FW: TRANSFERS!!!!

 

From: Ryan Jay Allred [mailto:ryan.allred@myldsmail.net]
Sent: Monday, November 08, 2010 11:59 AM
To: Allred, Kevin
Subject: TRANSFERS!!!!

 

Well....

           I'm getting transfered.  The zone leaders called this morning to let me know President Pendleton is shipping me out of Gridley tommorow.  Yup, I was pretty shocked!  Elder Solomon and I had so much going for us and I really felt that we would be together for at least another transfer, maybe even three or four.  But I guess they are kicking me out because I am being transferred to Rexburg, California!! I mean Idaho. I'm pretty excited because I hear they are amazing people there and lot's of missionary work to do.

           So I don't have too much time before I have to head off to my new area but I want you all to know for sure that I love you!!  Even if I am really awkward when I get home because I might be.  This is all kinda wierd for me! 

           This week has been amazing though.  Cynthia Miller has changed so much.  4 months ago when we first started visiting her family she told me she would never join the Mormon church.  This week we went to her home and invited her to be baptized.  She said no but we just let her think about it for about a minute and then she said that was the wrong choice and she did need to be baptized.  She is planning on the first week of December.  We also started teaching a girl named Brittani who was living with a family in our ward for a while and coming to church all of the time.  Now we have started teaching her and she also has set a goal to be baptized the first week of December.  We are going to have  a white Christmas!!  It was cool because I was trying to commit her to baptism but I couldn't becuase she just kept saying yes before I could ask the question.  Both of them are very excited and ready for new things.   Also, Susan still looks good for the 27th of this months and that is such a miracle.  She has had to work hard but she see's the hand of the Lord in her life all of the time now.

      Life is good.  God is good.  And love is the answer!  Have a great day everyone and I'll see you soon.

           Elder One Last Time Allred
--
Hurrah For Israel!!!

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November 1, 2010

From: Ryan Jay Allred
Sent: Monday, November 01, 2010 12:13 PM
To: Allred, Kevin
Subject: "I did not touch him or sit on his knee, yet Jesus is real to me."

 

Well hello there!

        My subject line comes from a Primary song that has really been on my mind over the past few weeks and has been something I have felt we all should think about.  I have never touched the Savior in this life, nor have I had the opportunity to physically sit on his knee, yet, in all sincerity, Jesus is real to me.   I have heard His voice, and I know His word.  It is more clearly spoken in the Book of Mormon than in any other book and I love it!  It has been really exciting for me to hear of all of the great experiences the Lyman 3rd ward is having with reading their Book of Mormon challenge and I am happy to report that my experience has been equally as rewarding.   Yesterday as I sat thumbing through it's pages I had a short conversation in my mind and i asked myself why I loved it so much.  As I opened to random pages I realized that I recognized every story that it opened to and I have read it enough times I ought to be bored with it.  But I told myself (don't think I'm weird for talking to myself, it was more of just thoughts to myself)  that the real reason that I love it so much is because of the power it has to invite the Spirit and the power that spirit has to change lives.  I then opened to Alma 14 and spent the next few minutes warming myself with the Spirit.  It happens every time and it is real.  I have been blessed to have Elder Solomon as my companion this transfer because of the love we share for the Book of Mormon, it has been awesome!

       So guess what!   Susan set a goal to be baptized Thanksgiving weekend.  She still has a lot of dots to connect in her mind but she has taken the step of faith the set the goal and we are confident her testimony will be there in time.  Things have gotten so busy for us over the past two wee this week is going to be twice as busy.  On Saturday we had our car all set up to put it in the Trunk-or-treating party and we filled it full of candy given to us from the ward members.  However at the last minute we got a call to help a family move in so we were stuck with a trunk load of candy!  That's no good for me.  So we spent our Halloween visiting people we are either teaching or trying to teach and doing some treat-or-tricking, you know, the opposite of trick-or-treating.  And they loved it so a lot for them are letting us come back to teach them this week! Does anybody want some candy though, we still have way too much? 

      We had a really cool experience with the Sannar family this week.  A few weeks ago we had felt impressed to stop by their house and ask if we could help them with their missionary work.  Well it turns out they are a gold mine because sister Sannar has only been a member for three years and Brother Sannar just returned to activity.  After visiting for fifteen minutes we had three of their friends to visit and a dinner appointment with them so they could have their friends over to meet us.  Well, not only was the dinner excellent, but we met a really cool kid.  We had a great talk with him, Elder Solomon did most of the work and and it worked out great.  At the end Brother Sannar invited him to take the missionary lessons but he was uneasy.  So we decided to share the scripture we had prepared and then let him choose.  Well the scripture we had chosen was the same one that had gotten Brother Sannar back into the church and he shared a powerful testimony.  The spirit was so strong it was impossible not to feel it.  Then at the end Brother Sannar invited him again.  This time he turned us down and immediately the spirit let him know that was not the right decision.  It was interesting to watch his face as he knew he should have accepted but still turned us down.  But now he knows what the spirit is and how it speaks to us so next time.....  We had a lot of fun, and this week we are going again to teach another one of their friends.  Members work miracles in missionary work.

     Life is good.  Thank you Kristie for the great emails, it is amazing to be in this life even when it is hard isn't it?  Thanks for your positive example. And thanks Sarah for not talking about me coming home soon.  Jennifer, that is bad news, but i don't know who you are talking about, and I am sure you are doing fine in AP!  Keep it up.  Sheresa, have you learned how to unicycle?

    (Kevin wrote:  This paragraph is responding to a question from me because the letter from his mission president shows him finishing his mission on November 8^th, but he doesn’t fly out until the 9^th).  Dad, I think between the eighth and the ninth I am in a place called the spirit world.  You can read about it in Alma 40 if you want.  But basically it is a place between life and judgment where i hope to rest peacefully.  Actually I will probably not sleep at all because I will be with all the missionaries that came out with me.  I should email nest week too if i have time, plan on it.

    I love you all and Hope life is well! 

Elder Ryan J Allred

--
Hurrah For Israel!!!

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October 25, 2010

From: Ryan Jay Allred

Sent: Monday, October 25, 2010 12:27 PM
To: Allred, Kevin
Subject: I know my Savior loves me!

 

Hot Dog!

         So recently Brother Hamblin came into our apartment while I was sorting through some things and he started chastising me for having pictures of "Beautiful Women" on my desk.  But what he didn't know was that they were pictures of my four beautiful sisters!!  Boy I am sure blessed to have all of the wonderful family and friends that I do.

          This week was a lot of fun, unfortunately you may have to read my journal to get the full effect.  But probably my favorite part of the week was being able to participate in the Tickled-Pink breast cancer walk with the community.  We only got this one picture from it but the photographer was our Bishop's wife so hopefully we will be on the front page of the newspaper or something.  So we spent Saturday morning spending time with everyone in the community and went on a two mile with some of the people we are teaching.  It was a lot of fun because everyone wanted a picture with the Elders and their pink shirts, even those that are not members of the church.  We got to talk to some really neat people along the walk and hopefully they will start meeting with the Elders in their areas.

         Other than that, boy life is going well.   Susan has been sick this week but with a combined effort from the ward we hope to see her at church next week.  John is still progressing well and reading a little from the Book of Mormon every day even with his reading problems.  The Faria's, Lampross's, and Bishop's, and Smith's are all making soo much progress we are getting close to passing them off to just their home teachers.  The ward is doing well to go out and love people.  Isn't that really all we need?  WE heard a talk in church yesterday focused on "TPLOC" or the pure love of Christ.  That is what works miracles in this world and makes any form of missionary work successful.  I am glad to hear that you are doing the same thing in Rexburg by sending out the priests.  It's all just one more way to show that love.

           The one who has done the most this week though is Jeff.  We met with him almost every day this week to read and pray with him.  Then, unexpectedly, his mother passed away this Thursday and he has had a lot of need for the Lord.  We can sure tell though that he has been helped by seen and unseen hands as he has faced this trial and I know that Book of Mormon has helped a lot.  We walked over to pick him up for church yesterday and he was sitting there all ready to go.  He is doing his part and we can tell the Lord is doing the rest.

            Yup, well  I'm out of time again.  Hurrah for Dad getting the new job!  That will be a little different won't it.  And thanks Mother for the good letters and stamps and labels, I'm trying to get them all sent out.  Scott + Lorinda + Saryn, you guys are amazing. We loved the Pez toys, once we figured out who they were from.  Ill probably just keep them forever.  Jennifer, good idea, I'll have to look into it.  If you find one, grab it for me to use please.
           Everybody!  Please just remember how much your Heavenly Father loves you.  Last night as we taught a couple of families who are really struggling I got to feel His love for them.  That is one of the perks of being a missionary.  And I know HE loves all of us so never give up.  I love you all, have a great week.

Elder Ryan J Allred
--
Hurrah For Israel!!!

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October 18, 2010

From: Ryan Jay Allred
Sent: Monday, October 18, 2010 11:41 AM
To: Allred, Kevin
Subject: How Rare a Possesion!

 

Hey!

      I am pretty excited this week and I just wanted to make sure you all knew that!  I'll get to all of the cool things that happened this week in a bit but first I wanted to see how everyone is doing on your Book of Mormon reading.  I had started reading with the primary kids to read the whole thing in 90 days but then this last week changed everything.  We were challenged by our mission President in zone conference to read the entire Book of Mormon before next zone conference in January but with a special twist.  He gave each of us a new copy and the assignment to mark every name referring to the Saviour in one color, then every time he is talking in another color.  Wow, that is soo cool.  I haven't gotten very far yet but already I just love flipping back through the pages I have already cdone and seeing how much The Book of Mormon testifies of Christ.  I love it. My entire life I have loved it and considered it one of my most prized possessions mostly because of how I feel as I read it.  In the introduction Joseph Smith testified that if we live live by it's precepts it will bring us closer to God than any other book.  That's why I love it, that is how I am coming to know my Saviour and that is why I am so excited to read the Book of Mormon this way.  So I probably won't finish with the rest of you because I had to start over but Keep Going.

     This week was sweet though.  Elder Solomon and I are trying to Flood Gridley with the Book of Mormon and we are feeling the Spirit direct us often especially as we head to lessons.  I got the package this week with Book's with Dad's, Mom's and Kristie's testimonies in them.  THank you soo much.  It will mean a lot to me to be able to share those with others.  But probably the best part of the week was at church yesterday.  At first we thought it was going to be one of those weeks where noone shows up but we decided to wait in the foyer untill the sacrement just in case someone showed up late because we were expecting at least four people.  Well, guess what, no one came so we went in and had the sacrament.  But then, we went back out to check again and Susan had come!!!  So we brought her in with us and Sister Hamblin called her over to sit with her.  

      This ward doesn't normally have a class for investigators but I didn't feel comfortable sending her to the other classes yet.  Actually she was going to leave after the first hour but she had felt the spirit and the love of the ward so she stayed and we put together an impromptu class for her.  While Elder Solomon and I where out finding more people to come to it Susan talked with the Hamblins and told that that she didn't know the Speakers but everything they said about the church just felt good to her!  Then our class was just overflowing with the spirit as it turned in to a testimony meeeting with some othe recent converts we had brought in.  Awesome, just Awesome!  SHe loved it and stayed for relief society.  She is doing soo well to take steps on her own and we can fell the Lord's love for her often.

      Well I wish I had more time to tell you more, but just know that I love you all.  I believe that this is Christ's church and as the prophets have testified He is closer to you and this work than you can ever imagine.  We see his hand sweep the streets before us to prepare the way.  Just last night we were led to a young couple home who needed us right then and we happened to knock on their door.  The Saviour lives!  I have heard his voice, and I know his word!  IT is open to all of us within the Book of Mormon.  Read it!

    Love YA!
Elder Ryan J Allred

--
Hurrah For Israel!!!

 

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FW:

 

From: Ryan Jay Allred
Sent: Monday, October 11, 2010 11:33 AM
To: Allred, Kevin
Subject:

 

Dear Family,

          How is everyone doing this week?   It sounds like it is still vacation time in Idaho, I hope you are all having fun.  I am having a  hard time deciding what I want to be for Halloween this year so if'n anyone has any ideas let me know.  I think we might get to use our car in the trunk-or-treat this year and pass out free church material because a lot of non-members from the community should be there.

         This week was not as busy as we had hoped it would be but every lesson that we did have was awesome.  The ones I liked the most were with Sisiter Smith and her non-mamber husband who came to church yesterday for the first time.  And also the Muzzy family who we sarted teaching last week let us come over for another great visit.  Jenny, we found out, knows half of the ward already so it was easy to find her a good friend to go to the lessons with us.

         Later in the week we got a referal from Brother Dewsnup but he wasn't sure exactly where they lived.  So we started knocking doors on the street he sent us to and at the first house they let us right in with out asking any qeustions.  It turned out to be the right house and they are a sweet family.  As we sat talking at the table a fly was buzzing around and the mom said she was getting sick of it.  So I made a swipe for it but missed.  However everyone else thought I had caught it so they said they would come to church on sunday.  Unfortunately that whole honesty thing got in the way and they didn't come to church, yet.

         So I got an amazing Birthday present from Scott, Lorinda, and Saryn So we sent a picture of us with it.  Thank  you guys!

              Well we have a busy day planned for today but I hope you have a great week.  I love you all and I pray for you often.

Love YA!

Elder Ryan J Allred
--
Hurrah For Israel!!!

NOTICE: This email message is for the sole use of the intended recipient(s) and may contain confidential and privileged information. Any unauthorized review, use, disclosure or distribution is prohibited. If you are not the intended recipient, please contact the sender by reply email and destroy all copies of the original message.

 

September 27, 2010

FYI:  Ryan will be home on November 9^th and he will speak in sacrament meeting on November 28^th.

 

Kevin

 

From: Ryan Jay Allred
Sent: Monday, September 27, 2010 11:10 AM
To: Allred, Kevin
Subject: I feel like a Greenie!

 

           Is it bad that I still feel like a brand new missionary?  Because sometimes it seems as if I have only been out for a few months and it always seems like I have soo much still to learn and do.  I did just find out for sure that I will be getting a brand new missionary tomorrow so I won't find out who it is until I go down to Yuba when he flies in.  So I am really excited, this should be fun!   Since Elder Lee is flying home tomorrow I get to spend the night with the other missionaries and luckily they are going to be able to come into my ward to work tonight because we have some pretty exciting lessons with some new investigators planned for this evening.

          We were really nervous for Susan this week because we haven't seen her since our lesson last Sunday.  We tried calling her all of the time and stopping by her house but it was as if she had moved away.  Yesterday I decided to try to call her one last time before church and just as I reached in my pocket to call her she called us!  Luckily she had just gone out of town but we should be able to start meeting with her again. 
            We started teaching two new families this week that are getting close to going to the temple soon.  Then we also met Bill who thought he might have already been baptized but we had the Bishop check on it and he hasn't yet so we are going to start teaching him and getting him back to church so he can hopefully be baptized in a month or so.

            I will let you know more next week about my new companion and every thing, this week is going to be a lot of fun, we have all things going for us.  Romans 8:31  I hope life is well for all of you as well and that you all enjoy conference.  I know I sure will.  I love you all!

   Elder Ryan J Allred.
--
Hurrah For Israel!!!

NOTICE: This email message is for the sole use of the intended recipient(s) and may contain confidential and privileged information. Any unauthorized review, use, disclosure or distribution is prohibited. If you are not the intended recipient, please contact the sender by reply email and destroy all copies of the original message.

 

September 20, 2010

 

From: Ryan Jay Allred
Sent: Monday, September 20, 2010 11:55 AM
To: Allred, Kevin
Subject: I smile because you are my family; I laugh because there is nothing you can do about it!

 

Hello!

        Things have really starting to pick up again over the past week.  Our ward has felt the excitement of missionary work and they are spreading the love throughout the whole town.  This week the ward leaders invited two additional less-active families have us in their home weekly to help them prepare for the temple.  In such a small community with soo many members our main focus has been working with less-active members but we are certain that they will have many in their circle of friends to bring back with them.  We finally got enough of the families that we are teaching close enough that it prompted the bishopric to start a temple-prep class and get them going to the temple soon!  I sure miss going to the temple.

         The Faria's continue to make great strides as they are taking the lessons.  Even with health challenges they make sure to make it to church every week at least for the sacrament.  Speaking of, Elder Lee and I got to bless the Sacrament this past Sunday and that was a lot of fun.  That was my first time as a missionary and I had forgotten how neat it was.  It is great to take part in that ordinance every week but it has a lot more meaning when you are saying the prayers.  The only thing that was sad about it was that Susan wasn't able to make it.

       Susan is our most progressing investigator who we started teaching about three weeks ago after we talked to her while she was walking her dogs.  We taught her twice this week and took her on a tour of the Church building.  She is such a kind lady but she is really shy and does not like the idea of going to a new church, but she has felt the spirit and I'm pretty sure she knows she needs it.  She called us after church and we were able to go over and visit with her for a little while.  It was really cool to see the Holy Ghost work with her with out our help as we just sat and listened to her explain her situation.  Eventually, without any of our advice, a light came into her eyes and she came to the conclusion that she needed to at least come to the first hour of church next week and then eventually work her way into it.  All we had to do after that was share our testimonies with her and assure her that she had just received an answer to prayer!  It's that simple!  Then I shared with her how the Lord had been very involved in directing us to her that day we found her and that she had in fact been an answer to my prayer and...I think she'll be alright next week.

        Yup!  As far as miracles this week, we had some great Crab for dinner on Saturday.  And it sounds like we are trying to read the Book of Mormon in 90 days so I better get started so I can catch up.  Won't that be a miracle!  Every time anyone reads the Book of Mormon, regardless of how many times they have previously read it, their testimony grows and the have the spirit in more abundance in their lives.  And I am alright to promise that because it was already said by a prophet! :)

          Well I love you guys!  Don't get too stressed out now that school has started again, but stay busy.  Have a great week!

Elder Ryan J Allred

       

--
HURRAH FOR ISRAEL!!!

 

 

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