Week 64- Conference...Wow

Friends and Family,

This week was great. I was able to go on an exchange up to Slaughter, Louisiana. The members there are nice. We had a yummy dinner. Mmm. Later in the week, we saw Alex and Jerry, two 16 year old brothers. One is less active and the other isn't a member. Alex, the nonmember, seems pretty interested. He read some of the Book of Mormon. I think he feels the Spirit when we are there. He tends to be a deep thinker and ask good questions. It's exciting to teach them.

We were able to bring a couple people to conference. They were able to see the Sunday Morning and Afternoon sessions. I really wanted them to see President Thomas S. Monsen. He had a short, yet powerful message. He got right to what we needed to hear. I think we will focus a lot on sharing our plan of salvation with others.

I loved conference. I was really hoping to get a lot out of it. I decided to fast the day before. I knew it would help me receive answers to my questions. And it did. This conference was different than any other conference. It seemed like I was able to get something from each speaker. They were all powerful and spirit filled. What a blessing. Can't wait to set goals based off of what I learned.

Hope everyone is doing great. Love y'all!

-Elder Chandler Allen

Week 63- Back to the Grind

Friends and Family,

It's been a back to the grind week. Last transfer was full of a lot of flood cleanup. We are getting back to our normal routine. We are getting to know more people here in this area. We are trying to find new investigators, and following up with past investigators. It's tough, and trialing, but everyone likes a good challenge, right?

We were able to go to the zoo this week. It was way fun. Those animals are so big! Haha. I always love seeing the monkeys, and the snakes. When we were leaving, they had already put the giraffe away, but we looked back again, and he was poking his head outside it's house. haha. It was pretty funny.

Micheal is doing good. He bore his testimony in church. He is very strong. His brother keeps anti-ing him, but he keeps his testimony strong and defends the faith. How cool is that. He has come a long way and the gospel is improving the quality of his life for sure.

The members here are great. I'm glad I'm getting to know more of them. 

Hope y'all have a great week!

Love, Elder Chandler Allen

Week 62- Sonic Blast, Elder

Friends and Family,

This week has been great. We were able to get out and do some good work. We are getting people in the area much better. All the ward members and even people we could visit and see. We met one man named Lamond. The sisters referred him to us. He is very nice and funny. He told us some trials and a miracle in his life. We asked him why he thought God saved him. We suggested that it was to find this church. We then asked him how he thought he could know it was true. He said he had never thought about that. We committed him to pray and pay attention to any spiritual promptings. It was a great visit. Sadly, we can't get in contact with him. He is such a great guy, so hopefully we see him this week. 

Another tender mercy. Micheal, one of our investigators, came and helped us clean out houses. He got to know the members better that we were serving with. He really enjoyed working. We were able to help him out because his house flooded. At the end, he thanked everyone personally, even the young men. How neat is that. He is so nice and humble. 

We met a young man, who was the only member in his family. Very nice, and his brother is open to talking with us. It's sad to see a lack of support from a family, but it's great to see the ward step in and truly be a ward family.

Final thing, Lately it was a struggle to wake up on time. It was messing with our schedule, and it was harder to feel the Spirit. I was finally sick of it. I asked myself, what incentive could help me wake up on time. Me and Elder Goodsell have a running joke that I'm addicted to Sonic. Haha. It may be true. haha. jk. But I really do like the drinks and shakes. I decided to reward myself with one of the new sonic blasts with a funnel in the middle filled with peanut butter if I could wake up on time and work out in the morning for a week straight. I told Elder Goodsell that to help me get up, all he needed to say was, Sonic Blast, Elder. He did it..... and it worked. Haven't even missed a day. Haha. I'm pretty happy. I can feel the Spirit stronger in my life. I'll have to ponder more how my experience relates to the gospel.

Love y'all. Have a great last two days of summer.

Love, Elder Chandler Allen

Week 61- Miracles in the Midst of Sickness

Friends and Family,
Yep, I got sick this week. Not fun. I think I caught a cold or something, which is ironic because it's super hot still outside. Oh well. It all worked out though because Elder Goodsell had his ingrown toenail removed last week, so he had to take it easy. Good timing to get sick I guess. haha.
We took a lot of time to call potential and former investigators this week. When we drove around on Saturday, we were lead to one persons address from the area book. The people there were just getting ready to leave. I asked if Marlon lived there, and they said he had move. But we kept talking and they also said that about a year ago, they would have missionaries come by their house in Baton Rouge. They were opened to us coming back.
When we got back in the car, we called the missionaries who had taught them and they were so excited, in fact one of them is in our district, so we are going on exchanges so he can introduce them to me. Apparently they are a great family. I know God lead us there.
Another miracle. A cell phone sales lady stopped us and started talking with us. She ended up asking questions like, where do I go after this life. Why am I here? What do you believe about families. I told her we believe that families will be together forever and her face lit up!! She told us she had never heard of that before. It got her super happy and excited. The sisters will begin teaching her this week.
Last miracle of all: Sister Marriott from the general young women's presidency spoke in our sacrament meeting. She's super neat. She's a convert from the Methodist church. Her conversion story is inspiring. She taught us the word DAILY. She said, how do you stay firmly planted on the foundation of Christ(actually a question I had asked our investigator the day before, and he was there with us at the meeting). The answer is DAILY. If we do the specific things daily to increase our testimony and remind us of Christ, we will stay firmly rooted in the foundation of Christ. What an answer to my prayers. And what a week.
Love y'all,
Elder Chandler Allen


Chandler made Elder Goodsell ride on the cart because of his ingrown toenail.

Week 60-Special Times In Zachary

Friends and Family,

We have had some special things happen here. I feel that the community is opening up to us. They truly appreciate all the service that has taken place. There has been multiple thousands of volunteers come from all over the south and they have helped out so many people. It has been really neat to see that.

President Nelson, Elder Ballard, Elder Maynes, Sister Marriott, and Elder Davies of the Presiding Bishopric visited Louisiana this weekend. I watched a devotional for all the flood victims that was broadcasted from Baton Rouge. They all spoke of hope, God's love, humility, and at the end, President Nelson pronounced an Apostolic blessing on those who have been affected, promising that they will be able to recover, and as they do so, they will learn valuable lessons that will help them return to their Heavenly Father. 

On Sunday, Elder Maynes visited our congregation in Baker, and gave a talk. I remember feeling the mantle that he held. It was evident from him just being in the room. I know the Lord empowers Him to accomplish the tasks that he has been called to do.

Love Y'all, 

Elder Chandler Allen

Week 59- We Aren't Demolishing Houses

Friends And Family,

This week has been good and humbling. I learned a great lesson yesterday. We were at a house tearing things out that were damaged by the flood. I just felt uncomfortable the whole time because flood clean up is a really dirty and yucky job. I was just ready to give up. I wasn't trying very hard. I was coming up with excuses. In fact, this house is probably going to have to be completely demolished, so the whole time I was just like why are we even tearing things out? During lunch, some others brought that up to the leader of the group, Brother Sherman. He had a neat response. He said: It has been said to me multiple times that we are not here to demolish homes or to tear out stuff ruined by the flood. We are here to soften hearts and give hope to those who need it. If it makes the owner happy and hopeful if we clean up the house, then we must do it. What a powerful message.

I was able to go on exchanges twice this week. I love getting to know other missionaries. I went on exchanges with one missionary that I came out with, but had never gotten the opportunity to serve with. He is a Spiritual Giant, very loving and interested in others. Hopefully I continue serving around him.

The people we are serving around here truly appreciate it. I know it is softening their hearts and providing hope. They are so appreciative. I hope Christlike love continues to shine as we serve.

Love y'all!

-Elder Chandler Allen

Week 58- Hard Work and Service

Friends and Family,

What a week. It's been a lot of hard work and dirty work. haha. I've always wanted to be apart of the Mormon Helping Hands, and I finally got my opportunity. It's fun getting to do service with the ward. I always think the best way to build a bond with someone is through serving with them.

One of my favorite parts was handing out flyers door to door that let others know how they can sign up for flood clean up help. We got to talk one on one with many, seeing how they are doing, comforting them, and sharing quick messages that lifted them up. I love how many donations have come from all over the place. There's so many, we have no idea what to do with all of them.

We are teaching a great man named Micheal. He is very humble and very smart. The gospel clicks really well with him. He came to church and always enjoys it. He reads the Book of Mormon everyday. What a guy.

The ward is awesome here! They are a great missionary ward, especially if they know  you are a hard worker. I was praying for opportunities to show them that, and we got it as we help them prep the church for all the volunteers coming from Mississippi and other places in Louisiana. (btw I saw a couple people from Natchitoches there. It was awesome! I haven't seen them for so long. They seemed happy to see me. Can't wait to go back again.)

Yesterday, I was done for. I was so tired. The heat and humidity suck the life out of you. I feel like a zombie today. haha. I'm glad I get to rest today.

Love y'all, thanks for all the prayers!

-Elder Chandler Allen