"Juked"

Okay, this is seriously scaring me. Everyone says that once you get over your year mark, the mission just goes even faster than it did before. I figured what they were saying was true, but I didn't think it would be this fast. I feel like I blinked, and this week was gone. Looking back on the past twelve months has left me with a lot to think about. So much has happened in what feels like such a short amount of time. Now thinking ahead and realizing that I officially have less than twelve months left makes me realize that I need to make the most out of every day. And those days feel like hours, which feel like seconds. For the rest of my life and into eternity I will be thinking about and looking back at what I did and who I was in this year. It causes some pretty intense feelings when you really start thinking about it like that. At the same time, all of this leaves me with very mixed emotions. I miss you all like crazy, and I can't wait to come home to you. Just the thought that that day is fast approaching puts a huge smile on my face. I also love the mission though! I know that I will never again live this way or have this much capacity to serve others. I only have a very little amount of time left to wake up every morning and literally put on  the name of Jesus Christ for everyone to see. I don't ever want that time to end. So basically I'm extremely happy that we are getting closer to my return home and back into life with my family, but I'm pretty sad to feel my time as a missionary slipping through my fingers. All I can do is take it one day at a time I guess. Anyway, enough of my confusing sobbing/joyful emotions haha. This past week has been great. The work has been a little rough here in Harlem. The whole zone consists of six English speaking missionaries, ten Spanish speaking missionaries, and a senior couple. Everyone in the zone had a similar experience this week, and that was that we all got "juked" a lot. Getting juked is a term we use in the mission for when you have a teaching appointment set up with someone, and when you show up they aren't there. It can be a pretty disappointing thing, especially if it is with investigators that you are extra excited about. Then add onto that training a new missionary and wanting him to always feel like you have a lot of success in your area. Everyone had good spirits about it though. I work with some awesome missionaries. The opportunity to be a District Leader again is a huge blessing. Both times that I've been in this position I have just been so amazed at how much I can feel the support of those missionaries that I serve. They have done more for me and been better examples than I could ever do for them. I'm learning a lot as I feel the love and support of my fellow servants of the Lord. Quick update on Rafael and Kristina is that they are doing really well! They're progressing a lot and working really hard with quitting coffee and drinking alcohol. I have seen them grow so much in the two months that I've been here. It has built my testimony so much to teach those two. Mostly because I have just come to love them so much, and because of that love I can feel just a small portion of how much Jesus Christ loves them, which helps me understand how much He loves me. I was in a meeting with President Morgan this week, and he said something that really hit me. He said that "Heavenly Father wants you on a mission so that you will come closer to Him". As I serve others and help them gain a testimony, my testimony is strengthened as well. I feel like I have learned way more and benefited way more than anyone I have had the opportunity to teach. I have come so much closer to the Lord in the past year than I ever have before in my life, and it is amazing. I'm excited for that relationship to get even stronger as I serve for the next year. I love you all so much. I still think about you and pray for you all the time. Thank you for everything you do for me. I love you!! 

~Elder Allred