Birmingham Alabama

Okay, so you all know I'm really bad at coming up with subject lines. This week we had a district activity! We went to the Birmingham Civil Rights Institute (for free)(we know a guy) and it was awesome. There was quite a few things I didn't know about Birmingham! They call it 'The Magic City' because of how fast it grew. Its really awesome to be in a place that is so rich with history :) 

This week we got so many bible referrals!! I've gotten more media referrals in Gardendale than I have my entire mission. It's awesome!! I love to knock on people's doors who are actually wanting us to be there! They don't always follow through with commitments, but it feels nice to be doing some work in that area!! 

Our mission is still getting prepped for smartphones, and I can definitely see the hand of the Lord in it. For example, our current phone hasn't been holding it's charge very well and I'm afraid it will soon die for good. Just in time, am I right?? 

We just had our 'summer in February' this last week, it was 80 almost every day. But soon the state will remember that it's technically still winter and it will go back to cold :) not that I'm complaining, I'm in noooo hurry to get summer back where it's melt-your-face-off hot everyday. 

I LOVE YOU ALL

HAVE A GOOD WEEK

Hermana Adams

And this week a bird

Hello all! To start, I have a funny story. Sister F and I start our weekly planning by walking to the local donut shop and getting a few donuts. As we were walking back, an old couple passed us in the Foodland parking lot with a cart full of groceries. This is how the conversation went, because we wanted to help them:

Sister F: "Do you guys need help with your groceries?"

Them: keeps walking

Sister F, a little louder: " Do you guys need help with your groceries?" 

Them: still no response

Me in my learned southern-ness: "Hey, do y'all need help with your groceries?"

Them: "No thank you! Bless your hearts."

I've been teasing Sister F that because she spent the last 6 months in the Spanish branch, she hasn't really been in the south. She's got lots to learn, bless her heart!!

We had Stake Conference this week and it was awesome!!! The Stake President spoke a lot about faith, and it struck me so deeply. So many people here think they don't have any faith, but everyone has at least a little! It is also something you have to choose to grow. It wont just grow by it's self, (I guess, if you're lucky) But I made a promise with myself that everyday I would look for ways to grow my faith!! 

Our bird friend

So we caught a bird. It was really easy, because it was on the ground. We thought it was dead at first, but after poking it with my shoe, we realized it was alive!! Long story short, we decided to save it. We put it in a box with a little bit of water and put a towel over it box. It wasn't moving at all, so we went to bed. In the morning, we got up to go exercising, and it was healed! We released it outside and it flew away. 

No, I'm not making a habit of bringing animals into the apartment. It is just coincidence that it happened 2 weeks in a row. 

​​​​WELL I hope everyone has an amazing week full of sunshine. 

This is the temperature in Birmingham this week

I LOVE YOU ALL (Y'ALL) (ALL Y'ALL)

Hermana Adams

Valentine Cookies!

Not sure about the sad face...

Week of things and cats

Hello all!! This week has been full of cats and rain and meetings. First of all, we had the great privilege of going to zone  conference!! The whole conference was dedicated to.... TECHNOLOGY!! That's right!! The ABM is going to be equipped with smartphones starting in March. We were able to see lots of trainings and discuss and ask questions about how the missionary work is going to change and stay the same here. Basically and most importantly, we are just receiving a tool to help us further the missionary work along!!

This is an incredible miracle for our mission. At the beginning of the year, our mission set a goal for baptisms in 2018. Our mission president felt more or less like it was almost unreachable, due to the previous number of baptisms our mission had accomplished. BUT! Once we made the decision to have this goal, miracles started happening. Elder Anderson changed his plans so that he could come to OUR mission and speak to US. The technology that they've been talking about for YEARS is finally coming!! It is a huge testimony to me that, when the Lord sees that we are making righteous goals, He will provide a way for those goals to be accomplished!! I'm so excited to learn about how to use them!! 

I almost forgot about the cat story. I'm only including it because it's some of the only pictures we took this week. Basically, we accidentally let a cat into our apartment. Don't worry! We got it out within a half hour. Not before petting it and giving it water. It wasn't a stray; it seemed very well fed. But we kind of regret it because now when it sees us going into our apartment, it tries to come with us hahaha!!! 

I'll be emailing next Tuesday because of Presidents day :) HAVE A GOOD WEEK, Y'ALL

Hermana Adams​​​​​​

Slightly blurry Hna Adams and Hna F.

Another Week in Alabama!

I don't have much time, but I had a great week! I listened to the New Year's devotional from the Uchtdorfs' and it was awesome. Here's a picture for all of you!! 

Hermana Adams

Here's a quote I sent to Marie in my letter this week.  She liked it a lot, so I thought I would share.   It comes from The Maxwell Leadership Bible, John C Maxwell. Apparently, he is a motivational guru.

“How did God prepare Moses to be his man to lead the Hebrews out of Egyptian bondage? He prepared him not in a day, but over time; not through an event, but with a process. Of course, others before Moses waited years for God to fulfill his leadership development process:

            Noah – waited 120 years before the predicted rains arrived.

            Abraham – waited 25 years for a promised son.

            Joseph – waited 14 years in prison for a crime he didn’t commit.

            Job – waited perhaps a lifetime, 60-70 years, for God’s justice.

God prepares leaders in a Crock-Pot, not a microwave. More important than the awaited goal is the work God does in us while we wait.  Waiting deepens and matures us, levels our perspective, and broadens our understanding. Tests of time determine whether we can endure seasons of seemingly unfruitful preparation, and indicate whether we can recognize and seize the opportunities that come our way."