January 31, 2011

Hola mi familia! Como estan?! Estoy muy animado for este oportunidad para compartir que paso este semana! Oh! Mi espanol es muy bien y estoy aprendiendo bien rapido! Todos los dias mi companero y yo habla solo espanol y hemos tratado hablar mas en nuestro apartamento tambien entonces, ahora, esta bien! :)

Ok so this week, milagros, milagros, milagros!!!! It is loco what is happening out here por the past 2 weeks but this week was especially just insane!! SO i was sick, yes i know it was a bummer, from last monday until friday night with a sore throat and no energia entonces it was really trying on my body. I lost about 8 pounds, and look much better now :) But we did a lot of work! I only stayed in on friday all day bc im stubborn and you all know i hate saying that im sick bc im never really sick! But i just had no energia so we stayed in all day on friday and i slept! It was exactly what i needed! But anyways, i got a haircut of monday! Finally man my hair was so long!!! So it is really short now :) im gonna keep it this way, even though my head is really cold haha :) I got your dearelder and postcard mom!! :) That is a really cool picture that is on that postcard! I miss AZ so much and i miss getting dirty!! :( As missionaries, its really hard to get dirty ahah but i really do miss the dirt. Its all backland woods here and snow so..yeah you get the point :) It has been snowing hardcore all week, we got like 11 inches one night during this insane blizzard and we werent able to go to Spanish Training the next morning as planned bc not all of the missionaries could make it so it was really frustrating! It was going to be in North Philly too!! And i was going to see my companion from the MTC ELder Reese!! :( But its ok, i am sure that they are going to reschedule it!

SOme very good news, I didnt get transfered!! :) Im here for at least one more transfer, hopefully for the next 6 months or so i am in love with the people here and the work that is happening is absolutely incredible!! I did find out though that the philly temple wont be finished until after my mission is over :( Well, looks like im coming back! :) And dad, they have a place called Wawa here, its like the QT of the east coast and they have ATMs there that dont charge! So my acct should be fine, plus i havent needed any money anyway, hecki havent spent any money haha so dont need to worry about that :)

Ok so now about my week...We taught a lot of people, 20 lessons again, which really isnt as much as we couldve taught if i wasnt sick, but the spirit was so apparent in every single one of these lessons this week. At times i felt as if it were something tangible in the room that i could like literally embrace, but man, it was just insane i dont know how to describe it!! We are no longer teaching Ithamar, the one who had a baptismal date for the 20th of Febrero, porque he hasnt answered any of our calls, and we have been over like every day to see him and he just ignores the door so he is getting a break. Really sad though, we think he got anti-ed and that his buddies gave him something. He has a couple J-Dubs as friends so yeah...big bummer. But we are still teaching Victor de Dominican Republic! He is doing well, we feel that he has a problem son la palabra de sabiduria so we will be teaching him that and see if he will be ready for baptism as well on the 27th of Febreo! Carlos Escobar de El Salvador is also progressing very well and he will be getting a baptismal invitation this week as well for the 6th de Marzo!

Ok now to the good stuff...so we had a Stake Sone Conference on Saturday, which really focused on how important the members are for us missionaries! The members out here are really getting pumped in this branch, especially Edgar and Moroni! Moroni was just called yesterday servir con Edgar as his primero consejero en la presidencia de Elders! What a perfect calling and perfect person for the job! The hometeaching percentage when i first arrived here was 2%! Now it is almost 100%!! Edgar is on fire man! We are doing a lot of visits to the less active members in this rama especailly con miembros! Members are so key in converts. They need someone to trust in, someone who they can lean on and go to at any time they have a question or a need. As missionaries, we can only do so much, and it comes to a point when once they are baptized, it is the members responsibilidad to fellowship the new members! Invite them to FHE, to activities, heck invitar a ellos over to your house to talk, read the scriptures, anything to show that you are there for them and that you love them. The youth are so important in this. If investigators that have kids see that their kids are friends with members' kids, and that they love church and have been invited to come most of the time they will do what it takes to make sure that their kids are happy and that is what is important. TO you youth, be the best example possible. Preach the Gospel at all times, if necessary, open your mouth. THis is such an important principle. We have to be a good example wherever we go, and this is something that i have really come to learn on my mission. I have to watch everything i do and say, and i seriously have been able to see the difference this has made in my life! I am maturing more than i thought i would ever mature! DAHHHHHHH!!!! I just love this time of my life! I wish i could explain to you how much fun this is, and how much love the Lord has for all of his hijos en la tierra!!

Charity and Love....the greatest attibute any of us can aquire in this life is to have charity, and love for those around us. This has been such a power to me as i have been out here on my mission and i am so excited to be able to develop this kind of love for others!! You cant convert someone beyond your own conversion. Remember that. If you want others to change their entire lives, everything that they have ever believed in and the things that they do, you need to be willing to do the same. Think about the things that you do each day, the time that is wasted, and the time that could be spent helping others and yourself become closer to Christ. It is so important that we too submit our will to the Lord, and let him show us the things that we need to do better.

SO i was on exchanges with Elder Hall on saturday, and we went to Florencios house, and this familiy is on fire!! Issac, and now his 15 year old sister Stephanie have been listening to the lessons, and we were teaching the plan of salvacion! THis lesson is so much fun to teach! Especially when they understand it but still ask quesions!! Anyways, Florencio, issac, and Stephanie all commited to baptism!! THe 27 de Febreo is the baptismal date!! Oh man what a week!! I couldnt stop smiling like all day haah it was so amazing how much the spirit of the lord helps us as missionaries in this work!! That family is so happy now, they all read together, they were all in church yesterday, and everything is just happening and it is a miracle!!

Well, family and friends this week has been awesome. Topped off with 5 lessons yesterday, and a celebration do Moroni Birthday! Our area is on fire right now, and this transfer totally flew by!! Heck its already the end of January! If time keeps flying by this much, ill be home before i know it :( I love it out here! this church is so true, i have no doubt in my mind about that. Jose Smith fue un profeta de Dios, and lets also not forget his brother Hyrum...Hyrum stood by his side till the end. They were 2 of the greatest men this earth will ever see. I testify that our lord and savior Jesucristo lives, and that he will return to reign on this earth. Prepare yourselves, learn all that you can, and do the things neccessary to show him that you love him, that youre greatful for his sacrifice for us, and that you will do what it takes to live with him again. Have Charity, the greatest act of Charity this world will ever see was the Atonement. Jesucristo gave his life, for us. He did everything that he did, all for us. THink about it more personally, he did it for you! He did it for me! He knows what we are going through, and he is there to help! SO go to him, and tell him what your needs are, and the things that you are stuggling with, and i promise with everything in me, that he will prepare a way, he will help bring you back to the straight and narrow, and that if you hold to the Iron rod (the gospel) you will never be led astray! I love you all, thank you for all of your support letters, and prayers, Its going to snow like 25 inches tomorrow and miercoles so pray that i dont get burried in the snow! Haha i love you all!!

Elder Gallego/Venancillo!!