April 29, 2009

Awesome scripture choice. I have that one highlighted. That one strikes a personal note with me. Good choice!! So this past week has been intense. On Friday night my companion and I were riding our bikes home through a rougher part of town and a car drove by and shot at us!!!! I think it was a BB-Gun. It ricocheted off a metal sign near us. My companion and I couldn't believe we'd just been shot at. Also last night we knocked on a British lady's door. 
So 22 days. That is going to fly by. 22 days is not much, you should consider what you want to do with your time. Family would be a good idea. I know I'm probably telling you the same thing the rest of the family is but it's true. My companion is obsessed with his girlfriend. He looks at pictures of her, he writes her, she writes him every two days, and he draws and writes her name on every day of his daily planner. You can't tell me that that is not a distraction. Remember what I said that you needed to stop seeing her about a month ago. I would seriously consider doing that so you can get used to it. Do something fun together this weekend to celebrate being done with finals, and then call it done. Don't talk to her or see her anymore. Give yourself these 20 days to clean out your system. Trust me on this one.
Here's some cool scriptures for you, Romans 10:13-17 and 1 Nephi 1:20. I love you bro. It's good to hear that preparations are going well. I hope you did well on your finals and I look forward to hearing how they went next week.

Your Eldest Bro.
Elder Adams

HI, We're going to a Holocaust museum that just opened up, so not much time today. How are things going for you?
Hey bud, it's great to hear that things are going so great for you. I wish I could get a replay of this shot that you made. As for school, hang in there and keep plugging along. Those are some good times when you're in school with your friends, so enjoy them. They go by really fast. I can tell that your testimony is getting stronger, and it will continue to do so as long as you keep living right and making good choices. As king Benjamin said, in Mosiah 4:29-30, "watch yourselves, and your thoughts, and your words, and your deeds, and ovserve the commandments of God, and continue in the faith of what ye have heard...O man, remember, and perish not." If we keep doing these things the Lord will bless us with his spirit and we will be worthy to receive strengthening experiences to our testimony, when the Lord is ready to give them to us. I love you little bro. You're a great example, and I love the choices you're making and the path you've decided to take. Listen to mom and dad. It might not seem like it at the time, but they know what they are talking about. Love you Bro.

Your Brother and Friend,
Elder Adams
You ended your letter "Buy for now" is there something that you want me to purchase?? "B-Y-E" is how you would indicate that you are giving a farewell to someone. Just a little english lesson. Anyway on Thursday we met with Beverly. Elder Stanger and I were planning on setting a baptismal date, because the time before she was thinking, baptism. This appointment did not go well. She had been to a funeral of a close friend, and there had met a number of her old Church friends again. I think this had something to do with it. She now has every concern, doubt, and disbelief in the book. She doesn't even believe Noah is a prophet. I felt like we had just knocked on her door. I felt like all the work that we'd been doing was in vain. She was like a brick wall to everything that we said. After the appointment I saw Eddie outside and I tried to talk to him, and he seemed out of it. Everything was collapsing this day also. Things were falling through, plans weren't working out. Beverly's lesson was the topper of it all. We were in the southern part of our area on our bikes. The bike ride home probably helped me to calm down. This was probably one of THE MOST frustrating times of my mission. I felt defeated, and like there was nothing I could do. When we got back I had received two letters, which couldn't have come at a better time. One was from sis. Merril. It had some great advice I needed to hear. Please tell her thanks for me. The other was from Bill. He thanked me for conferring the Priesthood on him. This is what I needed to hear, converts appreciating what I am trying to do. He also told us he wants to take us out to lunch at the Cheesecake Factory next wednesday. Elder Stanger and I had to talk about Beverly and vent our frustrations during dinner, but then things got a little better.
Anyway, On Saturday we had Polish food at the Giers. They are a younger couple, and the husband, Tomek, is a convert. He's Polish, and a great cook. Two of the dishes we had were Kopytka and Bigos. Kopytka is like potatoes, and Bigos is cabbage in this really great sauce. It was interesting.
The Spirit really helped me out yesterday. I was feeling really weak when we began a lesson, and I didn't know how I was going to teach. I said the opening prayer and told Heavenly Father I was weak, and prayed for strength. Part way into the lesson things started to click. I taught with power and authority, ideas and thoughts came to my mind. Before I was stumbling through the lesson. It was incredible, how I taught and testified, I was teaching with boldness. This lesson was incredible. This was a first lesson with a Hatian guy, and things went well. We all knelt in silent prayer afterwards. It was great. I taught a lot of this lesson, and my companion told me afterwards that it was really good. He really liked it. I taught the message in a way I never had before and said things I normally don't. That's how I know the Spirit was guiding me. When we got back to the apartment and locked our bikes, as soon as I got to the elevator I felt the weakness come back again. The Spirit boosted me when I needed to be able to teach.
Last night I talked to Bill and told me, "I felt the Spirit when you layed your hands on me." This was such testimony builder for me. I do hold the Priesthood, and it's power is felt. Bill says holding the Priesthood has been a blessing in his life.
Mom here's a scripture I want you to read. 1 Nephi 5:8. The Lord will give Josh and I power to complete the tasks the Lord sets before us.
Also Romans 10:13-17- This is why the the Lord sends out missionaries.

I have also realized something out here. With all of this rain I am probably going to need a waterproof jacket. See if Josh can get a deal on one of those shells he has. One of the waterproof/windproof black jackets. Thanks.

Lots of Love,
Elder Adams

I've also began reading the Book of Mormon again. This time I'm highlighting for everything to do with how to gain a testimony, and another color for everything about the spirit and how to recognize it. I feel these two things help me to fulfill my purpose and also help me strengthen my understanding of how to strengthen my own testimony and gain spiritual knowledge. I figure the better I can teach and explain how to gain a testimony and how to recognize the spirit; the better investigators will be able to become converted. After all that is one of the most difficult things to understand and also to explain: The Spirit. Thus far, the study has been incredible. This idea came in response to a number of very thought out questions from one of our investigators.

Sounds good dad. I don't have any scriptures for your specifically this week. I've got to hurry also, because we are going to a Holocaust museum that just opened. This rain could really stop also. I love you tons dad. You didn't tell me how the Camporee and bike ride went. I thought about that this week. 

Elder Adams