First Week in Sudley A-email from Elder Allen

So I'm now in Manassas, VA! Wow, what a beautiful place! The center of the city is OK, but the outskirts that we drove through on the way here, and right where our apartment is located, are some of the most beautiful landscapes I've ever seen. Trees and open fields and all green. I love it! The downside is the weather... days like today are just fine. But today is a minority. 90%+ humidity is something I've never expierenced before, and man is it horrible! It's like swimming down the street! I'm on a bike every other day to conserve miles, and at 95 degrees, 90% humidity, and 3 hours worth of tracting... wow, you're ready to go back inside!! And not many hispanics make use of their AC either. Ugh!

But, I'll have you know the work is better than ever. I have never worked so hard in my life!! We already have 4 with a baptismal date, over 15 investigators, and I got to see a baptism my second day here! It's incredible. we only have a branch, and only 15% of the ward list is active, but the active members are strong and willing to help. Our new members are incredible. Elder Tovar, my new companion, only has one more transfer than I, yet is District Leader and senior companion. That little columbian man knows how to work! And I totally love it.

Hardest work brings the most reward, and I've never felt more fufilled in my life! I'll keep you all updated on any new baptisms and events happing here in the Sudley Branch in Manassas, VA. In the mean time, I appreciate all your prayers and support, and wish you all an incredible week!

Love,
Elder Jared C. Allen

DISASTER to INCREDIBLE

So, yesterday at 5:30 we call Obispo (bishop) Matos to ask what time the monthly ward FHE starts. Turns out, he wouldn't be able to come, and so he delegated the lesson to us. He told us that someone would be there to set up the activity after and bring refreshments. We had just gotten out of a lesson with an inactive sister who said she'd come to the activity that night, and the area sister missionaries were bringing three investigators, so we knew the lesson would need to be pretty good! We got there before 7. Most of the participants got there by 7:30. We figured out what the heck we were going to do (mostly) at 7:20, 20 minutes after the activity was supposed to even start. We were nervous, no one came to set up the activity or bring food.

Well, long story short, the lesson on the plan of salvation was INCREDIBLE, my companion came up with (at the last minute) a basketball game that would test their knowledge of the plan, and there just happened to be 5 half-eaten tubs of icecream in the freezer, up for grabs. I was in the kitchen scooping icecream, and I could just hear in the background shouts of laughter and delight from the people playing the game! Everyone was having such a good time!! The non-members and our inactive member were being fellowshiped SO well, and no one left until after 9!

In short, we got to see first hand the spirit working through us, making a disaster of a night into something incredible. The non-members were asking if we did this every Monday, they enjoyed it so much! Our member had a huge smile of delight, and we could see the "thank you" in her face. Her and her two kids are coming to church this Sunday, totally reactivated. So, the church is true, and where there is a will, there is most definitely a way. What an incredible night!

Well, thanks for all your support and encouragement! All's well in Virginia!

Love,
Elder Jared C. Allen

Another Week in the D.C. South

Another awesome week! We taught Jorge Campo, our recent baptizee, just this last thursday before his confirmation on this last Sunday. He wanted me to do it... *heart drops* I was TERRIFIED! Mainly because it was in spanish! But, in all honesty, I did well. And it was so incredible to feel the priesthood and the Lord work through me to accomplish his will. In whatever language we speek!

It looks like this mission is going through some major changes! There's a LOT of missions (including ours) that have all these themes and memorizations and stuff based on case studies of other missionaries, obscure talks on certain aspects of the work, etc. It makes it SO confusing!! But, President just met with the MTC presidency, and they're changing ALL that. Simplifing it. Now, the only focus will be soely on Preach My Gospel. We have more "creative liberty" now to really, well, do what needs to get done! And, most exciting, NO MORE CONTACTING NUMBERS!! Every week we have a quota of 140 "gospel conversations". In all honesty, this leads to 80 "junk contacts" at the end of the week, just talking to people to get numbers. I hate it!! Now, the focus will be simply on talking to people, regardless of number, and just doing our jobs as missionaries! A lot of this hasn't been announced yet. But we have Zone Conference with President, tomorrow!! SO exciting!! Direct revelation for our mission, every 6 weeks. And right after that, general conference! This will be such an awesome weekend!

Anyway, as far as the work goes, we're just pressing along, and getting the work done. Little miricle yesterday - we were a little down and tired last night, did NOT want to go contacting any longer, so we decided to go over our friends the Vallejo family to get some food and teach them a principle, just to not waste time sitting there. Well, just as we were about to leave the house, their friend comes over, and Hna. Vallejo tells us to wait and teach her! So, we did, and she is EXCITED to learn! Shows how the Lord can turn a pointless night into the greatest opportunity. And things like that happen EVERY DAY here on the mission! I love it.

Thanks for all your support, everyone! I'll be here doing our Lord's work! Keep on being great member-missionaries and supporting your local elders!

-Love,
Elder Allen

Transfers, Christmas and the like

Well for all of you who DIDN'T know...Elder Allen has been transferred to the Washington D.C. South Mission, which I'm told is more Northern Virginia than anything else. Here's a recap of his time in the MTC.
*Going to the Temple once a week
*Getting the Swine "flu" which left him incapacitated for a week or so
*Winning the "Brag Board"
*Getting involved with very COMPETITIVE four square
*Losing his trench coat
*Finding a greater love for American Sign Language and deciding that's what he wants to do when he gets back

But most importantly he learned to love the gospel at an all new level and learned how to speak Spanish!






He has absolutely no problem with the transfer and feels quite confident about it. He arrived at his post on December 23rd, just in time for Christmas!! And a lucky few of us were able to speak to him via telephone. In his particular mission they transfer every 6 weeks, and his P-Days are now on Wednesdays. He's very lucky, he has his very OWN bathroom. Not only that but apparently he and his companion also have a car. He loves the area and the members.



Here's a quote from one of his last emails.
"First off, we probably have the nicest apartment in the mission. For missionaries, it's amazing. Seriously, I even have my own bathroom. Awesome! The members down here in the spanish ward are AMAZING! I swear, nicest people. I've been told by three families already that their house is mine, and already they feed us every time we're over and are just so nice! We have some AWESOME investigators...............I've got the DC South part in my hair (yep, elder allen with a part. I'm not going to be able to go back to normal any more). And ready to go do some work!! Thanks for all your prayers, and I'm doing all I can in this work!!"




Hope everyone had a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Years.