Golden



Chrismas!

Christmas was amazing!! The best part of course was talking to you guys!! We were also fed breakfast lunch and dinner! Pretty great, oh and happy birthday mom! sorry I forgot to tell you that during skype! Something else I forgot to tell you guys is that I had to buy a GPS with my home money because We were in dire need of one, because the streets here are just one big maze, and nobody else has a GPS! 

 

So it was a pretty great week! Not as much success as we would have hoped, because everybody was gone... but we still saw miracles! for instance, we had received an online referral to this lady who wanted a bible, so we go to the address and the lady answers the door, and she was super crazy, we gave her, her bible and she started going off about Bill Gates for some reason and how he wanted her to go on tour with him? Then she started talking about when she was in jail...haha crazy. So we left, but as we started driving away, I felt prompted to try knocking her neighbor's door, so we did and a dude came out and said "I can't help you boys" and slammed the door, so we tried the next one and again, door slam! so we got pretty discouraged... we decided to try one last door and this lady named Katelyn answered, and she was golden! She had a Mormon friend while she was getting trained to be in the army, so she went to church a lot and said that it was her favorite one out of all the churches! She wasn't raised Christian. So boom miracle! Enduring pays off! haha!

 

We still knocked it haha!

This one doesn't need an explanation.... haha! 

 

Anyways I love you guys a bunch! 

 

Elder Allen

 

 

 

My friend!

 

Warner Robins Christmas

Hello Elder Anderson!   #DatTractingLife



Goodbye Jose Santos.... :(

It is always hard to get transferred! I was super nervous, the leaving is the hardest part now, it used to be the transition from place to place and companion to companion, but now that I've done it a couple of times, it wasn't hard at all! I'm already loving my new area Warner Robins!!! It's awesome! The members here are awesome, our meal calendar is actually full, and we are hoping for a baptism on the 2nd of January!! Her name is Anne and she has been taught by the missionaries for quite some time now, super rad old lady! My new companion's name is Elder Anderson! He is a rad cat, it took a little for him to come out of his shell, but once he did, he was hilarious! 

For Christmas we are being fed Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner, I swear this place is like a mini Utah! haha! and I should be calling you guys around 12 my time, so like 10:00 your time! I'm Stoked! I everyone liked their gifts!!

 



Goodbye Auburn... :(

We were invited to a Christmas party and we had a bonfire!! Good time, good time!

This past week was pretty slow, we worked hard, but not a lot of things happened, we did have a cool experience last night, we went over to this less active/part member family, and showed them the Christmas video, and the wife who's not a member really liked it! She got curious about our beliefs so we are going to teach her this Wednesday!

 

Grandma and Grandpa Allen sent me this Poem that I really liked!



I knew three men, courageous men
One blind, one poor, one ill.
And when I sympathized with them they said it is God's will.

The blind man said, 'tho I am blind
My life is no total loss.
For my sufferings are simple and few
Compared to the sufferings he went through
From the cradle to the cross."

The poor man said "I am rich, not poor
Two ways he has blessed my course,
He has given me a love for my fellow men
In that priceless sermon he preached to them
From the cradle to the cross."

Then spoke the man too ill to rise,
And there as I watched him toss,
He spoke through lips that were parched with pain
"Pray tell me friend, Why should I complain
 When men like me and all mankind, too,
Should thank him for what he went through,
From the cradle to the cross."

Goodbye Garry.....:(

 



#ItsTheMostWonderfulTimeOfTheYear 

#ASavoirIsBorn

#Christmas 

I love you guys a bunch!!

Elder Allen

https://www.mormonchannel.org/watch/collection/christmas/what-shall-we-give-christmas-music-video-1-1

I like this song a lot!!

 

New Address

Elder Raleigh Allen
210 Southland Station Drive #156
Warner Robins, GA 31088-3235

Leaving Auburn!

My boy Elder Clark at Zone Conferences!

Some goodbyes...:(



The Lambsons, a very legit family!!

 

 

Vazion, and investigator!

So I'm getting moved!!! :( I'm pretty bummed, but at the same time I've stayed here for like 6 months so it's been a good run! I'm really going to miss this area a bunch!! It has been one of my favorites if not favorite areas of my entire mission! Good ole Auburn! This coming transfer I could go to two areas Warner Robbins Georgia or Douglas Georgia, I'm excited to find out!! Anything could happen! If I go to Warner Robins, I will be with a greenie, but if I go to Douglas I'll be with Elder Godinez again!! We'll see what happens!

I got you package early so now I have to lug around a bunch of Christmas presents! haha! Did you guys get my package yet? I think you'll all enjoy the things I got you guys!! I hope yours, Jays, and dads presents are alright! They are a little fragile, but you should enjoy!

My Boy Wil Wilson! This guys got some pipes!

It's kinda been a slow week, but we did have 4 investigators at church!! Gary is finally better, and he hit the ground running! right as he healed up, he started reading and looking at lds.org like crazy, he is doing awesome!

https://www.mormon.org/christmas/purpose-of-a-savior

 

Great vid! #It'sTheMostWonderfulTimeOfTheYear!!

Love you guys a bunch!!

Elder Allen

 

some picture from last pday sorry not much..

 

I got the Christmas card you sent!! Let me just say that it is way better than last years! haha! I don't really have all to much to say this week, it started of really well we went out with a member named Wil, to go teach this young couple that we found while tracting, they are going to have a baby here pretty soon, super nice people named Lawrence and Susie! When before we started teaching them we were talking to them about there new baby and Lawrence pointed at a picture on the wall of a different baby, and he said that that was the older brother, but that he had died a couple months after birth. So you know what we taught them! THE PLAN OF SALVATION! 🙆! The best lesson, in my opinion that we get to teach people!!! it brings such a peace to my life to know that this is not the end!! That we will be together as families forever! It's just an awesome thing!!! 

Elder Hawkins before he got sick, haha!

 

Other than that, we went on exchanges with the Zone Leaders, it was super fun and super successful! Then on Tuesday night, Elder Hawkins got super sick so we've been inside for pretty much the whole week... BEING SICK STINKS!! I went a little insane for a bit there! haha!

 

Anyways Love you guys a bunch!

 

Elder Allen

http://www.mormonchannel.org/watch/collection/christmas/a-savior-is-born

 

Let us never forget the really meaning of Christmas!!! If we can remember why we really celebrate, we will simplify this season! I really love these videos! Share them!! #ASaviorIsBorn

Isaiah 9:6

6 For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.

Thanksgiving 2015



We went fishing last Pday and did a little service for the member who let us go fishing off his dock!! 

I had the catch of the day!! Sadly it really was the catch of the day.....haha!

It says, respect your elders! haha!

I survived Thanksgiving!!! It wasn't at all as bad as last year! We had the same amount of meals, but they were all pretty spread out and the second meal was just a bowl of soup from this sweet elderly couple! It was a great day! I'm so ready for Christmas!!! haha! We've already started listening to some sweet Christmas tunes!! haha!



Gerber came back for a couple of days!!!

I'm doing pretty awesome! I'm very happy and lovin' life! The worst thing about this week is that Gary has been pretty sick so we still go over to visit him, but we can't talk to him for to long, and he wasn't able to come to church or to a thanksgiving activity that some members put on.... But other than that everything is gold!!

I'm not sure when our P-days go back to Monday, I still need to find out if Auburn is going to have a bowl game or not. This town is crazy right now because to day is THE IRON BOWL!!!! One of the biggest games in college football and it is being played in Auburn! I'm really not sure how big the game will really be because from what I hear Alabama is number two and Auburn isn't doing to well... They started tailgating at the beginning of the week! Football is life or death for people down here! It's pretty ridiculous....

We are hoping one of our investigators Johnathan can come to church tomorrow! He said that he might have time this Sunday to come, so we are praying for it!! Other than that nothing to eventful this week. I love you guys and hope all is well!

Elder Allen

https://www.mormonchannel.org/watch/series/mormon-messages/thanksgiving-daily-1

kinda cheesy, but hey, what are you taking for granted? what are you thankful for?

I am so thankful for my (not in any particular order) Family, friends, My Savior, The people I'm teaching, My God, The chance I have to be alive and a missionary, the ward I'm in and all the wards I've served and will ever serve in, every single one of my companions, my trials, the good times in my life, music, the plan of happiness, my clothing, the little apartment I'm living in, the fact that I have a washing and drying machine, the scriptures, everyone of the prophets, Food, "technology, but not as much as you, you see, but I still love technology" because it allows us to email and face time! and the list goes on and on!!!!!   

 

I'm doing great! I'm lovin' life and still livin' the dream!! haha!! Not much has changed! Being district leader isn't hard at all, really it just helps you grow a bit more! I'm loving it! And yes I'm still with Elder Hawkins. It's been a good ole time!

So for Thanksgiving we already have 3 dinners set up, but possibly 4, because some of the members of our ward are putting on a thanksgiving feast for people who don't really have family around, and if we can get Gary to go to that then we'll have to go as well! Oh boy......😦 I might have to fast the day before! 

 



We had a crazy rain storm on Wednesday, it was fun! 

Jose Santos (a member) went out with us on Thursday, we drove by a taco truck and I told him that I'd never been to it so he paid for us to have some tacos!! They were amazing!!! #TacoTrucks #WhoNeedWaffleLoveWhenYouHaveTriny'sFood

Our Investigators are doing great!! Gary got bronchitis this week which was a bummer, but we gave him a blessing yesterday, so hopefully he'll get better so he can come to church! I've probably already talk about a kid name Jonathan, anyways, we went to see him with a member named Wil, and we had a great lesson, Jonathan has really progressed, and I feel like he would come to church if he wasn't working every day!!! Anyways, we read with him in Alma 32 about the seed of faith, and he got a lot out of it! And at the end of the lesson HE VOLUNTEERED TO SAY THE CLOSING PRAY AND IT WAS GREAT!! At the end of his prayer he just stopped and said "wow do you guys feel that!" It was great! We are trying to get him to ask for time off on Sundays, because I know he would like church, he would feel something even stronger there!

Anyways I love you guys a bunch! We plan on going fishing today at a members house!! It should be fun!!

Elder Raleigh Allen



My picture for the Christmas card... haha!😁

 

 

 

Staying!

I'M STAYING IN AUBURN!



Some Spanish Elders!

I'm pretty stoked to stay here for four more weeks! It's only four because this transfer is one week shorter than normal because if it wasn't transfers would fall three days before Christmas. So next transfer will be 7 weeks long instead of 6. I can't believe it is almost December!! kinda...I'm pretty excited for Christmas already, that's pretty bad considering it's not even Thanksgiving yet.....

 This week has gone pretty well, nothing to out of the blue just normal missionary work, I've been made the district leader, but other than that nothing out of the blue, just a bunch of good lessons and fun times trying to find new people and new places to tract, it is hard sometimes to find new areas with Hispanics in them considering this place is like 2% Hispanic... (just a guess) But I'm still loving it here! It will be sad to leave!!

Oh I do have some good news! So an elder just got to this zone coming from Pooler, so at zone training meeting I asked him about all of my old investigators! So Gloria, Elizabeth, and her family are still super active in the church and Elizabeth even teaches English class! He said that Gloria is a super stellar fellowshipper as well! Jasmine, I don't know if I ever talked about her, but anyways she still wants to join the church, but her husband still won't let her... It's just good to hear that she still has that flame burning!! And Joel I still struggling with stuff, but still wants to join as well! It was super great to hear that!!

 

http://www.mormonchannel.org/watch/series/mormon-messages/mountains-to-climb-2

"we never need feel that we are alone or unloved in the Lords service, because we never are"

Anyways I love you guys a bunch!!

 

Elder Allen

 

We biked in the cold rain last Sunday, all you can do is smile and make the best of those kinds of situations! haha!

Oh and if you notice my hand is super swollen because my allergies to the cold.... my whole body was covered in hives...haha!!

 

 

 

 

 

We finally went to Chewakla

Simba

So I have no Idea if I'm leaving yet and I won't find out until tonight!!!! It's pretty lame, but that's the problem with p-days on Saturdays.... so if I don't email you on Saturday, I've been moved... :( I honestly don't want to leave!!!!!!!😵


playing pool!

Look who I found while I was flipping through the ensign.... haha!

Gary is doing amazing! If you can't tell by his name he isn't Hispanic... but he lives on a street with a bunch of Hispanics! haha! that's how we found him! haha! Anyways, we went over to his house yesterday with a member named Bro. Carmona and had a great lesson, we talked more about receiving personal revelation and about baptism, and invited him to pray about, and set, a baptismal date! He said that he would! I'm really loving the growth I've seen in him and how much happier he has gotten!! You should have seen him the first time we taught him! He is sooooo much happier with the gospel in his life! It's amazing!

Found a snake in the grass!!

Me and Elder Hawkins are doing very well! I am learning a lot from him! haha! I'm coming to find out that you can learn something from anybody!



Well I love you guys a bunch!

Elder Allen

 



Halloween 2015

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!



During the Halloween lockdown!!

Not a college game, but the closest we could get! haha!

I'm still lovin' and livin' the dream folks!! This week has been pretty different, we did a lot of things that kinda throw you off the grove of things, which was kind of nice!! So for starters we went to the ward trunk or treat, which was pretty fun, plus a free dinner!! Some people had made some pretty delicious chili! Sadly we didn't dress up this year or anything, like last year, but still fun none the less!! Then on Thursday, we had the Halloween lock down, because apparently, they don't celebrate Halloween on the games days of the College or the High school football teams! haha! So they moved Halloween to Thursday! haha! Then on Friday we got invited to the high school football games by one of our investigators named Vaizon, so we asked the ZLs if we could go and we got permission! so that was pretty fun I guess.... It was kind of a boring game.... plus we had to leave early because of curfew and all! haha! Anyways a pretty fun week!



In the woods again! haha

We have been seeing a lot of progression with Gary!! We swung by his house yesterday with a member and man, that was one of the best lessons on faith/receiving an answer I've ever had!! I really hope that Gary get's that answer pretty soon here!! It would be nice if I could see him get baptized, but I'm not sure that will happen, because transfers are a week from this Tuesday! So don't send me anything unless you know it will get to me by the 10th of November!!!

 

Say hi to Jacob for me!! feed him or something!! haha!!

  https://www.mormonchannel.org/watch/series/mormon-messages/the-will-of-god-2

This has always been one of my favorites even before my mission! #GetHumble

I love you guys!!!

Elder Allen

 

Sweater Weather

Sweater Weather

This week has been pretty rad! We are just finding so many legit people to teach! Let me just say how nice it is to bring members out with you! It helps out a ton! I'm still lovin' it, and still livin' the dream!

 

I can't say I've eaten anything out of the ordinary this week, but we did eat with some members, the wife is from Peru, and they made us some pretty good Hispanic chicken, rice, and mashed potatoes, they also had Mexican coke!

 

The weather down here has been amazing!! There were a couple of days this week that scared me because they reminded me how bad winter winds can be down here! Plus we were on bikes those days, so we actually wore sweaters for the first time in forever!! But other than that, it's been pleasant!

My companion and I are doing great! Like I said we are having more success in a lot of my other areas, so I'm pretty happy! here's a funny story for you, we went over to one of our investigators houses named Martin, and he had just added a new room to his trailer, so Elder Hawkins tried to tell him that he like his new room, but what he said instead was " I like your new body"....haha pretty funny!

 

The people we are teaching are doing great! Hopefully we'll get a baptism sometime! that would be great!! Haha

Anyways I love you guys a bunch!!

Elder Allen

I got a hair cut....sad day...

#redcross#secertpaths#pakistanfood

Secret path to a trailer park!

 http://www.mormonchannel.org/watch/series/mormon-messages/reflections

The new Mormon message, and another great one!! I need to work on this one a lot! When hard times come our way we can blame others and stay miserable or we can work our way our of self pity and serve others!!

I'm doing pretty great today!  We are planning on going to Chewakla, the state park place, so I'm pretty happy!

Red Cross!

So what we did with the red cross wasn't anything crazy like help with the flooding in South Carolina or anything cool like that.... haha... All we did was go to Columbus and help the Red Cross with helping people learn about fire safety and to install free fire detectors to anyone who needed one. So pretty much go door to door teaching people and handing out stuff to help them live safer lives..... (not like we don't do that everyday.....haha)!

A couple of pictures from Downtown Opelika

 



Yes I still love this area and yes we are still having a lot of success lately because we have started trying to get more member present lessons and that has helped us a whole lot!! Sadly we have kinda lost contact with Flora and her family.... we have been trying to go over almost every night, but they never answer the door, so we will probably give her some space for a little bit.. But we are getting some other pretty sweet investigators!! This area is awesome and I'm going to be pretty sad when I leave it!

I did get your package and letter!! thanks a bunch!!

Anyways that's pretty much it for now, I love you guys!

Elder Allen

 



Add caption

We ran into this guy from Pakistan a while back, his name is Farrukh, He is a super sweet guy! We were in the area one day and we decided to check up on him and the next thing we know we are eating dinner with him! he made us this traditional food that tasted amazing! That was a pretty rad experience!!