July 28, 2014- "..and I did find peace to my soul" Alma 38:8

Hiiiiii, how's it going??

The gospel is here to bring us peace and happiness, hello!!!!!!! If we aren't happy then lets look at our relationship with our Heavenly Father and Christ and improve it! I love being able to see the difference in peoples lives as they live the gospel.

Today marks day 9 for Eric to be off coffee!!!! Pray that this will be an eternity thing though. He only committed to 9 days so we will see. But his fellowshipper/girlfriend, Debra is such a great support!!!! She has committed as well to live the Word of Wisdom better by being in bed by 10pm. Haha her and Eric made that deal. Debra left out of town this week so we had another lesson at the Hensleys, who are the live-in senior couple missionaries here for the stake. We decided that we needed to focus more on the atonement with Eric. He believes in the atonement and repentance but he feels like he is not worthy to repent. He thinks he needs to suffer more before he can be completely forgiven. Of course we know that repentance can be a process, sometimes longer for some sins than others but I know that repentance is real! If we say we can not repent we are disregarding the atonement and all the Christ has done for us! Anyways, we are trying to have Eric see and understand this. But Heavenly Father is smart and has his hand in everything. Last night Eric texted us and said "There was a good conversation in Elders Quorum today and on what? ...The atonement" Haha I love it! We will keep pushing forward with him though. We are kinda excited to have lessons without Debra there so we can touch more on the importance of eternal marriage, hahaha but really :)

Oh the Mechams are progressing so much!!!!! As we met with them this week we talked alot about how they have come closer to Christ as they have been reading the Book of Mormon, praying, and keeping other commitments. I just love them! Jay is just awesome! He told us that he loves the Book of Mormon and cant put it down. All time favorite thing to hear as a missionary. And Kerry isn't quite there but she does enjoy it as well, maybe just doesn't see the importance of it yet. She told us that she is concerned of what her family thinks of her meeting with us but great news- Another way Gods hand is in all things. So Kerrys parents work for a man who just got home about 1 month ago from being a mission president! Kerry said that they (The Morbys, mission president) are wanting to get together with Kerrys parents. And Kerry was like I think they want to teach them about the church too! Hahaha I'm sure they do :) I love sweet tender mercies of the Lord!

Danielle is one of our investigators as well. Not sure if I have mentioned her yet but she was supposed to get baptized last month but is living with her boyfriend, Klint. And they have a 2 year old son together so that stops her from moving out and shes not so sure about getting married yet. Well Klint is a member but not active and wasnt really ever. He never sits in on our lessons but we had dinner this week there and he came in for it! He opened up and told us about how he was raised in the church. He said his mom would take him to church but just drop him off and not stay. So he has just always had a bitter taste in his mouth about the church because of that. He hasnt felt God work much in his life, or answer his prayers. But it was so sweet because Danielle testified to him about how she has seen God answer her prayers. Klint doubts that and thinks its all just coincidence but thats okay, understanding comes through time right? We had another appointment with them last night but they cancelled. 

Pioneer Day was this week! We got a call the day before that the town was putting on a parade and celebration at the park downtown. There was just like 7 companionships that got called to go help down there. We got to walk in the parade, and then give tours of historic sites down there. It was pretty fun! Unfortunately I didn't take any pictures but I will get some from the other missionaries next week.

Exchanges were really great this week! We got to go with the Kaibab and Kanab sisters. Yes my stopping grounds!!!! I actually didn't go in Kaibab but we did meet up in Colorado City so that was fun. And then later in the week I went with a sister into Kanab, and we actually spent all day up in the mountains in Alton. It was really fun and such nice weather, away from St George. I am learning so much doing this, being able to learn from other sisters! I think mroe than anything Ive learned that we all have struggles, we all have challenges but God is there for us. We preach that everyday but do we realize that He is real and that He can answer our prayers as well as those we teach? I think sometimes we can become nonchalant with the gospel but why? We shouldn't be. My studies have been improving lately and it makes me so happy as I feel like that is something I have struggled with. I love being able to read from the Book of Mormon and Preach my Gospel everyday. Especially the application parts in Preach my Gospel. Do you all have a Preach my Gospel? Missionary or not, I hope you do and study from it! I encourage you all to read Alma 36-38 and apply it as well. I just read those chapters this morning and my heart is so full. 

Picture directory:

- Switching back after exchanges with the Kaibab Sisters, Sister Davis and Sister Duval

- Mason, Danielle and Klints little boy

- Beautiful Alton, Utah

- Got to cross through Arizona and my old area this week :)

~Sister Allen

881 S River Rd

St George, UT 84790

- Erika and I for the last time for 1.5 years. She is heading to the MTC this week, then off to Germany! So proud of her!

July 21, 2014

Hellloooo, hows it going?

This week has been so extremely eventful that I cant even hardly remember a thing. Ha lets give it a try..

Last week I didn't even talk about any of those we are teaching so I'll give you the low down now.

So we have Jay and Kerry! Jay is a less-active member and his wife, Kerry is not a member and they have 1 kid together (Zoey-2) but he has 3 from a previous marriage. Anyways can I just saw how much I love this family! Sis Hokanson and her last companion had started teaching them just a few weeks before I came in. Jay referred himself on mormon.org so obviously he is just so ready to become active again! And his wife, Kerry wasn't super open at first but she is totally warming up and had been keeping her commitments! She works at Walmart on the weekends but tries to get off for just 1 hour so she can make sacrament. So far she has succeeded once! This week for one of the lessons we taught them the Word of Wisdom. They both have a problem with coffee but have committed to pray about it.. I know, not as committal as we would like but we will see. When we were talking about the Word of Wisdom Jay said something like "You know I haven't even drunken beer since I started meeting with you and reading the Book of Mormon? I don't even know why, I just haven't." He is truly becoming converted and its not because of us but because of the power of the Book of Mormon! He is so into it right now and it just makes my heart melt! He just has a non-stop smile when we are there. 

We are also working with Trish, and her 2 kids- Berlin and Cruz. Trish and Berlin are less-active and Cruz (9) has not been baptized yet. It has been so fun to teach them because although Trish has been a member her whole life she has had so many questions! The Plan of Salvation lesson has been my favorite so far with her. There was a few times where she would say something like "Oh that makes so much sense!" I love when they recognize the Holy Ghost working on them to help them remember these things they once knew! Funny story with Trish. We were supposed to have another appointment Saturday night and she texted us cancelling because their hamster had been missing for 1 week but they started to smell him AKA they had a dead hamster missing somewhere in their house!!!! Luckily she had her dad come over with his dog to find it!

Another investigator we have is Eric. Ooohhh Eric. He is a hoot! He used to be in the Marines so is very much a logical thinker. We are trying to get him to listen to the spirit rather than his mind but hes getting there. Unfortunately I have missed the last 2 lessons with him because of exchanges. But he is progressing for sure! And he has the best fellowshipper, his girlfriend and her little 5 kids. Eric is currently not having coffee for 1 week. Pray for him :)

We are also teaching a cute girl named Bree(11). Her mother is less-active but is so ready to become active again! Bree is on date for August 9th! We had a fun lesson on the Gospel of Jesus Christ at the Visitors Center yesterday using pictures so we had a walking tour/lesson. She is so cute, always asking what she can read before we come back again.

Yesterday (Sunday) was crazy at the Visitors Center! We got there for our shift and all the sudden 4 French buses and 1 Italian bus pulls up! The lines for the bathrooms were insane! So Sister Hokanson and I marched them over to the church building across the street. Hahaha you should've seen us! We had like 25 French/Italian women following us and neither of us speak either of those languages and there was church going on. One lady asked what the building was and we told her it was a church. And she said "Church you teach? Temple you pray?" It was so cute! Afterward we had her go talk to a french sister to explain it more and she was just so happy! I just wish so badly I could have talked to them. Next time I'll pray for the gift of tongues ;)

Well, I wanted to talk about my exchanges with 2 of the most fantastic sisters but I am running out of time! I am so grateful for this opportunity though because I have just learned so much from both of them, and we got 2 more this week!

~Sister Allen

881 S River Rd

St George, UT 84790

July 14, 2014- Welcome to the Fields :)

Hiiiii, hows it going?

This week has been pretty fantastic, super long but thats okay.. time can slow down now plleeaassee :)

So my new companion is Sister Hokanson. She is from Battle Ground, Washington. Born and raised. She has been out 1 transfer less than me so apx 13 months. This is now her 3rd transfer as STL and here in the Washington Fields stake. She is so great! We get along really well!!!! I was nervous just because I didn't know her very much at all but we actually have a ton in common. And her greenie area which she was there for like 7 months was Fountain Green AKA part of the Moroni stake. So on our down time (ha, like we have any) we talk about people we both knew and taught there. Its been fun! 

So this week I will do my first exchange! I would be nervous but my first one will be with Sister Roth in her area. Sister Roth and I were companions about 1 year ago in Kaibab so I am excited to be with her for a day :) And then my 2nd exchange this week is with Sister Luebbert and in her area also. Which is Washington East. Yaayyy I get to be with my MTC companion and in one of my old areas. I honestly didnt think I would go on an exchange with either of them because we are good friends but as Sister Hokanson have prayed and pondered about it we feel like this is right. These are both great sisters so I am excited to learn from them! Oh and next week we are headed to Kanab. Ekk excited for that. I am excited for this opportunity I have to be an STL. Although it is scary and exhausting I love that my thoughts are directed more toward other sisters than myself. And I am going to learn so much from these sisters! Who isn't happy when they serve?

So we have already seen miracles happening in this area! Sister Hokanson said it was pretty slow but the last month or so it has been picking up and I have seen that in just this 1 week. 

One night we were on shift at the Visitors Center and a non-member girl from our area came in that we didn't know but luckily some sisters had showed her he Restoration DVD and Gods Plan for his family. When we heard she was living in Washington Fields they had us come close one of the movies with them. This girls name is Sarah she is 16 and said she wants to be baptized! Hello miracle! She says she will probably wait til she is a little older but is still open to the lessons now. She just needs to get permission from her parents and then she will contact us. We shall see :)

Also another night at the Visitors Center is was about 8:50pm. 10 minutes before we were closing and a guy walks in the back and introduces this couple to us. One was from Sweden and the other from Croatia and they were both very interested in family History! (Mom will be proud :) So I got them on familysearch.org on the computer we have there and we were able to find her grandmother. She loved it. We also found the closest family history library to them in Sweden so they could go there when they return home. We also got her contact information to followup and teach her more about our beliefs! Awesome!

I also had a chat the other night in the teaching center from a guy in Nigeria and I was able to call him the next day and I am now teaching him! How cool is that! In the Visitors Centers across the world we get to keep in contact with people from all over and teach them! Its the best ever!!!!!!!!

I just love doing the Lords work!!!!!! 

I got to go, but hope you all have a great week!!

~Sister Allen
881 S River Rd
St George, UT 84790

New mission office address

Our mission office is moving by July 17th. So all mail needs to be sent to:

881 S River Rd

St George, UT 84790

Nathaly Spörl came to see her at the visitor center. She was her first companion is the mission field. 

Hi, hows it going??

I hope everyone is doing well and had a great 4th of July! Ours was pretty good. It was weird because it was supposed to be a normal proselyting day but we were worried we wouldn't find anyone home. We did have a shift at the Visitors Center and it was so slow that we were able to watch 17 Miracles and Ephraims Rescue! It was so great! Ah loved the movies! Those movies give you so much more an understanding of what the pioneers did for us! They had so many trials but such great faith!!!!! One of my favorite parts is when Brigham Young is asking some of the brothers who can go to save some of the handcart companies. Some of the men say "I can go next week" or "I can go Thursday" but Ephraims says "I can go now." Would we be ready now if our prophet was to ask us to do that? Guess what? He has! He has asked us to save our other brothers and sisters. Those that need help! We need to hasten the work. What are you doing to prepare your brothers and sisters to come closer to Christ? Think about it :)

Transfer Calls: I am being transferred again. Yes this will be my 6th area and hopefully my final as I only have 2 more transfers left.. Ah okay we are not talking about that. So I am being transferred to the Washington Fields Stake. Its here in St George so we will be at the Visitors Center still. My companion will be Sister Hokansen! I don't know her too well but know she is from Washington state and she technically was not called to the Visitors Center in her call but she was transferred there last transfer. Interesting huh?Also... we are going to be STLs. Ya I'm freaking out! But I just need to have more faith. I know I am being called for a reason, and I know its what I need. This last week I really felt like I needed something more. I have been working my hardest my whole mission but still felt like something was lacking. I needed something to push me more and so here it is! Haha God is funny but He knows what we need!

I honestly dont remember much from this week but as I hear news from Sister Garcia throughout the transfer I will continue to update you on my Bloomington peeps :) That is something I love about serving in the Visitors Center- that we can see sisters all the time. Ones we have served with and just ones we have learned to love while serving there!

Well gotta go, love you all. I pray for you all hope you will pray for me too!!!!!! 

Picture Directory:

-It poured this week! And of course we had to run out in it!

-We played volleyball with some sisters last Pday!

-The worlds best corndogs!!! 

-4th of July movie time at the VC

-Sister Waiane goes home Wednesday!!!! So sad!

-More 4th of July fun :)

-My mission mame, Sister Sporl, came down to visit!!!!!!!!

~Sister Allen

New mission office address:

881 S River Rd

St George, UT 84790

July 1, 2014- C'est quoi ton probleme?

Hiiiii, hows it going??

It's going good here in St Geezy! Learning lots of different languages here at the Visitors Center too :) Maybe not the most useful phrases but its something. Did I tell you Sister Garcia speaks 3 languages? French, Spanish, and English? Yep so shes teaching me some french and its actually really fun!

There was 2 times this week where I really have thought "If I was led by the spirit why did I not get a good result from it?" We had 2 investigators drop us this week. One was James, yes the one that we were purely led by the spirit to. I thought to myself after he dropped us "Why!? He can't drop us. The spirit led us here! The Lord knows he is ready!" I know that the spirit led us to his house and to him, but unfortunately right now he is not ready. But there had to be some reasoning for us to be led there. I know that we planted that seed for him. Right now he doesn't have that desire to find the true church but when he does I pray that he will be lead back to this church. Which I know he will because his wife is becoming more active and is just awesome!! The other one I guess was a equal dropage. Haha meaning we both kinda dropped each other. Harry and us. Sister Garcia and I realized during the lesson that he for sure is just not ready at this time either. *stab to the heart* But dont worry it gets better... Yes thats a sarcastic better.. Anyways, we were meeting with him this week with the usual clan: His wife Mary, the Pugmeyers, and our awesome ward mission leader, Brother Anderson. We talked a lot about prayers and noticing the Holy Ghost. I kept feeling prompted to ask this specific question. "Harry, if you were to receive your answer tonight what would you be willing to do?" I hesitated a little bit but finally started to ask.. "Harry, if you were to receive your answer tonight.." He cut me off with a very loud, aggressive tone of voice saying "No, no we are not going there! Do not pressure me into this!" I was in shock. Didn't know what to say. I think everyone was shocked but Sister Garcia jumped in and said something like "Harry we are not asking you these questions. We are representatives of Jesus Christ and as we ask you these questions they come from Him, not us." Honestly I don't remember exactly what happened after that because I was just focused on trying to hold my tears in. (Which I did woohoo) I have never had a situation like that on my mission where someone purely shut me down so harshly, or even more our Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ. Yes, I have had doors slammed in my face and people say not so nice things or try to bash with us. But I was so in shock that I was led by the spirit to ask this question to one of our investigators who I have learned to love so much and then for him to just shut me down. It hurt bad. But I came to the conclusion that I needed to ask the question because Sister Garcia and I really did not know what he would do if he would actually receive an answer. We can not just beat around the bush with these people. If they are ready- great. If they are not then we need to move on and find those that are ready and open for this gospel. It reminded me of this Mormon Message called "Wrong Roads". Please watch it and maybe what I just said will make more sense haha.

Luckily we do have some investigators that are so ready and open for this gospel!

One is Kim who I have talked about before. She is still on date for August 2nd. She came to the Visitors Center this week and we showed her Gods Plan for His Family and the pictures of inside the St George Temple. It was really amazing and the spirit was there! I love her so much!

Have I mentioned before that we have a live-in senior couple to work with in our stake?? They are the best- Elder and Sister Benson. Their role is to primarily work with less actives in the stake but also team teach with us. Someone from their ward had called them and told them that their 29 year old daughter, Morgan, had just moved back in with them and she is not a member! So the Bensons went ahead and taught the Restoration to her last week and last night we went with them to teach the Plan of Salvation. It was so amazing. Oh my gosh, she is so prepared!!!!!! She has had some struggles but is working through them. She is doing the 12 step recovery program and been clean for 3 months! We put her on date last night for August 16th!!!! She is so ready. When we invited her to be baptized she said "That's weird you asked me that because I was just thinking today how many lessons or how long does it have to be before I can be baptized?" Yay we may have squealed a bit!!!!

There is more I could say but I have got to run!!!!!!! LOVE YOU ALL!!!!!!!

Transfer Calls are this Saturday!!!!!!! So I could be on either Monday, Tuesday, orWednesday next week!

Picture Directory:

- We had to get Ice Cream while we were tracting from the Ice cream lady #childhood

- Classic car pic

- Us with our favorite, Alice!

~Sister Allen

107 S 1470 E STE 304

St George, UT 84790