This Week Has Been Amazing!



Good lookin Elders in my 2nd District here @ the MTC
L to R,  T to B
Elder SenSen,  Elder La'ulu,  Elder Alldredge,  Elder Montierth,  Elder Bell,  Elder Bradshaw,  Elder Bartleson,
Elder Westenschow





Me and Sister Morton, my new companion



Sister Morton told me she could plug her nose with her mouth---This is my pathetic attempt to do it too :)

 


  October 14, 2011

Kamusta Pamilya!?!?!

So...this week has been amazing! For me...it has been the first week where I have really enjoyed myself at the MTC! So...we actually had a little change yesterday. Sis. Maiava and I are no longer companions! Pres. Stott met with us because both our teachers, our District Leader, our Coordinating Sister, and our Training Leader all met with him and expressed to him that Sis. Maiava needed extra help because she doesn't understand the language and wasn't able to learn very well.  Earlier this week Bro. Cook, my fav teacher...met with us and said you know what, I want you guys to spend 10-15 min preparing your lessons for the investigators- just do a basic outline, and mainly focus on learning Tagalog...nothing else! It was crazy...I think I already wrote Mom & Dad a letter and expressed the amazing power of prayer that I witnessed...we had a cool experience. :) Later that night, however...we had a really weird experience too. Sis. Morton & I went into the custodial closet- because we needed to have a closet prayer where we could actually pray out loud! Anyways, we did this, and then after we were talking about how being here has been a struggle. She was talking about how at times she questioned why she was here and she had thoughs come to her about it being true or not. She knew it was, but then right as she said "Satan is really working hard right now" as she said Satan the lights turned off in the closet. We both jumped up and got a terrible feeling. We walked out of the closet and I just started to cry- I told her that I had a terrible feeling inside- and that something didn't feel right. She said the same thing and we both just talked about how real Satan is. He is so real, and he's not very happy with us right now. A few nights ago Sis. Morton was talking to me and I was trying to comfort her about her companion. They weren't getting along very well, and I felt bad- but then she just threw her hands up and said "It's because I asked for a challenging mission" and I just started laughing. She was like "What, why are you laughing at me?" and I just said...you asked for a challenging mission too? Dang...we were dumb! haha Why did we ask for challenges? hahaha then we laughed together. Also, I found out that Sis. Morton almost extended her mission too- but for whatever reason we both decided to go when we did. I am so grateful, because I seriously can't imagine being here without any of the Sisters in my district/ zone/ or any of them really for that matter! I love them all! I am very sad because of this companion change I will be changing districts. :( Sis. Maiava & Sis. Funaki will be companions now, which is good because they both speak Tongan & Samoan so they can communicate with each other. And Sis. Morton & I are now companions and I love her...she is so fantastic, I know it will be great! :) 

     I got to teach Sis. Maiava how to run a vacuum & how to clean sinks & toilets this week for our service activity...that was fun! I realized....she has only had tile floors so she never knew how to use a vacuum before, it was cute :)  We also got a new teacher...well We had Bro. Cook and now we have Bro. Trebas too! It turns out our first investigator we were teaching...Dennis...yeah well his real name is Bro. Trebas...and he is now our new teacher! haha YOu should have seen the look on all of our faces when we walked into class and saw that he was there! It was awesome! I have been memorizing about 2 rings of notecards every day...hundreds of words- and I think of Daddy every time! I think about all those nights growing up that he would spend hours with me memorizing whatever I needed to learn! :)

     So we have this one Elder in our District, Elder Davis...he has like no joke 5 girls writing him...he TOTALLY reminds me of Elder VanPelt on the best 2 yrs....you know the guy that has a pic of all the first pres on his wall and then he turns it around and it's pictures of girls! haha it's hilarious! :) Anyways, we pass around his letters and we all analyze them...he always asks me what I think and if this girl really acts insterested in him. I just tell him Elder...calm down. If it's right...it'll be right in 2 yrs...but honestly she's at byu...so she'll probably be married and have a kid by the time you get home! haha It's fun to tease him, but he knows I'm only joking! We all wrote her letters...and she's sending us candy in the mail!

     I found out not to ask for a "Napkin" in the Philippines...it means "Tampon" haha...thought that was funny. Anyways...Oh...haha on sunday for relief society we had this lady come talk to us about how we need to wear make up and dress cute...and that we're not a good representative of Christ if we don't. They then passed out free makeup to all the sisters. It was hilarious...actually a lot of sisters were getting really offended...I felt bad. But honestly it was just weird...the spirit was not there...but I think she had good intentions.

     So yesterday...was our first time teaching at TRC...TRC is where they have the volunteers come and we practice on them. Are you kidding me?! I was totally freaking out before we went. I just told Bro. Cook before we went in there..I can't do this. I can bear my testimony, say a prayer and have a basic conversation...but I can't just ask him what he needs help with and just go with it. I dont' know enough...I can't even form complete sentences yet! haha He just told me in tagalog...I believe that you can! You'll be great Sister! Anyways...wasn't believing that...but I found out that we were team teaching because they didn't have enough volunteers that spoke tagalog...so Sis. Maiava & I taught with Elder Mac Millen (from Austrailia...I love him he's hilarious)...and Elder Sasagi (from Samoa and he's like an older bro. he used to help a lot in translating for me and Sis. Maiava) anyways we team taught these investigators. So I thought sweet, I'm not alone now. Surely they have something planned and now it won't be awkward, we'll have plenty to talk about. Well...we got in the door and sat down and no one said anything. I ended up asking ALL the questions...except for 2- 1 from Elder Sasagi & 1 from Elder Mac Millen. Then I had to ask if we could start with a prayer. Sis. Maiava said the opening prayer. Then I told him I knew he was already a member- but asked what he was expecting/ hoping to get out of this lesson. He said something along the lines of to feel the spirit and receive revelation- he's only been home from his mission since July. He served in Baguio! So then I asked him if we could read a scripture in the Aklat ni Mormon together Heleman 5:12. I figured that was a good one because he's an RM and I'm sure he's built his rock upon the Redeemer- and that if he has a sure foundation, nothing can move him! So anyways...I asked him to read the scripture out loud. After that Sis. Maiava bore her testimony. then the elders followed and bore their testimony. I concluded by telling them I know we're not good at tagalog- but that I also have a testimony. Alam ko po noa mahal po tayo ng Diyos at Bibiyayahan po kayo ng Diyos. Alam ko po na totoo po ang Aklat ni Mormon at totoong propeta po si Thomas S. Monson. Alam ko po na mahalaga po ang panalangin at Totoo po ang Simbahan ni Jesucristo. Sa pangalin ni Jesucristo, Amen. Hopefully that made sense...cuz thats pretty much what I said. My basic testimony haha :) Anyways, I then asked him to say the closing prayer, he did. and then thanked him for letting us come and teach him. Oh my goodness are you seeing a pattern?!?! I was the one FREAKING OUT before we went in there...and then when we got in there if I didn't do the talking it was just awkward silences...so I just ended up doing ALL the talking! haha We walked out and Elder Mac Millen just said well...Sis. Allen you're gonna make a great missionary and we all laughed! It was hilarious! We then taught another investigator and it went about the same way. After we got done the guy that we were taught just told me Sister, you have a perfect accent! He told me I sounded like a Filipina and seriously to not loose that accent! I was SOOO excited!!!!! :) Yay!! I'm sure he was just being kind, but it gave me hope, becauase I was feelin a little discouraged about my language skills! So guess what?!?! Then I walked out of the room and I saw Danielle Hoopes!!!! (The sweet sister that served in my mission that was giving me all the advice before I came to the MTC) I love her! It totally made my day I just started to cry and told her this was really hard! I don't think I cried becuase it was hard...I was more crying just because I was SO excited to see her! Ah!!! It made my day! So anyways, then we got evaluated on our teaching skills and all Bro. Cook said was I am going to be so sad you're not in our class anymore! You did fantastic. See, I told you you could do it! :) It was a good day!!!

     Um...then we went back to our residence hall and had to switch rooms. Have I mentioned I'm excited about my new companionship?! I really am kind of sad about loosing Sis. Maiava...but she's still in my zone so I'll still see her a lot!

Bro. Cook told us a quote from Pres. Kimball he said: "There is no secret to missionary work. It's just that: work!" It is soo true, it's the best work I could be doing. I am lovin it here, and I know it's what you do best, but you really don't have to worry about me! I am doing fine! I love you all, and thank you for all of your prayers. When Pres. Noble set me apart he told me that when I remember my family; to picture them kneeling & offering prayer on my behalf- and to remember the power that that holds. I know that some days, that has been what has gotten me through! I love you, and I know this church is true, and it bring so much happiness!

xoxox

Bahala Na!

Sincerely,