Puppies!

Hola!

We are teaching a 16 year old named Tiffany who is living with her grandma. Her grandma is not very interested but she is supportive of Tiffany and her decision. Tiffany used to live with her boyfriend but now has moved back in to live with her grandma. She was having a really hard time with school and other teenager stress so the Elders came over and gave her a blessing. She was a totally different person after the blessing and she is determined to be baptized in February. We had a dinner appointment set up for her at a member’s house and she walked all the way across town to come to it. She could feel the Spirit in their house and she is working hard to be ready for her baptism.

April (our investigator) has been super sick lately and she has been bedridden for days. On Saturday, she received a Priesthood blessing and she instantly felt a lot better. With all of the stress going on in her life and being sick, she said that she smoked two puffs of a cigarette and it was so nasty that she didn't even finish it. Whoo! The Lord works in mysterious ways sometimes. She was so sad to have her baptismal date pushed back but she knows that it will be worth it. Also, her son has been trying to get into rehab for his traumatic brain injury (TBI) and we found out last night that he got in! She sent us the sweetest text telling us the news and bearing her testimony of how much the Lord has helped her in her life.

We may or may not have had a dog for a day – I’ll never tell! April's mom June brought home some of the cutest puppies – they were mutts and they had some Rottweiler, Blue Heeler, and other dog breeds in them. They were adorable! We have a member in our ward that was just telling us how much she wanted a puppy so we took one of these puppies for her. He was so cute so we took him with us all day to our appointments and gave him a bath. Sister Brown (member) was so happy when we surprised her with him – she has never looked so happy! The good news is that we will be able to see our little puppy every time we go over to her house and we'll get to watch him grow up.

Sister Delos Santos (my companion) Quotes…

• “Never end up on a missionary’s whiteboard.”
• “Obedience is perfected by repentance.”
• “Repentance is the element of success.”
• “It’s the little things in life that makes life big.”

Misionera Amor!
Siempre Una Aventura
Hermana Adams

Charity and Love

Hola!

Guess what? I just found out that Zuriko (investigator in Lamar) is getting baptized this week and I might be able to go back for her baptism! I am super excited! I just have to talk with the President to make sure it is okay with him.

Last P-day we went to the craziest thrift store I have ever seen – there were piles of stuff everywhere! It was like a maze and you could easily get lost in there. Of course, this was like Heaven to the missionaries, so we were there for 2 hours looking at all of the crazy things! The only way to really describe it was a hoarder at her best. Gotta love the stores here in Liberal.

Our investigator, April, has so much faith! Her kids are going through a really rough time. We had April come over to the Hartley's house (members) for a lesson and the Spirit was so strong. We talked to April about the Atonement and really focused on how she can rely on Jesus Christ to help her with this hard time. She bore her testimony about how she knows that being baptized is what she needs to do and that she knows that her kids will one day follow her example. She told us that Satan has been working really hard on her and is working through other people to try and bring her down. She is such a strong woman! She has given up coffee and just barely quit smoking. Whoo! I have seen a tremendous change in her and she is still growing every day. I love this gospel!

Bobby, another investigator, is also really struggling with smoking. He is surrounded by others who smoke so it is especially hard for him. This past week, he texted us a little before curfew and asked if we could go over and pray for strength with him. We went over and he said that he had a really hard day at work and he was worried about his “boys” (he is in charge of a bunch of guys on different oil rigs). We prayed with him for his boys and for him to receive strength to quit smoking. We talked to him last night and he didn't smoke a cigarette the whole day! This is huge and he will continue to keep progressing as well. He will be a pioneer for his family.

Bishop Willis is so awesome! He is the greatest example of charity and love. He will do anything for anyone – no matter what they have done to him. This past week, we had a Guatemalan marriage at the church. The missionaries were there to help direct the ceremony and help the Bishop understand because none of them spoke English. While all of the family was eating their dinner, he gave us some advice about marriage and love. This is his definition for love: “Looking back, not looking forward.” This man is amazing! Every word that comes out of his mouth is motivating and uplifting. Just a side note – the food at the wedding was fantastic – especially the tres leche cake!

“The New Testament is the centerpiece of scriptural history, just as the Savior Himself should be the centerpiece of our lives. We must commit ourselves to study it and treasure it.” – Elder L. Tom Perry

Misionera Amor!
Siempre Una Aventura
Hermana Adams

Life in Liberal!

Hola!

Saying bye to the Hicks was not fun but we made the most out of it. David was scheduled to work but he worked it out with his manager so he could go in later so that he could be there to say bye before I left. Sister Valdivia and I bought pizzas and we all had dinner together. The Hicks gave me a beautiful angel statue and that of course made me cry. This was such a tender time to spend with them and I love them with all my heart and I am truly going to miss them. Although the night was filled with food, fun, and tears – I know that I will definitely see them again. Road trip!

This is our little cottage house!

I love Liberal! Gotta love all of those “L” places – Layton, Logan, Lamar, and now Liberal. We have a house here so let’s just say that we are definitely spoiled even though the tree in the front yard and all of the trees in the back are gone now and we definitely do not have any grass or tulips. It looks more ghetto now! Also, we are now driving a Chevy Cruze – how ironic – but I love our car and I still love my Chevy Cobalt. The bishop here is AMAZING! He bought us gym passes which we are definitely going to need because we get fed a TON! Some days we have more than one dinner because all of the members love feeding the missionaries. Gotta love it!

We have an investigator named Bobby – he is awesome! He reminds me so much of my brother Chaz because he is a really skinny guy with a little kid personality. But Bobby has changed dramatically. The missionaries have been working with him for about 3 months. He HATED missionaries and now he invites us over almost every day. He did everything – I mean everything against the Word of Wisdom and now he is just trying to quit smoking. The other day he sent us a text message and said, “It is two degrees with a wind chill and I have not had any coffee – this better be worth it!” His text messages always make us laugh. He even used to have a long beard but he shaved it all off and actually wore a suit to church. His whole image has definitely changed – gotta love the gospel! Bobby has a wife and a cute little boy named Roger. His family also includes many other animals – one being a dog named Bear (ironic) and a snake. Yesterday, I held his snake! I came to realize that snakes are definitely not my favorite animals but I did hold it!

There are so many awesome members here! The Hartleys are definitely one of my favorites. I just barely met them and they are already like family. The water here made Sister Delos Santos really sick so the Hartleys gave us some special magic water that works miracles. It has something to do with pH values (whatever that means). There are many other awesome people here and they are so pumped up for missionary work.

I love my new companion! Sister Delos Santos is awesome – she is so close to the Spirit – and she knows how to have fun. She is from Syracuse, UT and went to Layton High School (LHS). She played soccer for LHS so we have played against each other and didn’t even know it. She is Samoan and Hawaiian – so she is beautiful – and she has some sweet Hawaiian things (including a ukulele).

NEWS FLASH – They are switching Liberal, KS to a Spanish speaking area only! They white-washed all of the English speaking Elders here and left Sister Delos Santos with me to try and help the new Spanish speaking missionaries get to know the area. So, that is why I have an English companion for now. I think it is pretty cool that I get to help open up a new Spanish speaking area – GAME ON!

“I won't give up, shut up, or let up, until I have stayed up, stored up, and paid up for the cause of Christ.” – President Henry B. Eyring

Misionera Amor!
Siempre Una Aventura
Hermana Adams

Happy New Years!

Hola!

It has been snowing! The ground is actually white – yay! We were on our way home from a member’s house and the Elders were following us. They slid off the dirt road into a little ditch. It was so funny! There wasn't much that we could do – but Elder Blaylock somehow got the front end out – and the rest of us sat on the front of the car and it somehow got out. Sister Valdivia and I were dying of laughter – and luckily – everyone and the cars were okay. Mama, it is a good thing to keep a little shovel in the back of the car if you know what I mean!?

We have been visiting with a less-active named Angie who just recently moved here from Las Vegas. She has been having many problems at home so we met her at the church for a lesson. We were in the chapel and had a very spiritual lesson on the Plan of Salvation. Then, she came to all 3 hours of church! This was the first time that she stayed for all 3 hours. Later on Sunday night – we got a call from her and she told us how she had Googled things about The Book of Mormon and You-Tubed some videos (this is never good). We rushed over to her house and we were able to testify of the Holy Ghost and how she can know if The Book of Mormon is true. She told us that she will continue to fast and pray about it. We love her and know that the Spirit will testify to her of the truthfulness of the gospel.

Transfers! I am going to Liberal, KS with Sister Delos Santos. Yay! She is a bomb missionary and I am going to learn so much from her. Sister Delos Santos is an English missionary and the ward in Liberal is English as well but I truly know that the Lord is placing me where I need to be right now. I would love to be in a Spanish area but I guess I am needed elsewhere. Liberal is where Dorothy's house is on the Wizard of Oz and I can't think of a better first place to serve in Kansas. I have LOVED Lamar – and I am so sad to leave – but I know that many adventures are waiting for me in Liberal.

“Always an Adventure!”

“At the advent of a new year, I challenge Latter-day Saints everywhere to undertake a personal, diligent, significant quest for what I call the abundant life – a life filled with an abundance of success, goodness, and blessings.” – President Thomas S. Monson

Misionera Amor!
Siempre Una Aventura
Hermana Adams