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

Well I'll start off with how we were supposed to have a baptism this Sunday. Our investigator, Lilia, who is about 60 years old, has been to church about 7 times really wants to get baptized. She had her interview this last Friday and didn't pass because she drank coffee. She though she had to stop after she gets baptized so it was just a little misunderstanding and said she hardly drinks it. We have a follow-up interview scheduled for this Thursday and are planning on having her baptism on the 10th. It will be really cool and I am super excited for her.

Elder Allen at the temple with his friends 

We have been finding a ton of people this week and the members have really been helping us out. Because of this success we reached our goals this week and got the Standard of Excellence! I am so happy doing this work and working toward a goal every week. This is the most physically and emotionally strenuous work I have ever done but it is easily the most rewarding and fulfilling. I love being a missionary and living this lifestyle!

 

So cool story. We were knocking on doors offering to bless peoples homes. I come across this bush with chiles (or peppers) on it and they were pretty small and orange. I picked one and pinched it in my fingers and smelled it. wooooohooooo it smelled really spicy and about burnt my nose hairs! So i didn't really want to eat it without water around so I squished the seeds out and then tossed it on the ground. Fast forward about 3 hours and I am driving with our member team-up in the car on our way to a lesson. My eye starts to itch...see where this is going? Well i barely touch the corner of my eye and I get an instant headache my eye is dripping tears like crazy and is on fire! Now remember I am driving, so I am rubbing my eye furiously and looking with the other eye. It hurt so bad the pain didn't go away for like a half hour! That was one of my stupid moments of the week.

 Being Evan!

We also went on exchanges this week too and since Elder Prieto can't drive I took over the area and Elder Randall came with me. He just got out here to the field last transfer and he is a really cool guy and good missionary. since he didn't speak spanish I had to manage by myself and did pretty good! We got 4 lessons that day and I didn't have a problem teaching which is really good! Oh that night we had some of the best tacos I have yet had too!

 

I got the packages! I love having my contacts! Thanks a ton Mom!!! I ate all the almonds and love the peanuts. Next time you get almonds at Aldis though get the green bag because they are a little bit better. If I ever get snack food it is gone so fast because I never have snack food. I really liked the valentine package from Deseret you sent too. The CD is pretty cool and I love the pins and tie bar! I love getting stuff and I am trying to put this package together to send home but can't seem to find anything to put in at the moment.

I do need new shirt stays and if they have longer ones on amazon I need them. I can't wear church clothes, or in my case normal clothes without shirt stays.

 

Well  that is all I had wrote down to write about and can't think of anything else. I will be getting a new car this week though and I am really excited for that!

 

Elder Allen