An email from Lexis...

Last night at about 9:45 we got transfer calls and guess what?! I AM EXPECTING!

im expecting a new baby missionary straight from the MTC and shes gonna get here wednesday.
haha! i am training! i am training and senior companion after only being out here for 6 weeks! I am the only one out of the huge group of missionaries that came out with me 6 weeks ago that is training and i feel so blessed that the Lord trusts me in this decision. I feel prepared to take on this opportunity and know how important a trainer is for new missionaries in their first 12 weeks.

i will still be serving in the Feather River ward and will have to move back in to my old apartment this week. I am very excited to find out who I will train. We go down wednesday to the mission office to pick them up and have a little orientation. I cant wait!

This past week has been great! I love being out here serving and know that the Lord continues to give us miracles each day. None of this would be possible without the Lord and I know it.

We had an amazing experience at the beginning of the week with one of the investigators in the Buttes Vista Area. Her name is Jessica. She has been investigating the church for about 7 years now off and on. She has made the decision to be baptized on August 22nd and since she chose a date a lot of weird stuff has been happening to her. Especially in her home with her 2 year old daughter Ashley. Her daughter kept saying that there was a little boy in her house who was trying to hurt her. But there really wasnt a little boy, if you know what i mean. Creepy stuff. Anyways, Jessica decided to have her house dedicated and asked for a preisthood blessing. So on Monday night, the zone leaders and a member from the buttes vista ward came over and did that for us. It was an amazing experience and the evil spirits that were there were cast out right as the prayer was started. One of the zone leaders said that as he started the prayer it felt like someone punched him right between the shoulder blades and then the air conditioning shut off and it was completely silent. As he continued he felt like someone was watching him the whole time as he was praying. He then said the words "Let any unclean spirits that dwell here, be cast out" and all of a sudden it was silent and he said he felt like at that moment whatever was there was then outside the house and was watching through the window and couldnt come back in. It was crazy amazing. I was so grateful to be there. Oh and the best part was that Jessica and her daughter got blessings, but so did her husband who is super catholic. He wanted one and told Jessica later that he could "see himself doing that one day" (in regards to being a member of the church) AWESOME, RIGHT?!

Things have been going really well with Bro Schmidt. He has been doing everything that we assign him to do and is more than ready to be baptized. He hasnt smoked since August 1st and made the decision to start the month off right and go cold turkey. Him and Sis Bosquet are going to be married by the bishop on August 17th and I can not wait! We're gonna have a wedding!! People in the ward are making a beautiful cake and someone offered to do the flower arrangements. She wants something very small and its going to be BEAUTIFUL!! I cant even wait! He is so dedicated to be baptized and they are basically counting down the days until they can go to the temple and be sealed. I am really hoping that i will be able to go with them when they are sealed. How amazing would that be?!

So on Friday we went on exchanges. Sister Giani (my awesome mtc companion) came with Sis Powell and I while Sis Tittle (sis gianis companion) and Sis Dalton went to mission leadership council. Basically it was the best exchange ive ever been on. 1. because sis giani is like my other half and i love her 2. because we got to craft wedding decorations for a less active in our ward (Sis Luke) and 3. because we literally got to roll around in a giant human size hamster ball. Haha, im not kidding. Sis Luke has this huge inflatable hamster ball that you can climb inside and roll around in. All three of us got in to it at the same time and we were DYING laughing. I could not even handle it. I have plenty of pictures that I will send today. You guys have to see this thing. Im pretty sure I will have to invest in one of them when I get home. It was a blast! Not your typical day in the missionary life, thats for sure! HAHA.

Sadly, Sister Grant (the best trainer of all time) was released but she has a year to decide whether or not she wants to come back out here. I really hope she does but I definitely think she needs to focus on getting better first and then she can make that decision. One thing at a time, people.

Familia, Elder Wilcox (from provo) is coming home today from his mission and has a box for you guys. Its just a bunch of random letters and stuff. Nothing too exciting, but he will be dropping that off for you guys this week!

I hope everyone is doing well and PLEASE keep me in your prayers. I need them this week. I have a big week as a new trainer ahead of me. :) Ill send pictures of my new missionary as soon as i can! Im sure everything will be great. The Lord knows what he is doing.

I love you all and miss you all! Thank you everyone who sent me letters or packages this week. you are truly amazing for taking that time to do so!

LOVE YOU GUYS!!

love,

sister allen