11-7-16

Hey everyone!

So this week was pretty awesome! We had a baptism for an excommunicated person yesterday and it was super awesome to see. Watching a baptism just promotes so much faith. I still have a strong desire to baptize this transfer, and with God's help we will do so. Just wait and see. I mean other than Cheryl that is. There are people out there and we will find them and teach them and convert them and then baptized them.

As for Cheryl, well right now we are working on getting her baptized in the hearing ward up there in Bellingham. My companion and I will still be involved in the baptism so there will be sign language for Cheryl. So I am happy about that. We have a ward with a few interpreters up there for her and a few other deaf people to go to. That is good! 

I have to admit my interpreting is going a lot better much more practice now as we are starting the hand off from the other Elders who are leaving soon to me and my companion so we are prepared when they leave. We will be alright. 

Other than that, we are just working hard and trying to find people to teach. Right now we just recently had a few more very high potentials so we are hopeful! Keep us in your prayers! 

Elder Galloway and Elder Hess! 

PS: "Member to smile. It helps! 

PSS: FAITH IS FIRE!  

10-31-16

Hey everyone!

 

Right now I am so happy! Why? Because My sister had her child!!!!! I'm an uncle! (I was an uncle before... but more now!!) YAAAAYYYY! Right now I am so glad families can be together forever!! 

 

Anyway, missionary work. So Cheryl is probably not going to get baptized this Sunday. Reason being, the lady whop gives her rides to church (Because it's a two hour drive without traffic) well that lady's husband just had surgery and so for the next four months she has to keep an eye on him and can't be too far away (They are both pretty old). So she can't get a ride to church, or into to town for her interview. So right now we are working with our Mission President and the Everett Mission President to get things figure out and maybe have her baptized up there in Bellingham. Other than that not a whole lot going on. Just working hard. Praying for miracles. 

 

As today is Halloween, Happy Halloween everyone! Today we get P-day until 6, and can have a dinner appointment and then the fun begins we get to go in and spend the rest of the night deep cleaning our apartments! Yay! Fun times. 

 

Sorry not a whole lot to write this week... Kind of still in shock from the news and Hazel (My niece)... 

 

Love you all! 

 

Elder Galloway! 

10-17-16

Hey everyone,

As of right now we still have an on-date for November 6th and she is doing just wonderful. She went to church yesterday (Up in Bellingham) and liked it a lot. We just need to meet with her a few more times and she is good to go! We had to cancel our most recent appointment, last Friday, with her because of the storm. But we are looking forward to meeting with her this week sometime. We also have a few other potentials we are working with and hopefully soon can meet with we are doing what we can for that. Other than that we are still working with a few less actives and they are doing well, Josh came to the fireside last night and is doing well. Speaking of the storm last Friday/Saturday/Sunday. It was crazy. Practically a typhoon. Winds were in the 70's (MPH)  Rain was crazy... Fun tracting that's for sure. Other than that we had an awesome fireside last night. (Member Missionary Fireside) It was really good as they all are. I think that is all for this week! Still going strong! Keep up the faith people because "la fe es fuego!" 

 

Love you all! 

 

Elder Galloway! 

9-19-16

Hey everyone!

This week was busy, we had a lot of service! We met with a lot of less actives. Which was one of our miracles. We committed and had three less actives come to church, all of them are progressing really well. One of them we had the chance to go to the temple and walk around on the grounds with him. It was super nice! We also did a lot of service this week. I got to help interpret for a deaf member signing up for YMCA. This member is actually super cool! He is a Olympic Basketball player from way back when, he actually won in 85. super cool, he was going to play in the NBA but then he failed a drug test and couldn't. Super sad, it would have been awesome to see that. But Now he was found the church got baptized a little over a year ago and we are helping go to the temple. It is amazing the change we can see in the people we see and meet and work with. The biggest quote I used this week was this "Would you rather be right, or happy?" The truth and lesson we learn from this is sometimes for the sake of being happy we have to live with the fact that being right sometimes isn't always the best thing. To choose and allow ourselves to be wrong and to let someone else "win" is hard, but is it not better than to arguing and trying to prove ourselves right? While this sounds silly it is actually really hard for some people. I invite those people to pray and ask for help to do that. 

 

Elder Galloway. 

 

PS: 'Member to smile. it helps

9-12-16

Hey Everyone! 

This week was really good! We worked super hard and had like 16 hours of service, Saturday was a day or service for 9/11. We got together as a stake and did a bunch of different projects. We ended up helping clearing part of a beach of blackberries. It was fun we all got scratched up pretty good. Other than that, our area is doing fine. We are still trying to find new people somewhat. We had to drop Brady because he simply does not want to progress and is not doing anything we ask him to. Vernita is still super busy and works a lot. Josh (Our less active we are helping go back to church and Temple) is doing okay and has been coming to church for all three hours for the last couple of times.

Yesterday was 9/11. As I thought about that the only verse thae came to me was about the title of Liberty in  Alma 46:1

12 And it came to pass that he rent his coat; and he took a piece thereof, and wrote upon it—In memory of our God, our religion, and freedom, and our peace, our wives, and our children—and he fastened it upon the end of a pole.

...In memory of our God, our religion, and freedom, and our peace, our wives, and our children...  I think that is about all I can say about that right now. I don't want to cry in the library... 

Yesterday was also really good in Sacrament meeting because our Branch President gave a good talk about Peter and when Jesus was walking on water, the lesson and point he talked about is we have to try out best to get out of the boat. The greatest invitation we all get in from Jesus, and it is one word: Come.  

All of our fears, all of our doubts, all of our pain, we can overcome it all. If we heed his call: Come. 

Matthew 11:28
28 Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.

I don't have many words today, but the truths contained herein are amazing and these are the truths that change lives. Let them change yours.

Elder Galloway

 

PS: 'Member to smile. It helps. 

 

8-15-16

Hey Everyone!

 

How is it going? I am doing well. We have an On-date! YAY! it is Brady a former investigator, who we started teaching again and has been doing really good with his smoking thing which he is quitting. Doing good. He is going to be baptized. I am excited. It has been an interesting week. To start with the area, it is going alright. This next week looks really busy. This last week was somewhat busy. We have manged to tone down the service hours as needed. We had a new family move into the ward from Utah, they are pretty awesome and will help a lot in the branch, I look forward to working with them and their kids, their 16 year-old son is actually helping us out tomorrow with visiting a less active, the only problem is they are looking for work and a house. I'm sure they will get settled down soon enough. We are visiting for a first time tomorrow with a new investigator. Vernita. She seems really interested only problem is she works a ton. Like 3 jobs... We will see how it goes. Last Saturday we also had a Branch party and it had an amazing turn out 68 people. Wow, I can't imagine what it would look like if they all came to church every week. I really want that to be what it looks like every week. We were also able to have a wonderful church tour with an investigator who we share with south, Saori. She is doing really good. She is coming to the Fireside next week so we are looking forward to that. She'll get baptized a little later in life. I know it.

 

Elder Galloway!

 

PS: 'Member to smile. It helps.

8-8-16

Hey everyone,

So this last week was transfers. I am now Senior companion, finally. Elder Hess is my new companion. We are still up here in the North ASL area. Just doing a lot of finding work trying to find some people to teach. This week has had miracles for me. Never before have I felt so humbled. God truly is mindful of our prayers.  Last week, This past week I started off struggling, it was rough. Saturday came around and it was alright, towards the end of the day I got this feeling that just wouldn't go away. It told me I needed to pray and ask for help. I didn't know what I needed help for or with, really I didn't know what to ask but as I prayed I felt the guidance of the Spirit come to me and tell me what I needed to ask for, so I did.  The next morning, on Sunday we went to church, everything I could ever possibly hope to be told in response to my prayer was said.  I was told what I needed to do, what I needed to say, and what I needed to know. 

I have had my testimony reaffirmed, I know this Gospel is true, I know this is where I need to be and at this time. I know there is a God in Heaven who knows my name and my life and he is watching out for me, His son. I know that, His son, Jesus Christ died for me and that he also lived for me. I want to spend my life living for Him. My God. My Savior. Doing His work, His way. I do not doubt the things I have been tested with, the things I have seen, the things I have had to do are preparing me to become what he wants me to become. To do what He needs me to do. 

Recently, last night actually, I found this scripture and feel to share it with you. 

Alma 26: 16-22

 16 Therefore, let us glory, yea, we will glory in the Lord; yea, we will rejoice, for our joy is full; yea, we will praise our God forever. Behold, who can glory too much in the Lord? Yea, who can say too much of his great power, and of his mercy, and of his long-suffering towards the children of men? Behold, I say unto you, I cannot say the smallest part which I feel.

 17 Who could have supposed that our God would have been so merciful as to have snatched us from our awful, sinful, and polluted state?

 18 Behold, we went forth even in wrath, with mighty threatenings to destroy his church.

 19 Oh then, why did he not consign us to an awful destruction, yea, why did he not let the sword of his justice fall upon us, and doom us to eternal despair?

 20 Oh, my soul, almost as it were, fleeth at the thought. Behold, he did not exercise his justice upon us, but in his great mercy hath brought us over that everlasting gulf of death and misery, even to the salvation of our souls.

 21 And now behold, my brethren, what natural man is there that knoweth these things? I say unto you, there is none that knoweth these things, save it be the penitent.

 22 Yea, he that repenteth and exerciseth faith, and bringeth forth good works, and prayeth continually without ceasing—unto such it is given to know the mysteries of God; yea, unto such it shall be given to reveal things which never have been revealed; yea, and it shall be given unto such to bring thousands of souls to repentance, even as it has been given unto us to bring these our brethren to repentance.

Behold, who can glory too much in the Lord? Yea, who can say too much of his great power, and of his mercy, and of his long-suffering towards the children of men? Behold, I say unto you, I cannot say the smallest part which I feel.

I cannot say the smallest part which I feel - I know the Gospel is true. I know God loves each and everyone of us because I feel it from the witness of His Holy Spirit. 

The Standard of Truth had been erected - No unhallowed hand can stop the work. 

 

- Elder Galloway. 

 

PS: 'Member to smile. It helps. 

7-25-16

Hey everyone, so I know you're all concerned about what happened last week. Well, I will explain. We had this crazy situation with a less active member who has recently became homeless and rather then contacting the people who can actually help her she kept contacting us after we told her who to contact and that we can't really help because we are missionaries and we have already done everything we could. That's the short of it. It was pretty stressful but, it is being taken care of right now. Anyway, this week. I am doing well. I just hit my year mark past Friday. How exciting is that? I bought myself a root-beer to celebrate. It was a good day. Our basketball event was... Interesting, we had one person come, from New York. Well, really he was visiting the Branch and we invited him to come. But he is the only one the showed up, even after several of them said they would. I don't know how I feel about that, we are going to try again in about three weeks so we hope it'll go better next time. This week we also had interviews with the President, that was fun. We had some really good trainings and we learned a lot. This week we also went tracting a little bit more to try and find someone to put on date as the goal for the mission is to have someone on date by the end of this week, and then get them baptized next transfer. We are doing our best and we have a lot of faith that it'll happen. The Lord has prepared people for us and we are going to do our best to find them. Well, I think that is all for this week. Kind of slow.

Elder Galloway.

 

PS: 'Member to smile. It helps.

 

7-11-16

Hey Everyone!

I am doing wonderful. The area is doing wonderful. Our numbers, and thus the work, this past week are going really well. We are teaching more with investigators. We picked up a former investigator named Brady and are working with him. We are still working with Cheryl and Andrey, they are just hard to teach because they live so far away. We also have a few referrals we need to contact, we were told they weren't that solid referrals but we are going to check them out this week.

We also set up our basketball event this past Saturday night, which was kind of small due to all the Deaf being out of town in Las Vegas because of the Deaf Nation Expo. Which is a super big expo, and I think the only international one so that's why it is so important to go to, but the next basketball event was set up for two weeks Friday and looks like it should be a bigger turn out as we now have some help getting the word out. We have high hopes for it. I think that is all the big events for this week.

The big topic of discussion this week is the need of gratification and contentment, why are we not content with what we have? Why is it we have to have prolonged enjoyment to feel satisfied? Why can't we just accept what we have and be satisfied. Why do we always want more and more and more. Why is it we put emotion into things and then thus by doing so force ourselves to chance after it just to get it back.

I find it interesting that we always want more, we always place things above other things when really neither are important to salvation or life. I don't have a lot of words to explain what we talked about but, the questions above, just think about them. Just think if you can have fun for half an hour, why do you need to have fun for a whole hour? What is it that you are letting control your life by throwing your emotion into it? And why do you do it? Just think about it.

Elder Galloway

PS: 'Memeber to smile. It helps.

 

6-27-16

Hey everyone,

Sometimes I worry about the world we are in now. What is it we are to do? I honestly do not know. All I think we can do is just remain faithful to the Gospel. It is odd to think that not everyone we meet we will see in Heaven. Not all will get the same degree of glory. As you try to comprehend this thought it makes you realize how God must have felt when he set up this plan in the first place. I have no doubt it was somewhat tempting to choose Satan's plan and have us all return, but as I live and breathe I know that this must be how it goes. The world will continue to grow darker and darker and more and more will fall into the river, join those on the great building, or simply wander off into the darkness. So what is it we are to do? Again all we can really do is remain faithful to the Gospel. "...Behold it behooveth him that is warned to warn his neighbor..."

It strikes me odd that so many of us know the truth, or claim to know it, yet we do little about it. We claim life gets in the way or that we are too busy with work or family or personal needs, or that we simply cannot do it. These are the lies of the devil. God will not, nor does he do so now, ask us to do anything that is impossible. We simply limit ourselves. We are made to be perfect. Why would we choose anything less? Because we don't understand, but we are supposed to walk by faith not by sight. Let us trust in God.

2 Nephi 4:34

34 O Lord, I have trusted in thee, and I will trust in thee forever. I will not put my trust in the arm of flesh; for I know that cursed is he that putteth his trust in the arm of flesh. Yea, cursed is he that putteth his trust in man or maketh flesh his arm..."

Our ponderize scripture for this week answer the questions of how do we learn? What do we do? What is required of me? I personally think this is one of my favorite scriptures.

Mosiah 4:8-12

"8 And this is the means whereby salvation cometh. And there is none other salvation save this which hath been spoken of; neither are there any conditions whereby man can be saved except the conditions which I have told you.

9 Believe in God; believe that he is, and that he created all things, both in heaven and in earth; believe that he has all wisdom, and all power, both in heaven and in earth; believe that man doth not comprehend all the things which the Lord can comprehend.

10 And again, believe that ye must repent of your sins and forsake them, and humble yourselves before God; and ask in sincerity of heart that he would forgive you; and now, if you believe all these things see that ye do them.

11 And again I say unto you as I have said before, that as ye have come to the knowledge of the glory of God, or if ye have known of his goodness and have tasted of his love, and have received a remission of your sins, which causeth such exceedingly great joy in your souls, even so I would that ye should remember, and always retain in remembrance, the greatness of God, and your own nothingness, and his goodness and long-suffering towards you, unworthy creatures, and humble yourselves even in the depths of humility, calling on the name of the Lord daily, and standing steadfastly in the faith of that which is to come, which was spoken by the mouth of the angel.

12 And behold, I say unto you that if ye do this ye shall always rejoice, and be filled with the love of God, and always retain a remission of your sins; and ye shall grow in the knowledge of the glory of him that created you, or in the knowledge of that which is just and true."

... "and now, if you believe all these things see that ye do them." If you know, do it. If you believe, live it. Let us be faithful. And do not doubt the goodness of God.

Elder Galloway

 

PS: 'Memeber to smile. It helps.

 

6-12-16

Hey everyone! How are you? I am doing pretty good. I still like it out here so that is good. so this week we had a lot of service. Like 10 hours or something like that. So the biggest thing we have been working on is this interpreting project I'm not sure I can give you all the details on, but it is going good so far. So this week we had some interesting things happen we got like 3 or 4 or 5 referrals, most of which live up in Bellingham. Which is super far away. So we are working out how to work with those, we also got invited to go to a old person's home for people with memory loss and meet one of the workers there named Vernita, who is from Germany and super cool! We invited her to come to the Branch and she said she would some time, she seems very open and we are excited to progress with her. We have also met a new family (The Potter family) who has a hard of hearing son who we are going to start working with, they are already members but we are going to teach his family how to sign. So we look forward to that. This weekend we also had the Branch camp out which went pretty well. Not as many people showed up for it as we thought, but it was still pretty good. It was at a place called Zions camp which is a church owned camp ground over in Belfair. Pretty far as well. We had a few non-members show up and were able to teach them a little bit about the Gospel so that went well. This week my companion and I made some pies for our Zone leaders, we made a cherry pie and a chocolate Oreo pie. Both turned out pretty good. We also had a pretty good zone training meeting this week that we talked a lot about "teaching people, not lessons", listening to what people say, using inspired questions. It was awesome and my companion and I both took a lot away from it. Well, I think that is all for this week. Love you all!

Elder Galloway!

 

PS: 'Member to smile. It helps.

Hey everyone!

So some things happened this week. I don't know if I told you but this week we had a Branch BBQ at a member's home at which, she owns 3 alpacas, so at the BBQ we had to chase them down so they could get sheered. Which was a pretty god experience. It was pretty fun, lots of sun. My neck looks like Nevada again. I also had to help two Deaf blind people at the same time. Which is ridiculous. Lots of running back and forth trying to eat in between. Felt kind of like a mother... Anyway. It was good.

Second thing that happened we had a Deaf Picnic at one of the schools here, there was so many deaf people! Like 2 hundred! So many! It was so awesome to see people signing so much. There were a few kids like 12 years old that can sign better than I can. See Sign language is a real language, they have no problem communicating. It was really good!

This week we also had our investigator Andrey, who lives in Lyden a 2 hour drive. Well anyway what happened was we had a ride for him to come to church this weekend but she got sick and couldn't do it. So he decided to come down on his own which is a big commitment for a deaf person. That's a long drive and also we had a few problems with finding him a GPS to get here but that worked out as well! So he got to come to church and the members were super nice to him and it just feels like we are finally going to get someone to really work with, because one of the members who lives closer to him also invited him over for dinner! It'll be awesome!

And then the last thing that happened this week, actually happened today, on June first one of the members of the Branch died from cancer, and today was his funeral. We had the opportunity to go to it this morning. It went really well, he will be missed a great deal. His daughter is Muslim and she shared something out of the Koran and it just felt like it fit perfectly with what we believe. It was a really cool experience.

Well, I think that is it for this week! I love you all! Keep working hard!

 

Elder Galloway!

 

5-23-16

So this week, like I said last time we went to the Temple this last week. The effect have yet to wear off. I still feel the spirit so much stronger since then. I just want to say again how much I love the Temple. Which is a lot.

 So other than that this week we have had a bunch of service, like 13 hours. Most of it was weeding in the rain. It was pretty fun I enjoyed it. We did finally get back in contact with our investigator who went AWOL for a little bit. So that is good. She is still doing pretty good. 

We also got a new referral from Everett Mission. Again up in Bellingham. So we are going to meet him tomorrow after District meeting. his name is Andre.  

This week we also got to meet with ASL south's investigator, as they need a third male so we joined them for the lesson. Susan, she is doing pretty good. She wants to get baptized and I think they are putting her on date for July soon. 

We did also get the chance to help one of our members move from Shoreline to Seattle (Capital Hill) Which went alright, we got her truck packed and everything and we were about to go, but she had lost the keys to the truck and was convinced they were in one of the boxes so we had to unpack like half the truck and we were going through boxes when she found the keys in the coat she was wearing that morning but had then changed coats forgot about this fact and made us search the truck. Because of this we weren't able to help her unload so we gave her the number for the other missionaries in that area. I don't know if everything worked out but she hasn't call us so I think everything is fine.

Yesterday night we also had the chance to meet with a hearing family in a random ward who has a son learning ASL. So we went to dinner with them. It went pretty good to kid's name is Skyler and his ASL teacher is actually our recent convert, Mike Cooper. He is pretty good at sign and we may ask him to come out with is to help with the work as people who can are in short supply.  

Mike is also trying to set up an ASL class this summer while is is off working from the school. (Summer break) 

Other interesting things happened this week like: Elder Gerber and I have been learning British Sign Language. It is quite a bit different then ASL. So it is a little bit difficult but we are doing good. 

Coming up we have: An ASL picnic on June 3rd, and ASL/Branch BBQ and June 4th which is also Elder Taylor's birthday, and the Branch camp out on June 10th-11th. I think that is everything for this week! Love you all and hope to hear from you soon!

Elder Galloway 

5-16-16

Hey everyone! So I didn't skip you yesterday it was Temple day today, so we just got back from the temple and it was super nice I love it there. I missed it since the last time I got to go and also the day today was super nice. It was sunny and reminded me of home. I quite enjoyed it. Temples really are the house of the Lord. You can just feel him there, the spirit is super strong whenever I go. 

So I am about 5 days short of being out for ten months and man has time flown. It feels like yesterday I was back home and it'll be tomorrow that I'll be home again. I wish it wouldn't move so fast but it does. I am just doing my best to make sure I am doing everything I can while I'm here. 

We are working hard, interesting enough our solid investigator (Cheryl, lives in Bellingham, a two hour drive from our apt) we have been working with has somewhat dropped off the face of the planet so we are trying to get back in contact with her. She is so prepared and just is busy right now so we are trying to work with that. Other than her we have a few potentials we are working with hopefully soon to become investigators. The district I am in now is a little bit interesting. I am not sure how this transfer will go. I did tell you I got transferred back up north with Elder Gerber right? 

I think that is everything this week! Just remember to stay close to the Lord. As you strive to be closer to him he will be closer to you. Also go to the temple the next time you can! It is wonderful! 

 

I also found out that the new second counselor in the mission presidency is not only from Nevada but from Gibbs. Which is like 2ish hours from my home. Sweetness!

Elder Galloway!

PS: 'Member to smile. It helps.