Weekly Update -- August 29th, 2016 (yes, pictures!!)

Hello everyone!

Yesterday, Karla, Leslie (her daughter), Mary (her sister), Jesus (Mary's husband who recently came back from Texas), Morelia (Mary and Jesus' daughter) AND Morina (Karla's Mom) all came to Church!! The whole family of six (not including three other little kids) came in a 30 minute walk all the way and had an excellent time listening to the speakers and participating in the gospel principles class. Elder Eusebio and I were very excited to pass by them on bikes. They even overcame the opposition when Morina's wheelchair broke a bit on the way (did I mention she just recovered recently from a foot injury, still walked). What a great example of diligence. They're progressing very well towards their baptismal dates on the 11 and 25 of September, Karla especially can hardly wait.

Recently, we also met a less-active family where both parents work, but the two kids (Debany, 13 and Edwin, 12) are amazing. When we talked to them a few weeks ago, they told us they were willing to go to Church as long as someone came to get them. The branch President (also awesome) volunteered to do so and they went the first week! The same Sunday, Debany committed to going to seminary every morning. For those who don't know, seminary is a before school scripture study class for High school aged kids and Debany gets up around 5-5:30a to do so. Just like that. She is also a great friend to another girl named Kimberly who has a baptismal date this coming week, in part because Debany has befriended her. She even reminds me a bit of my sister Kristyn. Edwin is one day going to play for the Monterrey fútbol team, look for him in 8 years. They're both awesome.

Not sure exactly how organized this update is, but we feel really blessed to see the success we're having. Thinking about an invitation this week, I thought about letting you all make me an invitation. My Mom actually asigned me a talk that I'm going to look at for this week, but what do you all feel that is something that I can do to continually spiritually progressing? Love you all, have a great week. 18 months this Sunday!!

-Elder Allgaier

Antenojeno and Nelida who are in the process of getting married and our branch mission leader with us after the lesson

Our DOM or branch mission leader

Peanut butter jelly tortilla

With the bikes

The house of prayer of Alianza Real

Nice mexican landscape

Weekly Update -- August 22nd, 2016

Hello everyone,

Let me take a break from stories about investigators and tell a bit about the weather. The past two months I've been motivated by the thought that this will be the last heat wave of my mission, the last hump. From here on out it's only getting to be better weather. Last week we had the last bit of 'canicula' followed by a couple of days of good rain. I'd say that just about cooled things off. The weather in Monterrey is infamously temporate. One of those days of rain, anybody could tell it was coming because the temperature drops about 25 degrees and a huge dust wave came in, forcing us to hide in a local 'Oxxo' (kind of like a 711 type store) for about 15 minutes. Thanks for the AWESOME package by the way, it came two weeks ago, but forgot to mention it. Also came with the Cicerone family's Christmas picture!

Anyways, now that the cultural time is over, I can tell a bit about the work here in Alianza Real C. We're doing pretty well in our own area and in the zone in general, but the assistants gave us an idea on how we can improve even more by focusing on how we commit people. Not so much on the words we say, but the actions leading up to the lesson in whole. For example Elder Eusebio and I cleaned the house today, sweeping, mopping, doing dishes, everything. The Spirit is stronger there so we can testify with stronger authenticity, from our own experience, that the missionaries should take the time to clean their own house to receive similar blessings. Is that not what the mission is for?

I know that the Spirit testifies of our words and is the key to helping anyone receiving a testimony by taking up an invitation. By acting. Something I learned over a long period of time in a commitment keeping drought. I think we can apply this in all of our lives by living in a way that we are doing the things we ask others to do. That would be such a better world than one with a 'do as I say not what I do' type attitude. So, invitiation: clean house. Mothers are excluded from this invitation. They are invited to thank those who accept this invitation. Thinking a bit more, you can choose to take this invitation spiritually as well. Not really sure how to give an example, but just think of ways to strenghten your spiritual committing power by being authentic in your speech as well as in your actions.

Happy 13th birthday this Friday Kristyn! Love you!

Sorry for the picture problem, I'm getting a charger this week, it ends now.

-Elder Allgaier

Pictures from August 1st

Somehow I missed these pictures that Elder Allgaier sent on August 1st. Some are kind of blurry, but I figured some are better than none! : ) -- Elder Allgaier's mom

Found a way to get my comp's pictures for the week! --Elder Allgaier

just before a push up contest

Elder Eusebio enjoying the nice rain we got this week

Inside

good companionship study

better study

Weekly Update -- August 15th, 2016

Hello everyone,

Umm, first, a final congratulations to the now Tyler and Hollie Allgaier on their wedding last Saturday. I know I mentioned it last week, but it's worth it. For those who want to know how I felt being here instead of there, I honestly felt at peace with the decision. It almost wasn't even something that had to be thought out because I already knew how it was going to play out. Maybe that's Heavenly Father blessing me with an eternal perspective of things. I know that He and my family know that the work here is important enough to keep my thoughts centered. I did, however, mention it to a few of the people we are teaching to give them some motivation for their own eternal families.

Oddly, there were no investigators who came to Church this week for one reason or another. Not really stressing because we know of at least a couple who have planned to come for sure, for sure the next week. One couple named Antenojeno (say that 10 times fast) and his girlfriend Nélida, who have previously talked to the missionaries but failed to commit to getting married, received an answer that they should get married. That is the biggest thing impeding them from progressing right now considering they already have the desire to be baptized, which is great news for us, now we just need to work with the members to get it done as quickly as possible.

As for an invitation, I want to check up first on how you're doing on your Book of Mormon reading that I challenged you all to complete at the beginning of the summer. Have you finished it? How was your experience? I assume many of you have not. Honestly, I have been doing less than on pace as well. SO, this week, I invite you all to listen to the Book of Mormon in your spare time and hope that you will find a scripture or part of a story that you can relate in your life right now. Love you all, thank you for your prayers, keeping me and missionaries worldwide in your thoughts and prayers.

 

-Elder Allgaier

Weekly Update -- August 8th, 2016

Hello everyone!

Crazy week, but it's all behind us now. First of all, I had the first Zone conference as a Zone leader which made me a bit nervous because the President comes to see how we train and teach the missionaries in the zone. On top of that, I had a rough morning forgetting memory cards we were going to use to explain that missionaries need to read more than just once chapter three of PMG, forgot my phone, and money for the bus. But the bus didn't really matter because we took the wrong one and had to call the President to pick us up. That was pretty humbling. Luckily, the Spirit was there and the conference went well, despite a rough morning. I don't know how, but with about half the time this week, we still completed our normal missionary work. Contacting (or tracting I've heard some people call it too) on buses and the metro, I had a great feeling just handing out Jesus cards and seeing the smile on the other person's face when they got it and started a little small talk. Simple missionary work goes a long way.

Yesterday (Sunday), we were really blessed to see SIX investigators come to Church. I want to tell the stories of the three families who came.

Mirna married a member, but is very less active and we just knocked on their door randomly one day and they listened very attentively. The husband left for Mexico City for the next year, but the wife and her nephew came to Church for the first time and had a great experience getting to know some of the members.

Karla and her daughter Leslie came for the second time and yesterday we were talking a bit about baptism again, asking how they felt and she mentioned to Elder Eusebio that she received her answer that she should be baptized in this Church while singing the hymn 'I am a Child of God'. This is the true Church everyone, the Spirit testifies of it when we are sincerely looking for an answer.

Luis and Gloria are a son and Mom who's dad left them a few years ago, never go to any Church and don't pray. The best lesson of the week was when we went to see them on Thursday to explain the Restoration. Pretty normal, not very many questions, 'oh that's cool', or 'yeah, I get it'. Then at the end we asked Luis to say the prayer and he did, hesitantly. The most sincere prayer I've heard in a long time, also one of the most simple. He just gave thanks to Heavenly Father for helping him and his Mom through these past couple of years. We looked up at the end and they were both crying. Then Saturday, they gave us Vera Crucian tomales!

Kind of a long email, sorry. But I want to give a shout out to Tyler and Hollie who will be sealed for all time and eternity this Saturday! Super happy for them even though I won't be able to be there in person. Good luck to you both! To leave a kind of random invitation, I want to ask for some unbiased information (or biased, whatever) about the political candidates for this upcoming election. Even though I'm out of the country for my first time, I know enough that youth don't vote and that makes the future of the great USA not too great. Much appreciated. Love you all, take care!

 

-Elder Allgaier

Still working on camera stuff, hopefully I'll be able to take pictures this week.

Weekly Update -- August 1st, 2016

Hello everyone!

We're back on bikes here in the branch of Alianza Real C and that means bike repairs. First we had to fix the back tire on Elder Eusebio's bike, then on Saturday, one of my pedals completely broke off! Hopefully it won't cost the mission too much, but I really like being back on bikes, also the fact that we're allowed to wear sunglasses in the mission now.

Pretty crazy week due to a few different tasks out of the ordinary. First, we have a zone conference which means WE are training the missionaries in front of the President and his wife and the assistants about chapter 3 of Preach my Gospel (invitation this week, read this chapter!!) We were planning it every morning of the week leaving us less time to do the rest of our preaching responsibilities. Apart from that, we're moving the house, so I haven't really been able to unpack. A little side note, the ZLs have a sweet house. It even has air conditioning!! Not common in the mission and the first time for me. 

However, like my ex ZL Elder Greenwood (who just happens to be in my zone for his last change before going home, along with Elder Zambrano, my ex DL) told me one time 'we've been able to work much more efficiently as leaders, having the same amount of work, but with less time.' That has been realized this week ending with the same dats as a normal week. I pin it on my great companion as well. Even with less time, we also brought four investigators to Church this week! Carla, Morelia, Leslie and Daniel. I'm so happy for them and they all look very good to be baptized in about a month.

Just to end with a few notes, congrats to Bryce for graduating military basic training. Super proud of him for that. Not sure what happened with the investigators from Fraustro this week, but I'm going to email Elder Aguilar to find out. Love you all, have a great week!

-Elder Allgaier

sorry for no pictures again this week, I'm going to find an adapter to be able to charge my camera battery this week.