Missionary stories, some funny pics, one hilarious video, and "don't tell mom" stuff - just another day in the field.

Posse in effect...

How it go?  This week wasn't anything special.  Nothing really happened.  We went around and saw some people and went on exchanges but nothin really crazy happened.  We schooled some kids in basketball and I dunked on one and his friends wouldn't let him be haha I felt so bad. We also made cookies and f'zookies and some videos!  I'll send them.  

We did, though, take an investigators cigarettes from him, with permission of course.  We told him they're bad and told him its best to not mess with fire and we took his cigarettes.  He also talked to us about how he wants to propose to his GF (who he doesn't live with so score!!) and he is gonna keep texting us with updates on how he wants to and we might be there for it!  We hope to baptize them but we don't know if we can cause their work schedule is crazy crappy.  We're gonna keep with them though because they want to be baptized.  

Wheels and salvation.

We also saw this guy sitting in front of our apartment building and all of us had a feeling to talk to him but we all kept walking.  We finally turned and gave him a card and holy crap...it got crazy.  He went off about how he felt Jesus wasn't someone to worship and stuff and then we got into conversation and we ended up teaching him almost all 5 lessons and he said he's genuinely curious and wants to read the Book of Mormon and how he's gonna go into it with an open mind.  I've never gotten that deep with anyone in a lesson haha.  Elder Thornton and Edwards killed it because they know all the deep stuff so I was sitting there like, holy crap I know nothing!  And I thought wow I didn't even know that.  Hahaha it was great though!  We invited him to play basketball the next morning.  He didn't come but we still made the invitation haha.

Looks like he is eating good to me!

The trunk or treat was on Saturday and we were the 3 Nephites!  It was fun!  Not a lot of people came, mainly the poorer people who live in the crappy apartments by us for free food, and like 1/4 of the members.  It was a good outcome though.  I got hit on by an investigator AND her niece (it's Tomika).

I heard glen died in the walking dead so no need to sugar coat it haha.  I was kinda sad too.  I'm so excited for tom!!!  Texas! Thats awesome!  That's close enough to the south haha.  What's his email??

And send me my vitamins.

Were they smart enough not to use sharpies?

Also, elder Thornton was telling us about a guy who is high up in the ford company in his last area.  He told him that the market is gonna fall again in 2017.  Ford wasn't hiring in 2016 to get ready for the crash.  They did the same thing for the 2008 crash too.  So long story short, get prepared for it.  In any way you can.  Tell Kaeden too.

And remember food storage ;)

And I feel so bad for Kamdon.  You guys should adopt him!  Tell Cort to take him in and love him.  Also invite him to church and convert him because Jesus heals all wounds and seals broken hearts.  That's not a joke either.  That's a challenge!  He needs it!  I'm definitely keeping him in my prayers.

Elder Thornton did his voting and you just send me the ballot and I send it to the Davis office.

Kings Do King Things

Elder Co-Driver Trainee Junior Companion "AP Bound" Kai Adair

Because why?

P.S. Kai sent me this email at work as he didn't want to scare his mom, but I think it is share worthy:

I'm sending this to you because mom will flip out so don't tell her.  So yesterday around 5 am there was a drive by right by our apartment.  Elder Thornton woke up and started freaking out and kept telling us someone was dead and all that, but elder Edwards and I were completely calm and went back to bed.  I have no idea what happened to the person being shot at but someone probably died.  That's just a freaky thing that happened this week that I wanted to tell you.  I don't know why but I thought you would want to hear about it.  I'm fine, we're all good but it happened.  So that's an experience that's definitely a first.  And also when we were outside teaching a new potential investigator, 3 shots popped off on the next street over.  And then 5 min later 8 a more shots popped off.  So If I die just remember it's a martyr and I'm home with Father :) I love you!  Don't worry about me!  God is on my side and I fear NO man!

Hanging with some members.

Memphis crew!

Mo Mo thug life.

There was no explanation for this photo...

...and then I saw this and I'm still confused.

Jesus, guns, shared germs, and a little whining - just another week in the mission field!

I'm not even sure what is going on here.

Hey guys!  This week was crazy!  We got a referral and we went to see him and he was a nut job.  Totally bat-Ship crazy!  He insisted Jesus was black and wouldn't let us talk when we proved to him he wasn't haha.  Then he went on about Sampson or something and following orders from people or dying and then he asked elder Edwards if he would rather hit an innocent guy across the street or be shot and he said be shot and the crazy guy (who can barely walk or talk clearly) went around asking people for a gun to test out the situation and everyone laughed at him and wouldn't give him one and elder Thornton was talking in my ear "oh crap were gonna die" and elder 

Edwards and I were too busy laughing and told the guy God bless him and we started walking to the car.  When we got in elder Edwards and I were crying because we were laughing so hard!!  Imagine right now.  A mumbling
60-70 yr old who's kind of cross eyed and looks like a skeleton, running around the street asking for a gun to show 3 white kids in church clothes a point.  I was too busy laughing and being entertained to be scared!  It may not sound like it, but I know I felt safe because of our savior.  Yeah, he wasn't much of a threat because it wouldn't be hard to disarm and walk away from the guy, but the fact that our lives were, in theory, in danger, and I wasn't scared at all kind of amazes me.  

Potatoes and fries...because starch.

The first time I was threatened I immediately wanted to cry and ran to the car. It's just great to see the change when I get lost in the work.  Then we were driving to an appointment and passed a park with bouncy houses and stuff.  We kept driving thinking nothing of it and our appointment fell through.  So we drove back and elder Thornton said hey lets go see what's going on and shoot some hoops, so we all agreed and went.  We played ball with some kids, beat them and gave them cards and stuff and then as we were walking back the adults started talking to us and they were doing something to help the kids in the area.  It's called sidewalk school and they come every in the summer and once in the fall and winter.  They feed the kids and give out coats for the winter! It's great what they do and they told us to stay and play with the kids because many of them don't have father figures or men in their lives.  We played with them and let me tell you do these kids have the worst language I've heard.  They're 9-12 dropping the F bomb, trying to fight and jump each other.  It's disgusting.  

We then saw a less active.  We knocked on his door and this lady opens the door and looks at us surprised and then yells "HEY!!  Oh my gosh come in!"  It was the members daughter who had been exposed to the Mormons as a child and she said those were her favorite memories!  So we talked a bit with her and her dad and they live with the wife of the member who's a brainwashed baptist who thinks Mormons worship statues and are of the devil and the husband of the daughter who just doesn't believe in us. The daughter starts bashing Baptists and defending the Mormon church and they're all in the other room yelling and fighting while us and the member were talking in the kitchen.  So we accidentally started a family feud haha.  When we left we apologized to the family saying we didn't mean for that to happen and they told us it's fine and we left.  It was a very eventful day.

Life goals.

We went to a members house because the dad wanted us to help the kids know to choose good friends.  So we used a talk by Hank smith called I love my friends and there's this part where he talks about a guy who went to Africa and his wife gave a little African boy a butterscotch candy.  They went on with their church thing and came out and that boy came back with his friends and they all wanted candy. She didn't have any more and so the kid, instead of eating the candy, let every one of his friends take a lick of it (there's 11 kids) and they all licked it until it was gone.  So he went on saying "how much do you love your friends?  Do you love them that much?"  It was so funny. So we took out a butterscotch and asked them how much they love their family and they didn't think we were serious....we were.  Haha.  So they took it and started licking it and the mom like gagged and couldn't do it haha.  She did it after dry heaving and it was sooo funny.  Elder Thornton and I didn't think we were actually doing to do it and make them lick it but we did and it was hilarious haha. 

I got my packages yes and I'm spending money because we got fed 3 times this month and so we have to buy food.  We are always out of money.  I ran out of money today on my card so I had to use my personal money.  It's been like this for all of us.  Elder Edwards and Thornton are also out of money.  We literally are eating a sandwich a day and a small bowl of cereal for breakfast.  For dinner we go buy one little Caesars pizza to share.  It's not easy to keep money.  I got birthday money and I used that for groceries and shoes.  But that's all I've bought.  I love you guys!  Don't worry about my problems I'll be fine! Although if you guys want to email me every day that'd be nice.  Elder Thorntons parents and siblings email him daily to keep him up to date.So does elder Edwards family.  But I can do without if you guys don't have a lot of time.  And if you know any virtuous, beautiful daughters of God who could use a missionary, I'm always open for emails. Have a great week guys!

Kings Do King Things

Elder Co-Driver Trainee Junior Companion "AP Bound" Kai Adair

Uh...apparently this is a thing?

A new member of the trio, storms, football, and bounty hunters...THESE HANDS! (Mike Bleak, you know what he's talking about)

Hey how it do?!

A good look for Kai.

What's up guys?!  This week was pretty cool.  First off, I was able to go to the temple and get a new companion!  Elder Moosman served his 2 years and is now currently going about on his homecoming trip with his mom.  He's doing great!  My new companion is Elder Thornton and he's super cool!  He penny boards and turns out he has the aa,e one as me back at his home in St. George!  Me and him have similar taste in music and we have same sense of humor!  We're both still with Elder Edwards and still in Memphis 2nd West.  

We had a huge storm this week and we had a set appointment which was 20 or so minutes away on bike, so we bucked up and rode there...in he pouring rain.  You see, it would have been a great experience...of the investigator was home...yup.  He wasn't home haha.  We rode 20 minutes and got soaked for nothing.  We now know to stay inside in storms and contact the referrals haha.  We also had the chance to ball up and entire neighborhood in football!  It started off with a few kids who wanted to play with us and when we scored, 3 older guys came in, and when we beat THEM, more guys came haha.  One guy kept getting riled up and mad cause we kept killing them, and when 3 white boys in church clothes start balling up adults, it pissed him off more haha.  It was great though!  The spectators kept yelling "how you letting them score?!" "They're in church shoes!!" "They white boy's!"  It was so freaking awesome.  

Oh and while playing I ripped my grey pants on the knee...ill send a pic of the aftermath.  I also got the chance to run over a squirrel on accident.  It was on a tree as I was riding my bike and I barked at it cause why not.  It then hopped off the tree and across the sidewalk and right under my tire haha.  I thought I killed it but my comps told me it ran away...broken I'm sure haha but it lived.  We died laughing afterwards.

Anything to make his mom fret.

The members here are horrible with missionary work and we couldn't get anyone to come with us teaching.  We got one guy, an RM named Dylan who's the ward mission leaders brother.  He came with us and we were able to give a blessing to a less active and she told us she wanted to feed us sometime.  Which was music to our ears because we had 1 lunch planned for the month...the Spanish branch president has fed us more than any of our members, besides one.  He's so cool and wants me to Zebra haha (zebra is when you teach English and Spanish).  He says I have "beautiful Spanish accents" so maybe it could happen haha.  We got together with the Spanish elders while we were there and played guitar and sang again!  I love going over there!  Elder Barron (a
Spanish elder) and I have become great friends!  I love that kid! He's from Thatcher, AZ so the Arizona boys are back together haha. 

Donya' (one of our dates, shes a single mom with e CUTEST little girl) wasn't able to make it to church but she texts us daily about her reading.  We weren't able to see her this week due to walk week and she lives farther out, but we're seeing her tomorrow!  Anne has been super busy with school and Charleston (her son) so she couldn't come either.  We had to push both of their dates back.  But we're keeping on!

THESE HANDS!!  These hands have been worked so hard!  It's been over 2 months and these hands have been worked to their core!  Dad will understand this sentence so I hope he gets a laugh from it.  But I'm not kidding. The work here is tough.  We are trying to come up with ways to get members psyched about missionary work so I'm thinking of doing a pancake night here!  I don't know how well it will go but oh well!  I'll try!

Yesterday we got protection by a hired security guard who's also a bounty hunter in this neighborhood we were in.  It was awesome!  We have seen him guarding another place so we talked with him a bit and next time we see him (I have a feeling it will be soon) were gonna try to get lessons with him haha.  He's this big guy with a bulletproof vest and packs an AR-15 and 1911 it's dope.

Kings Do King Things

Elder Co-Driver Trainee Junior Companion "AP Bound" Kai Adair

Three bad brothers you know so well...

A facial? Oh brother...

                           

New temple attire...apparently.

Dope week...other than the threat of being shot twice - all overshadowed by the spirit.

Love this picture, Kai in a nutshell.

My week was dope.  I'm not going to say numbers because I will not allow myself to keep statistics.  These people are not stats, they are children of God and I will not keep records because I could care less how many people I baptize or convert or teach.  Yes I want to enlarge the fold of God, but numbers don't make me a successful missionary.  

I know I said people here are raunchy but man do I love them.  They're so respectful here! Well besides the 2 people who threatened to shoot us.  Other than that, even when people reject us, they're not mean haha.  
People here love Christ but the churches here are so messed that people are messed.  Soooo much priest craft and crap like that. There's this one church that literally sits people who pay more in front and glorify them and chastise those who pay less.  It's disgusting.  But I love how bold we can be as missionaries.  

We were teaching an eternagator (an eternal investigator who we teach but won't be baptized) and she keeps trying to find flaws in the church and how she doesn't believe she can live up to the standards.  She got up to give us some chili and we all (we're in a trio) just sat.  All of us were tearing up and all of us were praying to know what to tell her.  I just up and told her that she needs more faith, then immediately after Elder Parks says, "Tomika....you have absolutely no faith in anything.  Not in God not in Christ not in your self."  That set the tone for what happened next.  

We all bore our testimonies on how we felt we couldn't live up to standards and how we felt like God wasn't doing his part.  I bore it on how when I was younger I felt God wasn't there because I would be bullied and tormented and how after I fell off the path and came back and gained faith it all worked out.  My comps did the same and we were all crying and so was Tomika.  We got her to promise to pray and we told her we aren't coming back for a while so that she can feel the spirit when we aren't there.  

Ninjas do Ninja things.

That boldness we were able to have made it so she could figure out for herself what she needed to do.  We bawled our eyes out in silence on the way home.  I've never felt the spirit so strong in my life.  I have no idea if she will ever be baptized but I know that as long as I'm here I'm not giving up on her.  I wanted to drop her earlier in the week, but I was rebuked so hard by the spirit after that lesson.  I can testify that when you truly love someone and show that love, you can never be too bold.  

I can't express enough my love for our savior.  The spirit works so strong with me.  I can't teach very well, it's something I work on daily, but I know when I pray for the spirit and do my best, the spirit works wonders.  He loosens my tongue and I can teach and testify with power.  I am trying to be the best missionary possible and I'm so lucky to be able to stay with Elder Edwards for at least another transfer.  Elder Moosman goes home and we got a new companion (another trio) named Elder Thorton.  Moosman and I went to the temple today!  I went due to my birthday and Moosman because he goes home.  It was awesome! I can't wait for Christmas either!  I'm so proud of all of my siblings!!!  I loved my birthday stuff!!  I'll send a video of my minute celebration




Kings Do King Things

Elder Co-Driver Trainee Junior Companion Kai Adair

"High Priesting" in serious mode.

Yes, apparently "High Priesting" is a thing...any guesses what it means?

Not Sure what he is trying to say here.

Oh brother...

Birthday Shenanigans

Wow...just, wow.

Peanut Blart and Jelly...his words, not mine!

What what what up peanut blart and jelly!!  Haha this week was a roller coaster.  We were at the pinnacle of baptismal dates with 8!  We got 4 this week!  But of course when the coaster goes up, it always comes down.  We had to drop 3 (including my birthday one) because 1 got into anti Mormon stuff and wouldn't let us clear it up, one would openly ignore us, and one we just can't get a hold of.  It's all fine though because the ones we have are mostly solid and were on the verge of getting one more.  One might even lead to a family of 9 being baptized!  

But the one we might baptize is soooo cool!!  We took a member with us who is so freaking awesome.  He told her that when she is a member, she immediately gets a role in the church and he explained to her son about how he gets the priesthood.  It was soooo spiritual!  We're seeing her again tonight!

I'm sending some stuff home because it's not exactly allowed here on the mission haha.  Don't open it when it comes!  All will be revealed in due time ;).  Actually I give Cortland and dad special permission to look through it because they will get a kick out of it...but if the spirit directs, they may share the contents with the family.  

You guys better have watched conference!!  For the first time ever I watched all 5 sessions and I could not be happier.  I was so overwhelmed with the spirit as I watched!  The talk that hit me the hardest actually made me choke up.  It was by Elder K. Brett

Nattress.  He spoke about the power of the Book of Mormon.  Go back and watch it.  It hit me because he talked of how he is the 2nd of 6 kids (sound familiar?) and how we never read or payed attention to his mom as she read him the Book of Mormon (wow this is familiar huh?) and how he told her "mom why read?  I'm not listening!"  She explained to him that she heard that by reading the Book of Mormon with her kids every day, she will not lose them.  That's when she looked him dead in the eye and said "I will NOT lose you."  That's where I lost it.  Guys, read the Book of Mormon every day because I will NOT lose any of you.  As well as I can promise YOU will NOT lose ME.  Read every day and ponder its teachings.  As David A. Bednar said, "be doers of the word of God, not hearers of the word."  As trials and torment come your way and it seems it is too much for your boat to take, remember, "Do not fear, even the wind and seas obey Christ."  

My second favorite quote from conference was by Elder Russell M. Nelson. "None but saints can be happy through ANY circumstance."  Remember that we're on this earth to have Joy!!  True joy!  Christ's joy is constant!  As we are beaten down with trials and stumbling blocks, "learn to suffer in joy!"  

"Oh, sweet the joy this sentence gives, 'I know that my redeemer lives.'"

I love you guys with all my heart!  Never doubt that!  I testify to you that Joseph smith is the prophet of the restoration and that the restoration is not an event, but continues on today.  Each of us are part of this glorious Work!  Even you little Ella and crew!  Christ suffered and died for us that we may have eternal life.  Remember to love Christ because he loved us first!  He's the only one who understands everything we're going through!  You're never alone!  Kids, you have mom and dad!  Mom and dad, you have your parents!  And also a son who thinks he knows everything but also thinks he knows nothing.  But all of you also have a father in heaven who wants to talk to you.  Talk to Him every night and every morning!  Pray throughout the day and never lose sight of who you are!  

And my Address is 

4360 Winchester Rd. 

Apt. #1

Memphis, TN 38118

I have started to eat basically everything with peanut butter haha.  I eat it on my toast, sandwiches, on a spoon, everything.  Do I regret it?  No.  Is it gonna keep happening?  Abso-freaking-lultey.  I'm pounding down that protein haha.  Always remember, "Life's a garden, dig it." - Joe Dirt

Kings Do King Things

Elder Co-Driver Trainee Junior Companion Kai Adair