7/12/21: First Week in the Field

 Hey everybody, I'm now here in the Reno Nevada mission! Interestingly I'm not in Reno or Nevada but actually in a small town in California called Quincy. It's one of the most remote places in the mission and we cover a huge area. There's three wards we cover in the different towns, Quincy, Portola and Loyalton, all about an hour away from each other. The closest other missionaries are up in Susanville which is an hour and a half away. Needless to say we cover a lot of ground. However, this area is undeniable beautiful. Not a all what I was expect when I heard I was going to Reno, huge forests covering massive hills an mountains with streams and rivers cutting through them. I feel like I'm back home in the Northwest, because I guess I am still in the Northwest.

The people here are great, even if there not interested in the Gospel. The members that are here though, love the missionaries so much and are eagar to help in any way. In the week I've been here, I really haven't had to cook dinner once because the members are always giving us food or inviting us over. In fact when the Doezal family found out we already had a Sunday dinner scheduled they just insisted we come over for lunch too. It's a huge help to have wards that love the missionaries and want to help in any way they can. Also could not have asked for a better companion and trainer, Elder Fiest. He also was assigned to Bolivia Santa Cruz North originally but he's going to finish out here in Reno. 

At the beginning of this week, right after I arrived, I began to feel stressed an anxious for the future. Really nothing in particular but doubts began to creep about whether I could live up to this work. It grew to the point where I felt sick out of fear and anxiety. I prayed earnestly to the Lord for comfort but I couldn't find a  lasting solution. This was all in the first few days, but I finally found realif as I knocked my first door and the lady who answered expressed interest in our message. She had met with the missionaries previously while living in Trinidad. As I bourn my testimony and share gospel truths of our Heavenly Father's love for her I felt peace and confidence in my missionary purpose. It was an answer to my prayers.

It's been a successful start to the mission and I cant wait to be working and serving in this way for the next two years.

Elder Allen




Gospel study topic of the week:
BYU speeches: For Times of Trouble by Jeffery R. Holland









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