Tuesday, December 19, 2017

Camel Spider and a Brand New...

Companion! This is the first day of a new transfer, and tomorrow I'll be receiving the best Christmas present a guy could ask for- A son! I'll be training another missionary, which I'm super pumped for. Elder Chamberlain will be venturing to the far-off land of Taft, to be with Elder Taylor (who I sent a companion to be with before, Elder Webb.)

This week I found a camel spider in my bathroom. I would have taken a picture, but I was too busy smashing it. I'm glad I saw it before it saw me. Our bugs have upgraded. It used to be just these obnoxious but harmless beetles.

Besides the aforementioned horror, it's been a good week. The best week actually, especially with that great transfer news.

On Wednesday we got to head down to the temple. I love going to the temple, it's really so cool. I hope I'll be able to keep up my zeal for it when I go home- it'll be close enough I won't have many excuses not to go. Surely there are some ancestors whose work hasn't been done yet, too.

Thursday we had surprise cleaning inspections. Surprise! We only found out a couple hours before. But that's okay because I keep everything clean anyway. We planned after that and that was the day. Normal day.

Sometimes it feels like I haven't made a difference in an area too much. Things are still so similar to how they were before! But I can go look at the area book and say "oh but look at these people who got taught more and progressed at least a little bit." It adds up over time. I hadn't realized just how much we actually end up doing. That's the cool thing about keeping a journal, too. It's hard to ignore the hand of God in your life if you can look back at all the times you saw it.

Friday was the ward Christmas party. I love those, it's so nice to be able to be with everyone and celebrate something we all care about. We got to meet a couple non-members who might be interested as well, so I can't complain.

Nicole is doing... eh? She's having troubles with the Word of Wisdom. Not in practice, in concept. She can keep it, yes. But she doesn't think she has to be 100% on it. So we're working on that.

Our other great investigator, Noah, couldn't come to church this week or last week because his sister's car got stolen... uh oh. Rotten pre-Christmas luck.

We talk to lots of people that have lots of problems out here. Some have family issues, some are in dire financial straits, some have health trouble- it seems like many have all of the above and more. We talked to two this week that stuck out to me, and reminded me of the sisters in President Uchtdorf's talk from the most recent women's session of General Conference. One is mad- everything is someone's fault and she's angry about it. No one wants to help her and she drives everyone away. Instead of asking for help, she just expects it should be given to her. The other one (who honestly has more on her plate) accepts what comes gracefully and tries her best to keep going, to remain positive and help others. What's the difference? I'm sure there's plenty, but the happier one (at least in my view) is keeping the commandments better. She's making church a priority, she pays her tithing, she keeps the Word of Wisdom. And while things might be hard, she knows the joy that will come in the future, and like Moroni, can "hope for a better world." Truly, wickedness was never happiness, and those that keep the commandments of God are in a more blessed and happy state, even in their struggles.

Thank you for all your support, and merry Christmas!
Elder Adams

Heavenly Father Wants You To Be Sane

Hey everyone! Finally, a weekly email off at the normal time. A p-day where we don't get stuck and don't have to run halfway up and down the mission.

This week has been a pretty good week. On further reflection, I think it's actually been the best week of my mission.

We went on exchanges out in Rosamond and Mojave this week, which was cool. I always enjoy exchanges because you get to see a slice of the work going on somewhere else. Like this is happening in our area, and their area, and in more than 75 other areas just in this mission. Wow. There's a lot of good work getting done! And then with all the missions worldwide... dang. It helps me feel like we're a part of something bigger than just "make people join the Church in Muroc ward" (which is still a good cause that we should all support.)

We also drove down to Lancaster for interviews with the mission president. That's always a good experience. Even when President Layton has to leave the interview for a minute to shoo away a homeless guy trying to get into the building... East Lancaster is a fun place. Anyway, good interview, good day.

Also had District Meeting in Mojave, where the Zone Leaders came and told us about More Rules. Which happens sometimes. Missions have rules and we follow them to get blessings. New situations arise and we have more chances to get blessings. Not a problem thing.

With all this driving we hardly had any time to spend in our own area! Agh! But we still got some work done, especially with Nicole. We ironed out some concerns about the interview for baptism, and were making sure she understood the commandments when we stumbled across a couple of gaps in her knowledge of what the commandments are... so we've got to spend a little time reteaching and getting her solid on that. We're still shooting for her baptism in the beginning of January, send us your prayers for her!

We also got to meet with a cool part-member family who moved up here from Palmdale a little while ago. The wife knew some missionaries and members that I know, like Elder Puyogao from earlier (MUCH earlier) in my mission. Time sure flies! We're going to be working with them now, too.

So the title of this email. A member of the bishopric here said it in a talk, and besides making me laugh it really rang true. God doesn't want to drive us crazy this Christmas season by overextending us with our service to others and making things and giving gifts and family and all the other million things we already do. He just wants us to be happy and to help others to be happy. As a missionary, I might not have to worry about a lot of those things, but I do feel like pulling my hair out sometimes! There's a lot to do and it's not always easy! But I can trust that God'll make all things possible without anyone freaking out. So things will always turn out alright. Do all things in wisdom and order, right?

Merry Christmas everyone!
Elder Adams

Happy Peaceful Christmas Spirit

Hey all!

Despite the wind chill, this has been the best week of my mission yet!

This week we got to go on exchanges with the Rosamond elders. I was with a new missionary who was going on his very first exchange! It does my heart good to be around elders with that "greenie fire." Gee wilikers, I sound like an old man.

We also finally got to have another appointment with Nicole! Apparently her mom was baptized when she was really young, and just hasn't been active in a long, long time. Something about the gospel runs in families, I guess. We also got to eat dinner with a part-member family who are super excited about celebrating Christmas with #LightTheWorld. See, it's not even December yet and it's already helping missionary efforts!

So that super exciting referral we got a couple weeks ago turned out to be a member already. Darn! But she'll still be taking care of her younger siblings in the future, and I don't think they're members, so that'll be someone the missionaries can work with.

Sunday was the best day ever, it was awesome. Nicole came to church and brought a friend along (who doesn't live in our area, but hey still cool), a new member moved in who brought her brother who isn't a member but is interested in learning, and we had a couple of less-active members who we visited this week show up to church! Really good Sunday. It feels good to have things go so well. We didn't expect so much, God really rained down some awesome blessings.

Also got to go on a tour of Edwards AFB this morning. Super bomb. I'd send pictures, but can't right now. Maybe later!

Normally I share something spiritual, but I've got nothing coming to mind right now! Well, I just hope ya'll get to feel the Spirit super strong this week. Not in a "oh boy gonna cry" kind of way, but in the happy peaceful Christmas spirit kind of way.

Thank you for all your support!
Elder Adams

They told us to "not look like we're proselyting" and that's why the hawaiian shirt. Not proselyting in that.


Get Thee Off the Mountain

Hey all!

Our car got stuck on a mountain this morning and then we got a flat tire. Four hours of rolling in the dirt later, I am finally here to email.

It's been the best week ever here in California City, mostly because I am the judge of how the week went and I say it's the best.

We actually spent a terrible amount of time driving and in Palmdale this week. Zone conference, doctor appointment, etc. The usual nonsense. It was weird to drive through Lancaster though, it feels like I've been away a lot longer than just six months.

Thanksgiving was cool! We got to eat with our ward mission leader and his family. I really appreciate people opening their homes and their traditions to us, I think that's what I've been the most grateful for this holiday season so far. And obviously, we ate leftovers for the rest of time afterwards.

On Saturday we tried again to get in contact with Nicole. We hadn't heard anything from her in almost two weeks, so we were worried! We'd stopped by her house and called her and texted, and she never responded. So I felt like we should at least try texting her to see how her thanksgiving was. She responded several hours later, saying it was good and asking if we could find her a ride to church. YES. I felt like Oprah. You get a ride, and you get a ride, everyone gets a ride to the church! I was so happy to hear from her and that she's still interested.

It was a good sacrament meeting, too- we had three returned missionaries all speaking on the same Sunday! Hopefully with that boost, and the Light The World initiative for this year, we'll be able to see more incredible miracles!

I find it awesome how the introduction video for this year's Light The World cuts between the service people give now and the service the Savior gave to individuals. Really it's almost the same thing- just instead of the Savior doing the work, it's men and women who've covenanted to take upon them the name of Christ and serve Him. We know the the service of our fellow beings is the service of our God, so what better way to fulfill the divine mandate to serve? It's an awesome thing too, because it's not complicated- we call our parents. We donate money and water. We reach out to our neighbors and friends. Cumulatively, all the little things we do add up to make the world a better place. It's like one of my favorite quotes goes: "The telling blows against evil are struck one act of love at a time."

Thank you for all your support everyone! Go #lighttheworld!
Elder Adams

Small Things

Hey everyone!

I promise it's been the best week, but I'm only going to share like one experience and one bit of news to show how great it was. There was more good, don't worry.

Even though Elder Chamberlain and I are staying here, we still had to go up to transfers to trade out our car (it's time to retire the old one.) Would we get a truck or an SUV for all the dirt roads out here? Nah we got a Corolla. Still cool though, and a newer car than I'd ever drive back home, haha.

So last Saturday at the adult session of stake conference, our mission president encouraged the members to just mention "my church" in their conversations. Fast forward to halfway through this past week, and a member calls us up: "I found someone who's interested." He was helping clear out an apartment for this girl, and was just talking to her and mentioned the church, and as it turns out her brothers and grandparents are members, but she couldn't get baptized because of some family stuff. Now that's all sorted out though, and she asked him to send the missionaries by, so now we're going to be teaching her! Her two younger siblings (who also aren't members) will probably be coming to live with her next year, so that's even more people. Just happening to be in the right place at the right time and trying to do what God would have us do makes miracles happen.

Thanks for your support everyone!
Elder Adams

Cal City Continued

Hey everyone!

Another great week out here in the desert. The greatest, actually. There's some good news! I'll be staying with Elder Chamberlain for another five weeks! (only five because Christmas messes with transfers and all that.) We'll be getting a new (or at least newer) car as well. The Spanish elders here will be leaving though, their area is closing- we'll be all alone out here in the desert!

Tuesday was pretty normal, we spent a while with the Spanish elders planning out some stuff for a service project to get the community involved. Improve the city and give the church good publicity? Good plan. We're looking at helping improve one of the parks around here, but it's slow going. One of them looks like it's right out of Chernobyl, so that's a good place to start. "Hey we'll fix this without getting paid for it and it'll make you look really good."

Wednesday we found out DuBois and Breanna are moving down to Lancaster :( It's good because they'll be closer to the doctor and work and stuff... but we don't get to teach them anymore. We also got a new fridge, but that doesn't make up for it.

Thursday we planned, always exciting when you don't know what's happening with transfers. Gotta make sure everything is in order so that if we both leave, the new elders will know what's going on. (In retrospect, since we're both staying, it's kinda funny. So prepared... for nothing :P)

Friday was district meeting! We talked a lot about prayer and about helping our investigators pray with real intent. I think sometimes we teach it and then move on to the next thing, assuming that their prayers are "good enough." We need to really properly teach people how to converse with God if we expect them to get answers that will change their lives!

Saturday we got to drive all the way down to Lancaster for the adult session of stake conference. It was an incredible thing actually, I think because many of the people there had to travel a good distance to come, it was more spiritual because of the sacrifice and preparation. Sunday was about the same, we drove all the way down to Lancaster again.

I found something awesome this week as I studied 3 Nephi. When it talks about the years right before the crucifixion, the Nephites were super wicked. Nephi did incredible miracles in that time, even raising his brother from the dead, but very few people believed. BUT the few people that did believe did many miracles and wonders of their own after they came to believe. Nephi didn't make a whole lot of converts during that time, he wasn't Ammon preaching to the prepared Lamanites, but those converts he taught were very converted. He likely got to experience a lot of joy with them as Christ visited them in the Americas. I might not baptize hundreds of people! I mean, we never know, but it's pretty likely I won't. But when I get to see some of the people I've met in the celestial kingdom, I'll be pretty dang happy, I think.

Thanks for all your support!
Elder Adams