September 12, 2016 - Capturing Every Moment

Sisters Retreat

So excited to have carpet and a real bed!

Cool tree

In el Yunque with all the STL's and zone leaders. 

With mission president, President Boucher. Hard to open eyes, the wind was so intense. 

Hello family! What a roller coaster week, but it was wonderful. Let's start with Tuesday. A new thing that we are asked to do as STLs is that we get to go to other district's district meetings to see how things are going over there and get to know those missionaries so this week we drove over to Humacao and had a WONDERFUL district meeting about developing Christ-like attributes. Christ is our example and each and every day we should be striving to become more like Him. My goal is to pick an attribute each week to study and work on and apply more in my life. I'm super excited to do it and I invite you all to do the same, because this is the only way that we'll be able to be examples to others and be able to reach our full potentials. I absolutely loved this district meeting! 

And then we drove back to Guayama and worked for a couple hours and then that night we drove to the mission home in Bayamon for a leadership activity! We had a little devotional and then a sleepover! It was the first time I've stepped foot on carpet for 15 months.... it was divine. :) We had a blast, but none of us were able to fall asleep that night so the next day we were soooooo exhausted. In the morning we left at 6 and headed up to the only rainforest in the U.S.A. the Yunque! It was absolutely gorgeous!!!!!! Then we came back and had MLC the rest of the day where we discussed personal revelation, goals, and church attendance. I love talking about personal revelation because it's something that has helped me in countless ways on my mission. We also talked a bit about our purpose as missionaries and that we're here to invite others to come unto Christ. It doesn't say that we're here to invite non-members or less actives, but everyone! At all times we can be representatives of Jesus Christ and help others know Christ, through our examples. It was such a wonderful and super spiritual meeting and I'm so grateful for the inspired leaders that I can learn from! 

And from President Gonzalez, he talked about three things: opening our mouths, finding common ground, and sharing the Book of Mormon. He encouraged us to talk to absolutely every single person that is put in our path and then before telling them what we believe, we should listen to them and find what they believe so that then we can be on common ground. And after we've found common ground we should go straight to the Book of Mormon because it's the best and most effective tool we have to share the restored gospel. We tried it out a couple times this week and every time the person would just flat out reject us, but we're going to keep trying and I know we'll see success and miracles because I know that the Book of Mormon is true and is the best way for others to be converted to God and feel of His love.

Then the rest of the week was a little bit difficult because we haven't had much success in finding new investigators lately so we were out contacting a lot, but yesterday we had a huge miracle! We felt prompted to do some follow up on past contacts and we found a 16 year old girl that we had met when we visited one of our investigators and we called her and set an appointment to visit her on Sunday. And when we went, we met her entire family and all of them are super prepared and super interested! They are active in a Pentecostal church but the girl told us that she goes because she feels good there but she doesn't know if it's the true church and she wants to find out which is the true church. It was awesome! We're going to visit them again tomorrow and I hope and pray that they accept to be baptized and come to church. They are wonderful! :)

This week it kind of hit me that I'm not going to be a missionary for forever. Sometimes it just feels like I'm going to be doing this the rest of my life and I get super excited thinking about all the cool experiences that I could have and then this week for some reason I had a reality check that the Lord has another mission for me back home and that this has to come to an end at some point. It was a tough pill to swallow, but it's helping me appreciate and enjoy every single moment as a missionary. Even though this week was a bit rough, I still had the opportunity to preach the gospel and invite others to come unto Christ and that's priceless. I absolutely love teaching Boricuas and I love walking all day just to see that miracle at the end of the road and I love feeling the Spirit so strongly at all times and I love getting to know my Savior on a more personal level and I just absolutely love being a missionary!!! This is the best thing I have ever done and that I probably will ever do. I wouldn't trade it for anything. 

I love you all so much and hope you have an absolutely wonderful week! and HAPPY BIRTHDAY dad!!!!!!!! :) :) :) I love you!!!!

--

~Hermana Allan

September 5, 2016 - Come and See

Hermanas Keith and Allan

Hermanas Corneal and Allan

Hello family! It's so exciting reading all of your letters each week! Thank you for all the updates and your love and support! I love you all so very much!!

This week was a bit rough, but of course, still wonderful! We went and visited Modesto on Tuesday to talk about his baptism and how he felt and he asked us for a photo of his baptism which we happened to bring with us. When we pulled it out to give it to him, he had that same expression of absolute joy that he had when he was baptized. It was incredible and truly, he is incredible. It was such a powerful moment and I can't fully express how grateful I am for the opportunity the Lord has given me to witness the conversion of these people and witness the Atonement working in others' lives. Es maravillosa!

We had a cool experience this week, because we had the impression to pass by a recently reactivated member's house, but we weren't sure if we should because it didn't help with one of the key indicators, but we kept feeling like we needed to go, so we did. When we passed by, she had a couple family members over that we were able to get to know and a share a message with. The members 11 year old daughter asked, "can you repent after you're baptized?" We started explaining a bit about repentance and then the members sister who was also there asked "If someone was baptized and then falls away for a really long time, can they come back too?" We started explaining that as well and then later on we found out that this member's sister is a less active so it implied that she wants to come back but just wasn't sure if she could. It was such a spirit-guided lesson as we were able to help her realize her potential and that she can always come back to the outstretched arms of a loving Father in Heaven. I love how the Lord works in mysterious ways and that through the simple and innocent question of a child, we were able to also understand the concerns of the less active sister. The Lord truly loves every one of us and wants us to feel of His love and come unto Him and He will use us to bring these tidings of good news to others who are searching for that assurance in their lives. I just love being a missionary! :)

Then we had a super strange experience..... we set an appointment with an investigator who has been coming to church and when we showed up at her house there were two other missionaries from another church there as well. She had totally set it up so that the other missionaries could bible bash with us and convince us that we were in the wrong. It was the first time that this has happened to me on my mission and I was super nervous and wasn't really sure what to do. But with a quick prayer, asking for the guidance of the Spirit, I felt calm and we were able to know what to say and do to be able to avoid contention and arguments and be able to handle what they threw at us. We simply listened and then briefly testified of the Restoration and the Book of Mormon and were able to leave in peace. It was super stressful but it was incredible how the words that we needed to say were given to us through the Spirit to be able to simply echo the invitation of Jesus Christ to "come and see" what it is that this gospel has to offer. 

Yesterday we had a 1/2 mission conference with our new area president, President Gonzalez and it was amazing! He taught us some new ways to contact and find new investigators and I'm so super excited to apply them because I know they'll bring lots of success and help us find more people who have been prepared. It was also fun because I got to see Hermana Jacobsen and Hermana Curneal again!

Thanks for all the pictures! Looks like so much fun!  And Heidi looks like a model! so cute and grown-up! I hope you had a wonderful birthday Heidi and just know, I have something for you but I'm going to send it in a week or two with dad's birthday present as well. :) 

To attempt to answer your questions for cub scouts..... to be physically strong, mentally awake, and morally straight it all comes down to the basics. It's the small and simple things like praying, reading the scriptures, going to church, and taking those small daily efforts to follow Christ and remember Him that helps us be strong and do what is right. Alma 37:6 is a good scripture to explain this. By small and simple things are great things brought to pass. And a moment when I had to be brave.... that's a harder one. I feel like there are so many times each day as a missionary that are really difficult and that I feel like giving up, or I just want to sit there and cry with those who are hurting and suffering, or I feel inadequate, or I have doubts and fears, but there are also so many times each day that I feel the strength of the Lord. I can feel Him pushing me onward, giving me the strength to comfort those that stand in need of comfort, helping me know what to say to answer the probing questions of those searching for the truth, blessing me with peace to simply trust in the Lord and let Him lead the way, etc. I know I'm not very brave and many times I struggle to keep going, but the Lord is who helps me face these difficulties with strength and with faith. I'm sorry that I can't think of a specific experience to share, but hopefully this can help a bit. :)

I love you all so very much and hope you have a wonderful week!!! Love you!

--

~Hermana Allan

August 29, 2016 - The Church is True!

With a convert from Cabo Rojo

Baptism!

Transfer craziness

Teaching with a member

What a wonderful week. Full of ups and downs but it ended in a bang. Tuesday was transfer day so we spent all day again switching the sisters around. We got lost several times but in the end, we all made it! :) Also, two new sisters came this time and both of them are in our zone! It's super fun having two greenies to work with. They are wonderful! :) 

The highlight of the entire week- MODESTO WAS BAPTIZED!!!! We weren't sure he was going to make it. On Sunday, after we heard that he was back in the hospital we were super nervous that he wouldn't feel better by Saturday. But we immediately started a fast and then we got in contact with the missionaries that worked in the area of the hospital and asked them to give Modesto a blessing. On Monday night, we got a call from them saying that they gave him a blessing and that he loved it. He also told them that he was still planning on getting baptized on Saturday, so that definitely raised our spirits! On Friday, he passed his interview and Saturday he got baptized. It was the most wonderful baptismal service I have ever been to. There was so much member support and an investigator as well and Hermana Keith and I did a musical number with her ukelele and the spirit was just so strong. After Modesto came up out of the water, he looked out at us through the glass with the biggest and happiest smile I've ever seen. It was the most beautiful moment ever. He truly changed and is so much happier now that he has the truth in his life. I love being a missionary and having these opportunities to see peoples' lives change. I love it. And I'm so grateful for the priesthood and for worthy men who hold it and use it to bless the lives of the children of God. The church is true. :)

Also, I had the biggest surprise on Sunday. We walked in to church and greeted some members and then I looked down the hall and there was Angel from Cabo Rojo!!! He drove out to Guayama just to visit me and see how I was doing. How sweet is that? It was so good to talk to him and see that he is still strong in the gospel. My biggest fear is that the people that I've worked with in Cabo Rojo will forget their testimonies and fall away, but he reassured me that all is well and that the wards in Cabo Rojo are growing like crazy! I'm so full of gratitude for all that the Lord has blessed me with and that He is watching over the people of Cabo Rojo and that I had that opportunity to see Angel again. Have I mentioned that I love being a missionary? :) 

Then we had a great lesson with Leslie and Miguel! They truly are searching for the truth and humbly want to follow God so that they can be good examples to their baby girl and have a strong, united family. I just absolutely love teaching them! The spirit is always so powerful. I know they will receive and answer and know that this is the truth. The problem though that we're facing with them and with 4 other couples that we're teaching right now is that none of them are married. Marriage is becoming less and less popular and it's so sad to see how many broken families there are. I hope these couples will decide to get married and be able to build their families around Christ and His gospel and be able to live with their families for all eternity. I know that we truly can enjoy eternal families through the gospel of Jesus Christ and I'm so grateful for the eternal family I have and that I was raised with these values and that all of this is possible through the sacrifice of our Savior, Jesus Christ.

We also taught another couple this week, C. and Juan. C. actually came to Modesto's baptism which was awesome! But it's really sad because both of them have desires to follow God but they feel like they've gone too far astray to be able to come back and be true followers of Christ. We had a very powerful lesson with them as we explained repentance and the Atonement of Jesus Christ and I'm so grateful that we have this hope and peace that we can change and that we can turn back to Christ. The Lord loves us and is waiting for us with open arms. If we just begin with the desire to come to Him, begin by reaching out our weak and feeble hand, He will grab on to us and pull us closer to Him. I know that Jesus Christ truly is our Savior and that He suffered and died for each and every one of us so that we can become more like Him and be able to fulfill our purpose here on earth. 

Thank you guys so much for your emails and the thoughts you shared with me! I love you all so so very much!!!! I'm sorry mom that you have to deal with so many difficult situations... that must be so hard. But I know you're making a difference in their lives and that you're the right one to help them out. You can do it! :) Also, thank you dad for your thoughts. I know the Lord has sent me here for a reason and that hopefully He can use me to bless the lives of His children here in PUERTO Rico. :) 

And.... HAPPY BIRTHDAY HEIDI!!!!!!!!! I love you so so very much and hope you have the very best birthday ever! 

I love you all and am always praying for you! Have an absolutely wonderful week!!!!

--

~Hermana Allan

August 22, 2016 - My Purpose

District Photo

Matching for Intercambios!

Anniversary :)

I love hearing from you guys every Monday! I love you all so so very much!

This week was a blazing hot week, but super good! M. is still preparing for baptism on Saturday, but he's having some problems.... he had surgery last week because he had kidney stones, but now he's having more complications so he's back in the hospital. We're hoping and praying that everything goes well and that he can still get baptized on Saturday. Please include him in your prayers!

Also, we found a new couple this week that are absolutely golden!  They're both in the army and they have the cutest baby girl and they said "we know it's a commandment to congregate, but we just aren't sure which church to join..." That alone is a huge miracle, because most people here don't understand that there is only one true church. But they already understand that and are so eager to learn and find out for themselves if this is the truth. The hard part is that they prefer English and teaching in English is soooo hard. But it's a fun challenge. :) But they have been so prepared and I just know they'll receive their answer and that they'll be baptized!

Then we had a really cool experience with another investigator who asked us "If you were studying, had a good job, good family, and had all you needed, why leave it all behind to come here to be missionaries full-time? Why can't you do all at the same time?" The Spirit was so strong as we explained why we do what we do. We talked about how there is no time to waste because Christ could come any day now so we have to prepare ourselves NOW. So we need full-time missionaries to go out and bring as many people as possible to the knowledge of the gospel. He couldn't understand why we would sacrifice so much, but I know its because he just doesn't have a testimony of the restored gospel. If he truly understood the message we share, he would understand its importance and the urgency of getting it out to everyone. It was a very powerful moment as we focused on our purpose as missionaries. I made this sacrifice and am out here for a year and a half because I truly believe in what we share. I wouldn't be here if I didn't believe it. I wouldn't be here if I hadn't received any blessings or if I didn't think it would be beneficial for others. I know without a doubt in my heart that what we share is true. I know it's of eternal importance. I know that it can bless the lives of everyone in the same incredible way that it has blessed mine. That's why I'm here. Because I believe it and because I love the Lord and I want to be His hands in blessing the lives of His children.

I also got to go on an intercambio with Hermana Melgar! It was so fun being able to work together again! For companionship study, we studied about our purpose as missionaries in Preach my Gospel and she said something that I loved. She said, "Really the Lord doesn't need me to baptize these people. He has the power to do it himself. But He loves us and wants to bless us and wants to give us the opportunity to strengthen our own testimonies and see the Atonement in action, and because of that He has sent us here to teach these people and help them progress towards baptism. So really we aren't here because the people need us, but we're here because we need the people and we need this experience." I loved that. It is such a wonderful opportunity to be here as missionaries to proclaim the gospel and I know that it's the greatest investment that I will ever make! Being a missionary is the best and I'm so grateful that the Lord has given me this opportunity to be an instrument in His hands and witness His miracles. I love everything about it! :)

I totally forgot to thank you for the package! I'm a horrible person. But, thank you so much!!!!!! I loved it!!!!!! :) 

Oh yeah, and we had transfers! Hermana Keith and I are staying the same, but they are taking out the other two sisters in our house, so it'll just be us two. I'm pretty sure I'll be dying in Guayama and that Hermana Keith will kill me so we probably won't have any changes until the end of my mission. But I'm super happy about that because I love Guayama and I love Hermana Keith!!! :)

I'm sorry that you guys had such a crazy and stressful week! I hope this week is better. I'm praying for you guys! Good luck Heidi with your road test! You'll do great! :) And did you say you are planning on dropping gymnastics?!

Say hi to Maddie for me!

I love you guys so so so very much!!!!! I hope you have an absolutely wonderful week and that you're able to rest a bit! :) I love you!!!!

--
~Hermana Allan

August 15, 2016 - Working by the Spirit

zone conference

super soaking wet

Hello family!!!! Wow, pero wow. So many wonderful things happened this week! First we had zone conference on Tuesday! It was absolutely wonderful. We talked about doing missionary work in the Lord's way and always by the Spirit and we already have seen huge changes in our area and in the zone due to applying these things with our investigators. It's incredible how the work really is so much more effective and effecient when we have the Spirit with us.

So we focused a lot on following the guidance of the Spirit and we were led to so many families! We hadn't found a family in a long time, so it was so wonderful to find so many this week! We found one, that I had actually contacted before with Hermana Helmick, but the first time, they weren't interested at all. But we were led to that same area again this week and we talked to them and they are so prepared! It's a mom and three kids, and they all are so interested and are reading the Book of Mormon and everything! They are wonderful!!!

Also, we've been teaching this couple for awhile now and they just hadn't really been progressing and we were debating if we should drop them. But we felt like we should keep teaching them and try harder to get members present iin our lessons with them. So we started having more lessons with members and almost immediately, they started progressing. Now they are reading every chapter that we leave them in the Book of Mormon, they came to church, and they even accepted baptismal dates! It's been such a HUGE miracle! They weren't all to interested in the beginning but now, they're asking for work off on Sundays and they just love all of it! It has been incredible and I know it's all because of the members.

M. is so awesome! He is so ready to be baptized, but unfortunately his operation was moved to today so he won't be completely recovered by this Saturday, but we're hoping for the next Saturday. we're not worried though, because he has such a strong testimony of the gospel, so he'll definitely get baptized. :)

Also, did I tell you that Hermana Curneal is still in Cabo Rojo and she's been working with A.'s parents and his dad is getting baptized!!!! They didn't want anything to do with the church while we were teaching A., but A.'s example changed them and now they get to be part of it as well! I'm so happy for them! :)

This week was a little bit painful as well... there was one day where the sun was so strong and it was so bright that we couldn't even open our eyes. So we were looking straight down at the ground as we walked because it was too blazing hot to look up. Well..... next thing I know, I run face-first right into a ladder that was sticking out of the back of a truck. Literally, forehead+ladder=BANG. It hurt so bad. And needless to say I had quite a big headache afterwards.... But hey, something to laugh about now. :)

Also, we got caught in the rain walking home one night and we got absolutely soaked! Mission life is just so much fun!! :) And yes, every single Puerto Rican was watching the tennis match and it was so hard keeping my eyes of the TV. I wanted to watch it so badly, but don't worry, I didn't. :) But it was a huge deal! Everyone was partying and shouting in the streets and everything. It was great! :)

I've been thinking a lot about prayer lately. How wonderful it is that we have access to the power, love, wisdom, and peace of God, all through a simple prayer. One of the most profound things we can do is humbly get down on our knees and plead to our Father in Heaven. I know that if we fervently pray and pour out our souls to God, our life will be filled with so much more meaning and we'll begin to see the Lord's hand more in our lives and recognize the answers to our prayers. Prayer is such a wonderful tool to finding peace, joy, help, guidance, etc. Anything we could possibly need, can be resolved through a simple prayer. I know that our Father in Heaven loves us and cares about us and wants to hear from us. He will listen to our prayers and send down blessings from heaven so that we can be happy and be able to continue onward and endure to the end.

I love you all so much and am praying for you each and every day! I love you!!!!! :)

PS- when did I get old enough to have friends and even people younger than me getting married?! Such a strange thought.... Thanks for keeping me updated! And say hi to Jessica for me! She's in my prayers as well.

I love you all! :)

--
~Hermana Allan

August 8, 2016 - True Conversion

Hermanas Keith and Allan

Intercambio with Hermana Gubler

Hello everyone! What a very interesting week it has been! On Wednesday we had MLC with all the leaders of the mission and yet again it was so amazing! The spirit was so strong and we left so edified and inspired. It was incredible. We talked a lot about becoming like Christ and purifying our hearts so that we can better help those around us. I know when we become more like Him and follow in His footsteps, we will be better positioned to lend a helping hand because we will be able to love them and see them as He sees them. MLC is the most wonderful experience in the world and I'm so grateful I get to be a part of it! :)

We had quite a lot of things fall through this week, so many times we were just left walking left and right all over Guayama, but in the end we ended up seeing so many miracles! We had three investigators show up at church and two of them we didn't think would come! It was super exciting to see them there!  And M. was there too, and he even had a white shirt on! He's basically already a member. :) He's super prepared and perfectly ready for his baptism on the 20th. Unfortunately, Victor didn't want to be baptized this Saturday, so it didn't happen, but he loves the gospel and just wanted a little bit more time, so I know he'll continue in the states and hopefully he'll be baptized over there.

Also, we had one investigator that we had an appointment with but our plans before that fell through and we felt like we needed to go to this investigator earlier. So we did, and turns out her husband had just got home and was about to leave again, but we were able to teach both of them and her husband had a ton of questions! He's been really hurt by some people in his life and has been searching for some answers and some peace and the Lord guided us there right at that moment to be able to lead him to the source of truth and help him with what he's struggling with. It was an incredible experience. We'll be passing by again tomorrow and hopefully they'll find what they're looking for and come unto Christ.

So, it's kind of funny that Elder Allan shared the story of the Anti-Nephi-Lehis because that's what I was going to share today. :) I was studying that story this week and learned so much from it. It's incredible that they had that faith to bury all of their weapons of war and just lay themselves down in front of their enemies to be killed. It shows how strong their conversion truly was. Their hearts were completely changed and converted to doing good and following Christ and they turned away from the very thought of doing evil and fighting their enemies even in defense of themselves! It just makes me wonder, How converted are we? Have we buried all of our "weapons of war" and are completely dedicated and converted to following the Savior at all times? If we give our all to the Lord and leave behind any and all resistance, that's when we become instruments in His hands. That's when we become example to others so that they may be able to come to the knowledge of the truth. Just like the death of these Anti-Nephi-Lehis brought the conversion of thousands of Lamanites, we too can help bring others to Christ through our own personal dedication to the Lord and His teachings. I just love this story so much and am in awe of all they did. I hope I can become like them and have that incredible, unwavering faith and complete conversion to the Lord.

I love you all so much!!!!!!! Thank you for everything! And CONGRATULATIONS mom on finishing school!!! You're such a wonderful example to me and I love you so much! Good luck with school Heidi and Amelia! And thanks Dad for your love and example to me! I love you all so much and I hope you know that and never forget it. Love you!

--
~Hermana Allan

August 1, 2016 - In the Service of the Lord

Wow, how does Elder Allan write such powerful letters?! Mine seem so lame next to his... he's an inspiration! :) Thanks for sending them to me! I'm so glad you guys enjoyed a nice "staycation" before school and work starts! And thanks for the emails and the pictures and the spiritual thoughts and everything. I love you guys so much!

This week was such a wonderfully spiritual week. All week I've just been on the verge of tears- full of gratitude and love for my Savior and for the gospel. I've felt an overwhelming amount of love for Puerto Rico, the culture, the people we're teaching, the members, etc. Life is beautiful. The people are wonderful. And the church is true. It just can't get any better than this. :)

And of course, there were a ton of miracles this week!!! We've been working with a less active named C. and we've always tried teaching her husband and grandkids that live with her, but they always hide from us when we visit her. But we've been praying so hard to find people that already know members. Whether it's family members, friends, neighbors, etc. And the Lord definitely helped us with that this week. On Monday we felt prompted to pass by her house so we did and in the middle of the lesson, her granddaughter just walks out and sits down next to her grandma and listens too. We were shocked. Someone who had hid every time just decided to randomly come out and listen. And she is awesome! She had almost been baptized before, but her mom hadn't let her because her mom doesn't like the church, but now, she's not under-aged so she doesn't need her mom's permission so she's totally going to get baptized! We're super excited for her!!

Also, a member introduced us to her friend, V. He is super interested and loves the message of the restoration and has been to church 3 times now and we were super excited because we just knew he would get baptized in August, but then yesterday, he told us that he's moving to the states on August 11. So if he's going to be baptized it has to be this Saturday. Basically we need a miracle, but I believe in a God of miracles and that it can happen. So we're going to be working super hard with him this week so that he can prepare for baptism before he leaves. Please pray for him! :)

And M. came to church! It was the best thing ever seeing him at church! He's definitely going to be baptized on the 20th! He is such an inspiration!

One night, we were talking about the apostasy we've seen in Puerto Rico in our missions as we were walking to an appointment and unfortunately the conversation took a slight negative turn and we were feeling a bit depressed about the lack of interest of the people, but as we were talking we passed a young man that said "hey wait! You guys are missionaries right? I have some questions for you." So we stopped to talk to him and basically he's a golden investigator! He's been passing through a lot of difficult situations and he's decided to turn to God and search the scriptures to find the peace and answers that he's looking for and he wanted our help to help him understand the scriptures and God's plan for him. It was such a huge miracle! It was like God had hit us with a ton of bricks. like He was saying "hey, there are people waiting for you! Love them and get to work! They need you!" It was a very humbling experience and I truly know that there are tons of people that the Lord is preparing to receive this message. I love Puerto Rico and the people and am so grateful that I have this chance to work as the Lord's representative here on this little island. I can't wait to come visit Puerto Rico with you guys so that you can also enjoy this paradise! :)

Also, it was a bit strange, but we got to go apartment shopping on Wednesday! They are making some changes to the area next transfer so they needed us to find a new apartment for the elders that are moving here to Guayama. It was so fun driving all around Guayama searching for apartments. It was super weird as a missionary but I guess missions prepare us for the rest of our lives so I guess I'll just be a pro apartment shopper when I get back. :)

Then on Sunday, we had the most amazing and spiritual lesson that I've ever had in Relief Society. It was about service. Service is a great opportunity to help others feel the love of their Savior and to help them feel important. Our Savior Jesus Christ was the most perfect example of loving others and serving them, and we should strive to see others as He sees them and serve and love them at all times. Before my mission I feel like I was very self-centered and never really searched for opportunities to serve, but I hope that I can be different after my mission, because everyone deserves to feel loved and we can be the instrument that helps them to feel that love. We should strive to love each and every person we meet and seek opportunities to serve them and help them feel the love of the Savior. In that lesson about service I just felt so full of the love of the Lord and then at the end they played a slideshow of pictures of service with the song "Love One Another" and the last picture was a picture of missionaries preaching the gospel and I started to cry. I'm overwhelmed with gratitude for this opportunity to be a missionary and learn to love and serve others as the Savior did. It's the most fulfilling and gratifying thing we can do. My mission has changed me in so many ways and I'm so extremely grateful for who my mission is helping me to become. Thank you for raising me in righteousness and for giving me this opportunity to serve our fellow men and bring them to Christ. I'm having a hard time fully expressing how I feel, but truly I love this work and I love being a missionary. I know that we will draw closer to our Savior and feel more of His love for us if we serve others and love them as the Savior loves them.

I love you all so so very much and hope you have an absolutely wonderful week!!!!! I love you!!!!!!!!!!!!!

--
~Hermana Allan