Sister Allison Adams' Mission: I will boast of my God!

Well how did I get here? Time is such a funny thing. It really is true that when you are having fun time flies much too fast. This is my last email as Zuster Adams. The last 18 months has changed me and I am so grateful for what the Lord has brought into my life. But before I get all nostalgic...I'll go over this week.

Funnies:

1. My companions bought helmets for the half-way point. They took pictures with them! It was awesome. They are so excited :)

2. While we were knocking doors this week, we saw a spider...it was MASSIVE!! We threw water at it and tried to get rid of it. It is a good thing Sister Hanny was in Antwerpen. She would have freaked out.

3. Funniest moment of the week...So this guy that served his mission here about 35 years ago was in church with his son that just got off his mission. After sacrament, I went and talked to them for a second. I wanted to find out where the guy had served. Well they asked about me going home and what my plans were. I said that I was going to BYU and his son said he was going there too. Then his dad told his son to get my info so we could go do something when we get to Provo. So the kid added me on Facebook...looks like I have a date when I get to Provo. So weird!! It was pretty funny. Real life has started.

This week was amazing!! We taught some awesome lessons! We taught a first lesson to a member referral and they came to the baptism. They are excited to take the lessons!! We had really good conversations with people while knocking doors this week. We taught a group lesson about the Holy Ghost. It was probably one of the coolest lessons I have ever taught. We had everyone share a spiritual experience that they have had in the last few weeks. It was amazing!! The spirit was so strong. There were non-members and members there and everyone was uplifted. I love teaching this gospel! The baptism was amazing! Eline looked so happy. She already has a calling in the Young Women's presidency. I am so proud of her and I love her a lot. I am going to stay in touch with all these people. I had a good talk with Nathalie this week. We promised to keep in touch and help each other stay strong in the gospel. It has been really cool to see all these converts making progress! The gospel changes people. My companions and I had a lot of fun this week. I am going to miss them.

Well I want to take the chance to explain a little bit of what my mission has done for me. When I came out on my misison, I wanted to learn to trust in my Heavenly Father. I can say that I have learned that. It has been an 18 months full of ups and downs. Heavenly Father has pushed me to the edge of my boundaries and past that. He has streched me and refined me. I have truly been clay in the sculpture's hand. It is interesting how you come out on your mission with a fire to change the world. I came out firey and with a faith that I could do anything. I knew that Heavenly Father was hastening his work and that if we had faith in him, anything was possible. Have things gone exactly according to plan, no. But my journey has been so much more fulfilling because I let the Lord guide it. Sometimes, we fight what the Lord wants because we think we know better. Or we want our blessings now. It doesn't work like that. We have to have faith in his timing and his plan. I have learned that every moment and miracle is known by the Lord. He will make his work progress. We have to be willing to act and be patient. I truly feel like the Sons of Mosiah after their mission to the Lamanites. "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 ^astarted from the land of Zarahemla that God would have granted unto us such great blessings? And now, I ask, what great blessings has he bestowed upon us? Can ye tell? Behold, I answer for you; for our brethren, the Lamanites, were in darkness, yea, even in thedarkest abyss, but behold, how ^amany 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 ^binstruments in the hands of God to bring about this great work.Behold, ^athousands of them do rejoice, and have been brought into the fold of God. Behold, the ^afield was ripe, and blessed are ye, for ye did thrust in the ^bsickle, and did reap with your might, yea, all the day long did ye labor; and behold the number of your^csheaves! And they shall be gathered into the garners, that they are not wasted." I passed through trials and hardships but the field was ripe and the Lord has given me sheaves upon my back. "But Ammon said unto him: I do not ^aboast in my own strength, nor in my own wisdom; but behold, my ^bjoy is full, yea, my heart is brim with ^cjoy, and I will rejoice in my God. Yea, I know that I am ^anothing; as to my strength I am weak; therefore I will ^bnot boast of myself, but I will ^cboastof my God, for in his ^dstrength I can do all ^ethings; yea, behold, many mighty miracles we have wrought in this land, for which we will praise his name forever." I do not boast in my own strength but I boast in my God!! It is through Heavenly Father that I have accomplished everything that I have. The Lord truly has blessed me and it is through him that all things are possible. Miracles are possible. If we have faith and believe that God will provided, he will!! I know without a doubt that this gospel is true. I know that Joseph Smith was a prophet and that he truly did see God the Father and Jesus Christ in the grove of trees. Everytime I share that story, the spirit testifies to me so strongly that it is true. I know that Jesus Christ is my Savior and Redeemer. I know that my Heavenly Father loves me with a love that is unimaginable and that he loves each of us in that way. I know that the Lord's work is hastening and that we are truly in the last days preparing for the second coming of the Lord Jesus Christ. We must thrust in the sickle with our might. The Lord will bless us and give us everything we need to accomplish if we keep his commandments and trust in him. I am so grateful that the Lord called me to his work. This last 18 months have been the best months of my life. This is just the beginning of my life in the service of God. I am excited to see what is in store for me. Never forget that the Lord is mindful of you and has an intricate and unique part for you to play. I know that that is true. I will boast in my God because as to my own strength, I know I am weak.

Thank you to all of you that have supported me and loved me!

Tot ziens en blijf sterk in de heer!

Zuster Adams