Happy Memorial Day!

May 26

Where to begin? Oh, I know. Happy Memorial Day! I hope it's a good one :)

I feel like a lot happened this week. We had zone training meeting on Tuesday. One of the things I liked that we talked about was how whenever you leave a place you leave a reflection of the church. People know who we are and they will make judgements or observations about our religion by the way we behave. I'm reminded of something Elder Holland said: "You never check your religion at the door, not ever." We promise to stand of witnesses of God at all times and in all things and in all places. That means our actions should be a positive reflection on Him. Our we being good examples of our Father in Heaven and our Savior? Our we testifying of them through our actions? Just something to think about.

We've been meeting with a few teenage girls lately, Katea, Mihaela, and Valeria. We help them with English and then share gospel lessons with them. We were able to meet with them twice this week. They are so great, and I'm glad they listen to what we have to say even if our language skills are flawed. I'm suprised they still have confidence that we speak English! Their English books are confusing! And who really knows the specific definition of "bungalow" anyway. Turns out it's a one story home that may or may not have an attic. At least I knew it was a house. Anyway, we talked to them about faith yesterday. We had them do a trust fall exercise to illustrate that even though we can't physically see our Heavenly Father, He's always there and will help us in our trials. They seemed to have fun with it. They're really sweet. Hopefully they'll come to our activities this week.

We had exchanges on Thursday with Sora Caruso and Sora Bynum. I really enjoyed working with Sora Caruso for the day. We had a good day, one where it just felt successful in the end. One of the things we talked about on the exchange was the importance of putting our trust in God and not in man. We had a lesson together with Victoria, the one from English who has been coming to our activities. It was the first official lesson with her, and I think it went really well. When I asked her to pray to know if our message is true, she said she already did! She said she still needs mroe time to be sure of an answer and so she can learn more, but basically I'm just hugely impressed that she did that on her own without any prompting from us! We will be meeting with her again this week.

Sometimes I'm just really impressed by the love of some people or the courtesy they show to others, even those they don't know. Sora Cox and I were contacting the other day, and we came to this woman on a park bench. We told her about our English classes, and she started to tell us about her daughter who is a translater and knows a good handful of languages. I wasn't sure where the conversation was going as I've had people use that in a negative way, but she was very pleasant as she went on to say that she didn't think she would be able to learn at her age. She had been eating a small cheese filled pastry, and out of no where she reached into her purse and grabbed the other two she had and told us to take them, and to eat with her. I tried to refuse, but she was so sweet and insisted that we share with her. She got a phone call and then had to leave, so we weren't able to talk more, but at least we were able to tell her who we are, and if nothing else I hope that she will always associate the Church of Jesus of Christ of Latter-day Saints with the two young women she shared pastries with in the park on a beautiful sunny day. I hope that we left a good impression, that, as I mentioned in the beginning of this message, we were good examples of our Savior. It was a very pleasant experience.

We have a lot of lessons lined up for this week, including English which starts on Tuesday. It should be a good one. You're all amazing. And you are loved!

Love,

Sora Adams

Member Visits and Such

May 19th

This last week was transfers, and I got a new baby missionary straight from America! But I didn't go down to Bucuresti to pick her up. I was meant too, but I didn't. Here's why. There are four sisters here in Moldova, me and my companion and one other companionship in another city. The other sisters have to come down here to Chisinau and then take the train with us into Romania. When we met the other sisters at the train station, one of them told us that she had forgotten her passport. She had a paper copy of it, but that wouldn't be enough to get her through the border. Thankfully, she wasn't being transferred, but both of our companions were. So we sent off our companions on the train, hoping they wouldn't have trouble at the border, and Sora Drotar stayed with me. Our new companions would come up together. Sora Drotar's new companion is Sora Bird who I trained some transfers ago. It was so good to see her! The mission is seriously like a big family. I love seeing people I've served with again. 

My new companion is Sora Cox, and she is great! She's already starting to hand out cards for our English classes like a pro. She has a great attitude, and I enjoy talking with her and sharing ideas with her. 

We were able to have a few member visits this week that I really enjoyed. One was with Sora Drotor. We got completely lost trying to find this apartment and it was pouring rain. Thankfully we had umbrellas. Sora Drotar's shoes were completely filled with water. I could hear them squishing as we walked along. We finally made it. This member turned on a little heater for our feet and made us some tea from raspberry jam so we wouldn't get sick. She had her two grandchildren there, which was fun to see. She was glad we stopped by adn invited us to come another time. It was still raining when we were finished, so we decided to knock on the doors and do some contacting. There weren't many people home as it was the middle of the day and most people were at work. We did meet this very nice woman named Maria who accepted a Book of Mormon. We have a lesson set up with her later this week.

Sora Cox and I visited a member yesterday and it was fantastic. Her name is Lilia, and I've seen her at church, but I've never really had a chance to talk to her very much. She translates for Sora Kneib in Relief Society, which is very kind of her. We met her by a grocery store so she could lead us to her apartment which is kind of hidden away. We started talking right away, and it just felt good and natural, like we were already friends. I felt so welcome in her home, and it was so easy to talk to her, I loved her immediately. We talked to her about how we can do all things that Heavenly Father asks us to do and that He will be with us every step of the way. We mentioned how even with our weaknesses we can receive the strength to do what He asks. She commented how she thinks Heavenly Father works that way on purpose because it's when we are called in our weakness and we learn to work with Him that we become strongest. A concert pianist called as the ward pianist isn't going to have as much growth as someone who is called to the same position and all they know how to play is chop sticks. It was a very enjoyable lesson and I hope we have the opportunity to return.

Something else really cool that happened this week is that the Relief Society put together a meal for all of the missionaries. It was so sweet! Not to mention delicious! They wouldn't let us help either. We had to wait to be served. It was just so nice. Basically the people here are amazing and I'm grateful to be among them.

We have a lot of exciting potentials for this week. We have some good lessons set up, English contacting to do, and some people to fellowship and hopefully start teaching. I'm excited for it all and hope that things will continue to progress. I've really been feeling the desire to bring more people into the church and not only that but to bring people back. There are so many less actives. The other day we were looking at some old pictures from branch activities a year ago and there were a good handful of people who no longer come. It saddened me and my heart was just full of a desire to bring them back. So we started to brainstorm some ideas. I know our branch president is trying to put some programs together too to help with reactivation. I want the church to grow here, and I know it will. I'm so grateful that Heavenly Father is in control and that He is aware of all of His children no matter where they may be in the world. I love these people, and once again I'm grateful to be among them.

This church is true. The gospel of Jesus Christ truly was restored to the earth and is on it today. We have a living prophet. We are loved by the greatest being there is! I am just in awe when I think of Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ and all that they have done, are doing, and will do all for us. I can't even express how wonderful they are. I hope you will make time in your life to strengthen your relationship with them. Talk with your Father daily. He wants to help you. You have to let Him. Let Christ help you as well to change and become who they know you can become. 

Have a great week! I'm so grateful for all of you!

Sora Adams

Faith, Love Testimony

5/12/14

First off, transfer news! I'm staying here in Chisinau and I'll be getting a brand new missionary to train. We thought Sora Sayre would be staying, but she'll actually be heading into Romania.

In an attempt to get more lessons, we spent a good amount of time calling former investigators and were able to set up a few appointments. One appointment was with two teenage girls. We were able to have a member with us in the lesson and it made all the difference! It was seriously a huge blessing. This member is only a few years older than they are and she knew them from when they were coming to activities and lessons before. She helped us break the ice and the girls felt so much more comfortable because there was someone there that they knew. It was kind of cool to see how they remembered all the missionaries who had worked with them too. One of them had a CTR ring and she told us who she had received it from. It was a simple lesson mostly to get to know them and to see what they remembered. Hopefully we'll be able to meet with them again soon.

We had an interesting encounter on a bus this week. We were taking a bus from the center of town back towards our apartment. We standing there, riding along, maybe spacing out a little, when I realized I was standing right next to one of our English students who we've been able to meet with a couple of times. We said hello and started talking a little bit. She was happy to see us and it was all very pleasant. There was a group of people sitting in front of our student talking in Russian. I thought I'd heard one of them say "Mormon," but as I know absolutely no Russian and we were speaking with our student, I didn't think much about it. And then a man in the group turned around and told our student (in Romanian) what the woman across from him was saying about Mormons. Suffice it to say, she was mistaken in what she thought about Mormons and their practices. They were still talking in Russian so I didn't really know what I could do about the situation. Then our sweet student who has only been to a few classes and met with us a couple of times began to defend us. I don't know exactly what she said, but she gave my wrist an encouraging squeeze and smiled at me. We decided it was best for us to get off at the next stop as our presence was just causing contention. It was kind of one of those funny awkward moments that you just laugh about afterwards because what else can you do. But at the same time it's kind of cool to me that this student thinks so highly of us that she would defend us. So it was just funny, awkward, and sweet all rolled into one.

Earlier this week we were walking with one of the youth who comes to all of our activities. He's taken some lessons. We talk to him for a bit and asked him what he thought about our recent baptism. He was one of the ones who said that he was so happy he wanted to cheer when Nina came out of the water. He reiterated how happy he had felt and what a great experience it was. Sora Sayre asked him if he recognized that what he felt was the spirit. He was so cute as he smiled and nodded, "yes." This particular investigator is Jewish, so it's been really hard for him to accept the idea of Christ. So the next thing he told us was really meaningful. Basically he said that after that experience with the baptism he really wants to believe in Christ. He's not sure he can say he does believe with full confidence yet, but he really wants to. Sora Sayre and I were seriously on cloud nine after hearing that. He is such an awesome guy!

Okay, to wrap this up, I kind of just want to write exactly what I wrote in my journal Wednesday. So I'm going to:

I feel like Heavenly Father really has been blessing us lately and answering our prayers. As we've approached Him with sincere desires to be better and to share His gospel He's given us courage and charity. We haven't changed overnight into super human versions of ourselves but there have been many small blessings in response to our prayers. We are slowly but surely reaching out to more people. He is instilling in our hearts the desire to do something more. He's helped me want to be more organized, more focused. In these past few days I've had moments where I've felt His love and spirit more clearly. Basically I am so blessed. I know that Heavenly Father loves me, and He's answering my prayers. For the first time in the last couple of days I've felt for myself the truthfulness in the words that perfect love casteth out all fear. As I've been happier and felt more of God's love and the love and support of my companion it's been easier to talk to people without fear. Heavenly Father has also helped me to continue to build my testimony. I'm so grateful to Him. I love Him, and I know that I truly am His daughter.

Because I've seen these things and felt these things for myself, I know that they apply to you too. You are loved! Your prayers are answered! You are a child of God. As you come to Him and strengthen your relationship with Him you will feel more abundantly of that love and spirit. Your relationships with others will be strengthened. He will more fully be able to use you as an instrument in His hands to bless the lives of those around you. We all have the same goal and we can all make it! We can be with our Heavenly Father and Savior again.

I love you all and I'm so grateful for your support!

Love,

Sora Adams 

Miracles

May 5th 2014

Hello all. I'm just going to skip to the best part of the entire week. Nina was baptised on Saturday! It was magnificent. Nina was taught by some of the elders. She's been investigating for a little while. She first found out about the church through our English courses. She's one of a group of youth that come to all of our activities, including at least the first hour of church. She is so fantastic. She's happy, talented, and full of life. Her parents, who are members of another religion, are fully supportive of her and her decision. They showed that support by being there at the baptism. I was very pleased that many of the youth also came and supported her. They were all so excited for her that they all said they wanted to cheer the moment she came out of the water. Others said it was beautiful, which it truly was. The spirit was so strong. Yesterday she was confirmed a member of the church and received the gift of the holy ghost. Once again the spirit was strong. It filled me to the point of tears. Sora Kneib (senior couple) mentioned how Nina was radiating, and I have to agree. What a sweet experience it was for me, and how grateful I am to have been a witness to it all. There was so much love and happiness, and it was just a further testimony to me that baptism really is what Heavenly Father wants us to do. It's the beginning of a new life. It's a promise to be more like our Savior. It is the gateway towards eternal life. It was beautiful!

I feel like we had a bunch of little blessings this week. We've been wanting to get better at contacting people. As we brought that to the Lord, we were blessed with little opportunities. On the way to a less active lesson (the woman with the egg eating cat) we sat in the back of a maxi-taxi (pretty much a big van) and were able to talk to two separate people. The second one wanted a Book of Mormon in Russian, so we took down her number so we can connect her with the Russian speaking elders. Later that day at English, we presented a prompt to try and get our students to do some of the talking. I don't even know how, but it suddenly turned into one of our students asking about the Book of Mormon. So the last portion of our class was dedicated to talking about the Book of Mormon. He also wanted one to read, so he took it with him.

Other sweet little blessings just came as we were able to visit a few less actives. We made chocolate chip cookies for them and I have learned that nothing brings joy to the face of someone else than a gifted chocolate chip cookie. It was so cute to me to see the faces of these woman as they received our "American cookies." It just filled me with joy. Along with those visits, Sora Sayre had her sketch done, which was pretty awesome. In another visit, we had planned to sing one hymn and talk about it's message and the power of music in our lives. We still were able to do that, but it turned into at least half an hour of us singing songs together. It was so sweet, and it was really appreciated as these sisters hadn't been able to come to church for a long time.

Another wonderful thing that happened 

yesterday is that we were able to go with two of the elders who were taking the sacrament to a woman who can't often come to church (I mentioned her before. She's the one with physical disabilities.). As the elder administered the sacrament to her the spirit hit me so strongly. How grateful I was that they were able to serve her in that way and that we able to be there. She is such a sweet woman with great faith. I'm glad she was able to have the sacrament and to renew her covenants.

We have an investigator we've started to work with. She found out about the church through English. We invited her to activities and she's been coming to almost everything. We gave her a Book of Mormon and she's been reading it on her own without being asked. We haven't had official sit down lessons with her yet, but after every activity, we walk with her part of the way home and answer her questions and ask her about how reading is going. She's a great girl who seems to be enjoying her association with the church. She said that she really likes how much of what she's read so far in the Book of Mormon goes along with the things that she already knows from the Bible. Hopefully we'll be able to have full on lessons with her soon.

In closing, I encourage you to look for the little miracles and blessings in your lives. Heavenly Father has a greater hand in your live than you realize. Thank Him daily for all that you have been given and your life will be filled with greater joy. Learn to recognize answers to your prayers. They come in many different ways, and they will always be answered. Heavenly Father loves each of us. He loves YOU! I thank you all for being a blessing to me in my life.

Have a great week!

Sora Adams

Testimony- April 28, 2014

                                               Hello world! I hope all is well with you.

Yesterday I gave my first talk in the Chisinau branch about a topic I love: family history. The branch president asked me to keep it to seven minutes. I never thought I would ever want more time to speak over the pulpit ever. I could go on for a long time about family history (partly because I would start telling you more than you ever wanted to know about my family most likely). Anyway, apparently I did well with those few minutes because one investigator liked it so much that he gave me a piece of chocolate for "such a beautiful talk." Basically I would encourage all of you to take part in family history. The blessings are numerous! Start with some of your own history. Keep a journal. It will be a blessing to you.

Unfortunately we didn't have any lessons this week. All the ones we had fell through. There was also no one at our English class (just mine and Sora Sayre's) on Saturday, but holidays are to blame for that. The week after Easter is Parent's Day apparently. They all go to the cemeteries to celebrate their ancestors. They have some little traditions that go along with that like sharing some drinks and then having candies and biscuits for kids and things. Anyway, despite our lack of lessons, we still had some good things happen this week.

On Thursday we had a special session of institute. All the missionaries in Moldova came with the investigators here to Chisinau. Our speakers were the branch president from Panduri (where I served last transfer) and another guy who served his mission in Russia. It was so great to see our little chapel filled up. There was a strength of spirit just seeing everyone there. The speakers were amazing. They talked about the Book of Mormon and coming to know truth for ourselves. One of the things I really liked that they said is how we often associate knowledge with the mind but it actually comes a lot from the heart. The spirit testifies to our heart about the truthfulness of all things. "Search your feelings." Sorry, had to throw in a Star Wars reference. In all seriousness though, the Lord Himself said that He will speak to our minds AND our hearts. Pay attention to your feelings because that is a major way that the spirit communicates with us. A student from one of the English classes came and spoke to us a little afterwards. She then came to our sports night the next day. We're hoping we'll be able to start meeting with her. She's awesome and had a lot of fun with us.

Something I'm grateful for this week is the chance to share my testimony. There were two times in particular this week where I had that chance. Once was at FHE. Sora Sayre and I were in charge of it last week. We showed one of the bible videos the church has put together and that some elders have put Romania subtitles to. Afterwards I was able to bear my testimony about Christ. On other day, I was finishing up writing my talk while the Schwarz's (senior couple) were having a mission prep lesson with a young man who's preparing to go. I came in right at the end and Sister Schwarz suggested that we have a mini testimony meeting. Each one of us there took turns sharing our testimonies. It's amazing to me to feel the difference when the spirit fills a room with a sense of reverance and testifies of the truthfulness of our words. This week without even thinking about it, I've also been bearing testimony a lot in my journal writing. As I've done that, I've noticed a difference. I feel like my testimony has been increasing in strength and I feel more of Heavenly Father's love and just closer to Him. I've also been gaining a greater appreciation for all three parts of the godhead. I'm so amazed by Heavenly Father, our Savior, and the holy ghost and how they all work together for our good. They are so amazing. My love for them truly is growing and I'm so grateful to them. I guess my suggestion to all of you is to bear testimony more. Remember that a testimony doesn't have to be a grand thing. In fact, I can guarentee that you bear testimony more than you realize, if not through words than definitely through deeds.

One final thought before I let you all go. Sora Sayre and I were talking about confidence yesterday and how we both kind of feel like we could work on that a little. I realized as we were talking that one thing that has been taking a little bit of a toll on my confidence are my own thoughts. I've always been a believer in the power of positive thinking and living a life full of gratitude. As far as the thinking goes, perhaps I've started to slack a little bit. The good thing is that now that I'm aware of it I can fix it. When I was doing an exchange with Sora Kelly one of the things we talked about was charity and how it is so important to have charity for ourselves as well. If you beat yourself up, telling yourself that you'll never measure up or that you can't do something then you are right. The more you tell yourself something the more you begin to believe it. Don't be too hard on yourself. Tell yourself good things. I love what Sora Sayre said to me yesterday. "Remember, you're a daughter of God, and He loves you." It such a simple thing that we hear often, but how often do we actually shrug off that fact. We really are children of our Heavenly Father, and He loves us no matter what. We are amazing with glorious potential! In Preach my Gospel it talks about finding confidence through Christ and trust that the spirit will guide us. Christ truly is with us every step of the way. He will strengthen us and give us power to overcome our weaknesses. The power of the atonement is real. So think happy thoughts. Know that you are loved and never alone. Turn to our Father in Heaven often and He will answer your prayers.

I'm so grateful for my mission, for all the great things I've been a part of here. I'm grateful for all of you and for your support. You are a great strength to me. Have a great week! We have a baptism scheduled for Saturday and we are all super excited! I'll tell you all about it next week! Sora Sayre, Elder Temus, Elder Danielson, and I are preparing a musical number. I'm just happy that I can be a part of it. How blessed I feel to be a witness to that great event.

Until next week,

Sora Adams