Last weeks email

In My New Area!

Well it has been a week here in Jurupa and I am loving it! Elder Laparra is a really cool dude. He has been out for about 17 months and knows a lot. I am so excited to learn from him and we are already becoming really good friends. He was a ladies man back home in Arizona. He moved here from Guatemala when he was 8 and doesn't have any problems speaking Spanish. The area is really cool too and the families here are cool. I am excited to get to know the ward better and to be able to grow to love them like I did with the ward back in Moreno Valley. My Spanish has come really far. Ever since I got here I haven't had any problems trying to say what I need to say and I love being able to participate in conversations too.

 

My Birthday is tomorrow too! I am going to be 20! I can't believe how fast the time is going by for me. I feel like I just went to Utah and was eating Subway with Brother Rasmussen right before he took me to the MTC. I am loving it here and I know that is why the time is going so fast.

 

I loved the Easter package and all the eggs I got too! I got a package from Nick and AJ and a card from Shannon and Arron for my birthday too but I plan on opening them tomorrow. Thanks a ton for all the mail, I love it!

 

I am also serving with Elder Baltazar who was in my MTC district and I love seeing him because I remember all the awesome times we had in the MTC. We could just hang out all day!

 

Elder Laparra and I were sick on Thursday and Friday. He was puking and stuff and I was able to hold it down but felt awful. It only lasted about 24 hrs each but he gave it to me right when he was overcoming it. We are OK now but I hate being sick becasue we can't work our best. This week we are going to tear it up though!

 

Now that I am on insulin I have been gaining a little weight I am now at like 195 but I am trying to battle back!! I need to get my exercise in or I am easily going back over the 200 mark!

 

I am going to try and send more pictures but there isn't too many on there so I hope to take some more and maybe send it next week.

 

I need some glucose tablets to keep in my back pack so I don't just chow down on candy. I now have juice for when I am home so that is good.

 

That is all I have written down so I thank everyone who is helping me while I am out here and I really appreciate all the behind the scenes labor that goes on back home. I love you all and can't wait to see you in 17 months even though I wish it was longer than that!

 

Elder Allen

Some fun pictures of Elder Allen

This was funny!

Then I got this one next!

Leaving Moreno Valley...

Off to Jurupa Zone!

Well I am getting transferred to Jurupa and will be covering the south side of the zone. Elder Dial, my trainer, served in this area and I think it will be pretty fun! My new companion is Elder Laparra. Everyone except 4  in my zone here that I know is leaving too and I am excited for my new area and sad at the same time. I love my ward here. They are awesome and love missionary work. I hope my new ward will love to work too. I have some packing to finish up with today and then I am leaving at 4. I will be living in just a 2 man apartment and we don't have a washer and dryer so I think we will be paying for laundry or doing it at a members home. This will be my first time being transferred in my mission and I am looking forward to it!

 

We also had a baptism yesterday and one of our 10 year-old investigators got baptized (Janice)and her 8 year old brother (James)and another 8 year old boy in the ward (Benjamin). I actually baptized Benjamin because I taught him twice with Elder Dial and no one in the family could do it. It was a great experience and the baptism was awesome! The spirit was super strong there! Baptisms are the BEST!

 

Here is some other notes I wrote down:

 

Someone check out NAET (Nambudripad's Allergy Elimination Technique). A member gave me a pamphlet on it and apparently they have cured diabetes, CP, and a bunch of other diseases. It sounds like a hoax but I guess its worth looking up.

 

Now this cure for diabetes is a little more believable. I got some of these little beetles called chineese weevils from some members here. Apparently if you eat these beetles without chewing them, meaning alive, starting at 1 the first day, 2 the second day and so on up to 70 the 70th day and then work all the way back down for a span on 140 days you will then be cured! So I am growing some right now in a little cage and need to know if I should start pounding fistfuls of beetles yet.

 

I got the package that was sent and just in time because I just ran out of honey and the body wash and shampoo will really come in handy.

 

I also got the nail polish that tastes bad to stop biting fingernails and it works! It tastes awful! I also havent bit my nails this whole past week!

 

Insulin has been fun. My sugar levels have been really good and the shots haven't been bad at all.

 

Well I am loving my mission and can't wait to go to my new area! I love you all!

 

Elder Allen

Elder Allen on P-day

 Planking

 Th gang who went with him!

He is flying! 

 I bet he was so excited when he saw this critter!

 Looks like he had a great day hanging out in the Mts!

For All of you who miss seeing these LIPS!

Week of March 11th

 Well we had Zone Development Meeting ZDM and got some news about some things! First off the transfer of June 18th the missions are changing! We will be losing the Redlands, Yucaipa, Yucca Valley, Palm Desert, and Murrieta zones! That is 5 zones and we will only have 7 left. The interesting thing though is that we are pretty sure that missionaries will be taken from our mission and put into other missions. We will only know for sure the sooner we get to that transfer but there is the possibility that I could get called to new mission! I want to stay here though because The California Riverside Mission is the best mission in the world!

 

More big news...We will now be able to email all family, priesthood leaders, recent converts, and friends! That means I need Collin and Josh's email!

 

That was the big news!

 

Some quick notes from the week is we were at an investigators house and the hermana made herself some lunch and was eating during our lesson. Now you know how I abslolutley despise smaking lips, chewing with your mouth open, and chewing loudly. Well she had shrimp with the shell on and she would eat them shell and all! And she chewed with her mouth open and it was sooooo loud!! I about punched the wall behind me because it was soooo irritating.

 

Another funny story is we saw this super tall lady in a white and blue jogging suit and she looked mishappen or something and when we drove closer it was a DUDE!!! he had a wig on and make up and it was so gross!!!!!

 

I got the package and loved everything inside except a couple of the fruit cups exploded and I had to wash everything but other than that is was good! Thanks for all the food!

 

Hey Mama can I get a couple names for the temple from our family so I can go through the temple for them?

 

I think that was all. This transfer only has 2 more weeks in it and I think I might leave but a lot is going to happen and anything can happen really. Well I miss you all and hope you can email me!

 

Elder Allen

A sunset in California! 

(in the church parking lot)

A view of 

Moreno Valley

 Blue Skies in Moreno Valley!

Week of March 4th

Well nothing too crazy or weird happened this week. We put a few people on date but they exercise their free agency and don't come to church so we have to push their date back! We should be having a couple of baptisms coming up that I am super excited for and will love to see them progress in the gospel. We also taught some less actives and set some goals with them to get the priesthood to baptize their daughter who is 8 years old and to eventually go to the temple also! They seem excited but they didn't come to church too.  Even though everything doesn't go like I want it, I can still find the joy in this work that keeps me going and I love it!

 

I got the package with the almonds and flat bottom ties in it! I love all the ties! I am wearing one right now! So did you just find these ties all at once by going to wauseon and napoleon goodwills? I am accumulating lots of ties now lol! I also am glad to have my duffel bag for exchanges!

 

I just ate all my eggs and since we just got our money I can go buy some! I am so excited to have food!!!!

 

My Spanish is deffinitly getting better. It doesn't seem like much of an obstacle as much but I still need tons of improvement! I bore my testimony in spanish during fast and testimony meeting this Sunday too. I love being able to communicate with all these people now!

 

Other than that, that is all I have written down. I miss you all and can't wait to see my family on Mother's Day!

 

Elder Allen

Elder Allen's new haircut.  I never cut it that short before.

Elder Allen is getting buff!  Ethan you better watch out! No candy in his Easter Basket!

Well this week has been incredibly busy! Since we are doing 4 missionaries worth of work we have our days planned out 2 days before! We have lessons every hour and have a lot of solid investigators. We had 7 investigators come to church and even got a less active family there too. I don't really like doing less active work but it was so cool to see them at church! Our chapel was pretty full too!

 

There was one crazy thing that happened this week. We found out that our mission boundaries are going to be affected by the Redlands and Carlsbad missions. They opened 3 new missions here in California out of the 58 that were announced and so there might be a probability that missionaries from the Riverside mission will be called to a different mission. The Lord is hastening his work and it is so cool to be out here to see it happening!

 

We had a baptism yesterday! It was a 9 year old boy that the other Elders were teaching. We just had to set up the interview and the baptism so it wasn't really Elder Prieto and I's baptism but it counts for the area! The work here in Moreno Valley is growing and I am pretty sure March will be full of baptisms!

 

 We got bunk beds!!! We have soooo much room for ACTIVITIES!!!!!! we also got memory foam pads for our beds and I have been sleeping the best yet while on my mission! I am on the top bunk and it reminds me of my loft bed too! I love Bunk Beds!!! (I already fell off once though)

 

 We got to go to the temple this Friday too and I loved this visit! I felt the spirit very strong and always have a great time there. We ate at 5 Guys afterwards and it was really good. They have the best drink machines ever!!

Well that is all I had down for the week. Thanks for all the support! I miss every one!

Elder Allen

 Well the big story was transfers this week. Elder Cook is now a district leader here in Moreno Valley. I came out to the field with him and he is a really good missionary. One of the sisters went home and a new one came in. Elder Gonzalez, the other Spanish missionary in the ward got sent to the desert and will be living with Elder Dial too! Elder Craig his companion got in-zoned and will be covering an English ward and will be our new zone leader too. Elder Ete is going to Murrieta to be a zone leader and I cried a little when he left because he has been here with me in Moreno Valley since we got here and I lived with him all last transfer.

 The crazy thing though is that me and Elder Prieto will be covering all of Moreno Valley! There will only be one set of missionaries in our ward now and our area doubled in size! There is so much more work and we will be incredibly busy! I am excited though and know I will grow a lot from this experience. I think that it will only be for this transfer which is a week short so it will only be for 5 weeks. After this they will bring in a new set of missionaries and will split the area again.

 

One cool thing that happened is that I got called over by a lady who was having car problems and I had to hook up a hose for her and my arms got super dirty! Thanks for the car knowledge Andrew!

 

We got some more dumbbells yesterday. Me and Elder Tonini who I am living with work out now and one of his members had some weights they didn't want so we are pretty excited for the new weights!

 

I am having a ton of fun here though and love being busy. I do wish I had a better bed though so I could get some better sleep but its is better than having to sleep on a dirt floor!

 

I am planning on sending my memory card home because it is really full! There are pictures on there from before Christmas! So be checking the mail for the card!

I am already broke for the month too and won't be able to blow my money on dumb things anymore. I have enough food to get me through the month though so I'm not worrying.

 

I saw an Ohio license plate!

 

Yesterday I went to Goodwill and got a red square tie and some cool pants! I love the thrift stores!

 

Well I got to go, I love all of you and hope you are doing good!

 

Elder Allen

 Moreno Valley California

Well this week was super cool! The highlight of the week though was yesterday. We baptized an Hermana named Lilia Tapia.  She has come to church multiple times and love the church and what we teach. Anyway this Sunday morning we were calling all our investigators before Sacrament Meeting and we called the member that usually goes and picks her up. She told us that Lilia hadn't called her yet. We tried calling her and she didn't pick up either. She didn't come to church so after Sacrament Meeting we told Bishop that we needed to go find her. So after Sacrament we left church and went to her house. On our way to the door I stopped and told Elder Prieto we needed to say a prayer. He offered a prayer asking to find her home and we went and knocked on the door. She answered and said she didn't come to church because her husband was home (he has been giving us problems for a while and that is why we were so nervous to go knock on the door because he usually answers and says shes not home so go away). Anyway she said she would be there for her baptism at 4! I was so happy and new that Heavenly Father helped us out. Anyway we go back to church and make her baptismal program but the copy machine was down in our building so we needed to go to the stake center to copy them. We also had to unlock the font too and needed to find someone there with keys. So we eventually found keys and I unlocked the font and then made some copies. We had a member with us too and went and taught a lesson to some new investigators. We then took him home and grabbed some lunch on the way back to the stake center. Well I started filling the font and got all the chairs set up. It was about 3:55 and the font was full and she arrived. We go to get her white clothes and the women's closet was locked! I forgot to unlock it! So I hurry up and call the other bishop and he said he would come over. I run around the building and found some random guy and asked him if he had keys to the font and he said he did! I was so lucky! I called the bishop back and told him not to come and then everything was going good. We got pictures and then Elder Prieto gave his talk and then the member who baptized her and Lilia go to get in the font and the witnesses go to open the curtains and they were locked! Who the heck locks curtains!!! I was so nervous because I forgot to unlock those as well. So our bishop runs out and finds the same guy and he comes in after about 5 minutes and says he doesn't think he has a key for it. He tries one and it works! I was so lucky! The rest of the baptism continues without any more hiccups and it was really spiritual! I defiantly believe in little miracles and am so happy for Lilia!

 

We were able to get a family of 6 to come to church and then one other investigator too so we had a total of 7! We were able to meet our other goals too that were necessary to get the Standard of Excellence and am very happy to see the fruit of my labors. I love working this hard and the joy that comes from it is so immense. I am easily the happiest I have ever been in my life.

 

Well it got pretty cold this week and rained pretty hard. It actually started to freeze and it was like frozen rain! When we were knocking on doors during this storm I found a little pile of snow in the middle of a palm tree! I got some pictures of snow!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

I bought some tabs for my scriptures and have been putting them in my Spanish bible to help me find the scriptures that will help me with the lessons.They help out a ton and I can see my teaching improving along with my Spanish!

 Elder Allen & Elder Dial (P-day)

I was wondering if I could get my priesthood authority tree.

 

This transfer is almost done! Transfer calls are this Saturday and I really don't want to leave Moreno Valley because all the work that is going on. Also I will be out for 6 months in 4 days! That is a 1/4 of my mission! I hate it! Time is going too fast and I want to stay longer!!!

 

Well my time is almost up. I love you all. Thanks for all you do!

 

Elder Allen