Hermana Morgan went home!

First of all I just wanted to give a HUGE shout out to my trainer and companion of 5 transfers Hermana Katie Morgan! She successfully and honorably finished an 18 month mission speaking Spanish here in Calgary! Morganita I am so happy for you! I love you and I am going to miss you tons! Go kill it in Pittsburgh! Hola Familia! So this week we said good bye to Hermana Morgan it was so weird to see her go. We also had a lot of transitioning with transfers. I am so glad I didn't get transferred,(hahahaha like I knew I wouldn't because sister Ratliff is still training) transfers are so stressful! The Elders had Johnny's baptism on Wednesday! It was so good! They were both so happy! The ward was so happy, we were so happy! All around baptisms are the best! No matter who it is. We had a lesson with Esperanza this week and it was so good. She is so sweet and the spirit was so strong. We were able to talk about the restoration and she loved it. She said she really loves our church because usually she isn't a big church person. She came to church on Sunday and I think both her and Halima loved it. We have a lesson with them this week along with Edgar and Juliana. Funny story about singing in Sacrament. So heaven knows I don't have the best voice and in sacrament the hymns were all off. Hahaha so usually I try to kind of sing loud because no one really knows the songs but yesterday all the hymns were to low for me. Like the organ was an octave low or something so I was trying so hard to sing and I sounded like a man....Esperanza just looked at me and tried to sing along with me anyways. Hahahah then the next hymn comes and I had never heard of this hymn in my life. Not one person was singing in the congregation and I look down and I realize why....we were singing a different hymn that was being played! SO funny! I lost it! I was trying so hard to compose myself. It was so funny! It's those little funny moments like that where you just love your mission. Hahahah Esperanza and her daughter Halima are amazing! It is going to be a great week! Love you familia!

love

Hermana Allphin

Elder Chirstofferson came!

Hola Familia!

So this week has been such a spiritual week! Finding out about Grammy passing away was a little bit of a shock to me but the Lord has lifted me and comforted me throughout the week. She was incredible and I love her so much! I have no doubt that she has been able to see her three missionary grandchildren this week. Tuesday we had a lesson with Edgar and when we went he had a new person there. Her name is Juliana and she just got to Canada from the Dominican like a week ago. We taught the first lesson and let me just say it was one of the most powerful first lessons. It started out a little rocky...Edgar had lots of doubts. We tried to bring it back and bring the spirit. It was okay until Hermana Dean shared the first vision. Let me just tell you I am so proud of my companion. Her rock in the church is her testimony of Joseph Smith and it shows. She shared the first vision and as she shared it Juliana's mouth dropped open. The spirit was so strong and I swear I saw it click in her eyes. I was able to give my testimony of Joseph Smith and The Book of Mormon and I felt to spirit so strong. Especially testifying of the Book of Mormon. We have a lesson with them again on Tuesday and I am so excited! Every Missionary lives for moments like that on the mission. That's when you really remember why you are out here and it changes you. Seriously the chance that I have to share my testimony has changed my life. It's funny how the Lord works that way. We also had LTMs (language training) which is always fun because we get to see the whole Spanish Program. Hermana Morgan (my trainer and previous companion for 5 transfers) was able to bare her testimony as she goes home this week. Her and an Elder and then we all start to go home one after the other... One transfer after the other! Isn't that crazy! We also were able to go to the temple with her and the other spanish sisters. These Sisters are my dearest friends in the mission. When you all only have 3 companions and you all rotate and are the companions multiple times...you get pretty close. It was hard saying goodbye to her but I know that she is going to do awesome going home! We also had a lesson with Esperanza who is our new investigator also. She has a lot of trials and it is so vivid that the Lord is reaching out to her. We met with her on Friday and her and her daughter came to church with us on Sunday! They loved it and the Ward was so kind and loving to them! I was so happy! Then Saturday we got to meet Elder Christofferson!! He came and oh my goodness the Spirit was so strong. The second he walked it I could just feel it through my whole body like "he is for sure an apostle of the Lord!" I have so many note of the things he said. It was incredible truly! He is so funny too! Like he was up there cracking jokes! It was awesome! He talked about a lot of things but one thing that stuck out to me was prayer. He talked about how God is there listening and how we can invite the spirit more and receive revelation more clearly is by being grateful. Then he bore his testimony of the Savior. SO powerful! It gave me chills. I am so grateful I had the opportunity to meet an Apostle while I am a missionary. Well I love you so much family! Hope you guys have a wonderful week! 

Love

Hermana Allphin

And here is our beloved spanish Program!

this is ESL!

LTMS hermana Morgan's last

this is the new view and check out the polka dots....we went on exchanges so we were together all day like this

one ginormous horse sized dog.....

Hola Familia

So this week was a little bit was a little crazy! We had two Zone Training Meeting and two exchanges hahahaha. I went up with Sister Merkley who is serving in Airdrie for the night and it was so funny! She is such an awesome missionary! So you all know that when it comes to me and animals....well they are not my favorite. So we are walking along and Sister Merkley says "well lets stop by this potential who lives around here. She is super sweet! She has a lot of dogs though." She have known from that statement it was going to be bad. Hahaha we go in and all of the sudden I am pinned up against the door by this GINORMOUS Great Dane! I have never been so scared in my life!!! Then there is this little tiny dog and this scary German Sheppard/husky! I was trying so hard to be brave. So we go and sit on the down and the all swarm. I have the little dog on my lap barking at my face, the scary dog licking my legs and last but not least the Great Dane....liking my face! I have never been so uncomfortable in my life. I just closed my eyes and held my breath while my comp shared a message. The things that you do on exchanges. I was so grossed out leaving and all the rest of the day...I smelt like dog. Moral of the story when someone says "she has a lot of dogs though" don't do it;) We also changed chapels so we are right next to an Indian temple...hahahaha its so different from the beautiful city view! Hahaha but all it well! We were also tracking while on exchanges and it was just not a good day for finding. I was so tired and we get to this door and this old British guy answers the door. Sister Vanshouvenburg says "hi we are missionaries....." and the guy just starts laughing and says "well that's nice I don't believe in God" I lost it! I laughed so hard! It was just such a long day and of course he wouldn't even believe in God. Hahaha I legit just started laughing at the door. The guy was so surprised that I was laughing that he started to laugh too... next thing we know we are both just laughing at each other. Then he says "you know I have a really good friend who is a Mormon. Why don't you girls come in. My wife is here in the other room." Hahaha tender mercies of the Lord. We got to talk to him for a bit. He didn't change his mind but it made it a better experience. Hahaha so there you go sometimes if you burst into laughter they let you in;) Well I love you so much Familia! Elder Chirstofferson (the Apostle) is coming to our mission this week! How cool is that! I am so excited!!! Love you so much! Have a wonderful and incredible week!

Love

Hermana Allphin

Conference Weekend!

Hola familia

Wow okay so this week has been so jammed packed with things it felt like an eternity long! Hahaha but its all good because it was a really good! So things that happened this week we had MLCs in Lethbridge on Wednesday and finally I got to see the southern part of the mission. It was really amazing we also had interviews with President Miles which is always awesome! President and Sister Miles are amazing! They really are just so incredible! Then on Thursday we picked up a new investigator! Her name is Yarlitza and she is the referral from the Elder's recent convert Angel! So cool! It was such an amazing lesson! She really has such a desire to know if the church is true. When we got there her mom and brother were there as well and it was amazing because the brother had lived in Utah and knew a little bit about the church. They listened to the entire lesson! They didn't participate but they listened which was awesome! Then Thursday we had exchanges and Sister Shaffer and I picked up another investigator! She if from Cuba! Hermana Dean and Morgan knocked her door last month and found the family. So on Thursday we were able to get in with her for a lesson! It was amazing! Saturday we had General Conference and it was SO good! Such a spiritual boost! I loved every talk! Then Sunday round two of Conference! In between the two sessions Hermana Dean and I had another lesson with a potential investigator who is now.....AN INVESTIGATOR!!! It has been a miracle week for sure! So many incredible and amazing miracles! It amazing because Hermana Dean and I have been praying so hard that the Lord would soften hearts and he totally did! I love it! So the work is incredible here in the North! Love you so much familia!!!! Have a wonderful week!

Love

Hermana Allphin