March 3, 2014

These last few days have been cold. It is about 15 outside and -20 with the wind chill. There has been 3 in of snow in the last 2 days. It has been really cold the last few days in Great Bend.

Monday we had P-day. We spent the time Emailing and playing games and shopping. Then Elder Nelson and I went to visit with Brother Rea. We had a great lesson on the Mormon Battalion.

Tuesday we had District Meeting. Sister McCowan was able to drive us out to Hays. We left our house at 9 am to drive to Sister McCowan’s house. At District Meeting we talked about using the members we have in our wards to help us in our work. We have members that can drive us and go out on team ups and also help fellowship with our Investigators. This was a great District Meeting. Then Sister McCowan took us out to lunch. Then we made the trip to Great Bend / Pony Rock.  We got back to Great Bend about 4:45. We had 15 min before Brother McMillan came to pick us up at The Spanish elder’s house.  Then we had dinner with the McMillans. After dinner we had Spanish class for any members of the ward. No one came but we still had it with the McMillans. Then we had cake and left Larned to go home.

Wednesday we had weekly planning. Then after weekly planning we went out to see our investigators. We tried to find Sam but no luck. We were not able to get into the Trevino to talk with Brandon because they were not feeling well.  We then had dinner with the other Trevino family. Jennifer Trevino, her family, grandma and us all went out to eat at Apple Bees for Grandma Trevino birthday.

Thursday we biked all around town. It was very nice day to bike. It was in about 40 outside. We then talked to Brandon and his aunt Christina Trevino.

Brandon is a less active staying with his aunt’s house for about half a year to see his grandma and have time with his relatives.  We then went to find Sam again at the trailer park in town. We finally found out what trailer he was in but he was sick. We were happy that we found him. Then we had dinner with the Perez family in Larned.

Friday we also road our bikes. We were able to see a lot of less actives and recent  investigators.   We were also having Brother Robinson from the ward come with us to visit his sister and wife which are not members. We had a great lesson about temples with Sister Robinson. Then we had dinner with the Spanish elders at Subway. Then we were called by one of our investigators to come to his church and be in their study group. We talked about faith and how we can gain this faith in our life. This was a great group of kids at church talking about the gospel on a Friday night.

Saturday we went to Lyons. Brother Berkheimer came and got us and also went with us to Bishop Bates house to have a lesson and get cupcakes for Elder Acosta Birthday.  Then we went tracting to less actives and recent  investigators but no one let us in.  It was very cold and snow was falling. After 3 hours we then went to dinner with the MacArthurs. Then Brother Berkheimer took us home.

Sunday we had no church. They canceled church because the icy roads and the snow.  It was Elder Acosta Birthday. Spent most of the day in side because it was 0 out side with a wind chill of -30. We were able to see Sam but we learned that he is moving back to Iowa to be with his family.

 

Elder Acosta and Elder Farnsworth

This week has been long and fun. We had nice days at the first the cold day and snow at the end. Hope all of you are safe and warm. Thanks for every thing.

Love Elder Andrew Allen

The first picture is the 2014  Ford Fusion and snow.

The second is Elder Farnsworth and Acosta

Feb 24, 2014

This week was great. We had lots of lessons and lots of time riding in the car.

Monday we had a fun time at the library and at home talking and getting to know the other Elders in Great Bend. We also had dinner with Brother Schwinn out in Hoisington.

Tuesday we had a special zone training in Salina. President and the aps came and taught us how to use the pamphlets and how we need to help our investigators progress to baptism This was nice to see President Bell and also talk to him about what we need to do to help us in our area. This was a great meeting. Then after this meeting we were dropped off in Holyrood, Kansas. We has dinner with the Langston family and we were dropped off there and had 4 hours of tracking before dinner. This was great to see a town of 700 people. Then after dinner we had Spanish class. Brandon Trevino and Brother Rea both came to the Spanish class.  

Wednesday we had weekly planning and studies.  Then we went to the trailer park in Great Bend to have a lesson with our investor Sam. We found out that Sam was kicked out from the members that he was living with because of legal issues between the families. We don't know if Sam is in town or not. Then we went over to the Trevino house to have a lesson with Brandon Trevino. Then we had a pancake-cooking contest for dinner. Elder Farnsworth and Sister Siefkes. They both cooked pancakes and we had two judges Sister McCowan  and Alicia Carlton. This was a fun dinner.

Thursday we went out to Ponyrock and visited the members. We also were able to look around Sister McCowan antique shop. We spent the most of the day talking to people out there in Ponyrock. Then we had dinner with the Thomas family. They fed us Chinese food. Then we had to move their new washer and drier down to the basement.

Friday we had time to visit people the other elders met when they were in the area. We had little luck getting into peoples houses. We then had dinner with Brother Rea. Brother Rea is a less active that we have been work with to help him come to church.

Saturday we were able to go to Lyons. This is a small town were our bishop and ward mission leader live. We spent the day with Brother Berkheimer our WML. We were able to see 5 families and talk to them and get to know them. Then we had dinner with the Berkheimers. Then Brother Berkheimer drove us back to Great Bend.

Sunday we had church and meetings. We had only one investor at church and he was with the Spanish Elders.  We had about 75 people at church this Sunday. Then we were able to visit with Jennifer Trevino and family. Then we had dinner with the Sheffields. They had a fun game that Elder Nelson and Elder Acosta played. In the end they both got wet with water. 

This week had been great. I am starting to know more members in the ward and having fun traveling to the small towns that we cover.  I am loving the new ward and area. Hope all of you can get better.

Love,

Elder Andrew J Allen.

Feb 17, 2014

This week was lots of fun. Had a birthday and now I am 19 years old.

Monday we had p-day. There were 4 of us elders. We emailed and then we played at the church building. We had a Nerf fight and then basketball.

Tuesday we went to Sister McCowan’s in Pawnee Rock. This is about 15 minutes from Great Bend. We had lunch and then helped her with moving her firewood. We were able to have a lesson with the Swan family. They are in wheelchairs and were not able to make it to church on Sunday because of the snow.  Then we went and tried to visit with investigators and other members of the ward. Then we had Spanish class with the Spanish elders but no one came to our class.

Wednesday morning we had weekly planning. This was nice to review which members and investigators we had meet in a week and whom we need to teach and how we can help our investigators.  We then had time to take a few things to the post office to mail to the elders that left Great Bend. Then we were able to have several lessons before dinner with Brother Schwinn out in Hoisington. Hoisington is about 10 miles from Great Bend. Then we were able to have a lesson with Edward Roberts. Edward is a fellow we found by tracting.  A week before we got to Great Bend the elders left him with a copy of the Book Of Mormon. We were able to talk to him about his reading and then about Joseph Smith. 

Thursday we had time to walk to meet a few members. We were able to visit with Brother Rea who is coming back from being less active. We were able to talk to him about what changed in his life to have him come back to church. Then we meet with Sam who is on date for the 8th of March. We were able to invite Sam to church and also to read in the Book Of Mormon. Then we had dinner with the Phillips Family. They live out in Larned Kansas. Their family all speaks Spanish and we had a nice Spanish lesson at the dinner table. We had to excuse our self from the dinner table in Spanish.

Friday we had a meeting in Salina, Kansas. The Ward Bishop picked us up at 8 am and drove us the 2 hours to Salina. While in Salina he and his wife went shopping and bought lots of food for their family. We had a 3 and a half hour Zone Training from The ZLS in our Zone. They talked a lot about using what we have been given to help us in our missionary efforts. One big thing that our mission has is small books that have what we teach and we can leave these with our investigators. Then they talked to us about finding and had us set goals for our Zone. Bishop Bates and his wife took us out to eat after our zone training to a Chinese restaurant. The whole day was made up of eating and driving and meetings. When we finally made it back to our house it was 4 pm  and we then had dinner with Brother Schwinn out in Hoisington.

Saturday we had a day of walking. We walked all the way from little Mexico in Great Bend to the trailer Park across town. There was no one home all day. We knocked lots of doors and only a few people answered their doors. Then we had a ward adult dinner at the Swans house. The ward did a dinner at a few houses and you went to the house that was the closest to where you lived. There were 10 of us at the Swans house. Then we were able to see Edward Roberts. We talked about church and about him being on the city council.

Sunday was my 19th Birthday. We had church and meetings and a seminary party. Church was Great. We had about 80 people and a member of the Stake Presidency. Bishop talked about fortifying your house from the adversary. This includes the Internet and cell phones even our books and TV.  Then the member of the stake presidency talked about the pioneers and how their trials fit their time in life and how our trials are harder but they are for our time. After church we were asked to help with the seminary lesson and also have lunch with them. They had a big activity using scripture mastery. This was nice to use the scriptures I learned and help the youth learn them. One of the young Women in the ward is only 4 and a half years old. Deiah Curtis was born on 29th of February in 1996. Then we had dinner with the Carlton family. We had a nice lesson about missionary work. Then we were able to learn about the Carlton’s daughter’s missions and what we could do to help us in our mission.

This week was great. We walked about the whole town and had a great time in the smaller towns in our ward. The Great Bend Ward is a large area and few active members. Our ward has about 60 - 80 people each week. We have about 10 towns in the ward bounders.

This is Elder Nelson Having fun with the snow.

Love Elder Allen

Feb 10, 2014

This last week has been Great. I got transferred to a new area and am having a fun time in a small town.

Monday we had p-day. We found out about transfers in our weekly email from the Aps. I found out that I was going to Great Bend and my new Companion would be Elder Nelson. Then we had dinner with the Hollingsworth family and the Landrum family. We had dinner and then us missionaries taught family home evening. We talked about the Restoration and how it has changed our lives and how we need to share this with everyone that doesn't know about the church.

Tuesday it snowed all day. We ended up with 13 inches of snow. We spent the day packing and helping Brother Homewood. The cars were all parked and we were not allowed to drive them. This was a fun day. I shoved Brother Homewood’s driveway twice during the day.

Wednesday was the day of transfers. We need to be at the Jewell Building at 8 am to get paired up with the missionary going to the same area as you were. This was fun because they only plowed the roads by our house an hour before we left. If they had not plowed the road we would of not have gotten out all day. This was nice to be able to get out and drive to the church building. When we got to the church building we got stuck in the snow because they had not plowed the road. This was fun to get unstuck out of the snow. We ended up meeting at Wal-Mart parking lot. All of the missionaries that were training were asked to come down to the meeting with the new missionaries.  So Elder Arend was training and was asked to go down with a set of missionaries down to Wichita. I was told to get on the Gray Hound bus in Topeka at 1:30 and arrive in Salina at 4pm but the Busses were not running because of the snow. This made all of the plans wrong. I ended up driving down to Wichita with Elder Neld and Elder McDaniel. All of the missionary from Topeka drove the two hours to Wichita and meet with all of the other missionaries at the mission office. This was a lot of missionaries all in the church building not knowing how they were getting to their new areas. So I arrived at the mission office at 12pm and ended on waiting for the Mission Bus to drive up to Salina, which left Wichita a 4pm.   This mission bus was going to Salina and then out to Garden City and a few other towns in the mission.

The old missionaries in the Great Bend ward locked the keys to the car in the car on Tuesday at the home of a member with all of the luggage and stuff in the car. So these missionaries had no way to get up to Salina from a small town outside of Great Bend so the Mission Bus had to drive to Great Bend and drop Elder Nelson and I off and pick up the other missionaries and take them to there new area. So this was a long bus ride from Wichita to Salina And then to Great Bend. This took to till about 8 pm. Then Elder Nelson and I had to unpack and have dinner. One long day.

 

Elder Allen and Elder Nelson

Thursday we had to go shopping and then we meet the Spanish Elders in Great Bend and talked about the ward. Then we had dinner with the Sheffields. Sister Sheffield is the seminary teacher and Brother Sheffield is in the bishopric. Then we were also able to plan for the next week.

Friday we had district meeting in Hays. This is an hour from Great Bend. We rode with the Spanish Elders because we share the car with them. Our District is the Great Bend Elders, English, and Great Bend Elders, Spanish, and The Hays Elders and The Hays Sisters and the senior sisters in Hays.  This was the first district meeting from Elder Walton. This is his first time as a district leader. Then we drove back to Great Bend. Then Elder Nelson and I went to the trailer park and went tracking to find the investigator of the old missionaries. They didn't leave a house number for us to find Sam. We finally found Sam after dinner when we went back. In the process of tracking we found a referral for the Spanish elders and found 2 less active families that said we could come back a visit with them. This was a great day.

elder Nelson, Elder Acosta, and Elder Farnsworth

Saturday we stayed in sided for most of the day because Elder Nelson was sick and we wanted him to get better. We had dinner with the Berkheimers, the ward mission leader and his wife. Then we were able to talk with Sam and talk about baptism.

Sunday we had Church. The church is located in Great Bend but includes all of the small towns around Great Bend. We first had correlation meeting with the ward then ward council and then Church. There were 80 people at church. This was a lot this Sunday. There is about an average of 60 people each Sunday. Then we had lunch with the Spanish Elders. Sunday night we went tracking a few houses next to ours because we don't have a lot of people to teach. We went down the street and had a prompting to knock a door at the end of the street. We were able to meet Edwin Roberts. He had talked to the missionaries the week before and had a few questions for the missionaries. We were able to have a great lesson with him. This was a great week.

This week was Great. It has been different working an area when neither Missionary knows the area. I am liking the area and having fun with Elder Nelson. He is from Utah and has been out for 6 months.

Love,

Andrew

Feb. 3, 2014

This week was Great. I was able to go to the Temple and have a wonderful week. And I am moving to Great Bend, Kansas. I am looking forward to the new area. I will miss all the people I have met in the Lake Shawnee ward but I know the Lord has a plan for me in the Great Bend Area. I hope all goes well with the transfer.

Monday was a half p-day. We emailed and went shopping and did laundry.  Then we had dinner with the Gifford family. We were able to talk with Brother Gifford about his work and things that we could do to help the ward. Then we were able to visit the Paz family and the visit with Brother Homewood.

Tuesday we had the opportunity to go to the Kansas City Temple.  This trip started at the Jewell building at 9 am with a travel bus. All of the missionaries in the Topeka stake met in Topeka to ride to Kansas City. This was a full bus of missionaries. When we got to the temple we were allowed to go in and get clothing.  Then we changed and waited in the chapel. The Temple President and his wife talked to us about remembering our Temple Covenants and how we need to have the Temple in our life. They said we can do this by going to the temple often and reflect on the Temple and the impact it has in our life. This was great to reflect about the Temple and how important it is in our life. Then after the Temple we went to the Stake Center by the temple to have lunch. Then we got on the bus to travel back to Topeka. Then we had dinner with the Scerbos.  Then had a lesson with the Downs family. 

 

Topeka Zone at the Kansas City Temple

Wednesday we had zoo service. Rick moved zoo service to Wednesday because the Temple. We trimmed tree in the rain forest. Then Rick took us  Missionaries out to lunch. We went to a Coyote canyon Which is a all you can eat. This was very fun to have a lunch with rick and the other missionaries. Then we helped Brother Homewood on his kitchen with his phone line and drywall. Then we had dinner with the buntings. 

Thursday we went with Brother Homewood out to visit Sister Kuhn. Then we went out to eat.  Elder Arend and I went out to try less actives and member in Montara.  Then had dinner and had fun.

Friday we had district meeting.  Elder Arend went with the zone Leaders to a district meeting up in Lawrence.  So I went with the Kaw Valley Elders until dinner. We then had dinner with the Clydes and the Brandon Davis family. Then we saw the Paz family. 

Saturday we had snow. We got up at 6 am because Elder Arend had to go down to Wichita for a training meeting. He left with 2 other Elders from Topeka at 7:30 am.  So I was with Brother Homewood and Matt Davis for the Day. Went to Matt Davis’s house to help with his wood flooring and fix his wall. Elder Arend got back about 5pm and then had dinner with the Davis Family.

Sunday we had church. This was my last Fast Sunday in the Lake Shawnee Ward. Then we had nothing to do after church because of the football game. We ended up doing weekly planning. Then had dinner with the Scerbos and had a great night.

This next week is transfer. I am going to be transferred to Great Bend Kansas. Thanks for all the mail. For this next week you can mail every thing to the Mission Office.

Elder Andrew J Allen

Kansas Wichita Mission

7011 E 13th St North

Wichita, Kansas 67402

Thanks for Every thing. This week the Temple truly help me because of the great time I had with all the missionaries in the Temple. 

Love Elder Andrew Allen.

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.