Sometimes kings just gotta flex...and teach and preach and work as missionaries do.

Hey who's been blinking?  I swear I just talked to you guys!  Next thing you know I'll be in college!  The days seem so long but holy cow do the weeks fly by!  This weeks been kinda weird.  We have had so many set appointments fall through so that kind of sucked.  We got another baptismal date.  Her name is Anne Webb set for the 22nd of October!  She's solid!  I think that I can say I know she'll be baptized.  She has the cutest little boy named Charelston!  He's so funny and cute!  He's 1 and loves to hug.  We also got Darrell are activated and talking to members!  But yeah we found her when I was on exchanges with the Zone Leaders.  

Elder Moosman and I were exchanged with Elder York and he's awesome.  He is like 6'5 and 205 lbs.  he's huge.  But he's a friendly giant.  He had an accident last week where he was climbing over a spiked fence to get a ball and he fell and got stabbed twice hahahaha.  Once in the hand and once in the leg!  He's fine though, just something funny.  But he's a great missionary!  I think he might go AP!  Speaking of, "AP Adair" is written every where in my apartment because my comps think I'm gonna be an AP.  I mean, I'm open to he idea of being one, but I can't even handle myself so that's wayyyyy out of my sight as of right now haha.  But it's good to know they have high expectations of me.  They honestly think I can be one.  

We were out this week teaching and an appointment feel through so we went finding and we had some crazy experiences.  First, we met a guy who claimed to see a vision of Jesus.  He said he was visited by Jesus and he doesn't look like the pictures....he's currently in my prayers because I didn't think anyone was that...unintelligent.  Haha then right after we ran into a Hebrew Israelite.  That was an experience.  He basically said and firmly believes the blacks in America are the chosen people and the Jews talked about when Jesus scattered the 12 tribes across the 4 corners of the earth.  He was hell bent also that Jehovah (pronounced Yahweh) is the "most high."  He said that Jesus wasn't Christ because Jesus's name isn't the same every where (Spanish is Jesus Cristo, etc) and if he was the same he would have the same name pronounced the same (even though George is pronounced hor-hay, Christopher is Christobol).  And he didn't know Jehovah (Yahweh) was spelled like that...we had the power to destroy his entire existence but we decided to let him be wrong.  Oops. #sorrynotsorry.  Haha eventful day.

Sad time now. Elder Parks and Harris (elders in our district) had a baptismal date investigator die last week...he was their best investigator and he was super solid and Elder Parks was super close to him.  He's pretty distraught right now but the great and awesome thing is that he already accepted the gospel!  Elder Parks is gonna try to be baptized for him!  He taught him while he was alive and is gonna get baptized for him after he's dead!  Wouldn't that be such a spiritual experience?!

Also it's so hot here that when we see that it's gonna be any temperature below 85 degrees, we get so excited.  It's that bad haha. It's been cray hot.  We've done a few hours of service this week and I haven't sweat that much since football (which I'm missing like crazy, both watching and playing.  Speaking of I'm gonna go out for football in college).  We did some old lady's yard while wearing full proselyting clothes for an hour.  Then we helped an older woman move for an hour and a half and on Saturday we helped a member move pieces of a tree that fell over.  And it wasn't a small tree.  He had to cut it into several pieces, about a foot or so thick and 3 feet wide. It took all 3 of us to move each piece.  And then we had to unload it all haha.  It took some muscle, but it got done.  I was pouring out sweat haha.  

Oh I think I might have grown a little because my jeans are a little tight haha.  And I think I've grown vertically too.  I might need new soccer sweats soon. But the mission is treating me great!  Also if you want to hear a good song about moms and missionary work listen to Bless My Son by Nashville Tribute Band. My package has not arrived because you sent it to the mission home...I won't have it for a while.  Send it to my apartment.  It won't get stolen!  And yes it's okay as long as I don't use it outside.  I will ask Wakolo!  I think it will be fine!  Dax is special to me so I think he'll let me. I most likely won't be in a trio next month because Moosman leaves on the 11th. Elder Nielson is a great guy!  He and I were together a lot at specialized meeting and I'll see him again next week.

I'm so proud of Ella!  And chance and all of them!  Tell Chance to not let that bring him down.  Tell him to play as hard as he can this last game because football goes by way too fast!  Same with Cort and crew! Good job buddy! I already emailed Cortland so he'll get my council soon enough. That baptism isn't gonna happen because Zeneta hasn't been keeping contact with us and hasn't been to church yet so we're gonna try a little more before we drop her...my best hope for a baptism is Anne. No my contacts are fine I just got something in my eye one day and
wore glasses and forgot to put in contacts.

Kings Do King Things

The King says flex...that's right, flex those guns, son.

 

             

Elder Nielsen's mom was kind enough to send us some pics from the MTC:

Working hard and having fun...and did I mention kicking a ball into his own face?

There was a fire here this past week and it killed like 10 people....9 were kids...it's been sad here but we'll press through.  Let me tell you first hand though, that faith works miracles.  We were walking (it's walk week) and we saw it was raining and I told the guys that with enough faith we wouldn't get wet.  So we all stood looking and we all agreed to have faith we wouldn't get wet and as we walked guess who didn't get wet.  Us.  It was awesome!  We ended up walking over 10 miles haha but we met a bunch of people!  I'm starting to love the people here.  People in the ghettos are super nice and family oriented!  We now have protection in 3 different neighborhoods.  They are super kind, even the ones who look scary!  Elder Edwards told me that when you start to begin wit the end in mind, or start looking at people  as if they were wearing their baptismal whites, it's easier to love them.  It's so true.  Even the grungiest looking people are children of God and they need the gospel the most!  Even though it's been super hot, rainy and humid, I found myself with so much energy to wave, smile or talk to people.  My legs hurt of course and my shirt was sticking to me from all the sweat, but I just wanted to keep my head up and smile because I know when I do that, people notice.  It's said it takes at least 7 missionary contacts before a person warms up to the gospel, that includes smiles, waves and small talk.  I want to try to plant as many seeds as possible.  I want to be able to look Heavenly Father in the eye and be able to honestly say, I left it all on the field.  Listen to Life is a Football game.  I can't remember who it's by but it's by like a motivational speaker who gave that talk at BYU and its soooo good.  But I really am starting to love it here.  Although I really, really miss the mountains haha.  It's green and pretty here, but it's too flat for my liking.  I also miss having cold weather haha.  I walk outside after basketball, hoping for a breeze of cool, but instead I'm greeted by hot, humid sticky air.  Hahaha also when it rains the street steams!

 I also had a great experience when just walking.  We were running late for some reason and left 30 min late but as we left there was a guy on a bike who kept looking at us and he stopped, rode, looked and stopped and put his bike down and walked towards us (in our apartment complex) and he said hi and told us he is a member!  He was baptized in Seattle but hasn't been to church in 7 years and wishes to come back and he was thinking about it as he was riding and he saw us!  Isn't that awesome?! He came to stake conference with us and we met with him after and he said he loved it! We're hoping for a reactivation, which is just as great as a baptism!  Speaking of, we had to move our baptismal date. Guess when it is. October 8!  Isn't that awesome?!  What a present!!  We also set another date for October 15!  We've been walking a lot so my feet were pretty swollen and knee started hurting again but it was fine, if Nephi didn't complain after being strung up for 4 days, I shouldn't!  Plus, we got the car again.  We are at subway this past week and when we left the owner came out and gave us a gift card for $20.  He said his store got robbed the day before and he was feeling down and discouraged and he said that just seeing us there gave him hope that there's good in the world and he asked us to pray for him.  We agreed and gave him a card with our info on it and he said he was so grateful.  It was just a random, cool experience that stuck to me!  We also ran into some guy who claimed Jesus was a fake and how the first slave ship was called Jesus.  Some black radical dude who was super into BLM haha.  We talked to him and his friends for a bit.  Major pot heads believe in good and evil and if you're good you'll be saved haha.  Oh and I got a sweet American flag hat cause America.  We've had a few days this week where EVERY set appt fell through so it's been tough cause we have to walk everywhere and find because our appts are either not home, fall through or they're bad addresses.  We've had a ton this week but we kept pushing and got some good things out of it!  Oh and tell Cort he can have my snowboard.  I don't need it for a minute haha plus I'll get a new one when I'm home.  I also saw sister fisher!!  That was cool.  I was also able to see Elder Nielson too!  He's doing good!  Elder Edwards and Moosman thought it was a good idea to splash cold water on me as I was showering haha they missed!  Freaking goobers!  Haha I love them.  They're helping me so much!  Also if you could be a doll send me another air Mormon shirt!  Large.  It's for Edwards.  And I heard about the baby!  Kaeden told me!!  I'll defiantly pray for him and his back and stress.  Tell Cort congrats!!  He already has more points than I've scored in high school!  Little bugger haha.  

Kings Do King Things

Sometimes kings kick themselves in the face...

Sometimes they look good...

Other times they find themselves caught up in games...

Most often though, they just look confused.

Sorry, no postable pictures this time around...but they were hilarious, trust us! :)

The members are feeding us pretty well!  A few times a week!  Food here is amazing!!  But I gotta say I have never seen so many wig shops...it seems everyone here wears a wig haha.  I need a family picture from you guys too.  And there's socks called Stance (the brand) I need you to send me a bunch.  They're dope.  I'm sending a list of songs I want you to send me too.  Put them on a flash drive and send the drive to me, please. This week is still the same old same old. I extended my first baptismal invitation to an investigator and she said yes!  It's set for the 24th of this month so pray that it comes through!  She's awesome.  She has a daughter and her mom in her house and her name is Zeneta.  She's really cool and so ready for the gospel!  She's definitely amazing!  There's a giant Statue of Liberty that's calling America to return to Christ that we got a pic of hahahaha.  Then across town is a giant Buddha statue....in someone's yard haha.  We live by a Buddhist temple too.  My favorite thing so far is teaching the Book of Mormon class.  I love teaching about that cause it's so fun!  Especially about the introduction page.  We get to map out everything from the jaredites to Moroni buying the plates.  It's awesome.   We've gotten a few new investigators and called over 100 people!  It's been busy.  Not a lot of people want to keep with us but I feel we can get to them if we work even harder.  We have something called accountability where we memorize all the points in each lesson and find scriptures from the Book of Mormon and the bible and we memorize and recite them.  I have all of lesson 1 down and the points to lessons 2 and 3.  I guess that's good because I was told most don't memorize 1 until about 3 weeks in the field.  So hopefully I'll be able to keep ahead of them game!  Its such and honor to be out here with the guys I'm with.  It's rough here, but I know I'll be okay.  I get a little trunky every now and again, but I'm fine! Me and my companions were asked by another missionary what we would do if we were to be able to go home honorably today from the mission field and Elder Moosman said something that hit me hard.  He leaves home in 5 weeks and he looked this elder in the eye and said, "I told the lord 2 years didn't I?" And left it at that.  I will always remember that.  Its been burned in my brain.  I have 2 years only for the lord and that seems like the most important thing I'll ever do in my life.  I'm learning so much and yeah, I can't wait to be home with you guys and tell you about my mission, but for the time being, I want to be here serving.  It's hot and humid and miserable outside, but what I'm doing is what the lord needs me to be doing.  I found myself in a bash this week.  Some guy kept trying to get us to believe faith is fake and there's no proof of faith...moron.  Haha but he wasn't too mean, more just ignorant.  Elder Edwards favorite pastime is to take sticky notes and place them around my bathroom..  Hahaha he's so weird, I love him.  I'll send pics of all the notes he's put around haha.  We were in an area just door knocking cause an appt fell through and we found ourselves teaching a youth preacher and even got a return appt hahaha.  We also found a guy who has this bandage on his hand and while we were talking it came up and he told us he got bit...by another person...then while walking we found a house that put up a garage door as their gate...only in Memphis.  This place is crazy hahaha, and so many weird things happen. 

Tell the little ones and Kaeden how much I love and miss them.  I know I didn't show them enough while I was home, but I love them so dearly and wish to hug and talk to them again.  Cortland, stay strong through adversity and trials.  The football locker room is gonna be Satan's playground and you have to be strong enough to over come it.  It's gonna be hard and it may be embarrassing and you may stand alone when you choose not to do the dumb things in there, but Heavenly Father will bless you and strengthen you.  You have a light in you and you have to show it.  Walk uprightly before God, love Christ and your family and friends.  Cort, I know times get hard and you may fall into temptation, but just because you may take a step in the wrong direction, doesn't mean you have to take 2.  Also, remember that mom and Dad and our whole family will always be there for you.  I love you so much buddy.  More than I ever showed it and more than I ever said it.  Put on the whole armor of God and pray always.  Never let anyone bring you down for what you believe.  Be proud to be Mormon!!  When someone asks if you're LDS say "heck yeah I am and I'm proud of it!!"  Never doubt yourself.  For in Christ, you can do all things.

Chance,  middle school is a rough time!  Trust me!  But it's gonna be great for your growth!  As I told Cort, make sure you never not let your light shine.  Always be who you are.  You are gonna be so great!  Study the scriptures and school work.  Listen to mom and dad and continue to be the loving person you are!

Ella bug!  I miss you so much!  I love you!  Your tender heart will be a great key in letting people know that you're a Latter Day Saint!  Walk in the light of the lord and be who He wants you to be!  Keep working hard in dance!!  You're gonna be a star!

Crew!!  Little buddy!  You're my little rock!!  Your picture is the book mark to my personal Book of Mormon!  Every time I see your precious smile, I smile!  You bring me so much joy!  I can't wait to hear your laugh and your little voice!  Keep on trucking little man!!  You're such a great boy!!

Kaeden,  I know we sometimes didn't get along all the time and I know at times I didn't show my love for you.  But thank you for being the man I look up to.  Thank you for showing me guidance while you were on your mission and for being part of my foundation for my testimony.  You are my older brother and at times my best friend.  I wish I would have spent more time with you before I left. I know that as you start your journey in life with your eternal companion the Lord will bless you and you're gonna be so happy!  I love you Kaed.  You'll always be one of my best role models!!

Mom, dad.  You guys have given me everything.  My life, my knowledge and testimony.  You guys were there when no one else was.  You guys helped me up when I was at rock bottom.  I'm so proud to call you my parents.  I wouldn't trade you for anyone else. Ever.  You guys showed me love when I felt none.  You helped me find my way to Christ and helped me become the man I have, so far, become.  I don't know why I was blessed with such an amazing family.  I don't understand how the lord loved me enough to bless me with you guys.  His love is infinite and eternal.  If I have nothing, if I'm ever left with absolutely nothing, I know that I'll have something because I have you guys.  I'll never be left with nothing.  I'll always have you guys, my faith and my testimony of this church and the Book of Mormon.  Jesus Christ is our savior.  He atoned for all of us, me.  He made it so when you fall, he'll be there to pick you up and guide you to where you need to be.  Thanks to him, we can always become who we need to be.  Jesus Christ And Heavenly Father appeared to Joseph smith.  He restored this church and he was a prophet.  I have no doubt in my mind.  He translated the Book of Mormon and it truly is another testament of Jesus Christ.  I cannot, I will not ever forsake this gospel.  I would rather die than deny it.  I will not fear man, for what can they do to me when I have God on my side?  I have full faith he will be with us when we think we're alone.  We're never alone.  He has a plan for us.  The plan of Happiness, not the plan of sadness.  We will be happy.  This gospel in itself brings a smile to my face.  I love you guys.  We are an eternal family and no matter what happens, I will be there for you guys.  You guys are my life and I'm way too proud to say you're my family.  This mission is the best thing I have ever done for myself so far.  It's only been a month, but I can already see it.  I've been blessed with almost 19 years of life, living how I wanted to live.  2 years for the lord and only for him, is nothing and it's the least I can do.  It seems I got the better end of the bargain.  Guys, I love you.  I wish nothing but the best for you. 

Elder Adair

Kings Do King Things

Walking in Memphis...

Hey guys!! Guess what? I got Memphis as my first area! But, it's not

like how I imagined haha.  I'm in the super ghetto part!  Some guy got

jumped outside of out apartment while we were planning a couple nights

ago so that was awesome.  I sent a pic of my bed haha it's just a hoc

and spring with no frame.  I feel like I'm in college haha.  Oh and I

sent the worlds largest bass pro shop.  We have to clear up he area

book before we do much.  We spent 3ish hours putting addresses of 361

potential investigators into the maps to make it easier to teach.

(Find one to teach and go around to the nearby potentials after to

fill schedule).  The church here is small.  No priests, 6 young men

(idk ages) passed the sacrament.  The temple is absolutely tiny.  It's

right by the stake center and the stake center is bigger than the

temple.  Lit.  We went through the fridge on Saturday and found 2

things that were completely molded over (looks like chorderoid  pants)

we don't know what was in the tub but the other was moldy

cheesecake...yum.   The mornings are so cold we wear robes and

blankets while we study haha.  Edwards looks so weird in the robe.  I

love my companions!  Edwards and Moosman (pronounced Mose man).  We

record role plays and they called me Areocrombie  cause of how I do my

hair and sit hahaha (idk why they say that but oh well haha).  We

screenshotted when I messed up and we laughed at it for a bit haha.

All is great here and we have a few lessons planned for this week.

It's a lot of work but it keeps us busy.  Sister Guthrie is on the

Arkansas side and I'm on Memphis so I won't see her for a minute haha.

I'm here for at least 6 weeks I think to finish my 6 week training but

I kinda wanna go back to Arkansas or somewhere where I don't get

threatened to be shot, but Memphis is nice.  We went through the lost

and found at the church on Saturday as we planned and found this huge

scroll hahaha it was for young women's but we took it and are gonna

use it for Wakolo hahaha we hung it up in out room and we're gonna

make a copy for our district meetings.  The mission is fun!!  I love

it so far!  I'm a little homesick but I'll live!  The Spirit is so

strong here!  Edwards keeps it cause he is so into studying and having

the Holy Ghost with us, I look up to him!  He calls me his son and

he's my dad haha.  Moosman is like the older brother but he's kinda

quiet.  He goes home in 5 weeks so he's kinda just waiting for that

time to fly I think but he's still a great guy and missionary.  Also

send me my number 1 shirt, the one that's all the way ripped, I'm

gonna make it my title of liberty and hang it on my wall.  And send me

some tights, preferably my black and camo.

I love you guys!!

Here's my address for at least 6 weeks
4360 Winchester Rd Apartment 1, Memphis, TN 38118

Elder Edwards disposing of two week old...

okay, no one knows how old or what it was!

Put on my blue suede shoes

And I boarded the plane

Touched down in the land of the Delta Blues

In the middle of the pouring rain

W.C. Handy, won't you look down over me

Yeah I got a first class ticket

But I'm as blue as a boy can be

Then I'm walking in Memphis

Walking with my feet ten feet off of Beale

Walking in Memphis

But do I really feel the way I feel

They've got catfish on the table

They've got gospel in the air

And Reverend Green be glad to see you

When you haven't got a prayer

But boy you've got a prayer in Memphis

But do you really feel the way I feel?

"Tell me are you a Christian child?"

And I said "Ma'am I am tonight"