Week 27

What an awesome week!!!!!! The time is speeding up everyday! I can't believe it is already Monday again! The weather has been rainy!!! but it is supposed to get cold again. 

So we saw miracles again this week! We hit standards, and our Zone leaders are bribing our zone with a pizza party for the next zone training if we can hit them as a zone this week! I requested diet coke and they said if we hit standards we can have diet coke- haha deal. They are pretty funny. 

L and the girls are doing awesomely! we only have tithing to teach them next! They are such sweet girls and I just love them! L is progressing well, and seeing the girls being baptizxed will help heven more! ON friday morning we got a call from Jim Anderson who was a missionary here 40 years ago! He was in toronto and drove up and took us out to lunch at a very fancy restaurant here! He is in the mission presidency of the Las Vegas West missoin- he knows spencer marks! Small world! It was so cool. He had spent the previous evening iwth president scott- and it sounds like he is very excited about what is happening up here in bracebridge! I"m secretly hoping he shows up for the baptisms up here! we will see.  there are miracles! We also found A. We had talked to him on the street a week ago or so, and we texted him to come to church- and he did! then we met with him yesterday, and he wanted to meet again today! he is looking to change his life around. He moved down from Sudbury to just start new, and what better place to start than bracebridge and finding the gospel?! 

I love bracebridge! The people here are wonderful, and the Lord is sure hastening his work! 

I'll send pictures of the baptism next week! 

You are all great! 

Sister Allred

Week 26

It has absolutely been a miracle week! We exceeded standards, which is unheard of here! When we first got here they had like 2 member presence a week (lessons teaching investigators that a member comes to) ...if that, and we got 7 last week! The Lord is blessing us so much! 

L. and her girls and boyfriend's girls came to church on sunday. As I sat there I was just overwhelmed with joy. I love her daughters, they draw me pictures and always give me hugs, especially H. She is such a sweet little girl, her faith is incredible and wants to be baptized so bad, but she doesn't turn 8 until April, so L. wants to wait and be baptized with her. The faith of a child. She is just the funniest little girl. But as I sat in sacrament meeting with H next to me I just thought about how this gospel is for everyone! And it is such a miracle when they want it, and they are making changes. The Lord loves all his children. They stayed for the second hour as well, I was teaching Gospel Principles (I made a deal with sister b that I would teach if she bought me a diet coke...win win for me...Because I like teaching, and I like diet coke ahah) L was the only investigator there so I ditched the actual lesson and I taught the Gospel of Jesus Christ: faith, repentance, baptism, HOly Ghost, endurin gto the end. At the end L made the comment about how her faith has changed since Sister B. and I have gotten here. She was so sweet, and her last name is A____, and so she said how she was so excited when my name was Allred and she felt like we were like Sisters. I know I"m supposed to be here in Bracebridge. I've been praying that I"ll be able to stay and see L and little H baptized. I would be more than happy to stay until April. I love it here. 

There are definitely some days that are hard...those days were we have NO appointments. We have tracted most of Bracebridge and with the weather getting colder few people are out on the streets, so sometimes it is really hard to make good use of our time. Tracted makes you feel like you are doing something, but it isn't super productive. Though we have found one person tracting since we got here who we have actually taught a lesson. His name is D, he is in his late 20s, early 30s and is a bachelor. He is really cool. He is just looking for answers and wants to find peace and happiness. He is planning on coming to the sports night on wednesday, so that will be great to get him socially invovled :) 

I love not seeing other missionairies here. haha I am so anti-social. I love socializing with members, but I'm totally happy to just be here in Bracebridge away from other missionairies :). A lot of the time with missionairies it is almost like being back in highschool. I like having district meeting over the phone. doesn't bother me at all! Sister B definitely doesn't like it as much, she likes the socializing. I suppose I'm just more like Dad :) 

It has just started to get really cold....I might be wearing my pajamas under my dress rigth now :) haha 

OH and we are teaching this other man, K...he believes in Aliens :) All very funny, but he really does want to know the truth! 

I love the Christmas season, and I'm looking more and more forward to that Skype session! It will be so good to see your faces! 

I love you all! 

Sister Allred

Week 25

Thank heaven's we are both staying in Bracebridge :) Sister B. will have to endure another 6 weeks of me :) muahaha no, we love each other. This past week was good! the weather is cold.....last night we were out and about and i had my scarf up to my eyeballs and a tuque on haha...and it was only like -2. I"m in trouble when -20 starts! I"m going to be trying really hard to get into houses! haha I would like to do a brief example of how most of mine and sister balderson's conversations go....

me: dang....that meal was good

b: ...yeah, but my stretchy skirts are losing their stretch...

me: mine too.....it's fine...all of this is just extra warmth for the cold...

b: besides...we haven't hit our 6 months mark to go home...

me: oh yeah...that 6 months to sexy will do us good....and if it doesn't....it should magically come off when we get home........right?....

that is the majority of our convos here in bracebridge...we get fed every night! and mostly by old ladies who love to feed us sweets and really yummmy things! YOu just can't understand unlesss you've been on a mission...you just have to sacrifice yourself and have that second helping when they offer it. So no poking fun at me when I get home! haha Good thing I'll be hiding out in Vanderhoof for a good while after the mission! 

We played volleyball again! It is so much fun. THough I get made fun of all the time for being so short. The bishop is the instigator of all those comments! haha Good thing I've built up a whole lot of resistance to those comments! Bring it on! hahaha 

So we ALMOST hit standards this past week! We are now teaching L's boyfriend's daughers!!! they are so cute!  So they are there every other week with them then spend the other time with their mom. But last night we got an awesome text from L. telling us they found a cool book of mormon app that reads to them! So they are all reading the Book of Mormomn together and it's just going to be great! The girls have baptismal dates for Nobember 24th!!!!!!! We are so excited! Miracles are happening!  :) 

We finally took down the American flag in our apartmnet :) it only took us 6 weeks! haha our district leader has begged us for it...but we said we won't have it hanging in any apartment lol...all joking of course lol.  nah we love america.......just have to look really really deep. 

Annie Bannie got to meet Ben and Britney Fuller (My ward mission leader and just super awesome people) at the temple in florida! that was awesome! Anyways, 

I sure love you all! The work is going forward! I love this ward and I love this area and I love being a missionary, and I love the gospel!!!!

:) 

Lover, 

Sister Allred

Week 24

Holy Cow. Time just seems to go faster and faster! Next Sunday we get transfer calls! it's crazy! I can't believe I"ve bben here for 5 weeks already! This f\past week was a litttle frustrating, but a learning experience. i don't know if you all read Charlie's emails but I feel a little like him! We are optimistic in the Lord but it is frustrating when people feel the Holy Ghost and then turn away from it! We did A LOT of tracting this past week. WE had to bundle up and stick it out. I use a handy dandy trick of using a golf ball to knock on doors so I don't have to take off my gloves at every door :) On Wednesday we found a family that is so prepared. THey let us in and we shared the Restoration...as the mom read Moroni's promise she began to tear up and the spirit was there so strongly! She invited us back for dinner on saturday, we weren't able to get a hold of her so we just dropped by on friday to give her an invitation to the relief society activity that is coming up, then she told us that she doesn't want to get confused and that she just needs a little time. She has been going to a baptist bible study, and we are pretty sure she got Antied. SO SAD! we even warned her that Satan would do everything he could from keeping them from finding the truth. It's frustrating when they are so close but won't heed the promptings of the spirit! ...we even got disinvited to Dinner. First time I've ever been disinvited to dinner. 

The first week days mostly involved tracting. We have gotten a few new investigators from tracting, but they quickly change their minds. Member missionary work is the way to go! Those people need friends! Then on Saturday we helped out at a wedding in the kitchen- I'm happy to say I never Ever EVER want a reception. Open houses all the way.....on and on a very side note...i happened to glance at Kelly Clarkson's wedding bouquet on a tabloid....I loved her bouquet and colors...pretty much what I want....not that I"m thinking about marriage....it's just the topic of like every Ensign that is in our apartment....so i sometimes study about it...it's fine. haha 

Hmm...L. is coming along, we haven't been able to meet with her more than once a week though, BUT we are working with her boyfriends daughters and they are going to come to Young Women's on Tuesday :) Yipee! There is lots of promise there. 

Well, life is good. I loved the emails this week :) You are all awesome! Muah! 

Sister Allred

Week 23

Hola family and friends :) 

Another week in the life of a missionary! Sometimes I laugh to myself and have to pinch myself to make sure that I am actually in Ontario and I'm actually a missionary. It's a weird/surreal feeling. The weather has turned cold! It has been raining the last couple of days and oh boy, it just chills you through and through! I've been studying the New Testament as of late along with the Seminary New Testament student's manual (which is a big help!) and it is amazing! I'm currently in Romans. So fantastic! go read romans 4-6! That is what I studied this morning and I understand the Atonement and the Fall so much better! ATTENTION: I need a question answered- can you have children in the terrestial world? like have MORE babies. It's been racking my brains. or can you only actually have kids in the celestial world:? 

Anyways, We spoke in sacrament meeting yesterday...then taught a bit of gospel principles...then taught relief society...boy, I am tired of hearing my voice. I"ll attach my talk. The Bishop got up after and said that it was a good thing I could get away with being so Bold haha. IT comes with being 5'2'' :) OH and so last week I had Annie send me a super yummy cookie recipe which I then made and brought to volleyball (the way to the priesthood's hearts is through their stomachs) so inorder for them to like us we brought cookies...anyways that was all fine and dandy- they loved them...then yesterday we drop by a member referral just intime for afternoon tea (they are Brits) and she says "I hear you make good cookies". hahah I was like holy cow we are in a small town! We love playing volleyball! We had like 20+ men there! most of which were less actives and non-members! we get teased alot...okay let me rephrase that...(because sister b. can actually play volleyball) I get teased alot...for being so short haha I can't block a spike for the life of me! haha but I brought cookies so they put up with me :) 

Another funny story of the week- we were tracting...out in the middle of nowhere where everyone has super scary dogs. and we go up to this one house and there is a dog sitting outside...so we are deciding if it is nice or mean...and THEN the bishop calls...he asks where we are and what we are doing, so I say "OH just deciding if this dog is nice or mean"...and THEN the dog became the devil embodied by a german sheperd....and he snarled and had his tail between his legs and had his back all arched...yup he was ready to tear us apart...and all this happened while I was on the phone with the bishop so we had to really calmly (more in a frenzy) backed away. We decided those people were just going to have to wait for salvation. 

But we had some miracles happen this week too! A less active has been coming to church and she came to the movie night we had on Saturday AND she is going to have us over for dinner this Wednesday :) She is wonderful and I just love her! She just needed a little push in the right direction :) And she is hopefully going to help us with getting our other investigators out to church :) We haven't been able to see L. lately which is sad- we really need to see her more often in order for her to progress- they live in the boonies! All in All things are wonderful here :) Miracles are going to happen and ARE happening! All in the Lord's timing. We did set up a little display  in the foyer with books of mormon and such- took us way longer than it should have because it needed to be perfect...we bought a table cloth and printed off a cool meme from LDS.org (they have them for ALL the General Conference talks they are awesome!) check it out. Anyways....I love it here. I never want to leave...even if things are a little slow...I love the town, I love the ward, and I love being isolated from all the other missionairies :) haha I don't know if that is a good thing but it makes my anti-social behaviour really easy to handle :) 

I love you allll!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 

Week 22

Well after a lovely Thanksgiving, I feel like Tina from Napolean Dynamite....I seriously need to stop eating. no more pie, no more ice cream, no more second helpings, no more ice cream with maple syrup....I need to go on a rabbit diet- if a rabbit can eat it..then I can eat it. haha When I come back the size of a whale...don't laugh at me, just have a gym pass ready to go for me :) and maybe a pair of sweat pants. haha so......fat....... but to make this more spiritual...as Nephi said "let your soul delight in fatness" (2 Nephi 9:51). 

My birthday was AWESOME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! We went shopping with the bishop's wife, and his sister and their kids. it was a lot of fun :) I bought some scarves and hair thingys. Then they had us for dinner and we ate lots, and had pie :) they also bought me birthday gifts :) sticky notes, some socks...etc . definitely a good birthday! They are wonderful. 

On friday we had zone training and skills and interviews. we had to drive 2.5 hours to sudbury and then we stayed at an elders apartment- don't worry the elders all stayed at "the ice castle" which is just a huge apartment where they have their man parties. It was all a little odd to stay in an elders apartment...but they had good food in the fridge so that made us happy... though it reminded me of seven brides for seven brothers- only those who know me well will know what part I"m talking about- watch the movie and you'll know. The awkward part was the day after when we were home and we were notified that Sister B. had left one of her bras there.......Oh sister B....a memory of a goldfish that one....she had burnt hard boiled eggs...twice now.....slowly beginning to remember how to drive home...and we are always calling members to see if her sweater was left behind. But the elders put it in a bag and then put it in a box and labelled DANGER so it should be safe. 

I can't believe that Halloween is almost here...and then before we know it will be Christmas! I'm looking forward to getting to skype! OH I get to speak next Sunday- I"ll send the talk I'll be typing it up today. Hopefully it goes well! 

OH THANK YOU FOR ALL THE BIRTHDAY GIFTS!!!!!!!!!!!!! Ellen and Kirtons, I got them and LOVE THEM!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! THey are all being put to good use :) yay for being 20. 

Sunday was awesome! L. came to church with her Boyfriend! It was so exciting! and his mom came too with her non member husband! They are our most solid investigators. At Zone Training I just realized I just need to be bolder and invite people to be taught more. I love it here in Bracebridge. I would be happy to spend the rest of my mission here. I will cry when I have to go back to the city. I don't even like to think about it. I'm going to work on persuading president and the Lord in letting me stay atleast till summer :) 

Love you all! 

Sister Allred

OH and all you missionairies- check out the story in preach my gospel that talks about the Stoneman family...yup...had dinner with her and her family...no big deal. Good thing this mission is the best one out there  :) 

Week 21

What a wonderful week it has been. The leaves are quickly falling and the ground is covered with the glow of orange, yellow and red. The weather has turned cool and we have had to bundle up a little more. THe tights and scarves have been pulled out! All week I was looking forward to General Conference. Some days go by slow, others faster, but we have gotten to know just about all the ward members and all their family relations (which resembles that of Vanderhoof- everyone is related). We have been receiving many member referrals and are trying to get the ball moving even faster. Last Sunday I received the strong impression that we can have at least two baptisms- strong baptisms, here by Christmas. They have only had one in the whole year, and have not seen the convert since the baptism. With the members helping us the Lord is going to be able to trust the ward enough, and we will see miracles! 

I love the feeling that comes after General Conference. It always brings a renewed sense of  motivation and peace. I loved the talks about missionary work, especially Elder Uchtdorf's talk. Why wouldn't anyone want to be a member of the church? But the talk that touched me the most was definitely Elder Holland's as he talked about depression and those who struggle with such disabling trials. I have been blessed to be able to overcome that most days, but there are those days that are a little harder. I know that the Lord is mindful of all of us, and he knows our limits and when we are doing our very best! I just love General COnference. I especially reflected on the General COnference just a year ago. I can remember what I was wearing and what I was doing when the announcement was made that the age had been lowered for sister missionairies- I was making my 19th birthday cake- what a wonderful present it was to have the opportunity to go on a mission! 

I woke up this morning and opened mom and dad's package- I loved it! but more than anything I was looking forward to emails :) I love hearing from everyone and getting pictures and videos! 

The bishop's wife is feeding us lunch and then we are going  shopping and having a girls day with a bunch of the younger ladies in the ward :) and then the ward mission leader is feeding us tonight at his home- So a special birthday it definitely will be! 

I love you all so much! 

Oh and I woke up on Sunday morning and decided I wanted bangs...since I usually get my hair done for my birhtday...I figured i'd do it myself- so I did! pictures to follow! 

I Love you all! 

Sister Sarah Allred

Week 20

Well. I would be absolutely lying if I said I didn't love it here. I'm telling President to leave me here until the end of my mission :). They are going to have to have someone come up here and physically take me inorder to make me leave. The fall colours are beautiful. The reds are brilliant, it looks like there is a fire blazing, and what is more is that that is all reflected in the lakes and many rivers! We cover a huge area! Huntsville, Bracebridge, and Gravenhurst and many, many, many more town inbetween. When we came up on Tuesday I didn't realize how much I love the country...I do not like the city...I just love the country! People here are nicer, there is FRESH air, and everyone just moves a little slower! It is a little stressful trying to remember areas and names and also showing results from our work- but the Lord has certainly been in it! We have found 10 new investigators just since Wednesday! Being the only sisters in the Zone we definitely can't just "blend in" with the scenery. We are being noticed and looked to.

The ward is absolutely amazing here. I have NEVER EVER been in a ward that has such wondeful leadership and motivated people. The ward is small, it has shrunk in the last few years as 8 large families moved out of the area, but they are such good people. The bishop, Bishop Jenner, is only 29 years old! But he has so much motivation and works so hard. We visited with him on Tuesday night before we even got to our apartment (we didn't get home till about 9:30), and the ward mission leader, Brother Fuller,  (the bishop's brother-in-law) is so on top of things. They actually get  how things are suppose to work- the missionairies are here to support the ward in THEIR missionary work. He organizes members to go teaching with us, and dinner meals, and is always up to date on what we are doing. They want to double the size of the ward- so that there is a ward in Huntsville as well as in Bracebridge. I know that it is possible! Again, I don't want to leave. ever.

Tell Terri Anne that I have found her new favourite vacation spot. She would love it here! The little town and shops are to die for!

Sister B. is my new companion, she is from McGrath, Alberta. We get along well! She is really sweet, and has been out for 7 months now.

On Saturday morning, we helped some of the bretheren split wood. Earlier they had called to see if "the sisters" could handle it...well I assured them we could! So we proved ourselves to the bretheren of our sweet wood splitting skills and wood stacking skills, then we did some finding (found 3 new investigators) then had to go home and clean up and prove ourselves to the Relief Society sisters in our more spiritual skills at the Relief Society activity before the broadcast. All in a days work! I must admit I could have stayed and split wood all day long if I could have! It felt so good to do some physical labour!

I feel right at home here :)

The Broadcast was a real treat! Longest I've sat in front of a TV in 5 months! haha It was wonderful! President Monson's was so good, though I thought he looked quite tired. Keep him in your prayers!

We live in a really old house/apartment! haha I don't think our heat works...we will have to get that figured out! the bathtub is actually metal rather than that plastic stuff! it's pretty awesome.

Week 19- I AM GOING WHERE NO SISTER MISSIONARY HAS GONE BEFORE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Transfer calls came! We got news that our whole district had been called so we were super duper excited that we weren't going anywhere!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!....then the phone rang...and the caller ID said it was President Scott...."OH Boy". Sister S. is staying in London and training a new sister missionary- she is going to be the best trainer ever!...I seriously wish I had a brother I could marry her off to. She needs to be a part of the family. AND I AM....going....to.......Bracebrige! It is up north and I'm white washing in- There has never been sisters up that north and we will be the only set of sisters in the whole Zone! President said there just is too much testosterone up there and that he hand picked my companion and I to go up there! It was pretty sweet! I have been wanting to go north since I got here but everyone told me that sisters aren't up there. and just an hour before the call sister S. told me to make a prediction----so I said I would go to sudbury and open a new area and she would train :) Crazy eh?! It's going to be so gorgeous up there this time of year , though the winter might be brutal :)

I'm so sad to be leaving Sister S, but we knew we got a long way too well and the area as been going way to well for Presidetn to keep us together- I had already started to pack last week because I was pretty sure I was leaving. :) I just can't believe it.

Once again, I just don't know where the transfer went?! It was so great! the Elders here were amazing and so helpful, and I loved having so many Sisters around- good thing I got my fill of that because my companion and I will be feeling pretty lonely here soon! I've learned so much this last transfer!

1. Don't rush baptism

2. You don't have to be perfect now

3. The Atonement claims more than just our sins, but our fears and disappointments

4. Everyone is in need of the gospel

5. Attitude IS everything

6. Stressing doesn't help anything

7. The Book of Mormon is ESSENTIAL to our DAILY spiritual growth

8. Don't compare yourself to others. EVER. STOP IT.

 

...the list goes on but those are a few things that stick out the most to me right now.

 

Also, I just love my family so stinking much. I love being a missionary. THe gospel is true. :)

Muah!

Sister Allred

Week 18

Oh boy. This week was nuts. It's amazing how fast time can go by. It is seriously a blur. I think I say that every week...and the scary thing is is that it goes faster and faster! It's only in November that I'll be out here 6 months. :S I don't like to think about it.

Well this week we had been working hard to get W. all ready for baptism. I can't even describe W.....he is a funny one. It was all going well...but then we weren't feeling very good about his interview so we pushed it back a couple of days. We felt uneasy the whole week, and we weren't sure why. I'll admit I was ignoring promptings and just pluggin along...because by the book W. is totally ready for baptism....and I was really excited to finally have a baptism....but we still just didn't feel great about it.  So Sunday morning rolled around and we went to church and did the normal thing. And W. didn't come to church...we took that as a sign that Heavenly Father was helping us realize all the promptings He had already sent us. So the baptism didn't happen and I was feeling pretty down. Not because it didn't happen, but because I had let the "numbers" get in the way of really sorrying about the people. When I came out I was determined to not be that kind of missionary...because there are a whole lot! and I have let that all catch up to me. It's no secret....everyone determines how good of a missionary you are by the amount of baptisms you have. It's one of those things that everyone says it doesn't matter as long as you work hard.....but deep down inside....is another story haha. So it has all been a humbling experience...something I needed! We had been hitting standards week after week and then we started to rely a little too much on ourselves. So we MUST involve the Lord in his work! It's not my work and it doesn't matter how many baptisms I see on my mission, what matters is that I follow the promptings of the Lord and and invite people to come unto Chirst through baptism....not push them into the font.

So I cried yesterday for only the 2nd time since being a missionary...and now..I'm all over it! haha Time to get up and work harder and better.

S....let me tell you more about S. She is AMAZING!!!!!!!!!!!!! Seriously so strong! We have taught her about all the commandments and when we taught her about modesty we brought some of our skirts that don't fit us anymore for her to wear to church. She is so willing to change and start obeying the commandments. She  already talks about going on a mission and being married in the temple. She is just amazing. I love that girl! I'll send a pic of her:) and abigail....she loves milk cows ;)

Also last night that lifted our spirits.....we found a family to teach! They are so cool are just looking for peace and happiness!!!!! I love the gospel so much! Heavenly Father knows exactly what we need to learn and will enable us to overcome anything IF we are just willing to turn to him and change.

I just want everyone to be a member of the churhc....but not only a member an active member! There are so many members of the church who are living below their priviledges! We have such a wonderful message and wonderful gift of knowing about the gospel! We MUST share it! I just love being a missionary.

Now let me just go off about how awesome my companion is....she is the funniest and most loveable person ever! A little on the crazy side, but the good crazy! She would fit right into our family. I'm dreading transfer calls next week. I don't think we will stay together, just because we get along so well- it's those companionships that get split up!

I love you all so much!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! You are awesome!

Week 17

Familia!

This week was crazy! I seriously don't remember anything about this last week! It has all been a blur! We struggled to hit standards, but we made it! woot woot! 4 weeks in a row! It took a whole lot of miracles! that is for sure! The Lord must just love us....because Sister S. and I are slightly clueless. We were having a really hard time getting member presence, and this one time while we were at W.'s teaching (the members who were supposed to come cancelled) and so we were out of luck...anywyas we were teaching him.....and then a member just pulled up...and was like....I just felt like I needed to be here! It was amazing! Seriouly awesome! So that was amazing! AND W. IS BEING BAPTIZED THIS SUNDAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! He fasted and prayed about it....and he has finally decided! wahoo! I'm so excited. I'll send lots of pictures next week! I wasn't able to see the videos you sent me this week because the computer is being dumb...so i'll have extra next week!

It looks like Benson and Annie are having lots of fun in Canada! And I can't believe Jackson is bigger than Gavin was! haha we are going to have like a 7 foot man in our family! BYU's next basketball star! whoo! :)

We also met the sweetest 15 year old girl this week....she is so adorable...her name is S. :) she has a baptismal date on the 22nd! This transfer has been amazing! I dont' feel like I"m going to be staying in London...which is sad...but you can never predict transfers! So we will just have to see.

Oh funny moment of the week..............Saturday...what a day. We had like 4 dinner appointments all within 4 hours of each other...I don't even think it is possible to eat as much as week did. On the last one they just offered us a ton of food and we were trying to run away so they couldn't drive us home...because they had already done so much for us...and Sister S. tripped and fell...did a penguin slide on the pavement and then landed with on her back with her feet up in the air...yeah...in a skirt it ended really funny...and everyone was watching form the living room window. Oh sister s....constant entertainment :)

Our district is so much fun! OH today to get to the church we faster...we jumped two fences...hah I may have been the ring leader in that idea. :).

Anyways...life is just so great. I'm just about done Alma from the Book of Mormon so I have 2 weeks to finish it all up! it's going to be tough!

I love you all!

Muah!

Sister Allred

both my pictures involve food...Sister C. took, us out to lunch and then we went to lunch with the missionairies

Week 16

We are just puttering along here in London :) We went Antiquing last Pday...and I found "my mother's favourite machete"! Thanks for the letters and the package! They brightened my day! It has been quite the week! We had Zone training, Exchanges and Zone conference all within the last couple of days. My head is just swimming with things I need to work on and how we can uplift the ward here! I can hardly believe that summer is over and I've been out here for 4 months already! Time is really just flying by. It seems like so little time has passed and then I see pictures of the Grant, Benson and Jackson and realize how much they have grown and all the other things that have changed over the last few months. I certainly have seen a change in myself.

I read a talk by Brad Wilcox about the Atonement last week and just poured over it. It was like a feast! and then it showed up in the Ensign this month! You all need to read it! It was a devotional at BYU my first summer there. Sister S. and I have been talking about how we can become consecrated missionaires- and so we are going to begin a "purification" of ourselves. We are going to fast on Friday and ponder on what things are holding us back from being the best we can be.....not that we aren't being obedient or anything like that...but just things like....thinking about sleeping, or thinking about our next meal, or complaining and when we are feeling really awesome and we walk out of our appointment ready to conquer the world....AC/DC back in black comes to mind rather than Called to serve :)....so we are each going to make a list and then have a 40 day fast from those things. I'm excited to see the change it will bring.

Oh and at Zone conference and Zone training I saw Elder Teancum Carter! (From Williams Lake). It was awesome to see him!

So we are still working with W. on being baptized...we are working so hard to try to get him there and ready for Sunday...he is just a funny guy. He is so ready for baptism but just lacks the commitment to just do it! haha he is waiting for a sign or something. :) He is still Wonderful W. though! I'll try to get a picture of him this week, he is seriously the cutest old man ever!

We are teaching another Jamaican! His name is C., he is 36 and is amazing! We contacted him on the street...we almost didn't go and talk to him..I'm so thankful we did! He came to church last week and we are continuing to teach him. He is so genuine. We really think he could be baptized quickly.

Our Jamaican friends are the apple of our eyes right now! THey make us so happy! Meeting C. was a real testimony builder to be able to really find someone who is so prepared to hear the gospel! If I tried to tell you all the great things that are happening I would be here all day!

 

Alright so here is my embarassing story of the week.....it's really embarassing......

So we were on speaker phone with our District Leader last night....and I was getting ready for bed...and I couldn't find my cotton pads to take my makeup off...so I yelled to Sister S..."Hey, where are those pads!?"......then I realized what it must of sounded like to him.....hahah oh well! I dropped on the floor laughing for about 10 minutes.

 

Anyways, I love you all!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

Sister Allred

Week 15

I love London. Sister S. and I have been working so hard the last couple of weeks! And we have acheived standards both weeks! wahoo! I would be completely happy if we were companions for the next 14 months! haah I love her. She is soo great, and just crazy all around.

The work is going so well.

I have to tell you about W. He is a 73 year old Jamaican man. He is out little beacon of light here :) He always says.."I'm alright you know, and Oh boy". We are hoping he is going to be baptized either this Sunday or on the 7th of September. He is just the sweetest, most humble man ever! And he wears this little hat, and perfectly tailored clothes. He is just darling. I'll have to get a picture somtime. (I'm so sad I lost all my pictures from my last transfer!)

Then we have the M. family. They are a part member family...who are just so ready to be baptized and know that it is true...we just can't get them to church. We have had rides set up and they always have an excuse...so we are trying to figure out what is going to happen there.

Then we are teaching a young girl who is great....but....we just aren't so sure about her intentions...she kind of has a crush on one of the elders in the ward...and is determined to be baptized by him...she reminds US of her baptismal date...it's all a little comical. But I'm sure it will ALL work out!

Then there is another awesome lady who is going to be baptized in September...she has stopped selling drugs, and has really come along way from where she was. She is just ready to clean up her life. She is amazing.

 

So here is the FUNNY story of the week......

So we were in an less active apartment complex and Sister S heard these bongo drums and so we knocked on the door.....the door unlocks..then we could tell that whoever was on the other side of the door was looking through the peep hole...then a long pause...and a Jamaican man appears just wearing a towel that he clearly just went and grabbed from the bathroom. At first we had a moment of awkwardness.....then we went on with our spilll....and since we were in real need of another new investigator for the week....we asked if there was another time we could come back- he obviously said another time would be better- ....and then we asked if we could pray with him...so we prayed with him as he was standing in the doorway just wearing a towel. :) It was halarious! haha

 

Scary story of the week.......

There was a fire on our apartment complex floor last night. We came home at 9 as usual...just to find firefighters and and sirens. So we did our planning session by the moon light on the curb. it was great.

 

Spiritual story of the week!

We taught the m. family an AWESOME lesson on Saturday night! We made a big roadmap to the temple for them...including...faith, repentence, Word of Wisdom, Baptism...etc. then...the temple! and we had candy bars for the kids' "cars". it was just so awesome to be with them and to feel the spirit so strongly! They are just an amazing family. I just wish we could get them progressing!

 

So I havene't had Diet Coke ALLL transfer!!!! or any kind of pop actually! So that's a real big deal for me! :) We totally ran out of food this past week...so I attached a picture of Sister S. eating brown sugar...disgusting! haha she is funny. Sister S. loves all of you..she just told me that- She watches the videos of Benson and Grant with me- they are so cute!

I love you alll sooooo much! life is great. The Gospel is True!!!!!

Muah!

Sarah

Week 14

OH my gosh. I LOVE LONDON!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I can't put enough exclamation points on that. I love it. I love being a missionary. I can actually whole heartedly say I love being a missionary now...i might have been faking it just a little bit the last 3 months :) Now I actually love it.

Sooooooo on Monday Sister H. and I spent the entire day pretty well saying good bye to people since we were both leaving :)  So then we packed up and got up at like 5 o'clock on Tuesday and drove to Brampton. There I met Sister S!

So we then we drove home...we had some really good bonding time in the car...she almost killed me. We got flipped off once...or twice...good ol' country girl driving in a big city doesn't mix! BUT I LOVE HER! Like seriously love her. She is so much fun. We came out hte same time and we just laugh a whole lot together. I was so stressed out that my new companion would be boring and think I was weird....turns out she was worried about the same thing and Heavenly Father decided to put us together! We are just insanely weirdly awesome together~! !!!!!!

The people here are soooo much more friendlier...must be something in the water but the people are awesome here. Like everyone knows us. We have people on the bus and in the grocery store notice that I'm new and ask me what my name is and where i'm from. It's fantastic. And the best part is...we are actually busy. AND IT WAS MY FIRST TIME HITTING STANDARDS THIS PAST WEEK! It just feels so good to work so hard and actually see results! We worked crazy hard this last week. we just collapsed every night when we came in. The ward is awesome! And Yes, Bucky Lumsden is here! haha I haven't seen him yet, but we shot him a text to let him know I was here! haha small world eh?

There are a lot of people we are teaching!  I met S. on the bus and we taught her once and then she came to church on Sunday. She has gone through so many things in her life that are so hard and i'm just so excited for her to find this peace and to know that she is a daughter of God.

Oh I should tell you about our apartment.....hahah so it has been lived in my missionairies for like 10 years...Elders for a long time so it definitely has some character! haha but we switched it around a whole lot and it is great. I am just so happy to be here! I tell Sister S. that all the time. I just love it. It is beautiful- we are trying to be healthier so we go running/exploring every morning and it's gorgeous! I am also giving up Diet Coke for this transfer- it's going great and I've lost a little weight so hopefully that continues!

I'm reading the Book of Mormon from front to back this transfer- so taht's all I do in my spare time :) haha but it's been amazing to just read it and get the full pciture all at once! Definintely strenthening my testimony!

I love all of you!

The pics are of Sister H. and I one last time, and of Sister S. on one of our morning adventures!

Muah!

Love you all.

Sister Allred!

Week 13- Pack your bags cricky, we're movin out!

LONDON HERE I COME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

So we got transfer calls last night and Sister H. and I are both leaving! She is going to Missassagua and I am going to London with Sister S. I came out with her and she is sooo cute! I'm so excited! President Scott loves to white wash areas! The Elders in the other ward are also  both leaving and a few other areas. It's not like at home where that only happened if they were bad missionairies. I PROMISE I"M A GOOD GIRL! haha I am so thankful though! and just so excited! I need a pump up  and a new place. It's not that I was really down or anything it was just becoming so....stagnant. :) :) :) :) :) :)

I"m just ready to baptize people!       Ah I am just so excited!!! so so so excited. And it will be a bigger city so we won't have to walk forever to find people! It seemed like our area was shrinking! We would see former investigators all the time! On Sunday we ran into 3! haah it was all pretty funny. We started to walk through neighborhoods instead of the normal streets because we needed a change of scenery! So I am just super excited! Especially since I was mentally preparing myself to be here and have Sister H. leave. It it's going to be sweet. I am going to miss Sister H. a whole lot though! She has been soo wonderful!

 

I was feeling a little down on Saturday night and just didn't feel like I was progressing that much and stuff. Everyone talks about how they just love their missions soo much and they don't ever want to go home and their testimonies have never been so strong...blah blah...and I just kept thinking...yes, I love it, but I definitely am going to want to go home when the time comes! So I felt a little guitly for not feeling like what seems like every other missionary...so I was praying about it...a little confession time perhaps. And then I reflected about how when I got my mission call all I could think about was being a mom. And the thoughts just came of "Of course you won't reach your full potential on your mission, this is just to prepare you to be a mother...that will be your full potential". So then I felt ALL BETTER :)

 

Oh and studying about the Women in the scriptures has been awesome! It helps me stay focus to be writing things down and stuff while studying. I made a goal to not be so sarcastic and be more serious...and then I found a verse just for me...like it was quite obviously written for me...has my name and everything!

 6 ¶And Sarah said, God hath made me to ^alaugh, so that all that hear will laugh with me.
So I am clearly just here to brighten people's days....Sister H. told me all the time how much I entertain her :) So the scriptures are pretty amazing! That is now my favourite verse! LOVE IT!
Like always, thanks for the emails :) LOVE YOU ALL!!!!
Sister Allred

PICS: a less active family- they are from Berma and don't speak very much English :)

Week 12

This week we only have a very short time to write emails- so there probably won't be any personal emails this week- but thank you for all of them! They were great! I love getting emails, they make me so happy! They are definitely what keeps me going- just knowing that I get ot hear from you all! This week was pretty slow, we are still just trying so hard to find people and to actually get them to progress! Usually missionairies have to drop investigators...our investigators drop us haha But working hard on keeping my spirits up. Sometimes I just have to tell myself I get 5 mintues. 5 minutes to feel sorry for myself and act like a little girl...then I have to suck it up and get  to work. I just want to teach! We taught Relief Society on Sunday...and I might have cried and just told them I was tired of tracting and needed them to help us find people. I don't know if anything got through to them, but only time will tell!

I'm afraid I am going to be a very plump girl when I get back haha Food is the best comfort! haha and then we are just lazy with cooking after long days of tracting...yesterday we were just too tired for dinner and had a big lunch at a member's home so we just had Diet Coke for dinner. I've corrupted Sister H. completely now- she asks me to go get Coke :) Victory!

Transfers are next week so we will see what happens! I'm pretty sure Sister H. will be leaving- she has been here for 6 months. So change will be good.

I've decided to study all the women in the Bible and Book of Mormon- I just decided this morning- so today I started with Eve and then made a list of all the women- I'm quite excited for this new study topic. I want to do a minor in Women's studies so I figured this was all very appropriate!

I love you all and I"m so lucky for all of you!

Love,

Sister Allred

Week 11

Time is going by soo fast! I can barely believe I'm just about done my 2nd transfer!

Last week we were able to go visit Brother E. (the dry mormon) Yay! he is still thinking about taking the lessons- but he is reading his scriptures with his wife so it's progress! I"m praying really hard for him! We had a ward social "Called to Socialize" on Friday night, and it went really well! I was a little stressed out for it but it turned out great! We had 6 non-members there and got to know the ward members even better!  and it was a dessert potluck...so you really couldn't go wrong :)

On...mmm...Tuesday it was pretty hot and sister H. and I had packed dinners because we were really far from home...so our sandwiches had sat in the car all day- it's a miracle we didn't get samonella or anything- but they were not the most satisfying dinners so we decided we wanted ice cream...so we went to the 7/11 and a pint of ice cream was 8 bucks! So we walked to the nearest grocery store and bought a whole half gallon of ice cream...and plastic spoons...all for 4 dollars! ....and then we sat on the grass and ate it...not all of it...but a lot of it! haha that's the life of a missionary!

A lot of our investigators have disappeared  One of the investigators is super busy, and a few others have just disappeared off the face of the earth! So we are trying to work with that. We aren't sure what more we can do...but we are still just chuggin along and working hard!

Last week in planning, which takes about 3 hours, Sister H. paused to read me a short quote...and I was asleep so fast. the quote was only a paragraph long...but i've just been soo tired! She is amazed at how fast I fall asleep and where I can sleep! It's a talent.

Nothing much else to report...Next Pday will be on a Tuesday! so don't worry when you don't hear from me.

Love you!

Sarah

Week 10

It's been a good week! 

Definitely had ups and downs, but reading your emails about the success in Vandy and California with people getting baptized is so exciting! I've been thinking about how so often missionaries focus on baptism being the end goal...when really our end goal is the temple, so that we can make it to the celestial kingdom! So those who have gotten baptized...REACH out to them!!!!!!! those new converts need members to work with them, get to know them, and help them keep their baptismal commitments! Just love them. :)

Yeah the weather was totally crazy here! Sister H. and I were in a lesson when the storm moved in...it had been warm and windy- felt like thunderstorm weather...then when we came out of the lesson it was raining so hard, and the wind was crazy! the thunder was the loudest I have ever heard...and lots of trees fell down, and the aftermath was pretty crazy. We had to run home in it...we were soaked! and then we didn't have power for the night. But everyone is safe :) From the running I have awful shin splints....they had been acting up a bit from walking on pavement so much...and that just put them through the roof! So if anyone knows some good shin splint remedies- let me know! I am going to be an old lady when I come home...my whole body aches! Especially my my hips and knees! haha

Last Monday, we were feeling a little rotten...so being girls we went out to eat at this AMAZING arabic food restaurant...seriously delicious! then we went to a butterfly sanctuary with the Hermanas. The whole time I was there I was just thinking about how much Granty Pants and Benson Boy would love it! It was all pretty cool. Then on Tuesday we had exchanges with Sister T...... Seriously, with these Sister Training leaders...they work us hard!. The Elders seem to look forward to exchanges...Sister H and I dread them hahah they are super stressful and just seem like you are being examined the whole time. But we do learn from them...just stressful. But with Sister T. we were able to teach an investigator! I don't remember if I have told you about him...he is a super big guy with Tattoos all over...but the one on his neck says "Faith" haha so he is pretty religious. He is so ready for the truth and the gospel. We will see how ready he is- tonight we are setting him with a baptismal date, last lesson just didn't seem quite right. I'm really excited about him! 

Another one of our investigators isn't progressing. She is more just wanting to hear the gospel just to know...but not to change. So we figure that this is her first time with the gospel and later down the road she will see how it can change her life! 

We have a few appointments this week with new people so hopefully we will have atleast 2 new investigators! :) 

Sometimes it is just so frustrating when people don't see that need for the gospel in their lives right now- and I just want to SAY I"M A LITTLE CONCERNED ABOUT YOUR SALVATION AND STUFF....and then they would just be cool with everything. OH Dad, you will love this!...So Sister T. says to me...Sister Allred, you remind me of somebody....Jack Black....hahahahaha my life is now complete! I hadn't even been quoting Nacho or anything! I thought that was super awesome. 

Sounds like we will be able to teach that one investigator I told you about. The one who's a 'dry mormon'....it's a bit of a mess right now. but we will see! fingers crossed! We don't even know if he will let us teach him yet...but we are much closer to that point than the elders considering they won't even have the Elders over. 

One thing that I realized this week was a bit about the Atonement. I am realizing how much I don't like to rely on other people and I like to just be able to do everything myself. Which is a bit of an issue as an imperfect human being trying to reach perfection! I was reading Elder Holland's talk from last conference and loved the quote "Lord I believe, Help thou my unbelief". I so often have the faith taht we  can find a new fmaily to teach, but then in the back of my mind prepare myself for when we don't. But I just need to do all I can, then hand the rest over to the Lord and let him take care of that unbelief that I haven't quite been able to get rid of. That is one thing that is just so great- the Lord doesn't require us to be perfect right now, but that we are doing our best to progress. 

That was a little bit of a rambly email- BUT I love you all! MUAH!

Sarah 

Week 9

Well this week hasn't been super busy or anything. Kind of slow. But I am feeling so much better compared to last week- not nearly as frustrated as I was last Monday! Still tired though! I have a nap scheduled in for PDAY haha I told Sister H. that we are doing the bare minimum today because I need sleep! haha

 

Last Monday night was hard....first time I've really cried in the mission field! hahah I was suppose to be in bed...but I just stayed in the living room and bawled...until I was done crying. Then the next morning was Zone Training and it was just what I needed- I just realized I needed to get over myself and go to work...and to lay everything on the alter and stop being selfish. The icing on the cake was a letter from Brazil from Erin McMullin- and she told me exactly what I needed to hear that day at that time! I am grateful that the mail was slow and it took since April to get up here! So I just sucked it up and got my head back in the game. (By the way...letters are awesome...hint hint.)

 

We got a media referral from mormon.org and went to give her a Bible (that's what she ordered) and taught her the restoration and then scheduled a return appointment- but then she canceled and said she didn't have time until August. Boo. But hopefully she will come around for August!

We also taught another investigator and it was the best lesson yet! He fed us some fresh black raspberries- delicious! And we had planned on reading 4 Nephi with him, but he had a few questions about the priesthood and baptism and wanted to learn more about the coming of Christ to the America's so we just switched our whole lesson plan and read 3 Nephi 11 and answered all his questions in one swoop! It was so great because we were just relying on the Spirit what to say. Then he asked us about coming to church! He told us he has been talking to his brother-in-law about the whole thing and they both want to come- his brother-in-law apparently has read some of the Book of Mormon and had a spiritual experience when he was younger! Awesome. Sadly he is going out of the country for a good part of the rest of the summer- so we are going to have to work with that. hmmm....

 

We tried to meet with R. few times (the family we keep running into) but she is so busy with 7 kids that we haven't beeen able to yet...and yeah.. we are going to be putting all our efforts into finding a family to baptize this week. Please pray that we find a family this week!

 

I only have one funny story for the week...so as missionairies we are always told not to be weird....and Sister H. and I were walking down the street and suddenly we hear this "HELLO SISTERS! IT'S ELDER R!"...we then see a guy halfway hanging out a car window...it was the new Zone Leader haha. He was apparently excited to see us.

 

Our new Elders are awesome! Love them both, super laid back and just ready to work kind of guys.

 

So yeah...things are going. I'm getting super tan! Oh and right now we aren't able to meet with that one 'dry mormon' investigator I talked about in my last letter...but I'm going to talk to President about it and see what I can do :) I drew him and his wife a picture of Christ (she is the one who gave me the drawing stuff). And we saw some super cute houses this week! :)