Weekly Update -- December 20th, 2016

Merry Christmas week!

This is the last week before Ricardo's Christmas baptism! We are really excited about getting him prepared for the ordinance, teaching him a few last things but really he has been very receptive from the beginning. The first Sunday I actually wasn't here when Ricardo came to Church, but he started shaking everyone's hand. He came here from Vera Cruz to find work while having some family troubles, but has since gone to visit his sons to mend some relationships. Great guy.

We had our Branch Christmas party last Friday and our Mission Christmas party yesterday. At the branch party, someone found out I played the saxophone and asked me to play a few songs. Three years without touching a sax, but I've still got it. Maybe a little nervous but it was way better than the 'Baby it's cold outside' kareoke duet that Elder Barrientos sang. Whatever, we got out of our comfort zone.

Just a lot of fun things these few weeks, including a pday trip to the center of Monterrey to get some souveneirs with a couple of other missionaries and the skype call this Sunday!! Can't wait to talk to you again. Before ending the update, I want to invite you all to send me a quick email about your favorite Christmas tradition. I'll even put my email address here (spencer.allgaier@myldsmail.net) to make it easier for those who are reading on the blog. Love you all and I hope you have a great Christmas season!

Also, thank you so much for the package Urbana ward. It made me feel very good reading your letters and I'm sure my companion and I will feel good eating the candy you sent us!

-Elder Allgaier

A few pics from the mission Christmas party...

Elder Barrientos and I sang a kareoke duet of 'Baby its cold outside'

dominoes lunch with root beer floats

package from urbana ward!!

pday in central

Weekly Update -- December 12th, 2016

(Sorry! I realized that I never posted this from last week. There will be two today if I hear from Elder Allgaier!)

Hello everyone,

Kind of a short update because I just talked to you all this past Wednesday... I hope you are all having a great Christmas season, I am too. We had a nice Sunday yesterday being in charge of a temple tour activity, taking advantage that it is right in our area. We werent sure how many people were going to show up with such short notice, but thanks to some miracles and an institute choir performance, there was a great turnout.

We did a mission fast last Sunday praying specifically for the investigators who we are teaching. It was an opportunity for me to strengthen my testimony in the fast and there were some miracles that came from it. One being that an area in the zone has five scheduled baptisms for this coming week. Another being that a bunch of people came to the temple tour despite giving one week notice. I invite you to find something to do in order to strengthen or gain a testimony by personal experience. While doing so, read Alma 32. I promise that you will be able to have stronger knowledge of what you believe in. Merry December 12th!

-Elder Allgaier

Here are the pictures from this email.  Posted 12/21/16.

Institute choir

Activity at the temple shortly before the institute choir

Better look at the mall, Roma is awesome

Elder Garcia eating his first sub

Thanks for the gifts Mom! The primary and their handouts

Today going to the esfera, a nearby mall

Weekly Update -- December 7th, 2016

Hello everyone!

Officially December and my first week in Estanzuela. Let me just say, I'm going to really enjoy my last leg of the mission. It is the area of the Monterrey Temple, but still a branch, touching a good mixture of more humble people and very prideful people. No middle ground, but that's Mexico for you. My companion is Elder Barrientos in case I didn't mention it last week who was born in Gathersburg MD! It gives us a nice common ground to have great companionship unity. He's on his last change which is why I know that this is my last area. The zone is very obedient and very animated, we're looking to have a lot of success.

One day (Monday to be specific) we went to help an English teacher teach a private student. We went thinking it would be an opportunity to share the gospel in our native language, but he quickly told us not to give even a hint that we were from a Church, despite the fact that he himself was baptised at the age of 16 (very less active) due to fear of offending his student. Ok... Driving in, we started to see Mercedes Benz, Audis, Classic cars, big houses when he told us, 'these are the most powerful people in Monterrey'. Very shortly into the lesson (we just had a conversation in English), the student calmly caught on that we were missionaries and asked what our beliefs were. We shared a bit about the Godhead and showed the Christmas video to see her get teary eyed. Explaining eternal families, she even became interested enough to accept a Plan of Salvation pamphlet. Leaving, she expressed that she 'needs Jesus in this moment.' Just goes to show that you should never be embarrassed to express your beliefs.

That same day, we found a drunk guy at around 12 in  the afternoon who had just gotten bitten by a dog bad enough where it drew blood on a few fingers and his wrist. He was cursing at it in his wobbled pace and wanted us to teach him about John the Baptist. We decided it would be better to take him to the farmacy two blocks over instead of just leave him. 20 minutes later we got there, met the nice doctor who didn't charge to take care of his cuts and we put our new friend Toño back on his chair in his house. Like I said, no middle ground.

A small invitation this time, because that last experience was in response to the Christmas calendar to help the sick. I invite you all (if not already doing so) to follow the Church's Christmas calendar to serve people in 25 different ways this month. Really a special thing that is happening this year. You'll feel the Spirit of Christmas more powerfully by doing so. I promise so as a representative of Jesus Christ and His Church. Love you all, enjoy the season!

--Elder Allgaier

Guitarrist on the bus who we liked listening to

Area view

Loose dog we found with a Rayados jersey, gotta love the fans

Leaving the house for the temple this morning

With Elder Payan, the AP who's going home with me next change

Afternoon temple pic

Weekly Update -- November 28th, 2016

Hello everyone,

First things first, I want to wish a very happy birthday to my awesome Mom! Thanks for all that you have done for our family, we love you! Ok, changes are in and I'm going to Rome stake with Elder Barrientos, being his last companion seeing that he goes home just after Christmas. Super excited to get to know my (probably) last area! It's exactly by the mission offices and the biggest city area in Monterrey, if not Latin America. I figure it'll be a good place to get some last minute souveniers.

Last week we had our stake conference in Anahuac and it was fantastic. Seriously, I got a lot out of the messages that were shared. A video was shown featuring Elder Bednar who talked about the purpose of work/service in the Church. Imagine three connected circles 1. Learn 2. Do 3. Be. Elder Bednar (echoed by Stake President Tapia) said that we LEARN so that we can DO things better. But we DO things so that we can BEcome better people. More specifically, become more like Christ (see 3 Nephi 27:27) Sometimes people get disanimated because of the work that being a member of the Restored Church requires. Home teaching, studying, service, callings, etc. etc. BUT, if we really focus on the importance of WHY we study and WHY we work, it gives us a wider perspective to be able to support the load. Great talk. If you can find it, watch it!

The new Christmas video finally came out to the public and it is awesome. Watch it too if you haven't already. We're helping you with that by putting it on youtube anyways, don't worry. But I really want to express my excitement for the worldwide service day this week. Remember the invitation before? To plan a service for December 1st? This week, I invite you to execute it. God's speed everyone, see you in Rome!

-Elder Allgaier

Zone pic

District pic

Elder Navarro studying before starting divisions

The picture we'll look back on playing fútbol for our countries in 8 years from now

Compechanas with Elder Guerrero, now time to go home

Pday fútbol before going our seperate ways

Oops! Missed pictures from November 21st. Sorry!

Panoramic from on top -- 1

Panoramic from on top -- 2

Panoramic from on top -- 3

Panoramic from on top -- 4

Panoramic from on top -- 5

Panoramic from on top -- 6

Panoramic from on top -- 7

Elder Reed and Elder Chavarria in the grafiti box

Chupando piña!

Celebrating afterwards at Sirloin

Weekly Update -- November 21st, 2016

Hello everyone,

Another week down, getting close in the Christmas call countdown. Happy thanksgiving to you Americans, enjoy the turkey and as an early invitation to switch things up, go ahead and express at least one thing you are grateful for while you're all together. Tables turned!!

This morning we climbed the famous 'Cerro de la Silla' to get some great pictures for the post mission slide show (which I will include) and had a great time spending time together as a district. It's coming to a close of this change now and many are thinking about who is going where. I think I'll be moving next week, or at the very least have a new companion. Who knows.

As far as spiritual experiences go, this week we had the opportunity to hear Pres. Valenzuela talk with us as mission leaders (of district and of zone and of sisters). I was surprised on how much emphasis was given on 1. Simple doctrine like the atonement 2. The importance of companionship unity and 3. New ways of working with members to share the gospel. Very uplifting meeting and fun to be apart of. Remember the video I recommended last week? As a double table turning second invitation, I invite you to send that video to someone you feel inspired to share it with on Facebook this Thanksgiving weekend. Let the miracles commence. Love you all, thanks for your thoughts and prayers!

-Elder Allgaier

Oscarin, a youth in the branch

One of our investigators plays the guitar for a living and played us a song one night

Thanks for the silly string!

Passing by parade that stretched for blocks, something similar to the fourth of July type holiday here

District activity today climbing the 'cerro de la silla'

At the top

Sunrise shot

Climbing to a good photo place

Good photo

Weekly Update -- November 14th, 2016

Hello everyone!

Hope your election week went well, because everyone made sure I remembered who I voted for by always asking me, 'Did you vote for Trump?!' I'm taking the advice of one american companion who said he decided he's from Canada from here on out to avoid looking racist. Anyways, it is finished. For important news, we had a multi-stake conference yesterday including a broadcast to all stakes in México where we listened to General Authorities Elder Benjamin de Oyos, Sister McConkie and President Nelson. I was surprised to hear that all of them spoke Spanish! Have you ever heard President Nelson speak Spanish? I have. He has a very american accent, but spoken it was.

We had a great opportunity with the Branch President to be the means of three beds getting to three men who have all been sleeping on concrete floor. One of them was Inocente who was baptized a month ago, now living with his son (who is taking the missionary lessons this week) who he hasn't seen for years until just recently. The next person was a recently activated young adult who will be getting the Melchizedek Priesthood in two weeks, Daniel. Great guy. Jesus was our last visit who has back problems making it difficult to get up in the morning to work or go to Church, espcecially with the cold season starting up. Just a very fulfilling hour to do service.

The point of telling this story is for the invitation, which almost always comes in the third paragraph. After being given an in on what's going to happen with this year's Christmas initiative by the Church, we are all invited to take part in a worldwide day of service onDecember 1st! There's a video you can watch on YouTube https://youtu.be/LYPJq_r425o to find out more, but we're very excited about this coming Christmas. Go ahead and plan a service project now. Don't worry, there's no Thanksgiving in Mexico so we're not getting ahead of ourselves. Love you all! Take luck!

-Elder Allgaier

Service project painting a house (Elder Reed said, act like we're doing a baton hand off)

Good friend Juan Israel doing visits with him this week

A family who I visited 16 months ago in Escobedo who we visited again this last week, one day they will be baptized

Unloading the truck on the first stop at Inocente's house!