Watch Your Backpack

Kumusta!

The lesson with the Gumaru family with Elder Ardern didn’t’ go through because of travel problems he had. Too bad.   But they are still awesome and it seems like everything is going awesomely with them. 

The Smiths have Twins? Did I know that? mabye. I hope they are doing okay.

Mom, I think you should hire a clown to do magic tricks just to change things up in Utah County meetings.  It would Make it less boring. Maybe get a bouncy house, too. Politicians and bouncy houses mix well.

Feel free to paint my room any color you want. I cant wait to see how it turns out.  Well, maybe not pink and stuff, but the brown and light blue sounds cool. It was always white and boring. Now it will be not boring.

Speaking of my room. How is looking into applying to college going? I’m hoping that I could get into BYU Idaho I would get the fall/winter track. But that means you have to apply soon.

I guess I have some bad news. My backpack was stolen. Luckily there wasn’t much in it.  In fact, ZERO things of monetary worth. But very sentimental.  One being my broken camera with the SD card.  All the pictures from my mission since I was with Elder Elgan was on that. The other thing is the triple I’ve been using since the MTC.  The cool one I had bound with my name on it and family picture in the back and 16 months worth of missionary notes. That’s what I want.  Along with some money, an umbrella, and other small things, only that backpack was taken.  Sister Carlos keeps insisting that it will show up, mostly because its disappearance make no sense at all.  But that is the most frustrating thing about it.  It’s gone, but no one understands how.  So just letting you know. Sorry about the pictures.

Mahal ko kayo,

Elder Allen

The Gumaru Family

Kumusta!

Thanks for asking about and praying for the Gumaru's.

The Guramu family consists of tatay(dad) Edision, nanay(mom) Josephine, and their five children; Mikaela (11)f, BJ (9)m, AJ(6)m, Mel(4)f and Heart(2)f. They are progressing wonderfully. Elder Oldem asked President Carlos if we could have a family home evening in the Mission Home with them.  President immediately took that chance to have Elder Ardern of the seventy sit and observe.  So this Satuday night, we are going to teach a lesson with the assistance of President and Sister Carlos, and Elder and Sister Ardern. Plus the Assistants to the President. I'm stressing pretty bad about it, even though I know I shouldn't.   I had a nighmare about it last night. 

Anyways. It looks like they will be baptized on March 9th.  Hopefully, I'll find a member to baptize them. 

That's how they are doing.

I love you all.

Mahal ko kayo,

Elder Allen

Sis. Flory tries balut for the first time.
She downed it like a champ.

I interviewed the young woman in this picture for baptism.

Look Up

Kumusta!

Elder Huffstatler and me
making eggrolls.

I think the most beautiful thing God created was the stars.  We don't see the stars much here. Smog, fog and rain. but when we do they are beautiful.  We can look at the stars and realize how small and insignificant we are, and at the same time remember the glory of God, to give us the stars.  Why would we ever aim for anything shorter than the farthest star? Satan can promise you anything on this Earth, but Heavenly Father has promised us the stars if we only follow him. Why would we settle for anything on this Earth, any amount of temporary happiness, when we could simply look to the stars and know the condescension of God?  Look to the stars, and think of the Work, the Will, and the Prize. It's as simple as following Jesus Christ's example.  Let us all think "the Stars my Destination." 

Mahal ko kayo,

Elder Allen

The sisters practice teaching me.  

Jesus the Christ

Kumusta!

We have been teaching this family, the Gumaru family, and they have been progressing really well.  An example of how great they are doing was when we explained a little of the Word of Wisdom to them and left them a pamphlet and told them to read it, and they all really loved their coffee.  All of them in a family of 7, down to the youngest child.  But when we returned to teach the Word of Wisdom, they said, "You told us coffee is bad, and we read that coffee is bad, so we got rid of all our coffee."  We were stunned.   They have been coming to church and praying and are doing better than anyone else I've ever taught.  It's great. 

We had Zone Conference this week and it was about love and inviting people to be baptized and truly living the gospel of Jesus Christ. It was good.

I have been studying Third Nephi in personal study, because it's when Jesus comes to the Nephites after His resurrection and all the horrible things that happened to Him in Jerusalem.  I have been fascinated by every aspect of Jesus' life lately.  Obviously, I always have Jesus on my mind, but after reading Jesus the Christ and studying Him this long, it's amazing how overwhelming he was and what he did was, and how it all worked out. As a kid, I always took the idea of Jesus Christ for granted, but now He seems like a real person to me and I understand more and more of Him everyday.  He has Saved us from our sins and Redeemed us of our short- comings.  Because of what He did, we can return to him and our Eternal Father and sit with them in eternal happineness and understanding; if we just look to Jesus for the way back. The Gospel of Jesus Chirst is the purest, truest thing we can come in contact with in this life.  Everything else is made by man, granted there is truth in everything, if you look hard enough, but nothing holds the fullness as His Gospel does. 

I Love you all. Believe all things. Hope all things. Endure all things.

Mahal ko Kayo,

Elder Allen