February 22, 2010

My apologies for taking so long to get this up, Monday-Wednesday I was in prelabor, and still am having contractions, so we have been really busy and really tired this week. Here is Elder Allred's letter from last week.

-Nettina

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Dearest Familia,
Another day, another dollar… except without the dollar.

So, I emailed you all Tuesday, so we'll go from there. Tuesday, after we left I was really tired, and it was still snowy so we walked around, and found out that there was construction on our short cut so we ended up getting a ride across town, only to find out the people we were going to see weren’t home. So we walked all the way back across town to see our bishop for dinner. Then went over to Donna and Richards for a lesson. They were both stressing, so we had a lesson about perseverance and strength and continuing on, it’s kind of what I needed to hear too, so that was awesome. Went home, got stuff, then went with Elder Bryan on exchanges. Exchanges were awesome, Elder Bryan and I stayed up late chatting like little girls, and woke up dead tired the next day, oops!

We had a good day, and visited with a recent convert, and read some of 1 Nephi. We had panera bread for lunch, it was so good! Then we went to a thrift store and bought some Disney classics for like 2.95, so awesome! We went down to see some potential investigators and found out that they lived right on the edge of our mission. So we went over and had a photo shoot, it was fun. We also saw a less active family and had a jenga lesson about sins piling on top of us and weighing us down, our shaky foundation, and how the atonement helps us. It was nice. Then we traded back from exchanges.


Thursday was really hard. We had district meeting but I didn’t get a lot out of it because I was so tired. We came home and I was feeling kinda down, because nothing had happened and we weren’t finding anyone. But I went out anyway, after having an internal struggle – but we went out walking anyway and it was snowing like crazy! We walked all the way across town to our 2nd counselor’s house, his wife gave us cookies and hot chocolate (fresh!) and found out that his cousin is D. Todd Christofferson (who is one of the 12 apostles) or “Toddy Boy.” We walked home, had dinner with sister Loftland, Salmon!!! Mmmm, so good!

Friday, we went to the foodbank and pretended we were ninja turtles. I got to be Raff. We were throwing boxes into this hole into the ceiling, that was fun! And then we got to crawl around in the attic, which was way cool! They gave us a ton of food, which was also awesome! Then we hung out and got ready for Elder Perry’s mission tour. So then we went to the Malley building and had a picture of our whole mission taken at 3:15 and were seated by 3:30. Elder Perry came in and it was so cool. I was surprised at how tall he is!! He shook everyone’s hand. I went up to him and he was like “It’s good to have you Elder Allred” and I was like :) and then I was like “can I have a hug?” and hugged him before he could answer. He was a little startled, but then gave me a pat on the back and was like “you go get ‘em.” Which made me feel really good. So now I will recap that meeting. So the whole mission was there, Elder Funke of the Quorum of the 70, Elder Brimhall of the Quorum of the 70 (he had just been to see us a little while ago), and Elder Halstrom of the Quorum of the 70 I believe. And of course, Elder Perry of the Quorum of the 12 apostles! President Ely spoke about Alma 13, and how missions aren’t supposed to be easy. It’s an eternal contest for the souls of God’s children. We know who’s going to win. We accepted our call in the pre-existance. I chose, I accepted, and now I’m here to do it. Acts 17. Elder Brimhall spoke about Preach My Gospel, the end of Chapter 1, it’s just awesome! And reminded us all that missionary work is a church calling that everyone has. We then learned how we can turn worried-ness and uncertainty into strength, like Enos did in the Book of Mormon, and Moses (Moses 7). He also taught how important it is to teach by the spirit and how we need to plead morning and night for the spirit’s influence in our lives so that we can touch the heart of the people. We don’t know how, but Heavenly Father does. Then Elder Halstrom spoke, he was so funny and awesome. He pointed out how he was the “Junior companion” that day. He talked about the success of meetings and what we get out of church and every meeting is exactly what we put in. If we go with the spirit then we will learn and be uplifted. D&C 43:8. Then he talked about how it is miracle that anyone joins the church with all that we ask of them. It’s only because of the spirit that people do. Then talked about the power of the companionship and how we need to be humble and alert so that we can protect each other. Then Elder Perry spoke, he’s so funny!! He was talking about how 70 years ago he went on his mission. He’s now the oldest General Authority and he says he gets extra care and attention, and how he’s so pampered, it was so funny! He told a lot of funny missionary stories. Then he had told us to study Chapter 13 of Preach my Gospel and he talked nothing about it after that. He talked about the history of the church, and about teaching, and about the reformation. He shared most of his testimony and experiences he had with President Kimball when he was prophet. He ended up telling us about the invisible number on his back, and the lower it is the more scared he gets. He says he checks President Packer’s blood pressure every week. He told us how the Prophet is NOT the head of the church, Christ is. He told us to go forward, and that it is a privilege to serve a mission. It was really powerful and really awesome!

After that we left in a spiritual coma and went to see a family in our ward who we love, except there was some contention there, so we lightened the mood, and played some Apples to Apples, and went to bed.

Then on the 20, we did a lot of weekly planning because we missed it on Friday. We went to see Donna. I don’t remember when, but sometime this week we found out that Richard went to the Salvation Army, because he drank again (he is in AA and on diversion) and is trying to get over it. So we’re going to refer him to the missionaries were the Salvation Army is. He really wants to get better, and I think that he will be baptized one day. So then we went to see one of our awesome members who loves to make us ‘break the rules’, today he was watching Braveheart when we watched in, not cool haha! Then dinner, and off to the ward party. It was an around the world theme, and Ssiter Kubic did Guatemala, and had so many pictures and stuff about Nephite heritage, it was incredible. They found a stone with a stella of the Tree of Life on it, crazy! It was so awesome! She showed me all the places where the scholars think the Book of Mormon places were, like the waters of Mormon, the City of Bountiful, etc. She says that the church hasn’t said though because they don’t want people to base their testimonies on faces, so they are just proposed sites. And it’s crazy all of the Nephite heritage in the architecture and what not. Oh, and remember the place where Moroni told the people to build a trench around the city and then the mount and then the sticks and barricade with towers? There is a place exactly like that in Guatemala and the architects have no idea why the people would have done that, it’s nuts! And also, Dad you may know about this, but in Alma 11 when they did the money, it talks about how everything is ½ of this and this, well the way the Guatemalans measure stuff is with these little doll type weights that fit inside of each other, like a matruska doll, and each one is ½ the one before, it’s like 2000 years old! Crazy! Anyway, so the ward party was cool! We had a part member family there! She was just called to be a ward missionary, so we are baptizing him.

Then Sunday was long, ward council came way toooo early. After church we had an appointment with a less active, and she unloaded her whole life of tragedy and scariness on us, it was intense. Then we met with Donna who is going through mad withdraw but I made her give me her zippo, and she made me give her Fredrick my rock :( but now I have a zippo haha. Then we went to stake Priesthood meeting, which was all about the Aaronic Priesthood and the great power that is there. President Jones, the stake President, is the man. He is so spiritual and just so great! Then we went back to drop Shane off and we had a lesson with 2 people that were hanging out with Donna and ended up having them become investigators! They’re both named Sherrie! How nuts is that!? So that was a good way to end the week. And that’s about it.

We didn’t play racquetball this morning. I love you all. The church is true. If you don’t believe it, pray about it. I love the Book of Mormon, especially the part where Nephi testifies of Columbus (1 Nephi)! I just started reading it again, and it only gets better every time. The scriptures make me so happy. I love you all!! Keep sending me stuff/letters, I love it! Just keep swimming!

Elder Jonathan Allred

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February 16, 2010

Dearest familia,

Hola, essssss Juanito. Here yet again to bring you news of the work progressing in the Arvada 2nd ward!

Yesterday all the libraries were closed, so we are catching up on emailing/letters today!

So, we shall being with my odds and ends list.

D&C Section 4: one of the things we had to memorize. So here’s a question for you, What calls a person to missionary work? The answer is "Desires" if you have desires to help people, and build up God's kingdom (which we all should) YOU ARE CALLED TO THE WORK. No choice, it's a duty for all members. JUMP ON IT. 2 Cor. 5:7 :)

D&C 130:20&21 BE OBEDIENT AND YOU GET BLESSINGS! IT'S LIKE GRAVITY. IT’S A LAWWW!

Mommy, my feet are better, but they were awful for a while, I now have terminator feet.

So, anyway, let me crack open the journal and we'll see what this past week held.

8th- Pday, I emailed you guys, and I told you I was feeling sick... so we went to subway and I ate just because I thought I was hungry. Apparently not, because from 3pm-11pm I then continued to puke my guts out and wish I was dead! It was terrible!

9th- I woke up feeling like I got hit like a truck and didn't move. My companion was stir crazy and wanted to go work and I was like, “there is no way I’m moving today dude.” He was sick like 2 days and I let him get better, so I figured he could give me the same respect and time I gave him... it didn't help he was breathing down my neck while I tried to get better though.

10th- I was able to get back up in action. We had a lesson with some less active members which went well. We then taught Donna and Richard about obedience, prayer and scripture reading. They have both come so far in so little time, it’s amazing! The atonement it the most potent medicine out there! They’re down to one hit of one cigarette a day and like one cup of coffee, we’ll get them the rest of the way there for sure! We taught a man who was referred to us, and we found out he had some mental problems, so we had to stop teaching him and left since we know he is less accountable for his actions and such. Then we went to paint with an awesome member. Then to dinner, then played the piano and then slept.

11th- We had District Meeting. Elder Bryan gave a lesson about yoking ourselves with Christ. He was at first like “What the heck am I going to do with some eggs? Am I going to have some breakfast?” (playing off of yoking) It was so funny! Then lunch, and then we went to Donna and Richards and gave them the lesson about the Law of Chastity. That was so fun, I love teaching that topic, which is ironic because I really didn’t like it as a youth!

12th- We had Zone Conference. I had a rockstar drink with Elders Bryan and Slezack, which was my first in a reallllly long time, while Elder Hiatt was in leadership meeting. Zone conference was really awesome. I don’t remember all we learned, but the spirit was really present there. We fit like a million Elders at lunch at one table, it was awesome!

13th- We went to the temple!! We did a session, I saw sister Christianson, my 12-13 year old youth Sunday School Teacher, that was way cool! Her dad was my MTC branch president. After wards we found the other members of our District and went to Chilis. Elder Bryan saw the statue of Christ and said “look at the Big Jesus!” I love that kid. I get to go on exchanges with him tonight-tomorrow! We saw some of our district’s old members get sealed. That was so awesome! I’d never been to a sealing before. We went out to dinner and got 2 Possible Investigators all because I held open a door for a woman!!

Sunday, 14th- We woke up to 6 inches of snow out of nowhere, nothing compared to the 3’ at home though! Ward council was pretty slim on people, no one showed up. Our musical number went pretty well, I did ok, I messed up twice or so, but Elder Hiatt froze and squeaked and cracked his way through the whole thing, but it didn’t matter.

15th- We played Racquetball, got haircuts, and hung out a lot. Played Monopoly Deal, Bang!, basketball and went to taco bell! The 1st ward Elders, whom I love, and I all bough awesome fitted superhero hats at Walmart, we’re “so thug” it’s pretty awesome! Later we watched the Lord’s Errand, I fell asleep. And that’s about it.

I love you all! The work is going forward, we just had a super busy week. Donna and Richard are going forward, and we’re going to be finding a lot people! Marcus won’t answer the door :-/ But we got an appointment with a former investigator, so that’s awesome! Keep praying for me please! I love and miss you all! Love you!!!

Elder Allred

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Here we are at the temple (Elder Bryan & I)

And here is the dog "chubbaca"

February 8, 2010

Sorry everyone that this is a week late -- this week was really crazy. I will make sure to get this week's letter up faster (assuming that he is able to check his email with the Holiday today). Thanks for being patient.
-Nettina

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So, this week. Well I don't have my journal so I'll give you highlights, as I can remember them.

So last Tuesday, we met with a less active sister who just got out of an abusive relationship. It was hard talking to her just because we had no idea how to relate to her. She was at church again Sunday, and everything seems to be going well, so that’s good. We rode around a ton – did I tell you I got a flat tire? I think that might have happened last week, I don’t remember. Anyway, we went and tried to see people, but it turned out to be a bum day. We had a good dinner though, with an old Bishop. Then we went to see Donna and Richard, two of one of our Recent Convert’s, Shane Howards, friends. And we set them both for baptism! March 13 is the big day! I can’t wait. We taught lesson two with an awesome visual aid that I made. So awesome if I do say so myself. I just got done making a visual aid for lesson 3, and it’s a mountain, I’ll show you sometime.

So Wednesday, we had 3 member lessons, that was an okay day, nothing big.

Thursday, we talked to Donna and Richard about stopping smoking, and they said they’d quit! We taught lesson 3, and more…if I remember right. We taught them both about the Word of Wisdom then Donna left and we caught Richard up to speed, and had a great “lesson 1” with him, he gets its all, it’s awesome! On Sunday he referred to the feeling of the spirit as being “hugged by an angel” so that was so cool to hear.

Friday, I don’t really remember what happened, it was a service day and planning day. That night Elder Hiatt had district leader meeting.

Then Saturday was great and awful at the same time. So we had an appointment with a less active who ended up coming to church! YAY! Then lunch and nap, then one of our new investigators flaked on us, dang! Then Donna and Richard, we talked to them, and asked how they were doing. Donna didn’t look so good, she said she had a headache, and she didn’t want to be in the middle of quitting because they were just trying to ween off of smoking, so we told them they should just quit now cold turkey. They said ok, and at 3pm on Saturday they quit, just like that. And they’re still going strong. We hooked them up with mints and cinnamon gum. Cinnamon and smoking are like orange juice and tooth paste… yuck! So they’re doing so well, they came to church on Sunday, and they brought Richard’s friend who he’s trying to break up with haha. PS. Richard is 28 and Donna is like 43. She “adopted him” but not really. So that was awesome. We went to see Marcus, the big black man. He told us he wasn’t sure about there being only one true church which we taught him the first day, and started questioning a lot of things. He said his mom, who at first was supportive, was now telling him not to meet with us. So we’re going to have a “do or die” appointment. And he said he won’t get married. But I told him to pray a lot before our next appointment, for an answer, so we’ll see how that goes. After that, we went to see a potential investigator who dropped, and then went to dinner where it was a party where we only got hors d'oeuvres, right before fast Sunday, so we didn’t get too much to eat with wasn’t cool. So we went home and ate. Then went to bed.

Then up for church on Sunday. Our day was pretty good, and now it’s today, Monday. So in recap, Donna and Richard are doing great. Marcus, not so much, and it’s snowing. All in all a good week, new challenges, struggles, sadness, and many new joys, successes, etc.

So that’s about it. I love you all! Keep writing. I’m nothing without your support! LOVE YOU ALLL MUAAHHHH

Elder Jonathan Allred

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NEW: PICTURES & Video!! The second album is the new one. Enjoy!

February 1, 2010

Soooooooo, holy cow, it’s the end of my first transfer! I will have officially been on my mission 2 months tomorrow. It feels like 2 days, and 20 years at the same time. It’s seriously been crazy!

So, let's see, you all sound like you are doing well. So on to business then.

Dad, you always tell me to make sure I tell about the good and the hard times, so here goes.

This week was pretty hard. I’ve been sooo tired and sore and just kind of meh all week. I’ve been doing what I’m supposed to but I’m just drained – but it’s all good. It’s funny how on the days when you need it, the Lord gives you a little boost.

Last week was sooo good, and we were really blessed, and I feel like this week was us being tested by Him to see our faith and to see if we’re really serious about it. This week was rough and at points I felt like I couldn’t do it, but I pushed through. Elder Holland had a quote, but I can’t remember exactly what it said, but what I got out of it was that “it’s the most important work ever so it can’t be too easy.”

Soooo, Monday wasn’t too much fun, had a tiff with some people, so that was kind of a downer, but I kept going. I wrote an awesome song on the piano (a tape is on the way home, so you can hear it)

Tuesday I didn’t feel so great in the morning, so it was a really rough start. I had a feeling we should knock on a door, and we ended up getting a new potential investigator with a return appointment, which made me happy! Then we went over to a member’s house who has a semi-less active son who just turned 19. We got him a huge bag of candy, and wished him a happy birthday, Max Tienveri pronounced Tin-vair-E. We had a good appointment with Donna, the lady who wants to get baptized in a river lol, and she came to church yesterday! Then after dinner we went on exchanges with Elder Taylor (the district leader’s companion) in the 3rd ward.

So exchanges were interesting. We were pretty worn out emotionally and/or physically. The alarm didn’t go off and we were both pretty mad about that. But anyway, I heard this amazing talk for companionship study, by Cleon Skousen (?) it was so good. It was about the atonement and what it really means, it was some deep doctrine and gave me a whole new understanding, the talk we listened to was called “Meaning of the Atonement.” It’s really deep. So that was good. We ended up staying in until lunch and then went out. No one was interested and it was so cold. We talked about life as we walked/biked, and about how your mission is a big mountain. We ended up seeing a less active brother named Tom Edwards. He was so cool. We ended up jamming guitars downstairs and talking about life and martial arts. I don’t think he’s interested in the church, his wife is very Catholic and is like “no no no no” but it was good to meet with him. He invited us back for dinner and more music sometime so we’ll probably do that. He is a kajekimbo master (look it up online, it’s nuts!). And it was just a testament to me that we were exactly where we were supposed to be, because 2 guitar playing missionaries showed up and fellow shipped this guy. I really don’t think he would have talked to anyone else. So that was awesome!

Thursday turned out to be a pretty bum of a day too, district meeting was good though. The AP’s (assistant to the president) and ZL’s (zone leaders), ended up coming and I was giving a discussion, so I was nervous. But it turned out to be good. I was told by an AP, ZL and my DL (district leader) that I would be going into leadership sometime during my mission, so I’d better get ready. It made me kind of nervous but whatever. My discussion was on the characteristics of Elders. I made it into an anagram. Look up EL in the Bible dictionary, then D-Disciple (with a whole bunch of other attributes into it that we talked about, each letter I just kind of summarized them all). E-enlisted or elevated, I don’t remember? R-righetousness, S-servants, so it was good.

We knew that some of our district would be leaving, so it was bittersweet, everyone said it was their favorite district ever, and it was my first! And now we lost our district leader, my companion is the new District leader, which means lots of exchanges! And Elder Barber, whom I loved dearly left too. They’re off to Westminster.

Side note: 2 of our less actives just walked into the library, so awesome!!!

Friday, weekly planning, and worked at the food bank. Dinner was awesome. Psalms 137:9? We taught a drug dealer after dinner, he pulled out about 3000 in Benjamins (aka $100s), it was hilarious, but we could relate because I was from Philly, but he’s Muslim so we have to get special permission to teach him.

Saturday was a rough day, I was just so so so so tired. Our appointments all fell through, which felt like a million, so we were just trudging along.

Yesterday, Sunday, we got up at 5:20 like usual on Sunday. I was so tired. Then let’s see, we had nothing really to do after church, more people cancelled on us, and I got a flat (I fixed it eventually) and then it was just blah. We had Cincinnati chili with our mission leader and then taught an inactive sister and had a really good message about the Psalm of Nephi (Oh, Wretched man am I…) 2 Nephi 4:15-35. Somehow we made it to the end of the day.

Today I fell off a trampoline, and about died. My companion super bounced me into a tree (I had told him not too, but apparently it was a little too late). Good thing I’m tough! I’m getting big muscles, but my body is still week. If you can, pray for some moral support for me. I’ll be home in 22 months, wow what a long time. Also, a tape, memory card of pictures, possibly some letters, and old planners are coming home!

I Love you all so much!

Elder Allred