tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25240196885834351132024-03-19T05:52:07.166-07:00Hermana Kelly AllenMissionary for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day SaintsHermana Kelly Allenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13362513169009794981noreply@blogger.comBlogger54125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2524019688583435113.post-87352371722051834812012-04-12T10:55:00.002-07:002012-04-12T10:55:47.316-07:0004/11<div class="MsoNormal">MIS QUERIDOS!!!!!!<br />
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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. <br />
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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!<br />
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</div>Hermana Kelly Allenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13362513169009794981noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2524019688583435113.post-64993213549488139232012-04-05T13:30:00.000-07:002012-04-05T13:30:20.307-07:0004/04/2012<div class="MsoNormal">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.....</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">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!</div>Hermana Kelly Allenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13362513169009794981noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2524019688583435113.post-68557721564913028152012-03-28T10:45:00.002-07:002012-03-28T10:45:58.741-07:003/28/2012<div class="MsoNormal">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! <br />
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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.<br />
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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</div><span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 7.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><br />
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<!--[endif]--></span>Hermana Kelly Allenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13362513169009794981noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2524019688583435113.post-63578391090081421782012-03-27T14:06:00.000-07:002012-03-27T14:06:07.444-07:003/22/2012 sisters do as sisters do<div class="MsoNormal">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<br />
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Britt did you not get the pics last week? I will try to send them again. </div>Hermana Kelly Allenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13362513169009794981noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2524019688583435113.post-42742489806333889182012-03-15T17:56:00.000-07:002012-03-15T17:56:30.447-07:0003/14/2012<div class="MsoNormal">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</div><div class="MsoNormal">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 <a href="http://mormon.org/" target="_blank">mormon.org</a> 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!</div>Hermana Kelly Allenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13362513169009794981noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2524019688583435113.post-14868936804033547522012-03-07T10:05:00.002-08:002012-03-07T10:05:53.178-08:003/7/2012<div class="MsoPlainText">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.</div><div class="MsoPlainText">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</div><div class="MsoPlainText"><br />
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</div>Hermana Kelly Allenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13362513169009794981noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2524019688583435113.post-42994942505358489792012-02-29T15:09:00.002-08:002012-02-29T15:09:35.726-08:0002/29/2012<div class="MsoPlainText">WHOAH!!!!!!!!!! I CAN NOT BELIEVE TAWNEE IS ENGAGED!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!</div><div class="MsoPlainText">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!</div><div class="MsoPlainText"><br />
</div><div class="MsoPlainText">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.</div><div class="MsoPlainText"><br />
</div><div class="MsoPlainText">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...</div><div class="MsoPlainText"><br />
</div><div class="MsoPlainText">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</div><div class="MsoPlainText">:) 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.</div><div class="MsoPlainText">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</div><div class="MsoPlainText"><br />
</div><div class="MsoPlainText">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!!!!</div><div class="MsoPlainText"><br />
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</div>Hermana Kelly Allenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13362513169009794981noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2524019688583435113.post-34255831244476826312012-02-29T15:06:00.001-08:002012-02-29T15:06:08.144-08:0002/22/2012<div class="MsoNormal">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</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">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!</div>Hermana Kelly Allenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13362513169009794981noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2524019688583435113.post-22964683302108677652012-02-29T15:05:00.000-08:002012-02-29T15:05:12.544-08:0002/16/2012<div class="MsoNormal">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.<br />
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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</div><span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 7.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><br />
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<!--[endif]--></span>Hermana Kelly Allenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13362513169009794981noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2524019688583435113.post-88144440089607274922012-02-08T16:43:00.000-08:002012-02-08T16:43:22.332-08:0002/08/2012<div class="MsoNormal">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 </div>Hermana Kelly Allenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13362513169009794981noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2524019688583435113.post-24882458287293312432012-02-02T10:37:00.001-08:002012-02-02T10:37:36.262-08:0001/19/2012- Sorry this is out of order- I missed one :)<div class="MsoNormal">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 </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">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</div>Hermana Kelly Allenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13362513169009794981noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2524019688583435113.post-75270140602155080632012-02-02T10:17:00.001-08:002012-02-02T10:17:44.665-08:0002/01/2012<div class="MsoNormal">Familiaaa</div><div class="MsoNormal">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</div><div class="MsoNormal">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</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Hermana Allen</div>Hermana Kelly Allenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13362513169009794981noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2524019688583435113.post-24507914598884022932012-02-02T10:16:00.000-08:002012-02-02T10:16:35.287-08:0001/26/2012<div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Mis queriddaaass, como les extranooo! <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">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. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">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<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">PS are you coming to get me?! I read mom say that!!!!! ahh! cool! LOVE YOU!<o:p></o:p></span></div><span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><br />
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<!--[endif]--></span>Hermana Kelly Allenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13362513169009794981noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2524019688583435113.post-91839014831796712352012-01-12T13:50:00.000-08:002012-01-12T13:50:51.183-08:001/11/2012<div class="MsoNormal">Querida familia </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">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.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">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!</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">I love you all so so much. You are in every single one of my prayers and probably too many of my thoughts. </div>Hermana Kelly Allenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13362513169009794981noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2524019688583435113.post-84937633276826137262012-01-05T13:26:00.000-08:002012-01-05T13:26:21.884-08:0001/05/2012<div class="MsoNormal"></div><div class="MsoNormal">Familiiaaa!!!</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">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. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">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) </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Anyway I love you all and hope you are BIEN! Always in my thoughts and prayers.. maybe too much. MWUAH <3 <3 <3 <3 </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">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</div><br />
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</div>Hermana Kelly Allenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13362513169009794981noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2524019688583435113.post-61956851880411391712011-12-29T10:07:00.000-08:002011-12-29T10:07:33.349-08:0012/29/2011<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt;">SOOO remember how we just talked on da phone and how awkward I was and I couldn't stop crying? I got off thinking you probably all think I am an awkward sister missionary now. But I didn't care cause I was just so happy to hear yo voices :) Everyone was making fun of me cause I was like pacing back forth sweating before cause I was so anxious. I am just justifying my awkwardness right now. Love you. <br />
<br />
Literally the moment when I walked out of the room Elder Dougall said "Ready to get to work?" cause the floor was filled with non members and no missionaries. I walked up to a family of 8 from India and taught them with the temple panels. When I started talking about forever families I started crying again making them feel soo awkward cause I just love you all so much. Now I get why we don't get to talk to our families more than twice a year.<br />
<br />
There was SO MUCH I wanted to know that I didn't get to ask. So tell me... Sara what do you do every day as a mother? Britt are you still working? What do you mean FIVE months!? You just got pregnant! Ahh he is coming way faster than I anticipated! Tawn like... are you getting married? Mom I want to hear more about your "friend"- okay thanks.<br />
<br />
Since talking to you some incredible milagros han pasado. Yesterday a doctor from Iran who has been muslim his entire life comes in and the second he walks in the door takes me aside and shares with me why he is there. He said just a few days before the word "Mormon" popped into his head. He couldn't stop thinking about it. He kept using the word "vision" so it seems like this thought had been lingering to an extent where he knew it wasn't from him. Especially cause he had never heard of the church before. He was so confused and was looking up mormon on the internet. His eyes filled with tears when he said, "And I saw there was a temple in walking distance from my home and that's why I am here. I need you to tell me everything you know"- It was powerful. I briefly shared with him about temples and the restoration and he just soaked it alll in. His wife kept chiming in trying to leave and he said "NO I need to hear about this NOW"- I got his info and called the missionaries and left them a message straight away. Literally just a couple of hours later he came back to the VC WITH the missionaries. And in the least creepy way possible came up and kissed me on the head and grabbed my hands and with all the sincerity of his heart said, "THANK YOU so much" - I love to see learned men turn to Christ. Because it is often harder, but the truly intelligent sense something greater. Another doctor from Bolivia the other day came in and I was holding the "end of line" sign with thousands of people running into me and I typically can't talk to people in this position. His family asked me "What is different about this church and others?" I gave them a 20 sec explanation of the authority and the restoration and they kept going, but he stayed back and just kept jumping behind people in line to hear what I had to say. He was FASCINATED! The conversation ended with, "Okay... I go back to my country Feb 8th, how long does it take to be baptized?" - not exaggerating. We have been emailing non stop since and he just keeps raving about how good God is for helping him find the truth. And then there is the scientist from Russia who came in a couple months ag saying how the good feelings he felt at the VC were explainable just by the atmosphere. Came back last night to tell me that he has been reading the book I gave him and feels the spirit SO strong. He used the word spirit!? It was the coolest thing ever. UGH! It's just so great. <br />
<br />
I am out of time and miss you all. Tawn wear your seatbelt I know you are not. Bear... cuddle with Luke all the time. Britt.. have a baby, but not for 5 months. MOM I LOVE YOU SO MUCH!!!!!!!!!! I miss you all! <br />
<br />
Sis ALlen</div>Hermana Kelly Allenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13362513169009794981noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2524019688583435113.post-34377780066380446842011-12-15T11:26:00.000-08:002011-12-15T11:26:10.751-08:0012/14/2011<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXYA_iMX5dG22F3NQd2eSAXq7xAu0qsfS8-YENtEa-cxrB1VRhfFj7UpDmB98SWhND6HO4XQ0aynxVtNxJRtlqzXJBV1euUjA_mi2EiVY_7bmhRKhmrAPsGK_Trqe464tRmRMgAxME6h5B/s1600/KELLY.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXYA_iMX5dG22F3NQd2eSAXq7xAu0qsfS8-YENtEa-cxrB1VRhfFj7UpDmB98SWhND6HO4XQ0aynxVtNxJRtlqzXJBV1euUjA_mi2EiVY_7bmhRKhmrAPsGK_Trqe464tRmRMgAxME6h5B/s320/KELLY.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">I will be honest, all of the exciting things going on back home is overhwhelming I don't even know how to approach the excitedness over email!!!!!! It's all so whunderfullllll!!!!! Although the part of me not being there- not so wonderful. But I am so happy and thrilled nonetheless. Congrats on creating human beings and giving them life!!!!! Bear.... ( I don't know if I should mention this in the mass email, but if not just take it out?) I had no idea about Sara's labor. I am so glad I didn't know while it was happening. I would have died of anxiety. That is so terrifying there are no words. I am SO overwhelmedly grateful that they are both healthy and happy. And I believe full heartedly that Dad was there every second. I bet Luke misses his grandpa cause I am sure they hung out all the time. So something I find kind of cool is that I made a little goal a while ago that every Dec 10th, Spet 29th, days such as those that I would want to remember dad by doing something to make him proud. So I found it very cool that last Dec 10th I got my mission call. This past Saturday (Dec 10th) I sang his favorite song at a baptism of someone I taught in the Visitor's Center ( I know it is funny to think of me singing a musical number- he made me do it). It also was his 3 year mark of his sobriety date. I think Heavenly Father just loves to give little tender mercies like that. He just loves it! Also that night at festival I was talking to this family and you only get like 1 min to talk to people and datch their interest cause you change positions ever 15 min, but for some reason I felt so strongly I needed to teach them about the temple at the temple kiosks. I have never done that ever in festival. But I was teaching them and there were 5700 people that night (literally) so it was loud and inappropriate but I felt so strongly I needed to share that it was 3 years ago that day that I lost my dad and that the temple is a sacred ediface that allows families to last beyond death. It was weird cause they were very closed off and not sharing much at all and I had just met them, but the Spirit was practically forcing me to say it jaja. So then, the dad reaches into his wallet and pulls out a picture of him and his 15 year old daughter who didn't have any hair and said holding back tears, "we lost her 3 months ago to Cancer"- my heart ached so much for them, and they just completely opened up and poured their hearts out. He resulted in how much peace he felt knowing he can see her again. It was a very powerful experience he had me in tears. but I was thinking of dad and Rachel and all of you this week.. I would be really struggling at not being with you this time of year if it weren't for all the miracles at the festival. An 18 year old 7th day avenist (Who are just as true to their religion as we are if you know them) walked in and said "I don't know why, but I feel like I belong HERE- I want this book in portruguese and to learn more. I talked to 11 other people that nights who also self referred. And when they self referr in the short 3 min you have to get their attention, they are legit. A woman yesterday said "please please send me missionaries I need to learn more about mormons" - she was from india. Yesterday a bunch of brazilians self referred. A family from Jordan, a huge family from Mozambique, a couple from France. OH and I am teaching the diplomats from Russia!!! They said "Can we come back tomorrow and learn more?" (cause the VC was closing) - it's the coolest thing ever. There are no words. Everyone is from everywhere!!!!! I love the mission. I love you all. I love Luke so much and I already love declan. I love tawnee and mom and all yall. Dayna and beeps all you. All in my prayers. I love you so much pelase be safe and happy and have da best Christmas ever. </span><br />
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<div class="MsoNormal">PS Beny and Renee are being baptized on Sunday!!!!!!!!!::)) </div><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"> <!--[if !supportLineBreakNewLine]--><br />
<!--[endif]--></span>Hermana Kelly Allenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13362513169009794981noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2524019688583435113.post-83552587268248501472011-12-07T10:59:00.001-08:002011-12-07T10:59:50.827-08:0012/07/2011<div class="MsoNormal">IAMSOINLOVEWITHBABYLUKETHEREARENOWORDS. Those pictures make me want to cry in joy that he is so cute and sorrow that I am not there to cuddle with him too. He is the most beautiful baby I have ever seen. I LOVE HIM SO MUCH!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Is he just so fun? AHHHHHHHH I CAN'T BELIEVE YOU HAVE BABY!!!!!!!!!!! oh my... I should breathe. I can't grasp it all it just blows my mind. Maybe when I ever see babes in the VC I overwhelm people cause I am living viacriously through their child. Uinfortunately I can not touch them. But one day I will cuddle with luke and we'll be bff. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">this week was excellent knowing that all went well with the babe and he is healthy and happy and super cute. We had our ambassadors night and can I just say it was the coolest thing I have seen iin my life? It was so elegant and classy and all these ritsy ambassadors from allll over the world came in with their big fur coats and hereisthecoolestpart. So they were sitting in the front lobby where they have the huge window facing out to the gorgeous temple and in the reflection you can see the Christus and every culture you can imagine sitting right under him in the vicinity of His arms. It's just cool to see those scriptures all throughout Isaih and Jacob 6 come to life. That His arms are stretched out to the four corners of the earth, to the meek and lowly of heart, and the haughty and prideful, and the rich and the poor, and the Kings of the world and the homeless. Sometimes we only mention His mercy towards those from humble circumstances, but as it says "His arms is stretched out still" - even after those reject Him time after time. Just like Dan (who is getting baptized Saturday and wants me to sing- jaja I thought that was funny). And these ambassadors actually were not in this case. Sadly we could not proselyte to them, but one of the dignitaries came up to me and just could not stop talking about how great Jesus is. Haha it was an incredible experience. The next night we invited more of the lower level dignitaries about 600 of them and it was really cool. Oh and don't worry I am just standing as an usher and up walks L Tom Perry and he is the coolest most loving man ever ps. It was really cool seeing an apostle of the Lord speaking with the dignitaries of the world. Fulfilling of prophecy! They did this really cool count down and then him and the ambassador from Brazil turned on the lights. And the reason why Rome allowed the construction of a temple was because of two Italian Sisters at Temple Square so it was really cool when the ambassador of Vietnam came up and started talking to the member Congressman and talk about his daughter wanting to go to BYU and saying they were going to have a meeting together and the lady over it all turned to him and say "this will help the church ties substantially with Vietnam"- which doesn't have missionaries, right>? it was just an incredible experience. AH! And this past week of festival has been exhausting but amazing. We don't really have pday anymore and we have to be there every single night with change in positiion every 15 min. It's been a hard balance because we are working with such GOLDEN people in my area, but I have already seen so many miracles at the VC. Just in these first few days I have had 20 upperboxes. and it has nothing to do with me we are just surrounded with prepared people. But I am still missing my gente in the area. But God provides away one of our guys, Jose, came to the VC by himself for the lights and I happened to be on positionoutside and I said, "Pray about a specific date" and he goes "I thought I was getting baptized the 18th?" jaja- lack of communication during festival since it's so crazy and we have no contact with anyone (we get out at 10 and can't make calls and go to bed now at 11:30), but God privdes miracles still. any with this is all over the place just know I love you so and I LOVE LUKE SO MUCHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Please tell me all the little cute things he does so I can pretend I am there to play with him!!!!!!!!!!!! </div>Hermana Kelly Allenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13362513169009794981noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2524019688583435113.post-2339642579749976032011-11-30T09:47:00.000-08:002011-11-30T09:47:59.383-08:0011/30/2011<div class="MsoNormal">Oh... my.... goodness.... I just don't know where to start or what to say. I want to just scream, but the email doesn't capture it. AHHHHHHHHH BEAR DIO LA LUZ!!!!!!! ohhh myyy goodness. He is THE MOST BEAUTIFUL THING I HAVE EVER SEEN. Can I just say I have literally 5 min left on email cause I just spent the last half hour just looking at pics of the luke in awe. I am just so confused cause I never have fully grasped that Bear was pregnant cause I just see pics and I can't fully grasp it and all of a sudden she has this CHILD this little MAN! I am so in awe there are no words. And aren;t newborns not supposed to be cute cause he is BEAUTIFUL!!!! I am so happy he has beautiful dark hair! HE is such a stud! Bear I need to hear a very detailed account of your 14 hours of labor and what it feels like and itf its scary anbd why you shouldn't brush your hair? I am dying to hear details!!!! OH my goodness. there are no words. I wish so bad I was there to meet this little man. This email just doewsn't capture what I feel right now. AHHHHH!!!!!! I LOVE HIM ALREADY!!!!!!<br />
<br />
Well, I literally am out of time already. I guess I will just write a couple words. We found the most golden man I have about met on my mission this past week. He walked in on an appointment with his roommate and we didn't really think much of him but we gave him a Book of Mormon anyway and he was just quiet. We came back for his appointment and the roommate wasn't there, but he was and he came out with his Book of Mormon and said he read all of Alma 5. And I asked him how he decided to read Alma 5 (it's long and was PERFECT for his situation) and he said he just prayed and turned right to it. So he recently had a deathly surgery and like wasn't supposed to live and said he was not close to God at all before that and was really prideful. He he was looking at the Book thinking that he wanted to know where he stood with God and how to assure He can pretty much go to Heaven when he dies. If i knew that was his question, I would have honestly assigned him Alma 5. and he said he said a pray and opened right to Alma 5 and he said he just felt the spirit so strong and he knows it is all true. He is getting baptized on Dec 18th. He is SO GOLDEN we asked when he hwas the happiest in his life in a lesson and he said, "honestly right now just learning abou tthe word of God". AH! We also met many other golden people and a man just called us last night that we have never met in our life and said he got our number from a friend and wanrts to meet with us. Tonight we have 250 ambassadors from all over the world and The Marriots and senators and L Tom Perry coming on to turn on the Christmas lights for festival and a fancy dinner. Coolest mission ever? </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">HAd some sad news as my companion had to return home on medical release. I love and miss her, but I know her situation needs to be worked out at home. Pray for her. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">Welp, Sara had baby Luke. and I aam SO HAPPPPPPYYYYYYYY ANd I already love him sooooo muchhhhhhhh!!!!!! And I still don't really believe it I think they just borrowed a baby and took a picture. oh my goodness<br />
love you all</span>Hermana Kelly Allenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13362513169009794981noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2524019688583435113.post-82813913774867166252011-11-22T11:55:00.001-08:002011-11-22T11:55:12.638-08:0011/22/2011<div class="MsoNormal">Querida familia, </div><div class="MsoNormal">So my heart hurts a little that Thanksgiving is this week and I am not dancing or playing the flute in our annual thanksgiving dinner. Okay well, I don't miss that that much. Don't worry we definitely had our ward thanksgiving dinner and it was just like our family talent shows I loved it. They even announced that we were singing a musical number without us knowing about it. I don't know why, but that reminded me of, "This year has been a little hard with Tawnee's candida"- But it will be grand. We are going to Eliana's, la familia escobar's, and Julio's for thanksgiving dinner (now I feel how married people do when they have to eat 2 huge dinners) and watching church christmas movies at the vc. I down wit dat. So how are Carolyn and her family and Cami's family? I have not been able to stop thinking about them. They are in every thought and prayer. And unfortunately we had another tragedy in the ward this past week. Our ward secretary/pres of high priests was killed in an automobile accident. The whole ward together esta de luto because he was SUCH a good man. His wife is young women's president and he has a beautiful young teenage daughter. It's hard to see all these children lose their fathers :( And Sunday someone came cause they were going to give him a new calling. He was also going to confirm Shirley on Sunday. He was always so sweet and involved in every baptism and always willing to help. So all day today we have been helping at the funeral and oh wow it was the most incredible thing I have ever seen. The room was full of hundreds of non member latinos and every single talk given they were just preaching about the gospel and the plan of salvation. At first I kind of wondered if the wife maybe was thinking "oh this is about my husband let's talk about him"- but no when she got up she just testified and taught the plan of Salvation just as you would in a missionary lesson. They were teaching about the Book of Mormon and wow it was incredible. I was translating to a bunch of nonmebers who didn't speak Spanish and it was a really powerful experience. Anyway the Plan of Salvation is SO REAL. And just fyi I want that same thing at my funeral. Don't talk about me just about the plan and God and how great He is. thanks. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Besides that this week has been filled with miracles. One ofmy fav things on the mission and in the world is to see someone feel the spirit and like it says in the bible how it "passeth all understanding" and to see people feel it and understand it for the first time. It's SO incredible and makes the spirit seem much more real. Some people cry, some touch their chest and say "wow I can't describe what I am feeling right now"- Julio shared with us a very sacred experience that probably wouldn't be appropriate to share over email that happened in one of our lessons the other day and that is what has kept him going. He he soo solid he just will rave for hours on how great God is, but not in the typical latino way, but in that God put us in his path because we represent the true church. Eliana the other day- JA- I wish you were there. We were praying together to know if she should be baptized the 11th of Dec and we were silent for a moment and asked how she felt. And then she went on to sing two verses of a song that I don't know if it exists or not called "El espiritu de Dios este aqui" jaja it was great. So since that moment she has been so solid on her bdate! Ah, I just love the mission. And this mission happens to be the best in the world, for real though. In which mission do you get to have a night at the VC with 250 ambassadors from around the world? Where L Tom Perry and the Marriotts (of Marriot hotel) turns on the Christmas lights? Or get to teach busfuls of nonmember soldiers on the base about the gospel? We are SO blessed. And I am SO excited for festival of lights!! ahhhhh. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Ps I had a dream Bear had her lil babe. Did that happen my chance? I wish I could tell you the deets it was funny. I love you all! What's new? Please tell. I miss you?</div><span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 7.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><br />
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<!--[endif]--></span>Hermana Kelly Allenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13362513169009794981noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2524019688583435113.post-80089953468867774492011-11-16T12:39:00.000-08:002011-11-16T12:39:14.608-08:0011/16/2011<div class="MsoNormal">Oh my goodness my dearrrressttt family. I love and miss you all so much. I would have given anything to be at Uncle Frank's funeral. I wish so bad I could be there for Aunt Carolyn and the cousins. Please send me their addresses so I can write them. Also please send me Cami's address. I just expressed my feelings in Sara's email, but Wally truly was one of my favorite people not just in the family, but that I have about ever met. He took all of my friends and I in Ghana to eat and to a movie and it was really expensive there and just was hilarious my friends LOVED him. My heart is completely broken for his beautiful children and wife, please send them my love and address cause I want to send them a letter. I literally gasped and then cried reading about the horrible news. But always combined with the gospel (the GOOD NEWS!), that the Plan of Salvation just becomes so much more real. He was a wonderful man and I don't doubt where he is and what he is doing. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">To answer all your questions, Mom Eliana is actually doing really good and has a new baptismal date for Dec 11th. She has had a lot of pruebas lately but she has stayed solid despite her challenges. Beny (Shirley's mom) finally chose a date for Dec 18th!!!!! Let me just say I am so glad my brithday is on a Sunday. Cause as of right now three are on date for the 18th. JUst pray they go down! It was really cool cause we taught them a lesson about prayer, and then shirley lost her cell phone. We looked for it for a long time and then we were like "WHAT are we doing?" and prayed and found it like right after! And she was super against choosing her own baptismal date and always changed the subject and now she is really excited about it! And Beni, like shirley doesn't waver when they set their own date so that one is for sure happening :) Everyone else is doing good. We are starting festival soon so we will be at VC every day for the 1000s of people who come for the lights and I am stressed cause we are working with AMAZING people that deserve our time! I just love the mission so. And if you really are gonna send me a package... I just want a couple things. CALLI! anddd that tape that you have been talking about forever! porrrrffaavoorrr. That's it! And if you throw in sweaters and long sleeve shirts I will not be opposed. I love you guys so so much I can't wait for zabear to have her lil BABE!!!!</span>Hermana Kelly Allenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13362513169009794981noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2524019688583435113.post-22276673042577393022011-11-10T10:30:00.000-08:002011-11-10T10:30:18.023-08:0011/10/2011<div class="MsoNormal">El tiempo me acaba, but I will write very quickly some milagritos of this week! First off, I have been so heart broken this whole past week thinking of Aunt Carolyn and the cousins. I love them and have been praying for them incessantly. Please send me their addresses cause I have letters for them. They are in every single one of my prayers. Mesa just won't ever be the same without Uncle Frank, it's times like these when the Plan of Salvation becomes so real. Send them my love and My comp and I always pray for them </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">So just some quick miracles this week cause mom I know you look forward to them:) First.. this young man daniel comes into the VC kind of without purpose. That morning in our prayer meeting I remember praying that whoever The Lord has prepared would be lead into the VC. Kind of a typical prayer, but I felt that someone was coming in who was more than prepared. I was outlining a kiosk in the back and supposedly according to him humming a song and we ran into each other and it was awkward for a second, but then he was like asking all these very deep questions. He was an alcoholic who tried to commit suicide and just felt very lost and he said he was supposed to go to work that day, but just felt like something dragged him to that big white castle off the 495. We had an incredible converstion about the atonement and of course was more than thrilled to learn more from the missionaries. Just saw him again yesterday he came into the VC, shared another incredible experience and he is getting baptized!! And his countenance is SOOO different already. He has had a dramatic change and it makes every single hard part of the mission completely worth it. He was just glowing it was unreal. Ugh you jjust gotta meet him. I am comforted this week that God will place people in our paths that we are meant to meet. If we miss a subtle prompting, he makes it happen. For example, We're riding our bikes and Hermana Shannon runs into the fence and falls over. It was funny to the point that we almost missed the latin workers in construction inside the fence. We talked to them, got their info set an appointment, no big deal. But he (Juio) is one of the elect we have been looking for! And I don't know if we would have any other way found him. But it all worked out cause God is just sooo good at what He does. He said he used to meet with missionaries but they just disappeared and now he has this sincere desire to learn. He wants to meet with us every day and he says "I'm so sorry if I am being a pain, but ocould you come tomorrow too?" jaja he is soo good. He is preparing to be baptozed the 4th of december :) Keep him in your prayers. He just keeps talking about how he feels every word we say is as if it's coming from Jesus Christ, it's really cool to see how people can recognize that although we are weak, that we are representatives of Jesus Christ. And he keeps saying how it wasn't chance that Hermana Shannon ran into the fence jaja. Shirley got baptized this past SUnday and it was the most beautiful thing I have every seen!!!!!! oh my word. She was just GLOWING! and she couldn't stop talking about how she wants to serve a mission and get married in the temple. And there were like 80 people there, it was amazing to see the ward step up and support. Soo we had intercambios this week and maybe I rode my bike past the railraod tracks and the train went by and I lost my comp (for the day) for like 10 min. I was running up and down the streets screaming her name. It was funny. Okay anyway I love you all so much. Your lives are way too exciting it thrills me that you are being so blessed<<33333333 MWUAH!</div>Hermana Kelly Allenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13362513169009794981noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2524019688583435113.post-54769185247910545212011-11-09T11:00:00.000-08:002011-11-09T11:00:05.217-08:0011/02<div class="MsoNormal">Did Sara happen to have her baby today? I feel like she did! I know that would be early, but Luke is anxious. And oh my word, I can not believe all the crazy tragedies turning out to be miracles happening in the family right now, with the roll over car accident, Uncle Frank's heart attack, Britt have a big glass fall over her head? I need that one better explained to me. WOW Just know you are all in my prayers ALWAYS! Also fasting for Frank here. That's so crazy. How is Aunt Carolyn coping? Will he not need a transplant anymore? Wow, he will be in every one of my prayers. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">This week was filled with miracles over here too. It almost got funny the end of the weekend to have the less active who hasn't been to church since he was baptized in his country come to church with his whole nonmember family, or to have emerson who hasn't talked to us in weeks call us cause he was at the VC and wanted us to come teach him. He fasted with us yesterday to find a new job so that he can come to church Sundays and get baptized on Nov 20th (Latinos are NEVER willing to look for another job, that's a miracle), or when we just met the most golden people ever!!! Seriously, it was funny. I was just in shock at how miraculous this last week has been. I have been praying to find this certain elegido that for the past 2 transfers I just feel like there was someone out there who was SO READY and we finally found her this past week. Her name is Patricia (MOM!) and she is no less than GOLDEN. She ate up every word of the lesson and the day after we met her already talked to her boss so she will never have to work on Sundays. When we invited her to be baptized the 20th is what kept coming to my mind, and she said, "That's my birthday!" and she thought it was so inspired haha and will no doubt be baptized on that day. And SHIRLEY is getting baptized this weekend! Por fin! She is so excited. Oh ps Halloween is THE BEST here. It's creepy and it's just like in the movies. The cute cottagey houses with trees everywhere, poorly lit streets, dead leaves all over the place. We had to be in by 6:30 so we got pizza. Twas fun. I just love this whole mission thing. Way too much. A sister this week told me the amount I love it is annoying. WOOPS. Sorry. I love you all and I miss you so. Plz be :) n safe olwayZ</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Tawn- yes we only teach Hispanos so we only speak Spanish and both at da VC, and we run every morning and ride our bikes every day, so yes we exercise and I should have a rockin body but I don't. And yes I love you so much and miss you and I am happy you finally wrote me. And I hope you had da best birthday. I will write you segun tus experiencias. <3 u SO!</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div>Hermana Kelly Allenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13362513169009794981noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2524019688583435113.post-59020622467438004912011-11-09T10:51:00.000-08:002011-11-09T10:51:52.206-08:0010/26/2011<div class="MsoNormal">I HAVE 0 0 0 TIEM BUT I JUST WANTED TO TELL YOU I LOVE YOU ALL. Whao caps. Remember how Bear's baby shower is the cutest thing I have ever seen?!!!!!! AHH I can't believe I was not at Bear's baby shower nor bridal shower nor will I be at Britt's. Maybe that makes me want to cry. But I just so happy that my familee has so y babies!!!!!!!</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">I do not have any tiiime but this week was rough. SO GOOD but rough too just cause Eliana. We had this huge latino festival in the VC and it was heaven for me. Dancing and tons of musica latina and I just have come to find my latin roots. I am convinced that part of me is latin cause there is no way I could enjoy and love it so much if it weren't the case. Anyway and one of the 70 came that just spoke in conference (Alonzo) and Eliana went up to him and was like "I am getting baptized Saturday!!" and she was inviting her whole family and we bought her invitations and everything was set. Baptismal dates falling through isn't super out of the norm, but when they are this set it is the most depressing thing ever when they let the adversary get to them just days before. It is a long story but it ended up with her storming out of our lesson and just being really weird. No time mas but we really did see so many miracles this week and found 10 new investigators even though we have planned appts every second, but God makes it work! And we found families and yeah... it was great. And Juan and Jose are SO GOOD they just love reading and learning and they both are progressing towards baptism. Shirley as well is getting baptized next Sunday. Little milagro- even though things aren't currently working out with ELiana, we were meant to find her to find ANGELICA! She is so golden. Her son died and we taught her the plan of salvation and it was really powerful. She is really great. When we invited her to be baptized (you always first get a ohh I am catolic o OO I was already baptized and then you solve the duda) and she said "OHH How do I get baptzed!?" haha. SHe is good. OKay no time love you all so much please keep receiveing blessings!!!!!! </div><span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 7.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><br />
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<!--[endif]--></span>Hermana Kelly Allenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13362513169009794981noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2524019688583435113.post-89253010516412324582011-10-20T18:37:00.001-07:002011-10-20T18:37:41.300-07:0010/20/2011<div class="MsoNormal">Oh how I miss you all. I am dying because this Saturday is Bears baby shower and I just want to be there SO BAD, UGH! I bet it will be the cutest thing in the world like her wedding. Can you please take 783 pictures and send them all to me? PLEASE? And... HAPPY BIRTHDAYYYY!!!! TO Lindsay, Hector, Britt, and Tawn. I hope your package gets there before the shower and before your birfdays. It's really lame I had to put it together in like 5 seconds cause that element of time is non existent in the mission. and I just have been waiting for the news of Britt's pregnancy for 7 years and I just WISH I WAS THERE TO participate in the JOY!!! ahhh. I can't imagine how much you guys are just lovin your lives right now. Kind of like on Father of the Bride part 2 when they just hang out and have fun being pregnant together. Is that how it is? DO YOU LOVE IT!? I Just so happy for you all!!!!!:::::::))))))))))</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">BUT as trunky as I may sound, I am seriously loving it over here. I love love love love it. I love bikes. I can not get over how BEAUTIFUL it is. Las ojas estan cambiando. We get to ride our bikes through the pleasant weather with beautiful colorful trees everywhere, to go to appointments with the most amazing legit people ever, to speak el idioma de los cielos. I love my comp. I love that my family is getting blessed!!!!!!!!!!! It's the best. I love ELiana and I love that yesterday she told us she finally wants to get baptized! She is just like my mom. She was on the phone yesterday and said, "Why don't you come over and put your feet in some hott water?" while in the background is the Christian channel talking about natural health cures. MOM!? She gave me 14 karat gold CROSS earrings and I laughed and then got really confused what I should do about that. Anyway so we have been fasting and praying lik crazy for her, with the specific intent that she would not only feel comfortable being baptized, but WANT it. And yesterday, someone called her during our appt. and she goes "ooo I am getting baptized you must come I am buying cake blah blah blah, and then you hear her say, nooo ME QUIERO BAUTIZAR!!!"" It was an EXACT answer to prayers. She even gave up coffee which she used to drink multiple times a day!!! And Shirley is just so excited for her baptism inviting everyone and her mom is getting baptized too! And it's all super fijada. I am just really excited. AND STEVE AND JOSE AND JANETTE ARE THE BEST!!! (Steve, if you are reading this, HI! And get baptized! It's fun!) - Steve informed me that he found my blog and read about he is investigating. SO maybe I should be careful what I write haha. So this week has just been super great. And Jose and and Juan my favs ever accepted bdates and are just the cutest happiest people. We are just so busy and I love it. We have four appointments tonight at 6 when pday is over. Not sure how that is going to work. We had 2 planned so we were going to do intercambios, but we got a message that a family is feeding us at 6 and another from Jose where he says "Hello Sisters, I want to learn about this chapted I read in Alma 40 you left me, I will be at the Visitor's Center tomorrow at 6"- JA! I love those little milagritos. Oh and every day this past week I've gotten self referrals in the VC! We just are getting the most golden people coming in. On Saturday there were 1300 people just in the first few hours and of everyone there I felt like talking to a young man who looked very mormon? I evenran to the back to find him cause I felt like I should for some reason. Turns out, not a member and searching for truth. Upperboxed right there and said he is looking forward to learning more. We had a big fireside with the former Treasurer like of America come in and I had to translate for her! It was so scary. But it went well. And to answer your questions mom, yes sometimes we eat weird food, but it's latino so it's all good. And actually since we are on bike and have been so busy we haven't had time to have member meals. So we just grab very simple foods on the run. Last night though we didn't ahve time for dinner after VC so we ran out and said a little prayer in my head that someone would feed us. All three of our appts had like big meals ready for us soo my prayer was a little too answered. Okay please be so happy dis week, have babies and love your life cause this is just so exciting!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! You are all in my prayers all de time</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">PS WOW!!!! I can't not believe about the accident!!!! And that they are all okay!!! ahh wow that's so scary. I am so so happy everything is fine. I love that little family. That is no less than a MIRACLE</div>Hermana Kelly Allenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13362513169009794981noreply@blogger.com0