Monday, June 2, 2014

Have YOU received His image in your countenance?


Hey Everyone!! Hope you all are doing well. :) We had a great, busy
week out here in Chico. Miracles are gonna start stackin up.

Sister Curtis is seriously amazing! She is so perfect for this area
and exactly what I needed. She is such a lover. Really one of the most
kind, genuine people that I have ever met. I feel so grateful to be
her companion. She is helping me become more christlike, express my
feelings more, and helping me remain positive. I really love her. I
just keep praying that I will be able to teach her as much as she is
teaching me!

I had an AMAZING birthday thanks to all of you! I was so spoiled and
felt so much loved. I was completely overwhelmed with gratitude as I
thought about each of you and the time you spent to send packages,
write emails, send letters, and wish me happy birthday! Sister Curtis
made me nutella toast for breakfast and she gave me a sweet note, blew
up balloons, and took me out to lunch at my favorite taco truck! So
nice. I got a call from Sister Byrne and Sister Giani singing Happy
Birthday, birthday wish from Sister Weston, and a nice birthday song
from one of the senior missionaries in the mission office. That night
we had dinner with the Mattsons. I knew there was going to be a cake,
but it turned out to be a whole party! They decorated their whole
house with a happy birthday banner, balloons, we all wore party hats.
It was seriously so nice of them. The Lugos joined us for chocolate
cake and ice cream. I felt so special. I am so incredibly grateful for
every single one of you! Thank you for thinking of me. Im 21!

Yesterday in singles ward we had an awesome lesson in relief society.
I felt like it was aimed at me the entire time. The sister giving the
lesson kept saying, I dont know why I feel like I should share this
talk, but I felt like it would be perfect for today. Welp, it was. It
was perfect for me. Over the past few months, my mom always tells me
that I look so happy and that I am just "glowing". Yesterday, I found
out why she thinks this. :) We discussed the talk "Remember Who You
Are!" By Elaine Dalton. The world tells us to "Live it up", "Try
everything", and "Experiment and be happy." The Lord tells us: "Walk
in the paths of virtue", "lay aside the things of this world" and
"cleave unto your covenants." Virtue and pure beauty comes from: being
well educated, enduring trials with optimism, trust, strength, and
courage, hard work, gospel knowledge, and complete devotion to our
families and The Lord. "Deep Beauty" shines from the inside out.
Spiritual attractiveness is earned from being moral and chaste. It is
earned through faith, repentance, and honoring covenants. "If you live
close to God and His infinite grace-you wont have to tell, it will
show in your face." When we are worthy of the companionship of the
Holy Ghost, you are confident and your inner beauty shines. I believe
that one of the reasons mom has noticed a difference in me, is because
I am set apart and filled with the Holy Ghost. I have received His
image in MY countenance. I am focused and dedicated to becoming like
my Savior. I thought of chapter 5 in Alma this week as I was
reflecting on how I have become more like my Savior this past year.
Alma 5 is when Alma is testifying to the people. He asks them really
thought provoking questions that are a good evaluation of where we
stand on the path to eternal life. Alma asks a lot of questions that
we can ask ourselves. "Have ye been spiritually born of God?" "Have ye
experienced this mighty change of heart?" "Do ye exercise faith in the
redemption of Him who created you?" "Can ye imagine to yourselves the
voice of The Lord, saying unto you, in that day: Come unto me...your
works have been the works of righteousness upon the face of the
earth?" "Can ye look up to God at that day with a pure heart and clean
hands? I say unto you, can you look up, having the image of God
engraven upon your countenances?" Ask yourself. Can you? Do you? Have
you been changed? Verses 26-28, 33 are also good to reflect on. I
would invite you all to read Alma 5 this week. Ask yourself if you
have received the image of His countenance. If not, change now. See
yourself as God sees you. Dont compromise your divine inheritance. I
am so grateful that I have become so converted to The Lord, that even
other people can see it in my countenance. I am so grateful for my
Savior and His perfect example.

Also, read D&C 25: 2, 10, 13, 15 and tell me you dont love those
scriptures! Awesome, right!?

Sadly, Sherry didn't make it to her baptism date this week. We pushed
it back to the 14th due to some word of wisdom issues. She is still
doing well and dedicated to be baptized. When, is the issue.

Thank you again for all the love and support! You all rock!

muchas gracias. i love you and miss you all!

Love,

Sister Allen

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