Mar 8, 2010

Ryan’s letter:

 

Subject: "There is no tragedy in death, only in sin!"

 

Aloha!

 

     Bumper sticker of the week: "Pass quietly, driver sleeping."

     Well, how is everyone doing?  Scott just reminded me that Mom and Dad are doing pretty good, at least I would be if I were on my way to Hawaii!!  Oh well, they are just jealous 'cause they're not on missions right now.  Pretty sure though that the rest of the family back in Idaho is having just as much fun as they are.  Especially with Jason and the four girls probably throwing parties every night.  

     Let's just say for now that we had a pretty amazing week, my testimony and faith really had opportunities to grow over the past couple of days.  We had a lot of neat experiences and heard some pretty sweet stories.   On Friday we drove up to Gridley for an all day meeting and we were spoiled rotten.  We spent the majority of the day just sharing our testimonies with one another.  There were two things in particular that came out of that meeting. 

     First of all was a stronger testimony of prayer.  Sister Pendleton shared a couple of stories with us that were absolutely incredible.  A couple of weeks ago she had a strong desire to commit someone to be baptized but didn't really now anyone in the area.  She decided to ask Heavenly Father to help her in this goal and she prayed for it continually.  Last Sunday she was visiting a ward where a middle aged women had been baptized the day before.   She was very happy to meet her and spent some time talking to the lady.  After their conversation she turned to the new member's husband and asked if he was also a member of the church.  He said he wasn't and so she asked if he wanted to be.  She then asked(as found in Preach My Gospel) "Will you follow the example of Jesus Christ by being baptized by someone holding the proper priesthood authority of God.  We will be holding a baptismal service on March 20th, will you prepare yourself to be baptized on that date?"   HE SAID YES!!  Sister Pendleton is soo amazing!  She is soo afraid every time she talks to people about the church, but she does it all the time.  She then told us of how she wanted to somehow find a family for the missionaries to teach but wasn't quite sure how she could find them so she again turned to prayer.  Two weeks ago she wanted to go outside for a walk but was afraid to because there was a man out mowing her yard that had a lot of tattoos and she didn't want to talk to him.  She decided to sneak out the side door but right when she opened it he was standing right in front of her.  She said a quick hello then went for a walk.  By the time she got home she had gathered enough strength to talk to him, now he has left his position in his previous church and with his wife and 6 children they are all preparing for baptism!   Prayer really works!!

     Second my testimony that Joseph Smith saw our Heavenly Father and His son Jesus Christ was really strengthened.  We spent quite a while going around the room and sharing our testimonies; I think Friday was the happiest day of my mission.  It just felt so good to know that God does live and love us all so very much even in this day, I was overflowing with joy all day.  I really believe that Christ church has been restored and we can partake of those blessings now.  We don't have to wait until the next life to find peace, it's right here.  All day I just couldn't stop smiling, even though I knew we had to go home and work on reports all afternoon. :)

    At the meeting i got to see Elder Brady again.  He is an amazing missionary from my last zone that trained Elder Derek Sommer who I went to high school with.  I had the opportunity to go on exchanges with Elder Sommer on his first week in the mission now almost three months ago and Elder Brady asked if I remembered that exchange.  I told him I would never forget it so he asked if I remembered chasing after a guy in a parking lot and asking him if he would like to come to church with us.  I remember the guy very well and even the conversation that we had.  I remember asking if he believed and Christ and he smiled as he assured me that he did.  I remember that he seemed very interested and he gave me all of his information.  I was assuming Elder Brady was asking me for more information so he could try to contact the man again, but when I finished telling him what I remembered he told me that he was getting baptized at the end of this month!  They had lost contact with him for two months but about a month ago they started teaching him now he and his family are joining the church.  Miracles are happening all around us and it is cool to think that they are happening right now, not just in some story book.

      Something that has been on my mind a lot is that I am servant of our Heavenly Father.  This is not just the Mormon cooperation that I am working for, but it really is the Church of Jesus Christ, established here in these later days just as it was in the primitive church.  It is a really cool concept when you think about it.  I testify that it is true and that Christ really did walk the earth so that we can return to our Father again.  I got to give two priesthood blessings last night and the Spirit taught me again that the priesthood IS the power of a living God.  It is soo wonderful.  I LOVE IT! 

    I love you all as well and hope that life is absolutely amazing.  If it is not for some reason, I give you permission to write me a letter or two, it just might help. :)  You never know.

     Have a wonderful day!

Elder Ryan Jay Allred
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HURRAH FOR ISRAEL!!!

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