October 27, 2014

This week has been great. We have had lots of exciting thing happen and lots of meeting people.

Monday we had time to wash our car and the sister’s car at the church building. We then went over to the senior sister’s house to dinner and talk and play instruments and sing.  Then we had time to see the Rasmussen’s. 

Tuesday we had district meeting. Then we had district lunch. Then us elders and young sisters went to a nursing home and sang to the old people.  This was a lot of fun. We sang some primary songs and some hymns. Then we came back to Falls City and had time to contact some potential investigators and then have dinner with the Larson’s. Then had time to go out and find people. 

Wednesday we started the day off with weekly planning and studies. During weekly planning we sorted the area book and found 42 investigators that had not been dropped or taught. This was great to see that there are people that have met with missionaries than just need a visit.  Then we went to cheek addresses of less actives that we have not met in town. We were able to meet a few more and also found a few that have moved. This led us to find a new investigator. Then we had dinner and met a lady at the park that heard of Mormons but had never talked to us. She took a Book of Mormon and said she would read it. Then as we were walking to see other Brother Rasmussen called us and asked for help building a fence for his dog.  We were able to get the post in and the top bar done on the chain-link fence.  

Thursday we finished the area book. We have found out that the last 6 months before I got to the area that the area book had never been updated. Lots of work for us to do. We were able to talk to lots of people in town that we found last week. Then we had dinner with the Rasmussen and finished the fence. We continued on working on it with the light from the flashlight.  We were able to get the chain-link attached. 

Friday we drove down to Topeka.  Saw the ENT doctor and they preformed a hearing test and looked at the left ear. There is still a hole in the left ear and I have lost some hearing in the left ear from the hole.  They said to come back in 3 months and they will look at it and if it is not all the way closed up it might have to be surgically repaired.  Then we stopped by the Stake Center in Topeka to get more copies of the Book of Mormon from the Zone Leaders. It ended up that the Topeka zone was having a meeting and we interrupted their meeting. About 3 weeks ago they split the Topeka zone in half and made the Topeka  and  Lawrence  zone.  We ended up going to the Lawrence zone but we still do big meetings with both zones. Then we had lunch in Horton half way back to our branch. We then spent the rest of the day contacting less active in the tiny towns on the way back to Hiawatha. We were able to meet about 10 new families and have dinner with a less active that we have never met. This was very nice to have a family offer to feed you when they don't know you but they know you are member of the church. We were also able to see the McGiffan family in Seneca and Brian and his wife Courtney. We invited them to our branch party this next week in Seneca.  It sounds like they will be coming to the branch party. Then we ended up stopping at the sister’s house to drop off a CD and talk about their week. As we were talking a cop pulled up and asked if every thing was all right. It ended up being the landlady of the senior sister place. As she make her rounds every night she all ways stops to see if the sisters are all right. 

Saturday we were able to have great lesson with Austin and Tristan and Teresa. Then we helped Brother Rasmussen finish his fence and start repairing the old wood fence. He ended up using a chain saw to cup the plywood. Then we had dinner with sister Mients and saw a few other less actives. 

Sunday we had church. President Bell ended up showing up for our church. They were on their way home from Nauvoo.  President Bell had a Mission President seminar where Elder Perry trained them for 4 day. This was great to have the mission president at church with you. It ended up that Elder Riddle and Sister Chapman and Sister Williams all spoke and left time for president Bell to also speak. President Bell spoke about how we have 6 missionaries in the branch and there are people prepared to come to church and people that will come back to church. This is what the branch really needed to hear, it will grow and we will see miracles in the Hiawatha area. I am very grateful for President Bell and his love and how he showed up for church.  Then we had a branch potluck and also had dinner with Teresa and her mother Norma. 

This week has been great. Thanks for the package and all the mail. Have a great week and stay safe. 

Love Elder Andrew Allen

October 20, 2014

This week has been long. Lots of driving and lots of thing to do. 

Monday we spent time at the senior sister’s house with the sisters. We played games and wrote in every ones transfer books and had dinner with the senior sisters. 

Elder Pasquale, Elder Allen, Sister Chapman, Sister Murphey, Sister Browning, Sister Gunderson

Tuesday Elder Pasquale had time to pack and then we said by to several members in the branch. We traveled to Sabbath and Seneca and Hiawatha. Lots of traveling but we were able to have lots of lessons and have a great day. 

Wednesday we went to Wichita. Elder Pasquale is getting transferred to Ballot, Kansas. We left at 8 am from Nebraska and got to the mission office in time for lunch and the transfer meeting. The new missionaries were late because their flight got delayed. So President and Sister Bell left in the Transfer meeting to get the new missionaries. So Elder Arend ran the meeting by himself. My new companion is Elder Riddle from Wyoming but came out from Utah.  We had an oil change done on our car in Wichita. Then we left for Falls City.  Stopped by the Senior Sister house to say hi and had talk with them. Then we made it home. 

Thursday we went over to help Norma, Teresa’s mom. We were going to help her put down her new flooring in her kitchen but we ended up putting plywood down first. Then we had time to go out to Sabbath for dinner. We had dinner with the Wheeler Family.

Friday we had district meeting in Hiawatha. Then we had time to visit with President Larson and other members out here in Falls City. Then we had a lesson with the Rasmussen family. We were able to answer some questions Brother Rasmussen had about baptism and the requirements.  Then we saw Austin and Julia

Saturday we went over and finished the flooring at Norma’s. We cut the laminate to fit the kitchen and cut the baseboards. Then we went out to Seneca. We were able to talk to Alan. We were able to talk to people before dinner with the McGiffan family. 

Sunday we had lots of people come. The Rasmussen and Brother Jessip and others came to church this week. We also had a great lesson in Gospel Doctrine Class and had a mini party after church to celebrate our oldest member’s birthday. Then we had time to see Teresa and Austin and others here in Falls City. 

This week has been great. Thanks for all the Emails and Mail. Hope Every one is doing well and having a great fall. Thanks for Every thing.

Love,

Elder Andrew Allen.

Oct 13, 2014

This week has been fast and lots of excitement.

Monday we to the ENT in Topeka. Had a Zone P-Day in Topeka.  We had lunch as a zone then played volleyball and talked. Then we drove back to Topeka.  Had dinner with Teresa Lewis and her nonmember mom.

Tuesday we had district meeting in Hiawatha. We had great time training on the gospel of Jesus Christ. Then we had a district lunch and had time to see some investigators and Less Actives. We saw the Rasmussen and had a lesson with Austin at the Larson’s.

Wednesday we had time to weekly plan and prepare for transfers. Then we were able to see Jamie, a less active with the Sisters and then we had time to see Teresa and her son Blake. Then we had dinner with Sister Meints in Reserve, Kansas. Then we had a lesson with Austin and Tristan.

Thursday we had time to go to the city office building and see if they needed service. Because of all the rain and cold weather they didn't have things for us to do. Then we went to Seneca.  We tracked about half the town. We were able to see Brian and Courtney Carpenter Family. Courtney had time to read from the Book of Mormon and we set a return appointment for Sunday. We were also able to see Allan.  Then we had dinner in Sabbath with the Wheeler Family.  Then we drove home. 

Friday we started out the day in Sabbath at the Hospital for a follow-up visit with the ENT. I still have a hole in the Eardrum but it looks like it is healing. Then we had a Zone Training in Topeka. We were late because of the Appointment in Sabbath. We were able to have training on becoming challenging missionaries and improving our lessons with Active Members.  Then we had lunch. Then we watched the movie “Meet the Mormons.” This was lots of fun but the video was slow because of the church Internet speed. It was great to see other peoples life in other countries than the US. Then we drove home. On the way we saw brother Gibson and then the Bone Family and had a lesson with the Rasmussen family.

Saturday we had time to tract in Falls City and visit Everest, Kansas. In Everest we have the Jessip Family and Sister Niocie. We had diner with the Jessip family and did some service for them. We had a great lesson with them and found out why they were not able to make it to church.  The Carpenters sent us a text message dropping us.   It was very sad to see a family that was very prepared and not want to meet with us. I was hopping that on my mission I would be able to help a family to baptism. 

Sunday we had Fast and testimony meeting. We had a small group this Sunday. It was a great meeting. Then we had branch Counsel after Church. Then we went with President Larson out to the Taylor house. Then we had dinner. We had time to update our area book because Elder Pasquale was sick. 

This week we have had lots of interesting people talk to us. 

1 Guy told us that God is dead.

2 Guy opened up and told us we were wrong. 

3 Lady was Breast-feeding when she opened the door. 

4 Several people sent out their children to talk to us. 

5 Lady drove away when we knocked on her door.

Thank you for all the mail and Emails. I truly miss all of you but know that this is the best place for me right now.  Thanks for everything. 

Elder Andrew Allen

Oct 6, 2014

This week has been ok. I have had lots of ear problems and ear pain.

Monday we had time to carve pumpkins with the Hiawatha sisters. Then we started on a piñata for Saturday between sessions in conference. Then we had time to visit a few members in the Hiawatha area.

Tuesday all of our plans cancelled on us. We ended up working in Falls City and not the other small towns, which we had planned.  We had time to see Teresa Lewis and to see other recent converts.  Most of the people we tried were not home. 

Wednesday we had weekly planning. We then went to Seneca to meet with Allan. Allan is blind and has a hard time hearing so it hard to teach him. Then we had dinner with the Larson family and then tried Tristan and Austin. 

Thursday we had a lesson with the sisters in Hiawatha. Ended up having lots of Ear Pain so called the Medical Sister in the mission.  She wanted me to visit a Doctor. Tried to visit the doctor but none were open in Falls City. Then we had time to visit with the Rasmussens.  Had a great lesson about the Word of Wisdom. Then we ended up travailing down to Topeka to spend the night with the zone Leaders before Interviews on Friday. We were not the only ones at the Zone Leaders house. The AP were there. Elder Arend and Elder Ives, both elders I have worked with. This was great to talk and share stories of our missions. 

Friday we left Topeka to go to Lawrence for Interviews with President Bell. Before interviews we stopped in at a minute Clinic in Lawrence to have my Ear seen. Was told to visit an ENT specialist because she didn't know what was wrong.  Ended up Calling the ENT office in Topeka and got an appointment with Brother Barnes on Monday.  Had great time learning from the APs during their training and time with President Bell.  President Bell gave me a priesthood blessing with Elder Budge, One of the Zone leaders, for my Ear Problems. This was very nice of him. Then we had time to travel to Everest, which is on the border between the Kansas Wichita Mission and Missouri Independence Mission, missions. Then we had dinner with brother Gibson in Wetmore, Kansas. Then we traveled home.  

Border between Missions - Hello Elder Benjamin Allen

Saturday we watched General Conference. We ended up going to the Church Building and watching it with the Senior Sisters and The Young Sisters. When we got to the Church Building the Satellite was not working. Ended up calling The Satellite Trouble Desk in Salt Lake to get help. Tried different setting and never got a picture. They said it was a bad Receiver and we need it to get replaced. So we ended up watching conference via a laptop. During the two Sessions we Brook The Piñata and had a great time as a District. Then we went to The Larsons to watch the Priesthood Session .

Sunday we went to the Church Building for the First Session and left for Seneca for the Last Session. We had a lesson with Courtney and her family in Seneca.   Then we watched Conference at The McGiffins with our investigator Allan. Then we had dinner with the Senior Sisters in Hiawatha. 

Today I went to the Doctor in Topeka. Brother Barnes saw me and told me that I have an Ear infection in the inner ear and a perforation in the eardrum and fungus in the outer ear because of the infection coming into the outer ear. Now I am on 4 different antibiotics. I hope I get better soon. 

Thanks for all the Emails and Prayers. I love You all and hope you all have a great Week.

Love,

Elder Andrew Allen