marca la quinoa

I am still loving my mission. My companion is the best thing that has happened to me. We get along so well, and I never have to tell her to be obedient or work hard. She is such a blessing. Transfers are in 2 weeks, and I´m nervous that president will snatch me away from her. I really hope not.

I forgot most of what happened this week, but a couple random moments:

1-- We were in a lesson with a lady that has an autistic daughter, and she was going through all my stuff in my backpack. She got to the tiny pocket, and what does she whip out? TAMPONS!!! her mom just looked at them and said "oh look, you found her... what are those?" hahahhahaha.... no one here uses them. I was on splits with Hna. Hansen at the time, and we were DYING laughing. 

2-- Emily´s Grandma died this week, and we went over to give them some stuffed animals and UNO (thanks mom!). They were all sad cuz here, they mourn the death for like a week straight and just stare at the picture of the person. it´s depressing. So we played UNO with all the kids. We distracted them for as long as we could. 

3-- All of my companions have told me I talk in my sleep. Sometimes in English, others in Spanish. This week it was spanish haha. I also will wake up without a sweater on sometimes. This week I woke up with a DIFFERENT sweater on, and I didn´t know how it happened. I guess I´m a heavy sleeper. 

I have had so many moments this week where I feel so much love for the people here, and my heart feels like it´s going to burst. My mission has been so good to me. I´ve gone through more than I would have EVER chosen to go through, but it has refined me, and I feel so much closer to the person I need to be for my future.

This last little bit of my mission has been hard in regards to not thinking about family, but luckily it only happens at night when I´m trying to sleep. All of my dreams have been about being at home... I HATE THAT because I honestly don´t want to leave. It´s just hard to think about leaving all these people and experiences behind. I´ll be sad to leave, but I´m excited to start the rest of my life. 

Love, Hermana Allred

1-- me and the chinito

2-- ward family night.

3-- we went on splits this week. got to eat with hna. vickie. LOVE HER

4-- it´s election time. there´s propoganda all over the place

1-- look at that baby. He kills me.

2-- puno puno puno

Lunes de lentejitas

I LOVE MY MISSION. Can I just make that clear? I love it. These last 3 weeks have been some of my favorites. There are a million factors that could make me hate this place... but the thing is, I don´t even pay attention to them anymore. I am so blessed to be here. The fact that this ward needs so much help just shows how much president trusts me to be here. We have a LOT of work to do, and a lot of leaders to (conseguir... translate it), and I feel like these last 2 months of my mission are going to be the busiest.

Nilda and Paul are some of my favorite people. She accepted to be baptized in the first lesson. Her husband has been preparing her this whole time, and we just need to finish up teaching and clear up a few doubts she has. She´s ready. I love them. 

I realized this week that (once again) I love kids. They are the funniest things. They are so sweet and innocent. I want a whole house full of them. Also, I want to teach primary forever. They are the cutest little spuds. Some of them... not so much... but I´ve gotten some of the best ones in my class. 

It´s getting closer to the end... it´s unreal. I never thought it would end, but it is. I am happy, and sad, and tired, and just... every emotion you can feel all wrapped into one. I feel so excited about the future. As long as I keep giving it my all, God will help me when I get home. For those of you that don´t know already, I get home on October 22nd. My homecoming talk will be in 2 different wards. one in ORem, and one in Pleasant Grove. I´m not sure on the dates, but they´ll be a couple weeks after I get home. 

I LOVE You all. thank you for constantly supporting me. 

1-- the lights went out. so I put a candle in a jar and took pics... cuz I never take pictures anymore haha.

2-- pen cup

3-- desk

4-- There´s a member in our ward whose daughter lives in Salt Lake. She just came to visit, and we got to go over to their house a couple times and teach their kids in primary. Primary is so much funnier in English. The kid kept making comments like "I have 2 lizards, and I collect bones." so funny. We talked about pokemon for ALL of sharing time. I want a kid like him. I promised them we´d go fishing when I get home.

5-- Hna. Llacsa´s frog watch. all the kids love it. I think it´s ridiculous, but she rocks it haha. 

1-- I played on Paint while we waited for some members to come do family history with them

2-- We got a floor FINALLY (no more cement). I spent all of dinner last night practicing fish flops (a dance thing). I MISS DANCE SO MUCH. 

marco pollo

Well, it´s another great week in victoria. I love my ward.

I´m healthy, I´m happy, and I´m terrific. According to president, that means I´m in pretty good shape.

WE had our interviews with Presidnet Harbertson this week, and it was exactly what I needed. He just let me talk about how happy I am. I told him I would love to end my mission in Victoria. He said "if it is His desire for you to stay it will be wonderful… and if it's not, it will sad for you, but it will still be wonderful." Well, I only have one transfer after this one, sooooo if I go somewhere else, I´d only be there 6 weeks. I´d be sad, but I will work hard no matter where I go. 

It always happens that way. President always snatches me away from my favorite companions. But I guess when I get along with someone I don´t learn so much. Difficult companions teach me SO much, just not in the way I want. you SNEAKY mom. 

We have FINALLY started to get some new people to teach, and it´s going so well. There´s a new couple (reference from Hermana Hansen) we´re teaching named Ruben and Nilda. He is less active, and she isn´t a member. they´ve already come twice, and it´s for sure that she´s going to get baptized. I´m so excited to see this family progress. We haven´t taught them yet,  but tuesday we will. PRAY FOR THEM! 

I love my mission. I don´t know who I would have been without it. 

Love, HErmana Allred

1-- I am the new house plumber. I fixed the shower, the toilet, AND a leaky sink this week. without even going to a hardware store... I don´t need no man. haha.

2-- Hermana Shyrly (shirly). she was our temporary pensionista while ours went to Arequipa. she fed me way way too much. her husband paints. I love their family.

3-- i´m starting to like cats. it´s terrible... but look at it! it´s so small and cute.

4-- onsie party

5-- FINALLY the zone leaders bought us a toilet seat. when they handed it to us they said "and your throne, my ladies" also, a pink broom. 

baby it's cold outside

It has been one of my favorite weeks. I love my new companion so much. I am so blessed to be ending with someone who works really hard and enjoys being on a mission. I haven´t had that in a while. We are getting so much done, and I can´t even remember a lot of stories, so pictures will have to do for this week.

Our bishop is moving, so we are going to be bishopless for a little bit... good thing his counselor is incredible.

After our primary lesson this week, Denise (the little girl who got baptized a few weeks ago) came up and hugged me around the waist and said "you are my favorite teacher. you can never leave." My heart melted a little bit. I love this ward. I hope president doesn´t think it´s funny to transfer me my last transfer. I would hate that... but whatever he decides, i´ll do. 

I am happier than I have been in a long time. My companion is my best friend and I am SO lucky to be with her. I love being a missionary and feeling exhausted at the end of every day. I still have many faults that I´m trying to work out, but I know God is watching out for me and will help me along the way. 

My mission has changed me. I´m never going back to where I was. 

Love, HErmana Allred

1-- my panai tire sandals

2-- cruisin in a tricycle

3-- saying goodbye to hna. Purse. she´s off to Abancay. I miss her and her. I don´t laugh quite as much now, but I´m still incredibly happy.

4-- Trio for a day. tricycle ride.

1-- giant flute

2-- marilia and I in her sweet local (I don´t know how to translate that.) We ended up getting roped into washing beer bottles as service. it started out as chairs, but somehow ended up as washing beer haha. oops.