kinda white kinda black

Happy Monday! Happy New Week! Happy New Year! I really hope every one of you have been partying hard and drinking as many martinellis as is humanly possible. Let's get to it for the week.

MILAGRITOS:

• okay this was a giant huge miracle if I'm being honest. On Saturday some of the elders by us called us and asked what time our church was at cause they had found some dude on the street named Hugo who wanted to come. Well we gave them the time of our church and then prayed our lil hearts out that this dude would show up, cause sometimes people lie when they say they wanna come ahaha. Well, we walked into church on Sunday and there was some random dude who said his name was Hugo sitting there. Well, we got to know him and he was like "okay I have a question. How can I repent? What do I need to do to repent?" And we pretty much just said "bro you gotta get baptized" and he said "so.. when can I get baptized??" And I said "uhhh in two weeks if you want to" and he said "okay count me in" so anyway that was one of my favorite conversations of all time. Church then went by and we went to the class with him and in the middle of the class he raised his hand and was like "wait I have a question? What is the difference between this church and all the other churches?" And boy did the whole room of Sunday School adults get really excited. So we explained a little bit and the whole class essentially turned into us explaining the restoration of the church. We now have a lesson with Hugo tonight to explain more about baptism and repentance and whatever topic that comes up. Prayers for Hugo!!!

JAJAJAJAJAJAJAJAs of the week:

• this lady had a dog named obama. i asked her why the was named obama. she said "cause its half white half black" that one made me laugh for lots of reasons.

• people practically exploded our house with fireworks at midnight on new years eve. i was dead asleep and then the bombs started going off and the doors were rattling and a bunch of people were screaming and our whole house was lighting up like crazy like a strobe light cause of all the fireworks right outside our door. and i told my comp happy new years but this girl didnt even wake up. wild stuff.

SHPIRITUAL SHPEEL:

One of my favorite moments of the mission that happens very often but not as much as I would like it to, is being there when someone prays for the very first time. There's something so special about hearing what someone wants to tell their Father. There's something so special about someone believing just enough to talk to God. There's something so special listening in on that relationship building between the Father and the child. It makes me say a prayer of gratitude just about every time. Sometimes the prayers are full of thanks. For their family, for a roof over their heads, for the food on their table, for their girlfriend, or even for the missionaries. Sometimes it's just to talk, to tell Him what happened that day. Sometimes it's to ask for something. Kinda a last resort option, they decided to talk to God and beg Him to help. And what's really special is I've watched as God has answered and listened to every one of those prayers. As He's given them more food to be grateful for, more blessings in their family to thank Him for, even more visits with the missionaries. Sometimes He gives them more days to tell Him about, and some exciting things to report back to Him about every day. Other times He listens and answers those begs and pleads, even if they came to Him last resort. Every prayer is different. Because every day we're in a new world, with new challenges and situations and things to tell Him about. But one of my favorite prayers in the history of the world is also one of my least favorite. Our Brother said "O my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me: nevertheless not as I will but as thou wilt." That's it. That's the whole prayer. Christ laid it out for His Father. God, this is really hard. I don't want to do this. But if you want me to, I will do it. I've honestly had prayers like that in my life. All I'm doing is telling God "hey! just so you know, i hate it here!! in case you were wondering!" Sometimes I lack that end part, "not as I will but as thou wilt". I've gotten better at it on my mission. It's turned more into "hey I hate it here!! If you want me to keep going on like this I'll do it but just thought I'd let you know I'm not having a good time." And after every one of those prayers, God let's me go on like that for just a little bit longer. And let's me find joy in the "enduring" part of it all. He teaches me things I would have never learned if the me in the bathroom shaking my fist at the heavens the night before had had her way of doing things. He let's me teach people and relate to people in a way I wouldn't have been able to if He had answered my prayer in the way I wanted. And I think that's the trick of it all, "the way I wanted". Because the way I wanted yesterday has changed. What I want now is what God wants. I'm not perfect. There's still some fist shaking sometimes. But "as I will" has become a lot closer to "as [He] wilt". And I think that's why you've gotta talk to Him through it all. Cause if you don't tell Him what you're feeling and why you're feeling it, you don't give Him the option to show you a different way to feel. And He's got the best way laid out for you. A way that includes a whole lot of conversations between you and Him. So that He can understand you and you can understand Him and you can love each other more than you ever thought possible. God wants to hear from you. Even if you're mad. Even if you're sad. Even if you're the happiest you've ever been. Even if, even if, even if... God wants it all.

love you all lots!! see you this year!

- hermana allen