July 15, 2013

Dear Family and Friends

This is the first week in the mission field. President Bell is fun and nice also is his wife. They have a nice house in Wichita that can hold all of new missionaries. In the new group of missionary's there are 23 of us. There are 9 sisters and 14 Elders but 7 of these missionaries are waiting for get paper work for Brazil.

In the mission field there are still a few problems that the office is still trying to fix. Transfers were fun because there were a few problems in how many vans and trailers they got and needed. They need more space for luggage and people. I was in the van for an hour to get to Emporia where there was the first stop on the van. I was glade I did not have to go to Lamar because than was a all day trip out there. Then there was another hour drive to Topeka with my companion Elder Pack.

I am in the town of Topeka. This is next to Missouri and Nebraska. My area is the Lake Shawnee Ward. This ward is about a 150 active members and about a 430 total members. This is a nice ward and people. They feed us each day and are nice to let us in to talk to them about member missionary work. In the Wichita mission the goal is to have the members find and invite their Friends and co workers to hear the message of the missionary's.

My companion is Elder Pack. He is from Denver, Colorado. He is turning 20 in September this year. He has been out on his mission for 9 months and this is the second area in his mission. He was called to serve in the Missouri Independence mission but was transferred to the Wichita Mission. He is very nice and is trying to become a band teacher. He plays the trumpet in high school and in collage. He is a hard worker and loves to talk to the members and get them to read out of the Book of Mormon.

We stay in a member’s house in the Colly Creak ward. Sister Long is very nice to us. We have our own kitchen and laundry machines and also our own hot water for our bathroom. The house is very nice and we have our own door and carport. Each Friday we mow her lawn with her riding lawn mower. This is a wonder full house for the missionary's to live in. She has 4 children and lots of grand children. Her husband died in 2011 but they were Temple presidents and had different service in the church.

In this area our main goal is to work with the members and have them come back to church. After the missionary broadcast the Work of Salvation the church has added a new key indicator for us to measure.  This is member motivation lessons (MML), these lessons help show and teach the members that they need to invite there friends and family to meet with the missionary's. These lessons can also help the less active members come back to church.

Monday is P-Day. Emails happen at 10:00 and also after shopping, at the Stake Center.

Tuesday is service with the Alligators and Tigers (zoo)

Wednesday is week Planning

Thursday is meetings as a zone or mission or a district

Friday is mowing lawn at Sister Longs house

Saturday is day to find new investors and teach

Sunday is church.

This last week has been fun and I have learned a lot from everyone. There is lot I don't know but I am learning lots each day.

This week we ate with a David Kubie a member of a big family in our ward at a restaurant named Glory Days Pizzas. His sister is Joanna Kubie works at this pizza place. She took her dinner break to talk and visit with us about a mission because she is putting in her papers this next month. The subject came up about her boy friend Leland Clement. She said he left for the MTC a week ago and asked if I saw him. The funny thing is I was his Zone Leader in the MTC and got to know him very well. Elder Clement was talking about her and I was able to meet her because she is in my ward.

Love Elder Andrew J Allen

Ps on Mail you need to put Elder Andrew J Allen because there are 4 Elder Allen in the Kansas Wichita Mission

Tell Emily and Cassandra I loved their owls they sent.