Mom, dad, Ty, Brandon, Bryce, Alyssa, Ethan, Ashlyn,
I am just going to warn you, it is another iPad week..... Sorry, mom. :)
This was the greatest weekend ever. Needless to say, because it was
conference. It was probably my favorite conference ever. I have so
much to say about it!
As I was reading in Preach My Gospel late last week, a part caught my
attention about how we need to prepare ourselves to have the Spirit
touch our hearts and testify of the truth of the words of the
prophets. I found myself in a situation similar to when Elder Bednar
challenged all the youth to do genealogy work: I really wanted to do
it, I just didn't know exactly how. So I responded like I did before:
I chose the best way I knew, trusting that The Lord would bless me for
acting in faith. I decided to read a conference talk on prophets every
day until conference. So I did! It was awesome. Saturday morning
during study, I wrote down three very specific questions regarding out
companionship, our investigator Gabby, and my own mission. I was
ready! And I was absolutely awestruck when the first session had
entire talks pointing directly at my questions. The answers were
unmistakable and clear as day. I have never received answers in
conference more clearly. I have a testimony that that came from my
simple and weak way of preparing. He consecrates our efforts when we
try. I thoroughly enjoyed all sessions of conference, and especially
liked that we heard talks in Cantonese, Portuguese, and Spanish of
course! I am so grateful to be a member of the Church of Jesus Christ
of Latter-Day Saints. I know that the men we listened to are prophets
of the very God. So, so awesome.
After Saturday morning's session, I had a really awesome experience.
I started talking to a woman who had attended the session at the
church building named Sister Winkler. She told me that she got
baptized in December and was so excited to receive her endowment soon.
I don't know what it was about Sister Winkler, but we just connected
really deeply. She told me her conversion story - how she had been
praying for years for direction from God when she had a dream that two
men, one of them a redhead, showed her to a church. A month later, two
missionaries knocked on her door. When she saw Elder Smith's bright
red hair and remembered her dream, she immediately wanted to hear
more. The rest is history! I was very touched by the Spirit as she
shared. I felt prompted to share an experience of my own! I testified to
Sister Winkler that her conversion would last so much longer than this
life. That she too would be an angel to help the work. We felt the
Spirit very strong, and she said that I was a good missionary and
would continue to share the gospel after I returned home. It was such
a profound exchange. I don't really know why me and Sister Winkler
were supposed to cross paths for 15 minutes after conference, but we
were. I am so grateful for moments like those. If we have eyes to
see people for who they are and the attention enough to care about our
lives, we both are edified and rejoice together.
We are now teaching G, an 18-year-old with a lot of questions!
She is so awesome. We are trying to help her see that there is
absolute truth on the earth, and that it can be found in the Gospel
(thank you, General conference!). We are also teaching J, who is
the boyfriend of a member. We desperately need more people to teach,
so please pray specifically for that!
Semoran is something else. Haha it is so fun to be in the city. There
are so many people to talk to.
I continue to learn more about the Gospel, life, and being a good
person. I continue to try and be a better missionary, despite what
obstacles might come in the way. Please pray for me to be able to live
up to my potential!
I love this Gospel and I know that it is true. I love beautiful
Florida and the beautiful people in it. I love my sister missionary
friends and my Preach My Gospel and the Book of Mormon and my Example,
Jesus Christ. I hope you have the best week ever and apply what you
learned in conference!
I love you so much,
Hermana Allred
I am just going to warn you, it is another iPad week..... Sorry, mom. :)
This was the greatest weekend ever. Needless to say, because it was
conference. It was probably my favorite conference ever. I have so
much to say about it!
As I was reading in Preach My Gospel late last week, a part caught my
attention about how we need to prepare ourselves to have the Spirit
touch our hearts and testify of the truth of the words of the
prophets. I found myself in a situation similar to when Elder Bednar
challenged all the youth to do genealogy work: I really wanted to do
it, I just didn't know exactly how. So I responded like I did before:
I chose the best way I knew, trusting that The Lord would bless me for
acting in faith. I decided to read a conference talk on prophets every
day until conference. So I did! It was awesome. Saturday morning
during study, I wrote down three very specific questions regarding out
companionship, our investigator Gabby, and my own mission. I was
ready! And I was absolutely awestruck when the first session had
entire talks pointing directly at my questions. The answers were
unmistakable and clear as day. I have never received answers in
conference more clearly. I have a testimony that that came from my
simple and weak way of preparing. He consecrates our efforts when we
try. I thoroughly enjoyed all sessions of conference, and especially
liked that we heard talks in Cantonese, Portuguese, and Spanish of
course! I am so grateful to be a member of the Church of Jesus Christ
of Latter-Day Saints. I know that the men we listened to are prophets
of the very God. So, so awesome.
After Saturday morning's session, I had a really awesome experience.
I started talking to a woman who had attended the session at the
church building named Sister Winkler. She told me that she got
baptized in December and was so excited to receive her endowment soon.
I don't know what it was about Sister Winkler, but we just connected
really deeply. She told me her conversion story - how she had been
praying for years for direction from God when she had a dream that two
men, one of them a redhead, showed her to a church. A month later, two
missionaries knocked on her door. When she saw Elder Smith's bright
red hair and remembered her dream, she immediately wanted to hear
more. The rest is history! I was very touched by the Spirit as she
shared. I felt prompted to share an experience of my own! I testified to
Sister Winkler that her conversion would last so much longer than this
life. That she too would be an angel to help the work. We felt the
Spirit very strong, and she said that I was a good missionary and
would continue to share the gospel after I returned home. It was such
a profound exchange. I don't really know why me and Sister Winkler
were supposed to cross paths for 15 minutes after conference, but we
were. I am so grateful for moments like those. If we have eyes to
see people for who they are and the attention enough to care about our
lives, we both are edified and rejoice together.
We are now teaching G, an 18-year-old with a lot of questions!
She is so awesome. We are trying to help her see that there is
absolute truth on the earth, and that it can be found in the Gospel
(thank you, General conference!). We are also teaching J, who is
the boyfriend of a member. We desperately need more people to teach,
so please pray specifically for that!
Semoran is something else. Haha it is so fun to be in the city. There
are so many people to talk to.
I continue to learn more about the Gospel, life, and being a good
person. I continue to try and be a better missionary, despite what
obstacles might come in the way. Please pray for me to be able to live
up to my potential!
I love this Gospel and I know that it is true. I love beautiful
Florida and the beautiful people in it. I love my sister missionary
friends and my Preach My Gospel and the Book of Mormon and my Example,
Jesus Christ. I hope you have the best week ever and apply what you
learned in conference!
I love you so much,
Hermana Allred
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