MOM AND DAD I LOVE YOU SO MUCH

Mutter und Vater!

 

WOW! What a week it was. So on Friday we had the TRC and we were planning on teaching a lesson about faith to a member for 40 minutes. (Because at TRC you teach members and leave like a spiritual thought). About an hour before we had TRC, some of our German teachers came in and asked Sister Bauer and I if we would teach a girl who was coming to volunteer that was from Berlin, Germany and who knew nothing about the church. Of course we accepted!! We were so excited. Here name was Annika and she was in town visiting her exchange student sister from a few years ago.The lesson ended up going really well and we really felt like she was able to feel the spirit. We committed her to read 3 Nephi 11 and pray to Heavenly Father and she accepted!! It was such an amazing experience to teach someone who was actually German and who had no idea who the Mormons were. It was so crazy, in just 40 minute of time I felt so much love for Annika. I loved her and I feel like it was because I was able to feel a glimpse of what the Savior feels for her, and I just wanted to help her come to the knowledge of that love so bad!! We seriously felt so grateful for the opportunity we had to teach her. It just made me love those that I am going to be teaching so much more. Well the cool thing is that yesterday one of the teachers came in and told us that Annika went to church with him on Sunday and that they taught her another lesson! They said she seems really open to it!! HOW AWESOME IS THAT!?! Seriously, it brought me so much joy to hear that. THIS CHURCH IS TRUE!! WE SHOULD SHARE IT WITH EVERYONE!!! I am just so overwhelmed with gratitude for that opportunity. I feel so blessed and thankful that I was able to have a real lesson with a real person before I made it to Germany. It was an answer to my prayers and I am just so excited to bring this happy message to other people in Germany. I cannot wait.

 

Ahh I am just so happy thinking about Annika. Well on Sunday in Relief Society we got to hear from another amazing lady. Sister Burton the General Relief Society President spoke to us. Afterwards I went and met her and she asked me what mission I was going to and I told her. She knows Sister Miles sister. She then looked at me and said "Wow! You look like you could totally belong in the Nelson family!" (My mission president's wife is Russell M. Nelson's daughter.) That was really cool.  Another teacher, Brother Handley, (who served in the Alpine-German speaking mission) told me last night that I was going to be a perfect sister for the Miles and that I reminded him so much of them. I just think that is soo cool! Two different teachers have told me that, and then the comment from Sister Burton! I already feel so connected with my Mission President and his wife. I really feel like they are a big reason I got called to my mission, and I haven't even met them yet!! It really is just so neat how the Lord blesses us. I don't even know my Mission president and his wife, but I already love them and I already know they are going to be such a great influence on my life. I am so excited to meet them.

 

Dad!! I got a letter from Tiffany and she said you had to give a talk on Sunday about Family. I want to hear all about it!! Our family really is the best. Tiffany said you said that "Our family is FAR from being the traditional/perfect Mormon family, but really it is okay because we all love each other." I think that is so true. Our family is diverse in every sense of the word, but how grateful I am for that. Even though we have a lot of different aspects of our family, we still love each other so much and we never let anything get in the way of that. I am so thankful for the diversity of our family, especially because it has taught me not to judge and to love everyone. Our Family is not your average mormon family at all, but it is okay, because our love is so strong. Goodness. I really am so grateful for our family. It is the best and I think and pray about all of yall daily. I know I would be a completely different person without being placed in this family. I am also just so thankful to you and mom. Really, ya'll are the best parents anyone could ever ask for. I love you mom and dad!!!

 

So I leave in exactly 2 weeks!! I am getting excited. Don't get me wrong, the MTC is so great, but I am so ready to get to the field, and I am sick of the MTC gluten free food. hahah Supposely we are suppose to get our flight plans tonight or tomorrow. Ahh!!  SOO EXCITING. I will let you know next week what they are. What if I fly through the ATL?? I bet I will:)

 

This past Sunday we were talking to one of the members of our branch presidency and his wife for about an hour about Germany. It seriously made me so excited. I just feel like I have this strange/weird connection with Germany and Austria. I can't even begin to explain it. I know without a doubt that is where I am suppose to be. I feel like there are people waiting for me. I just can't believe I get to go back. Mom, remember when I was talking with you that one night trying to figure out how I could go back? Remember when I just felt like I needed to be there??  Now it is actually happening. I am going back and I am so thrilled. I am seriously so grateful.

 

Okay, so there is a new mormon message that my teacher showed us and I am absolutely obessed with it!! It is soo good!! It is called Earthly Father, Heavenly Father. Look it up! It should be on the home page of lds.org. I love everything about it. Is it weird that being a missionary has made me so excited to have a family of my own??? You think it would be the opposite, but I am just so excited to be a mom and have kids now! It is soo weird. haha

 

Also, I'll make sure to call the bank and figure everything out. I don't know why I didn't do that before I left. Whoops haha. How was dinner with Chris and Virginia?? Did you go to Mr. Geoff's yogurt place? How is everything??? Any updates on the house? Also, could you send me some pictures of our family that are printed?? I want to do something with my preach my gospel that I saw someone do. Thanks for always writing me mom. It really is the best:) I love hearing from you and I also love recieving the emails you send me from the cousins on missions. It really is such an exciting time with missionary work. I hope I answered all your questions from your letters, if not I will next time!! Crazy to think that I only have 1 more real P-day left at the MTC before I am in the field! ahhh!!!

 

O by the way! This week is our last week of classes. Since there are so many new Deutschers coming in next Wednesday the teachers aren't going to be able to teach us so we are just going to have study time our last week. I think it may get a little crazy... 3 districts of Germans combined for study time?? O dear.. Pray that we will be able to stay diligent! hahaha

 

AND yes!! I did recieve that package with the Martinelli's! My roomates and I are so excited. We are waiting until our last day of classes to drink it to celebrate. And thank you for the Valentine's card and candy/fruit leather. It was the best and made me so happy. Thank you sooo much. Yall are the greatest ever:)

 

Well I LOVE YALL SOO MUCH!!!

 

Elysse:)

 

Ps- read Alma 26, it is my absolute favorite chapter.

 

Also Alma 27:17 is really funny I think. Can you imaging seeing someone pass out from being so overwhelmed with joy??? I love it haha.

 

Also, Aunt Tammy is the best mom!! She sent me a valentine package with valentines to make for my district. Tell her thank you so much and that I was so excited. she is the best.

 

I LOVE YOU AND MISS YOU SO MUCH!! I PRAY FOR YOU DAILY!!

Elder Bauer and Sister Allman with two missionaries from Austria that are currently serving in the MTC

Elder Barnes, Sister Allman, and Elder Leslie

Sister Allman and Sister Bauer

ICH LIEBE DICH

Guten Tag meine Familie!!!!!!

 

MOM THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THE VALENTINES PACKAGE!! IT WAS THE BEST AND IT MADE ME SO HAPPY!! THANK YOU SOO MUCH!!!!!!!

 

This week was a struggle for me. I felt like I wasn't really living up to my potential as a missionary here in the MTC. I would try so hard but then get easily distracted by other people in my district or zone. Sometimes it really stinks being A.D.D!! but it's okay, I know if I work hard the Lord with make up the rest. I have been really putting in an effort to work hard and stay focused. I talked with my teachers and they have given me tips and that has been a great help. I have really been trying to make use of what time I have left here in the MTC. I only have 3 weeks left and it blows my mind. There is still so much I need to learn! I am so beyond excited to serve the people in the Alpine-German mission, I already have such a deep love for them, it is truely amazing. I still don't have my flight itinerary, but when I get it I will let you know.

 

So last week after I emailed ya'll we had a devotional...and guess who it was with??  ELDER HOLLAND!!  It was simply amazing. He talked about how this is such an exciting time to be a missionary and that he was jealous. haha He also said that he believes that we were hand picked before we came to earth to be missionaries at this time. Because of this, he said we must be the BEST MISSIONARIES, and be better than the missionaries that have gone before us. That is going to be hard because I know some people that have been pretty amazing missionaries, but I am going to give it all I have. The Devotional was so great and such a blessing. It really made me even more excited for the work and it made me want to push even harder as well. I just want to give my all. I want my mission to be pleasing to the Lord.

 

Since I have been in the MTC, I have had the opportunity to hear from so many amazing people!! Elder Nelson, Sister Elaine S. Dalton, Elder Holland, and then Sunday we had the opportunity to hear from Rosemary Wixom who is the Primary President over the church. I got to meet her after the meeting and she gave me a big hug. It was so special. Ahhh I just really feel so lucky to be here. I know I say that a lot, but I am just so grateful.

 

I know I talk about the Book of Mormon every email but I love it!!! This week I could not put it down. In 2 days I read over 60 pages and I didn't want to stop. The stories in Mosiah and Alma are so powerful!! I want to be a missionary like Ammon, Almulek, and the son's of Mosiah. Seriously, the Book of Mormon has so many examples for us to follow. IT IS THE BEST!!!!

 

Me and Sister Bauer's teaching is getting better each lesson. It is amazing what an affect the spirit can have on your lesson if you have it with you. I love teaching about this gospel. I can't even begin to tell yall how much I just want to tell people about our amazing Gospel. It really brings me so much happiness. O and the tender mercies of the Lord are amazing as well. We just have to look for them in our lives and we can find them.

 

That stinks that ya'll aren't have success with the house. Maybe that means that yall are suppose to be in Georgia for another reason whether it is to take over the business of that guy who passed away or whether it is for the YSA. Yall have been such a blessing to the YSA in Atlanta so I wouldn't be surpised if that was the reason. Just continue to be patient, the Lord has a plan!! Just do everything you will suppose to and it will work out.

 

 I wish I could be there for grandpas 90th with yall!  Make sure you give everyone a hug for me.

 

Also, I want to hear about dinner with Chris and Virginia Brittle!! I was actually just thinking about them the other day. You can dear elder me about it if you want:)

 

Well I miss yall so much. Mom and Dad, I am so blessed to have you as my parents. Thanks for everything.  I LOVE YA'LL SO MUCH!!!!!!

 

You're Favorite Sister Missionary,

Elysse

aka Sister Allman:)

 

Mosiah 4:11

Alma 26:16

PS-sorry no pictures today, I didn't have time to send them, but next week I will make sure to send them:)

:)

Guten Tag!!

You know how last week the night before P day the fire alarm went off?? Well it happened again last night!! ahhh This time it happened around 12:10. It was so weird because when we all got evacuated to the gym we were all so dead tired and had been asleep for two hours, and then I realized that most of my friends at BYU were probably not even asleep yet. hahah It was crazy.

Well everything is great at the MTC. They say that days are like weeks and weeks are like days and I can testify of that!! I can't believe that I only have 4 weeks left here. It blows my mind. I still have so much I need to learn. Ahh but I am so excited. I am getting excited for Valentines day as well. That is one of my favorite holidays and I have been starting to see heart candies and it makes me want to decorate. That is why I decorated my door today hahaha I want to do more but there is just no time. It is definitely a sacrifice not to make valentines goodies for people, but it is worth it. I know a mission is way more imporant, and sacrifice brings forth the blessings of heaven right??? But the mission isn't a sacrifice. It really isn't. It is a priviledge, and I am so grateful for this oppurtunity.

I love it here. I feel like a lot of my emails are the same, but the MTC makes me so happy. It also makes me laugh a lot. I am laughing all the time. It is the best. I have seen Elder Dereck Ford and Elder Tyler Barnes! It is so much fun seeing them. It looks like the are doing really well.

So I have absolutely loved working as the coordinating sister these past few weeks. It has been amazing to see my love for the sisters in my zone grow. I pray for them every night and I have truely grown to love each of them. It was such a neat experience because a companionship was struggling so I talked to each of them and set goals with them, and now their companionship is doing so great!! It was such a cool experience and I knew that it was the Spirit who guided me in how to help them. 

My teacher Brother Mower served in my mission, so the other day I asked him what my Presidents were like. This is what he said, " Actually you remind me so much of them, Whenever I come in to teach you, I can't help but think of them." Ahh! That made me so happy. I am so excited to meet them and I already have such a deep love for them. It is awesome. Another cool fact about them is that Sister Miles is Elder Nelson's daughter! Isn't that cool???

So this week my testimony sky rocketed on the Plan of Salvation. We are so blessed that we have a loving Heavenly Father who wants us to return to him and be like him. I was able to further understand that the Atonement is eternal, so if we are baptized in this life, but don't stay on the path, we can still repent in the Spirit world and return to him! I loved that. I just love that Heavenly Father wants ALL of his children back in his prescence, so he made a way for everyone to have the oppurtunity to choose. Ahh. We are so lucky.

All week I have just felt so grateful for this oppurtunity I have to serve. I really feel so lucky that the Lord wanted me to be an instrument in his hands. We had a testimony meeting in Relief Society on Sunday and a girl got up and said " A mission should not only be the best 18 months of our lives, but the best 18 months FOR our lives." I loved that.

Well time is short. I am headed to the Temple with my distrcit. I love yall so much!! I miss yall a ton as well. Thanks for keeping me posted:)

I LOVE YALL

Sister Elysse Allman:)

Guten Tag!

Guten Tag Meine Familie!

Let me start off by telling yall about the wonderful morning I had. It was 4:00am in the morning and my roommates and I were sleeping so serenely. We were dreaming of the most amazing things and then BAM! At 4:10am the fire alarm went off. IT WAS SOO SCARY! We all popped out of our bed and evacuated into the gym and stayed there for the next hour. They are doing construction on our building and one of the sprinklers malfunctioned and set it off. Finally around 5:15 they let us back to our dorms. It was a crazy morning. We decided that everyone of our P-Days are crazy. First we had Christmas, then the plague of sickness, then a fire alarm. Crazy huh?

Luckily last week I didn't get the stomach virus that was going around. It was crazy how the MTC was quarantined. So many people were sick. Our zone was really lucky because out of the 21 of us only 5 got sick. I heard from one of the counselors in the branch presidency on Sunday that the MTC had made it on the news because everyone was sick. I thought that was funny.

The MTC is great as always. I wish I could remember everything that has happened in the week. So much goes on that it is hard to remember it all. We kind of had a not so good teaching experience this week. We went in to teach our teacher who was playing our investigator Viorel. As soon as we sat down and started asking him some follow up questions our he started laughing, then Sister Bauer and I started laughing, and none of us could stop. We all were laughing so hard that we were almost crying. Then our teacher asked us if we could teach him another time because none of us could get it under control. I don't know why, but Sister Bauer and I laugh so easily, and I think we just make Brother Mower laugh really easy as well. Whoops:) Our next lesson went way better with Viorel and we committed him to baptism on January 20!! It is so cool to see how much you love and care for your investigators. You just want them to accept the gospel so badly because you know how happy it will make them!! The gospel is seriously such a blessing, and all of us should feel so lucky that we have it in our lives!! We should also share it to EVERYONE because EVERYONE needs this gospel in their lives.

I know I have already said this so much, but I just love the Book of Mormon. I can not even begin to describe what an amazing blessing it has been in my life. While reading this week, Enos chapter 1 really stuck out to me. Enos has such strong faith!! He had ZERO doubt, he completely trusted in the Lord, and through his faith he was made whole. How amazing is that??? Enos is my role model. It is my goal to strive to have faith just like him. Do you know why I love the Book of Mormon so much?? It is because there are so many people in it that can be such great examples to us. Nephi, Enos, Moroni, Alma, Amulek, they are all soo AMAZING!! Everytime I read I just want to be better and be more like them. What amazing examples and missionaries they are to us.

German is coming a long. I am not amazing, but little by little I am getting better. My district and I are really working hard to SYL (Speak your Language). We try and go without speaking any English and just German. When we first made the goal we did really well and talked mostly German alll day, but now we are kind of struggling....haha We will get it though. Learning a language is not easy at all, it is hard! One of my teachers told me that we are so blessed because we get a learn a language. He said because we get to learn a language, we really learn how to rely on the Lord, because without the Lord, there is not way we would be learning the language so quickly. I thought that was an awesome thought.

Sister Bauer and I's teaching is getting better. We were able to have a teacher sit in on one of our lessons and he told us ways we could improve our teachings and what we did well. It was just what we needed. Being a good teacher of the Gospel all comes down to one thing: Whether you let the Spirit teach through you or not. We cannot be the ones that convince people to accept the gospel, it must be the Spirit who convinces them! 

Well time is short and my district and I are headed to the Temple for the first time since we have been here! Wahoo!! We are excited.

I LOVE YALL SO MUCH AND I PRAY FOR YALL DAILY.

Thanks for the letters. I really have the greatest family in the world!!!!

Sister Elysse Allman:) 

Me and Sister Bauer.

Elder Anyanwu and all his letters from my friends and family:)  Thanks to all who wrote him and sent him packages.  He was so excited.

Meine Familie!

Meine Familie!

I am so sad about Scooter. He was the best dog ever. I didn't think it would hit be this hard, but I am devasted!! How is McKay doing??? Give him some love for me. Could you send me a picture of Scooter?? Prayers coming your way.

Well this morning all the Older Deutschers left:( All 32 of them. That leaves us with 21 people left in our zone until the week before we leave. Supposely on February 6 (The week before we leave), we will be have over 100 German speakers coming into the MTC. Crazy huh? German is just taking over. Best Language ever:) As for my German, I have a lot to learn. This week has kind of been a struggle because my German hasn't been progressing like I have wanted it too. It just means I have to work extra hard this week.

Today has been a crazy day in the MTC. I feel like we are under Quarantine. SOOO many people are sick with a stomach virus. It has kind of been funny because the MTC has been freaking out. We were suppose to have a devotional tonight in the big gym, but now they are making us watch it in our classrooms. If we have any symptoms we are suppose to stay in our bedroom. Right now we know of 5 people out of 21 (in our zone) that are sick, and one from my district. They have come over the intercom like every hour telling us not to shake hands or to wash our hands. It's crazy.  A ton of people from the floor we live on are sick, and 2 of my roommates, so hopefully I won't get sick. Right now I feel great actually:) We will see. I am just really worried about the Older Deutschers. I just hope none of them started getting sick this morning on their 14 hour plane rides... that would be awful!!!

I'm trying to think of what all happened this week. The days all seem to run together and I can't seem to remember all that has happened. I have set a lot of goals and I am working hard to accomplish them. I seriously have learned so much here it is amazing!! I never knew I could study so much about the church in one day without frying my brain, but I have loved every second:) THE CHURCH IS TRUE!!!! I really just love the MTC so much. I have never been so happy. I know I am happy a lot, but at the MTC it is different. Even when I am struggling and upset I cannot help but still be really happy. I know serving the Lord and others is really the key to true Happiness! 

My love for the Book of Mormon has seriously quaddruppled since being here. I LOVE READING IT. I love Nephi. He is amazing and I want to be just like him.  I started the Book of Mormon over when I got here and let me tell you, I have never learned so much! Before coming into the MTC I had already read the BOM a lot, but this time it is different. It makes such a difference how you read the BOM. I challenge you to say a prayer everytime before you read and diligently seek out ways the verses you read can help you. I promise that as you do that you will learn so much and hear just what you need to know.  It seriously makes such a difference when you read with an open heart and when you have the Spirit with you. Keep it up:)

I got the letters from all the YSA. That was the best!! Thank you so much. Made me miss home but so happy at the same time. Georgia Mormons seriously are the greatest. Have you had a lot of people show up these past few weeks? Whats this I hear about yall going to Florida tomorrow? That is so fun, catch some sun rays for me.

So on Sundays after our firesides we have the oppurtunity to go to different rooms and choose from Talks or devotionals we want to watch. On Sunday my companion and I went and saw "The Character of Christ" by Elder Bednar. It was amazing!! If you, dad, and Mckay could watch it that would be awesome. It was one of the most powerful talks I have ever heard of. O my goodness, It was amazing and it just pumped me up to be an even better missionary.

I SERIOUSLY HAVE THE GREATEST FAMILY EVER:) I love getting letters from you and dad all the time. Seriously mom, whenever you want to talk you can just write me on a dearelder:) It may take me a while to respond, but I love getting them:)

If there is any other questions I forgot to answer let me know:) But the passport should get to Ga in the next few days:) I love you guys and miss yall so much. I pray for yall daily. I truely have been blessed with the greatest parents and family in the world. Also mom, I know you want to talk to me everyday, and just so you know I feel the same way:) I also think of all these things I want to tell you throughout each day and it makes me sad that I can't call you up, but I know without a doubt this is where the Lord wants me. Tell dad I wrote him a letter back and I will send it tomorrow:) I will make sure to write you one too mom:) I LOVE YOU GUYS SO MUCH!!!!!

READ 2 NEPHI 33- I decided this is the type of missionary I want to be. Just like Nephi.

ICH LIEBE DICH SO VIEL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Sister Allman

ps-thank you so much for the stamps:) I am using them up like crazy.

YALL ARE THE BEST FAMILY EVERY!! I LOVE YALL SOO  MUCH! AND IMISS YALL! DONT EVER FORGET IT!!

Me and some of my favorite older deutschers.

One of my best friends!

Me and Emanuel Wolz. He is one of my friends from Austria.