November 12, 2008

Spencer you forgot, I have no idea about sports or anything for that matter. I have no newspaper, no tv, no radio. I don't really know who will win. It is deffinatelly starting to get colder though. I still go running with my comp in the morning though. I heard you guys have already had snow, is that true. It's good to hear from ya. Is Josh still talking to Katelyn or Katie or whatever her name is?? Keep me posted, and if he is give him a hard time for me, you know run down in his room when he's on the phone with her and scream like a banshee. Yeah those were some good times. Love ya Reef, and keep me in your prayers as you are in mine.Love Your Brother "The Missionary"

It's going great. The zone leaders came to our district meeting this week. They told me it was a great meeting. (I have to plan out district meeting and conduct it, and give out assignments of who is talking on what). I'm always open to suggestions. Yeah this back and forth works pretty good, I'm just at a library. I can have as long as I want. The Leadership positions are working out great. It's just another opportunity to serve those around me. It's a service position, I love it!!!

How is the Blog page going. Hopefully you're still saving all of my emails. Well it sounds like things have been great at home, congrats to spencer getting to go to St George. It is getting cold, I've busted out the earmuffs, and I found a pair of brand new gloves that I had brought from beloit. There was frost on the ground the other morning when I ran. I wanted to write you and tell you I need more face cleaning pads, a beanie, and have Josh find the best gloves he can find. Oh I also want some thick wool socks. It's time to prepare, for the day soon cometh when I will suffer the wrath of my first Chicago winter. It's coming, it is coming... I should be sending home some pictures and I managed to get three Chicago Tribunes from the election, IT WASN'T EASY! So I'll send those home too. I figure it's history, so save them and keep them nice. You can't just get these papers in any city or state. The birthday was good, but it feels so weird. We didn't make the cake though, because this lady in the ward invited us over for dinner and wanted to know what I wanted for my birthday cake. I told her a carrot cake would be ok. Down in the city was great with Bill. I think I told you Bill Murray took my comp and I and also Elder Purdie (my trainer) and his comp out to lunch. We went to the 95th floor signature room restaurant at the Hancock building. The view was incredible. Bill paid for us all!!! We also went to this sweet Lamborghini dealer downtown and checked out some sweet cars. It was a great day. Especially since it was warm and clear. A day in downtown for my birthday was awesome, it was a good way to celebrate. You'll be glad to know that even though it's not something I would usually do, I put up the decorations that you sent me. We are going to leave them up until Rainey's birthday on the 26th, that is if he's still here, transfers are the day before. I wrote dad all about my thoughts on the gps, it's amazing. Thank you so much, I wasn't expecting anything, maybe a tie or something. I just thought there's not much a missionary could use. I'm 20 though, and that is weird. This birthday really does feel different, and I do feel older. The teenage years are gone. It doesn't just feel like another birthday, or another year. This past year went by so fast. I still remember going shopping with you, when you bought me the skater shoes and my boarding jacket, then we went out to cafe' rio. This was an incredible week for finding and teaching, and this week is turning out to be great also. Just yesterday Rainey and I set a baptismal date for one of our investigators, with the Lord all things are possible. We have had investigators coming to church, we have been having incredible lessons with them, in which the Spirit has been overwhelming. The Lord is blessing us in a way I thought was only possible to be read about in Preach My Gospel, or copies of the Ensign. The other day we had a lesson with a Jamaican woman, who stopped the lesson and interupted and told us how she thought we were here for a reason. She said she had been looking for a church in which she could feel the Spirit, she had been searching. It literally seemed as if I was witnessing a portion of Preach My Gospel taking place. This woman truly had been prepared by God. We were led by the Lord to her. What's more is this was a neighborhood where we had received a referral , who was not interested. We decided to tract in the area and found this woman, Rosali. We set up a return appointment, and look at what took place. The spirit was so strong after she told us of her search and us being there for a reason. I know she recognized us as servants of Jesus Christ. I bore my testimony in tears, and I don't recall ever crying during the first vision, but I did this time. This was such a powerful experience, Rainey and I could not believe what we had just witnessed after. The work is really moving along. It's all in answer to our prayers: The Lord is with us, and blessing, and ministering to us daily. It's incredible the turn around that is taking place in this area. I firmly believe that it has everything to do with the Lord answering our special fast at the beginning of the transfer, and the Lord rewarding us for hard work, obedience, and faith. I wish you could feel and witness this for yourself. What is happening is one of those missionary stories that you hear the apostles talk about at conference, or those rare stories you read about in the Ensign that really inspire you and build your faith and testimony. It truly is the work of God taking place. I know this because I know that what is happening is something that is impossible for me or my comp to do. It is completely and entirely on the Lord. He truly is my savior, my redeemer, my rock, my salvation, my shephard, my friend. I don't know where I would be without him. Everyday he walks the streets of Evanston beside me, he goes before my face and testifies to the people I meet. He carries me when I am scorned by atheists and non-believers. His countanence and aid are with me. He is with me everyday. I feel like I walk I hallowed ground everyday, because he is here. This is the blessing of being a missionary. His name is over my heart and his footsteps beside me. I can bear solemn and humble testimony of his divinity and reality. In Jesus Christ's sacred and holy name, Amen.
Elder Adams

So yeah the sushi thing was a while ago sorry I forgot to tell you about it. I was going to sit down and order things for us, and then Khobby (pronounced Hobbie) said he'll just bring stuff out. I had to show my comp how to use chopsticks, he'd never used them before. He looked ridiculous for a while (Head turned upside down, hand all twisted, half the time he would murder the piece of sushi on the plate trying to pick it up). Anyway this place is high class. Most of the rolls are 15 to 18 dollars. They come out looking like art. He just kept bringing them out, all different ones. It was really good, and fresh too. I had a lobster one, a freshwater eel one. They were all so good. Probably my favorite one was this freshwater eel one with mango in it. It had a really good sweet taste to it. A lot of them also had thes tiny little red fish eggs on top. They looked really cool like fancy beads and they were good too!! He brought out about 8 Different rolls. Then he brought out the most amazing desert ever for us to share. It was mango ice cream with this rice floor crust on the outside of it. It was amazing. My comp officially loves sushi, his first time trying it. We haven't been back again yet, but we pretty much have an open invitation there. This meal he fed us was well over a hundred dollars, he wouldn't even let us leave a couple dollars as tip. > As far as snow goes, we haven't had any yet, and that is just fine with me. Sounds like you guys have had some snow. The Gps is way cool, I am a high tech missionary now. We always say the Standard of Truth at the beginning of district meeting it starts out "The standard of truth has been erected, no unhallowed hand can stop the work from progressing..." I'd like to add to that now, "Or a thousand unexpected one way streets or dead ends." Yeah this thing owns the city driving business. Thank you so much. So it's time for Timberline again, it seems like you and Spencer just got home. That would be tight if I could do it with you. I've been thinking how cool it would be if I could get back into scouts when I get back home. I love camping and scouts. I love my mission dad, this is the greatest decision that I have every made. I never really appreciated what you and mom did for me. You really did sacrifice for me and love me. Even though I didn't always want to serve a mission, I realize now that the Lord was preparing me to do this great work through you and mom. I'm so greatful for all that you have done for me, and are doing. I really appreciate you. The mission is going by so fast, The greatest descision in my life, I could stay out here forever. I love you and the Fam. Press onward.
Love Your eldest son