Hello all!
This third week went by quickly, and yet each day
feels like an age. Though nothing super interesting has happened, I'm
learning each day. The most interesting thing was an exchange with Elder
Dowse, another two-transfer missionary, my companion Elder Knowles's
last companion before me. He's on his second transfer.
Where before with Elder Taylor I went to his area and was led around by him, this time the Elder came to my area and I had to lead him. It was nerve-racking to be the one in charge of the day's efforts where normally it's Elder Knowles leading me. Almost everything we set out to do fell through anyway, though. But we got to teach two lessons that went fairly well.
Some stuff Elder Knowles has taught me is how missionary work really doesn't stop when you get home. It's every member's responsibility to welcome every investigator and every new convert into the fold and try to retain them. If converts don't stay members of the church, what's the point of being converted?
I have also realized just how spiritually lazy people are. "I don't have time to read my scriptures!" Our investigators tell us this. I want to reply, "Well, yes you do. You have time to binge Netflix and surf the web and eat Doritos. You definitely have time to read the scriptures."
The funny thing is, you at home have so much more time to read than we do! The ~45 minutes we get each day are not nearly enough to read the scriptures, Preach My Gospel, the missionary library, or other things in the LDS Library. We don't have enough time to read because we basically spend the rest of the day working or eating meals or doing service. So utilize the free time you have. I wish I had done that.
Now I understand why I was advised by every returned missionary I knew to read Preach My Gospel before I went out. I didn't listen, and now I barely have time to learn how to teach all the material that I teach all day long. I still haven't read it all.
Another thing I've learned this week is just how many people there are who love talking to missionaries not because they want to learn about the gospel, but because they love to babble on and on for 20+ minutes to anyone who'll listen about their criminal family members or Donald Trump or the dietary benefits of fiber. (Yes, those all have happened to me.)
The broadcast and press conference of President Nelson were both very good. I loved the new First Presidency's responses to the numerous dumb questions posed by the media. "When will you include more women and people of color in your leadership?" "Firstly, have you looked at the Seventy? ...Not a one of us ASKED to be here. ...God is not using church leadership to try and fulfill 'quotas'." Awesome stuff.
I can't believe I'm halfway through my first transfer already.
Well, I have three pictures for you today. Enjoy.
Love,
Elder Gallagher
Pic 1: Me and Elder Knowles, my trainer
Pic 2: The place I'm living at right now
Pic 3: When I found out that the Circle K is a real place [Comment if you know why he was surprised : ) ]
Where before with Elder Taylor I went to his area and was led around by him, this time the Elder came to my area and I had to lead him. It was nerve-racking to be the one in charge of the day's efforts where normally it's Elder Knowles leading me. Almost everything we set out to do fell through anyway, though. But we got to teach two lessons that went fairly well.
Some stuff Elder Knowles has taught me is how missionary work really doesn't stop when you get home. It's every member's responsibility to welcome every investigator and every new convert into the fold and try to retain them. If converts don't stay members of the church, what's the point of being converted?
I have also realized just how spiritually lazy people are. "I don't have time to read my scriptures!" Our investigators tell us this. I want to reply, "Well, yes you do. You have time to binge Netflix and surf the web and eat Doritos. You definitely have time to read the scriptures."
The funny thing is, you at home have so much more time to read than we do! The ~45 minutes we get each day are not nearly enough to read the scriptures, Preach My Gospel, the missionary library, or other things in the LDS Library. We don't have enough time to read because we basically spend the rest of the day working or eating meals or doing service. So utilize the free time you have. I wish I had done that.
Now I understand why I was advised by every returned missionary I knew to read Preach My Gospel before I went out. I didn't listen, and now I barely have time to learn how to teach all the material that I teach all day long. I still haven't read it all.
Another thing I've learned this week is just how many people there are who love talking to missionaries not because they want to learn about the gospel, but because they love to babble on and on for 20+ minutes to anyone who'll listen about their criminal family members or Donald Trump or the dietary benefits of fiber. (Yes, those all have happened to me.)
The broadcast and press conference of President Nelson were both very good. I loved the new First Presidency's responses to the numerous dumb questions posed by the media. "When will you include more women and people of color in your leadership?" "Firstly, have you looked at the Seventy? ...Not a one of us ASKED to be here. ...God is not using church leadership to try and fulfill 'quotas'." Awesome stuff.
I can't believe I'm halfway through my first transfer already.
Well, I have three pictures for you today. Enjoy.
Love,
Elder Gallagher
Pic 1: Me and Elder Knowles, my trainer
Pic 2: The place I'm living at right now
Pic 3: When I found out that the Circle K is a real place [Comment if you know why he was surprised : ) ]
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