Terra is as wonderful to hear from as ever

Snow in our Backyard

Hello dearest Mommy,

Today is a different day for sure. I've never lost a loved one, let alone two within the same week. Truthfully, I don't know how to react, especially since I'm not there. I do wish I could be there to comfort you and Dad and everyone else, but it's here that I need to be. So I'm trying the best I can to comfort you from here and to continue in the work here. That's what's keeping me going, knowing that there is much to be done here, and I have been asked to do it. The Lord is providing for me here. It's you guys I'm worried about. How do you comfort someone who is sad when you are far away? I don't know how to do it. Just know that I love you all so much, and am doing my best here so that Heavenly Father can bless you even more there.

We're going to flip this email around so we can brighten some moods and think about other good things. First of all, I want someone to google what the purpose of a water tower is. There are a lot of water towers here in Ohio, and upon looking at them, I'm realizing that they really don't make any sense. I have a lot of questions concerning them. How did so much water get up there? How do we get it down? Whose idea was it? "Hey I've got an idea: let's put a LOT of water waaaay up in the air." .... There must be a purpose for them, but I just don't know what it is. And it's been driving me crazy. 

We have a set of Elders in our ward.  And once, we blocked their car in.  So at our zone meeting the next week, they blocked us and OUR TIRES WERE TOUCHING!

People here are great. Really. The people we are working with are so great. We have quite a few progressing, and most of them know that it's true! They know it! I know they do! But there are a few roadblocks in there way, and we're trying to tell them that they don't need to stop there, but that they can jump over them! They are definitely capable of jumping over them, and if they only knew how much better the journey is on the other side, they would do it. But they just haven't taken that leap. And really, at this point, all we can do is cheer them on and pray for them. But they are all so fantastic. We had seven investigators at church yesterday, and at least three less actives. We're working quite a bit with less actives. I think sometimes we get confused and think that missionary work is only finding investigators and converting them. But it is also bringing back the lost sheep (the less active) because Heavenly Father loves them just as much and wants them to come back to the church just as much as those who don't even know about it yet.

Zone Activity -- I love my companion! :]

It's still not easy being here. I know it never will be. But life isn't meant to be easy. It really isn't. Life is full of making sacrifices, learning, and growing up. None of those things are easy, but they are all very rewarding. And those are the kinds of rewards that you can take with you to heaven. And those are the best kind. But I do love my dolls. I miss making dolls. I wish I could take those to heaven with me. But I'm sure there will something like that in heaven. :]

Another snow picture

Okay, I don't want you to all think that I have lost my craziness. It's still with me. The other day while we were in the middle of teaching a lesson to some of our investigators, Sister Ward was talking and using her hands a lot. And at one point, she put out her hands, and held them there for a few seconds, and one of them was pretty close to my face. Within the first second, I just looked at it. Within the second second (haha), I wanted to bite it. In the third second, I thought that would be weird and also thought she would move her hand before I got the chance. At the fourth second, I bit her hand. Well, no I didn't, she moved it just in the nick of time because she saw me coming. But it wasn't very sly, and it deviated from the lesson, and we lost a few investigators that day.... Just kidding! We didn't lose them. But from now on I am going to refrain from biting my companion's hand during a lesson. Maybe.

Long story, but the orange with the cute face is Sister Ward (I drew it) and the orange with the crazy face is me (She drew it)

I'm going to admit something that I really don't want to admit. But, you guys are all far

The first drawings in my new sketchbook!

away and so if you laugh at me for it or think I'm weird. it doesn't matter. Sister Ward made me wet my pants this week. Well, tights I guess. I knew it was going to happen sometime. She seriously makes me laugh SO HARD and it's always while we are tracting and no where near a bathroom that we can use. It was like ten minutes before we had to turn in for the night, and she had been making me laugh so much the whole time we were at that complex, and it was finally the last straw. She nearly wet her pants from laughing so hard that I was wetting my pants, but she didn't. At least I don't think she did, she might have and just not told me. My goodness though. It was worth it. Sister Ward is worth everything, seriously. She makes every single day fantastic and is the very best trainer I could ask for. It's the perfect combination of working hard, learning a ton, and having a blast while doing it.

Sister Ward loves to snuggle in her blanket

Shoutouts!:
-Lainie: Thanks for your email!! I miss you. :] You are so sweet and so cute! Thanks for the present you sent me. Very cool paper folding. I love it. :]
-Kayla Soderberg: Kayla..................please write me. :]
-Melody: PLEASE WRITE ME TOO! haha. :]
-Jeni Young: Thanks so much for your email! I loved it, and I thought a lot about it this week, and it was good to hear from you. Keep me updated what happens with Brandyn and his college/mission plans!
-Cebre & Hiram: my sweet babies. I love you.
-Racer, Lexie, James: I love you too.
-Jenna Jones: I got your card. I LOVE YOU SO MUCH!! TELL ME AS SOON AS YOU GET YOUR CALL!!!! OH MY GOSH!!!! You're going to Columbus, Ohio!!! hahaha. I HOPE.
-Nathaniel: If you could, could you send me the lyrics to "A Warning Sign" and "Swallowed in the Sea"? They've been in my head all week long. Thanks. :]
-Marcus Christensen: Where's my one letter?!
-Grandma Southwick: Imagine me giving you a big hug right now!!! I love you so much, and wish I could be there for you!
-Violet Sharpe: Happy almost wedding!!!!!!!!!!!! CRAZY!!!!
-Emma:  I MISS YOU!!!!!!
-Jake Winfield: I will write you, I will. Thanks for your letters! I'm wearing a bear skin shirt right now!
-Tell the Wiseman family thank you for all of their letters!!! I haven't gotten the chance to write any of them back, but nearly all of their family has written me on such great cards, and I've loved them all. So please tell them thanks!

I have a few things I need you to do . . .  (blah, blah, blah . . . deleted from the blog)
Sorry for being so needy this week! And of all weeks! Sheesh!
I have LOVED everything you have sent me. Seriously. You are SO FAST with sending things, it amazes both me and Sister Ward. Thanks for the SD card. When this one gets full, I'll send it home. 

Mail in the snow -- I know my face is crazy.

AND THE JACKET!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! THE LU LU LEMON JACKET!!!!!!!!!!! MOM!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I AM WEARING IT AS I WRITE!!!!!!!!!!!! I LOVE IT SOOOOOOO MUCH!!!!!!!!!!! I can't believe you compacted it SO well (which by the way, I loved). I truly love it. I only wear it in our home. Basically everywhere we go smells like smoke, and I do not want this jacket smelling like smoke or ever getting ruined. So I wear it in the mornings and night and love it. :] :] Well, and I wore it to the zone activity today. ahhhh it's so great. And thank you for the tights!!!! THANK YOU FOR EVERYTHING. SO MANY LETTERS. I always love them and always need them. Such a sweet Mommy dear. 

I must go now. Give everyone love-felt hugs for me. Especially Dad and Grandma Southwick. I wish I could help in some way, but just know that I love you all so much.

Love, Terra

A Tough Week for Drake (and a peek at his Polish)

Dear Mom,

It's P-Day today again.
We went to the temple this morning and now I am doing my laundry. This week went by quickly, but it was hard.
After being called up to be told that Grandma Fridae died, they told me that Grandma Allen was doing very poorly and that I would probably get called up again, and when I did, I would know what it was.
So the whole week, I would cringe and get scared whenever the intercom beeped, hoping I wouldn't hear my name
And then in the cafeteria, they have a screen that displays people's names that need to go to the front desk.
So every time I walked into the cafeteria, I was scared to see my name on the screen.
I went the whole week without hearing my name on the intercom.
But yesterday, when I walked into the cafeteria for dinner, I saw my name on the screen...
And so I walked to the front desk, and they brought me to the office of the a member of the district presidency.
He asked me if I knew why I was there. And I told him I did.
Then he told me that Grandma had died.
I cried a lot, and then he let me call Dad.
It was nice to get to talk to him. It made me feel better.
But then we had to go to fireside right after, and I cried during most of it, thinking about how much I miss Grandma.
It makes me very sad and I keep crying. I miss her.

Anyway, besides that, things are going pretty well.

I see Mark all the time -- multiple times every day!

Mark leaves for Germany next Tuesday

I think we are learning a lot of Polish. Although, it is hard to gauge how much we have actually been progressing.
We did 4 lessons with our "investigator", and now he has revealed his true identity as being one of our teachers.
His name is Stefan Leimer and is from Frankfurt, Germany. So he speaks German, English, and Polish.

Our class with Brother Tribe

I saw Hiram for the first time on Saturday. We were walking back to our dorm after class like at 9:30 PM, and I saw him walking on his way out of the MTC.
And I yelled, "Hiram!!!" He took a video. But you know that... haha

Hiram sent me this video Saturday night -- here's the link in case it doesn't work.

Anyway, I hope you got all the pictures I sent. It looked like some of them didn't send for some reason.
Oh, and thanks for the packages and cookies. I liked the snickerdoodles and chocolate chip cookies.

I still haven't gotten the mail today, so maybe I'll get some more letters today.

Alrighty, I have to get off now.

Kocham cie,

Elder Drake Allen

P.S. from Terra

Don't be alarmed friends and family. I still have side bangs. They've just gotten too long and I'm too afraid to cut them myself. So in the meantime, I've been putting them up, but eventually I will get the courage to cut them and I have my bangs again. (that was mostly for cebre, you, emma, jenna, and everyone else who knows the ridiculousness about my bangs.)

Drake's email from the MTC!

Me and my companion, Elder Blom

Hey Mom,

Today is my P-Day! We went to the temple earlier today.

Things are going great here at the MTC! It is super fun and awesome!
We already are teaching "investigators" in Polish after only a few days of starting to learn the language.

My companion's name is Elder Josh Blom and is from Long Island, New York.
Elder Waskiewicz is in my district. He is fun and pretty crazy, and seems to be doing well.

Our district went to the temple this morning

Oh! I was called as the District Leader last Thursday. So, I go to lots of meetings and get the mail and interview missionaries and stuff.
I also got to give one of the Elders in my district a blessing because he was very homesick.

Tell Terra that I miss her and that I am having a super fun time here at the MTC.
I don't play volleyball during gym though... I play Four-square! haha :)

There are 6 Elders and 6 Sisters in my district. But 2 of the Elders are going to Leeds, England speaking Polish.

Leeds Elders -- Elder Owens, the one in front is SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO funny!

Ok, I am going to send some pictures now! :) 

Tell everybody that I love them and miss them!

-Elder Drake Allen

Elder Owens and I

Class 

Companion in Class

Show this one to KayLee :)

P.S. from Renee -- If you happened to miss the video I posted of Elder Owen's mission call, it's pretty classic.  :)  My friend, Dianna told me about this.  Her son, Colin, is going to Leeds, too.  Super small world. Colin will be in the MTC in England, though, since he will be English speaking.

Terra -- Never Wash a Pleated Skirt

Bear Skin in Ohio!  You can brush your teeth while you support it. :)

 So I promised you a story of the day that I got that first package with my orange jacket and striped sweater in it. It was about a week in to my mission. That day had been pretty good, and since we have a washer and dryer in our home, I was able to just throw in a load of clothes while we were studying. Most of the people we visit smoke. So, my purple jacket permanently smells like smoke and I just figured that's how it's going to be for the rest of my mission. And that's okay. But a few of my skirts really needed to be washed. So I threw my two BEAUTIFUL pleated skirts (the long grey one and the black Talbot's one) in the washer thinking it would be no problem. I was very very wrong. I pulled them both out, and the pleats in both were completely gone. I brought them in to my companion with wide eyes, and she just looked at me. I was devastated!! My skirts!!! My beautiful pleated skirts!!! They were no longer pleated!! And being extremely tired and worn out from my first week in a new place, all I could do was laugh. So my companion and I just laughed out of sadness. But then...the next step came. Ask Jackson, Emma, Cebre, or Hiram, and they will know what came next. I started bawling. I had one of my CRAZY breakdowns. I was laying on the bed sobbing and crying out for my skirts. My companion didn't really know what to do, so she didn't do anything. But I just cried and cried and cried saying "My poor skirts!!!!!!!" It was really sad. I was really sad. Eventually, I stopped crying, and we went back to work. So later that day when we came home, I had a package. And oooooh my goodness was I happy. I was so happy to hug my infamous orange jacket. So happy. And my black and white striped sweater. Those two articles of clothing brought me SO much comfort. They brought me the happiness that was taken away from my once pleated skirts. Mom, thank you so much for sending those to me as fast as you did. It was within the same week that I had sent you that email, and I was AMAZED by how fast that package got there. Amazed. The Lord definitely knew I needed them that day. I seriously cannot express enough how thankful I was for that package. Because I was so distraught about my silly skirts. The skirts are still pretty and wearable, but just not as perfect as they were before. So, moral of the story: never wash a pleated skirt. But if you do, hopefully you have a mom as great as mine, who knows exactly how to save the day.

Everybody, remember to pray at night!

This week was pretty miraculous though. It included a turning point for not only my mission, but for my life. I wrote about it in my journal, and I'll include a part of my entry about it. It probably won't make sense, and I wasn't able to express how much it really hit me (but then again, when is anyone ever able to express any passionate emotion in words...) but it was really eye opening. It happened while we were eating at a members house for dinner and we were talking about the last days:

"Tonight it was made known unto me the magnitude of my calling as a missionary, or at least a portion of it. [At dinner] we talked about how evil is arising and that these really are the last days and how all the signs are beginning to come. As we talked about this, I got really scared for the future, but then Sister Hunt said, "But we have a prophet and he will tell us what to do." That gave me so much comfort. 

Sister Ward and me at the Columbus Temple!

Tonight it just hit me that God's plan is so much bigger than all my silly wants and worries. And it gave me a much stronger focus on missionary work. This is the salvation of souls we're talking about here. We need to build up God's army here on the earth. That's what I've been called to do. The scriptures say, "The righteous need not fear." I am going to strive to be as righteous as I can, because I am going to Celestial Kingdom! I am going there, and I am bringing many souls with me. My family, and all these people that I am supposed to convert in Ohio. I am part of God's army in these last days. I need not fear because I am on His side. I will stand as a witness of God always. I will preach and teach His gospel. And I will share the truthfulness of this gospel with the world. What a blessing to know that God trusts me to do this. It humbles me. And it gives me courage to be a representative of the Savior. I wear this namebadge with love and knowledge of my Savior. Through hard days, through easy days, through lazy days, or any other kinds of days, I will persevere and move forward and move this work forward. I will with an eye single to the glory of God. I will go where the Lord wants me to go and I will be who He wants me to be. This is the true gospel. I know it. And all others need to know it as well. Menial things don't matter right now, we're working towards eternal salvation."

That night was awesome. It really put me on a "last days" high for the next few days. Life is just so dang cool.

Emma would appreciate the cuteness and colors and the journal she gave me!

Sister Ward and I have been sick this week. Some days were really sick (it's just a bad cold). We've been taking it easy and haven't been doing much tracting since we don't want to be out in the cold and get sicker. Well, last night it was 8pm, and none of our plans were working, and the only option left was to go tracting. We knew we shouldn't go home, but we knew it was stupid to be out in the cold when we already had colds. But we decided to pray and do it anyways. So we prayed that we wouldn't get sick and that we would find someone that wanted to hear the gospel. (We have had no luck with finding within the past 2.5 weeks.) Last night, within that last hour, we found one new investigators, set up 3 return appointments, and picked up 8 potential investigators, and EVERY SINGLE person was so nice to us. It was amazing. It was ridiculously successful and very humbling. It showed us that there really are people out there waiting to hear about the gospel and we just need to go find them!! It was amazing. We're excited to go back and teach a lot of these people and we're so thankful for Heavenly Father putting us where we needed to be last night.

We have a snack drawer.  I am so happy!

We have a few progressing investigators, which I haven't written much (or really anything) about. I'll write more about them later. We have a family who wants to get baptized, but just needs to get some other things straight first, so we are PRAYING that we can give them a baptismal date soon. Another one of our investigators, Paige, we met last weekend, and she read the Book of Mormon in four days and is now reading it again. We haven't been able to see her for a week because she doesn't live in our area (but her sister does, that's how we met her) but we are SO EXCITED to meet with her again and hopefully she will be willing and ready to be baptized! She's incredible, and has definitely been prepared by there Lord. There is another family who we are working with, and love so much, and they are really progressing, and we are just praying that we are telling them what they need to hear so that they can progress completely and on the right path. Being a missionary is full of pressure, because I want to say the right things! But I need to remember that I don't need to worry about thinking what to say. I just need to pray and study and the Spirit will tell me what they need to hear.

I'm still drawing in my books. 

I LOVE the package with all the bright and colorful letters from the Fjerstad's and Bartons and you guys!! LOVED IT!!! Oh man, that was so fun to get. Okay, time for some shout-outs:

Emma: EMMUH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I LOVED YOUR LETTER SO DANG MUCH!! THE PICTURE WAS PERFECT OF YOU AND ME AT LES MIS!!!! I AM TREASURING THAT FOREVER!!!! I will try to write back to you today if not next week. IAHHAHSGDOFJS!!!! I really can't tell you how much I miss and love you and how much I loved your letter!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Racer: Thank you for the picture of me as a snowman. :] My water froze in the car overnight last night, so it was fun to drink icy water. :] I miss you!

Lexie: Thank you for your sweet letters and drawings. :] :] :] they're always very very fun to read.

James: I miss you babycakes!!!

Cebre: Hey baby. :]

Roommates (Sharrisa, Hillary, Stephanie, Elyse, Jenni, Cambrai): A member from my ward is coming to visit BYU this week, and his girlfriend lives in Centennial, so I told him to stop by and say hi to you! So look for him! I love you all and will try to write to you soon!! :]

I need to go. This computer time always goes by so fast. I'm sorry if I forgot to answer any questions. I love you all so much! 

Thanks for being marvelous parents. I can never thank you enough.

Love, Terra

The long walk to the mailbox

Stride!

Polka Dots and Stripes!

On this day it was raining, so we took turns wearing my polka dot rain boots and going to the mailbox.

Drake's FIRST Letter!!!

Dear Family,

I made it through the first day at the MTC and I am allowed to write you tonight, but I won't be able to email until next Monday or maybe even later.  It has been a really long day.  But it's pretty fun.  There are 6 Elders and 6 Sisters in my district and 2 of the Elders are actually going to England, but speaking Polish.

We are in the same zone as missionaries going to the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Slovenia, Croatia, Serbia, Bosnia, and Bulgaria.  I met Lindsey Walch's MTC teacher.  Brother Tribe is our teacher and he only speaks Polish! ** My companion's name is Elder Blom and he is from New York.

Anyway, I am doing great and having a fun time. I have been helping the other Elders with their Polish.  I love you all.

Love, Starszy Allen

**  (Drake knows Brother Tribe or Stewart Tribe -- one of Scott's mission companions from almost 30 years ago is Stew's dad and we've been friends with them over the years-- hopefully Drake will get a picture with him at some point.)

Drake embarking on his Mission

Leaving home

Drake entered the MTC this past Wednesday to begin his 2 year mission to Poland.  He will be in the MTC until April 30th and then he'll be on his way to Warsaw.  We haven't heard from Drake yet, but here are some pictures from just before he left.

James and Drake at the airport curb

Saying goodbye to Lexie before we left for the airport

Drake's last meal before going in.  His drop-off time was 12:30 and he wouldn't get food till dinner time.

Hugging Cebre goodbye (and our super bright green rental Jeep)

His host elder helping him with his luggage.

Me, telling him to give us details in his letters and to take lots of pictures

A few last words of advice -- I never run out. :)

Hiram was sweet enough to take my camera so I could enjoy the moment and be in a few pictures, too.

I guess this is it.

Grabbing his luggage to go

About to walk away!

And there they go!!!