December 16, 2009

It's 4 Degrees outside today, quite chilly. Last Thursday it was -1 in the morning. This is the temperature without windchill figured in. Chuck Crome told us that with windchill Thursday was about -43, nice! Thanks for the letter dad, that's a good one. Pray about who you should have ordain you, but that is awesome that you are going to be a high priest. I didn't get the Christmas card that the smiths tried to email me or that you and mom tried to email. I can't pull it up. I love you tons dad. I'm trying to stay warm, just have to perservere through it. I look forward to hearing from you next week.

Love Elder Adams

Did you get the check for 600 from brother Fomby so that I can give him my check. I also got your package. I have plenty of money to print off pictures the cartridge like I said serves no purpose. Email me back as soon as you can if you got the check, he said that he sent it last week. I'll be on for a little bit, check your mail frequently that's the key
I did, but I can just send you pictures. I know you're a mom you feel like you have to care and give and nurture. It's your nature. I've told members how I feel about all this and they say it's just what you have to do. I'm telling you though I don't think I will be using the cartridge. As for the tree and ornaments, I must ask why? We have a tree, fairly good size one that was left in our apartment, and it is set up in our study room. My companion also got a tree from his parents and ornaments and lights and has it set up on his desk. I love you mom.
The Check from the insurance companion that is made out to me. He wrote you a check written out to you from his account. So I have to reimburse him with this check. It was the best way, that way I didn't send my check that I had signed through the mail. Does this all make sense? I'm trying to explain it as best I can.
That's good to hear there's some news and an encounter with Zach. Keep in touch with him. I'll be waiting for that letter. I've got Christmas cards that I made last Wednesday and I'm picking them up this Friday so that's when I'll send them out and then you can take one to Zach. I love you tons, hurry and write back, times a wasting.
This is what President Doll has sent us about phone calls and about Christmas. I don't know when we are going to do phone calls I really don't.
Elders and Sisters – Here are several items for your
attention:

Christmas Schedule: We’d like you to follow a schedule similar to Thanksgiving. On Wednesday, December 23rd take the morning for e-mail, shopping, etc. The rest of the day is missionary work. Your weekly planning should be done on Thursday, December 24th but you can choose when during the day you want to do it. The rest of the day should be spent in missionary work. On Friday, December 25th you can enjoy Christmas until 6:00p.

Christmas Phone Calls: Please enjoy calling your immediate family on either December 24th or December 25th. If you’ll be using a mission cell phone then call either before 7:00a or after 7:00p. Or, you may use a member’s phone if offered. Please keep your call at 45 minutes or less. For questions or exceptions, please call me.

Spending Time With Members: During the holidays (and at other times) missionaries are invited to member homes to enjoy a meal and spend time. Let’s be sure to exhibit the highest standard of behavior and courtesy. Staying beyond two hours is probably too long (one hour for a regular dinner appointment). Let’s be sure that members continue to see us in the sacred calling we have.

Good work on spotting Zach at Wal-Mart, it's good to hear that progress is being made. I love you mom. This is the best news I've heard in a long time.
We are continuing to teach Jared Ashley. We meet with him about once a week, usually for dinner and a lesson with him and his mom. All we can do is wait until President Merrill sees that he is ready, which he predicts will probably be sometime in February. He’s already committed to baptism a while ago, and we’ve almost finished teaching him everything. We were able to pick up a new investigator this week. It is the girlfriend of a member of the branch who is now starting to come back. She is 20, has a child and they are not married, but live together. They had us over for dinner and we were able to teach them both. This is probably our greatest prospective lead. We met one man while tracting who let us in. When we had finished sharing a brief first lesson with him, he said that he had just finished praying that he would not be ignorant to the truth and that he would learn the things that he needs to. He said he feels that us showing up is a sign,and that things don't just happen, they happen for a reason. He was basically praying to God to be shown the way and then we knocked on the door. The other incredible thing about this is that before we went out to tract on this morning, Elder Bryner had prayed that we would be let into some doors so that we wouldn't have to stay out in the cold the whole time, because we had no lessons set up. This man's name is Randy, and he seems really sincere. What's more God has directed him and us to meet each other in another incredible miracle. After we taught him we went maybe one or two more houses and were let in again to teach a Hispanic man. This was a lot of success for us. I think it came because we had prepared ourselves in the morning to be sharing door approaches. I also gave some advice to Elder Bryner to try and just begin teaching and to teach as much as possible. He took my advice and we were blessed. Both of us were really trying to teach and testify, and to change up our approaches at the doors. It really was incredible.
However, I'm worried Elder Bryner has lost all faith and motivation in tracting at all. He doesn't seem enthusiastic about it in the least bit. Not even really enthusiastic in companionship study. It's more like I'm reading scriptures to him while he is reclined back. Our experience out tracting was sort of a one time deal for him in being excited. I think he’s really getting frustrated. It probably doesn’t help that we had the police called on us again on Saturday night. We also had a man following us in his van when we went back to our car. He then yelled at us, asking if we knocked on his door. When he asked who we were I explained we are missionaries sharing a message about Christ and tried to take a step towards him, but he yelled at me again and told me to stay away. It’s like when you put on the nametag you are no longer a normal human being, and you are not to be respected. We talked to President about all of this Police business, and how Elder Bryner doesn’t feel we should be tracting after 8:00. We had one policeman tell us this but that it is not against the law, it’s just that people will get angry. President says that we should try and teach members or less actives during this time and not tract. I think this is just running scared, because it’s not against the law and the Police don’t do anything. I guess what President and my companion say is that it’s bad public reputation if we do it, and it doesn’t help us. I think about it though and the Cromes were found tracting at about 8:45. Anyway, we are like some kind of juvenile delinquents to the people and the police here in Byron. We won’t be tracting anymore after 8:00. It’s just not like me to back down, especially from persecution.
The Cromes we continue to meet with once a week. They usually have us over for dinner and a lesson, and we answer questions and teach them the lessons. They are strong and are continuing to progress.

So Christmas, I don't know what the schedule is going to be. It could be different. I will probably end up letting you know next wednesday, sorry short notice. 6pm your time would be 7pm my time right? I don't think that would work, because prep day ends at 6pm. I don't know I'll talk to president this Friday and see what he says this new schedule is different. I love you tons and I will look to hear from you next week.

Love Elder Adams

PS-last Thursday was -1 air temp, and -43 with windchill, today it is 4 air temp. It's a frosty one out here.

I send you those cd's with the pictures on them so then you can go to the store and pick out which ones you want to print off and put in the scrapbook and send to others. I'll send you some though. I've got to get going though we have a lot of things to do today I love you tons.
the smiths tried to send a christmas card and I can't open it it didn't come through on my email.