Elder Harrison Adams 7/11/16 Morehead City, NC/Nags Head, NC

Family and Friends,

To start off, I have some sad and also exciting news. So we had transfer calls, and I will be leaving Morehead City. Elder Gibb will be staying and train a new missionary. It'll be weird to go somewhere else because I've spent 6 months and this ward is my second family. It was really hard to say goodbye to some people. But I'm also excited because I will be going to my new area, Nags Head in the Outer Banks of North Carolina. I'll be companions with Elder Martinez again, and we'll be living inside a beach house. So I'm excited for that!

Last week for the 4th, we were able to go with a member family to the beach and watched fireworks there. It was really cool and pretty to see them.

This week we had a really good lesson with an investigator, Johanie. We taught the Book of Mormon. Although, we spaced it and forgot to bring a Book of Mormon for him! Luckily after the lesson, it was close enough to our house that we could just run back and grab one for him. He's my age, 19, and just barely got here from Mexico. He's really a nice guy, and has sincere desires and questions about God. The bishop went out with us to that lesson, and even though he can't speak Spanish, he still was able to help lots. We would ask him questions and then translate his answers to Johanie. 

Other than that not too much exciting has happened this week. We played lots of basketball and tennis in the mornings, with ward members. Brother Cambell and Crandell play basketball with us lots (see photo below) while the bishop and some other members come and play tennis with us. I'll miss that!

Oh I also forgot! So this week two members in the church got married. Ricardo Rubio and Marcella Fletcher. They needed someone to translate a ring ceremony that they were doing so they asked us (the grooms family and friends were Hispanic). So now I've officially translated part of a wedding! 

On a more spiritual note, I'm so grateful for Jesus Christ and for His unconditional love. I don't think I'll ever truly understand what it means to call Him my Savior. But I do know that he suffered for the world. Me included. The Saints, the sinners, and everyone else in that mix. He suffered for us so that He could raise us up to live with God. So that we can enjoy eternal happiness and bliss. A blessing about being in the South is that everyone here has a strong love for Jesus Christ and a strong desire to follow his commandments. Although they don't always agree with what we teach, they do have that love and devotion for their Savior.

I love North Carolina, I love the people here, and I love being a representative of the Savior Jesus Christ! 

Love,

Elder Adams

Elder Harrison Adams 7/4/16 Morehead City, NC

Family and Friends,

Happy 4th of July! 

To start off, we had a really good and enjoyable week this week. One of my dreams came true this week. Me and Elder Gibb were just trying to visit a few people, and they weren't there. Then some little Hispanic kids (around the age of 10, there were 4 of them) yelled from a porch "vamos a jugar?" So we went over and told them we'd play with them for a little bit so they got out their basketball and we played a quick pickup game in the middle of a trailer park! Granted the kids were all really short. And Hispanics are definitely better at soccer, not basketball. But we had a good time playing a quick game with them. After we were able to share a quick message with them, and are hoping in the future that we will be able to teach their parents as well. 

 With it being the week of the 4th, I've been reflecting a lot about freedom and our Independence day. Being here in the United States, I'm not sure I quite understood or appreciated all of the freedoms and things that were available for me growing up. Serving my mission with the Hispanic people here in the United States has broadened my vision. Some words of advice one of my investigators gave me a few weeks ago really stuck with me. We were talking about what we wanted to do as our professions. And after he looked at us, and said "Then go do that. Here, you can do and be whatever you want. Be whatever you want. Don't miss out on that."

Another thought that has been on my mind a lot this week was a comment a member made in my last area. When he first came to American, he had nothing. Then he expressed his love for America, and the wonderful opportunity it gives people. He had just opened his own tire shop and started his own business. A lot of people think the American dream is dead. But it's not. We have such great opportunities here, and I'm grateful to live in this country. 

Along with all of that, some other really good things have happened this week. This fast Sunday our investigator Alex got up and shared his testimony. Our other investigator Chris (the hippy surfer) wore pants to church, so I count that as progress! We've also had a lot of opportunities to teach, and the Spirit has been so strong. Especially coupled with fasting, prayer is such an amazing tool. God answers prayers. 

 Well happy 4th of July! Our plans tonight include going to the Morehead waterfront to watch some fireworks (from there we will also be able to see the fireworks from Beaufort, Atlantic Beach, and Pine Knoll Shores). Be safe!

Love,

Elder Adams