"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."

Monday, March 24, 2014

My name is Hermana Allred-I am a happy missionary, a geography lover, 9 months old, and I'm a Mormon!


I am going to just apologize right off the bat for any
spelling/grammatical errors that may follow. I am plunking this out on
my iPad in the library, so who knows what will fumble out!  Bear with
me.

I am so happy these days!!! And I will tell you one reason why: I have
been praying for charity.  One of the blessings that comes from those
prayers really is an increased happiness and purpose. I love it. I
love a mission.

Additionally, I love all Latinos. They are the best.  We have had the
good blessing this week to find neighborhoods that are door-to-door
Latinos. Seriously, almost every house! They as a people are so
friendly and inviting and we have been able to get a TON of return
appointments.  This makes us so happy because it means we get to teach
more!  I love being able to see things I like about both cultures and
decide what I want to adopt into my own life. I also love being able
to communicate with these people that I couldn't before.  Boys, I know
you are obsessed with Japanese, but HOW COOL IS SPANISH?! I can now
communicate with almost half of the geographical world! Plus, there are
people all around here who speak Spanish. It opens the door to
millions of new friends I can have and new people I can help bring to
Christ. :) love it.

This week we have continued to teach G, M, and F.
Also, we started teaching N and A. Ju and H are also
still in our teaching pool. We were also able to find a lady named
Y, teach her a lesson, and set a baptismal date with her! Hopefully
we will see that happen in April. Things are looking great and we are
finding new people every day!!

Here is something I have been thinking about this week.  The more I go
through life and the more I learn about God and how His plan works,
the more I realize that life is less about what happens to us, but is
about who we are.  The more I think, the less I believe that heaven
will be this wonderful place where everything goes perfectly and all
these things that have been driving us nuts here will finally
disappear.  Rather, I just think that we will be the kind of people
who won't be bothered by things.  We will have developed a strength
and a happiness that is so deep that it stands independent of
everything.  Heaven will still be a lot better than here, but
additionally we will be a lot better than we are now.  I want to
strive to be that kind of person.  One who is ready to die because
they have developed into an independently happy person.  Fascinating.
Love it.

Ty, I found a talk for you this week. It is called 'Securing our
Testimonies' from the October 2004 conference.  I will keep looking
for you!

I think I told you this last week, but I am speaking in sacrament this
week on Ash's birthday.  I am actually really excited for this.  Maybe
I already said this, but for me giving a talk is like taking the ACT
or doing a huge school project. I act like I hate it and it does
stress me out, but deep down I love it.  I guess it just puts my
testimony to the test and helps me deepen my reservoir of
understanding.  Fun stuff.

I have been just obsessed lately with learning (shocker). Haha that is
a love that has grown my entire life and doesn't cease! I am learning
all the time out here - about everything! I love studying the
scriptures and Preach My Gospel. I love deepening my understanding. I
also love using that understanding not in my words, but in the
conviction that comes from my heart. We acquire all this crazy
revelation and spiritual knowledge, but a lot of time others don't
need to hear all of that. They just need to feel the Spirit that comes
when you are speaking on simple topics - the Spirit that comes more
strongly because your personal testimony went a couple levels more
profoundly into your heart. I want to do this with every aspect of my
life.

Well family, I love you to pieces, but I sure hope next week I have a
Computer because my eyeballs just might fizzle out of my head
(familiar phrase, anyone?). :) missionary life is the best. This areas
the best. This mission is the best!! I love you and will talk to you
soon!

Con cariƱo, Hermana Allred

P.s. Yes, I am a big old halfway out lady. WHAT HAPPENED?!


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