Hello to all my friends, family, and loved ones! God bless all of you
as you seek to learn and apply the Gospel and the will of God in your
lives. It's something very important to do.
This week has been really good. If you remember my letter from last
week, I wrote a lot about how Elder McBride encouraged me to just give
my all to my mission, and how I decided to go all out with it, and I
made a lot of changes, and it,s been a really good week! Voila, now
another week has passed, and we're here with just another week left
before the end of August. I hope everyone is enjoying the end of
summer back in the states and also the last little bit before school
starts, God bless you all!
Anyways, this week I've tried to apply that and just become a more
heart-filled missionary, to try and apply myself more fully in the
Lord this week, and it's been good. Man, and I have just been learningtons from Elder McBride. I feel like part of the reason we were put
together s to help ME become more and more independent and happy and stress-free and
especially calm in my mission. It's been so good and I've felt a lot
of fulfillment, and I understand a lot more things now that i'm being
a 100% missionary than before. This week, we had another great comp.
inventory, when missionary comps meet together at the end of weekly
planning, and we talked a lot about what I could do to just be myself,
and to just be the best missionary possible, and the things I could
change. One of the things that came up, interestingly enough, was change
itself! As those of you who know me well may know, I'm not always the
biggest fan of change, and i think that's pretty true for lots of
us--especially when the change is hard and abstract and
soul-stretching and you just don't feel like it's a great thing! But
I've given it some thought, and we've talked about it a lot, and it's
good.
i decided in the end to let change be a total, constant
"handoff", if you will, to God, and that I would let that be in his
hands, and that I would try and follow Him and His will as best as i
could. So I've experienced a lot of the power of the Atonement this
week. Anyway, we talked about some stuff
like things that help me diminish and also just get rid completely of
stress, like laughing, having fun, letting go of the little things,
choosing not to stress and just let it go when something bad happens
to pass by on the street, or when we accidentally see pornography on
the road, just because it's there and because it's not our fault if we
don't dwell on it, and letting go of my little mistakes and how life
isn't perfect and all. I also am trying to say "I don't care" more,
really learning so much, Elder Mcbride is a great comp.
Okay, I,m going to paste in some stuff that i wrote to my friend
Lauryn because I thought you guys would like it lots and I figured i
might as well not type it out twice, so here you go:
"For the past while I,ve been in Nantes (you say it "Nont") France and that makes it about
three months that i've been here. My first comp, Elder Young, was here
with me for six weeks, and he had just finished his first twelve weeks
or just finished training, as we call it. He was a great guy, chill, we
had a lot of fun times, but I still had to learn some things like how
to get out of the apartment on time and get to bed on time and stuff
like that. Then, surprise surprise, I became comps with a guy I
actually knew really well--Elder McBride!! Get this--he was there when
I was on my first train ride to the apartment, my first day in the
mission field!! Crazy, huh? Then when he left our district he went to
Nantes, and then I followed him! So now we're comps and he's probably
going to leave which is a Pity. He is literally the guy who has helped
me change and learn the most on my mission. It's been cool because
we're pretty different people, and sometimes i prefer to let things
that bother me slide, but it's been so good for me to learn from the
way he talks to people on the tram, I do that a lot now, and also how
he takes life without stress, it's really, really good. He has a
really good attitude about the rules and how people shouldn't stress
too much about the rules. Haha--It's funny how you can kind of see why
the Lord and president place you with people after a while--my last
two comps have been totally chill guys have been really motivated and
worked hard but without stress, just with an easy mind, which is
exactly right. It is so great to have a good desire to be exactly
obedient, but realistically, we're going to fall short sometimes, so
the value of the rules isn't in beating yourself up about it every
time you break the littlest one, but rather how to give more of your
heart, how to really embrace God and the change he wants you to take.
Really cool stuff. So sometimes comps who are different are kind of
harder to work things out with, but if you,re just honest and open and
tell them how you feel, you talk to each other and help each other
learn, you learn SO MUCH! Man it,s crazy, even with style and matching
clothes and stuff! So much fun. Remember that, on a mission, comps who
are especially different still have great potential to be a great
friend, we feel like buds, and also a HUGE opportunity to learn, more
so than you would ever have at home.
We have three really good amis right now, even more, just three or
four that are ready for baptism. Life is going well. Lord prepares
people for us. Innocent is a super cool African guy, and he is super
open to the truth (look for people who are humble enough to admit that
maybe they don't have one hundred percent of the picture with
religion, super good) and also Djenice, an eleven year old, and also
David, an African guy who is also super cool, and then Kevin, yet
another African guy, haha come to think of it these people are all
Africans! It's awesome. Oh man we got to eat at this awesome famIly's
house the other day, so sweet, they had this spicy stuff to put on the
food, and it was good, but most of all the FRIED PLANTAINS, OHHHHH
they were heavenly. Taste like bananas but made to taste sweet and
stuff, so really good."
Life has been going well, weird that my birthday s in a couple weeks.
i really really really want to train, but I also understand the
importance of being okay with and in accordance with the Lord's will.
But i don't think that stops me from dreaming :D. It would be such a
great chance, I'd love to have a new missionary to show the ropes to
and help him not stress as much As I did my first while on my mission,
to help him have a fun time and make a beastly missionary out of him!
But I humbly must say that i have no idea if that is actually going to
happen, nor can I really expect it, it is a privilege that not really
everyone can expect to have in the mission, with decreasing numbers
and stuff. But God be blessed, and we'll see what happens this
Saturday. I'll be able to let you know the news, if Elder McBride is
transferring out or staying, or if I'll be getting a new comp, i
should be staying but there are also surprises sometimes so you never
know. But I,m happy here right now, no reason to leave that i know of.
We had some cool experiences this week!
"handoff", if you will, to God, and that I would let that be in his
hands, and that I would try and follow Him and His will as best as i
could. So I've experienced a lot of the power of the Atonement this
week. Anyway, we talked about some stuff
like things that help me diminish and also just get rid completely of
stress, like laughing, having fun, letting go of the little things,
choosing not to stress and just let it go when something bad happens
to pass by on the street, or when we accidentally see pornography on
the road, just because it's there and because it's not our fault if we
don't dwell on it, and letting go of my little mistakes and how life
isn't perfect and all. I also am trying to say "I don't care" more,
really learning so much, Elder Mcbride is a great comp.
Okay, I,m going to paste in some stuff that i wrote to my friend
Lauryn because I thought you guys would like it lots and I figured i
might as well not type it out twice, so here you go:
"For the past while I,ve been in Nantes (you say it "Nont") France and that makes it about
three months that i've been here. My first comp, Elder Young, was here
with me for six weeks, and he had just finished his first twelve weeks
or just finished training, as we call it. He was a great guy, chill, we
had a lot of fun times, but I still had to learn some things like how
to get out of the apartment on time and get to bed on time and stuff
like that. Then, surprise surprise, I became comps with a guy I
actually knew really well--Elder McBride!! Get this--he was there when
I was on my first train ride to the apartment, my first day in the
mission field!! Crazy, huh? Then when he left our district he went to
Nantes, and then I followed him! So now we're comps and he's probably
going to leave which is a Pity. He is literally the guy who has helped
me change and learn the most on my mission. It's been cool because
we're pretty different people, and sometimes i prefer to let things
that bother me slide, but it's been so good for me to learn from the
way he talks to people on the tram, I do that a lot now, and also how
he takes life without stress, it's really, really good. He has a
really good attitude about the rules and how people shouldn't stress
too much about the rules. Haha--It's funny how you can kind of see why
the Lord and president place you with people after a while--my last
two comps have been totally chill guys have been really motivated and
worked hard but without stress, just with an easy mind, which is
exactly right. It is so great to have a good desire to be exactly
obedient, but realistically, we're going to fall short sometimes, so
the value of the rules isn't in beating yourself up about it every
time you break the littlest one, but rather how to give more of your
heart, how to really embrace God and the change he wants you to take.
Really cool stuff. So sometimes comps who are different are kind of
harder to work things out with, but if you,re just honest and open and
tell them how you feel, you talk to each other and help each other
learn, you learn SO MUCH! Man it,s crazy, even with style and matching
clothes and stuff! So much fun. Remember that, on a mission, comps who
are especially different still have great potential to be a great
friend, we feel like buds, and also a HUGE opportunity to learn, more
so than you would ever have at home.
We have three really good amis right now, even more, just three or
four that are ready for baptism. Life is going well. Lord prepares
people for us. Innocent is a super cool African guy, and he is super
open to the truth (look for people who are humble enough to admit that
maybe they don't have one hundred percent of the picture with
religion, super good) and also Djenice, an eleven year old, and also
David, an African guy who is also super cool, and then Kevin, yet
another African guy, haha come to think of it these people are all
Africans! It's awesome. Oh man we got to eat at this awesome famIly's
house the other day, so sweet, they had this spicy stuff to put on the
food, and it was good, but most of all the FRIED PLANTAINS, OHHHHH
they were heavenly. Taste like bananas but made to taste sweet and
stuff, so really good."
Life has been going well, weird that my birthday s in a couple weeks.
i really really really want to train, but I also understand the
importance of being okay with and in accordance with the Lord's will.
But i don't think that stops me from dreaming :D. It would be such a
great chance, I'd love to have a new missionary to show the ropes to
and help him not stress as much As I did my first while on my mission,
to help him have a fun time and make a beastly missionary out of him!
But I humbly must say that i have no idea if that is actually going to
happen, nor can I really expect it, it is a privilege that not really
everyone can expect to have in the mission, with decreasing numbers
and stuff. But God be blessed, and we'll see what happens this
Saturday. I'll be able to let you know the news, if Elder McBride is
transferring out or staying, or if I'll be getting a new comp, i
should be staying but there are also surprises sometimes so you never
know. But I,m happy here right now, no reason to leave that i know of.
We had some cool experiences this week!
One. We were given a referral of a member and two investigators of the church, two of whom, the
investigators, are going to be married soon, and the other guy is the
member the brother of the lady who will be married. We got that
Wednesday from Corsica the big island south of France. But then,
Thursday, we were out to go porting or door to door and finish up the
night, we took dinner at 7:30 or so, so we just had a half-hour left,
and we went out to an area near to our house, and we learned about
following the Spirit! Never care more about your own idea than what
the Spirit or a Spirit guided companion ways, because that,s what I
did, and we just about missed out on what happened. At a fork in the
road, I wanted to go right and insisted, so we did. Then after a
while, we went left, following Elder McBride and the Spirit's
suggestion to him, after being there for a few minutes, we were really
discouraged and we hadn't he anything happen that night, but then a
couple of younger adult guys, maybe 25 to thir each, started walking
by the front of the road, in t of us, and they just about pass us but
then turn back, and as we walk past each other, they say, "hey
elders!" And we're like, "hmmmm?!" So turns out those are the two
guys--both super cool by the way--were the referrals we got JUST THE
NIGT BEFORE and they live less than ten minutes' walk from our house,
and we found them, newly moved here, before we even had the chance to
call them!
investigators, are going to be married soon, and the other guy is the
member the brother of the lady who will be married. We got that
Wednesday from Corsica the big island south of France. But then,
Thursday, we were out to go porting or door to door and finish up the
night, we took dinner at 7:30 or so, so we just had a half-hour left,
and we went out to an area near to our house, and we learned about
following the Spirit! Never care more about your own idea than what
the Spirit or a Spirit guided companion ways, because that,s what I
did, and we just about missed out on what happened. At a fork in the
road, I wanted to go right and insisted, so we did. Then after a
while, we went left, following Elder McBride and the Spirit's
suggestion to him, after being there for a few minutes, we were really
discouraged and we hadn't he anything happen that night, but then a
couple of younger adult guys, maybe 25 to thir each, started walking
by the front of the road, in t of us, and they just about pass us but
then turn back, and as we walk past each other, they say, "hey
elders!" And we're like, "hmmmm?!" So turns out those are the two
guys--both super cool by the way--were the referrals we got JUST THE
NIGT BEFORE and they live less than ten minutes' walk from our house,
and we found them, newly moved here, before we even had the chance to
call them!
So the Lord gives us miracles. Honestly, though the biggest
miracle is how much I've changed and opened up to the Lord's will the
past week and a half. i love you all so much and I'm so grateful for
the good that happens when we humbly and openly submit and DISCUSS and
OPEN UP to the friends, family members, companions, etc, around us,
and that humility and open communication does wonders. Do that this
week, do that today with a relationship that is struggling, do so with
the Spirit of the lord, and i promise you it will work wonders. God
bless each and every single one of you!!!i love you all, please feel
my love. I'm having fun and doing great over here, Thank you for all
your love and support. I apologize for the letters I did not get to
answer specifically, but I hope you enjoyed the eMail.
Thank you especially Mom and Dad, loved your eMails and felt your love
from them. I tried to just be comfortable this week in buying what
looked good for food (you kind of go without a lot of things here
sometimes). The good news? Well I have lots of yogurt and fruit and
muesli and good food for the week. The bad news? Well no money in my
mission account for next week. Whoops. Well yeah I'll be more careful,
our washer is now fixed after being out of order for the last two
months so that helps our money a lot. Anyways God bless, with return
from ed week, from summer to school, with everything you're facing.
Know the gospel is true, we don't necessarily need to stress about
every mistake or temptation or imperfection, apply the Atonement and
become better with all your heart, let the little things go, don't
care sometimes, ENJOY LIFE, and never be afraid to change with the
help of the savior's Atonement. God bless, thank you so much, have a
great week, especially thank you mom and dad and hyrum gabe grace
malia and austin and brielle and zia. Love you all!!
LOOOOOOOOOOOOVEEEE YOU!!!!! LOVE YOU TONS!!!!!!!
You are teh best! Till nezt time, enjoy your lives with the Lord,
Your son, brother, friend, and missionary
elder Adam Grant Edwards
miracle is how much I've changed and opened up to the Lord's will the
past week and a half. i love you all so much and I'm so grateful for
the good that happens when we humbly and openly submit and DISCUSS and
OPEN UP to the friends, family members, companions, etc, around us,
and that humility and open communication does wonders. Do that this
week, do that today with a relationship that is struggling, do so with
the Spirit of the lord, and i promise you it will work wonders. God
bless each and every single one of you!!!i love you all, please feel
my love. I'm having fun and doing great over here, Thank you for all
your love and support. I apologize for the letters I did not get to
answer specifically, but I hope you enjoyed the eMail.
Thank you especially Mom and Dad, loved your eMails and felt your love
from them. I tried to just be comfortable this week in buying what
looked good for food (you kind of go without a lot of things here
sometimes). The good news? Well I have lots of yogurt and fruit and
muesli and good food for the week. The bad news? Well no money in my
mission account for next week. Whoops. Well yeah I'll be more careful,
our washer is now fixed after being out of order for the last two
months so that helps our money a lot. Anyways God bless, with return
from ed week, from summer to school, with everything you're facing.
Know the gospel is true, we don't necessarily need to stress about
every mistake or temptation or imperfection, apply the Atonement and
become better with all your heart, let the little things go, don't
care sometimes, ENJOY LIFE, and never be afraid to change with the
help of the savior's Atonement. God bless, thank you so much, have a
great week, especially thank you mom and dad and hyrum gabe grace
malia and austin and brielle and zia. Love you all!!
LOOOOOOOOOOOOVEEEE YOU!!!!! LOVE YOU TONS!!!!!!!
You are teh best! Till nezt time, enjoy your lives with the Lord,
Your son, brother, friend, and missionary
elder Adam Grant Edwards
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