Halloweek!

First of all, I had an awesome Halloween! The Relief Society president fed us that night and then we got to go to temple with all of the site missionaries. It was great to get to do a session with all the sisters and senior couples. So special. Elder and Sister Heyn, a newer senior couple we have here, called me this morning and told me that Tatum Day is coming to our mission in February! I am so excited! She is my softball buddy! I guess I should say Sister Day. You should somehow get a hold of her and tell her I know she is coming and I am SO EXCITED. Oh and because you mailed stuff to my house due to online shopping, we are now getting some pretty apostate magazines in the mail box sometimes... is there anything you can do to stop that? Sorry if my card in the mail was too blunt. I just really want to focus and word my hardest throughout my mission even when it is Pageant and it is almost over. If I have my whole family here at Pageant I am worried I will check out mentally and I can't afford to do that. I have work to do and people here that need me.

The storm was pretty crazy but not nearly as crazy as anticipated. So that was good. We lost power during the night but we just bundled up and did just fine. Have I mentioned that it is cold here? I have already busted out the puffy coat. Oh and it has already been snowing. Not enough to cover the ground, but flakes falling from the sky. We were tracting in the cold a few times this week and it starts to snow and I think my fingers, toes, and nose are going to fall off. Then snowflakes start to fall from the sky and I realize I need to layer more. I am not used to this layering thing. This winter is definitely going to be an adventure. I saw a snow shovel for the first time this week too. I asked Sister Butters if that's what it was and she just laughed at me. What! I have never seen one before that I can remember. I'll be using one this winter! Crazyyyy.

So while we were hostage in our house due to the storm we did our best to still do the work. So we went through and started calling people that used to be taught by the missionaries but stopped for one reason or another. We called this former investigator named Dee. She was way nice but said we called her at a bad time. So later on in the week we stopped by her house but she wasn't home. We talked to her husband on the porch for a minute and then said we would call text time we came to see if Dee was home. Well TODAY we are walking through Wegmans (the grocery store by our house) and we get a phone call. It was Dee! She called and told us she has been waiting for us to call her because her husband said we came by and that we would. She wants to start studying the Book of Mormon again and she wants us to teach her! Miracle? YES. That NEVER happens. Especially here in Newark. Sister Butters and I are going to go teach her tonight after Lyons ward scripture study. YAY!

Jina half dropped us this week. I felt like I was being dumped. It was hard. She basically told us that she loves us and the Book of Mormon but she doesn't want to believe in the Restoration through Joseph Smith and she will never change her mind. She also said that she would like to be baptized... well we explained to her that the Book of Mormon was translated by Joseph Smith through the gift and power of God and that the priesthood authority that she wants to be baptized with was restored by Joseph Smith too. It didn't help. I think she is afraid of the truth. She also said she doesn't want to put a "label" on it. In other words, she doesn't want people to call her a Mormon. She has a lot of negative pressure from her family so that makes me sad but I know she can do it. She has been putting me on an emotional roller coaster. Sister Butters and I are going to try and get her to the historic sites and especially the Sacred Grove to help her gain a testimony of the Restoration of the fullness of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

Things with Jimmy have been difficult this week. He is getting frustrated with himself and has some hard hurdles to get over. Teaching him is so great, but it is a challenge. I just feel so privileged that the Lord trusts me to be the missionary to help him come to a knowledge of the truth. I know that he will. His path won't be an easy one, but we will get there. He has that desire and when we have desire and faith the Lord will get us there.

We have a new investigator! That is good news! Her name is Brooke and she is way cute and nice and has a little 7 month old baby. We have taught her just once but she is eager and excited to learn.

The Lord has been blessing us in this area and in this ward. I know it is because Sister Butters and I have been serving with all our heart, might, mind, and strength. I am learning and growing everyday. When I am having a hard day instead of cry, I just laugh and search for the good. "Come what may and love it." Sometimes the Lord has to bring us low to lift us even higher. I know that is true. I may have shared this scripture with you before but who cares it's a good one. "Yea, they were encircled about with everlasting darkness and destruction; but behold, he has brought them into his everlasting light, yea, into everlasting salvation; and they are encircled about with the matchless bounty of his love; yea, and we have been instruments in his hands of doing this great and marvelous work. Therefore, let us glory, yea, we will glory in the Lord; yea, we will rejoice, for our joy is full; yea, we will praise of God forever. Behold, who can glory too much in the Lord? yea, who can say too much of his great power, and of his mercy, and of his long-suffering towards the children of men? Behold, I say unto you, I cannot say the smallest part which I feel." Alma 26: 15-16.

I get frustrated with email sometimes because I wish my words could really describe to you all the things I am experiencing. I cannot say the smallest part which I feel. I love you so much. XOXO
-Sister Alexandra Adams