Shrimp!

Hola!

It’s official – I actually really enjoy seafood now! We had tostadas con camaron – another one of the best things that I have eaten – but it was also 1 of 3 meals that we had that day. A less-active 17 year old girl made it for us and her sister is 8 years old and is preparing to be baptized – whoot, whoot! They haven’t been to church in 2-3 years and they came the past two Sundays in a row – love it!

I was able to go on exchanges with Sister Webb this week – can you say flashback? We had so much fun! It was truly amazing to see how much she truly has grown and her confidence in herself and in her testimony. She is one of the sweetest girls that I know and she is such a hard and dedicated worker. She is the lucky charm because we were able to contact two of our potentials on the exchange that we have been trying to contact for a long time – love it!

Last Sunday at church – a gal from Derby, KS came to visit her granddaughter (Jackie) who is a member but nobody else is. We were talking to her and she said that Jackie’s mom (Katie) mentioned that she is now opening up to learn more about the gospel. We got in contact with her and met her at the church for a lesson – holy spiritual! When we asked her at one point during the lesson how she felt – she said, “Awkward.” Our hearts dropped – what does that mean? So we asked her and she said, “Of all the people that I have talked to about religion, nobody ever explained it in the way that you guys did. They never tried to relate the scriptures to me and find meaning while reading them.” It was so amazing! The member that came with us to the lesson was like, “I want to come – please, please let me know when you meet with her again.”

Dodge City Days and the parade are the best! They called us this week and we are volunteering at the rodeo – boo yeah! Also, Trace Adkins came to concert with some other wonderful country singers. Let’s just say that it is a good thing that they did not need our help for any part of the concert because that is our Achilles heel.

“Above all, do not be selfish! Generate a Spirit of selflessness and generosity. Celebrate and commemorate each day together as a treasured gift from Heaven.” – President Russell M. Nelson

Misionera Amor!
Siempre Una Aventura
Hermana Adams

Family Reunions

Who needs to sing when you can do this!?

Hola!

This week was so amazing! What could be better than exchanges in Liberal and Lamar!? It was so weird being back in Liberal because it felt like I had never left. We got to have dinner with the Hartley family. I gave Mama Hartley the biggest hug and it was so good to be “home” (my Liberal home). I didn’t get to see Uncle Gary because he had to work late out at the water pipes but I did get to talk to him on the phone. Sister Hittle came out with us and she is a powerhouse – talk about a strong woman. I got to see so many other people that I truly love. It was so good to see the new investigators that the Sisters are working with and to know that the Lord is truly hastening the work and leading them to those that are ready. Liberal is growing exponentially – there are stellar missionaries and members there.

We went straight from Liberal to Lamar (3 hour drive). On our way, we stopped in a small town called Ulysses to have lunch. We went to a cute Mexican restaurant on Main Street that had AMAZING food! Their homemade sauce was the best kind I have had so far. The missionaries there told us to go to the Palateria because their investigator owns it. He saw that we were missionaries so he gave us free ice cream and it was huge! Nothing better than small towns where they know who missionaries are and they respect them. We actually started writing a “Small Town Problems” book. A new thing we added to our book: We just finished eating and walked over to our car. I was driving so Sister Valdivia was standing behind the car to help me back out of the parking stall. I opened up the door, put my bag inside, and then paused! All of our suitcase stuff and everything was gone! I turned to Sister Valdivia and said, “Yo, where’s our stuff?” We stood there silent for a good 10 seconds and then realized that it wasn’t our car. We about died laughing as we ran to our car that was 2 cars over. Small Town Problems – People do not lock their car doors!

Lamar – wow it has been so long! Since I left, Lamar got a new Taco Truck that is apparently super amazing! Also, the Sisters have been having mice problems again so they had traps set all around the house (probably about 12 of them). They did find where most of them were coming in – there is a hole underneath the sink. We had dinner with the Miller family – and once again – another family reunion! They had a big barbecue and invited members of the ward to come. I got to go on exchanges with Sister Jordan who is such an amazing missionary! She is 23 and the sweetest girl that you will ever meet. We were talking to a gal outside mowing her lawn – and not too long afterward – she stopped mowing and talked with us for a good 20 minutes. It was so amazing to see the bits and pieces of the Plan of Salvation that she knew but she was missing some major gaps. The coolest part was seeing her face grow lighter and lighter as the testimonies shared sparked a remembrance for her and knowing that she is ready to make and keep sacred covenants.

After being gone for a couple days, it was so nice to be back home in Dodge where the hills seem like mountains and there are no mice in our apartment. I love it! The gospel is true and the only way that we will find true happiness is by abiding by its precepts – “Live the Gospel Joyfully!” We met the cutest gal from England this week and I learned something very valuable from her – “Work to live, don’t live to work!” That was one of the biggest differences that she saw when she moved to the United States. Sometimes we just go through the motions, but we need to change our nature, and truly enjoy the nature around us. I love Kansas!

“But before ye seek for riches, seek ye for the kingdom of God.” – Jacob 2:18

Misionera Amor!
Siempre Una Aventura
Hermana Adams

Boot Hill...

"Selfie" of Hermana Adams and Hermana Valdivia

Hola!

Last P-day we went and did the “tourist attractions” in Dodge City – so much fun! You would be amazed at how many people were there on a Monday. Dodge is apparently the place to be! The little shops and stuff reminded me a lot of Nauvoo. We got some fudge – so good!

This week was crazy busy so we hardly did any work in Dodge. We had exchanges in Garden City and so many miracles came out of it! I stayed in Dodge with Hermana Seigfried who used to be a horse trainer – so cool! The Elders gave us a referral to a young Hispanic couple and they were the cutest things! They prayed together for the first time and the Spirit about knocked us over. Afterwards, we walked outside and a couple houses down, a cute Guatemalan family was outside so we went and talked with them. Their mom was having such a hard time and asked if we could pray with her. So, of course we did – we will always pray! She had tears in her eyes and knew that Christ was lifting her in her trial. We went back the next day with a member in our ward who is a convert from Guatemala – so cool! He shared his conversion story and how it blessed his family (he has 10 kids). Her whole family gathered around to hear and they were all so reverent and loved it! She threw in some random Kiche (language in Guatemala) words but it was so cool to hear her speak.

We had Zone Training in both of the Zones out here in the West, so Sister Valdivia and I had to split up. It was the weirdest thing not having a companion for a couple of hours and having to move from companionship to companionship. I am so grateful for Sister Valdivia because she is truly an amazing missionary.

Dodge City is the best – I love Kansas!

“Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. We ask ourselves, “Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, and fabulous?” Actually, who are you not to be? We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us. And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same.” – Marianne Williamson

Misionera Amor!
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Hermana Adams

Happy 4th of July!

Hola!

I absolutely love the 4th of July! It was just a regular day for us but at night we could see a bunch of fireworks from our window. They were absolutely beautiful! So we planned and then watched the fireworks.

We had exchanges with the Oakley Sisters. I got to go with Sister Wall who just barely came out and she is absolutely adorable! She reminds me so much of Sister Webb and we had a lot of fun. One of their members talks with a British accent – so since then – I have been working on my British accent and it has improved tremendously. Someone was even convinced yesterday – whoot, whoot!

There was a boy walking when we got stopped by a train so we got out of our car and it turns out that he was very interested! We referred him to the Elders and they met with him the next day. Never before have I been so grateful for being stopped by a train!

With being on the West side of Kansas – we have to drive a lot but the corn is coming up and it is absolutely beautiful! I absolutely love Kansas.

We went to see some less-actives (Jone and John) out in the country and it turns out that they are just like Uncle Gary – love it! We literally had to break into their property to knock on their door (we didn’t have their number). But it was well worth the risk because they are such an adorable couple!

“Our brethren of Judah knew Him in ancient times, our brethren of Ephraim also.” – Boyd K. Packer

Misionera Amor!
Siempre Una Aventura
Hermana Adams