Elder Allen and some of his Friends!

 I think this Elder (above) is the other diabetic. 

I think these are the Elders in that district that left the MTC that he really liked!

  Well this week has been full! I keep a note card in my planner and write on it what I want to say in my email so here it goes

I need cash for dry cleaning, my suit needs it bad.  They don't take credit or debit so thats why I need cash. Thanks

I can't chew gum while on my mission so mints are the way to go if you want me to have fresh breath. Thanks

Could someone send me a lighter? I need one to burn fuzzies of my scripture ribbons and my clothes.  Thanks

We got a new district this week. They are going to Mexico and Columbia.  Elder Beeston and I took them on a tour around the MTC on Thursday as one of our duties as Zone Leaders.

A district that I really liked left last night.  Some are going to Chile and others are going around the USA.  I got their information though so I can stay in touch with them.

I can't wait to get my Triple combination! I am putting my scripture stickers in my Spanish Scriptures though because I think I will use them more in the field and I want to use them more when I get back home. Thanks Caltons they look great in my scriptures!

This week I haven't gotten a lot of mail.  I used to lead the district with the most mail but not anymore.  How about everyone who reads this gets on dearelder.com 4 nights this week and writes me a paragraph, then I will get thousands of letters! Thanks...if you do it lol

On my classroom floor some empty room are getting painted and I smelled paint and was reminded immediately of painting with Grandpa, Shannon, Jenny, and Mom.  I told Elder Beeston this and he said thats a little weird but I guess I like the smell of paint now lol 

I leave October 16 and I should get travel plans sometime this week.

I weigh 188, with clothes on mind you, so I am staying about at the weight I want.

Hey Rudi how about in your next package you try and get some MTDEW Baja Blast from Taco Bell and send that to me, one of my friends is craving it, and I want to remember TBell too.

This was my first Sunday being a zone leader and I got our whole zone to wear purple ties that day and we looked so cool.  I sit on the stand with the Branch Presidency and Elder Beeston so I could see purple on everyone and it was super cool.

WHERE ARE PICTURES OF MAZIE AND MY CHICKENS?????

I saw Kyle Bennett last week and on my way into a devotional.  He says Italian is easy to learn and that he is enjoying it in here.

I can't believe OSU beat Michigan State by 1 point!!  My branch president, President Stone, is like the coolest guy ever he is hilarious.  He hates OSU because he is from south Carolina and likes the southern teams.  Anyway every Sunday he comes and pokes his head in my room and says he is going to have another crappy day because OSU won.  He keeps me updated and I really like him.

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAH Mom that is so funny you backed into the garage door! HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAH

I am not sure about choir or if I ll be able to get in because there haven't been any announcements for try outs.  So I guess look for me but I doubt Ill be in there.

So Ethan HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!! Are you gonna cry? How does being 18 feel? Are you gonna go vote for OBAMA? I wouldn't if I were you. What did you get for your birthday? Will you write me sometime soon, I miss ya bro! I have a package in the works so you will get it a little late. I heard you have been doing better in school and that you might graduate after all! I am so proud! Did you pass the marines test yet? WRITE ME PLEASE!!! How about during conference everyone writes me something and then send it to me ! 

Well I love and miss all of you, gotta go

Elder Allen

Dear Mom & Dad,

Don't have much time the earthquake sirens just went off & everyone is running out of the building!
Ok I am back. My pen got lost in the chaos so I'm using this pen.  Well my roommates beds are destroyed because the ceiling fell on them.  WHAT WAS THAT!!!
Whoa! I just fought a wild TIGER!!  He broke my blue pen so I'm using this one.  He gave me a hair cut but I gave him the ol'1...2...and he just went to sleep.
That pen ran out of ink so I came across this pen.  So how has it been going at home?  I am missing it a little bit.  I am learning a ton of Spanish!  I actually don't have a lot of time because I have class in 20 mins and need to get ready.
Keep writing me please and send me a package or two.  I love packages.  

Love ya!
Elder Allen

P.S. I found my original black pen!


OK as a mom I hated this letter and thought this was a waste of his time and mine!!!!!!  As I read I was like WHAT????  He likes writing stories!  

Hope you all enjoyed it!

Elder Allen is a Zone Leader!

Well I am having a ton of fun here! I am still learning a lot and teaching a ton! This week has been extremely full! I wore my glasses for a day noticed that I need more contacts.  Do I need to tell you my information or do you have it there?  I can't order them here so Mom you would have to order them.  Should I wait till i get to California? Well anyway I busted out the honey from our bees finally and dipped graham crackers in it.  I shared it with everyone in my zone and everyone loved it! They said it was the best honey they have ever had! We also got designated Pokemon (its a zone thing) and I am Charmander.  I evolved in soccer for making 2 goals and I evolved last night again so I am now Charizard! I also finished reading the Book of Mormon from cover to cover this week for the first time and had a great experience praying about it.  I know it is true and it is the best tool I have to use on my mission.  We started teaching 5 different investigators this week and we get another this coming week.  So we will have 6 investigators for our stay here in the MTC!  I filled out my application for my absentee ballot so how long do you think it will be till I get the ballot?  Now I have Jorge's address but how do I write him? Will a normal stamp work? I got your package mom! It exploded!!!!! I got it in a big box and when I opened it up the box was wet and half the MT Dew was gone.  The address book was ruined but I got the addresses out (I already had an address book).  Also the memory card was sticky but I cleaned it off and it works.  I got Rudi's package with Mt Dew and she packed it smart lol. I loved the ties in it and it was lucky that you put them in plastic bags, it protected them well.  You still need to go to Napoleon and get the flat bottom ties because they are super cool.  Elder Beeston and I are also investigator for some Elders in our district and we are just surf bums who have problems with the word of wisdom and aren't too smart. Yesterday I was able to watch the Brigham City Temple be dedicated on TV and it was a little weird but super cool too. One more thing is that yesterday Elder Beeston and I got assigned to be the new zone leaders! We basically just welcome new missionaries into our zone and designate what Elders do on Sunday meetings.  It is really a great opportunity for us to serve our Zone and I am looking forward to it.  I need Grandma, Grandpa, Mama, and Papa to send me conversion/family stories because I need them!  I didn't get to go to the temple today because Elder Beeston had a migrain so we stayed in our room most the morning but he is better now.  Anyway if we did go to the temple we were going to use headphones during the session to translate it to Spanish.  We need the practice!  I do need more watch pins mom because I think I might have thrown away the others on accident.  Well I am still loving it here and learning a ton! I love and miss you all, see ya in a while!

Elder Allen

These are some activities Elder Allen is doing!

The only electronic device they have is the camera so they do fun stuff with them.

Hope they didn't break the camera.

Look at all the other Elders just watching! Evan must have too much energy built up in him.

Elder Allen w/ others at the Provo Temple

Evan's Side of the room

Elder Allen's Closet

Family,

  I have got so much food! I don't need anymore because I have to try and eat all this food I have piled up in my room! Thank you everyone for sending me the food though. Any dorky fun things that some 19 year old guys would be better to throw in than food at this point. Also I get 40% off in the bookstore and I am trying to buy whatever I can in there before I get sent to California. Ties are worth more than gold in this place! Any tie that is different or flashy would be more than appreciated, I would love it.  Also some flat tip ties are cool so that could be another possible package stuffer!  Mom the thing about the Triple Combination, They don't get them in here very often so just go ahead and order it if you could, thanks.  This past Thursday me and Elder Beeston kind of got into a "funk" because we got super frustrated with one of our investigators, Eliana, we are better now but it was frustrating because she would give us answers like, "I don't know" and "I guess", they were just really annnoying.  We got 3 more inverstigators to teach this week so we will be very very busy.  I need Andrew and Michelle's address so I can write them.  Yesterday during our District Meeting me and Elder Beeston taught about obediance and we learned a lot.  During sacrament we blessed the sacrament in Spanish and it was really cool.  President Stone said we are really good at pronouncing our words.  I am still looking forward to my pin for my watch so I can wear my cool watch opposed to my other cool watch.  While here in the MTC my sense of time has been meesed up.  Every day feels like a week and weeks feel like days and this past month feels like I have been here for a year and like I have only been here for 2 days.  All I know is it is September and that is it lol.   There is no music allowed in the MTC so I won't be able to listen to music till I get out in the field.  Right now I am keeping a journal in English and Spanish so I can write what I want to say and also practice how I write Spanish.  Rudi I sent you a letter so I don't know why you haven't got it.  Robyn I am sorry I haven't wrote you yet I usually write 9 to 14 letters every P Day and its a little hard to keep writing. 

 

Today at the Temple I did initiatories and they were really cool.  We worked out in the morning and after this I think we have personal study.  I am enjoying my stay here in the MTC and being able to feel the Spirit so easily as I study.  I pray for my family and friends all the time and I love all of you.  Keep sending the mail, I love it!

 

Elder Evan Allen

Elder Allen & Elder Beeston

 The Classroom!!!

Elder Allen & Elder Beeston

Dear Family,
           
                    Well I don't have much to say but the pictures are on the card in here.  I needed to use a padded envelope because they say the cards will get cut out if they are in a normal envelope.

My District 2E

Elder Shearer (old DL)                                Elder Baltazar
Elder Nelson                                         Elder Green   (new DL)
   (both going to Columbia)                  (both going to Riverside)


Elder Moyer                                                  Elder Beus
Elder Jensen                                                  Elder Cal          
(both going to Riverside)                     (both going to Columbia)                       

Some of my Zone

Elder Barton  ( really cool, he is bigger than me with glasses)
Elder Burbank
Elder Dreesen
Elder Brooks ( has diabetes & uses a pump)
Elder Neilson ( New Zone leaders  with Brooks)
Elder Grammer (cool and was in the Navy)
Elder Mataia
Elder Titus (he is a 1 year old convert)
Elder Reeve & Elder Whited (old Zone leaders

*On the back of my letter he made maps of his room, the classroom, the bathrooms.

*On this next letter I don't know if he wanted to fill the whole sheet with information but this is what it said:

Favorite MTC food: Chicken Cordon Blue. (first meal)
Elder Beeston is serving in Riverside too.
He will be my companion till California.
Elder Beeston has 2 sisters & 1 brother he is the oldest.
The tryouts for General Conference choir are a ways away.
Cool Beans in Spanish means Frijoles Freslos.
I need addresses for my aunts and uncles.
It is super hot here.
It is all you can eat in the cafeteria.
I really want my BOM with tabs.
I like getting mail.
I spend most of my time in the classroom.
Elder Andersons talk was awesome.
We have ice cream every Wednesday & Sunday.
MORE MAIL = MORE FUN
My district is super cool.
I need more socks to work out in.
Me and Elder Beeston are so alike,  we usually go to the bathroom at the same time.
My Branch President, President Stone is from South Carolina and he makes fun of me for being an OSU fan
Grandma writes the darndest letters.
I'm not wearing any socks right now.
Yo hablo espanol
Yo aprendo espanol
Me gusta espanol
El Espiritu santo es muy inportante!

Well I miss you guys a little but not a whole lot.  Could you send me pictures of my chickens?  Oh and Mazie?


* Luckily he already took a picture of his family!  I just miss him a little too!

His email this week was titled:  "I'm still at the MTC!!!"

  Elder Beeston is going to Riverside and we will probably be companions till we get there.  There are 6 of us total in our district going to Riverside while the 4 others are going to Bogota Columbia.  There visas haven't come in yet so some are a little upset about that.  Everyone in my zone is going all over.  Some to Tennessee, Nicaragua, Mexico, and bunches of other places.  Elder Johnson isn't in my zone and he should be going to Riverside either today or in the next day or 2.  Dad I do not get Ensigns in here to read the survival articles so I will have to get them when I get out.  When you dehydrate some of the eggs I want some! I got a package from Janey and her family and the Bishoffs too.  Since it is a holiday weeekend we wont get mail till Tuesday.  I am expecting a lot! I have been sick all week but not too bad.  I have used some of the medicine that I brought with me.  I feel better today so maybe ill be better by tomorrow.  The temple was closed today so I couldn't go through for another session.  I am writing my email earlier today.  I am still loving it here.  I am super busy and now have 2 investigators to teach now.  Spanish is still coming along, I bought a journal here and started an only Spanish Journal.  It is a lot harder to write than it is to just speak it.  I will hopefully be sending a memory card to you guys soon with a bunch of pictures.  I also have a lot of extra time today so hopefully my letters will be a bit better but I am not sure. We had fast Sunday yesterday and I was starving in the morning but latter on in the day I was OK.  I am reading a lot of the Book of Mormon and it is awesome! I am at Alma 50 I think and the whole book of Alma is cool.  The battle scenes would make an amazing movie! Ethan needs to read from Chapter 43 to the end because it is really cool.  I also bought a detailed map of the Book of Mormon so I can see where the battles and travels took place.  This week me and Elder Beeston are working on memorizing D&C 4 in Spanish because we already have the purpose, baptismal invitation, and 1st vision down.  I am doing laundry after this and will be able to get some letters written there.  Remember if you send me a letter I will send one back, or at least I will try!

Here are just a few more things I need

Ethan has a sweet blue tie with bright green orange and yellow in it, can I have it?

My watch broke! so if you could find me a pin somewhere that would be great, my last email had the details

I also need a comb, I forgot one and have just been using my fingers

Well that is all I can think of so love you all and look forward to your letters every night!

          Elder Allen & Elder Beeston at the Provo Temple

 Here is his desk at the MTC...Send him something fun to put on his board!

Each week he sends us an email in English and then one in Spanish here is that one:

  Hola! Estoy muy entusiasmado a escribir las cartas.  Quiero el Libro de Mormon y lo estudio mucho.  Me gusta mi estudio personal y estudio con Elder Beeston.  Aprendo mucho en el CCM y tengo mucho divertido en el CCM. La comida en el CCM me hace muy gordo.  Necesito activo! Es muy dificil a escribir español. Necesito lavar mi ropa.

Hasta Luego!

Elder Allen

Here's his name badge in Spanish too! ( Kim do you like his pen??????)

We get an email on Mondays and then a letter on Fridays.  Well last Friday the letter we got had a part for me then Scott then the siblings.  The siblings part was funny it said:

Dear Siblings,

Ethan you need to play more games.  Robyn you need to watch TV. Morgan you need to give more hugs. Sam you need to poop your pants more.  Paolo you need to eat more nutella. (that was all crossed out and then it said) You need to read more scriptures.  THEY ARE AWESOME!!!

He also said in this letter:

More Mail=More Fun

So with that write to Elder Allen!