CURRENT ADDRESS:

SISTER ELLYN ADAMS

4405 BRISTOL RD. APT 1B

TREVROSE, PA 19053

Article in the local newspaper about Ellyn and her companion a couple of months ago.

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emails and pics from the past 6 weeks

4-28-14

Okee Dokee!

So... Want to hear how weird my companion and I are? Here you go:

At 10:15 pm Sister Bettilyon said:

"Sister Adams, one wish. Go!"

"One million horses. One million stalls. One million robots to clean

up the stalls..."

"I said one wish!"

"That is one wish!"

"You can't be selfish with your wishes..."

"Ok, fine. Those horses will go to Africa and feed the little children."

"Ew, you're feeding them horses?!"

"It's your fault they're eating horse meat!"

"Ew you little nasty!"

Then we rolled, literally rolled, on the floor laughing for 5 minutes.

We seriously say the dumbest things and it is so much fun. Plus she

buys me Chick-Fil-A all the time, life is good. Oh, and yeah... We work

hard ;) it's fun AND we're working hard :)

I realize that when I am with people and talking to them my problems

melt away. I love it. This mission has been my saving grace. If I

hadn't come, I don't know where I would be, but it know with my whole

heart that I wouldn't be happy. I am happy as I am serving people. :)

A lot of our appointments are falling through, I don't enjoy it.

We had dinner at our Bishops house this week. Their kids are a bunch

of misfits, so obviously I enjoyed that dinner. The first thing Sister

Ackerman asked us is "what would you like to drink? We have large

juice, water, crystal light, milk...?" And then their 11 year old

daughter said "we also have acid!" With a huge smile on her face. Then

during dinner, one of the questions asked was "dad, what is more

valuable, an uncut diamond or a cut diamond?" That was pretty much the

gist of our dinner. It was so much fun... And loud. :)

Our district is going to make a lemonade stand in the summer and we

are also going to put free Book of Mormons on there. :)

We have a British Elder in our district. I get him to say "hobby

lobby" and "lemon tart" all the time. He says that I sound like I

belong in northern England with my accent, but that's just his nice

way of saying that my accent stinks.

We taught the youth in our ward yesterday (i swear my calling in life

is to be a teacher...) and we taught them about how they will receive

their answers from God. This is a great quote to sum up what we talked

about:

"We are not grounded in the wisdom of the world or the philosophies of men--however traditional or respected they may be. Our testimony of Jesus Christ is based on the revelations of God to His prophets and to us individually." -Elder Dallin H. Oaks

Not much else to say!

Love yous,

Sister Adams :)

4-7-14

Hello family and friends! I don't have too much time to talk because
we are going to center city to go visit the center city sisters and
buy stuff! Yay! This week was awesome. Want a miracle story? Here it
is!
Well, we have this lady in our ward who has had a rough life. Born and
raised in Philly. Abusive marriage, health problems. She is the
sweetest soul though. She calls us Sister, and not because it's our
title. She knows that we truly are Sisters. She called us after
general conference and told us it was the first one she had ever
watched and how HAPPY she was. She was crying. She told us that she
felt the Spirit so much as she watched it and she felt so comforted...
What a coincidence! So did I! For all of my friends that don't know
what General conference is, it's where the Apostles and Prophet of The
Lord speak to everyone (you don't have to be a member of this church
to watch) and essentially tell us how to have everlasting happiness :)
one of my favorite quotes from it was:

3-31-14

Hi!
How is everyone?
Today was super duper fun because I got to go ice skating... It was
kind of horrible with my sprained ankle. Like, it really hurts, but it
was SO MUCH FUN. We laughed a lot and it was well worth the $11 each
for 1 hour haha...
It's been a tough transfer, not even gonna sugar coat it. But we have
learned so much together. I have learned that Heavenly Fathers love
for me and others is never ending. I have learned that The Lord will
help us if we are willing to listen. I know people who say "The Lord
has never answered my prayers" but I know that The Lord always answers
if we pray sincerely, willing to act on the answer we receive. I know
that He answers, but it may not and probably won't be in the way we
think it should be. And why should it be? If God is all-knowing, why
would we want our answers to be the way we think? That's just silly ;)
Silly is my new favorite word. I feel all cheesy and such and I love
it. Life is good.
My life has been forever changed and hopefully will continue to be
ever changing. I didn't want to change when I first came to the east
coast, but I know that change is good. That is what the gospel is all
about.... Changing ourselves to become more Christlike! :) I am so
happy, even though life is hard. I am so happy :) my change is coming
because I am tying to help others change. I love it, it s a win-win!
It feels like a lifetime since I've seen all of you. I feel like I
barely know you... It's kind of sad, actually. But whatever, you guys
are still pretty cool...hopefully.
Don't have too much to report this week.
Love you all,
Sister Adams!

3-24-14

Dearest family and friends, 

First off...

HAPPPPPPPPPYYYY BIRDDDAAAYYY MOMMY! Ahh, you're 50!? When I show people your picture, they think you look about 35... Jus sayin. Love you. I celebrated your birthday by celebrating my year mark of my mission! I ate Dairy Queen and burnt a pair of my tights (like, really. I got a match and burnt them, it's sort of a weird rite of passage sort of thing for Sisters. Elders burn a shirt)... You should feel really special ;) 

I am so grateful for all of you and your diligence in writing to me every week! I am so grateful for all of your well wishes and most importantly, prayers for me. I feel them and I know they're coming. They're well needed, so thank you :) this work is hard... No one wants to talk to the Mormon missionaries! But then we find those people who are searching for God. We always seem to find the people who are... Coincidence? I think NOT. :) 

Anyways, this week was my year mark! I can't believe it's been a year! It's been sooooo hard but SO worth it's, I have had the BEST time of my life! 

This week was great! We have been teaching a man named Nelson. His wife is a member and he is not. He's from Ecuador and he is super funny. I love going to their house because it is very humble and she plays the bassoon and their daughter who is 6 does gymnastics in the living room. When I say "gymnastics" I mean she runs from wall to wall and leaps over stuff. She's super cute and loves to show off. Anyways, he is searching for the truth, and he says that he feels different at our church. He finally (after 6 years) wants to know for himself! It's exciting to be a part of this :) our lessons with him are hard with their daughter, but he really wants to know and the Spirit is present :) my companion and I are finally being able to teach well together :) it's great! Oh, and they have a candy bowl... Maybe that's another reason I like being there ;) 

I really am loving these people. It's weird. When I first came out all I cared about was myself and wanted to sleep in, haha. But now I just love people and love hearing their stories! These people help confirm to me that there is a God. They are too amazing for us to not have a God. 

Then... My favorite part of my week. On the 21st, Sister Carrigan (my old comp) came and did exchanges with me! She is now my Sister training leader, so i get to see her more often! She celebrated my "birthday" (my one year mark) by putting balloons and glitter and streamers on my bed and then put a candle in a ho-ho and sang happy birthday to me! Ahh, it was wonderful! I love her and it was so nice to have her here. It was so nice to reminisce and to be able to have someone that knows me. She helped me out a lot and I am so eternally grateful for that exchange. :)

All the stuff I gave up to come here ain't got nothin on Philly! I am just so grateful for the experiences that I've had here.

I love all of you... For my Easter package I've just decided that I just want a whole thing of wisps... People like to feed me a lot of garlic...

Love you c: I will send pictures later :)

Sister Adams!

3-17-14

Hello All,

This week has been rough work-wise. Sister Bischoff had a stomach infection and a sinus infection. We stayed in for about 2 days and then went to the doctors for a full day ("Minute Clinics" are not a minute... just sayin'!) and it was kind of hard on me! I worked on a lot of office work, but it was just not fun!

But, we totally saw some miracles. Real ones! Real-life miracles!

I was having a hard, anxiety-filled day, and it was only 9am. But, we had Zone training (where all the awesome missionaries in an area get together and learn how to be even BETTER missionaries) and it was amazing! You know how busy I am? I'm lucky if I get a 10 minute nap. But they asked us what we wanted as we signed our mission papers and got ready to leave. We said a lot of different answers, but we decided to focus on the one that was to "Strengthen our testimony/faith." We made goals and talked about how we can do that. We all decided to read the Book of Mormon in a month. One month. that's 18 pages a day. That's A LOTTTTTTTT for someone who is so busy! I totally thought, wait. NO. I don't have time for this. I don't think I can do it. Its too much and I already read the Book of Mormon so I'm good. Then, as I thought about it, the Spirit came into my heart, I felt peace and I knew that I would be able to do it. My worries and anxieties that I previously had, I swear, they just went away. I don't know where, but they left. I didn't even REMEMBER what they were. It was crazy. So I accepted the challenge. I am now on page 56 on day 4. I find time to read in the morning, during lunch break and before bed. Its kind of awesome. So, that day I was flying with the Spirit. We went out with Kathryn ( a recent convert) and found a guy named Brady from Haiti and he always wanted to know which of the churches were true. Well, if we didn't have Kathryn with us we wouldn't have been able to teach him, but we did... totally not a coincidence.... and he needed it! The Spirit was so strong. I just know that all of his anxieties and fears were melted away as he felt the Spirit :) This is the best work. I get to see miracles every day, especially within myself!

This is the hardest thing that I have ever done in my life. But, I will always combat that thought with: THIS IS THE BEST THING THAT I HAVE EVER DONE. I do not regret saying bye to my friends and family and my nieces and nephews and my puppies and MUSIC and my schooling for a year and a half because I see MIRACLES every day. I see people change into who they want to be and more importantly who God wants them to be. I see myself change. I am not the best at changing myself, but I see it. I see my companions change. Yup. This is cool! Just sayin :)

Love you all... 

Alright, BYE! :)

Sister Adams 

3-10-14

Hey ma and pa and everyone :) 

I am in the apartment making rice and spinach and beef... It's a concoction that I made up while my companion is napping. I am going to eat it with chopsticks just because! :) She naps more than me... It's pretty crazy! 

So yeah, my companions name is Sister Bischoff :) she's from Rexburg Idaho and is the youngest of 3 (2 older brothers). She is super chill, I love it. I've had companions that have to be in control of everything. It doesn't work that way, and she is go with the flow, but works hard :) I like her, I'm excited to learn from her... Let's see what The Lord has up his robe sleeve this time! 

It was sad to say bye to Sister Cox, though. I wasn't ready to leave her yet. We just got our flow, but alas,she is in Pottstown, PA now! She came back for a Robs baptism, but we'll get to that later...

This Friday we did service for a less active lady in our ward. She wanted us to do about a months worth of laundry in the laundromat, so we did. We put the stuff in, left and got sushi, switched it and then went to a stamp and coin store (one of my new weaknesses is stamps and hers is coins...we couldn't resist.) we walked in and about 10 minutes later I got bored. I sat at one of the tables in the rear of the store and started talking to the workers that were organizing the stamps and pins and postcards. I started talking to them and introduced myself. The guy, Pete, said "are you like a nun or something?"haha my thought was "that would be cool..." But i told him no. He asked "what do you do?" And I said well, let me tell ya! To make a long story short, we taught them the Restoration of the Gospel of Jesus Christ right then and there in the laundromat! The girl, Nicole, was really really interested. She wanted to know how she could have the comfort of Jesus Christ more in her life. I bore testimony of how much I am grateful for the comfort He brings me. I told her that I knew that she would find that too :) So yeah, taught people in a stamp shop, all because of our weaknesses of stamps and coins! Haha 

Then this week... Rob got baptized and confirmed! He was so excited! Let me tell you how it went...

His son in law gave a talk on baptism

His daughter (who is on her mission in El Salvador) bore strong testimony via skype.

His son in law baptized him

Bishop and his wife sang a duet

Sister Cox gave a talk on the Holy Ghost

Then he was welcomed into the ward.

My favorite part...he bore his testimony. He started out thanking people, then he bore a firm testimony of how he knew the Book of Mormon to be true, that this is the true Gospel. He truly accessed the Atonement in his life. He is clean of his sins and is free of his past. Not trying to sound cheesy or cliche. I am just so happy that I got to be a part of his learning process and got to see him change into a man of God :) that's all ;)

Me, Rob and Sister Cox

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Man this beef spinach rice stuff is good!

I'm learning how to crochet. My companion made an afghan her last transfer... Crazy! I just want to do a scarf! Haha

Here's a thought: 

The church was restored in 1830 and had 15 members. Now there are 15,000,000+ members in 160 countries all around the world. Why is it growing and other churches are closing down? Well, let me tell ya. Because people are looking for the truth, and we have it. Their questions haven't been answered anywhere else, and they will be in this church. How awesome! 

I know this church is the same church that Christ established on the earth. :) I feel it in my heart and I know it.

I love you guys! Keep the letters comin'! 

-Sister Ellyn Adams :)

Message and email from 3-2-14

I addition to the love, compassion and service that Ellyn has shared with her fellow human beings for the last 10 months, this is the message that she shares every day:

Our message is remarkable and simple. God is our Father. We are His children. We are part of His family. He loves us. From the beginning of the world, He has followed a pattern of love and concern. Many times He has reached out in love to reveal the gospel of Jesus Christ so that His children can know how to return to Him. He revealed it to prophets such as Adam, Noah, Abraham, and Moses. But people have repeatedly chosen to reject that gospel. Two thousand years ago, Jesus Christ Himself taught His gospel and established His Church, and accomplished the Atonement. Incredibly, people even rejected Jesus. Whenever people disregard or distort true doctrines and ordinances, God withdraws His authority to administer the Church.

Our invitation to you and all people is to add to the truths you already treasure. Consider our evidence that our Heavenly Father and His Son, Jesus Christ, have again reached out to God’s children in love and revealed the fullness of the gospel to a prophet. This prophet’s name is Joseph Smith. The evidence of this glorious truth is found in a book—the Book of Mormon—which you can read, ponder, and pray about. If you pray with a sincere heart, with real intent and faith in Christ, God will tell you by the power of the Holy Ghost that it is true.

Hello to all my peeps out there,

Well, I'm going to be transferred again. Yep. I'm gonna miss my companion like crazy..

She and I have had an amazing run! We both just want to work and do

what Heavenly Father has in store for us. And guess what?! We've seen

so many miracles! Like, forrealsies. One of them being my ghetto

accent is getting really good. She has been a very good critiquer and

helped me be better and better at it! Also, I am a very good Philly

driver now.

But let's get real. 

This week we have seen our work go sky high and

it's crazy! That's why we're getting split up. It's cuz we're doing

too good! haha.  We taught a young man yesterday. We asked him why he thought we

came.   He said "because I'm on the less active list" and we said "can

we make a correction to what you've said? We are not here because you

are less active. We are here so that you can see the blessing of the

Atonement in your life." I know that the suffering the Christ did for

us made it possible for me to feel happy and take the anxieties of

life away. That's what Jesus Christ has done for us. And everything

else. We want him to see that and feel that in his life. We don't want

it to just be an idea but a reality in his life.

AND...There's an old Swedish man that we are teaching. He said something funny,

"I don't drink...THAT much" haha.  He's 82 and he teases us like no other!  He is looking for

truth and his purpose in life. He asked those questions to others but

was never answered. We all want to know that but it seems it takes a

while to find it. He's found his answers though:) I'm excited for him.

The message that we share can answer all the questions that you have had in

your heart, forever. I have full confidence in that. :)

I am so grateful for this work. If you have questions about what I do,

just shoot me an email!  ellyn.adams@myldsmail.net

I'd love to help you out :)

This work is true! While the world lies and runs in circles, this

message is true! This Gospel is true! :)

Love, Sister Adams

:):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):) hehe

Feb 2014 Emails and Pictures from Ellyn

New Address:

Sister Ellyn Adams

4405 Bristol rd. Apt 1B

Trevrose, PA 19053

Some pictures and exerts from the last few months of emails from Ellyn...

2-9-14

I had chips and salsa and oreos for lunch so this letter is going to be short because I am nutrient deficient!

Well this week I served in Center City Philly for an exchange with the Sister Training Leader. It was awesome. There were so many people, it was kind of overwhelming! I loved it! People dressed super cute and it kind of smelled and it was like a dirtier San Fran.  We met a couple people in the train and we taught a guy in the hospital and it was just what I needed to be more pumped about the work :) It seems that I am usually a roller coaster of emotions, but that exchange really helped me see things a little more clearly :)

We also had an awesome zone training that helped me so much. I don't know... the more I'm out here the more I want to stay. I really don't ever want to leave just because of all the miracles we see everyday!

The people really look out for us :)

There's a group of 7 Sisters and no Elders coming in next transfer. Sister Cox thinks I'm training again.... I might be up for another adventure ;)

I am just so grateful for all the wonderful things that happen everyday, even the things that are happening within myself. I am seeing myself change every day and either I change for the better or worse. Its really cool though knowing that its all my choice which way I go :)

Welp, we'd better get going, we're probably gonna go ice skating :)

Love you all!

Sister Adams!

and yes... its FREEZING here! :D

Ellyn's new apartment (obviously in the summer)

1-20-14

I am turning 20. My 10 month mark is TODAY. And I'm leaving Wilkes-Barre. This place means so much to me. I have grown so much and I feel that I have changed a little bit more into who God wants me to be. I have been through a lot of hard times. A lot of times where I have felt alone, but I found that God is there. He is so present. We just have to open our hearts and have that desire to change and know, and He will show that to us. I am so grateful for the people and the richly spiritual experiences I have seen in this area. <3 I am so eternally grateful. I can only look back on my mission so far and say how full of gratitude I am towards our Heavenly Father.
This week we had another snow storm. It wasn't that cold, but it was snowy. One of our investigators, Rose, called us and told us it was too dangerous to go up the hill to her house in the snow, so she was going to cancel. We had already been cancelled on that day and me being the stubborn Sister that I am, I told her that we would walk up the hill.She was surprised, but we went anyways. Well, our car made it up SUPER easy up the hill and then we had an AMAZING lesson with a lady that just wants to do what God wants her to do. She then told us "You know, after I got off the  phone with you I told my husband 'those preachers and ministers are sitting in their nice, warm church buildings while these girls will walk up the hill to teach me the gospel' and so you girls are different." It was awesome. We had the excuse to cancel all of our appointments because of the snow, but we didn't and our day went EXACTLY as it was planned! It was awesome!  And I am so grateful. The Lord definitely blesses the people who put the effort in!

We did yoga this morning. Well, not really yoga, but meditation and it was super awkward. Like the lady was like chanting in a foreign language and it was just super weird. Lots of weird juju. But it was nice for only $6. :D

I cant wait to go to my next area. I'm super sad. I'm going to send more pictures now! I love you!!!

Happy January! :)

I love you!

Sister Adams :)

1-13-14

This week at District Meeting, it was about the Atonement of Jesus Christ. It was exactly what I needed to hear... and this is why:

(excerpt from a letter to the Mission President)

"So me and Sister Baluyot both tried something this week... We tried to regain our faith. We stopped doubting our lessons falling through and stopped talking about all of the reasons for the lesson to fall through or go negative. It was kind of hard, but guess what? IT WORKED. We stopped making an excuse out of our lack of faith. We worked hard and diligently. Lunch breaks became shorter, we worked even though it was 4 degrees outside and we TRIED. We tried so hard to try. And our goals and actuals are steadily going up. We have seen many miracles this week. I feel that we are both refining each other. I love my companion and the rich spiritual experiences that we have been having, and WILL continue to have. (Sorry about all the capslock, but not sorry because I feel so strongly about this! This has changed my whole outlook on my mission!)"

Jan 6, 2014

This week has been... interesting. We had a wonderful pancake-filled breakfast with the Deans to start the New Years off right with carbs and more carbs. It was awesome :D So delicious. Brother Dean made all of it (he just got done with Leukemia... he is AMAZING! Such an inspiration) and then they came out and worked with us the rest of the day.

The next morning, to kick start the New Year, I decided to work out hard. I was doing high knees when I tripped over the step that goes into the kitchen (its just one little step) and sprained my ankle. It was a lot of fun. That meant I got to lay on the couch for a couple of hours with a member while my sweet Golden got to teach all the lessons. It was good because I will probably be transferred soon so she needs to learn the area  more.

The next day I got a massive cold (I think it almost turned to strep except I got super blessed from the Lord so it didn't) and now I sound like a man. I have been praying to be humble and to stop talking a s much... Heavenly Father DOES answer our prayers, and I am a perfect example of that!

12-9-13

At the end of a recent lunch with Sister Panohaya (it was just her, so we had a hard time communicating with her little English and Sis Baluyots little Spanish and my even littler knowledge of Spanish!) we shared a message.  We talked about Nephi, and all he did. She was trying to talk in English but we told her to just talk in Spanish to make it easier. She did and I remember just looking at her and listening as best as I could to what she was saying. I just kind of guessed at what she was saying and the feelings of the Spirit, like understanding, were there so strong. Sister Baluyot knows more Spanish than I do and ever few sentences I would look at her and I would say what I thought she said, and Sister Baluyot was so surprised that I knew what she was saying. It wasn't because of the expressions on her face or the way that she spoke, it was because of the Spirit. I was able to understand her because the Lord needed me to understand her. The Spirit is real. I know that to be true.

11-25-13

The only thing that I want to do today is cuddle up and watch Elf.  

11-25-13

This week we went and visited with Ed again (remember the one who was a turd to us the first time we met him and then he turned out to be golden?) I am a pessimist and was like "oh, it was just one good lesson, this next one is not going to be as good..." BUT...it totally was awesome! We were going to teach him a quick restoration lesson, but it turned into reading Enos from the Book of Mormon and the Spirit was so strong. We talked about prayer and how he can feel the way that Enos felt, like he was clean and how he can also have that connection with God. (If you haven't read Enos, you totally should, just sayin.... and if you have, read it again!) and he said that he would read the Book of Mormon, because we told him that is how he will know if our message is true. At the end of the lesson, we asked him to say the prayer, he said no. We asked why, he said no. We taught him how to pray, he said no. We asked him again, he said no. A little persistence, and BAM! the 5th times the charm! He prayed. After he prayed, we asked him how he felt. He said he felt good. We told him that feeling is from God.  Man, miracles are everywhere, even in Plymouth... lol ;)

Letters and pics from the last 6 weeks (SORRY for the delay!)

email received from the Mission regarding Christmas Packages

October 7, 2013

Dear Families of Missionaries,

Christmas is fast approaching.  We will be delivering our missionaries Christmas packages the 12th, 13th, and 14th of December.

All Christmas packages are to be mailed to the office and must arrive at the Mission Office by Friday, December 6. 2013. Meeting that deadline will assure that your missionary receives your packages at the time their zone packages are delivered.

Please mark 'Christmas' on the Christmas packages. If we don't know the packages are for Christmas they may get sent out to training meetings, visits by the Assistants, Interviews, etc. before the Christmas package delivery dates.  We don't want your missionary opening Christmas presents before Christmas.

We ask that all packages come in to the office for two reasons:  1)  We log every package that comes in.  Doing so helps us determine if there are any missionaries not getting Christmas presents (it happens).  If packages go to apartments we don't know who has received Christmas presents.  2) Sending all packages to the office does away with any confusion about transfers - whether your missionary might be transferred and gone from the apartment you usually send their mail to.  Transfers will occur on the 10th of December 2013.

Our office address is:

Pennsylvania Philadelphia Mission 721 Paxon Hollow Road St B Broomall, PA 19008

May your Christmas be extra special because you have a loved one serving the Savior as a missionary.

Thanks for your help and attention.
Sister Smuin

Mission Secretary

email from October 7, 2013

This week has had its ups and downs, but today I am perfectly content and that is good enough for me :)

MIRACLE STORY:
So, we had some potentials named G and J. Their house address was an address of a less-active member that used to live there. They seemed interested to come to church, but never came after we had invited them. We made an appointment, but that never stuck. It seemed a bit like they were avoiding us. We tried to call about 3 times, but every time it went to voicemail... and sometimes only after 2 rings. . On Saturday night after conference, we went there for a visit. I was kind of nervous to go because I didn't want to seem too pushy, but put that feeling aside. So we went over and immediately she let us in. We talked to her as G was making her dinner. She told us of that hard time she had been going through this past week. From staying in the hospital and feeling guilt for having her husband take care of her for the past 3 weeks. So she broke down to us, tears and everything. We shared Alma 34:16 and she cried even more. She asked us to share that scripture with G. He said that he liked it. They asked us about our churches view on marriage, and we told them that we believe it to be sacred and between man and wife. They liked that. So, time was running out, so we decided to leave them with a Book of Mormon before we left. Sister Suckow said "We have a present for you" and put the Book of Mormon up, and she started crying. At first I thought it was a mistake, then I thought she was crying because of meds, but then she said "Oh my goodness... really? I can't believe it. This book saved my life when I was in the army 20 years ago. Wow." And we were so surprised! She then explained how her friend from the army had invited her to that church and how she loved it! She got baptized about a month after that. Then she married her first husband who told her that she could never go to that church again, and when they got divorced threw her Book of Mormon out. She bore her testimony to G about the Book of Mormon, and told him that he needs to read it. The Book of Mormon changes lives. It has changed mine, and I hope I allow myself to have it be able to continue to change mine. So conclusion: We found a less-active member while trying to find another... it was...perfect.

We also have a recent convert named M who is AMAZING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! and I've seen recent converts that really aren't. She is so converted. She has begged us to come teaching with us. She is just amazing. She reads her scriptures, is an active member, and tells everyone about the gospel. She is preggo (about 6months) and is an artist. She came teaching with us the other day to our investigators, A and R. She bore her testimony like nobody's business. The Spirit just comes out of her mouth and my heart knows that what she is saying is true. A and Rare awesome! Don't worry about me as long as they, The Badilla family, and the Deans are out here.. They take care of us without any hesitation. Sister Dean is such an angel... she is the epitome of a perfect member missionary. She shares the gospel with EVERYONE! She has 4 girls at work that want to come to church. She called us and told us to block out our whole day from 11-5 to come out with her. She had less active members that she had been fellowshipping to go see with us. We went and visited 3 people. One a less active, one an active member that is having a hard time, and one was a girl from her work that she had already told about us to... so it wasn't creepy for us to come. I can't explain how much love I have for her in my heart. Her husband is dying of cancer. She had a really bad fall and is bruised up one side of her body. She could easily say that its too much to come out teaching with the Sister missionaries. She could easily stay in bed and watch TV all day. She could easily make an excuse as to not come teaching with us... and her excuses would be valid. But she sees the big picture of Heavenly Fathers plan. She knows that if she comes out with us, that her burdens will be light. And they are. She was able to come and do the work of the Lord, and also have a girls day to take her mind off of the bad things going on at home. So I cant explain it as well as I want to, but she is truly and angel.

The Lord is so aware of me, and I feel it. We had a really hot day this week, and I was complaining (cuz I couldn't wear my cute boots.... but then later on in the evening, I was having a really bad night. I was very sad and started crying in the car as I was in the passenger seat. I rolled down the window, and the wind was the perfect temperature. It was the temperature of cool summer nights back in Cali, and  I knew that if it had not been a hot day, that the wind wouldn't have been the perfect temperature, and I wouldn't have gotten that tender mercy from the Lord. But it was hot, and it was a beautiful night, and I felt that tender mercy from the Lord. He is so aware and mindful of me, and I could feel it that night :)

 Family- I love you. I miss you, but I am continuing to try to push that aside and continue to work with all my heart, might, mind, and strength. I can't wait to be with you all forever :)

Sister Adams

email from 10-15-13

Hi Momma!

P-Day was changed because of Columbus Day. Don't really know why... but its ok.  Its weird how when you're on your mission, your body is programmed to start to relax on Mondays... I had to whip myself into shape about 5x yesterday! But then when I heard that Muddy died, I excused myself to the bathroom and cried for about 3 minutes, walked out, and cried a little bit more. But you wanna know what my companion said? She said that I'm sure she's playing with Christ right now, and when she came he just held out his arms for her. :) Mom- you did nothing. Did I tell you about the night the Nigel died? I had the flu, and dad put him out to potty. Dad then went to sleep before me, and then I decided to go to sleep. I walked by the sliding door and saw Nigel there looking at me, and I decided that I was "too weak" to open the door for him. Then he got out. But its ok. Muddy and him are playing together and they're pooping everywhere... Angel too. ;) I'm still pretty sad, but its ok. :) I have a letter to send to you... but its not from me! This week I went on exchanges with a Sister named Sister Oveson. She tried on the brown dansko shoes and really liked them, so I let her have them. She only had 2 pairs of shoes prior, so she was so happy. I said to thank you... and she literally did. Its such a cute letter. I'll send it as soon as I can :)

This week was good! Really good! We saw lots of miracles! We had plans to have 5 investigators at church from our area alone, and we waited at the door before Sacrament, and they didn't show. First song... didn't show. Opening prayer... no one came... we were pretty sad because we had planned for our investigators, A and R, to pick them up and bring them. So we were just like "if they forgot to pick them up... oh man.. we are going to be so sad..."  Then we went and sat down in the congregation next to the Scherers (I'll explain them more in this letter ) and I was super anxious and antsy. I was so nervous. Then when Bishop was saying the announcements, we heard some shuffling behind us, and there they were, 4 of the 5! I turned to Sister Suckow and said "It feels like Christmas morning!" because it totally did! They came and J (30) was wearing gym shorts and a puffy jacket and a red ball cap, and his mom, L(47), was wearing gym pants and a t-shirt and a jean jacket. It was sweet. We then found out that they woke up late and didn't get breakfast and were woken up by A knocking on the door. It was funny, but we were so happy that they showed! They were really engaged in Gospel Essentials (which was about honesty) and they nodded a lot and smiled a lot. We had a lot of people lined up to talk to them. It was so cool! Sister Dean is so funny. The first thing she does I hug J. Ahh, its great when people are just awesome at being friendly! So now, L and J want to come back next week for Stake Conference... and the next week.... and the next. We're planning for their date to be December 8th, so we'll see how that goes! :) We have dinner with them this Thursday. 

One of the talks in church was SUPER COOL! It was one of the Spanish speaking members, Brother Cruz. He only speaks Spanish, so it was translated by Sister Badilla. It was really cool because there were a lot of pauses and times where the Spirit could teach rather than him talking on and on. It was so cool!! His talk was about being accepted by the Lord. It was applicable to me AND to the investigators at church :)

Then, on Sunday night we had dinner with the Scherer family. They have 4 kids... and they are CRAZY!!!! CCcRAAzzyYYYy!! They have a 10yr old son named Johnny and in the middle of dinner he put on his Darth Vader costume and came and turned off the light and started whipping it around. His parents didn't do anything, it was so fun. The crazy houses are the best to go to. They also have a black lab, so I automatically liked them. Her name is Hobbs and they have a fish named Calvin. Ugh, it was so much fun!

My companion and I are getting along much better. I realize that its really hard for me to let people in. I just hate getting hurt after I do. But that's just what happens. You let people in, so that you can love them and they can love you, and that's just how life it. I mean, Christ loves everyone, and I'm sure he gets disappointed every day with how we are. But he continually lets people in. So I realized that a long time ago, but saw no problem with it. Now I see a problem with it. So I am trying to let people in. Companions, investigator's, members. Just to love them more. So we and I discussed that, and we have been talking more to each other. About things that bother us and things that are just on our mind. She listened to me talk about Muddy a lot yesterday. Its a lot better ;)

Anyways, gotta go! I love you Mom and Dad and Bubba and and Gma's and cousins and Arielle and Amanda and Uncles and Aunts and Sterd and Alora and friends and Nyle and Isabelle and Chewy and Sammy and... even Bella ;)

Sister Adams!

email from 10/21/13

Hi momma!

 I'm good! I loved the ward newsletter! It looked so good! I can't believe you have 8 missionaries! We are hoping to have the work improve so much that we need 8, too! The work is going GREAT! Our faith has increased, so our miracles have increased, its awesome! We have about 8 investigators right now, and hopefully 5 more with baptismal dates this week. We will try our darndest tro make that happen, but agency is awesome and they have to accept :P

A typical day for me is that I'm exhausted and then we work and we see miracles then we sleep. Lol, juuuuust kidding... sort of ;)

Well, we wake up at 6:30 (which sometimes its cool to picture all of the other missionaries waking up at the same times as us, it helps to picture that) then we exercise (which I am trying to do! I run the stairs in the morning and I have had so much more energy) and then we get ready and then we study for 1 hour personally, then 1 hour together. Then we work from 10-9. When it gets dark we usually come in and work on the map and area book, to keep them updated for future missionaries in that area. But during the day we are trying new finding activities, and also visiting potential investigators and less-actives (this is if we have no appointments). Our new finding activities include putting up Free Stop Smoking Program posters around the city and holding signs on a busy street (that say: Free Book of Mormon, Free KJV Bibles, Free Family History Help....  and also singing hymns in a park. We haven't tried all of them, but we are getting to it :) But yeah, that's a typical day!

I love you! Thank you for your package.. honestly. I loved it and it relaly helped me feel loved. I've missed you a lot today. Last night I was so mad because all I wanted to do was call you, but its ok, im strengthening my relationship with the Lord right now :)

LOVE AND MISS YOU MUCHO GRANDE!

<3 Sister Adams!

email from October 28, 2013

Hello Family and friends! 

Well, big news here in Wilkes-Barre... I'm staying and Sister Suckow is leaving.. and guess who's taking her place??? A Golden fresh and hot from the MTC! Yup, Im training... Its a pretty weird feeling. Im extremely excited but Im also super nervous!!  I just want to serve her as best as I can.. and not let my pride get in the way. Its definitely going to be a humbling experience and Im praying that it is. Its exciting to see who its going to be! Im going to transfer meeting tomorrow in Broomall (140 miles away...) and then going in a temporary trio for a night and then getting my golden on Wednesday! Its so exciting! In this mission they make transfers really nerve-racking and its really exciting but kind of annoying!        

Anyways, I had a pretty good week this week. We had a lesson with L's husband, R. He has NOT wanted to meet with us for like a month (the whole time we've been meeting with L). He just has heard crazy things about the church and has never wanted to join. But we saw them at Walgreens and Sister Suckow asked if he would be at the next lesson. He said no. Sister Suckow said that we were pretty persistent (I heard none of this because I was a little ways away doing something else.. but don't worry!  I was still within sight and sound!) and I came back and then asked R (without knowing that it had just been asked) if he was going to be at the next lesson. He then said "ok... alright, i'll go." And wow... it was a wonderful lesson! We watched the Restoration DVD and then we asked him questions like if he ever felt the way that Joseph did and what his relationship with God is like. He has had some negative things happen in his life and he feels like God has abandoned him. We then talked about prayer and asked him to be baptized with the rest of his family on the 8th of December.. we'll see how that goes! Hopefully it happens!

I have a weird feeling that I'm going to be here the rest of my mission. Which will be good. I need to learn how to love these people more :)

I am so grateful for the Lord giving me this opportunity. This morning I was studying conversion. In the Bible dictionary under conversion is says Alma 26. I was like ugh I don't have time to read the whole chapter, so idk if Im going to do it. But then I killed that natural man for a second and read it. IT WAS SO AWESOME!

1. And now, these are the words of Ammon to his brethren, which say thus: My brothers and my brethren, behold I say unto you, how great reason have we to rejoice; for could we have supposed when we started from the land of Zarahemla (California.... New Jersey.... BAYVIEW WEST....) that God would have granted unto us such great blessings?

 2. And now, I ask, what great blessings has he bestowed upon us? Can ye tell? Gratitude

 3. Behold, I answer for you; for our brethren, the Lamanites, (everyone here in the PPM) were in darkness, yea, even in the darkest abyss, but behold, how many of them are brought to behold the marvelous light of God! And this is the blessing which hath been bestowed upon us, that we have been made instruments in the hands of God to bring about this great work.

And I was like WHOA!!! It was so amazing to read that and to relate it to ME. And how I left my land of comfort many times, and how many blessings and treasures has the Lord given me for that! I still need to work on being more grateful, as everyone does, but I can say right now with a full heart that I am grateful that the Lord has been so merciful unto ME, Sister Ellyn Adams, to send me to all of these places with all of these companions to meet all of these wonderful, weird, scary, amazing people. I have been changed, and I hope to continue to humble myself and change. I love all of you! Please don't be mad if I don't email you all every week, or as often as you'd like. I promise I will do that LOTS in about 11 months... PROMISE!

I love you!

Until next week- Sister Adams :)

email from November 1st

Hello Family!

Well, got ZERO emails from you all today...

that's ok

I'll just cry in a corner...

alone.... Just kidding. I'll cry in a corner with my companion cause we are together 24/7...

Well, I just love you all and miss you all a lot. This week was my first week training... It was really hard, but not as hard as it would have been to train someone that was like me, haha ;) I was extremely prideful and stubborn and my golden is SO NOT. She is from the Phillipines and very sweet in her intentions. BUT! Before I got my golden, I went to transfer meeting, and guess who I saw there...? The Fletchers! And all the other missionaries that were getting transferred, of course, but seeing the Fletchers was my favorite. :) I cried when I hugged Sister Fletcher, because she just reminds me of mom, but its ok. Anyways, so after transfers, since they're on Tuesday and we pick up our goldens on Wednesday, I had to go to a close area with another Sister so that we continued to do work. Well guess which area that was?! Medford, NJ.... RIGHT NEXT to Moorestown :) It was so surreal! The Medford Sisters car was parked at the Moorestown Sisters apartment, also... it was so cool! So I went to our apartment and just looked around. It made me super trunky for my first area, haha. Then we went to Medford and helped the Medford Sisters move apartments. It was cool, and kind of boring, but ok to pass the time. THEN, Wednesday came and we went to the Mission office again, and President Anderson announced some...announcements... and one of them is that we are not allowed to have ipods anymore. Sad day. BUT, instead of ipods, all missionariesa re getting a personal mini ipad and and iphone for the companionship... so its not too bad. I'll just miss the camera and my music. So within this week you will receive my ipod in the mail :) 

But then I got my golden, and I KNEW it was going to be her! She is short and Filipino and an Artist and photographer and loves clothes. Kind of perfect, ehh? Haha she is like 4'11" and super funny. We get along great! Bubba or dad, did you ever train? If so, how'd you like it? Right now its hard, and definitely a humbling experience. She is so ready to learn and to grow and to work... I was NOT like that! Haha she is all about just following the Spirit and testifying, which I am kind of hard hearted in the fact that I let numbers get in the way sometimes. But I am so glad that the Lord blessed me with her! We have had so many miracles, like the members that come out with us are PERFECT for the investigators, and one day we got 5 new investigators, and yeah, its so amazing! I love her. I miss Sister Suckow, she is one of my best friends, but missions are so short, so its ok... I think I'll survive :)

Anyways, there was this one family that we met while coming out of a lesson with A and R and she was smoking on her front porch. She had a pitbull and I asked to pet him, and she said yes. Well then he bit me and then I had to go to the emergency room and it turns out he had rabies... but Im ok now. HAHAHAHAHAHHAHHAH ok, that's what you get for not emailing me this week. Anyways, we were petting her super tame pitbull and we were just talking to her about what we do as missionaries and asked her if there was a time to come back. She said yes, and bing bang boom we came back and tried really really hard to teach her family. Her husband talked super fast and would. not. stop. SIster Baluyot couldn't understand everything. She can only understand English if its slow. So they are New Yorkers and Pennsylvanians mixed together... so you could say they were talking super duper fast! But it was hard. The guy talked about if he could see it then he would believe. Then Michelle (our ward missionary) pulled out Alma 32 and talked about faith. You could tell that he got it. Something clicked. She's awesome. This area is really teaching me how to listen, though. I sometimes don't get to say all that I want to say in a lesson, but I am trying so hard to first understand, then to be understood. I really have to put down my pride for that, though. Ugh, pride. Such a stupid thing! :)

Anyways, I am super tired. Always tired. I miss my family and friends, and its been like 7 months straight of missing people and the puppies and doing whatever I want, but I LOVE my mission. It is the best thing that I have ever done and it is SO worth all of it.. the homesickness, the music withdraw and getting up every single day at 6:30. Its hard, but SO WORTH IT. :D I am so grateful to be on a mission and the the Lord is letting me be a part of these miracles and they are changing me to be the person that I have always wanted to be and who the Lord has wanted me to be :)  But none of that would have happened if I never left home, and if I never woke up and got out of bed every morning, or opened my mouth and talked to people about the Restored Gospel. I love it!

We recite this every morning for this transfer, and every morning it gives me the chills...

"I am called of God.
My authority is above that of kings of the earth.
By revelation I have been selected as a personal representative of the Lord Jesus Christ.
He is my master and He has chosen me to represent Him--to stand in His place, to say and do what He Himself would say and do if He personally were ministering to the very people to whom He has sent me.
My voice is His voice, and my acts are His acts; my doctrine is His doctrine.
My Commission is to do what He wants done; To say what He wants said; to be a living modern witness in word and in deed of the divinity of his great and marvelous Latter-day work.
How great is my calling!" -Bruce R. McConkie

I LOVE that! It makes me so happy :)

Well, I love you all! I hope that everything is joyful and sunny because it is totally DARK when we wake up! Its totally NOT always sunny in Philadelphia! Except when I smile ;)

Haha, bye for now! Chow!

Paalam! ("Bye" in Tagalog) ;)

Mahal ko kayo!  ("I love you!")

-Sister Adams

email from November 18, 2013

Well Hello family and friends!

This week was quite an adventure... but I'm too tired to remember it, haha... but I do remember there was an  Elder that left when I first came into the field, but before he left we all had lunch with him and his parents that came to pick him up. His mom asked him if he wanted her to drive because he was tired, and he said "Mom, I've been driving tired for 2 years, I can drive tired today." Haha and that's how I feel! I am just soooo tired, every day. For 18 months I'm going to be tired, but its ok. When i'm tired it means I'm doing something right :)

I miss Muddy. Its ok though. :)

I got so many letters and love and packages this week, thank you mucho grande! Yesterday we spent the whole day with the Badillas. We had 2 lessons with Spanish people...She took us out teaching and we went to a Spanish family. We shared a message and she translated it for us. But I am just so spanished-out. I was thinking last night so fast and a bunch of Spanish phrases were going in and out of my mind... it was just too much, haha. But it was cool. Sister Badilla told us (sort of) her life story. Sister Baluyot was asleep next to me in the car... so idk if she enjoyed it as much as me, haha. (I remember how tired I was as a golden) But I've decided that I want to be Sister Badilla when I grow up. She is just amazing. I can't wait for you to meet her. There are so many wonderful people in this ward. The experiences truly are preparing me to be a mother and to be able to withstand the cRaZiNeSs in the world, haha I just know it. :) Like I've said before, all the hard times just don't outweigh the good times that I've had.

Like...

We met a guy named E. He is tall, very skinny (you could see that he was a long time smoker and used other substances) He was wearing a beanie and a big backpack and had tattoos on his neck and hands. He was a very bitter man when we first met him. He said that all that he  believes is money and living pay check to pay check. He said he would join whatever we were asking him to join (which we hadn't asked him anything, by the way...) if we could promise him money. We testified to him that faith is larger than money, and that's what we do as missionaries, we help build peoples faith. He then said that he just doesn't care about that, that God has never blessed his life as far as he can see. I said "Can we be so bold in saying that maybe God is blessing your life by meeting us?" He shook his head and was kind of offended that I had said that. But, we made a return appointment anyways, haha! We then went back a couple of days later for our return appointment. Honestly, I didn't expect him to be there... We knocked on his door and said that we could come in. We sat down and he took no time in asking "Well, go ahead... what do you want to teach me?" And so we started with a prayer, and then asked him what he expected of our visits. He said "to share with him what we believe." We then asked what he believed. He said that he didn't know, really. He talked about how he wants to know the truth for himself, truly from God. We then testified that he could know for himself, and not from anyone else, but from the source. He later said that he thought about what we had said, about how maybe we were that blessing, and he said that maybe this was the sign that he was waiting for. He talked about how he had read the Book of Mormon while he was in jail (because there is nothing to do in jail...). We asked him what he thought of it. He thought that it was mostly true, that he didn't really see anything wrong with it. We read the last two paragraphs from the intro (which btw I have this memorized... I know... I MEMORIZED SOMETHING! hahaah)

We invite all men everywhere to read the Book of Mormon, to ponder in their hearts the message it contains, and then to ask God, the Eternal Father, in the name of Christ if the book is true. Those who pursue this course and ask in faith will gain a testimony of its truth and divinity by the power of the Holy Ghost. (See Moroni 10:3–5.)

 Those who gain this divine witness from the Holy Spirit will also come to know by the same power that Jesus Christ is the Savior of the world, that Joseph Smith is His revelator and prophet in these last days, and that The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is the Lord’s kingdom once again established on the earth, preparatory to the Second Coming of the Messiah.

 We then asked him what kind of feelings he was feeling as we've been talking. He said he is usually anxious, but that he was calm. We told him that those feelings are from God. We shared Moroni's promise and then promised him that he could know for himself. We said that it was a big promise, a HUGE promise, but that's the reason that we were on our missions at 19 years old. That's why we do this 24/7 for 18 months. He was kind of surprised at how much dedication we had, but we told him it was all because we knew this book was true. He asked us what to read, he asked us what he could do to know for himself. It was amazing!

Another cool thing about this story is that the morning of his lesson I was having a "woe is me" kind of day... and I knew that I had to apologize and tell Sister Baluyot my feelings, which I have found that I hate doing... but I just knew I had to do it or else the Spirit wouldn't have been able to be in our companionship, and therefore not in our teaching. I had to humble myself and apologize. Man, humility... what a funny thing that I just am not good at... I've been learning about it, but I actually was able to try to use what I've learned... and it worked! I was able to explain myself and she was able to listen, then the rest of the day we say miracles, including E. And I know that was not a coincidence.

Man, the Lord is so merciful unto me. He just lets me have these experiences even though I am not that great of a missionary sometimes, haha. :P

I am trying to be a better trainer. Sometimes I take over the lesson, and my companion gets like 2 words in. I am trying to fix that, because she has things that she needs to say to help them, too. :) All in time, though. :D

I love the letters, I feel your prayers and support. I have a cute Filipino companion that loves donuts (theres a place here that has really cute eclectic jewelry, and one is a scented donut necklace, haha. Im gonna get her that for Christmas. She's funny. 

I love you all, I plan to write some of you today as we do laundry. <3 See (most of) you on the 23rd on my brand new ipad mini! ;) (can you tell I'm excited for that?! :D)

Love you!

Sister Adams!