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