Happy Late Memorial Day

Dear Family,

I was so good to hear from you.  It sounds like it was a crazy but awesome week.  I love seeing the pictures and hearing about everything that you did.  Mom, can you send a picture of Rachel's dress?  I want to see that to.

This week went by really really fast and I'm not exactly sure where I want to start.  We have been having a lot of little miracles which I think has to do with the fact that sister Heath and I have been trying to have more effective weekly planning.  Weekly planning is like the bane of my existence but I think the theme this transfer is planning and fasting brings miracles. 

I think I am going through a mid mission crisis.  I'm realizing that I'm roughly half way and the idea has been freaking me out.  I'm trying ot figure out if I really have been doing everything that I possibly can do.  I'm trying really hard but I'm faced with the question of is it enough?  I'll admit Wednesday during companion study sister heath had to deal with a companion suddenly bursting into tears wondering if I was doing everything I could.  Actually it was just a rough day.  After I dried up my tears and we went out to work we contacted this man and at first it was really good. He was clear that he was not interested but he was impressed at how normal we were.  Then when we started talking to his friend about a prophet being on the earth today he kind of went off-  (I guess in retrospect we kind of burned the normal bridge with the prophet conversation.)  Any way he in a very nice way started tearing down everything that we believe in. He started throwing question/accusations at us and in a round about way told us that we were mindless sheep that only followed.  In those situations it is best just not to talk.  We tried bearing our testimony but he wasn't gong to listen and he didn't want answers to the questions he thew at us.  We wished him a good day and then walked away.  This man didn't yell at us, but he tore us down.  It was one of the harshest contacts that I have ever had and there were more tears.  It's times like that, which cause a missionary to question exactly why we are out here.  Because getting attacked like that is not exactly fun, so why am I doing this.  I thought about it a lot and I do feel sorry for that man.  Nothing, I mean absolutely nothing that he said changed the way that I think.  He did not damage my testimony in any way- in fact I know that I am doing good work here and I'm doing it not because I was raised in it but because I have had my own personal experiences that tells me, what I teach here is true.  One of the things the man said was that they only send missionaries to places where it is easy to baptize people.  HA!  I'd like to see him try to work in Del Mar.  Not so easy, but it is worth it. 

We had lessons this week with different investigators they all have very different needs and concerns.  But i thin we are getting there.  I know that as we keep working we will be able to help these people resolve their concerns and develop a personal relationship with our heavenly Father and Jesus Christ. This week I've been trying to really strengthen my relationship with them and each day we have been having experiences that tell us we are being guided.  Yesterday we were out in the morning checking on less actives. Because it was memorial day no one at all was home. They were all at the beach.  Anyway sister Heath and I said a prayer that the Lord would direct us to know where to go to use our time wisely.  We closed the prayer and we both felt like we should visit this one less active family.  They are never home, and not in our plans.  We try to stick pretty close to our plans but when we both individually felt like we needed to go we went.  Again it was really clear that the family was not at home and when were were about the leave the door opened and the daughter who lives out of town was staying alone in the house for the weekend.  We were able to visit with her and share a message with her.  It was amazing to see the Lord directing us but more then that it was amazing to see how much the Lord was aware of this girl.  She told us her history and we know that our visit was just a drop in the bucket but Heavenly Father wanted us to tell her that he loved her.  It was a nice experience. 

Oh Gosh I feel like I'm not writing anything that I had planned on writing but this is what is coming out and I don't have time to rewrite it.  Another little miracle is that we are starting to see some progression in people that we have been working with for a while.  We have a couple less active families that actually want to meet with us.  (That kind of freaks me out)  and we even have a potential investigator that we have been slowly working on.  She told us she didn't want to take the lessons and then she started coming to church on her own.  She said she is not ready to learn more about the church but then on Sunday she started asking us about how she can help her fiance believe more in God and how she can help out with the church.  She is a part member family and so her the father in law to be answered her question for us.  He said she needed to take the lessons and get baptized.  Thank you brother, Thank you. 

Anyway I think I am going to have time this week to write letters so I'm going to try and send a letter home. I love you so much.  I am so grateful that I am a part of our family.  I love you!

Sister Allred

First Week of Transfer--Awesome!

Dear Family,

I love being in the whole ward.  It is awesome!  I mean it is SO amazing.  we have the beach in our area and we have shopping and we have good people to work with.  I can't believe that it has only been a week, but it has been great. 

Okay before I get into any details I just want to send out an apology to the world.  The last month friends and family have been awesome at writing me and I'm so grateful.  I'm sorry to say that I haven't written any letters in about a month because there has literally been no time.  This week is the first week where I have time and I'm sorry to say I'm not going to write any emails.  I am tired.  I'm going to take a nap today. 

So Sister Heath and I are now in the whole ward and so we cover all of solona beach del mar, Rancho Santa Fe, and actually a tiny little bit of San Diego.  It is so exciting to be in the whole ward.  We started the transfer off with a fast and I really think that it has helped this week.  Wednesday and Thursday we picked up 2 new investigators.  One of them reminds me so much of Dani in Vista and I just know that she is going to get baptized.  She might not know it yet but I do.  The other is a friend of a less active teenager that we have been working with.  She is about 17 but so smart and is really talented.  She doesn't have that much of a religious background but feels good and the love of God as she prays.  It is so great. 

Oh so on Wednesday we had an appointment to teach a man named Frank.  I'm not sure if I wrote about him before but he is adorable and I just love him.  He is agnostic but is willing to let us teach him about Jesus Christ.  We set up and appointment to have a first lesson with him and he wasn't there.  Now this is normal in mission life, but not with Frank.  And he didn't return any of our phone calls.  This fear started to grow inside both sister Heath and I because Frank is old, and he has a lot of health problems.  All week we were praying that Frank would have an experience that would soften his heart to the church.  We were pretty scared that they Lord had heard our prayers and sent him a heart attack.  Be careful what you wish for. 

Anyway on Sunday we went over one last time to check on him and we were really worried, then we were super confused to see frank sitting on the couch just watching TV.  Well we talked to him and he felt so bad because he forgot what day it was the day of our appointment and he couldn't find our phone number.  I'm really grateful that he didn't have a heart attack, and we have an appointment this week.  We will call and remind him the day before. 

This Saturday we got to go to the temple to see a couple that sister Heath taught be sealed as a family.  I didn't even know this family but I was so touched.  That is why we are out here working, so we can help people make and keep those covenants that bind their familyy together forever.  It was so beautiful to see the whole family dressed in white and to hear the promises that the Lord makes to us. It was a wonderful experience. 

We are excited for this next week.  We have a lot of appointments and lessons with people.  It just feels good to focus in our area and have people that we can help.  This transfer we are really going to focus on getting 21 lessons a week, which for this area can actually be pretty difficult.  We got it last week and I'm looking forward to this next week.  I know that our purpose as missionaries is to teach and as we focus on teaching more our heavenly father will help us.  I'm pretty excited for this next week and transfer. 

I love you all so much. I'm praying for you,

Love Sister Allred
 ps  Liz I got your package and am so happy.  I loved the necklace and needed the shirts. Thanks!  I'll write you next week. 

Oh and the "It would only happen to us story" for the week that sister Heath and I have been collecting. Tuesday night we were contacting in our new area loving the fact that we had a new stomping ground.  We stopped and talked to this man.  We got into a really interesting conversation with him.  He seemed to think that the fact that Christ was born 2 thousand years ago was proof that we were wrong.  I think that was what he was saying. Anyway as sister heath were wrapping the contact up really wanting to leave he told us that we were cute and he wasn't interested in our message but he was interested in taking us out on a date.  Oh that was after he first verified that sister Heath and I were not "together."  He asked if we dated older men (He was 60) and sister heath gave a very firm "No."   I was very proud of her.  Yeah- that's our new area.  Welcome to Solona beach. 

Didn't I just talk to you

Dear Family,

Sorry for the delay.  It has just been a crazy day and I think this is the first time I've sat down except for a super interrupted personal study and travel time.  Sister Hopkins is getting transferred and so we have spent all of today getting ready.  We have barely enough time to squeeze in email.  I just want to take a few moments and say I am a true allred woman.  I packed all of sister Hopkins things by myself in less then 2 hours.  It is impressive.  I wish you could really understand.  Sister Hopkins and heath tried to help but I was just going so fast that it was better that they got out of the way.  Yeah me.  Its a good thing I'm on a mission because I have found that packing is a huge stress reliever. 

So I just loved talking to you all on Sunday.  It was so much fun.  President told us that this time around he actually did want us o only call our mothers house hold and to keep it in the time allotment the handbook say.  I was kind of bummed about that but I was so happy to talk to everyone.  Embarrassing moment-  I cried in Relief society on Sunday.  They were talking about the woman in the ward ad everything that they do for others.  I felt like I needed to that the sisters for everything that they have done for the sister missionaries, because I do feel like we have received a lot of nurturing from them especially sister Lessie.  Anyway I think because I was thinking a lot about home that day and mom, I just started crying in the middle of what I was saying.  Oh well- maybe that will score us some sympathy votes and we will get some referrals.

Monday was a pretty crazy day.  When I practically collapsed on the kitchen table during breakfast because I was so tired    Brother Lessie reminded me that It had been a pretty emotional last few days with phone calls home and transfer calls.  Not to mention we have pretty much not had a real p-day for the past 3 weeks, so my body was just exhausted.  I could feel it hard core.  But the joy of missionary work- even when you are completely drained you get to keep on working!  Anyway we all three were just dragging ourselves all day and then we had a lesson with a recent convert.  The 10 year old boy asked us why the church made us work all day everyday.  We talked about how we only had a small amount of time on our missions and we need to use it wisely.  But then as I was talking I remembered who tired I was that morning and how I had made it all day and it had actually been a great day.  I know without a doubt that the Lord was carrying me through yesterday.  I was absolutely wiped and things kept coming and we made it through.  I am so grateful for the lord for all of the support that he gives us.  It makes me think of that bible scripture where Christ says that the reason the man was sick was so show the power of the Lord.  I think the reason we keep on going is to show us the strength of the Lord.

Oh also on last night we had a lesson with the recent converts from Iran.  They are getting better with their English but we still need a translator for like everything.  I love teaching them because the spirit is so strong with them.  Also the the translator likes how I teach and after almost every sentence he says, "Wow.  You explained that beautifully."  Well that's always nice. 

OKay I have to go, and I can't think of anything else to write about.  I love you so much.  I am so grateful to have such an amazing family.  Liz what are you going to name the baby?

Sister Allred

Mother's Day is Coming!!!

Dear Family,

 

So this week has just been an adventure- like always.  I'm still feeling very split, Like I'm not really giving either wards enough attention but its not as bad as it was last week.  I feel like things have calmed down a bunch and we're getting into the grove of things.  I know that Heavenly Father is blessing us hard core and I am so grateful for that.  So I'm not sure if you could tell from my last email but I was a little bit stressed out last week.  I was pretty exhausted mentally.  Long story short- P-day was not as rejuvenating as I usually need it to be and I was nervous about the rest of the week. 

 

Well Wednesday morning and we were driving up to La Costa our car started acting really weird and making noises that it should not be making.   We started to get really worried because its a mission car and we don't want to ruin it.  The mission office told us to take it the the car dealership to get it looked at.  We spent all day at probably the nicest car dealerships I have ever been to.  At first both sister Heath and I were really stressed because our car was broken and we were spending a whole day out of both of our areas!  But about 3 hours into it rigth around the time the nice old man came and gave us warm chocolate chip cookies I had the thought that the Lord knew how stressed out we were and how were were trying, and he was giving us some time to relax.  I was so grateful.  I had to hold onto that thought however when the guys came back and told us that there was absolutely nothing wrong with the car and we couldn't hear the noise anymore.  We were not making the noise up!  I swear!  Sure I felt a little stupid- so we decided not to tell anyone.  I feel like it was a good solution.  Then that day we went on exchanges.  I went to Carlsbad and really enjoyed my time there.  We meant with some old less active ladies and I just loved them. 

 

We had dinner on Sunday with the Alikahni family.  I'm not sure if you remember them (or if I'm spelling there name right)  but they were the first people that I ever set a baptismal date with, and then we like never met with them again.  Well the La Costa missionaries are still working with them and we got to have dinner with them and some members on Sunday.  It was really interesting seeing the difference in them.  They have not been actively taught for a while, but the husband who has been trying a little harder seems lighter and happier.  The wife who was never really interested seems exactly the same.  I really enjoyed my time with them and if everything goes well we will start teaching them on a regular basis again.  Of course I have no idea what is going to be happening at transfers next week.  We have been talking a little bit to president and the more we talk the more we have absolutely no idea what is going to be happening.  I don't even think he is going to end up happening. 

 

We haven't been teaching a ton which is not all that great but we have been trying. We have been working hard at finding and I think things are going to pick up.  I we have a bunch of potentials that we have been working on we are going to start teaching soon.  I really do believe that missionaries are meant to teach.  We get to have the spirit with us all the time but I can notice a difference when I spend a whole day teaching as opposed to a whole day going and checking on people but not really getting anywhere.  It just feels so much better. 

 

We got to go the temple today and that was amazing!  It was probably one of my favorite times being at the temple ever. I went to the temple with a purpose this time.  I had somethings that I wanted to learn and I didn't find all of my answers but I found what I needed.  I am so grateful to be able to go and learn and feel the spirit so strongly. 

 

Well I love you!  I'm so excited to talk to everyone on Sunday!  Yeah!

 

Love Sister Allred

2 companions--2 wards. It's an adventure

Dear Family,

 

I'm tired.   That about sums it up.  I'm just tired and last week seems like an eternity ago.  So Wednesday was our first day being a trio.  We got to the apt at 8pm and helped sister hopkins finish packing and cleaning up a little bit.  Then we went to district meeting in La Costa.  At district meeting sister Heath asked for a blessing because she wasn't feeling very good.  She actually was feeling terrible and when we went back to Del Mar for lunch she crashed and literally could not get up until 6am the next morning.   We really think the blessing helped because normally she can't sleep when she is sick but sleep was absolutely what she needed.  Luckily we were in a trio because sister Hopkins and I went out to work while sister Lessie stayed with Sister Heath.  She is doing much better now.  Thank goodness.

 

It has been a bit of a struggle trying to adjust to being in a trio: especially covering 2 wards at opposite ends of the stake.  We have really been trying to give equal amount of attention to both wards and go out on splits as much as possible.  I've thought a lot about trios this week.  I think there is a reason that the Lord ordained his servants to go out 2 by 2.  It is more natural and it just feels better.  This week I have been able to work alone with both of my companions individually and as a trio.  It doesn't matter which sister I'm with it feels better as 2.  Oh well.  We are doing good.  Its still an adjustment but we are trying to make it work as smoothly as possible and I think that we are doing a pretty good job. 

 

So this week we have had a lot of interesting lessons.  We had a lesson with an investigator who knows its true but wont commit.  She has a lot of reasons why she wont commit but she also talked about who she knows of a member in our ward who is a total hypocrite and is not doing thing that he is supposed to.  I don't know all of the details nor do I want to, but I was heartbroken to hear it.  I didn't really know what to say about it.  I frankly agreed with her on some of her points.  I've been praying about what to say when something like that comes up again. 

 

We also taught a Law of Chastity lesson to a 40 year old man.  It started out as one of the most awkward lessons ever!  Reason being:  we were already a little nervous to teach law of chastity (knowing that with this particular person we had to be very clear) to a 40 year old man.  Then his mother sat in on the lesson, and then to make matters worse right as we started his mothers cousin got there and she sat down on the lesson.  It started out so awkward and luckily about 5 minutes into the lesson both mother and cousin quietly excused themselves from the room.  After that it actually was a really nice lesson where we felt the spirit.  It was great. 

 

Oh and heart break of the week.  We had a couple lessons set up with investigators and potential investigators that we were really really excited about.  They all fell threw.  It was really sad.  Our teaching pool is dwindling.  But that's okay we are still going out and plugging along. And when this happens we really are able to focus on the miracles and how the Lord is blessing you.  We had a non member come to the "empty Nester's" FHE last night.  He is so sweet and it was a bit of a miracle that he came.  Yeah!

 

Sunday was a really nice experience.  I went with sister Hopkins down to La Costa for church.  I really didn't expect a lot of people to remember me- but actually quite a few did.  Also because it was 5th Sunday- 3rd hour was devoted to missionary work.  That morning in personal study sister hopkins said, "Oh and by the way sister Allred- we have to give 7 minute talks on Member missionary work."  Thanks for the heads up sister Hopkins.  Honestly it wasn't a big deal but it was a really weird experience standing in front of my old ward. I felt a lot of love for these people.  It was so good to be back with them.  It made me really happy yesterday because a woman from La Costa was telling to me about what the bishop had said.   He said that he loved seeing the change in me from being a completely new missionary to now.  He was happy with the growth.  It just made me feel so good.  I really appreciated hearing that from the bishop. 

 

It has been an absolutely exhausting week.  Lots of ups and lots of downs.  I'm grateful for the blessings.  I loved hearing from you and I'm so sorry to hear about the cars.  That stinks!

 

Oh I'm probably not going to be able to write a letter this week.  We have to clean the La Costa Apartment.  Okay so this is where I'm really not Christlike.  I DON'T EVEN LIVE IN THAT APARTMENT!!  I don't particularly want to clean it if I don't even live in it, and we are probably missing district activity because of it.  Ugh!!  Okay- now I have to focus on blessings and miracles again.  Blessings- lots of blessings. 

 

I love you so much. 

 

Sister Allred