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! :)  

 

Week 8

Hello dearest family :)

 

It has been a bit of a slow week. I can't help but wish so badly that I could see my cute boys today! Especially with the arrival of Jackson, (who is so stinking cute) I am missing you all a little extra! We have been in the process of dropping quite a few of our investigators because they have not been progressing, and so we are in the finding stage again. 

I MUST tell you about the African Safar we went on last week! IT was SO cool! Sister P. treated us so well! So this is what the african safari is like- you have a part where you actually drive in your car and see the animals so they are just outside your window! and then you can go and see other animals more like a zoo. But I saw lions, and cheetahs and Elephants....AND I RODE AN ELEPHANT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! It was awesome. I felt like a little kid and it was nice to be taken care of for a day.

 

I am definitely very tired! Since we have been sharing the car with the Elders and the bus system is awful here, we have been doing a whole lot of walking! I think i'll probably walk right out of my shoes- they are going to get worn down quick! I have been feeling more anxious than usual the last couple of days (i'll explain that a little more) so I bought a case of Diet Coke last week (it was only 3 dollars!) so that helps- it is totally my vice for stress. Last night I took a bubble bath and drank a diet coke. haha So with all this walking you would think I could lose a pound or two! but i am just the same weight! ahah that kills me! I don't want to come back fat! haha

 

OH and I must tell you about an investigator. His wife, is a member but he is not. We have had 4 dinner appointments with them since I've been here! He has been taught by the missionaries a lot in the past, but it just hasn't been right. He doesn't feel like he has gotten his answer. So during these dinner appointments we have just worked on forming a good friendship with him.  I can be totally myself around him and be sarcastic and it makes him feel all the more comfortable. So things had been going really well and we were going to ask him if he would allow us to teach him...he goes to church and everything- completely a dry mormon, but there were a lot of people at dinner that night so we didn't ask. Now they are in the Elder area- makes me so sad. So anyways, his wife approached us yesterday and asked when we could go over for dinner...and we explained that they are now in the Elder's area. She got a little teary and said that he has really connected with us and really wants us to see if he would allow us to teach him. She is so sweet. She is from Ireland so she has the sweetest accent (she is the one who gave me the drawing stuff). So we have been trying to get permission to be able to teach him. He is somebody that you meet and he is like an old friend. I actually cried last night because I am just kind of beat up about it. As his wife was asking us we told her we would try, then she said...well I've been waiting 25 years for this. It is going to kill me if we can't teach him.

 

oh and a side note- Simon Dewey's son is in my mission :) haha

 

I did have a really neat experience this last week with prayer. I had been kind of struggling with how I can improve my prayers and so I read the article in last months Ensign about improving personal prayers and so I've started to have vocal prayers at night before I go to bed. I go out into the living room alone and it helps sooo much to just think about it a little more and really consider what I am saying.  Another thought I had was while I was trying to fall alseep one night was about the parable of the talents. I thought about how it relates to missionary work and how Heavenly Father has blessed us with the gospel in our lives and if we do not share that and "increase" that, then we are wicked and slothful servants.

 

I love you all so much. I am doing well. Pray for me. Pray that I will be able to manage stress and that we will be able to find a family to teach!

 

Oh speaking of families- I have to tell you about some little girls who love us. We were street contacting and there was a mother and her kids on the otherside of the street playing. So I say to Sister H, let's go talk to them. ahahh so we got the mothers number and everything. unfortunately we haven't been able to visit with her yet but her kids are always out playing and so we see them lots! They come and give us hugs and sometimes follow us around. Love them a lot.

 

Anyways...I think this is my longest email yet!

Love you!

 

Sarah Sue

Week 7

Hello dearest family :)

It has been a bit of a slow week. I can't help but wish so badly that I could see my cute boys today! Especially with the arrival of Jackson, (who is so stinking cute) I am missing you all a little extra! We have been in the process of dropping quite a few of our investigators because they have not been progressing, and so we are in the finding stage again. But before I start complaining I MUST tell you about the African Safar we went on last week! IT was SO cool! Sister P. treated us so well! So this is what the african safari is like- you have a part where you actually drive in your car and see the animals so they are just outside your window! and then you can go and see other animals more like a zoo. But I saw lions, and cheetahs and Elephants....AND I RODE AN ELEPHANT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! It was awesome. I felt like a little kid and it was nice to be taken care of for a day.

I am definitely very tired! Since we have been sharing the car with the Elders and the bus system is awful here, we have been doing a whole lot of walking! I think i'll probably walk right out of my shoes- they are going to get worn down quick! I have been feeling more anxious than usual the last couple of days so I bought a case of Diet Coke last week (it was only 3 dollars!) so that helps- it is totally my vice for stress. Last night I took a bubble bath and drank a diet coke. haha So with all this walking you would think I could lose a pound or two! but i am just the same weight! ahah that kills me! I don't want to come back fat! haha

OH and I must tell you about an investigator. His wife, is a member but he is not. We have had 4 dinner appointments with them since I've been here! He has been taught by the missionaries a lot in the past, but it just hasn't been right. He doesn't feel like he has gotten his answer. So during these dinner appointments we have just worked on forming a good friendship with him. I can be totally myself around him and be sarcastic and it makes him feel all the more comfortable. So things had been going really well and we were going to ask him if he would allow us to teach him...he goes to church and everything- completely a dry mormon, but there were a lot of people at dinner that night so we didn't ask. Now they are in the Elder area- makes me so sad. So anyways, his wife approached us yesterday and asked when we could go over for dinner...and we explained that they are now in the Elder's area. She got a little teary and said that he has really connected with us and really wants us to see if he would allow us to teach him. She is so sweet. She is from Ireland so she has the sweetest accent (she is the one who gave me the drawing stuff). So we have been trying to get permission to be able to teach him but it is up to Elder H.. He is somebody that you meet and he is like an old friend. I actually cried last night because I am just kind of beat up about it. As his wife was asking us we told her we would try, then she said...well I've been waiting 25 years for this. It is going to kill me if we can't teach him.

oh and a side note- Simon Dewey's son is in my mission :) haha

I did have a really neat experience this last week with prayer. I had been kind of struggling with how I can improve my prayers and so I read the article in last months Ensign about improving personal prayers and so I've started to have vocal prayers at night before I go to bed. I go out into the living room alone and it helps sooo much to just think about it a little more and really consider what I am saying.  Another thought I had was while I was trying to fall alseep one night was about the parable of the talents. I thought about how it relates to missionary work and how Heavenly Father has blessed us with the gospel in our lives and if we do not share that and "increase" that, then we are wicked and slothful servants.

I love you all so much. I am doing well. Pray for me. Pray that I will be able to manage stress and that we will be able to find a family to teach!

Oh speaking of families- I have to tell you about some little girls who love us. We were street contacting and there was a mother and her kids on the otherside of the street playing. So I say to companion...let's go talk to them. ahahh so we got the mothers number and everything. unfortunately we haven't been able to visit with her yet but her kids are always out playing and so we see them lots! They come and give us hugs and sometimes follow us around. Love them a lot.

Anyways...I think this is my longest email yet!

Love you!

Sarah Sue

Week 6

First off...Happy Birthday Dad! Keep your eyes out for my card that I sent for you!...I sent it like a week and half ago..but knowing Canadian post you might not get it until next month! I"m just doing one long email for everyone today because we are going on an African Safari!!! The bishop's wife is taking us, and we are leaving pretty soon :) I'm super excited, and i'm sure i'll have pictures from it next week! 

Jackson is so stinking cute! He looks so much like Grant when he was born- just with more hair! I love the pic of Grant seeing him haha I was thinking about him all day on Monday- turns out he was already here! I'm so glad everything went well :) I just want to kiss his cheeks! Kiss them for me would you guys? 

So a little about this week- MY AREA HAS BEEN SPLIT! So we now have Elders in our ward as well! We just met them last night- Elders H. (Salt Lake City) and I. (Japan-....he is already a doctor). So it's been very exciting! Since the broadcast our bishop has gotten so excited about missionary work! it's wonderful! We are very excited! 

I have to tell you guys about a brother in our ward (he is a dry Mormon)- his wife is a member. My sarcasm goes well with him! haha but they had us over for dinner about 3 weeks ago...but it was with a larger group..then they had us over for dinner last thursday...and by Saturday he was asking when we were coming back for dinner! haha Sadly they are in the Elders area, but she is so cute!...She has recently taken up drawing and painting...and I was talkinga bout it with her and so she gave me a case of pencils, and a drawing pad for me on Pdays :) I'm very happy about that! 

 

Hmm....yeah I think that's all I got...I love you all! And On Monday I'll send pictures! I forgot my sticky thing at home to plug into the computer. 

Muah!

Sarah Sue  

Week 5

My heart is so full! I really appreciated all the emails I've gotten this week! Sister H. said that emails are like Christmas! In the mission field- we get Christmas every week ;) Well we have seen miracles this week! It went by so quickly because we were so busy. 

This last week has probably been the week I have seen the most change in myself from my mission so far. I was really struggling with trying to understand how to be a good missionary and how I could improve. I was praying so hard to just hand myself over to the Lord and lose myself in the work, but I came to realize how much I was resisting in doing the very thing I was praying for. I can be very stubborn at times, and I did not want to just fit the mold of the perfect missionary. I guess I could say I did not want to conform and wanted to hang on to a lot of the opinions I had, I did not want to become passive. I don't think I'm explaining my feelings well, but to make it to the point I was struggling with understanding the rules and some of the guidelines in PMG and the whitehandbook. We have seen miracles this past week, and I have come to understand that PMG and the whitehand book are meant to help me fine tune myselves- to be the very best misssionary I can be. I don't need to lose all of my personality traits, I just need to refine some of them and probably eliminate a few, but this is the time where in losing myself- by forgetting those stubborn opinions that I do have, and by putting the will of Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ before my own- by immersing myself in PMG and by doing all that I can to build up the kingdom of God is where I can find myself.
I love this work. Even when a day has not gone as well as planned, when I lay down at night I know I am doing the work of the Lord and I can feel Him encouraging me. 

We taught an investigator last week- he is AWESOME! haah we showed up and when he opened the door he was listening to Opera (he is a single guy, kind of macho, long hair, scruffy beard, lives by himself, loves to garden haha) anyways he invites us into the kitchen, and he has made us a pinapple upsidedown cake with homemade whipped cream! hahah he is an excellent host! Just very domestic, but really awesome. When he gets baptized we are going to have to find him a wife.He grew up Catholic but is very open to other religions. As we began to teach him about our loving Heavenly Father and stuff I loves what he said, He said something along the lines of- I don't feel like we are meant to be servants of God, but that we should be equal- to beable to have a conversation with him. I just wanted to jump across the table and tell him that our whole purpose is to progress so that we can become like God and live with him.......and give him the whole spill!...but that would ahve been too much so we are workign on baby steps there. I can't wait to teach him the Plan of Salvation too! He doesn't want to die because he doesn't want to stop learning....good thing we have the truth about that one! He will be a great priesthood holder one day!

Then we also taught a 15 year old girl :) going well with her! AND she came to church with her little brother. They are adorable!

We discovered a park that is awesome! It's called Waterloo park and there are animals, a spraypark, a boardwalk by the water, and LOTS of people waiting to hear the gospel :) haha So that was pretty fun

Here is your weekly funny story: We were talking to this man who had a little puppy (and he was soo cute! the puppy not the man), and then the puppy peed all over my shoe!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! mad, mad, mad. haha but funny.

Oh and Abigail, you would die to go out to the Bishop's home here! It is up in this little town about 30 minutes from here- farm land, and farms, and farm houses, and a dream pretty much. I would live out there. Oh I've decided I want to marry a farmer and have 9 kids. I'm not super set on the farmer...but the 9 kids thing is kind of a set deal hahah.

The Broadcast last night was sooo good! Loved, loved, loved it! We are so excited to be missionaries during this time! 

Anyways, 

love you all! 

Sister Allred