our message?" haha all is well. 

   I have come to the realization that this is the place I am supposed to be. Lots of lessons I will learn in the next two years and boy am I excited. 

   I did receive your package mom and Mindi's letter so thank you so much!!!! I really enjoy receiving mail ;) So get the address from Mindi it got here just fine :)

Love,

Elder Bevan   

First letter from New York

 Joesph Smith's home in Palmyra New York

 Mission President Jack R Christanson and wife.

 My apartment

Me and my first companion Elder Danielson from Alpine, Utah

April 1, 2013

Happy Birthday Dad!!

 

 Hello,

     So I have a lot to tell you! That is for sure. I arrived in Rochester this Monday and was able to relax for a little bit at the mission home and eat some dinner. Our mission President did however keep us up until 1 am which was ridiculous (I got 4hrs of sleep in two days). On  Tuesday we woke up super early and drove to the church history sites and got to see where they were all at. After that we went and spent some time in the sacred Grove which was wonderful, a fun fact is it was the same exact day that Joseph Smith went into the grove and saw Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ. Its crazy to think that I was in there at the same place around the same time. 

     After the Sacred Grove we drove to our transfer meeting at the Stake Center where I met my companion Elder Danielson. He is a cool guy. I found out that everyone out here is from Utah, Idaho, or California. He is from Alpine, Utah. So anyways we were assigned to work in Lewiston New York which is just north of Niagra Falls. However for the past week we have been living in the ghetto of Niagra Falls. I always thought it would have been nice and very touristy but nope that is the Canadian side (which is just across the river from us). So Elder Danielson and I are opening a new area that has not had missionaries for a while, so we are basically starting from scratch! We have a ton of finding to do and are really working hard to get some investigators. We have found 4 new investigators from tracking which is rare here. All of our investigators as of now are women. We have three over the age of 60 one is 87 and the oldest is 93. Yeah for some reason they are the only people who will listen to us out here. Everyone else is "set" that is the typical response.

     My companion and I have really been trying to find some male investigators mainly because its hard to find members to come with you to teach. So as we were walking around we saw some people playing basketball and decided to go challenge them. So we told them if we win they have to listen to a lesson about Jesus. Well we played and we lost hahahah (we let them win) but afterwards they were really interested in why we were there and our lesson. So we got to teach them the lesson anyways. So we got some of there numbers and got 8 male potential investigators. It was pretty cool to see how things work out :) (my feet are all blistered from playing basketball in dress shoes.)

     Easter Sunday was pretty good. I got to meet all of the ward which is not that big and covers three of our areas. We have three sets of missionaries in one ward which shows you how big the ward boundaries are. Anyways during sacrament the Bishop had me come up and bear my testimony which was cool. (our fast Sunday is after GC). So for P-day we are finally moving out of the ghetto and into our actually area in Lewiston!! 

My Address is

440 ridge street

apartment #2

Lewiston, NY 14092

     So now you can send letters straight to me because I am three hours away from the mission home! Ask me any questions I did not answer!

Love,
Elder Bevan

 Elder Bevan and his MTC companion Elders Vickers from Stansbury, Utah

 The Famous Map.  Pointing to our Mission destination, Rochester New York!

 

 Fun times in the dorms.

 Provo Temple Trip.

Destined New York Missionaries.

In his own words on Wednesday, March 20th, 2013

It has been a great week very busy but good. My p day is on Wednesday here so  I really only have one time to check this. So the next time I get on here I will be in New York! I am excited to leave and I fly out on the 25th of March! I can call in the airport so be ready and don't miss my call ahah ;) I have a lot to say but i only get 30 mins max to write emails here. I did however sing in the Choir Sunday and Tuesday. Which was cool. We were filmed by KSL and will be shown in between Conferences I think the Saturday session. SO be sure and watch for me!!!  Wish me luck.

Love
Elder Bevan

I'm a Missionary Now!

 Elder Bevan with his Mom

 Elder Bevan with his Dad

 Patricia Bevan (Grandma), His Dad John and John M Bevan (Grandpa)

 His Sister, Mindi and husband Dave

 His Mom, Caren and Caren's Mom Janeen (aka Nana)

 Steven with his buddies; Mark Johnston(waiting for his call) and Clay Petrie (leaving for South Africa on his mission this summer)

Elder Steven Bevan, was set apart as an Elder on Tuesday, March 12th, 2013 by President Laney.  The spirit was strong within our new Elder and we were all touched by his sweet testimony.  He will be an amazing Missionary for the Lords work these next two years.