Alaskan Problems

26 January 2015

Hi Friends of Laurel. She broke her camera this week, so I'm not sure when we'll see more pictures. Those of last week are courtesy of Bishop Weed!

A short list of Alaskan problems.

• there is snow building up in the drivers seat by the brake and gas because its so cold it never melts
• the last two days we've walked outside of our apartment... BLAM! there's a moose outside!  He won't leave us alone!  we've been late to several appointments because he's there
• we have a buildup of frozen salmon in our freezer.
• we have an over abundance of homemade blueberry jam
• people go to bed at 6 o'clock at night
• when its icey, its colder!!!!
• many of our potential investigators are people we meet who work in fast food restaurants.... so we keep eating fast food in order to see them again.... haha... the struggle. 

It has reached a new level of cold this week.... I LOVE it!  Its such an adventure!  negatives for LYFE!!! 

okay.. also miracles for life.  Our beautiful Christina, 18 years old, agreed to be baptized on the 21 of february!!!! now THAT was euphoric.  She is wonderful and doing SO well.  She is so prepared.  The Lord has had a lot of fun blessing us this transfer. 

I don't know who this is--maybe Christina?--Lark

I really love this area.  I am so grateful i have 4.5 months here. I finally feel like we are to the point where we can be efficient, we know the people, they trust us and we can push them to make real change.  Which... of course probably means i will be transfered next transfer.  but until then,  we'll work! 

a short story. 

We have now done the ice cream social so many times that i know phillip likes chocolate ice cream, Richard likes fat free vanilla,  our working friend likes mostly vanilla with a scoop of chocolate, and our older gentleman likes a cone with birthday cake and vanilla, with the softer one on bottom.  we know the workers there too!  I have really wanted to invite one, theresa to take the lessons but haven't found the right moment.  Finally i was able to last week and she said.......no!!!! haha but we smiled and said we'll keep annoying her about it and she smiled and said: "thats your job!"  and we are still wonderful friends and tease her about it. 

That is alot of missionary work.  If you try to invite your friends, step out of your comfort zone, and get rejected, don't gt burnt out!  Its all part of the adventure.  have fun with that too. You don't always hear the missionary stories of rejection but know there are many many behind every apparent success.  They are fun too. 

Love you.  try the invitation.  have fun with it.

Sister Galli

Transfers...

19 January 2015

drumroll please......

I 

am 

being

transfered 

to

The same place.  with the same companion!  haha its rad. this means i will serve 4.5 months in two areas!   I am SO happy.  i really love this area, and i think by now i really know it well enough to be a fluent help to it.  I know the ward is really grateful we're staying. Miracles are going to happen here. I just know it.  we have 5 solid investigators.  4 of them are in one family and THEY came to US.  its amazing.  Miracles like i have never seen before have happened. We love them dearly.   i hope to see some serious success in the Lord's vineyard.  

My girl sister Wright and i are kickin it happily up here. I really love it.  we are opposites and we really enjoy each other.  its a wonderful experience becoming close with someone who is different from you. 

Thats my goal for you cool people today!  Pick a person around you that you are very different from. Maybe someone who you don't always see eye to eye with, and ask them about themselves.  Find out what makes them tick, what they love.  really listen.  and enjoy!  People are great.  I am sure you will feel the spirit tell you that you are more alike than your previously thought.  

I love alaska.  Moose for days.  

don't get cold.

Sister Galli

Alaskan Adventures :)

12 January 2015

what a wonderful week it was! 

• I went to a game farm and hung out with Bison.  They were so cool looking.  I love them dearly.  They had shot one that morning and I got to see the gut pile and kick it with the head!  Haha pictures to follow. I decided I am going to start a collection of me with severed animal heads. Its macabre, but heck, when in Alaska do as the Alaskans.  This doesn't change my future vegetarian plans though.
• 
• new investigator!  Her name is Christina and she's totally gonna be baptized.   I can't believe her.  She is so prepared and ready.  I love her so much.  She came to church without us even asking, stayed the full 3 hours AND enjoyed it.  it was so neat.  She is wonderful. And you know what? I really tried to be bold. The lord and his spirit are so good at conversion. 
• we listened to Iditarod stories from an old grizzly dog musher.  Man its so cool.  I really loved it.  the dogs were gorgeous. if it snows before the end of this transfer he will take us dog mushing.
• 
• almost got attacked by a blond german shepherd.  pretty exciting.  got bit by a Chihuahua. not badly though.   
• had a lady ask us to pray that Obama would be removed from office.  she was quite the lady herself, but i'll allow you to use your imagination and knowledge of Alaska to tell what she was like
• I used a compost toilet!  Haha it was indoors.  Alaskans.....

Also I want to tell you about Richard Nelson.  Background: We serve ice cream at a senior home every Friday.  I have gone for enough weeks now that I pretty much know what ice cream flavor every resident and friend likes.  One day, I started singing to a small group of the residents, and one older gentleman waved me over.  He could barely see through one eye and the other eye almost couldn't open at all.  He is a chocolate ice cream person.  he beckoned me to lean over and said:  "what exactly do your people believe?" and the spirit answered almost immediately "we're Christian, sir".  this took him by surprise.  he and I became rapidly engaged in a conversation.  When he heard we taught straight out of the bible and the book of Mormon, that we believed strictly in morality, and that we went around serving others he was completely startled.  He would frequently say things as: "well i'll be DARNED!!!! I was so misinformed about your religion!"  he was truly incredible. Many of the residents at the home couldn't carry a long conversation but Richard (dick) was as sharp as a whip. He knew his bible, and he was incredibly smart but also very teachable.  I began to look for him every Friday.  We would talk for a long time, and we truly became great friends.  He was always fascinated with us being Christian.  One Friday I really felt us getting deeper into his thoughts and feelings.  He told me that he was 99, almost 100, that he had long since had some pretty grave sicknesses.  He expressed his belief:  that sickness was always the result of sin, and that anyone who had enough faith would be healed.  He could not understand the idea that sometimes God allows us to be sick in order to show his power.  even when we discussed the story of the man born blind, he couldn't comprehend.  He thought that his wife therefore, who had died several years earlier must have made some great sins in the past and didn't have enough faith to be healed.  I was so overwhelmed by our understanding of the fall, that we know it was god's plan, and our knowledge of the incredible powers of the atonement. 

the next week I didn't see Dick. So we went in search for him.  When we found him, it was clear to me that he was dying, and had retreated far into his soul.  but he could still express how deeply moved he had been to meet us, and when we left him with a prayer the spirit was so strong. 

I love being a missionary.  there are so many events like this one that never get recorded in a progress record, never make it to a homecoming talk.  But its this type of experience, this compassion that refines the godliness in us. I am so grateful for the opportunity to live, and be surrounded by living people, each with an individual story and a different pathway to god. 

I urge you to try to notice the lifechanging moments in your week.  Often the most life changing times are followed by the least fanfare.  But we can have them and notice them by following the spirit, loving people, and serving. this is the purpose of life. 

Have a great one. God be with you.

Sister Galli

best week eva!!!!

5 January 2015

The triumvirate is doing so good!!! (that is what we are calling our trio ;)...excuse the grammar... i live in alaska and its rapidly going south) 

a short list of 4 awesome things that happened this week: 

1. sunday morning i walked out of my apartment and BLAM.  NORTHERN LIGHTS.  all the way across the sky!!!! la la la la... (so intense) but anyway.  it was too rad.  definitely the clearest i have ever seen them.  its been too warm for them but that morning it was 2 degrees so it was intense!!!!! holy cow.. you would DIE.  i was so fortunate.  i thanked heavenly father cause it knew it was his special gift. usually they are too late at night for us to see, but everything lined up.  gah.  i loved it. 

2.  we had a random number call us and the lady said:  "i got a call from this number, who is this?" we truly HADNT called that number, that was the crazy thing. we were both trying to figure out what was happening but got more confused, anywho... so we started texting and i think you will onjoy the conversation.  we will be in italics. she is bold:

...we are the sister missionaries 

ok

Sorry who is this? 

Jeanie Lombard

:):):) Happy new year!!!! Keep making a joyful noise unto the Lord in 2015!  

{at this point we are totally confused}

Thanks!  You too!  Are you a member of the lds church? 

Nope

Awesome!  Have you ever been interested in learning more about it and Christ? 

I don't need to, but thanks for asking! 

Well haha I don't know how we somehow got connected but God bless you and hopefully we can meet you sometime! :)

Maybe you were an angel sent to me and you didn't know it! 

The Lord says there are angels in our midst!  I am sure that's what you were.  Thx!

You are so sweet!  Is there anything we can do for you afterall?  We love doing service and helping out in anyway! 

You already have!  Not of need right now but if i have a need in future i'll let you know. 

Please do! You have a beautiful personality and please have a great day!  :) 

Thanks!  You too!  :):):)

haha it was so random!  And cool.  The lord works in mysterious ways, and often funny ones. 

3.  We taught a lady in a dry cabin who was going to be a famous country singer.  her cabin was 9'by 6'.  It was legit. we meet these kinds of people out here a lot.   also taught a guy in an ankle bracelet on parole.  (sorry dad... but at least he didn't break his parole) 

4.  I had a feeling to go to the gas station.  I got all fired up by a returned missionary in the area and knew i had to share with some people the good news. We go here often and i was excited.  it was the perfect setup when i went in. I have been a little cautious to share the gospel because i didn't want to get kicked out for proselyting in a business and thought the manager wouldn't like that, but i got talking with her.  Turns out she has been interested in the church for a long time and really wants a book of mormon but was too nervous or uncomfortable to ask for one straight up.  She said she'd love us to bring her one and wouldn't mind us giving an intro to it.  OH MAN.  it broke my heart that i had walked past this lady quite a few times and never offered her our most prized possesion!   I really learned a quick lesson.  man. i hope everything goes well with her. 

Well folks, its the little things.  And you can do them too.  Send someone you love a note with a brief testimony.  You will feel the spirit pop a person's name in your head.  Then listen to it.  And report!  

I love yoU! 

Sister Galli 

some explanation.... the blood is caribou, the foot is moose!  All you can eat crab, and behold our candy stash.  no one send us sugar please. 

oh and that food is reindeer wrapped in bacon.  with a thyme creamy sauce.  one of the best dishes i have had.