Hey!

Hey I know I write an email every week that doesn't really do it justice but I'm also 

interested in how all of your weeks went too! It's hard to believe that it's been so long since I've seen you. Even harder to believe that I'll be back so soon. 

I finally remembered my camera! So here are some of the pictures I've taken lately:

The Smiths! I baptized James and Ava (the little girl)

I was on exchanges back in my old area and we went to visit them and the feeling in their house was great! It's amazing what has happened to the feeling in their home. It is now more peaceful and like they said, "it feels more like home." The feeling of a spirit filled home is certainly real. I've loved spending time in President and Sister Tew's home as we've met the past few days about meetings and transfers. It feels peaceful and very comfortable. I have a really nice apartment which feels pretty good too.

This is my view from the desk I'm at in the mission office. There are a few senior missionary couples that work here and they're great! This week we got to go to the temple! We went to a pretty early session and on the way to the member that was driving us we hit a skunk with our car. I don't recommend it. Hah it was Tuesday when we hit it and it still smells a little bit. It was great to have some time to just sit and think in the temple. There were a lot of missionaries there and I thought about all the great people I've met here.

One spiritual experience I had this week was when I was on exchanges in my area with an elder from Canada. We were walking and trying to talk to everyone. A lot of people don't look like they're going to want to listen but time and time again on my mission they do. We  offered to say a prayer with a girl and her mother outside of their house and they said that we could pray for their friend in the hospital. After the prayer they gave us a few minutes to share our message. It was amazing how the questions we asked helping them understand what we were teaching. They wanted to come to church and get baptized. All from just talking to someone we were walking by. God really places people in our path that need the Gospel.

Email me back I'd love to talk to you! Hope you have a great week!

Love 

Elder Gallagher

silas.gallagher@myldsmail.net

My Week

Hello!

President called me this morning to tell me announcements that I write up for all of the missionaries each pday and today he had an exciting announcement! He told me that Elder M. Russell Ballard of the quorum of the twelve apostles is coming to the mission on May 31st. So I'll get to meet him and I'm pretty sure he'll meet with us and President Tew. 

President is feeling pretty sick so he's been in the hospital looking to get surgery in the next couple days. He'll be okay after his surgery. This past week we had three zone conferences. Thursday, Friday and Saturday. President made it to the first two but on saturday Elder Sturgell had to give his training. It felt a little like groundhog day getting up and giving the same training three days in a row but it was fun! I talked about revelation through the Book of Mormon. 

Having all of those meetings really cut down the time we had to proselyte this week. One of the times we did we had a really cool experience. We were stopping by a woman that we had taught in downtown LB and as I was knocking on the door Elder Sturgell contacted a girl walking down the road. Victoria answered the door and she wanted to listen and the girl Elder Sturgell contacted wanted to listen so we taught two different lessons at the same time. The girl that Elder Sturgell contacted told us that just before he had talked to her she was texting her friend about how she wanted answers about the tree of life and the fall. She recognized us as the answer to her prayer. We taught her yesterday and she is very interested with a lot of good questions. She should be baptized on May 11th.

Transfers are coming up so we are trying to figure out who should go to a different area, who should leave, who should be with who, who should be called or released from leadership. It's a good experience trying to fit all the pieces together.

I really like the place I live despite missing the people in Huntington Beach a lot (shout out to Danny Rasmussen) haha. Our apartment is pretty nice too. I have my own bathroom! Woo! The singles ward here is good too. A lot of good people who love the missionaries! I even found a member who knows someone with a cello so I might get to play it soon. Anyways, I love you and I know that coming closer to God, having a better relationship with Him is what brings true happiness in life.

Love

Elder Gallagher

No long letter, but lots of short emails

The Smiths got baptized on Saturday! Sadly I forgot my camera at the apartment but I'll send some next week. I baptized James and his daughter Ava. Elder Mann baptized Christina

I'm really sorry I didn't write about my week. Ill send pics next week. I did have a great week. Went on 24 exchanges with three different sets of zone leaders. I'm always busy doing something.

Made it through my first week!

This week flew by. Some highlights were meeting with President Tew in between conference session on Saturday at his house and talking about the topics of upcoming trainings. Something I think is a good skill to have is to teach the message of the restoration in one minute. So Sister Tew asked me to do that to see if you really could teach the whole first lesson in 60 seconds. It's kind of scary being put on the spot but I always find how just in a minute the Spirit can come and testify of simple truths. I love President and Sister Tew! They are great. 

It has been a real blessing to be with Elder Sturgell and learn from him. He's a very humble and strong missionary. We set a vision for our companionship with the scripture, "Thus God has provided a means that man, through faith, might work mighty miracles; therefore he becometh a great benefit to his fellow beings." Mosiah 8:18. I want to bless the mission in every way that I can. I am constantly praying to know how to help reach our goal of 46 baptisms this month. I find it interesting that the scripture says that a man works might miracles which results in being a great benefit to man. I know that whatever the miracles that happen may be, it will be to help others. My investigators, the mission, everyone. 

I went on exchanges with Elder Fowler (Zone Leader) and Elder Liddell this week. They are missionaries assigned to speak Cambodian which is such an interesting language. The Cambodian population in Long Beach is bigger than anywhere else besides Cambodia itself. I got to learn a little Cambodian, eat some of their food and meet some very nice and funny people. We worked with members, found and taught together. I'm becoming more and more aware of how the Lord is in each area working on people. I know that a few missionaries walking or driving around can really be led to people who need us.

Just last night Elder Sturgell and I were out with a member from our ward and were walking around downtown LB headed to someone's house. On the way we talk with everyone, offering help, a message to bless their life etc. and we talked to this one guy who knew of some college aged kids that lived down the road a bit. He walked us there and then pointed to another place and said we might try over there. We were led to a lady named Angela who has had a rough life and has a 22 yr old daughter who needs help with her life right now. We're going back there tonight. Someone we never would have met if we weren't led there.

If you missed conference here it is! https://www.lds.org/general-conference/sessions/2014/04?cid=HPSU040614654&lang=eng . I thought it was great! It was also weird that that was the last conference I'll watch on my mission. Follow the counsel of Elder Ballard and study preach my gospel! Time is flying by! 

Love

Elder Gallagher

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