Last E-mail 5-26-14

Family and Friends,

Well life is officially over. Only days left until the real world sets in. Not looking forward to that. But like I still got 3 days in paradise so I won’t think about all that real world nonsense just yet. Church was too good yesterday! We had the family of 5 there for my last Sunday and Henry as well! They’re all progressing like crazzzy. It’s to good being a missionary! Henry told me after sacrament meeting, "Adams, I will talk to the Bishop so that he can pay for your plane ticket to come back to my baptism." Always good to hear. Not sure that will fly but dreaming is good. We tore it up my last week in the mish. We taught a healthy amount of lessons. By healthy I mean a boat load. It was fun. 

I gave a little farewell testimony talk yesterday. It was Mother’s Day here so I gave a talk about mothers and about how they are the best. Simple as that. I told about the story of when I was in Strasbourg and we had been teaching an ami for weeks and we finally got around to teaching with a member. This member happened to be a mother. I remember to this day that I testified and the ami was just like nodding her head like okay, then my companion with the same result, and then the member testified and our ami was consumed with the spirit. Like she lost it… tears and all. And then she got baptized. Voila, mothers are the best!... even when concerning missionary work. LOVE YOU MOTHER. 

So this week I of course did a lot of reflecting. I have been too blessed during these two short years in France. I don’t even know where to start with all that I have learned during my stay in France. I still remember to this day when elder Andersen of the 12 came and spoke to our mission when I was a bleu. He said "You MUST find satisfaction in this work."  This simple sentence has never left me. I can easily say I have never found more satisfaction in my life then these last two years. And I owe that to the fact that I learned early on in my mission that if a missionary wants satisfaction, he must never be satisfied... he must always strive for more! Recently Elder Kearon of the 70 came to the mission and he said about this same subject, "The Lord is happy with you, but he is not satisfied." 

I think I owe most of the satisfaction I have found in these last two years to the fact that I learned at a young age to always be happy no matter what happens. To take things as they are. Keeping a level head and a good attitude are crucial when serving the Lord. I can remember very clearly when serving in Belgium as a young missionary, President said... "The French people need to meet missionaries who are happy and enthusiastic."  That simple phrase has really changed my mission. I have tried every single day of my mission to just smile and roll with the punches. I have learned that a normal missionary must talk to about 200 Frenchies before one will really be interested in the gospel... but if you're a happy missionary and decide to wear a smile no matter what the weather almost every person will listen and give you a chance!  Attitude is everything. 

I have also come to realize that miracles are all around if we will but open our eyes and have a little faith! Missionaries and members who do not believe in miracles will never see them!  It’s so simple. Believe and you will see. Concerning miracles I have learned that if you want to see them... you must leave your comfort zone!  Sharing the gospel, as a missionary or as a member, requires leaving our comfort zone!  No it’s not easy, but I have learned that it is so worth it!  Once again I find myself quoting President haha, "If you want to be a happy missionary, do things that scare you." He couldn’t be more right! 

I have learned to see the bright side of things. There is no bad weather. There is no such thing as a bad companion. There is no place in the world where we cannot baptize. NOPE!

And of course I learned about good old obedience. THE BED IS NOT COMFORTABLE AFTER 6:30am.
Speaking of the bed... God never wakes up on the wrong side of the bed sometimes and just decide to punish us!!!  He is bound to bless us when we do our best and when we keep his commandments. So simple but not always easy. 

Last but not least I have learned that God Loves Me and he has strengthened my testimony more then I could’ve ever imagined. I have always been converted to the gospel but he helped to to be converted to missionary work. To love each and every person. Even if they’re stinky, ugly, and weird. Just love them. When we do this we will in return feel his love! In the MTC I remember the question... "You’re all converted members of the church, but are you converted to missionary work?" We must all ask ourselves this question! It took longer then maybe it should have, but it feels good to be able to say YES. 

Amen. lol. See you soon. LOVE YOU! Thanks for being awesome. BISOUS!