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

You saw it here... Elder Allred promised his Mom he would come back to Snow College after his mission!! :)

Elder Rydalch and I are working really well together! It's been kind of an adjustment. I was really used to Elder Hansen, and we were getting along incredibly well. Six weeks together definitely wasn't enough time. I went two cycles with my first two companions, so to only have one with him made it feel like we were only together half as long as we were supposed to be. It's amazing how fast I become friends with people in the mission. I was thinking about that last week when I got to spend some time with Elder Kroff and Elder Steiner. I only had three months to get to know Elder Kroff and only two weeks to get to know Elder Steiner. But now they're both two of the best friends I've ever had, and I could sit and talk to either of them for hours on end. I'm so grateful for those friendships that I am building. I'll always be surrounded by people that share in my beliefs and can provide me with support. I think Elder Rydalch will be another one of those people. He's planning on going to Snow when he gets home and playing for the football team. Since I'm planning on going back for another year and cheering, and since we'll both be going in the Fall 2015 semester, we'll be able to hang out with each other all the time. That will be awesome! The work is going pretty well still. We did, however, have a pretty big disappointment last night. Theresita texted us and said she doesn't want to meet with us anymore. She's planning on moving down to Florida and going to a different church down there. It's really sad, because I know that she has felt the truthfulness of what we have taught her about. I've seen the spirit work in her and testify to her, and it's been incredible. She has been so eager to learn and so excited about the gospel. She was even going to let us start teaching her daughter, Juanita, this week. She's letting us come over on Thursday to say goodbye. Elder Rydalch and I are just planning on bearing testimony and expressing our gratitude for the opportunity we've had to teach her. If we can help her feel the Spirit one more time, then maybe someday down the road, she'll remember how she felt as she learned with us, witnessed a baptism, came to church, and had many other faith building opportunities. Maybe someday she will realize that she needs the fullness of the gospel that has been restored through the prophet Joseph Smith. All we can do is pray for her. That's probably one of the hardest things about missionary work. Our purpose is to invite and not to force.  We do all that we can to live worthy of the Spirit and provide people with  opportunities to accept the gospel, but in the end, they have their agency. It's their choice, not ours. As much as it pains me to see Theresita stopping and choosing not to learn anymore, I can't make her change her mind. I think that's probably the way that God feels about us a lot of the time. All He wants us to do is choose to keep His commandments and return to live with Him again someday. He loves us so much and wants us to choose Him, but He can't force it. Just like an earthly parent wants their child to love them, He wants us to love Him and choose Him. I'll be he sheds many tears when His children walk away from Him. That's one thing I've learned a lot about as I've been on my mission. As I come to love these people and have real concern for their salvation, I get a small taste of how our Father in Heaven and our brother, Jesus Christ, feel about us. As I see the worth in the souls of everyone around me, I'm understanding what the worth of my soul is to them. Being a missionary is changing me in so many ways, and giving me an entirely new  perspective on a lot of things. I love this experience so much. I'm so grateful for everything that I've been blessed with. And even though I'm sad about Theresita today, we get to go to the temple! There couldn't have been better timing for this. I'm excited to spend a little bit of time in Manhattan again. Plus I get to buy another matching tie today! I have one with all of my companions so far, and we always wear them to meetings where all of the missionaries gather. That's one way to get recognized by 260 missionaries! Anyway, thank you for everything that you do for me. I was spoiled this week when I got three packages in the mail. It was like Christmas! Haha. Have a great week everyone. I love you !

~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