Elder Derek Andrew Allen (Canada Toronto West): News from Elder Allen

Well Hey everyone.

So procrastination is a horrible thing. You skip one week of writing or even one day and its so hard to get back on track! Well, starting with the week I missed. It was a great week. We came across two wonderful people who were interested in meeting with us. One I grew very fond of, she was a mother of two kids and was struggling with some horrible habits! Yet it was just a few days later she got anti-ed by her family and didn't want to meet with us! Ugh, she felt the spirit so stong too... its just really hard to see people fall away! Erica wasn't baptized she slipped and now is back to smoking... she really has lost that sparkle, but is still holding on! We also had a wonderful power houser Zone Conference! It was on the Book of Mormon, What a great tool given to us in the world today! It truly has such powers that nothing else can take! I love being out here and bringing people the chance to hear about this! President Middleton then gave all of the missionaries a challenge to read the Book of Mormon in 6 weeks, and to mark every reference to Jesus Christ, I am not even finished with 2 Nephi and I have over a thousand! What a wonderful record of Jesus Christ!

This week has been great, spring is in the air, we don't have to wear heavy coats during the day! The sun has been just shining away. People are loving to talk I am feeling closer to the people! I love it out here, and can't wait for all the trees to turn green and the green grass to reappear. Ok so saturday Elder Peck and I were out tracting and we were called into a home, Its amazing how when people want to talk they will let you right in! Well anyways it was an elderly couple and the husband was just so interested in our religion. We started with the first lesson and then the wife got up, I thought she didn't want to hear any more, however she soon returned with blueberry bread with a lemon sugar glaze on top, and two glasses of milk for us! Wow perfect investigators, Elder peck injoyed this because he was on a sugar diet this week! Anyways the lesson then took a turn when she asked what our belief of what happens after we die! We didn't even get to Joseph Smith! We then talked to them about life after death, they liked it! Haha, by this I was just taken back by these people, but another curve ball comes when we start to read from the Book of Mormon and He goes to the other room to get his triple combo so he can follow along! What is this I am thinking these people have to be members, but no they are actually 7th day! Anyways they took our commitment and we have a follow up appointment this week! We then met with Erica and talked about the Prophet and the 12 apostles! Then she tolds us she was coming to stake confrence with the Staff family on Sunday! However Sunday came and no Erica, she had a stomach ache! Ugh whatever, really I am sick and tired of her excuses, but we do have agency! Stake confrence was wonderful, Elder l. Whitney Clayton came to talk with his wife, the whole meeting was just great. I came out with the realization of how important scriptures are in teaching.

Ok so this week I started something new a study Journal, wow what a blessing they are, they help increase the study by so much. I love my study journal, and you know it is such a blessing not only for me but for my future generations, so they can read and know that I did have a love for the word of God, and they can know how I felt about my favorite scriptures! I am not reading any talks lately because of the Book of Mormon challenge, and oh how great that is, I encourage anyone who is reading this to go get a new paperback copy and read through it marking every reference in the Book of Mormon to Christ! Not only will you love of the Book grow but your testimony of Jesus Christ our Savior will too!

Ok pictures: Sunset, this is over frozen Lake Huron just an amazing view and wanted to share the beauty of Canada with everyone!

Ok here is the picture of my missing eyebrow, yeah way to go Elder Allen, leave it to me to shave half my eyebrow off! Sister Middleton had a good laugh about it, hopefully you will too!