Wednesday, October 22, 2014

It's Fall, Y'all!!

Hey!!

This week fall is in full swing and I love seeing the different colored leaves everywhere! It's getting cooler too.

Monday turned out a little unexpected! We were getting ready to leave for an appointment and we got a text that there was a tornado warning. Then, tornado sirens started going off! Of course, with both of us being from out west & both from dry, desert areas, Sister W and I didn't know what to do! So, long story short we just chilled in the bathroom for a bit. There were also some severe thunderstorm warnings. We decided going out on our bikes was pushing our luck. So that was an interesting day.

Waiting out the tornado sirens in the bathroom.


This week we taught a new investigator K. He had committed to church this Sunday, but sadly didn't make it. Another investigator we have is R. He is funny. He's Catholic and always emphasizes that to us, but he is so sweet and really needs a big change in his life right now. He is reading the BOM and promised to come to church this next Sunday!

We also have been trying to help out some specific less-active sisters in the branch. We have been working with the RS president and it's neat to see how much progress has already been made. I know that there is no way we could have done that as missionaries alone. Members and missionaries working together really is vital to the success of the work of salvation. When we were meeting with the RS president, there was just such a good feeling in the room. That experience and the progress we've seen already has strengthened my testimony that this is all one work and we all -full time missionaries, ward councils, and members- need to also be unified and help Heavenly Father "bring to pass the immortality and eternal life" of his children whether they're in or out of the church, living or dead.

Sister W and myself! 


 Sister W and I went tracting in the nicer areas of Henderson.  Definitely, we met some great people, but not much success. I have done more tracting here in this area than my other 2 areas. Last night we tracted some old, beautiful Victorian houses. And I met the nicest lady ever! But she wasn't interested. It's fun because we got to ring some sweet, vintage doorbells. Ones that are attached to an actual bell inside the door, and you twist a handle, pull, or lift something. It's really fun. I felt like I was in the Great Gatsby. Cool doorbells= Compensatory blessings?? lol! Sidenote: Of all my areas, I think you would like the town of Henderson the best. It's just a cute little place....with some very interesting people. 

Just to inform you, mom, because I forget that you don't know things. I have a pretty bad cough and the left half of my right eye is red. I don't know. It doesn't hurt--it's just red. Today is day #3 in my glasses--blech. I feel so drabby in glasses. :P  So, I've been sucking down the cough drops and using all the toilet paper on my nose/throat basically. I am bracing myself for winter on a bike.  Now, I'm glad I HAVE to wear a helmet because between biking (on ice, soon) and the flight of metal stairs to our apartment, it makes me feel a little safer! haha!

The longer I'm a Missionary, the more grateful I am to be here. I love the Gospel so much and I know that Joseph Smith saw Heavenly Father and his Son. I know that Thomas S. Monson is the Lord's Prophet today. It is truth and the Spirit will always bear witness of it if we prayerfully ask him. The truth really does set us free.

Love,
Sister Galloway

Rely on God!


He​llo!!

This week has been good. It's always ​hard to​ sit down and​ email because I try and think back over what has all happened that week and so many different things happen each day​.​ ​I​t's difficult to try and accurately represent everything in a short email!

One thing I have learned is how totally and completely dependent we are on Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ. Last week​,​ it felt like NO ONE wanted to hear what we had to say. It was hard because we hadn't changed anything we were doing, just everyone was using that lovely thing we call ​"agency.​"​

​T​his week ​was better and it's made me realize (again!) how much every contact, every investigator, and every lesson is truly a gift from Heavenly Father. Our efforts are insignificant. However, when we do act and become "anxiously engaged" Heavenly Father blesses us. Even when things don't go how we want, just like Lehi promised Jacob, we have the promise that Heavenly Father will "consecrate [our] afflictions for [our] gain".

One example of that, is a man we contacted. We were going to go teach him, but he had given us a fake address(I'm always impressed with people's abilities to confidently give us fake addresses​!​) Anyway, we went to the address.​ While we were in the parking lot, we contacted a man whose wife was a member and wasn't on the
​ church​ rolls. Also, we knocked on the apartment number he'd given us, and although it was the wrong address, the woman who answered the door, was a former investigator​ whom we'd lost contact with. What are the chances? It's neat that no matter how others choose to use their agency, when we use ours righteously Heavenly Father magnifies our efforts and more good is able to be accomplished, than if we had done nothing, or simply given up.

Missions are incredible​! It's the hardest thing I've ever done. Sis​ter​ W and I were talking about it last night and how there are those few ​times​ on your mission that you realize "​It's me. It is 100% me and I have to change​,​which is not something ​I realize​d before ​my mission. I have had some really humbling experiences that made me realize how utterly dependent I was on God and not on myself. Sometimes​, we unconsciously give ourselves WAY too much credit. Reminds me of King Benjamin's address "​Of what then, have ye to boast?" I love my mission though. If I knew everything I would experience as a missionary, I'm not sure that I would have had the courage to ​do it, knowing that I didn't have to. But​, now that I know what I know, and have felt what I've felt, I will be so, eternally grateful for this time. I wouldn't give it up for anything. I know my ​Savior so much better than I did 13​+​ months ago and that is worth any "price.​"​



Have a great week!!!

We were about to knock on this door until we realized
it had a tree growing in it! 


​PS: President B told us that our area won't be closed this next transfer, afterall. I have work to do here, so I was thrilled/relieved to hear that.

Note from Mom: Ashlyn reported that during her hour of family history time, she discovered that John Galloway, one of the founders of Henderson, Kentucky, is in our family history line! It's interesting that the Lord has her serving in Henderson where there might be some Galloway kin and that she can testify and teach about the Gospel of Jesus Christ to them! 

Tuesday, October 7, 2014

Happy Conference Weekend!

Hello Family!

Literally, it was just one of those weeks where you almost just have to laugh and wonder what else could possibly go wrong! I named this week "The week that everything fell apart: Part 2."

 Here are a few examples:
-Within the first 18 minutes of Monday night after Pday: our appointment canceled because he had hurt his ankle (2nd investigator within THREE days to hurt his ankle!)

-Also, the first person I talked to that night was super rude. He interrupted me by yelling "I HAVE A TASER!!" It was kind of funny. From now on, whenever something bad happens I can say "Well, at least I didn't get tased." (Don't freak out, Mom. It's totally fine. The Spirit told me I was totally safe when he said that! :))

-New mission rules that made us adjust to get to district meeting. It almost meant not being able to go anymore.

-Many of our Less Active friends didn't care for us so much this week.

We got this note this week.


-Up until Thursday, we only had ONE new investigator and she called and dropped us.

-25% of the members in our area moved. (That is 1 family out of the 4.)

-Elder Klabingat told me to start eating healthier in General Conference. Sister W and I were not happy about that. Ha ha! We kept reverting to the General Women's meeting when Pres. Uchtdorf told us Heavenly Father didn't care what our dress size was!! ♥♥ {Ashlyn's lost weight on her mission, so not sure what her worry is!} 

But the good thing is that missions change us. It's kind of like the scientific principle "adapt or die." But, it's good :) As a missionary, work has been the solution, at least for me. I remember in Corbin there were times that were very hard, but through prayer and work, I felt the Atonement work in me and in my life. Sister E, one of my companions, told me that one day I would wake up happy on my mission and guess what? It happened--without me even realizing it. And I still wake up happy every morning! 

General Conference was so good. I have so many thoughts from it; I'm not sure where to begin. I loved the Mother Theresa quote Elder Holland used about statistics and love. I heard GC referred to as "the Missionary Superbowl," which is so true! Missionary subculture flourishes around Conference time and it is so great! We had several guessing games going on in our district. They included: What songs will MoTab sing?  Which Apostle will address gay marriage? Who will conduct each session?  

I love my mission. It has been very hard, but I would not give up the last 13+ months for anything. There is joy in sacrificing to God. My mission is so precious to me. I would not give it up for anything in the world. Nothing. This is my life now. I don't love my family, friends, the temple or anything else any less than I did 13 months ago, but all the times I thought my heart was breaking & that I was sacrificing those things and relationships with people I love, Heavenly Father was actually expanding my heart and filling it with so much more love and joy than I ever felt before. If I had a million words, I could not describe it accurately enough. Just know that my mission has been more than worth it for me. I love Heavenly Father so much. Heavenly Father and his Son, Jesus Christ, are my personal friends.  


This is what we found in the Elder's car when we borrowed it today to run our P-day errands.

With our limited time & resources, we returned the car with a few changes!
(We added "future Sister" to the nametag!) 



Have a great week. I love you all very much! 
Sister Galloway

PS: I just watched David Archuleta's  music video, "Glorious!!"  Wow!!!