Jan 27, 2014

This week has been a great week. We had the car and lots of miles to drive. The weather was very nice. Days were in the 40s and 60s.

Monday we emailed at the Stake Center. We had fun playing basketball and volleyball and having fun. Then we had dinner at the Kubies house. The sisters were about 40 min late. They had to drive up to Laurance to go on splits with some of the sisters up there. This was a nice dinner because they had some of their children there and we were able to talk about missions and we can rely on the spirit to help us. 

Tuesday we went to the zoo. Rick had us trimming trees in the rain forest again. This week Rick was able to get us to feed the hippo. All of the missionaries were able to give the hippo a piece of lettuce and touch the hippo’s head. This was a lot of fun. Then we were able to go down to Carbondale.  Carbondale is about 20 miles from our house. I have never been down there in the middle of the day. This was great to meet some less actives.  We were able to have a great lesson with them.  Then we had dinner with the Jacksons. Sister Jackson is a member and her husband is not. We were able to a small lesson with them but it turned in a talk about political things.

Andrew and the Hippo

Wednesday we were able to go down south to Pomona. There is a Pomona lake also. We received a referral of a member that is less active down south. This sister is going through lots of difficult thing in her life and that is helping her come back. Then we had dinner with the Thomason’s in our ward. Brother Thomason is in the stake presidency and we had a great lesson and discussion about what the stake has in mind for the missionaries. 

 

Lake Pomona

Thursday Elder Arend and Elder Heath had to go to Wichita for MLC. All of the Zone Leaders and Sister Training Leaders and some of the District Leaders went down for a meeting with the Mission President and some General Authorities from the mission department. So the Mission sent a bus up to Topeka to pick up 6 Elders and also 4 sisters. They left at 8:30 am from Topeka. So I went with Elder Hughes, which is Elder Heaths companion. We spent the day visiting members in both wards. We had two dinners and also went on splits with my ward Elders Quorum. This was a great day. Then at 8:30 we went to pick up our companions back from the church Building. 

Friday we were able to have district meeting and also go down south. We were able to see the Youngbergs and Sister Ryan and other families in the Scranton and Burlingame area. Then we had dinner with the Gifford family. Then we were able to see the Clark family.  This was the day of driving everywhere.

Saturday we were able to go down to Carbondale again. We were able to see a few members that were not home on Tuesday. Then we had the ward correlation meeting with the sisters and Brother Scerbo. Then we went to visit the Moore family and also the bishop. 

Sunday we had PEC in the morning at 8 AM then Church. This week we had lots of less active family there. There were about 30 less active members that don't come to often. This was a great time at church. Then we went over to Matt Davis’s house to give Kyle a blessing. Kyle had a pitchfork go through his lip on Saturday and had to get stitches to close it up. Then we went to dinner at the Bishop Lambs house. Then we had a missionary fireside. Brother Scerbo with the help of the Elders and Sister created a fireside to help the youth and adults with missionary work. This was a great fireside. We had role-plays and testimonies and also message. This was a great night. 

This week has been great. Had lots of fun. This next week we are going to the temple in Kansas City on Tuesday. 

Love Elder Andrew Allen 

Jan 20, 2014

This week has been long and difficult. We did not have the car. We were blessed to be in Montara all week. Montara is the small community down where we live. There is about 1080 house in this old Air Force base. 

Monday we emailed and played basketball and had good time.

Tuesday we had zoo service. Rick had us trimming trees and cleaning in the rain forest. Once every year they trim the trees. They usually do this in the winter because it gives the Mormon Missionaries something to do when it is cold outside. This was fun to trim trees and still stay warm inside. Then we were able to try several people that had missionary contact in the past. Then we had dinner with the Eldridge Family. After dinner we went to the Downs family. We were able to talk to Dale about YM and Wednesday activities. Dale said that he would like to go to mutual this week.

Wednesday we had weekly planning. Then we were able to visit with Sister Scerbo. We were able to talk about the creation and missionary work with members. Then we had dinner with the Paz family. Then we were able to go with Bother Scerbo and Alex, his son, Dale and a non-member. The ward had a combined mutual and were playing bishop ball. Bishop Ball is crab soccer. You play with a big yoga ball and try and get the most points while traveling like a crab on you hands and legs. Elder Arend and I were on the side that won. This was a fun night. Dale and the non-member really liked it. Everyone had fun.

Thursday we were able to do some service for Ray Homewood. We fixed a hole in the drywall and help do other projects around the house. Then we talked to some of our neighbors and then had dinner with the Scerbos. Then we had the 3rd new member lesson with Dale and Shawn. We heard that Dale talked a lot about mutual. This was a great lesson. 

Friday we had district meeting and then splits with the Kaw Valley missionaries. The Kaw Valley missionaries are in our district. So Elder Arend went with Elder Hamelwright and I went with Elder Murphy. We were able to visit Travis Jackson and the Siefferts and the Paz family. Then we had dinner with the Downs and then got Elder Arend back from Elder Hamelwright.

Saturday we were able to go and do service at Matt Davis’s house. They are building a pig pin for their 4 pigs. We were drilling holes for the post with the help of a tractor. We were not able to drill lots of holes because the drill broke the bolt that held on the bit from the PTO shaft. Then we had dinner with the Ross family.

Sunday we had church and dinner. Then we went to a priesthood meeting with Andy Homewood Sunday night. 

This week we were able to see the Lord's hand in helping us find the members that were home and needed us to come over. Lots of hard work but a nice week. Thanks for all the letters. Thanks for every thing. 

Love Elder Andrew Allen

The Pigs at Matt Davis’s house are nice and fun to see. 

Jan 13, 2014

This week has been great. Lots of meetings and lots of fun. 

Monday was really cold.  The cold was -30 with the wind chill. We stayed inside the Stake Center all day. Had a nerf fight and basketball.  Then we had dinner with the Paz family. After dinner we went over to the Wright’s house to talk about the baptism and to have the interview. 

Tuesday we had zoo service and visiting less actives.  This was our first time at the zoo this year. Rick has been gone the last 3 weeks and finally made it back this week. Because of the cold, Rick had us come inside the rainforest and trim the plants. We trimmed small plants to big trees. It was lots of fun.  Elder Arend and I then went out and delivered invitations to the ward movie night. The movie night was on Friday. We were planning on showing 17 miracles. I was able to get permission from president Bell to watch this movie at the ward party.  Then we had dinner with Andy Homewood. He is the son of Ray Homewood who we live with. We then were able to go out with Brother Homewood to the Downs house to visit with Dale and Shawn. 

Sloth at the Topeka Zoo

Wednesday we helped with the Bishop Storehouse. Then we had dinner with Ray Homewood. And then we went to deliver invitations to the members. Then we were able to talk with Bishop and Brother Scerbo and Brother Kubie at the church building during YM and YW. 

Thursday we had a zone conference. President Bell came with the Ap. This meeting was from 9am to 5 pm. lots of talks and training. This training was all about becoming better missionary with the things we have been given. Working more with the area book and setting better goals and working with the ward leaders. President and Sister Bell also talked a lot about the age change and how much closer Elders And Sister ages are so close. This has leds to a lot of flirting in our zone and has led to transfers of missionary that should not be happening. This was a big talk they had with us, they told us that we came on a mission not to find a wife or husband but to share the gospel to others that don't have it. President Bell told us that we would be able to see miracles if we follow the mission rules. 

Friday the District Leaders and Zone Leaders had a meeting with president Bell. This meeting was for DL and ZL to talk about the new rules and new thing in the zone. So I went with the other missionaries that their companions had to be at the meeting. So I went with Elder Bird and Elder Maisey. We were able to have a lesson with Brother Shovar of my ward and try other people in Topeka. Then we went out for lunch. President Bell took all of the leadership out for lunch. Then we had a movie night. We showed 17 miracles and had several members and investigators come and watch it with us. This was a nice video and great time.

Saturday we had a baptism of Amelia Wright. I first started out teaching her then we gave her to the sisters to teach when they came into the ward. Amelia is 10 and it was nice that her father was able to baptize her. This was a great thing to see the family change from inactivity to working to go to the temple.

Sunday we had Ward Council. Ward Council was great. We were able to talk about several families that the ward wants help with and the families the missionaries are work with. This was the best Ward Council I have had in this ward. Church was great and had lots of people come to church. Then we had dinner with the Hollingsworth family and had time to visit the Sister’s investigator and give her a blessing. Great day. 

This week has been great. Lots of meeting and a baptism. Thanks for every thing. 

Love

 Elder Andrew Allen

Sisters Smart and Sister Macovichuk and Amilia.

Sloth in the rainforest in the Topeka Zoo.

Jan 6, 2014

This week was very fun with the New Year.

Monday we had a fun P-day with Brother Homewood. Brother Homewood took us out for lunch and out to see a new part of town. We then had dinner also with Brother Homewood. 

Tuesday Elder Arend was sick. We stayed in most of the day but were still able to go on team up with the ward members. A set of missionaries called us and gave of some info on a member that wanted a blessing. This member was Billy Arnold. About 4 months ago we ran into him in Carbondale.  He gave us his info. We tried to find his membership but was not able to find it. This week I was able to go out with Brother Broz. We were able to find him and talk with him and give him a blessing. That night Brother Broz was able to find his membership with the new info he gave us. Then I went out with Brother Scerbo to dinner and a lesson after. Brother Homewood stayed with Elder Arend all day. 

Wednesday Elder Arend was not felling all great so we stayed in. We did weekly planning and also calling our members and working with the area book.

Thursday we went out and walked in the cold weather. It was very cold and not a lot of people home.  We were able to get in with the Paz family and also Kaleb. It was a very cold day. Then we had dinner with Brother Homewood and the Sisters came over also.  The Zone Leader allowed us to have the Sisters and a team up come and have dinner with us and Brother Homewood. 

Friday we had Zone training. This was long. It was 4.5 hours long and also lunch after the training.  In training the Zone leaders told us that 49% of our missionaries have been out for less than 6 months, which is incredible! A sign of the hastening of the work. So, they are now working to train us missionaries working on all aspects of missionary work all the time.  It was good and it took all day. Then we had dinner with the Davis and Clyde family. Both of these families are living in one house. Sister Clyde is having a baby this next few weeks and there are lots of children. This was fun because we were able to talk to Brother Davis about our investigator and about deep church facts and trivia. 

Saturday we help Matt Davis with his wood flooring and also his outside siding. This was nice to help him put in the flooring. Matt Davis was very grateful for all the help we were able to help him with. Then we had dinner with Matt’s family and the Washburns and the sisters. 

Sunday was snowy, cold and church. The church building was very cold. It was 61 in the chapel and outside was 5 and with wind chill it was -15. We still had church but it was very small. All of the people that live down south were not able to make it to church because of all the snow and the cold temperature.  But it was a wonderful Fast Sunday. Then we had dinner with the Scerbo family and had fun time at home because of the cold. 

This week was very good. One thing that has really stuck to me this week was, how the mission has changed the training and goals to fit with the new missionaries and new mission. This is what we need to do in our life is change our goals and habits to fit the direction that we what to take in life.  This might be changing our work, or hobbies or spending more time with the scriptures and at the temple. I am really looking foreword to the end of this mouth when we get to go to the Kansas City temple with our mission president. 

Hope all of you stay warm and safe. Thanks for every thing.

Love Andrew J Allen