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!

He Loves his MISSION!!!!!!

My Second email Home

 Hey! I am having a blast here in the MTC still! I love it here! I am learning so much and teaching is helping me learn a lot too.  Spanish is coming along and it's great having to speak just Spanish during language study.  I will now answer some of the questions that I recieved in the mail.  I have seen Hayden Johnson multiple times but not a whole lot.  Elder Beeston is super cool and I will send my memory card with pictures on it when I get it full but I am not sure how long that will be.  It is hot all the time here in Utah and I have no need for even a top sheet while sleeping.  I wake up at 6:30 and then some days have gym time or study time. After that I have breakfast and then either class time or study time.  After that is usually lunch and if I need something me and Elder Beeston will stop at the bookstore and get it.  Then it is either more class time or study time which is either personal, companion, or language.  Then we have dinner with either a devotional on some days or class and study time on others. I am super busy! We have a total of 10 Elders in our district and I think 3 or 4 districts in our zone.  We are getting a new district this Wednesday which will be 4 elders and 4 sisters. We already have 3 sisters in our zone.  On Sundays we have breakfast and then Priesthood meeting.  Then we have study time and then lunch.  After that we have sacrament meeting and we all have to prepare a talk the week before and then 2 randomly chosen elders have to give their talks.  My teacher served in Baltimore Maryland.  He has been back from his mission for a year and got married in July to his wife from Spain.  I have only gotten 2 packages. One from Kim, he got me this cool Space Pen from amazon that I use everyday.  I also got a package from Jenny Perry that had lots of food, which is almost gone, and letters from my cousins in it.  Thank you Kim for the pen! Thank you Jenny for the food! I have gotten a lot of letters from everyone else and have to write a few more letters today.  Last Tuesday we heard from Neil L Andersen! I was in overflow so I didn't see him in person but his talk was great!  We had a few testimony meetings as a district where ppl got emotional and it was awwesome!  Also Elder Beeston bore his testimony on how he knew God had something to do with us being companions because we fit so well together and I help him a lot. I wept. I LOVE THE MTC AND BEING ON MY MISSION!!

OK here is all the stuff I NEED asap

Cognac Shoe Polish! (I scuffed my shoe and it is bugging the heck out of me)

Foot Stuff (my feet smell bad and the bookstore doesn't have stuff for my feet)

Awesome ties! (Jenny Perry)

A new GOOD razor (I butchered myself the other day with the ALDIS razor)

Black short socks or my NIKE socks ( I am at the gym every day and only have 3 pairs of socks)

Qtips! (I lost the ones I brought and have to borrow Elder Beestons)

Return Address labels (that way I can write more letters and not have to write my adress all the time)

How do you get stains out of silk? there is a stain on one of my ties!!!

Ohio State Stickers for my name tags

The New and old testament scripture stickers

My Triple Combination that I ordered from the chruch

A California Flag, Everyone has a flag in there room for where they are going

New watch pin where the band meets the watch, it looks like it is about to break again it is an invicta and the model # is 1832

I was going to write a journal entry in but I don't have much time so maybe ill get one in next time

Gracias!

Elder Allen

        I love Mondays when I get an email from him!!!

I think it important to get packages more while he is in the MTC than when he is out because he can go to the store himself...then we can just send a gift card to him.  Mail is like the BEST thing in the MTC.  If any of you readers want to send him anything here are some things that Evan loves coconut things, he don't really like chocolate flavor stuff but he does like twix & kit kat candy bars, crackers,  oysters, almonds (no salt), BEEF JERKY, OSU stuff, mints, gum, candy, & homemade goodies.  

Evan said before he left that when he gets home he wants to read this blog.  So if you have a chance comment on the posts that I put on.  It will mean more to him when he does get a chance to read this.

This is my first email home!

   I am having a great time in the MTC! It is so fun learning Spanish and the Gospel! My companion Elder Beeston is so cool, we are a lot alike! My flights here were really fun and I didn't get sick.  I am taking a bunch of pictures too.  I just got back from the Provo Temple and it is so HUGE!!! I had a nice time in there and learned too.  My district is really cool and I am having a great time being around them.  My room is in the basement so it is a lot cooler down there than outside which is nice! My zone is on my floor and we are so cool! We have fun doing stuff every night and I am having a blast! I am trying out singing in the choir even though I am a horrible singer because I would get better seats during Tuesday devotional. I will try out for the MTC choir for General Conference to sing during the Priesthood session but I will more than likely get thrown out of auditions hahahahha. I am picking spanish a little more everyday. I am praying in spanish and we are teaching a practice investigator in spanish too.  We have the 3rd lesson to do this evening and me and Elder Beeston are going to knock it out of the park!  I can't read long emails...mom!, because I only get 30 min on the computer so send me letters through Dear Elder because if you get them in by noon my time I will get them that night.  I will write letters today too and send those out.  I love it here and the Spirit is so strong! I wouldn't want to be anywhere else because I know what I'm doing is right.

 

                                                                                        I miss you! (a little)

                                                                                        Elder Allen

My second email home!  He had some extra time...so I can write long emails!

Well I have 12 min left so I guess I will write some more.  Mi cuarto smells muy malo. I need some Febreeze.  My teacher is cool his name is Hermano Hale and he teachers really well.  Mi compañero, Elder Beeston, es de Lehi Utah. Yo estoy muy feliz y muy busy porque mi schedule es full.  Yo escribo en español as much as yo can.  La comida es bueno y la leche chocolate es muy bueno. El mercado de libro tiene mucho things. El baño es muy bueno y yo tengo un shower every dia.  Yo quiroe el CCM (MTC).

                                                                                                           Frijoles Frescos,

                                                                                                           Elder Allen

I need to ask him why he signed it like this??