September 17, 2018 - Big Cottonwood Stake

This week has been absolutely incredible! We went on tons of 24 hour exchanges with other elders, and both times I got to stay here and work with the district leaders. It was super great to be able to learn from them, and also help one another grow in the gospel. One neat one was that I got to spend another day with Elder Fisher, my first trainee from almost a year ago. He has grown and changed so much, it is incredible to see.

A great experience from the week- I went on an exchange with an Elder from Brazil actually. We set some goals in the morning, something I usually only do on exchanges because I want the missionaries to have a purpose behind every action. Our goal was to find 2 more people to teach, and put 1 person on date for baptism. At 8:15, after running door to door for the previous 45 mins, we found our second person to teach, which achieved that goal, and then we rushed to our 8:30 lesson, and the guy opened up about getting baptized, and we almost had him on date. It was incredible to set specific goals with the Lord, and then give it my all and see miracles come to pass!

Another great experience this week came from personal studies. As missionaries, one of the first things we teach people is that God is Our Loving Heavenly Father. I have always believed this, and I wanted to be able to teach this important doctrine with great spiritual power. So I knelt down to pray, and asked God if He truly loved each one of us. I then prayed that I myself might know this to be true. The answer I received has changed my life. I know in a very sacred and personal way that God is real. He loves each one of us, and wants to bless us in so many ways in our lives. I testify with all of my heart that if you only follow Him and keep His commandments, he will not hesitate to pour blessings down upon. 

One last experience: we were having a correlation meeting with the best Relief Society President in the world, and my companion wasn't feeling very well, and it turns out this lady sells doTerra. See the photos (below) for what she gave to us, I was literally so happy, it was like Christmas! 

Well, this week is about to blow me away. We are tripling our efforts, and with our renewed spirits, we are going to leave everything on the altar for the Savior. I pray we may bless the lives of many. 

I Love you super much Mom! Thanks for the love and support! 

I Love you Dad! I am grateful for your prayers and support! I am pumped to hear from the prophet and apostles! 

Elder Adams 

September 10, 2018 - Big Cottonwood Stake

September 3, 2018 - Big Cottonwood Stake

This last week was full of being guided by the Spirit. We were exactly where we needed to be every step of the way as we listened to the Spirit. What a neat experience it is to look back on.

Some thoughts: Teaching the doctrine of Jesus Christ in its simplest form has started to really change my life. Starting with Faith, or believing in something though it is not seen, and coming to see the unmistakable hand of God in our lives has brought great joy and a desire to follow God and strengthen those I love. This leads me to desire to follow God's commandments exactly, and to repent when I make a mistake. As I keep myself right in the eyes of God, I desire to commit myself to follow Him. Through being baptized at age 8, and now taking the sacrament every week, I renew the promises I made to follow God, and in return I receive His Spirit to be with me always. This Spirit was also initially received after I was baptized, but is ever with me as I repent and follow God. This is not a onetime deal, but rather a lifelong commitment.

After spending this last year focused on these principles of the Gospel, I have come to realize that this is not just a nice thing or some menial task we have to do in this life. The Book of Mormon says, "For behold, this life is the time for men to prepare to meet God; yea, behold the day of this life is the day for men to perform their labors."(Alma 34:32). Another verse reads, "And moreover, I say unto you, that there shall be no other name given nor any other way nor means whereby salvation can come unto the children of men, only in and through the name of Christ, the Lord Omnipotent."(Mosiah 3:17). Only one church has God's authority and priesthood power. No other church claims it, not even the Pope. Only one church has a prophet who actually speaks to Christ. No other church has apostles and seventy. No other church has baptism for the dead (something practiced in the Old Testament). If God's prophets themselves said there was only one way, then it must be through Christ Jesus. And only one Church is His very church, even the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. So pretty much, any baptism into any other church is false. [Without proper authority] it does nothing, and as Joseph Smith said, you might as well baptize a bag of sand. I have a firm witness that this is the way to live with God again, and there is no other way. Only through Christ and His atoning sacrifice can we become pure from our sins.

So we need to find people to teach and baptize. We need to invite everyone to church and invite everyone to meet with missionaries and receive the correct ordinance of baptism. Do not be shy or ashamed of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Pray for strength, confidence, and opportunity. We are running out of time. There is nothing as important as everyone repenting of their sins and being baptized, and then STAYING ON the covenant path. This simple Gospel has changed my life. 

I'd invite who ever to read or listen to Elder Jeffrey R Holland's talk "The First Great Commandment". It is so good. 

I love you all! Elder Adams