You have probably all been wondering if I was even going to email today! Usually I'm done with emailing by about twelve o clock your time, so I am definitely a little bit later than normal. It's for a good reason though. Our district got the idea to do a Secret Santa gift giving activity. We meet together as a district every Monday, so this coming district meeting will be a little mini Christmas party. Instead of emailing first thing this morning, we went out to find our gifts for that. Should be lots of fun! My Secret Santa recipient is one of the sisters, and I found her this huge pillow that's shaped like a frog for ten bucks. I was pretty proud of that find. I thought of Kenna as soon as I saw it. lol. I know she would love that! There was all sorts of Duck Dynasty stuff everywhere that I wanted to buy for the gift, but I don't think everyone is quite as redneck as us and enjoys shows about rich country boys trying to win a camper from a doughnut shop. Haha! That show better still be running when I get home! Anyway, that's about the most adventure you get as a missionary. We had a super fun day though. This week has been fantastic as well. On Friday, we went to Ossining, NY and had a mission Christmas devotional. Altogether, the mission includes about 300 people. So, with everyone in the cultural hall at the chapel, it was super packed! It was such an awesome meeting. Tons of people put a lot of effort into preparing a good program for it. There were several musical numbers and some talks by President and Sister Morgan. There are some very talented people in this mission. Some of the instruments and singing voices gave me chills. Sometimes there is no better way to feel the Spirit than through powerful music. Not very many people were selected to participate in the musical numbers. Included in the most talented musician were Elder Kroff, Elder Fragiacomo ( my Italian roommate) and Elder Plouzek (my District Leader). That tells you how much I have been surrounded by music so far on my mission. It has been awesome! Another cool thing is that we have been asked to participate in a couple of different choirs. We'll be singing with the ward choir on the 22nd for the Christmas program in sacrament, and this coming Sunday, the 15th, we will be singing with a young mens' choir for a Stake Christmas concert. I'm so excited! My only downfall with all of this involvement with singing is that I don't have the slightest clue how to read music. Haha. I'm hoping someone will be able to teach me at some point, and by the time I get home, maybe that will be a new skill of mine! Other than that, we don't have too much doing on. Transfers are next week, so there's a chance I could be getting moved. I kinda doubt that will happen though, since Elder Savage will still have seven weeks of training left. It's pretty rare that trainers and trainees get separated after just one cycle. Plus, if I got pulled out of Newtown right before Christmas, I would probably have to cry! We're planning on going over to the Arend's and another member's house. So, hopefully, I will be staying! Anyway, I hope you are all having a wonderful Christmas season. I know it's a little bit difficult this year, but it can also be one of the most special Christmases we've had yet. Just remember to really focus on Christ this year. It has been so cool for me to do that as a missionary. I'm not in a position to be doing as much of the normal holiday traditions as I normally would, but and that has provided me with the opportunity to think a lot more about the Savior, and what all of this really means. I want you all to know that I know He is real. Jesus Christ has provided us with everything good that we have. He has done more for us than we could possibly comprehend, and as I reflect on what His birth and His life mean for me, it becomes so much more real and powerful to be celebrating Christmas. I love you all so much! Have a fantastic week! I'll have details next Wednesday on how they whole Skype thing is going to work. I"m not exactly sure what time I'll be on yet or what's gonna happen with it. All I know is that I'm really looking forward to it, and I hope that I will get to see all of you! I love you, I love you, I love you!
~Elder Allred
P.S. I just got a pretty cool email from Elder Spencer McPherson in Florida. He just recently go called to be an Assistant to the President in his mission. The cool part is that his companion in the new calling will be Elder Taran Wright! Pretty cool! Love you!!
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