Christmas Week 2014

Okay, you ready for the crazy-scary experience of this week?? So, my companion had a seizure on Friday night at 7. We were in the apartment after dinner getting ready to go to an appointment. She put on her boots and I almost stood up to leave, but didn't. I just sat there for a whole extra minute or two. Something just felt kind of weird or off. I almost stood up and left anyways, but we didn't. Then, she started saying she felt weird and wouldn't really respond to me or explain herself. She was sitting in a chair in the living room and all of a sudden, she started having a seizure. I have never seen a seizure before. Her eyes were really blank. :/ I remembered she had Epilepsy and had told me if she had a seizure to just let her have it and not call an ambulance or anything unless she wasn't breathing. I jumped up and ran to the kitchen, knelt down and said a prayer for her. I had no idea what else to do. Then I went back into the living room. I made sure she was still breathing and just sat there while she finished having her seizure. She stopped, then ten seconds later had another short one :/ It took her about 30 minutes to fully regain consciousness. Finally, she started talking and said the last thing that she remembered was putting on her boots. She went to bed and slept for the night. I called President B and reported it. I keep thinking about what if we had left the apartment and it had happened somewhere where she would have been seriously hurt, like on the stairs or concrete. Heavenly Father was really watching out for her and helped us to stay in the apartment two extra minutes.  I'm glad that you put her name on the prayer roll this week. That was definitely inspired, too. I'm sure that definitely protected and helped her. And who knows? Maybe that's why we stayed in the apartment because I had no explanation for why I wasn't standing up and getting out the door. Tender Mercies for sure!!!

I went on an exchange Tuesday and it was so wonderful!!! I was with Sister B who was in my MTC group. It was fun to talk with her and catch up. It was nice to have someone to talk to about different issues or concerns I have with the work right now and get her insight.

And because our car was in the shop for like 5 days, we have soooo many miles now!! We had enough miles to go to Mt. Washington and meet with the RS president. We went through the roster and talked about who we should visit and focus on. I am feeling more organized. The Elders in this area are very good and on top of the work here. Pres. B released all the former ZL and DL's to make them trainers. 

Christmas was good. I got the package. :) Thanks so much!!!! I loved it. I also received many Christmas cards and that was great! I have bad news, though. My companion is a cosmetologist, so she asked her mom for professional shampoo/conditioner.  In the stockings she sent us, she put in these little things of Aveda shampoo/conditioner. It's amazing and I love it. Darn, it's not in a missionary's budget though. The mission Christmas Conference was fun. We had a program and then played "chubby bunny' (The winner won with 23 LARGE-sized marshmallows in his mouth---eeek! Our instructions were "play until you gag!"), a lasso game where certain missionaries were the cows and others were the cowboys and other crazy games that only Pres. B would think of! It was great!

At the GKLM Christmas Party! 

Missions really make you think about your future and what you want/don't want. Here are some life goals I've created since my mission:

-To NEVER live in a trailer. 

-To NEVER become obese.

-To NEVER smoke or marry a smoker.

-To NEVER have more animals than I have children.

-To NEVER have a nicer car than I have house. 

-To go to the dentist regularly. Also, I have created a life-goal to keep all my teeth and not let any rot.

-To always remember to tell others to "have a blessed day" and to remember that "praise the lord" is an appropriate expression of gratitude.

-And, I won't run away from the J-dubs anymore. 

Of course, the list is a work in progress. I'll keep you updated.

We went to visit a less-active lady with 3 small children. The conditions of the home was not sanitary, by any means and there were way too many pets in the small, unkept house. It was really sad. The little boy ended up having an accident on the table while we were there. I think the cockroach family in the corner were fairly comfortable, though. Sometimes being a mom sounds scary, but things like this make me pretty confident that I'm going to be super-mom someday. 

Have a great week!

I love you all!!

Sister Ashlyn Galloway