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