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

August 28, 2018 - Big Cottonwood Stake

This week was a blast! My new companion is Elder Adolpho! He has moved a lot over his lifetime, due to his being in the air force. Most recently, he is from Italy. He has been out about 20ish months, and will go home right before Christmas. He is a great missionary, with a great desire to teach and help people repent and be baptized so they can receive eternal life. We are doing great together, and are enjoying the learning process, as transfers changed the demographics of our zone and we are relearning the areas and missionaries entirely.

Transfer week is when the zone leader has the most administrative stuff. Between carting missionaries and bikes around, and making sure that everyone is with their companion, in their new area, and working hard, we keep pretty busy when you add our own area on top of that. Luckily, we are able to keep ourselves teaching a lot of very amazing people, many who are looking to be baptized soon! We also continually seek for more people to teach and help be baptized. One interesting idea we got from experiences this week goes with fin ding prepared persons. Lots of times, we spend our time in apartment complexes, due to them being more humble and transient than a home. Occasionally, as we knock on homes, the person answering will be opposed to the Restored Gospel of Jesus Christ, and the church which bears His name. So we move on, and sometimes just stop going into those neighborhoods. We realized that if the adversary wanted this work to slow and wanted to hide humble people from us, he would stick them next to those more anti-LDS people. So we started knocking the 5 doors around each of those homes, and we have seen miracles already! The Lord works in mysterious ways, yet He knows all our doings.

This week has been full of miracles big and small. Some are still in the process of happening, and may lead to an even bigger group of people we are teaching. While the big picture is still forming for us, it suffices me to say that the Lord is ever present in the small details of our lives. Sure, as missionaries, we are constantly looking for and seeking His will. But as an observer in the lives of many, I see His great hand manifest many times in their lives. I know that He is our loving Heavenly Father. Because He loves us so much, He sent His Son, even Jesus Christ, to take upon Himself all of our pains, sorrows, sadness, and sin. Because Christ descended below all things, and then triumphed over all, even death, we can overcome all in our lives. We need only Faith in Him, and turn to Him and repent, and he will lift us up. Of this I have a firm witness. 

Elder Adams

Anyways I love you so much! Here are some fun pics of elder Adolpho and I, plus my desk (and shake) and window through which I have seen Brother Mitt Romney 4 times this week, and where I do my sprints. 

 

August 20, 2018 - Big Cottonwood Stake

So to start things off, earlier this week, I was just sitting at my desk, reading from the Book of Mormon, and I looked up out the window, and watched Mitt Romney go on his run past our home. Welcome to Walker Lane, where the smallest house costs over a million dollars!

Here’s a run-down of the miracles from the week:
Monday, we met a guy named Gus who has lots questions. His questions are answered in perfect order through the message of the Restoration of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. So we set up a return appointment! 

Wednesday, we had Daxton and Aidan's baptism! It was so awesome! I love these little guys so much! They are truly converted to their Savior Jesus Christ. We also had a guy use a loudspeaker thing on his truck to shout out to us to cheer us on! We also didn't have a dinner, stopped by to talk with a Bishop, and his wife, who is our mission cook, and they fed us. This was a miracle visit, because while we ate outside, we saw a guy ride by on his bike, and we shouted him down. He expressed his desire to find if God was real, and we immediately set up an appointment.

Thursday, we taught the guy we stopped on the bike, and he wants to be baptized! It was an absolute miracle! 

Friday, we had three lessons fall through in a row, and then we prayed, and the next guy we talked to told us he actually had just decided on his own he wanted to be baptized. We also met a Jewish lady who has lived in Utah for 8 years, and has wanted to read the Book of Mormon, but never got one. So, we gave her one. She said to give her a month to read it, and come back so we can talk more. 

Then, on Saturday, we knocked on a random door, and the guy answered. He told us that the night before he had prayed because he wanted to come to church. So, we gave him the information, and he is coming next week! 

On Sunday we had another new investigator (who preparing for baptism the 2nd week of September) come to church for the first time! It was great! 

I am so grateful to be serving the Lord. I love Him, I bear witness that He lives, and I love our brothers and sisters. 

Unfortunately, Elder Johnson is getting transferred, but I am excited to meet my new companion tomorrow! 

I love the pictures you sent, you all look so great! 

And I love you so much! -Elder Adams

Pics below- The baptism boys! Zone photo (we are loosing 4 to going home, and another 6 to new areas.) And Elder Mushet, my first district leader goes home on Aug 21st (tomorrow).

August 13, 2018 - Big Cottonwood Stake

So this last week has been full of miracles and other awesome experiences!

Tuesday we had an awesome meeting for zone leaders, and it was super great to learn loads. Then, we had 2 mini exchanges where we put many people on date to be baptized. We have two planned this Wednesday; I am so pumped for these guys to get baptized!

Then, Saturday, President M Russell Ballard came and talked with our mission. It was The Coolest Thing Ever. He spoke about how we could improve, and was joined by three other Seventy. One thing President Ballard said was "Oh that I were an angel and could get into every members heart, and teach them the importance of Christ's atonement. Nothing would stop them from sharing this."  

I wanted to share my personal experience with the Atonement of Jesus Christ. As a missionary, we constantly are inviting people to repent from sin and live all of the commandments. Watching people trust 100% in the Lord, and then living all of what I am asked to do has brought the Spirit of the Lord into my life so strongly. As we labor, study, and teach, I can literally feel a power beyond myself leading me in all I say and do. I have had moments where I have a sure knowledge of God's love and existence. I love you all so very much and want you to know that God loves you too. When we sincerely pray to Him, He will hear and answer out prayers. 

Anyways, I love you all! 

Love, Elder Adams

Sweet family feeding our missionaries

August 6, 2018 - Big Cottonwood Stake/Holladay Zone

Happy Birthday to Carson! I thought about him a couple of times yesterday, I hope he is doing so well. I love the pictures! All the kids look so big and grown up, and Dad looks great! 

So these last few days have been insane! We have worked so hard and so long, and miracles are occurring! We are teaching lots of people who have been prepared by the Lord. Hearing some of their back stories, if we had contacted them in a year or a year ago, they would not have been open and ready for the restored gospel of Jesus Christ. We have 3 set with dates for the next couple of weeks, and it is incredible to see people feel God's love, receive answers from Him, and desire to follow all His commandments. 

I personally am doing super well! My shoes are solid, they might make it till next July, and as for clothes, I am doing great. My socks are fine for now, I will keep you posted if that status changes. And we have too much food! Luckily Elder Johnson likes to run as well, so we go about 20 mins every morning! It is so nice! And that is genius to bring my bike to college! I will for sure be doing that! 

I love this work so much! The short hair feels great, it got cut shorter than I intended, but oh well, it grows back! I love you so much Mom! You keep on keeping on too!

Also the Jordan River temple was awesome! Here are some pictures from it. My companion, Elder Johnson, is the one wearing the matching tie with me, in the picture of 4 he is far left.

August 1, 2018 (Wed. P-day) Big Cottonwood Stake/Holladay Zone

Yes, things have been amazing here! So many people to teach and help get baptized! The couple that just got baptized are from Bosnia. They have been a joy to teach because of their simple faith and desire to do what God wants them to do. For example, when the Word of Wisdom was taught they immediately took the coffee maker outside, and were done with coffee. It was an absolute  spiritual experience, and they are so happy and excited to continue on this covenant path to live with God again.

The Petersons are awesome, we are blessed with some stalwart members of the church. The work is hastning and it is a blast.

Being a zone leader is great, it really just equals more meetings and less sleep. So I am in a zone of 22 missionaries. 6 are sisters, and each area covers either  1, 2, or 3 stakes. We just have one stake, which we bike, and then we also have a car for transporting bikes, people, stuff, and ourselves to meetings. We are on an exchange weekly, with mini splits throughout. The new bike is a blast, I bought it new, got a nice discount and it is hastening our work! We are headed to the Jordan River Temple now, which is going to be awesome!

A fun story for the week, and then some spiritual experiences: So we were teaching some kids who are preparing to be baptized in a couple of weeks, and the youngest guy, who is only 8, is super funny. We asked him what he had learned from reading a pamphlet, and he said, "That Jesus has super powers!" It was super cute, and he loves His Savior so very much.

A spiritual experience came when the Spirit led Elder Johnson to the side of an apartment building. He told a lady who was sitting down that someone on this side of the building needed to be baptized, and that the Spirit had told him that. She went through all her neighbors, nobody seemed right, she was already baptized, and then finally she was like “oh yeah, my 14 year old son isn't baptized yet. Do you want to talk to him?” Well, he is now also growing his faith in Jesus Christ, and hopefully will be baptized in August as well. Another experience was last night. We have been trying to find people to teach every day. Everyone kept pushing us off until last night. Then, last night we taught the message of the Restoration of the Gospel of Jesus Christ three times in a row, and each time, the person we were teaching was touched by the Spirit, the first guy will take more time, the second guy desires to know the truth and then be baptized, and the third guy is a professional basketball player for the Jazz video gaming team (yes it is real, and he is super famous I guess) wants to get baptized. 

I know that this is Christ's church, and that we can now this through reading and asking God if the Book of Mormon is true! 

It is so great to be serving others! This is the greatest thing I have ever done in my life!

I love you all!
Elder Adams