Humility is Key

Well hey theeeere :D (Off of Madagascar)

Haha this week has been good! We are teaching J. and he has a baptismal date for the 4th of may! His mom is a member and he's like 9. He's really smart and wants to be with his family forever and wants the help of the Holy Ghost! Pretty cool! I think that Little kids are the easiest and funniest to teach. Also, good news, I've lost 13 pounds since coming to Texas! I gained 13 pounds in the MTC and now I'm back. But I don't have as much muscle.... Haha

This week we went out  to this little town called Sonora. It's about an hour south of San Angelo. It was pretty cool but small, really small. Kind of like Santaquin and the canyon at the farm all put together. And there was like a little Mexico. Just a bunch of Mexican houses! We gave this guy a blessing. It started out as a contact and  we taught him about the Restoration and about authority. He talk about how he was sick and didn't want to die. So, we told him that we hold that Authority and if he has faith, then he can be healed. So he said, "Let’s do it" So we gave him a blessing and then we had to go. It was pretty cool.

I've been reading in 1st Nephi and I love it. I've learned a lot about Faith. And about obedience. Nephi is a beast! And he knows how to listen to the spirit. It's all about a willingness to obey and humility! And the practice of actually doing it. That's what I've been working on. Humility is key!

Love you all! :D Let’s go to work!

"My watermelon!"

New Address!

Hey! This week was great! We went to the Temple and it was pretty much one of the best day ever! It was so calming and peaceful. I Hope that you are all taking the opportunity and going to the temple. I decided that I want to work in the Temple when I get home! I love it. Not a whole lot has happened other than that.... Haha we should be getting some Investigators this week, we have lessons lined up and Members lined up to come. Woot! And we also have interviews with the Mission President On Wednesday, so that'll be fun! Oh, And I'm about 4 hours away from San Antonio, so... I want to know if Carter ever Served close.  I'm in San Angelo and it's pretty east of the mission.

I wish more happened this week. I love hearing from everyone, and I'm grateful to everyone who is helping my family. It really means a lot.  I love you all!

The Book of Mormon is the most perfect Book on earth today and the temple is the house of the Lord. This Church is true. Love you!

Elder Allen

Transferred to San Angelo!

I'm getting transferred! I'm going to San Angelo Texas, and I'm going to be in the Spanish Branch only. I'll only be teaching in Spanish! Haha,  I’m pretty excited. My companion is the district leader and he's been out for like 8 months. I don't know too much about him right now.

General Conference was the best thing ever! It was so awesome and I learned so much! One of my favorite talks was Elder Hollands. Especially his testimony. It was powerful and my heart was pricked. There were lots of wonderful talks, I learned a lot. I learned how important it is for families to have family home evening, read and pray together. These are the most important things. One of my questions that I wrote down to be answered was "How Can I feel the Spirit more with my companion?" And when the talk was given on listening to others, I was reminded of the immense importance of listening. When we listen to our Companions and Investigators, we will also be able to listen to the Spirit. It will guide us and bless us with the words we need to say and the things we need to do. I also learned that humility is key. As we are more humble we are more Obedient. As we are more obedient we are more charitable. As we are more Charitable we are more understanding and can discern the thoughts and the hearts of those we teach and love and serve. Conference was great! I loved it! And I love The Prophet! Thomas S. Monson is today’s living Prophet and has been called of God! He Is a special witness that he lives. I know that if we follow the Prophet, we will not ever be led astray.

I don't know what else to share with you..... I Got a pretty awesome compliment yesterday from a less active who we have been teaching. He said "I have seen a lot of growth in you!" So it was pretty cool!

Love you all! The Book of Mormon is true! And Thomas S. Monson is the Prophet!

Con amor, Elder Allen

My sweater shrunk!!

Cottage cheese and jalapenos!

The Preacher Told Him

I got the Package! And I loved it!!! :D Haha Thanks for all the Phineas and Ferb stickers and stuff! Haha My companion thinks it’s weird, but it's okay because he doesn't know.

Haha We have a new investigator in the Spanish Branch! His name is D and He's pretty cool! He was in El Paso the week before we talked to him, and he said that at his church in El Paso, he was crying and stuff because of things that he had done wrong. His preacher came and talked to him and prayed with him and stuff and then his preacher told him that in a couple days, two guys would come talk to him about God. HOW COOL! Haha It's pretty crazy to think how the Lord times everything so perfectly, and it's because he is a Perfect God! And he loved the Restoration and the Plan of Salvation! During the lesson of the First Vision, D said he "Felt something inside of him". We told him it was the Spirit and How the Spirit testifies of truth. He's way cool!

Also, one of our Baptismal dates  dropped us! It was the Mother and the daughter. Ha, it kinda stinks, but we know that she felt the Spirit really strong and will never ever forget that feeling. So I hope and pray that one day, she will remember those feelings and eventually get baptized!

Our other investigator with a Bap. Date, B, is going strong as we can tell. She is in California visiting old friends, so that’s pretty scary, but we stressed how important it is to read! I hope she's doing good!

Everything is going good here!!! Love you all! Thanks for all that you do for me my Family!

Look! A pump jack! They are everywhere!!!!!!!!!!!

Love,

Elder Allen

Spanish Family!

This week was pretty good. Last Tuesday was really good! We had some really good lessons! Haha but the rest of the week lots of appointments punched on us. We found this way awesome new Spanish Family! They are really legit! We found them on Thursday just biking around and found them and talked to them and set up an appointment. When we got there for the appointment, The Oldest Daughter of the family was telling all the other siblings how cool it is that we come out and do this for 2 years and how awesome it all is and everything. Then they made some coffee and offered it to us. We told them that we don't drink coffee or alcohol of use tobacco or anything like that. And we told them it's because we believe that it's a commandment from God, given to us through a prophet. They thought it was all really interesting, Then a bunch of their family came in and said good buy because they were going out of town. So we left and set up a new appointment so that they can visit. But they are so awesome!
Also, Our baptism date is looking sooooo strong! She is awesome! She is going out of town this week and her Baptism is on the 22nd. So we told her how important it is to read the BofM everyday, and especially while she's gone. So she asked us to write up some homework for her. And then she was telling us how she wants her parents (Who passed away a couple years ago) to be baptized too. And how excited she is to be able to do baptisms for the dead and how she can't wait to go and get married in the Temple. And how she knows that Joseph Smith was a Prophet and all that great stuff! We are so excited for her!! This was a pretty good week! Thanks President!
Con Amor -Elder Allen

Walmart, shopping for Investigators

So, part of missionary work is finding people. Especially out here because hardly anyone in the ward know any people in West Odessa (Our area). So it's really hard to get referrals.  And because there are almost no sidewalks, and stray dogs everywhere, people are not outside much. Haha so guess where we go to find people? You guessed it! WAL-MART! Haha we go there and walk around and help people load up their cars and then tell them who we are and tell them how our message can bless them. We have met some pretty nice people doing that! None that have been super solid, but it's just a matter of time!

I've been working on teaching People not just lessons. It's been kinda hard because I've been learning the lessons and the different points that need to be taught and how to make it personal. So now, I need to stop teaching to them and start teaching them! To not teach the lesson, but the person. Apply the Doctrine to them. It's been getting better! I like it! And just like Carter, we always need to have a "Get to it" Attitude! No slacking, but let’s go to work! And Be happy about it :D Attitude is everything. Whoo!

We were going through our book and found this lady that hasn't been taught since 2008. Her name is A. She and her husband E are pretty sweet. She is really solid. She read the chapter we left her and really thought about it. Oh! And I’ve been working on seeing people as they can become. Like Christ sees them. I see her getting baptized! And Him too!

Also, We are still teaching Bl and J! I love them so much and cannot wait for the day when they will get baptized! We had a really good lesson with them on Sunday and explained that they will receive their answer by coming to our church. Not by going to the Catholic church. And we explained it to them and the Spirit testified. And they committed to come! I really, really ,really want to be here when they get Baptized!

One of the reasons  J is scared to get her answer is because if she knows it’s true, then she'll want to share it with everyone else. HOW AWESOME IS THAT??????? SHE WILL BE A GREAT MISSIONARY SOME DAY! IN LIKE 4 YEARS!!! They are so Honest! I just wish that they would accept that they have been given their answer! I love them. And we gave Bl a blessing on Saturday. So that she would be comforted and be able to focus on getting her answer. After, she said "It feels fuzzy." She totally had the spirit touch her heart! It's only a matter of time!!! Whoo! (I'm starting to understand why Levi's letters are so crazy happy. It's because when exciting things do happen, they are amazing. Haha)

Another Investigator B, She's from the Philippines, has a baptism date for march 22!

Sorry! Ran out of time! Love you guys! In the name of Jesus Christ, Amen

Love -Elder Allen

I'm staying!

Hey Ma!

Holy smokes. Lots of crazy stuff has happened. Carter is Soooo awesome! And Harris is Awesome awesome awesome! Haha. Yeah... you can sell Nigel (my car) if you want to. I think I worked him to death. He was such a good and fun car! I got so good at.... driving him.... :D Haha

I'm glad the farewells went good! This is crazy how everyone is growing up! Haha

We had transfer calls last night and.... I'm staying! Ha, I'm glad too because Elder Duffy and I are finally clicking and flowing better in our lessons. So, I hope that this next transfer will be really good! I love the people here! Some of them don't like us. Haha but that's okay! Because we are representatives of the Lord. And in 1st Nephi 19:9, it talks about how Christ showed love and Charity. And it’s our job to do the same!

Hey Mom, Have I ever told you that you are so cool? WELL you are! Thanks for raising me the way you did! I can tell how much I have learned from you now! Love you lots! And I hope that everything works out! And Temple recommend question I would focus on..... hmmm..... (I’m pretty sure this is one) "Is there anything in your life that needs to be resolved with the Lord ?" Anyway, it’s about the atonement. It's so important for us to understand it. And when we do, we understand Christ more, and when we do that, we are able to be more like him. I love you all!

Con amor,

Elder Allen