Mission craze

27 July 2015

We are now commencing one of the most crazy and wondrous weeks of my mission.

Granted, we had less proselyting time this week than ever before,
since we attended 4 zone conferences that lasted somewhere from * 10 am
to 4:30 or even 5:30 p.m.  We've had the privilege of spending a ton
of time with president and sister Robinson, and the ap's which has
been a huge boost. We have been so spiritually and physically filled
this week that I have gained some remarkable spiritual and physical
weight.

This next week I will see my dear companion probably once, as we have
exchanges for days. We are hoping to connect with lots of potential
investigators that we have been building up and will be traveling
again all over Tarnation, this time on exchanges.

But I have learned a Monton about the power of testimonies this week.
We have now heard testimonies from the majority of the missionaries in
the mission, and the culmination of all of them has truly increased my
faith to a measurable amount. I can feel the difference in my own
convictions.

We also sent off sweet Elle this week. She is now in Arizona preparing
to be baptized. I love her to pieces and I am so proud of her. We had
another lesson with Linda, and she is so prepared. We think she'll be
baptized. She doesn't know how interested she is, because she is still
so new at the investigating thing, but she if she joins she will be a
solid addition to the Ward and the church. So those prayers, though.

Serving with sister watts and then sister Dall has been one of the
greatest blessings of my mission too.  It's been wonderful to be so
close to my companions, and I know we will be friends forever.

Have a grand week!

Love you :)

Sister Galli

*From 10 am to 4:30 or even 5:30 pm. I don't know why the numbers don't copy ;)

Daddy, Daughter, Dall date

20 July 2015

Remember that time that my dad surprised me by taking me to dinner in
Alaska? Sushi for days! We ate really well but we also had a great
time. It was so good to see him and actually it made me more focused
for the rest of the week.
It was funny too because, Craig Galli is actually super famous in this
mission, and so there about five missionaries that didn't get to meet
dad, and were really bummed because they missed out.

He's a pretty big deal.
Thanks dad coming, it made my week!

In other news this week, we drove down to Soldotna. Actually my
companion did more than I did.
We were stopped on the way waiting for the other sisters to catch up
and I realized that I had a paintbrush and my paints, and a sheet of
watercolor paper all in the car! So I walked out to the lake with my
dear companion and we got some sludgy water, and I was able to paint

for a few minutes. Gotta love exchanging in Alaska.

Also, we have the best new investigator her name is Linda, and she is
former Seventh-day Adventist, and she's one of the only people I've
ever met on my mission who has a story about being told that her
church was not true, and she's been looking for the truth ever since.
We were able to take a member in our ward who got really into it, and
we taught her about the Lord being a shepherd and how that applies to
the Bible and the book of Mormon, and we had pretty much a miracle
lesson and I think she'll be Baptized. :).
Also our best investigator in the world so dearly, L, is officially
moving to Arizona this week so that she can qualify for baptism (she's
living with her boyfriend right now), and she is a super big hero.
she's entirely starting her life over to get baptized and we hate to
say goodbye to her, but she wants to get baptized right when she gets
to Arizona. Bless her heart! she's intent on going to the temple.
So good things are happening in the oceanview Ward. Also two new
investigators came to church! Miracles for days !

Love you :)
Sister Galli

Alaska love

13 July 2015

This transfer will be mayhem. We have 5 zone conferences (an all day
 event), 7 exchanges, 2 mission leader ship councils, and 2
 trainer/trainee meetings. We'll be going to JUNEAU this transfer and I
 am stoked out of my mind! We'll also go to soldotna twice and Wasilla
 twice too. Mission life is the best life.

 So.... I have had the best companions.  Sister watts is now training
 and I am with sister Dall! It's real weird because she and I know
 probably 50 mutual acquaintances and have parallel lives. It's been
 fun having a companion who knows Salt Lake City. She's so lovely. And
 also really smart. We have some grand ole discussions.  I drew a
 picture of her in church: and she's lovely.

 This Ward is doing well and we are starting to get more member
missionary work. We have decided to Focus on what the Ward is doing
well, and it has seemed to excite the members.
Anchorage is beautiful this time of year. Every morning we wake up
 early and play frisbee with our zone and one morning I just thought to

 myself: "I am in Alaska! What a glorious journey!"
 The sun was squeezing over the trees in a golden glow.  Ever with
 winter around the corner, (it's always around the corner here. Fall is
 a weekend deal) I don't mind too much, because there is a stillness
 that comes with winter. Finding investigators can be tough though.

 Thanks for all of the letters and support.
 :)
 Faith is really neat.  I love the you don't have to be consciously
 aware of the belief that you are building for it to change your life.
 I have seen it in others, I have seen it in myself.

 Love sister Galli

Soldotna Sights

29 June 2015

]

Heavenly Father taught me about trust today.
In theory it's a really nice and lovely idea that it's the lords work,
but in practice it can be a really hard pill to swallow. Take, for
instance, my experience on exchanges. I went with sister wright
(huzzah) on exchanges in our area. We tried someone who ended up being
moved, and decided to try a couple doors in the area. We asked this
one cute black lady if she needed any service. She said no. Then we
asked if we could share with her a 6 minute messages about what we
believe. To our surprise she said yes! We taught her the restoration
and she really enjoyed it. We left her a Book of Mormon and she said
she would read it. She was jazzed to come to church. She told us she
was living with her fiancé, and that was kinda a bummer and when I
told her congratulations for being engaged she looked at me with sad
eyes and I kinda knew from then that this Fiancé could be bad news
bears.

We went over the next day (Saturday) and sang to her, and she said she
would come to church and was excited. She was a little weirded out
that we randomly were back and singing a hymn, but hey. Being a little
weird but friendly is what missionaries do best.

Sunday rolled around and we waited anxiously for two investigators at
church.... None came.
We went by with a recent convert after church at our next appointed
meeting time and she opened the door, Book of Mormon and pamphlet in
hand and gave them to us. She had the saddest eyes. She said: "I
cannot participate."  Oh my stomach dropped and it never lifted again.
  I have had a lot of rejection on my mission, that's kinda the name
of the game out here, but this one.....

That's where realizing the lord is in charge can be tough. I want so
badly to do something, but the spirit is telling me that waiting is
the only option with her. There was nothing more we could do. That
agency though.

That's the kind of week it's been. Ups, downs. But the lord is so good
at listening. He even lets you rant, and if you have somewhat of an
open heart, he even makes you feel better.

It's been good. Prayer works.

I love you! Sister Galli.