He's coming home!!

So Elder Allen was scheduled to get into the Toledo airport at 10:35pm and we had it all planned out!  Found out at dinner that he was delayed and didn't know if he would get here later or have to spend the night in Chicago or drive to Detroit to get him...we WAITED then decided to head home from Toledo from dinner and on the way home got an update that said his connecting flight from Dallas was waiting for him in Chicago.  So he got on that flight which got delayed 2 more times as we waited at the Toledo airport on him. His times were 10:57pm then it was 11:57pm I was about to quit getting excited BUT FINALLY at 12:12am we got to get our  long awaited HUGS!!!!

It was great to see him he is thinner and some say taller than when he left.  I think he looks so so handsome!  He seems a little bit different but yet he is still my son EVAN!

Thanks to all who came and waited with us during this exciting time and thanks to Rudi Allen, Jenny Perry and Alisha Pieracini for helping me with his signs!  They were fun to make and looked AMAZING!!

 Finally got my HUG!!!! 

Dad did too!!!!

I

I couldn't wait to see Evan & Ethan hug and see each other!  The BEST!!  Love my dads face here see he can smile!!!

Love having our whole family back together!

Thanks for all who came out so late and made Evan's homecoming to great!!!!!

My last email!!

August 4, 2014

Well this week was good! Our investigator didn't come to church though so no one else will be getting baptized before I go home. My greatest friend ever helped me out though. On Saturday I went back to Hemet and baptized one of my old investigators! Thanks Elder Harris!!! His name is James and he is kind of a punk kid but I worked with his family my whole time there.

One more week to go! I am nervous about home but I know it won't be horrible.

I love my mom soo much! She is the greatest! I can't wait to see her!

I had the greatest mission ever! I wouldn't change any of it!

Elder Allen

Well I'm not done just yet!

July 28th, 2014

So our investigator that is pretty solid came to church! His name is Pedro Cabezas so that is Peter Heads in english hahah. He is cool though and reads the Book of Mormon a lot. He is on date for August 10th which is my last Sunday so that means he can't miss a time to church in order to make it! We are going to make an effort to have daily contact with him so he won't mess up!

I gave a talk in sacrament meeting too and that went ok.

Its crazy there is only 2 weeks left and this week flew by! I hear the last week feels super long though. 

I am almost done reading the Book of Mormon in Spanish! I only have 2 chapters left!  

Nothing else is really going on and I can't think of anything else to add so I guess thats it.

I miss you all and I will probably only send 1 more email!

Elder Allen

Well I'm High!

July 21, 2014

No joke Taco Bell didn't have diet Mt.Dew so I drank regular!!! I hate sugar headaches!!!!! Its gonna be a quick email.

I was sick Saturday and Sunday so that slowed us down. No one came to church, that's frustrating.

Elder Barton had his Birthday on Friday and he is now 23. There was a surprise party and everything but its in my journal so if you really want to hear about it you can ask me to read it out of there.

Increased my max again, 245

Still got a runny nose

I am pretty tired, no joke.

This is the last week for anyone to get baptized while I am here so I am going all out with the lessons that we have. They have to come to church!!!

Sent out 3 more boxes this week

I saw my old companion, Elder Santos at church too! He is a goofball! 

I need insulin :)

I hope everyone has a good week! I can't wait to see you!

Elder Allen

I absolutely love my mission!

July 14, 2014

I have made the coolest friends in the past 23 months! Tanner Beeston, Blake Baltazar, and Porter Harris. Thats the order of when I met them so don't complain about being last Port! I have met so many other people that I have seen change in so many different ways and I can't wait to have the ability to stay in contact with them easier! I have grown so much! But...Its not enough. I got a month left and I have more memories to make and more people to teach, I am going to try my hardest to stay focused. I have done things that people might call dumb but I have absolutely no regrets so far and I am going to finish without regretting anything. 

I had fruity drinks yesterday!!!!! They were soooo good!!! Watermelon, Pineapple, Grapefruit juice, Orange, and Cantaloupe. Mexican's can make good drinks! (no alcohol I promise)

None of the people we have came to church and if they don't come this week or the next then they won't be able to get baptized while I am here so I am going to start throwing down! No regrets right? I am ready for another super elect person and we got to find them soon!

I love having a nice haircut! I feel fresh! #getfaded

I increased my max bench today too. I am at 235! I have to do more though if I plan on living with Elder Harris because he is a super strong guy.

Diabetes is good, ate a bunch on Sunday after church and thought I would be high but I was just 135 soo that's cool.

Its been a little weird lately with my companion Elder Barton. I just feel like he is always right next to me all the time. I think its just me and my body knows I won't have a companion much longer but its weird. I want to tell him to get away and go sit in the other room but that's rude so I will just suck it up and enjoy being around a guy 24/7 for another month.

We were in the car this week too and I day dreamed running back home. I ran my normal run on the railroad tracks behind my house and that was weird because I remembered little details about it too. My mind has been doing dumb things lately. I had a dream about Taco Bell and eating a cheese quesadilla and dipping it in cheese. 

I am tired

I love you all! Have a great week because I know mine will be awesome!

Elder Allen

PS Go Bucks!

Exit Release to Parents letter

(Its getting REAL!!!!)

2 July 2014


Mr. and Mrs. Scott W. Allen  9705 Co Rd 8-1 Delta, OH 43515


Dear Brother and Sister Allen,


It is a privilege to announce the honorable release of your son, Elder Evan Robert Allen, from his labors as a missionary serving in the California Riverside Mission.  He has served a successful mission and will be returning home on  August 12, 2014. Please schedule a time when your Stake President can release him. You should have received a copy of your missionary's flight plans. A current view of it is available on the web.  The website will ask for the reservation number, which is located on the  itinerary.  If you have not received the itinerary please contact us and we will forward. It is also recommended that you contact the airlines the day of travel to find out if any changes have occurred in the flight. Your son will receive a Tuberculosis letter in his final packet. Please help your missionary remember to take the test upon his return home. You can be proud of your son and the fine work he has done here in the mission field.  As he has served and taught, his testimony and overall knowledge of the gospel has grown.  His missionary experience can now be a solid foundation on which he can build a life of happiness, success, service, and increased spirituality.  As his service here in the California Riverside Mission comes to a close, I express my gratitude for the valuable contribution he has made to our missionary effort. We thank you for the love and support given to Elder Allen while he served in the mission field.  May the Lord's choicest blessings be yours for sharing him with us in this tremendous experience.


Sincerely,

John H. Mullen, President

4th of July was FUN!

July 7th, 2014

Well this week was cool! The 4th was on Friday and that was when we got to meet the new mission president. President Mullen is super cool and is going to pump up the mission. He is quite a bit different than President Smart but he is cool. We then hung out with other missionaries the rest of the night because we had to be inside.

It got up into the hundreds this week and biking stunk! It was sooo hot! We are still going through people, looking for the ones that are solid. It is getting a little frustrating though. I can't believe I only have 5 weeks left! I have to definitely make some good memories these last weeks.

Today I met Elder Harris' family and they are super cool! They came down to drop some stuff off for him and go on their vacation. I was a little nervous because I will be hanging out with their son (Porter (Elder Harris)) for the rest of my life and you can only make one first impression...hopefully I'm cool!!!! 

I see so many people swimming hear and i am super excited to go swimming! I wonder if it will feel weird? 

My shirts are getting worse and worse! I am wearing one with 3 black buttons on it right now because I ran out of white buttons. It looks pretty stylish though! I got style now!

Here is a picture of me and Elder Beeston at our Multi-Zones a couple weeks ago. I figured we should get some sick mirror pics haha! 

I have to go but I love you all! Have a great week!

Elder Allen

Here is the picture that Elder Harris' mom took. My comp is beside me Elder Barton.

Decent Week

June 30, 2014

Well we found some new people this week which is nice but no one showed up to church which stinks. We are going to be dropping all our old investigators because they don't want to progress.

I got to see Elder Harris on Thursday when he came up for his meeting and that was super fun! He is such a cool guy! I can't wait to live with him!!!! He told me today that his parents will be dropping off some stuff for him next weekend and they are leaving it with me! That means I get to meet his parents which will be super cool! They seem like awesome people.

Last night I saw Elder Baltazar at dinner cuz he came back for a baptism and we hung out hard!!! I might see him today too because someone he is with has a doctor appt here in riverside. We are going to party hard in the mission home!! I love my friends out here, but I miss everyone back home.

I have been a bit distracted the last couple of weeks and it stinks sometimes but I just think my mind is shifting focus from right now to a couple weeks from now. Its weird but whatever. I'm not going to stop working though! 

I miss you all! Have a good week!

Elder Allen

Well I start my last transfer!

June 23, 2014

This post is crazy he is so still my Evan as he writes about his problems!

I can't believe its here! 

Well this week was pretty cool. On Thursday we had Multi-Zones and I got to hang out with Elder Beeston! We took selfie mirror pics! We are so cool! President and Sister Smart gave a training on how to have a successful life and it was really good! I gave my outgoing testimony which wasn't too bad. I still got 7 weeks so I don't feel it yet.

Friday night I had horrible stomach pain and I have pooped consistently inconsistent ever since. I have lost about 7 pounds this week too which is a little weird but I know with Taco Bell I will bring it back up!

We haven't got very many solid people to teach so we are going to be visiting a lot of potentials this week. 

I got sunburned last week from wearing a tank top to play football at a park and I started peeling 2 days ago. It really stunk on Tuesday. We played soccer and football today which was fun! The World Cup is on and I am actually really drawn in when we see it at some houses or restaurants we eat at. USA! USA! USA! USA! plan B...URUGUAY! URUGUAY! URUGUAY! (just because of Elder Santos)

I got to get going but I will talk to you next week! 

Elder Allen

Happy Father's Day!

June 16, 2014

Well Dad, you have been a dad for quite a while now haha. Did you have fun yesterday? We didn't do anything special for Father's Day and a lot of people weren't home so we didn't get in to many houses. 

I benched this morning and for the first time in my life I benched my body weight! I weigh 200 and I did 205 3 times and went ahead and did 225 and got it once so thats cool! We also wore tank tops to the park today and played football and I got some sunburn so hopefully it doesn't hurt too bad.

I got my stitches out and I asked the nurse that took them out if I could keep them since they were my first ones and she looked at me like I was super weird but said sure. She stuck them on some tape and I put it in my journal! I am saving my shirt and tie too so I can frame it and hang it up in my house when I am older! That would be so cool!!!

We found some new people this week but none came to church which stinks. We have to really set some expectations this week. 

We have Multi-Zones this week as well and I am going to see Elder Beeston!!!!! I am so pumped!!! We have to give our outgoing testimonies though which is going to be super weird. Its the last week of the transfer too and President Smart only has 2 weeks left. I hope he has fun on his vacation to Hawaii!

I have 3 more boxes to send home with shoes and shirts and books and its all mine so please don't wear anything! You can just put it in my tubs or something.

I am really enjoying this last stretch of my mission and time is going super fast. I love you all and I hope you have a good week, cuz I know I will!

Elder Allen

Its a first for everything!

June 9, 2014

Well I had a decent week. Just about no one showed up to church so we will be dropping everyone! We gotta find them solid ppl!

I had my outgoing interview with President Smart on Wednesday and it was a little weird because we talked about school, career, wife, and post mission life in general. I got a packet with talks about going home and a packet about the 3 BYUs and LDSBC. It made me a little trunky but not too bad, I basically forgot about it by that night.

That same day we had lunch with Elder Baltazar, Harris, Craig, Pritchard, Reber, and Taylor! We had fun and all 8 of us got in a bash outside of TBell. It was hilarious!

Saturday night I wrecked my bike and busted my chin open! (Check out the pics!) I went to urgent care and got 5 stitches and a Tet nus shot. I am ok now but this is my first time ever getting stitches!! So I was riding and went to get on the sidewalk and there was a little ledge between the asphalt and the concrete and my bike tire hugged the ledge and slid out from under me to my right side and I slid on the ground so my shirt is destroyed and my chin and lip got cut up. Cool mission story though! I was hoping to go the whole time without wrecking but I guess not!

I am pretty tired though and I am gonna finish up.

I love you all! I miss you! Have a good week!

Elder Allen

That was a fast week!

June 2, 2014

So we had a pretty successful week! Some of our investigators showed up to church which is awesome but others couldn't. Things always happen and they have a reason to get out of it. I am having fun though and I love the people we are teaching.

Elder Barton and I biked for the first time this week since we got together and its just because we have a had so many team-ups and Sister Pierce left too so we are down a companion for a while. She is doing good though! She is gonna help so many other people no matter where she ends up!

I got to see Elder Harris after his meeting on Thursday which was cool.

Time is crazy

I am loving my mission now though! I have so many friends and everything seems so familiar. I have truly adapted to the missionary life so I have no idea what I will do when I have to go home.

I am still waiting for Ethan to email me and he said he would when I talked to him on Mother's Day! I miss him a lot.

I am going to have my outgoing interview with President Smart soon. He was doing them on Friday but we were super busy so he is going to try and fit me in some other time. That is going to be scary.  

This week better be a good one! I am looking forward to pushing our people so they can progress!

I gotta go! I miss you all! Have a great week!

Elder Allen

Memorial Day! School is ending!

May 27, 2014

Well its really starting to feel like summer! When school lets out its going to be awesome because all the people we teach in school can be taught earlier in the day! It will make it a lot easier for us! Unless they go on a long vacation then that would ruin everything! 

Basically none of our investigators showed up to church this week which stinks. We are really going to hammer down on that! 

Having the car for 2 days out of the week is awesome! We get a lot done and we see a ton of people that would take forever to see if we biked the whole time.  I am really getting along with Elder Barton. He is helping me a lot with focusing and getting our investigators to progress. He has been out almost 8 months and he will be awesome when he gets all that experience that comes with time. He is 22 and is from Carthage Missouri. We live in a 2 man apartment which is fun. We have parties all the time.

Elder Anderson turned 21 on Friday and Friday night after planning we played soda pong. I drank diet Mt Dew and they drank normal pop. We played 2 rounds and Elder Anderson actually threw up!!! He was pretty happy though because he said a couple years ago he would have imagined throwing up because of another type of berverage haahaa. He is a really cool guy and we have fun together. 

I almost got my uhhh twig n berries bitten off by a huge dog!

We went to some stores and I wanted to buy some stuff but the stuff I wanted was too expensive so I didn't. I really am starting to like clothes now.

My flight itinerary came in and I am not getting home till 10:35 at night! I am going to be on planes/ in airports for over 12 hours!!!!! 

Well I got another week to battle through. I hope everything goes just smoothly with our investigators! I love you all! Have a great week!!

Elder Allen

5 week transfer!

May 19, 2014

So I am getting Elder Barton as my new companion and I am staying in my area but moving apartments. The address is 8743 Magnolia #B9. Its just down the road from my old place but it should be all right. I am in a 2-man apartment though. We are sharing a car with the other Spanish Elders and will get it on Wednesdays and Thursdays. We have to do a lot of moving so I gotta go! Longer email next week! Love you!

Elder Allen

Well skyping was fun!

May 12, 2014

We had a good week this week. Not too many people came to church though which is a bummer! We have a lot of work to do and we have to lay down the rules with a couple of our investigators because we will have to drop some if they miss another Sunday!

I got to see Elder Baltazar and Elder Harris this week at a baptism which was super cool. I miss those guys a ton! Also Beeston too, he just doesn't like hanging out with us or something! JK he is a bomb missionary! 

So I got a new suit and so did McClain and Greenburg who are in the picture. The last one is my desk which is pretty cool. We cleaned our apartment really good this week too and so I am going to send my mom pictures of it so check out my blog if you want to see them. 

I am getting pretty tired and I am so worn out at times but I keep working! 

This next week is the last week of the transfer so we have transfer calls Saturday night and then transfers will be next monday. I am pretty sure I am staying which is what I want. Elder Pritchard might go though.

Skyping was awesome yesterday and it was so cool to see everyone. Ethan is still a tool and Rudi is still making everyone mad so nothing changed too much. I love my siblings! We are the cooliest! 

I have to get going but I miss you all! See you in a bit!

Elder Allen

 Evan is getting his protein!

 Nice clean kitchen I taught my son well.

sporting OHIO on the frig!!!!!!!!!!

 He gets to work out every morning.  Nice equipment for missionaries right?

 He rooms with another companionship and they were all in the same room but they switched it around and now Evan and his comp have a room by them selves.

 Its nice to see that he is well organized like me!!  He has way to many shoes and he still has a bunch at home here.  He is kinda like a girl! haha

 No Bath & Body Works????

Week 4 down!

May 5, 2014

Well we went to the temple this week and that was fun! We ate at Cafe Rio like usual and that was good. I worked out my legs before we went to the temple and it killed me most of the week! It hurt to walk haha. I worked through it though.

We got a new family to come to church. Mario and Maria and their 2 little girls. I think they liked it and we have a family home evening tonight with them so hopefully that goes good. 

I saw Elder Harris after his MLC meeting and we talked and stuff. I hope he isn't lying when he told me I can stay with him after the mission! 

There are only 2 weeks left in the transfer and then the next transfer is a 5 week one and then the next is a 7 week one and I hope I have a really good companion for that last one! 

We are going to look at suits today and hopefully I find one that looks good. I want a gray one that I can wear black and brown with. I got style now! 

Well I gotta get going but I hope everyone has a good Cinco de Mayo! 

Elder Allen

This wonderful sister sent Scott and I this email and pictures of our Elder Allen!  My day started out real special!

Elder Evan Allen & Sister Pierce

Brother and Sister Allen,

       I know that sometime our missionaries play down their role here in the field. I have been going out with Elder Allen a lot lately and wanted to share with you what a wonderful missionary he is. He is so inspired in his teaching, I am amazed at how he can draw in the kids as well as the adults all in the same lesson. He is so Spirit driven and knows exactly what people need to hear. The people that he is working with love him and he has such an open heart for each of them. He works really hard, I find myself running to keep up with him. The compassion he shows everyone around him is so uplifting. I know that he has personally been someone who has changed my life for the better. It’s hard to believe he is only 21 years old, he has so much wisdom not only for someone older like me, but his young companions and friends in the field. He is truly loved by everyone here in Riverside. He has inspired me to dig deeper and always question to gain more for myself. I feel so loved and protected by him and in turn love him very much. I go home the end of May and he will definitely be one of my special elders that I will miss very much. You have raised such a wonderful young man, he always talks about his family with such love and fondness for you all. I love the stories about his grandpa, he keeps us in stitches. I know he is looking forward to coming home but know that he will be coming home a different man. He has grown physically, emotionally and spiritually, and as he says it himself for the better.  I know that someday he will be a wonderful husband and father. I am sure you are very proud of him as he fulfills his purpose and helps people make life changes. Please know that I am personally also very proud of him for who he is and who he wants to become. May Heavenly Father bless you for want a wonderful son you have raised, for the sacrifices you are making supporting him on this mission, and for the love you always have for him. I am grateful to you for sharing him and hope I have the opportunity to meet you someday. 

Much Love, 

Sister Pierce

 Elder Allen & Elder Tabile

 Elder Cook & Elder Tabile &Elder Allen

 Elder Allen & Elder Tabile's birthdays!!!!!!

 Game time in between conference sessions.

Elder Bloomfield & GOOFY Elder Allen @ zone conf.

20 months?

April 21, 2014

 Elder Allen on BIKE!!!!!


ZONE conference March 2014
RIVERSIDE ZONE



Eating lunch at zone conference. His comp is to his left and Elder Hayden Johnson (from Toledo Stake too!)is the next missionary over.

Time keeps going. 

I am scared.

I am excited.

My mind is messed up.

I love hanging out with my friends.

I love this work.

Baptisms.

Yeah.

Well I got to hold a PS4 controller this week and it is soooooo awesome! It brought back so many memories! 

Clara and Luz who got baptized the week before general conference got confirmed yesterday and their brother Emilio should get baptized this coming Sunday if everything goes right.

We found some new people this week so we got work to do! 

Nothing else too crazy happened this week but hopefully I have stories next week.

Oh I went low while biking and had to stop at a little store and get some juice. Thats about it haha!

Well have a good week! I miss you all!

Elder Allen