Sister Ellyn Adams' new addess, email and pics from August 12th

New address:

Sister Ellyn Adams

PO box 11

Lehman, PA 18627

 

Companion: Sister Suckow (Sue-coe)

 

im right next to scranton, PA! woot woot!

love you!

Sister Adams

HI momma!

Ok, so I'm in Scranton now and my companion is Sister Suckow :D  She's awesome! very obedient, funny and kind of ridiculous :) We get along really well. I think it may be because she's 19 too. she's been out for 3 months and I've been out for 4, so we're extremely even in our knowledge... we sometimes walk around aimlessly... kind of not knowing what to do, haha. We have 2 baptismal dates and I'm super excited! I hope they work out. They're names are Colleen and Samantha and they just need to come to church and they'd be GOLDEN, PRAY FOR A MIRACLE!  :) So, hows home? It seems that time is going by so quick. Alora is turning 3, Dads turning skinny and so is Arielle! Take LOTS of pics at the Alorapalooza III for me, OK??  I have a present for her.  I am seeing so many small miracles, but especially the ones in myself. I'm not sure if that's bad that those are usually the ones that I notice... maybe I need to notice more of the ones in other people, but I feel myself more and more each day going through a change and becoming more converted to the gospel. I am learning how to be a better mother and wife.... hopefully. I have seen good and bad examples, so I am figuring out who I want to be. The area is beautiful, 

My apartment is super SUPER retro... like one step away from shag carpets, and my companion is beautiful. We have elders in this ward also.  Sister Suckow told me before I met the ward...it was a ward full of characters. Totally saw that on Sunday. Everyone is unique... and I like it. haha. One couple, the Deans, are AWESOME! When she met me she squealed and walked really fast to hug me. it was nice to feel wanted, haha. But she is super involved in missionary work. She has an awesome story! She grew up in the church but wasn't super active, became a truck driver and met her husband who was another truck driver... who was a Mormon too! Then they got married and he always said that he would have it so they would get sealed in the temple. they finally did this last July! After that, he got cancer, but he's finally home and getting better. I think that after her husband got cancer she REALLY became involved in missionary work because she saw the blessings from it. :) She is NICE to everyone, and I just felt so welcomed from her. Be that way for the missionaries that come into our ward, OK? The missionaries need it, they really do. Let them do laundry at our house, let them raid our cupboards, give them rides. They need it. And you need the blessings :) Its hard coming from a ward that was so missionary minded to one that isn't so much so. Like, they don't even pass around meal calenders because its a distraction... I'm going to be sweetly bold and change that. I just don't think that's acceptable. Members think (righteously, I might add) that we are the finders and teachers. Nope. members are the finders. I never knew that until I came on a mission! :) Instead of praying for us to find people, they need to pray to find people. The Lord has PROMISED miracles when that happens.  Its hard when the ward doesn't get that. Have you watched the missionary fireside put on at the Marriott next to the MTC? It pretty much just talks about that, and its WAY awesome! Anyways, I love you. Keep being awesome ward members. dad- you're an awesome leader for those young men and I admire that :) mom- you keep being an awesome ward missionary... they need people like you who are willing to do anything for them :) I love you a lot and miss you a little bit less this week! Love you, and you can send packages to my P.O. Box! I'm sure I'll be staying in this area for a while. Its awesome though... 3 areas in 4 months! anyways, I have to write president. LOVE YOU!!!

<3 Sister Adams 

Sister Adams' email and pics from August 5th

Hello All, 
News: I got an iPod!!!! Ope, and I'm being transferred. I'm really really really mad. I'm finally in an area where I love the people, love my companion and its beautiful. We're surrounded by water and its gorgeous. Sometimes for "exercises" we go for morning strolls at North East park which looks out towards the Chesapeake bay and its so beautiful.  I'm mad because my companion and I got along so well, but sometimes I feel like I'm on a vacation trip rather than a mission trip, so it might be for the better. We just get along so well... Ugh this sucks. I can't even explain how much I'll miss the Fletchers. They have become my home Away from home and its just hard knowing that I'll go into another area and probably not have  a family like them. Like, who else would take the time to email and CALL my family? I cried a lot last night after we got home from the farm with them (some of the pictures are from the farm and MOST of the pictures involved the Fletcher's)... I'm just going to miss them a lot. Can we visit them when we come back here after my mission? :) anyways, so yeah. They bought us an iPod after they found out that I was being transferred! That's what I'm writing this  email from :) we have wifi in our apartment and its awesome.   They invited us over for dinner then told us we were eating dinner at the mall in Newark, Delaware, but then bro Fletcher lead us into an apple store. It was awesome!!! THEY are AWESOME!!!!

I have a Facebook now too! It's SisterEllyn Adams. Here' the link:

https://www.facebook.com/ellyn.adams.3?fref=ts

We use it to post things to the people we meet on our missions and to spread the gospel in that way and to also show them that we're real people :)  But, sadly, you guys can't add me on it :/ but you can stalk me!!!!  So, this week we found out that we are going to be the mission to test run iPads. It's really cool to be in a trendsetting mission :D ahh, it's amazing. I can type so much faster from this thing. It's a pink iPod too :) I have been pretty trunky this week, it kind of sucks. It's funny though because I have complete control over it, so when I feel myself getting trunky I know the remedy is just to work. I just need to work hard today, that's all :) well, be prepared for my address to change once again... This sucks. 

Can you and Dad read:

"His Grace is Sufficient" by Brad Wilcox 

"Beware of Pride" by Ezra Taft Benson

They are awesome talks! I'm sure that these talks can give you another perspective on our family. There's this girl in our ward, she and I were texting one day and she was having a really bad teenage day saying that she can't stand her family and that she does all she can to help them but no one cares. I asked if she really was doing all she could, like serving them. She went around the question, but I know her well enough that she wasn't. I know that pride, in whatever form it takes shape, blocks us from seeing the big picture and essentially blocks our happiness. That talk, when read with a humble heart, can change people.
So excited for Gavin!  This one girl at byui told me that "even if I help convert one person, I've done enough"  

Tell mom I love her too! I think about you often, too often, and I'm trying not to. I will try to type out a little August newsletter for the ward today, but no promises because I'm going to Newark today to go shopping at h&m and urban outfitters :))))))))) so excited!!! I love love love you.

Good vibes and love from North East Maryland for the last time

~Sister Adams :)

Sister Adams' email and pics from July 29th

Hey mom-

well, this week my mouth decided to develop a canker sore... its times like these that i really REALLY want to go on google and research home remedies.  Its taking over my whole mouth! jk, its like the size of a sunflower kernel. I numbed it with hydrogen peroxide, so thats helping a bit. it was cool to see it fizz up like things do with hydrogen peroxide. I would send you a picture of it so you could put it on my blog, but another sad thing is that my camera is GHETTO.

Amanda looks super pretty in that picture that you sent! I cant wait to meet sweet Isabelle.

I think about the babies a lot and I miss them lots. Give them hugs for me :) Hows dad? How are you, mom?

I cant believe its almost August!! its super weird to think that coming up on September 30th its my 6 month mark, then only a year to go! Mission life moves WAY too quick. Of course I miss everyone at home and sometimes wonder what every ones doing, but I am NOT looking forward to the day that I have to take this name tag off. I am realizing what kind of missionary I want to be. Last transfer was really hard, as you know. Honestly, it was the time where i really had to decide if i was going to keep being a missionary or not. It was not necessarily because I didn't want to be a missionary and teach people about the gospel, but it was because I didn't realize what exactly I was getting myself into and that I was giving up late summer nights, sleeping in, music, friends and Netflix and all that good stuff that seemed to be important. But now I want to be here because i feel so blessed to be so involved in the gospel and I'm finally realizing myself more and who Heavenly Father wants me to be, but  keeping in mind who I want to be, and aligning the two. There are more good days than bad days, but the bad days definitely are the days where I am learning things, and having to make the decision to change or not. This week I realized how blessed I am to realize I am a daughter of God. I also realized what kind of missionary I want to be. It came to the point where my companion and I had to discuss our use of time. We didn't agree, but one thing that she brought up is that she respects me and my decision to know what kind of missionary I want to be and I wont back down. Its pretty cool :) Dad wrote me a letter and said that one of the most important person converted on my mission will be me, and I am feeling that. I am feeling myself getting converted and its way cool. :)

I have been praying to find people that are wanting to learn about the gospel, and one day we walk into the library, and a journalist for the Herald Newspaper said "Hey, you have name tags, you would be a cool story." so he got to know us, and asked us some questions, but it was a cool experience to see my prayers answered. someone might need our smiles, you never know :)

Transfers are coming up, and everyone thinks I'm getting a golden and I say DON'T PUT THAT EVIL ON MY RICKY BOBBY and then I think it would be pretty cool, but super hard.

 

 

One thing that I would like to share in attempt to make up for the lack of fun stories is verse 4 in Ether chapter 3, which I have seen in a different light these past couple of days. It talks about missionary work, and how the Lord is preparing all of us. :)

 

"4. And I know, O Lord, that thou hast all power, and can do whatsoever thou wilt for the benefit of man; therefore touch these stones, O Lord, with thy finger, and prepare them that they may shine forth in the darkness; and they shall shine forth unto us in the vessels which we have prepared, that we may have light while we shall cross the sea."

 

Now what does this have to do with missionary work?

 

"4. And I know, O Lord, that thou hast all power, and can do whatsoever thou wilt for the benefit of man; therefore touch these stones (us) , O Lord, with thy finger, and prepare them that they may shine forth in the darkness; and they (US) shall shine forth unto us in the vessels which we have prepared, that we may have lightwhile we shall cross the sea.

5. Behold, O Lord, thou canst do this. We know that thou art able to show forth great power, which looks small unto the understanding of men."

 

Since every member is a missionary, the Lord is talking to all of us in this verse. We are prepared and are continuing to be prepared to go into the darkness. And who is in the darkness? Everyone who needs the Gospel, whether that be active members, or random people we meet, we need to be that light, and the Lord has promised that as we do what He has commanded us, that Angels will be on our right hand and our left, to bear us up. (D&C 84:88) I know that with my heart. I know that you can help build the kingdom of God. Ask for help, ask for guidance, and he will give it to you.

 

I love you a lot and miss you a lot, but its getting bearable. Hugs and Kisses and good vibes from the East coast~

Sister Adams

email and pics 7-8-13 from Sister Adams

Me at the Susquehanna River

email from July 8th

HI DAD!

HAPPY 4TH ( or 8TH) OF JULY!

So you know whats funny? I talk about you a lot. I share lots of stories with my companion and random people about you, and its just weird. I can feel our relationship growing, even though I'm all the way across the country. Its pretty cool and it gets me emotional (in a good way). I love you dad :)  

So I'm sitting here in the library and I really need to go pee, but I cant because our computers are timed and my companion is writing too so I'm going to wait... but the letter might be a little scatter-brained, so bear with me :)

Me and Sister Carringon

So the one girl that lives with the Cain family is named Alisha. She is 1/2 black and 1/2 white. She has freckles and a brown fro. She is a little taller than me (shocker) and kind of chubby and has braces.  She moved out of her dads house and lives with her friend Reinell ("Rain-ell") Cain. When I first met her she couldn't believe that I was the same age as her. She calls me her "best friend," its really cute :)  She asks a lot of questions about our church, and one night we were there for dinner.  We had gravy, biscuits, and fried chicken... it didn't do too well with my stomach a day later, but in the moment it was delicious...

For our lesson we talked about the Book of Mormon. In our ward, the Bishop has asked us to invite people to give out a Book of Mormon with 12 witnesses (they put their testimony in the front cover) and give it to someone.  So that's what we asked them to do.  They accepted, and Alisha was sitting next to me, and she asked what the Book of Mormon was. I told her about it and she asked if she could have one before I could ask her to even read it. She wanted to give one to her dad. I invited her to read the 1st chapter for the next time we saw her (we're over there a lot) and she accepted.  Its about a week later and she has yet to read it, but she went to church.  She came and sat next to me pretty much the whole time and it was really nice :)  She kept on asking us questions in gospel essentials, the teacher felt prompted to talk about the Gadianton robbers. I was like oh man, where is this going..?  Alisha leaned over and asked Sister Carrigan if THAT story was in the book of Mormon, and she said it was. Alisha then said that she wanted to read it even more, that she would go home, shower and then read.  We're going to ask her soon if she's read it.  I can tell that she has such a desire to know if God really is there and if He really knows her personally.  I have come to know of the converting power of the Book of Mormon. I am really hoping that she reads it.  I have a lot of love for her already and just want her to be happy because she's gone through a lot in her life.  At church she saw my ring and asked what CTR meant.  I told her and she said "Oh, I like that," and smiled.  so I was thinking of getting her a CTR ring, except now i just have find out how. :)

Our apartment

The rainy summer weather

 

The balcony at our apartment

Our 4th of July was really fun!  We had 2 parties planned to go to, and the first one was the Ward party.  It was really fun and we met a lot of members and Sister Carrigan said that there is no dieting on holidays so I ate like a pig.  There was homemade cobbler and it was delicious :)  Sister Carrigan and I color coordinated out clothes. I was the stars and she was the stripes, we are the cutest Sister Missionaries in our ward ;)  We later had a party with an investigator named Jeanine ( i think she might have emailed you already, but she said she was going to send you guys pictures) and her family. She has 2 adopted daughters from China and 2 dogs and 2 cats. I cuddled with a boxer, it was wonderful :)  We stayed there for way too long, but we got a ride with the Elders so we couldn't leave.  It felt really weird because we're supposed to be urgent missionaries, but I literally couldn't.  I know I was sent to this area to learn how to relax, while still being urgent, but have fun.  I feel a lot more comfortable here :) but anywhooooo, the party was really fun.  They wouldn't let us help, so we were forced to relax.  It was weird. (ok, I only have 15 minutes left  ) so that was out 4th.  We didn't get to see fireworks until the 6th. The Fletchers were driving us home (the guy that called you) and he saw the fireworks over in Baltimore/Havre de Grace and decided to take us to the VA (Veterans Association) and we watched the fireworks. It felt so nice and it made me miss home, but I was just so happy. It was a perfect ending to a boring day :) The Fletchers have been such a blessing in this area. They have given us so much love, words cant even explain.

Oh, Sister Carrigan chipped her tooth trying to open a honey stick with her teeth. her name is now Sister Snaggletooth :P

love you, hope you're doing alright :) LOVEEEEEEEEEE YYYYYOUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUU!!! 

Sister Bell Adams :)  

  

Sister Ellyn Adams' emails from 6-3-13 and 6-10-13

Site and depiction of the new Philadelphia Temple!!!

Ellyn's email from 6-3-13

Hello to everyone from Philly,

So funny story. We got locked out of our apartment this Friday! haha. So we went out for morning exercises at about 6:45 and we came back up without our phone and keys and our door was locked. So we kind of just sat around shocked and didn't know what to do.  I had the idea to climb on top of the back porch to go through our bedroom window.  It isn't that hard of a climb but we felt it wasn't too safe. We walked to our neighbor Paula who is out and about every morning and we asked if she had a credit card that she doesn't use much so that we could open our door with it.  We tried using it but our door was like sealed to the edge of the door frame. Sister Seely then said "now we know that we are really safe at night!"...  We then had an idea to walk to the police station which is maybe .7 miles away from our house.  It was a SUPER hot day already and it was only 8am. So we got to the police station and NO ONE WAS THERE.  So we walked back and Paula got our other neighbor Tom and we came to the conclusion that we should get a ladder and climb from the back porch to go through our window. He got the ladder and I climbed on top to our window. I feel like I got a lot of practice climbing on roofs by how much i used to climb on top of the shed in the back yard. it was such a tender mercy from the Lord because our work and our days were getting so boring to me and I feel like I lack adventure A LOT! We also all kept a really good attitude the whole time and i feel like we got a lot closer from that experience.   It was probably the best day though! 

Um so this week was just weird and we all agreed.  We've had a lot of lessons and we've been doing a lot of splits.  I go on splits with a girl named Marlee who just got back from her mission in Madagascar. She is out "fourth companion" and we just love her.  She is really open and makes me not feel as lonely.  I'm realizing a lot about how the mission is the best thing and the hardest thing in life.  I feel like my mission is also preparing me so much to be a mother and a companion.   I'm learning and still trying to learn how to be a better missionary and companion.  Sometimes I feel like it would be easier to do it by myself, but I know that i will learn my lesson for saying that, haha.  I know I didn't write that long of an email this week, and I'm sorry!  Love you all so much!!!!!

<3 Sister Adams

Ellyn's email from 6-10-13

Hello to all,

I  am not going to be able to write a letter because I FOUND A NEW INVESTIGATOR!!! at the library and I was talking to him for like 30 minutes. And used up all of my computer time.  We talked about families, it was awesome. ( I won't be able to write anyone today because its zone unity day so tell everyone I'm sorry... I was planning on writing Ruth and Sam and Kate back this week. )    :(

We had a conference with Elder Rasband and it was AMAZING!  He talked about living the purpose of a missionary  "We invite others to come unto Christ by helping them receive the restored gospel through faith in Jesus Christ and His Atonement, repentance, baptism, receiving the gift of the Holy Ghost and enduring to the end."  And he talked about earning members trust.

I haven't cried 3 days in a row now!  Its great when  i realize that  I haven't been unhappy at the end of a long day :)  Sister Meeks and I went street contacting the other day and it was really nice.  it was raining and we found a new investigator.  We're really starting to be new missionaries.  Elder Rasband said that "Today is a new day" and so that really changed my perspective.  Its a new day to be better and to use the Atonement and find the elect!  Ahh, I'm so excited to be a missionary!  The conference had about 120 missionaries in the chapel, it was so cool.   I was totally refueled for missionary work at the conference and i NEEDED it to be able to be happy.  I love you and everyone back home!   I'll write a longer email next week, sorry about this week...again!

<3 Sister Adams

But we did get a lot of pictures from her!!!!

Philadelphia mean "fraternal affection" or "brotherly love" in Greek.  And is now referred to as "The City of Brotherly Love"

Me and the Sisters in my apartment.

I am so loving all the art and sculpture in Philly.

My favorite sculpture in Philly. No, really! It is!

Philadelphia City Hall And Clock Tower With Its Statue Of William Penn

One of the many ghetto cars.

Sister Ellyn Adams' email from 5/29/13

Hi Everyone, 

I am so much more happy than I have been in a long time. I have realized that I am tired of taking this so seriously. And I was way too impatient in the beginning. I think that I thought that I was going to be a really amazing missionary right off the bat, and every ones faith in me was getting to my head, but now I'm just letting the Lord take his time with me. My refiners fire is still not over and I hope it never is. It has waves, but I hope to continue to get those waves throughout my life. i was reading 2 Nephi 4 the other day ( I hope that's right because I don't want to get my scriptures from my bag :P ) and it talks about how the Lord trusts him so much and how he is so close to the Lord, and then he goes on saying " how wretched am I" or something  like that. Because he is so close to the Lord, he is realizing how  much he needs to fix to come back into his presence. I just love that. It helped my put everything into perspective. I feel like my weaknesses and insecurities are on display right in front of me, and for a while there I was letting them defeat me, but now I wont let that happen. That's exactly what the adversary wants me to do. I have so many souls to touch, and I can't do that if I don't have the Spirit with me (and the Spirit being peace, so if I don't have peace, then I don't have the Spirit). 

 

Ok, so  I have a story. And I think that this experience is contributing SO MUCH to my happiness and peace. So we had set a goal for 6 new investigators for this week, and i was like "Oh my gosh... we are never going to reach that." and Saturday comes along, and we have 1 investigator and we report on Sunday. so we prayed SO MUCH to find the elect, to find the people that actually want to hear our message because we have so many eternal investigators (one couple the missionaries have been teaching for 9 years....). so we went and found. We found 5 new investigators that day. it was CRAZY! this is the Lords work, and he will NOT let us fail. The numbers that we set are inspired, and he know that if we work and put full faith in Him, then he will not let us fail.

 

I love you all. Thank you for all the support, letters, packages and prayers!

<3 Sister Adams 

Me and Sister Williams

At the Delaware River

Cool clouds

At the liberty bell

My current home town

Me and the Sister in my district

Sister Ellyn Adams' email 5/21/2013

Hello Family and Friends,

I only have 50 more minutes, and that's too short of a time to tell you all that I want to, so I'm going to have to tell you the best things about my week!  OK, so on Wednesday we got our new golden. She's amazing. I want to be her. Her name is Natalie and she's 21 from Colorado. She's a visa waiter and is waiting to go to Brazil. She speaks a little bit of Portuguese and has to do language study for an additional 30 mins in the morning, so our studies last 3.5 hours. So during that time I can take a nap, but I haven't yet because I need to finish reading the Book of Mormon by the end of this transfer and I'm only in Alma. She is super excited about the work, and that's exactly what I lack. She is the glue in our companionship, and its so wonderful :) She was in theatre, so she's a little dramatic, but she's extremely sweet. She was studying at BYU Idaho to become a special ed/elementary ed teacher (wasn't a surprise... cuz 98% of the girls that go to BYUI do that) and you can totally tell. She calls us silly and says funny things like that. She and I get along really well. So since she's been here, we've been going on a lot of splits. And that leaves me to go and teach with  members. So I was at a lesson for a less active family and they're a big Mexican family. I was going to teach Maddie and Ana, the two teenagers that speak English. I was about to start the lesson and the door knocked. I look over and I see 2 Nametags (Elders) walk in... the Camden missionaries. So I just laughed. It was so comical... I guess the Elders are teaching the Spanish people in the house already and they happened to have an appointment at the same time. I was kind of annoyed because I felt like I was ready to do the lesson by myself, but then I realized that the Spirit was so strong and I just needed to shut up and let the Spirit guide. They were talking about the Gospel of Jesus Christ and I bore my testimony of prayer. Even though they talked in Spanish most of the time, the Spirit was so strong and I knew that the family felt the Spirit...except maybe the men drinking in the kitchen haha. I left the lesson feeling so good, but it was just a funny lesson.

I'm really scared of street contacting and door approaches. They're really awkward to me, and I've only had like 3 people ever be interested in what we teach. 3 is a lot, but compared to how many people that we go and knock, its such a small number. It becomes even smaller when we call and they're not interested anymore. We had one guy that Sister Meeks and Gottfredson met while they were on exchanges. He felt the Spirit so strong as they taught him the "Family: A proclamation", and they made a return appointment. At this appointment, the Spirit was still so strong, and he wanted to be baptized... we were so excited! We made a date for June 23rd. We came back for another appointment, and he opened the door, said he didn't want to be a part of our church, and closed the door. Its just weird because when we first talked to him, we all got along and we built a friendship with him, but then when we went back it was just like he was breaking up with us! haha He just was so cold. Anyways, we're praying for him, because he's so sad.  My companions say that I'm really good at asking inspired questions.

A lot of our appointments have been cancelling on us, so I guess the Lord really does want us to find NEW people to teach :) I was having a hard time talking to people yesterday, and we had a talk in the back of our car called "His Grace is Sufficient." If you haven't read it, do it! It is the best talk in the world!!! One of my favorite lines in it is "Parents, leaders and prophets are pulling for you...and Jesus is pulling with you." I can feel the love towards me from home. It is strengthening me so much and I can't express how much everyone means to me. The random emails from the ward, my family and my friends... the packages from Grandma Sue with random things... the letters in the mail. I know that they come at the right time every time. 

Thank you all and love you all!!!

Sister Adams