Love, Your son,
Elder Adams
Let me know if you get these pictures and are able to open them up. They are from Zone conferences, and the Zone conference on my Birthday!!I hope today is going well for you. So I'm wondering what would be a good settlement. My companion says 1000. If I don't have to ever go to the medical room I don't care, but if I do, then that's a problem.
That's AWESOME to hear. Thank you so much for some details. AND THEN THERE WAS LIGHT!!!! It sounds like it went really well. I'm glad to hear that Aaron still remembers me. That sounds exactly like Debbie, always looking out for everyone and trying to feed them. Good job mom, mission accomplished with the donuts, I know that at least Aaron will like them. It shows we are thinking of them. Progress, I like it.
Well we are supposed to be getting a new email service. I guess the church is going to be linking up and working with google. The switch is to take place soon and I will have to set up a new account. Hopefully this will help.
Ok then I'll try and sell for 60 on the backpack. Then I can decide what I want to do from there.
To Elder Adams in Germany
Awesome Elder!! This week has been our most successful too. We've been led to so many new people and they have been prepared. The stories the experiences. The sthe testimonies of Chuck and Marissa, they are filling pages in my journals. I wish I could tell you everything. It's so good to see us both doing the work. I'm so glad to see that you are seeing the blessings. The Lord is great!! How great our God.
I'm sorry to hear about the baptism, just keep pressing forward, and pray in faith. There's a saying: Get on your knees and pray as if everything depends on the Lord; then get on your feet and go to work as if everything depends on you!!! There's a recipe for success, apply it, live it, and it will hold you in good stead. I've seen it work in my mission. The work is going great here and the Lord is blessing us. This Church and this work is so true, what a privilege it is to be a part of this all.
I'm on board with you Elder Adams, I have no idea what to get people for Christmas. I don't know what I want, so I can't help you out. If there's something cool that you see, go for it, soccer, ties, that's all I've got for you. I'm a missionary right now, called of God, called to Serve, the things of this world are fleeting, but the salvation of souls is forever. The gift of the atonement, and sharing that with others, that's where I'm at. The world has commercialized Christmas. This is a time to serve, and that's what I intend to do, all out. Brave the cold, and love the work, and the people, here we go. Sorry I can't help you think of anything. Hey I got if, get me a couple extra months out here on my mission to go on into the summer!!!
Steadfastly,
Elder Adams
Hey mom this is a letter that President Doll sent to all of us. I think it's brilliant. How he teaches obedience and the quotes that are in it. I love it. I want you to read it and save this one. You or I or someone might want to use it for a talk sometime. I love it!
Dear Elders and Sisters:
One of the things I mentioned when I first met each of you when we entered the mission field was that I planned to treat each of you as adults as long as you exhibited adult-like behavior. I’m happy to report that in nearly every case you have each lived up to that expectation. It has made life easier for all of us. For example, our “less-locked-down” phone policy which is governed mainly on trust has worked well. We monitor the phone usage with tools provided by the Church. Few problems have occurred. Thank you. I really hate being the principal/warden/police officer.
Some of you have asked about this policy or that policy, and I almost always direct you to the Missionary Handbook. That’s the place to start to get a sense of what’s expected and allowed. Yet, some missionaries will press me for more specific guidelines than those written or the spirit in which they are presented. When this happens I quickly think of the Law of Moses. See below from the Bible Dictionary.
“[The Law of Moses] was a whole collection of written laws given through Moses to the house of Israel, as a replacement of the higher law that they had failed to obey. The Law of Moses consisted of many ceremonies, rituals, and symbols, to remind the people frequently of their duties and responsibilities. It included a law of carnal commandments and performances, added to the basic laws of the gospel … [It] was adapted to a lower spiritual capacity.”
I don’t want to be your Moses, laying down “a whole collection of written laws” to “remind [you] frequently of [your] duties and responsibilities.” Unlike the people of Israel, I don’t judge you to have “a lower spiritual capacity.”
One of the areas in which I occasionally get questions is about music. “What kind of music can I listen to?” “Is X type of music OK?” “What if the music is played with X instrument versus Y instrument?” I steadfastly refuse to give you a list of appropriate music. I refuse to be your Moses. My best guideline for you is the Missionary Handbook (page 25). Here’s what it says. I’ve changed the format a bit in order for you to see clearly how you can judge for yourself.
1. Listen only to music that is consistent with the sacred spirit of your calling.
2. Music should
a. invite the Spirit,
b. help you focus on the work, and
c. direct your thoughts and feelings to the Savior.
3. Do not listen to music that
a. pulls your thoughts away from your work,
b. merely entertains,
c. has romantic lyrics or overtones, or
d. dulls your spiritual sensitivity by its tempo, beat, loudness, lyrics, or intensity.
4. Listening to music must never interfere with your personal preparation or proselyting.
There it is, very clearly written. You decide. You govern yourself. If after being properly instructed with correct principles you still do not know how to act then I fear that you’re headed for a life of problems.
One of the things I’ve learned about rules and guidelines is that sometimes people want to fit the rules to themselves rather than seeking to conform themselves to the rules. If you pound a square peg long enough and hard enough it will eventually fit into a round hole. If you torture the rules enough they will say just about anything. For those prone to do this, I recommend the following advice from President James E. Faust:
"Staying away from the edge is an individual responsibility. Occasionally our well-meaning young people want every detail of appropriate and inappropriate conduct to be specified, perhaps so they can feel comfortable in getting closer to the edge. They sometimes seem more concerned with what the gospel prohibits than what it gives... My strong advice is, if there is any question about your personal conduct, don’t do it. It is the responsibility of prophets to teach the word of God—not to spell out every jot and tittle of human behavior. Our moral agency requires us to know good from evil and choose the good. If we are trying to avoid not only evil, but the very appearance of evil, we will act for ourselves and not be acted upon." (James E. Faust, “Acting for Ourselves and Not Being Acted Upon,” Ensign, Nov. 1995, 45)
Guidelines, rules, and commandments are deliberately left simple and concise in order to see if we’re capable of governing ourselves. Happily, nearly all of you are doing well in this department. Thank you, and welcome to adulthood.
With love,
President and Sister Doll
Not really, I thought I had something last week, but I think that was maybe soreness from a workout I did. I feel good. Except right now I'm fighting a cold.
To Josh. It's tough when you have companionship difficulties. This is part of the mission. Try to show love when you bring up things that concern you to your companion. I'm no expert but I try. I've had times, days, when I've gone door to door speaking to the people. Going it alone. The thing is we are not alone at these times. "My angels round about you to bear you up." We go door to door with the Lord. Just think of it as our welcome party at the door mat might be a little smaller if our companions don't participate, but it is never just us alone. The Lord is there with us always. The Lord will bless you, be like Nephi, and "Declare with unwarryingness the words which he has given us." I'm not going to say that I know how you feel, even though there have been times I too have shed tears at night. That's because each of our situations is unique. No matter how many similarities we might think there are. The Savior though knows perfectly each individual situation, problem, and heartache, he is the heal all know all. This is where the Atonement comes in. He felt it all, he is the only one that can say "I know how you feel." Pray and he will whisper this to your heart, and you will feel his arms around you. He is there, he is here. He knows us, we are his friends (John 15:15, 18-27). I have received help from the Lord so many times, he's helped me, he'll help you. I bear testimony of this is the Name of Jesus Christ Amen.
Elder Bryner and I are teaching better and better together. We are really starting to get the hang of asking questions when inviting. This week has been really good for us. We are being led and guided to those who are prepared. It seems like there are miracles everyday, places we were supposed to go to, people we were supposed to talk to! It's incredible!!! Our finding efforts have really been blessed. We find new people to teach, or we are able to teach people and have lessons as we are out tracting. The Lord truly is blessing us. On top of this our investigators we are teaching seem to be blessed, in that they are keeping their commitments. Shane and Bambi and their two kids who are 4 and 10, came to church this Sunday. They seemed to really enjoy it, and everyone in the Branch was excited to see more new faces and to welcome them in. Shane and Bambi have already committed to come to church again this week. We even had a member out to an appointment with them this week. The fire for missionary work in this branch is getting started. On Sunday we also committed Jared Ashley to baptism!! He accepted amid a flow of tears. I think he's shocked, he didn't think that he could do it. He's so happy though, to have the blessings of the restored gospel restored to him. To see repentance take place in someones life, that is a reward. To see how the gospel worked in my own life, and then to see it work for someone else, and for them to feel of the forgiveness and love of the Savior. That's why I'm out here, this is the blessings of serving a mission.
We also taught Chuck and Marissa and their son J.R. last Thursday. We are meeting with them again tomorrow. They are steamrolling ahead. Chuck gave an incredible testimony in sacrament meeting, and was interviewed for the priesthood. J.R. is also moving along well also.
We have had great success in working with the less active members. Specifically progress is being made with Kelly Kliebe. She seems to be opening up, and we might yet see her at church.
Yesterday I finished the Doctrine and Covenants for the 2nd time on my mission. I am now planning to read the Book of Mormon. I started it today, and I will highlight it for the gospel principle of strength and enduring to the end. This will be a good copy of the Book of Mormon to have throughout my life, and a good topic to read for during the cold winter. I love finding new principles or scriptures to use, or having these thoughts come to me that I can then record in my scriptures. I fear if I were to ever lose my scriptures I would have a panic attack. There's so much in them now. I love this gospel, I love studying it, teaching it, and living it. I love being a missionary.
Elder Bryner, He's a great missionary, and we make a great team. I try to make sure and let him know that this is how I feel.
This week has been our most successful too. We've been led to so many new people and they have been prepared. The stories the experiences. The testimonies of Chuck and Marissa, they are filling pages in my journals. I wish I could tell you everything. The Lord is great!! How great our God. This Church and this work is so true, what a privilege it is to be a part of this all. I need to just photo copy all of the things that I've written down that Chuck and Marissa have said these past weeks. More and more of how they were prepared, and how the hand of the Lord played a part in us meeting them and their conversion has continued to come out. It's almost like a dream, the greatest. I've told another missionary out here about some of this and he was in awe. It is like something you read out of an Ensign magazine or church article!! OH it is incredible. I love this, teaching this message makes me so happy, seeing people happy, seeing them make changes, repent. Seeing testimonies grow. To see a man once excommunicated begin to again feel the Saviors love. To see his tears of joy, and then to be able to embrace him as one of my brothers. This is joy. This Church, this work, this gospel, my mission, the people, make me happy. It's all so true. I love it. I hope all is well at home. I love you all.
Love,
Elder Adams
The article about dad sounds really good. I don't think anything happened to my bike. I don't think there were any knew scratches. I have some small scars on my knuckles, and I think my pants were ok. I don't know my companion says that you gotta do what you gotta do. I almost feel like I'm taking advantage of them, but it's better to be safe than sorry. I think I will call them and tell them 1000.
I thought that 500 was a lot, but if you're saying that that isn't much then I don't know.
Stay in close contact with the Bullock family. The holidays are a great time to do so. Good work thus far, I really appreciate it. I haven't received any letters from them, so I will write again this week. Let them Know that I love them so much, and I keep them in my prayers. I will never be able to forget what they have done for me. Keep in touch with them and let me know.
No comments:
Post a Comment