Monday, September 16, 2013

Transfers, new Sisters, and tender mercies

Hi Family!  What a different, but wonderful week!  I don't have much time, but I'll try to squeeze in as much as possible.
 
We had transfers, and luckily I'm staying put here in Centerville with Elder Christensen.  Almost ALL of this week Elder Christensen and I were prepping the new apartment and getting things going for the new Sisters that have been added to our ward!  Our ward is so delighted and BLESSED to have another set of missionaries - especially Sisters.  Centerville is a very small area, so getting another set of Elders would have meant splitting the area!
 
We weren't able to do as much finding as we would have liked this past week, but yesterday we had a "mini-miracle"!  C____ - one of our most progressing investigators who had sort of dropped off, called and said that she keeps feeling like God is telling her to move on with her life, and move away from D___, her ex-husband who she lives with.  With her son, K_____, getting baptized this month on the 21st, she's come to each and every lesson of his with us, and we teach her too.  She told us how she feels like, maybe she should get baptized and that God is preparing a way for her to do so with K_____!  We are SO happy!  When she called, I started crying because we really thought we had lost her.  The Lord IS preparing people to accept the Gospel!  I can't believe it.  We're keeping our fingers crossed that she'll be able to find a new apartment and quit smoking for good so that she and her son K______ can get baptized together.  This is a work of miracles, both small and large!
 
I really really really love this ward.  I'm starting to grow attached to the members and this area!  I wonder if being content with being in Ohio means that my visa will come sooner... Hahaha.  I wouldn't be TOO sad I don't think if it doesn't come for a while.  I feel like I'm really starting to "get it" when in comes to missionary work, and teaching has gotten much easier.  That being said, THREE more people from my district have received their visas (two of which applied after I did for them), so I'm really starting to think that I'll be out sooner than I think *knock on wood* which actually makes me a little sad!  I didn't think I'd get to this point, but I really LOVE Ohio!  I know that this is where I'm supposed to be at the moment, and Heavenly Father has helped me realize that.
 
This Gospel is TRUE!!  How could it bring so much peace and joy if it weren't?  I know that as we forget ourselves and give our all to the Lord, HE will do all the heavy lifting for us.  He loves you.  He's rooting for YOU!
 
Keep the faith, and God bless!
 
Com muito amor,
Elder Jason Allred
 
Picture - At zone meeting, as soon as Elder Christensen and I rode up to the church on our bikes, the CUTEST kitten ran up to us.  I snuggled it and it purred like crazy.  Look at its face!  He's in heaven.... So is the cat ;)