November 21, 2016

We got in with two of our investigators this week, so still a bit slow but we got quite a few way less actives to come back, which was good. Elder and Sister Anderson had to go home which was really sad. They had a son that was on a mission in Alaska. He has been out for 10 months and was having some really bad seasonal depression. Since it was getting darker and darker it just kept getting worse and worse. So now that they had to go home we are now over Strathmore and Siksika. We started meeting and going back with the people of the nation this Sunday. We met with Joy Yellowfly yesterday, she is a very sweet lady. I am going to have to keep in contact with her. She has had a rough life. It takes a little bit for the natives to warm up to you and get to know you but when they finally do and they can trust you they love you. She has just recently really warmed up to us and she told us some of the challenging things that have happened in her life.  She had a husband and she really liked him but he got in a car accident and died, so she got remarried to a drunk. She went to Edmonton to visit family for a week and when she came back she got on her doorstep and could smell what she thought was a dead dog or something. She walked in the door and it just kept getting worse. She worked her way through the kitchen and to the living room and found her second husband dead, with blood and white fluids running out of him. She said that it was so much worse then a dead animal. I was so grossed out but I just kept listening to her and she went on about how he was bloating and stuff. She walked out of there and never went in to get any of her stuff and so she had only like 5 changes of clothes for her and her few kids. Her aunt ended up helping her get back on her feet and find a new house and clothes. She went on telling us that she couldn't sleep during the night so she would sleep during the day, and she always had to have the light on whenever she was somewhere that it was dark, for like 4 years. (this happened in 2003) She said that it was during this time that she really turned to the lord for help and that is the reason she was converted to our gospel. After she told us the story she said to us, "I don't know why I just told you guys this." And then I had a scripture come into my head it was in Ether 12:27,

  "And if men come unto me I will show unto them their weakness. I give unto men weakness that they  may be humble; and my grace is sufficient for all men that humble themselves before me; for if they humble  themselves before me, and have faith in me, then will I make weak things become strong unto them."  In this scripture it really related to everything that she was going through and what she was talking about. She marked it so that she could read it again, and was pretty amazed that it was in the Book Of Mormon, she thanked us for it, and really wants us to come back soon. I really like the Book of Mormon and how it will bless our lives, and give us answers that we are looking for, or answers that we may really need in our lives. It truly will motivate us and bring us closer to our Savior Jesus Christ. 

I am sure that dad has to listen to lots of things like this just being the bishop and all. It is pretty crazy to know what some people go through in there lives. Just listening to everything that people tell us makes me have a greater understanding of just what he is going through, and why being a bishop can be so hard. Well hope that you are all having a good day! 

Love, Elder Allred

We wake up every morning except for sunday and work out with Brother Cealey (Adam403-921-4622) 

November 14, 2016

They call prairie dogs gophers here! I ate octopus for the first time this week, It was breaded and to tell you the truth I would eat that any day over mushrooms. It tasted all right, it was just the tentacles and legs that were a little hard to chew through, if you know what I mean.

Today I was actually thinking about the priesthood. I was thinking about how much Christ really does love us, and how much he gives us. It took me back to an experience that I had at home. I was playing ball during one of my gaps in my schedule and the bell rang so I had to hurry to class, so I gave my ball to one of my friends and told him to keep it until I see him again, and he said okay. Well when class got out and I found him he had given the ball to someone else! I was pretty frustrated. But I decided getting mad at him wouldn't do anything so I just found the other person and got my ball. While I was thinking of this I couldn't help but think of relating it to some of the people that have fallen away from the church and how Christ has given us the priesthood knowing that the people that hold the priesthood are going to mess up sometimes. But as you know Christ will still love us even when we do what is not always right, and when we ask for forgiveness he will always forgive us. I don't know if this will help you with your talk but this is just what I was thinking this morning while driving with the zone leaders driving to the mall. 

That is cool that Travis made the team! I am so excited for him. I am sure that he will do great, but just tell him do go all out, even if it is tiring and he feels like he is going to fall over. It is hard but when you go hard, when it is hard, that is when you will make the best improvements. Also tell him to not let ANYONE push him around. If he has this mentality then he will be the best on the floor. I want to see an all star when I get back.

So I also made a poem, I don't know if it is actually legit because I didn't really pay too much attention when I was in school about poems, but I hope its good. I was just a little bored last night. 

P-day eve

Tis the night before P-day

when all through the house,

not an elder was stirring, not even a mouse,

all suits were hung on the rack with care, 

with hopes that p-day soon would be there, 

with my companion and I both snug in our beds,

while visions of basketball danced in our heads.

Tis the night before P-day

when thoughts of emailing our families come to mind,

oh how I miss my mother, for she was so kind,

she helped me with school, which helped a great deal,

wow, the debt I owe her, especially the meals, 

my family is so great, and hope they are doing well,

but all that I can do is wait, for time will tell.

What a day, what a week it has been

for this is the day that Davis turns 10 (months)

Tis the night before P-day 

thinking about the gospel and Christ like a knife,

my dad told me there are no fence sitters in this life,

for it is through Christ's Atonement we can be cleansed from sin,

with all hopes that we may follow him, 

What pains he must, and had to have born,

and it is crazy, because it was all for me and you he was torn.

Well it is getting late 

I can not wait 

Wilgar (zone leader) and I ballin it up is so great 

college basketball team I hope we make 

again I hope that all is well

for I truly do love you all!

-Your son and big bro, Elder Allred 

November 7, 2016

This is what a chinook looks like and why we have been having 65 degree weather! A chinook is some warm air that comes from the west and it comes up over the mountains and over to us. It has been around 65 degrees Fahrenheit here it is crazy. 

I ate all of it, the whole omelet it was so good. I am excited for Travis I hope that he works hard in the off season as well as in the season. Something cool that members have done for me is that they sometimes invite us over for food. The Quist's are an older couple, they are the ones who emailed you guys. They are so cool. It is fun when they take pictures of us and send them back to our families. So you will have to tell me what happens with Travis and if or I mean when he makes the team!!!  

4 egg omelet

October 31, 2016

Here is what my week was like...

I was in the store today and noticed that they sell tim tams all over that place I should have sent you guys some, but I guess that you can still get them in the stores down in the states, just not as much. I really like how you said that the Lord works in amazing ways all the time because it is so true. I have met several people that are just not quite ready for the gospel now but in the future will be. Josh the crazy one, is one of those investigators that just are not ready yet but I believe that he will be later on in the future when he decides to read the Book of Mormon. Sondra is a good example of one of those people who just were not ready 3 years ago but now is on date to be baptized. It is neat how people can hate the church and then completely change. And talking about Sondra being on date, we got this kid that is 10 years old on date. His mom is the body builder that I think I mentioned to you. It's awesome, and I bet that we can get 2 more on date to be baptized in the next few weeks. 

This past week we also had been slacking off on daily planning just because we would talk about it and know what we had planned for the next day, but we decided to do it, and we filled our day more than what it was before. We filled in the gaps by stopping by to visit some of our investigators who wouldn't answer their phone, and we got 4 member present lessons in one day. It was crazy! Some things just seem to be a little much, but we are told to do them for a reason. 

I am still playing lots of basketball and this Thursday we are going to go have a ball night with the zone leaders and we are trying to get lots of non-members to it. So far me and Elder Davis have one non-member going to go to it, he is a black kid that is my age. We are also going to try to get another black kid to come that I have played ball with before. 

Elder Davis and I have been working out with a member in our ward every morning. We wake up at 5:45 to go. He has a little gym set up in his basement. On Wednesday I decided that I was just going to run on the treadmill the whole time and burn off some stored calories. I ended up running on it until we had to go for 30 min, and went a little over 3 miles. My legs were burning, but I wasn't breathing hard at all. My heart rate was sitting around 105, it was funny. It has to be with the air being thicker here. I just bought a ton of vegetables and squash for this next couple of weeks in order to stay in shape. I bought a couple of squash from costco and didn't know how to cook them but I remembered when you and mom would cook them you would cut them in two and set them on a cookie sheet, so that is what I did. I then turned the oven up to 375 and left it there until I could stick a fork through it, it ended up being about 40 min to cook but now I know how to do that. It is quite the experience being out her and having to cook for myself. I have learned a lot. And today I got some spaghetti and the kind that is your favorite (dad's). It should be great.

I also had a good experience yesterday when Elder Davis and a couple of other missionaries wanted to go to p-day eve and watch a movie with some other missionaries in our zones pad, which is something that is not allowed but lots of missionaries do. We had enough kilometers for the month to do it but I knew that it was wrong and that I would be very mad at myself because I would have let myself down, I would have let you guys down, and most of all I would have put my Heavenly Father down. And so I told Elder Davis that I wasn't going to do it, and that I was sorry. I felt bad last night but today I am so glad that I made that decision. I know that the decisions that we make now will affect us later on in life, this life and the life to come. I would just like to encourage all of you to make good choices no matter if you think that things will be okay, and that it will all turn out good in the end. What you do now is very important because it is all part of the plan. As you all do this you will be blessed. 

Love, Elder Allred 

P.S. I will be on and off a bit today so email me if you can. Tell everyone Happy Halloween for me!!

The sweater is a bit too big.. but it is good. The cake is very good, so is Grandpa's cake they are almost all gone. Everything is about gone. I hope that this doesn't get me fat. I will be blaming you guys.. haha. Tell everyone that everything was very good, and that I didn't even need frosting for Grandpa's cake. I seriously can't wait to open the box that says to open on December 1st, and why December 1st?

I almost weigh 200 pounds it's scary, but I can still dunk pretty good, actually better than what I could back home. Right now I am 197, next week might be the week that I hit it. I am just continuing to exercise as much as I can to not get fat.

October 24, 2016

Thanks! I can't wait to get the stuff that you guys sent me. Tell Grandma and Grandpa Angus thanks for sending Elder Davis's package. I have had a pretty good day today. Elder Wilgar, one of our zone leaders who is really good at basketball, and I have been going through some of the drills that Thurl has shown me. It was a pretty good work out. I have been able to play some full court basketball which has been great! I am so glad that I was sent to this mission, it has fit me so well. The Lord really knew what he was doing when he sent me here. I know that in the white handbook it says no full court basketball, I could never get why it was a rule, so Elder Wilgar and I called President Miles and asked him why it was a rule and he said, "You know elders I don't know, the only thing that I can think of is that some people might feel a little left out because they aren't able to keep up." So if everyone is down for playing full court then we go for it. I have also been able to play some full court with some non members and its funny because Canadians are not as good as what people are down in the states. 

Sondra is still on date, but we ended up moving her date to December because of the convenience for the family. Her grandson is going to baptize her and we have been calling him and updating him on how things are going there. He is a pretty sweet guy, he is going to BYU right now and is getting married in December as well. All of our other investigators are just kind of floating around which stinks. We are going to have to find some more which shouldn't be that hard as long as we rely on the Lord. 

It is too bad that I am going to miss the pumpkin throwing contest that sounds really fun. You will have to send me some videos not just pictures. Tell Travis that he has to get that D up to a B because he can't waste a year of not having the experience. I want him to be the number one scorer, defender, and rebounded for Union if not the state. 

I am staying pretty warm, it is funny because every once and a while Elder Anderson will let us look at his phone so that we can see what the weather is like back home. And so far it is the same if not a little colder in Roosevelt. It's funny because all of the Canadians say, "You guys are going to experience the coldest winter of your lives, and I'm like no I won't. It's funny, they are so proud of it. Well what else has been going on back home? I hope that you guys are having a fun time. It feels like a blur since I last saw you. It really is weird, it is also weird having to stay with a dude 24 hours every day. But keep up all the good work, and have a great week! 

Love, Elder Allred