December 27, 2016

She's amazing? Super amazing. This pie was gloriously delicious !!!

Rugby 💙

Fred and Sister Lynette. 💙

FRED & Sister Lynette had us over for Christmas again and we had STEAK
& LOBSTER!!!! I was sooooo happy !!!!

Santa Stanley.

Kelly...love her ❤️

Train depot of lights.

Jenna ❤️❤️❤️

Sister Freedlund! She's amazing !!!!

My new Christmas ever pjs! #bestoneyet

Christmas food celebration!

Snowman we built before the snow melted. #bucketlist #candycanemouth

Our crazy zone .... Yup still only sisters in zone. #showelderswhorealbossis

Hermana Gowens ❤️ #southernbelles

President & Sister Griffin! I just super love these wonderful people ❤️ Sis Griffin & I twinning'.

GRISWOLD APPROVAL?

CRUEL STREP AND TONSILLITIS MONSTERS HAVE COME TO PLAY, WILL THEY STAY?  ...MONSTERS ATTACKED. 

So MERRY CHRISTMAS TO ME.... I "got the opportunity" to have strep and tonsillitis for Christmas Eve & Christmas and I still have it unfortunately.  We've been quarantined since the eve of Christmas. It hasn't been ideal, but I've made the most of it. I just think it's super funny cause last transfer I got 106° fever and now I have this wonderful sickness. When you get sick, you are able to be even sooooo much more grateful for healthy days...that is a BIG thing I'm happy to have. I have some antibiotics so hopefully this monster won't stay too much longer.... It'd be great if it'd leave before my HAPPY TO ME.  Just living the life of a missionary. Haha. 

I still feel like I'm gonna die but I'll be fine 😊

As I was reading these scriptures I got thinking....

Mosiah 23-24 

Alma 14:26

How much longer must I suffer? How about...how much can I get out of this? What is the good that comes out of it?

Pros : I'm warm and inside... Aka , away from the snow!

Actually it all melted so that's a MIRACLE. I'M SOOOO HAPPY. It's spring outside! 

• I can rest and catch up on sleep 
• I get to study more scrips and become more knowledgeable  about the gospel
• Seriously the pros are endless really haha ....

We ALL experience hardships and there's probably times when we feel like we're in a bad dream or just want whatever is going on to be over. But again think and look for the good. Be happy. Smile. Laugh even if it hurts a million times. It'll make you feel better. I once heard "Laugher is the BEST medicine" (unless you laugh all the time,  then you need some real medicine).   HA. That's me. 

MERRY CHRISTMAS Y'ALL!!!!!!

Okay Christmas may be over, but it's Christmas everyday if y'all really think about it cause we have the opportunity to center Christ in our daily lives everyday! And if you're not then that's a problem. But nothing that can't be overcome. 

With New Years coming up, Look at your current priorities and look for ways to make Jesus Christ more at the pinnacle of those and APPLY. And keep doing it ALL year!  DONT EVER EVER give up. It might be hard, but you'll forever be happy you did. I promise!!! Remember Christ is the reason for the season! 

I love my loving Savior so much!  I love that he's become one of my best friends the last year. I love that when I wonder where I can turn for peace or help that He's always there. I know he lives and will help us as we remain happy and faithful. 

I love the different temples around the world and that they put lights on them because the lights remind me of Jesus. As you see the temple lights on Temple Square or other places throughout the year like on street  lights or cars or disco balls  SMILE, BE HAPPY. Remember Jesus. When you feel sad... Find some light and be merry. 

Find ways throughout 2017 to remember Jesus Christ! He remembers each of us everyday and the least we can do to pay it forward is remember him. 

I know the Savior is the light of the world because he lights my world everyday. We each have light within ourselves, so let it shine !!! 

Matthew 5:14-16 

3 Nephi 18:24

3 Nephi 12:14-16 

When you're standing in the checkout line in Walmart behind 75,000 people and the lady in front of you is paying with pennies & you gotta be to work in 20 minutes  remember what it's not about. 

Remember Christ in EVERY situation! He loves you. He really does. I cannot say it enough. 

¿ARE YOU READY FOR CHRISTMAS? What does it mean??? 

Well it really means ... ¿¿¿ARE YOU READY FOR CHRIST????

WHAT ARE YOU GONNA GIVE TO CHRIST THIS NEXT YEAR? As you're thinking of your gift remember ....

It all goes much deeper than that. I hope we all can remember what's most important and not lose sight of the BEST gift we've all ever been given: Jesus Christ and his Atonement. 

I hope and pray we all Find time to turn your heart to God. He's waiting. Give him all you have. Don't wait a second longer.  

Give thanks for the food in your life. The Lord will help. 

Thanks for all gifts and love I received from all of you wonderful people this Christmas! I love you all and can't say thanks enough. I appreciate the kindness and thoughtfulness. I had a very Merry Christmas, so muchas Gracias to all! And to all a very Merry New Year! 

And HAPPY EARLY BIRTHDAY TO ME....on Thursday. Can y'all believe I won't even be a "teenager" anymore? That's so weird. And then next week will be my 1 yr mark, craziness.... 

This is gonna be me in on Thursday...

Sincerely  the coolest Texan in Chicago you ever met,

Hermana Karigan Allowitz 

December 19, 2016

ICWM👐🏾

My crazy district....

Ilene, she's a feisty one. I love her ❤️

Hazel ❤️❤️❤️❤️ I love her.

Stella !!!!

My bird friends.

You KNOW it's cold when .... The gas station has to put this sign on it.
Okay "a little chilly" is sugar coating it 😂😂😂 that's like saying
"it's only -14 outside. You're fine!" ... Oh yeah thanks
😁😳🙄😂😂😂

GRINCH WHO ALMOST STOLE CHRISTMAS TREE

So last week after we got our Christmas tree our landlord texted us and said we couldn't have a real Christmas tree. It was pretty funny because there's this long list of rules from past missionaries who told us not to mess with our landlord. 

And having a real Christmas tree isn't on there. But no worries, we'll be putting that on the paper for the next missionaries. 😂 she didn't tell us to get rid of it though, so we still have it. Some people just don't understand the real reason behind Christmas. 

So remember to be kind especially during this wonderful Christmas season and don't  be a grinch. Be happy! 

We got invited to the Bickford Christmas party and Santa was there. 

And so of course we yelled " OH EM GEE SANTA , I know him!" Haha jk. 

I wish. Inside my inner child was screaming for joy. More just because I miss Buddy, the Elf. He's the man. 

Let's invite Christ into our lives , our homes. 

Let's make sure we welcome him into our lives and homes. 

President Spencer W. Kimball wrote of the Savior:

      “All his life he had been the victim of ugliness. As a newborn infant he had been spirited away to save his life at the instruction of an angel in a dream. … At the end of a hectic life he had stood in quiet, restrained divine dignity. …

      “They pushed him around and jostled him and buffeted him. Not an angry word escaped his lips. … They slapped him in his face and on his body. … Yet he stood resolute, unintimidated. Literally did he follow his own admonition when he turned his other cheek so that it too could be slapped and smitten.

      “Words, too, are hard to take. Incriminations and recriminations and their blasphemy of things, persons, places and situations sacred to him must have been hard to take. … Yet he stood his ground, never faltering. No cringing, no denials, no rebuttals. When false, mercenary witnesses were paid to lie about him, he seemed not to condemn them. They twisted his words and misinterpreted his meanings, yet he was calm and unflustered. Had he not been taught to pray for them ‘which despitefully use you’?

      “He was beaten, officially scourged. He wore a crown of thorns. … He was mocked and jeered. He suffered every indignity at the hands of his own people. … He was required to carry his own cross. … Finally, with the soldiers and his accusers down below him, he looked upon the Roman soldiers and said these immortal words, 

Father forgive them for they know not what they do."  

Elder Gene R. Cook

"One of the great processes you go through in life is to discover

yourself, to find those gifts and capacities God has given you.  He

has given you great talents, the smallest part of which you have just

begun to utilize.  Trust the Lord to assist you in unlocking the door

to those gifts.  Some of us have created imaginary limits in our

minds.  There is literally a genius locked up inside each of us.

Don't ever let anyone convince you otherwise."

WHAT ARE YOU GONNA GIVE TO JESUS THIS YEAR ? 

I want each of y'all to ask yourself that and then (of course you already know what im gonna say next you don't even have to ask) ...

GO AND DO. 

• Hermana Ällowitz 

Sent from my iPad

December 12, 2016

So coolest thing happened last night. We had 2 lessons planned last
night with investigators and they fell through. As all great
missionaries do, we had some solid back up plans. We had planned
to go visit Brother Ferrin and share the Christmas initiative and just
let him know we are thinking of him. He would be really active but
can't because he is very sick at a Veteran's
Home. We happened to have Brother Beyer and Brother Arellano
with us. And they're both wonderful priesthood holders and were able
to give Brother Ferrin a blessing and the sacrament , which
he hasn't had in a very long time. He doesn't have many visitors.
I wish y'all could've been in that room last night because the spirit was SO strong. And it was one of the first couple
times for Bro. Arellano to be able to have this opportunity, because he
just recently joined the church, with lovely Sister
Metcalf. Seriously I cannot even fully describe how amazing this was.
One of the greatest experiences I've ever had.

Bro. Sadoff and his mom, Shirley, and us helping at the "What About Bob" bingo facility. They're awesome!

MY HAPPY PLACE. 🎄 is Christmas. Remember now, YOU'RE NEVER fully dressed without a little bit of sparkle, a lil' bit of sass, and a smile 😊

SISTER BEYER BOUGHT US A TREE 🎄🎄🎄🎄🎄🎄❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️
#happysisters. Sister Jagielskis first ever real tree..... She's NEVER had a real one. So that's cool cause SOME KIDS DON'T EVEN HAVE TREES.

#unplanned, these ladies are awesome!

Oh Sister Irvin, she's an amazing person. Seriously ONE in a MILLION kinda person. She's basically my mom because she takes such great care of us.

I LOVE OUR CHRISTMAS TREE 😻

GO LIGHT SOMEONES WORLD TODAY AND EVERYDAY. D&C 6:36 "Look unto me in every thought; doubt not, fear not." I know as we look unto HIM in EVERYTHING then we can have peace and know everything will be ok, even if it doesn't seem that way.

Tt may be SUPER cold here, but the sky is my friend 😻👌🏾 ESPECIALLY
when the sun is out. 🌞
#youaremysunshinewhencloudsaregrey❤️🌞🌞🌞

If any of y'all wanna know how I'm doing .... Here it is ..... This is the BEST way to describe it.

How many Pollocks does it take to put up a Christmas tree....?

Or ..... Move a huge sofa into a room with a door that it won't fit through? Is it even possible you might ask ???...

Answer = OH YEAH.
#missionaccomplished CHRISTMAS IS AROUND THE CORNER. CAN YALL EVEN BELIEVE IT? Ha yeah I can't either.
Question is though ....

HAVE YOU BEEN NAUGHTY?.....or Have you been nice?
Don't worry, repentance is a real thing. You know you're getting old when your trainer goes home in a week ....
It's crazy to think I am where I am right now where she was when she
trained me or pretty close atleast.... Stephen Beyer, his wife Jessica, and their precious baby Judith Eve.
Stephen served his mission with Kieran in the same mission! Such a cool connection... THANKS KIERAN FOR SERVING A MISSION!!!!
I know that Heavenly Father has blessed me on my mission to REALLY KNOW that this is MY MISSION & that it's where HE NEEDS me because of all these cool connections I've had.
I really am my mothers daughter and I love it. 😂
Also they're coming out to BYU-I, so my peeps out there, look out for my Illinois pals. Take great care of them for me now !

I love this scripture because it reminds me that even in my darkest times the Lord really has brought me into the light. I love the Savior so much! I love that I get to be his full time servant all the time. 

Alma 26:3

3 Behold, I answer for you; for our brethren, the Lamanites, were in darkness, yea, even in the darkest abyss, but behold, how many of them are brought to behold the marvelous light of God! And this is the blessing which hath been bestowed upon us, that we have been made instruments in the hands of God to bring about this great work.

One of the members on Sunday said, "You gotta get outta the way and let the Lord do his work through you." I really loved that because we may not always wanna do what He's asked or we may not know what to do, BUT I know we need to humble ourselves and let go of what we can't control and be happy and help others. 

I know this gospel is true. I know Christmas is all about Jesus cause He's the One and Only Way. I love Him. I love this gospel. KEEP DOING THE 25 ways in 25 days!!!!  It's the best. You'll be happier. I promise. 

Sincerely, 

Hermana Karigan Ällowitz

Dec 5, 2016

Sister Kibbons. #sasssysquad 👯

HOW MANY POLLOCKS does it take to change a lightbulb ? 😂

Brother and Sister Kamp. And Sister Webb. Oh MY GOSH, y'all sister Kamp made this wonderful meal and made FRESH biscuits. ❤️

Ernesto & Sanjuanita. Love them !!!! Angels in my life. Always taking care of us.

HOWIE. he's one of the funniest people this world will ever meet. If
you're ever feeling down.... Just talk to Howie. #tendermercy #daymade
The best part was .... He remembered me & my name and didn't even see
my name tag. He cares so much about everyone in his own special way.

Sister Griffin and I match EVERY TIME we see one another. #greatmindsthinkalike

HOW MANY POLLOCKS DOES IT TAKE TO ...... Put a broken table back together ?

Salvation Army service with sis. Beyer & the elders.
#KICKOFFWORLDWIDEDAYOFSERVICE
I am super excited because now we will be going back once a week hopefully To serve.
Crazy story : this man there was talking about how he was in SLC and accidentally somehow walked into the baptismal font and the members said ," Soddy sir you cannot be in here today. But you can come back and we'd love to see you. To come back all you gotta do is talk to your bishop and get a temple recommend. "
It was the craziest thing I've ever heard. Well one of them. Then it was cool cause I had a nauvoo temple pass along card and we got to talk to him about the temple and more of what we do. Seriously soooo prepared. He had the nicest things to say about Mormons.
And then .... This other man , he asked " are you two girls from the Mormon church ?"
I said ,," well yes , is it our name tags that gave us away ?"
He replied ," oh no I didn't even see them. It's your genuiness that gave you away. "
He went on to tell us how he has met with missionaries in the past and he gave us his info and we might be teaching him soon. It's a little sketch so we will see but seriously YALL I CANNOT TELL YOU HOW MUCH SERVICE SOFTENS PEOPLES HEARTS. it made me SO happy that he could see that in us. Sometimes we don't always see the good in ourselves but as we do what we can to emulate Christ we will help others. I LOVE SERVING.

" LUNCH LADY LAND. LUNCH LUNCH LADY LAND. " 😂😂😂😂😂

Pros of snow: EPIC WINTER PHOTOSHOOT TIME !!!


Cons: everything 😂😂😂😂 just kidding. I'm doing all I can to remain positive.

Me: "WHY SNOW? Why now? SHOULDN'T IT be sunny and warm? "
Snow:" cmon enjoy it. "
Hah Okay...

I'd like to ask each of you...HOW WILL YOU LIGHT THE WORLD THIS
CHRISTMAS SEASON?
#GOLIGHTTHEWORLD

EAT IT OR LEAVE IT.

HOW I FEEL ABOUT THIS SNOW ....

SINGING IN THE SNOW.

yup I would be that person to wear flats when the " first snow " comes.... Hah, don't mind me.
I feel like Olaf right now .... CAN IT JUST BE SUMMER PLEASE ? " BRING MY SUNSHINE BACK" 🔥🔥🔥🌞🌞🌞🌞🌞