"You know, I don't know that much Spanish. I don't have a perfect testimony of everything. I am only 19. I get proud. I get discouraged. I get impatient. I have problems. But the God of heaven and His glorious Son appeared to a fourteen-year-old boy with problems in the woods in New York. The creator of the entire universe answered a humble prayer of a boy with miracles that resulted in the restoration of His gospel. I am young, and I am not perfect, but that doesn't mean that God doesn't want me or that He can't use me. There is a scripture in the Doctrine and Covenants that goes something like this: 'And by the weak things of the earth shall I thrash the nations by the power of my Spirit.' I love that verse. We are weak, but He is able. Even though the missionary force is very young and not perfect, the Lord will continue to thrash the nations. To bring them to repentance. To help them receive the blessings of His gospel.
I am so thankful to be a part of this miracle."

Friday, June 28, 2013

Week 1 has been a success!!




Hi, my dear family!!
I love you all so much; thanks for your letters and packages and support and everything. :)  So last Friday I was kind of a bum, but don't even worry!!!  Ever since Sunday, these days have been the best days ever.  :)

Let's see, this week a lot of fun things happened!!  I got to meet President and Sister Berry on Saturday.  They were so loving and fun and I can't wait to be with them in Florida!!  It was kind of strange, because all of the missionaries going to Orlando were supposed to meet in a certain room, and it was only me and one other Elder speaking Haitian/Creole.  He left this Wednesday, so now it is only me!!  Like dad said in his letter, I think more will come that are speaking English later in July.  But anyway, it was fun to meet them and talk to them.  They seem like super loving people.
Speaking of July, guess what?!?!!!!  Next week, we get to have a patriotic fireside and also.... WATCH THE FIREWORKS!!!  haha I have been so excited thinking about that.  I am glad I only halfway miss out on my favorite holiday. :)  What a bummer that I can't sing all the stadium of fire songs..... sorry Donny Osmond.  Haha. 
So here is what my days are kind of like.  Here at the MTC, they kind of break up the intense days with not-so-intense ones.  Sundays are a lot of personal study time and meetings and firesides.  Mondays, Wednesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays are class days.  We have personal study every morning, then two blocks of three-hour classes.  We learn from Hermano Snyder and Hermana Jensen about missionary work, the missionary purpose, and spanish.  It is usually really really awesome.  Then mixed in those days are gym time, study time, meals, and stuff like that.  Oh!  We also do what is called TALL, which is a computer program that helps us speak spanish better.  Tuesdays are kind of like Sundays, and we have more time to get ready because we do a service project and personal exercise time too.  Fridays are P-Days, when we write letters and go to the temple.  It is so, so great.

So last week was kind of rough, but I had a great experience on Sunday that has turned it all around!  During the sacrament in our meeting, I thought a lot about the Atonement and turning all of my concerns, sorrows, sins, and insecurities over to the Lord.  I felt very poignantly the power of the Atonement and the love that Christ has for me.  I felt a pure release and confidence that was so wonderful.  Now, I just really really really want everyone to feel that same release.  It is exciting that I get to tell people about how their lives can be changed forever.  Since Sunday, it has been so much easier to do everything!
Dad, I bet you were the best teacher ever.  I love all of the teachers here. 
At the MTC, missionaries teach "investigators."  We go in in Spanish and teach them the lessons and try to have them be baptized.  The teachers play the investigators, and base them off of real people they taught in their missions.  Our investigator this week was named Antonio.  He was 19 and didn't know who his dad was and his mom was in rehab for drugs and he had a little brother who was getting into trouble too.  He had been to church with his friend, Brian, and had questions about our church and religion and God in general.  Our first lesson didn't go so well because we really tried to plow through everything, but after that we were able to follow the Spirit and have some awesome experiences with him.  We invited him to be baptized, and he said yes!!!!!!  Haha I was so happy.  I can only imagine what it's like to lead a real person to the waters of baptism. 
So I loved the package.  I have been eating it with my hermanas all week. :)  Thank you thank you thank you!!  I will reply to all of your letters accordingly. :)
I love you all and I love being a missionary.  The Lord needs everyone He can get to spread the good news of the Gospel to the whole world!!!!!  I am glad for the time I have here to prepare myself to be the best servant I can be.
See you soon!  I hope you have/had fun at the family reunion!!!!!!  Miss everyone.
Love, Hermana Kara Allred
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