Address Update

For everyone keeping up with Sis. Gale, she has moved and has a new address! Write her a letter at this new address:

4352 Clark Street #B
Dublin, OH 43017

Erin loves to hear from everyone, so hurry and write her a letter!

February 19, 2014

“We all take different paths in life, but no matter where we go, we take a little of each other everywhere.” 

Tim McGraw

Sis. Ure and Sis. Gale put on their capes to go help one of their neighbors out of a bathtub.

What an amazing week! I don’t know where to start, so I am going to skip around. The reason for the email on a Wednesday is because this is transfers week. We should be getting our call at any moment to tell us if and when we are staying or going. My predictions are that I am staying and that Sister Ure is going... I hate to say that, but I still don’t think that my work here is done. We are teaching such wonderful people, and Sister Ure thinks that they need my teaching style. AND she had a dream the other night that she got transferred. So many people are like "you better stop by to tell us the news when you find out"... Well, I don’t think there is enough time in the day for us to go to everyone's homes. Sis. Whitted (our mission mom) is just going to send out an email so that we don’t have to waste our proselyting time!

Sis. Ure and Sis. Gale driving in style.

Valentine’s Day was last week, and I received such wonderful gifts and cards! Some of my favorites was the picture I received from my mom, the stickers from my grandma, and the HUGE card I received from Shawna that shared such wonderful news about her and Mike being 11.5 weeks pregnant! I was so excited I couldn’t stop smiling! Thank you for thinking of me!

Sisters in our district

So our experience that we had last night... I was going to wait until the end, but I can’t hold myself back. We had this important appointment set up with Emerald and the stake president. We told her that she couldn’t miss the appointment, and she assured us that she would be there. When we got there, her car wasn’t there... We waited for about 15 minutes, and then he said that next Monday was open and that we would plan on that. Well, we went to our back-up plan of meeting with some other people in the area. while on our way there, we ran into this one family (5 kids, and the parents were so cute). As we were walking up their neighbors steps, the mother says from the next house over, "What are you?"

Baking cookies for some investigators

I responded, "We are missionaries for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints".

She said, "I see you all the time, and I think you knocked on my door one time." 

I responded, "Yes, I did a couple of months ago. We made an appointment, but you weren't there when we came back..."

She then said, "I know, but I really want to meet with you. How does Saturday sound?

Sister Ure: "GREAT!!! How about 2 pm?"

That is when she said, "I will be here", and we started talking… 

Sis. Ure is staying, and Sis. Gale is getting transferred. 

She is from a place that I don’t know how to spell, but it is off the coast of France. She started explaining to us that we are an answer to her prayers and that she wants to be committed to a church. After our long discussion and our good-byes, she shut the door, and I was almost in tears. There was so much peace and comfort and joy. We texted our stake president and told him that it was God's plan for us not to meet with Emerald tonight because we met a family with 5 children and have an appointment with them on Saturday. He responded, "Congratulations." I can honestly say that I know that God had a different plan for us that night, and it was a WONDERFUL plan! 

Sis. Ure and Sis. Gale taking a last walk together before getting transferred

I know that God is at the head of this great work! I know that missionary work could not be possible without our Heavenly Father's help and without the Spirit to guide us. It has brought such great happiness into my life and a whole new mindset that I wish I had before! I know that The Book of Mormon is convincing evidence that Christ came to the America's and that He established His gospel. I know that through Joseph Smith, the church was restored to its fullness! I know that we can all partake of the goodness and greatness of this great gospel. I love everything that this gospel offers, and I love being able to go around every day and share that with others! I love this work, and I love my job! 

Visiting some of the Amish families that have converted. They make the best bakery food!

Thank you so much for all the love and support. It means the world and more to me that I can share these wonderful miracles with all of you! Keep the faith, and know that there are many people who are waiting and looking. We just need to show them and teach them so that they no longer need to search! Love you!

Transfer Morning

Sister Gale

February 10, 2013

"Love is our true destiny. We do not find the meaning of life by ourselves alone - we find it with another."

Thomas Merton

Well this letter is going to be short. We didn’t have that great of a week... 1) I have a head cold, and when I get sick I lose my voice. You can’t really be a missionary when you don’t have a voice. 2) We had a lot of people cancel or no-show their appointments. It was a little bit of a rough and discouraging week.

It snowed like crazy here. I can’t believe it, but it snowed over a foot here. That has been a nightmare in regards to missionary work. A lot of people don’t open their doors when the weather is like this, but we still try.

At a dinner appointment with the Benton's

We had some really cool experiences with some less-actives this week. One of them completely broke down in tears and said that she wants and needs to come back to church. I can’t believe the Spirit was that strong! It was an unforgettable experience that is really hard to put into words. Sometimes it is just best to say nothing as no words can adequately describe the feelings of the situation. 

We had exchanges this week, and Sister Ure and I came to the conclusion that we can’t be transferred because we like teaching together and doing service together. Honestly, it was not that great of an exchange for either of us... mostly because we missed each other. We called each other twice just to see how everything was going haha.

They made a checkered cake with Sisters Gale and Ure's favorite color!

Well, other than that, there isn’t much to report about. Sister Ure and I evaluated ourselves this morning and made some goals that we wanted to work on this week. Hopefully all goes well with these goals and that we have a more productive week this week.

More fun at the Benton's!

I did want to share this personal story from this past week. I received some personal revelation this week in regards to some questions that Theresa had asked me. I have had some of the same questions. I did some investigating, and I received the answers through prayer and scripture study. I can honestly stand here and testify to you all that that is what the scriptures are for. That is what prayer is for, so diligently study and search. Ask God for answers, and as we ask in faith, He will answer us and help us on our own spiritual journey. I love this gospel so much, and I know that this is the one and only true way. I am so grateful to be out here (even if I’m sick). I know that this is where I am supposed to be, and I am grateful for the time that I have been able to give back to my Father in Heaven as He has blessed my life so abundantly. I know that Joseph Smith restored the gospel and translated the Book of Mormon. It is such a powerful and wonderful book! Read it over and over. There is power behind the words! I love you all so much, and I LOVE my job!

Until next week,

Sister Gale

February 07, 2013

“These are the times that try men's souls.” 

Thomas Paine

I know that I am on a little later than normal, and that is because we held our own Winter Olympics this morning! It was so much fun! There were only 4 zones there, but we had a lot of relays and played a lot of games, volleyball being included. Sister Ure and I woke up at 6 this morning to go to the church so that I could play volleyball. (I just got my brace in the mail, so I needed to use it). Little did I know that we were playing volleyball as a Winter Olympic sport. SOOOO I got my fair share in today, and my back is paying that price. But it was worth it!

At the Stake Valentine's Day Party

Some highlights for this week were that we had a busy day going to investigators, and we had a member that was going to spend a lot of time with us (5 hours to be exact). Well, the morning of, she cancelled because her husband was sick. We had to make a call quickly so that we could get some member present. We called Janece, who is a sophomore in high school, and asked her if she wanted to go out with us. We took her out with us for 5 hours, and she got to experience the life of a missionary! It was so fun, and she did great! She shared her testimony and handed one of our newer investigators a Book of Mormon and said that she wanted to come out with us again. Success!!!

Erin visiting New Albany

Sister Ure and I are also teaching another deaf person. We set up a return appointment and could not get an interpreter to come with us, so we taught a whole lesson by ourselves. We were able to extend baptism to him, and he said yes. I even interpreted a prayer! I will say that most of it was made up by me because I didn’t know some of the signs, but it was a great challenge and gift that God has given us! 

Service at the Bishop's Storehouse in the morning

We were able to put 2 individuals on date this week! We have Noah, who is a less-actives’s (now becoming active) son. He is 18 and loves the gospel. He has come to church a couple of times and is just happy to always see us and learn. We are also teaching an 8 year old. Her mother is a member, and she has not been baptized yet so we are working with her because the bishop asked us to. We are excited to see how each of them choose to progress in this wonderful Gospel.

Sis. Gale and Sis. Ure hanging out on the couch after dropping off Sis. Whitted's daughter who went teaching with them.

OH! We had the assistants call us earlier in the week congratulating us on how "we are killing it" here in New Albany! That was a great call to get! We have been super blessed to have wonderful members come out with us, and even members allow us to teach their friends. It has been a great blessing! We also received a media referral and have an appointment with her this Wednesday. We are really excited about her!

We had a change in the bishopric here in the New Albany ward yesterday. They released Brother Atwood, and I was sooo sad until...... they called him to be the assistant ward mission leader! I almost jumped out of my seat in Sacrament to yell "Hallelujah!!!" I think the Spirit was weighing me down so I wouldn’t, but I am so excited!!! :)

Another freezing cold day!

I got sick earlier this week, and that was a challenge. I was trying really hard to get going, and then I started getting really dizzy and had “black out moments” so we ended up going home at 5:30 in the evening. I fell asleep until 7 the next morning only to wake-up feeling refreshed and ready to go. We did have a very successful day after that sleep! So that was good!

I know this is the Lord's work. I know that I am on his errand and that I get to see His love for His children daily. I know that everything is in the Lord's hands and that I am simply His servant. I hope that we may all take a moment to recognize His love for us and then share that love to all those around us. "We never fail when we invite," and if you want to know the best way to invite, then talk to my brother Brandon. He seems to have a good handle on things! I love you all so much, and I love this gospel! OH, and I LOVE my job!!!

Love you,

Sister Gale