April 21, 2010

Not a lot was happening when we first got here last week. I called the ward mission leader on Wednesday night to get oriented. Since it was a whitewash and all. Not a lot happening when I get to an area has been the story of my mission, and this is the second time I’ve been whitewashed into some place. The ward mission leader asked what our plans were for the night and I told hime we were going to go and knock some doors. He said that this is why he was so excited and told us to sit tight, and then he left his family and came over to meet with us for a minute. The impression that I got was that the last missionaries didn’t do much. They were both ending their missions. Then on Sunday He plopped down next to me and put his arm around me and leaned in and asked who the lady was that I was sitting next to in Sacrament. I was sitting next to our investigator, Brandy, a referral that we had received and had just began teaching. The first Sunday and we had someone at church only being here 3 days. I told him who she was and about the lesson we had had on Saturday and then he said as he expressed gratitude, “You’ve done more in these past 3 days then has been done here in the past 3 months.” That was a booster that I needed to hear, with having to leave Elgin and all.

We've bee blessed with almost immediate success here in Belvidere. We've had a referral that we are now teaching. Her name is Brandy, she came from the Rockford Zone leaders. She is the significant other to a member who is inactive. They have two little kids together, but they aren't married. She wants to be baptized, but they are living with his parents who are also members. So they will have to get married or move out. Other than that, we continue to have success in having small lessons with people that we meet on the street or that we talk to on their doorsteps or in businesses, the Lord is just placing people in our path. We just need to find that one who is ready right now. Who knows maybe we've already found them.


You are absolutely right about this Branch here. They are like extended family, they opened up in love to us the first week. They are incredible, especially the members we live with. They are all so giving and loving. This branch really is amazing. We've got to get to know them fast. We already have the trust of the ward mission leader. He really likes us, I guess he didn't feel like the previous missionaries did much. We met with him last Wednesday night and he was already excited to talk with us and to hear of our enthusiasm. This will be a great place.

The older couple we live with is awesome. They are so giving and kind. We do live in an unfinished tiny room though. My comps desk is under the stairs. We have a couch, bunk beds, and 2 desks in a small room with insulation sticking out. It’s interesting, and she’s not the most organized, but she loves us missionaries and she can sow and she’s already repaired a button and my backpack for me. I can’t be too picky. I’m blessed. We have also been taking advantage of how small the town is and been able to conserve miles on the car and we’ve been able to get out and use our bikes. So that’s been nice. Sorry this email is sort of scrambled, I don’t have a lot of time, and a lot of what I wrote got deleted, so I had to retype it.

I really am so excited for zone conference, which is tomorrow. I think this one will be the best one yet. I feel like something big is going to happen for the mission and I'm going to miss out on it. There’s some big plans for this zone conference. Anyway, I love you all very much. We’re just going to try and push as hard as we can here in Belvidere and try to make something happen. We’re going to need a miracle and the help of the Lord big time. I’m just going to try and talk to everyone, even though my companion sometimes doesn’t. In fact the first night we went out tracting, he had me do all the doors. He takes a little while to get ready as well, but I’m trying to be patient and know that the Lord will bless us. I’ve just got to do the best I can each day, and work as hard as I can, really push it. There are people here that need the gospel, someone is waiting. Thank you for all of your love and support. I think I’ve finally unpacked and gotten somewhat settled. I love you all.


Love Elder Adams

I don't have a lot of time, the internet here keeps kicking me out. I wish I had more time to write. There have been so many times of prayers being answered. I've seen how when I ask for something, the Lord gives it. Exactly what we pray for before we go out tracting, we witness miracles in this way every day. I pray and ask to meet someone or that their hearts will be softened or that we will have an interesting conversation and it happens. It's awesome. Sorry I only have time to share something brief.
Love Elder Adams

April 14, 2010

I witnessed a lot of miracles and the work really went forward there. I saw that area transform. In the Elgin 3rd ward I developed the strongest and closest relationships with some members in the ward. It was really good to come close to them. Elder Layton as well has been my favorite companion, and he really seemed like a friend. I loved serving with him. For all of these reasons, this transfer change was hard. I'll miss all of the above. Thank you for the opportunity and the blessing.
I know that there is someone in Belvidere that is waiting for me to talk to them. I'm going to find them and speak to them. I have six weeks to do all that I can in Belvidere, and I am going to rise to this new challenge. I feel a surge of inspiration to conquer this task ahead. I'm just at the mission home right now on Sis. Dolls laptop, so I'll try and write more when I get to the area. I'm being whitewashed into the area, so hopefully we have time. A last big challenge lies ahead at the end here.
love Elder Adams

Yes I did get the Easter package that you sent me. Thank you so much it was nice, and I am glad that you didn't send a bunch of junk or spend a lot of money. It sounds like Josh is falling apart. With the big toe hurting and what not. I want to say what hurts on my body too. I have these callases that are on the bottom of my feet on the balls of my feet that have gotten huge, and so it has hurt for quite a while now to walk on them. I've been wearing two pairs of socks for a while to DEAL WITH IT. That's what you have to do Josh, gut it out. Let any pain and suffering be swallowed up in the work that we do for Christ, for him. I had a rash a month or so back that lasted for a month. It was on my chest and arms and I couldn't sleep some nights, but then I got this special cream from a member and I'd put that on and it helped. I think it was stress as well, it eventually went away though. Sometimes I would scratch it so much that it would bleed, it was nasty and red. It looked like the blood had come to the surface. The reason I don't tell you about things though is because I know that you'll call the mission office. A while back ago I was bit by another dog, did I tell you...no.... why....because you call the mission office and make a big deal out of it. See I'm still living today, and I didn't have to waste a bunch of time at a doctor's office when I can be out finding those the Lord has prepared and talking to people and teaching the Gospel. I only have two years to share this message as a full time missionary with the power and authority of my calling so I'm going to do it all out. Well I guess I don't have 2 years anymore, but we're not going to talk about that right now. I might have to have surgery on those callusses on my feet though, for now I might just get some better insoles and keep wearing 2 socks.
Anyway, I'm here in Belvidere with my new companion Elder Larkin. He as well goes home the same time as me, which is odd. Belvidere is out in the middle of nowhere again, but it's not as bad as Byron. We have a Wal-Mart and there's a lot more businesses. I don't know much about the area right now. However we live with members. We live in the basement in "The Batcave," that's what I'm terming it. My companions study desk is under the stairs, it's small and cramped, and really messy. These members are not the tidiest housekeepers. The fridge is super cluttered, but they say we can have anything that we want, but there's not much room to put our things in. It's going to be difficult living arrangements. When I got this call about being transfered It was hard. I had a lot of feelings of sadness, anger, resentment, and it was hard. Especially to say goodbye to people, and to leave Elder Layton, especially after we'd spent 2 transfers knocking doors and tracting our butts off and finally we had people to teach. We even had a baptismal date for Hellen Locket on May 8 and the night before we got the call we set a date for a 9 year old boy of a part member family for May 22. (The mom still wants to see if I can come to his baptism). Things were starting to happen, and now transfered. It was hard, but it's a challenge and I will rise to it. It's the last hoorah. Elder Layton said that I'm a sower. So that's what I've got to do. 6 weeks to find that one whom God has prepared, the reason God has sent me at the end of my mission. That's what a member said is the reason I'm going here. So this will be my challenge, 6 weeks to do it. Build the kingdom here. We're going to hit it hard, even though I know this companion doesn't like to tract, we've got to find these people and make it happen here. I thank you all for the love and support from home, keep those prayers going up in my behalf, because I'm going to need them here. I love you all but I don't have much time and I have to go, I'm on a time limit here at the library.

Love Elder Adams

April 7, 2010

All right well then I'll tell President that you will not be coming to get me.  They were calling this morning because they were trying to book the flights.  It's scary when all of this starts happening, because then you realize that it's for real, ..... that it really is all about to come to a close, and time continues to go by faster and faster.  I can't believe it...I can't believe it's really happening.  It's like I'm in a twilight zone.  I don't even feel like we had General conference.  This one went by faster than all of the others.  I don't even feel like I sat down to watch it.  It was insane how fast it went by.  That was my last one in the mission field.  And now they are talking about booking plane tickets home, it's all ending.  It's stressful to think about.  It's like it shouldn't be happening, because I don't feel like I've been gone for two years.  It seems like just yesterday I left.  I don't know where the two years has gone.  I love it out here though, especially as the weather is warming up. 

Last Friday was crazy.  I was on exchanges here in our area with one of the spanish elders, and come to find out the morning of when we woke up: he can't drive because his license is expired and neither can I.  So we didn't have a car, and the other Elders didn't want to switch up the exchange.  So we ended up getting out the bikes.  Except I couldn't find my pump or bike lock (until later that night when I looked again), so I had to ride this other old bike that was in their apartment.  The seat hurt so bad and these tires were flat too so we had to go to a gas station and get air.  Then all of our appointments that day fell through.  This missionary that I was with didn't want to go out tracting, so it was like he didn't even care, he didn't want to do more than two hours, so when everything fell through I could tell he wasn't happy, and we ended up tracting the whole day.  My butt felt like I was riding on a rock between my legs.  By the end of the night I felt like I'd been kicked between the crotch all day long, both figuritively and litteraly.  I was hurting, it had been a long time since I'd been on a bike and my butt was not used to sitting.  It was a rough exchange.  I was glad to have Elder Layton happy and smiling back.

Then Like I said on saturday Conference was amazing as always.  I took notes this time focussing on things that I want to do for the rest of my life, things that will help me for life after the mission and to be able to make the transition back into the world.  I had been praying for this to be answered in the talks.  I wrote down a lot of things that I want to do and remember to do throughout my life.  Especially things that will make me better. 

Then during the Break between sessions on Saturday my companion and I gave blood.  The lady said that my companion looked like he was heating up and she told him to loosen his tie.  He looked at her and she said it again, demanding him to loosen his tie.  Then she put an ice pack behind his neck.  She was making a big deal out of it, but he said he felt fine.  So we donated blood.  Sunday was awesome as well, and we had easter dinner over at the Geigle family's home.  It's just been raining like no other here, its ridiculous.  Thanks for all of the love and support from home.  I did buy some shoes last wednesday, a 39.00 pair.  I'm trying to slowly break them in.  I didn't want to have you get me another pair of echos because those are super expensive, so I'm just hoping these will hold up.  Thank you for all that you do though family.  I love you all so much.  I hope to hear more from you next week, especially about spencer's soccer.  Love ya tons.

Elder Adams

Last night we met with a less active family. It's been a while since we've been able to get in with them, the Ralphs. Their 8 year old daughter who is unbaptized, there sophmore Brock and the the father and mother were there. All but their senior, Shyler. The father is really disinterested and wouldn't commit to coming to church, he says it's his day of rest. But we sat together and read from the scriptures, even the little girl read. It was just like the brethren had counciled in conference. It was so good to see them all reading. When I asked Brock what he thought of reading scriptures as a family, he said that he liked hearing his dad read. He said he'd never heard his dad read. It was incredible to see the whole family reading together. 3 of them should be at church this Sunday. Elder Layton and I both felt so good after that lesson last night.

The other day I studied the laws and ordinances, and when we were out business contacting a lady said, "Oh I've used the family history search." I was then able to talk about families and temple work and family history. What I studied I got to use. What's more is I had prayed for this before we left the apartment that we would be able to teach what we had studied. My prayer was answered. She had a relative that was sealed and she didn't know what that meant so I explained that to her, right there in the eyeglasses shop. I was Awesome!!!

This conference went by way too fast. Faster than all of the other conferences, I don't even feel like we had it. I took notes this time focussing on things that I want to do for the rest of my life, things that will help me for life after the mission and to be able to make the transition back into the world. I had been praying for this to be answered in the talks. I wrote down a lot of things that I want to do and remember to do throughout my life. Especially things that will make me better. Elder Layton and I have been going over notes with each other and sharing testimony together of these things and it has really invited the spirit. He has a bright optimistic view of life after the mission and shares some great insights during our discussions. These are making for some great companionship studies.

I’m going to put all of these things that I found and wrote to myself, these little exhortations , I’m going to put them all in a list form. I want to write them all down as goals or things I want to do and make a part of my life when I’m home. That’s what I got from conference and there’s a lot of good things. It was deffinately some revelation to me, and I have an outlook on what I need to do with my future. I’ll deffinately have to share some of these with you all because a lot of this conference as you probably noticed is about family. So a lot of the things I want to do involve you. I do want to let you as my family know that I love you and that God has a plan for our family to be together forever. I love you all, don’t you ever forget that. You're my family, and are so important to me. We have to become strong together and help each other. I want to do everything I can to help and support. I love you all.

Love Elder Adams

P.S.-Next week is transfers as well. It’s the last one, next Tuesday morning I will know how I am spending my last transfer. I’m hoping to stay here in Elgin with Elder Layton to finish it out.

As well I'll inform the mission office now that you are not going to pick me up.

Make sure this gets to Josh: I don't think I have his new email address, or did his not change like mine. Just forward this to him please.

As one of my companions used to say, "You're part of the dub club" That's what happens when you turn 20. I don't know it's a little weird. I'm so sorry that I didn't write and say happy birthday last week. I hope you had a good one. What did you do for your birthday, did you do anything fun, or go anywhere to eat. I hope it was a good one. Do you feel older. 20 deffinately felt different for me. 21 not so much. Keep tearing it up out there. This is the greatest time in our lives, we're in the Lord's hand, what more could you ask for. These are the times of blessings and prosperity. I love you Bro. Write me next week. Love you tons.

Your Elder Elder,

Elder Adams

Hope you had fun with Jury duty. I love ya