Orlando, mi segunda patria

I hope you have been having just the best week ever!! We have been having quite a... well, eventful week!  A lot of good things have been happening in this part of the Lord's vineyard! I will try and break it down here to get all of it out. :)

First, through a series of sudden events, we have taken over the Spanish Elders' area in our ward, which means we now cover the whole ward.  With this change, we picked up a TON of their investigators.  It has been a little overwhelming, but a huge blessing to have such a sudden and exciting pick-up in the area.  I am happy to know that, even though we aren't perfect, the Lord trusts us to take on this challenge and take care of His people.  

One of these investigators is named J.  J. is 18.  The Elders started teaching him a few weeks ago.  We met him at the youth fireside last night, which us missionaries put on about (shockingly) missionary work.  He asked how old you have to be to serve a mission.  We told him 18, and he was very happy to hear that.  ...... We then told him that he should probably get baptized first. :)  He is currently reading in 1 Nephi 2.  For the second time.  Meaning, he finished the Book of Mormon and is starting over again.  He is a miracle.  He will get baptized soon.  We have our first lesson with him tonight, where we will talk about authority and baptism because his only holdback right now is that he was already baptized Pentecostal - we can fix that easily. :)  The Lord really prepared J, and it is exciting to be a little part of his story.  We will keep you posted!

Also, an update on F!  We taught him on Saturday, and it was an amazing lesson.  He really felt the Spirit and likes the Book of Mormon.  We helped him see how he can recognize his answer, and I think he will get baptized soon.  Keep praying for him!

Ah, I just remembered the title of this letter.  This is a direct quote from sacrament meeting yesterday.  A member I really like from the ward got up and shared a story from his life.  He talked about when they were in Venezuela, "mi patria," he said.  Patria means, like, homeland.  He talked about how his family was guided to come here to the States.  He pulled out a little Venezuelan flag along with a little American flag and put them both in his shirt pocket.  He talked about how blessed they were to come here.  And how glad he was to be in "Orlando, mi segunda patria."  (my second homeland)  I, too, look at Orlando as mi segunda patria.  I am happy to be serving among a lot of people who also have adopted Orlando as their segunda patria.  We love it.  And it will always have a special place in our hearts. :)

I keep learning so many things on my mission.  What I have been learning lately is about following the promptings of the Spirit.  In our district meeting, one of my Sister Trainer Leaders gave a training about the Spirit.  She said that last month, she had started praying every day to recognize and act on a prompting of the Spirit for her to say or do something that day.  I thought that was a good idea, and so I started it that very day!  It is funny, because one always makes a decision like that in faith, but then you get kind of nervous because Satan doesn't want you to grow.  I was a little nervous, like, "What if I am not paying attention enough and I haven't had one by the end of the day?"  But the Lord is a Lord of faith, not fear!  Every single day since I started saying that prayer, I have been aware of following a prompting of the Spirit.  They are not huge, they have been very subtle.  They have been, "Share 2 Nephi 31:17 now." or "Talk about how you feel your ancestors on your mission." or "Tell them how much the Savior loves them."  They are small, but I have known that they were from the Spirit.  And I have felt so much more...... fulfilled.  Like I am accomplishing my purpose so much better.  Just because I am paying attention.  I love continually refining the spiritual tools that I developed as I was growing up.  They just keep getting finer and deeper and more a part of me.  I guess that is what life is about. :)

Something else I have been learning.  We are reading a bunch of the Book of Mormon every day, right?  Every time I get into the Book of Mormon, I notice a different blessing that comes.  I can now testify about an increased desire to do good, a happier disposition, a more spiritual aptitude, and a light and power in your life when you read.  But this time, the blessing is different! I have been trying to teach according to needs and use the scriptures lately.  I have tried to review my lists and memorize references and look in Preach My Gospel, but what has improved my ability to use the scriptures has been the simple act of reading every day.  Verses and passages have come into my mind to share - ones that we haven't even read yet.  It has been a blessing to the people we teach.  Good stuff!

I love my mission.  It is a very special thing; there is nothing in the world quite like it.  There are a lot of moments of despair, of discouragement, of disappointment.  But they are always paired with a lot of moments of miracles, growth, promptings, friendships, love, and change.  It is awesome.  I can't even describe it.  But I am grateful for opposition in all things.  I am grateful that I can do hard things and be better for it.  I am grateful that the things that are most worth it in life require a lot of "sticking it out."  And when you have the right attitude about it, "sticking it out" is actually pretty fun. :)  With investigators, with your own repentance, with long bike rides, with trials, with developing a testimony - just stick it out with a smile and with a lot of confidence in the Savior.  It's the best!

Well, family, I sure love you.  And your letters.  I am happy to hear of the successful arrival of the gator shrivel (yes, mom, I get the package thing now!).  I will talk to you soon!

Love, Sister Allred

An excerpt from a letter Kara wrote to her dad on his birthday:

I am learning a ton.  Here is something awesome I learned this week.  My whole mission I have had a theme in my notes from my meetings.  I have written, "WHO AM I?"  a lot of times.  I have thought a lot about who I really am-am I obedient, am I loving, am I Christlike, am I a good teacher, etc.  This week it dawned on me that I have been asking myself the wrong question.  It isn't about who I am; it has nothing to do with me.  It is Christ's work.  My job isn't to build myself into a perfect person/missionary, it is to use the qualities I already have as a daughter of God and slowly push the natural man out of the way. I slowly become less of the focus and Christ shines through.  I don't need to be perfect-I just need to help people see the Savior, who is perfect.  I am having a great time and I love being a missionary. Our area is in the same ward as the assistants to the President, and I like to think about you driving all over the Denver Colorado mission with your starched collar!  Thanks dad for being a great example of a member, a missionary, a priesthood holder, and a person!  I love you so much!  Happy Birthday!