It is me again!

Hey,

I had a pretty good week this week. Transfers are tomorrow but I am staying here in Huntington Beach with Elder George. There are some new missionaries that are coming to the zone so I am excited to get to know them and help them with anything I can. Elder Komarek (who I trained earlier this year) got called to be a zone leader! He is going to do great. 

I went to the orthodontists office today and he fixed my retainer. He was pretty mad at me for going so long without wearing it. But everything is fixed so I can wear it. I can never remember what happened in my week. It was Elder George's birthday on Saturday so the Monson's took us to Claim Jumper which was really good. He turned twenty. The Monson's have been so great to live with. Brother Monson is such a character and I've learned a lot from him. I'm really lucky to be with them here in Huntington Beach during Thanksgiving and Christmas. You never need to worry about me! I forget if I've said this already but Chad Larsen, the bass player for The Aquabats, is in my ward. He's a really nice guy and I did tell him that my siblings like his show hah. 

Lately I have been trying to find ways that I can improve. I don't like the points we hit in life where we don't really know what to do next. There are a multitude of ways I can improve but it is hard focusing on one. As a zone leader, I go to the mission office before transfers and have a meeting with President Tew, his assistants and the other zl's. We find out where everyone is going so we can tell everyone the next day. The ZL's who are going home or are released get up and bear their testimonies. Elder Edward goes home tomorrow and Elder Welch was released so they both got up and it was really good. President got up and told a story about when he ran XC his senior year in high school. One race that he ran was on a golf course that was laid out with flags. At the last 500 meters of the race was a turn around a phone line. He went around the pole and "kicked" or ran as fast as he possibly could to get the best time he had ever done. He passed the finish line and his coach came up to him and told him that he was going to be disqualified. He asked why! His coach explained that when he had turned around the phone line pole he ran inside of one of the flags which was not allowed. He ran back to the pole and ran around the flag he was supposed to and as he was about to turn around to run back to the finish line he saw some runners that had never beat him. He told us that they didn't beat him that day either. The significance of the story is in the fact that the first time he ran the race he thought he was kicking as hard as he could. He didn't think he could have ran any more after that but he did. He was able to run that sprint a whole other time. Sometimes we think we are trying our hardest but really we have a lot more potential. I do not want to finish my mission in 9 months and realize that I was really only trying half as hard as I could have. I think that applies to everything. School, work, families. etc. 

So when you do something make sure you really do it! I miss you all and think about you often! 

Love 

Elder Gallagher

Here is a video from the Bible:

http://www.lds.org/bible-videos/videos/jesus-teaches-that-we-must-become-as-little-children?cid=HPFR111513159&lang=eng

I'm so bad at figuring out a subject

Hello!

How is everyone doing? I'm doing great! This week was really awesome. Three of the people I taught were baptized on Saturday! Eva (12), Patricia(24) and Kamala. I didn't make it to Kamala's baptism because his was during Patricia's but my cheesy smile shows how happy I am. My computer has had problems since I got on and since it is veteran's day we all have to come to the family history center. 

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TOMORROW NOAH!

Love you all

Elder Gallagher

Hi!

I've been emailing people for awhile so I better start writing a big email,

 

 I went to Newport today and it was really nice over there! I'll attach some pictures of me at the temple. Halloween was pretty fun! A lot of little kids rang the Monson's door bell asking for candy as Elder George and I hung out/cleaned out our room. We weren't allowed to go out trick or treating but I still have plenty of candy! I'm still loving where I live and how nice it is to live with a family. I love Huntington Beach!

 

This Saturday two of the people I'm teaching are getting baptized! Patricia is the girl that came to church on her own and is almost done reading the Book of Mormon. She's a really great girl who brings a lot of excitement to the rest of the singles ward. I've been really blessed to teach her and get her ready for her baptism.

 

The next girl is Eva (12). She is a quiet girl and reminds me a lot of 12 year old Eden. She's very smart and asks very good questions. Her father has MS and is in and out of the hospital. During one of the lessons we talked about the resurrection and Elder George asked him what it meant to him to know he would live again. He broke down and talked about how just that keeps him going and gives him hope. It was very emotional.

 

I have to go! Luckily a picture is worth a thousand words right?

 

Love you

 

Elder Gallagher

It's actually raining?

I didn't know it rained here! It really isn't a rain though, more of a drizzle. I promised photos this week and I remembered to bring my camera so I'll attach some. This week went pretty well! I went on exchanges with one of the district leaders in the zone. Exchanges is where we switch companions for a day. His name is Elder Pickering and he is planning on going to UVU when he gets home in March. He is in a trio with two new missionaries so I was actually with him and one of his companions. We walked around their area for the night and I ended up taking them to frozen yogurt because they were having a hard week.

This week was the Trunk or Treat for a few of the wards and it was pretty fun! We got some candy and saw some pretty good costumes. Guess what I dressed up as! Yep...a missionary! I saw a kid in an aquabats costume and I pointed it out to a missionary in my zone and it turns out that the lead singer and bass player for the Aquabats is in my stake! So I'm going to try and meet them. They weren't at the trunk or treat because they are somewhere shooting for their TV show.

Yesterday was pretty crazy. As you may or may not know the church is split into wards geographically and yesterday every single ward in the stake was redrawn this sunday. There were a lot of sad families who have been in the same ward as their friends for like 40 years. The best part was that President Tew didn't know about it so we still have to figure out where all of the missionaries here are going to go. We drove down to the mission office and met with the Elder Dixon and Tewksbury the AP's and tried to figure everything out. I think we'll meet with president tomorrow. I guess with the ward changes one of the aquabats will live in my ward. One of the people in the bishopric got up to bear his testimony and he talked about change. He talked about how we're like a house that is being built. We might picture our house becoming a little cottage but if we yield to God He will build us into much more than we can imagine. I'm seeing that happen in my own life. 

Patricia came to church yesterday and talked to her parents yesterday about her baptism. They're supportive and she's really excited for the 9th! She is really amazing! She reads her scriptures for over an hour a day and is really sure that she knows it's true. She's getting all the people in the singles ward really excited too.

Next week I'm going to the temple on tuesday so I'll be on to email on tuesday not monday. I get to go to the Newport temple which will be awesome! It's almost Noah's birthday!

Love you all!

Elder Gallagher

 

 

 

 

1. Pic of me and Elder George in the car

 2. Me today post hair cut

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

3. my room

Great Week!

Hope you all had a great week!

I'm pretty much all settled and used to living in this area now. The Monson's (the people I live with) are really great people! They have a nice home and I'm learning lot about what I want my house to be like from them. We also live next to the Carr family. They have a daughter on a mission in FL and they have been so nice to us too! They make cookies every sunday night which are very good. It is really different in a great way to live with members. I've missed the feeling of really being in a "home" and now I feel a little more like I'm home. Sister Monson buys me milk and it's like home where I didn't have to worry about buying milk or timing out how much I use. It is great!

Chelsea came to church and really enjoyed it. She met a lot of the other girls from church and the talks were really good too. One girl talked about developing charity. Elder George and I saw a miracle at church yesterday too! There was a girl who was there for the first time. Her name is Patricia. She moved here from San Diego and her friend told her about the church and invited her but she just wanted to go for herself. She's already reading and praying and marking her scriptures. We're meeting with her tomorrow! I've been really distracted today and I'm somehow already out of time! I promise pictures next week. I forgot my camera. 

Life is good here and I love and miss you all! 

Elder Gallagher

Huntington/Fountain Valley

Hey everyone!

 

I moved to Fountain Valley on tuesday and it has been really great! I live with an ex mission president who is very witty and great. We live in his old movie room and I feel pretty blessed to live in a nice house. The ward here is fantastic. Everyone I've met in the family ward is really motivated to do missionary work and share what brings peace into their lives. Even the Young Single Adult ward seems very missionary oriented. My new companion is Elder George (from Ogden, UT) and we're doing great. This sunday we ran around trying to attend the most of two wards in two different places. It was fast and testimony so I got up and bore my testimony.

 

Since it is columbus day I don't have too much time because other people need to email but I do want to tell you about my week! I've been meeting so many people and getting used to handling two different wards. We taught a girl that other missionaries contacted on the street. Her name is Chelsea. She's from Salt Lake and she surprisingly isn't very familar with what we believe. She's been to church before for her extended family. We were able to sit down and talk with her and teach a great lesson. I felt the Spirit really strong and it felt so good to teach someone again! I feel like I haven't taught very many people in awhile. She's getting prepared to be baptized on the 2nd of November. I'm greatful for all of the love that I feel from God. I have to get off now but I love you all and Ill have pictures and more great things to talk about next week. Look up Kevin Monson that's who I live with. Im safe and doing great!

 

Love

Silas

HB Bound [I'm guessing HB is Huntington Beach]

Hey!

I hope everyone's week was great. We had to move apartments on Friday just basically down the road so that took up a lot of my time. We moved into a pretty nice apartment with a lot more room than our old one. It is also right in the middle of little India so our neighboors are all Indian. I won't be living there anymore though because this was my last week in Cerritos. I found out Friday morning that I am being transferred to the Fountain Valley 1st ward and the HB singles ward. I've never served down in Orange County so I'm pretty excited! I know my companion too! His name is Elder George. He came out with Elder Komarek (who I trained) and he was just here in my zone a month and a half ago. We get along well and I'm really excited to work hard over there. I've also never served in two wards or a singles ward so I'm excited. I move tomorrow morning.

I'm still a zone leader and I know a few of the Elders in my zone. Elder Edward, one of my previous companions will be there so that will be fun. He goes home in just 6 weeks now. I was his companion when he was out for 13 months and now he's already going home!
 

We also got to watch the General Conference sessions this weekend which I thought was really inspiring. Here's a link:

(http://www.lds.org/general-conference/sessions/2013/10?cid=HPFR100413105&lang=eng)

Some short quotes of what I liked from conference:

"Doubt your doubts before you doubt your faith" - President Uchtdorf

"Our destiny is not determined by how many times we fall down but by how many times we get up" - President Uchtdorf

"It is impossible to fail when we do our best and when we are on the Lords errand" - Elder Ballard

I also really liked President Eyring's talk about the parable of the good Samaritan. Being able to care for others and feel the love the God has for others is really uplifting. It has made me a much happier person. http://www.lds.org/bible-videos/videos/whosoever-will-lose-his-life-for-my-sake-shall-find-it?lang=eng As we lose our lives in the pursuit of helping others we also lose our problems and loneliness.

I will be living with a member which will be great! He used to be a mission president and I've only heard amazing things about them. His name is Brother Monson haha. Last night I went to the departing fireside for missionaries who are going home. They get up and talk about their experiences and there are also musical numbers. I got to see a few people I haven't seen for a long time! I saw William, the guy I baptized in Whittier, and he is doing fantastic. He looks so happy and is now a ward missionary. He said his mom is taking the lessons in Spanish. Sometimes I get discouraged and forget about the people I've touched and will never forget. It was a good reminder for me to work hard no matter what. The pictures are of me outside our apartment, Me and Gilbert Mendoza ( a member of the ward) and the Lakewood zone.

Hope you all have a great week! I love you!

Silas