Crazy Week!

My week was actually pretty normal until Friday morning. We had a meeting called MLC at the mission office and as I was getting ready President Tew called and asked if I would come into his office a little before the meeting. I thought nothing of it. I kind of expected him to release me as a zone leader because this was my sixth transfer as one. We sat down and he called me to be an assistant. Basically I will have a lot more responsibility. There are 198 missionaries in the mission and two assistants. I'm really excited to love everyone here and be able to help the missionaries that are really struggling. 

I got transferred this morning to get into the office and start making calls to the zone leaders and sending emails and all sorts of fun stuff. I've never felt so dependent on God for helping me be who He needs me to be. I find comfort in the story of Enoch and Moses and Jeremiah who didn't feel ready for their callings. I was wondering why I was called with the little amount of time I have left on my mission but I learned that it really only matters that I do what the Lord would have me do. To not be afraid and to work as hard as I can.

I felt the first two earthquakes on my mission this week in just 24 hours. I said goodbye to everyone in Huntington Beach which is sad. I love the people there! I'll attach some pictures. That's pretty much everything going on with me though. Tonight I'm going to President's house to go to the dinner for the missionaries who are going home. Thanks for your prayers! 

Love 

Elder Gallagher

Buddy and I

 

The Carrs

Hey!

I don't know why but lately people have been talking a lot about how it's rough going home. We ate at the Tingeys home and after Elder Sarver and I said we had about 4 months left he just talked about how you go home and find the same problems and it's really hard. I as actually just thinking about how being in a new place will be a good opportunity to keep going on in life and not fall back into how things were. Here are some pictures from my week!

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Brother Monson and I! I don't have enough good things to say about the Monson family. I look up to them so much for who they are and having me in their home. Brother Monson always has a great story about anything so he's fun to listen to. He understands the Gospel very well and is a very experienced teacher. He probably doesn't know but he's helped me understand the Atonement of Jesus Christ a lot. 

This is me and the sisters that taught Julie (middle). The sister on the right got to come back to attend the baptism since she was transferred to Lakewood. I love going to baptisms! I wish I could remember mine more than I do. Brother Monson said that my family would have a fun time trying to figure out which one is my companion.

Rice Crispy treat shake :) Thanks Dallin! A member took us.

Hey!

Hey!

I don't really feel like writing an email to everyone this week. Maybe subconsciously I feel like I say things to everyone and it changes what I would just say to the family. But you can put it on the email website if you want.

Anyways yesterday the lesson for priesthood was chapter 4 in the Joseph Fielding Smith book and I really loved the quote from his wife about the kind of person he was. It got me thinking about how lucky and blessed we are to have the family we do. Too many people don't have a family at all and I think we take our situation for granted sometimes. I know I did before my mission. I thought of the times we would do the sock game haha and how much Mom and Dad love us. Take advantage of the time you have to play with each other. 

Right now I'm trying to develop my teaching skills and my love for everyone. So I've been studying the teaching methods of Christ. I spent a lot of time thinking about and reading the end of Matt 7 where it says that the people were astonished because He taught as one having authority. The word astonished means to be amazed or confounded. They were amazed at His Gospel and also because he taught with power. On page 4 of Preach My Gospel I read about where my authority and power come from as a teacher of the Gospel. Look for what brings power to teaching in the section!

We put on a zone lunch/testimony meeting on Friday and it was very powerful. It is a great unity builder to hear the people I don't know as well get up and share their thoughts about the Gospel. I know this church is true! I love you!

Elder Gallagher

Another Week at the Beach

I do find it pretty funny that I'm right next to the beach and I'm not allowed to go. Anyways,

I had a great week! I went on a few exchanges with some other missionaries in my zone. That's when I spend 24 hours with them and help them with their work. It's fun to go out and work hard in their area and increase their faith that there are people prepared even here in orange county. 

Elder Sarver, Mann and I are getting along great. We're working really well together and are always looking for ways to improve. We have fun and joke around everyday too so things couldn't be better. We've also started to buy and cook more meat. So I'm getting better at marinating and cooking which will come in handy when I don't just want quesadillas anymore haha.

One of the people we found this week is Joel. He came to church with his girlfriend and he liked it. He's from Texas so he and Elder Mann bonded over loving a burger place in Texas called Whataburger. He said we could come and teach that night. So last night we went and shared the message of the restoration and invited him to pray and ask God if it was true. He prayed and paused to listen for an answer. I looked up into the sky and saw the moon and a few stars and just thought how small we are but how important Joel's prayer was. He said he felt peace and wants to prepare for baptism on the 29th.

I wouldn't rather be anywhere else right now. I love being a missionary and being able and called to help others strengthen their faith in Jesus Christ.

Love 

Elder Gallagher

Hey

Hey!

We probably had the worst weather I've been in for 19 months. Three days of rain! It was really nice to have a little change in the weather. It'll be interesting to not be in perfect weather more often. Luckily we were mostly inside. I had a meeting at the mission office on Friday from 10 to 4 so I missed a lot of it.

Friday, we went on exchanges with one of the district leaders in the zone. We walked around in the rain for awhile looking for people to teach. We're pushing really hard to find more people to teach so I wanted to show the missionary I was with that finding here is very possible. I had remembered Elder Loutensock saying that he talked to a woman named Buffy on a road but I couldn't remember the house number. I said a quick prayer and we went to go talk to a man and a woman who were coming out of their house to walk their dog. The woman introduced herself as Buffy and I really wasn't surprised. I know God puts people in each others path for a reason. We were able to have a short conversation on the street and she told us to come back. I got up and shared that little experience in fast and testimony meeting yesterday.  The Lord is hastening His work here in Huntington Beach.

Another guy we talked to on Friday sold elephants out of Thailand. People do some interesting things! He told us that he could get us an elephant for cheaper than a car. I know he was telling the truth because he gave us his business card hahaha. 

Last night we went by Bishop Davis's house unannounced just to see if we could do anything and we walked in on their whole family studying the scriptures. It was pretty amazing to see seven kids sitting still and engaged as they talked about Ezekiel 37. The members here have been such amazing examples to me. I'm really grateful to have grown up the way I have. With examples from my family and the good people around me.

This week we taught eleven lessons to the people we're working with. I think it's the most we've ever taught in one week here. The members here are great! We had at least one with us every time we taught. Buddy is now really good friends with a girl in the ward and that's helping him a lot. He came to church and is doing really well! We teach him again tonight before FHE. Sadly the Smiths didn't come to church. It's so easy to let things get in the way of going to church and doing the simple things that make you happy.

The pictures of Snow Canyon look awesome! It'll be fun to go up there and see that. I emailed my academic adviser last week and I think I am going to graduate with an associates in business then transfer to BYU. Does anyone wiser than me see a better option? It's fun being in a trio! Especially when I came out Elder Sarver. Elder Mann is awesome too. He's a hard worker and is always thinking about how we can work harder and do more. He was baptized at 16 and his story  from what I've heard is really inspiring.

Love you!

Elder Gallagher

Me, Elder Sarver, Elder Mann