May 5, 2010

Here's what my mission president sent me this week.

I love your Ammon story and mowing the lawn. That sounds like a great experience that will lead to help a family be activated and their daughter to be baptized. Good job. It sounds like you and Elder Larkin are working very hard to find people and to get things moving along in Belvidere. The stake president recently told me that the branch only lacks about 26 more members in order to go forward as a ward. You can certainly help move this along. And, as you pointed out, there are 26,000 people in Belvidere. Finding 26 people to be baptized is 0.10% of the population in Belvidere. It seems very plausible that those 26 people are there right now and could be moved towards baptism.

Have an exciting week!

Well this has been another great week, Fast sunday was this weekend, my last one in the mission field. It was powerful. I had forgotten to tell you that we had to give our departing testimonies at zone conference on the 22 of april. I ended up getting called up first and I hadn't planned anything. It was tough to make it through it, but it didn't seem as much like a departing testimony as when I bore my testimony in sacrament this Sunday. This one in fast sunday was really hard, I cried a lot through it. I had some interesting comments from one member, but several thanked me for my testimony(I can't write a lot right now). Anyway, Thursday we had dinner over at Brandy's home, with her significant other. After dinner we met with her and she had followed our commitment to ask him about why they had never gotten married. They have two kids together after all. To her surprise he said that he wants to wait until he has enough money to give her a grandeos wedding. She couldn't believe this and didn't know what to say. She told us how she of course has her reservations as well. But she said that she knows that this is the one true church and that salvation is something that is important to her. She said that she wants to be baptized. This is what she told us. We told her that she should tell him exactly what she is telling us, and bear her testimony. She had a lot to think about, and we had planned to teach fasting as it would be fast Sunday in a few days. We did and she loved it. It was so perfect for the situation and the timing. We didn't even have to commit her to fast. Before we even got done teaching her the principle, and had made mention that it was this Sunday, she was excited and said she couldn't wait to do it!!! It was such a good lesson, the power of the spirit there was incredible. She was all ears and was listening so intently as we showed her scriptures about what she could fast for and what the blessings are. She wanted to break her fast with us on Sunday and we had it all arranged to do so, but she ended up having to go to her nephews 3rd birthday. She came to church though. She had a lot of decisions to be fasting for, marriage, baptism, etc. When we told her that she could get married and that branch president could marry her at the church and that the branch could put together a 'grandeos' wedding and reception for her, FOR FREE, she was thrilled!!!! She found out that we would be leaving soon and she thought how great it would be to have this all happen in May!!!! That would be such an experience if she got married and then baptized and we got to be a part of it all. The branch would do an awesome job. So she had a lot to fast about. We haven't been able to get back in contact with her since Sunday, she's busy with those two kids, but how cool would it be if a wedding took place!!!!
We've been finding and teaching others, sometimes those we teach won't set return appointments, or it's difficult to get in contact with people we meet. I'm just so happy though. There aren't a lot of investigators or baptismal dates, but just to be out on a warm day with your companion talking to people, teaching them on their doorsteps and then praying with them. This is the life, a daily dose of this would carry me happily to the end of my days.
We have met a less active and his friend Nick has expressed desire to get baptized. The thing is he's been to the church before and played basketball so this isn't the first introduction. He wants to get baptized before he goes into the military.

Also a member posted my printer on ebay for me in a 20 day bid.
I love you all so much,

Love Elder Adams

I hate this limited time on the library computer. I have to send to separate emails because there isn't enough time to do it in a half hour before it runs out and I have to renew. I only get an hour.

Yeah I'll deffinately have to think about that house sitting. What an opportunity for grandma though. So bishop wants me to speak, does he have a topic that he wants me to speak on or does he want me to decide. Usually I thought they gave out topics. Let me know next week. I'd love to be able to study whatever out and give it some thought if he does have a topic that he wants me to talk about. I only have 10 minutes so I have to write fast.
I forgot to tell you about this lady from england that we met who was baptized at 15 and is now 80, she was a lost sheep. Her husband is atheist, and she goes to the Lutheran church now. We've met with them twice, we just tracted into them. We sadly won't be meeting anymore. The story is more incredible than this and we did learn some amazing things about her. Maybe I can tell you this sunday. You know it's odd being one of the oldest in the district, there aren't any other missionaries that have been out as long as my comp and I in the district. They look to and listen to what I have to say and really like it. It's odd. Also last sunday we had dinner at a castle of a home it was huge.
This fast sunday was an important one for me and for one of our investigators as you probably read from my email. I was fasting for a lot of things. This being my last in the mission field, it was a like a fast for the rest of my life, for help, for the future, for the transition. It was and insightful time. My studies that night were incredible as well. I felt like I'd been on a ride at an amusement park when I got done.
I love you so much mom and I will call you this week. I had to see what you would say. I love you so much though, and your support has been second to none. I love you so much words can't even express it. You are amazing. Don't let anyone tell you any different. I want you to have a wonderful mother's day. There's so much that I want to write about but no time. I guess it's a good thing I 'll be able to call this sunday. I don't know exactly what time though. Who knows??

Love Elder Adams