120 Day Challenge!

We went to the 9/11 Memorial last p-day. I still can't believe I live in New York City. This place is incredible! 

Hey everyone! I hope you've all had a wonderful week. I know I sure have. For starters, we had zone conference yesterday. I always love zone conference so much, because every time it happens I walk away having learned something new and with a renewed desire to share the gospel with people. The theme for this zone conference was "Blessed by the Basics". We had about four hours of training and presentations from President and Sister Morgan and the assistants. Everything they talked about was focused on the importance of studying Preach my Gospel and the Book of Mormon and using it to teach people the gospel. This was a really good reminder for me to get back into studying Preach my Gospel. I studied it a lot toward the beginning of my mission when I didn't know the missionary lessons very well. I noticed that as I had more practice and got more comfortable teaching, I kind of strayed away from studying it, and as I've had the opportunity to get back into it in the last couple of weeks, I have definitely seen the blessings that come from studying Preach my Gospel. President Morgan also encouraged us to focus our efforts back into the Book of Mormon. We have a goal as a mission that starting on August 25th, we are going to do the "120 Day Challenge". We are all going to read the Book of Mormon cover to cover, and finish it by December 24th. I really think this will help our mission be unified and solidified in our testimonies of the Book of Mormon. I was also thinking it would be cool for you guys to join me in this challenge and read along with me. I'll map out my schedule this week and send it next Wednesday so you can follow me. So anyone who wants to join me in the 120 Day Challenge is more than welcome. You don't have to, but I think it would be really cool! I'm excited to get back to the basics of  missionary work through PMG and the Book of Mormon. We are called to preach the gospel clearly and simply, and this will really help me do that I think. The other fun part about zone conference was that I was asked to sing in a musical number. So I sane "Brightly Beams our Father's Mercy" with Elder Fronk, and Kroff, and two other missionaries. I was so nervous, and I felt like my voice was shaking like crazy! But I really enjoyed singing with some of my best friends. Anyway, like any other Wednesday, I don't have much time to email. So, that's about all I will be able to share. The rest of the week was good though. The work is great, and we saw miracles this week as we went from having one baptism date to having three! Kristina called and told us she's finally ready to be baptized and knows that it is true! She is preparing to enter into that covenant on the 13th of September! This work is incredible you guys. I love it so much. I just can't stress enough how fast I feel like the time is going though. Each week goes faster than the last, and I can't believe I've been in Harlem for over two months already. I miss you all so much. I love you and I hope you have a great week! 

~Elder Allred 

District Leader :)

I can't believe today was transfers again. It seems like I just barely sent you guys the pictures of me with Elder Kroff, Steiner and Fronk from the last transfer meeting six weeks ago. This cycle has been good. As far as teaching people goes, it has probably been the slowest cycle of my mission yet. We just haven't had much going on. Since President Morgan's training that I told you about last week we've been doing a little better. On Thursday we taught this guy named Jeff. He's a potential investigator that I've been trying to get in contact with since I've been here, so it was awesome when he finally let us come over. I felt the Spirit so strong as we taught his about Joseph Smith, the Restoration of the Gospel, and the Book of Mormon. He also just happened to have a friend over at the time we scheduled our appointment. As we taught, his friend was listening and asked if he could have a copy of the Book of Mormon. He got up and left before we finished up, so we weren't able to get his contact information. He has our card though so hopefully he'll read and get interested and contact us. It was so cool. It feels so good to teach a solid lesson like that. When we get those opportunities are some of the times that I am most happy. We also started working with this guy named Eddy, who was baptized in Haiti about 20 years ago. Shortly after he was baptized he came here and lived in Florida for a few years before moving to the Bronx. He hasn't been to church since leaving Haiti, and he came on Sunday! We've already taught him twice, so hopefully we'll get to continue working with him. Other than that, there's not too much going on. Elder Rydalch and I will be staying together again this cycle in the Bronx. Our district leader got transferred, and President Morgan called me to be the new district leader here. I'm pretty nervous but excited for this new calling. My capacity to serve and love will increase so much, and I know I will learn a lot in the next six weeks. Things are good, and I'm excited for this next phase of my mission. I miss you and love you all so much! 

~ Elder Allred

Springtime in the Bronx

Elder Allred's final P-day with Elder Hansen was spent in Chinatown

 Transfer Day... Elder Allred got to see his companion from the MTC, Elder Steiner. His trainer, Elder Kroff and Elder Fronk. Elder Allred looks SO happy!!:) 

He loves us <3

Hey everyone! I can't believe how much the work has picked up in the past couple of weeks. As I told you last week, we started teaching Theresita. She is doing really well. I can't remember if I told you or not, but the first day we met with her was the day she was getting baptized into another church. I was really nervous, because I didn't know how we were going to explain to her that her baptism was a good thing but that it wasn't done by the proper Priesthood authority. We ended up having an amazing lesson with her on Wednesday night. Before we could even get started teaching her, she told us that she had read the pamphlet we gave her on the Restoration, which talks about Joseph Smith and the restoration of the fullness of the Gospel, including the coming forth of the Book of Mormon and the Priesthood authority being returned to the earth again. She said that as she read it, she felt that her baptism was a good thing but just didn't feel completely full. She told us that she knew she needed to be baptized again and that she would be coming with us to church on Sunday. It is incredible to see the Spirit working in people. We didn't even have to teach her this stuff before the Spirit was able to testify the truth to her. It just goes to show that we are not the real teachers. Our role is to live worthily enough and study hard so that the Spirit can work through us to teach people. The Spirit is always the real teacher, and we missionaries are just one vehicle through which it works. We had an incredible rest of the week teaching Theresita. Our zone leaders had a baptism on Saturday for one of their investigators, and she came with her daughter Juanita. The next day she was fifteen minutes early for sacrament meeting. she seems to really enjoy it and said that she cried a few times during Relief Society. She will definitely have some adjusting to do as she gets used to how our worship is. LDS meetings are much more silent and reverent than a lot of other Christian services. She is used to singing loud gospel music and shouting amen in the middle of someone's talk. It's okay though. She'll get used to it. And as she feels the Spirit more and more, she'll know that she is where she needs to be and that she's found God's true church. Besides Theresita, we've gotten in contact with a few other people this week. Not that numbers are super important, but we taught more lessons this week than I've been able to in my whole mission. The work has picked up in our area so much. I know that this is all the Lord's doing. Everything happens in His time and in His way. He prepares people to receive the Gospel and allows us to work with them when He's ready. We're being incredibly blessed with those opportunities all the time now. It is always nice to have a full schecule!  Of course, this exciting time for the area is coming just as the cycle comes to an end. Just as things get going smoothly, the Lord switches everything up! I guess that's His way of keeping us on our toes. Sadly, Elder Hansen is leaving the area and going to New Paltz, NY :/ We got along so well! Six weeks of being companions was way too short. Especially since this cycle went by so much faster than any cycle yet. It  definitely does not feel like I've already been here for a month and a half. Before I can catch up with the time, it will already be summer, many of my good friends will be going home, and I will be hitting my year mark. It's right around the corner. So yeah, I'm sad to lose Elder Hansen. He's had such a good impact on me and is an incredible example. I'm sure he and I will be lifelong friends. I'm excited for my next companion though! His name is Elder Rydalch from South Summit! Another Utah companion! Haha. Big surprise there. That makes more than half of my companions being from Utah. I've heard that he's a really cool guy. Elder Kroff was actually his MTC companion and said that he really enjoyed their time together. I'm excited for what this next phase of my mission has in store. Like I said, the area is on fire, and I'm getting another cool companion. Plus, the weather this cycle is going to be so much nicer! Spring time in the Bronx! Hopefully we'll be able to use one of our p-days to pop over to the zoo. Life is good! I'm loving it. Have a great week everyone. Remember that God is real. He knows what each and every one of you might be struggling with and knows how to help. Never hesitate to turn to Him, because He loves you. I know that's true. Enjoy every single day and keep on smiling! I love you, I love you, I love you!!! 

~Elder Allred