Happy march everyone! How these weeks just fly by! It's true what they say on missions how the days are slow but the weeks go fast!

We have our interviews with our mission president and his wife this Wednesday, so we are both looking forward to that and getting to sit down and talk with them more! We've finally been told who will be visiting us next week for our mission conference...drum roll please...ELDER DAVID A. BEDNAR! To say we are excited as an understatement! He'll be here next Friday so we are so stoked to hear from him as missionaries. 

We've had a good week here; we've been enjoying the warmer weather here ( I feel bad saying that when everyone back home is getting dumped with snow! Last week it got up to the 80s!) so we've been going out on our bikes more and enjoy that time to contact more people out on the streets. Sadly, Dekontee has been distant this past week and we haven't been able to meet with her as we typically have. Definitely a disappointment but we have an appointment this Wednesday so we're keeping her in our prayers she still wants to learn more about the gospel...Kirk and Colleen are doing great as always, he was so gracious on Tuesday night expressing how thankful he was that we came over that Sunday night to talk with him. Glad that's behind us. 

On Saturday we went and helped a few sisters in the ward set up for a "stuff swap" at the church an activity they do every few months. They post it on facebook and craig's list and let the community know that for those with unwanted stuff and belongings in their home can bring them to the church and put them on different tables in categories. When everyone has brought their unwanted things, you all start at the same time going to the different tables and taking things you want. Pretty much a glorified yard sale where EVERYTHING is free. 

Sister Kandare, Sister Hickman (one of the other sisters in the zone) and I have been discussing a lot about the different expectations we have as missionaries and what a "successful" mission/ary is lately. And how frustrating it is because each missionary has their own opinion on what is right and what is wrong; what is obedient and what isn't. It's ridiculous, honestly. We were talking about it on Saturday morning during service and sister Hickman gave us a pep talk that we both needed after a difficult couple of days with some of our leaders about what a "successful" mission or missionary is and what her thoughts are. To forget what the other missionaries/people think of you and if you're a "good" missionary in their eyes but to only worry about what the Lord thinks and to align yourself to his will and what he wants. Sounds simple, but when there are so many other missionaries around it's easy to get sucked into worrying what they think and comparing yourself to them but the lord holds us to different expectations, and the only way that we can determine if we've been successful is to discuss that with the Lord. Obviously if you're being straight up disobedient and apostate then that's something to work but only he knows how we are serving and if we truly are serving with our heart, might mind and strength. 

It made me think and knowing how incredibly supportive and wonderful my family is; I thought, my family isn't going to think any less of me if I don't ever "see" success (the baptisms, sealed families etc). Yes, that would be wonderful to see the fruits of our labor and to come home telling all these stories of different people that were prepared and ready for the gospel and to be baptized. But it isn't a game to see how many people you can baptize, but a matter of WHO YOU BECOME. Because think of the missionaries around the world that serve in very difficult areas where they will work so so hard every single day and won't every "see" a single thing come from it. But they do it, and we do this work because we love the lord. And if you truly give your all to the lord while you are serving and learn to love others around you unconditionally for the simple reason that they are children of our heavenly father. If I can come home, knowing in my heart that I truly tried and did everything I possibly could, and learned how to love others unconditionally no matter who they are, I can consider that a successful mission. And to have let these principles of faith, patience, diligence, love, obedience become a part of my character and who I am then at the end of the day, and at the end of the 18 months if that's all I have to show for it, then I'll say that was a pretty good mission. I know that everyone thinks differently about a mission and has their own thoughts on it, but I can feel peaceful that the Lord will be pleased with me if this is the attitude I have throughout my mission and while forgetting myself and getting lost in this work, I really will find myself and who the Lord wants me to be. 

Goodness, that was quite the rant. But something that's been on my mind these past few weeks. Just call these the small plates of Kelly Allen :) 

Anyway, I hope everyone has a great week. Be safe! The gospel is true! How lucky and blessed we all are to have this in our lives. 

Love to you all!

Sister Allen 

Our district leader made us french toast!

Study time = fuzzy sock time

This is sometimes how we feel about missionary work....

Just kidding. THIS is how we feel about missionary work.