August 18, 2014

Yes I am in Ark City. Last week on Saturday I was called by the AP telling me that I was moving to Arkansas City. Elder MacArthur was not getting along with Elder Nicholes so President Bell was praying and was told to move me here and Elder MacArthur to Wellington.  So I have spent a week here in Ark City.

Monday we emailed and shopped and then drove to Wichita to the Mission Office. President Bell pulled me into his office to talk to me and we had a great talk about what I am here for and how I can help the branch. Then we talked to the AP and drove back to Ark City.

Tuesday we had district meeting in Ark. In the District we have 2 sets of missionaries. Us, the Elders and the sister Missionaries in our Branch.  Sister Call and Sister Cramer. Sister Call is the same Call that was in the MTC with Benjamin and I. This is fun to be around her again. After District meeting we went to lunch and worked for a few hours. Then we drove back up to Wichita because the District Leaders in the Derby Zone had a PPIs with President Bell and The AP and Zone Leaders. So Elder Nicholes had to be up there. I was with the other companions in the chapel playing the piano and talking. Then Elder Ives talked to Elder Nicholes and I about what he wanted us to do to help us get things done.

Wednesday we had weekly planning then we had time to visit people. We were able to see some of the investigators and less actives.

Thursday we time to coordinate with the sister about our goal for the area. We meet at Braum's in Winfield. The sister Missionaries live in Winfield which is about 20 min From Ark city. When we were ready to cheek out for our Ice Cream a member came up and paid it for us. He doesn't have the ability to have us at his house that often so he took this time to help feed us. This was very nice. Then we meet with the Branch President at his house. President Gott had us over to give us a list of names to see for him. Then we had a home teaching and Visiting Teaching meeting. The Branch is redoing the routes.

Elder Allen and Elder Nicholes

This week on Thursday we were looking to find a new investigator. We knocked on a door of a less active and no one was home so we got into the car and asked Heavenly Father to help us find someone prepared. Then we started to drive to another house of a less active. On the way we passed a guy walking. We felt impressed to stop and talk to him. We did. His name is Cody. We talked to him and read Ether 12:27 with him and it hit him hard. He said that he would love to look into this and we could come back on Saturday to his house.

Then on Saturday we were out with brother McCaslIn trying people. We tried all the people we had planned for this time. We then stopped in at Cody’s house. It ended up that Cody was not there but we talked to his dad, Ham. Ham was working on his truck and took time to talk with us.  He seemed interested. Also  we shared with him the same scripture and left him with a Book of Mormon. That night he talked to his son about the missionaries and about the Book of Mormon. Ham also recognized our team up that we took out with us. Brother Mccaslin had met Ham but they cannot figure out were it was.   This was a great few lessons.

Friday we had time to visit people in Ark and Winfield. We then had a lesson with Aaron, a Recent Convert and had Brother England come out with us. That was a great Lesson. Then we had dinner at the England's house. Then we went out to the Priesthood activity at the bowling ally. There were 11 of us from our branch. This was a great night. We were all having fun with each other. To change things up I bowled the second game with my left hand. I got a score of 37. This was lots of fun.

Saturday we were able to find people and contact our investigators and see less actives. The city police captain came out with us for a team up. Brother McCaslin was able to go out with us for a few hours. Then we had time to invite people out to church.

Sunday we had church. This week it was very small. Lots of people were out of town. But we still had church. We then had dinner at the Lyman family house. They invited us and the Englands and the missionaries. This was a large group of people.  Both the Englands and The Lyman are new to this area.

Thanks for all the mail and emails. Hope all of you are having fun at school. Thanks for everything.

Elder Andrew Allen.

As for the shower curtain picture … this one was long past that point (washing). The whole apartment is that dirty. I have had to do lots of cleaning this last 10 days. The house has not been cleaned in the last 6 months. I am great full you taught me how to clean and work hard. Thanks for every thing.

It is an Apartment. It is all right place. It is lot smaller then the place in Wellington and it only has a window unit ac. It gets really hot in there when we cook. Other than that it is nice to have a apartment to sleep in.  We are in a Branch. There is about 80 active people and we are growing.