Elder Russell Allphin: Is Your Mama a Llama?

Dear Fambilys,

Blast it all!! Another late day! I’m so so so so so sorry but again, it’s gonna be something short. But I’m so glad to hear about your week and that all is going well.

What a week. We got mini missionaries this week: Mini Elder Torres from Positos, Salta and mini Elder Coronado who is a Jujanio. Elder Torres is an 18 year old chill, cool kid who is a recent convert of almost a year, likes to sing salsa cumbia all the time (and I try not to hit him for singing salsa cumbia all the time). He is my comp. The comp of Elder Moriño was Elder Coronado who has 28 years and he is just like Octavio from King of the Hill (Anna or Lauren would know who that is). Well he’s a mix of Octavio, Uncle Rico from Napoleon Dynamite, and Garfield the cat. He will only talk about 3 things: His tropical cumbia group, MetLife, and how there is no bread in the pench. He went home from his mini mission today so we are in a trio now.

The minis are cool. Super not accustomed to mission life but yet chill. It took me awhile to realize but I’m the only gringo in my pench and only one of 2 in the district but yet I’m totally content with that. I’m at the level now where everything is just all good, I feel fine. So I got that happening. I did papers este semana and it went well. I have to go back this week but its all cool. I got the 2 packages you guys sent me in December. Thank you thank you!

We also had a baptism this week of a guy named Jesus. He is a super cool kid. I baptized him and was tempted to say "But I have the need to be baptized of thee." I didn’t tell him that, ha-ha. When we got in the font though, it was COOOOOOOOLLLLLLLLLLDDDDDDDDDD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! It was Titanic scary freezing cold and my body hates cold! We braced ourselves for getting even more cold but as I said the baptismal prayer the most incredible thing happened: My body felt like it was on fire (in a good way) like I wasn’t in the water, like I was wrapped in the most comfortable, warm blanket and in a super, peaceful beyond peaceful state. Like I can’t even begin to describe how incredible a feeling it was. I would be foolish to even attempt to try but we definitely knew 100% it was the Spirit. I baptized Jesus and afterwards he said "Did you feel like you were on fire?" I was just astounded. I didn’t know how to responded after such an experience. The only thing I could say to him was "The church is true." Which it is.

Well Family, I leave you with that right now and I’ll answer your questions I promise I promise I promise next week. We just had a lot of things happening today. We had to take mini Elder Coronado back to another part of Jujuy and a bunch of other stuff but do know that its all good and I’m doing great and I appreciate, more than anything, all your love and support and prayers. Keep on doing that and keep on keeping on. I love you guys so very much! It’s all good.

Con Amor,

Russ

P.S.

Hey!

Here are some photos. I was reading the Liahona the other day and I saw this article about chastity and how they interviewed young-adult members about their stances on it. As I was reading it I noticed that one of the interviewees was dear cousin Lizzie! I about skweeled! I took a picture of it. It was a great article. She is just about famous in the church now. Do tell dear auntie Mary to tell Cousin Lizzie I said "Props Cuz!” Sorry if there’s any mistypes or misunderstandings or bad grammar in my letters. I'm writing fast and I haven’t spoken in English for awhile now. Sorry.