Monday, Feb. 3, 2014

Dear Family and Friends...

Oh my goodness this has been the CRAZIEST week ever, all sorts of emotions. Happy, sad, anxious, nervous, extremely blessed, overwhelmed...can't describe it.

We had a hard lesson with a wonderful young couple this week, and he basically told us all the doctrine he didn't agree with. The hard part was that he got all his information directly from LDS.org. No anti. But he couldn't come to terms with some things. It was really really hard, and it broke my heart when he said they couldn't meet anymore, and he gave us back the Book of Mormon. Sis. Bambrough and I both cried in the lesson, and we just bore our testimonies. I think seeing people firsthand who either don't know or don't accept the gospel has been really hard for me. It's hard when people question something that is so dear and so true to me. So that was rough. But they are incredible people, and they are truly searching for the truth. They will find it.

But this week is going to be the best last week ever!!! We have two baptisms on Saturday, and I also get to go to another baptism in Bloomington! God is so good, and things could not have worked out better. He is so aware. This transfer has been so busy and just crazy and amazing, and I know I was supposed to be here, even though it was so hard to leave Bloomington. But of course God is blessing me with three baptisms, and I can't even express how I feel. I'm just overwhelmed. I'm coming home soon and it is the weirdest feeling. But people keep telling me, "The best is yet to come." I'm grateful that God just gives us more and more. We think we have it all, but God says, "Just wait. There's more." That's what the celestial kingdom will be like. He'll just keep giving us more and more. I can't handle all this happiness! But man, it sure takes a lot of work to get there. Hard work is worth it.

Oh, funny story of the week. We were stopping by a potential investigator's home, and there were three huge dogs outside. We calmly got out of the car and walked up to the door, and then started walking to another house. The dogs started chasing after us and inside I was freaking out, but Sis. Bambrough said, "Just keep walking." One of the dogs jumped on me wanting to play, and he knocked the pass-along cards and my white handbook out of my scriptures. The other dog grabbed the white handbook between his teeth and started playing with it. I didn't know what to do! Luckily Sis. Bambrough is dog-pro and she grabbed it out of his mouth. The elders told us later, "You should've just let him keep it and you could've told President, 'Sorry, I don't have my white handbook, a dog ate it,' and it would have been true!"

I LOVE YOU ALL and I'm so excited to see you soon!!!!!!! Missions are the best ever!

Love forever.

Sister Rebecca Allen