April 21, 2014

"Keep your sharing of the gospel simple."

- Richard G. Scott

Sis. Gale found a concrete field of corn... weird, but funny!

What a fantastic week! I can't even express my gratitude for the wonderful day that we got to spend yesterday focused on our Savior, for His atoning sacrifice, and also for His resurrection. The talks were wonderful, and I think I watched the Because of Him video 30 times. The total this week probably added up to 100. It is so great! If you haven't seen it... go to lds.org right now, and it's the first video that pops up. It is that great!

The Selph family who Sis. Gale spent Easter Sunday with

I want to start my letter with a really incredible prompting that happened last Sunday. We were driving home from church, and I saw this house. For some reason it stood out to me. There was a lady that was outside, and we just continued to drive by. We got to the high school that is a little farther down the way, and I turned around. My companion just looked at me and questioned what I was doing. I told her that we needed to stop at that house. We walked up the driveway and into the backyard where the lady was and started talking. She was awesome, and we found out that they just moved in a week ago. She was doing yard work, and we offered to help. She said that she was just getting ready to wrap up. We offered to do so later this week, and she said that she would give us a call. So we walked away and didn't do anything else. Later that week, Friday to be exact, we were on our way home, and again I felt like we needed to stop. This time we talked with the husband and ended up scheduling to do some yard work for them Saturday morning. We went and did yard work, and we started talking about the gospel and the church. Come to find out that Corey, the husband, met with missionaries back in Minnesota; he was interested, but they stopped coming. We told him that we would like to begin teaching them again, but they were a little hesitant. We ended the service with an appointment later that evening to give them a chapel tour because they committed to come to church. (Sometimes we can be a little persuasive!) They did come to church, and Gina--the wife--spoke up in Relief Society and cried, and she felt the Spirit... it was amazing!

Sis. Gale and her companion

We have been working a lot with a less-active family in our ward too. We go and say family prayer with them every night because they need the Spirit in their home. It has been a trial to go there every night, but it also is a blessing to end the night with a family!

Sis. Gale's new Easter dress!

Cynthia is getting baptized this Saturday!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! We went to the temple Saturday, after her interview (she passed, in case anyone was questioning) and filled out her program. It was such a spiritual moment. I am so grateful for her and the part that she has played in my life! I thought that I had a lot more to say, but I don't. Haha Things in Ohio have been great! I am constantly grateful for the chance that I have to come closer to my Savior. I know that this time to focus on others is s small moment but also an amazing time! Honestly, I have never felt so much happiness! :) I love this gospel so much! I am grateful for all of you who support me and help me along the way. I love this work so much, and I love my job!

--Sister Gale

After doing some service, Sis. Gale cut her finger. It hurts so bad!

P.S. Brandon, you are going to be awesome out in Chile! They are sooooo lucky!!! They must need you because I prayed my guts out that you would come here! :)

April 8, 2014

It’s another P-day. I didn’t think much could happen in just 4 days, but I feel that I just experienced an entire mission is just 4 days!

Friday night and all day Saturday we were at the hospital. Sister McIntyre's migraines haven't been going away, so we were told to go to the ER by a neurologist in our ward and the mission doctor to get some scans done. It took them an entire 24 hours to get everything finished. I didn’t get much sleep, so that was fun! Haha We missed conference on Saturday because the hospital doesn’t have the BYU channel. Our phone ended up dying, so I used the hospital phone to call the New Albany sisters. They put their phone next to the speakers at the Whitted's house, and I listened to the talks via 2 phones! Sometimes, technology is fantastic!!! Wonderfully, Sister Bailey came and saved me. She brought me a toothbrush and some salad. I thought I was going to die, but she is just so great that she came to visit us and help poor Sister Gale out!

We were able to watch General Conference on Sunday, and it was awesome!!! I can’t wait to read the Saturday talks! I took so many notes; I hope that I can read them all!

Last night (Sunday) was great! We were walking back from meeting with a less-active, and another less-active pulled up right behind us as we were walking to our car and asked us if we were coming to visit them. We said yes and walked to their house. It was the greatest spiritual lesson ever! They are coverts to the church, and we found out that they don’t understand that Book of Mormon and that they want to learn. Also, their son is thinking about going on a mission but isn’t prepared and doesn’t know where to start. We told him that we would help him and that we would love to take him out teaching with us. He might go with us this Wednesday; he is going to let us know! But it was so great to see the hand of the Lord in making the timing just perfect last night!

Well, I am going to cut this one short, but I am so grateful for this gospel and am so grateful for our prophet and apostles. I am grateful that they shared their wonderful messages with power and authority. I know that as we follow their council and complete the invitations that they extended for us, we will be blessed and come closer to our Savior and Heavenly Father. I know that the Book of Mormon is true. I can never say it enough times. As we abide by its precepts, we will come to know with a sure knowledge that Joseph Smith was called of God to restore the TRUE church and the TRUE gospel back on the Earth. I am grateful for this knowledge! I love you all, and I love my Job!

Love, 

Sister Gale

April 1, 2014

Can you really believe that I have been in Dublin for 6 weeks already?! 

Transfers are tomorrow, and I can’t believe it! It has gone by so fast, and yet I feel as though there is still so much work to do. I know that this transfer was something that I needed to grow and to become more of what my Heavenly father wants me to be! It has been hard, easy, fun, sad, triumphant, and discouraging, but because of all of that, I have grown so much closer to my Heavenly Father, and our relationship can’t and will never be broken!

This last week has been great! The ward is starting to understand how to do missionary work and also how to be missionaries. It has been great to see them get more involved and to want to come out teaching with us. It has been great to get the return missionaries out with us and have them experience the missionary life again!

Cynthia is doing great! She came to church this last Sunday and felt a part of the ward and has decided that April 26th is too far away. We are meeting tomorrow to discuss what day she wants to move her baptismal date to. It has been great to see how the Lord works; when Sister McIntyre and I were praying over a date, we had this distinct impression that it would be April 12th. When we met with Cynthia she said that her date would be April 26th for baptism. I had this overwhelming feeling to just go with it. We said "ok" and have been working for that date. Well come to find out, she wants to move up her baptismal date. We still don’t know the exact date, but I just love how the Lord works. We had one date, but the Lord wanted us to go with it and help Cynthia. Little did we know that she would have this overwhelming feeling to move up her date. I will have to let you know on Monday what the conclusion is! :) She also sent us this amazing text that she is thinking about serving a mission. She isn't exactly sure when or how, but she said that she wants to give back to the Lord and help other feel the way that we make her feel. I thought that was the greatest thing in the world. But we did tell her that she needs to focus on baptism first and then the other things will fall into place! 

So I mentioned Edgar and how golden he was. Well, he dropped us during sacrament meeting. We don’t know what happened exactly, and he hasn’t opened his door to us. We are going to give him his space and try in the next week or two. It’s sad to me that the adversary can get to people. I know that he will be a convert one of these days because he is honestly searching for the truth--which we have!

This last Saturday I had the great privilege of going back to New Albany to see the baptism of Maddie Layton. She was someone that Sister Ure and I were teaching when I was back there, and she just got baptized. It was so great to see how happy she was and how grateful she was to receive the gift of the Holy Ghost. It is always wonderful to witness these exciting times for those we teach and help along the path! Not to mention, I also got to see the family that I left back there. It was great to feel at home and to get hugs from everyone. Our Relief Society President took us to the baptism, and she was like "Wow! They love you!" I all I could say is, "The feeling in mutual!" :)

Yesterday Sister Bailey came and took my companion and I out to lunch. We went to Chipotle and just had a great time! I love that lady, and seeing her strength makes me want to be a better person! Family, I can’t wait to bring you back to Ohio and introduce you to all these wonderful people! :) Then you will understand what I am talking about!

So, before I close out I want to say how wonderful this work is. Sister McIntyre was sick for 3-4 days. She had to stay home which meant that I had to stay with her. For a day and a half I was confined to staying in-doors, and I can’t tell you how bad I missed talking to people about the gospel. I was sitting inside, and all I could think about was the people we might have met. Don’t get me wrong, I was sad that Sister McIntyre was sick, but I realized that taking a day off is not something I ever want to do. I think sometimes missionaries think that having a full-day off would be the greatest thing... well, I will testify that IT IS NOT!!! It is so important to fulfill our great calling to go out and serve. The times that you don’t have that opportunity, you think about those that you could have served. Time has never been so precious to me than in these past few days. Luckily on day 3, the Worthington sisters came so that I could get out and work. And believe me, there was work to be done! :)

I love this gospel so much! I love being able to go out and talk to people every day. That has been such a great blessing, and I know that I would not trade it for anything! I love the Book of Mormon, I can never say that too many times. I am grateful for the love and peace it brings into my life. I love how it can answer any question that we have. It is true! I know it because I have had the Holy Ghost testify its truthfulness to me. I know that this gospel can change lives and lead others closer to our Heavenly Father. I know that Thomas S. Monson is the prophet on the Earth today who IS called of God! I know that he will lead us and help us back to our Heavenly Father. I love you all! I love this work! And I love my job!!!

-- Sister Gale