Organizing & the Autobody Shop!!

Well, this week -just like last week- has been a little insane!! Monday we spent all day (and almost all night) getting packed, our apartment cleaned and everything ready for the Elders to take over our area. Tuesday was transfers and I left for S, Kentucky, with Sister Jn as my new companion! As a greenie myself once, exact obedience didn't always click. I missed my old life and tried for a bit to be two places at once. It took time for my heart to be completely in my work, but it came with diligence, obedience, prayer and sacrifice. I know this Sister will be a powerful missionary. She is already very bold.  

New Companion

Things here in S have been crazy. The area book here is updated, but it's not very organized. We have had trouble finding direction for our days because our tools aren't great. So, we've spent a lot of time organizing the area into sections as well as organizing the area book and former investigators. My companion has only been out for 6 weeks, neither of us have a GPS, and I haven't really driven in who-knows-how-long, so there have been many adventures this week! And about 303,947,933 U-turns as well! :) But, despite that, we have seen many blessings this week. It really makes you realize how much missionary work is the Lord's work!! 

Last night, for instance, we were driving and decided to turn down this random street and do a little tracting. Finally, it was about time to go and we decided to knock one more door. A girl answered the door, and her grandma invited us right in. We sat down to say a prayer with her and as we talked, she shared with us some of the trials she was having in her life and with her family. The Spirit was very strong and she shared with us that four years ago almost to the day, her grandson was killed. I know that Heavenly Father loves His children and is so acutely aware of each of His children. It was incredible that Heavenly Father led us to her door the night before the anniversary of his death. 

I know that Heavenly Father loves us and that the Atonement has the power to heal us. As we rely on Christ and ask for His help and His strength, He will give it to us.

Driving has been terrible. I love having a car, but let's be honest: I do nothing for women-driver stereotypes. The roads are SO narrow!! They are not like roads out West. There are two lanes, one going one direction and the other going the other direction. And did I mention they are very narrow? AND there are ditches on both sides of the road in most of S. It's terrible. Here is something that I learned this week though: When you turn, you have to wait for there to be no traffic in either direction because the roads are simply too narrow to turn and not go into the ditch. I almost put us in a ditch. Thankfully we didn't. But, I did put a dent in the car :( So we have to get that fixed this week... It's terribly sad. The people at the autobody shop recognized us. :( The last Sister hit a dog last transfer and split the bumper. The roads are crazy and on top of that, I am not excited for winter weather driving. P R A Y for this Arizona girl to be able to drive in snow and rain. :p

Transfer Meeting last week

I hope everyone is having a Merry Christmas, and taking time to not only remember Christ this season, but to show our love for Him by following His example. What things have you done to serve God's children this week??

Love,

Sister Galloway

Curveball!!

Well, this week has been a little crazy, to say the least. First off, we had to finish teaching J and then get everything set up for the baptism. That kept us busy. Then, Wednesday at 2:30, we got a phone call from the mission president. I couldn't fathom why he'd be calling. I answered and he told us that our area was going to be closed as of Tuesday, Dec. 9th. It was a sad day and week!! There were a few nights I woke up and was wide awake. I just laid there and thought about things and prayed. One of the Elders gave me a blessing Wednesday and that was really nice.  I am so heartbroken to leave, but I know that this is Heavenly Father's will for us and for the area at this time. The Elders in our branch are taking it over. 

The silver lining, though, is J. H. Looking back, it's amazing to see what a miracle it was that a) we were able to find him and b) that he's getting baptized on the last day of the transfer!! He was our area's first (and last) baptism since it was opened a year ago. Sister J and I sung "When I am Baptized." It was great to see him walking down into the font and think about the first time I met him :)

Happy, Happy Day! 

I know that Heavenly Father has a bigger plan for each of us than we can possibly imagine. He loves us and he looks at what is best for us in the eternal perspective -not just here and now.

Saturday, we got a call and found out where Sister J will be transfering to and I will be follow-up training in S. I met the Sister I will finish up training a couple of weeks ago. On the bright side, we'll both be in cars in our new areas. Yay!!! :) My time is short today because I have to pack and clean everything. 

Love y'all,

Sister Galloway

Note from Jana: Sister E (from Henderson, KY) texted me and told me that she really loved Ashlyn and appreciated her testimony and her inner strength. She said she wanted to get Ash a gift and asked what she liked. As it turned out, I sent her our family's favorite Chocolate chip Cookie recipe. She made them for Ash and delivered them to her right before she was transferred out. 

Ashlyn said, "That was probably the nicest thing any member has done for me on my mission. It was PERFECT!" 

Sister E delivered her favorite cookies to her!!

Miracles, Listening to the Spirit and Toilet Water

This week we saw a big miracle!!! We have been teaching J. H. and he has been living the word of wisdom the past few weeks. We've talked a lot with him about baptism. He said that, although he feels good about it, he needed to pray about it and receive that witness from God. We have been praying a lot for him and continuing to teach him and supporting him in living the Word of Wisdom. This week at work, he had a co-worker offer him a cigarette. Automatically, he reached out to take it. However, as soon as he touched it, it broke in half!! It's amazing how when we put forth our best efforts, how Heavenly Father will intervene on our behalf :)

I also had a neat experience that strengthened my testimony of prayer and personal revelation. We were planning for J H's lesson and had prepared a lesson on tithing. However, as we were doing our weekly planning, we knelt down to seek inspiration on what we needed to teach him. As I began praying, mid-sentence I had the very distinct impression that he needed to understand the Restoration of the Gospel more clearly and completely. I had two pages from PMG pop into my mind. As we read those pages after the prayer, we knew both why we needed to review it again, and how we should teach it. Our lesson wasn't perfect -not by far- but the Spirit was there and he had a lot of related questions that had been on his mind the past few days!! I know that Heavenly Father knows his children. He knows what they need and how to help then progress. 

Also, this Sunday we (in addition to the Elders in our branch) taught the Fifth Sunday lesson on the topic of conversion. We had planned to have certain members share their testimonies, but as we were planning, I felt impressed that we needed to ask J. H. to share his testimony. He did and he bore a powerful testimony of how The Book of Mormon has helped him to understand Jesus Christ better than anything else. He also testified of prayer and of it's vital role in him receiving his witness that the Book of Mormon is true. The spirit was very strong and THEN, he continued on to say that he had been praying about baptism and had received his answer that it was right!!!! He wants to be baptized next Sunday, the seventh!! It was a very powerful experience and I'm grateful that so many other members were there to share in that.

Sister B in KY sends my mom pictures of me whenever I see her at conferences! 

Oh! And Thanksgiving was 2 different meals with members. We had a training meeting in New Albany (by Louisville) for new missionaries and their trainers. For part of it, we were split up and Pres. B did a Q&A with the trainers. After some of the questions and concerns some of the trainers brought up, I wanted to raise my hand and brag about how awesome Sister J is! It's surprised me how easy this has actually been, comparatively. I like that we are both very real with each other and I'd say pretty equally yoked. Heaven knows that I cannot do this by myself and from day 1 have needed a "companion," not just a sidekick. Sister J is a wonderful, proactive missionary.

I saw this at the Homeless shelter we volunteer at.

I had some bike issues this week again. I had a staple in my tire tread so it had to get patched. Then it went flat again (thankfully, not too far from home) and I bought a new tube, but it was the wrong size.  Then, I took it to the church for district meeting for the Elders to do it.  They found the rest of the staple. BUT, to find the hole and patch that one, they needed a bucket of water, but they didn't have one, nor did they want to look for one, so they just stuck their hands and the tube in the toilet.....  My bike is working well now.

Responses to the generic "Happy Thanksgiving" text we sent out:

-"Fo'sho"

-"I will but my girl lock'd up and I am goin' to try to get her out."

-"Right at you"

Missionary life is so much more exciting than normal life! 

Love,

Sister Galloway