Hi, have you seen enough of me yet!?!

(Kara carrying on the Christmas Eve Eve tradition of sleeping in front of the tree)

 (Florida snow!)

It was so fun to talk to you all on Christmas!  Mom, I am sure you are wanting to know, so I will tell you about the rest of my Christmas.  After we talked to home on skype, me and sister Jackson went out to our car, looked at each other, and cried.  Haha we had forgotten that things were still happening like normal at home.  But then we were fine and went to a member of the Olympia ward's house for a lunch/dinner, which was so awesome because it was American Christmasy, which we have been having a lack of!  It was fun to be there with them and a few other missionaries.  We then went to a family in our ward's house who said we could come, and there we had leftover tamales on paper plates for Christmas dinner.  Haha they were just around like it was a normal day!!!!!! Because they did all their big stuff the night before!!! Anyway, we shared a message with them, and Sister Zuniga was all sad and crying because their son just left on a mission a few weeks ago and she missed him.  As part of our message, we talked about a Father whose Son also left home on Christmas so He could save His brothers and sisters.  It was a cool parallel to talk about and I think it helped her remember why her son is serving.  Then we went to visit a less active member and give them candy, then we went back home to finish our studies!  Haha it was like 8:00 on Christmas night and we were doing grammar exercises in our Spanish books.... Merry Christmas! It was great.

So this week was a classic mission week, full of some pretty big ups and some pretty big downs.  This week sister Jackson was not feeling great, and after Christmas I guess I was just kind of depressed.  But we both just wanted to work so hard and have good attitudes.  on the 26th we had a few hours of tracting planned, and we did not feel like it at all!  We locked up our bikes in the complex and said a prayer together asking for better attitudes and the will to keep serving.  We finished, and Sister Jackson lead us to a third floor door.  We knocked, and Maria answered.  We ended up sitting down with her inside and giving a lesson, helping her download the Book of Mormon on kindle, and inviting her to church.  She was super open and excited about everything, and hopefully the YSA sisters will start teaching her soon.  What a miracle!

Another night, we were having the same kind of attitude.  Really wanting to be good missionaries, but just not having the energy.  We prayed in our hearts and set to work on a neighborhood that a missionary here told us about.  One door we knocked on had a family inside from Colombia.  We offered to say a prayer with them, and they were very kind but said they were very Catholic.  After talking to them for a bit, the mom mentioned that her mother wanted us to come in and say a prayer with her.  This older lady was sitting in her chair, and couldn't talk or use her hands too well.  We said a prayer with them, and talked a bit to them more.  There was the older sick lady and her husband, as well as her daughter with her husband and kids.  We had offered them a card before (which they turned down), but after the prayer the daughter asked for one.  They told us to come back and visit with the mom some more, and we happily agreed!!  Hopefully the door to their hearts will continue to creak open through loving service. :)  So after we found them, we were so excited!!  We probably danced around a little before going to the next house, and I thought, "I should say a prayer to thank Heavenly Father for that!"  But we got to knocking again, and I forgot.  Before we found the family, almost every house had opened the door.  But after, we had like 3 in a row with no answer.  I realized why - we had forgot to remember Him who made all of our miracles possible!!  I quickly said a heartfelt prayer in my head, thanking Him for helping us and for giving us success.  After that, we found/set up appointments with 2 other people who spoke Spanish!!  One is the father of a family.  So many finding miracles this week!

Our investigators are doing awesome.  C. is still smoke-free and working towards his baptism.  Their family continues to amaze me.  Also, D. came to sacrament meeting this week and agreed to be baptized on January 26th.  We are so excited to help this man come closer to Christ.  He says that since he has been reading the Book of Mormon every day, he is more calm and isn't sad all the time like he used to be.  These are the real-life fruits of reading the Book.  They are immediate and noticeable!  I love doing this.  It is real, and it is good!!

So this week I did something that was so awesome for me.  I wrote down everything from home, all my friends, the things I like and the things I plan on doing, and sealed them in an envelope.  On the front of the envelope I wrote a scripture that basically says, "He who is not willing to lay down his life for my sake is not my disciple."  I put it in my drawer where I could see it every now and then.  I really just want to give myself to Him and His cause.  It is hard to withhold part of your heart from Him, because then you aren't at peace.  After I sealed it all up and gave it to Him, it was easier to do what I needed to do and I was far more willing to do it.  Haha here is a silly example:  on Sundays we don't exercise, and so I actually had time to curl my hair (I figure getting ready every once in a while is good for my mental health).  Haha that never happens!  After church, it was pouring rain and I needed to back sister Jackson up in the car outside.  "looking cute" was one of the things on my list, so I laughed a little and gave it up to the Lord.  It was so awesome, because doing that little thing made such a difference.  Before, I might have let it put me in a mood.  I would have grumbled about being in the rain and it ruining my hair on the one day I did it.  I would have been embarrassed all day doing all the things we had planned.  But because I gave it to Him, I was so much happier!  I didn't really care.  It was funny instead.  That's what happens when we give ourselves to the Lord - in the end we are happier.  Anyway, that was a good experience for me.

I LOVE YOU ALL SO MUCH!!!!!  I hope you have a very happy new year.  You can count on me being sound asleep at12:00 (who am I?!).  And, knowing me and Sister Jackson, we will probably move the clocks forward and have a little party of our own at 10:00.  :)  Have a great week!

Love, Sister/Hermana Allred

This picture is classic Kara! 

 Enjoying her package of Utah leaves.

Feliz Navidad!

MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!!!!!!!  

If you are worried about mine and Sister Jackson's Christmas, you shouldn't be.  We have so many plans!!!  We are definitely bringing our mattresses into the main room of our apartment tonight and watching one of our Church Christmas videos, and we bought eggnog and peppermint icecream for treats.  I got the package!!! All of the presents are sitting, dutifully wrapped and waiting, under our beautiful tree.  Plus, we have meals set up with members so we will have things to do. :)

So funny thing about Latino culture.  When they say "Christmas," they actually mean "Christmas Eve." Apparently, they do all the big fun stuff on Christmas Eve.  They have a huge dinner and then stay up until midnight and open their presents! What?!  Haha fascinating.  I never knew!

So there are some big changes afoot in the Florida Orlando Mission.  One is that we are now allowed to go to the temple twice a year, in January and in July!!!!!!  I am so very excited to be in the temple again and to be strengthened there.  The other change is that we are becoming and online proselyting mission, which means I will be on facebook in a few weeks.  I keep my old account and go through it to make it more professional, and then we can teach people online also.  They have seen many blessings from reaching out to people through this. I can't talk to people from home unless they are participating in a lesson or are nonmembers that we can try to start teaching.  I know you will be good at this, but please tell everyone not to try and chat with me or post on my timeline.  The work is moving and changing - how exciting!  Along with this, we can't have blogs anymore, which means you are going to have to take all my letters offline.  They don't want it to somehow link to my profile and so my investigators can read about themselves.

Investigator update: we got dropped by one of our star investigators, N, this week.  That is sad, but we still have some great people we are working with!  C. stopped smoking this week.  That is a miracle.  He is still working on his divorce papers and has a very solid date for February 9th, so he can get married and live the word of wisdom.  What faith we have seen in their family as they quit jobs, give up addictions, talk to lawyers, and fast until 8 at night in order to put their lives the way God wants them.  They know and they act!  It is the most amazing thing ever, and we feel the Spirit very strongly with them as they change.  Please pray for him and his wife and son L. 

We had this amazing Christmas devotional for the mission on Friday.  I sat there in the chapel, listening to the musical numbers and speakers, and I was so full.  I had this joy and wholeness well up inside me that just filled me up and made me so happy.  I love Christmas, because that is what it does to people.  I cry just about every time we sing the song "Silent Night."  Son of God, love's pure light!  Wow.  What an awesome message we have for everyone about Jesus Christ.  He was born, He lived, and He lives today for us.  He fills our lives with joy and happiness and peace.  I love breathing deep in and feeling this peace with myself and God.  Maybe things don't go right all the time.  Maybe I don't fill my purpose like I know I should.  Maybe sometimes I miss you all at home.  Maybe sometimes I am tired.  But all of that can be and is swallowed up in the joyous message that we can find peace for eternity.  That our adversity and afflictions are all but a small moment.  That we live now to bring our testimonies to those who are lost.  We taught a man this week named D.  We asked him why he wanted to talk to us, and he said it was because he was lost.  He needed a change.  We read John 3:16 with him.  "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life."  In Spanish, the end says, "no se pierda," which translates to not get lost.  D. is finding purpose through the Book of Mormon and the message it brings of a Shepherd who is always finding His lost lambs.  

Is this not the most exciting thing ever, that we can all be involved in helping people not be lost?  Thanks for being such great examples to me of everything we should do as members.  This week, me and Sister Jackson watched a lot of the videos on hasteningthework.org to see if we wanted to share any. I challenge you to watch them and catch the wave!  I love having brothers and sisters all around the world in the gospel.

I love Christ and what He's done for me.  I love learning about everything out here.  I love that He is purifying me and shaping me to what He wants.  I love you all so much and can't wait to talk to you soon!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Love, Hermana Allred

(Kara's nativity snowflake that she made for her investigators)

(Hermana Allred and her tree.)

Learning and Living

Is it almost Christmas, or is it almost Christmas?!  What a great time of year.  People are happier, and it is easier to bring up Christ in conversations.  Plus, we have a great tree, a million little decorations around our apartment, chocolate charts, and awesome members to take care of us.  We love it!

So funny story I forgot to tell you last week.  It is about E's baptism.  Me and Sister Jackson showed up about 50 minutes early to make sure everything would run smoothly and practice our musical number.  One of the wards, Bumby, was just getting out of church, and we ran to ask one of the Bumby missionaries Elder Jackson if we needed the baptism record at the service, which we forgot to bring (surprised, anyone?).  We said, "Elder Jackson! So we have a baptism at six, and we forgot-" "To fill the font?!"  Elder Jackson said.  We blinked. "No. ... well, I hope not.  Wait, maybe we should check." (It was the Elder's job [or so we thought] to fill the font).  Sure enough, we cracked open the door to the lapila (font) and saw it bone dry with a cockroach shriveled up in the bottom.  All of the missionaries there (there were 4 sets of us) were horrified because it takes 2 hours to fill the font.  So, all 8 of us missionaries proceeded to run around, using all the sinks in the chapel to fill up pots, vases, and salad bowls to fill coolers which Elder Call promptly took to dump in the font (Elder Call is the hugest guy ever and played football for Dartmouth before his mission).  We were laughing but almost crying and running around trying to do all this stuff to get the font filled!!!  It was chaos.  But hey, we did it!  What a classic first-baptism missionary moment.

So, family, I would like to tell you this week about finding people to teach.  Members come to us all the time with the problem - I want to share the gospel, but I just don't have any friends who aren't members.  I don't know anyone to share it with.  How can I be a missionary?  This might be your problem in good old American Fork Utah.  Here is what I have been telling the members lately.  If you only work/see/go to school with members, then you need to expand your social circle.  This is something we have been emphasizing in the ward - you need friends before you can help them accept the gospel.  Here is what I think is most effective - find those people that are always there, and become friends with them.  Let me explain!  There is always that person.  The guy who always gives you your receipt at the gas station.  The lady who always checks you out in the lunch line.  Your foods teacher.  The mailman.  That neighbor you always see outside.  They are everywhere!  The first step is to introduce yourself and to remember their name.  This is the easiest thing in the world to do, and after that it is easy to start talking about your lives, little by little.  This is something I learned in high school, to just make friends with everyone you could.  I also learned that from Dad, because he is always talking to people at the store by their first names from their name tags (brilliant!).  This strategy has turned into referrals for other missionaries too!  (We are always working on the ladies in our apartment complex. :) )  It is so simple and so effective.  I challenge you to introduce yourself to one of those people this week!  Good luck. :)

So this week, I have learned a lot of patience.  We had three bad days in a row, when everything was falling through and we ended up at the end of the day with two hours left and nothing to do because we were out of back-ups.  I learned that we need to do better at planning those!  It was discouraging and frustrating.  At two points this week, before we got out of our car, we prayed to survive - to have the strength to keep going.  And you know what was cool?  We knocked into two people on these two separate occasions that were just for us.  They were so nice.  They gave us candy.  They said they would always be there if we needed a friend in the area.  Neither were ready for the gospel, but they were answers to our prayers.  Sometimes, we get so busy here and are so sure that God looks out for other people that we forget that He loves us too.  He loves His missionary, Hermana Allred, and He will send people to her just like He sends her to others.  I love that.  I am grateful for people who are ready to be answers to prayers.

Missions are the best!!!!!  I love being here.  I love the ward and really do love the people here so much.  I am finally learning enough Spanish to let my personality through - I can make jokes and stuff. :)  It is great.  Life is great.  Merry Christmas!

Love, Sister Allred

**For a Youth Activity our ward had all of the missionaries send their testimonies to be read at Mutual last week.  Here is Kara's.

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THE PACKAGE!!!  I loved it and the testimonies.  You are all the best. :)

A mission is the hardest but best thing you will ever do.  I have grown so much that it is just amazing.  I have especially grown in my love for our Savior, Jesus Christ.

I want to tell you that He really is our best Friend.  I have seen Him change the lives of people here in Orlando.  Everyone needs something.  Some people need relief from a heart burdened with guilt.  Some people need a spark of happiness in a time of sorrow.  Some people need a friend when they feel they are alone in the world.  Some people need strength when they think they are too weak to handle the demands of life.  Some people need purpose in a world that offers none.  Every need can be met through the Hands of the Gentle Master.  When I turn to Him, I find relief.  I find comfort.  I find joy and peace, every day.  Don't we all need that?

I know that Joseph Smith saw this very Christ because of a simple prayer and a sincere heart.  I am grateful for a God who sent a prophet for me, Sister Allred.  He knows me and wants me to know Him.  He wants you to know Him too. 

Do everything you can to love the Savior now.  Live with Him first.  Write in your journal and live your testimony.  This is what makes you really happy.  It also makes you strong.  Strong enough to handle whatever the world throws at you!  I love you all.  I love the Savior.  I love this beautiful work and the change that it makes in people.  I know it's real; more real than anything.  We can change, we can grow, and we can be healed by the Master's touch.  In the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.

The Best Week Ever!!!

This. Was. THE BEST WEEK EVER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Many miracles occurred.  Let me tell you why.  Me and Sister Jackson decided to change the way we did planning to match more of Preach my Gospel and the counsel of an inspired district leader.  We didn't know exactly how, but we did our best to follow.  Even though we are not perfect planners and our success hasn't come directly because of our plans, I honestly believe that that planning has qualified us to have the windows of heaven open and blessings are pouring out on our heads.

Members this week have given us a ton of referrals.  These turn into the best investigators, so that is AWESOME!!!!!  What blessings.  Because of several things including this, we have 13 investigators.  So many we really don't know what to do with them!!  :)  I love them all and each have their own unique strengths and challenges.

One of these investigator's names is C.  C. is from Uruguay and living with a member and her 16 year old son, L.  I think I have told you about him.  He believes everything but needs to divorce his 'wife' in Uruguay, get married, and stop smoking before he gets baptized.  He has been through many sets of missionaries to prepare him, and now he is ready to act!!  They got the divorce papers and committed to have them finished by Saturday.  C.agreed to a date of January 12th.  We are so excited to help him and his family make it towards their goal of getting sealed in the temple.  We love him and them.  How exciting to be offering them peace of conscience and a new start!!

Saturday, a miracle happened.  We had made plans all week to contact in a specific area in the afternoon.  On Thursday, we received a media referral who lived in a part of our area that we aren't in much because it is so far.  We decided on Friday that we needed to change our plans and go visit this referral.  After we saw him and found another referral in the complex, we were about to leave.  Then we thought that we might as well visit some less-active members in the area while we were down there.  It was the first time we had tried to find them.  We knocked on the first 2 doors and no one was there.  We were tired from walking a lot in the hot sun (it has been  SO HOT lately!), but we trudged up to the third floor for the last door (we had been warned by elders in the area to not knock doors in the complex because they had threatened to call the cops several times).  A lady answered and we asked about the Mogollon family.  She said that she had lived there for several years and had no idea who they were.  We explained that we were missionaries, and she called someone from the other room.  Michael came to the door. He is 21 years old. After we explained who we were, he came outside, shut the door, and started to talk to us.  He said, "Look.  I was in a really bad car accident on Saturday.  I was speeding and drunk and it was 4:00 a.m. Someone hit me from behind, and I lost control of the car.  I hit over two power poles and totalled my car.  When I woke up, I was stuck in my car on the deserted road.  Both doors couldn't open.  I saw that the window was broken on the passenger's side, and tried to climb out.  An old man was on the side of the road and helped me out of the window.  When I got out I started crying because my phone was dead and I didn't know what to do.  The old man said, "are you OK, son?"  I said, "No!  I can't call 911 and I am stuck and scared!"  the old man said, "It is going to be OK; everything is going to be alright."  After that, a state trooper pulled up and asked, "Are you OK, son?"  I asked him if the man called him, and he said he had no idea what i was talking about- the street was deserted and he was just passing by.  I don't know what happened to the man.  I never was a religious person, but now I am starting to wonder about God.  I mean, what do I tell my friends?  That some old man helped me and then disappeared?  I just want to know about God."  Me and sister Jackson picked our jaws up from off the floor and explained to him our divine purpose, call, and message.  Sister Jackson randomly had an English Book of Mormon with her.  We told him to read it and that it would bring him closer to God than anything else.  We explained to him that the other missionaries could come and tell him more about God and our message.  He was almost crying the whole time.  The Spirit was so strong.  I have never met someone more prepared for the Gospel.  I hope the Hunter's Creek YSA Elders keep us posted!

Obviously, the best part of our week was YESTERDAY, E's baptism.  It was such a very special service.  I played the piano (no surprise there).  I loved to be there and see his face when he came out of the water.  He bore his testimony to everyone after his baptism. 

.

It is because of time like this that I love my mission.  During E's baptism, I thought over and over, "This is why I am here.  Everything is vale la pena (worth it)."  I have experienced moments this week of pure joy.  I love this gospel.  I love telling people about why I love it and about their Savior, Jesus Christ.  And I love you!!!!!!!!  I will talk to you so soon. :)

Love, your Sister Allred

So much to do and say!

Dad, Mom, Tyler, Brandon, Bryson, Alyssa, Ethan, and Ashlyn,

I love you all!!!!!  I loved reading all your letters and laughing about stories of pre-season Christmas woes, soccer goals being completed, dumped milk on letters, and how work/interviews/crazy Allred life is going.  Keep it up! :)  (even if it is a result of bribery haha)

So I would like to start this letter with a segment entitled, "EFM"  (Especially for Mom)  Mom:

I LOVED the Christmas package.  First thing in the morning yesterday I opened it up and while Sister Jackson was in the shower I popped in a CD and set everything up.  Loved it.  I also received packages this week from the Eddingtons with some fun Christmas stuff and also the Olsens with a chocolate countdown chart!!  They remembered the one we gave to Silas and so they sent me one. :)  I thought you would be happy about that. :)

Also, I have been getting awesome letters from Rylee.  She seems to be doing so well, and her letters are very inspiring and spiritual for me to read.  Just thought I would tell you! 

Let me tell you about Thanksgiving, mom!   So first, we studied all morning like usual.  Personal, Companionship, Training, and Language.  Then, we had lunch.  I wore my brown dress with a brown cardigan (classic).  On our way out, we took the box of leaves and took pictures and threw them around and loved it.  Then, we took some little "Feliz Dia de Accion de Gracias" cards we had made to less-active members close by.  Nothing like Thanksgiving on a bike!  We talked to a good amount of people outside, which was good.  One less-active member in particular was really glad to see us and we are visiting him again this week.  After, we went to visit a member and talk to her about gratitude and missionary work.  Her husband was there (that is the first time we have met him - he is less active).  Then, we tried to visit an investigator who we had an appointment with, but she bailed because she was cooking (figures!).  Then, we went to eat with the Ordinola family and the other two companionships in the ward.  It was so fun!  They also had family over.  We had tamales, turkey, yams, potatoes, caseroles, the usual, just a little more mexican-y. :)  Some Latinos don't care too much about Thanksgiving, but the thing that is really different is that they all eat SO LATE AT NIGHT!!!!  Like at home, we eat at 3 - the latest.  Here, some of our investigators had thanksgiving dinner at 10 AT NIGHT!!!!!!  Haha so interesting.  Then, I think we tried to go see some more less-actives.  It was fun!!!

Ok, that's it for EFM this week. :)

Wow we love our life here!!!!!!!!!  It is transfer week this week, but me and Sister Jackson are staying here in Windy Ridge for the holidays and another transfer!!  We are so excited for that, and are already making Christmas plans.  :)  Really, Preach my Gospel is awesome.  Planning is awesome.  It has increased our vision and our productivity so much.  Family, I love this great work.  I love the missionaries here.  I love having fun with Sister Jackson, speaking spanish (I understand people now!), bearing my testimony, and learning a ton.  I don't even know how to describe it all.

E. A. is getting baptized this Sunday at 6:30 Florida time.  We are so excited for him, and are going to his interview tonight.  He told our ward mission leader that he had been studying the book of mormon extra hard in case they ask him something he doesn't know. :)  It should be a beautiful service with a beautiful Spirit.  He is committed to this for his whole life.  He knows what kind of changes he will have to make.  This is so cool, because his wife is still hardened against Christianity as anything.  I am so proud of him and happy to be a little part of his conversion experience.  I love to think of his journey, and how it is just beginning.  He is so awesome.  :) I will proudly report on this next week!

We have so many people to teach right now.  We had four investigators at sacrament meeting this week, which was awesome!!  We got a phone call from President congratulating us for that and telling us to keep it up (he does that if you have three or more at sacrament).  It is fun to get into the process of continually finding, teaching, baptizing, and testifying!  :)  Life is awesome.  I am even adjusting to getting up early!  Haha who am I? :)  

I love you all so much.  Keep up the good work in American Fork (also known as Zion).  :)

Talk to you in a few weeks!

Love, Hermana Allred