Week Number 6!!! Happy Thanksgiving!

Happy Thanksgiving mi familia!!!

 

Ok so im sorry i didnt get my email out yesterday it was a long day and i was basically a babysitter all day for an elder who wanted to go home! I went to the temple with him and his companion yesterday morning at 6:45 a.m. It was 10 degrees outside!! so cold!! anyway, we went and did a session and did sealings so we were in the temple for about 4 hours. It was nuts. I told him we werent leaving till he got his answer on what to do and he decided that he needed to go home to prepare himself more. I ended up giving him a blessing and now he is staying!! :)

 

That was one long day yesterday though so im glad they let me email today!! Well, this past week has been a really eventful one! Its really hard for me to speak and type in spanish so im sorry now if there are some words in here you dont recognize!!

 

Padre, if you have any more of those sweet coins can you send them out to me i gave a buddy that just left mine and it changed his life!! Necesito nuevo!!! i need a new one!! por favor! Graciás! Im glad you all like the memory card!! I sure hope you thought it was chistoso cuz i definately miss my family!! Send me some more pictures!! And thanks so much for the package i wasnt even expecting it!!! haha i loved the barbie fruit snacks for sure!! Thanks hermana!!

 

So on sunday, i finished el libro de Mormón!!! en 3 semanas!! It was magnifico!! El libro de mormón es verdadero!! I also finsihed the pearl of great price in uno día and it was so cool!! I am going to finish el Doctrina y coveñios before i leave!! i leave in 25 days!!! Yeahhhhhhh!!!!!

 

So we also got this new district this past week and it was so cool to get some new missionaries in! I have seen aaron and nick so far and they are doing great!! I am so proud of both of them!! Nick is already a district leader!! crazy huh!

 

Elder holland and a member of the first presidency are coming today to speak to us so it should be way sweet!! I will tell you how it went in the letters i send out tomorrow!!

 

And get this, we have a sack dinner...on thanksgiving!!! and im totally fine with that!! I am already so gratefull for so many things!!!!

 

I know this email is so crazy and im sorry!! The watch is for the boys, scripture markers for whoever, and mom that shirt is for you to wear so wear it!! Chandler said he wants to wear it thats fine but somebody wear it!! please!

 

My appt with the Endocrineologist is on Dec. 7th so i will let you know how that goes! Just keep me in your prayer! Alyssa im glad youre doing ok i hope everything goes well and i will keep praying for you!! Dad great job on the tour thats awesome!! I just started working out agian and have lost 6 pounds already! im back down to 157 and hopefully will lose some more of the like maybe 1 inch of fat i have from all this food here it seriously makes me sick!!

 

Anyway, my dear family especially, i really miss you this day. This day never has really had so much effect on me as it does now. Mom and dad, thank you so much for making the decision to become members of this church. I dont know what kind of person i would be if you didnt push me and help me along the way. This work is so amazi9ng and i am so glad that i got my butt out here. It has blessed my life so much and i have had the opportunity to learn so many things!! The lord truly does love me and especially is and will continually bless you two as mi padres and i am so grateful for you two!! I miss you y love you so much!! I cant wait to see you again!! The rest of my family, mi hermanos y mi hermana, you all have blessed mi vida tremendously and i am so grateful to have siblilings like the ones that i have. It truly helps me realize this day how much my family means to me and how much this gospel means to me. I dont know how i would ever doubt this gospel. To all my friends, you all are such great examples to me!! Thank you for everything that you have helped me through i dont know what i would do without your help in my life!!

 

THis church is so true i know it without a doubt in my mind. Something to think about....the lord knows our full potential, so we need to work as hard as we can to show him that we truly love him and show him how grateful we are for him. Pray always, and never doubt the power of god. Go Read Ether 12:27. You will come to find that no matter what, the lord will always answer your prayers and he loves you all individually so much. The power of the priesthood is so real, and i know that it works!! I know without a doubt that the book of mormon is true and that if we study it to the maxx that we will always learn something new every day. Understand that for the lord to help us, we need to always go to him for everything!! Not some things, EVERYTHING!! He will show us the way! He is the way, and we need to do all we can to follow him and show our love for him every day!!

 

I love you all and miss you so much!!!! HAPPY TURKEY DAY!!!

 

Elder Gallego

Week number.... I Have No Idea!

Que pasa!!!!

this week has been crazy!! i just got back from the hospital for the second day in a row!! it was so wierd to leave the mtc but i liked it!! its nice being able to talk to people other than missionaries all day every day! im so ready to get out of this place for sure!! i am so stoked for next week cuz that is when we will be taught all day in class en espanol!! it will be solid for sure!! people looked at me in the hospitall like i was some foreign object or something today and i just did the sis. sewell....i smiled and waved!! :) hahaah it was hilarious!! i cracked myself up so hard!! well, when dont i??

ok so i hope you got my package mom!! i sent you some fun stuff and a letter for each person in the family including alyssa, trevor and grandma!! im so glad that everything is going well back at home and i sure do miss you all!! i finally cried this week...it was rugged for sure. I had a great experience with being humble and making sure i focus on my needs but as well focus on what i can do to be a better companion! it is really a trial to be in a tripod (3 companions) and i really am grateful for the many things i have already learned!! My companions and i all bawled for a good hour on saturday night. It was so rugged. I am so glad that we became closer through it. THis week has been so much better than last week. We were really stuggling on felling involved in lessons and being able to each have our turn in speaking. I found that i tend to talk and get deep into the lesson really quick with the TRC lessons that we teach. I know that has always been one of my strengths since being here, but i wasnt being mindful of my companions and that is what started the frustration after the lesson. I have learned that humility isnt just subjecting yourself because you feel like you need to make the other person happy. Its is simply admitting fault, asking what it is you can do better to make the situation never arise again, and putting your arm around them and asking for their forgiveness. I had to do that and it was so humbling for me. I have noticed a change in my character and the spirit is changing the person who i thought i was, into the person the lord would want me to be.

In the devotional last night, a member of the 70 came to speak to us and gave a wonderful talk. i took 3 pages of notes it was so insane. Never have i felt the confirming power of the spirit so present in my life for an hour. Consistently. It is amazing what words filled with the power of the spirit can do to ones inner soul. It really helped me a lot.A couple things i learned...Dont try, Just do it. If you just do it, you have already tried your best. This like hit me in the face. I noticed that too many times i say, okill try harder heavenly father, when really i need to be saying, ok ill do it. That really is all we need to do! The more we spend our time doing, the less time we waste trying!! Just Do It!!

The next thing i learned was...I am no longer Matthew Gallego. I am Elder Gallego. I am no longer a pool cleaner, baseball player, ultimate stuntman.I am a missionary of the lord. What power that has!! It is so amazing how much being a missionary changes lives!! I have been called by God himself, through the prophet,to be a missionary in Philadelphia! To speak Spanish! think about it! The lord called me to go where i am for a reason. That reason is because HE knows that i will not let him down, and i know he would never set me up to fail! Never! THat goes for all of us! THe lord put things in our path so we can overcome trial and temptaion and become stronger! I have a true and powerful testimony of the power of God! It is real!!

Ok, so the ultra sound went good yesterday. I will be going back in today to the doctor here to see what medications i have to take to get rid of the tissue build up. ANd my companions wrist is doing better!! He broke it a week ago playing volleyball!! Got a screw put into his scaphoid and had to get a bone graft!! it was intense!!
I hope that you all know how much i love and miss you all and how gratefell i am for your prayers and testimonies. They truly are felt and they really do mean so much to me! I can feel it everytime i get on my knees to pray and the lord is blessing me and you all for your love and support! Im sorry if this email is like all over the place, im trying to sum up so many thoughts in 30 min. I have ADD too. So that doesnt help! and london, i hope you liked your shirt too!! alyssa i will be sending yours this week so get ready for a package!! thank you for sending the package mom, and i dont know where the black pants are they should be with the suit? check chandlers closet. I love you all so much!!! and the espanol is coming really fast!! better learn some by Dec. 20th so i can habla the espanol with you!! i love you all again so much!!

Elder Gallego

la iglesia de jesucristo de los santos de los Ultimos dias es verdadero y las esctituras es muy importante para nuestras familias y nosotros salvaccion. Jessucristo amoroso y es muy importante por todos las personas!! El libro de mormon es verdadero y fue trasnlated a ayudar la muerte!! Decimos estas cosas, en el nombre de Jesucriosto, Amen.

11/10/10 - Week Number 3 already??

ok, so sorry about wnding the email with elder g last week i sent my email off with 1 sec left!!! i almost had a heartattack!! im glad you got it!

 

The weeks here are starting to blend together so hardcore!! i have so much to talk about!! the spanish is coming so great! i almost have the first vision memorized in spanish and my testimony and prayers are getting even better!! its amazing how the gift of tongues works!! I am loving the MTC here. The food all is tasting the same and it is starting to really make me sick everytime i even look at it! i need something else to eat!! i want Del Taco!!!

 

SO, yesterday my companion left...and it was a lot harder on me than i thought it was going to be. I really miss him and i am so glad that we had to opportunity to be companions for 2 weeks. We became really close and the lord has seriously blessed us both so much!! He will do great in Guatemala for sure! We also lost like 8 other guys. They all went to Chile, and one of them actually went to Philly!! Ill see him in 6 weeks and hopefully we can serve together!! It would be so sweet!!

 

Yesterday it snowed and i hope that it starts to actually stay cold!! It has been kinda hot this whole week but is definately starting to get cold now for sure. Sorry if this email is all over the place i feel like im so ADD right now for some reason!! hahaah

 

SO i told you about my goal to finish the Book of Mormon before i left the mtc...well i have been on a roll the past 3 days!! Im almost done with alma and i just started it on Sunday!! it is so amazing the things the book of mormon has to offer!! I love king benjamins address in mosiah. Chapters 2-6 really are amazing!! Read them i would tell you about them but i dont have enough time!!  Just pay attention to the things that he talks about, most importantly repentance, faith, enduring to the end, baptism, recieving the holy ghost, and always following the spirit!! we have to always have our lives really in tune with the spirit so that we can be guided and directed by everything it tells us!!

 

One of my other goals has been to be diligent and more humble!! And it has worked for Sure!! The lord blesses us in every way shape and form if we just follow his teachings!!

 

It was fast sunday this week and i got up to bear my testimony!! What an amazing spirit that was there, and to listen to all the other elders that were leaving bear theirs in spanish was really cool!! i cant wait till i get the guts to do it in spanish!! i wanted to so bad but i didnt wanna cut it short!! I am so grateful that i am here i was seriously born to do this!!

 

I do need my other suit asap. i can get the pants done here for like a dollar.  It is really cheap here for everything!!

 

Elder bednar came to speak to us last night and he gave a wonderful talk!! Talked about studying the doctrine and making sure that we not only explain it to our investigators, but that the principles that we try to teach arent what investigators learn from. Its when we testify of the pure doctrine of christ that the spirit is really able to hit them hard and they will recieve their own testimony of what is being taught and it will help them understand it a lot better! Thats exactly what i wanted to hear!! THe TRC on saturday was great! We got to the restoration, and talked about the first vision and i felt the spirit so strong!! its amazing because when my companion read that is when the investigator started to really open up to us!! and its because we were teaching the pure doctrine rather than the principles in the doctrine. so that really helped me out a ton!!

 

I love this gospel and i love you all so much!! i cant wait to seriously get out to philly!! it is going to be one heck of an experience and i am starting to love this spanish!! its so hard to talk, write, and its really hard right now to type in spanish!! haah but i am loving it!! I got a blessing on sunday from my branch president because i have been really down all week waiting to hear from mom and grandpa about their situations, and since that blessing, i have no need to worry about it. THe lord is blessing you right now mom, dad, alec, chandler, alyssa, and trevor, and you too grandma pat!! and all the rest of my family!! i know this gospel is true!! the priesthood is REAL!!! i know that jesucristo is the living son of nuestra Padre Celestial. And he loves us more than we know. The word of God is going forward like never before and i am so priveledged to be a part of it. I miss you all and i love you all so much!! and to my friends....Thank you all so much as well for helping me get here!! I have an amazing Nacho Libre accent now and it really is going to be amazing when i get home!! i cant wait to show you all!!

 

Adios!!! Elder Gallego!

November 3, 2010 - 2nd Email Home!

Hola mi familia!!!

So this is my second week and it feels as if it has been just one long day! haha all the days here just blend together bc nothing really different happens! but i will tell you all that i can in the time that i have!!

SO alyssa and mom, i sure hope you all have gotten my letters i have sent 3 home and they have been with a letter to everyone and this most recent one i sent out on mon with pictures and responses to the letters in the package! i loved it! sis maxwell sent me a halloween package as well so i was overloaded on candy! the other elders have helped clear it out though! i still have some more damage to do though!! The davis family sent me some bomb homeade choc. chip cookies and i need their address to write them back! Could you send that out to me?! and dad, my credit card bill is dure the 9th of this month if you could make that minimum payment on it that would be great!! thanks!

So this week there has really been a lot to talk about...# of the elders in my zone left on thursday and it was pretty tough. The whole zone sang god be with you till we meet again in spanish and were screaming it!! i video taped it and i will be sending it home with some other funny videos and more pictures this week so get excited!! they are stinkin hilarious videos!! Another favor, i need you to grab the suit that trevor gave me its in your closet dad, and take it to pomeroys, have them fit the pants to my waist size and have them send it to me i need another suit the winter dress code is in effect and im sick of wearing the same 2 suits. so if you could do that for me that would be great!! also i need to have some clear contacts sent to me before i go to Philly. I will need to wear my sunglasses cuz of the glare and my glasses wont work for that so let me know what you can do!

How are you feeling mom? I have been worried about it all week and i fasted on friday. me and 5 other elders, 3 of who were my zone leaders that left yesterday to bolivia! so that was a bummer too! i feel so close to everyone here like we are all family and it is absolutely amazing how the spirit brings people closer in a matter of weeks!! How is grandpa doing? let me know about that surgery and everything! Dad you took a plane that is awesome!! hope all goes well with you in san fran and i heard the giants won the world series that is sweet! Mom be safe in tucson and let grandma and grandpa know i love and miss them!

so to mission updates...Today i get to go to the temple, my favorite place on earth!! Every P-day we get to go and last week was amazing!! I have never been so struck by the spirit!! The house of the lord is truly an amazing place and i am so glad that i can go every week to remind myself of the blessings and covenants i have made!

Some scriptures that i have learned to love are D&C 135. Read it. Joseph smiths testimony is so very stong!! i am so glad he did what he did bc i wouldnt be here if it werent for his faith and his testimony and his diligence in wanting to know what church was true. I know that he was called of god and that he did all he could to make sure he did what the father had asked him to do. What a great man he was, and i cant wait to meet him!! i know without a doubt this gospel is true!!

This past saturday was my first TRC experience! We get to basically teach lessons to members that are really good at acting like investigators in spanish and my companion and i did amazing!! We basically baptized an already baptized member! The spirit taught through me what i should say and share with the investigator. In spanish a little but mostly in english. This next week hopefully is in all spanish!! The spirit is real, and i have learned to just really not focus on teaching lessons, but teaching investigatores. Adapting to their needs is what gets the spirit to really be in full force!! I have learned to really just go in there, ask questions, and go from there on the answers that they need and slowly move into how it relates to the gospel and how this true church, the only true church on the earth today, has an answer to all questions. Through the spirit and the testifying of my words is how i know i will be successful as a missionary!

M. Russell Ballard came and spoke to us last night and really focused on being in tune with the spirit. About an hour before that i had the opportunity to give one of the sister missionaries in my district a blessing with oil. What an experience that was. I wish i remembered what i said but i know that the power of the priesthood is real. She was healed of her sickness she has had for over a week right when the blessing ended. I testify that when we use the priesthood worthily and have faith, Heavenly Father will bless us. Never be afraid to ask for a blessing. I have realized even more the power that i have as a missionary. The devotional was strickly about being in tune with the spirit and knowing that if we have faith it will always lead us in the right direction, especially in communicating with the people we come in contact to. It was an amazing experience to hear those words after giving the blessing. Definately a great experience for me.

I know without a doubt this church is true. I know that i have been called by god to carry out this great work, and that through my diligencia i will be a very powerful misionerio in the lords work. I love this gospel with all my heart and i cant wait to get to Philly. The people there are waiting for my testimony and i know that i have been called by god to serve there. I love you all my family and friends and i am so greatful for the support, prayers, love, and drive that you give me. it truly strengthens my testimony everyday. Prayer is real, and the power of the priesthood is real. The gospel is true. till we meet again

elder g