Oh what a week!

Happy July!

I probably say this every time but I cannot believe how quick the weeks pass and then all of a sudden it's a new month again...but it's been an eventful week for Sister Wilson and I. On Wednesday we had our mission leadership council meeting with the new president and his wife that are from Washington, as well as the zone leaders and sister training leaders that were serving in the Fresno mission. It's funny how we're all missionaries for the Lord Jesus Christ, we proclaim the same gospel but each mission is so different. Our visions are so different. It was an interesting meeting to be gathered together discussing the different topics and hearing the different perspectives on it. After that meeting we went to another meeting where the rest of the missionaries were gathered to meet the new president. My companion and I ended up sitting next to some zone leaders that we had been with earlier and both said, well this is definitely going to take some time meshing and bringing everyone together. And it definitely will. My heart goes out to President and Sister Palmer, with all of the changes and challenges of creating a new mission. 

Fourth of July was a fun day, holidays can be challenging when absolutely no one wants to talk to you and you get some pretty negative responses trying to see people or contact them on the street. That morning we had gone over to do service for a less-active sister and she bailed (for the second time) while we were standing there on her porch. As we were walking away she says, oh by the way Hayle (her granddaughter that is one of the less active teenagers we've been working with) doesn't want to see you anymore. She said she doesn't want anything to do with the church right now. That definitely stung, especially since we've been talking and working so hard with her. She's such a special person but lets so much negativity into her life that brings her down and takes a toll on her emotionally, physically and spiritually...we texted her that day and all she could say was she wanted to keep her distance from people right now. So there's that. And then there's another less active family, also named the Allen's, we've been working with. Sister Wilson has grown really close with them, when they answered he was so drunk and just starts crying and laughing about who knows what...asking us why we even bother coming around when he'll never be able to change. I think those are probably the hardest days, when you see these people and get just a glimpse of the way the Lord sees and feels about them, and then they tell you that there isn't any hope for them. They can't change. And no matter how hard you try, you can't convince people about the power of the atonement, these people, we all have to discover and experience that for ourselves. So it's hard. 

But anyway, the afternoon was hard but that night we had a good time with the other missionaries in the zone. We've been doing some fun activities together; last p-day we did a pudding drop, HA! so funny. I'll have to send pictures. Then for dinner the other night, some members challenged us to eat a half of a habanero pepper...NEVER AGAIN. The member thought he was filming us but only got the last half of it. Oh my goodness...miserable but so funny. My stomach felt like it was on fire the rest of the night. That will always be something to remember in Lodi for sure. 

With all the meetings we've had to attend and helping our sisters that we cover we haven't been able to work in our area as much as we'd like so we're hoping to get to spend more time this week. We've been prompted about a few people that are waiting and ready it's just a matter of finding them but we're promised that we will be lead to them or they will be led to us. So it's all about timing. But sister Wilson and I are having so much fun together, I'm so grateful for her keeping me laughing and going especially when the days get discouraging and we have the best members, seriously they are awesome so I'm definitely counting my blessings! But please continue to keep us in your prayers!

Hope everyone has a good week, until next time!

Love, Sister Allen