Christmas-week email part one. First baptism his first week in Belgium!

Adam and Elder Amico writing emails home. 

Adam's first apartment in Charleroi, Belgium. He hung our fabric Christmas tree to decorate their apartment. That makes this mama happy. 

MOM I LOVE YOU! LOTS! 

Okay so thanks a bunch for telling me all about life and how Christmas is going and all that. That was awesome, I'm so sorry I didn't respond last week! No excuse so now I am going to email you first! 

I just wanted to tell you a little about our Christmas sacrament meeting here in Charleroi 1. It was realy good, you know how I always love the Christmas music and all that. Anyway, I got to play a little number for the ward, the kind music coordinator asked me if I'd like to last week and I said yes. Because it's fun! :) So I was happy to go up and play a little hymn, Angels We Have Heard on High, and then I sat back down and then the last musical number started and I started thinking about some of the sisters in the ward choir up there singing and how much they'd like you, Mom, because everyone likes you tons, and how I was maybe a little sad that we couldn't be together for that musical number, because I guess I've always liked flattery when I play something, haha, and you're really good at complementing (I mean flattery in a good way). I just missed you all, you Mom, and you Dad, and the whole family so much! 

I'm doing pretty good right now, I hope you are, too! Just know I love you! In a weird way it was reassuring because there is no doubting that I love my family a lot! I'm super glad I have pictures and stuff to look at and emails and such. I actually had a really good scripture study today to get some comfort and stuff, don't worry, the members feed us a little all the time, and the people are really nice, no one has been rude or disrespectful that I can recall. But anyway, Mom, have you been doing okay? Have you been doing all right? Will you tell me if something is really bothering you a lot? :D Love you, Mom. No idea how but we'll get through this. :D Seems like whenever I have a really hard sad day that the next day is lots better. So it'll be all right! I'll just keep imroving where the Lord wants me to, and you just keep working, Mom, and the Lord will take care of the time passing and the rest. also I'm really looking forward to seeing and talking with the whole family on Christmas! Haha that will definitely be the best gift I get this year!! 

Also I loved the Christmas CD. Turns out, according to our District Leader, Elder Wells, the rule for music is just that it has to follow the guidelines in the Missionary Handbook and it has to make us think of God. So pretty much all religious Christmas music is sweet! Haha. I also really liked the song "Grateful," on that MoTab CD. 'Twas awesome.

Also, attached are some recordings from a more recent time. :) 

But anyway, yes, the week has been pretty solid! I appreciate a lot the chance to email you, I think it's a good thing to be grateful for things and remember the things we have instead of the things we don't. Thanks for all those times when you took care of me, Mom! Or changed my diaper or even just read a book or taught me how to read. A couple of people said they really liked the hymn I played, and I told them it was thanks to you, because you always reminded me to practice. :) So you're already blessing people, companion-at-home! Heck Dad can be my companion-at-home too because you two are companions so we're a tripanionship :). 

We had the baptism and it was awesome! How cool to have my first baptism just a week after I arrive in Belgium, right? I was super lucky to get that! His name is Michel, he is such a great guy and he actually sat by me and comforted me when I was feeling sad during sacrament meeting yesterday. Haha it was really cool. I got to be one of the three Priesthood holders to confer the Holy Ghost on him, too! So I told him it was the best gift and that all he needs to do is learn to follow it. 

And guess what?! We had the mission conference Thursday, and it was amazing! And I got to meet Elder Nelson, the really cool, happy elder whose blog was my favorite to read before I went to the MTC. He is definitely a really happy, smiley person! Haha I kind of hope we get to be comanions before he goes home, which is in 6 months, so probably not, but you never know! 

(These are questions I asked Adam followed by his answers.) 

1. What can we pray for you about? Ohh good question, maybe just for a willingness to sacrifice my normal introvertness to talk to people about the gospel. That would be so awesome. I'll be praying for you too as requested, family! We're in life together here, we're forever!
2. What time should we plan on you Skyping us on Christmas? We want to be sure to be here! Okay it will be 6 PM my time so I believe 10 AM your time or maybe 9 AM if it is a 9 hour gap. Although just letting you know it will probably be later than that, but I will try to be on time. So excited!
3. What is your companion like? Oh he's awesome, very giving and very fun and very patient. He acts very serious in public, which is a lot like me, but he's a really good cook and he made me lots of food the first couple weeks and I'm hoping that won't end, haha. He speaks 4 languages!
4. There's no organ at our chapel, but there is a very nice, high-quality electric piano. And it was so fun to play! Also I'm going to accompany the choir next Sunday singing another Christmas song so yay!!
5. They do already have a pianist or two here but I can play for sacrament sometime so I'll ask the music coordinator next time I see her. Mom, I wish you could meet these people, you'd love them and they'd love you so much!
6. You're doing great with Seminary and family, I'll pray you'll see that and that you'll get help figuring out the timing.
7. Please send that song if it is religious! Just as long as it's not worldly Christmas music, talks about God. Actually, would you try sending "the work" CD through the email too? It may not work but it turns out that it's okay, I guess President Babin loosened the music standard a lot so yeah.

I just love you sooo much Mom! I wish I had more time to tell you about the week and stuff but please know that I love you a ton! Hey and also I've heard that it's okay to take 2 hours for the Skype call so is that okay with you?

Love you toooonnns! I sent Grace a bunch of pictures! (I included those pics in the next post.)

Love,

Adam Elder Edwards 

Click here for Christmas-week email part two, including more pics. 

Click here for Christmas-week email part three, voice recordings.