9/16/13

Hola familia!

 

I. Am. Exhausted! I love it! We have been working like crazy and our area is on fire right now. We are meeting families like crazy and the members are helping us and everything! It is so great to see this area pick up and I really enjoy working with Elder Thorne! We are not only working hard, but having a great time doing it, too. I love being the district leader of such a great district! Our whole district is seeing so much success right now.

 

We really focused this week in district meeting on finding when we teach and teaching when we find. I taught them about a couple methods I learned towards the beginning of my mission that I felt would realy help us to continue to find those people waiting for this message. The first one is called 5 alive! The method is that we knock 5 doors or contact 5 people around a dropped appt to be sure that we are constantly finding-even when we have people to teach. The second one is called 3 strikes you're out! This method applies to knowing when to move on after we find potential investigators. If 3 appts fall through in a row, we know it is time to move on to finding more people-but we make sure to do 5 alive around them to be sure the Lord didn't lead us there for someone else. Seeds are planted,but it is not always their time, so we just keep working on it all! :) We feel that it will help us keep our areas going and help us know who to talk to! We're so busy!

 

For the first time in 4 months, a few of our investigators came to church! :)))) I was SO excited to watch this family of 7 (plus a boyfriend) pile into one of the recent converts' car and take off to Stake Conference. It was a great feeling because not only is it such a big family, but they are committed to getting baptized the 29th, and they are already so receptive and realize the importance of this in their lives. It is so great! Their name is the Morales family and they have been investigators for a bit in this district. They were progressing really well with the west sisters in our area, but they moved to Arizona, so their baptism fell through...then they came back, but moved again to LA, so their baptism fell through again...SO this time they are moving again, but we are not going to let it get in the way. We promised them that if they follow through with their baptism, that God will provide for them and everything will work out. Please keep them in your prayers!

 

We also found Ana Gomez again, from a while ago, and she is doing not too well physically, but she still wants the missionaries to stop by and asked that we please not stop calling or stopping by. She is so willing and ready, but we have to pass her to English because her husband unfortunately wants nothing to do with us. So please continue to keep her in your prayers that all works out!

 

I wish I could tell you about all the families we are finding right now, but unfortunately time doesn't permit, like always, but I wanted to share a quick funny moment and pictures from this week! ha After doing laundry last P-Day, Elder Thorne randomly found an "I <3 Niall" sock in his laundry, which gave us a little laugh, but what really made me laugh was when we come back to our apt and as I am ironing a pair of my pants, he comes to me and shows me another sock he found in this laundry. haha He faces are just way too hilarious, and he was so confused at how a couple of girls' socks ended up in his laundry. It may not sound that funny, but you should have been there. ;) He's so funny!

 

Well, other than all the work and heat, we have just been plugging along! I sure do love my mission and really enjoy working with such amazing missionaries. I love you all so much and love to hear from you! Sorry if I don't respond back quickly, but I promise it's not because I hate you or don't want to write you...it's that I have never been so busy on my mission, so although it may take a while to respond, I still love hearing from you. :) Love you tons and can't wait to hear form you! Take care!

 

-Elder Gallego

 

"Choose ye this day whom ye will serve, but as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord." This was the first quote Elder Dehlin could think of. He's sitting next to me right now ha He's hilarious, too. Love my district!

 

P.S. Check out the 50-point parking job. It was ridiculous! ha

9/9/13

Hola familia!

 

It sure was great to hear from you all! I love hearing about how everything is going right now. From the sound of it, everything is really wet right now. Wish that were the case over here! We're baking! It's been really hot and humid, so I've just had to get used to melting everyday. ;) It's fun, though, the blessings that come are totally worth it!

 

I can't even remember well all that happened this week. It was a long week, but it went by so fast! So much went on, and there is so much to share, but I will just try to stick to the main points this week, since I don't have much more time before I have to go....

• I was sick at the beginning of this week, so we had to take a day off, so I could get better. I couldn't even figure out what it was. Monday night, I got home and my entire body was sore, I could barely stay awake, and I had a bad headache (don't worry, not a migraine, thank goodness) so we called it an early night and I went to bed in hopes to sleep it off and be better to work hard the next day, but nope! I woke up and was even worse...plus it was Zone Meeting, so unfortunately I had to see the whole zone like that....not fair! They were all confused because I was not myself. The Zone Leaders thought I was mad at them for not participating as much as I usually do...but all was straightened out and they understood once they realized I was feeling TERRIBLE ha. The members that live close to us were so nice and brought me tea and bread, but I'm so glad that's gone!
• We worked SO hard this week! Although we did not teach as many appts, we followed up on contacts a lot and all the lessons we taught either turned into great follow up appts with new investigators really willing to learn more, or people accepting baptismal dates. We now have 7 people we are focusing on to help towards their baptisms. It is so exciting to help people prepare themselves for such an important step in their life.
• Speaking of baptisms, I had my first two baptismal interviews this week with two investigators of the south Sisters' area. Their mom was the original investigator, but because her pareja doesn't want to get married, she couldn't progress any further, so she gave permission to her sons to chose as to whether or not to get baptized. Well, they prepared them really well! I interviewed them and they were both really eager to be baptized and completely understood the necessity for it in life. I was amazed at the Spirit I felt in those interviews with 9 and 11 years old boys. It was incredible. Sadly, though, all the baptism got arranged-programs, food, clothing (they didn't have their own church attire), everything-and then an hour before the baptism, the parents called and back out of it. They wouldn't allow their children to be baptized. They changed their mind and decided they weren't ready to make that decision. It was so sad, and it has been really hard on the sisters. Unfortunately, things like this happen, and the best thing we can do is support the family and help them understand that they are ready. Bishop is going to go visit the family on Tuesday with our ward mission leader, so hopefully that will help and those boys can look forward to their baptism again, soon. So please keep the Chaidez family, Sister Corona, and Sister Byon in your prayers!
• Although that is a little bit of a downer, the rest of the week still went well throughout the district. The unity is really picking up here, and we have really enjoyed the district service opportunities we have had to serve the ward members and the times we enjoy dinner together at a members house. I am truly blessed to be the leader of a district that is leading me. :)
• We celebrated Dia de Hispanidad Saturday as a stake. It was a blast! It is very similar to the Elotada that I talked about back in May. All the Spanish stake gets together to celebrate, but this time it's a LOT of food and dancing and a show and karaoke, and just a great time! It was nice to see old faces from back in Santa Ana 5 and spend a little time catching up with them all. I sure love this culture! It was all so decorated and fun, and we all had a great time!
• As I am sure you saw (he should have sent you a pic) I got to see Elder Tueller again! WOO! It was great to reunite with my old pal. It was really weird to take a picture next to him, because it gave us flashbacks to our transfer together. Such a great time! We talked about old times and had a good laugh!

Other than that...there is a LOT more to talk about. ;D But, unfortunately, I don't have enough time to share it all...as usual, and I will have to tell you about it all when you can't get me to shut up about how amazing my mission is once I get home. ;) I really enjoyed teaching about baptism this week and the importance of it we learn about in 3 Nephi chapter 27 verses 19 to 21, and how we should apply the atonement of Jesus Christ to our lives through baptism and once we become members of the Church. This is the true church. I know it because I have come to receive that answer for myself. There hasn't been anyone to tell me to believe in them, nor to force me to share this amazing gospel with other, but I do it because I know it is something that we all need to hear. I am so glad I have this opportunity to serve the Lord and those elders and sisters around me, and I wouldn't change this moment for anything. I am so happy I get to declare this to those in this area, and I know that I won't ever stop, because, if Jesus Christ were here, I know he wouldn't either. He is our example. We ALL need to strive to be like him. No matter the consequences or the difficulties we face-whether it be losing a loved one, taking a trip down the wrong path, family problems, financial difficulties, you name it-the Gospel of Jesus Christ will always be the answer to fixing those problems. I am so grateful my family was fixed through it. Not to be prideful, but to be aware. My life has been been blessed in so many ways-I can't even count, and like I have said time and again, I will never go back. I love you all so much, and I look forward to hearing back from you soon. I leave you my testimony that this is true in the name of Jesus Christ, amen.

 

-Elder Gallego

9/3/13

Hola familia!

 

This week was SO fun! We worked so hard and are already seeing so much success. There is definitely a lot of change to get used to with this new calling, but I love it already. It is so fun working so closely with the members of this district. I have been blessed to lead over missionaries that are dedicated, eager to work, and unified. This is going to be a wonderful transfer, and I can't wait to watch Anaheim explode! :) The ward is ready to roll and so are we, we're going for it! :)

 

I also taught my first district meeting ever this week, and I believe it went well. It was a little nerve-racking because the way district meetings are set up is that 3 out of the 4 weeks in the month, we have district meeting (the 4th is zone meeting), and 2 of those 3 weeks have a guideline from President as to what to teach to the district, so it's decided what you are to teach, and the other week-the final week of the month-is free choice. SO, my first district meeting was free choice ha. I had to figure out what I wanted to share with the district and how I wanted to do it all on my own. It was fun, but a little stressful at first. Luckily, I wasn't too nervous when it came time to teach, and it went pretty smoothly, just took a little longer than the alotted time. ;) I didn't realized I prepared too much ha. Now I know for next time. I reviewed what we learned this month-about the Righteous Routines (our daily studies and planning sessions)-and we went through all the bullet points in the back cover of Preach My Gospel, and everyone was assigned a couple to share with us how the RIghteous Routines directly apply to all we do in missionary work. We then focused on gaining power through exercising our authority we have been given through our calling from God, the prayer of faith, and following the Spirit in all we do. The district did a great job sharing their thoughts and teaching their parts of the meeting. All around, it went pretty well!

 

Enough about that, though. Sorry to bore you ;). We did a LOT of finding out here in the heat this week! SO HOT! But it was alright...even though I don't think I am used to the heat anymore...my Arizona genes aren't kicking in! I melt. ha We just keep pushing through it though. I know there is a reason I am still in this area, and I am determined to find who that person/family is before this transfer ends. :) We're working hard while at the same time having fun and laughing for sure.

 

We had a couple funny moments this week. Elder Thorne is really funny! ha I was laughing so hard one day when we were talking about how not even native hispanics speak spanish perfectly sometimes because not all of them had an education growing up in a little pueblo in Mexico. So we were having that discussion and he makes a comment that, "ya, that makes sense. I mean, not all Native Americans speak English well, either." We were laughing so hard! ha He has his little "oops" moments that just kill me sometimes haha

 

Another funny moment was when we were knocking doors and a sassy African American woman wanted to "Bible bash" with us, but everything she tried to use to confound us was a random scripture from the BIble that had NOTHING to do with us and she couldn't even understand. It's true that if we have the Spirit with us, we can not be confounded! At those points, all we can do is bear testimony and say goodbye, but it was definitely a funny memory to hold on to. I wish I had more time to explain it in detail, but I will be sure to tell you about it sometime later in life. ;)

 

One more funny moment before I have to that I was laughing a lot at, was when we were in Ward Council this Sunday. Hna Moscosa (the Primary President) is always so perky and talkative and happy and so funny! She was waiting for her turn to share her thoughts and she looked down at her wrist to see the time and noticed that she forgot to put on a watch, I looked over to tell her the time because I noticed out of the corner of my eye, and before I could say anything, she leans down and pulls a big wall clock out of her purse. I was laughing so hard. So was Hno Badillo (our new Ward Mission Leader) when we saw that. SO funny! We had to kind of laugh in the corner, though because we were the only ones who saw. She's so funny, I absolutely love this ward! :)

 

Well, the time as passed rapidly once again, and now I must return to the world of door knocking of Bible bashing. :) I love it. I hope you are all doing well, and I love hearing from you! Can't wait to talk to you again next week. LOVE YOU!

 

-Elder Gallego

 

"God doesn't care nearly as much about where you have been as He does about where you are and, with His help, where you are willing to go." Elder Jeffrey R. Holland

 

P.S. I had an impulse buy...I thought this Batman onsie was WAY too cool to pass up. But, once I got home and realized it was WAY too hot for a onsie, and that I was going to be a lonely onsie owner...I returned it and will just have to wait until around Christmas time when it gets cold again and my companion wants one, too haha. ;) Cape included! SO cool! ha Also, Elder Thorne in cow form. haha

8/26/13

Hola familia!

This week was full of curve balls yet again! ha As they usually are at the end of transfers. It's hilarious to see everyone try to guess and make predictions (Fantasy Transfers, as they like to call them ha), but everyone is always wrong and we all get stumped. It's a fun part of the missionary culture, though. We worked hard right up until the end of this transfer once again, and we had a great time meeting new people and helping our current investigators progress. Ana, Tanya, and Teresa are doing well other than the fact that unfortunately, yet again, none of them made it to church. We are going to continue stressing that, and, sadly, if that does not change, we will have to drop them. :( Please keep them in your prayers! We are hoping and praying for some changes this next week! I am sure we will see some! Because this transfer is going to be a blast and a great learning experience for all those in our district. We changed around a lot.

For starters, I was called to be district leader of Anaheim 11! :) I know it is going to be a lot of fun, and I am going learn a lot as I teach those in my district. I love those in my district so much! Including my new companion! Elder Thorne from Sharpsburg, Georgia, just a little south of Atlanta! He seems like a real great guy! I can tell already that we are going to get along and really see this area pick up. I look forward to working with him. Elder Garza will be missed :(, but he will hopefully be back to visit soon after he finishes his mission in October, so it won't be too long before I see him again! He's at least still in my zone, so that's good. :) Unfortunately, however, I had to say goodbye for now to my partner in crime/twin, Sister Morley! :( We were buddies, but after 4 transfers in the same district, it was time...so sadly my buddy is gone, but I am sure I will see her around and she'll do great where she is, too, along with Sister Biffath, Elder Contreras, and Elder Afu who all left as well. I am so excited for this opportunity to serve those around me even more! Just need to make sure I keep my cool (humility) and not let the "power" get to my head. ;) I think I'll be good. I learned all I know from Elder Tueller, and he is the greatest district leader I have ever had. Everyone in the district agrees, too. SO I will just have to mimic him! haha Love that guy. Love this ward! Plus, we just got a new ward mission leader, and holy molly, he is READY! He is so pumped and is already doing a great job. I look forward to watching the relationship in the ward between the missionaries increase, as well. Here I go! O.O Another 2 transfers at least in Anaheim! Woo! Love it!

Other than that, this week was pretty easy-going. We have a lot of change to adjust to, but it will be fun. Elder Richards (my buddy here in Anaheim) is going to be training, so that'll be fun, too!

I wanted to add something that I thought was really neat that came out in our "Anaheim Quarterly" (basically the mission newsletter we get every zone conference) that I thought is great. It's from an elder that just recently went home. He suffered so from so many health problems while he was out here, and not only that, but his mother died while he was here, too. He went home in the spring for her funeral, and then came right back out. He is such a great example of someone understanding the true purpose of this work. He was a great elder, and I know he will be blessed for his labors. This is a neat poem he wrote to all of us:

"Highs and Lows" by Elder Gonzales

A mission is a strange experience

It is a trial and a test

A mission throws at you the worst

Yet teaches you the best

I've never been so happy

I've never been so depressed

I've never felt so forsake

I've never been so blessed

I've never been so confused

Things have never been so clear

I've never felt my Heavenly Father so distant

He's never been so near

I've never been so discouraged

I've never been so full of hope

I feel I could go on forever

I think I've come to the end of my rope

I've never had it quite so easy

I've never had it quite so tough

Things have never been so smooth

Things have never been so rough

I've never traveled through more valleys

I've never ascended so many peaks

I've never met so many nice people

I've never met so many freaks

I've never had so many ups

I've never had so many downs

I've never worn so many smiles

I've never worn so many frowns

I've never been so lonely

I've never had so many friends

Boy, I hope this is over soon

Gosh, I hope it never ends.

I love it so much because it really shows well the ups and downs that we as missionaries go through. He was such an example of humility, and I know that after all was said and done, I was there when he bore his powerful testimony of the truthfulness of this gospel. I know for a fact that if I were to go through what he did, I would cripple. That is what I am working on daily. Humility. Learning. Willingly submitting to God's will. I have learned so much-although it has been difficult, but I was I have said millions of times before, I will never go back. I love you all so much and am grateful for the love and support you show me. I pray that all is well! Can't wait to hear back soon! :) Love you and miss you! Here goes! :)

-Elder Gallego

"Obey like Nephi. Pray like Enos Serve like King Benjamin. Endure like Abinadi. Preach like Alma. Hope like Captain Moroni. Love like Jesus Christ. Faith like Joseph Smith" Elder Gonzales

P.S. First pic is Elder Thorne, the second is with Sister Biffath, and the third is with Sister Morley (our district's thing was the Argentine handshake...apparently they shake that way ha)!! :)