Elder Adam Edwards in Paris: Feb. 16, 2015 Adam's full letter

MOMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM!8!!!!!!

I love you sooooooOOOOOOOOoooOOOUUUU much. Thank you so much for the recordings! I love you so much thank you for telling me about the family and how things are going. Thank you for that amazing Elder Holland quote you found for me, I think that will help me a lot! I'm learning a lot about keeping my mind centered on the work--I finally figured out today that it's actually harder to be a half-way missionary--to have my heart half-way in the work--than be all-out in our missinary efforts, to really give it 100 percent. So that's been really cool! Actually me and Elder Wells, my district leader, who is for sure one of the best missionaries around, we did an exchange on Saturday and it was cool. Today we finally had a "review," which is when you look back on what happened on the exchange. He was really bold with me and he helped me realize that I have a lot of good I can do if I'll just give it my best and give it 100 percent, especially with going to bed on time 10:30 and being at my desk on time in the mornings, no food, focused at 8 AM, as well as just giving the work and my companions my heart, keep on helping them have a fun and happy time. As well as keeping a clean desk. He said it's hard to feel the Spirit when I have a dirty desk. So I'm changing all those thigns because he spoke with the spirit of truth! Elder Wells is such a great guy. I'll attach a picture of him so you can know what he looks like. He's really big, strong, classic example here of a great, hard-working missionary. He's going home after this transfer, but he's already done a lot of good to help me do the right things. Elder Harris helps me, too. He's going to be a great missionary, too. I really really hope I can train--even maybe kind of soon. I feel like the added responsibility would help me give my all. But I'll let that happen as it will.

Me and Elder Baldwin are getting along lots better, we've talked a lot about American things and restaurants and stuff.

Oh yeah, I'm warm enough. Yes I like the sweater, thaaaaannnkkk you!!! I have a picture with it just below. As far as the music I have, please give me everything!!! Haha I was pretty strict when I chose the music so I only have a fraction of what I can have now. Especially MoTab songs and Nashville Tribute songs. Boy, I would just love whatever you could give me that invites the Spirit (I trust you Mom and Dad with that) and that is relatively calm, it shouldn't bring in a spirit of pride, contention, too much volume or energy anything that distracts from the work. So really it's not that complicated, just think missionary-apartment worthy. Thank you so much Mom! And I would LOVE a package from you when you have the time!

YES THINGS TAKE COURAGE on a mission haha!! I'm so glad you got to sit in on the [missionary discussion]. Oh yeah Dad would've been an old pro in a lesson like that. :) I'm sure you were, too Mom. Boy I love you too Mom. Haha sometimes I'm hard on myself but I'm learning to be happy every day in life, too. Thank you so much Mom! I'm so glad life is going well!!

I'm so sorry to hear about the recordings being deleted! I wouldn't worry about it too much, though. One day our memories will come back to us, I think--it's right there in the scriptures that we'll remember perfectly every sin that we didn't repent of, I think that would be all the precious family moments and good acts, too. And if that's not automatic when you get to heaven, let me know, because I know people up there, I can pull strings!! :) :) But actually yes me and Elder Baldwin did a little recording for you with "Souviens-Toi," our special mother-son hymn, so I'll attach that.

Elder Baldwin is a great guy. He's got a great heart and his heart is really in the work. [Adam myriad gifts has not included a good internal GPS so far, so he has had a tendency to get lost, and he's now the greenie who is trying to teach his new senior companion the area.] This past week we've have been "learning by experience," as the scriptures say, in how to get around town. Boy it's been frustrating! Haha I kind of got thrown under the bus a little bit, not by any particular person, but it's harder to learn how to get around as a blue (greenie) than as a more experienced missinoary, and Elder Amico left after just one transfer with me, so I don't really know a whole lot! Or I guess I do, but not a whole lot of how to get around! But boy it's a good opportunity to learn, I don't take it hard. Had to come to grips with my right side-heavy brain at some point right!! Haha "il faut faire des navigations!" You must navigate!

But yeah, we've talked a lot about things back home, we started buying food together today, which feels lots more natrual because we're brothers, we're always together. And I just feel a lot more friends with him now. I feel like it takes a minimum of one and a half to two weeks for two missionaries to really start to jive together.

I FINALLY SENT YOU ALL A PACKAGE. LIKE ACTUALLY. IT's DONE. WOOOHOOOO I hope you like it!! It's not huge things but I hope you all like your birthday presents or late or early birthday presents as it may be.

I really don't have much time, but our investigators are doing well. Marie-Thérése explained to me yesterday at church that, more or less, she felt I was a special person to her when I got here in Belgium, and that she wanted to hurry up with the baptism so that I didn't leave before it happened! I thought that was really sweet. One of teh lies that Satan tries to sell on me sometimes is that I'm not making a difference. It's good to know that's completely false. I may not be as functional or as able to help people as I will in a month or two, with French and obedience a little more solid, but I'm still helping people, even if I'm starting with my companion and the elders in my apartment! I try to make their days happier. Haha that's something that I'm happy to do. Elder Amico last transfer said I was one of the happiest elders he'd ever been with. So yes life is good. :D that smile to the left is the classic ear-to-ear Adam grin as displayed since age 5 :D

Love you so much Mom! Marie-Thérése is still working toward baptism, we'll need to bump her date back but still working, and Thibault is reading and praying every night! Like 2 or 3 chapters from the BoM every day!!! I was like, "Thibault, there are members who don't do that, you aredoing great!" So there you go. He's very prepared, we'll just have to convince the two of them to go to Charleroi 2 after baptism. They only know people from Charleroi 1 so that is difficult but the Lord will provide.

Russ Parker advice: spend part of your time in the scriptures each day reading aloud in your language. See, hear, and say at same time helps it anchor. You'll start to dream in the language, even to stop translating in your head. I'll definitely have that same threshold with French and Spanish too.

Adam with his new companion, Elder Baldwin from Georgia.

Me and my "dad" from Georgia, Elder Bryan Baldwin! :D Great guy. Boy he makes a lot of food, he's made cookies, made some sandwiches, made me omelettes a couple times, he is great! Not just for that sorry. He's a great guy.