Weekly Update -- April 25, 2016

Hello everyone!

Mia got baptized this past Friday! She and her parents asked if I could perform the ordinance and their whole family was in attendance, which was special especially because of the tough work schedule of her Dad, who just happens to be an architect, spending a lot of time on google sketchup (like my Dad taught me and Tyler how to use).Sunday she was confirmed and to this day her family is happily progressing in the gospel. Baptisms are so special and I'm very blessed to be apart of them when Heavenly Father gives us the chance.

During the same baptismal service, we ran into an active member, Lupita 'Chicis', who had a friend named Gualberto, who wants to join with Chicis. Not necessarily marry, but she has her sights fixed on the temple, so our visits are mutually benificial. Gualberto already has experience with the Church, going to services and reading over the past few weeks being in love with Hermana Chicis and when we visited him for the first time the next day (Saturday) we talked about baptism and Elder Chan made his first baptismal invitation, which he accepted! He said, 'would it be a problem for you all if I get baptized?' Actually it would be a huge blessing! We put the date for May 6th. He didn't come to Church yesterday so we might have to push the date back, but we're very excited for him.

We also had the chance to do a service project with the youth and some leaders this Saturday. For those who might not know, service is one of my favorite parts of the mission, right up with Priesthood blessings and Baptisms. We all painted over some 'messages' that some kids had spray painted on the parking lot walls of the Church. Good fun spending some time that way and a nice chance to de-stress a bit. I invite you all this week to spend some time with your ward's youth, they really are awesome kids. Something that becomes more clear to me here.

--

-Elder Allgaier

Lots of pictures this week...

Mia's baptism

A play we did at a neighboring ward to animate them in mission work. here are some missionaries doing a skit about a day in the life of a missionary

Elder Chan's role as the bishop cop

Elder Osorio as the mouse

My role as the ex-missionary young men's president who always talks about soccer with the other Elder Chan

Hermana Angelina, a super sweet convert of a little more than a year who we ate with this past Sunday

Hopefully Bryan Landro and Abe Schuman can recognize this one... The ward brazilians took us to a Brazilian buffet this week, some of the best food I've had in my life!

My plate

service picture

service picture

service

The ward Brazilian, aka ward missionary helper

Weekly Update -- April 18th, 2016

Hello everyone!

Happy late birthday to my cousin Alex! Also an early birthday to Grandma Munford, if I remember well, on the 29th! Hope you both feel one year wiser and that you continue reading the scriptures! Now that my missionary hook is in, this week has been pretty exciting for a few reasons. First, CONGRATULATIONS TO TYLER AND HOLLIE for getting ENGAGED!! Welcome to the family Hollie and may you have a great wedding!

This past week, we filled out a baptismal form for an investigator who we've been teaching for the past month or so. Her name is Mia and she is a daughter of a recently activated family who is amazing. To be honest, we're not the best at teaching 9 year-olds, because we're always teaching young adults or older; they have a bit better retention. However, her Mom has been great with helping her to read the Book of Mormon, understand the commandments, so it almost feels like there's nothing we have to do besides teach. It's like opening a door that you think is stuck then all of the sudden it opens up very easily, hitting yourself in the face. That's kind of how it feels with them. She's getting baptized this Friday at 8p Monterrey time at the Colinas/Huasteca ward building. You are all invited to support her if you can make the trip, but we understand if you can't make it.

I was super happy to hear that my amazing Aunt Becky, very bravely, put up a post in her professional blog about her feelings on the Book of Mormon, offering to give anyone who wanted to read it a free copy. I know she'll be blessed for her faith. In response to that and other events this week, I would like to invite you all to read (in the Bible) James 2 that explains what faith is in relation to works (spoiler). Also, (in the Book of Mormon) Alma 32 which gives a second testimony of this principle. For any of you who might be getting married soon, you are invited to read D&C 131. Love you all and have a great week!

-Elder Allgaier

Activity with the ward

 Elder Lopez with a rat we found in the street...

Elder Chan is a chef actually, stopped studying a year short to serve a mission

My first district activity as DL (District Leader)

Weekly Update -- April 11th, 2016

Hello everyone!

This week, the sister missionaries in the ward had a baptism with an investigator named Auzusena! A really pretty service where practically her whole family came, including her father, who had big doubts about the Church being a Catholic missionary, especially about temples. In the end he supported her in the decision, recognizing the big changes she has had in this past month in her life thanks to the awesome sisters that have been visiting her. Her brother actually saw us on the street one day and asked if we could help her, but they were in the other area. Auzusena was having a lot of problems with drugs and depression which pushed her to a very dark point and made it difficult to start listening at first. Then she opened up little by little, coming to church, stopping drugs, coming to activities and eventually grew a light inside of her that everyone was able to see. I know it is possible for us to truly repent of our sins and become a new person. Heavenly Father weeps when we sin, but continues to love us, which is why he sent His Son to feel the sorrows for us, so that we don't have to suffer. What a blessing it has been to see that change in Auzusena.

In our area, Elder Chan has been learning a lot as well as myself. He is a lot more active in finding and teaching lessons while I am learning how to follow up on commitments, helping me to always love those I teach and serve. I am proud to say that there was not one time this week where I forgot the phone at the house. Only one time where I forgot the keys. Safe to say we are both learning how to be adults.

It's still hard to bring investigators to Church for us, even though they seem to have a strong desire to learn and repent. This week I was happy to hear a story from my Mom who told me of a few co-workers who needed to hear a message of the Plan of Salvation, then talked to the missionaries to more fully understand what it meant. I want to invite those of you who don't know what the Plan of Salvation is to ask a missionary. For those who do, I want to invite you to find someone this week who is suffering from a difficulty and share a simple testimony, stating a gospel doctrine that could console them in this time of need. I hope you will be able to see people around you with a different perspective by searching. Love you all, have a great week!

-Elder Allgaier

sorry for no photos this week, but I'll take more this coming week

Weekly update -- April 4th, 2016

Hello everyone,

Crazy week, but WOW, how about that General Conference! Elder Chan had kind of a tough week with homesickness and we took a trip to the offices so he could get some attention from the President. It seemed to work because he's been more focused and his testimony really makes a difference in the lessons. The thing about training is that the new missionaries come straight from their house and don't have any field experience apart from what they've learned in the MTC. I've had a little bit of experience and have used this last year to try a lot of different methods to have success, finding some methods that work like being enthusiastic, developing the gift of discernment and applying the lessons to the persons needs, even inviting them to be baptized in the first visit. Something that made me uncomfortable in my first few months. Elder Chan still has the idea that we are not allowed to invite people to be baptized the first visit, so, being the trainer, I've had to take the initiative to show that it really can work to fulfill the needs of the people we are teaching, something they want. Just a bit slower working when I have to show principles of teaching in real life instead of focusing more on the investigators. Training is fun though.

I loved the talks this conference, especially Elder Holland's ending words, the last before the semi-annual ice-cream treat, where he mentioned that we were blessed to have these moments of spiritual highs. Moses and Jesus also had these moments, but we all have to come down sometime. Jesus always had to end disputes and break up disagreements even after amazing sermons and teaching opportunities. After conference, we had to visit a few families who weren't willing to make the sacrifice to hear from modern day Prophets of God for some errand. We explained in Ether 12:12 with the Morales family that we cannot have any miracle without a sacrifice first, a proof of faith. The Dad really liked how we explained that and even shared his own example that if we don't plant a seed and care for it, we will never have a fruit. EXACTLY! I was very happy that he understood it because it showed that the Spirit really touched him. How cool of an experience.

I have yet to read your emails that you were all so nice to send me, but I'm excited to hear about your favorite talks. This week I want to invite you all to share your favorite talk with a friend. Preferrably a non-member so that they too can know about living prophets and Apostles, that part is really cool about the true Church to me. Let me know how it goes! Love you all and thank you for your prayers!

-Elder Allgaier

P.S. We also went to the temple, awesome.

On the way to the temple

Mexico City temple

At the temple

Zone Activity

a gift and strange workmanship from Grandma and I found it of great use to translate my notes....