Week Twelve: THIS WEEK WAS BOMB

Mama!!! Thank you for your email and for the pictures! It was so fun seeing all the Woolsey's!! I love you. But you know that :) I had such a good week this week! We had a Leadership Training down in Canandaigua with President Christianson. Yes, he did co-write LIFE LESSONS FROM THE BOOK OF MORMON and many more. You can get some of his talks on CD too. He is the coolest. You should go to Deseret Book and get them, learning from him has changed my life. Just go to the Deseret Book and get anything that says Jack R. Christianson on it, and I promise you, it will be good and you will learn SO MUCH from it.  I am so lucky I get to learn from him in person. He is friends with many of the members of the Twelve. So he has some cute/funny/cool stories about being around them. 

So I think I told you about the goal we made to pass out 5 cards per companionship in our house each day for the pageant. Well, Heavenly Father is putting way more than five people in our path each day, even when we have no time to pass out cards. Most days we get out ten or more! We have been meeting so many people and most of them tell us they are for sure coming! I'm pretty sure this goal we have made is going to make the attendance at the pageant shoot way up! That makes me so happy you are working with the Sisters in our ward! Missionaries cannot do this work alone. We need members to help us! The best investigators come from member referrals, that way they have friends to answer their questions when the missionaries aren't there and when they are baptized they already are fellow shipped and have friends in the ward! Keep it up! I am sure the Sisters love and appreciate all you are doing and I do too, and most importantly Heavenly Father appreciates you. He wants all of His children back- missionary work is the way to do that. 

We have had a lot of youth buses come to the sites lately.  I meet all of these cute girls that are Erika's age and it makes me miss her. But it is fun because I feel like I have lots of little sisters that I get to teach and influence when they come to the sites! So the other day, Sister Barrus and I were trying to find people to teach. Even though we have no extra time to do proselyting work, we made a goal to find and baptize this transfer because we really feel there are people prepared right now that need to be found and taught.  Well right when we made some goals to do this, we found some darling girls that are ready and wanting to learn! Not only did we find them- but Heavenly Father is giving us the energy and time to teach them. If only you could see our planners.... we DO NOT have time. But somehow we find the time to see them! Their names are Bethany and Lindsay.  Bethany is friends with the Graham family and Lindsay is a niece of a recent convert in our ward! They both just graduated from high school. Sidenote: I just need to express my love for the Graham family. Sister Graham takes such good care of us. She is such an angel and her kids are awesome. She reminds me of you Mom. She loves her animals and loves gardens and cooking GOOD FOOD. Although Brother Graham does most of the yard work and gardening :) kind of like Dad. They are a fun family. Last Sunday we were over there and they have a bee hive!  Their friends who are experts on bee keeping came over to check their hive and they taught us so much about it! Sister Graham made homemade rolls with their fresh honey. It was heavenly! Now I want a bee hive! Not only does it make your garden thrive, but you get fresh heavenly honey, AND from the bees wax you can make candles and chapstick! It is like homemade Burt's BEES!!! It was so interesting and fun to learn all of that. 

I will end by telling you about our day yesterday. After all of our studies and working at the Book of Mormon Publication Site, we went to go talk to Lindsay's dad. He was not comfortable with us coming to his house to teach her so we wanted to settle some of his concerns and let him meet us personally.  We prayed so hard that he would be home and his heart would be soft so we could talk to him and tell him what we are all about. When we pulled up to the house, he had just pulled in, so we caught him before he went inside.  We explained to him that we don't want to step on any toes, or go behind his back, that we just want to be straight forward with him and help his daughter learn more about Jesus Christ, His Atonement, and His restored Gospel. Well he ended up being such a nice guy! He doesn't want to learn, but he is going to let us teach Lindsay! Our prayers were answered. He has a huge apple orchard around his house too.  They provide a lot of the apples for MOTTS apple sauce! Pretty cool. Then on the way home we took back roads from Sodus to Newark. I cannot describe to you how cool all the old farms back in there were. It was a BEAUTIFUL drive. I want to take Dad down those roads so he can see, he'd love it. Also, the sun was setting and the clouds looked fake and everything was just GREEN. We stopped to take pictures like eight times because we could not believe just how beautiful it was. Well at this point we hadn't got our cards for pageant yet. So in Newark we parked in a neighborhood near the post office and just went for a walk! We didn't have much time before we had to get home but we ran into tons of people and invited them! The last group of people were a group of six HUGE black men outside the post office. I should have been scared to go over there but I felt the Spirit telling me to go so I just went with it!  Well, when we got there we realized why! Those men were all veterans, part of N.A., and had just got out of their meeting. They had the light of Christ in their eyes so brightly and they were all just happy! Haha so picture two little blonde girls between six huge black guys talking about Jesus Christ together! It was GREAT! When we walked up one them said, "ANGELS!" ahaha they told us they could tell we had the light of Christ within us too. I talked to David and Bruce for most of the time. I explained to David how we are all brothers and sisters of our loving Heavenly Father and he was like, "Giiiirrrl, I mean Sister Adams, I believe it! You white, but you my sista!" Haha it was so awesome. He wanted to know our purpose as missionaries and why we come out and do this. When I told him what we do, he just told me, "Keep doin' what your doin' Sister, you are going to change the world." Isn't that sweet! Then I talked to Bruce and he told me about how he served in Vietnam... I thanked him from the bottom of my heart for his service and told him about Mace. I got kind of teary eyed and he did too. He told me how he lost his way, but through Christ he has found it. I told him I wanted to teach him how to find his way even more clearly and so invited him to the pageant.  Bruce promised me that he would be there with David and some of the other guys- he said he wouldn't miss it for the world. :) They don't live in our mission, so we gave them our number and told them to let us know what night they come so they can sit with us! It was so fun talking to all of them and meeting them. The Spirit was that was there was SO POWERFUL. I feel like they are already my best friends!

So that was my week! It was such a good one! I am so happy and I love this work. I know that this is the Lord's work and that He is using me as an instrument in His hands to invite people to come unto Him, and to learn and apply His Gospel in their lives. I love you all so much. Thank you for your prayers and for all you are doing to help God's work push forward back home. 'Til next week!

XOXOX,
Sister Adams


We got pictures from Sister Adams this week - enjoy!!!!!!

Explanation...She was trying to protect her eyes from the smoke coming off the deep fried popcorn shrimp.

Week Eleven: Lovin' the NYRM

Hi Mama! Your email is making me loud laugh in the library again. Haha Thank you for the email I enjoy your emails so much. I am glad to hear Dad is getting better.  I’ve been praying for him and for you taking care of him! How was his Father’s Day? I hope it was a good one.  I was missing all of you so much on Father’s Day.  It was probably the first time I actually felt homesick and realized it.  I’m glad Cowboy Kent has been taking such good care of the Princess Camp little girls.  Yes, he is going to be a good “papa” and he is getting some great practice in now :) Speaking of Dad, does he know a Glen or Gary Fuller? The Fullers are a senior couple that I work with all the time. They lived in Morland when Dad would have been in high school I think. Glen and Gary are about his age and those are their sons. Let me know! Elder and Sister Fuller and I have WAYYY too much fun working together.  But that’s a good thing :)

Sister Barrus and I made coconut shrimp this week. We felt so legit, but I guess it is dangerous to deep fry like that in your kitchen. So we prayed we wouldn't burn the house down and we didn't! The coconut shrimp was delish. The smoke in the air though was burning my eyes... I needed goggles or something, so I decided to get creative and make some. So I got my glasses and taped a post-it note around the sides and onto my face so the smoke couldn't get it.  Sister Barrus walked in our room to get me right when I finished taping them on my face and she just stopped and starred at me. So I said, "uhhhh I was trying to make goggles!?" Haha I have never seen her laugh so hard. Good times. 

I am now officially being trained to be a cast trainer!  It is a lot of studying and practicing but I am getting so pumped for Pageant! I am one of the six missionaries that get to be involved. What a privilege! We go over to the Beckmans, another senior couple, and they feed us and we practice our workshops twice a week on Wednesdays and Saturdays.  It is fun because I get to be around Sister Jones and Sister Hawkes! Sister Hawkes lives with us and Sister Correia now and I just LOVE her! She is from Centerville up in the Salt Lake Valley. She fits right in and now our cast training team is complete!

Sister Barrus and I finally had a day to spend in our area yesterday.  It was such a great day! We spent the day in Sodus.  We went to the nursing home up there to see SisterThomas. She is 98 years old! Sweet lady.  She told us she didn’t have a Book of Mormon so we told her we would get her a large print one and bring it to her asap! Before we left we sang a few songs to her and her little roommate, Marie, listened too.  They were both getting a little teary eyed; it was so sweet! Sister Thomas just thanked us for coming and Marie just told me how much she loves the Lord! We turned around after we finished and there were about six people standing and sitting in wheelchairs in the doorway.  Heavenly Father loves all those people so much. I was glad I could be an instrument to help them feel that love He has for them.  I asked Marie, she is not a member if she had a Bible.  She said yes, and so I asked her if she would like a Book of Mormon, that we were bringing one forSister Thomas and it was just like the Bible-it teaches and testifies of Jesus Christ.  She didn’t even hesitate and said, “oh yes, I would love that!”

After that we went and visited the Bennett family.  That was my first time over there.  They live on a hill and from their backyard you can see Lake Ontario!  Beautiful view! SisterBennett spoiled us and gave us a bag full of lotions and shampoo and conditioner and split end repair crème and some other stuff to make us beautiful.  We were so excited! She is so generous to give all of that to us. We shared a spiritual thought with her and her teenagers and headed over to the Grahams for dinner.  Sister Graham made tacos! I was so excited for some Mexican! After dinner we helped clean up a little and we played Uno Attack with their family.  It got competitive haha, but there really never is a dull moment at the Graham house.  Just like our house! We shared a dinner thought with them and then headed on home. I love driving back and forth from Sodus to Newark.  It is such a pretty drive. I can’t wait to take you guys around my mission. I think Dad will love to see all the cute farms and things. 

So we set a goal in our house, and Heavenly Father has been helping us to accomplish it. We are passing out and talking to 10 pass-along cards for Pageant and inviting people each day.  So that means 5 per companionship. Even when we don’t have time during the day to do that, we get people put in our path so that we can! It has been amazing to see that when we do our best and it may not be enough that Heavenly Father steps in and helps us.  We have made some really great friends, found some potential investigators, and been shut down so many times! It is so great! And the fun part is, that WE are the six missionaries that will be proselyting with the cast at Pageant, so we are going to get to see our new friends that we invited there and we’ll get a chance to teach them! WOO WOO!! I am so excited for Pageant! It is just around the corner and even though we are crazy busy, I love it and I am having the time of my life.

I love you so much Mom. Thank you for everything you do for me. Especially for raising me to be like you and Dad. I am so lucky to have such great parents like you. Erika, I saw a picture of you in the recital doing “Fix You” and I just cried. You are beautiful sister. Miss you tons, love you even more!

Love,

Sister Adams

Week Ten: We Are Now In Pageant Mode

Hey family! It is so fun to read your emails! Mama!!!! You are getting a new car?!? What made dad finally give in? Wow you lucky duck. Let me know what kinda car you get. Probably a smaller one since it won't be more than a few years and you and Dad will be empty nesters! Weird. Nana moved out of my room? Tell her I am a little bit offended and wish she stayed longer. I made some pretty sweet goulash with the El Pato you sent me! It was BOMB. Everyone in the Gingerbread house loved it. I just threw it together and it turned out great. Thank you for the crock-pot recipe book! That will definitely be put to use! 

Well the past three days have been HOT and MUGGY. Working outside at the Smith Farm made for a sweaty day but I got some nice tan lines. Today it has been nice! Sister Barrus and I made a goal to get up early to walk every morning. This morning it was pouring rain and we went anyways so we could follow through with the goal we set. It was so much fun! I just sang songs like, "I'm Singing in the Rain" (with a little Gene Kelley dance) "It's Raining Men" (with dance moves I taught Sr. Showstopper Co. before I left) and that primary song that goes, "I like to look for rainbows, whenever there is rain..." (with interpretive movement/sign language--had to get a church song in there too). It was a fun walk and we got back home and were soaking wet.

Last p-day we went to the Rochester Science Museum! It was way fun! Sister Sultanian wanted to go for her last p-day so we all went! She is flying back to Jordan tomorrow. I am going to miss her so much. When I send you home videos of her you will understand why. She is HILARIOUS and her and I became so close so fast. I am glad I got the chance to live with her, even if it was for only one transfer. 

We have been doing lots of service lately. We went to the Hargarthers house in Clifton Springs last Wednesday to help Sister Hargarther out. She has four beautiful children under the age of six, her husband has been in the hospital after an intense foot surgery, and she needed some extra hands. We ran to the laundromat to get some loads done, ran to the store for her, and cleaned her floors. I got a little bit of bleach on the bottom edge of my strawberry dress.... I was sad about that but I was happy we got to go help her because she was having such a hard time. The Hargarthers are such a sweet family and their kids are so cool! We also got to stop by Demay Living Center to visit Joan for her birthday! We told her she looked beautiful and she says, "That's 'cause I got my war paint on!" haha I love Joan! We sang to her and then she made us take some of the treats people had been bringing her. You know I won't say no to treats. :)

We are so so busy now that Pageant is getting close! We are starting cast training workshop practice twice a week and cast training study for an hour everyday. That makes for now 5 hours of study each day and then working at a site for the other half of the day.  I have been learning SO MUCH in my studies everyday. I am so thankful for the time we get to study each day. Usually I hate to study but I sure love it now! Sometimes it is frustrating not having as much time in our area as we would like, but we are called as cast trainers. So we need to be putting our time and efforts into that until Pageant is over. Hill Cumorah Pageant will be July 13th through the 21st. 

We have had so many guests at the sites! The numbers get bigger each week! The deer are having their babies in the Sacred Grove now and so lots of guests come in and show us pictures of little fawns that they see in the Grove! I am so jealous! I want to go in there to see one so mad! But we are too busy to get to spend any time in the Grove at this time of year. The other day I was working at the Hill Cumorah Visitors' Center and I had these grandparents come in with their two little granddaughters ages 2 and 4. The two year old walked in and could not wait to get up to the statue of Jesus. She ran as fast as she could into the Christus room so I followed her in there and she went up and touched His foot and said, "Man, Jesus is tute (cute)." Haha so funny. I love little kids. It is so fun when we get lots of them at the sites. 

Thank you for the packages with all the fun little prizes inside! That made me smile. I love you all so much and think of you daily. I hope Erika and Dad are getting better! Have a great week!
Loves,
Sister Adams

Week Nine: Great Week in the Cradle of the Restoration!!

Hey Mom, Dad, and Erika, (and Nana)!!!! Well I didn't have time to
read your email so I am going to print it off and respond to it in a
letter today.

This week has been so wonderful! The sites get busier and busier each
day. It has been fun to teach and meet people from all over the world!
The other day I took a family from Switzerland around and then also a
family from Brazil! Such a great experience! We are also getting a lot
of Mormon families from Utah coming through. They are stopping here at
the sites with their little boys before they go to Coopers Town for
their baseball tournaments. Some of these kids are so funny! I will be
teaching them and giving them a tour and then all the sudden they will
start to interview ME! The line of questioning usually goes something
like this: "What's your name?" "How old are you?" "Did you go to BYU?"
"What does ASU stand for?" "What did you study?" "What kind of dance?"
"Can you show us your dance moves?" <--at this point I say haha no...
sorry! and they go "Awwww well can you teach us one?" and so I do! It
has been fun! Then I tell them that for a while when I was about their
age I played baseball and then I went back to fast pitch softball.
Then they think I am cool and then they listen to me and pay attention
more! I love taking kids and youth on tour. It is always a good tour
with them.

Sister Barrus and I have been cooking and eating healthy! It is fun as
we play with recipes and figure out how to make really healthy things
taste better without adding the bad stuff.  Although this morning we
decided to treat ourselves and Sister Barrus made German pancakes. And
were they delicious? UM.. YES! She made buttermilk syrup too! It was
like dessert for breakfast! But they are made of mostly eggs so maybe
that gave us some nutrients for this morning! Hey! Did you know that
the word stressed spelled backwards is the word desserts??? YEAH! So
there's your remedy for stress!

I am the driver now in my companionship. Sister Barrus has been pulled
over a couple times so President asked me to drive. I feel so bad for
Sister Barrus! She really tries hard to follow the speed limit! But
the speed limit signs here in New York are put in tricky spots
sometimes and they never give you a warning... she was really upset. I
don't blame her. So now I am driving. You better believe I pray
everyday that the Lord will take away my lead foot. I have been doing
good so far and I like driving so it is all well.

It has been raining a lot here lately. I love the rain so it makes me
happy! It is nice and cool here too. Not hot, not humid which has been
nice. I'm sure it won't be long until we get to that point. Once
pageant comes around it will be that way, so we are enjoying the nice
weather while we have it. I open all the windows every morning so we
get a nice cool breeze through the house. I feel like Dad! He always
does that. It is funny to see how when I am not with all of you I do
things that you do! It freaks me out, but then I like it :) I love you
all. With all my heart. Erika, I have been thinking a lot about you
this week. I miss you seester. I miss laughing with you and pulling
pranks on mom and dad. Take care of them and keep everyone in line for
me! Nana, get better and it is okay to show emotion! :) That is what
makes you.. you! Mom and Dad, thanks for everything. You are a huge
part of why I am the way I am and why I am here doing the Lord's work.
You were the ones who taught me and made our home a special place for
me to learn and come closer to Christ. My testimony is growing so much
out here. I know all the things that happened here in my mission are
true. They are real. I know that this is the Lord's work and that I am
in His hands. It's all true. I know it.

I love you,
Sister Adams