Mi Gozo es Completo!

Hola Familia

I loved seeing everyone together for Thanksgiving! How fun! Still no picture of Liz...cough cough ;) I’m so glad you were able to have such a fun Thanksgiving! My Thanksgiving was pretty great too! I HAD A THANKGIVING MIRACLE! No joke when I woke up in the morning I opened my window and there were 10 turkeys just chilling outside our apt. I’VE NEVER SEEN TURKEYS IN SIMOCA BEFORE! I think they came to wish me a Happy Thanksgiving! 

Um okay YOU MET HERMANA SMITH'S FAMILY!? So Happy about this you don’t even know! Ah like so special! Best thing ever!

Funny story for the week. We have been teaching this mother of a less active, but she is super catholic and I'm pretty sure she only listens to us because she wants her son to, and I quote ¨get to know such nice girls of your church¨ #marriage. Anyway, her sister was over and joined in on the lesson. And she was so so sweet! haha At the end of the lesson she said ¨Now how much do I pay you girls for your message?¨ Hermana Nunez and I just look at each other laughing. She kept trying and trying to hand us each like 20 pesos. Super weird feeling. Didn’t like it, but really funny at the same time. 

Ruben update. He has a baptism date for December 10th!! YAYAY! On Saturday we taught him the word of wisdom and I was so nervous because he finally was keeping the law of chastity and I was so worried that he would have a problem with the word of wisdom! After we taught him he said that he drinks sometimes with his buddies, but was more than willing to give it up (miracle!!!) Seriously I am so happy for him! 

We also have 3 little primary children that we have been teaching from part member families scheduled for baptism this Saturday....basically this week Hermana Nunez and I will be running around with our heads cut off. We have so much to do before the end of this transfer! It’s literally the best kind of stress :) So happy with the success in Simoca! 

This weekend was stake conference in Concepcion and president Chaparro was there and everything! It was really good and also It was mostly members from Simoca and missionaries....which made me kind of sad. I’ve been so blessed to be in such a strong rama (branch) I didn’t realize how many less active members there are in the other areas of our zone. My district leader said that Simoca has the highest attendance in sacrament meeting out of the zone. The conference was centered on missionary work and building up our testimonies and strengthen the ramas. It was very good! 

So now for my spiritual thought of the week hahaha. president has challenged us to read the BOM by Christmas, and I’m doing it in Spanish and can I just say it is so fun when I can read a chapter and have no problems understanding. This week I was studying Alma and in chapters 26-29 just hit me full of inspiration and guidance. I have been struggling to ¨be happy¨ sometimes. I would have such a great day and then something would trigger a negative thought and I would be sad for the rest of the day! It was so frustrating and I would keep trying to tell myself “be happy... it’s not true! be happy!” but I could just feel Satan sitting in my head and it was awful. When reading in Alma over and over Alma and Ammon repeat the phrase and my joy was complete. How can we have complete joy? In Alma 28 there was a war and many lives were lost. All the people felt pain and suffered, but the members of the church were still filled with happiness. (Alma 28:14). 

I made of list of every time Alma said “my joy was full” and the action that was associated with it. Literally the gospel of Jesus Christ and Missionary work made him happy! I then felt this overwhelming happiness for my mission so far. Coming up on 6 months it’s crazy to think about all I've gone through, the Lord has blessed me with so many joyful experiences, I am so blessed to have the gospel during those times of pain. there are so many people in the world who just feel the pain and don’t know how to receive te joy. I know this is like ¨Duh Hermana Allen”... but it is something that really helped me this week.

Keep living the gospel! BE HAPPY! 

Be Brave little champions! 

Hermana Allen

We loved meeting the Smiths while we were in Utah!
Thier Daughter...Hermana Smith was Emma's MTC companion. Also serving in  the Salta Mission.

Buen Dia! 

Not going to lie this week was really weird. Haha  A lot of traveling, but we still saw milagros! Tuesday and Wednesday I traveled to Salta for my visa paper work...boring. Friday we had zone conference with Presidente and that took all day, and then yesterday we had to be in our casa by 7 because of elections. Mom, I got your packages! PEANUT BUTTER. thank you. haha 

So Friday night we had time for one appointment with Ruben. When he arrived he just looked so sad. We asked if he was okay, and he just kind of shrugged and said he had a bad day and wasn’t going to come to the appointment with us, but decided to anyway. We shared a scripture with him about faith, patience, and hope in the mists of our trials. Right before the closing prayer he gets a phone call from his girlfriend, and comes back into the room sobbing. It was so painful to watch. His girlfriend broke up with him over the phone and said she doesn’t want anything to do with him. A very dramatic night....oh and we also found out that his girlfriend is my age! They have two kids.....Ruben is 26. Hermana Nunez and I were talking about it after of how we just felt so sad for him, but at the same time we felt so peaceful. Maybe this is his answer to his prayers. The next day he said that he moved out, is now living with his parents, came to church yesterday, and seems to be doing a lot better! We are preparing for him to be baptized December 12th! God is aware of our needs and the needs of others. 

Something that has been really frustrating for me lately is that I am from America. haha Sometimes the people here are so distracted by my accent or where I am from that they don’t listen to a word I'm saying. At first I thought that it was because what I was saying was bad Spanish or just wrong, but Hermana Nunez says I speak correctly. Literally I will be baring my testimony and people will interrupt me... where are you from? How long have you been in Simoca? The other day I was sharing a very personal experience and the investigator interrupts me and says ..."Have you ever been in love?" "Don’t you miss your family?" haha so random. My favorite question is... "Why are you here?" BECAUSE I HAVE A MESSAGE TO SHARE! haha so please listen! :) 

okay sorry for the venting. 

So I completely forgot that this week is Thanksgiving until I read your letter mom....haha HAPPY THANKSGIVING! Time is going by so so fast. This transfer is flying by!

Zone Conference was really good! We talked a lot about finding families to teach! I’ve never been so pumped to share the gospel! So another milagro....when visiting less active families we found two primary aged kids who haven’t been baptized and have started teaching them! At first I was a little hesitant with Leandro because his family doesn’t come to church and I wanted to make sure if he were to get baptized it was because he actually wanted to, and that he can have someone take him to church. Two weeks ago his family came, but then they missed a week. When we explained to him that we would have to post pone his baptism he was SO SAD. It was sweet. He is such a good example to me. Always wants to pray, and participate and he came to church with us all by himself yesterday! 

Fun fact about Hermana Nunez.

One day we were walking in the street as missionaries do, and she just starts singing...”I’m a Barbie girl”!!! Haha I just about died. Literally I love the random things people like or hear about America. One day a family asked me..."What do they eat in US?" uhhh...idk haha everything. 

In Argentina it is: carne and pasta. 

Sorry this letter is all over the place! Thank you for your prayers and love and support! Be happy! Be brave, my champions! 

Hermana Allen

Learning how to make Ravioli the Argentine way

Bus Ride to Salta

Hermana Allen with Hermanas from her MTC district

Group Photo
Mission Conference in Salta

Argentina Salta Missionaries

Empanadas, Elder Cook  
& Everlasting Friendships 
-make for a fantastic week!

Hola! Well I am just so happy. Like seriously so happy. The gospel is the best thing in the entire world! 

This week we had mission conference and Elder Cook from the quorum of the twelve apostles came and it was literally one of the most powerful meetings I have ever attended. Friday we left Simoca for a 7-hour bus ride to Salta, stayed in a hotel, had the conference and right after back to Simoca. 14-hour trip in total. Literally the moment I entered the hallway  (the end of a very long hallway) I see a Rubia wearing Hermana Smith’s Dress. Literally she came running down the hallway toward me! Hahah. She gave me the biggest longest hug and it was so GOOD TO SEE HER. Like I wanted to cry out of pure joy. I was just so so happy. We even got to sit next to each other during the conference and everything! There wasn’t enough time to catch up in total and I didn’t want to leave, but seeing her and hearing her voice was such a fun, sweet tender mercy from the lord. (PS her Spanish es de diez)

I got to shake Elder Cook’s hand...yeah I’m cool. Haha Literally the conference was so great and I learned a lot. All the speakers were AMAZING. I learned a lot of things that I think will help me be better and also help our investigators too! But I think the most powerful part was his testimony. Like wow. Also his blessing was so tender. During the closing prayer you could hear sniffling from all the missionaries...it was that good. 

Also Saturday was Hermana Nunez birthday! Since we were on a bus all day Saturday we celebrated today in the Casa de Rosa! I seriously love the people here. Everyone is family to me.

Saturday we got home around 7:30 and had an appointment with Ruben about the law of chastity. His novia still doesn’t want to get married...boo. He came to church again on Sunday and his testimony literally blows my mind. I asked him how does he know that this church is true. He just said I just feel this overwhelming peace and happiness. I am so impressed he recognized the spirit so quickly! He is a prepared soul. I have never been so excited to see someone change like this before. Please pray for him. 

So I just found out today that we have to go to Salta again tomorrow and Wednesday for paper work for my visa...that is kind of stressful because we are so behind from the two days we lost from the conference. SO Much work and no time! 

Mom, you asked me about my Spanish. I feel like I’m in this awkward phase were I don’t know Spanish or English haha. Hermana Nunez knows a lot of English and has been helping me with my accent. She asked me to describe my family in English so she could compare my English accent to my castellano.... literally I couldn’t do it...hahah Like in my head I was saying English but the words out of my mouth were Spanish.... but also I can’t really completely explain everything in Spanish...so its just awkward haha! But I am improving mucho and feel comfortable talking to people! 

It is starting to get hot.... summer is here and I have so much miedo. Tucuman is the 2nd hottest provencia en la mission. Santiago is hotter...so it could be worse. Basically all the members say that they don’t sleep in the summer and that in the afternoon there is no one outside and that people pull their beds outside because it’s cooler. Hermana Piava told me in the mornings they would get their blankets wet and put them in the refrigerator so that they could have cold blankets.... idk...but I'm sure I'll have some fun things to say about that. 

Love you all so much! 

Que Tegan un Buen dia, y Sean Valiente! 

Hermana Allen 

Salta Mission Conference

MTC District Sisters at the Salta Mission Conference

Salta Missionaries who were together in the same MTC District

Happy Day! Back together at last!
Hermana Smith and Hermana Allen

Simoca- with her new trainer Hermana Nunez from Paraguay

Learning how to make empanadas!

Hermana Allen
Excited about making her own empanada!

Casa de Rosa- Feliz Cumpleanos Hermana Nunez

MILAGROS Y FELICIDAD

Hola Familia!! 

So this week has been the best week in the mission! Hermana Nunez and I work so well together and she is just adorable! She reminds me of Liz... speaking of Liz... SHE COMES HOME THIS WEEK CRAZY! LOVE HER!  So yeah, Hermana Nunez and I are the same height and she has gorgeous curly hair and is so so sweet. She is a tender mercy. I still have to finish my training so she is basically trainer number 3...haha but WOW I am amazed about how much she knows and she has really helped me to grow. 

Also this week we have worked a ton and I come home so tired but feel so so GOOD. We literally have been talking to EVERYONE trying to find nuevos and we found so many people to teach it has been a miracle! We had 15 people that said they would come to church... only 4 came... but one of the nuevos that came is CAPO! We taught him twice this week (he is a friend on our other investigator Ariel) he came 30 min early to church and really liked the classes and was just so happy! After church we asked him if he prayed about the Book of Mormon and if he got an answer... He just looked at us with the biggest smile on his face and said ¨oh I got an answer...this is true¨

Basically I wanted to cry. I felt the spirit so strong when he said that. However, he needs marriage. So please pray for him! Like a LOT! He wants to get married but his wife doesn’t. (basically the biggest problem right now with all the people we teach) 

I just feel TAN Feliz and I have really felt the love of God. I finally feel like this is my home and that I am actually helping others come closer to Christ. This week I was reading in Jacob chapter 5 about the gathering of Israel. Reading this chapter as a missionary is like wow... I learned so much. I am really learning more about the love God has for his children. I keep trying to comprehend it, but I don’t think I ever fully will. In verse 41, I don’t know what it says in English haha but in Spanish it says that when the lord saw the Malo trees after he had tried everything he could to preserve them, he wept and asked, What more could I have done for my vineyard? As missionaries we feel this. When we do everything possible and the outcome isn’t as it should be. However it is also important to remember this is how Heavenly father feels about us every day... He has given us everything and his arms are ALWAYS there for us...but yet we choose to turn away from him and He LITERALLY WEEPS. He is doing everything possible right now to bring his children back to him so that they can produce good fruit! There have been moments in my mission were I have felt so weak and small and I have thought ¨How can God trust such a small person? Why does he love me so much and is so forgiving that he will let me try again and again?” Literally The gospel is perfect. Perfect in everyway and everyone just needs to hear it! haha 

Love you all so much! Keep serving others and reading your scriptures! 

Hermana Allen

New Companion/Trainer Hermana Nunez
from Paraguay

Hola! 

Currently in Tucuman waiting for mi nueva compañera! Saying good-bye to Hermana Piava was sad. She was such a good trainer and I learned a lot from her! My new companions name is Hermana Nuez...? I think haha I don’t know much but I do know she is from Paraguay and only been out for 5 months! I’m sure we are going to learn a lot together! Estoy animada. Also fun fact Hermana Rumsey from the MTC is with me waiting for her companion too! So basically we have been just hanging out in Tucuman. Her Castellano is MUY BUENO. 

Not much to tell about this week. It has been raining these past couple days; one day we even got hail! Last night I opened the front door to take out the trash and this frog comes out of nowhere and jumps into our house. Basically scared the life out of me and Hermana Piava is afraid of frogs so she was hiding in the bedroom while I tried to move the frog outside with a broom.... fun times hahah 

I have learned so much this transfer and I could feel Heavenly Father giving me the strength to conquer the days were I felt so weak. Something that Hermana Piava said that I really think sums up a mission is that ¨in the mission you don’t learn the doctrine, but you really feel it. ¨ I agree with this. The mission has been a time in my life where I have really FELT the power of applying the doctrine, not only for myself, but also for my investigators tambien. 

Oh my goodness Adam looks like so OLD and so does LILLY. WOW. Looks like you guys had a fun birthday. Love and miss you so so much! Sorry this letter is so short. LOVE YOU ALL. 

Que tengan un buen dia. 

Be Brave Little Champions 

Hermana Allen 

Catholic Church in Monteros

"Hermana Allen look this doll has curly hair and is rubia like you!" 

"If Nathan had an Argentine twin" -Hermana Allen

"Feria" (free day)

"Photo de mi distrito"