11/7/11

Hola amigos y familia!!! man this week was so awesome!! so im gonna give just a good quick rundown! the lord is just opening up doors like no other here!! the baptism went great yesterday! THe mendoza family of 4 was baptized, and there was also a hija de un miembro that got baptized! it was way sweet!! the whole ward stayed for it!! so insane the kind of support that we are getting here with all of the members! Weve got 15 more people too by the end of the year that want t be baptized!! So crazy!!

This week, we had a lot of preparing and teaching to do to get ready, i went on an exchange with the zone leaders, well just elder allen and i. For those that know Aaron Allen, he is awesome!! i felt like i was at home again! he is from mesa, came out with me and all, but i hadnt really been able to get to know him! turns out we know a lot of the same people, the reis familia and the hallsteds! well cecilia hallsted and i told him how her husbands brother baptized my parents!! he was like "no way!!" it was so sick!! i swear, people from arizona just have some sort of vibe that is so different!! DAHH!! i cant explain it it just felt way at home to be on an exchange with him!! we met some really cool people, and we found una familia mexicana and i was able to teach them!! it was so cool!! i love spanish!!

Elder Mailo is doing awesome, got a bit frustrated this week at his spanish and punched a hole in the door like the size of my head but it was so cool!! haha, he is learning so fast and i just tried to help him out a little more. SOmetimes im a little harsh of how he sounds like a puerto rican with his accent, and how its really bad, but yeah...we're all good :) He is doing much better now!! his spanish has improved so much since that day! and our unity has as well, we just had one of those weeks last week where you just get frustrated at everything and everyone! Thats how it is though a week before a baptism!! It was a great learning and growing experience! I sure to love my companion and all that he has taught me!

The weather here is getting chilly, we all got hit with a cold, but we're getting over it now! should snow again this week! last saturday and sunday we got pounded by some snow/ice stuff, looked like a slushy and my companion wanted to eat it, but in phillly thats not so healthy!! We also had to fight off an attack of cockroaches in the other elders' apartment!! haha it was a gigantic invasion of them under their fridge!! so nasty! so we have to move apartments, and it looks like they are goin to take our apartment, and we will be in the apartment right under John, our recent convert! so that will be so sweet!! ill keep you posted on all that ham!

Well, i dont really know whatelse to say, but the church is so true! the book of mormon is the convincing evidence of this, and i know that if you read it everyday with prayer, it will change your heart as it has done to mine! i love it and i love being a missionary! its all about love!! if you love that person, youll want to help them, no matter what they have done in the past!! trust me, after time, it will all work out!! there is a great family here, the familia perez that is preparing to get baptized pronto and they are an example of love! Satan is trying to tear the family apart, and its our job to not let that happen! without the family, its a little more difficult to live! So be united and share that love! the mision, its all about love!! I love it and i love all of you! Gracias!

Elder Gallego

10/31/11

ohhh another bomb week in the mission!!! this one is gonna be a little short, running low on time, but MAN!! i love the gospel!!

So this week, we didnt end up having the baptisms due to a couple little problems, no big issues and everything will be good for this week!! We are really seeing great progress in the development of the testimonies of the investigators that we have. For the first time in my mission, our investigators are all reading!! crazy huh? and not just little verses, like 3 or 4 chapters a day!! It is so chido to see the change that solo reading the book de mormon every day makes in the life of someone. i know that is what has really made the foundation of my testimony. The book of mormon is the central focus of what we teach, and why, because it talks about christ, and teaches his doctrine! thats why its so amazing!! and the people here and realizing it!! i love when people keep commitments!!

we have found a couple new families, yeah families, one of 4 and the other of 3 and they are super excited to get to learn more and to progress towards baptism!! We also will be baptizing Jorgito, the son of yuriana, she is still working on getting married so keep praying for her, but jorgito came up to me yesterday and asked about baptism, what it was, and why we did it and told me he wanted to go do it in his bath tub!! hahaha i was just dying laughing, but i was able to explain it all in good terms, talked to yuriana about it and she said go for it, so we will be doing that the 20th of nov!! super super stoked!! hopefully it helps jorge, his dad, get active and begin to change!!

also, yesterday the theme was food storage...to make things simple, get prepared! haha as i have seen the leaders tell us over and over for the past 14 years, it never hit me like it did yesterday!! so get ready so that IF something happens, youre prepared. Because when the time to make a decision has arrived, the time to prepare has already passed!! I am so glad that i am a missionary, that i have my great companion, who is doing so well, and teaching me so much, and to be part of this great work! im with my cuate elder farr when he says get out there and give the missionaries referrals!! sure we want food, but we want more people to teach! knocking doors is completely ineffective. In the 6 months i have been here, i have knocked 5 doors, why because the members are legit!! so be that member who brings others to the truth!! DyC 18:10! i love you all thank you so much for everything and natalie ashcraft, i sent you a letter like 3 months ago, and my dad said that you never got it so i will write a new one!! thank you for the tie!!

Elder Gallego

10/24/11

Well, i made it!! haha i passed the year mark, its kinda scary thinking about it, but it has been a year, and now that time, and all of the things that i have learned are going to come into great handy for the next year!! i know that the time is going to fly by even faster, so i am just not going to think about it!!

this week was just incredible!! john is doing great, he was working all week so we werent able to see him until saturday, but we did and we went over to his aunts house to talk to his cousin and her son, ana and fernan, well i felt impressioned to ask them to be baptized christmas day, so i did, and as i looked at her face, she was really hesitant. Elder mailo then testified of the importance of baptism, and that without it we cant live with god. Ana understood that, and was just so worried that it was too early, well then i was prompted to ask her to be baptized on the 20th of november...pretty funny but i did it, she got a huge smile on her face, and started asking about why we set dates. Elde mailo then testified of the power of goal setting, and that if we have a desire in our heart to truly change and repent, then we will set a goal, and that goal will lead to plans, and eventually we will have made the decision, and the blessings are then ours!! so as she sat there pondering that, the room went all quiet, and the spirit seriously was so tangible...she paused, and with tears in her eyes told us that she wanted to be baptized this next week!!! she has only been to church 2 times, so i had to talk to the assistants,and the zone leaders to see what they said, and they gave us the ok to go for it!!

So Ana, her son Fernan, Her mother Irma, and irmas mother Margarita, all mendoza, are getting baptized this sunday!!!! MAN!!!! the look on our faces when she said that to us, i dont think ill ever forget it!! john just about choked on his pupusa that he was eating, haha and elder mailo, was like "uh soa (means companion in samoan) did she just say that she wants to be baptized this next sunday?" i just smiled a him, and he just let out a big ol samuano laugh that just put us all into laughter!! he will be baptizing fernan and ana, john will baptize irma, and i will baptize margarita!! we gotta hurry with margarita, she looks like she couldve been there when noah landed the ark...haha so wrinkly and her skin is just like air soft, totally reminds me of grandma meo :) haha, loving it out here thats for sure!! the work is just going crazy!!

also, i was able to go on exchanges with elder lopez. he is a convert, of like 3 years, and is 25 years old!! he is mexican, from veracruz, and man so humble so willing to learn!! increible!! we had a great time, it was nice to have a native companion again for a day, i miss speaking spanish 24/7 with elder de leon!! we set some good goals on learing ingles and trying to make it easier on himself to meet people and try to establish a good relation. he has so much faith, and i know that his efforts will be noticed! i also was able to go on an exchange with elder burnham!! it was his last one as a missionary, and he is getting picked up at 2 today!! he was such a blessing to my mission, and i sure do love him!! he will be truly missed for reals!! elder mailo was in our area for the first time alone, well without me, and he did jut great!! taught a ton and was able to get to some less actives!! he is such a bessing to me in my life!!

district meeting was focused on trying to recieve revelation through church attendance, and w put it into play this week!! had 15 investigators in church, and a ton of the less actives just popped out of their holes!! it was so great!! also, dad, i need a copy of my line of priesthood authority...i dont have one with me...so if you could hook me up with that...that would be HAM!! (thats the new philly word for cool!) haha

anyways, this week was great, the work keeps going, and i am so blessed to be part of this area, and this ward!! its getting cold ot now, and we are just geting all these people floating around on the streets into the chapel!! its a great time to be a missionary!! GIt R Dun!! Toodles!!

Elder Gallego

10/17/11

Hola!! haha, man i can believe i have almost been out a whole year in 3 days!! so scary!!! this year has seriously flown by for sure!! i cant believe it!! but i sure am greatful for all of the many blessings that i have recieved here, and the oportunidad to bless the vidas of the people here in philly!! so crazy how the lord works sometimes...

well to get this off my mind.....i have a HUGE surprise for all of you!! Well its not totally official yet, and our recent convert John Guzman  doesnt know that i know yet, but the bishop talked with him yesterday, and as i was told by john a while back, he was 25 years old....well, we figured out that he is 24 years old....and as i was confirming him yesterday, mission came to my mind, but then the spirit directed me to tell him that his testimony will be of great value to not only many members of his family, not only his friends, but many other people throughout the next couple of years and then after he is sealed and has a family. Really descriptive right?! well, here is the catch....JOHN IS GOING TO SERVE A MISSION!!!!!!!!!! DAHH!!!! i have never felt so much happiness and joy for someone!! seriously!! just completely put me to tears yesterday when the bishop told me that!! so, this next week we will be starting his papers, and he will recieve the aaronic priesthood, and then in a couple of months, after he baptizes 4 other members of his family in a couple of weeks, (yeah talk about miracles) he will get the higher priesthood, and will continue preparing to serve!! CRAZINESS!!!! ahh, i hope you all feel the joy i do. i am just so grateful for the lord, he is the best!!

so also this week, well some of the highlights:

-driveby shooting right outside the house we were in monday night!! wicked crazy!!

-Johns computer and both of his TVs decieded to just completely fry themselves for no apparent reason haha

-The confirmaciones went great! i confirmed john, steven, and alessandra, and elder mailo confirmed Karina. spirit was great and so intene!

-we had 16 investigators in church!!! 

-first district meeting went great!!! 

-8 more people to get baptized within the next 9 weeks, and we are seriously packed full!!

I know that the church blesses lives, i have been able to see it as a misionary, my own life, and the life of many people. The work is just crazy here, i cant put ito words how it is, just it is amazing and that the lord is blessing us!! I love you all and i hope that you go out and share what you know!!

Elder Gallego

10/11/11

alright well i definately dont have much time!! the library was too filled and we had to get permiso to come to a members house, to do our email! so i gotta get this out and then get to the dinner table! we are going to eat pupusas and man, they are so good!! its a tradicional food from el salvador!! ok enough of my blabbering..

so the baptisms went great!! finished off the transfer with 4, and we got 6 more coming up here soon, haha its just way to many things to do! and on top of that, i have been called to serve as District Leader, so that has just been totally mindswamping today, haha actually president forgot to call and tell me i would be the new district leader, the old one, elder burnham actually called me to delegate it over haha president was just chuckiling (imagine the george bush laugh) and he was like, "tell elder gallego he is the new district leader, and that im so sorry.." ahaha he kills me!! he is probably one of the funniest people i have met in my entire life, i cant even look at him without laughing, so he always just looks at me am=nd says, "What?!" i did nothing! so i just have to explain to him that its not that, i just have become such a goof ball here, the hispanic is taking over my personality and everything, so i kinda laugh a lot and am always smiling...i guess thats not too bad.. haha :) 

well, the rest of the week basically just flew, i had the opportunity to baptize john, great experience, and i was able to sit in on his interview, and it was so powerful, and i felt so good and it was so cool to see the change that john has made!! i was so overwhelmed by the great change that he has made! also, emmanuel, the father of alessandra quit smoking 2 weeks ago and was able to baptize the 3 others, his daughter and his niece and nephew. it was so special for him!! 

that was seriusly all that was going down this week, just a ton of finding and trying to fit in all of the people that we have to teach, on top of that, we got 10 new investigators this week, and had 15 in church!! so crazy what is gioing down!! im excited to see what this next transfer brings!! anyway! i love you all!!!!!

Elder Gallego

10/3/11

Hola familia!!! man!!! president monson just cracks me up so much!!! he reminds me of our mission president, as a matter of fact i told president schaefermeyer that the profetas enthusiasm reminds me so much of him, and president told me that that was the nicest thing anyone had ever told him!! haah just made me die laughing, but i was definately totally surprised to see the prophet so energetic!!

so i hope that everyone got the whole theme of conference!!! as i have always said, read pray and go to church!!!! that is what is going to bring us the blessings that we want, and will make us want to be perfect, and strive to help others to try to reach their full potencial as well!! 3 Nefi 12:48

This week, we were able to go the the priesthood restoration site at susquehana and it was a great experience!! it was so cool to seee the lugar where the first baptism of this despensation took place!! (some black guy right next to me just totally let a HUGE burp go!) haha anyways, the spirit felt there, will be something i will never forget! THe priesthood is restored, and i know that we have that power to bless the lives of those around us!!

I also wanted to say that we will be having the baptism of John Guzman, Alesandra Butler, Steven Butler, and Karina Butler on sunday! all are super excited especially john! He came to all but one of the sessions of conference, and gained his own personal testimony that the profeta and his apostoles are men of god, and that they have those keys to help move the work of the lord throughout the whole world. My comp and i are so excited!! He is progressing as well, and for this being his only transfer so far on the mission, his spanish is increible!! His english is...well its coming along :) i am so blessed to have this opportunity to train and to honestly be trained by him and the spirit, and fall back on the things that my trainer taught me! I sure do miss him!!

Well, we are still busy as ever, have too many people to teach and not enough time, and are being blessed by the lord in this great work! I am comin up on the year, feels really really wierd but ni modo, camara y hechete ganas!! :) Something to leave you with, it all starts with a vision, then the goal, and then the plans. Because when the time to make a decision has come, the time to make plans has already passed :) I know this work is real, i know that our father in heaven loves us and that he wants us to succeed! so do all you can to get out there and prove to him and to yourself, that you can do it!! I love you all!!!

Elder Gallego

9/26/11

alright!! this week was absolutely packed!!! we have been working so super hard out here, and we have been really really blessed by the lord here in the area!! It is so wierd to see how much time is flying by and how fast it is going!! As with this week, my companion and i have been really really spiritually uplifted by the strength of our relationship with one another!! I have been able to see him grow so much and him see me grow, that we are just basically brothers!!

as far as the people we have and are teaching, we have john guzman, who is progressing great and is really excited for his baptism coming up here on the 9th as well as maximo, karina, alesandra, and steven!! they are all so prepared and excited to enter into the covenant of baptism!! We are so super packed, so we have to get interviews in, zone conference at the priesthood restoration site on wednesday, and then GENERAL CONFERENCE!!! i am so stoked!! but we will have to be back in suits, and it has started to heat up here, so hopefully that changes!!!

Also, we have had some really cool experiences this week with meeting the people that the lord has prepared specifically for us!! It is so insane, and it has been really interesting to see how the lord works!! First off, we kept a man from killing himself saturday night because his sister had just been killed, and he was just losing it...so sad and so hard to see him, and talk to him but after about an hour of trying and trying, he calmed down, and then asked us where his sister was...it opened our door to the plan of salvation and we testified to him that she was in the spirit world, and that she isnt lost forever and that he would indeed see her again!! He was so happy, and he wants us to stop back by. What a great experience for the both of us, and i know that the lord made that way possible for us!! The gospel of Jesucristo is so true!!!!

well, got to git going, we got a football tournament today!!!!

Elder Gallego