"My Week", a Novella by Sister McAllister....November 25, 2015

Aw my poor lil family is freezin and blizzarding in CO while I enjoy the 50 degree weather in the East... ;)

But man, thats stinkin sweet! 2 snow days, a day off work for dad, and now a WHOLE week for Thanksgiving?!? Y'all are spoiled my goodness (to be directed to Jenna & KK)

YAY Palmer family dinner!!! that's so fun! I love getting together with family :)

Uh, so Ty hasnt written me in a month, so I havent written him in a month soooo.... ya that was news to me lol! I'll write him today the lil flipper

I love reading your emails every day! Even if its a sentence I get super excited and happy! So thanks!! :)

My super awesome fantastic cool LONG week will be explained in this LOOOOOONG email (hahah "and Leons getting larger" <-- gotchu mom ;)

Monday was a super fun day! For Pday we played soccer...with about 1/2 the zone there (yay, zone one unity..... *facepalm*) Which ok, I'd much rather play basketball, but beggars can't be choosers here- and I was just super glad we played a sport in the 1st place cuz they started poppin out the Pokemon and I was like "nope. Not about that life." So soccer was great! And it was actually super hilarious becuz our zone leaders remind me so much of Ty it's ridiculous (except they're way more weird and awko soooooo ya haha), so it got comical. Then we went and had dinner with the Nashes. I love them so much- I feel like they're just an extension of you guys at home- like literally, these are our people. #CORepresent

Tuesday was THE BEST DAY OF MY MISSION LIFE (disclaimer: so far). We got to go to the temple!!!!!! And we rode the train and the subway to get there!!!! And then walked a couple blocks in Manhattan!!!! And then the Spirit was so strong in there, my goodness it was beautiful. So many things were confirmed and reconfirmed to me in there, and I picked up on a lot more nuances and little things in the gospel that I hadn't noticed before. Which idk if it's becuz I'm goin while out on a mission, or just becuz I've been a few times now- but I feel like being out here has really made me focus more and really pay attention to all the details/ importance of it all. One really ironic thing about being on a mission is that you sit there and you've just gotten your own endowments out and then you go a cpl more times; but then you can't anymore because you're only allowed to 3 times in the mission, and all you want to do is go to the temple... and you can't. When I get home I'm going to the temple at least once a week if not more. I love it sooooooooooooooooooooo much.  Also, funny story. We got on the wrong train heading back- so we still ended up in Newark, but about a 35min walk from the chapel. Hahahahah so here's a big group of missionaries walkin the streets of Newark in the dark. That was an adventure! There were a lotta guys that walked up to us sisters trying to talk to us- but our elders got us. It was beautiful weather, and a beautiful night, and even though it smelt funny and my feet hurt, it was a nice walk back. Then we all went and ate together at this Brazilian BBQ place. A+ in my book, for $11 you get a HUGE plate of chicken, rice, and fries! So split it between comps and it's $5.50 a person- just beautiful *sniff*. Also, Inca Kola and Guãrana sodas are very good as well and I might be addicted so y'all better find me a Hispanic/Brazilian grocery store in CO for when I come back. Hook a Sister up.

Wednesday was a cool day too! We had district meetings; which it's really weird cuz the old zone we all used to meet here and eat lunch together and hang out, but now it's just our district that does so- the rest of our zone meets in Paterson. So it's just us 6 that were in the old zone together that hang, while all the others that stayed together and just moved zones hang out. Super sad. But anyways, I'm digressing. We had a good meeting, I gave a training on How to Begin Teaching from PMG- which I hope was good, idk! Haha and then since the zone leaders were with us today, the 8 of us had lunch together. It was fun! E. Covington's mom sent him a "birthday" package since his year mark was Thursday, and in it were party poppers, those roll kazoo things, and a piñata! So we basically threw a party for the 8 of us and pigged out on candy! It was so funny smackin the piñata open. Good times good times!  We then went and had a few lessons with Br. M and the lady in the senior home. They were really good! I love them both so much! They really mean a lot to me, and I think I've gotten quite attached....this is what 5 months in 1 area will do to you. #NeverGonnaGiveYouUp. Then we decided to go try the referral we received last week for the 4th time, hoping we would finally catch him home. And we did! And oh my good glory is he golden and solid and so beautiful I want to cry because I may finally have a new investigator to teach because in this area I've only ever had 1 or 2 new ones and then they drop us in 2 seconds but he's sooooooooooooo coooooooooolllllll!!!!! He's a stereotypical Jersey man, without the accent, but his wife is a member in Idaho and he's here for some reason. He wants to learn more, and his neighbor is a special needs guys who has a friend in the church, so he was the one really egging our guy to get ahold of the missionaries. The Lord works in mysterious ways! So we gave our guy a Book of Mormon, a Finding Faith in Christ dvd, a Restoration pamphlet and our number to set up an appointment next week (which he all took super excitedly!), and we gave his neighbor a Book of Mormon too. All within the space of like 5 min. 5 min! Fjdkxncusiskxmcidhfheiej I AM SO HAPPY. Oh gosh, and as we were saying bye he turned and was like "I'm super excited to meet with you Sisters, and I feel like this is really what I need in my life right now. But just a warning, I'm sarcastic." ...HE'S MY PEOPLE! I HAVE FOUND A FELLOW MAN. THIS IS SUCH A BEAUTIFUL AND GLORIOUS DAY. HALLELUJAH. #GodNeverCeasesToBeAGodOfMiracles

Thursday we had weekly planning where our area book apps actually worked this week so we could get it done quick! So glorious. Much wow. (For you teenagerly folks, I gotchu) and then we had lunch, and went and saw our main man Richard Rac. He's so cute, it's adorable. You can really tell though that he's such a choice spirit, and it's amazing the people that work there- they have to be super patient and loving and just perfect to take of these precious souls. It's so amazing how the Lord works and how you can truly see the Light of Christ in everyone. Then we went and tried various people and knocked a lot of slam-in-the-face doors. Fun stuff here in good ole Emerson #ItsAHardKnockLifeForUs (haha #Punny) Then we had dinner at an interesting members house. Like the whole family is a lil bit peculiar, I mean that in the most loving way- just trying to describe em. Ya we ended up there forever becuz the mom finally decided to be chatty and enjoy having us over instead of tolerating us for dinner and then kicking us out. She's actually super awesome! Like I gained so much more respect and love for her and her family so fast in the lesson/convo! It's awesome what 5 months in an area can do for the closed-off people lol.

Friday we did service at a senior center! We spent the morning with the ladies there playing a word game. It's super fun each time, even if all we're doing is trying to make little words out of a big one- we got 112 4+ letter words out of the word "establishment" in an hour. Good stuff good stuff. Then we went to the church for an hour of Mormon.org time. Ok, advice time: go watch Two Brothers Two on mormonchannel.org. It's sooooooooooooo stinkin amazing! I love it so much and I just want to adopt the 4 brothers into our family cuz they're so adorable and everything about the series is beautiful. It was so cool to see just a part of their mission experiences in Chile, Cambodia, and Latvia- it really made me want to like tour all the missions in the world for a week at a time or something...but I also love it here in Jersey...#DreamProbs. Anyways, it's a super awesome series, and you should go watch it cuz I'm obsessed! Have a FHE around it or something :)

We spent Saturday helping sister Cardoso out (stellar lady. Gonna hang out with her and Jo alllllll the time when I come back). Sunday was super weird because Sister Villondos daughter came back from her mission in TX. So it was her homecoming, and it was super weird cuz I realized that would be me in 13 months and I don't want it to be! I want to be a missionary forever and I never want it to end. Ever. Also, it was exactly 3 months til my birthday and that's weird cuz I'll be 20....ya, just let that sink in for a moment. 20. What in the world?! I'm not old enough to to be out of my teen years!!! For goodness sake I'm still a child! (Except plz get rid of my horrible acne, no human wants to see this). Super crazy stuff! And it was 33 days til Christmas! Whoa it's goin fast!

Monday we had our quarterly interviews with PT. The Taggarts are amazing! Literally everything about them is awesome and I love em to death. A lot of people say you're called to an area and to the people you'll meet there, but I also feel like you're called to a mission president as well. They just fit so well with you, it really makes being a missionary easier when you really gel with your leader. It all works out! :)

Yesterday we had district meetings, and fundamentals training, and weekly planning becuz Thursday is chuck full of dinner appointments. We have 4! Holy moly I'm gonna have to roll out of those houses tomorrow, and I'll have to make sure and wear my elastic waist skirt, becuz it's goin to be craaaaazzzzy!  Also we had dinner with the Bonhard family (aka basically my faves) and she said she would text you tomorrow pics and everything of me haha, so be ready for that! She's so cool! She really cares SO much about the missionaries- she's our mission mom, she's gotten me a tshirt and always buys us or makes us dinner or lunch whenever we need it, she's gone on "twalks" with us, and she just genuinely cares so much about others- she's Wonder Woman. I can't say enough about her! And the rest of the family is the same way! I'm so excited we get to spend tomorrow with them :D

Lessee, in answer to your question- nope. I do not have any new investigators and I havent for quite some time now....I've been teaching the same people for 5 months now. We go out and knock doors for hours and get nothing. Like literally, we're lucky if we get 3 people to even say a word to before they slam the door. So ya, you know how my whole life I've hated rejection and its like the worst thing in the world to me? Wellll, i can safely say that I've sorta gotten over that now lol! Having your worst fear happen 24/7 everyday kinda numbs you to the pain of it- so sweeeeetness for learning experiences on the mission! I mean, I won't lie- its suuuupppeeer hard. But its a good kind of hurt, ya know? I'm stretchin, not breaking :)  AND I'm just plantin lil seeds for the next missionaries in this area. Who knows what'll happen here.

I mission is definitely a strange experience. Ya hate it and love it and it hurts but its so euphoric and you get super sad but you're always happy and you want to go home but you want to stay forever (hahah mulan "would you like to stay forever?") sooooo ya. lol, it's a cool thing for sure! Best 18 months of my life. I want to go on another and another and another, but alas- im must wait til i am a senior. #SeniorPower #SeniorDiscount? ;)

I love you SO STINKIN MUCH all you wonderful people in CO. My family is sweet, my ward is da bomb, my friends are outta this world, and everyone else is supa awesome! Miss ya lots, but hey- only 30 days til Christmas Mom *plugs ears prepping for the squeal*

Have a great thanksgiving! I'm so grateful for ALL OF YOU! Eat lots of food for me, cuz y'all know I'mma be eatin enough for all of you combined!

Love ya!

Stay Jersey Strong.

Sister McAllister

 city life

 Columbus Circle

 District Partay

 Temple Trip

first time on a subway

HAPPY BIRTHDAY POPS!!!! In Other News: Thanksgiving Is NEXT Week!.....November 16, 2015

Anyways, on to the real reason for this email. DAD! IT'S YOUR BIRTHDAY. TODAY!!!!!!  HAPPY HAPPY BIRTHDAY, MAY ALL YOUR DREAMS COME TRUE! HAPPY HAPPY BIRTHDAY FROM ALL OF [ME] TO YOU!!!! Holy moly its such a grand and glorious day! I hope you have the BEST. DAY. EVER! (#Tangled) Love you Pops!

Mother dearest, you went to AZ! How super awesome was that?? Glad you got to see your fam- thanks for the pic!!- and that you could have such an awesome time! Us kids sure did luck out with the 2 families we were born into :)

Elden is stinkin adorable! Can't wait to hold/see him in a year (he'll probs be Ian-sized by then, but oh well haha)

SO MANY BABIES ITS WONDERFUL!!! gosh i love babies- they're the best :)

awwwww Grandpa is so cuuuute! Yay that they get to be there for things now- I loved it when they came to my softball game and to graduation- they're so stinkin awesome.

okie dokie, my weeeeeeek:

Monday was super fun and super rough which is becoming the story of my life, becuz opposition in all things is not just a fancy tag line that Nephi decided to throw out one day- it's real. *sigh*  so. It went like this: (cue cheesy flashback music and visual effects) we all showed up for our last zone activity. Everyone was an hour late becuz they're all flips. But that's ok, becuz I love them all anyways. We played basketball for a few hours, and I love the elders who played- they are solid ballers and I have been dubbed one as well... I have been assimilated into their clan. I am one of them. (Dramatic look into the distance) on that, the final day together, we had become one. (Stare dramatically back at the camera with war paint now suddenly on my face) Zone One was truly Zone "One". (A single, silent, dramatic, beautiful tear rolls) and then {"the fire nation attacked" haha jk ;) }   and then, I realized these elders and sisters I had come to love were being transferred. And the ones I really loved were getting transferred the furthest or were dying. They were going home, and I realized I wouldn't see them again for at least 13 months. So I got super sad, and they got super sad. And warrior pacts of weekly emails and monthly letters were made that day. (Cue sad violins) That day, as we sad goodbye for the last time, our pact was solidified. And we would forever be friends. That day- we had become warriors in the Army of Heaven, true brothers and sisters. That day....I died a lil bit inside but it's ok becuz I'm still (mostly dead) but I'm "not dead yet"!  I'll miss all those goobers SO. STINKIN. MUCH. But alas, that is the unfortunate reality of mission life. #AllMyFriendsAreOldAndDying      hahahahaha that just made me think of the book "All My Friends Are Dead" hahahahah that's a funny book :)

Tuesday was transfer conference in which I did not get to go, and again...like the last time I didn't go.....the Whole. Mission. Changed. *sigh* there is no longer traveling APs, there is no longer an English set of STLs in the north, there is only 8 zones now instead of 9, and district and zone leaders and STLs are not called beforehand- it's all announced at conference. Sooooooo, ya. Haha, I was SO out of the loop. But then S. Brown texted me and told me all this, so it's all good! #BestMommaEver. And she's also in Manchester now, which is the absolute furthest you can get away from me in the mission. #WelcomeToTheSouth. We also went and had 3 lessons with Less Actives, so that was awesome! People here seem to really be opening up to me now...probably becuz I've been here almost 5 months, but I'll take it!

Wednesday. Wednesday was rough haha. Wednesday we found out that our entire zone got switched around and only 3 missionaries from our previous zone stayed with us. They switched around all the areas, so now there's 14 missionaries I don't really know in our zone hahahahahahaha...haha..ha...ha.......gaaaaaaaaaaah. I didn't even get to say bye to the others! I jokingly said to the elders on Monday "hey, at least they're keeping the cool missionaries in this zone!" And now ironically, and probably on purpose becuz I didn't knock on wood, President has flipped everything around. Everything. Holy moly, my mind was flippin blown that day. S. Carlson and I were sitting in the church (always early cuz we have to open it) waiting for our zone to walk in and say hi to the newcomers and stuff, and then all the missionaries from zone 2 walked in! I was like "uuuuhhhhhh, this isn't your zones chapel..." It was super awk- cuz it was their chapel-cuz they're now zone 1 as well.... Blah. It's a good thing all my friends are pretty young- we got time to serve around each other again!  Also, we were told that this zone only plays Pokemon. All. day. Every. Pday....Pokemon. Pokemon.  I might die this transfer. Please, look for my remains in Westwood when I don't email next week. Don't let me be forgotten! Remember the wise words of one super smart alien: "Ohana means family. Family means no one gets left behind or forgotten." *sniff* so wise.

Thursday weeeeee weekly planned- and funnily enough all our plans for that day fell apart and we got hardly anything done and what little we did get done was ruined by an update to our Area Book Planner app...all our data we had just spent 2hrs putting in was wiped. So guess what we got to do Friday? Put it all back in. Yaaaaay...  Also, idk if it's just in Jersey or if it's nationwide (it should be nationwide: becuz it's beautiful.) but Wendy's has this 4 for $4 meal and it is literally life. It is sooo good, and filling, and glorious. I want to sing Wendy's praises from the mountain tops that are nonexistent in NJ. I mean, I guess there are enough trees I could just climb to the top of one of those....yes! Plan: I will become the new "Jane" but missionary style! ;)

Friday we had a meeting with S. Mathusek, she's the coolest RS president. Oh my goodness is she a rockstar. I'm literally in awe of her- I want to be able to serve in a calling like she does one day! Also, it was super cool because she gave us a whole loaf of banana bread just for stopping by and talking with her about the sisters in the ward- and y'all know how much anything banana is my weakness...such a beautiful thing. And we had dinner with S. Cardoso and Joe that night. She's soooooooo. Stinkin. Awesome. Gosh I love her! She's feeding us for thanksgiving too haha :)   Also, I may or may not have made a pact to come back for Joes baptism in June of 2017- so I'll be saving up for that when I get home! #Jobz

Saturday we got a text at 7:50am asking us if we could run over to the Paterson chapel because the Ammon Academy was goin on and they didn't have enough Sisters there. Haha so we finished getting ready super fast and then ran over there to help with that.  Basically every year the stake here puts on this academy, and what happens is the youth get paired up with a missionary companionship and then go out and be a missionary for a little while. It was super fun. We were with these 2 17 year olds, and they're stellar. It seriously amazes me how awesome the youth and the kids in the Church are. We went and knocked doors for a couple hours, gave away a few cards and pamphlets, and then we headed back to Paterson for lunch and to hear their testimonies of their experiences. They're great kids here! Love em. ALSO ADVICE: Go. Out. With. The. Missionaries. Go on team ups, go out and knock doors with them, go on splits- whatever! But go! You'll never know missionary work unless you do so- cuz I sure didn't know a thing about missionary work til my 1st day out here. And there isn't anything you can do to learn, until you do it.  Anyways. Then we went and saw a man named Leeroy that night and talked with him a lot. He's a super interesting guy, like interesting interesting (picking up what I'm throwing down?). Ya so, he was talking a lot about demons and vampires and stuff and then he showed us a scratch on his arm that he says is from when a vampire lady bit him....hahaha, but he's a super sweet guy! We talked about prophets with him, and just cleared up a lot of confusion and misconception with him. One thing that always cracks me up, is that whenever I think about him my mind always yells "Leeeeeeroy Jennnnkins". Lol, you can take the girl out of the nerd zone, but you can't take the nerd out of the girl. ;)

 Also- Satan is so real. He knows my love of 80's music and he uses it against me the lil flip! Gah. I'm so done with him. Like why, oh why, oh WHY are all the stores- in Jersey of all places- playing 80's music All. The. Stinkin. Time?! It has become my weakness and the bane of my existence at this moment in my life. I can't sing to it, I can't dance to it, and I can't enjoy- and it is literally all I hear everywhere I go. *facepalm*

SPIRITUAL STORY OF THE WEEK:

On Tuesday we had a lesson with a less active and her 12yr old son whos not a member. It was a super sweet lesson about the importance of reading the Book of Mormon. We were talking about it with her, and she came to her own conclusion that she needed to actually read the book often, AND he piped in and started asking all these super awesome questions about what a testimony is, how do you get one, what are prophets and apostles, etc. So we watched the amazing Tesimony of Jeffrey R. Holland of the Book of Mormon (its a Mormon Message) and then SHE testified to him about the Book of Mormon and about how her friend found out it was true after like 10 years of reading and questioning it. The Spirit was super strong, and he was really into it all. We gave him a Book of Mormon and a Restoration pamphlet and he said he would read it that night, and then he asked his mom to help him! They're both helping each other become stronger in the gospel!!! :D

Sorry my letter was kinda all drama queenish- i'm really not that beat up about the transfers (i mean, I waaassss, but not now...) but it makes for a more entertaining letter soooooooo ya. :)

Love love love love love you all!!! Tell Emily and Sci good luck and that I love them! They're gonna be fantastic missionaries! A mission really does change your life. I'm so grateful I came on mine.

Love yous!

Stay Jersey Strong,

Sister McAllister

IM STAYING!!! BUT EVERYTHING IS CRAZY AND ITS NOT HOW IT WAS SUPPOSED TO BE!.....November 9, 2015

Mom, that is a beautiful prank. "So great my man, so great!"

Yay dinner with the Gparents! They're the best!!!! WISH GMA A HAPPY BDAY FOR ME!!!!!!

Wowee, SC's perfect record??? So beautiful. They're such a good team... *cough*

Um so just saying I'm SUPER glad that Jenna did not decide to go, becuz just reading the 1st cpl lines of your paragraph I was like "dont go dont go dont go pleeeaaasssseeeee". So whew. Thank goodness for the Holy Ghost, right?  And Jenna? Way to flippin go blocking that boys number, cuz uh uhn he's getting mad at you for listening to the Spirit. Bam. So PROUD!!

I love pictures, so don't worry becuz you'll get alot! Not all of them becuz lets be real, i got like at least 1000 by now....soooooo ya. haha. Look forward to sitting with me at the computer and browsing thru at the end (aww that just made me super sad, i only have 13 months left :( )

OKkkkkk. My week.

Monday we had an awesome zone activity, and actually Sister Bonhard (the coolest lady in the ward) was kind enough to invite us to her backyard to play games and jump on the tramp and play basketball- and she ordered pizza for the 14 or so of us! It was sweeeet! And she gave me a nice long sleeve shirt (lil girlie for me, but shoot I love it). We also went and saw a less active and had a really good lesson with her, she's great- we learned that she's moving to Florida sometime soon tho, I'm gonna miss her! She's one of those ones that talk for
days about everything under the sun, so entertaining. Also, we may or may not have gotten a parking ticket..... ya. Still super peeved about that one. We were out of the door of an apt at 9:05, and the cop had come and put a ticket on our car- cuz we hadnt seen the no parking after 9pm sign- so ya. thats $55 of bogusness down the drain. But it was a good lesson. So whatever.

Tuesday we had an awesome Zone Meeting with lots of great, Spirit-filled trainings and role-plays. It was sweet! Then we had Hot Seat because there's 3 missionaries dying this transfer, so we just got to ask them lots of questions about their missions and experiences and everything. It was amazing! I love this Zone so muuuuucccchhhh!!!! I never want it to end :( We also had a training by President, he came to our zone and gave us a training on the fundamentals of missionary work. It was a great reminder and really got all of us motivated to go and work! Then we went and saw Br.P and talked about his chipmunks and such. We got to know him and S. P better too. He's an engineer that got a lot of patents, and his house is full of a lot of really old, really cool books! They also "met" in their 2nd grade class, although they didn't realize it at the time, until they one day happened to have out a class pic and one of them's like, wait a second. Haha :)

Wednesday was a really fun day! We picked up service at a assisted living home where one of our LAs lives. Basically we go every Wednesday morning and play a word game with those that want to for an hour. We write a big word on the top, and then see how many 4-letter words we can make out of it. We had 177 out of the word "accomplishment"! The old people their are so nice, and real funny! I think I'd like to work in one of those places one day...it'd be fun. Then we got a text from one of our members that she needed help raking her yard. So we went over there after, and she fed us for days.  I'm pretty sure I've never eaten that much food in one sitting in my life. But it was such good Filipino food! And she gave us lots to bring home to. So beautiful.    We then went to rake her yard and she realized she only had one rake. So she used a snow shovel and I used a broom....hahaha didn't work too effective but it got the work done! She's the best, she's so stinkin funny! She has this awesome Filipino accent and her sarcasm is on point. It's so great. I'd be her best friend in a heart beat. Sorry mom, I'm moving to NJ when I get back so I can be with my sarcastic people over here ;)
THEN we went and had lunch....with Br.M....30 min after that. Oh my gosh I was sooooooooo fullll, I could hardly eat 2 bites! But it's ok, cuz he's awesome and he understands and we just took our food to go :) Then we went and tried a lot of people with no success, nobody was home or had time. Soooo there went a couple hours. Then we stopped by a LAs house and her parents were there from Ohio! They're members so we had a really nice chat with them, which was awko cuz the actual couple that lived there didn't really talk to us that much...but oh
well. Her parents are awesome and they live in the Colombus mission (which I couldn't remember if that's Emily's of not...*cough* but in my defense, with all my friends goin on missions right now it's hard to keep track of them all.) 

Then we picked up dinner from another awesome members house and had a really good talk with her about everything. She's super great, and I wish we had more opportunities to talk with her more often. She told me some of the news goin on around the world! Which ok, it's horrible and not good, but she told me news! It was wonderful to know even just a tidbit about what's happening in the world. I mean, it is nice to be so cut off and separated from the world and still in it, but sometimes I just want to know why the flags are half mast or why people are on the corners protesting. It was a real nice visit. And we got more food for our already full fridge soooo #SorryNotSorry

Thursday we deep cleaned our apartment for transfers, weekly planned, and ate lunch. So by that time it was 4:30 and it gets dark here around 5. Which is a super bummer for missionary work, cuz no one wants to open their door to you in the dark. Anyways, we went back and tried a lady whose door we knocked 3 weeks ago, who's always too busy to let us in. BUT this time? She let us in! We had a long discussion, got to know her, shared the He Lives video, and it was all great! After the video she said it was "perfect" because her grandma had just passed away that morning, and she really needed that reminder. She's basically a dry Mormon with her upbringing and values and everything, and she has the cutest lil 4 month old. Gah. It was great!

Friday we had our mini pday where i tried to sleep but of course my body was lik no. and then when I got up it was like, oh sorry you're tired now. Blah. So i kinda have, uh, verbal fights with my body sometimes? It's a hate-love relationship. Then we went and paid off our parking ticket at the municipal building, then we had lunch of leftover chili from the Fall Festival forever ago- but our whole fridge is full of everyone's food. Maybe that's why my stomach has been rebelling against me for 2 weeks.... huh. "Who knew?" (aka flynn rider)  Then we had some awesome lessons with our main man Richard, and with and old lady in a home. Shes super sweet!

Saturday we went and raked leaves with the cutest family ever. They are the ones that moved here recently from Alaska, and their sons are THE cutest lil things! (they're the ones in the video, well 2 of them anyways. And yes, he's a ginger latino). Then we went and had a lesson with a very interesting man. He's a referral from the Spanish sisters, and we think he might have a good frame of mind, but he's also kinda...different... so we dont know about him. Haha, but hes a character for sure! Then we saw sister walker and then we had dinner with a new couple that moved in. They're super cool too!

(sorry im running out of time! I'll send pics in an hour or so...we're heading out to have lunch with s. walker)

Sunday was crazy awesome because ward council was cancelled so instead of getting ragged on like we do each week, we got to have personal study before church!!! yay!!! also church was awesome. We taught sharing time, and the kids are so stinkin cute! Gosh I love them. Then we saw Richard again, and we went to the squirrel house to do a lesson, and then we ran to the Alaskans house for dinner an we were literally running from each apt it was crazy! Then we had a lesson with a LA/Part member family that night and we were just running like crazy all day super hectically. But it was a beautiful day!

AND IM NOT LEAVING EMERSON!!!!! :D :D :D :D :D 

BUT S. BROWN IS LEAVING THE ZONE! thats not supposed to haaaappppppeeeeennnnnnn! She's only STL for one and then they get doubled out??? she was supposed to stay!! what. the. flip. and we were gonna go on the zone temple trip together in a cpl weeks and turkey bowl and her friend Nelle is coming and now everything just like feel apart but it also didnt becuz im staying and i love this ward so much- like a 2nd home- but gaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh

 

Anyways. I have to run right now!!!!!

Love you all so stinkin much you're awesome!!!

i will send you a part of my christmas list mom, and also pics in an hr or 2!

k bye

Stay Jersey Strong!

Love,

Sister McAllister

P.S. shout out to KK for being a baller. Love you!!!! :)

 Zone

 She loves getting things in the mail

 Parking ticket...gah

Mischief Night: A Holiday Only My Fellow, Crazy Jeresyites Celebrate......November 2, 2015

GO BRONCOOOOOSSSSSSS!!!!!!!!!! YAAAAAAA!

*cough*

Anyways:

Please give the gparents all my love! Gah I just wanna hug them so bad!!! and UGH! I heard about the Martian and it sounds soooooooo gooooooooood!!!! :'(  I got your package! thank  you thank you thank you- "now i can see"! :)  hahahahahaahaha Jenna, you have to give a talk next week? You'll be fine. It gets better the more you do it- and it really helps in life, so be grateful! And at least you haven't had to talk in Stake Conference yet ;)  I'm so glad that my letter sparked a conversation! I had hoped it would, because I know how much y'all like talking about the gospel :)

Monday we had a sweeeet zone activity! We all went on a hike to Tripod Rock in Kinnelon (basically a huge rock on 3 "little small rocks";) and then we played softballlllllll!!!!!!!! It was basically the best day ever and I loved it and this zone is stinkin amazing and everyone loves and gets along with everyone and there's no contention or judgement we are all just friends and these elders are straight up my brothers and I'm so comfortable bein myself around them and the sisters are sweet and everyone is a stinkin boss missionary and it's wonderful. This is my favorite zone ever (ok I've only had 3, but cmon)- the way we are all so tight knit is awesome, I'm really gonna miss this zone in 2 weeks. (Btw transfers are on Nov 10 and idk whether I will stay or go until Nov 8 at 10pm soooooooo ya) I'm hoping I can stay cuz then I get thanksgiving here, the zone temple trip and Turkey Bowl here and the Christmas Traditions with the Taggarts here In this zone. That would be stinkin awesome, specially because S.Brown is staying here till she dies in March.

Tuesday was an interesting day. Our weekly district meetings were moved from 11:30 to 2 because the author of the "Ricciardi Letter" was going to be in town and speaking to us in Newark. It was amazing.
Seriously Dan Humphrey is wonderful and it's great how the Church makes the world so small. The only reason Dan went on a mission (making this letter possible) is because of his neighbor across the
street- who not only urged him to go, but paid for the entire thing, even though he was going through rough times. That neighbor is one Charlie Taggart, President's dad's cousin whom he was super close with
when he was alive. AND Br. Humphrey knows 2 of the missionaries here and he told one of them, he said, "Sister Ivie, I just talked with your dad yesterday. He says he's proud of you." Holy moly, when he
said that you could just feel the Spirit slam into the room. It was an amazing meeting, he has a way with words that I can only hope to have one day. I just want to be him- he's so cool.  Anyways, so we were in
Newark til about 7 so we didn't get home till about 8:15 but then We hadn't had dinner yet and we were supposed to have a dinner apt with the super amazing Chavez family at 6, but she gave us money instead
cuz she's seriously what I want to be when I grow up, so we went to Wendy's and we didn't actually get home home until 9pm. Whew. Ya, so to say we didn't get to see anyone or teach any lessons that day is
pretty accurate.

Wednesday we had lunch with the awesome Br. M. He's so great, and I could just listen to his stories alllllll day. Which, ok, one of them is pretty hilarious so I gotta tell you! So this happened like 15 years ago, but Br. M likes architecture and he especially likes the Brooklyn bridge because that's where he grew up and he just loves that bridge. So he took a GPS suction cup thing and gerry rigged a camera onto it, then he popped that on the top of his car or the hood or something and took pics as he was going across the bridge one day.
Didn't think anything of it. He gets home and there's a card stuck in his door.... "Special Agent So and So, FBI" hahaha, so he's like huh that's weird. He gives the guy a call and doesn't get an answer so he throws the card away. The next day he gets another card , same thing, except it says "call. Me." On it. So he does and the FBI agent asks him what he was taking pics of going across the bridge, so Br. M explains and all and offers to have the film developed and sent to the agent so he can verify what he's saying is true. But anyways, long story short, Br. M is from the Caribbean but he looks Middle Eastern so the people were concerned he was looking at the structure of the bridge, so the FBI got called on him hahaha. He's super cool about it though and says that they should be doing that because what if they didn't? They're just doing their job trying to keep us all safe! Also side note, Br. M was also in the Navy with the Cuban Missile Crisis, and he was working construction a block away from the Towers when they fell. He's had a crazy life, and I really want him to write a book or something, cuz this stuff is great! I feel like I could talk to him for the next 20 years and still not know it all :) Wednesday we also got completely soaked while out tracting. It was down pouring the whole day, and S. Carlson doesn't have an umbrella so we were trying to share one the whole time walking, and it didn't look like it was gonna rain that morning so I didn't bring my raincoat or boots....so ya haha. We looked like drowned rats within 5 minutes of being outside. It was great! I love the rain, but for some reason no one wanted to let us into their house. Odd huh? ;)

Thursday we had a chuck full day of appointment after appointment after appointment. It went by suuuuper fast! We got to see a lot of the awesome people in the ward who are less active and just love them. It's one of the greatest things, to try and love people back into the gospel- cuz that's really all you can do. Forcing and pushing and being real nagggy about it doesn't work, but loving them? They eat it up, and you feel so much better as well.

Friday we spent the whole day at Ellis Island and then were inside by 6pm because it's Mischief Night here in Jersey. Ellis was awesome, and I got most y'alls Christmas presents #PlanAhead. (Also, is Ty coming
home for Christmas??) We got there and there was 5 workers plus us, and no one was using the history center, so we asked if we could poke around the museum for a few hours. It's a pretty sweet place. The
exhibits are awesome, and the Registry Room is huge and very pretty- they restored it to its 1920 appearance! And there's "graffiti" on the walls from the many immigrants that had to wait there. It's all in
their different languages so you have no idea what it is, but they were doing graffiti before it was cool (Jenna ;) so it's nbd.  We had a pretty chill day and my 30% off discount is a life saver, especially when buying presents and lunch for myself. #Praise We spent Mischief Night TPing and vandalizing everything in reach, we were real terrors....hahaha jk, we just weekly planned that night. We had to be in by 6pm becuz this is the night that ppl get initiated into gangs, so they're out attacking ppl, vandalizing stuff, and running ppl off the roads. The sirens were going all night up here, and we're not even in the hood or nothing- I can't imagine what JC or Newark was like. Sketchy stufffff.

Saturday was Halloweeeeeeeeennnnn! Guess what I dressed up as??? Guess. Seriously. Go on......c'mon! Imma wait till you do.....ok ok. Ready? I was a ------------------------ missionary!!! Sweet right?
First Halloween as one :D The fall festival was great, some peoples costumes were crazy awesome! Br.M was papa smurf, Jo was a king, etc etc. they were great! It's kinda crazy just how big Halloween is here- the people spend $300+ on a costume, per kid, per year. It's flippin insane is what it is. I'm like, save yer dang money people! Buy food, or put that in savings! Your kids will live if they go without those costumes! Haha oh east coast attitude. So different from home.

Also, i realized i said i would send you my new poem last week and i never did...so here it is!! :)

My Child
Oh my aching child-
I see the vast burdens upon you piled,
The taunting temptations
That sneak you slowly from exaltation.
I see the endless waves crashing,
The sore slights and sights bashing.
I hear your pleading cries
And watch your tear-filled eyes.
My heart breaks as you ache;
Wanting only your load to take,
Your eyes to dry,
And your spirit to soar high.

Oh my blinded child-
How fully the devil hath beguiled!
Remember I sent my Only Begotten?
How soon in the world you have forgotten:
He took upon Him pain and sin-
Over and over, and again and again-
Till every single soul was felt
As in that sacred Garden He knelt.
The pain and agony wasn't lulled-
His pores shed blood that down His skin rolled.
But still He drank the bitter cup
So He could lever and lift your spirit up.

Oh my beloved child-
He can make your agonizing pain mild,
Wash you clean as freshly-fallen snow,
And block Satan's billowing blows.
He can heal your bruised and wounded soul,
His love and help requires no toll.
All He and I ask of you, my child,
Is to accept the way my Plan is styled.
I sent Him to suffer and die- for you.
So perfectly your pains He'd know too.
So He can hear and help and hold
All those lost from my Fold.

Oh my doubting child-
Though the world around you has riled-
We are always here,
Day after day, year after year.
We love you with an infinite love;
It will never diminish from Above.
And oh how it stings
To not have your problems to us bring.
Please just give us your trust,
And we will do all that we must
To lift you and guide you home:
No longer on wayward paths will you roam.

My child, just seek and ask.
I don't think it's too hard a task.
I will give you all you lack,
Including a lightening of the load on your back.
We will lift you from the dark
And remember no more your soul's marks.
You will have light radiant and bright,
And be able to do all within your might.
If your turn to us
No longer you'll be tangled and trussed.

My child, how we love you-
Let us help you make your life anew.
We are only here to guide and do
All that we can to forgive and renew.
Turn to us, and ask too
And you'll feel our overwhelming joy ring true,
As we say: I love you.


I love you all SOOOO MUCH!
Stay Jersey Strong.
Love, 

Sister McAllister

I Think I Need A Virtual Hug....October 26, 2015

Hellooooo (Epic)! 

I can't believe Halloween is this week either. Last I checked it was the 1st of October and I was shocked then about the lateness in the year....but now its almost November and my 4 Month mark was Saturday. Weeeiiiirrrrddddd.

Um Mom, is the apocalypse coming and you didnt tell us?!? You didnt decorate???? For a holiday?!?!  holy moly the world is coming to an end! Everyone hide your kids, hide your wife, hide errythang- cuz its getting real up in herr. 

Man, I wish i was back in school. I love learning. I miss high school (but mostly college) all the time! Live it up girls, it only lasts a little while!

JENNA!!!! I am going to ask you the most important question of your life, ok? ok. DID you BEAT VISTA?!?!?! I need all the details c'mon! I want to know of your boss self ok?

Aw yay, Sundays with the Grandparents are the best! I love them :)

Baby Pairsh is adorable! I'm sorry to hear about Lil Ladybug though-. I'll be praying for them for sure- they're my fav little family :)

Bishop actually just emailed me about the missionary who came home in his family! So weird, because I got the feeling I should write them a letter last night, so I did, and I sent it off this morning before I even knew he had emailed me! Crazy crazy lol

OH MY GOSH STOP. STOP RIGHT NOW. NO MORE. HOW ARE YOU 2 SUCH STINKIN. GORGEOUS. LIL. FLIPS????? stttaaawwwwpppp. i literally can't even with you two. Why cant y'all save some beauty for the rest of us poor folks?? jeez louise y'all are too much

So there's not real much for me to talk about this week- sorry! but I'll do my best to stretch it out and bore you with the details ;)

Lessseeee... Monday we had an awesome Pday of Zone Sports in which we played basketball and had lots and lots of fun! I have been dubbed a "baller" by some of the elders and an "alright sister" by the others....it's high praise, ok? Like supa high. They love me, I can tell, ok? So ya, that's pretty sweeeeet. This zone is seriously amazing this transfer. We got the best zone in the mission, hands down. #WeNumber1 #Zone1Swag  But forreal, these elders are my bros, I just want to hang with them all the time they're so cool. It's tight!  Alsooooo, one of them may or may not owe me a slushie becuz I made 10 swish 3-pointers in a row....yup momma- my 8ish yrs of bball are paying off! ;)

Tuesday we watched the Piano Guys Face2Face broadcast. It was awesome! If y'all don't know what the Face2Face stuff is, go look it up!!! They have Lindsey Sterling, Elder and Sister Bednar, and David Archuleta- and they're just really cool face-to-face Q&As with them. Also, the musical ppl play a lot of cool songs! I'll send you the one I took a recording of, it's beautiful.   Annnnndddddd I may or may not now be converted to the Piano Guys....they're just too cool, and their music is gorgeous and beautiful and you just want to float on a cloud and cry while you listen to them. And I have also decided that when I come home, I'm either taking cello or piano lessons. Cuz I've wanted to do that for a while, but I never like really wanted to do it, ya know what I'm saying? But now I do, so its a done deal. Can't hold me back. Sorry mom, you're gonna have a musical daughter instead of 3 ballers. :)

Wednesday we had lunch with Br. M like we always do. He's super awesome, and he's on date to go back to the temple on December 18th!!!!! It's been years since he's been, so it's fffaaaannnnttttaaasssstiiiiiccccc!!! We also went to the chiropractor which was wonderful for my neck and I feel so heavenly afterwards, its beautiful. We also met a lady on a bench who was playing a guitar. We stopped and chatted with her for a while, and though she didn't want to hear our message, we prayed with her and she said that we are just "beautiful girls that shine so bright" that we brightened up her day! The Spirit is so great :)

Thursday we had a 7 hr long Zone Conference in Paterson. It was super good! The trainings and lessons and role plays we were taught were perfect. The Spirit was so strong, you always come away from these meetings feeling so excited! It's so fun to be all together with the other missionaries in the zones around you for a little while- and to be with PT and Sis Taggart and the APs is great. I love em all so much!

Friday and Saturday we went on exchange with Sister Stout and Sister Brown. I went to Caldwell with S. Stout, and S. Carlson stayed in Emerson with S. Brown. It was a good exchange, and i met a few cool people in Caldwell. But let's just say it was pretty emotional for me and I'm struggling with a lot of stuff right now soooo to say that my eyes were swollen and puffy for the weekend was an understatement. I wore my glasses for 2 days because my eyes were burning so bad haha.  I'll just say that the Sisters are great though, and that its amazing being in this group of missionaries who are all so full of love for each other and everyone around them. Its great.

Saturday was a fun night hahaha  We went to an African party without knowing? lol, this lady from Sierra Leone invited us over for dinner, and we show up and there are Africans everywhere and the music is suuuuper loud and the food is everywhere and everyone is dancing....it was awesome! haha We came in and said the prayer over the food, and then everyone dug in and we were just these 2 white Americans sittin on the couch eating the really spicy African food while the music was blarin so loud you couldnt hear nothin and the people were all up and dancing. I loved it! I love Africans so much, they are such a fun and boisterous and kind and cool people. They were all super nice, but we cant speak their language, and their accents are super strong, but their general ideas always came across. The music was cool too, even though we're not supposed to listen- but there's a missionary saying "if you can't control it, enjoy it." so we did! And they gave us this super spicy stuff to eat and I only had a drop/bite of it and my whole mouth was on fire. Like i literally thought i was about to start shooting flames. It was suuuuuper spicy haha, and these people were sitting there eating a whole spoonful of this stuff! They got mouths of steel i'm telling ya! Africans also have this really good soda called Vimto. It tastes like that pink little kid medicine that you just want to chug cuz it tastes so good...ya its a carbonated version of that and I LOVED IT. holy moly, I want to have that always. it was sooooooo goood!

Sunday was the Primary Program and GUESS WHAT?!?!?!?! We had 4 investigators and 3 less actives at church!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! It was a glorious day! Oh my goodness I need to sing from the mountain tops how wonderful it was to see them all there!!!!!!! And the Spirit was so strong because of the children!!!! YAAAAAAYYYYYY!   Also, we found 2 more family names for S. Walker for her to take to the temple! She's super excited and she cried and danced as usual- she's so sweet! i love how much she loves this work and this gospel, it's great!  We also got to see our main man Richard... and Larry, and Seth, and Joe haha. They're so cool, and you can always tell they're choice spirits of the Lord :)    We then went to the Parks house for dinner. I seriously love them, you always come away feeling so loved and unjudged and beautiful! They're so nice, and I love their lil Koreanness and their children are hilarious and so talented its crazy. We had a piano recital in the basement (cuz in order for the kids to play I had to say i would play a song too...yikes!) and they play beautifully. Like basically professionally except they're 9 and 10. It's crazy haha. And then they made me play, so i went up and sorta tapped out the LotR and the Hobbit songs that I know....they were very nice to me about it haha- but I sounded terrible after their 2 daughters!

We've been tracting 24/7 for the past 3 weeks and it's getting sooooooooo discouraging. It's good practice talking to people i guess, but no one wants to listen and I feel like we're almost wasting our time? Like there should be something more productive to do, but oh well.

That's basically it for me- today we're going on a Zone Hike and playing Baseball after- so I'm super excited for that! Also, I wrote a new poem, so if my i[ad decides to connect to the wifi anytime soon I'll send you my pics and that poem!

I love you all a ton!!!!! I can't wait to talk to you in 60 days!!!!!

Stay Jersey Strong.

Love, Sister McAllister

P.S. Can Marah please be in the christmas skype sesh? :)

 Poor girl and her hurting feet

 Fall time in the East

 

"Drunk calls, 146 Knocked Doors, and the Invention of the Infinite Tissue Pack" a novel by Sister McAllister....October 19, 2015

Hola familia! J'adore vos tres belle visages. <---- idk if my grammar is even correct on that one #MissionBrain

THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU FOR THE POSTCARD FROM THE VLA!!!!!!!!! I've wanted to go there for yeeeaaarrrssss , and now in a weird way i can say that i have (in spirit). how cool was it up close??? are they huge?? was it fantastic????? daaaaaddd tell me everything!!! pleeeaaassseee

I'm feeling such great secondhand joy from this vacay! It brings me such happiness to know you all had a good time! And to know the Coleman's are doing well! She sent me a postcard too- I love them SO much!

Did you get my letter???

WHOA. EVANN CAME HOME?????? HAS IT BEEN THAT LONG?!?!?!?! OOOOHHH MMMYYY GOOOOSSSSHHHH time flies!!! wooooooooowwwwwww do you have a pic of her?? is she super tan??? did she talk in spanish??? whats different about her???? tell me everything! i need the deets to survive!

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ wow, sorry for the spazziness of the above. i need to tone myself down haha- but in my defense the only time i can truly be myself now is in emails sooooooo, sorry you get my  week-long pent up craziness- but thats why you wuv me. :D

Also, I have traded in my melatonin for ibuprofen- so hopefully my liver will still be alive when i come home haha

My week had some super great parts, and some super not great parts #OppositionInAllThings

GREAT PARTS!

On Monday there was a Senior Missionary couple that had served here 5 yrs ago, and they came back! We got to have dinner and FHE with them and the family they were staying with. There they told us 2 stories that you may or may not have heard before, but holy moly the Spirit was in that room so powerfully. The first is: there were 2 sister missionaries in Brazil that were tracting and knocking doors. This one man opened the door, and was super afraid of them. To the point that he told them to leave and not come back. Anyways, so the sisters went on and the next day for their pday they went to the post office. At the post office they saw a wanted poster for the man they had met the other day. He was wanted for the kidnapping and raping of several women. The sisters told the police where he lived, and they caught him. When they questioned the man why he didn't take the sisters as well, since they were exactly his type, he said- "with those 2 huge men with swords and shields standing behind them? No way!" These sisters were literally protected by angels. Goosebumps, right?  The second story is: a man and his very pregnant wife went to Alaska for something and the airport is not too far from the house they were staying in. The cars couldn't get them their because they were snow or iced in or something, so they walked. As they were walking they saw a huge grizzly start charging towards them from the hill ahead of them. It got closer and closer and closer, until the man stopped. Lifted his arm up to the square. And said, "in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, and by the authority of the Melchizedek Priesthood which is in me, I command you to stop!" The bear immediately  skidded to a halt, looked at them, and then walked away. Holy moly, the gospel is true and all who say it's not are insane! Look at these 2 examples! You can't make this stuff up! The Lord is watching over us all and we are SO blessed to have this knowledge of His true and everlasting gospel. Jeez Louise it's beautiful.

Also, on Tuesday, I may or may not have hit a trashcan and knocked the back of our side mirror off...... but hear me out! A car turned way wide going the opposite way so i had to swerve to avoid him and then i hit the trash can going 30mph with the mirror- but we thought nothing had happened til we parked at the church and realized the back of our mirror was gone. So we had to go back and search for it, but God is good and it had fallen into the person's driveway and not in the street to get crushed. So we popped that sucker back on, and its basically like nothing happened. Ok? It's like it never happened. I'm still a beautiful driver thank you very much.

On Thursday we went to place a sign on a members house in Northvale at 8pm. So it's night already and they live in a close-knit cul de sac, and we get there and park the car and turn off all the lights- but we get busy talking about stuff (which is good cuz it all worked out). So we're sitting there talking and a cop comes around the corner with his floodlight on. And we're like ??? so we sit there in our dark car (we weren't thinking ok) and wait for him to pass. But he pops a U-y and parks right behind us with his lights shining into our car. K we, don't know what to do cuz he doesnt come out to talk to us or anything, he just sits there. Anyways the member comes out and talks to the cop for a little while, and then the cop pulls away and drives off- never stopping to check us or anything....weird stuff, right? It gets weirder, and obvi we weren't thinking becuz we still went up and ding-dong ditched their house and left the sign. As we were running away their neighbor lady sticks her head out of the window and starts screaming at and berating us! Shes all "Stop going around to peoples houses .You're horrible! Who do you think you are? You need to stop! i called the cops and they're on their way!" etc etc. And we yell back and say we have no idea what you're talking about we just got here, blah blah blah (i dont do that blah blah blah) Soooo we didnt know what to do, but we didnt really want to talk to cops...sooooooooooo we ran to the car, and drove off before we had our seatbelts or the lights on. Yeeaaahhhh, haha that was interesting. We got home safe, dont worry! But we called the member and left a message saying sorry, we think we upset your neighbor lady and we dont know why she called the cops on us! Turns out that there were teens going around "spooking" ppl. Basically the ppl open their doors and the kids throw candy at them and run away- and that had just happened 15 or so mins earlier to this lady, so she was watching out for them to come back. The member got a kick out of it and said it was stinkin hilarious how much she was callin them and yellin about safety that night. haha, he said that she described us as "2 ppl wearing trench coats and one was a man!" hahahah i think i should be offended she called me a man right? ;)

So we think we got a drunk call on Friday night? This lady calls us and is making no sense and keeps jumping from topic to topic and asking these random questions about what we believe. So we're answering her and doing all we can to help her, and then she's confused because she thought we were from Germany? And then we said no, Utah and Colorado, and she got more confused and asked us what time it was there. So we said the time and she was like "oh same as here, so weird" and we're like ??? We live in Jersey like we said... And she was like "what?!" Sooooo ya haha, we referred her over to the elders covering her town, but we're pretty sure she was stoned or something. She asked us if she could bring her atheist boyfriend (she's atheist), and were like sure! Whoever wants to learn can learn, doesn't matter who they are. So she asked him and he said no, and all we hear is "well you don't have to be rude about it." She then proceeds to tell us her background story with her BF who is going away cuz they were engaged at one point and now they're not and they were great together and he has a gentle soul but that's why they're not getting married cuz he's rude. And then she asks "do you have gentle souls in Germany?"  Ya bizarre haha, and S.Carlson and I are trying super hard not to crack up...idk what even was happening holy moly, but we answered all her questions and told her there would be elders she could call at this number tomorrow morning if she wanted to learn more. It was bizarre, becuz she was there enough that we thought she was cognizant and thinking, but also not there enough that we think she was high or something haha. Anyways, that was a pretty hilarious experience.

Also, on Friday I got to go down to Scotch Plains and go on exchange with Sister Troconis as S. Carlson and Robinson went to the temple with a Recent Convert. It was super fun and super weird haha. I kept thinking her and I were the same mission age, but she's only 2.5 weeks old and I'm almost 4 months! So it was funny seeing all the greenie stuff she did (which I hope not, but I'm pretty sure, I did lol). It was a fun 5 hours together though! It'd be really fun if we got to be real comps at some point!! Good thing I still got 14 months left and she's got 17 :)  which OK, tangent (go back to the beginning...this is the beginning;) she got her knee surgery the day we all flew from the MTC to Jersey. And the doctors told her she wouldn't be walking for 3 months and that it would take 6 months after that for her to be able to go on a mission. Well she said forget that, and the Lord blessed her to be able to walk after a week, and here she is on her mission 3 months later. Crazy right? The Lord is amazing!!

NOT SO GREAT BUT STILL GREAT IN A WAY PARTS!

We knocked so many doors this week. Holy moly are my feet tired. And it got bone-chillingly cold the past 2 days. I'm talking as cold as if there was a foot of snow on the ground but its still fall and sunny cold. So that's been grand. Especially for all the slammed doors in our faces! Man, it really hurts though, all kidding aside. To stand there freezing, feet hurting, and exhausted and before you can even get a word out or say hi or get past smiling and onto talking- they say "oh. no." *slam*  Like, all these people don't even know what they're rejecting. They don't even give us the chance to tell them of the greatness and the love and the amazingness that is the gospel of Jesus Christ. I've had out of the 146 doors we knocked, 102 slammed in my face. haha so, to say my area is hard compared to all the humble, city areas is an understatement. S. Carlson was like whoa this is waaaaay different from my last area. aNd i'm like welcoem to the past 4 months of my life.

I found out some news on Tuesday that really threw me for a loop. Mosiah 27:29--"My soul hath been redeemed from the gall of bitterness and bonds of iniquity. I was in the darkest abyss; but now I behold the marvelous light of God. My soul was r'acked with eternal torment; but I am snatched, and my soul is pained no more." pretty accurately describes my experience, though it wasn't after the repentance process. Someone I  love very deeply and dearly is going through a hard time right now, they're pretty lost on the path back Home, and I didn't know what to do. I cried and cried (which taught me not to open emails right before an appointment), for at least 30 minutes while praying fervently in the car for peace. The most incredible feeling literally washed over me as I pleaded with Heavenly Father. I can only describe it as if I was immersed dry in chilled water: my body raised in goosebumps, and I had the overwhelming feeling that someone was watching me. I immediately felt peace. The anguish of my soul was calmed and taken away; I was left with peace and consolation. I know the Lord heard my prayer and answered my call. He knew the pain of my heart and soul, He knew the worry and the fear I felt for this person, and He knows the very desires and hopes of my being. I immediately stopped crying, and I was completely focused on the person we were teaching. I know the Lord gave me that focus, and is continuing to give it to me.  I was able to get a priesthood blessing from some kind Elders, and I felt even more peace. I know the Lord is aware of me, and aware of each of us. He knows perfectly our pain and anguish so that He has that ability to succor us. Alma 7:11-12 says "And he shall go forth, suffering pains and afflictions and temptations of every kind; and this that the word might be fulfilled which saith he will take upon him the pains and the sicknesses of his people. And he will take upon him death, that he may loose the bands of death which bind his people; and he will take upon him their infirmities, that his bowels may be filled with mercy, according to the flesh, that he may know according to the flesh how to succor his people according to their infirmities."  How much clearer can it get? He not only went through it to save and redeem and uplift and sanctify us, but to know our pains and weaknesses perfectly so that He could help and hold and lift and support us perfectly. 

Turn to Him

As the waves crash against the shore

And you’re thinking you can’t anymore,

Turn to Him

And He’ll help you heal again.

When you’ve fallen from the Tree of Life

And are filled with overwhelming strife,

Turn to Him

He’ll reach out a limb.

The billowing storm will calm

And He will become a welcoming balm-

Turn to Him

Even if on a whim.

He will leave you whole and clean

Without any sin to be seen.

Turn to Him

He’ll fill you to the brim.

Even if you’ve done all you can do

And feel you can’t keep pushing through,

Turn to Him

He’ll pull you from the rim.

His hand will help and hold,

Return you true and bold,

To teach what He has told

To those who seek the Fold.

If you turn to Him

Whoa, sorry for the novel. But a lot happened this week and theres still more to tell you that i havent gotten to but i figured i should just tell you the happy parts and not my struggles so voila!

have a fantastic rest of fall break! AND JENNA? You better beat Vista into the ground on Thursday.

Love yous!

Stay Jersey Strong.

Sister McAllister

P.S. In the next package you send, can you send me a box more of contacts for each eye, and also my black combat boots? :D

October 12, 2015

OK first off: I LOVE YOU ALL SOOOOO STINKIN MUCH!!!!! And I wish i was there tooo Dad!

2ndly, where and when did jenna get that flippin awesome hoodie?!?!?!? that thing is gorgeous holy moly!

I'm glad y'all get the chance to have fall break and relax a bit! i can't believe it's alrdy Oct and that is it the 12th too.

......im so, just, gah! right now. you went to the one place i've wanted to go for yyyeeeeaaaaarrrrssssss! AND you get to see the Colemans?!? *sigh* it's a darn good thing Im livin it up in the east coast with the skyline and the fall colors right now (which I gotta tell you, are a thousand times better than home)

That's so hard! Please give them all my love! it's so sad that house is now just a memory, but its also nice having them so close to home! I hope they're doing better now. I love them so much!

Thats so heartwarming to know Ty is missing me! you never know with him, so its nice to know! Please let him now im missing his punk-self too since he wont respond to my emails :)

Sorry I dont have much this week. I've been struggling.  its been a huge adjustment with my new companion. And i havent taken a lot of pics because of that. Its been prettttty darn hard. Especially cuz shes making me walk super far everyday and Ive been in nonstop pain every day, she wont let me sit for any amount of time. So thats rough. but keep on keepin on right?

We did get a Less Active on date for the temple though! So his goal is to be back there on Dec 18, and then we have 2 ladies who we found family names for so we're going to the temple with them on Oct 23 and Nov 14. Pretty sweet right? I'm super excited for them all!!! I love this ward so much. I'm kinda hoping that I get one more transfer here , and then that I train here- I dont really want to leave the zone or area just yet. I feel like i have a lot of experience and work that needs to happen in this place. And i want to be there for S. Brown's dying testimony in March. And I want to skype y'all from here.

so ya, thats me in a nut shell. sorry i dont have a lot of details here, its just been a really rough week.

I love you all!

Stay Jersey Strong.

Love,

Sister McAllister

Service Day at Passaic Park