4/25/11

Well, i am still here in WIlmington!! :) i am so glad, i have so much still to do here, and i am so grateful for the opportunity to serve here for one last transfer!! First things first, it is hot. not like it is alli in the west, it is humido and like 88 degrees afuera!! It is so intense! But, i am used to being sweaty so i kind of feel at home :)

The baptism, well satan won this time. Elias ex-boyfriend just happened to show back up in her house, and decided to move in, and elia couldnt get out in time to get baptized, so she didnt get baptized. :( It was really hard, but we will be getting her in the next couple of weeks when her new apartment is finished being painted, she already finished reading el libro de mormon, so we are going to let her start reading doctrina y convenios haha crazy!! But as for rebeca, what an amazing baptismal service we had with her. It went better than expected, i was able to give a talk on baptism and it was so cool, the spirit that was there, her padre is not a member and he was really feeling it for sure! I am going to try to see if he will let us start teaching him! He is such a solid guy, he would be a great addition to the branch for sure!!

Happy Easters!!! Haha we had a great easter sunday yesterday for sure. The topic in sacrament was resurreccion and how it is such an important part in our heavenly fathers plan! It was a perfect topic, the spirit was so strong, and it really will be an easter sunday that i will never forget! We found a new person, from Honduras his name is Nelson, and he came to church dressed in a sweet suit!! I was so amazed! Most new investigators come in jeans and a t shirt, but he was all done up and lookin fresh fa sho!! (thats the way they say it around here) haha it was a great meeting, he is definately going to be one who will be good to go soon! We are looking at 10 more baptisms this transfer, which is increible!! We found a new family as well, and they all want to learn more!! It is so funny, people all think im just a white mexican now, haha a couple this week asked me what part of mexico i was from, and i was like, "oh im from puebla" they all believed me and i couldnt hold it in, they were all confused because of my last name and the spanish, i have a really, really mexican accent when i speak so it confuses everyone, but i have been working realy hard on trying to submerse myself in the culture and not be such a gringo!! So i guess it is working for sure!!

We are still teaching adelphy and her daughters, they will be getting baptized sometime later this month, they still have a lot of preparing to do and still have to attend church 3 more times!! But we had a great lesson, well i did, my companion was watching the tv the ENTIRE time, didnt say a word. Yeah, its getting a little frustrating, but anywho, i talked to her about the importance of understanding what baptism is and how if we are baptized we are literally making a covenant with God that we will be at church every sunday, unless we are honestly not able to make it, for the rest of our mortal lives. Sometimes, even i forget the significance of that and how we are going to really have to bear down and give it our all, its not going to be easy, but with the lord, all things are possible. Also, we have found a new investigator named Celene, she is a fireball, i love it!! One of the funnest ladies i have ever taught!! She is from Cuernavaca, where tylers mission is, and she and her husband are going to start with us and we will see where it goes!! Alex and leticia, the puerto ricans, we are going to be teaching them as well this coming saturday, and they will be coming to church as a family!! So that will be awesome!! I am excited to see what happens!

So, my companion and i have decided to set up a new activity, because we cant play futbol int he gym anymore, the ingles lideres say that it is too dangerous, so we started to have basquetbol on saturday mornings! We are also going to find a field outside to play futbol every thursday night! That is in the proccess though! But man i was so sore sunday morning! It was the worst! Hopefully i lost like 5 pounds!!! Oh, when i left the house, i was 155, and right now im weighn in at about ohhhhh prolly 170, maybe higher  :) its not too bad, this basquetbol is really going to help, we are starting to play every morning at like 5:30 at the church! SO i will start to trim down hopefully :) the food here is just so good!! Also, im not getting tyler or nyals emails, so could i start getting those!? And the sewells address, i need to write them!! gracias! And also, what time should i call? Our church gets out at about 1:30 here our time, which is 3 hours ahead of you, so let me know!

Well, i had a great exchange with elder hall this week, and we studied virtue out of pmg! It was great! It talks about how virtue is measured by the things that you do when nobody is around, the thoughts that you think, they way you talk, it is really something that is more important than most of us realize. The key is to always have a hymn in your head. This really has helped me every day of my mission! I really rely on the spirit of the lord to help me stay focused. SOmething else i have is a rubberband on my wrist, for every bad thought that comes into my head, my wrist gets a good snap!! It really hurts, and it really works! It totally takes you mind off of what it was thinking about and to the pain :) We all have to surround ourselves with the things and the people that will bring us up not pull us down. I am so glad to have the opportunity to learn these things, and to be here on my mission! It has been 6 months already!! It is totally nuts!!! I love this gospel with all my heart, i know that without a doubt the gospel is restored on the earth, and that if we follow it, nothing will be better. Nothing. Stay strong, live up to the potential that you have, and always remember there is someone watching you, always. I love you all!!! andele bandita!!

Elder Gallego

4/18/11

Well, my week was just packed!! SO much happened in so little time i just feel like my head is going to explode unless i get all this out on this email!! I got a letter from my buddy TYLER FARR this week!! It was awesome! I am going to write you back tyler!! Im glad all is well with you and hope you have been getting all my emails every week!! ANd i also got another letter from NYAL SEWELL!! Did he get moved out of the office? He wrote me from a different direccion this time so i was all confused!?

Ok so this week, well we had a sweet sports day with some of the zone last monday, and it was really fun! I needed to run aroud a bit i think im getting fat!! Haha not really, i just am being fed only about 3 times a day instead of 4 so its a little better:) We had our language training this week for the mission and i got to see Elder Kerouac!! He is doing great! His spanish was a little off, but he still knows it thank goodness!! He told me that he has lost at least 5 pounds and that he has only been fed by members twice! Haha and they have to knock doors everyday! But he is staying positive and doing great! It sure was great to see him! After a big group of us went to Gooey Looeys to get philly cheeseteaks! Man they were so good! THat is only the third one i have had on my mission, but was definately the best for sure!! It is increible to think that i have been out for 6 months in 2 days!! No manches!! I sure am loving it though, and wouldnt trade this time for anything!

On monday, i went on an exchange with my district leader, Elder Spear, until wednesday, and man it was so cool!! I learned so much from him, and he sure is such a great example of someone who has really worked hard on their mission! He is going to be one that i stay in contact with! He has one transfer left! ANd he knows the hallsteds so it will be easy :) I am glad to hear that ammon is back! THat is so crazy, i hope that he continues on in life and has some good goals in mind!! SO some cool things are happening here right now, i was told that my area, is being looked at by the whole mission, and that we as a district are doing amazing!! I didnt realize the kind of things that we were doing, i am just here doing my job, and the Assistants to the presidents told me that im being disobedient by teaching and baptizing the whole eastern U.S. haha it was pretty funny! We are going to continue working hard and doing all that i can to put all i got into every day!!

Friday, we stayed in almost all day, Elder Bingham was spewing all moring haha so i took advantage of extra study time and decided to read the last 16 chapters i had in acts, and all of romans, and 2 chapters in jesus the christ! My brain was so fried!! I looked like chandler after he has stayed up playing Wii until the sun comes up! Like a Zombie!! It was awesome though!! I love the scriptures so much and they really are helping me understand the Apostasy a whole lot more with reading the new testament! It is so informative and helpful because i am able to understand what all the other people get their beliefs from and where the confusion started! Its increible! The funniest thing, is in Acts chapter 9 there is a person named DORCAS!! HAHAHAAH i was laughing so hard!! I want to give you some homework, and hope that you take the time, but go and read ROmans chapters 12-16! They are so plain and so easy to understand, talking about the pure and simple things that we need to do as members of the church! Paul is an awesome teacher!!

It has been raining here almost every day, i hate it! But it is sure getting really green!! Ill have some good pictures! We have been doing good with all the people that we have baptismal dates with, elia is having issues of course, and satan is really trying to get her to not get baptized, but she and i had an amazing discussion por telefono that i will never forget! What an increible woman she is! I am so excited that i have the opportunity to baptize her this saturday! Her and rebeca will be the two for this week, and adelphy and her daughters will be pushed back a couple weeks because they havent made it to church 4 times yet, and that is one of the requirements to be baptized. But they will still be going strong and doing what they have to do para recieve the ordinances of salvaccion! It was so cool, yesterday there werent enough of priesthood holders to do the sacrament, so i got to bless the sacrament for the first time in spanish!! It was so cool!! Juan told me that i sounded like a chicano! THat means a half mexican half americano, haha it was a really cool experience! Moronis wife gave a great talk as well on the home and how it is so important that we have a clean home, and an environment that will invite the spirit! I am grateful that my parents taught me this priciple early in life!!

I wanted to share a thought on humility with you, before i jet to get the rest of my things done, that the ones who are humble in this life, will be the ones who will wear crowns of gloria en la vida despues! It is so importante that we as members of the church remain teachable. We will never know enough, and we always will be able to learn something new out of every situation that we come across! As we humble ourselves and seek to serve others, we will start to see and recieve those blessings that our father in heaven already has for us! Lift where you stand, and do all you can to love those around you! I love this gospel so much, i am so grateful for all that has been happening in my life, and all that will happen in the future. Alec, look it right in the face. No matter what happens, the Plan of Salvaccion is real and the lord is in every aspect of our lives. I sure do love you and will keep you in my prayers stronger than every now. I love you all as well my family, and tanner, now that you are living there, get yourself settled, and keep going in the path that the lord directs you to go! i love you all and i am so grateful for your support and example to me!! As well as all my friends! I hope all is well!! Camara pivote y yanta bandita!!

Elder Gallego

4/11/11

Que onda mi familia y amigos? Como estan?! I am doing just great here! Another amazing week of missionary work here in the Barrio of Wilmington! This place is so ghetto! Even more now that it is getting warmer and all the people are coming out and man it is just getting so crazy! I dont get it, but here people just think that it is totally ok to just walk out in the middle of the street of course without looking!! Man! Drives me CRAZY!!!! not really all that much, but i just dont understand it!

bueno, the baptism went well yesterday! Everything worked out just fine! Of course there were last minute problems, but i wont discuss those :) satan tried again, but he didnt win! I do have some news though that was really hard for me to hear, jacob and nicole smoked again...after their baptism. Nicole actually never did stop. SO that was really hard for me to hear, but i learned a very important lesson. Change is like spilled milk. You can wipe it up with a rag, but it is still going to be sticky after, it will still pull things to it to make it dirty, and then you notice it again, and have to reclean it with cleaner. Its not always just something that can happen overnight or without effort. I was really bummed about that, but it really helped me to get over it!

We got back in touch with Adelphy and her daughters this week! Her phone was broken, and that is why we never heard back from her! She is doing great, and we moved her baptismal date again to 30 de Abril!! As well as her daughters Gabbi and Angela. They are all so excited to get baptized, and i am super stoked to be able to teach this family. It is such a blessing to be a missionary! I hope i am still here for their baptism! We have transfers 24 de Abril, which i really hope i am not a part of, so pray that the lord will quedarme aqui para que pueda ensenar esta familia!!

This week, we also got these sweet videos that the church has out, its a 4 disc set of all the church videos, Joseph Smith, legacy, all of those and a ton more! I will be getting one in english to send home so that you can enjoy them! THe ones i have are in spanish :) THey are so useful, we were able to show the jose smith movie to issak and fanni and also with a couple of the members, and it was such a strong spirit. THey could understand it, and it was amazing! I love Spanish speaking people!! ALso, mom if you could send me out some more garments, the number for the tops is 4172000 and those need to be Mediums, and the number for the bottoms is 4142000 and that size is a 32. If you have any questions, just call the mission office and i can talk to sister schaefermeyer if i need to! :) Thank you! it is starting to get hot here, and the elders here say that those mesh ones that i sent home are horrible for the heat and humidity here. THey are really prone to giving rash and all that stuff....so i would prefer NOT to take that route :)

My interview with president Schaefermeyer went great! I love talking to that man! It is such an incredible feeling of the spirit everytime that i talk to him!! I wish we had interviews every week!! I shared with him how the scripture that has changed my life is Eter 12:27 and there were about 10 other elders who had also picked that scripture!! It was a way cool experience. He has always told us that it is better to be trusted than to be loved, and in my interview he told me he trusted me, and that that was the highest compliment that he could give to me. It meant so much to me. It feels so good to be trusted :)

This week i also finished the book our search for happiness, and started on Jesus the Christ! MAn that book is so good! I have a hard time putting it down!! I am into chapter 8 now and i cant wait to see what more that book brings! Jesus CHrist is incredible! I love the Gospel!!!!!!!!! We had exchanges this week with the spanish trainers for our mission, Elder Morrison and Elder Osorio! It was really good! I was with elder morrison, and we had some really fun lessons! It is so amazing how much i have learned in so little! The gift of tongues is truly real! I set some goals with him about how i am trying to work on accepting compliments, and continually working on humility. I get told a lot that my spanish is really good, and i have a hard time saying thank you. I just say that i am trying and, yeah. I am just really awkward about it for some reason. So i am working on that!!

Yesterday, we had an amazing testimony meeting, and i had the opportunity to see Jacob, Issak and Fanni all get up and bear their testimonies. I felt like a father for about 15 minutes. I am seeing the fruits of my labors here, and i would really hate to be transfered! It was a good experience not only for them, but for me. To see what i have been able to do as a missionary. I got up and bore my testimony and i have never felt the spirit of the lord so strong in my entire life. I will never forget these people no matter what happens. Issak actually went into president barton, our branch president, office and was asking him if there was anything that he could do to keep me here. I wasnt in there for this, but they brought me in after and president barton told me what issak had asked, and he explained to him that he was going to email the mission president to tell him that i have done a good job and that they want to keep me around. Issak is also going to write the mission president. I explained to him that in the end, its between the lord and President Schaefermeyer. So we will see. I sure do love issak and i really feel like i have another younger brother. I have never felt so much love for so many people including my family and those who i know in my entire life. Charity is such a wonderful thing!

My mission means everything to me. It has changed just about every aspect of my life so far, at least that i can think of. I am getting lost in learning, teaching, and sharing the gospel with those around me. It has become a part of me. I know without a shadow of a doubt that Jesucristo is our savior and redeemer. He gave his life for us, and all he asks is that we not only keep his commandments, but live them. It is so important to be that example to those around you that will help them become better people. Those of you thinking about leaving on missions, or those of you who want to go, prepare now. Dont wait till your 18 or 19. The lord needs you. You agreed before you came down to this earth to help him gather the rest of his children to hear the gospel. THat is our job, and we need to fulfill it! Pray diariamente, and read the scriptures with Predicad Mi Evangelio. These standard works have changed my life. I am so grateful for the atoning sacrifice of the lord. The opportunity that each one of us has to repent and come unto him. Dont wait. Change now, because you might not have another day to put off. I hope and pray that you all know how much i love and am grateful for each and every one of you! I hope that my mission is not only changing my life, but in some way shape or form, changing yours as well :) I love you all, Se cuida y siga firme en el evangelio de Jesucristo.

Elder Gallego

4/4/11

Ok, well i have just got to get this out, So to start off my glorious day today, we parked on the wrong side of the road last night, and didnt move our car before 10 this morning so we got hit with a $40 parking ticket!! NO MANCHES!!! totally ruined my morning, we were like 3 minutes late to moving it too. UGH!!! oh well :) this weekend was just amazing, and i am having a really hard time typing in english after being around so much spanish this past week, especially the past couple of days!!

Conference was absolutely amazing!! If you all missed the theme, from what i took out of it, it was The importance of the Sacrament, Sabbath Day observance, Families, and the Temple. Could life be more perfect? I submit that it cannot!!! It was just like the missionaries said it would be, the super bowl of the mission! I have never been so excited to listen to el profeta y los apostoles! It was absolutely increible!! I loved how, well now i cant remember who said it, but one of them talked about being an example at all times, in all things, in all places. All we have to do is Open Our Mouths and the spirit will guide us to the people that he has already prepared. In DyC 84:85 it describes this. It is so true!! i have had so many experiences with that, just random people who i see on the streets, just go up to them and just start talking! If you dont ask, the answer will already be NO! It is so true!! So, family and friends, be an example at all times, in all things, and in all places. You never know who is watching you, and you never know who could say Yes. I love how President Monson talked about the temples, and how important it is NOW to start preparing to be worthy to enter into the temple. I sure do miss the temple, it will sure be a great day though when i can go again! The sacredness and the spirit i feel in the temple is something i will never forget. It is my favorite place to go. I would take advice from President Monsons council to put a picture of a temple in every room of the house. THis really will help get our minds prepared for the Goal.

SO that was just a little bit of what i got out of it, i was able to watch it in SPANISH!! It was so awesome! I like spanish more, because it describes things so much easier, and, i dont know it just sounds more deep, more spiritual! It is crazy that i can understand it period in spanish! That is the miracle of it all!! But i have really been working hard to get this lenguaje down! I was told this week by my district leader that my spanish is as good as someone who has been out a year. I just use it as more motivation to learn more!! I am now learning a bunch of dialects as well and how to use different sentences in different sturctures, and say things easier. It is coming very fast! The gift of tongues is real!! I would like some spanish CDs! If you have any idea where to get some, or if you could send out some of the church music in spanish, that would be awesome! ALong with the EFY CDs! And if you could somehow get the scripture mastery cards in spanish, that would be awesome! Im working on memorizing the articulos de fe and the scripture masteries! I am taking advantage of what elder Uchtdorf said, after much tribulation comes the blessings!! SO i am pushing myself even harder now!! So the priesthood session started at 8 here, so we didnt get in our house till 10:45! Hahah the only time we will be able to stay out past 9:30!! It was so cool!! :)

This week, we also had Zone Conference, and Zone Training. What an amazing spiritual boost those two days were for me! I learned so much and all the questions that i had prepared in my mind, were all answered :) It is amazing what spiritual preparation can do! Just like ELder Bednar talked about!! We really focused on the importance of teaching people, not lessons. This is so important to be an effective teacher, and also it is so important to listen with love. Often times, we are talking to people and they are explaining their struggles and concerns, but we are too busy thinking about what we want to say back, that we miss that opportunidad to learn what their problems are. I had a very strong testimony of this. It is so important to gain the trust of the people that we teach, and with spanish people, its not really that hard, because they are already expressing their entire life to us as we walk in the door, which is nice, but that is so important! TRUST! I have learned the importance of this and how i wish i would have learned it earlier, and not had my dishonesty problems in my life, but now i know that the lord was just preparing me. Always live worthy of the trust of those that are close to you. They also focused on being on a Higher Standard as missionaries. Raising the Bar even higher. So we are doing it! It is bringing blessings as well!

This week, we will be having the baptism of Jonny Zavala! It will be this saturday and his uncle Mahonry will be performing the baptism! I am so exctied for him! He and isaak are alredy really good friends, and isaak will be passing the sacrament this week for the first time along with Florencio! Oh, florencio will be moving out to texas at the end of this month, he is going to be living with his brother, and his brother actually wants to be baptized, so that will be a great missionary opportunity for him! And this week, we found a new golden! His name is Julio Ortega and we taught him the Restauracion and i invited him to be baptized and he said yes!! His date is set for the 14 de Mayo along with adelphy and her daughters! Elia is progressing very well, and asked me yesterday if i would baptize her! Im so excited as is she! She just wants to get baptized now, but we havent taught her all that she needs to know yet! Heck she is already at Jacob en el Libro de Mormon! She is so strong and so prepared!! I love this gospel so much and i love being able to be the lords mouthpiece in this area! I really hope i stay one more transfer here!!

Oh!! So saturday, i totally got a wire hanger and unlocked a persons car door to get their keys out this week!! It was so cool!! Elder Bingham and i are just Giants!! I love my companion!! He is so legit for sure!! Well, i think that is everything for this week. I hope you all take time to re-read the talks when they come out. It will be awesome to re read the words of the profetas. I have such a burning desire to share the gospel, and i know that i am here to help gather israel for the coming of out savior. DO all you can to prepare now. DOnt wait. You never know when he is coming, and what is going to be in store. Be an example to everyone. And please, do the simple things, pray read and go to church. I love you all, i am so greatful for your support and love, and hope that all is well! SPencer, you are going to tear it up in south africa! Good job bud!!

Elder Gallego