MTC Week 3

Dear everyone,

Bowen is crawling now?? I want a video or a picture!

Anyway how is everything? How long are you and amy in Idaho? What is Kory hunting?

Thanks again for the dearelders and package, and thank the Ellsworths for the cookies! We are loaded with candy and food. Someone came into our room and dumped a ton of candy on our desk and we don't know who it was. and then Elder Bingham got a package with 3 loaves of homemade cinnamon bread and some candy too. then you guys sent me that package with sweets in it, and then with the Ellsworth's cookies we basically have our year supply.

So on Sunday we got to go watch the Brigham City temple dedication, which was so cool. Maybe I have been to a temple dedication before, but if I have I don't remember. So anyway it was awesome. My favorite part was the temple president's talk. He talked about habits, and making good ones. He promised blessings if we make good habits and then he said "how can I promise you these things today? Because I know whose house this is." So cool huh!

The language is picking up again. I can understand pretty much everything the teacher says and I can write well but speaking is still the hardest. I can speak, but I still can't decline all the words properly when I'm speaking. Because of all the cases, you know? In Russian you have to change every word depending on the type of sentence. I finally memorized that case chart! and I can apply it to writing but not speaking because you have to think so fast. cases are awesome. It's kind of more effective I think because you eliminate words like am, of, is, etc.

The older missionaries leave next week! I've made friends with all the kids going to Kevin's mission because they are the most normal. And I'm friends with a sister going to Rostov. there are just two going to Rostov next week.

 Jake Jarvis gave me a squirt gun before he left and I snipe people in the hallways from my bed. And I accidentally shot my roommate as he walked in the door and he flipped! But he didn't know it was me. He was like who did that! turning around in circles getting all riled up haha so I said it was me. He's like No squirt guns are allowed in my room! end of discussion!! So mom don't worry, I still have parental guidance here in the mtc, good old Elder Holloway.

Me and Bingham got called to be sacrament meeting coordinators. So we go and prepare everything and choose people to bless/pass. We passed the sacrament this week and we're working up our courage to bless- because it's in Russian! I think I'm going to bear my testimony in Russian on Sunday so I'll let you know how that goes haha. And I'm pretty excited for conference! We are trying to figure out a way that we can watch it in our classroom so we can have blankets and stuff.. if it's allowed..

I got a letter from Hunter! It sounds crazy, but I think he is having fun. And he said he is getting big. He said he was about to go through the 'gas chamber.' I'm not sure what that is but I think it's like pepper spray and stuff. I hope.

Jason I hope homecoming was fun! thanks for the pictures and email, I think your date was the cutest in the group. And what are you, popular or something- getting asked to winter formal already haha! crazy!  I'm glad you tore it up in church ball, better than I ever did back then.. my comp says to youtube Jason Williams highlights. Apparently he is like a white Allen Iverson but more stylish.. I went hard in ball yesterday! because there is this new kid who is way good so I crossed him up a few times and hit some jimmers in his face! I was pumped.  And you should take Elder Binghams sister on a date haha she is a junior too. It'd only be an hour and 1/2 to pick her up..

Amy have fun with Bowen and take pictures!

Dad thanks for your dearelders.  It sounds like you're working hard and staying busy. I'm trying to stay busy too. Elder Bingham says he thinks he'd like you. The other night were just quoting seinfeld back and forth. So he knows his seinfeld. Also I saw your 'I'm a mormon' page. I need to make one of those sometime.

Mom thanks again for the package and everything. don't miss me too much but also don't forget about me! I'm sure you'll have plenty of fun with Bowen this week. That's sweet that you got to take those people to lunch in Rexberg.

Taralynn and Kory. Is it snowing yet? Boise state is doing pretty good I hear, well actually all I know is that they beat BYU so maybe they're not that good. Let me know if you get anything on your hunt.

So grandpa knows Bingham's grandpa Terry? Were they good friends? He is in the Gila Valley temple presidency now. Was he a farmer? because that's what Elder Binghams family does now.

Did grandpa have fun on his campout, other than the skinned up elbow? at least he tripped over a tree root and not a rattle snake.. I bet it's getting cold in Strawberry, it's a bit chilly here this week

Oh I almost forgot, you'll never guess who I met here. This kid that lives in our building lives down the street from the Duck Dynasty family!!! Oh man I envy him.. and he has also met the people from swamp people. What a lucky guy.

Sorry my letter is so long!  Love you all and miss you!!

Elder Allen

Tell Joann I'll take care of Chris for her so she doesn't have to worry! Yesterday we were walking and noticed a huge classroom, like 2 times bigger than ours and there were half the missionaries. And their desks were nicer and they had whiteboards, with a view from the 5th floor! So we asked where they were going and they said Mexico City, so maybe Chris will get lucky and be in that fancy classroom.

Scott also wrote a short letter to his Dad--telling him that one of the main reasons he is on a mission is because of the example Jay set...and the way Jay still talks about his mission experiences and the people he met there.  He commented on their trip to Austria this spring and what a good memory that will always be. 

MTC Week 2

Well, we got letter #2 from Scott yesterday.  It didn't come as early in the day as the first one, but it was complete with pictures!

(here's some highlights!)

 

September 12, 2012

Everyone!

So if you guys remember my letter last week, a majority of it was about how amazing my district is. Well guess what?

It no longer exists!!

 

 For some reason unknown to me they split up only our district. So me and my comp aren't in the same district/zone/ward/classes as any of the friends we made the first week! Honestly it was so hard at first, I couldn't think about it because it made me so upset. But I will be fine. We still hang out with our old zone as often as we can. We went to the temple with them this morning and we have our same roommates. (kyle litzenberger and tyler jones)

Since we were new to the ward me and my companion were asked to give our testimonies in sacrament meeting. That went well. Our new 'Mission President' was president of the Moscow mission for a while.

Russian is coming along well. I feel like I'm the only person here that is not stressed about learning the language. So I don't know if that's a good thing or a bad thing. We can now teach the basic lessons, but we need a script for the most part. One other thing that stinks about our district split is that we don't have the same teachers we had before. Our old ones were the greatest. One was that investigator I was telling you about from Ukraine and the other 2 go to BYU.

All the 'older' missionaries who are going to Russia are really cool and they help me out a lot with learning the language.  

Oh, I think I mentioned our 1st 'investigator' in my last letter. He is honestly one of the coolest people I've ever met. He grew up in Ukraine and was converted when he was 20 then went on a mission to Moscow. When he was taking the discussions he would hang out with the missionaries all the time. And he said it took over 100 lessons before he was baptized! 

  

 

 Dad asked if I knew 2 sisters (literal) that are both going to Russia (two different missions). Yes I know both of them! One is (was) in my district, she is the missionary me and my companion gave the priesthood blessing. And she is doing fine now. But apparently they said she was going to have to have surgery on her throat or something, but that was before we gave her the blessing.

Well sorry these letters aren't very organized; my brain is on another level at the moment. I blame it on the Russian.  I love you all and miss you! Thanks for your prayers.

 -старйшинa Scott Allen

I wonder how many statues Scott will ride in Russia?!

 

  

Scott's roommate from BYU was in the MTC with Scott two weeks.  Elder Jarvis left Monday for Chile.  Scott says he sees lots of Mt. View missionaries, which is always fun.  He asked about cousin Marcus's call--which should come this week!!  It would be great if they could be in the MTC together for a time

MTC Week One

Scott reported to the MTC at 12:30 p.m. on Wednesday August 29.   A LONG WEEK LATER we received his first letter(s)... 

Thanks for the email, dearelders and package! I really enjoy those dearelders so keep them coming. So, the mtc is amazing and I thought I would be 50% homesick but really I am only like 2%. I hope the Allens had a good day on Tanner's birthday, I have been thinking about him alot recently. Tell Aubree I am SO sorry I didn't get to see her on Wednesday! I didn't want to be late and I got a little excited I guess.
Well I think our district is the most impressive district in the mtc, I'll give you a little background on each elder just to impress you.

My comp Teren Bingham (Donets'k Ukraine): from Thatcher Arizona. Look for him on the cover of the New Era (August 2011) and also he is the main football player in the mormon message 'same jersey.' He is a hardworking kid and really spiritual and laid back and funny. If I had to compare him to somebody in mesa it would be Jon Forrest.

Originally we had an elder lambert in our district (Rostov). He was a CLONE of Jason Garry. So smart but had an amazing sense of humor and humility. He was a rower at Stanford! and he was too smart for us I guess, he got moved to an accelerated program to leave in 6 weeks!

Elder Litzenberger (Donets'k): from washington, vale dictorian (sp?) of his high school. He has only done 1 year at BYU yet he is done with 3 years of the Mariott school in finance. He did an internship for KPMG which is sweet. He plays tennis and snowboards and has family from Austria. Reminds me a bit of Tucker Denton

Elder Jones (Donets'k): from west jordan ut. He is alot like Michael Costello. He is a ladies man (was) and played rugby at snow college. He is the funniest one in the district.

Elder Kongaika (Moscow): from Huntington beach. He played football at byu and is now committed to ucla after his mission. He is alot like Davey Allen and what I imagine Tanner to be. He is so nice and he understands why he is here.

Elder Miller (Rostov): from liberty Missouri and took I think 5 years of chinese. Some of the things that he says are just outright hilarious. He is an awesome missionary.

Well sorry to bore you all to death, I just like to brag about these elders because they are so awesome. The sisters are great too. I was a little surprised when I got called to be district leader because any one of them would do just as good a job.

As far as Russian goes I feel like it is coming along well. I can say a simple prayer/testimony and we have been teaching an 'investigator' named Bain from Ukraine. ha ha Elder Jones always does this Bain voice from Batman, maybe you have no idea what I'm talking about but "I was boRN IN THE DARK!"

It sounds like fast Sunday was awesome. We had a testimony meeting and we also watched pres. Monson's 85th birthday celebration. And Tuesday night we had a great devotional where an area of the 70 spoke with his wife. They are straight out of Germany and were really funny.

How are you guys doing? How was Labor Day? Did you go to Strawberry? Jason how is MVT? and basketball? Send me pictures of homecoming! Amy how is Jordan? I have taken pictures, well, one picture for you guys.. Maybe I'll take some more and send them next week. Love you mom, dad, Taralynn, Kory, Bowen, Amy, and Jason! bye!

Elder Scott Allen

I'm back. I forgot to tell you a cool experience I had this week. One of the sisters in our district was really sick and she couldn't really talk and the doctors didn't really know if it was an infection or what it was. So I offered to give her a priesthood blessing and me and Elder Bingham gave her one. It was the only blessing she has ever received. The next morning she still didn't look great so I was thinking uh oh maybe I did something wrong but then when I saw her that evening she was 10X better and she was able to talk normally and everything. Thought I'd share that quick little experience.

Love you again!
Elder Scott Allen