5-23-11

Madre:

Cuff links came! They're actually REALLY nice. I am really surprised. we're going to buy some porsche ones for President Pehrson as a going away gift.

Not too much went on this week, we're still working hard with Alisalin, still no date :(. We did have some good member lessons though and met some of our other inactives that I haven't met before. I bought a bike! You'd be really proud of me. I got it for a whopping twenty dolla and the rims are in good shape, everything is in good shape, the frame is a little rusty, but I'll send you pictures of the before and after. The thing that has been most expensive is tools. We were missing a wrench so we had to go get that. I was going to paint it today, but it's really humid and cloudy -- it'll never dry!

The IFLY sounds sweet! We'll have to do that when I get home.

Amanda Hernandez had her baby shower this last week. I still don't know why it's called a shower, I didn't see any water. Something funny: elder Walkenhorsts uncle, when his wife had a baby, told all the men in the family that the guys were going to get together and ahve a "tub" hahaha.

We're having fun and looking good doing it! We're healthy and working. Hopefully we can find some more people to teach this week, we have a goal to knock doors for an hour a day. (kill me!) It will be good though.

I love you all!!!

Elder Conner Allred

May 16, 2011

Hey madre!

I'll be anxious to see the cuff-links! haha.

Thanks for retouching the pictures, that's perfect! We got transfer calls last saturday, well, more like we DIDN'T get them. So Elder Walkenhorst and I will be staying! yay! I'm pretty excited to do stay for another transfer! Elder Walkenhorst and I have been having a lot of fun. In case you didn't know, he lives on 8600 south! Pretty nuts.

We have been pushing for Alisalin to get baptized and she said she would have an answer for us on Thursday. I'm excited for her, I hope she can realize that it's a great decision that she is ready to make. I know she is. She is afraid her mother won't be happy, but I had a feeling to say "If you do this, your mother will follow in your footsteps," so, knowing that the Lord wont' make me a liar, I am excited to meet her mother and begin working with her as well. We are going to see if we can meet with her this or next week.

Dionicio came to church!(Candy's "husband") I think I have told you about Candy. Her husband has never really wanted to come to church but he finally came last yesterday! It was so great! He definitely seemed nervous, but our Elders Quorum teacher made him feel comfortable so it was really great. I think he found it to be a lot less hectic and/or scary than he excpected.

The weather here is GREAT! BE JEALOUS! It's green and usually always above 70. Speaking of which, Elder Walkenhorst and I are going to go buy bikes today. But, we're going to do it cheaply. So I will talk to my dad as well but I'm thinking max 170. We found some road bikes at a pawn shop, gonna swindle with them a little and then build up the bikes from there, we found cogs and other parts for really cheap at a local bike shop. We're going to build some single gears. :) It'll be a fun P-Day project. Especially since we don't have the car today!

Not much else is giong on. I love you!!!!!!!! I hope everything is going well, tell everyone I miss them. Tell Chris I was thinking about WoW the other day and almost cried. hahaha.

-Elder Conner Allred

5-2-11

Hi Fam!

Well I'll probably be calling on Sunday around 3ish my time. Or 4ish. It really depends on when we get home from church and if we have any visits -- but expect something around then.

We had a good week and Alisalin is doing very well! We still haven't set a date, she wants to wait a little bit longer to be "sure." If I had a nickle for every time I have heard that... I am almost tempted to tell her "Alisalin, everyone says that and they always end up getting baptized, so just save yourself the stress and do it!" But we'll give her a little time haha.

We have a lesson tonight with an english member and his Colombian friend. They told us that they've already been reading the Book of Mormon so this should be great!

I'm glad that I've been able to stay out -- I'm enjoying being here and It's amazing to think that I don't really have much more time left! I thought it'd never come but it's coming a lot faster than you'd expect.

It's funny what you said about bishop. We have been pretending to talk like Karl Malone lately in our apartment and I told everyone the story of when the Bailey's came over to eat. haha.

I'm not really sure what else to talk about! I would like some more cut off socks though if you could send them. And my red vans. I love you all. Aventuras Grandes!

-Elder Conner Allred

4-25-11

Hey Family!

Happy Easter to you too! I realized as I was studying on Saturday morning that I never have read all the way through the resurrection story in the Bible, so on Saturday, I did it! And I read it using Jesus the Christ as well. What a powerful story. It's so neat that Mary goes to the tomb and there's nothing but an angel who tells her "Fear not ye: for I know that ye seek Jesus, which was crucified. He is not here: for he is risen..."

How beautiful those words, no? Unfortunately it seems Mary didn't understand what the angel had said, says James E. Talmage. But to the rest, those must have been such comforting words. Had Jesus Christ simply lied to rest for all eternity it would have shown one of two things.

1. He failed to complete the atonement

2. He was just a good man.

But he rose again, and He conquered death for all of us. It was a really great Easter Day.

Alisalin, our newest investigator, loves church! She told me last night on the phone that she knows the Book of Mormon to be true and that she knows Joseph Smith to have been a prophet. We are going to shoot for the 7th of May for her baptismal date. She's such a great lady, she has literally just been waiting for this opportunity, I don't know how she wasn't found before.

With Abraham and Isaac you have to remember that everything back then was in a similitude of the Only Begotten of the Father. God was showing Abraham what it takes to be able to freely give up your own son. So that Abraham could understand what the Father has to go through. As we learn in the Book of Mormon, the people on that side of the earth were very incredulous, very wicked, they needed the law of moses to be so rigid because they couldn't figure it out any other way, and they still messed up a lot! But, since Christ has left the Holy Ghost with us, we have a "spirit of the law" type of situation in our lives which is a lot easier to live with and a lot less animal killing. PETA is happy about that I think.

The cars sound awesome! Except the Mustang, Convertible? Is it pink, too? Converts are girls cars hahaha. We live up the street from a BMW dealer, so we accidentally walk through quite often.

Hopefully Megg will be well, I'll be praying.

4-18-11

Hey family!

You're going to think this is really stupid, but I read through all your e-mails and then I was studying spanish and lost track of time... and now I remembered "OH NO! I didn't write them back!" So here's a quick update!

Member referrals are the best! A member from the Groton ward introduced us to his girlfriend, Alisalin, she is dominican and she is so great! We had a great lesson with her last week and the tears started flowing, the spirit was really strong. She came to church and loved it, so I think we're going to set up a baptismal date with her this week.

The trees are getting green finally, and so that means pollen is in town, it's a downer :( But I love the spring! It's pretty warm today, about 60 degrees!

Anyway, love you!!

Elder Conner Allred

4-11-11

Hey family:

Well it's been a good week! I had my first district meeting and I felt like it went really well! The other elders were attentive and the spirit was definitely there so I felt like things went well. President Pehrson pulled me aside last night at a mission concert we had and he let me know how much he trusts in me and how he believes I have "great leadership skills." It really does feel good to hear those words from him. Not only because of his calling, but because of his profession as well! I hope he realizes though, that when he speaks to us he really is speaking for the Lord. It is such a grand calling, I feel like the missionaries understand that -- that he speaks for Christ. But it's so hard to get our investigators to understand that when we speak... we ALSO speak for Christ.

In district meeting we talked about our purpose and focused on love. Love is so important to missionary work. If we love the people we are teaching, we will desire their salvation. That I may be able to love everyone I meet and work with is my prayer.

I have 4 companionships in my district: Norwich, Groton, Waterford, and us (New London). They are all english and we're the only spanish elders. I really enjoy being able to work with each of these elders. It's great! Basically I'm just the go to guy if they have questions and then I collect numbers. Snore! But the exciting part of my "job" is to conduct district meeting and go on 24 hour exchanges.

Funny, your diet is the opposite of mine! I've been trying to gain weight for the past three weeks... I have officially put on one whole pound. STUPID.

Rosa fell off the planet. We have no idea where she went.

Anyway, I love you all and pray for you.

-Love,

Elder Conner Allred

April 4, 2011

Family,

Conference was great! I especially liked how direct President Monson was, it's refreshing! I loved that he talked about taking the Lord's name in vain. It drives me insane out here because hispanics (yes, even members) tell me "Well Elder, you have to understand, it's our culture." I just want to scream -- but I don't -- "Well! It's culture now-a-days to fornicate and do drugs! But you don't see that as an excuse for sin there!" I did tell that to someone once, and I think using the spirit, it works haha. I think one of my favorite talks was given by Elder Packer about the Sabbath day, though. That is one message that everyone in our branch needs to hear -- too bad they don't go to church in order to hear it!

Not a whole lot went on this week because of conference. We did get a chance to clean up the apartment on Friday because we had deep cleaning and then we taught a few lessons and we continue on!

Well, I'm not getting transferred luckily! Yay!

I too have been watching my weight etc. But more trying to gain it. We started working out twice a day. Once in the morning and then at night after daily planning during our free time. So hopefully I can get something out of that.

love you all!

-Elder Conner Allred