Week 86: In which I am attacked by a dish, I illuminate a belly, and we find Alvaro

A Hole 'Nother Week!

(written 15 Jan 2018)

Well, this week was pretty great. Nothing happened, though, unless you count all the things I'm about to tell you about. First of all, on Monday, we had a great lesson with Luis and Brianda. They are so amazing, and show a lot of promise! I'm so excited to work with them.

There's not a lot of time again this week, but I wanted to tell you about 2 things that happened. They both had to do with holes. The first one involves my finger. I didn't know dishes did this so easily, but I was simply washing the dishes. As I was washing a plate with one of those handy little dish-wands, the plate spontaneously decided to break in half on me! It was out of nowhere! I thought to myself, "broken dishes can cut you. I wonder if it cut me." I didn't feel anything, but I decided to look just in case. Lo and behold, there was a chunk of flesh that had been gouged out of my right pinky finger! Nooooo! I ended up having to steal a lot of elder Shoemaker's band-aids.

The other story is quite gruesome, actually. Long story short, there was a man who needed help shining a flashlight on a deep, awful wound of his while his wife stuffed gauze in his wound with a Q-tip. He had previously had surgery that went a little wrong, and was left with a gaping 3-inch or so hole in his stomach. The things you see as a missionary! Sometimes, you wish you hadn't seen them afterward.

It's been a pretty good week. We also found a great guy named Alvaro, who is interested in having us come back and share more with his family! For sure, great things are happening here in the Prophet's Puddle. It's a happening place!

Love,

Elder Adams

 

 

Questions from Editor Mom

 

How was your week? - It was great! We had a pretty normal week.

What are you learning in your scripture studies? - I have been studying in the Book of Mormon about the Godhead, and the different voices in the Book of Mormon. I'm currently in Helaman 7 or so. I also daily study a different topic in Preach My Gospel.

What’s the best thing that happened this week? - We found a great new investigator named Alvaro! We're excited to teach him.

What are you doing to keep your morale up? - I am generally just trying to look at the positive and do all I can to be the best I can. That usually helps :-)

 

Pictures

Elder Larkin, with Elder Miwa lurking behind him

 

Elder Shoemaker the Great

 

Elder Memmott, with Elder Ball in the background 

 

Week 85: In which we meet Othello transplants, I bond with a greenie, and we sing in nursing homes.

Hello again!
(written 8 Jan 2018)

Hello again, everyone! Man, it seems you just can't get rid of me! Here I am, back like a rotten egg, writing another email on every single Monday. Well, I'm very happy to do so.

This week was absolutely amazing! A few weeks ago, we met a lady named Brianda. This last Tuesday, we went back to talk to her, and her husband, Luis, opened the door and immediately invited us in! We went inside, and talked with him a bit. His wife later came back, we talked a little bit more, and then set up a return appointment for Thursday. They also told us a few very interesting things: first, they moved to Moses Lake from Othello only a few months ago! In fact, when I asked them where they were from in Othello, they actually said they lived on a street in my old area! In fact, that particular street was part of a group of duplexes owned by members that we visited a LOT. So much, in fact, that I pretty much talked with everyone who lived there, provided they opened the door. That means that there is approximately an 80% chance (or so) that I talked to them back then! Isn't that crazy?!? Coincidence? I think not.

Also, they told us that they are super good friends with a couple of the active members here in the Moses Lake 9th Branch: The Lunas (Bro. Luna is in the Branch Presidency, and his wife is from Massachusetts) and the Morenos (Bro. Moreno joined the church a little less than a year ago, not too long after his wife, and they both come really regularly).

We then went back on Thursday, but this time the Morenos came with us. Bro. and Sis. Moreno shared powerful testimonies of how the Gospel has blessed their lives, and both Luis and Brianda were listening really intently. They showed a lot more interest as we continued to share about the Restoration, and we'll be going back today. They are both so amazing, and we're really excited to keep working with them!

Everyone else is doing about the same. Honestly, not much else has happened, except for exchanges.

Elder Memmott is the new missionary in our district. He is just starting his training period, and he is fantastic! He's actually also going to be a music major, and he'll start at BYU after finishing his mission. He's trying to decide between Composition, Percussion Performance, and Pedagogy. He and I also relate about a lot of other things. He makes me think of a music major version of Elder West. I'm so happy he's here! It's going to be great.

Everything else is going really well. I'm so grateful to Susie Roberts for the letter! Muchisimas gracias, lo aprecio mucho. Estoy muy agradecido que yo pueda estar aqui, compartir mi testimonio con los demas, y aprender Espanol. Also, thank you so much to Sis. Jeffrey for the little Lego missionary! That is so awesome! I also really appreciated the card from the Nobles. I'm very happy that all of you are well, and I wish you all the best. This gospel is so amazing!

Much love,

Elder Adams

 

 

Questions from Editor Mom

Hi Elder Ben! - Hi Mom!

How's the work coming in the Prophet's Puddle? - Actually, great! We found some amazing new investigators this week, and we're pretty excited for our return appointment tonight!

How's the greenie in your district doing? - He is amazing! His name is Elder Memmott, and he's actually also going to be a music major! He is a bit like Elder West and I in a lot of ways. I'm really excited to have him here; we're going to have a great transfer in this district.

Are you managing to keep your allergies under control? (I take alertec a lot, which helps me; do you want me to send you some)? - I manage well enough. I pretty much just blow my nose a lot at this point; I'm (very) mildly congested... all of the time. But it's mild enough it doesn't bother me a ton.

What do you do for service in Moses Lake--do you have a regularly scheduled opportunity, like the food bank or something? - We go to the Food Bank pretty regularly, and we also sing in large groups for the Nursing Homes in the area (for some reason, we tend to visit Alzheimer's Wards a lot; that's probably because they don't remember that we came a few weeks earlier).

Please tell me something that made you laugh this week. - I honestly don't know. I usually forget pretty quickly.

What are you looking forward to now that Christmas is over? - I'm excited for my birthday, and each transfer brings new excitement with new missionaries and changes. That's honestly all I can think of.

What was your district meeting like this week? - We didn't have one. We only have them if we don't have any other meetings. The first week of the transfer is always District Leader Orientation (DLO, where we learn how to be better leaders), the first week of each month is always Mission Leadership Council for the Zone Leaders, where they get information to be passed to the District Leaders in Zone Leadership Council (ZLC). That's happening this coming week, though, because the first week of the transfer and the first week of the month coincided. Then, we have Zone Conference once a transfer. The rest of the weeks, usually 2-3, are District Meetings. I'm not sure if we get 1 or 2 this transfer.  The calendar the Zone Leaders have said only 1, but everyone agrees that doesn't seem quite right.

What's the best thing that happened this week? - I think the best think that happened this week was finding Luis and Brianda! They have a lot of potential. They are so amazing!

Love you,

Elder Adams

 

Photos

 

 

 

 

Week 84: In which I return to Toppenish for a baptism, make New Years resolutions, and eat a chicken foot!

Not much time this week...

written 1 Jan 2018

Sorry about that.

Well, hello everyone! I hope all of you had a fantastic Christmas and a Happy New Year! It sure has been great here. Updates on current investigators:

Jessica - She's not doing as poorly as she was before. She's on the slow up-and-up, but still not reading, praying, or coming to church. She's just not as depressed as she was before, so there's some hope. We could only really stop by once this week.

We haven't been able to meet with any other of our current investigators for a while because of the holidays (and them being out of town and things), but I have 2 more things to share quickly:

Ramon and Selenia - Selenia was an investigator a few months ago, but Ramon has never really talked with missionaries before. We decided to go by one day, and it happened to be one of their 2 days off every week. They work a LOT. We set up a return appointment for tonight, as they've been missing the regular missionary visits!

And one more thing: This Saturday, I had the immeasurable blessing to be able to return to Zillah for the baptism of David, Albert, and Winterhawk "Bubba" Munoz. Elder Rigby and I found them and began teaching their family together, and they finally got baptized only a few days ago. David is the dad, Albert and Bubba are his 2 boys. Priscilla, his wife, and the rest of his family also attended and are finally showing some interest in going to church and really looking into the Gospel. That is such very, very, good news. I'm so happy for them!

I simply want to end with my testimony that truly, God is still a God of miracles. They do happen, provided we have the faith. They happen because of Jesus Christ. They always have, and they will continue to happen because of the glorious truth that He lives!

Love,

Elder Adams

Questions from Editor Mom

OK, Question number one: How did you spend Christmas Day after we talked? - Well, we studied, then had dinner, then tried to visit people, but they weren't there, so we then spent the rest of the evening cleaning off peoples' cars.

Of course, please tell us about transfers and how they affect your district. - They actually don't! Everyone is stickin' around, and Elder Reusch is going to be receiving a greenie from the MTC (or CCM, depending on if he went to Provo or Mexico).

How was your Christmas District meeting? - To what exactly do you refer? Are you referring to the District Meeting that happened right after Christmas, or are you referring the the one right before Christmas, or the missionary Christmas Brunch? Assuming you mean  the District Meeting itself, right after Christmas, it went really well. We talked about the character of Christ, how to be more like Him, and how to rescue the 1 out of the 99. It was good, and I think we all left edified.

Have you managed to make your district laugh yet? - I honestly have no idea. Probably.

Who taped your Christmas talk, which I found very meaningful, by the way? Whoever did has a very high opinion of you. Makes me proud. :-) - She said she has actually talked with you, and complimented your Spanish. She also said you were a very nice lady. She is very nice to missionaries. She also sent a video of me singing Joseph Smith's Fist Prayer after our fist dinner appointment.

Do you have any New Year's resolutions? - Yeah I do! I have some more detailed goals, but overall, it's all about redoubling my efforts to be a more obedient, diligent, and effective disciple of Jesus Christ. There is nothing so sweet as the news we can repent. Isn't it great?

How are your investigators progressing? (Feel free to share this in the main letter.) - I'll do my best :-)

Love,

Elder Adams

 Pictures

 The Best Picture...

Special Bonus Video which someone texted us:

 

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