February 19, 2011

Dear Everyone,

So, this past week has been the fastest week of my mission
the most fun
the most tiring
the most sleep deprived
and probably the best.

My new companion is elder Blumell, from Alberta Calgary Canada, he's super awesome. He's been out 20 months and we're working super well together.

So let's go through this week

Monday we got all my junk to my new place which is super big and nice
the new district leader from louisville crashed at out place b/c his greenie wasn't in yet.

So tuesday morning we went to drop him at the trainers meeting and hung out with a couple other zone leaders in presidents office just having fun. Helped out the office missionaries with some stuff. I made sister widenhouse (sr missionary) a 5 inch tall "snowman of gratitude"...it's now in the mission office freezer. We watched all the greenies come in and their trainers, that was fun to be on the other side. After the trainers meeting, we headed to the institute for 2 member missionary lessons and an investigator lesson. Then we had to bounce to dinner in boulder and get to a stake meeting we had that night.

Wednesday was good, we ended up subbing for a BOM institute class b/c the teacher was out...so we did that first thing in the morning. Had lunch at the institute and read mormon "jot and tittle'' trivia questions. After we had a really good lesson with one of the YSAs who's kinda hit a bump. Stopped by some potentials and had another member missionary lesson. It's really weird teaching like 18-25 year old girls lessons.....yea, just so you know. And interacting with them on a social fun level....it's weird. Not bad, just i'm used to family wards so yea. Then we had to run to the library and email some stuff to preisdent and do paperwork. More lessons. Dinner. Then we had another invesitgator lesson with P who's getting baptized in like.....5 hours. He's a stud, he's so on the ball it's not even funny. So, we finished that lesson, went to institute for all the ysas on Eternal Marraige...it was fun :D.

Thursday we had a 9am member lesson. Then I taught my first district meeting here, which was really good, probably the best one i've done (preping with the spirit is the way to go). We talked about prayer, what it really is and how to help people understand the importance of it. Then we bounced to taco bell Ate lunch. Then we had to run to the other district meeting...it was good. Helped at the mission office. Then drove back to boulder. We have a 2009 Chevy Malibu....v6....me likey. We had another lesson, talked to some people and then did dinner with the Rincons from the louisville ward.

Friday morning was crazy busy and we got to the institute just intime for "power lunch" where we get free food and read a conference talk with all the ysas. (young single adults) Had 2 lessons. THen went to bead for life, where we volunteer helping out with whatever pretty much. Had dinner with the Rices in louisville, they're awesome. Then jetted to a baptisimal interview. Had to drive other missionaries around. and then collapsed at home.

Being a zone leader you get to deal with a lot of administrative stuff, more than i thought. We have zone conference coming up next week, district meetings, dealing with mission drama, reporting numbers all the time, making preparations to stay alive, and then whenever we can find the time, maybe sleep at night. I'm seriously just exhausted, but it's a good exhaustion. I've been super up beat and positive b/c i feel like there's things to do and i'm doing them. I may not want to, but i'm seeing progress in myself and in our work and it's super tight. Elder Blumell and I get along really well and are having so much fun and working super hard.

So life is good.
Transitions are hard
Change is hard

But...
it's worth it
You just gotta suck it up, hold on and go forward.
So I'll send baptism pictures next time
but i love you all

HE LIVES!
HE LOVES US!

my challenge to each one of you is to think about what prayer really is, who your talking to, and make sure that you listen for answers. Then don't "pray" but TALK to your Father in Heaven. He will answer.
I've been doing that this past week and it's been incredible the guidance I get.
So
Take care
love you all
Elder Allred