April 16, 2012

The next email you get from me I will officially have less then 6months left in the mission, man that is a great feeling, I am not going to lie, I’m exhausted physically, mentally, and emotionally. Its tough going every day, especially now when the weather is getting a lot colder and a lot more rainy. We have cambios in 3 weeks or so and I have a feeling that I’m staying and my companion is leaving, which means I only have one more sector left, I’m going to ask president if I can end in Lota because I love it there, and I was my most happy there.

We have a baptism this Saturday! It’s amazing, this zone is the hardest to baptize in and the whole zone will baptize this month, it’s really a miracle. This week, on the 20th we have conferences with the zones of the south so I will be getting mail on the day I hit 6 months, the only better present then that would be to be able to go home on that mark, ha-ha. So I’m excited for this week because I will be getting mail for the first time in months.

We saw a woman this week that kept yelling through the window that she was given witch powers by her sister. That was pretty interesting to say the least. This week we also went to a funeral, it was my first one so that was interesting, we taught the plan of salvation to non members there and made it an effective time. It was weird being at that funeral, really weird.

So this Saturday we are baptizing Damian, he is 20 and a great guy. We might be baptizing in the waterfall of Gorbea if not in the church, so I should finally have pictures for you all! Yay, but it’s going to be a good week because its full, PT Tuesday and Wednesday, Thursday is the interview for Damian, Friday the conference and Saturday the baptism so YAY for us. 

Physical therapy isn’t doing anything, it still hurts at the end of the day the same and I need my brace to walk all day. I’m going to see a doctor next week to see if there is anything else that can help or what to do, rest is what I think I need but I’ll ask a professional because I just want to know.

Congrats to Nancy for the twins, I hope they are doing better! 

Sorry this is short, know that I love you all and I miss you very much.

Love Elder Kyle Allen

April 9, 2012

I just hope that no one gets mad if there is no letter but some notes for you

-started PT and its nice and all but im not feeling much improvement

-we put a baptismal date with someone, which is huge because in this zone, its very very hard to baptize, and in this sector specifically.

Love Elder Kyle Allen

April 2, 2012

Well General Conference was amazing, I love having that small room with Americans listening in English. There is just a feeling there that is amazing and so much fun as well. I forgot all my notes back at the house so I am sorry I can’t reflect on the talks the way I would like to but I’ll try to bring them next week. I do remember 2 things though that I want to share:

1. When the choir sang Come Thou Fount, the spirit was sooooo strong. I remember that you could cut it with a knife it was so powerful, I absolutely loved it. Andrew could you do that Google doc thing with the track of them singing. I heard that you can download from the church website.

2. I notice that a few times the speakers quoted 2 Nephi 25:26 and that was cool because I use that scripture all the time here. Question for all of you, what does that scripture mean to you, and I’m not just looking for the simple answer but one deeper, if you could all study it and then tell me next week I would love that, if you have time you too Trevor. 

3. David Archuleta was in the missionary choir and he is coming to Chile, could he be in my mission?  Ha-ha that would make Andie pretty tripped out huh Trevor? Ha-ha

So we had a fun General Conference as I’m sure you can imagine. Today we just went to Pitrufquen and ate with the zone, didn’t really do anything more than that. It was fun because it was very relaxing and I wanted a day to just sit and enjoy myself. 

I didn’t start anything with my ankle this week, we ran out of minutes in our cell last week and we weren’t able to contact president and tell him that I needed anything so I will be doing that this week because we just got more minutes, so hopefully this week I can start, or the next on, we will see.

So my companion is sick with a bad cough and it’s hard for both of us to sleep. He coughs all night and I wake up to every cough, we are both exhausted a lot. Just goes to show you that fall has begun here, and our mission president told us it’s going to be a very cold and wet winter. Not terribly excited about that because working in the rain is kind of spirit breaking, ha-ha. Man Andrew I don’t know how you did it. But it’s still good weather so we are happy, for now.

So how is everything going? The wedding all planned and what not? Oh how did the pictures turn? Dad sent me one and I printed it out for my room here because everyone thinks Andrew is my little brother and that this is no way that he is older and getting married so I printed that for proof. Ha-ha and my companion didn’t like it because Andrew looks happy, ha-ha that’s what you get for having a companion from Columbia.

So yah that’s what’s going on with me, we didn’t have our investigator at the general conference so that was sad, but he had to stay in Temuco and work so hopefully this weekend he will come to Gorbea and we can talk to him

Love you all

Elder Kyle Allen

March 26, 2012

Well, I’m not being transferred, so that’s nice, I’m staying here with my same companion and that’s good because we get along and everything. So yes I’m happy we will be getting another 6 weeks together. I am officially the oldest in my zone though, so that’s really weird, but that’s what we get for having a zone way out in the middle of nowhere.

About the ankle, it turns out that they want me to go to a physical therapy type thing, 10 sessions of it and if that works YEAH, if not they have more tests to run. they said that 9 out of 10 people get it fixed by doing this therapy thing, but he said that those 9 out of 10 people get this within the first 6 months of the accident, and because I have been walking on it for a year and a half, he is hoping that it will work, but if not, I don’t know, he has some other plans of exams and what not.

We had interviews this past week, and that was fun, it’s always fun talking with President because he seems to be more down to earth with us lately. And plus, Elder Pliler is an assistant and he was my companion so I love seeing him. He is a great guy and that was a fun time with him in Renaico. 

We don’t really have any set investigators so this past cambio has been just about contacting. But there is a boyfriend of a girl here that visits every other weekend and we teach him on the Sundays that he is here. He is great and I think we will put a baptismal date with him soon, because he listens and is really nice, we just want to make sure that he understands it all and will do it for the gospel not for the girl.

We are also making a huge push to receive more references from the members here because the contacting isn’t working for us, and statistically we baptism way more of the references that we receive then the contacts we do. President Swenson said like 1.3 of every 1000 contacts is a baptism, bit 1 of every 20 references are baptized so we are making a huge push. But that all depends on the members here as well because we can bug and be all nice and everything but if they don’t feel like it we won’t get anything.

So I’m hoping that the PT type thing can start this week, but other than that I don’t know what’s going to happen this week. OH GENERAL CONFERENCE!!! Man I’m excited for that!!! Best weekend ever! 

Ps I found this video from the church website, sooooo pumped!!!

http://mormonchannel.org/video?v=1498281577001

It’s so weird, before the mission I would only get pumped like this if there was a BYU football game or a brave’s baseball game, but General Conference on the mission is sooo much fun. I sure hope we have an English room!

Happy birthday to dad and grandpa, sorry I missed them, but hey I will be home next time to tell you in person!!

Love you all

Elder Kyle Allen

March 19, 2012

So we find out what happens this Saturday with transfers, and I’m very unsure, depends on what the doctor tells me tomorrow really, because if I need to get off it then I might be going to the office, if I’m fine I might stay here because me and my companion are getting along great.

So this last week we had a surprise conference in Los Angeles and that took up our entire Wednesday. We had to drop all plans and go, which was tough because we actually had a meeting but we have it this week so we are ok. We received a reference from a member of a recent wife that isn’t a member but her husband is, and she actually listens so we are super excited about that, we actually might baptize in Gorbea, first time in 6 months apparently, so that would be awesome.

Tomorrow I have the doctor and on Wednesday we have interviews with president, our whole zone so that will be nice. I will be able to talk to him about what I find out tomorrow and we can get this whole ankle thing planned and figured out, for once. 

I got a package last week; it was that one that told me Happy St. Patrick’s Day, that was awesome, thank you so much, I loved it

Tomorrow I hit 7months until I come home, that’s a crazy thought, I have been out a while and am one of the old guys here in the mission. 

I’m sorry this is lacking know I miss you all and love you all so much

Elder Kyle Allen

March 13, 2012

So I received a package from the Newsoms, thank them very much for that. It was great to get good candy. 

Tomorrow we have to go to Los Angeles to see the doctors from Santiago

We had an intercambio this last week with the zone leaders and I went to Pitrufquen so that was fun

I had my medical exams this last week, I’m not going to lie, it’s so weird getting an ultrasound with another guy in the room, the dimmed lights, blue goo, and laying on that bed, just weird, ha-ha.

We have been very discouraged because we have not been able to find anyone to teach, but this last week we found a family (mom and daughter actually) that seem really great, we are hoping that they won’t mind a message and for us to teach them.

We went to the beach on Monday, but it rained the whole time so I didn’t take any pictures, it reminded me of home a lot which was hard but yah, other than that it was interesting. The whole zone played soccer in the rain on the beach and I just stood in the rain and watched because of my ankle

Speaking of the ankle, I have had a feeling like people think that I’m crying wolf because the accident was almost a year and a half ago and it shouldn’t hurt, and with the news that someone FINALLY found something wrong just gives me the feeling of closure. That I haven’t been crazy and just whining this whole time, but it was real and I need to do something to fix this, not just wait and with time it will stop hurting. I don’t know if surgery is needed but I’m not sure if it’s an urgent thing or not, I need to talk to a doctor to find that out and that’s what I will be doing tomorrow.

We are having a big focus in the mission to work with the members and not focus as much on the contacting, so we are trying to leave with members more, get more references, all that. I know one thing is for sure, I’m going to help the missionaries when I get home because I have realized while being here that they need lots of help and with good members in your sector things just work better

So yah that’s for the family, just so you know, love you so so much

Elder Kyle Allen

March 5, 2012

So this past week it rained every day, it seriously feels like Oregon here because it just rains and is very cold, and it’s still summer, I’m kind of scared of what will happen during winter.

I had a doctor’s appointment for my ankle last week and I have to get an x ray and an MRI this Wednesday because my ankle still hurts to walk and touch so there is something wrong and I want to know what it is because it is so annoying and frustrating.

So someone on the radio in the south of Chile said that Mormons are of the devil so no one wants to talk to us and it’s really annoying and tough to work because no one will open the door and talk to us. We are trying a new thing this week, walking around with my DVD of the Mormon messages and a 3liter of Coke and saying "hey we have coke and want to share a 5 minute video of Jesus with you and your family, how about it?" original right? yah we are that awesome, hopefully it works.

So yes, we have been looking for 2 weeks and have no one, it’s a very hard sector, contacting has not been working, and the members here just don’t give references because they haven’t been best friends with other missionaries so yah we have been having our work cut out for us here. It’s very tough and if it weren’t for my new companion it would be another tough week if you know what I mean, he is always trying to do things in a fun way and laugh so I’m really thankful for him because I’m really struggling a bit right now.

We had 2 possible investigators that we were really excited to visit but on Saturday they said they wanted nothing to do with us so that was really hard on us and we took that pretty hard. That was the first time that we had both taken the rejection personal, because we are used to rejection and all, but it hurt more than usual and in a different way, I don’t know it’s hard to explain.

Happy birthday to the aunts (Marcie and Denise) that had the fun trip to Oregon, glad you were able to surprise everyone.

I got an email from Erik Fonnesbeck (my old roommate at BYU) he is in Romania and is doing great, he hopes to end without training, I can now relate to that feeling, at one point I wanted to train but now I’m back to the I don’t want to feeling. but he gets home in September for school so he´s happy with the progress that we both have made, ha-ha.

I think next week we are planning on going to the beach as a zone so I’m looking forward to that, as long as it’s not raining because bad weather at the beach isn’t that much fun

I hope that you are all doing good, know I love you all so very much and I really do miss you all, wish I could be there!

Elder Kyle Allen

February 27, 2012

So this is welcome from Gorbea.  I had a transfer last week.  I am going to answer all moms questions and expand on a few just for you all because I think that it is going to be my whole letter anyway so thanks mom for the good questions

Tell me about the house/apartment that you live in?  bedrooms, bathrooms, kitchen,  

Well it’s a house, and it has 2 stories so that’s a first for me, but it’s very small, one bed, one bath, and I don’t know if you can call it a kitchen but it is a sink and a fridge

Are you walking or on bikes?

all walking, and it’s a very spacious sector so we walk a lot and it’s crazy

Someone to cook for you?  Laundry?

we only have lunch 4 days of the week so we get a little more money to cook for ourselves, and there is someone that we pay to wash our clothing yes!

What is the town like?

it’s very very spacious, so it may look bigger in space but it’s very small, still a town.

What is the weather like?  

very cold and rainy, it’s like Oregon, ha-ha

What about the ward?

very small and very inactive, we are trying to do lots of reactivating but we don’t know much about the sector so it’s very hard

Your companion?  

He is from Columbia, lives in the Bogota south mission so if that is Aaron’s mission he says that his family will take him in like family because I am his family right now. He has 8 months in the mission and is district leader; we are co-companions so that’s fun. I’m the oldest in the mission in my zone, that’s weird, and we are in the smallest zone in the mission. There are only 5 companionships and we are in the middle of nowhere pretty much, ha-ha. So yah, oh and my companion only has one more week than me in the sector so we both don’t know where anything is, and we both have never been in the south before so we get lost a lot, ha-ha

Grocery stores?  Fast food places?

Yes, but they are small grocery stores, and there are more fast food type places but fast food doesn’t exist here in Chile like it does in the states. So there are a lot of junk food places here.

What type of place are you in to write this letter? 

I’m in a cyber as they call them, it’s like a small building with lots of computers all hooked up to the same internet so that’s why it always stinks, ha-ha

I bought myself a satchel bag to work in instead of my backpack because it’s easier to keep dry and I am obligated to carry less so I’m learning to be more dependent on my scriptures searching skills and less on notes I’ve taken in different note books of good scriptures. I needed more extra money for my bus rides to Temuco, because it cost me like 25-30$ to make the change in sector because I went from one end to the other, so yah that was my fun spending

About the pictures, that is my new companion, and ask Andrew what the sign we are holding says, it’s pretty funny because we tried to get that church in the background on purpose, ha-ha

Know that I love you all so very much, and that I am doing better, just trying my hardest to get work on being a great servant to the Lord. 

Elder Kyle Allen

February 13, 2012

Elder Manzanos, Elder Arksey, and Elder Allen

Good-bye Elder Jackson, til we meet again.

So this week is cambios, and I am getting a new companion, staying in the sector though, so that’s good. He is from Argentina and has 4.5months in the mission. So I will be getting another new Latino.

Elder Demke and Elder Allen

So today a huge group of missionaries went home including Elder Jackson, and that was very tough for me, now just have my MTC district and a few ex companions.

Elder Allen and Elder Jackson

Elder Allen and Elder Steele





Elder Fetty and Elder Allen

Elder Allen and Elder Lisonbee



Lota District



So today we also had to go to Concepcion to take that brain scan for my companion, he will find out the results on Wednesday but I won’t be with him then so I won’t know what the results are, but yah I hope all is well.

The past few days my ankle has been acting up really bad, we rode a bus from Concepcion to Lota standing the whole time, and the driver was reckless like always and my ankle made a few jolts back and forth and I think I re-injured it again, I’m taking some pills but they aren’t very strong, I might have to see a doctor Friday if it keeps up, I might have to use a cane!!!

Thank you for the Birthday Packages!!

I really wished that this ankle thing would be done with by now but it’s just back, I am using the ankle wrap that I bought in the MTC and the Nike shoes but it really hurts.

So I got 3 packages at once that was  awesome!!!

-birthday from the Bairs

    --thanks for the brownies and the giant hugging assistant!!!

-birthday from the Stafford’s

    --thanks for all the gummies, they seemed to bake together but it was fun to eat it with forks and knives

-valentines from family

    --have to say the best package food wise I’ve gotten from you all. The beef jerky and all the reeses pieces things went fast, soooo good

So yah, that’s all I have for now, other than happy valentine’s day, may you all spend it well!!!

love you all

Elder Kyle Allen

February 6, 2012

So we find out Saturday about transfers, scary it went by so fast!!!
This week on Wednesday I have to say goodbye to Jackson because he leaves on next Tuesday, and that will be so hard! I’m really going to miss him!!!

So today my companion had a doctor’s appointment in Concepcion because he has been getting mindsplitting migraines and we don’t know why. So he will be getting a scan of his brain sometime we don’t know when but it will be scheduled. We didn’t do too well this week in the numbers because of that.  I do hate reporting numbers by the way

So this week was really lame because my comp would get them so bad that the room would spin and we needed to rest and take pills kind of stuff
(sorry by the way this keyboardstinks and doesnt read when I hit the spacebar like ever!!!)

So the pictures are of today, Jackson came to Lota to say goodbye and I went to visit with him, our favorite convert Nataly (the shorter girl that is not in all black hahaha) and she just told us that she is pregnant again! Yah for her!

So Trevor how are the applications for BYU? When do you hear?
What are the dates or the wedding? And will I be receiving an invitation?

Sorry this letter is so short; I had to do this huge survey from the church to all the missionarys that took forever!

But this week was very relaxed because my companion had those head problems, and we are hoping to take the scan soon so that we can find out what is wrong soon!

Know Ilove you all somuch.

Elder Kyle Allen

January 30, 2012

How you all doing? So I am now officially 21, that’s kind of crazy to think about but really cool because I’m now the age I'll be when I come home, yes I mention a lot of "when I come home" things but that’s just because I know they are my last in Chile, and it’s sad and really happy at the same time, I’m sure you can only really get that after being in my shoes, or just the shoes of a missionary in general.

This week I went with my companion to an end of training conference for the kids that just finished their training. We had to go to Concepcion and that was kind of fun, but we heard the same thing that we have been concentrating on for months so that was kind of annoying but good news, every Latino in this mission knows what "the most important thing" means in Spanish, inside joke.

So I had a nice birthday, had lunch with 2 of my converts and then had a party with the other 2 sectors here in Lota. That was nice and all, we had some sweets but they are nothing compared to the states.

Today we went to the office and I got my birthday package, it was great, thank you so much mom for that. I got to say goodbye to the guys that are going home on the 14th, and that was hard, but I still have to say goodbye to Jackson and that will be so crazy tough because he is my last real close friend that is still here, and that just means I’m old when he leaves.

We had president Martinez show up on Sunday in Lota and that was crazy and kind of stressful because we had no one in the church until the very last second possible and a girl, Josepha walked in. we are teaching her because her grandma is a member and she likes the primary so that’s working for us but it was crazy scary for a while.

I’m uploading some pictures to the photobucket from my birthday day. It was a gorgeous sunset and this camera does not do it justice, I took these pictures from our balcony in our apartment, beautiful night. The others are of Elder Demke boxing with my companion. It was really funny actually and I have a video of them fighting, just an FYI, Demke won, big time, ha-ha

So tonight we have a missionary meeting with our branch mission leader at his house so I have to run off really fast, I tried to email all but I didn’t have time to get back to Erik and Hayden, I’m really sorry, Hayden I absolutely loved those pictures, appreciate the email and am jealous you are switching to graphic design.  Erik you are amazing, and always remember whatever you write on that teleprompter, HE WILL READ. So with great power comes great responsibility, ha-ha

Know that I love you all so much, I’m sorry I’m rushing off I just need to make it there by 6 and well we still have to take a nice fun bus ride, ha-ha

Have a great week

Elder Kyle Allen

January 23, 2012

So it turns out that I can’t do my visa until next month, which is cutting it very very close but the Chileano government won’t let me do it till then.

We had a crazy earthquake while I was in Concepcion today. we were in a bus and it shook it pretty hard, it was crazy and this lady next to us was freaking out and screaming open the doors and was trying to call all her children, man that 8.8 almost 2 years ago really scared the people in Concepcion.

So we went to Concepcion today obviously and we had Subway!!! It was awesome, the first one that was opened in Concepcion was opened today (what luck) and it was really good, better in the states but it was the taste of the states and I loved it. Man we make good sandwiches in the states.

So I turn 21 this week, for the record I have not received any packages or letters for my birthday yet, don’t know when to expect them but I know they are on the way and thank you all so much for them.

So you know that Mormon movie writer and producer? The one that did Napoleon dynamite and Nacho libre? Well turns out that is Elder Demke´s sister and brother in law that does them. Jonathan Hess is his brother in law and his sister helps the writing. He also made Gentlemen Broncos (Andrew I remember you talking about that one) and Demke is actually in the movie and has a line, he is in the trailer as well. I and Demke are pretty close because he is in Lota Bajo Elder Owens who was in my MTC group so he trained one of us. And yah, so he goes home in 3 weeks and I will miss him a lot for sure, but Andrew check out that movie if you haven’t already, tell me about it, and just an FYI, his brother in law is making a TV series now, has not started airing yet but should be good he says.

It’s gotten pretty hot here in Lota lately and that’s not terribly fun, it’s nothing like Renaico but it is picking up the heat for being beach side. Everyone is at the beach so work is really really hard for us because no one is home so we take a lot of drink breaks and do a lot less contacts because it’s so hard to come across people, the down fall of being on a beach.

So I completed 15months, that was pretty big, I was excited to finally be in single digit months, and I can’t believe that it’s almost Feb. man that means it won’t be terribly long!

So what is the news on the wedding, anything new?

Trevor, are you going to continue for state/nationals?

So there are 22 missionaries leaving in 3 weeks and 24 coming in, so I might be training, no idea, we will find out what’s going on in 3 weeks, but yah that’s about all the news I really have

make sure that you all have a fun January 26th for me!!!

Love you all so much, and will be thinking of you on my birthday for sure!!!

Elder Kyle Allen

January 16, 2012

So this week I went to Concepcion to do my 2nd visa but my companion had to do his carnet more soon then I had to do mine so we did his. That means next week I have to go back to Concepcion so that is not the most fun but hey that means I get to visit a giant city again so that’s cool

We are doing a lot of work with re-activating members here because when I was here 6months ago there was like 200 people at church and Sunday we had 120 so I think it’s in the best effort of the branch if I work on re-activation, so that’s my huge focus this cambio. Also the branch President said that one of my converts was a bad convert and never stays for the other meetings at church and that is completely untrue she stays for all and has only missed once while I was gone, and leaves with the missionaries of Lota Medio all the time, so we had a little fight and he has had it out for me for a while now because of that so I wasn’t exactly welcomed back by him but the others yah.

I saw President of the mission today and he was really excited when I came in and gave me a huge hug and was so nice and it felt really nice, so I’m happy he is here, I miss the Swenson everyday but he is a great guy, there are weird changes in the mission but he is a great guy.

So as Andrew pointed out, 10 days, woooot! I have been counting down for a while, shocker, but hey it’s my big 21 so I feel like I’m justified to count down. I’m planning on spending it with my converts from Lota Medio so that’s what I’m doing, ha-ha

So we had a meeting in the north this past week and it was fun, nice to see all the guys that are in the north again. I have to say goodbye to Jackson this cambio and that’s going to be super tough like saying goodbye to Myer. Speaking of which family here is his email, get in contact, mom? nathanael.meyr@gmail.com

At least chat with him for my birthday, ha-ha

So yah this week is pretty lame with the need to go to Concepcion again, I’m hoping that we can get there earlier and get it done faster

Today I ate a sandwich that was 1kilo and it had fries and eggs on it, soooo good, I’ll send pics next week because the computer re-booted when I started uploading them so I’ll try again next week.

Well I’m sorry there wasn’t much; I love you all so so so much, have a good week and enjoy the snow!!!

Elder Kyle Allen

January 9, 2012

So yah I’m back in Lota! But this time I’m in Lota Alto and not Lota Medio. A lot of the members remember me because all 6 missionaries (Lota alto Medio and Bajo) go to the same branch, but the number of people that go has dropped since I was there so there is a lot of work to do.

Quickly I’m going to explain that the picture with the people was Nicol Doris and Pepe from Renaico, I do miss them very very much, and the other picture is a picture of Lota Medio (my old sector) from Lota alto (the sector I’m in now) so yah that’s the pictures, because there were only 2 that I could get off the card before the computer pooped out I decided to send them in this email.

I am living in a different apartment then last time, Lota Bajo and Medio live together and Lota alto lives alone in Lota alto because it’s a hard climb every day, ha-ha.

OK Here are the answers to your questions:  

1. How is it being back in Lota?
It’s awesome because I’m so close to all my old converts. I have visited a few and they had stopped going to church but went on Sunday because I would be there so I was very happy about that. The branch half remembered me and when I began talking all said there is no way that I am the same person because I couldn’t talk apparently earlier so yah, that’s cool

2. How many of your converts are still active?
1, buts she lives in Coronel now so I can’t go visit her, even though her city is less then 10minutes from my house.

3. Who is your companion?  Where is he from?
My new companion is Elder Manzanos, and he is from Argentina. He understands English perfectly but won’t speak it, so we just speak Spanish, although it’s nice because I can speak in English and ask him and he gets me just replies in Spanish always.

4. How is the house you are living in?
One of the nicest apartments in the mission, new, has 3 bed rooms and a beautiful view of the ocean because it’s on the 5th floor. But we do have ants, which I still don’t understand how

5. How was the move?  Working well with the broken suitcase?
It was very very hard, I actually have a crappy version of the thing you send in that email mom but it’s still tough because it’s my whole life for 2 years in 2 bags. So yah I might look for another one if this breaks because its 100% necessary because the wheels don’t spin at all, it’s like pulling dead weight

6. What is the weather like?
Its cold and raining right now and I love it. Other missionaries are burning in 98 degree weather in Angol and Los Angeles but I am enjoying 65-75 and light rain. Its glorious, well it’s a little colder than that but still amazing.

So yah I’m enjoying being back. I gave the numbers for the first time and felt very important and realized I didn’t know very much about what I had to give, ha-ha. I love the false sense of responsibility that senior companion has, really you are equal but I have a fancy title now so I feel way more special.

So yah I hear Miles is home, crazy, and Cory, and Erik and Hayden, man it’s a party again! They better throw me a sick coming home party because I miss them all so much.

So I hope that all you are doing ok, have a good time and all, love you all so much!

Elder Kyle Allen

January 2, 2012

I loved our Christmas call.  It was so great to talk with you. 

The big news -- whelp it’s that time to leave Renaico, so I am off to Lota, yes the city I’ve already been in. I will be in the same branch as I was and able to see all my old converts but I am in a different sector, Lota alto not Lota medina, and will live in a different house.
I don’t have huge amounts of time because I need to say good bye to lots of people and still finish packing but it was really great to hear that I’m off to Lota, I love that city so much, it was my favorite sector and I’m close enough to Concepcion we are allowed to go on p-days.

Goodbye Renaico

All by myself on New Year's Eve

Well I’m sorry I don’t have much to say but yah, enjoy your week!We had interviews with the President this past week and that was great, I’ve grown a lot closer with him lately, not like the instant connection with the Swenson’s but it’s getting there for sure.
I got your package with the card, thank you so much, it’s very needed and helpful.
I had to say goodbye to Elder Myer which was really really hard. He said he wants to visit for my birthday and has our home address, I’ll try to give the home number as well.
Elder Jackson leaves at the end of this new cambio so that will be really hard as well, but hey luckily all my very close friends are from the states so I can visit them again. Mom, if Elder Myer calls you need to make a pie for him, I talked up your pies because I miss them so so so much, and I can’t be a liar, ha-ha
I have to do my 2nd visa and carnet this coming p-day I think, so I don’t know when ill be on the internet but if I’m not on like normal that is why. 
Packing is so hard, I hate doing it as well, it’s so annoying because you don’t think you gained a lot of stuff over the few months in the sector, then you realize that packing gets harder and harder and you have gotten a lot more stuff. It’s crazy and annoying at the same time if you get what I’m saying.

Love Elder Kyle Allen

December 25, 2011

Merry Christmas -- Love Elder Kyle Allen

December 19, 2011

I am having problems with my email today.  Don’t know what is  going on.  I have written the family letter twice only to have an error while I was writing. 

Hey mom – just in case you are wondering, here are some people I wouldn’t mind if they accidently joined Christmas call: Erik Hayden Cory Kevin

This week I’m going to Temuco, huge city, has a "Mapúche market" which is where I would get Christmas presents and gifts for people, things awesome from Chile sort of thing, not sure if I’ll ever go there again,  I am going to buy things, at least Christmas stuff, I think.

I’m not buying any Mate’ till I leave because I don’t want it to go bad. I want to look for hand carved things, and satchel bags, and a giant metal picture of horses running for grandpa. – ha ha just kidding. 

I’ve never been to this Mapuche market before so I have no idea what they have or what they don’t have, I just know it’s the biggest in Chile.  Can’t wait to see what is will be like. 

I have to go, love you talk to you on Sunday!!!

Love Elder Kyle Allen

December 12, 2011

Well there is still no word on the cambios so I think I’m safe until after New Years, don’t quote me on that because President is crazy with cambios but I think I’m staying here for at least until New Years.

This week the assistants came down to our zone and brought some of our packages, I only received 2 of them though, one with the rain jacket (which I’m very happy to have thank you so very much) and the package with all the sun stuff and the sticker of Trevor’s watch, thanks for that one Trevor, ha-ha. I hear there is another package, I didn’t receive it, at least yet, but I will receive it before Christmas because we have a mission conference on the 21st of December, when I hit a year in Chile, crazy huh?

So I heard from Elder Elder and Elder Gibbs, and they both have made out and are loving it, hate them! Ha-ha no just joking, they miss Chile and want to come back, with some of the liberties that they have now, ha-ha.

I made a DVD with all the Mormon messages. All 48 I could find in Spanish. Oh my gosh that is the most amazing thing in the world, I’m serious. Those messages are like 2-3minutes and are crazy powerful, we always use one in a lesson and they work amazingly! It’s taken me a very long time to do it all and all that but its finally done and I’m soooo happy.

So we are working out something with our branch president to try to get the Christmas call in the church because we hear the internet in the church is better and we can actually have some peace if you know what I mean. The only problem is that there is only one computer in the church and there is only one password to connect to the church internet. The branch president said that we could use his laptop if we could get a hold of another password. That’s very hard to do, so we are talking to all the people in charge and all that stuff. We actually might have a mutual friend from Lebu that can get us a password so we hope that all that works out. One person can be in the bishop’s office and the other in the secretary room and we can have our talk in peace without other people nagging us. Plus we don’t have to worry about when people open on Christmas or anything like that. It’s still a rough draft but we are working.

Now questions from mom

1. What is your house like?
well its one of the nicest houses in the mission, we have a big room a kitchen, all that jazz
2. What type of appliances are in your apartment?
We have a microwave!!! That’s pretty awesome, and a stove and an oven
3. How many bedrooms? 1 bedroom 1 Bathroom a Fridge? With dead flowers in the yard.

4.  Have you still been picking cherries?  Eating lots of cherries.  Do you still have cherry stains on your shirts?  Yes I have, ha-ha, I have eaten a lot as well. They are very very tasty right off the tree, and hey, a reason to climb a tree is always worth it. I have a lot of stains on a lot of shirts, so yah, that’s my problem now, ha-ha

5. Do you still have someone to wash your clothes? Yes every week we have someone wash our clothes, this is only my second sector that I have had that ability just so you know

6. What do you eat? Breakfast, lunch and dinner

Breakfast we don’t normally eat, lunch in Renaico is a lot more of rice and chicken which I’m thrilled with. Dinner, there is no such thing as dinner in Chile. There is (once) which is like a thing of bread and a hot drink like echo at night

7. How is the clothing holding up?  Do you need me to send you more shirts?  Socks?  Ties?  

I have little socks and my shirts are all pretty much stained but I think I’m ok, I don’t know if you really want to send any clothing to me.
So Erik comes home tomorrow? dang that is so crazy to think about, I remember being in my college dorm room when he opened his call, man that was really 2 years ago... dang

So we are planning on where we will be spending our Christmas and New Year’s already, I don’t want those days to feel sad for me, so we are trying to plan it all now so that we don’t have to have any down time to think about anything else, and we are planning on spending time with a great family after our call so we can ease back into the work, last year was very hard for me and I don’t want a repeat if possible.

Well I love you all so so so much, stay safe!
Elder Kyle Allen

December 5, 2011

We had no idea that the Christmas devotional was this last weekend! So we didn’t watch it, it was so sad when I got on the email and saw that it was on, so we are trying to download it to listen to during our studies this week. I’m really upset I missed that, because that’s my favorite! It’s just an hour, the music is awesome and the 3 talks are so powerful. Sad moment.

So the people in Tijeral sell cherries this time of the season in Angol, because Tijeral is "campo" and there are a million cherry trees there and Angol has nothing. So we have been going to Tijeral a lot to help them pick cherries to sell. I have gotten a lot of cherry spots on my white shirts which is very very upsetting for me for sure, but it’s so much fun to be way up there in the trees. I can see cities far away from up there and its relaxing, wish I could just go there alone sometimes.

We also found a new family in Tijeral and they want to be baptized, there are 4 in the family so we are very happy. We helped them pick cherries and that’s how we got in, so it was worth all the marks on my shirts. The mom is not currently with the husband, they are fighting so we will find out what happens, but its 3 kids. The moms name is Nieves (snow in Spanish) and we put a fecha for the 24th of December, so with any luck I will have the most white Christmas possible, a baptism with snow, in the summer of Chile.

I’m still not sure about the special transfers this cambio, I think that they are next week, but I can’t remember. but I’m really torn, President pretty much told me if I wanted to go I totally can, so he has had ideas about moving me, but I’ve never said anything to him, because I want to stay here for a family that lives here in Renaico. I baptized the daughter Nicole, and the mom and father want to be baptized, but the father isn’t the true father, and needs to get divorced so that they can marry and be baptized. And I want to be here for that because I have done more (missionary wise) for them than anyone else has. All the elders that pass through here put a fecha with Nicole but I finally got her baptized, so I have a confidence with the family that no one else has had. And everyone has tried to get them divorced and married and I actually am super close to doing that so I want to stay here until they are separated and married. plus I love the branch president here, he is my favorite, but on the other hand,  I’m also kind of done being here because I’ve contacted every house here, so I’m kind of, well I bet you can imagine.

The saddest thing is when your converts stop going to church, I know that dad and Andrew can relate to that feeling on the mission, but it feels even worse if they stop going while you are still in the sector, and then everyone looks at you weird like it’s your fault and that you aren’t doing your job correctly. It gets really hard and stressful and really emotionally draining because you’re looked at differently.

So we are planning on doing more family home evening activities here like I had in Lota because the branch was a lot more together there and I think that is what this branch lacks. It's hard though because no one can decide on a date and hour and we are not in Renaico every day, we are in Tijeral Tuesday and Friday so it’s hard for us to plan it because people get mad at us for not always being, ha-ha oh the drama.

My companion is going to a district leader meeting in Los Angeles this Tuesday so I will be with another district leader’s companion; he is a new guy and only has a few weeks in the mission. So I will get to know what it feels like to train someone it looks like because he is from the states as well, so I’ll be the Spanish guy for the first time in my mission.

Its really nice having Elder Palmer and Elder Lundgren in my zone, the zone meeting are so much more fun and I like just talking to them like the MTC. The people from the MTC were amazing but the actual experience stunk, ha-ha. So I know exactly what Keegan feels like.

So I hear that grandpa and grandma are taking a tour of the book of Mormon sites? I thought they were all unknown? Huh well all I know is that I’m here in Chile if they feel like swinging down a little more south, and they can experience summer here and get away from the Oregon winter and all.

Well I love and miss you all so much, I can’t wait to talk to you all on Christmas and finally see you all again. I honestly can’t wait until then

Elder Kyle Allen