Another Week in Moscow! September 28, 2015

Dear Family and Friends,

This week was good! Went by so so fast!! Like they always do! So sad news first.. Finn and Daya are moving to California in a few weeks.. bummer huh? But I have no doubt that they will join the church in their lives! They have grown so much in the gospel and their knowledge of our Savior. So no matter where they end up, they will get married and baptized! I sure will miss them though! 

We have a few other investigators that are going well. All for the YSA though! Max is really progressing! He is praying and reading the BOM. Its awesome! Still hasn't come to church yet, but he will soon! We also have the pagan Kara! We gave her a BOM and meet with her about twice a week! We hope that she will start getting a relationship with God and start believing in Him soon. Our other investigator Sam is a professor here on campus! He agreed to meet with us and he took us to the Starbucks here on campus! It was funny :) But he is Hindu, but not a very dedicated one! So we will see he progresses! He is very open minded!! So its been a fun week! Still talking to people on campus every day!! Its hard, but really fun at the same time :) 

So I was able to to go Pullman for exchanges!! Guess who was there? None other than Bayliegh Steed and Emily Lowrimore! It was so fun to see them!! And to work on the WSU campus! Its really big and so many more people to talk to! So that was awesome!! We also met with some girls at the hang-out place on campus called the Cub. There we basically taught them the restoration! It was cool to see how comfortable I am as being a missionary. There were so many people there and I have no problem answering their questions and telling them what I know to be true and invite them to know the things I know. I'm really grateful that my mission has solidified my testimony of the gospel! So I was very blessed with the opportunity to do that this week! It was a nice change from Moscow! 

So we taught the Pearson family again! We used cards to help explain the Plan of Salvation! We think Brother Pearson is ready to start having the lessons specifically for him. Lately we just have gone there to teach the family together. So we are having bishop talk to Sister Pearson this week and see where she feels he is at! So I'll keep you updated!! 

Also the Carmacks!! So they are both excommunicated. I don't know why but it doesn't matter! They are becoming my favorite people here! They just got married a few months ago! Every lesson with them is super spiritual and they have such great insights and comments. They are so humble and have strong testimonies. They love having us over and thank us every time! They came to church two weeks in a row! Its a long road to get them back! But we are ready to help them to! :) I love love love them!! 

So Moscow is good! We get our transfer calls next week. My prediction is that I will stay and second train Sister Bryson! So we will see :) I really am loving Moscow! I would never live here, but its growing on me :) Also I'm so so excited for conference! I can't believe its been six months since I watched it with Sister Mills! :) Time does fly!! :) Love you all and have a great week :) 

-- 

Love,

Sister Adamson

PS I can make a laser gun with balloon animals and I went to a Chinese gathering thing and man authentic Chinese food is soo gross! 

Oh U of I September 22, 2015

Hello all!!

Well time is short this week! So let me be quick!! 

We had an AWESOME lesson with Finn and Daya! We were reading the Book of Mormon about Ammon and Aaron teaching the kings about God and His plan for us! And Man that was so inspired! They haven't agreed to baptism yet, but they are so much closer! Finn's heart is softening and we are going to their house for dinner this week! So excited for them!!

So we found this random named George. Super spiritual and had tons of questions for us! We sat down right where we found him on campus and taught him the restoration! We met with him a few days later at a coffee shop and gave him a BOM. He's not golden yet. But we are excited to see what he thinks of the BOM! 

Soo... At church during sacrament we had an extra few minutes.. so what did bishop do? Ask Sister Adamson to come up there. Not to just bare her testimony, but he stayed at the pulpit and did a little Q&A right then!! Hahah he was asking me questions about my mission, the spirit, missionary work! It was soo funny! But man was I impressed with myself!! I have gotten so much better at public speaking!! It was pretty great. Everyone got a kick out of it! Bishop Schoenberg writes his own rules!! 

So we have awesome things happening here!! We are working with a less active couple named the Carmacks!! They came to church on Sunday!! They then texted us later and asked us when we were going to come see them this week!! They asked US!! It was great! So we love them and they have a long road back! But the Atonement is real :) Also the part member family we work with--the Pearsons they ALL came to church!! Brother Pearson listened the whole time and we are going to teach them later this week!

Last person that is in need of update, Kara. YSA that believes in Athena.. interesting.. huh? Well we had a great discussion with her and bore powerful testimony to her about her identity as a daughter of God. Man I love feeling the spirit work through me!! We are meeting with her this week and she is even bringing a friend with her!! So thats exciting!! 

Well Moscow is Moscow.. haha I love it but honestly hate it sometimes.. haha but tis life. This is the lot the Heavenly Father has given me to work with!! I'll make the most of it!! Love you all!!

Love,

Sister Adamson

Blessings :) September 14, 2015

Dear Family and Friends,

This week was great :) It was full of blessings and a lot of lessons learned :) So first of all, I neglected to inform you last week that Elder Dallin H. Oaks came to see us!! Not our whole mission but just three zones :) so that was a huge blessing :) Got to shake his hand and he spoke to us in the primary room!! He was so funny, humble, and passionate about the gospel! He has such a booming voice. Oh and my the way, he is speaking on the Atonement at conference.. hahah he leaked it to us! But he really talked a lot about the difference of being a missionary and just doing missionary things. It made me really want to re-commit myself to be better and repent all the time.. haha nothing like being calling to repentance by a loving Apostle!! 

So this week we meet with our new investigator Max. He is from China but was living in Australia for the last seven years. So his accent is crazy!! haha But he is so humble!! I can so relate to Alma and Amulek (I think that's who they are haha feel free to correct me!) when they just rejoice when the people are humble!! We taught him who God is and he said his first prayer ever with us! It was so cool! I love seeing people pray for their first time! Its so humbling! So we hope to meet with him again this week before we have to pass him off to the YSA elders.. :( sad day... But thats ok :) Its crazy how people just simply don't know who God is. They don't know that he has a body and about His nature. We NEED to teach people about God. Without a knowledge of God and His plan for us they will never feel the need to change their life and follow God!! God wants us to become like Him. That's why we have commandments! They do more then make us happy, they help us become like God!! What a blessing:) 

So many mini miracles happened this week! We got in touch with some less actives we haven't been able to, we got a referral from our bishop who we feel will start taking the discussions soon! We had so many appointments on Saturday, but then they all got canceled, but we still had an awesome day :) We were able to do service on campus with a guy who completely rejected us street contacting the day before. So we were able to explain to him our missions and the gospel and his attitude towards us and the church changed! Even though I'm not getting baptisms on my mission, you better believe I'm planting seeds, helping people see us in a better light, and helping people feel the spirit! I know as long as I do my part, be obedient, and keep working on the things that are in my control, the Lord is proud of me. That knowledge is priceless to me :)

Well I love my Savior, I love repentance, I love helping His children know who He is. I love being a companion, and learning how to love people who are so different from me (to this day NONE of my companions like to work out.. so they think I'm insane when I do haha) I love helping my companion overcome similar problems I faced when I was new, I love teaching people about the gospel, and sharing the light of His love :) Can't wait to see what Moscow has is store this week :) love you all :)

Da Rain!!-September 8, 2015

Dear Family and Friends,

The this year the fall has been skipped!! It was soo cold this week! I was not prepared because I sent my winter stuff home.. but we made it through! It was rainy and windy all week! A guy we talked to on campus said we looked like we belonged on Assassins Creed (a video game). So i guess that was a complement. Thats how I took it anyways :) 

So this week was great! We had awesome lessons with Finn and Daya. Daya wants to get baptized soo bad! Its just Finn thats holding her back. She came to church this week and is going to come to the relief society activity this week. We are praying for Finn's heart to soften. We have a really good relationship with them so hopefully we will help him overcome his concerns! I just love them though! They really could have so much more happiness if they just started living the gospel! They love the spirit they feel at church and when we come! So we will keep working on them!!

We had perfect timing this week too! We went to see a widow who is 28 (because her husband died of cancer last year) that we see about once a week just to help her and uplift her. She went inactive after her husband died and is now just coming back. When she answered, she was in tears. She said she had a terrible day and came home to a empty house and just started crying. She was so happy to see us. We just listened to her and got her some ice cream. Haha it really was a tender moment for me. When Sister Bryson and I were listening to her we just started crying as well. She has such a strong testimony of the gospel and about the lessons she learns from her trials. She is an amazing example of strength! So that was amazing to be able to be in the right situation to help her in such a small way!

This week we also had some lessons with investigators! Its soo much fun to teach people about the gospel! If only more would listen!! But those were awesome experiences! And hopefully we will be able to continue to teach them! For the most part, we are on campus street contacting. We talk to around 20-30 people every day!! Its hard work being a missionary, but its so rewarding as well. I know I'm growing more here than I would be anywhere else! Being a missionary and now a trainer is pushing me to be better. Which I like, but then again.. not really some days.. haha Missions really just push you in every way! I've grown so much being here in Moscow! I'm truly grateful for this experience :) This week I've been studying a lot about recognizing the spirit. We really do feel God's spirit in our lives so often! Whether we recognize it or not! I'm so grateful for His spirit and how it guides us every day to do His work!! Love you all :) have a great week!! 

Love,

Sister Adamson

Training=Blessings August 31, 2015

Dear Family and Friends!!

This week was great!! I can't wait to tell you all about it!! So my companion is Sister Bryson! She is from South Carolina!! She is great and super excited to be on a mission! I love the new enthusiasm that new missionaries have!! So how they introduce the trainers to the trainees is they line them up on opposite sides on the gym and we are just staring at each other freaking out!! I was about the third one called so it wasn't too bad of a wait! It was fun though!! I'm super excited to train!! I love it so far!!

So now we are over just the married student 4th ward! I love this ward so much and I want to do all I can to serve the ward and make it better then when I found it! So this week we had to stay inside two days because of the smoke! It was the worst!! You couldn't even see like twenty feet in front of you! So that made Sister Bryson's first week in the field a little challenging. But its been so fun to teach her things I've learned so far! And to be the best example to her that I can be! She is super for everything! We did a lot of street contacting this week and she went right along with me and bore her testimony so well!!! She is so far ahead of where I was when I came out!! Training came very timely for me. I was thinking way too much about myself these past few weeks. Training has given me an opportunity to grow and forget about myself in service to others! 

So we have two investigators names Finn and Daya. They are a hippie yoga couple that have been investigating the church for about a year now. We went over to meet them and get their background and what they thought about the church. They still have some misunderstanding about God and the basics of the gospel. So we will basically start over this week. She wants to get baptized, but they are living together and not married. And Finn isn't quite on board yet. But I'll keep you updated on how they are next week! 

We have a part member family in the ward named the Pearsons. We had a FHE with them this week using an object grab bag for the kids that my mom sent me a few weeks ago! It was so great!! The kids listened and participated and Brother Pearson (the non-member) read a story about the Title of Liberty in the BOM. That really hit home with him because he is a veteran from Iraq and got teary reading it!! So thank you mom for that :) 

Also, hope is back... back again!! :) I was prompted to study hope again the other day. I was reading in Mosiah 4:6 and I really was taught by the spirit of how God is the perfect example of hope. He has so much hope for us. In our future and that we can overcome all!! If he didn't, why would he even send his son to perform the Atonement for us? Later that night, we had a great lesson with a couple that has a long way to go to come back into the church named the Carmacks. We talked to them about hope and the Atonement, and the spirit was so strong! It was great :) I love how the Lord directs this work!! Well that was my week :) love you all!! 

Love,

Sister Adamson

Smokey Days :) August 24, 2015

Dear Family and Friends,

So if anyone of you is keeping up to date on the fires, you will know that this whole area is burning up! Its so smoky here! At times its hard to drive! Its crazy! And it smells like a campfire 24/7 so theres that. Also HUGE shout out to my mom for sending me a homemade banana cream pie for my birthday last week! She is the best :) Made my day that much brighter! :) 

So this week was rough. Moscow is a really hard are for me. There are a lot of crazy college kids and it doesn't seem like anyone wants to hear the gospel. We street contact for hours each day and find no one! Everyone seems to be comfortable where they are at, or don't want any religion at all. Its very discouraging. I'm doing all I can it seems. I'm fasting, praying, and working. What else can I do? Satan is getting in my head. But even though its hard, I know that Heavenly Father loves and cares for me. We went on exchanges this week and I was with a sister who is on her first transfer and during our comp study she shared this story with me. It was such a HUGE answer to my prayers. I've been struggling with finding my personal purpose on my mission lately. Last week, I got an answer that told me that I'm here to learn from others. Then I thought, thats a selfish reason to be on mission. But the story that she shared really changed my perspective a bit. She talked about how a return sister missionary was talking to her and felt really impressed to share her story of why she went on a mission with her. (Whether it was for her or something she would meet in the field needed to hear it) So she learned on her mission, that she was out there to learn how to be a better wife and mother. She felt the spirit tell her that so many times on her mission. That just really confirmed to me that Heavenly Father is aware of everyone. Not just the people we meet every day, but His missionaries as well. So that was a reminder that as long as I keep working and doing my best, Heavenly Father is proud of me. And the things I learn and go through here will help me become a better person later! Like it says in Hebrews 5:8. Even Jesus Christ learned obedience through his trials. So hopefully that story made sense.. there was a lot of detail I skipped! :) 

Also I have learned that when you feel you have conquered one mountain, the next day there is a higher one. But through all of this I'm learning that Heavenly Father is so aware of us. And prayer and fasting have become so real to me. I fasted again this Sunday for strength and purpose, and I got another answer that same day! I need to really just work on loving these people and having more faith in them. I know that as I do this that Heavenly Father will bless this area and continue to prepare His children to hear this miracle that this gospel is!! 

So Sister Crump headed off to Brazil today!! And I have no idea who my new companion is.. because as I suspected, I'm training a brand new missionary!!! So how it works in our mission is we get our transfer calls on Sunday night, and have to be in our new area by Tuesday. If you are training, you go down to Spokane for a meeting and meet your new comp! So I have no idea who she is and where she is from! But I will find out tomorrow!! :) So wish me luck! I'm super nervous, but excited to get some new energy from a new missionary! :) I learned a lot from being with Sister Crump and I hope I start this new missionary on the right foot! Oh and another slight change, I'm now over one married student ward, and one YSA ward! :) 

This week we were able to contact some former investigators named Finn and Daya. They are basically yoga-hippie people! But we will be meeting with them this week again! I have a lot of HOPE and FAITH and LOVE that they will progress in the gospel! :) (I just can't get away from those three things can I?) Well I love you all!! I'm learning so much and growing faster than I thought possible!! :) I love my mission--the good and the bad times :) thank you for all the love and support!! :)

Love,

Sister Adamson