Letter to the Universe

This is a dead blog.  I have not posted for years but I have been having some thoughts lately and just needed to send them out to the universe.  So I turned to the internet.

Years ago I read a blog of a Mormon mother.  She was sarcastic and witty and I agree with many of her somewhat liberal ideas.  I enjoyed reading about her thoughts and opinions, but it seemed that with each new post she seemed to be moving farther and farther from the mainstream faith.  I worried about her, but was to naive to think there was any real danger.  (Isn't it funny how you can connect and bond with someone you have never or will never meet?  She has no idea I am alive and yet I worry about her.)

It wasn't until a few months after my mission that I checked in on her again.  She was still posting but I was heart broken to read that was had officially and consciously fallen away from the church.  Her description reads, "Either I am a completely apostate Mormon or I'm just thinking what we are all thinking."  Well, I am not thinking what she is saying.  Over the course of just a few years I moved from finding her ideas refreshing and honest, to something that heart my heart to listen to.

I read her post for a year and prayed for her a bit but soon stopped reading the blog.  There was nothing there for me anymore.  Today, after reading about the Ordain Women protests I returned to her blog just to check in.  I quickly realized that she had almost completely stopped posting.  I read her "good-bye post"  she wrote about 6 months ago and I almost wept for her.

This woman wrote about her pain.  She has felt alone and rejected and she needed to begin to move on.      I was touched when she wrote,

"However, I also believe that pain is an active feeling. It moves and evolves and changes with growth. Pain is sacred and holy so long as we allow it to progress naturally. The moment we let us consume us, it isn't useful anymore. I hit that point last night, where I realized my pain was no longer changing, but static. I can't keep experiencing it the same way as before, it isn't allowing me to grow anymore"

I think there is a profound truth in what she said, and what she is feeling.  It made me think about the pain she felt.  I don't agree with the sweet woman's religious stance.  I won't.  There are so many people who believe things that are contrary to what is core to my soul, but I don't think that matters much.  I can still connect with this women.  I have felt pain that consumed me at times. That is an awful place to be.  The only way I got out of that abyss was by turning to the Savior.  I don't know enough about this women to know about her faith in Jesus Christ, but I know that she was in pain.  I wanted to hug her and love her.  I wanted to comfort her so that she knows she is not alone.  

During our life we all make choices that take us down our own personal path of pain.  It happens to everyone and so there is no room to judge.  Our role as Christians, as spirit brothers and sisters, is to comfort and love each other. When we try to take upon us Christ role as judge, we only cause more pain.  More damage.  More isolation.  

In the end I do think it is possible to love and support those that believe differently.  Isolating the sinner, as some may view it, is not the same thing as protecting ourself spiritually.  I really don't know the right answers.  I don't know how we should act in every situation, but I have to believe that we should avoid causing pain as much as possible.  Those that are struggling do not need our judgement; they need our love.  We should just leave the rest to the Savior.  I have faith that He knows what to do. 

So to that longtime blogger, and even the women standing outside the Conference Center on Saturday night, I love you.  I don't agree with some things that you believe but you have a right to believe it.  I am sorry if anything I say or do makes you feel alone or pain.  That is not my intent.  I love you.  

New Area--Escondido!!

Dear Family,

 

Wow.  I was really excited to email this week but oh my gosh I got a lot of big updates.  Holy Cow!  I am excited about Hawaii.  That will be super fun.  I don't know what I would want to do.  I think probably come home to Hawaii and then spend a little time in Utah or Maryland before going up to Utah.  The Lord is already getting me prepared because he just gave me a Polynesian companion.  (She is Tongan- not Hawaiian.) 

 

 So my new Area is felecita ward in Escondido.  It is TINY compared to Del Mar, but there is a lot of work to do.  We picked up 2 new investigators this week and I am really excited about some of our other investigators.  We have a lot of really strong members in this ward but we also have a lot of member with pretty intense needs.  I am so grateful for the church, I have been so impressed with how these ward members really try to take care of our members.  We were talking to this somewhat investigator and he was asking if there were service opportunities in the church.  He goes to another church and he hears about them all the time but then he comes to our church and doesn't hear anything about service.  First of all he never stays for 3rd hour and also I thought about our home and visit teaching programs.  The whole church is designed around service.  Anyway, he is pretty cool.  I just want to get him progressing. 

 

My new companion is Sister Tua'one.  She is the sister that I went on my last 2 exchanges with and got in a fight with on our first one.  Neither of us were that excited to get put together but we have had a lot of very open and honest talks and I think our relationship is going to be so much better.  We are both very different but she has a really good heart.  Also she is a really good teacher and that makes me so happy.  I love teaching with really good teachers. 

 

We have got a lot of good investigators and I'm absolutely expecting baptisms in the very near future.  The ward council is just amazing, and really in this area the youth is were all of the work is really at.  We have a really strong youth program which I am so excited about.  we have this one girl how is just so sweet and excited about the church.  we taught her the word of wisdom this week and she really connected with the idea that our bodies are temples  and so we need to treat them as such.  I was so grateful to hear her talk because she started to explain that her friends were starting to get into some pretty bad stuff which is sad because she is only 13.  Anyway she wants to find a new group of friends so she isn't involved.  How amazing!  She is so strong and such a role model for me.  We also have another really great investigator who is so amazing.  She is a newly wed and her husband is a member.  He just started coming back to church and she is taking the lessons.  She wants her family to be like his was growing up.  She talked about how she felt like the things we were teaching were true but she didn't understand why.  She was scared that these feelings were coming from her, because she wants it so badly.  We are going to be talking to her about faith tonight and trusting the feelings that invite her to do good.  I am very excited about the work that we have to do.

 

The members are also great!  we have a pretty full dinner calender all the way up to mid October.  I do have to laugh though.  I have had more fast food in this week then I did in a months of being in Del Mar.  Escondido and Del Mar are about 15 minutes away from each other, but at the same time they are worlds apart.  I think it's possible that I may stay here the rest of my mission.  If that is the case then I with be a south sister.  I have never served in the north of my mission ever!  I think I would like to but it is okay if I don't there is so much to do in Escondido. 

 

Oh!  on a small side note.  I have been so impressed at the mobile homes in the Escondido.  I would say that at least 1/4th of the people we work with are in mobile homes and they are so nice.  I have gone into a bunch and thought- I would love to live here!  I was in a few in vista, and they are nothing compared to the ones I have seen here.  Anyway, I think I am becoming a lover of mobile homes.

 

I'm looking through my planner and I still can't remember much from this week.  It was a bit of a blur but I am happy to be in Escondido.  I miss Del Mar a little bit but this is a good place to be.  Oh!  One last crazy story.  Sister Tua'one is very scared of dogs.  We had a fat weenier dog waddle after us once and she ran.  Well we were going to check on this less active how was very into nature and pulled up in her drive way.  Much to sister Tua'ones horror we saw a big dog in the yard eating.  I looked at it and told her not to worry.  It was not a dog.  It was a coyote.  Yes this less active was feeding the coyotes.  I have to admit that even I did not really want to get out of the car.  We honked a little and the less active came out.  She was very sweet, and told us the coyote was the nicest girl named Jamie.  We didn't stay very long at all. 

 

Anyway I love you all.  I hope to hear more from you.  Rachel, How are you doing?

 

Sister Allred

Last week in Del Mar

Dear Family,

 

This is my last week in Del Mar.  I have been here for about 6 months now and I love this area.  I didn't realize how much I loved del mar until I started saying goodbye to it.  All day yesterday my heart felt like it was breaking.  The Lord has really blessed us these last few weeks. 

 

Okay starting from from the top of the list of miracles.  We had a baptism on Saturday.  His name is Marcelo and he is the son of a woman in the ward that we visit weekly.  It has been amazing because this has been a 10 year journey.  His mom, Ana, joined the church 10 years ago after Marcelo took her to the temple in Hawaii.  She joined the church quickly and became a very faithful member.  Ana has amazing faith.  Marcelo wasn't interested.  For the past 10 years Ana has been trying to get Marcelo interested and he has resisted.  Then this year the Lord has really been working with him to soften his heart.  About a month ago we started teaching him and it is amazing how prepared he is.  It is has been amazing every time we taught him.  He is so excited to be a member of the church. 

 

He didn't want to tell his mom that he was taking the lessons and so we taught him in secret,  which I enjoyed immensely.  It just made me laugh every time.  Of my favorite moments.  Marcelo had to change his phone number and he sent us a text with the new number in the morning.  We had a lesson with ana that day and she said, "Marcelo changed his number.  Let me give it to you just in case."  We said thank you and reentered it into our phone.Another favorite moment was when when we had a lesson with Marcelo at his house and his mom walked in on us teaching.  I had the urge to quickly close my scriptures and throw them under the table.  The whole situation was hilarious. 

 

Anyway this week was incredibly stressful and because Marcelo was scheduled for baptism but we still had SO much to teach him- he didn't have a baptismal interview yet- he was sick and working- and Ana still didn't know but almost the whole ward knew.  (Marcelo wanted to keep the baptism a surprise.)  Long story short  the Lord took care of things and Marcelo was so prepared for baptism.  We got everything for baptism and Marcelo brought his mom to the church about 20 minutes before the baptism.  It was one of the most touching moments when he told her that he was getting baptized.  I think it was the best baptism that I have ever went to. The spirit was so strong their.  I just feel like I am still on this baptism high!!  It was amazing. 

We went to go and visit them after the baptism and I just had to keep looking back at Marcelo.  I don't think I have ever felt this before but something just seemed different.  I kept trying to figure out what was different and I couldn't put my finger on it but there was something absolutely different.  I am so excited for Marcelo.

 

But that's not all folks.  Still more miracles.  We are still working with Alex and Maria even though they missed their baptismal date earlier this month.  Sister Campbell and I had a goal of another date before I left.  On Sunday we went and decided to teach about exultation.  What does it mean to be with our heavenly father.  All through the lesson Alex was totally engaged.  We talked about a lot but at the end we simplified it down to the idea of being exalted it being with our heavenly Father, having complete confidence in the lord and being with our family forever.  We gave them a moment to think about what that meant and then Alex, said he wanted to get baptized.  He didn't want to wait anymore.  We set it for about a month away and then yesterday they moved it up two weeks!  Maria is going to get baptized to.  Apparently she has been feeling like she needs to get baptized but she was just waiting for a stronger feeling.  I'm so excited.  I really think that this one is going to go through because it came from them. Not from us.  Overall it's an awesome way to leave an area.

 

Actually its a terrible way to leave an area, because after Alex and Maria get baptized we have run out of investigators.  Sorry sister Campbell! 

 

I'm going to be transferred today and I'm excited for my new area.  I really want to be an even better missionary.  I am pretty sad to leave the people here and I am really sad to leave sister Campbell but I know that she is going to do great!  Personally I think getting away from her trainer is exactly what she need.  Ha!  Time to cut the apron strings.

 

Well I'll let you know how everything goes and where I am next week.  I love you so much! 

 

Sister Allred

Dear Family,

This week has been filled with emotional  ups and downs.  It was like a huge black storm of emotions.  We had a lot of trouble with our investigators and a bit of trouble with our less actives.  We had a TON of cancellations, we had a baptismal date missed, we are coming on the last week together and my last week in the area, and both sister Campbell had those issues that only sister missionaries have to deal with.  But over all I have learned a ton this week and I am happy. 

Okay up date on what I think is the most important issue at hand.  The sister missionary frump. I am fighting it.  I still want so badly to throw away my hair brush and wear my comfortable yet worn out skirts but it is not going to happen.  I put make up on this week.  Actually the thing that did it was the Relief society opening social our ward had on Saturday.  It was after a long day of walking- so sister Campbell and I arrived sweaty and sun burnt.  We sat in a mansion watching all the women of the ward socialize and I felt incredibly unattractive.  It was about then that I started realizing that the sister missionary frump in this area is really not acceptable.  People here are concerned about appearances and they probably don't want to introduce their friends to sisters who look like they just survived world war III.  I think the thing that put me over the edge was when I say Kayla.  She is a young mother in the ward.  Currently she has a young 2 year old daughter and is very pregnant with triplets.  Triplets!  Did she look frumpy?  no she did not.  She looked adorable and she looked even better in her 4 inch orange high heels!  Okay sister Allred you are not pregnant with triplets.  You can step it up a bit.  So, I am doing my hair again, putting on make up, and I just got a new skirt.  I am super excited!

On to actual missionary work.  Thursday was probably my favorite day this week.  We had a lesson with one of our investigators who is progressing very nicely!  He is basically has made the decision that he wants this to be a part of his life and he is soaking up all of the things that we are teaching him.  It just brightens my day to teach this investigators, because this is the gospel in action. 

Then we had one of our former investigators that we haven't heard from in a bit text us and asked if she could feed us dinner.  She is a really smart girl and she is so dedicated.  She wants to know more about Heavenly Father and I know that the gospel would transform her life because she has gone through a lot of hard things.  Anyway, we knew she worked a lot but hearing her schedule made me exhausted.  I know how much she needs what we have but I just am concerned that life is going to get in the way of investigating. But I think that is every one's problem.  Do we let life get in the way of our relationship with Heavenly Father?

Sunday we took one of our investigators to primary instead of relief society.  Sometimes the spirit is so much pure in that room that we wanted her to hear the gospel taught to children.  It was great.  This investigator has a very hard time reading and so to

 help we gave her the book of mormon picture book.  He husband made fun of her but as a result she knows the book of mormon stories so much better then he does.  Yes I really want to rub that in his face.  Anyway by far her favorite story was Lehi's dream.  In Primary the 1st councilor in the bishopric brought in this HUGE picture on Lehi's dream and talked to the kids about it.  Then we heard him talk about how he didn't want it anymore.  We could practically see our investigator salivating. We got the picture for her and brought it to her last night.  She was thrilled.  He husband is going to put up with it.  They live in this small room and the picture is going to take up a huge part of the wall.  If that doesn't remind them to read their scriptures I don't know what will!

I hope everyone is doing well.  Mom good luck with your primary activity.  That sounds extraordinary!  I know you can pull it off.  I do want to die my hair but since I'm just not sure if I will be able to handle the upkeep I think I'm going to wait till the end of my mission. Dad I loved that article in the ensign.  when ever I think about that story I think about Alma 37.  Heavenly Father doesn't ask that much from us, but because it is so simple people forget to look.  they forget to read and to pray and then they get lost. It was a good ensign this month. 

Well I love you and miss you all. 

Sister Allred

Rants of a missionary

Dear Family,

 

I loved reading your emails.  I miss being there it sounds like so much fun. 

 

This week has been a whirlwind and I feel like I need to look through my planner and journal to remember exactly what happened.  On the plus side each week I convince myself that I am going to copy pages from my journal and send it home in snail mail since I am epically failing on writing the family.  Well I haven't done that yet but as a result I have been much more consistent and detailed with writing in my journal.

 

We went on exchanges this week.  We went with the same sisters that we had exchanges with last transfer. I got to spend a night in Escondido.  Escondido is different then Del Mar.  Its a lot less affluent.  Our first appointment in Escondido was with a 90 something less active.  She came to the door without any pants on. That has never happened to me in Del Mar.  We also went to a less active that lived behind a house in a trailer.  It reminded me of my well loved days in Vista.  The best part was along the drive way were a line of toilet bowls being used as pots for plants.  It was hilarious and I made the sister stop and take a picture of me with them.  That is not the normal decor in Del Mar either.  Anyway I loved Escondido, because it just reminded me how there are good people basically everywhere!

 

Okay so can I get a rant out please?  This week I have been hearing a lot of down with the rich talk.  It has been really frustrating because most of the people who are saying that may be struggling financially but they create this image of wealthy people that is like they are these terrible evil monsters who only believe that other people are hear to serve them.  Frankly they are really judging these people.  I know those that have money may have a warped perspective, but you know what so do people with out money.  I just keep thinking of the phrase, "Don't judge me because I sin differently then you."  The fact is I believe that most people every where are basically good.  I have found that most people are willing to help others if they see a need.  I know that the gospel is designed to help everyone rich or poor.  Okay, rant over. 

 

We have had a lot of lessons this week and we have a lot to do in this area.  I'm a little worried because I think that we may have a few to many people to teach we have been struggling with our finding the past few weeks frankly because we just haven't had time.  Our investigators are progressing nicely except eventually we are either going to baptize them or drop them and then we will need new people to teach.  I'm just nervous that our teaching efforts are a little unbalanced. 

 

Okay so an update on Sundays.  For a while now Sundays have been stressful.  I spend my sacrament meeting scanning the rows wondering how is here, what are they hearing, what can we do to help them progress toward Jesus Christ.  It just stresses me out.  Well this week I was just fed up with it.  I sat down saw our investigators and instead of fretting about them I thought- "Well they are here and there is nothing else I can do for this hour.  I am not going to think about them."  And I didn't!  Instead I listened to the testimonies and felt the spirit so strongly.  I started seeing all of the very different people get up to the pulpit but they were all united in their faith in Jesus Christ.  It was such a testimony to me that what we are doing is good. This is the Lord's work- not mine.  And because Jesus Christ suffered for all of our sins he knows what needs to happen in order to help us all.  We just need to let Him help.

 

I am so grateful for the restored gospel.  I know that we have a loving Heavenly Father who sent his Son to us.  I know that I am weak on unworthy but I am so grateful.  I know that this will bless my life and the lives of those who accept. 

 

I love yo all. 

 

Sister Allred

Who died and gave me a name tag?

Dear Family,

 

This week I have had the overwhelming desire to get under my covers and hide.  If I stay still enough then I maybe everyone will solve their own problems and I could get a nice nap in the mean time. Just bacause I have a name tag does not mean I know anything.  Okay- I little background.  We have had a great week.  Lots of fun and lots of lessons.  Its just more lessons means more people.  People stress me out.  But its been a great week.

 

So starting from the beginning- Wednesday we had a lesson with an investigator named Mr Yu.  He is a 77 year old Chinese man. I may have said this before but for a man who doesn't speak English he talks a lot.  Or last lesson with him Sister Campbell prayed that we would see opportunities to speak and I thought that was very appropriate.  Anyway we brought a poster with the steps of the gospel and scripture references.  He really liked it excepts he thought repentance should be before faith.  On Saturday when we called to ask him to church he asked if we had any colored pictures.  I had no idea what he was talking about so we said we would talk to him a bit more about it on Sunday, which of course we forgot to do.  Well we had a lesson with him again yesterday and he had made his own poster with steps of the gospel (I did notice that he had conveniently listed repentance before faith on his poster.)  Anyway he had found pictures representing each step and pasted them on.  He said that because he had pictures his was " rather more beautiful" then ours.   Thanks Mr Yu.  Thanks.  Anyway he was so excited because that day before his lesson he had been at the senior center and taught 5 seniors about faith in Jesus Christ using his poster.  It was pretty adorable.  I'm not sure about his commitment level but at least he used book of Mormon scriptures on his poster.  I'm happy with that. 

 

Thursday we had a lesson with Alex and Maria.  I love them to pieces but they stress me out.  Mostly because I love them to pieces.  On the plus side- they made us a pancake breakfast!

 

We also had another lesson with Eduardo and that went really well.  I told him how excited I was that he had come to church on Sunday but sad because I didn't have a chance to say hi to him.  He said that I am always talking to people-  okay that's true.  Anyway I asked if next Sunday we would stay long enough for us to say hello to him.  He said he would but then on Sunday I'm pretty sure he left before the closing song because there is no way someone can move that fast!  At least he came to church.  Our ward mission leader is catching on because he was walking out side with his baby at the end of sacrament meeting and tried to walk around Eduardo's car.  Brother Zachirson just isn't as fast as a  Dodge Durango. 

 

We had another great lesson with another of our investigators, we just recently picked up.  He is really ready and just feels like he wants to learn a bit more before making any commitments and change his life.  The thing is- he is planning on getting baptized!  I'm so excited about that.  He is really wanting some clear direction in his life, and I know that the gospel can give it to him.  (On a side note- I would like to mention that this man is gorgeous enough to be a model and I think it is very funny of Heavenly Father that we started teaching him exactly when I started to embrace the sister missionary frump.  Very funny Heavenly Father.  Very Funny.) 

 

Sunday was very stressful.  None of our really progressing investigators came to church!  Why?  I don't know why- or at least I didn't know why when I was sitting in sacrament meeting.  The only investigator who came was Mr. Yu, and I'm pretty sure he was afraid we were going to take him hostage because church just never seemed to end.  Anyway I was sitting in Sacrament felling stressed and concerned and remembering how on my mission, church used to be a place of revelation for me.  I missed that time.  Then I remembered that those were the times that we didn't have any investigators.  I did have the thought "Maybe I don't want any investigators anymore."  Then I realized what I thought and almost slapped myself.  I am so grateful for the people that we have to teach and worry about.  I am grateful that the lord is blessing us with people and that those people are opening up to us about their concerns.  I wouldn't have it any other way.  The fact that I am meeting all of these people is just making me grow so much and I never knew I could love strangers so completely. 

 

On Saturday I got to opportunity to go to the temple because someone from my last area was going through the temple. I never taught this guy before but he wanted to have people around him and so he invited some of the missionaries he knew.  I don;t know how he got permission to let me go but he did and I was so grateful.  It was wonderful seeing him progress in the gospel, and in his faith.  While I was in the temple I just had this calm feeling that everything would be alright with those I was thinking of.  I just can't forget that the Lord has been taking care of these people a lot longer then I have and he knows what they need. 

 

Anyway I'm glad to hear about all of the adventures of going to Utah.  Take lots of pictures so that I can see them later.  Tell everyone that I love them. 

 

Love Sister Allred

My one year mark

Dear Family,

 

It's official.  I have been a missionary for more then 1 year now.  I entered the MTC one year ago last Friday.  I'm not really admitting that to many people yet but it has been a big shock to me.  One comfort is that I still have more then 6 months left.  My release date isn't until March 6th so I still have a few more weeks before I hit that downward spiral.  Anyway in commemoration of my one year mark I have embraced the the sister missionary frump.  Meaning I haven't worn any make-up for about a week now. I held out for a long time- but I just don't want to put on make up anymore.  Especially because we are in the hottest time for our mission right now and the make up just sweats right off.  Pretty soon I will have the desire to stop brushing my hair in the morning.  The sister Missionary frump is happening.

 

This week was kind of long.  We had a bit of a hard time getting our lessons, (But we got them!) and I pretty sure that because of the heat people are staying inside- hiding.  It has been hard to find any one to talk to.  On the plus side we have been outside a lot and my sister missionary tan lines are really looking good. 

 

I think my favorite lesson this week was with a less active that we have been working with named Eduardo.  We are trying to help him prepare to receive the priesthood, but first regular church attendance might be good.  Anyway, I just love Eduardo.  He is this really quiet middle aged guy who is just so sweet.  He just feels stuck must of the time.  Anyway, he likes us as well- or at least we told him that he does- but sometimes he is hard to catch.  We had dinner with his mom this week and he was there and the lesson about faith in Jesus Christ was really good.  We scheduled something for the next day, to talk specifically about preparing for the priesthood.  I don't know why but the spirit was there pretty strongly.  I know that Eduardo was feeling something to.  Well anyway, Church on Sunday I look back on the overflow and Eduardo and his mom come walking in!  I was so excited that he came.  The only down side was that he only stayed for sacrament.  Eduardo is a slow mover generally- but I have never seen him more so quickly when he bolted for the door as soon as sacrament meeting was over.  His mom told us after the meeting that next time he comes we need to stand guard at the door when we start singing the closing song.  Oh well.  Its a work in progress.

 

We also had a couple lessons with another less active family.  When I first came into the area I wasn't quite sure how I felt about them- but now I am really growing to love them.  I think that by the time I leave they will absolutely be in my top 5 favorite Del Mar families list.  This family is very VERY health conscious.  I mean- after having dinner with them I'm pretty convinced that the world, especially the food industry, is bent on making me personally die a horrible cancerous and toxic death.  Here I was thinking the world is a happy place.  WRONG! 

 

Another super exciting thing is that Alex and Maria, the ones with a baptismal date, came to church on Sunday.  Alex usually works on Sunday but he took today off special. I think he enjoyed it.  Anyway after he said he didn't want to get baptized we pretty much dropped the subject.  Sister Campbell and I always mean to recommit them but something else comes up and we never teach about baptism.  Well at our missionary correlation meeting one of the ward missionaries came up and said "So I here Alex has a baptismal date."  I looked at him suspiciously and said, "Who told you?"  The poor ward missionary looked a little confused and said, "Alex told the elder's quorum that he was getting baptized next month when he introduced himself." 

 

This is how all of our invitations go.  We asks him to read the book of Mormon- he says no- then the next day he has read 3 chapters.  We ask him to pray- he says no and the next day he is volunteering to say the dinner prayer.  I'm considering not talking to him about baptism at all and just holding the baptismal service with out telling him.  I'm pretty sure he will just show up on his own.  How can we do the baptismal interview without him realizing it?

 

Well, it has been a really good week.  It's been long but I have really seen the Lord's hand all day.  He gives us so many small blessings and quite a few big blessings. I'm grateful for all of you.  I love you!

 

Sister Allred