"Im fricken trunky broski"

Heyyyyy hope yall are doing well. This week was wilddd. I MOVED!!! After 7 months of being in the same area, they kicked me out just in time for Thanksgiving and Christmas. We had transfers on Thursday and we found out Wednesday at 11am. So...Wednesday was a lil crazy. Anyway I'm now in 33 (there is in fact a whole city and a whole state called thirty three) and I LOVE it here. I've only been here a couple of days but dang it's a missionary's dream. We have a million hermanas in the zone so it'll be exchanges galore, the members are insanely good (all 15 of them), and everyone here is nice when you knock on their door. Kinda a change from Canelones. Although I really do miss Canelones like really a lot.
 
MILAGRITOS:

• Well, this isn't a milagro but I had to say goodbye to all my best friends in Canelones this week and lemme just tell you that was terrible. A couple of tears, a whole lot of hugs, and one member that told me "hermana nunca te voy a olvidar. Sos MUY especial" so essentially that one wrecked me. And I think my favorite compliment I got this week was "hermana I haven't remembered a missionary's name in YEARS. But I remember yours." And so that was really super tender.

• Well. My miracle of the week was Hugo. Here in 33 we were looking for a members house but we couldn't find it anywhere, so we asked this dude outside and he was like "yeahhhh that address doesn't exist" but we started talking to him and turns out he got baptized and went to our church for several years. Our lil conversation turned real deep real quick. He told us about an experience when his son crashed on his bike and broke his jaw. The doctors here in 33 took and x ray and show them that the jaw was just shattered, so they had to go to Montevideo to get it fixed. But the busses are weird so Hugo and his son just went back home for a few hours until the bus came the next morning. During that time, some members of the ward came over and prayed with them for several hours. When they got to Montevideo, they took another x ray and his jaw was 100% fine. It was completely healed, in a matter of hours. Then this is the part that really struck me. He said "hermanas. I know God is real. I don't have a doubt about it. I watched God heal my son and I've watched Him work miracles. Hermanas if God can do all that, why is my life the way it is? Why is this all so hard? Why do I have 5 kids and a wife who haven't talked to me in years? Why do I have to deal with the sickness that I have? Why do I have an addiction that I just can't quit? God can do it all, so why can't He take this all away?" And honestly, at that point he was crying, I was near tears, and absolutely praying my heart out to say the right thing. And if I'm being honest, I don't have any idea what I told him, I can just remember one thing was "Hugo, God wants to hear from you. Talk to Him. He will answer that question". When I said that (aka when God told Hugo that) all three of us felt a spirit so strong I'll never be able to deny it. So in case any of you need to hear the same message today, "*insert name here*, God wants to hear from you. Talk to Him. He will answer your questions."
  
  

JAJAJAJAJAJAJAJAs of the week:

• This quote happened twice this week, from both of my comps in different situations. My comp - "I cannot BELIEVE she goes to church every day. I would never."
  Me "hermana you're a missionary you go to church 24 hours a day every day"
  My comp "oh. Yeah."

• I taught my new comp from Spain, who speaks very little English "I'm fricken trunky broski" (she's been out on the mission for 1 month) so I guess you could say I'm a good trainer.

• A list of things that are in my new house:
  - squishy padded toilet seat

• A list of things I found out this week that I am firmly against their existence:
  - squishy padded toilet seats
  

SHPIRITUAL SHPEEL:

I was reading in Doctrine and Covenants this week, and I was super touched by these verses in chapter 18.

10 Remember the worth of souls is great in the sight of God;

11 For, behold, the Lord your Redeemer suffered death in the flesh; wherefore he suffered the pain of all men, that all men might repent
    and come unto him.

12 And he hath risen again from the dead, that he might bring all men unto him, on conditions of repentance.

13 And how great is his joy in the soul that repenteth!

14 Wherefore, you are called to cry repentance unto this people.

15 And if it so be that you should labor all your days in crying repentance unto this people, and bring, save it be one soul unto me, how great shall be your joy with him in the kingdom of my Father!

16 And now, if your joy will be great with one soul that you have brought unto me into the kingdom of my Father, how great will be your joy if you should bring many souls unto me!

Jesus Christ died so that we CAN repent. What an incredible opportunity each and every one of us have to talk to our Father in Heaven, to tell Him all about our lives, and to receive forgiveness, every. single. time. What an incredible opportunity, and all because Jesus Christ lived. He now knows us perfectly and can let our Father know that we were trying our best. He loves us perfectly and can let our Father know that even if we honestly weren't trying our best, He will have mercy on us. He loves us infinitely. THAT is why I am here doing what I am doing. Because Jesus lived for me. He lived what I have lived and suffered what I have suffered and rejoiced in the things that I have rejoiced in. His job was to invite all of us to use up His gift of forgiveness as much as we can. Christ will have all the joy in the universe, because not only did He bring "many souls unto [God]", He brought ALL the souls unto Him. And if we can help just a little in delivering that gift to others, letting them know that it's available, imagine the blessings that will come pouring down for us and for them. In the beginning of my mission, I didn't like the term "cry repentance" cause people dont need some stranger telling them that they haven't done good enough and they need to repent. But I have learned that people DO need some stranger telling them that they HAVE done good enough, and they will be able to live with God if they repent. So here I am, some random stranger to some of you. Please repent today, God wants to hear from you.

I love you all!! Have THE best week and enjoy the Christmas music!!

- hermana allen