Sept 29, 2014

This week has been fun. 

The corn and Milo are coming down; the grain elevators are getting busy.  Harvest time.

Monday we spent time helping Teresa, a recent convert, paint her porch and ramp. Then we emailed and went to Hiawatha for P-day. Played games at the park with the sisters. Ended up having dinner with the Rasmussen.

Tuesday we had time to contact potential investigators in Falls City and see Teresa Lewis and meet a few people. It rained for most of the afternoon. We were wet when we got over to the Larson’s for dinner. It was nice to have rain and meet people because of the rain. 

Wednesday we had weekly planning and took time to update our area book and update our ward roster. Then we had time to drive to Seneca. This is a small Catholic town about 45 min from Falls City. We had 2 less actives to try and list of people that talked to missionaries before. We ended

Elder Allen and Elder Pasquale

up finding a family that just moved about a week before and they have a family friend that is a Mormon in Utah and they love Mormons.  We set up at time to see Courtney and her husband. Then we had dinner with the McGiffin family. 

Thursday we had district meeting. The Zone Leaders came to our district meeting and we went on exchanges after lunch. Sister Chapman made us all lunch. I went with Elder Budge to Topeka for the day. This was a fun drive back to Topeka because Elder Budge and I talked about our mission because we meet each other back a year ago when I had been out a transfer. Elder Budge was trained in the Spanish branch it Topeka. We had a appointment with their investigator and dinner with the Barnes. The Barnes were having the Zone leaders living with them a year ago. A year ago I went on exchanges with Elder Blake and we stayed at the Barnes house. This was fun to talk to them again. 

Hiawatha Zone

Friday we had time to do studies and then had to leave for the town we were meeting back at. Then Elder Pasquale and I worked Sabatha and a few other towns on our way back to Falls City. We ended up finding 2 new investigators in Morrill. Then we had dinner and took time to see Tristan, a recent convert, and other families. 

Saturday we had lots of service. We helped Sister Meints put plastic on her windows for winter.  Helped Teresa with putting the sealer on the rest of the ramp.  We also saw Betty and Hot Rod and had lunch with Sister Meints. Then we had time to walk around Falls City delivering flyers for General Conference. 

Sunday we had church. We had great speakers talking about revelation and the Articles of Faith. There were 3 investigators at church this week between the two companionship. We had a branch potluck after church. Then we drove out to Seneca to see Courtney and it ended up that she was not home so we visited the McGiffins and followed up on their missionary work.  Then we stopped in at the Rasmussen house and said hi and told them we missed them at church. 

This week it has been great. It had been cold a few days but more normal weather. I am doing great and loving Falls City and the Hiawatha branch. 

Love Elder Andrew Allen

Sept. 22, 2014

This week has been very cold and very hot and rain. Lots of walking around town meeting and teaching people

Monday we had p-day. We Emailed and then worked on our bikes. We ended up boiling our bike chains in car oil and lubricated them.  Then we went out to find people. 

Tuesday we had district meeting in Hiawatha. We were able to clean the church building before district meeting. This is the first district meeting in Hiawatha with 6 missionaries. After district meeting we went and picked up lunch and took it back to the church building. Then we had time to visit people in Fall City. 

Wednesday we had weekly planning and then another day of seeing people. Tried all the less actives in town and saw all of the actives also. 

Thursday we had a day of talking to people on the streets of Fall City. Had dinner with Sister Meints. Was able to see Teresa Lewis a recent convert and talk with her mother. Saw the Rasmussen family. 

Friday we went over and helped Brother Rodrick Rowland with his deck. Then we went to a small town in Kansas. Found a new investigator in Morrill, Kansas. Then we went to Sabetha to Sister Smith’s with Brother Gibson. Talked to Sister Smith about the blessing of being baptized. Then had dinner with the McGiffins in Seneca. Then we went home after a day of driving. 

Saturday we also walked around town meeting the people that were not home on Wednesday. It was hot and humid all day. Not a fun day to walk around in. 

Sunday we had church. Then we had time to knock a few doors in Fall City. Then we had dinner at the senior sisters’ house. They had a nice dinner prepared for us. Had a nice talk about the branch and how we can help the branch.  Then we had time to visit Tristan in Fall City. 

This week we have walked lot. The weather has also been very varied here in Nebraska. 

Thanks for Every thing.  Have a great week. 

Love,

Elder Andrew Allen

Yes I am working hard. This is a hard area with teaching people that progress to baptism but I have met a few people that could be baptized in the next few weeks. We were working on our bikes last week but were not able to fix them all the way on Monday so we will finish today. We will be riding them after we fix Elder Pasquale Bike. 

September 15, 2014

This week has been great.  It got really cold this week.  It got in the high 50’s on Thursday and Friday.

A little about the Hiawatha branch. It includes lots of towns and lots of land.  We have about 8 active priesthood holders and lots of families that come every so often. We have about 45 active members that come every week.  The ward List is very small of a large area we cover. Most of the active families do not live in Hiawatha. Fall City is about 20 miles from Hiawatha.  In Fall City we have only one active family, it is President Larson and his family. We end up driving lots to go to the few dinner appointment we have in the week. We also have 3 Casinos on 3 different Indian reservati

ons.

Monday we had P-day in Nebraska. We went to the antiques shops and went to the tanks and had photos on the tanks.  Then we had time to take a nap. Then we had dinner and went out to see less actives in Fall City.  Helped the Rasmussen family with some yard work. 

Tuesday we had district meeting in Hiawatha.  In our District we have the Hiawatha sisters and us. We then had lunch at the church building and made some microwave cake for all of us for sister Gunderson birthday. Then we went shopping because in Fall City we don't have a Wal-Mart so we shop when we are in Hiawatha. Then we came back to see less actives in town. Had no luck talking to any one. 

Wednesday we had weekly planning and time to go through our investigator pool and drop the people that needed to be dropped. Then we had diner with Sister Meints in Reserve, Kansas. It is between Fall City and Hiawatha. Then we went to Hiawatha with President Larson to give a blessing to a member that was in the hospital. 

Made with settings on Camera

Thursday we had a District Leader accountability in Topeka. I went with Elder Johnson from the Sherwood Ward. We ended up walking around town for the 3 hours while Elder Pasquale was in his meeting with the Mission President and APs. Then all of the companions that aren't District Leaders went out to eat. President Bell took all of the Zone Leaders and District Leaders out to eat. Then we left Topeka and drove to Sabetha. Worked out there until dinner.  Had dinner with Wheeler Family. 

Friday we had time to do some service and continue to visit Less Actives. We made Enchiladas for lunch. Then President Larson took us out to see the Kelly Family in Rulo, Nebraska. Then on the way back to Fall City we drove next to the Missouri River and saw where Kansas, Nebraska and Missouri all meet. 

Saturday we had time to visit investigators in Fall City and see the Rasmussen Family. Then we had dinner and drove to Hiawatha to meet the New Senior Missionaries. We had fun coloring their sidewalk with notes before they got to town. One of them drove from Provo and the other flew into Wichita and got a ride up to Hiawatha.  Sister Chapman is from New York and ended up staying the night in Nebraska. Sister Murphy is from LA area and ended up getting to Hiawatha late so we ended up not see any of them. 

Sunday Church was great. I gave a talk about how Active Membership helps us progress to return to Heavenly Father. We had lots of people come to church. Had branch counsel after church. Had diner with the Bone Family. Had a great night. Found a new investigator in last 30 minutes of the night.

This week has been great. I hope every one is doing well and having a great fall. Thanks for all the mail and letters. 

Love,

Elder Andrew Allen

Sept 8, 2014

This week has been Great. I am doing wonderful here in Nebraska. I am now with Elder Pasquale. He is from Utah and has been out the same amount of time out. We were in the same arrival group to the New Kansas Wichita Mission. Fall City is a long distance from Wichita. We are in the Hiawatha branch. There is a set of Elders and Sisters in the Hiawatha Branch. 

Tuesday we had a day of getting ready for transfers. Had a lesson with Luck and Miranda. They are a Seventh Day Adventist couple we meet last week. Then we were able to say by to Sister Scibee and were able to pack for an hour. Then we meet up with the sisters to talk about the investigators they had because they were closing the area for a transfer. Then we had dinner with the Lawrence family. 

Wednesday was Transfer day. Started by packing everything. Drove up to Wichita from Ark City with all of my stuff. Up there the mission provided a lunch before the transfer devotional. During lunch they have a music folk fest where people play songs they wrote and we all had a great time. Then we all went into the chapel and had a devotional were Elders and Sisters got up and bore there testimony. This was a great Meeting. Then Elder Pasquale and I left For Fall City. We finally made it home at 7:30 pm. Had dinner and went out to work. 

Thursday we had service for the town. Every Thursday we help around town with what they need done. This week we helped in the gym and stage area. Helped take out the trash and we changed the sign outside that had all of the activities for this month.  Then we had weekly planning and studies. Then we were able to see several family and investigators. 

Friday we drove to Topeka for Zone training. We ended up having to be there at 8 am so we left Fall City at 7 am. It is about an hour and half drive to Topeka. Had a great Training from the Zone Leaders and Sister Training Leaders. Then we had a Zone Lunch in the Building. Every one went out to get something and came back to the building to eat.  We ended up having our new mattresses delivered to our apartment while we were in Topeka.  Then we travel back to our area. Worked the small town of Horton, Kansas. Had dinner with Brother Gibson and traveled back to Fall City. Met with the Rasmussen family and Teresa. 

Saturday we had a day of walking and tracking in Fall City. Ended up seeing a few people but every one else was not home. Had dinner with President Larson and his family. 

Sunday was Fast Sunday. This branch is very small on active families but we had a great Sunday. Ended up teaching the young men and had a great lesson. There were about 40 people at church. We road with the Larson family to church. The stake president showed up late to our sacrament meeting. He came because they broke part of our Branch off to give it to the Atchison Branch. The families that moved branch are now closer to the Atchison Branch building. 

This week has been Great. Thanks for all the mail and the Ema

ils. I am having fun up here in Nebraska. Thanks For Everything 

Love Elder Andrew Allen 

Pictures are a sun Set in Nebraska.

Elder Pasquale having fun mowing a lawn in town

Sept 2, 2014

This week has been very fun and lots of work. 

Monday we went up to the Derby Stake Center to have P-Day with all the missionaries in the Derby Stake. Played volleyball and talked and made a rain stick. Then we came home and tried to see people but no one answered. 

Tuesday we had district meeting at the Ark City Building. The Sisters ended up being late so we had time to clean the church building and prepare for district meeting. Then we had lunch and went out with a return missionary in our ward. Brother Matt Shaff came back from Nicaragua. We were able to see several Spanish families with him. Then he took us out to dinner. This was lots of fun to talk to him about his mission and learn about what he did. Then we had time to cheek up on some of investigators in Ark City. 

Wednesday we had time to do Weekly planning and time to update our Area Book. Then we were able to go out and see people. Had dinner with the McDowra family and then time to try less actives in town. 

Elder Allen, Orlando and Tate McCaslin outside the Arkansas City Chapel

Thursday we also saw less actives and tried to find new people through the less actives. We were able to find 3 new investigators during the day. We found Luck and Miranda, which just moved into Ark City from Montana. They are a nice young couple that is part of the Seventh Day Adventist Church. 

Then we had dinner with the Rupe family and then a nice lesson with their family about the Restoration of the Church. 

Friday we had time to work in Winfield. We meet with Aaron Henry, which is a recent convert and taught him the Gospel of Jesus Christ.  Then we went Less Active Hunting. We were able to find out that several families have moved and tracked into a Jehovah Witness family. He is a woodworker and is very into his church. We had a nice talk about missionary work and the Book of Mormon. Told us we could come back to help him with his yard. Then we had dinner with the England Family.  Had homemade Ice Cream sandwiches. Then we came back and saw the MiItton Family and others in Ark. 

Saturday we had time to work on our hunt for Less Actives in Ark.  Then we meet with Dale and then had dinner with the Lawrence family in Winfield. This was a great dinner because we were able to talk about what we can do to help the branch. Then we came back down to Ark City to work and remind the Rupe family about Church.

Sign left by an investigator's wife

Sunday we had a great church. It was very unorganized because Branch President Gott was gone because of his heart attack on Monday and the First Counselor from the stake Presidency was there and the primary just switched from one sharing time to two sharing and class times. Gospel principle class was great. We had 4 less actives and several members in the class. The topic was our Heavenly Father.  Then for the 5th Sunday lesson they had an emergency preparedness class. This was a great time to learn who to contact in a emergency.  Then we had dinner with the Lyman family and had a great night see people. 

Monday we had P-day. Found out I am going to get transferred to Fall City, Nebraska. We went up to the mission office to have a group P-day. Lots of fun with more missionaries.  Talked to the Senior Couples in the office and had fun. Then we drove back down to Ark City. On the way back we felt impressed to see the England family. It ended up that half of the Branch was there. It was nice that I was able to say bye to many families that I have been able to work with. During this time we had a large storm and hail and strong winds. This was a fun night. 

Storm

I am looking forward to being in Fall City, Nebraska but it is going to be sad to leave this branch. I have grown to love lots of these members here and truly want to help them and I hope I have helped in these last 4 weeks. I hope that the Branch will be turned into a Ward by the end of the Year. 

Thanks for All of the letters and Emails. Have an awesome week. Talk to you next week. 

Love,

Elder Andrew J Allen