A Short One!

Hey Everyone!

This week has been great! Today has been great too! I even got to nap this morning instead of just sit around! I don't have much time but I'll share two experiences. 

On Friday we went to go teach someone that was YSA age the Spanish Elders had contacted and set an appointment with but his brother answered and said he wasn't home. That seemed to be the theme for Friday.... A lot of appointments but no one was home when they said they would be. As we walked back to our car the member we were with passed by a guy carrying some beer and the member asked if that was Buddy. We'd never met him but I felt pretty strongly that it was him. Elder Loutensock called out to him and he took the headphones out of his ears and said yeah! So we were able to teach him and he even came to church yesterday! We're going by again tonight so I'm looking forward to talking about what he thought. 

The Smith family has had some ups and downs but Bro Smith is so on board and really knows that this will be so good for his family. Sis Smith is still having a hard time changing such a big part of her life. They decided to go to their other church instead. Someone from church had an open house dessert party that they came to last night so we were able to talk to them about what happened. It sounds like they will be baptized on the 15th of February. God answered their prayers.

I am still loving HB and you all too! I hope you have a great week!

Love 

Elder Gallagher

Tuesday letter

Hey!

This week Elder Loutensock and I tried something a little different and actually found a lot of work from it. We took some time in the morning and called each of the active members in the HB YSA ward and asked if we could come and share a 10 minute message with them and just get to know them better. We want to take more of a variety of members out with us each week and we thought that would be a good way to do it. There were many that had moved away but even those who had moved were willing to give us names of people they thought we should visit. We have an appointment with one girl who moved who thought of one of her friends from high school. She's coming down for us to meet with him. All from a simple phone call. Something I've learned here is that there are so many members who are already trying to do missionary work we just have to be the ones who encourage and facilitate the work. 

There are a lot of struggling missionaries where I am right now. A few have pretty major health problems that prevent them from working very much. One Elder has thrown up everyday for over three months straight now. It is amazing how much he still want to work everyday and not go home. I would be miserable after two days. One has had back problems and probably has to go home for surgery. Missionary work is hard! I feel lucky for only having to deal with being tired and sometimes being discouraged. 

I went to Newport today and it was really nice. The temple there is beautiful. I'll attach some pictures. I hope you all have a great week. Please pray for my cousin who's boyfriend died this week and also my mom, who's skin condition is making things hard.

Love 

Elder Gallagher

 

Jan. 13th

Hello!

This week we passed the teaching of Julie off to the sisters in the ward which was hard but it'll probably be better. She's single and will probably connect better with them. I'll still keep you updated with her though.

The Smiths were sick yesterday so they didn't make it to church. They are such a great family who I've grown to love very much. They were planning on being baptized this Sunday but we may move it back a week to be more ready. Joining the church is such a huge transition that is hard especially for sister Smith. They know it's true and the people here are a great support for them as they make the transition. Pretty much everything about joining the church is uncomfortable. But I know that it's worth it. My friend Danny Rasmussen has a website called Normons.com. It's pretty funny and good!

One thing I've seen so much of is people in terrible life situations. Many are a result of poor choices that build up over the years and there are also many that are just built in to life. I talked to a girl a few weeks ago that attributed all of the problems of her life to the built it struggles and we tried to help her see that really God gives a path so we're not just putting struggles into our own lives. How grateful I am for a path to walk that leads back to my God and my family.

Love

Elder Gallagher

http://www.lds.org/bible-videos/videos/ye-have-done-it-unto-me?lang=eng&cid=HPFR011014343&im=true

What I wrote to my mission president

Dear President,

This week has been really great! Elder Loutensock and I are getting along really well. Although our zone found only two investigators we have plans to turn that around. The ward times changed making our schedule on Sunday very crazy. We have the family ward at 11 and the YSA at 1. We're trying to figure out the best way to cover both.

To improve the quantity of the new investigators I think the zone needs to have more focus on contacting 10 people a day. The Huntington Beach stereo-type is that there aren't that many people so I think our missionaries look less to contact. To improve the quality of the new investigators I think it may be wise to be accountable for the ratio of investigators/LA's who have/have not been asked for a referral.

Hopefully doing these things can help get the zone more fired up. I want people to be excited here and find success. I went on an exchange with Elder Haynes. He loved the revelation through prayer skills and has already been using a lot of them with Elder Torgerson. We talked about Elder Loffreda, who we are concerned about. Elder Loffreda had no proselyting time this week because he says his back is hurting. I wonder if we could possibly go on exchanges with him so Elder Guerra can go out and work.

In our teaching pool right now we have Julie and the Smith family. Julie is very willing and desires to be baptized but right now we are helping her quit smoking. She has a date for the 25th. The Smith family is doing great! They are keeping their commitments and are loving church and the focus on the family. I am so grateful to be able to teach a family! We talked to them about sharing the Gospel to their friends and they are not afraid and eager to invite! We'll see what happens with that.

Love,

Elder Gallagher

Hey! MY LETTER to you:

This week has been really great! Elder Loutensock and I are getting along really well. He is from Holyoke, Colorado. He has a great sense of humor and I'm excited for these next six weeks. He is a hard worker and is very experienced. He came out a transfer after me. Although our zone found only two investigators we have plans to turn that around. The ward times changed making our schedule on Sunday very crazy. We have the family ward at 11 and the YSA at 1. We're trying to figure out the best way to cover both.

In our teaching pool right now we have Julie and the Smith family. Julie is very willing and desires to be baptized but right now we are helping her quit smoking. She has a date for the 25th. The Smith family is doing great! They are keeping their commitments and are loving church and the focus on the family. I am so grateful to be able to teach a family! We talked to them about sharing the Gospel to their friends and they are not afraid and eager to invite! We'll see what happens with that.

So I forgot my camera again but I will bring it next week with some good pictures. I hope you have a great week and thank you for praying for me! I can definitely feel it.


Love,

Elder Gallagher

Merry Christmas!

Hi!

It feels like last Christmas was only a few months ago! This Christmas will be a little different but it'll be good. I'm excited for Brother Monson's Christmas crepes. 

This Sunday we had four people we're teaching come to church which was awesome! The Smiths, Julie and a guy named Jesse. They are all great people! The Smiths really liked church and it seems to me like they'll continue to learn and join the church with their three children. It is really amazing to be the bearer of a message that can anchor a family around Jesus Christ. 

Jesse lives in a house right on the beach. There's like 15 guys that all rent out different rooms that basically cost nothing but it's pretty collegy in there. We call it the frat house. There's a guy that lives on the roof. What Californians will do to live on the beach! Jesse has been looking into the church for over a year now and just moved here recently. We started working with him this week.

I forgot to tell you but a man in my family ward gave Elder George and I a card and a big box of Hickory Farms. I didn't know what that is but it is the best cheese and sausage and crackers ever. The card also had quite a bit of money in it too. It was very generous and I feel very loved here.

Merry Christmas, I love you!

Elder Gallagher

Almost Christmas

Bad news first! No skype :( but I am excited to talk on the phone! They're cracking down on the 40 minute rule too. So the only # I really remember is Mom's cell. So I'll call that unless I get the house phone number.

This week has been great. I went on a 24 hr exchange with Elder Williams on Friday and it went really well. I love exchanges and other missionaries. I feel a little inadequate at times during the trainings I give but I am confident in the relationships I cultivate with my zone. He's a great missionary and a hard worker. We taught a very powerful lesson to a woman who only spoke Spanish. He brought a member who bore powerful testimony! Even though I speak zero Spanish I could feel the Spirit as they talked. I prayed and prayed for Elder Williams and for his investigator and I know it helped. Now I just need to know how to testify in Spanish. I was also able to learn over to him remind him to ask for referrals. The woman's name is Marylena and will be baptized on Saturday. We talked about his district and doubling the productivity of Elder Heaps and Beyer. I really do love the people here in the zone. 

On Saturday we blitzed Elder Torgerson and Haynes area. They did an amazing job organizing a great event. We were prepared and were all invited to bring members. Many sets of missionaries did and had great experiences. In the zone we report the # of members taken out with us and this week we had 25 members out. We expect to keep breaking records in that regard. 

Yesterday I went to the departing fireside. It is a meeting where the missionaries going home get up and talk about their experience for a few minutes. One of my favorite people in this world is leaving in two weeks and I'll miss him a lot. His name is Elder Dixon. He was in the Virginia ward when I was with Elder Jacobson and is now an AP. Usually when I need to make a decision or do something I think of what Elder Dixon would do. It'll be sad for me to say goodbye. I imagine getting old is something like becoming an older and older missionary. All my older friends are "dying" and it stinks. I wonder how Elder Edward is doing and wish I could go to Elder Smith's wedding on the 28th! It'll be great to reconnect with my friends. Even though I miss these people I wouldn't trade the time I've had here for anything in the world. I've learned so much about myself and who I want to be.

I'm starting to get more and more excited for transfers. I think I'll be staying and getting a new companion. Elder George has been great and I've learned from him. 

I'll pray for Chloe! I hope she recovers quickly from surgery. 

Love

Elder Gallagher

Chilly California

Hey,

Thank you for sending me a package family! It was quite a surprise to get a package and it was a great end to an already good day. The ornaments are on the mini tree that the Monsons put in our room for us. I'm excited to spend Christmas in a home. I hear they make crepes in the morning. Brother Monson was joking around saying that if we can't skype that doesn't mean that he cant skype you and I could be making a sandwich in the backround. Either way I'm excited to talk to you!

This week was zone meeting so Elder George and I and Sister Andelin (who Hans and Diedra know) got up and trained the zone. It was really fun! We had Danny, from the YSA (young single adult) ward, come and talk to us about member missionary work. He is awesome and is the type of person who easily spreads his enthusiasm. The work really is being hastened. He went to Oklahoma this weekend to attend his friend's baptism. Danny talked to his friend about the church in high school and ten years later he is really excited to join the church. 

We started teaching the Smith family this week! There's a man in the Cordata Park ward who drove us to a great family that he started sharing the gospel with. It was great to have a member so actively involved! He found them for us! And it's really funny because we got to their house and I absolutely have knocked on their door before. They are a very humble and nice family. They didn't make it to church but I'm looking forward to getting to know them better. 

Another member in LB called us and set up a time that we could meet with their friend Matt so we went and taught him too! He had met with missionaries a year or so ago and ended up going to school and losing touch. He is really excited to keep learning and come to church. Overall the work is going well!

I attended Russ Trounce's funeral on Saturday. There were so many people. The whole gym behind the overflow was full. There were even chairs on the stage that were full. It was heartbreaking to see a father give a life sketch of his first born son but he did a great job. The eight year old daughter talked about her Dad too. It was amazing how comforted the family is because of the gospel in their lives. It's comforting to know that we will be able to talk to and hold the loved ones that have passed away. What impacted me the most was seeing how many people were there to remember one man. It's really incredible how many people you can influence as you treat others nicely. I know his family will be okay despite such a hard trials.

A picture of Dad I drew

Mini Christmas tree

Love you all,

Elder Gallagher