Week 29: Happy New Year!

Another transfer down! We had a 5 week cycle this time instead of a 6 week in order for the people going home to make it back in time for school, so now we are starting a 7 week cycle. I’ll be staying here in Harlem with my same companion. 

Happy New Year! It’s crazy because I literally was like 15 minutes from the ball drop that the entire world watches every year. But, of course we didn’t watch it haha. We definitely grabbed some martinelli's though and popped those open as we watched The Restoration movie for the 50th time. It’s funny to see tourists here who have no idea where they’re going, holding big old maps trying to see how to get around. I imagine I looked about the same though when I first got here so I can’t really blame them. 

Last Wednesday we went to go visit a family that we have been teaching (a mom and her sisters). We had an awesome lesson about the plan of salvation, and one of the sisters, Tamara, said that we had started coming over at a time when she was questioning which church to join. It was so cool to see how the lord puts us exactly where we need to be. We also went over there on Friday and were going to watch the restoration, but it just didn’t work. We ended up watching the John Tanner story, and they loved it! Tamara told us that when we bear testimony about all of the things in the church, she knows that she has a testimony too. She also said that she is the happiest we have ever been when we come over which is pretty awesome too! They are the dopest family ever! 

We set a baptismal date on Friday! On Tuesday we were walking to an appointment, and one of our investigators randomly called us after dodging our lesson earlier that week. We hadn’t been able to get ahold of him so it was so random to see that he was calling. He asked when we were going to come over and teach him! So we went over on Friday and taught him the restoration. We asked him what he knew about baptism and he said he had never heard of it before. We explained it to him and he instantly lit up, started smiling and said that he wants to do that! It was so cool to see real intent in someone we previously couldn’t get in contact with. He had met with missionaries over 4 years ago, but never was interested before. 

On New Years eve we had a conference call with the whole mission, and President Smith invited us to set some goals for the year, and reflect on the past year. As I was setting some of these goals, I realized that the year of 2018 will be my only full year of missionary service. I was looking at some awesome stuff in preach my gospel that morning, and I found a great quote by Ezra Taft Benson that describes exactly what one of my goals is for this year. “Only the gospel will bring joy, happiness, and salvation to the human family.” I know that as I bring this gospel to families here in New york, they will be able to feel the love that God has for them, and be able to know that they can live together forever.

Yesterday we had an awesome first lesson with this older Dominican lady. We went in and began just getting to know her, and it seemed like the lesson wasn’t really going to go anywhere. But as soon as we said an opening prayer and began teaching her the restoration the environment completely changed. As I told her about Joseph Smith, I got to his first vision, and it was awesome. The spirit was so strong and we didn’t break eye contact the whole time, and I just received such a strong witness that what I was saying was the truth. I know that I’m here to share that message specifically. That Joseph Smith was a prophet of god. That he translated the book of Mormon by the power of god, and that this is His restored church. We all have heard by now that President Monson has passed away, and I just want to share one of my favorite quotes by him. “As we read the Book of Mormon, we will be in a position to hear the voice of the Spirit, to resist temptation, to overcome doubt and fear, and to receive heaven’s help in our lives.” I know that President Monson was a prophet as well, and that his council can help us so much if we choose to follow it.

Love you all so much! Have an awesome week! 

Elder Adam Ray Allen
New York New York North Mission
700 White Plains Rd Ste 315 Scarsdale, NY 10583