Hey! Okay so your questions as to my flight plans. I leave Monday morning (April 30th) at 7:05. So I will probably be calling you around 6:00 Utah time. I can't remember if you are ahead or behind us but you know so whatevs. So yeah! We will fly out of Salt Lake at 7 am and then land in Detroit around 12:45 pm and then we get to Rochester at 3:15 pm. I am so freaking excited! (picture the way the girl says it on SNL. I just blanked on her name but you know what I mean... the one who goes "oohhhhh myyyy goooosssshhhhh" haha) I am so ready to get out of the MTC.
The other day we had the chance to teach real people via chat on mormon.org. It was so intense! We are so used to practicing here with fake investigators, but this was real life! We answered lots of peoples' questions and then Sister Jones and I ended up teaching a guy named John from Virginia! He is now our investigator and we get to teach him more over the phone on Saturday while he waits for the missionaries in his area to get to him. We are so happy about it. Teaching real people is so much fun! It was crazy because I thought teaching someone over the Internet would be kind of weird. But it is crazy because the Spirit is totally there and the people can recognize it. Modern technology is amazing and I think it is wonderful how it is bringing people to know the truth so quickly. So yeah we are sick of teaching fake investigators now that we have a real one, but it is good practice and we need as much as we can get before we leave Monday.
This week we got to start our Visitors' Center Training! It has been great but it is HARD! It is just different because you only get 5-10 minutes to get to know the person, so you know their needs, so you can teach them what they need to hear and feel. We have to rely on the Spirit like CRAZY. If we don't, how will we even touch their heart with the thing that God needs to tell them through the Holy Ghost? So yeah, Sister Jones and I have been exercising our faith like mad and so far the Spirit has told us what to say and we end up being successful! The MTC is cool because even though we are just practicing, the Spirit is there so strong and we really do help the people we teach even if they are a member volunteering to be an "investigator". We also got the chance to go to Temple Square! It was so weird breaking out of the gates of the MTC. But it was fun to interact with the Temple Square sisters and watch them in action. We then talked to the guy that is over all the Visitors' Centers in the world! I forget his name... but he told us some great advice and how things will work more when we get to our site. He said we usually will do half days. Half in the VC and half out proselyting. We get the best of both worlds! I feel so lucky to have been called to one of the 22 VC in the world. As I have learned to be a better VC sister missionary I can come to realize that it really is the right call for me. I love just getting to know people! And with the VC I get to meet so many people every day and bring them closer to Jesus Christ! It is AMAZING! He also told us to be ourselves. Not to change to be a "perfect sister missionary". Because who we are is going to touch certain people we meet. I was worried about being kind of loud and energetic. But some of the people that come to the VC are really going to connect with that! So Sister Jones was right mom, I should not change who I am to fit a certain prolife. I can still be who I am, loud laugher and all, and teach with power to help people come to know our Savior.
I have been playing some hardcore four-square at gym while I have been here. The elders have made up a term called the "Sister Adams" it's my move, and it gets people out everytime. Haha the elders here are hilarious. We said goodbye to the elders in our district this week. All four of us sisters cried because we are going to miss them. We have been like a little family, growing and learning from each other. Elder Makanoa, Astle, and Thorne went to Atlanta, and Elder Loosli and Hein went to Columbus. We miss them but they are out on God's errand now and so will we in a few days!
I got to sing in the MTC Choir again. I love doing that. We sang the song, "Behold, the Wounds in Jesus Hands". I am going to give you the lyrics at the end of this email because they are so powerful and they touched my heart and grew my testimony of the Savior and I know it can do the same for ya'll back home. You should YouTube it or something so you can hear the music but the lyrics alone are touching. Guess who came to teach us this week?! ELDER RUSSELL M. NELSON! We have been so blessed to have a General Authority come see us every week we have been here. It felt good to be in the choir and help bring the Spirit to that special meeting with Elder Nelson. Although he doesn't need any help bringing the Spirit I can tell you that. Once he walked in the room the Spirit was there, like at the snap of a finger. Here are some things he said that I liked a lot:
1) We are a strong minority, there is a huge majority out there waiting for us to teach them, but we don't need to be intimidated, because we are on the winning team.
2) This is the last dispensation of the Gospel. This will not be in a segment of the earth, like the other dispensations, but it will FILL the whole earth. And this time, it will not end in apostasy, but it will continue until the 2nd coming of the Savior.
3) Pure testimony is irrefutable and it is POWERFUL.
So true! His words really helped me. I have been so lucky to be taught by members of the Quorum of the Twelve. And I can tell you that even though I hate the food here, I have definitely been spiritually fed.
WOW! That was crazy to hear about dad saving Mary's life! I hope she is doing better and recovers soon. She will definitely be in my prayers. Erika, your letter made me and Sister Jones laugh so hard! I am glad you are happy with your times in track. You are a beast! I try to run everyday but it hurts and I get bored so sometimes I just stretch. Haha I am proud of you for doing all the things you do, you're amazing. Mom, about the pictures you sent me of the shoes... haha no. Love you, but no. The ones you sent me are BOMB! They are like heaven for my feet. I can't thank you enough for them! They have saved my feet and are pretty dang cute too. Good job on picking some that I would like! Don't worry about buying me more shoes, 'cause you still have to send me the ones that I left at home. (Unless you find the cheetah, sparkle Sperry's on sale :) then send me those for Christmas or my birthday or something). You all have been on my mind this week with the recital going on, I cried a little the other day wishing I was there. As crazy as it is, I love recital time of the year. A chance for the girls to showcase their talents and realize how far they have come. I pushed them hard this year and pulled out on top. They should be VERY proud of themselves. I sent a letter addressed to all the company girls. I hope you get it today. Don't forget to wait for the mailman and read it to them before they start the shows and before you say a prayer together. That was one of my most favorite times together is praying as a dance company before shows. Tell Senior Elite to please pray together before they do "Fix You". That dance is like my testimony put into movement. I watch it and I can't believe that it even came out of me. And I know I was inspired by the Spirit when I choreographed it. It is a special message and I know it will touch people if they do it with the right spirit and REMEMBER what it is about. The lyrics to this song that I sang with the MTC choir is what that dance is about. Read them to the girls today before the show so they can hear and know what they are dancing about in that piece.
Behold the wounds in Jesus' hands, The marks upon His side, Then ponder who He meant to save, When on the cross He died. We cannot see the love of God, Which saves us from the fall, Yet know that Christ from wood and nals, Built mansions for us all. Behold the out-stretched hands of Christ, Our God, who came to save, Whose love and grace redeems our souls, And lifts us from the grave. Though bruised and battered as we stray, His guiding hands caress, He washes and anoints with oil, Then in His arms we rest. Behold the wounds in Jesus' hands, Look to your Lord and live, He yearns to bless you with His love, And all your sins forgive, Oh empty is the heart of man, When it is filled with sin. Come, open wide your broken heart, And let your Savior in. Behold His wounded hands and feet, Come touch and see and feel, The wounds and marks that you may know, His love for you is real. Then as you fall to worship Him, And wash His feet in tears, Your Savior takes you in His arms and quiets all your fears....... your Savior takes you in His arms and quiets all your fears.
Love,
Sister Adams
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