July 24, 2017 - Taking on Two Areas

This week was a bit different for many resons. Elder Togisala left this week so we have been in a trio for more than half this week. We were also told that the area of Elder Togisala is going to be closed and we are going to take on the both areas which each one is bigger then our Stake. Well with all this change, I have learned a ton. Through the influence of the Holy Ghost we learn the lessons that our Father wants us to learn and apply in our lives. We as missionaries are thought to be teachers but really we are the investigators of our Heavenly Father during our studies and throughout our days. 

Sorry this is extremly short but just the news of this week, I am going to be leaving my area here in Usulutan which isnt very exciting because I am going to have to say goodbye to everyone but I am excited for some change and the oportunity I will have to be able to meet more people and help them come unto Christ. I Am excited to be able to grow my family here in El Salvador and I know that I will go where our Heavenly Father needs me. 

I love you all and have an awesome week. Ill send more pics next week!

Love,

Elder Mark Daniel Adams

July 17, 2017 - Healthy and Alive!

"Parley P. Pratt had served as a missionary for 25 years of almost constant labors. He had just returned from his latest mission in Chile. He was hopeful that he could now remain at home and enjoy his family, but such expectations were short lived. President Brigham Young called him to serve yet another mission- this time in the eastern states. One can imagine the feelings that must have swelled up in Parley's heart. Perhaps the thought, 'Haven't I given all that a mortal could be expected to give? Don't I deserve to spend some time with my family and friends? Can't I just relax for a while?... On September 7, 1856, shortly after learning of his call by Brigham Young, he offered the following tender reflections and prophetic insights: 'I have desired , after traveling for twenty-five or twenty-six years, mostly abroad, to stay at home and minister among the people of God, and take care of my family; but God's will be done, and not mine. If it is the will of God that I should spend my days in proclaiming the Gospel and bearing testimony of these things, I shall think myself highly privileged and honored. And when the spirit of God is upon me, I think it matters but very little what I suffer, what I sacrificed- whether I secure the honor or dishonor of men, or where I die, if it be that I can keep the faith, fight the good fight, and finish my course of joy. I have all eternity before me, in which to enjoy myself"

This week I was reading a talk which talks about as missionaries we need to sacrifice many things to become this missionary that changes lives. I really loved this talk because it was saying how we need to put these things on the altar of sacrifice. All the disobedience, fears, romantic passions, pride, negativism and sarcasm are all things that we need to give up to become this ideal servant of our Heavenly Father. Well these changes can also and need to be applied to all people especially members and their callings. If we want to be an amazing member who not only  completes but magnifies their callings we need to sacrifice a little bit of our pleasures and traits that drag us down. We always need to focus on our Father in Heaven and His kingdom on this earth. We can't have half of our heart, might mind, or strength focused on the work and the other half on some topic that is not eternal. Well I know it is a challenge to focus on our callings and still focus on the challenges of this life but when we put our Heavenly Father first and as we "seek ye first the kingdom of God and His righteousness" we have the promise of our Savior Jesus Christ that "all these things (that we need in our lives) shall be added unto you"(3 Nephi 13:33). Our Savior Jesus Christ promised that we will have the things we need when we focus on edifying the kingdom of God. These blessings may come in a day, in a week, in a year, in 10 years, and some might only come in our celestial glory, no matter when they will come, we need to stay strong and pushing forward "with an eye single to the glory if God". He loves us. He blesses us. He is our friend. 

Love,

Elder Mark Daniel Adams

P.S. Im healthy and alive!

July 10, 2017 - Heaven Sent Miracles

Well this week was awesome! I am pretty sure I left a lot out in the last weeks email, we were very short on time, but I hope you all got the story and the blessings that happened to us. Well this week we have seen these blessings grow and grow. 

This week was highlighted with the baptisms of the familia Rodriguez, who I talked about last week. Well we visited them all week and were preparing and preparing again for their baptisms. The mom, Xiomara, has always been on the edge about religion and not wanting much. The first time that she came to church, her husband told us that he had been trying to get her to go to other churches with him and praying for her to go for years and she had never wanted to go. When he told her that he was going to go to church and invited her this time, she seemed a bit more animated and willing to go. Everyone has their time to hear the message of the Restored Gospel and her time was up. That was one of many miracles that we have seen in the conversion of the family. 

Well even up until the baptism she was a little on the edge, half joking with us and half really not knowing what to do. The day of the baptism they showed up with white clothes in hand, but Hermana Xiomara didn't have anything. She told us that she didn't want to get baptised that day and it wasn't her time. We were in a bit of shock and we didn't have a clue what to do. We talked to her for a while and she eventually said that she was just kidding and she had her white clothes in her purse. We were and still are so glad that she decided to be baptised with her family and chose to enter into the path of the Lord. 

Well just one last thing that happened with the baptsim, they planned it at 9am and at that time usually no one shows up. We waited and waited and after about 30 minutes we had a grand total of 4 missionaries and 2 members. We couldn't wait any longer so we went to get changed and when we came back out, the room was filled with people standing because there wasn't enough room. We were amazed at the turn out and excited for the awesome baptisimal service that was held. 

Well I know that each and every one of these little miracles that we saw were heaven sent. There is no other way that we could have changed the heart of someone or have seen any of these other things without the power of heaven. My testimony is strengthened daily from the little and giant miracles that wesee daily. I know that Heavenly Father loves us and Protects us. There is not a doubt in my mind about the power of our Heavenly Father or His willingness to bless us. I love this Gospel and I love being a missionary, a servant of our Heavenly Father, and an instrument in His hands. I hope we can all continue to look for the little blessings that we often forget about. I love you all and am always praying for you. 

Love,

Elder Mark Daniel Adams

Ps today we are going to famiia Rodriguez's and we are having a party and barbeque it should be awesome! Ill send the pics next week!

July 3, 2017 - Another Good One

This week has been another good one! I feel like I start off all my letters like that but it is always true, we always are having good weeks! This week we have been working hard and seeing miracles daily. This week we were focsed in the Rodriguez family who we have been working with for about a month and a little. They are a family of 4 who are awesome. They were a reference from the Bishop which was a huge blessing to us and this area. They pretty much knew all the basic principles of the Gospel before we started teaching them, the Bishop has been a huge help to us and their conversions. More than anything we have focused on the father of the family named Heriberto. From the very first lesson until now he has been one of our most positive investigators. The first time we talked about bapism he told us "of course I want to get baptised but I have another goal in mind, to get sealed to my family". I know that says it all but just to let you know I haven't met another person here that has heard about dealings. 

Well we have been studying a ton to answer all the questions and the few doubts that they have had to our best abilities. I have learned a ton from them and through my studies just for them. Well this week we have been preparing the 3 that are old enough for their baptismal date on the 8th of this month. The mom Xiomara has always had a few big doubts but really wants to grow closer to our Heavenly Father. She has been a bit closed off to baptism because she wants to learn more and have a little more time in the church. She has not been opposed to her husband and her daughter getting baptised but she just wanted her time. Well this week we saw a huge miracle with them as a family. The Bishops son recommended that we watched a video called "Together Forever" with them. I didn't have much faith in this video but we shared it with them on saturday. By the end, I looked over to the both of them and they were crying. It shows about the importance of the Plan of Salvation and how families can be eternal. 

Just yesterday we had their baptisimal interviews and Hermana Xiomara said that she wants to be baptised with the rest of her family! This saturday we will have a few awesome baptisms that I am really excited for! Well I hope this made sense we have like 30 minutes to write today but I love you all and I love my mission!

Love,

Elder Mark Daniel Adams

June 26, 2017 - 13

This week was an amazing week. We were not able to work very much in our area with a multizone conference, my companion being sick, and other meetings that we had, BUT we were still able to see the blessings and the fufillment of a huge mirale. Well just to give a little perspective, we have been struggling in this area with the last baptism in November. We have gotten very close to baptisms and out of nowhere there is a big problem or people start talking to them about how we "worship the devil". 

Well like I said last week we were able to have this baptism planned with an investigator that we pretty much just started teaching. Again, her name is Araceli and she has been a huge blessing to us. Well this time we were able to over come this time of no baptisms and we were able to fill the font this Saturday. I know that everyone that has served a mission is able to see how amazing this really was. We taught her for the first time on the 11th of this month and she just got baptised on the 24th of this month. 13 days of us teaching her only a few lessons and she was 100% prepared. She went and continues to go above and beyond learning more that we can even teach her, through the church websites and The Book of Mormon. The one thing that sets her apart from all the other people that we are teaching, is that she has a real intent. She lives with her mom and her grandma who are super into another church so she leaves her house and traveles to her cousins to recieve us. When she goes to read The Book of Mormon, the literally start banging pots and pans so she cant focus. She invited her whole family to her baptism and not one showed up. The thing is... those things havent impacted her in her conversion at all. She has continued in this short time without hesitating. 

Well we are so excited to continue to teach her and help her on her path that she has just entered to recieve all these blessings that God has prepared for us, especially eternal life. Well not only are we focusing on this side of the veil with her, we now are starting to teach about the work for the dead and we should be going to the temple some time soon with her to do baptisms. We are super excited to be able to go because we just got a letter from president that we have permission to now haha. Well besides the baptism and all the little things that satan was doing to keep it from going through, we had a pretty good week of teaching and preparing more people for their baptisms. We have a couple families that should also be coming up for their baptisms too. We are seeing the hand of God in our every day and we are so thankful for everything that we have. I love you all and I hope you all have an awesome week... especially all the family at Lake Powell with out me. 

Love,

Elder Mark Daniel Adams

Heres some pics.. yeah we went thrift shopping last pday and the last pic with President Vasquez. We get our new President this week! 

June 19, 2017 - The Joy of Service

Well this week was full of blessings and awesome experiences. Well this week I had to say goodbye to Elder de Leon and I recieved my new companion, Elder Laguna. Well the adios to Elder de Leon was a bit tough because we got along really well and I grew to love him a ton and we worked very well together but I know that I have much more to learn from more companions and he does too. Well Elder Laguna is from Mexico and he is some what new in the mission. It is awesome to have a companion with a new and opened mind to the Spirit and ideas that we have to help people in their conversions. I have already learned a lot from him, especially having to put myself in the position to lead the lessons and direct and guide our days. Well he is awesome and we are already getting along and learning a ton from the spirit. 

Well this saturday we went to a baptism of the other Elders in our ward and after, the bishop called Elder Togisala and I to talk with him. Well he asked us to give a talk on Sunday morning on the joy we recieve from serving others. I was up all night thinking about what I could talk about and the things I could share but more importantly, I started to really think about the joy and blessings that I have recieved from serving others. I have started to count my blessings and I have seen so many anazing miracles and things happen here. From people wanting to be bapitsed to gaining a stronger testimony. I know that I am serving these people here and like in the Book of Mormon it says that when we are serving others we are really serving our God (King Benjamin). One of these miracles I have seen actually happened yesterday with an investigator named Araceli. She is a young adult and reference/cousin of a strong family in the ward. Sh has come to church quite a few times but we just started teaching her recently and we have taught her lessons twice. The first time we talked about the Restoration and the word of wisdom. She is very positive and really is trying to grow her love for Christ. Well yesterday we went to teach her for the second time and she said she wants to be baptised this saturday. We taught literally everything she needed to know and she had her interview the same day. She is ready and has a huge desire to be baptised and live the Gospel of Christ. We saw this miracle of her saying that she wants to be baptised so soon and with so little of lessons. Her cousins are teaching her tons (returned missionaries) and we are all super excited for her baptism this week. Oh ueah I forgot to say that her mom and her grandma are antiLDS so we cant teach her in her house. Her mom gave her permision to go to church but she isnt supportive of it at all. Her desire is awesome and she is a huge example to us. I am trying to have faith like her and trust 100% in our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and our Father in Heaven. I hope you all can exercise and show your faith this week and come closer to and have a personal relationship with Christ. Count your blessings and always remember to serve and love everyone. Have a good one!

Love,

Elder Mark Daniel Adams

Sorry for so few pics ill try to take some more this week. And some with Elder Laguna.

June 5, 2017 - Serve Everyone

So this week has been a week full of amazing experiences. Last week we put the goal in our weekly planning to serve everyone and be as much like Christ as we can be. This week we had many oportunities to serve and help out many people. We did 2 service projects, gave a couple blessings and during the day tried to help someone in the street or someone in need. Well the 2 service projects were awesome. In the begining of the week we had the oportunity to go help an older single lady out in her yard cleaning it up and doing little other projects while we were there. Towards the end of the week we went to a community river where the people who live close go to wash their clothes and we cleared brush and trash. We really didn't do much compared to how much these people have to do but they were so thankful for the little bit of help we were able to give. Each of these projects were for people who don't have pretty much anything and they still sacrificed to be able to give us breakfast or a snack and juice. It is so humbling to see each one of the many people that we were able to serve and how they wanted to pay us back with the little that they have. 

I was also able to study a little bit about service and how important it is. In Mosiah 2:17 and Matthew 25:35-45 we can learn that when we are serving our brothers we are truly serving our God. I love how Christ explains this principle in Matthew He says, "I was an hungered... I was thirsty... I was a stranger... I was sick..." There are a ton of things that he says but what really stands out to me is how he does not once say it was to another person, He states that He was all these things  or He had all of these afflictions. When we serve others we are litterally serving others as if it were Christ. On the other hand, when we are that person in need we can know that our Savior has suffered each and every struggle, hardship, depression, or trial that we are put through. We can always look to Him, the one perfect life that this world has seen for His prefect help. He is always there for us. Only a prayer away.

I love you all and I know that the more we serve the more blessings we will see in our lives and in the lives of the people around us. Oh yeah I am here happy, healthy, and loving this amazing oportunity i have to serve the humble people here of this amazing country of El Salvador. Have an awesome week, I love you all and you are all in my prayers!

Love,

Elder Mark Daniel Adams

Just a little bit on the pics haha because they are random. The one really old guy said he was born in 1904... that would make him 113 years old. And thats just a typical drunk guy passed out