04/11

MIS QUERIDOS!!!!!!

Cuanto las amo! You don't even know. Best news of my life from the bear. I am SO STOKED to watch the pageant with you :) And see my friend Luke who I HOPE is waiting for me. Or does he think that's weird since we've never like officially met yet? And maybe since I am 22 years older than him? And Britt's lil friend is coming SO SOON I AM DYING!!!!! I am so sorry I haven't sent your lame package yet it is coming soon and also I will get you all much classier gifts when I get home.


So this week was amazing, once again. And Sara you once mentioned that I never express disappointment in my emails. Sorry, it exists. The miracles just always outweigh the disappointments. Well, To an extent. it's extremely discouraging when someone you love with all your heart chooses to reject something that will change their lives.. la perla de incalcuable precio! (I talked about that in my talk last night at the program at the VC) - but everyone is doing great. Lorenzo is so solid he wants to share the gospel with his wife and kids in his country so they can be married in the temple when he gets back. Eduardo is solid when I told him to "pray to find out if the Book of Mormon is true" he said, "IF!? It IS true- don't doubt that!" woops. I will use better word choice I guess. Fransisco had an incredible experience which would be far too sacred to express over an email, but we will just say that he got his answer. You can't deny the existence of God when you experience what you do on the mission. Although we have ALOT of opposition over here in DC right now cause of the elections. It's kind of exciting to be honest because it brings tons of people in to the VC cause they want to know if all the rumors are true. They typically end with, "THIS is what everyone is getting worked up about?" Because they see how our religion is centered on Christ and the family and everything wholesome. We had a zone conference on how to respond to insincere people because the antis are ON US right now! There are two men in Olney dressed up in suits "elders" (that are like 30!) who go around knocking the doors the elders just left to anti them. Where we teach in Laurel it's always really awkward cause this pastor comes and tries to take all of our people! We saw him taking our investigator to church last week! ahh. Luckily, those who are ready are ready and they are just solid. But the adversary is real. Here is that quick miracle about Shadrack. He is a friend of our investigor from a year ago. He was bashing on us telling us the mormons are crazy cause the bible never talks about Joseph Smith. One of the most hard hearted men I had ever talked to. He made my SUPER strong companion cry. He was SO MEAN. We prayed one day when we passed by that he wouldn't be there, but the Lord humbled us and showed us His will rather than ours, he apologized and said he read from the Book of Mormon and that is was very beautiful. So our words couldn't touch his heart, but the Book of Mormon penetrated it and now there is no going back! He got antied and for a while was away, he came into the VC and refused to look at me cause he felt so guilty at how mean he was to us, but finally I went up to him and asked how he was. He said, "I am good, I feel awful at how I treated you... I am getting baptized and I know this is true" It was amazing! The most incredible miracles to me are changes of hearts. One more tender mercy... I guess a man called the Garret Park Elders asking for me cause I had given him a card months and months ago. He felt bad he never came to church, but said he wanted to. They took him to church and now he is moving to Florida and He is getting BAPTIZED!!! HUGE tender mercy cause sometimes I feel like my efforts are wasted when I just give a card and nothing happens, but then I remember duh this isn't my work, God is doing His thing and I am just one of his weak little instruments. But it's the best work EVER. The church is true, I love you. Keep having cool lives. AMEN!

04/04/2012

WOW I have not much time, but so much to say. Just know I love you all so much. I havebeen una misionera super distraida lately cause I think of you all lots. I just like you okay!!!!!! I am still in awe at how amazing your lives are. Like weddings, babies, da best times of your lives. and soon enough I will be able to play wif your lil babes and help you plan your weddings and go to the botanical gardens with my mom ::))) Not that I am trunky or anything.....

But In reality, wow I have not seen the types of miracles I saw this week ina long time. It was... WOW. And first of conference was the most incredible experience ever. I heard talks specifically for each of you, for each of our investigators, and I went in with a super specific question that I thought would be a really indirect answer and it was SO DIRECT. It has to do with the anti mormon lit I am faced with on the phone and D Todd Chistopherson's talk. It was awesome. SO I don't even know which miracles to tell. I went on two exchanges this past week (now that I am a VC trainer we do lots of exchanges and get to know all the sisters and areas it's awesome!) I went to little Africa and then to one of the richest areas in the US. They are all government officials and politicians and all that (mom I thought you would like this - Harry Reid and one of his components are in this ward, boff of them!) Anyway I don't have time I want to tell you the miracle. There was a man that I completely judged and thought was a boracho homeless man in the house of our investigators that I never thought to talk to. Long story short, he was hurt and in the hospital asking God to reveal him the truth. He said he heard a voice that said, "I will send you someone" and he asked "Who?" he said he a had a vision of us (he had seen us in these apartment complex for a long time) walking up to him and giving him something in his hand. When he held the Book of Mormon he said that that was it and he already knew it was true. He said he wouldn have never talked to us before. I will think before I judge next time. Miraculously Lorenzo, our inv who wll be baptized on the 22nd has been addicted to cigarretes for years suddenly every time he looked at his cigarretes he felt sick, so when he taught him the word of wisdom he recognized God's hand and agreed to live the WOW. A muslim came to the VC who had dreamt of the Christus statue and now wants to learn more depsite her strict religious background.  You will have to remind me to tell you the miracle about Shadrack cause it's my favorite of all of them, but I don't have time.. The church is so true. There is no doubt in my mind. Despite what those antis say. The adversary is just as real. Eduardo who has a bdate for the 22nd, called us terrified last night because he had an experience similar to Joseph Smith before the first vision - he recognized that it is because he is learning about God and the adversary wants to stop him from making a covenant with the Lord. Pesecutions may rage, mobs may combine, armies may assemble and columny may defame, but the truth of God will go forth nobly boldly and independent until the great Jehova shall say the work is done!!! (PS I love when Pres Monson quoted that)  Sorry this letter is intense, this week was just incredible. God is so good! I love you all so much and pray for you all the time. Ps please keep andres in your prayers. His tumor is big and he has started chemo. I LOVE YOU ALL!

3/28/2012

OKay, first off thank you all so much you all wrote me juicy long emails and they meant the world to me. 4rlz. How I miss you all! I just look around me and think how much you are going to love it all! I feel awful cause I wrote home a letter last week and forgot to send it with the details! I have to be released at home, but I get modified rules and we can go to NY ::)))) This has been mom's slash my dream forever and ever::))) Also you can drive on a bus for like 8$ from here to NY and we will have places to stay here and DC, so it can be super cheap. Can I just say I honestly have never seen a cuter child than Luke? I look at his pictures and think it's like a model baby from a magazine. I AM SO IN LOVE WITH HIM! Do you guys have so much fun? And baby boo Declan is coming SOOO SOON! I got some stuff for him :) Sorry I don't have the time/means to send nicer gifts. and Tawn for real is getting married? That BLOWS MY MIND! And I am genuinely sinceramente excited for her / you. How do you plan for a wedding? Where are you doing it? Is it fun? Do you like him? I LOVE YOU!

There are way too many exciting things going on at home to possibly try to add on to all that. But this week was so incredible. That depressing day last week I will just tell you was because I talked Juan who just got baptized in January and was so solid and he has already gone astray. It made me nervous to invite anyone get baptized because according to 2 nefi 31, we are kind of condemning them! Well, that was Satan talking to me. They have their agency, it just broke my heart cause I love him so much and he was one of the most solid people I had met. Anyway, but opposition is sweet and this week was full of miracles. We are teaching an entire family from the Domican Republic, love their accent, they're the coolest people ever. The daughter right when we started teaching them said, "Mom why won't you let me be baptized?" and she said they were still looking for the correct church. The dad was talking to us at one point and we were listening to their background conversation and she said, "But I thought we were Catholic?" and she said, "Non hunny, this church is more sana and verdadera (true)" jaja then when we invited them to be baptized for 4/29 the daughter jumped up and said OK YEAH! It was great there are five of them so pray for them! Families are oro! We got in contact with Eduardo, who we felt SO GOOD about, but lost contact with, and he called US and wanted us to come by, when we invited him for a specific date he said, "Me parece PERFECTO"- Lorenzo as well. Arcenio had a dream that he was at church, but it wasn't his, he knows it is the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints :) God's hand is in it all. Luis got the priesthood and gave a talk on Sunday :) He is on FIRE! He comes on appts with us all the time and he just testifies and knows the doctrine  way better than I do. He NEVER cries, even when his beloved sister died. But the other day he started crying and said, "I look at you as daughters"- which meant the world cause he had just found out about dad. He buys us tres leches just about every day. Andres is slaving his life away with his patients. He hadn't been sleeping a fainted a few times cause he is so obsessed with helping others and reading every church material that exists (He sends me quotes and scriptures that are like amazing) and he said finally that it was cause he has Cancer that he was fainting. :( Prayers.

MOM I don't know how public your situation is so you can take this part out, but I can't even tell you how it made me feel reading your letter. I can't believe it. I was in shock. It was like my worst nightmare in the whole world coming true. But are you really okay now? Be honest. Thank you for being so thoughtful I think it would be hard not to say anything. I love you so so so much I wrote a letter to you about it you should get it soon. But just know I am fasting for you today. My comp asked me why I was so grumpy (I told her, "I Know how to drive!") jaja and I broke down has how it stressed me, just cause I love you so and you deserve to be healthy and happy. Are you okay? tell the truth, I love you mroe than you will ever know. I also didn't know about Dayna, I will fast for her Sunday. Tell her I love her I will write her today

3/22/2012 sisters do as sisters do

That songs is stuck in my head. I think cause I love my sisters. and I love my mom. And I love you guys the most. I just don't know how to possibly put into words with the 30 min I have on email responding to 1.Tawnee's proposal story, wedding plans, most beautiful dress ever, 2. Britt's baby boy is like a real human being now and all the pictures, 3. and Sara's little man who I dreamed about last night and the best news ever from her and mami. I just... don't have words. I feel like you are all these mature old woman having these mature lives it's weird. slash super cool. I LOVE IT! I thank the Lord soooo much every night that you are all being so blessed. It like makes me want to cry cause i :) wen u :) - I am writing you all today forreals. Maybe a group letter but I have a lot to say about all that. AH! Quick question... Tawn did you check my account cause I had 400$ missing I am a little nervous cause Julio really needs rent or I am nervous he will be quicked out so that's why I am being so insistent. Has money been taken out of either? (Ps maybe take that out of my mass email porfa!?) okay so... this week was ridiculous. Most depressing slash amazing week ever. Mom I will deliver the miracles and keep the depresing stuff out (I filter my emails cause I am trying to be positive) but I did have one of the hardest days of my mission this past week. But the rest of them were some of the best!? We have found the MOST PREPARED people ever. It astounds me. lorenzo- said he has been to other churches, but didn't feel right there. When we invited him to come to church he said he works Sundays (For latinos, work comes before everything cause most of them are here making money for their families in their countries) - but he said he will doing everything possible to switch it. He has had the hardest life, his first wife got pregnant while he was in the US making money for her the first time and he is just so positive. When we invited him to be baptized on the 15th he said, "I don't know, either the 8th or 15th"- jaja he is so prepared. Neftali. ah! and Rey and his wife!!! and Samuel! and JULIO! finally he has come to church every sunday for 6 weeks now and he can't read so we are working with him really slowly. And he doesn't want to "play with God" by putting a baptismal date. But finally our amazing recent convert Luis came to a lesson, and that's what did it. He wants to be baptized now on Easter :) Luis is that golden. He is SO GOOD. He will travel for hours to come to appointments and he just gives all his money away and just glows as he does it. His life is completely consecrated. And he was just baptized. Why after 22 years am I still not like that? Well, so many other wonderful miracles sucedieron, God is so good! Every single day He like amazes me so much. I love it! Even with just the weather/nature. All the trees have like thousands of huge gorgeous flowers with colors I have never seen before? It's like avatar. Okay Love you all so much thank you for the proposal story and da pic of the dress! Tawn... what on earth do you mean that YOU are leaving. explain. I love you keep having really cool exciting movie like lives!!!!!!!! <3 MOM I have things to say to you I will write you a letter now. MWUAH

Britt did you not get the pics last week? I will try to send them again. 

03/14/2012

K I have to be quick cause I just lost my whole email just erased and I have like 2 min. First off, Tawn you still haven't told me about how Daniel proposed. not okay! I espero now the story! What could you possibly be doing that is more important than emailing me? Also, Britt you are having a baby! Bear your pics are the highlight of my week, mom can you write me a handwritten letter? Sometimes I pray to receive one from you. is that weird? I just miss you. And prayer like works. Like really well

This week was amazing slash really hard, but I don't have time to write about it all . One of our investigators that has my heart and we spend like every other day with him and he has come to church every single week, every single baptism and activity, dropped us. Well it was a mutual drop, it was just hard. He doesn't have intenetions to ever be baptized :( But lots of amazing things happened, we met the most incredible people. I talked with mom on the phone! It was crazy, she was an inbound call and she said her name was Pattie and she is a widow and she feels so bad because her daughter is in college and feels the need to stay with her and all this stuff. I was like MOM!? I told her about you and it was the biggest tender mercy because I was able to comfort her and let her know how much her daughter loved her and how much the gospel would bless her in her life :) She said the name mormon kept coming to her mind so she called. We also got a chat of a woman who was praying for answers and she had a dream of her going to mormon.org chat. I have kept contact through the phone and she is getting baptized in a couple weeks and is so happy. I am sending her a dress cause she doesn't have one, all of our investigators are so poor it is breaking me heart. Many literally don't have money for food. The majority of the people we teach left their families in Mexico Chiappas for 6 - 10 years to work for their families. They leave everything and struggle finding work and have big families and literally cross the desert on foot to get here. My year and a half is nothing in comparison. Well, I am out of time. mom write me handwritten :), Tawn tell your story. PS I found out my leave of absence was invalid and maybe lost my scholarship. ps I love you all. Oh and please let me know about coming to pick up, it's super inportant that I let them know for sure cause flight plans go out this month for thos going home in July. Now that I have lost my scholarship possibly I might  be able to stay until Aug, what day is the wedding? k LOVE YOU! Just had transfers too, love you!

3/7/2012

Sooo Britt just got back from Puerto Rico and is pregnant, Tawn is getting married, Bear has a babe and is a nurse. I just have to repeat that over and over cause it just blows my mind!!!! AHHH! How are the wedding plans?! I want little details so I can be part, liiike where/ um WHEN and what food you are having, also very important question.

Tawn I am like da best wedding planner evur so you should just hire me. I'll send you pics of Stephanie's wedding to see what we were able to gather with our 0$ budget. jaja! and I just kept thinking, aww tawn is planning her wedding and I don't get to be there :( I will just live vicariously through planning stephanie's! It actually was great, Lots of nonmebers came and we got there info, we had a lot of help from the ward and had tons of food and latin music and decorations, it was una fiestote. Next day (Sunday) was her BAPTISM! I have to send you pics you will just die to see how much she glows! and just a couple short hours later was Miguel's, Jorge's and a little boy's baptism whose dad just got baptized the week before. Oh my... I don't think I have ever felt the spirit so strong in muh life. We were singing "I believe in Christ" and the spirit was already tangible in the room and then in walks 5 people all in white. My heart couldn't handle it. Miguel has such a huge pedasote of my heart and he just looked so.. complete, and full of gozo. He is the one whose wife left him with his two daughters and has had it so hard, but immediately accepted everything and could cope with his desfaios through the gospel. Jorge could not stop smiling, I felt hopeless for a while with him cause we would try so hard to gethim to church and he worked Sundays, but NOW he's got his priorities straight :) The little boy I only taught him and his dad in the VC one time, but they have an incredible story. The little boy was going to have to get his leg amputated or he would die when he was young (sounds familiar?) the dad is super intelligent, a lawyer and was extremely wealthy and had just lost everything, had never really known God. He held him up in the air and told God he knew He could heal him, and would commit his life to Him after. He was healed and his leg is now perfect, but he went to another church and became super involved. WHen I gave him his tour they themed it on authority, he seemed very iffy and the elder promised him that he would get his answer the next day at church in the sacrament. He went to his OTHER church, took the sacrament, and felt his answer. He was in the wrong church, got up and left and 3 weeks to the day later was baptized. and his son last week. SO point of the story is God is so good! and The gospel is so true! We have met a lot of other really prepared people, and our greatest desire a super awesome family that we are teaching tonight, and a couple others. I love you all so much you have no no no idea. On the 5th I was thinking about Rachel and that all of you were probably together. Although I was sad not to be there, it made me happy to thin abouty it :) I can't wait to see my lil babes Declan and Luke and hopefully like help with tawn's wedding if it is not within the next 4-5 months???!!! I LOVE YOU SO! MOM how is mitt romney!!?? You are beautiful, I was looking at a pic of you today thinking that. IN my prayers. love you da most

02/29/2012

WHOAH!!!!!!!!!! I CAN NOT BELIEVE TAWNEE IS ENGAGED!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

that makes me feel weird. BUT SO EXCITED for her :::::::::)))))))) CONGRATS BABY SISTER!!!!!!!! I am only upsetted by the fact that well, I got NO DETAILS! I demand them asap! PORFA! I  must hear how dis all went down!! Ans Britt is back from PUERTO RICO! I need deets about that too! And how she is having a baby and how bear has a little grown man son now?! Remember how I still can't fathom that? I love them so much :) And MOM a new missionary came in that looks just like you and it made me miss you so much :( uygh I miss you. But I love you so. And I LOVE the political updates you know I die to hear  them every week!

I pray for Mitt all the time. whoa... TAWN IS ENGAGED.ps tawn that ring is tTO DIE FOR. I LOVE IT SO MUCH STOP BEING CUTE AND ADULT.

this week was great! My sister got engaged. And my other sister was in Puerto Rico and my other one had a baby and is a nurse and I love my mom the most ever. And Dayna is in WA with curt, super fun. I miss you all. That's about it...

oh and this is gonna be the best weekend ever. Stephanie is getting married Sat so she can be baptized SUN! So tawn that makes us both planning a wedding right now. It's like super stressful, very exciting

:) Then my sweet Miguel and Jorge are getting baptized Sunday!!! I can't put into words how much these people mean to me. You will see when you meet them. They have all of my heart. Miguel is the definition of golden and despite his wife and 2 daughters leaving him he turned to God and was crying sharing his testimony yesterday.

People can just feel this is the truth. We visited a woman named Melissa on our exchange like 2 months ago, and because it was an exchange they never really went back. We knocked their door looking for someone else and ended up teaching like 7 people in their house. 2 were superr strong in their religion and just bashed us and we left feeling "Why did we feel like we needed to go there?" there was a woman just chilling in the back who listened to it all and felt really good about what we shared.  She ran out the door yesterday saying "SISTERS! I have been looking and waiting for you!" I need that book, I am so lost and looking for truth, I am so confused, please help me. She has been such a miracle. Her and her husband (well bf, planning another wedding!) literally almost left each other because this church they are in are splitting them apart instead of helping them grow closer. She has had such a hard life and those couple min we were in that house, she knew what we shared was true. It was miraculous. That also happened with a man Arcenio this past weekend. taught in housefull of 5 people and he just  took it all in, came to church the next day and said "You have a new hermano in the church!" We invited him right then to be baptized and he said, "of course"- these are real people with real challenges and I can't even tell you what a thrill it is to see them change their lives for the gospel. Many of them are literally going hungry and have NOTHING, they all leave their families, cross the desert on foot, come to america to work, share a tiny apartment with 10 people and barely can afford to eat. Then they know when they hear the message why they are there. I have been so blind my whole life to how ready people are. ugh it's just the best

I love you so much, think about you all de tym. Please keep having super exciting lives and getting engaged and having babies. I MISS YOU SOOO!!!!

02/22/2012

OH MY! Megan is engaged!!!?? JAJA I am SO THRILLED! And it appears to be coming super soon with TAWN. AHHH! And Britt is in Puerto RICO!? WHAT!? Jealous. And she is having baby !!!! And he is okay!!!? and Bear is a mother!!!?? (that is still news/shocking/exciting to me) I bought da lil boys some things today I will have to get them in da mail. And mother I am calling your friend again tomorrow :) I have been away from the VC for almost a week which is super weird? You are the best missionary ever! And You should go meet Mitt Romney please. Don't worry the election won't be done when I get home so we can put up signs together like last time :) AND HAPPY 90TH GRANDMA!!! Tell her I love her so so much and I am so happy she .. is.. 90

Great week! I got the stomach flu on Friday and for some reason it lasted 5 days and haven't been able to eat anything or I would throw it up. Super fun. Especially cause I got to keep being a missionary through it all. Our area is doing to well to like rest so we just kept going which actually ended up working out okay. Cause we met some super ready people. Arcenio, who before we even mentioned the name Joseph Smith said, "Joseph Smith was an inspired prophet of God" and that "We need to ba baptized by immersion and authority like Christ was" - Believe it or not he is not a member, yet... Also a man named Santos who somehow got the number of the mission office and called cause he wanted us to come teach him. He accepted a baptismal date immediately but we might struggle with the fact that he helps people across the border (?) - (Maybe take that part out) - but he has been searching and he just loves the message. Luis prayed in Why I believe in front of the hundreds of people and it was lovely. He was thrilled on Sunday when he got confirmed and with the biggest smile said "I'm going to pay my tithing!" - Andres called and has been seeing 70-100 patients a day in Columbia but still finds a way to get to every baptism and church and read the entire Book of mormon in like 3 weeks. He is gold. Stephanie is SO EXCITED she is getting married and we are stressfully planning the wedding so she can be baptized the next day :) We went to the zoo with our zone in the city today and I saw an animal that reminded me of tawnee. It's my new fav. I am out of time, but I love you all mo den you know! I think about you all way too much. But you motivate me to be good :) <3 uuuuuuu Ps whitney houston died? And I misunderstood planking. What else is new Babylon? PS mom the christus is for YOU! And I am getting you all one when you get here I jsut couodn't afford to send them all! LOVE YOU! Sorry no time!

02/16/2012

FAMILLIAA!!! <3 Feliz dia de amor y amistdad!!!!!!!! was it goo? What'd you all do? I totally forgot. And we like made appointments with our investiagtors that are getting married (will explain later) and they were all dressed up and we naively asked what the occasion was. ja woops. But I feel like all this talk about la boda de Tawnee is a dream or something and couldn't possibly be real but I think maybe it is!??!! AHHH. How weird!!! But in such a good exciting way! And Luke and Declan have my heart already. I love them so much. I am worried about Declan he is in my prayers... And mom I love you you're the best, Did you get to meet mitt or what!? I have been dying to hear! You are his bniggest fan, than me.

AMAZING WEEK. God is so so good to us. First off, Renee was baptized on Sunday :::)) It was incredible. I was unaware I was speaking but they announced that I was (?) SO I just made one up on the spot? BUT it was miraculous, he has been in my prayers incessantly cause he is not only 29 and just out of open heart surgery, he also can't work and is literally going hungry possibly homeless, and the worst is he is extremely depressed. It broke my heart every time we meet with him. The day we found him he just looked so hungry for the gospel and I was confused why he wasn't being filled by it. He shared his testimony at his baptism and said that, "SOY feliz" not estoy pero SOY feliz. It was so beautiful cause it was at his baptism when he finally was full and happy :) and I love him so much it just overjoyed me as wellllll:::::::))))) Also, my whole mission I have had 2 dreams, plan a wedding, and baptise a family. Stephanie is the novia of a less active recently active member (they are 19) they have the cutest lil babe ever after Declan and Luke. We were SO NERVOUS to teach them the law of chastity while their little child was running around, but we prayed really hard and did it. Their commitment was like.. to get married... which is kind of asking a lot of 2 19 year olds. But not only were they like "yeah" but they moved their wedding up to March 3rd like it was nothing so she can get baptized the 4th!!!! And oh my, you had to be there. The little baby started clapping his hands and laughing so hard in joy when they agreed to be married. They are going to be the happiest little family ever and will be able to be sealed in the temple next year :) Now the whole less active family is striving to enter. So we are putting on the wedding for her with the ward and it's just thrilling and stressful but wonderful! She is so excited for her baptism too she tells everyoen! 2 other miracles and then I am done I promise, my very first upperbox at festival came into the VC last night and ran and hugged me and said, "SISTER ALLEN I AM GETTING BAPTIZED SATURDAY AND I HAVE NEVER BEEN HAPPIER IN MY LIFE!" It took me a moment to recognize her cause she looked physically different, just so full of light. She would not stop smiling the whole night. I remember being super nervous to invite her to meet missionaries cause her boyfriend was kjind of avoiding it. but yay! A few people I met from festival have come back to announce the wonderful news and por fin we can see the fruits of our labor at Christmas. This is the best work ever. if I can even call it work. it's so fun and happy. I love it. I love you all so so much and pray for you incessantly. Your exciting lives blow me away. But I so happy for you all :) MWUAH

02/08/2012

GRACIAS POR ESCRIBIRME::)) sorry I am so high maintenance, I just kind of love you all so much I get super worried? Like I had nightmares this past week but no I can breathe that I know you are all goooo' :) Oh my. I love you all and I also had 2 dreams (some may say I dream about home too much) about the lil babes and I already love them so much and feel lie I know them. Cause they could talk in my dreams. I miss them. And Superbowl I couldn't help but think of our crazy Mexican fiestas and Grandma and Mom trying to find some solace. and beautifully enough the baptism of our wonderful Mexican man LUIS! and Nadia who reminds me SO MUICH of Lindsey! It's cool cause both of the baptisms on Sunday were results of what happened in our intercambio. We knocked Nadia's house and they set a return appt and it was an inactive family who reactivated so the daughter was baptized. and OH MY you all know my love for Luis ya. He was GLOWING!!!!!!!! It unbelievable. He kept saying Allen Allen it's today! (everyone calls me allen  its funny) he just hangs out at the Vistor's center inviting everyone to be baptized like him. He came to the VC while we were on shift and started calling his friend and he threw the phone at me and said "here talk to him! (aka share the gospel) - his friend accepted the missionaries because of the change he has seen in Luis. Then this family that we taught in Garret Park showed up to the VC that same night, they said they refused to let the new elders in jaja and just came to the VC to be taught, Luis just testified to them and got the dad to accept partially a baptismal date for the 4th, I was incapable of that. AHANDTHEBESTPART! Andres drove for 2 hours and then wandered for 2 hours to see the temple before he left to Columbia. He was glowing!!! He just got baptized the day before and confirmed since he is leaving. It was the most incredible conversation of my life. He is truly an elect of God, he has spent his whole entire life serving in third world countries as a doctor without getting paid (his service just covers his expenses for being there) and his dad is a diplomat of Spain! He has such potential to be a huge asset to the church and effective instrument in the hands of the Lord. And all from a 20 sec conversation at festival. He immediately knew it was true. The best part was that he is doing his family history and he wants me to do his mother's temple work when I am done in July. I was so taken back and honored at the request. I love these people way too much. We found a miracle man who as we were seeking a potential, he was parked outside and he rolled down his window and called us over, he said he had to get out of the house who was strange considering he was only 4 houses away (clearly guided there!) we invited him to church and the next day he actually showed up and stayed for the baptism! And He LOVES the message he calls us like every day to ask about what he will need to do when  he is a member. Then Stephanie, the girlfriend of a member and the sweetest girl you will ever meet (also reminds me of Lindsey?) came to church and the baptism and the boyfriend's mom said, "your next" and she said "yeah"- and accepted a date for the 4th. THEN there was a man who we met and I guess didn't set a return appointment with him so he got on the internet, looked up the mission office number, and called to tell us to come by Monday night. PEOPLE ARE SO PREPARED! Sorry am I so overwhelming with my jambled stories? I will calm down. I just can't get over thesde awesome prepared people and how strategic God is! It's great. I love you all and wish you happiness n luuuv y paz. PS The date is the 18th! de Julio. Are you really all coming?! WHHAAA!? oh my goodness. these people will all be able to be real to you then! You will die they are so great! I can't wait to meet my little babes and see you all! I literally can't imagine it... I will faint maybe. Love  you. AND MOM I am SO THRILLED to call your friend! I prayed you would have missionary experiences! I don't know the sister you talked to super well but I kept following her around asking about your conversation it was funny. But she is the sweetest girl ever. Like you, okay bye love you 

01/19/2012- Sorry this is out of order- I missed one :)

FAMILY!!!! We have this new weird email thing and I can't respond directly to you all. Also it's weird and it won't show me emails from other people. So if anyone who reads this has emailed me and I haven't responded, don't be offended. So you can choose what to put in the mass email and what not. It doesn't  matter to me. Bear I literally had my jaw dropped looking at pics of the cutest little man I have eer seen on the face of this planet. Like/... is he for real? I have no words to describe how in love with him I in. I can't imagine how you feel. URH I am so jeal you get to hang out with him all the time! AAND BRITT!!! YOUR LIL BABE IS A BIG BABE NOW!!!!! He is getting so big and looks like a real huiman being in your pics!!! Are you just dying of excitement!? He's gonna be such a little stud like Luke I CAN'T WAIT TO MEET HIM!!! And ALSO WHAT ON EARTH WHY DID YOU SEND ME THE MOST CREATIVE THOUGHTFUL PACKAGE IN THE WORLD??!!! My roommates and everyone were just in awe at how thoughtful and cute it was. I can't start to express my gratitude into words. I mostly feel guilty that I still haven't had even a moment to shop for you all persoinally. Expect SUPER AWESOME gifts when I get home and have time to shop for you all. Seriously... why are you guys so good. i feel bad. I love you. So much

This week has been unreal. Like... UNREAL... I will just give you some updates. Maria, the mother of recent convert Ana, got baptized on Sunday. And ohhh myyyy it was so incredible. She actually has parkisisnsnsns (?) and... kinda doesnt have much time left.. I remember stressing out about it a lot one week, not wanting her to get baptized if she didn't really have a full understanding of what she was doing. Then I had this dream ( I am so latina!) I was her, and there is a lot to it, but I realize this is not about me! SO she got a special interview and was baptized in a chair and even though she is SOWEAK and can barely walk, she was GLOWING after. And her little granddaughter who just got baptized gave the talk and it was honestly the most spirit filled hour of my mission. Her non member sons came and are now meeting with the missionaries in their area. It was really stressful though cause the water and chair and everything had to be PERFECT or something .. not good.. could have happened. I was hypervhenalating the whole time. But it was beautiful. Andrew, the doctor from Spain who was simply FASCINATED by the short 20 sec message of the restoration while I was holding the "end of line" sign at festival, finally found a phone to call me at and waited for my call back for 2 HOURS cause he juist had to hear more! (he is going to Columbia Feb 8 ad thus doesn't have a phone) - his whole life he has spent travelling around the world doing medical service and just wanting to find the path God wanted him to be on, we have been emailing back and forth and I can't really teach him much over email so i just send him reading assignments. He said that is life suddenly has so much light to it, and that he has never in his life been so happy. It shows how little we actually do and the converting power is through the scriptures and the Spirit. He said, "Sister... I want to enter the temple one day, and I want to be baptized before I leave to Columbia" - AHHH! He is so great! I sent the missionaries the very next morning and he will be able to do so and have this happiness forever and ever and ever.Que mas. OH LUIS! the amazing miracle from festival!!! AHH he is getting baptized Feb 5th and calls be every single day at  the VC just to tell me how happy he is. It is incredible cause although it just sounds like "oh this person is getting baptized" it is SO MUCH MORE!!! They just have been seeking truth their entire lives and you see a legitimate PHYSICAL difference in them through the process of conversion, They feel REAL HAPPINESS. And the last man, Jose, who came to the VC claimed I said "something wonderful is going to happen to you soon" ( which is weird cause I don't remember nor can I see myself saying that?) came back and said that "At that point I didn't know, but I just got baptized today, and I had to come here and tell you". Oh my... this literally all just happeneding YESTERDAY!!! The stories are endless. Sorry I overwhlem you with them. I just... ugh, I have no words. God is just so GOOD!!!!!!!!!!!!!! ahh. Okay... I love you all mroe than you know. Please keep being awesome and having awesome lives and success

02/01/2012

Familiaaa

I am deciding if you deserve an email since not ONE of you wrote me this week! Okay, already forgiven. Only cause your lives are super exciting and busy, if they were boring, no excuses. <333 uuuu. Hows the babes? Is Britt home yet? Is Tawnee married? Mom I had a dream about you last night, I loveth you

Today is TRANSFERS and after being in one area all but one transfer of my whole mission, I have been changed. It was a rough goodbye. My fav member Francis which you should be SO EXCITED to meet, made a slideshow and played a song on his guitar called "amiga del alma" - it was the sweetest thing ever. I miss my ward already... but I am going to Glenmont with Sis Quintanilla! She is El Salvadorean and I love her lotz. and get this, so remember the crazy story I told you about incredible man from Mexico, Luis who came into the VC with tears in his eyes saying the church was so beautiful? And so I gave his info to the missionaries and then happened to be on exchanges in Glenmont for the first appointment with him when he accepted baptism? And then how for some reason the first week he couldn't find the church for 2 hours so couldn't come and had to change his bdate to THIS WEEKEND!? And how he begged me to get permission to come, but I couldn't, but now I am actually in Glenont and can go to his BAPTISM SUNDAY!!!!?? Yeah, millagrrooo verdaddd? I was just about in tears when we got our callouts and I realized I would be at his baptism. He has such a special place in my heart there really just aren't words.  I can't wait for you to meet him. I also got the best message I have received in my life yesterday. As I was packing we were listening to our messages on speaker, then we heard ANDRES (the Doctor from Spain- upper box from festival)- say "Hermana Allen, I borrowed this phone from a friend because I had to tell you the great news, they are letting me get baptized tomorrow, and I have never been happier in my life. " Both of our jaws dropped and then we screamed cried a little because he is just soooo elect and such a good person I can't explain how happy I am for him. He is only here in DC temporally (hence, no car nor phone) until he leaves to Columbia  to do another service research thing there and he is taking a 2 hour bus trip to come to the VC and say bye and see the temple as the newest member of the church:) You can not believe how golden this man is. He always prays for you guys and asks about my family soo much. He wants to meet you one day. Anyway, it's been a miracle filled week. Miguel came to a baptism on Sunday and said, "I'm next!" - it's so hard to leave him. It's so cool to see people who have just been hungering for the truth, but not knowing where to find it and then BAM they see the castle off the 495 and feel the spirit and know that's their answer. tawnee will love this story. A woman 2 days ago from HAITI came into the VC and said, "I've been meaning to come into here for a long time"- we play the Christus in french for her and then Sister FInaly tells her about the restoration. She was in tears after listening to the Christus and shared that she just the night before had a dream with that exact statue, and she knows this where Christ wants her to be. She also shared a story about a painting of people in a boat crossing the seas. Sis Finlay showed her the picture in the Book of Mormon of Lehi and his families crossing to the Americas and she said, "That's it!" - right then and there she accepted Baptism. I had no idea so many prepared people in the world were out there? Ahh I love being a missionary! So I love you alllll 4ever. write me plz

Hermana Allen

01/26/2012

Mis queriddaaass, como les extranooo!

wut is noo? dats cool. Britt is in VEGAS again, time number 88. Is she ever not travelling? Your  lives are all to exciting. Mom, secretly I wish every week that you give me updates on the election, cause we are sooo blind to it all here and I am DYING to know! I just see tons of people coming in saying either, "I want to learn about the church to which the future president belongs" - or, "I just wanted to find out if all this dirt on Mitt Romney's religion is true" - that spark has actually brought in tons of people many of which have accepted missionaries. The other day I gave a tour and they said, "Really? THAT's what you believe? Those are all good things!" They were shocked at how off the ads about Romney were. How are babies coming? I always think that the pics sent the week before can't be beat in level of cuteness, but they just get better? and mas cuter? loveit.

This week has been swellish. Lots of miracles como siempre. They like really haven't ceased, as Mormon would say. Miguel, young man from Guatamala has a child recently divorced, really struggling comes into the VC the other day and says, "I came in at Christmas time and gave someone my information, but no one has come by, and I felt so much peace here I just had to come by and see how I can feel that more" - we got down his info again, turns out he lives in our area!! We teach him like every two days cause he just can't get enough of it. Everytime we are done with our appointments he just lingers and doesn't want to leave. He said he had a dream twice where he asks God where God wants him to be and what He wants him to do, and always waks up after. But he says when he reads the Book of Mormon, he KNOWS it's true and that is God's answer. SO COOL! He was alcoholic, and has stopped drinking. It's hard, but he just feels so good about it. He will be baptized da fifth :) It was cool we had Juan (recent convert) come teach with us, and it was so cool to see him switch from being an investigator to a member present:) He teaches so well, his testimony is so solid. I have decided I will send you some of Andrew's (the doctor from Spain?) words by email cause you wouldn't believe how passionate he is about the gospel and the Book of Mormon. He said his DEEPEST desire is to be baptized. He will be on the 5th but he goes to Columbia after. There was a woman at festival staring at the temple crying and her son expressed his desire to go inside, so they upperboxed. The other day I am going through my cards and I felt prompted to call them of everyone. Turns out they live in our area and we never received the info. We set up an appointment for that night and they are so golden!  I loove da Evangelio!!!!!! These people are all real people that just hunger for this. ugh, it's great. SO... kind of not so good news, Hermana Perez (mi compa that looks like Sylvia!) slipped on some black ice and broke her leg :/ she got surgery and now is back in our apartment. Pobrecita. She has alread 3 accidents this transfer. I am not going to lie, it's really hard. Pres told us to keep to our exact schedule and not change enything, but it is SO HARD. It takes a lonnng time to get her ready in the morning and we wake up several times to  help her to the bathroom or something. Anyway, I am not the one with the broken leg so I am not complaining, I just don't know how to both keep on the same exact schedule and also take care of her. But I love her she is great:) Okay well, I love you all please be so safe n happy alll da ttyymm

PS are you coming to get me?! I read mom say that!!!!! ahh! cool! LOVE YOU!

1/11/2012

Querida familia

How is urything? How are all the babes? I need more pics! They are my fav part every week! I am sooo pleased to hear about Mitt Romney! He is a hype oer here. People walk into the VC all the time wanting to learn more about the church cause the future President of the US is one of the mormons from the big white castle off the 495. Tawn are you really getting murried? Britt your babe is practically already here!!! AHH!!! And luke, I am in love. I will die when I actually meet him cause he already has my heart just by pics.

This week has been eventful. So first off, there was a man who came in during festival a couple of weeks ago who walked in and as "first greeter" you never really make conversation wit anyone cause you are just getting everyone through the doors and directing them away since it's so insane. But this man one night looked at me, walked away, and then came back super quick and immediately just grabbed my hands with tears in his eyes and he said "Your church is so beautiful. I have been wanting to come here for years and could never find it, but God lead me here tonight"- I obviously got his info had a good 20 sec conversation that was super intense. So lately I have been very stressed out cause I haven't been sure if the information is actually going through on the computer cause we haven't received any referrals in our area. SO I have been praying to know if the info is getting through cause it is literally impossible to call all 117 upperboxes and make sure the missionaries got there. It really stressed me out. But I went on exchanges all the way in Glenmont from Fri- Sat. And I was confirming appointments with all these people I didn't know for the next day when this man Luis says "Can we have our appointment at the VC? I would like to see Sis. Allen again..." I literally responded "Wait, who?" When we realized that we were talking to each other it was SUCH AN AMAZING MOMENT! Cause I was all the way in Glenmont! What are the odds of that!? So we set up the appointment in the VC. He came 30 min early cause he just loved the temple and how he felt. He literally already had tears in his eyes by the time we got there. He opened up and told us his whole life story and how everything was leading him to that point in the temple. He was an alcoholic and had struggled quite a bit. He was just lleno con gozo y paz when we were able to teachhim about Jesus Christ and how his life can be whole n all that. He accpted baptism right there and supposedly has been super solid since. It's just so cool to see how the Lord is SO aware of every single one of His children, exactly where they are in every moment. He knew I would be on exchanges to be able to teach Luis again and get that prayer answered, and his prayer answered to be able to come back to the temple where I could see him again. It's unreal the experiences that people have that literally lead THEM to the missionaries and to accept the gospel. And it is so cool when thy recognize every experience as a preparation for hearing the message of the restored gospel of Jesus Christ. We were teaching a man last night who said it was literally the night after he prayed for God to show him more that two sister missionaries walk up to share more. We are teaching a man named Freddy who was kidnapped in mexico trying to cross the border in that super danger notorious house where they kill everyone? Do you know what I am talking about? Anyway they recognize there ability to come to the states as the way God prepares for them to hear about the gospel. It's incredible! Ah! I am such a spoiled missionary. There are the coolest people in the world here. A man came into the VC 2 days ago and I was CERTAIN he was a member. He showed me his Ensign ap on his itouch told me his favorite apostles and why told me about all his favorite church books. Then, when I mentioned baptisms in the temple he said "oh so you can't do your own baptism in the temple? Dang I always imagined my baptism there!" I was soo taken back. I guess he became interested in the church 6 years ago and has been completely studying it on his own without missionaries stuck on what to do. SO I was able to get his info and send him the msisionaries. Like... really... I am so spoiled. People are so prepared here. Maybe God knew that I wouldn't be super great missionary and sent me already super prepared people. It's great. The miracles are endless. I got to speak for all the temple workers on Sunday and share some of the cool miracles. PS JUAN GOT BAPTIZED SUNDAY!!!! IT was fabulous. He was SO HAPPY and nervous is was precious, I want you to meet him you would LOVE him so much!

I love you all so so much. You are in every single one of my prayers and probably too many of my thoughts. 

01/05/2012

Familiiaaa!!!

All your emails were just the highlight of my life. I had a dream about you all last night, and grandma. Tell Grandma I love her and I say hi and thank you so much for the gift! I am writing her a letter today. Tawn, your story about Megan made me cry a little I was laughing so hard. And cause I miss you. And Ben's quote I lol'ed in the middle of this nice family history center. And soon enough we will be able to sleep in the same bed and eat pazookies and watch... The Joseph Smith movie. That is actually a really REALLY good movie. Go watch it. Mom, thank you for the newsletter! BUT you forgot something. the newsletter. You just put the pics. And that really awesome model pic of me. jaja I love you, but you always remember to put a funny pic of me in. you da best :) I want to read it! And your life is supa exciting! And BRITT your babe comes so soon!!! Are you freaking out!!! I AM !!!! Him and Luke are going to have way too much fun togeva. And the pic of Luke... oh my... No surprise that the whole congregation gasped cause he honestly is the #1 cutest baby I have ever seen. I am not just biased either, he really does win.

I love you all. This week was excelente. I have been sick, but I one day said "this type of sickness never inhibits me from working"- and jinxed myself cause the next day I had ear infections in both ears, couldn't breathe, my body was weak, I had a fever and migraine and Stomach (which was my least fav)- I felt harrible. And the point of me telling you is to emphasize the miracle in it, that I was praying SO HARD to be well enough to be able to work in the 2nd to last night of festival. It almost seemed ridiculous to pray for it because I felt like I would be like that for a week. But miraculously, 4 oclock hits and I was fine. Millagrrrooo. And it was meant to be cause I met such golden people that night. A man who asked me how much a book of mormon costed and I said "es gratuito claro!" - he called me the next day and said he read it and loved it- happened to be in our area. Se llama Jesus from Ecuador and we passed by,he tried to pay us again- and he wants to be baptized. He is the cutest man in the world, Tawnee you would love him. I think that was also the night I met the greek theology professor who spoke no english and when I gave him a Book of Mormon in Greek he literally couldn't only express himself by grabbing my hands and singing. It was cute/hilarious. This past week we also ran into a fellow named gerardo in the store. He came up to us and asked how long the lights were on until. We did our usual GQ tried to get a return appt with him and he reluctantly looked down and said, "I am a member" - it was evident that he was inactive. He said he got baptized three years ago and has not been to church in 2. He was verry vacilante to accept an appointment from us, but we set it and stopped by. Turns out he really wants to change his life right now. He came to church even though it is super early and has been coming out with us to appointments. And he will keep coming. He was such a miracle! Juan  is getting baptized Sunday!!!! He is SO GOOD! We have been working with him for so long and he s just SO SOLID in his decision. His family doesn't support him, but he just is so amazing. He has been studying baptism in his scriptures and studying the interview questions cause he wants to ensure he will "pass" it haha. He is so great. Also I just heard Iranian man from last week I told you about, accepted Baptism! ! !!!! (feliz emoticon)  

Anyway I love you all and hope you are BIEN! Always in my thoughts and prayers.. maybe too much. MWUAH <3 <3 <3 <3

ps happy new year? I forgot. Oh and to answer your question mom I loved the package everything in it! Espcially the cute white shirt and the cookies and the rammeenn and the blankettt and the stocking and za muneys. You are da best