Elder Alling's blog as moved to a new location.

Visit the new blog for Elder Alling at http://www.theallings.com/elderalling.
He's now in the MTC as of June 10th, 2009

Arizona Phoenix Mission - Spanish Speaking!

Josh is going to the Arizona Phoenix Mission - Spanish speaking. Who would have figured, Dad, brother and now Josh is heading to Arizona. The north part of the Phoenix mission takes in some of the same areas as I served in, which was the Arizona Holbrook mission at the time. He reports to the MTC June 10, which happens to be the same day his cousin Keawe reports. Seth and his Grandpa picked the correct state, so they were the closest. Kayla thought I should make cookies for who ever was the closest (she thought the cookies would go to her). So Seth did you enjoy the cookies that you just received on Monday? And Dad I'll have some the next time we see you. Congratulations Josh!

PS - Kunane - changed his mind to Arizona Phoenix Mission, so Julie you'll have to make hime the cookies, seeing how he changed his mind after we called tonight.

And the guesses are in...

Summary of Josh’s Mission Call guesses:

3 - Brazil - Tyanne, Julie B, Kapono
2 - Alaska - Alan, Steve
2- Philippines - Lavon, Keawe
2- Arizona – Grandpa Alling, Seth (Tempe)
2 - Italy – Jessica, Kayla (Rome)

Alabama - Sam
Arkansas - Alysia
California – Sarah
Hawaii – Maryann
Idaho Boise - Grandma Wilson
Montana - Carrie
Nebraska - Tom (first pick where the Lord wants him)
Nevada - Jennifer
New Mexico - Grandpa Wilson
New York New York – Mary
Ohio – VeLoie 2nd pick because she’s the mom
Texas - Kunane
Pennsylvania - Lavon (stateside)
Virginia Richmond – Paul
Somewhere in the states, but not one that touches the water - Tricia

Argentina - Kahanu
Ghana - Ho'onani
Guatemala - VeLoie
France - Julia
Jamaica - Julie W
Mexico City - Noelani
Siberia – Katie
Switzerland - Christine

What is a Mission?

Many of our friends and family, may not know much about Missions for the The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. I gather some information to explain a little bit of what Josh will be doing for the next two years and why it's important to us to share the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

• Every week, close to 500 young men and women between the ages of 19 and 25 from The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints leave families, friends, school and careers and travel to one of 17 missionary training centers (sometimes referred to as MTCs) around the globe.

• Before departing to a training center, missionaries receive a letter of assignment from the president of the Church in Salt Lake City telling them where they will serve for two years (for young men) or 18 months (for young women).

• About 80 percent of missionaries are trained at the Church's largest training center in Provo, Utah. It is home to an average of 2,700 missionaries at a time or 24,000 over the course of a year

• At training centers, missionaries receive religious instruction and language training and learn teaching skills. They also develop a respect and cultural understanding for the areas and countries where they will serve before traveling to destinations in more than 120 countries. Training lasts from three weeks to three months, depending on language needs.

• The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints missionary program is one of its most recognized characteristics. Mormon missionaries can be seen on the streets of hundreds of major cities in the world as well as in thousands of smaller communities.

• The missionary effort is based on the New Testament pattern of missionaries serving in pairs, teaching the gospel and baptizing believers in the name of Jesus Christ (see, for example, the work of Peter and John in the book of Acts)

• More than 50,000 missionaries are serving missions for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints at any one time. Most are young people under the age of 25, serving in nearly 350 missions throughout the world.

• Missionaries can be single men between the ages of 19 and 25, single women over the age of 21 or retired couples. Missionaries work with a companion of the same gender during their mission, with the exception of couples, who work with their spouse. Single men serve missions for two years and single women serve missions for 18 months.

• Missionaries receive their assignment from Church headquarters and are sent only to countries where governments allow the Church to operate. Missionaries do not request their area of assignment and do not know beforehand whether they will be required to learn a language.

• Prior to going to their assigned area, missionaries spend a short period of time at one of 17 missionary training centers throughout the world. There they learn how to teach the gospel in an orderly and clear way and, if necessary, they begin to learn the language of the people they will be teaching. The largest training center is in Provo, Utah, with additional centers in Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Dominican Republic, England, Guatemala, Japan, Mexico, New Zealand, Peru, the Philippines, Spain and South Korea.

• Male missionaries are addressed with the title “Elder” and women are addressed with the title “Sister.”

• A typical missionary day begins by waking at 6:30 a.m. for personal study. The day is spent proselytizing by following up on appointments, visiting homes or meeting people in the street or other public places. Missionaries end their day by 10:30 p.m.

• In some parts of the world, missionaries are sent only to serve humanitarian or other specialized missions. Those missionaries do not proselytize.

• Missionary work is voluntary. Missionaries fund their own missions — except for their transportation to and from their field of labor — and are not paid for their services.

• Contacts with family and friends during this time of service are limited to letters and occasional phone calls to family at special times. Missionaries avoid entertainment, parties or other activities common to this age-group as long as they are on their missions, so they can focus entirely on the work of serving and of teaching others the gospel of Jesus Christ.

Reference: Information from http://www.newsroom.lds.org

My Guess...

I figure that I should come up with my guess, Josh tells me that I've given him too many different places, however I know that I can come up with the correct one, right now - and it's very easy, Josh will be happy and excited to serve the people of this place. I also know that Josh will "... serve him (these people) with all your heart, might, mind and strength.." as he is called to the work. (italics added) D&C 4:2,3 OK I'll give my guess ... "Where the Lord wants him" - that's my guess and I'm sticking to it, see I told you it would be easy and correct. - - - Ok, I took the safe way out. Before I received my mission call so many years ago, I wanted to go to Alaska - cost of that mission I'm sure my parents are glad that didn't happen, but times are different now, missions cost the same. He's already had two other people guess Alaska, would be nice, in Josh's words "for the summer months" When there's light - the other 1/2 of the year and the dark, that could take a bit of getting use to. So instead of Alaska I went to the other state with an A at the beginning and end Arizona. Seth has guessed one of the other missions in Arizona. Let's talk about Seth, he said before his mission, "I'd rather die then go to Texas." Now to all that know Seth's situation, that's funny. His mission call was to Arizona Tucson Mission - safe on the dying part, well not so fast, it covered part of Texas and twice he served in El Paso, TX, then he goes and marries a wonderful girl from Texas, yes we Love you Katie. (go wings) -oops sorry. Back to Josh's mission. So the Lord has a sence of humor, I wanted Alaska ended up in Arizona, Seth didn't want Texas and served part of his mission there. Josh made a comment to us that helped me firm up my 2nd choice, (remember my first one is still where the Lord wants him) So my second choice is Nebraska and his comment to us was "anywhere but the corn belt".

Sorry for my grammar, spelling issues and incorrect words - you'll get use to it over the next couple of years, or you'll stop reading.

Mission Papers went in today - Guess where he's going?

Today Josh sent in his Mission papers. He could get his call on his birthday, March 19th. Submit your guess as to where you think he'll be called to serve and let's see who's the closest. (do this on the comment section just below this post) Next post will be his mission call.

Josh Alling's Mission Blog

We've decided to create a mission blog for Josh to keep everyone informed during his mission for the next two years. We'll have pictures, excerpts from his letters/emails home to us, information about the area and whatever else comes our way. Feel free to leave comments under the posts that we can pass on to him. Right now he's been busy finishing his first year at BYU and preparing for his mission. We look forward to having another son out on a mission and sharing it with you.

Tom and VeLoie