Aug 15, 2016

NUTELLA SHAKES @ THE STEAK n' SHAKE. There's no "shakin and bakin"
going on, but it's still awesome !!!!

Bro. Mette came to church! Wahoooo.

We made our mini missionary a GREENIE MEAL. Seriously one of my fav things to do!

Yeah I might've dropped my chili cheese fries ........ Some kids can't even ....

Tonya ! One of our members. She's awesome.

STuDIES SHOW RESULTS of SISTERS JOSEPH SMITH HIGH--

I'M ON A JOSEPH SMITH HIGH. No worries...this is a really good high to be on! It's super safe and all the cool kids will be doing it someday. It all started this last  week when we had zone conference. Zone Conference was amazing, as usual! Each month we have a scripture focus. This month is a quote from Joseph Smith, it says, “The  Standard of Truth has been erected; no unhallowed hand can stop the work from progressing; persecutions may rage, mobs may combine, armies may assemble, calumny may defame, but the truth of God will go forth boldly, nobly, and independent, till it has penetrated every continent, visited every clime, swept every country, and sounded in every ear, till the purposes of God shall be accomplished, and the Great Jehovah shall say the work is done." And y'all this is soooooo all happening! ESPECiALLY in my mission...this is legit to see all these things actually be brought to pass! Joseph Smith's ACTUAL words and prophesies are being brought to pass, how cool??! 

*** I cannot emphasize enough the importance of writing in journals! It is sooooo important!!!! You know why?...Well, my Grandma Christensen wrote me about some of my awesome ancestors who ACTUALLY KNEW Joseph Smith!  This is a LEGIT first account and we wouldn't have known this unless my awesome relatives took the time to write in his journals. I have really come to have a better understanding of the importance of journal writing since I've learned of these ancestors and been here in Illinois. I have learned soooooo much more about Church History. I love love love love Joseph Smith. 

It is gonna be sooooo cool to meet him. My jaw is gonna drop. No joke.  

So here's an account from ancestors : 

Seriously I love Love this gospel! Soooo mucho!!!! NO amount of words can even come close to telling you how much I love this gospel. My testimony has grown sooo mucho. I'm on FIRE and and NO ONE can stop me!!!!! I sure hope I stay here another transfer so I can go to Nauvoo!!! The church is soooo true! Sis. Mühlestein and I watched the Prophet Joseph Smith Restoration video and I loved it so much more. My studies, reading, and pondering the Book of Mormon have deepened because the church is true. I've been striving to deepen my testimony and understanding of these things I know to be true and hold so dear to my heart! I cannot deny this is true. TRUTH SURE MAKES SENSE. 

COOLEST THING :

We have been working on cleaning out our Area Book. We stopped by one of the people listed and a young girl, Avery, answered thee door. Then her Dad came and we talked to them.  The whole time her Dad kept saying they already have a church home and they're good where they're at. On the other hand, young Avery kept smiling and saying she REALLY WANTS to come to our church. We went  to hand the dad a Book of Mormon and invite him to read it. Avery snatched it like it was precious cake  and said she's gonna keep it a read it. I'm pretty sure my eyes popped outta my head and jaw dropped. I was soooo amazed at the excitement this little girl had about this precious message. I have a STRONG feeling she's gonna be baptized, cause she was so excited about church & gave us a REFFERAL before we even asked her for any. 

Sad moment.... 

Reggie, one of the cutest elderly ladies who plays bingo, passed away Thursday and my heart sank when the other ladies told me. I've really really come to love these people. It's sad to see them go but HOW AWESOME and how comforting is it to KNOW we have the Plan of Salvation. We have a Plan of Happiness that allows us to be with those we love after this life. Reggie will forever be missed here. 

FUNNIEST THING --

You know your comp knows you VERY well when she pours your typical glass of chocolate milk right before you walk into the kitchen for dinner. Chocolate milk is my life these days! 

You know you worked hard when you fall asleep praying .. 😂

At Ward Council yesterday Bishop Mehr said, 

"WHERE ARE WE WITH OUR PERSONAL SCRIP STUDY? 

WE ARE UNDER CONDEMNATION. IT IS THE KEYSTONE OF OUR RELIGION.IF WE DON'T DIG DEEP INTO THE SCRIPTURES, WE ARE IN TROUBLE. WE MUST HAVE THE SPIRIT. WE MUST DIVE IN THE BOOK OF MORMON. 

YOU CANNOT HAVE A MEANINGFUL STUDY WITHOUT STUDYING THE OTHERS STANDARD WORKS.  PERSONAL SCRIPTURE STUDY & PRAYER ARE THE NUTS & BOLTS OF THE GOSPEL."

-----

I KNOW this is sooooo true!  So get reading the scrips!  Joseph Smith was killed and went through soooo much for us to have it. You know you better be reading it daily... not just reading, but pondering! 

We recently heard this AWESOME quote: 

"Joseph Smith died for the Book of Mormon and never gave up. You don't have to seal the Book of Mormon with your blood, but if you had to... would you?" It's something I've really been pondering. And honestly I WOULD. 

In my last area, we knocked on a random door. A guy came out on his porch and started talking to us and listening to what we had to say.  Then he said, "oh, you're Mormons.  Well tell me this...if I got my gun and shot you, would you go to heaven? What's your belief on life after death?" We  tried our best to teach him a basic Restoration message. He got very frustrated and said, "You're not answering my question. Hold on while I grab something." I legit thought I was gonna die. I was pretty positive he was gonna grab his gun. But I was so ready to continue defending the Book of Mormon and die for it. Scouts honor. 

Luckily he just grabbed his Bible. What an experience! I love Joseph Smith and all the early pioneers who sacrificed so much for us to have the Book of Mormon. They went through sooooo much and the least I can do is ....Be a full time missionary and bear testimony of the Book of Mormon and Joseph Smith and Jesus Christ. I love our Church History!  I love being a Mormon. I KNOW it. I LIVE IT. I ABSOLUTELY LOVE IT!!!!! The church is true, my friends. 

Now I want you to ask yourself ....would you seal the Book of Mormon with your blood if asked to? How is your Book of Mormon reading going? How could you improve it? 

2 Nephi 7:7-9 -- when we are rejected and bashed, or even just day to day stuff, we must remember as our testimonies are strong the Lord will help us and Satan won't have power over us.

I am soooo beyond grateful Heavenly Father sent me to this area and mission where my testimony gets strengthened every day! Yeah bashing and getting rejected hurts, but because of the Atonement of Jesus Christ my testimony is strengthened. I am grateful for the hardship that I continue to face on my mission, because it builds up my testimony. I FIRMLY believe that WHEN we prepare ourselves spiritually we CAN AND WILL overcome the challenges we all face in this crazy life. I know it's true cause I've had the opportunity  to be built up so strong spiritually these last 8 months. 

I love in 2 Nephi 9:23 it talks about the "crosses of world" and endure it well...all the persecutions, judgements, and bashes and being despised we will  FOREVER  have joy. In this area we get so much of this and I know that we all have "crosses of the world" and they can be very hard.  Yet I KNOW as we bare them well and continue to be strong and stay on the right path we WILL be blessed. 

Alma 47: We MUST  stay on the high ground in this ever changing world or else we will struggle. I know one of the best ways to do so is by studying and reading the Book of Mormon at least 20 mins each day. It's CHANGED MY LIFE FOREVER!!! 

Alma 48:19. “No Less Serviceable”  I think sometimes we look to leadership positions as this big thing that is so awesome and cool. Sometimes we get jealous, but we shouldn't because just as David Archuleta says in his beautiful song "Glorious":  We ALL have a part! There are times when we feel down or inadequate, but all of us have a purpose that's been within us ALL ALONG! And it's for us to figure out. We are all Gods instruments and hands. He loves us all. Our tags or labels DO NOT even come close to defining who we are. It's what talents we have, the good desires we have, and what we choose to do with them that defines us. We are all in this together! We are a team. We are in a symphony together. So let's continuously fine tune ourselves, and we will be a better team in this ever so crazy harsh world. I really just want each of you to know that you are soooooo important and special in God's eyes. FORGET the world...they're following Satan as their captain. He's just jealous of us. Forget the world. Come back to the Lord. Come back to remembering and KNOWING how wonderful you EACH are. We each have our own melody, we all know how to let it ring out....because we again use our talents and abilities differently. Because we are all unique so let's let it GO !!! GOD LOVES YOU.  JESUS LOVES YOU.  I love ya. 

------- 

What does it mean that Helaman was “no less serviceable”? President Howard W. Hunter (1907–95) taught that all righteous service is equally acceptable to God even though not everyone will serve in prominent callings:  “Even though Helaman was not as noticeable or conspicuous as Moroni, he was as serviceable; that is, he was as helpful or useful as Moroni.  Not all of us are going to be like Moroni, catching the acclaim of our colleagues all day every day. Most of us will be quiet, relatively unknown folks who come and go and do our work without fanfare. To those of you who may find that lonely or frightening or just unspectacular, I say, you are ‘no less serviceable’ than the most spectacular of your associates. You, too, are part of God’s army.

“Consider, for example, the profound service a mother or father gives in the quiet anonymity of a worthy Latter-day Saint home. Think of the Gospel Doctrine teachers and Primary choristers and Scoutmasters and Relief Society visiting teachers who serve and bless millions but whose names will never be publicly applauded or featured in the nation’s media.

“Tens of thousands of unseen people make possible our opportunities and happiness every day. As the scriptures state, they are ‘no less serviceable’ than those whose lives are on the front pages of newspapers.

“The limelight of history and contemporary attention so often focuses on the one rather than on the many” (“No Less Serviceable,” Ensign, Apr. 1992, 64).

Some miracles : 

• I saw a less active whose been away from church for several years. When we asked her if she'd be ok with visiting teachers coming she said yes. That's a HUGE STEP ! Cause before she said she never wanted to be contacted before. 
• I got to eat CORNDOGS again from the celestial ice cream shack 😂
• Gibbons fam bam had us over for dinner and made awesome Mexican food. WAY GOOD enchiladas  which was a big tender mercy cause I was really wanting some of mí Madre's enchiladas. Sis. Gibbons & Sis. Oxborrow adopted me so I'm never coming home. 😂. They're seriously awesome. I love Illinois!  See y'all in the next life. 

I've never been more sure in my entire life that the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints really is true. The one and only true church upon the earth. I love it. I know it's true. 

Xoxo 

Love always sista Karigan Allowitz 

Aug 8, 2016

Sis Havey is the bomb diggity. Love her. #soulsista. ❤️

Our mini missionary Sis. Sours. It's where the stake assigns youth who are thinking of going on missions with full time missionaries so they can see if it's really something they wanna do.
I love LOVE this idea. I wish I could've done it. If any of you currently reading this are in a position to suggest this to your stake president DO IT.
It's so rad.
Our mini missionary Sis. Sours was awesome!!!! It was way cool to see her confidence and attitude change throughout the 3 days she was with us. She was able to give out a Book of Mormon with her testimony in it. It was hard for her, but she did it. I'm so proud of her!
She's gonna be an awesome missionary.

WE FOUND A CHICK FIL A!!!! #INHEAVEN 😻😻😻😻😻😻😻😻

Brother and Sis. Mette. I love Bro Mette!!!! He's the kindest and sweetest person ever!
He has Parkinson's and has a hard time doing things, but he sure shows you how much he loves you by getting you water and just really making you feel important. The light of Christ LITERALLY illuminates him in ALL he does. He's such a great example of Christlike love and the Christlike attributes that I hope to fully gain someday. It's just amazing cause there's so much that he could be mad or negative about, yet he CHOOSES not to. He chooses to be happy and look outward just like Jesus Christ did. Brother Mette is one of my heroes.
Sis. Mette isn't a member. But we still call her Sis. Mette anyway. She's gonna be baptized one of these days, though. I know it. Service is gonna be the way to her heart and long and lasting conversion. I KNOW it. She's awesome.

This is Jim Bray. He's the Zone Leaders (elders who share the ward with us) investigator who was just baptized. He is so awesome too. He was so golden. We call him Santa. He also drives a red semi truck. So he's pretty legit, I'd say. So y'all better watch out...Jim is comin' for you. He gonna find you and bring you to church with his red truck.... But no worries. This isn't sketchy...this is YOUR eternal salvation. You'll thank us all later. I promise 😊.... Do you wanna be on the nice list or not ? Ha jk about the list. But for real, there are churches ALL OVER THE WORLD! So go find one and check it out.
It was way cool cause Jim's friend from Iowa actually introduced him to the church and came to church with him here once AND came to speak at his baptism this last weekend.
Seriously what an awesome example Linn is to us all. I know that as we open our mouths like Linn did we WILL see miracles and CHANGE LIVES... not just once but FOREVER.
" FOREVER. FOREVER. FOREVER!"

ELDER BENNETT (well okay NOW it's JOSH and no I'm not joshin' ya) came back to visit the mission with his family. It was so awesome!
He's become one of my bestest friends from the mission so it was cool to see him.
He's such a stellar missionary! And I learned so much from him. It was an honor serving together. The rest of us missionaries have BIG shoes to fill.

Hermanas FOR LIFE. ❤️ #soulsistas

Me and Sister Griffin are ALWAYS twinning. If you didn't know it
already ... She's super awesome!

WASHINGTON CITIZENS RUN & HIDE FROM SISTER MISSIONARIES 

#JONAHSTYLE 🐋🐋🐋WHALE OF A STORY...

Funny story..... 

This week we saw people walking towards us, and we thought "awesome! More people to share the gospel with!" But then psych, one guy saw us coming down the sidewalk and started walking super fast into his garage and closed the door and hid. We knocked on his door, and even though he totally knew we knew he was home, he kept hiding. We left a pass a long card of the Nauvoo Temple on his door. One day he'll call the missionaries.  One day he'll be baptized. I know it. 

Another couple was walking on a lovely, cool, summer evening and when we approached them friendly and nice, they said, "Nope we already have a home church." Then they walked super grandma fast. I just kept talking to them saying, "No, y'all should come back because I know this message is true, and it'll bless your lives forever. I promise you won't regret it." It makes me laugh, but at the same time "You don't even know what this is, cause you haven't even tried it yet. Come back!"  It's interesting how so many people run away from us and hide. They're like Jonah. WHALE 🐋🐋🐋 it's gonna be great when they finally accept this forever life changing message. 

Seriously I feel like I'm E.T. or something when everyone runs away from him cause they're way scared they're gonna get Ebola or some thing. And then Satan is like the government people who are trying to get E.T. cause they know how wicked awesome and life changing he is. Seriously let's be real...E. T. is the coolest and so are missionaries! I seriously cannot get over how funny it is that people are running away from us. I didn't think I was scary looking. We are just 2 AWESOME 19 year old girls that have THE BEST message for YOU! This isn't Mary Kay or Avon y'all...so OPEN UP. 

Miracles: 

• Sis. Merkle framed my note 
• Sis. Hamer had missionaries over for dinner in Freeport! She's a less active who might be returning after a long time.
• another ice cream place, The Ice Cream Shack.  Another miracle happened there.  We met a guy who didn't know anything about the church.  We were his first contact. How cool is that? Ice cream still answers prayers and brings miracles. It's cool how Heavenly Father speaks to us through the Holy Ghost by many different.  He KNOWS I love ice cream so he places people in my path when I get ice cream. It happens EVERY TIME. 
• This week we have been on fire! We took the Assistants up on their invitation and wrote our testimonies in Books of Mormon & handed them out within 24 hours. We've found 3 new people to teach. One of them we taught right there and then about the beautiful message of the Restoration. We have also still continued to talk to everyone, and it's been so fun. We really have made a game of it. We take these things seriously, so we really do talk to everyone. It was really cool writing my testimony in a Book of Mormon and giving it to someone.  When you give one with your testimony, the power of the message becomes so much stronger and more real. It is so personal. It's a piece of yourself. It's scary, but so worth it. Morton  is growing and having things happen. We invited everyone to Jim Brays (the elders' investigator) baptism.  No one came, but it's ok.  The success is in the invite. 
• Emily and Jason Boyd moved (soooo sad).  The miracle is they gave us the rest of their totes so we are set for life!!! 
• The Assistants asked that someone from our zone give the spiritual thought for zone conference. I said yes but I was soooo nervous. I really feel that Heavenly Father helped me pull my thoughts together. I was super excited to get to share because it was about Joseph Smith and the Book of Mormon.  (Theme of the whole Zone Conference.)  It REALLY strengthened my testimony of Joseph Smith and the Book of Mormon. I really can stand as a witness and say I KNOW WITH ALL OF MY HEART, MIGHT, MIND, AND SOUL THAT JOSEPH SMITH REALLY WAS A PROPHET CALLED  OF GOD to Restore the church back upon the earth and translate the Book of Mormon. I'm grateful to have an even stronger testimony of these beautiful things. 
• Brittany dropped us  (the one with a date for August 27, but it's ok. She is still being prepared cause she said she's gonna keep reading the Book of Mormon.  We FOUND 3 new people to teach. BOOM. 
• I GOT TO EAT 2 CORNDOGS THIS WEEK #INHEAVEN😻😻😻😻
• The Holcombes, (some  of the awesome members in our ward) made us a BBQ feast yesterday after Fast Sunday...one of the best things to eat when you're done fasting. I love me some BBQ! 

("Rise Above" Mormonad) Anyone else find it interesting that the colors are the same as Batmans colors?😈  Let's RISE ABOVE together and let go of our weaknesses and things that are holding us back from becoming the best we can become. I know I wanna become the best missionary I can become so I'm gonna think of all the things that are holding me back from my full potential and work on letting them go.  President Griffin talked a lot about this during new missionary training this last week. He related it David and Goliath and how the leaders of war wanted David to wear all this armor, but it was weighing him down, so he took it off. And he was able to defeat Goliath and yet if he had kept the armor on he probably would've died. So I'd like to invite all of y'all to take the time to take this challenge with me and let go of your " armor of war" and see the difference it makes in your life as you become closer to Christ and closer to the vision of the person you see yourself becoming and God knows you can become. I know we cannot do this alone.  It's not easy, but because we have Jesus Christ in our lives we CAN AND WILL rise above everything IF we first have the desire and ACTUALLY DO IT. Let's RISE ABOVE.  

The Lord says if we labor all our days and save but one soul, how great will be our joy with him; on the other hand how great will be our sorrow and our condemnation if through our acts we have led one soul away from this truth.  How cool is it that we get to talk to EVERYONE? We seriously talk to EVERYONE. We've even run a couple people down.  (Don't y'all worry we AIN'T EVEN CLOSE to "prancercising".    I've truly seen so many blessings from that. So many miracles. We are always looking for more people to teach... to build up our teaching pool and also so we don't let anyone miss out on this awesome message. I have really come to better understand the importance of ALWAYS OPENING YOUR MOUTH to share the gospel. It would be selfish of us NOT to SO WHY SO OFTEN do we just sit there and not say anything?  YES sharing the gospel can be hard, but y'all it's soooo important and I KNOW God really will help us know what to say. 

I was reading in the August 2016 New Era magazine "The Message You Send"... "Talking, thinking, dressing, and acting in a way that’s truly modest is a message that’s based in the gospel, and that’s a powerful message. It reminds us of who we really are and sends a message--to the world, to us, and to God--that we know God really is there, that we love Him, and that He’s ready to help, no matter what problems we’re facing. That message can inspire and empower. And it certainly will change someone’s life--including yours.   So, what message do you want to send today?" 

----

Remember, "There's never a second chance for a first impression." so.....THINK & ACT wisely. 

I loved this quote:

"It's important to be patient with imperfect people, because God cares a lot more about who we are becoming than who we once were. And we are all imperfect people striving for the same purpose, to become better." 

----

NONE of us are perfect so it's important that we all be kind to each other. Be patient. 

President Gordon B. Hinckley once said, "Take a chance on people. Think of the chance God took when he called you." 

---

WOW. if that isn't a slap to the face idk what is. For real, let's be kind. Remember we are all imperfect people striving for perfection. Again this isn't always easy but with Jesus Christ's help I know we can overcome this and become more patient. I know my patience level has grown a LOT since I've been here. It's definetly NO WHERE near perfect but it's getting better. It's improving and that's all that matters. 

We had a little fireside for the mini missionaries before we got them and President asked, "are there any Hermanas?"  I raised my hand  and President said, " Awesome, we have 1".  I totally psyched President for a minute and then, "oh no, you're not an Hermana. She's wanted to be an Hermana from day 1." Haha. It was so funny. I'm an Hermana at heart. Haha. 

Here's some talks  to read  cause they're the BOMB!  I'd like to invite y'all to read these from April 2015 GENERAL CONFERENCE: found in Gospel Library app under " general conference" or on Lds.org 

• Is It Still Wonderful to You?  by Bishop Gérald Caussé

• Returning to Faith  by Rosemary M. Wixom

• Where Justice, Love, and Mercy Meet by Elder Jeffrey R. Holland

You KNOW you're a missionary when : 

You think of churchy analogies for EVERYTHING. 😂

So here's some for y'all this week ...

I was washing the dishes and it made me think of us and Jesus. Why you might ask? Because some of the dishes were able to be cleaned super fast and the stains or food was way easy to get off. Yet others had been on the plates for awhile and it took some scrubbing, extra soap, or even help from the comp.   We are not perfect people and we sin and make mistakes and some are easy to overcome and get rid of. However, there's some that take a LOT of time. And so we need the Savior's help ALWAYS.  Please remember Jesus Christ LOVES YOU MORE THAN YOU COULD EVER IMAGINE.  He's always, always gonna be here to help us. Remember to use the precious gift of the Atonement in our everyday lives. There's always, always, always, ALWAYS a way back. 

Bug bites ...... So the mosquitoes here are really bad. They are evil little devils. They like to bite you until there's nothing left to bite. The big bites itch and are painful and can even scar if you're not careful. They're annoying and distract us from the more important things in our lives. That my friends, is just like SATAN 👹👹👹👹 Satan likes to attack us with his buddies with all of these worldly things and weigh us down and hurt us and weigh us down from our most important tasks in life.  Yet with bug spray and anti-itch cream, which is like the Savior, we really can overcome these things. Again, it's NEVER a too late to come back & FIGHT OFF SATAN with help from Jesus Christ. It's so important to read the Book of Mormon  and pray daily. It's the small and simple things that will help us stay away from Satan and his buddies grasp. Prayer is our link to heaven and Heavenly Father so KEEP ON PRAYIN. I love the gospel. I love Jesus Christ. I'm grateful to have the knowledge that it's NEVER too late for me to come HOME to Heavenly Father. To come back from being the one lost sheep...to be part of the group again. SATAN CAN BITE ME. 😉  Actually, no he CANNOT, because I'm putting my "bug spray" on.  So he has NO power over me! And I know the same can be for each of you as you apply these things in your lives. 

Last night Sister Mühlestein and I taught a young couple who were taught previously. The previous missionaries answered some of their questions, but they still had lots more. They told us a few days ago that they had questions on eternal families. We studied a LOT and went to the lesson with an awesome member. We got to know them a little, and answered their questions. I wanted to tie it into the Restoration, which we did, yet it was kinda scattered. Even though it didn't go quote like we wanted it to, it was the lesson they needed. I was sooooo beyond nervous. They had sooooo many awesome questions which were pretty deep. My comp and I really know the member needed to come with us, cause she helped a TON on the things we weren't sure about. And it was cool to see Heavenly Father's help in that lesson.   He brought soooo many things to our remembrance... Even things we had only heard once in seminary or Sunday school or church long ago. I am grateful He really does help us when we prepare and do the very best we can. 

Even though I was feeling a little discouraged and defeated in the lesson with this young couple--who wanted all their answers and to know where the "evidence" was RIGHT THEN, and told us things they heard about Joseph Smith that were TOTAL misconceptions-- I felt comforted by something Elder Bennett once said, "You're more successful than you think you are. Don't get discouraged. Be happy." That phrase just kept running through my mind. I knew I had prepared the best I could. I knew God would do the rest. I knew my companion, and the member, and the Holy Ghost were there to help me. I am so grateful for all of that. It was a great experience even though it was pretty rough. That phrase brought peace to my mind and my heart.  I am grateful to have the opportunity to learn and grow because I KNOW we CANNOT  grow in our comfort zones. I'm ever so happy & grateful  to have had that experience to help them learn more about the church and the things I believe & KNOW deep within my soul to be TRUE.  

Sister Mühlestein said us having our mini missionary training is prep for me  being an STL(Sister Training Leader). HAHAHAHAHAHA isn't she  funny 😂??? NOT. 😁😳😂

Here's some cool quotes I loved this week : 

"You cannot change someone else. You can only change you. You can lean on Jesus Christ to make yourself stronger." 

"When we decide we won't participate in church. we are drawing ourselves away from the Savior." 

"Being offended is a choice." 

"No one can make you feel inferior w/out your permission." 

"We can act or be acted upon."

YALL ENJOY YOUR DAYS OF LIVING THIS WEEK¡¡

Love sista Ällowitz

1319 Butterfield Rd. #552

Downers Grove, IL 60515

karigan.allowitz@myldsmail.net

http://karigansmission.blogspot.com

August 1, 2016

And you thought you were sick of corn ..... 🌽🌽🌽🌽🌽PSYCH.

Emily and Jason Boyd. I'm soooo sad they're moving. Besties for life. ❤️

MTC PALS. ❤️❤️❤️

My killer comp ❤️

Alma 34:15-- people are so hardened here in icwm. It's sad to see people reject this beautiful message and Jesus Christ. I

am grateful to know that this is true. I watched "Legacy" the movie about the pioneers and Joseph Smith. It's one of my all time
favorites because the spirit is so strong--these pioneers sacrificed so much for us to have this restored gospel of Jesus Christ
here upon the earth. I love Joseph Smith. I love the pioneers. I love the gospel!

My companion shared this insight with me, and I loved it because I honestly don't care what people think of me. What I do care about is that people KNOW Joseph Smith WAS INDEED a prophet of God and that Jesus Christ lives. 1 Nephi 19:7–9. "The world shall judge him to be a thing of naught." The Savior was unimportant to them. He was deemed to be “good for nothing, 

but to be … trodden under foot of men” (Matthew 5:13). Elder Neal A. Maxwell (1926–2004) of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles noted how men today often follow the same fateful thinking: “For many moderns, sad to say, the query ‘What think ye of Christ?’ (Matthew 22:42) would be answered, ‘I really don’t think of Him at all!’” (in Conference Report, Oct. 1995, 27; or
Ensign, Nov. 1995, 22–23). On another occasion Elder Maxwell taught  that regardless of what the world says, we must stand fast in our testimony of the Savior: “At the center of the Father’s plan is Jesus Christ, mankind’s Redeemer. Yet,

as foreseen, many judge Jesus ‘to be a thing of naught’ (1 Nephi 19:9), or ‘consider him’ merely ‘a man’ (Mosiah 3:9). Whether others deny or delimit Jesus, for us He is our Lord and Savior! Comparatively, brothers and sisters, it matters very little what
people think of us, but it matters very much what we think of Him. It matters very little, too, who others say we are; what matters is who we say Jesus is” (in Conference Report, Apr. 1984, 27; or Ensign, May 1984, 21).

There was a thunderstorm AGAIN this last week. Of course, we being the super smart 19 year old girls that we are, didn't have umbrellas because it was super bright and sunshiny out. Then all of a sudden the storm from Satan came and we got SO soaked. We knocked on some doors hoping to get an answer, then ran back fast to our car in pouring rain. I said, 

"hey this is awesome cause people will feel bad for us and let us in, and we can share the gospel with them." Hah, knock on wood....the guy said ,"you didn't have the decency to get out of the rain? Go get out of the rain."
He LEGIT wouldn't let us in. I just laughed. I didn't care about getting wet as much as about his eternal salvation. 

But I guess he isn't ready. I hope his heart was softened just a little. BUT hey it was a fun adventure.

When we are with God and center Jesus Christ in our lives and read the Book of Mormon and pray daily we are WITH God and are able to be above the world. We can be in the world but not of the world. We can stand above Satan and his buddies trying to get us down. We can have a firm foundation when the whirlwinds of life come. ( Helaman 5:12)


We were so excited to finally contact Diane. When the door opened and we asked for Diane the guy said, "yeah, my mom died. She's gone." ...... And then slammed the door in our face. But we did see a lady above Diane's apartment. She was nice until she realized we were Mormons. She said if we didn't go she'd hit us with her cane cause she knew mom would've beat us cause that's what she always did to Mormon missionaries. She wouldn't have been able to, since she was in a wheelchair. I would've taken it, but we wanted to respect her so we bore testimony again and left. It's interesting people's perspectives of the church. There's so many misconceptions out there. It breaks my heart. But how COOL IS IT that I get to be here preaching the gospel to get rid of these misconceptions!
We are like Nephi. People are like Laman and Lemuel and won't listen. They only time Nephi got them to listen was when he bore his testimony. People are so hardened here. Service and bearing sincere testimony is what's gonna soften people's hearts. I know that's true cause I've already seen it. Even through this we must humble ourselves and become like Nephi because at times we can become like Laman and Lemuel. So let's not murmur. I sure ain't speaking "whinese". It's not a language I have or wanna put on my resume and none of us do, so let's rise above.

You know your companion knows you super well when she knows she can scare you by hiding and waiting for you to come outta the bathroom....WHY ? 😳😬😂

We all make mistakes and no one is perfect. We all fall short at times and Satan & his buddies try to get us to believe things that aren't true. They try to get us to keep digging ourselves bigger holes and continue to dwell in our sin. And yet GUESS WHAT? Our Heavenly Father LOVES us SO MUCH & wants us to return back to him. He wants us to better ourselves and improve. And he knew we wouldn't be able to do it on our own so He sent his son, Jesus Christ, who suffered & atoned for us.
So please please DON'T procrastinate repentance! I know it's not always easy but remember you're not alone! You never are! And "anything worth having takes time" , so get on your knees and pray DAILY for things you're needing to repent for.
I have seen my life change so much as I've taken the time to repent daily. Digging holes doesn't do anyone any good. Daily repentance heals wounds and scars. It helps us to become more Christlike. I can promise you it's NEVER EVER too late to come back regardless of how far you feel you've come!!!! Jesus Christ IS our Shepherd. We are HIS sheep. 🐏🐏🐏🐏 and he WILL place us on his shoulders and carry us home. I know this is so true, because Jesus Christ has left the 99 for me so many times.

So beyond grateful for parents who taught me the value of hard work and how to do it. This missionary stuff isn't even close to being easy, but sooo worth every bit of character I'm gaining here.

Miracles this week:
*Brittany's gonna be baptized Aug 27. We are gonna baptize her ENTIRE FAMILY. She said she normally would've turned us away but she saw and felt something different within us. Such a spiritual experience! Most spiritual experience I've had on my entire mission. With that experience alone I KNOW this church is true. And I CANNOT deny it.
* Met guy named Vance who actually accepted a Book of Mormon and said he wants to come to church
* Tonya,a less active, came to church for the first time since I've been here.
* THE JARNIGANS MOVED HERE. Ice cream prophesy brought to pass.

We had zone preparation day today. It was a blast! We played ultimate frisbee and volleyball and the Elders BBQ'd for us. We have an awesome zone !

Ps- yes Sis. Metcalf got GEESEN poop on herself from all the GEESEN in the lawn at the church. Cause STORY TIME :
Seester Metcalf was chilling in the grass enjoying the sunshine day when all of a sudden she realized she had GEESEN poop 🦃💩 on herself. She didn't eat it though that's a disclaimer.
She is still alive and well and no longer has any residue on her from this event...just priceless memories to write about in her journal.

I love the missionary life!
Love Seester Ällowitz

Also we found a new person to teach. This bunny. Many people here won't listen to us like I said but this bunny did.