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