February 24, 2010

I added some and resent this, I didn't know if it worked before.

This week truly was a week of miracles and success. The Lord blessed us this week President. Everything seemed to pay off and to come together and to fall into line. Elder Layton and I taught so well together and we continue to teach better and better together, and our finding and our approaches keep getting better. We're helping our investigators make and keep commitments. We're extending commitments with boldness. Everything just feels so good, I just can't say enough good about Elder Layton and about the work and about how things are going with finding, teaching, and the progress of our investigators. This week we taught Will Rios about faith, and faith to act. We then taught about fasting and about the Word of Wisdom. We extended the commitment to keep the Word of Wisdom and to fast with us and his family on a specific date for his son who has cancer and for an answer if the The Book of Mormon is true. He accepted!!!! It was so incredible. I was on a high that night, I couldn't believe he accepted. I just bore testimony to him and promised blessings, I could feel it in the lesson, I could just feel something, and then he accepted. It was incredible. In order for him to keep the Word of Wisdom he will have to give up tea and alcohol, but he was willing to do it. I guess word travels fast as well, because his wife told a few word members who then asked us about it on Sunday. Things are going great. Speaking of ward members, Elder Layton and I think they really trust us and want to help us. One member asked us for 3 copies of the Book of Mormon and 3 sets of pamphlets of the first 3 lessons. It's just been an all around incredible week. Probably a highlight week of my entire mission. This week hopefully we can extend some baptismal commitments and help people receive some spiritual confirmations. Pray for Will Rios to be able to keep this commitment. I know if he does he will get his answer and his family will be blessed. We are going to be fasting next weekend with him and his family, It's going to be the most focused fast ever. Will Rios is the only one in his family that is not a member. His wife and kids are. His eight year old son Noah has cancer and he has to go through a lot of treatments. There's a mass that pushes against his spine. After I had committed him to the Word of Wisdom on Friday night, we heard later that his wife was really surprised. She said that when she talked to him, that he had said that he had better jump on board on this one with faith if the Lord is to heal his son. When I extended the commitment, he said "Is this some of the changes that I will have to make in my life if this is going to be a part of my life?" I answered to him yes and further bore testimony of the principle and how he and his family would be blessed and then I asked him if he would exercise his faith and keep the Word of Wisdom. That's when he accepted, it was incredible.

Tomorrow we have a special meeting with Elder L. Tom Perry of the Quorum of the 12 Apostles. It’s a combined meeting with the Chicago South Mission. It’s going to be a big deal. I’m excited to hear from an Apostle. I hear that he’s a firecracker speaker. I wonder what he’s going to say to us. So that’s tomorrow from 4-6. Also Mark Whitsitt returned home from his mission on Thursday. He was in the same mission as Josh. He said that he’d heard of my brother but never met him. He said that a lot of people want to work with him. So that was good to hear. He told us a little about his mission as well. Some things about being released that I didn’t want to hear. He came to an appointment with us though, so that was neat.

Today is my companion, Elder Layton’s, Birthday. He’s 21, so we’re probably going to do something fun today.

Can I just say that the Spirit of God like a fire is Burning, here in Elgin. Things are moving forward. We teach with power and Authority, and go door to door inviting people to listen to our message and receive the blessings. You just feel so good everyday, it’s an incredible good happy feeling. You know nothing like it anywhere else or from anything else. It’s amazing I love it. I just feel so good and fulfilled. Ahhh, it’s pure envigoration to my soul. I’m just so happy, I love it. It can only mean that the Spirit of God is bearing witness of the truthfulness of this work (Moroni 7:13-17). I love it what more can I say. Being a missionary, the choice that I made to serve, is easily the greatest decision I have ever made in my live. I feel anything else in my life will pale in comparison to this. I say these things in the name of Jesus Christ Amen.

Love Elder Adams

Great job on your tests mom. Keep up the good work!!!!! Has dad not only broke his hip, but his fingers are broken as well, so that it has become difficult to type. Just kidding. You've got to write me if you want me to be motivated to write you family.