Mom I am getting shushed in the library because your emails made me laugh so hard. I got in trouble... oops! Not my fault my family is hilarious and I have a loud laugh. Oh well they will get over it.
Well hey! I bet you are wondering why I am emailing early this week. The reason is because of the weather. We have hurricane Sandy coming from the east, high winds coming from the west, and an arctic blast coming from the north. And guess where they are all going to overlap...Yep, here in Western New York. Rochester area is on high alert right now. So President and Sister Christianson told us to stay home and inside, and the Searles (the site directors) told us we are grounded from the sites. So crazy! So we thought we would hurry and come email this morning so that you all don't worry about us. So really, don't worry about us. We will be just fine and are more than prepared for this storm.
This past week has been great! As always... I feel like I never say anything else. But it really is always great! Heavenly Father has been answering my prayers. So things with Jina were really rough for a while... but Sister Butters and I prayed everyday
that somehow she would feel the Spirit and continue to read and pray and do what's right. Well we FINALLY got back in to see her. We were so nervous, but then she proceeds to tell Sister Butters and I that she has been remembering her dreams and that never happens to her. She has been dreaming of her baptism day and how happy she will feel when she is baptized. Is that a miracle or what! So we recommitted her to be baptized and she is really excited. :)
And Jimmy is doing great too! He came to church yesterday! We also had a lesson with him at the Hill Cumorah Visitors' Center this week and President and Sister Christianson came with us for a team-up lesson. Could you get a better team-up? NO. It was such a spiritual experience. Seriously, Jimmy knows he is on the right path. Right now, he is trying to not focus on the thoughts rolling around his head but to focus on the seed that he has planted in his heart. I know that it is going to swell, and sprout, and begin to grow; because the seed is good. (Alma 32:28) He is doing awesome and has found the truth. He has such a genuine desire to know these things. I know God will answer Jimmy's prayers for this great knowledge that will change, benefit, and improve his life, and the life of his two kids.
This week we also had a specialized training with President Christianson. Okay so for the past few weeks, when I get the chance, I have been studying the House of Israel. I felt like I was just barely skimming the surface of it and that I really wanted President to teach it to us. So I kept studying and prayed for help that I might understand more fully. Well, President gets up to do the training and announces that we will be learning about the House of Israel! I about jumped out of my seat and shouted for joy! That was an answer to my prayers! President took two and a half hours to teach us about the House of Israel and the significance of it and how Israel is being gathered NOW- through the Book of Mormon. I have never had so much knowledge crammed into my head so powerfully, clearly, and quickly. If anything that lesson just helped me realize who I am. Through all generations of time, people have turned from God because they have forgotten who they are. They are children of God and the covenant people of the Lord. They throw that out the window for things of the world that don't matter! That is why the tribes of Israel were scattered. Now if we go to the title page of the Book of Mormon, this is what Moroni wrote and attached to the very back of the gold plates under the sealed portion. It says,
"Wherefore, it is an abridgement of the record of the people of Nephi, and also of the Lamanites-- Written to the Lamanites, who are a remnant of the house of Israel; and also to the Jew and Gentile."So who is it for? EVERYONE.
"Written by way of commandment, and also by the spirit of prophesy and revelation--Written and sealed up...and hid up unto the Lord, to come forth in due time by way of the Gentile." Here we are in a Gentile nation, America, and they came forth by way of Joseph Smith.
"Which is to show unto the House of Israel what great things the Lord hath done for their fathers; and that they may know the covenants of the Lord, they they are not cast off forever-- And also to the convincing of the Jew and Gentile that JESUS IS THE CHRIST, the ETERNAL GOD, manifesting himself unto all nations."
Isn't that powerful!? I think about how many times I have skipped over the title page and look at the power in it! The Book of Mormon is here to be spread throughout the earth to help people remember who they are. That they are of the House of Israel and to gather them in! I know that I am of the House of Israel, the tribe of Ephraim. No wonder I felt a sudden random prompting to leave everything behind and come share the Book of Mormon with the world! Before I came to earth, I had the gift of spirituality, to recognize truth and to believe. That is why Heavenly Father sent me to this Gentile nation, as a member of the tribe of Ephraim, in this dispensation. I have believing blood coursing through my veins. It is a literal blood line... it is in my DNA. And because of this, I have this desire in me to share it and to get my brothers and sister back to where they need to be, where they belong. And the Book of Mormon is the instrument God has given us to do this. It drives me crazy when people accuse us of adding to the Bible or replacing it. No, we are proving that the Bible is true and gathering Israel. Just like it has been prophesied since the beginning. This work is real. It is God's work. He loves us, and I testify of His divine reality.
I love you all so much.
Love, Sister Adams
(here are some great scriptures in the BOM about it's significance in the gathering of Israel: 1 Nephi 15:12-18, 2 Nephi 29:13-14, 3 Nephi 29:chapter heading and verses 1-3, 3 Nephi 30:chapter heading and verses 1-2. There are tons more but I think you will like these.)
PS- Erika, I was talking to Kathy last night and she was asking me about you and I told her how at first you had a hard time with me leaving you to serve a mission. Kathy wanted me to tell you, "Thank you for letting your sister go so that she could come here to help me." Love you sissy :)
Monday, October 29, 2012
Tuesday, October 23, 2012
Happy Happy Happy
Hey Mama! Thank you for the package :) I got it yesterday and I am wearing a cute cardigan that I love so much! Guess what Sister Butters and I did this morning?...... P90X! We are going to be fit! When we finished and were making breakfast we were feelin' it that's for sure. I am so glad you sent that to me. And I got to vote! Thank you for sending me my ballot! That is the first time I have voted for the president of the United States. Cool. Oh you told me that I would need to order a down coat instead of the one I bought. Well the coat I bought is down... it is huge like Nana's puffy coat but thicker and longer. And it has fur around the hood. I am going to look like a black marshmallow Eskimo but I don't care. Better than turning into an ice cube. Thank you for the gloves! They are going to work great. I had a feeling to hold back on buying gloves- little did I know you already had some for me. Mother daughter vibes? yes :) Keri and Craig are having a baby girl! I am so excited I can't even handle it. She sent me an ultrasound of little baby Audrey Ford and it was so cute! Little profile!
This past week has been a good one. We have a new elder in our district who just arrived from the MTC. His name is Elder Houskeeper. And guess who he got to meet on his first day in the field? Kathy. She is the hoarder I've been telling you about and let me tell ya, she is a hoot. Elders Erekson and Houskeeper came with Sister Butters and I to help her get rid of more of her things. Then that way the elders could take it and put it right in their truck and into a storage unit so she wouldn't look through the boxes and decide to keep anything. She is hilarious though. She likes me to sing scriptures to her. So she will look through my scriptures and pick one that I have marked, then pick a hymn for a tune and make me sing the scripture to that tune. Sometimes she catches me tap dancing and I don't even realize I am doing it. You know how I always have busy feet... it makes her laugh. Then I clap my hands and say "vaudeville!" and she laughs ever harder. (Thank you Uncle Timmy) We have fun seeing Kathy but since her room is all cleaned out now, YES we finished it thank goodness, we don't need to go over there as much.
Things with Jimmy are good now. At first he would not let Sister Butters and I teach him! It was so frustrating. He wouldn't even give us a chance to talk and answer his questions. He would just go from verse to verse in the Bible of places that the doctrine doesn't match up. Seriously, it was like Bible chase with Jimmy time. Plus he picks apart the sentence structure and the words and makes them into something that is not true and does not matter. At first I was kind of intimidated that he knew the Bible so well, but then I realized that the simple doctrine from the missionary lessons answer all those deep doctrine questions you can't find the answer to in the Bible. And if Jimmy was not going to listen to us then there was really nothing we could do for him. As a missionary, my purpose is to invite others to come unto Christ, by helping them receive the restored gospel through, faith in Jesus Christ and His Atonement, repentance, baptism, receiving the Gift of the Holy Ghost, and enduring to the end. Not to go on Bible chases. Sister Butters and I were really upset about how our first two lessons with him turned out, but then we decided to just sit and explain our purpose to him. Finally he agreed to listening to us and letting us teach him these things he doesn't know because of the "plain and precious things" that were lost out of the Bible. (1Nephi 20-29) And what do you know... he understood and everything made sense to him! We still have a lot of questions to answer for him but that will come as we teach him more. I was so relieved that it worked out.
We have been having many church historians, BYU professors, and general authorities (seventies) coming into the historic sites lately. It is crazy because they are all just wearing normal clothes more often than not and we have no idea who they are. Then at the end of the tour we find out and are all shocked. They walk out the door and leave and all of our mouths drop haha. But it is fun! I would rather know after than before so I can just do my thing with the Spirit and not get nervous.
Here's a miracle for you: Sister Butters and I were tracting one evening and it was really cloudy and looked like rain. We were pretty far from our car and I thought, "we are for sure going to have to run back to our car to get umbrellas." We didn't have dinner until 7 pm so we had a few hours to tract. And not one drop of rain fell until 6:55 pm. Thanks Heavenly Father!
I tried to send Mace a letter, Dad and Jean gave me his address but it got sent back to me-so I don't know how to get it to him... any suggestions? I love my family! Especially you mom and dad. Thank you for raising me the way you did. I wouldn't be so happy if it wasn't for you raising me in the gospel. I really am so happy! All the time it is ridiculous! I know this joy comes from the living the gospel and sharing it. It is wonderful.
Love you bunches,
Sister Alexandra Adams
This past week has been a good one. We have a new elder in our district who just arrived from the MTC. His name is Elder Houskeeper. And guess who he got to meet on his first day in the field? Kathy. She is the hoarder I've been telling you about and let me tell ya, she is a hoot. Elders Erekson and Houskeeper came with Sister Butters and I to help her get rid of more of her things. Then that way the elders could take it and put it right in their truck and into a storage unit so she wouldn't look through the boxes and decide to keep anything. She is hilarious though. She likes me to sing scriptures to her. So she will look through my scriptures and pick one that I have marked, then pick a hymn for a tune and make me sing the scripture to that tune. Sometimes she catches me tap dancing and I don't even realize I am doing it. You know how I always have busy feet... it makes her laugh. Then I clap my hands and say "vaudeville!" and she laughs ever harder. (Thank you Uncle Timmy) We have fun seeing Kathy but since her room is all cleaned out now, YES we finished it thank goodness, we don't need to go over there as much.
Things with Jimmy are good now. At first he would not let Sister Butters and I teach him! It was so frustrating. He wouldn't even give us a chance to talk and answer his questions. He would just go from verse to verse in the Bible of places that the doctrine doesn't match up. Seriously, it was like Bible chase with Jimmy time. Plus he picks apart the sentence structure and the words and makes them into something that is not true and does not matter. At first I was kind of intimidated that he knew the Bible so well, but then I realized that the simple doctrine from the missionary lessons answer all those deep doctrine questions you can't find the answer to in the Bible. And if Jimmy was not going to listen to us then there was really nothing we could do for him. As a missionary, my purpose is to invite others to come unto Christ, by helping them receive the restored gospel through, faith in Jesus Christ and His Atonement, repentance, baptism, receiving the Gift of the Holy Ghost, and enduring to the end. Not to go on Bible chases. Sister Butters and I were really upset about how our first two lessons with him turned out, but then we decided to just sit and explain our purpose to him. Finally he agreed to listening to us and letting us teach him these things he doesn't know because of the "plain and precious things" that were lost out of the Bible. (1Nephi 20-29) And what do you know... he understood and everything made sense to him! We still have a lot of questions to answer for him but that will come as we teach him more. I was so relieved that it worked out.
We have been having many church historians, BYU professors, and general authorities (seventies) coming into the historic sites lately. It is crazy because they are all just wearing normal clothes more often than not and we have no idea who they are. Then at the end of the tour we find out and are all shocked. They walk out the door and leave and all of our mouths drop haha. But it is fun! I would rather know after than before so I can just do my thing with the Spirit and not get nervous.
Here's a miracle for you: Sister Butters and I were tracting one evening and it was really cloudy and looked like rain. We were pretty far from our car and I thought, "we are for sure going to have to run back to our car to get umbrellas." We didn't have dinner until 7 pm so we had a few hours to tract. And not one drop of rain fell until 6:55 pm. Thanks Heavenly Father!
I tried to send Mace a letter, Dad and Jean gave me his address but it got sent back to me-so I don't know how to get it to him... any suggestions? I love my family! Especially you mom and dad. Thank you for raising me the way you did. I wouldn't be so happy if it wasn't for you raising me in the gospel. I really am so happy! All the time it is ridiculous! I know this joy comes from the living the gospel and sharing it. It is wonderful.
Love you bunches,
Sister Alexandra Adams
Friday, October 19, 2012
Sister Butters and I are still Together
It is a start of a new transfer and Sister Butters and I get to stay together! We are so excited. So last p-day after I emailed you guys Sister Butters and I went and walked the Hill Cumorah with Bob. It is getting cold so we only have so much time to play outside! He brought us both an empire apple, his favorite kind, so we can try them. They are only grown here in New York and they are delish! Probably my favorite right now. Apple season is so fun and healthy!
Sister Butters and I had a miracle this week. We were planning our day and we were in Palmyra for half the day and we thought we'd come back to Newark to do studies before our meetings at night but for some reason we felt we should stay in Palmyra to do our studies. So we did. Well we were upstairs in the Book of Mormon Publication Site and President Christianson came in to talk to another sister that was working the shift there. Her grandma had passed away the night before and she was devastated. She was not up to taking tours and she still had a few hours to work. And on top of that, a huge bus tour from Utah was coming. (We are getting lots of bus tours because of the changing leaves) Luckily Sister Butters and I followed the prompting to stay in Palmyra because we were there and ready to take over and help out with this huge group of people. To us it was just a small thing but to this other sister she really needed us there! Always follow that still small voice even if it does not make sense. God knows everything and sees everything. We do not. So if we just following those small promptings of the Spirit we can really make a difference in the lives of others. President Christianson came up to Sister Butters and I and asked us how we were doing. Sister Butters goes, "Awesome!" and then I said, "No bad! You should keep us together because we still need to figure out our issues." President just busted up laughing. I'm glad he thinks I'm funny and not a weirdo.
We received new site couples this week and they are wonderful. Of course that means we had to say goodbye to the ones that we love. The Malans had such a hard time leaving. I know I will have the same. We all get so attached to the Spirit that is at these sacred sites. When the Malans were about to pull out of their driveway to head back west we pulled up and saw them about to leave. So all four of us, Sisters Hawkes, Graham, Butters, and I, ran up to them and gave them hugs- even Elder Malan haha. They were both in tears but we just put a smile on and let them know we loved them. So hard! But I am excited for them to be back with their family.
Things with Jina have gone kind of down hill. I don't really want to talk about it 'cause I will get frustrated and sad. But we are not giving up on her. We have a new investigator named James. He is way cool. He trains racing horses. He knows the Bible forwards and backwards. He recognizes the parts that are missing in the Bible how some things don't match up. He's been reading the Book of Mormon for three days now and loves the clarity it brings to the doctrines. This guy is a single dad right now and lives with his parents because his wife went crazy... but he has a heart of gold and is so genuine. Sister Butters and I are glad we get to teach him and bring the full truth into his life.
I love getting to share the Book of Mormon with people. It is the most correct book on the face of this earth. A well known scripture at the end is in Moroni 10:4-5. As members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, we know this scripture to be "Moroni's Promise". But to me it is not just Moroni's Promise... Moroni was a prophet of God- he spoke the words of God. So to me it is "God's Promise". He loves us. He sent us to the earth and He wants us back. While we are here He wants us to know the truth so that we can return to Him and live with Him forever as families. "And when we shall recieve these things, I would exhort you that ye would ask God, the Eternal Father, in the name of Christ, if these things are not true; and if ye shall ask with a sincere heart with real intent, having faith in Christ, He will manifest the truth of it unto you, by the power of the Holy Ghost. And by the power of the Holy Ghost, ye may know the truth of ALL things." I know that anyone who does this can know the truth for themselves, straight from their Father in Heaven. I know these things because I have done it.
I love you all so much. Hope you have a wonderful week!
Love, Sister Adams
Sister Butters and I had a miracle this week. We were planning our day and we were in Palmyra for half the day and we thought we'd come back to Newark to do studies before our meetings at night but for some reason we felt we should stay in Palmyra to do our studies. So we did. Well we were upstairs in the Book of Mormon Publication Site and President Christianson came in to talk to another sister that was working the shift there. Her grandma had passed away the night before and she was devastated. She was not up to taking tours and she still had a few hours to work. And on top of that, a huge bus tour from Utah was coming. (We are getting lots of bus tours because of the changing leaves) Luckily Sister Butters and I followed the prompting to stay in Palmyra because we were there and ready to take over and help out with this huge group of people. To us it was just a small thing but to this other sister she really needed us there! Always follow that still small voice even if it does not make sense. God knows everything and sees everything. We do not. So if we just following those small promptings of the Spirit we can really make a difference in the lives of others. President Christianson came up to Sister Butters and I and asked us how we were doing. Sister Butters goes, "Awesome!" and then I said, "No bad! You should keep us together because we still need to figure out our issues." President just busted up laughing. I'm glad he thinks I'm funny and not a weirdo.
We received new site couples this week and they are wonderful. Of course that means we had to say goodbye to the ones that we love. The Malans had such a hard time leaving. I know I will have the same. We all get so attached to the Spirit that is at these sacred sites. When the Malans were about to pull out of their driveway to head back west we pulled up and saw them about to leave. So all four of us, Sisters Hawkes, Graham, Butters, and I, ran up to them and gave them hugs- even Elder Malan haha. They were both in tears but we just put a smile on and let them know we loved them. So hard! But I am excited for them to be back with their family.
Things with Jina have gone kind of down hill. I don't really want to talk about it 'cause I will get frustrated and sad. But we are not giving up on her. We have a new investigator named James. He is way cool. He trains racing horses. He knows the Bible forwards and backwards. He recognizes the parts that are missing in the Bible how some things don't match up. He's been reading the Book of Mormon for three days now and loves the clarity it brings to the doctrines. This guy is a single dad right now and lives with his parents because his wife went crazy... but he has a heart of gold and is so genuine. Sister Butters and I are glad we get to teach him and bring the full truth into his life.
I love getting to share the Book of Mormon with people. It is the most correct book on the face of this earth. A well known scripture at the end is in Moroni 10:4-5. As members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, we know this scripture to be "Moroni's Promise". But to me it is not just Moroni's Promise... Moroni was a prophet of God- he spoke the words of God. So to me it is "God's Promise". He loves us. He sent us to the earth and He wants us back. While we are here He wants us to know the truth so that we can return to Him and live with Him forever as families. "And when we shall recieve these things, I would exhort you that ye would ask God, the Eternal Father, in the name of Christ, if these things are not true; and if ye shall ask with a sincere heart with real intent, having faith in Christ, He will manifest the truth of it unto you, by the power of the Holy Ghost. And by the power of the Holy Ghost, ye may know the truth of ALL things." I know that anyone who does this can know the truth for themselves, straight from their Father in Heaven. I know these things because I have done it.
I love you all so much. Hope you have a wonderful week!
Love, Sister Adams
Wednesday, October 10, 2012
Hiiiiiiiii
This week has been AWESOME. Mostly because of General Conference. I love our prophet so much... Everytime I hear him or his presidency or a member of the Quorum of the Twelve I just realize how much God loves us that He gave us these wonderful men to lead us. Can you believe the new age requirement for missionaries!? 18 for guys and 19 for girls? You should have seen Sister Butters and I. Our mouths dropped at the same time, we looked at each other at the same time, and back at the screen at the same time. I think our missionary forces are going to multiply and be strengthened for sure. Sister Butters and I are guessing that they will open China soon. They are going to need TONS of missionaries to do that. But we are just speculating.
Before General Conference started on Sunday I was feeling really frustrated inside with myself. We had to go to the Smith Farm shift early because we carpooled with the Newark South sisters. I just had this prompting to "go to the Grove". So we did. Sister Butters and I went and walked through the Sacred Grove for an hour before our shift began. I felt so much peace and all my bad feelings went away. I love the Sacred Grove and that I get to serve here so that I can walk through the Grove to find peace and feel the power of the events that took place there. We finally made it back to the Welcome Center and Conference was playing on the Nielsens lap top on the counter. We all sat there and listened and it was SO NEAT to get to hear the voice of living prophets and apostles at the literal place where the restoration of the Church of Jesus Christ began with a modern day prophet, Joseph Smith. Then during the intermediate hymn, Sister Nielsen says, "There is taco soup and cinnamon rolls down in the break room." I thought I had died and gone to heaven. The Nielsens are such a sweet senior couple. They fed us delicious food and provided a way for us to hear General Conference.
I didn't get to watch all of Conference but Sister Butters and I are taking time out of our p-day to do that. I missed Elder Eyring, Elder Holland, and President Monson. And I NEED to see those ones. I was out on tours during those. But I had awesome tours! I took mostly friends of other faiths through because all the members of the Church were at the Palmyra Stake Center watching Conference. I had such a wonderful time with this Catholic couple that is from Florida. They were so sweet and they really appreciated my testimony. They gave me their information and want me to teach them over the phone and email because they don't feel ready for missionaries yet. But they will get there! They both cried on my tour as a testified so I know they felt the special Spirit of the Smith farm and family. Later that evening, Jina called Sister Butters and I and let us know that she watched Conference and liked it a lot, but that she loved the Mormon Tabernacle (tabur-nickel...haha) Choir. Such great news! We know that Heavenly Father is so happy that she chose to do that, and we are too.
Well family, I just want to let you know of my love. I love you all so much. Thank you for all of your love, support, and prayers that you send my way. You all put such a big smile on my face. I love all the pictures too :) I am glad Duke is still alive and he is healing from his surgery. I was so worried about him. I love that dog. Erika looked strong in the pictures you sent me of her cross country race. I am glad she is having a good season. XOXOXO.
-Sister Adams
Before General Conference started on Sunday I was feeling really frustrated inside with myself. We had to go to the Smith Farm shift early because we carpooled with the Newark South sisters. I just had this prompting to "go to the Grove". So we did. Sister Butters and I went and walked through the Sacred Grove for an hour before our shift began. I felt so much peace and all my bad feelings went away. I love the Sacred Grove and that I get to serve here so that I can walk through the Grove to find peace and feel the power of the events that took place there. We finally made it back to the Welcome Center and Conference was playing on the Nielsens lap top on the counter. We all sat there and listened and it was SO NEAT to get to hear the voice of living prophets and apostles at the literal place where the restoration of the Church of Jesus Christ began with a modern day prophet, Joseph Smith. Then during the intermediate hymn, Sister Nielsen says, "There is taco soup and cinnamon rolls down in the break room." I thought I had died and gone to heaven. The Nielsens are such a sweet senior couple. They fed us delicious food and provided a way for us to hear General Conference.
I didn't get to watch all of Conference but Sister Butters and I are taking time out of our p-day to do that. I missed Elder Eyring, Elder Holland, and President Monson. And I NEED to see those ones. I was out on tours during those. But I had awesome tours! I took mostly friends of other faiths through because all the members of the Church were at the Palmyra Stake Center watching Conference. I had such a wonderful time with this Catholic couple that is from Florida. They were so sweet and they really appreciated my testimony. They gave me their information and want me to teach them over the phone and email because they don't feel ready for missionaries yet. But they will get there! They both cried on my tour as a testified so I know they felt the special Spirit of the Smith farm and family. Later that evening, Jina called Sister Butters and I and let us know that she watched Conference and liked it a lot, but that she loved the Mormon Tabernacle (tabur-nickel...haha) Choir. Such great news! We know that Heavenly Father is so happy that she chose to do that, and we are too.
Well family, I just want to let you know of my love. I love you all so much. Thank you for all of your love, support, and prayers that you send my way. You all put such a big smile on my face. I love all the pictures too :) I am glad Duke is still alive and he is healing from his surgery. I was so worried about him. I love that dog. Erika looked strong in the pictures you sent me of her cross country race. I am glad she is having a good season. XOXOXO.
-Sister Adams
Tuesday, October 2, 2012
The Leaves are Changing!! + PICTURES!!
Mom! the leaves change here and it is GORGEOUS! Seriously! I have never seen so much color. Some of the trees out here are literally a bright coral color- it is amazing. I am experiencing seasons! So cool. Thank you for yours and Dad's letters this week. It is nice to get real mail that you can hold and read whenever I want. Will you please give Uncle Chuck a hug for me... Dad told me he is going to church and reads Aunt Kate the lessons since she can't go because of her surgery. So hug him for me and tell him I love him and I want to go to the temple with him asap when I get home from my mission. I am glad everything at the Dance Barn is going great. I pray for you all. And of course B is doing awesome. It's B! I am not surprised. Keri sends me pictures of her baby bump too and it is so cute! I am going to be an Auntie Alex when I get home! SO FUN.
Well last P-day after I emailed you Sister Butters and I took the Newark South sisters, Sisters Graham and Hawkes, up to Lake Ontario to hike Chimney Bluffs. It was so much fun! There is this huge bluff that overlooks the lake. We hike a mile and a half down it and back and it is a beautiful view. I love going to Lake Ontario because it is so peaceful. It looks and sounds like the ocean and you know me... I love the ocean. I am lucky it is in my proselyting area.
Jina is doing awesome! She came to church again and she is keeping all her commitments. I know God is so happy with her for turning back to Him. Her baptismal date is the 28th of this month- Sister Butters and I want to try and move her date up because she is progressing so quickly. She shouldn't have to wait to be baptized and to see and feel the blessings that come when she is ready sooner than the 28th.
We had a few hours this week that we spent tracting. We knocked a lot of doors with nice people but they were "all set". That is the official term for western NY. Everyone says, "No we're all set!" UGHHH... Sometimes I just want to say back, "No you're not." No one is ever "all set", EVERYONE can come closer to Christ, and especially when they don't have the Restored Gospel in their life. Oh well, we aren't here to push, just invite.
We had interviews with President Christianson this past week too! It was great. I love interviews with President. It is so crazy how he knows exactly what to ask us, exactly what we need to hear, and exactly what we worry about or what we feel as missionaries. He works so closely with the Spirit. I hope one day I can be that inspired- still working for that and I know that will be a life-long endeavor but hey, if I can make a difference for people that exactly through the Spirit that would be pretty sweet.
We went back this week to visit Kathy, the sweet lady in Demay Living Center who hoards. She was eating her lunch so we just sat with her as she ate and read some scriptures with her. While we were with Kathy, my friend Richard rolled up in his wheelchair! I took Richard and his daughter and granddaughter (all friends of another faith) on tour at the Book of Mormon Publication Site before the Pageant. His daughter lives in New York City and brought him to get him out of the living center for a while. As I was taking them on tour she told me that Richard lived in Demay and I told her, "I live down the street from Demay!" I told his daughter I would go visit him once in a while and she just started to cry she was so grateful. But I was so happy to do it! Richard can barely talk and while on our tour he would open his mouth but nothing would come out. I could tell he was getting frustrated with himself. As they left, I told Richard I would come see him at Demay Living Center and as his daughter rolled him away he finally got out the words, "One hundred A". 100A is his room in Demay. Well, when Sister Butters arrived we tried to go see Richard when we were there to visit Kathy and Joan (Did I tell you Joan got out of Demay?! She is SO MUCH BETTER. Comes to church every week with her "war paint" on and lives back at home now.) But Richard lives in an area that keeps them locked up tighter because they are flight risk. So we couldn't go in and see him. So the fact that it is almost three months later and he rolls up to me in his wheelchair and recognizes me is a complete miracle! I was so happy to see him! Heavenly Father is so cool. So we talked with Richard and Kathy and shared some scriptures with them. Then Richard went over and turned on some big band music and blasted it and started bouncing around in his wheelchair. So funny! I wanted to dance SO BAD. I swear I was born in the wrong era. Why do I love retro things!? Anyway, I heard "Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy" and I wanted to tap dance.
I was able to go to the Relief Society Broadcast on Saturday night too! It was so good. The new Relief Society General Presidency are so inspired. I was so happy I went to that. All the speakers said something that I really needed to hear. I can't believe I never went to that when I was at home. I never want to miss a RS Broadcast ever. President Eyring's talk was awesome. I am excited to hear from our prophet and the apostles this weekend. Sister Butters and I went to the temple today to prepare for it. We will get to go to the Saturday sessions but not Sunday's- we will be working at the Smith Farm. But that is okay! What missionary gets to work at the Smith Farm?! Oh yeah.. I do! Am I not the luckiest sister missionary on the planet!? I am so privileged to be here. I can't believe it was just this time last year I got the prompting to come on a mission. Why I fought that prompting for so long I do not know. But Heavenly Father got me here and now I am happier than ever and working hard to bring His children back to Him.
I love you bunches!
Sister Alexandra Adams
PS - here are some pictures Sister Adams sent us.
Hope you enjoy! all these taken near Lake Ontario my favorite place!
Well last P-day after I emailed you Sister Butters and I took the Newark South sisters, Sisters Graham and Hawkes, up to Lake Ontario to hike Chimney Bluffs. It was so much fun! There is this huge bluff that overlooks the lake. We hike a mile and a half down it and back and it is a beautiful view. I love going to Lake Ontario because it is so peaceful. It looks and sounds like the ocean and you know me... I love the ocean. I am lucky it is in my proselyting area.
Jina is doing awesome! She came to church again and she is keeping all her commitments. I know God is so happy with her for turning back to Him. Her baptismal date is the 28th of this month- Sister Butters and I want to try and move her date up because she is progressing so quickly. She shouldn't have to wait to be baptized and to see and feel the blessings that come when she is ready sooner than the 28th.
We had a few hours this week that we spent tracting. We knocked a lot of doors with nice people but they were "all set". That is the official term for western NY. Everyone says, "No we're all set!" UGHHH... Sometimes I just want to say back, "No you're not." No one is ever "all set", EVERYONE can come closer to Christ, and especially when they don't have the Restored Gospel in their life. Oh well, we aren't here to push, just invite.
We had interviews with President Christianson this past week too! It was great. I love interviews with President. It is so crazy how he knows exactly what to ask us, exactly what we need to hear, and exactly what we worry about or what we feel as missionaries. He works so closely with the Spirit. I hope one day I can be that inspired- still working for that and I know that will be a life-long endeavor but hey, if I can make a difference for people that exactly through the Spirit that would be pretty sweet.
We went back this week to visit Kathy, the sweet lady in Demay Living Center who hoards. She was eating her lunch so we just sat with her as she ate and read some scriptures with her. While we were with Kathy, my friend Richard rolled up in his wheelchair! I took Richard and his daughter and granddaughter (all friends of another faith) on tour at the Book of Mormon Publication Site before the Pageant. His daughter lives in New York City and brought him to get him out of the living center for a while. As I was taking them on tour she told me that Richard lived in Demay and I told her, "I live down the street from Demay!" I told his daughter I would go visit him once in a while and she just started to cry she was so grateful. But I was so happy to do it! Richard can barely talk and while on our tour he would open his mouth but nothing would come out. I could tell he was getting frustrated with himself. As they left, I told Richard I would come see him at Demay Living Center and as his daughter rolled him away he finally got out the words, "One hundred A". 100A is his room in Demay. Well, when Sister Butters arrived we tried to go see Richard when we were there to visit Kathy and Joan (Did I tell you Joan got out of Demay?! She is SO MUCH BETTER. Comes to church every week with her "war paint" on and lives back at home now.) But Richard lives in an area that keeps them locked up tighter because they are flight risk. So we couldn't go in and see him. So the fact that it is almost three months later and he rolls up to me in his wheelchair and recognizes me is a complete miracle! I was so happy to see him! Heavenly Father is so cool. So we talked with Richard and Kathy and shared some scriptures with them. Then Richard went over and turned on some big band music and blasted it and started bouncing around in his wheelchair. So funny! I wanted to dance SO BAD. I swear I was born in the wrong era. Why do I love retro things!? Anyway, I heard "Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy" and I wanted to tap dance.
I was able to go to the Relief Society Broadcast on Saturday night too! It was so good. The new Relief Society General Presidency are so inspired. I was so happy I went to that. All the speakers said something that I really needed to hear. I can't believe I never went to that when I was at home. I never want to miss a RS Broadcast ever. President Eyring's talk was awesome. I am excited to hear from our prophet and the apostles this weekend. Sister Butters and I went to the temple today to prepare for it. We will get to go to the Saturday sessions but not Sunday's- we will be working at the Smith Farm. But that is okay! What missionary gets to work at the Smith Farm?! Oh yeah.. I do! Am I not the luckiest sister missionary on the planet!? I am so privileged to be here. I can't believe it was just this time last year I got the prompting to come on a mission. Why I fought that prompting for so long I do not know. But Heavenly Father got me here and now I am happier than ever and working hard to bring His children back to Him.
I love you bunches!
Sister Alexandra Adams
PS - here are some pictures Sister Adams sent us.
Hope you enjoy! all these taken near Lake Ontario my favorite place!
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