The Happiest Mission on Earth: La Obra Misional

(The Upside Down Museum.....so awesome!!)

Hi, everyone!

Wow it has been an awesome week! Sorry I was kind of off in my last email, but don't worry about me. :) It has been interesting, but me and Hna. Campos figured it out! We are both used to being the positive companion, the one who is always optimistic. But since we are both like that, we have been totally falling flat this transfer. I have found myself telling myself to have a better attitude, which I don't think I have had to do many times before! But it is good. We tell each other 5 things about the area that we like before we go to bed, and that has been helping a lot. And we have been a ton ton TON happier!

I was so happy to get everyone's letters this week. Haha so many came at once from home that the mission office just sent them to me in a big yellow envelope. So thanks, that made me happy. :)

OK, let me just get this out there to the public: LET THE SISTER MISSIONARIES SERVE THEMSELVES IF YOU HAVE THEM OVER TO EAT!!!! I figured out why all missionaries gain weight. It is because members stuff your plate so high with beans and rice that you eat yourself sick EVERY SINGLE DAY! Haha it is mildly miserable. But when we can serve ourselves, it is just fine. :) (...don't worry, I am not fat. yet!)

Um hi, so two different people have told me in this transfer that I sound like I am from a farm. So, apparently I speak like some redneck from Utah. ..... How embarrassing. Haha I thought you would enjoy that.

So conference was a sorely needed blessing and an answer to many questions. It is always fascinating to hear the prophets speak for Jesus Christ directly and personally to you. I loved it. I prayed all week for the gift of tongues because I thought we would be watching it in Spanish. Saturday we didn't have anyone coming, so we got to watch it in English! Haha I was so relieved. Sunday morning, our investigators Brother and Sister A. came to watch, so that was in Spanish. I really can understand, it is just harder to work and pay attention in Spanish. But it was still good. And they liked it! Shall we discuss them? Let's.

Ok, so Brother A. was a media referral for us. He and his daughter, Evelyn, were taught by missionaries for a few weeks in Washington DC before they moved here and requested the missionaries again (us). We are now teaching the whole family. They are from Venezuela and are so awesome, I really think they will be baptized soon. We have talked about baptism, and *suprise* Marta is not a Christian! We almost fell over dead. I can't believe that out of the billion people in Orlando who are Christians, we have found the 3 that aren't to teach! Haha it is a skewed representation. But anyway, she is still awesome and says she will be baptized if she feels it's right (she definitely will!). Edwardo is a lot more open. Whenever we teach them, I think of Grammy and Poppy. Edwardo is a very smart man who wrote a book and seems to appreciate how the gospel just makes sense. I picture Poppy having been kind of like that. Also, I don't worry too much about Marta. I remember how Poppy and mom were baptized for a full year before Grammy was - and now we are all sealed in the temple! It gives me comfort and hope. Evelyn and Yuhlem are YSA-ish age and really cool. We need to talk more in depth with them specifically and see where they are at. But a great family!

Maria is our top investigator right now. She was a member referral, and is so so awesome. She has 3 little kids and is keeping her commitments. We hope she watched conference at home like she said she would! She said that after we watched the Restoration DVD with her and her kids, that her boys started praying and asking her to pray for meals and before bed. She teared up and was so grateful for that influence in her family. We are excited for them to receive all the blessings the gospel has to offer!

So we really have been so good this last week. I am learning Spanish and more about the gospel every day. I am grateful that the Lord works through weak things to bring about miracles. I am grateful for the advice I receive from you all in letters, and the power that comes through your prayers. I loved especially the message of love and healing through Christ that I found in conference. This is the beautiful truth that each of us gets to send to the world - that Jesus lives to lift us up. We have a Friend always, even when we feel so alone. We have someone to ease physical, emotional, or mental anguish. There is a Balm in Gilead (that is one of my favorite phrases)! So many people in the world need that - no, everyone in the world needs a little bit more of that. I hope that I can live so that people can see their Friend in me. That they can see that we can help them come closer to Him through the truth that we carry. What an awesome call. I challenge you, if you haven't done this already, to make a family mission plan. They do this in wards here, and we probably have one in good old American Fork too. I think the best ones involve daily, monthly, and annual goals. It might help especially since so much emphasis was on member missionary work in conference! Anyway. I sure do love you all. Thanks for everything. I look up to, miss, and love you all.

Until next week!

Love, Hermana Allred

P.S. I don't know if I told you this, but it is a riot here because no one can say 'Allred.' Haha what?! In Spanish, the double L makes a Y sound, so they always try to say "Ayred?" Haha I tell them to take the L out to make it easier. I might have told you that already, but I figured it was funny enough I would say it again anyway. :) Bye!