April 29, 2019 - Rose Park Zone, SLC, UT

Yep, Elder Saltzman is done. I drop him off at 4pm today to the mission office, and he flies out in the morning to Montana! It's been great serving with him! I'll be staying in the area and will find out who my new companion will be tonight. At this rate, I'll probably just finish my mission here, which is absolutely okay! There is still much work to be done. Wow, I just had to double check what month it is, I totally forgot school ends soon! Time is disappearing. Very exciting times for the kiddos school ending next month

I am so grateful to be able to serve, and I am trying to learn, and stay worthy of all the prayers I know are prayed for me. There is a quote that says, "be the missionary your parents are praying for" and that's obviously not the reason I am here, to impress you, but it is nice to have when things get hard and you feel like you want to quit. It's comforting. I am grateful for you and Mom. 

This last week was great. We finished strong. Monday we had a zone barbecue, which turned out really successful. That was a nice p-day activity.

Tuesday we went to the Salt Lake Temple for Elder Saltzman's departing temple trip. It was a beautiful session, great to get a little rejuvenation from the Spirit. We worked hard that evening, and even though most doors didn't open, that evening we got a text referral for this guy who we started teaching Saturday, and he is amazing!

Wednesday we had a good mid day going out with a counselor in one of our new bishoprics. Then some bike moving errands. Then we went on exchanges, our last of the transfer. Elder Larger and I were together for our third exchange over the last 10 months, which is always fun to be able to keep in touch with a good friend like that. We had an incredible experience. We tried a door that had a potential YSA living there, and was let in by the family. We met the young man and began teaching him, but quickly learned that the parents, who were members but not active, were going through a tough time in life. The father was in serious pain due to kidney stones, and requested a blessing. We returned Friday night to teach the boy again, and leaned that shortly after the father had received the blessing, the stones had broken up and passed rather smoothly. It was incredible to see such a miracle.

Thursday, we finished the exchange, had dinner, and then were able to go to the temple again! This time we did baptisms for the dead with Carlos, who got baptized 2 weeks ago! It was incredible. He loved the experience and even said he might just show up at the temple whenever he is bored and do baptisms. In the temple, Elder Saltzman and I had some neat opportunities. First off we were able to baptize each other. That was really tender. We both ran into members from previous areas who remembered us. One brother from the Holladay South Stake remembered me from sharing my testimony at their stake conference. It was a blessing from the Lord to know that I have been doing some good. Then, we were able to help with some confirmations at the end of the night, and the lady we confirmed was Joseph B. Worthlin’s daughter. It was fun! The temple workers requested that we come back after our missions on a Thursday night, we became a part of their shift team. It was a great feeling. Afterwards, we were able to listen to the Tabernacle Choir rehearse for just a few minutes before we headed in for the night.

Saturday we had some powerful lessons. One young man with a difficult past moved to Utah to find some peace, and has found, through a kind father figure, the Gospel of Jesus Christ. He is so prepared to receive it, he soaks up every word. It was a beautiful day all day, and in the evening, we were able to help a companionship by contacting people for them. It was an awesome night of knocking doors! And the Lord blessed us by leading us to YSA we can teach! 

Sunday, we went to all 5 wards. We had some great people we are teaching come to church, but not all of them. So our work is cut out for us for this next month. I am excited to get things going with whoever my new companion is. Elder Saltzman has taught me a lot, especially about hope, love, and charity. He is going to do great in this next part of his life. 

I know that God is Our Father in Heaven. He loves us more than we can even understand. And He also expects big things from us. He expects us to become better every day, through repentance, little by little. And because He expects us to be better, and because He loves us so much, He provided a way for us to receive help in achieving our potential. That help is His Son, and our Savior, Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ understands what we all face. He knows who we are to become. And He has already overcome the obstacles, and now stands willing and ready to lift us over them. I invite each of you to consider where you are at in following Your Savior, recognize what needs to happen next, and then pray to Him for strength to make. The next step. Then do it! As our beloved Prophet said, "Do better and be better!" 

I love you all so much! 

I love you all! 

Elder Adams

Photos from zone activity, trying on fatigues at dinner this week, and Carlos after the temple.

April 22, 2019 - Rose Park Zone, SLC, UT

Easter was incredible. It's one thing to spend Christmas testifying of the birth and life of the Savior, but it was a miracle to testify literally dozens of times that I know that Christ died for us, and rose from the grave, overcoming all things we will ever face in our life. I have had some powerful spiritual experiences this last week testifying of this truth, and many other truths I hold dear to my heart.

So here is a rundown of all that happened last week. Tuesday we had zone conference. I learned so much from the Spirit, and gained even more knowledge pertaining to specific things in my life! That night as we were coming in (already late because of a great lesson) we felt to stop by some elders apartment. Things were already bad when we got there, but had we shown up literally one minute later, things would have been very bad. As we did an exchange that night and worked with these elders, I had some of the most powerful spiritual experiences in my life. I know as certain as I know that I am alive, that Jesus Christ lives. As does God our Father. I learned this truth more powerfully that night in the same way I know that I am alive. The Savior Jesus Christ suffered in the Garden of Gethsemane. He suffered for the big things, such as death or losing a lost one, and other major heartbreak. But he also suffered for the smallest things we go through. No matter how unimportant something may seem to us, to Christ, he wants to help us overcome it. We are never wasting His time as we access the healing power of the Atonement of Jesus Christ. Rather, the Savior went through all this pain and probably gets rather sad when we don't utilize this incredible gift from Him. 

Wednesday we had some great lessons, and again were able to teach of the Savior and His ability to heal and help. There are so many people in this world who want to be free of guilt, but don't know how to do this. That's where we all need to step up, and "mourn with those that mourn, yea and comfort those that stand in need of comfort" and then share with them where our peace comes from - Jesus Christ. 

Thursday we got to go to East High School, and help with the seminary classes! It was so cool, they had us pretend to be people being taught, and will real concerns, and the high schoolers taught us. It was a neat experience that helped me remember some basic doctrines and scriptures. 

Friday we did another exchange. The elder I was with and I spent multiple hours just waking streets and sharing a simple message of the Resurrection. We found so many new people to teach because hearts were more open to the Spirit this time of year. One guy tried to put on a tougher appearance, but as we talked, he shared that he has a garden, and grows "all the veggies" for a farmers market. It was a tender lesson. Saturday we had a good day of just hard work. We ended the day finding a new potential to teach. Sunday was beautiful. We got a "thunderstorm", and while it wasn't much, it was the best one so far on my mission, and I loved it. We enjoyed three sacrament meetings, singing all the awesome hymns, and then had three lunch/dinners. The first was ham and funeral potatoes, the second was chicken and waffles, and the third was lamb and cheesecake. So we were happily stuffed as we finished off the evening with a member contacting some people. It was a great week! I love to serve and am excited to make this week so memorable for Elder Saltzman! He is teaching me so much, and I love him! 

I love you all so much! Especially I love you Mom! I'll send pictures shortly! 

Elder Adams

April 15, 2019 - Rose Park Zone, SLC, UT

(Sorry I didn't get an email out last week. The long story is that I had typed up a nice long email recapping the prior week and a half, but when I went to add the pictures after the temple trip, my draft did not get saved because there was no wifi to send it, and I hit send. That was about 5:45, so I just sent you the text instead of retyping. But today here's a good one.)

2 weeks have gone by, and lots has happened! 

Every Tuesday this month we have had some kind of meeting or something big that takes up most of the day. These last two Tuesdays were a mission leadership council, and a mission leadership training. They were very nice, the spiritual uplift was incredible, to be able to talk about the mission, missionaries, and how we can help them develop and become, as President Nelson said "the best version of themselves". 

All the time in between meetings and more meetings each Friday was filled with WORK! The times you are the happiest on your mission is when you are putting sweat and tears and a little blood into finding people to teach the restored Gospel of Jesus Christ to! So that's what we did! 

Some cool experiences the week leading up to conference:

Tuesday we went to a missionary correlation meeting in the Tongan ward. When we got there, we had 2 of the missionary council members tell us that they had set up appointments that night with some nonmembers. We already had a lesson scheduled, so that made 3 at the same time! We split up, I went with the ward mission leader up to the farthest appointment, and we taught about the plan of Salvation. The Spirit was so strong, the guy we were teaching said that he wanted to change some certain things in his life and get baptized! Elder Saltzman reported that he went out with a returning member, and they taught one sister who said she knows she needs to be baptized, and the coolest part was that the returning member bore his testimony, even though he hasn't been active in a long time. The third appointment was someone we already knew, but he also said that he knew he needed to be baptized. With all 3 individuals, we were able to teach and testify that through the Atonement of Jesus Christ, they can overcome the individual barriers holding them back from making this first covenant with the Savior through baptism. It was a miraculous night! 

Friday we went tracting in an apartment complex, and met a guy who had moved from the east coast that day! We were able to share a Becauseof Him video, and it was amazing to see him feel the Spirit and open up to the message we shared. He wants to meet up more! 

Then came conference weekend! Saturday, for the morning and priesthood sessions, everyone we wanted to bring with us cancelled last minute. For priesthood we subbed in a member we work with a lot. Sunday morning we went with Carlos, who is awesome! He loved it! Then, since we live only a few minutes walk from the conference center, we walked to and from each session. Walking home after Sunday morning, a couple stopped us and gave us tickets for the afternoon session. That was so cool! In total, we went to 4 of the 5 sessions live! 

And then this past week! Wow it was amazing! We had some pretty fun times helping some missionaries in the zone with a variety of things. Then we spent a lot of the week just working! We tracted for lots of hours, and talked to so many people! It was neat to share what God's prophet has most recently said! Then Friday was Elder Saltzman's birthday. And, Carlos got baptized! It was such an awesome service! On Sunday Carlos received the gift of the Holy Ghost, and the Aaronic Priesthood! We are going to the temple soon to do baptisms! Then we got to hear a devotional from Elder L Todd Budge of the Seventy! He is great! It was a good day! 

I'm loving this work! 

I love you so much family! I bought some candy and plastic eggs to give out for Easter! No sugar for me! -Elder Adams 

April 10, 2019 - Rose Park Zone, SLC, UT

Hey Mom! We are just getting out of the temple, and we had a very busy morning, plus my emails aren't sending, I'm not able to get wifi. So I'll send some pictures here, and I'll have to email better, and even call, on Monday. But I am doing super well! I am very happy right now, serving as hard as ever! Love you!

April 1, 2019 - Rose Park Zone, SLC, UT

This week has been excellent! Here is a run through!

Tuesday we drove around bikes for a long time, and then had an awesome evening doing visits with one of our wards. We found someone new to teach, and taught an awesome lesson!

Wednesday we had to drive for another few hours finishing the bikes. That evening we went out finding with some elders, it was great to work with them. The elder I was with and I got offered to come and eat some free KFC at 11pm. This was at 8:30. We kindly declined.

Thursday we went on exchanges with our district leader. It was great. 

Friday we finished the exchange, and then we had an awesome dinner, which is one of the pictures below. Then we had an amazing lesson with Carlos, he is so solid! Saturday we had some good lessons, and a great lunch. We were able to spend a few hours finding, and it was so successful! 

Sunday was great. Elder Wakolo of the seventy was at one of wards, and I got a hug from him.
We also had the most amount of people at church than we have ever had together. That was a miracle! We also got to meet some pretty incredible people including a guy named Dusty Smith and another guy named Harris Simmons. Some fun times.

This week we had some really great opportunities to find new people to teach. We had one lesson where the guy we taught found so much joy in the gospel he invited his brother to the next lesson and his sister to church. I know that the joy of the gospel truly changes us and our behavior. I know that the Atonement of Jesus Christ can change anyone and help anyone overcome anything.

I am so excited for General Conference. We get to go to a few sessions! Priesthood session, Sunday morning session, and Saturday morning session. I am excited to hear what the prophet and apostles have to share with us from the Lord. I am also excited for the people we are teaching to hear from the Lord’s prophet on earth today, and to feel the incredible spirit at conference. On Sunday when we met Elder Wakolo one thing said to us was, "When the seventy and other auxiliary speak, really listen. When the apostles speak, really, really listen. And when the prophet speaks, really, really, really listen."

Love, Elder Adams