MERRY CHRISTMAS Y'ALL...Smoked beaver is delish and Carlos lives.

From all of us, to all of you.

MERRY CHRISTMAS YALL!!!

I hope y'alls day is full of love, peace and joy in our Saviors birth!

Isaiah 9:6
6 For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.

John 3:16-17
16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
17 For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.

'Tis the season.

As we celebrate Christmas this year, I beg that we all remember the true meaning of Christmas.  This is all about our savior, the birth of Jesus Christ, our Redeemer who has made intercession with us and the father so that we may return home.  I love him with all my heart and could not be more grateful.

Now as far as stories from this week, there's some good ones!  We had interviews with President and then I got to go see the Rogers!!!  That was awesome!  She remembers me most by my patriotism!  I'm 100% fine with that!  Hahaha.

Carlos and Kai.

Wednesday we had our Christmas Zone Conference and holy cow!  Chris came!  It was awesome to be with Edwards again!  He taught me so much and is one of the biggest influences I had on my mission!  Once I saw him get out of his car I made a bolt for him haha.  I think I almost took him to the ground with how hard I hugged him haha.  It was a good party though.  We only got to wear our Christmas coats for 10 minutes because as soon as president got there he told us to take them off.  But we got some solid compliments!  Haha.  Sayin bye to Chris was so hard!  But he's home now so I'm happy for him.

Thursday we spent all day in Little Rock for a doctors appointment for Elder Miller.  That was fun and a ton of driving haha.  I got some good sleep that night.

Friday everything fell through.  A member drove us 30 miles to Murfreesboro and no one was home so I felt so bad.  Plus it was a torrential downpour sent from Gods fury and anger outside.  So we got a bit wet.  We had dinner at Sister Hawthorne's house that night.  Funny story.  While we were having her text our parents on when to Skype today, she tried to face time my mom and pointed the camera at me hahaha so we had to end the call quick and explain to her why that's a no no.  We also had beaver!  Smoked beaver is legit one of the best things I have ever put in my mouth.  It's like a better pork, but with a beefier taste!  Hard to explain, I'll have to make it some time.

Chris and Kai...er...Elder Adair.

Saturday was a good day.  Only one thing really happened, but that one thing was crazy awesome.  We felt like we should help out this less active family who doesn't have a whole lot and has 6 kids.  So we grabbed all the stocking and gift bags we could find and filled them with old clothes, toys and souvenirs we had and found in the apartment.  We filled the stocking with candy and stuffers and even gave them our mini foosball table haha.  We drove out to give it to them and the looks on their faces were AWESOME!  She was baffled and we gave it anonymously.  I could go on and on about how fantastic it was!  The kids were going crazy and having a hay day trying to guess what everything was haha.  We left with a spiritual thought in Christ and Christmas and I felt so humbled.  Nothin comes close to Gods love for us, but I felt something that day for that family.  Also, shout out to Bishop Garner!  The socks and tie he sent me are off the hook!  I also bought Carlos for a white elephant gift (he's a piñata) and now I don't want to give him away...

May the Carlos be with you.

Sunday we had sacrament and then went and helped a member named Sister Paff get some fire wood.  We went with the Robbins, the family that invited us over for Christmas.  We made cookies again (and they turned out fantabulous) and then drove to Hot Springs...well a little over a quarter of the way there, in the middle of our conversation about Guardians of the Galaxy, Elder Miller stopped talking, looked in the back seat and asked where the cookies were....so we drove back, keep in mind we're on less than a quarter tank of gas at this point, and got them and made it to Hot Springs.  We went to a lot of people and Sister Gibbs was so happy to see me again haha.  She gave me a big ole hug and told me to come to the spreading of Bobs ashes (her husband).  So we're gonna be doing exchanges that day.  At the end of the night, we drove home.  Well the gas in minimal.  I looked at the range when we were about 25 miles out and it said 20 miles to E.  So I said a prayer in my heart to help us make it to Glenwood cause I wasn't about to break the Sabbath.  Well God answers prayers cause when we got home, we had 5 miles left.  God is real and God is good.  God has always been good to me.

Score!

Thanks to everyone who sent me something for Christmas!!  It means the world to me!  Crazy to think that this was my last Christmas in Arkansas.  Hard to believe I'll be home for Christmas next year!  But I love all y'all so much and I'm not gonna lie, I'm so ready to talk to my family again haha.  Peace out y'all!  Have a wonderful Christmas!!  Don't take Family for granted cause you'll miss it when you don't got it!

Kings Do King Things
Goin' Buck Wild

I am not even sure why...

Watch of ages...

The boys in the band.

Hmmm, something happened...shhhh, it's a secret , but cookies were made.

'Tis the season...

Howdy y'all.

This week we had some pretty crazy things happen that we can't really talk about, but we're okay.  No need to fret haha.  But I spent most of the week in Hot Springs!

A fun experience happened as well.  We went to an investigators house and we walked up to a guy screaming and yelling and swearing at this other dude cause his cats were being taken by animal control.  Well the other guy is yelling back "I don't even live here man I'm just working!" And this sets the angry guy off and he starts to go after him and his son pushes him back haha.  So what do we do as missionaries?  We talk to him!  He apologized and invited us in and we had a great lesson on the restoration!  I got to see brother Jordan and Sister Gibbs and she wrapped me in a big ole bear hug!  We talked and we set up service for the next day.  Which was hard service haha.  The Hugentoblers fed us and we talked about Nathan their son who's on a mission.  We were really good friends while I was here.  We did service all day the next day and it was tough stuff.  Moving fence panels and helping another member move.  Lots of heavy lifting.

Ladies, he bakes.

I also made cookies from scratch for the first time in my life!  That was exciting and nothing lit on fire!  We gave them to members who have really helped us out and they loved it! We also drove all the way out to a place called Mount Ida and past it.  We drove like 100 miles so that sucked.
Other than all of that, I got a pair of American flag boxing gloves on impulse.  That was my last purchase of the year for me so I'm happy with my decision.  But yeah, our appointments fell through like all week and we didn't get too much member help so it's been a Gethsemane week but we're pushing through.  Love y'all! 

Kings Do King Things
Goin' Buck Wild

Elder Adair with Paula and Kelly Braxton.

Elder Adair and kids - on the same level.

He's coming for you Drago...

More of the goodness that are cookies...

The proof is in the batter.

Look at that apron.

Hmmm, boxing vs lightsaber...seems legit.

MY WITTLE JACKWABBIT...how you like being dog bait, you different Jesus believers!?

Back in the saddle again!

Howdy y'all.

Monday we got our comps and left to our new area.  We passed through hot Springs and I saw brother Jordan again!!!  His first words out were "MY WITTLE JACKWABBIT!!" Hahaha what a guy!  We got to Glenwood and immediately got to be in the Glenwood parade!  It was great.  And the Stevens were there and we went to dinner with them!  It's so awesome to see some of my favorite members again!  Gosh I love being back.

Look y'all, water!

Tuesday we unpacked, but before we unpacked, we got a call at 8 am from a guy named Jimmy and he said he was outside.  So we went out and he showed us around and took us to meet some people.  He's not a member but was nice.  We got back and studied and went out walking to see some people near our apartment.  We also got the chance to be followed by every stray dog in Glenwood and barked at by every dog in Glenwood.  Literally one dog broke off its chain...needless to say I still hate dogs.  We walked about 4 miles cause we were forced down a dirt road with a bunch of sketchy, broke down mobile homes by the dogs.  We walked and no one talked to us and we were met again by a German Shepard off its leash and barked his head off at us.  As we got to the corner where we were by the highway, a huge mutt started barking at us which was again off its leash.  His owner came out and wasn't interested.  We got back to the apartment to find another stray dog chillin by our back door...so yes, I think we're being hunted.

Wednesday we did service at the senior center and packed lunches.  After that we saw a less active who is super anxious to meet with us.  We read D&C 4 and 5 with her and got to explain everything as we read and she was so pumped haha.  Literally every appointment after that fell through and no one was home...

Thursday was better.  We went to Murfreesboro and saw a former and he still wasn't interested only cause his wife threw out his last Book of Mormon and he didn't want family contention.  Fair enough.  We saw some less actives who were sick but nice to us and said we could come back.  Then we got in contact with an investigator who the sisters found when I was in Hot Springs.  So it was cool to meet him.  We taught him about the Book of Mormon and why it's important to have faith.  He told us about the trucks he fixed up and we got some pictures with them.  I'd buy one if I wasn't a missionary.  We drove back and visited an Indian place and got pictures.  We had dinner at our Branch Presidents house after that.  They're dope!

Viciousness at its core...10 pounds of evil.

Friday we weekly planned and saw a couple people who dropped us after we drove out to the boonies.  No complaints though.  Elder Miller and I had some killer conversations (it's a pun cause we talked about horror movies).  Again, no one was home but we got to see some former investigators who were totally dope.  Their names are the Hearns and they're sick!  We only got to get to know Mrs. Hearn but she's super sweet and invited us over Saturday.  Sister Crow came with us to that and bought us food so that was number 1.

Yeah, he is GQ.

We all want that truck.

Saturday we went to the church and downloaded a bunch of videos for spiritual thoughts and added members on Facebook.  We drove up the Norman and Caddo Gap and had literally zero success as everyone we tried to see either didn't live at the addresses or the address didn't exist.  Also some lady followed us cause we drove past a street like 3 times to be sure about a mission address.  She asked what we were doing and when we said we were Mormon missionaries she got silent and said we believe in a different Jesus.  So I told her we believe in the same one in the New Testament...the only Jesus to live, and she said "you may say that but you don't" so I'm thinking "yes lady, cause we read the same bible as you and worship Jesus Christ of Nazareth, the same who died so that you could exercise your agency to say stupid things like this, but we believe in a different Jesus...". But instead of being sarcastic I just held my tongue and said bye.  Like I get it if you don't wanna believe in my religion, I get that daily, but to say something so absurd and unintelligent as "you say you believe in the same Jesus but y'all don't" just can really get under my skin.  But whatever, we had a great lesson on the plan of salvation with the Hearns and we brought up eternal families and how we don't believe in "till death do us part" and they got PEAKED!  It was awesome cause we left with that cliffhanger haha.  We briefly explained sealings and Mrs. Hearn was like "just tell me!" Haha it was awesome.

Beautiful.

Sunday we went to church and we passed the sacrament.  Not any priesthood here.  We went home and studied and then some members, the Robbins, took us to see a less active who needs a lot of service...ALOT.  And we met her and filled her bottles at a spring and got to know the Robbins.  They invited us over for dinner and we had breakfast for dinner and it was awesome.  We talked to his nonmember parents and they're super sweet!  We shared the video "The Will of God" and they loved it!  We came back and our appointments fell through so we finished studies.

Kings Do King Things
Goin' Buck Wild

You see, this is a record of the people on this continent...

Making friends all over the place.

Hernando De Soto met the resistance.

Can't wait to get out and tour his mission and see these places.

It's that time again, on to yet another area - Glenwood, AR.

Leaving an area is always bittersweet.

Howdy y'all.

Monday we went to Mountain View and hung out with the elders there.

Tuesday we helped brother Canady clean the church in the morning then we walked a bit because we had to get an oil change.  We found a couple people and talked to just about everyone but it was a rough day I guess cause no one talked back.  We saw the Kistners.  Brother Kistners went to sleep though cause he had a long night and day.  Good visit, nevertheless.  We walked back to our car and drove out to Cave City where no one was home.  We came back and had dinner with our Branch President and then we got a call from the sisters about a member needing a blessing.  We gave her a blessing and boy did she need it.  She had a surgery gone wrong and so she was in a lot of pain.

This reminds me of Grandpa Adair. (Overalls)

Wednesday we exchanged with Mountain View and I went with Elder Peterson.  We did some service at Habitat for Humanity then we saw Gretchen and Greywolf.  They didn't read so we read with them and explained 1 Nephi 1.  We invited Gretchen to be baptized and she agreed!  We only invited Gretchen because Greywolf said he might be a member...so that took me for a turn.  After we walked outside I saw a guy grilling and started to talk to him.  His name is Chris Tucker.  Sound familiar?  Because that's the name of the actor in Rush Hour haha.  He told us that he's the real Chris Tucker and the other guy is just an actor haha.  No one came to Book of Mormon class so we saw Dezeree and Daniel.  We just talked about their day and had a home teaching visit cause Brother Canady is their home teacher.

Sometimes you just gotta catch some shut-eye

Thursday we had a Zone Conference in Little Rock so we drove there to exchange back.  Elder Robbins of the 70 came and talked to us and boy was it great!  Although, he talked about marriage and our future families a lot so that was kinda funny.  But he had a lot of good insight on the atonement and how Christ suffered for literally each and every one of us personally, one by one.  He got pretty deep with it so I'm not gonna go into details, but it totally gave me another look at Christ's suffering in Gethsemane.  He also talked about casualness and how evil it is.  He also explained how whatever we want in life, we're going to get it whether it's happiness or sadness.  Which is totally true cause if you're positive, you're going to be happy and if you're always negative and in self-pity, you're going to be sad.  It was a really great day!

Driving off into the sunset

Friday we weekly planned and saw Brother Traylor for a bit to see if he could give Gretchen and Greywolf a ride to church.  We went to Chris's house, but he wasn't home and we saw a lady raking her yard and it was a tough looking yard and she was alone.  So we sped home to grab our rakes because we were slothful servants and forgot to put them back in our car.  So we helped and she knows a member, Brother Traylor haha.  Ms. Peggy was so thankful and tried to give us money like 8 times but we rejected it every time.  She was in tears and I felt so freaking good.  She showed us around her art studio and it was awesome!  She's a friggin artist!  She took out names and told us that she was "going to tell on us" haha.  She just told Brother Traylor about the experience.  It was good though!  Very good haha.

Look ma, me...and flowers!

Saturday we did service at the Methodist church serving breakfast.  It's so humbling to do that service every other Saturday.  But it's also sad cause a lot of the people there are violent and they'll cuss each other out while eating or they'll fight after the breakfast.  It's sad.  But it was good this day.  I felt so cheap cause I was wearing my Under Armour hoodie.  Seems simple and small, but when I see what other people wear, I don't even want my name brand crap anymore.  We also went to an appointment with someone we found on Tuesday and he of course gave us a bad address.  But we're Mormon missionaries and find everyone cause as we drove away we saw a house with his last name on the mailbox.  So we went up and knocked but no one answered so I left a card kinda in spite like "you can't run from us."  I shoulda known that was gonna happen cause the dude said he didn't have a phone or computer.  Oh well, we'll be back (Arnold voice).  We went home teaching again with Brother Canady and saw Brother Thompson.  He's a great guy.  It was just conversation for a while then his non-member dad started asking questions and brother Canady bore testimony on his conversion story and on the restoration.  He then asked about resurrection and we got to explain life after death!  It was solid!  Next time we go back we're going to see if he wants to take the lessons.  We had dinner at Bother Traylor's and then we got the transfer email.

...in the name of love.

Of course I'm leaving haha.  It sucks cause I friggin love Batesville!!  6 weeks wasn't enough with Elder Cundick or for being in Batesville, but I'm with Elder Miller in Glenwood which is in the Hot Springs district!!  So there's 3 positives over 2 negatives!  So I'm happy!  I'm gonna miss the crap out of Batesville and the members here.

Sunday we had church and then we said goodbyes.  So both of the sisters and I are leaving, Elder Cundick is taking over the area completely.  Growing up fast.  First he slept on the ground for 3 weeks and now he's taking over the area haha.  He'll do great though!  We taught Gretchen and Greywolf  and got news from President Vaughn that they need to be married in another church cause Greywolf went and got a ministerial license.  So we explained that to him along with a couple other things and asked him to leave all his street preaching and his old ways behind (keep in mind they aren't well off and they spent $200 getting this license) and he told us that he has left behind bigger things than that.  So he's solid.  They came to church and told us that they need to pray over what we taught and we told them to please do haha.  I'm so happy for them, but we told them to clear things up with the president and he'll be good to go.

...when I have grown a foot or two.

Like I said, I'm super upset that I'm leaving Batesville, but I'm so happy to be able to go back to Hot Springs (well, close enough).  I love y'all and can't wait to hear back from ya!!

Kings Do King Things
Goin' Buck Wild