July 16, 2008

Hey tell everyone hi. I'm looking forward to all of this stuff. So yeah this is our last week of the transfer. Transfers are next wednesday. I hope I stay, I've really grown to love this area, and have got accustomed to my companion. I know how to get around the area too. We had exchanges, the district leader came and stayed for 24hrs in my area and my comp went to his. So I had to lead him around our area, I did great!!! The bike is killer, and best of all my but doesn't get sore. Let Zach know I'm working on sending him a letter, I've just been so busy. Tell him his letter was hilarious, and that all the batman pictures aren't helping me!! Seeing as how it's advertised everywhere here. Because it was filmed here in Chicago, if you look at the billboards it's the Chicago Skyline with all the highrises, I can name like the hancock, the aeon, and I think you can see sears in it. Bro. Mark says in the previews you can see the L-train that runs in the loop downtown. It will be a cool movie to see when I get home cuz I'll know the city. Tell zach that I love him a ton, and his letter made me really happy, it brought back a lot of memories, and I'm saving all letters that I get. Camp and all the Dutch ovening that dad is doing sounds cool! Hey dad I love you tons, I cant's wait till we can go to the mountains again.
Spence, What up little bro. Sounds like soccer is a blast, I'm so jealous. Occasionally I get a chance to kick a ball or juggle a bit with one of the little hispanic kids that I see on the street. Or there's tons in the park. I got to play a bit with this Black guy, that was tight. My spanish is getting a lot better, I can do an approach and ask them for there address and phone number and if spanish missionaries can come and visit them. It's almost too good, because they start speaking back, and I don't yet have the gift of tongues. The people here in Chicago really know how to crank their beats. But yeah so spence, I'm so happy that you're doing all of these great things, that must have been crazy playing girls, make sure you protect the fruit of your loins (scripture language for protect the boys). I love you tons bud and I enjoyed your testimony, I got a little teary eyed. I always think about you and how you look up to me, because I never thought that you liked me. But yeah I am having the time of my life. This is the happiest time in my life. It's so cool to be a missionary. I love it! I go to bed exhausted, and can't wait for the next day.
I am pleased to inform you that Bill Thomas Murry will be baptized on Friday July 18, at 7:00 Pm. In the Chicago 1st ward, at the the Foster chapel. That's right my second day here my comp and I set a goal to work as hard as possible sweat and sacrifice and pray, and set a goal to get one baptism this transfer. It was entirely the lord that has blessed us we just worked hard. This baptism will end a 1 year and 2 month or more period of time when there has not been a baptism here in this area! He was a godfather in the catholic church and he was going to become another childs godfather. He's gone to catholic schools his whole life, and he is being baptised. Anything is possible when you trust in the Lord. Normally they have members in the ward do the baptism and confirmation and the missionaries just watch, this way the member is more likely to stay active because he feels attached to a member in the ward. Howevery bill didn't really have anyone like that so he is having us do it, and the Ward Mission leader has approved it. I got the hard part. I have to confirm him a member, the gift of the holy ghost, and give him his first blessing!!!! HE has also asked me to give a talk at his baptism. My comp is doing the Baptism. We commited him to baptism last thursday, just after I wrote you, so it's been hard holding it in. I think I told you how he almost got up in sacrament meeting to bear his testimony. He knows it's true!!! He reads the BOM diligently. When we commited him I just started telling him about the fact that we would hold a baptismal service, and that we had taught him almost everything, and before I could even get around to asking him he said, "I'll be there" I sat there for a while struck and then I jumped up and gave him a hug. Bro. Mark was there with us at the appt. he likes to help us and do missionary work cuz he didn't get to serve a mission. I cried and so did Bro. Mark it was and awesome experience in Bill's little basement apartment, that I have to duck in. It was so cool I hugged bill a ton. Bro. Mark was pretty emotional. He took us out to dinner to celebrate after. It was a great lesson. When we taught him the commandments on sat. he got all of his tea, which filled two grocery bags, it looked like he had been to costco for tea. He put it all in these bags and tied the knot and handed it to us it was so cool, we dumped it out on our back porch put our nametags on the pile and took a picture. It was cool. So yeah he's being baptized he's had his interview and everything, it's on. I love the lord so much for blessing us, I know that he gave bill his answer and it was the Holy Ghost that converted HIm not us. WE also went to dinner last night with Bro mark at this mediterranean restaurant for shish kabobs, he spent 96 dollars on us it was nice, reminded me of the cruise. He loves us so much he doesn't want us to transfer. lvoe ya gotta go.

Elder Adams,

I have a short story and a long story for ya. Ready?

Short: I met Mary Mark (aka Sister Mark, aka Wife of Brother Mark).

Long: I decided to go to "enrichment" for the first time in a decade I swear. They were doing this garden tour thingee where we go from house to house looking at all of their lovely plants. Sister Miller, who is in my ward, brought her sister. So, to be friendly (you know I'm so friendly), I walk up to Sister Miller's Sis and say "From where are you visiting?" (notice the grammatically correct tone). She replied, "Chicago." To which I said, "I love Chicago." And she "It's a nice place to visit." Then said "No, I like it there" or something like that. Then I said, my nephew was just sent there a few weeks ago. And she says, "Is he from Lehi?" And I said "yip" and she "Elder Adams?" and I said "yip". Then we talked about how cute you are.

She told me some stories about your ward. Sounds so colorful and interesting. Quite unlike anything around here. Kind of made me want to get the heck out! She said you are doing a great job and to tell your parents that they should be proud.

So way to go dude.

In other news, Scott is walking a few times a day with only one crutch. His right foot is as good as new. His left one is still giving him a fit of sorts. Things are good. We pray for you often. Can you feel it? The one thing I've learned from Scott's little mishap is that you can feel folks praying for you. And you can also feel it when they quit. So if you feel that you're not being prayed for (right, like a day will go by that someone in your loving family will NOT pray for you).... so if you feel you're not being prayed for, let me know. I'll drop everything, go to the knees and pray like mad.

lotsa love
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