December 23, 2008

So the Libraries are closed on Christmas and New Year's Eve, so President said to do email on Tuesday. You can look for me next Tuesday, though I don't know what time, and I'll only have an hour, so it'll be tough. Anyway I'll probably call you at 7:00 pm on Christmas, unless I can call at our meal appointment which I don't know what time that is at. I would just plan on the 7:00 pm. Then we can talk for 30-40 minutes is what the rule is. Well this week has been another incredible one, filled with blessings from the Lord, and incredible teaching appointments. Our investigators are those the Lord has truly prepared for us. I thought is was cold before, but now the icy gates of an unknown world have been opened to this Chicago area. On Sunday we heard reports of it being in the negatives with a 20-30 Degree windchill. It was frigid. It continues to snow about every other day also, and the snowplows just pile it up on the side. This city is turning into a frozen wasteland. We continue to perservere, because the more you suffer the more the Lord can bless us. This principle holds true daily. However one of my favorite things is when people tell us we shouldn't be outside in this weather, and then we tell them why we are out here, and then they say, "Oh, I will pray for you." I want to say back, "Well faith without works is dead, let us in and you can answer that prayer." Oh well next door. Our teaching appointments continue to be incredible. The Lord will welcome 2 souls into his arms coming up next weekend. What a gift for these two, what a way to start off the new year. One of these that is preparing for baptism. Eddy, the man I told you about who we had such a great lesson with, was in Elders Quorum, and the Elder's Quorum was sharing missionary experiences. Eddy finally spoke up and told every one how he had been talking to his friends about it, and how his friends couldn't believe the change in him, much less that he was talking to them about the Book of Mormon and not about Hip-hop. He was so excited when he was telling them about his experiences and how some of them he is working with to meet with us. He then expressed how lucky the members were to have this, and how glad he was that he now had it. Then the punchline, he told everyone, "You need to pass this around!!!!!" OH SNAP!!! Eddy was calling out the members on member missionary work. It was so exciting. The ward loves Eddy, we love Eddy, you can't get enough Eddy. We have also started teaching his friend, and he brought her to Church. If you think about it; this is all because the Lord led us to this street and his apartment. He blessed us with the spirit to teach, this is all because of the Lord. "Who can glory too much in the Lord" as Alma would say. We also had a man from Belise at Church with us. I pretty much serve a mission and teach people from half the world around, Jamaica, Haiti, Belise, African-Americans. We had a great Zone conference also. Sister Stoddard really did a great Job. There was a talent show afterwards. I got the pillowcase, but have not opened it. The two other packages you sent came Friday. I hope the package that I sent to you guys got there ok. I marked all of the packages inside to who they go to, but there is one bag that is unmarked and a few things that are not wrapped. These are souvenirs for me, that you are welcome to put out at home and enjoy. Don't open this bag though until you open your gifts. Hopefully nothing is broken. I also sent in there the Obama election papers, and a button, keep these. These are History.We also had our ward Christmas party this Saturday, and we were able to stay for the whole party, not just an hour, because we had an investigator there with us. She brought her granddaughter, and she was in the primary nativity as an angel. She loved it and wants to come to Church. This black lady is Beverly, she is the sweetest, happiest southern lady. She has all the stereotypical characteristics of the Hollywood Southern African American. I love her. You know how I love black people. The Party was cool because they did it like a typical night in Bethlehem. We had middle eastern food, and listened to (I believe the word is "Jiggaboo music." It was a good twist to the typical Christmas party. Oh on saturday We had Elder Hicken an Area 70 come to a teaching appointment with us. Yeah it was awesome. Our investigator said she could feel or recognize something different about him. Then I told her who he was and she said wow I feel like the president was just in my house. Yeah he can have that effect on people. Well this year has been the fastest year of my life. It went like nothing, and the holidays have come and gone so fast. Nonetheless it has been the happiest year of my life. It's been great. A lot of things are marked at a year ago this time. I got my patriarchal blessing last year on Dec. 23, the same day I finished the BOM for the first time. It just went by so fast, I can still remember everything like it was yesterday. These Hollidays are also flying past. As I've reflected on how I will be spending this Christmas, I can't help but think that there is no better way. I am in the service of My Lord and My God, I am sharing the message of why we have this holliday and why he came into this world, and that he came to a young boy prophet, Joseph Smith and restored his Church. I am in his service, telling his story, bearing testimony of him. What better way to spend Christmas. My thoughts, efforts, and actions are focused on him. This is what Christmas is all about. I see it as a blessing. This is how it is to be. Christ has given me the greatest gift of all, his blood, so that I could be clean so that I could change my life, so that I could serve a mission. He got me out here and now I have the opportunity to serve him this season. He has given me the gift to be out here. What more could I ask for. I will enjoy serving my Lord this Christmas.
-In Gratitude,
Elder Adams

P.S. - Merry Christmas. I'll talk to you on Thursday.