Monday, August 26, 2013

An email from Sister Allen...

Hello everyone!

This week has been great and I cant believe its already Monday again. The weeks go by so quickly and every day is so fast. I am astonished that it will be September on Sunday. Where does the time go?!

I dont know if you remember this story. But ill tell it again for those of you who dont. While Sister Grant was sick, we spent one day in the hospital. We were there for about five hours on June 28th. While we were in the hospital a man was rolled in from an ambulance. He had collapsed and was unconscious. We were sitting right outside the room in the hallway while this was all happening. We heard them doing cpr, epi pens, etc. just to get this guy to start breathing again. It was a bit scary and we literally heard him die. They called his time of death and said he was a John Doe, meaning that he had no identification for the time being. As we sat there, we eventually heard them find his identification and call his wife and family. I remember her crying and shaking her husband trying to get him to wake up. In my journal that day I wrote these exact words, "I just wish i couldve gone in there and told his wife the hope of the plan of salvation. Wouldnt it be awesome if we just randomly found her one time? Our message could give her so much hope." On wednesday we decided to go tracting around on Elm Street. The last house we went to was the home of Jordan and Thelia. Thelia is the mom and Jordan is the 11 year old daughter. Anyways, we somehow got on the subject of her neighbor and how she was going through a really hard time because she just lost her husband. She talked about what had happened. The whole thing happened about a month ago and the story sounded so familiar to what had happened that day in the hospital. I got the chills and told Thelia that i thought I might have been there that day in the hospital. She gave us the womans address and I could not stop thinking about it all day. The next day we had some time and we were on our way to the library to do some family history excercise, but on our way I had a feeling to stop at this womans house quickly, just to see if this woman really was the same lady from the hospital. We knocked on her door and I knew right when she opened the door that it was the same woman who was at the hospital on June 28th. At first, we talked as if it was a normal door approach and her husbands death came up. I asked her what day it happened and as she said "June 28th" chills ran down my spine and I just stopped and said, "I have actually seen you before. I was in the hospital the day that your husband died. I heard the whole thing happened and watched you walk in to the hospital. I wrote in my journal about the event and have been praying and hoping that I would be able to find you." We all started crying and I continued on by telling her that I knew this was no coincidence. she could have lived anywhere in Yuba City, i could have been transferred, but i was kept in this area because I needed to find her. I brought my journal with me that day, just in case it was her, and read her my journal entry. We all cried and it was the most amazing experience. Every single thing happens for a reason. I know that without a doubt. I still am so overwhelmed by the experience but feel such peach because now I get to do what the Lord would have me do and share the gospel and the hope of the plan of salvation with this woman. We are going back tonight to teach her and I just know that her husband and Heavenly Father want her to have this gospel and this happiness in her life.

Vaughn is getting baptized this week! We moved the baptism to Friday at 7pm and he is so excited! He is so ready and basically will do anything to make it to Friday. ITS MY FIRST BAPTISM! YAY! We are so excited and have been passing out invitations to everyone we see. Everything is all set and as long as he doesnt smoke this week, we are ready  to go.

Brad has been gone in Ohio this past week visiting his daughter. We have been texting with him every day and sharing scriptures. We helped him download the Mormon Channel app (which i suggest everyone does) and have been giving him different mormon messages to watch throughout the week. The other night he texted us randomly and asked "Are you guys going to be able to give speeches?" Confused, we asked him "At what?" (The best text ever came next!) "At my baptism, of course! Will you guys be able to speak at my baptism?" He is totally planning his baptism already and it makes us so happy!!!! :) Brad is so ready, he just needs to realize how ready he is. September 21st is still the date that we are planning for and we are still waiting on approval from the AP's so that we can have skype lessons with him at a members house. We are so excited for him!

Jessica, the woman that I helped teach when I was in the trio, was baptized on Thursday. It was an amazing day for her. Her 2 year old daughter Ashley, after seeing her mom get dunked, started yelling "I wanna go in wawa like momma. I want wawa  on my head like momma!" It was so funny. Sister Mac and I did a makeshift "wawa" experience, by putting her up on the bathroom counter and covering her hands with bubbles and washing it off in the water. It kept her busy through the rest of the baptism. Sista Mac and Sista Allen babysitters to the rescue! haha.

We have had our lunch payed for three times now. It was so nice. This week on Wednesday it happened again at this place called Linda's. It was right after district meeting and there were about 12 missionaries there. Linda's is delicious but not super cheap. About $8-$10 a plate. Some random guy in the resteraunt, who we later found out is in our stake, paid for all of our meals. It was so generous and kind. We couldnt believe it.

Seriously, i think there is some kind of crazy pills that leaked in to the water on Saturday.
A good scripture this week comes from D&C 121:7-8. This is what the Lord tells Joseph Smith as he is praying for comfort in Liberty Jail. Put your own name in where it says "my son" and you will be overcome by the spirit. I promise you that.
Yesterday at the Myers home, their kids showed us a few YouTube videos that were pretty funny. You guys should definitely watch them. "Im Mormon and I know It" "I knew you were mormon when you walked in" and "Book of Mormon style". Classic. Maybe theyre only funny because thats like the cleanest form of entertainment a missionary can watch. But, still they are worth a view. :)
Last night, we visited a less active/part member family. Im not lying when i say that they were the funniest, most sarcastic, couple I have ever met. My stomach hurt so bad from laughing so much. The husband (who isnt a member) owns a saddle. He told us that the one thing everyone needs to own is a saddle that is on wheels, that you can watch tv on. He said that anyone who is unhappy can be made happy with a ride on the rolling saddle. Bro Leist invited us back to ride anytime and said "If you ever have a bad day because no one wants to join the church, then come over anytime and ride the saddle" You bet we'll be back!
We found 9 new investigators and had about 26 other lessons this week. Thats the most Other lessons we have gotten. On Wednesday morning, we went over to this place called Gleaners. Gleaners is a food bank where they hand out food to those who are on low income. People wait in long lines just to get this food. Vaughn and Suzie (newly weds, getting baptized on friday couple) had this awesome idea of teaching all the people in line. It was the best idea ever. We handed out about 18 restoration pamphlets and 8 book of mormons. People couldnt run away from us because they were stuck in line and really needed/wanted the food, so it was perfect. We fed them spiritual food as they waited for their temporal food. :)
Things are going great for Sister MacDonald and I. We are really getting along and have already made the decision to room together when we both get back to Utah State. She is such a strength to me and i feel so grateful to be her trainer. I know that we were prepared for each other and that we were supposed to be companions.
I love you all and miss everyone like crazy! Thank you for all the prayers, love, and support. I can feel all of it. :)
EVERYONE HAVE A GREAT FIRST WEEK OF SCHOOL!

love,

sister allen

sisterlexisallen.blogspot.com

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