Easter Week :) March 21, 2016

First of all, I would like to have everyone watch this video: 

FollowHim.mormon.org 

Its the Easter Video the church put out and I have yet to watch it without crying! Christ is really the Kings of Kings :) and He Lives :) Have a happy Easter everyone! 

Family and Friends,

This week was an interesting one! I'm sorry if my email last week made no sense.. My brain was fried so it was hard to think. We have lots a road blocks this last week. A lot of little ones that I won't even mention. This is the most random bits of opposition I have faced my whole mission. We must be on to something and Satan wants nothings to do with it! Despite all that happened, there were still miracles to be had and changes to be made!

First of all we had a great lesson with Rudolph. (the YSA that graduated from a bible college) We went over the Restoration again and the spirit was so strong. His heart has softened and even he sees the logic behind it. The Restoration just makes sense. It really does. However he still struggles a lot with the evidence of things. We were also dropped this week by a family we found because he wanted more evidence of the Book of Mormon. Seems to be a recurring thing these days. Its just a repeat of what we read in the scriptures. People want signs when Christ works through faith.

We also had a miracle! Krysta Drew self-referred herself online to have a bible delivered to her. So we set up a meeting with her and she is GOLDEN! She lives in a super rough part of town and didn't really know what to expect because everyone down there is on drugs, homeless, or just is mentally ill in multiple ways. Super sad when we go down there. But she is a cute young mom that grew up with a really rough past. She wished her family would have taught her about God so she would have made better decisions. So we will start teaching her this week! She had many contacts with the church and it just feels right to her! :) 

Next we had one of the craziest lessons ever. It was with a family Sister Smith found on exchanges and she talked about how prepared they were. So we got there and the circumstances of teaching were a little different.. There was a lady there who was super anti.. so asked us some very rude and disrespectful things. To add to that the 7 year old was crazy.. running around covered in dirt attacking the THREE dogs they had running around. Also there was a PIG. A decently large one too that may or may not have peed on the floor during the lesson. A bunny also showed up for awhile. Plus there was a two year old running about crazy climbing on furniture almost killing himself in the process. So it was a shaky telling of the Restoration. So we will try another approach to teach them this week. Even with the craziness, the mom really was trying hard to listen and wants to learn. So we will see how it works out. 

Amanda is also doing great! She went to the temple grounds and is getting ready to go in! I love seeing the difference in people when they get baptized. They probably don't realize it themselves the changes that happen to them, but I see. She is just happier and more confident. I'm so grateful for everything the gospel does for everyone. It really changes us and makes us better! :) Love you all! Have a great Easter Week!! HE LIVES!! :) 

Love,

Sister Adamson

This Week March 14, 2016

Dear Family and Friends,

So this week was so so interesting. Full of so many ups and downs. Started out well, talked to a few crazies.. One that wished the force would be with us..(60 year old granny that thought she was funny) and the another would have probably started having a heart attack soon because she was getting all worked up about Joseph Smith and us being a cult (she was playing a guitar for money near downtown). That's Spokane for ya :) Anyone want to come up here with me??  

 

 

Amanda was baptized this week! Whoo!! So great! It was the best baptism I have been to on my mission! Her testimony at the end was the greatest!! She said how at first she wasn't really into church, but then she just started coming and reading and praying about the Book of Mormon. She finally was able to gain her own spiritual witness that it is true! And has such a strong testimony. She said and I quote. "Joseph Smith is amazing, I cannot even pick out my own outfit in the morning--I don't even understand how he established this church. So I know he was a prophet of God." That's a new one huh? She is so sweet and we would be best friends if we could just hang out all day.. haha mission life. But she is great! Super happy for her and this choice she made! She also spoke how she faced lots of opposition from friends about her choice. She took comfort in the scriptures telling her to trust in God and everything would work out. So she did! 

I also had a great experience at church this week. All six hours of it was great! Every class and talk seemed to be directed at me. I have learned a lot about trials and how they help us grow. I was able to reflect on my life. In high school, my life was great and easy and happy. But that didn't lend me to much growth. Hawaii was also great, but there were some struggles so I was able to grow and learn. Now on my mission.. its like trials and struggles on steroids and a swim or die type environment.. But don't get me wrong, its been AMAZING and the best choice I have ever made, but it's hard. But I'm so thankful for my growth. I'm about of time, but its been an interesting week, but great at the same time!! LOVE YOU ALL!

Love,

Sister Adamson

Celestial March 7, 2016

Dear Family and Friends,

So my new word for about everything is celestial. How are you? Celestial. How was your day? Celestial. How was church? Celestial. You get the hint. But as for this last week if you would ask me how it was, I would say..... Celestial. Yep you guessed it! So many miracles and opportunities to share the gospel! 

To start out, our last P-day we just ran! We ran a few miles and it was the best, but boy am I out of shape! Sacrifice for the mission right? So that was a great start to the week! We had two lessons this week at Froyo (a frozen yogurt place). They were with students from a college here named Moody Bible School. It was interesting and brought me back to Moscow a little bit teaching Shadrack and Danny and other super Christian people. We have return appointments with them both, so we will see how that goes this week! 

While we were doing some YSA work, YSAs literally fell in our laps. We had an address that didn't exist for a Less Active and I was about to leave and try someone else, but Sister Smith wanted to knock on a door and ask if they knew them. Sure enough, he points us across the street where they really live. We had a great conversation with his girlfriend who isn't a member. We will see if we can start teaching her, but it was even a miracle we found her. Next there were these two punk teenagers on bikes and we talked to them. One said, "Hi sisters!! I'm less active!" So we invited him out to the YSA that he didn't really even know was a thing. He was telling us how much he knew he needed to come back to church! So that was a miracle to just run into him! (Coincidence?? I THINK NOT)

Next, we had a lesson with a family we tracted into a few weeks ago. They are so open and have had Mormon friends that they have loved! It was a great lesson! A little hard because they had two two year olds.. but what ya gonna do? But they accepted the invite to read the Book of Mormon and pray about it! So thats a good start :) We also had dinner with the Long family at our bishop's house! It was AMAZING! It could not have gone any better! Such great fellowship and we watched the old Easter video the church made and talked about the Atonement! The spirit was so strong! And when we were leaving, Brother Long made eye-contact with us and mouthed a sweet 'Thank You'. It was so sweet! 

One final celestial miracle! We got a referral for a YSA and we set up a lesson with him! We taught the restoration, and he really liked it! Another very open person and willing to read and pray! The members we brought too were great! I love member missionary work! :) So we have another appointment with Aaron this week! :) So many cool things happening in Spokane! :) 

Something that I really learned this week is how to love myself. I have been talking, thinking, and studying about charity these last few weeks. And I had these feelings of inadequacy and that I wasn't doing what the Lord wanted me to do, that I should be better at this or that. Just a lot of self-defeating thoughts. So we go to MLC and what does Sister Dymock train us on? How to love ourselves and being patient with our weaknesses. Such a blessing. I have learned to be patient and just try to do my best! I love my mission and all the experiences I am able to have! :) 

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Love,

Sister Adamson

Miracle Week :) February 29, 2016

Dear Family and Friends,

This week was great :) Kid you not! It was very long, but full of miracles and people being prepared to listen to our message! I'll focus this email a lot on the people here, because I'm always really bad at that and the people are great!

So first of all, we have been getting referrals from the 1st ward like crazy!! :) We have a lesson with one names Leonard this week! He has a struggling daughter and needs and wants guidance so our member referred him to us! So we will see how the lesson goes :) Also Sister Stratford in our ward has been dating a non-member for awhile. He has come to church and has had really cool experiences that have softened his heart. Sister Stratford set up a dinner for us to come and meet her whole family and her boyfriend this week. She pulled us aside after church and told us so strongly that we were sent to this ward for her boyfriend. The minute she found out sisters were coming she knew it was time! She was crying a bit telling us this! It is humbling. I know its not because we did anything special. We just simply are here serving and showing our willingness to do our best. That being said, it is a lot of pressure! But I'm excited for the opportunity to teach him!

Another family in the 1st ward. The Longs. He has been inactive for 20 years and his wife isn't a member. He has been into different addictions and has been trying for the last little bit to get on track. Mostly for his two little boys that he has. He has been going to all sorts of recovery meetings and has been meeting with the Bishop every week for about a month. (our bishop is amazing by the way, and I met him in Hawaii without knowing I did=small world!) So we heard that this family had a few hold-ups and weren't ready for the gospel because this or that.. WRONG! We stopped by and we had the most amazing conversation about the gospel with them. We were exchanging scriptures and he was telling us about his recovery and his desire to better himself for his family. We are having dinner with his family at the bishop's home next week! 

Next, we have Kaylee. Who has been working for one of our YSA members and coming to some activities! We taught her the Restoration this week! It was such a great lesson and she has been so prepared to hear the gospel. She is trying to turn her life around as well and has loved what she has heard so far. She is still not so sure about Joseph Smith or the Book of Mormon, but she is searching for the answer! She is willing to read and find out for herself! She even brought up baptism on her own and said that she would if she found it was true! :) Also, Amanda our on-date is doing really well! And took us to lunch on Saturday :) She is the cutest thing! :) And is growing so much!! But I think this was most of the cool things that have happened this week! We have been so blessed with prepared people and members doing missionary work! :) I have such a strong testimony and member missionary work! It truly is the best way to reach out to God's children that need this gospel!! I love you all and hope you have a great week!

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Love,

Sister Adamson

Spokane Craziness February 23, 2016

Dear Family and Friends,

This week has been super busy! Covering two full wards is a big job! We are super busy in both wards! I just want to again emphasize how much charity has been thrown at me this last week. At district meeting, during interviews with president, personal study, sunday school, and email from Sister Halliday on her mission mentioned it, my companion. Literally ALL week! You would think Heavenly Father is trying to tell me something! So I have been praying so hard to love these people! Spokane is rough and interesting place to be. I haven't had the most love and understanding towards the people we meet. I wasn't seeing them through God's eyes. And that makes it hard to want to do your best to share the gospel with them. Good thing my companion is great and I got plenty of reminders this week of exactly "What Lack I Yet?" I have been praying for some time about what can I do to be a better missionary. And I know I received an answer! So wish me luck working on that :) 

This week was good though :) Our golden Shae dropped us.. and so did our other investigator.. for different and lame reasons.. But we have been doing a lot of finding. And with working on charity, we were able to have such great conversations with EVERYONE we met. It makes you feel so good as a missionary to really love those whom you speak with. We are all God's children, and when you try to see people that way, it really changes how you treat them and the hope you have that they will one day accept the gospel. 

We still have Amanda though! She is set to get baptized on the 12th of March. She is YSA and is facing lots of ridicule and opposition from her family and friends in her decision to join the church. So we are giving as much support and love to her as we can! She has such a solid testimony of the church and the gospel! It's been so cool to watch her growth, even in the last two weeks! So we will keep praying for her! There was also lot's of miracles with the YSA this week. A girl named Kaylee (with no-so cool of a spelling) has been coming to activities and wants to investigate, so we will be teaching her tomorrow! :)  

Church on Sunday was CRAZY!! Meetings starting at 7:30, church at 9:00, another meeting at 11:00, church at 1:00. And in between we were being pulled aside by members giving us referrals and asking us questions. We had a whole ten minutes to grab lunch before someone called us to come see someone. And Manito ward meets at the same building so all those members were saying hi. It was crazy!! My brain hurt so much after church.. It's good to be busy though :) I feel very blessed to be here in Spokane with Sister Smith! We are very alike and work hard together! So I'm excited to see what else I will get to learn here in Spokane :) Love you all! have a great week! 

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Love,

Sister Adamson