January 28, 2009

That is too cool!!! You're doing it, how cool is that. It's cool to watch you go through all of the steps that I went through. Your call should be here in about two weeks then. Maybe In two weeks I'll wait till later in the day to do email so that I can hear where you are going. So two weeks from today I'll plan on emailing at like 3:30 or 4:00 my time. Bro I'm so proud of you. Are you nervous or anything. Do you still read your scriptures everyday, that's probably the most important thing that you could do. I'm excited for you. Zach went into the Mtc today didn't he. Have you heard anything from him before he went in, do you know if he was studying Italian any before. Anyway the mission is going great. I've got some really powerful stuff that I'll have to share with you in detail sometime. I'll try and write some of it in a letter to mom, but it's a pretty sacred and spiritual experience that my companion and I have had. I can't wait till you can be enveloped in the Lord's Spirit. How is the anatomy class going. Have you done any disections. I think part of your letter got cut off also, I don't know if something is up with the computer or what. Well I love you and pray for you bro.

YOur Brother, Elder Adams

P.S. My apologies, still working on a little project that was supposed to be for your Christmas present. I'll push to get it to you before your call comes.

It sounds great. I'm hearing a lot about Zach's farewell, it sounds like he's ready to go. The basketball sounds pretty interesting too. Hey Spencer, have you ever borne your testimony in sacrament meeting? If you haven't in the last month or two, I would suggest that you honestly fast this fast sunday, and pray that the Holy Ghost will prompt you and prompt you what to say. Then I encourage you to stand and bear your testimony. You write me your testimony so much, If I can benefit from your testimony then the ward certainly can too. More importantly that is how you can strengthen your testimony, not always by kneeling and praying for a testimony, but by standing and bearing what you know. The spirit will come and touch. You don't have to do it, but I know it will benefit you. Sit in sacrament meeting this sunday and listen to what the spirit tells you to do. I don't think I had borne my testimony for years and years (if at all) until about january or February of last year. Bearing testimony invites the spirit, and can be a strength to you. The Lord has given you something special, a testimony, so you have and obligation to bear it. The savior will bless you for sharing what he has given you. I love you little brother. Be safe, and don't get hurt. Keep writing me, I love hearing from you.
Elder Adams
Hey mom I'm here online. Ive just written President and Josh and Spencer. I haven't yet read your letter that's what I'm about to do. How is it going today? Good to see you online.
I want to give one to eddie for his baptism. Did my car ever get sold?
Love you tons my. Know that the Lord is watching over me.
I hope the puzzles will get here by Saturday before 3:00 for Eddie's baptism. The ward is really excited about this. We've had a lot of great experiences with Eddie, some very powerful, spiritual experiences and he has come so far. He had us over for dinner on saturday and we were looking back on what has happened and what will happen this saturday it's really exciting. He's also a very good cook. He made some great shrimp, and some really spicy food. Elder Brown always eats spicy stuff or puts hot sauce or cayenne pepper on everything he eats at the apartment and he sweats a ton when he eats spicy stuff. When he ate this though, he had sweat dripping off of him and he was dying, he slowed up. I was surprised I was still able to eat the salsa and everything, it had some intense peppers in it. I gave him a hard time that he wasn't eating anymore of it, so he jumped back in. Needless to say he spent a lot of time in the bathroom at Church and I think it was Eddie's hot stuff.
Anyway you asked the question about why I was so late emailing last wednesday. Well as I think I've told you my companion has to do these counseling sessions every two weeks about. He's talked to president and they're thinking that this might help him. So we were down in the city for one of his sessions and decided to go to a few of the "Hood shops" where they have all of the bling and watches and ties. We get back and we are trying to hurry to get to the library. I get out of the car and grab my backpack and start to run to the library. We were parked only about two blocks from the library, I thought he was behind me. I get to the library doors and look back and my companion is nowhere to be found. I thought ok he's got to be coming. I go inside and grab our guest passes from the desk clerk and put my stuff down. Then I went back outside and walked around to see if I could see him. He was nowhere in sight and the car is only a couple blocks away, he couldn't have gone far. So I couldn't see him, I was a little frustrated. I had no idea where he had gone. I couldn't call him either because I'm in missionary world and there's only one cell phone for the both of us. There was nothing I could do, I was at a total loss. So I went in a sat down at one of the computers I would just have to wait. Then after a while my companion comes in and sits down. I tried to ask him where he went, but he wouldn't tell me. He said I was making a big deal out of it. He was not going to talk to me. Eventually I decided I couldn't do anything and this would all get resolved later. I even told him that I would have to call President, but he didn't seem to care. So I called President and left a message with him, then went back to emailing. When we got back in the car he finally said he was sorry and that he didn't know what had come over him. I asked him where he'd gone and he told me that he had gone to the post office that is on the way to the library and had gotten some stamps. He had just decided he was going to wander off. I tried to tell him all he had to do was tell me he needed to go and get stamps. I just had to sit and talk things out with him. I knew this would happen, that eventually he would realize his mistake and come to. He said that getting stamps was like that was all that mattered in the world. So we talked some more as we drove to a dinner appointment at a member's apartment with some investigators. President had called back several times so I finally stopped and called him back. Elder Brown sat next to me in a trance as I explained to President what had happened. He asked if everything was ok, and then we were on our way again. We were driving in downtown Evanston and had only gone about 2 or 3 blocks when I noticed my companions breathing coming in short breaths, quicker and quicker. I asked him if everything was ok. Then he began to look around in a state of panic. He was gasping for breath quickly and breathing heavily. He then cried out, "I'm having an anxiety attack!" He began began to cry and his breathing was really fast. We were at an intersection right by a main road in downtown. I stopped right there and flipped on my hazard lights. Then I rolled down the windows. By now my companion had a firm grip on my wrist. I began to talk to him to try to calm him down, I told him to take deep breaths, and I breathed along with him, talking him through it. Slowly he began to gain control of it, as tears still streamed down his face. Once his breathing had slowed a bit, I drove with his hand still gripping my wrist to a nearby parking lot. I parked the car, and continued to help him breath. Just when I thought the attack had passed, he began to move and fidget around, then his breathing escalated again. He began to cry very heavily and sob, and he pleaded to me, "I need you to give me a blessing." He seemed scared, like something was seriously happening. I acted quickly and told him I'd grab my oil in the back seat, but he handed me his from his pocket and told me to use it. My companion was breathing very heavily and crying. I quickly dumped some oil on my finger, rubbed it on his head, and quickly screwed on the cap. Then with my companion in the passenger seat, I layed my hands on his head and gave him a blessing. Immediately after I had given him the blessing the anxiety attack passed, his breathing quickly slowed, and he seemed at peace. Once he had gained control we got out of the car and began to walk to the apartment highrise. He thanked me for the blessing. He said he really needed it. Then I asked him if blessings could work both ways, because I felt so uplifted and edified. He told me how it was a neat experience. The power of the priesthood is so real, we had both just witnessed a miracle. My companion then told me, "I'm glad you hold the priesthood." I told him me too, that's the reason they give us it, and send us through the temple before we come out here. It would be like going to work without a helmet. This was an incredible experience. The words of the blessing came powerfully to me. Although I did a the beginning mess up the start, my companion was able to correct me. It was incredible to see my companion calm after the blessing. He later told me that night that he had no control, and that when we got into the parking lot his face was tingling and he felt like he was going to pass out. I continue to blessed by the Lord with a patience that I could have never dreamed of. I felt so calm and in control during his anxiety attack, it was like playing a really slow game of tetris, I knew exactly where the next piece went even though everything around me was moving fast. I don't understand how this patience thing is working, because this is certainly not me, this is not who I was before. A couple years ago I would have exploded in some situations. The Lord truly is blessing me. It really was incredible, I felt so in control of everything, and I knew exactly what to do. I think the Lord was preparing me to give that blessing.
I've had another experience In which I have come to know of the powerful reality and power of the priesthood. I will not recount in full detail the full accounts of this, because of the sacred nature of it. One day I hope to be able to look back at my journal with close family and share this experience if the time is right. (It would also take quite some time for me to type it). We received and urgent call from a dying mans brother in a nearby hospital during church on sunday. I had the priviledge of giving another blessing here. I bear witness to you that God speaks words of truth through worthy holders of the priesthood. I did not even know the man on the bed but I was informed after of the reality of things I said in the blessing. This mans brother, present at the blessing was not a member of the Church. After the blessing both he and his wife were in tears. I too cried throughout the blessing. Heavenly father knows his children here on this earth and how he communicates with them is with the priesthood. This dying mans last wish was to have a blessing from the missionaries. I am to inform you, my parents, from this man's brother of his thanks. He expresses thanks from the bottom of his heart that I was able to give a blessing. He wants to thank you. He told us that he and his wife would be considering taking the discussion after this is all done. Many other things ensued afterward. I know that the priesthood power is real. It's real, it's real , it's real. I can't deny it. God speaks through that sacred power. I cannot deny it. This man thanked me "For being the clean vessel to bear Gods Words." I understand more and more the importance of my conversion and of my repentence, the Lord has a work for me to do and needed me to be clean. I would like to exhort you with all the energy of my soul, Josh, Dad, and all who read this and who hold the priesthood of God. If You hold the priesthood of God, be clean, be ye clean, you vessels of the Lord. Repent of whatever you need to to be clean. The Lord works through that sacred power that you hold, and it is reall. I have felt the spirit and witnessed a miracle. and I will not say more of this,be faithful and clean. Always be ready to exercise that priesthood that you hold. It is real, I know that Joseph Smith received this sacred Priesthood after being visited by God the father and his son Jesus Christ. He had holy lands laid on his head to receive this priesthood. This is the key to this restored Church. Priesthood authority. This priesthood is on the earth and the Lord is working a work. Miracles have not ceased, there is a God in heaven watching over us. The atonement is real and it works just as powerful as a priesthood blessing. This is the same power that Christ used to heal the blind and lame and to rise from the the dead. He lives today, there is a living Christ whom we will all stand to meet and he will look into our faces and have joy to see us. I look forward to this day when I will meet my Jesus, who has purged my soul and taken me from pits of darkness. I cannot tell you how real the priesthood is. I am so thankful that I have been trusted with this, that I hold this. This is the true and living Church, I cannot deny it. It is more real than anything, and we are in it. We a part of something not of this world. Feel it, know it, and believe it....I do, I do... I do. In Jesus Christs Almighty name Amen.

With heartfelt Gratitude and Humility,
Elder Adams

P.S. -Keep this one in the immediate family for a while, before telling others. You're welcome to share my testimony with others though.

I reopened your email after shutting down the internet and I got the whole letter. It sounds like Zach's farewell was great, I wish I could have heard him speak. Keep plugging away at school, ask in faith for the Lord's help and he will come to you. This I know. I love you Brother. LET THE WAIT BEGIN!!