74 - Just Do Your Best

 

Mom. First off, when there is a stupid Subaru that wants to race you in the car, you always go for it! You know you can win that! And I love to see their faces when they get smoked by an SUV! But I'm glad things went well with the move. It's good to hear that everyone was willing to help. I'm glad no one died too! And I'm glad you have a good outlook on this! Things will work out! I'm sure of that! 

My comp got sick for a few days this week so that kinda stunk. But things are going good now! Today we got to go to Price Smart or Costco in America. I got some gatorade, so that was cool! My comp bought a camera so it was pretty good! We got some good stuff! But things are going okay. We are trying our best to find new people to teach. There aren't many that want to listen. But when we find some, we will take advantage of it! This week I studied Mosiah 17-20 and it was really good. I was reading about the brothers of Mosiah and about everything they went through. It was cool they said every single time, that they just had a little hope that they could at least change 1 persons heart. They didn't worry about how many people they changed, just that they did their best. They were given thousands of people to teach because they understood the real reason. They were ready to do what was needed to get it done. So yeah! That was good! 

There was a party Saturday for a girl in the ward that is moving to Utah to get married. It was cool! There was food, and more food! And all that jazz. But I have some great ideas for when you guys come. Speaking of, are you okay with spending a decent amount of money? Or are you not wanting to spend much? Just wondering!

We haven't had many lessons this week. It was mainly less actives but things are going good. But me and my companion are staying together for another transfer, so that's good. 

 

But I hope you have a good week and can get caught up on all that work! I love you. I hope things go well!

59 - Best Experience of My Mission!

I'm glad things are going good for you guys. Tell Brooke I'm proud of her biggest flirt award! I want photo proof. haha That's hilarious that every single one of us won that award. Way to keep it up! 

This week was really good. Actually really cool. We started off with a lot of meal appointments which was awesome! One of which was a barbeque with the N. family, gringos from Texas that live down here. Super awesome people! We had some awesome grilled BBQ chicken with yuka fries and salad. It was so good so that was awesome! And then we found 2 new families to teach. One the moms name is C. and she is super nice, a really funny lady. She was really open to hear us so we are planning on going back this week. Then we have a less active member who has a son that is 9 years old. So we are going to teach him and his dad to try and baptize them together. Then some other people that seem positive. And then we have L. He told us he was going to come Sunday so his baptismal date was set for this next Saturday. He had to come to church Sunday in order to get baptized. Sunday comes around and he doesn't show up. So we call and he doesn't answer. So we leave after the sacrament and run to his house. His dad is super super sick. He actually has Parkinson's and couldn't breathe. Luis said he couldn't leave him so I explained to him about a blessing. I asked that if the blessing made his dad feel better immediately would he come to church for a little bit. He said yes. I explained that it was completely dependent on their faith. We gave him a blessing, and right as we finished and said In the Name of Jesus Christ, Amen, the dad started breathing normally. He started crying, and he said he felt better. I asked him if L. could come with us to church, and without hesitation he said yes. We made it to church a little late, but with time. So since L. came to church with us we have his baptismal date this Saturday!!!! It was such an awesome experience. It was a huge thing of faith to trust in us as representatives of Jesus to bless his dad and leave him at home to come to church, and having enough faith that he would be okay. It was so awesome! It was so cool! The best experience of my mission so far! It was an awesome thing to see. But yeah. That was my experience for the week! I love you! 

32 - HAPPY BIRTHDAY, JAKE!

First off I don’t get why everyone is making such a big deal about 20! Yeah it’s not a teenager anymore but still! It’s not that big of a deal! But don’t worry. We are going over to a member’s house to have a birthday dinner. And you guys can eat all the cake you want! It doesn’t bother me at all! Eat multiple cakes and go to California Pizza Kitchen if you want! Enjoy it for me! 

Me and Elder Murray were never comps and we never lived together. He was just in my zone back in Arraijan. We have a ton in common! Back home in Sacramento he has a 66 Mustang and we talk about cars a lot. We both play guitar and we are just a lot alike. So I’m glad I get to spend Christmas with someone that I enjoy hanging out with. Speaking of, we might get to go into the city for the mission Christmas party! So keep that one in the prayers! haha just kidding! But my comp and I actually teach great together. We have had some really good lessons so far and we are trying to find investigators. We put a list on the board of some tasks we have including names or descriptions of some people we want to teach. But being DL is kinda cool I guess. I just take numbers and talk a lot. It’s not too much but it’s still fun. There are two companionships of hermanas in my district so not really many people but it’s still fun. 

I’m glad I got just a little bit of drama with Booga. Now I know how to handle stuff like that! haha But the hermanas in my district aren’t very dramatic so I’m glad for that. And Elder Murray has the special assignment. He is in the district presidency or branch presidency or something like that. But there’s only ever 1 DL in a companionship.

That’s so awesome about Abbi cheering! That little cutie! And good job Brays! And Emmry is a lover! I remember over the summer when she would get mad or sad, I would go into her room and we would lay on her bed and watch tv. We actually became pretty good buddies this last year and a half or so. She’s a cutie.

But studies are going good. There is always more to learn. It would be harder for you to study like in depth study. I have all morning for that and then it just kinda keeps rolling. But your studying is on a time limit. But this week I was kinda all over the place. I was studying faith and how it affects our lives. About how our own faith can change our life course and how a lack of faith can be a huge thing. Like certain friends I have. A lack of faith can take you from a good place to a really, really bad place you never wanted to be in a real hurry. And how to make big changes like Alma the younger and Enos. They started with just a little bit of faith. Like Enos just says he knew his father was a just man but he didn’t know anything else. He used that little bit of faith that he knew, and it turned him into a great man. So even though lack of faith can be seen as weak, it could be made into the biggest strength you have if you know how to work for it. 

Then I started reading some parables like the prodigal son and the 10 virgins. I’m just trying to find more ways to apply the stories into the lives of the people I am teaching and trying to simplify them so people can understand. Like this week we had some family home evenings and we taught Matthew 25 verses 1 to 13. It’s the 10 virgins and we went through it and explained what the olive meant, what the lamps meant, and how we need to always be ready for when Jesus comes because no one knows exactly when. And just so you know, in Spanish it actually says boyfriend instead of bridegroom. So that was kinda funny to me. But we taught that the other night to a family. One kid is a less active, and then his sister and aunt are active members. But we taught the parable and talked about it a bit. To every question I had, this little girl who is like 5, she had an answer. Sometimes I had to whisper it into her ear, but she almost always had the answer. She is so dang cute! But she just came over and sat on my lap and we were just kinda chillin the whole time. It actually turned out really good. The aunt told us how her husband was a less active, and then he served a mission, she got baptized and they got married and all this stuff. So it was a super cool experience. 

But we did find our bag on the boat. Most of the food was still in it. But yes my suitcases are okay in the house of the assistants back on the mainland. I locked them up before I came to the island. So they will be fine! I’m glad Dolores is feeling better. Pass along this message to her for me please ( Espero que estas bien. y tambien te extraño mucho. estas un mujer especial. estoy tan agradecido que tu puedes estar en este familia. debes saber que te amamos mucho) She is such a sweet lady. Grandpa is way too lucky to have her. And tell dad to get his butt in gear to get my contacts. Tell him he needs to go missionary mode and write down a schedule and keep it on him all day. And write everything down right when it is said. He probably won’t, but it would help a lot! Planning is a huge thing in the mission. 

I sent you a picture of our makeshift grill. It’s pretty awesome. It’s made by yours truly! I took a shelf from an old fridge, some tin foil, a little fire, and some wood to make it. Our neighbors were like what are you doing with that food? So I guess they don’t understand the amazingness that is grilling! And it was some of the best chicken I think I have ever had. It was straight up good! We are planning on having another one tonight for my birthday so it’s pretty exciting! But I love you. Hope you have a good week! 

Love, Elder Jakey Adams