October 7, 2009

Dad!!!!! I love you so much. I loved that talk about fathers and sons. We have so many good memories together. Our relationship is deffinately something of importance, and we should always work on it. I'm glad that you and Spencer got to go to Conference with Bill. It sounds like you had a good time together. He really is incredible. He's progressed so far along. It's just so good to be able to hear from you. I hope work is going ok. I pray for you and mom as you support us, and raise Spencer. Continue to read the scriptures and pray and the Lord will take care of everything else. I love you dad. I don't think I can say it enough.

Love, Elder Adams

P.S.-I'm not loving the cold, I fear winter is coming. One of the members said there is a possibility of snow in the coming week. Ahhhhhhh!!

HEy Mom, how are things today? If you have a minute jump on. I have one hour
I've been studying Elder Holland's talk in the Sept. Ensign about lessons from liberty jail. This emphasis on overcoming trials has been helpful to me and also offered insight that I can hopefully offer in some way to Zach. As time pushes on, I get more and more of a sense of the sanctity of my calling. I was really touched by a talk a read by Elder Eyring entitled "Rise to Your call." This was incredibly powerful. Study has just been amazing. I love this time. It makes the morning, the day, the life of a missionary.
Conference Weekend was incredible!!!!!! It really did seem like the conference was on love. I loved Elder Holland's talk about the Book of Mormon, and Uchtdorfs. There were so many good talks. I thought about the one addressed to fathers and sons and that relationship. Conference went by way too fast though, it was like we were on warp speed weekend, not fair. I had been looking forward to this and now it’s already over. Now we have winter ahead of us before the next one. My butt had internal bruising though from sitting. It’s been a long time since I’ve sat that long, and my rear was not conditioned for it. When I sat down for study on Monday morning I felt it again. I had been praying for about a month out for the speakers to be inspired with revelation and for help and answers to come to me on certain things for me. Answers came!! It was a miracle this conference. I think it happens everytime. Sometimes it was like the Apostles and the Prophet were speaking directly to me. Like I was in a little private conversation receiving their advice on what I should do. A lot of things I think were direct towards my companion and I, so we have some new insights on how to love each other more. After conference on Sunday we went out tracting and my companion and I were talking about the conference weekend. We talked about our favorite talks, things that were said, then we were going up to doors and telling people about the experience and opportunity we had just had to hear from a prophet of God! We had so much to say, I was so excited I wanted to run to every door. I felt so happy, I was like a kid at Disneyland. I couldn’t stop telling my companion how excited I was. He asked if I was this excited at the last conference. I just felt so good. The peole didn’t want much to do with us, I don’t know what it was but I felt like I was soaring. I couldn’t get enough, to be able to talk to everyone, and tell them what we had just heard in a worldwide broadcast!!!! OH it was awesome, that feeling I had, I wish I could describe it better. I was even excited listening to my companion speak, to hear both of us just going at it!!
There is an older lady in our Branch who has an excommunicated son who has moved in with her. She told us before hand that this would occur and wanted us to befriend him. We first met him on Sunday, and set up to help him move his things out of the Uhaul on Monday (Which we did). During the course of our moving we were able to get to know him. I was able to share my testimony with him and how I had made the decision to come on a mission, and some of the changes and events that occured. Part of this brought back memories and feelings, which made me a little emotional. He told us how his decision not to serve had been the turning point in his life. His older brother hadn’t served so there really wasn’t an example there. When he decided not to serve, he stopped going to church, he soon started hanging out with the wrong crowd, met a girl, which eventually led to his being excommunicated. He was very open in disclosing his past as we asked questions. He basically views this move as a fresh start. Though if he does get into the church again he says he doesn't want to have a calling or anything like that, he doesn't want it to be a serious level of commitment. He was really nice to us and we have already connected with him. We are having dinner tonight with him and his mom. It really is amazing to reflect on where I might be today had I not made the decision to serve a mission? Where would our family be? I’ve seen so many blessings and good things occur because I decided to serve. My mission for me really is like a turning point in my life for the good. I hope in some way that this man will have a desire to come back to the Church. To see that happen, and to take part would be incredible. In reflecting this morning after reading a talk about my calling. I’ve been reminded what a sacred mantle of responsibility has been place on my shoulders. A mantle that comes with blessings and love of the Lord. A mantle that comes with the ability to touch peoples lives and feel and see the hand of the Lord. This is a gift. I don’t want to ever see the day come when this is taken from me. When I’m stripped of this, when I have to let this go, to be able to see peoples hearts touched, and to know that I am called of God. I have to give thanks for it now while I have it. I have to serve and bless every person from my companion to the last person I talk to at the end of the night. Winter lingers ahead, I fear that, but so does the cold of having this blessed mantle taken from my shoulders. Time is going by too quickly. I wish you could understand what it is like to serve a mission. People can describe it to you, they can tell you stories, but I don’t think anyone can really understand the feelings, the blessings, the spirit, or serving a mission until you’ve walked two years in an Elder’s shoes somewhere in the world with the hand of God over you. You don’t know what’s it’s like. It’s all I’ve come to know and love. What more could you possibly ask for, than to be out as the sun sets talking to people, bearing testimony. I know no way to make you understand what it’s like to be a missionary. You will probably think I’m insane to think this way to speak of undescribable feelings and joy. I don’t know how else to get these feelings to come to someone. This is the work of God, true, living, and eternal. Every aspect of it. Real, whole, and complete. I am called of God, to this place and in this time. This is Christ’s Church. The Book of Mormon is evidence of this. This book brings the spirit of Christ into ones life. It is true and of God. I have a Savior, he knows me perfectly, and paid for my weaknesses and inadequacies with his royal blood. He lives today and stands at the right hand of my Father in Heaven. Both are watching me in my service and life here on this earth. They are waiting for me to return home to them after my mission on this earth. If I endure in the faith I will be received in their arms. I leave you with this my solemn and true testimony, with conviction in my heart; in the name of Jesus Christ Amen.

With all the love in my heart,
Elder Adams

I'm glad that you all had a great time with Bill, he truly is a blessing. I never thought you'd meet him though, without me there. Print off this email that you sent me and keep it so that I can have accounting of the first time you met Bill. Also I want to see some pictures of this time with Bill. Bill will probably show me some, as we are planning to go to the temple the first week in November, but I want to see some that you took. I'll keep an eye out for your package. Good luck with your lesson this week.

Love,
Elder Adams