Weekly Email # 38 - Baptize all the children!

Hey Ya'll :)

Zayden got baptized this past Saturday. Cool story with him. He just turned 8 a few months ago, and he goes to church actively with his grandma. His father was a member who passed away a few years ago, and his mom is not a member. He's got an eagerness for the Gospel, which is something you don't see too often in youth or younger members. I know when I was his age that I didn't enjoy and envelope Church or anything that was a branch of it. I mentioned all of this and more last week, but I just think it's really good for him to receive these lessons so that he can look back on this experience as he grows up. He's going to be a very strong youth. Man, I sound like an old fart.

Clothing Update - 85% of my stuff remains in tact... I don't want to talk about the other 15%. Haha nothing is quite like shopping at Good Will's or Salvation Army or Dollar Tree. There are a few Nordstrom Racks in the mission so whenever we go on a temple trip or something, we find ways to make.. detours to get to those places :) #penguinties

Weather Update - Absolutely awesome right now. Mid 50's to 60's this past week and a half. I think we are going to celebrate and do some fishing this morning!

Investigator update - With the Mount Vernon area having boundary changes in a couple of weeks, most likely 40-50 percent of our investigators will go to other missionaries. It stinks but it helps us out a lot because we have the 3rd or 4th biggest area in the whole mission. That's a lot for two companionship's.

We are working with a man who lives in the south west part of our area. It's a 50 mile round trip every time we go and visit Dimito. But he's awesome. He's recovering from a gambling addiction and wants the best for him and his family. We told him we got the best thing he could ever want and that really sparked his interest! Haha he's committed to coming to church with his family next Sunday and he's reading the Book of Mormon on a regular basis.

I'm sorry I don't go into too much detail with these emails. Emails just simply can't get the story across as much as I would like it to. There will be ALOT stories to tell when departures come around.

Have a fantastic week! Here's a cool quote I read the other day.

"Prayer keeps us ever mindful of our dependence on God. It is so easy to forget our present blessings as we pursue new blessings. In our Church meetings we recount our own blessings, and as we hear the blessing of others, we both feel and see the accumulations of affection from God to his people." - Neal A Maxwell

Elder Galbraith

Sent from my iPad

Weekly Email # 37 - Service. Lots of it.

Heyo!

This weeks been crazy in terms of service and helping out others. I
know Elder Blanchard and I have done at least 18 hours of service
since last Monday. On top of that, we are planned on doing even more
this week! So pumped. And it's gotten to 84 degrees as of yesterday,
so I've gotten a little bit of a tan and some additional muscle!
👏👏👊👊💪💪🙏🙏

Just yesterday, actually, half of the mission went down to OSU campus
to plant 400 trees! It was a ton of work to get done in three hours
and I was surprised that we finished in only two hours! I'll be sure
to send pictures once President and Sister Daines get them out to us
missionaries.

We have a baptism this Saturday! His names Zayden, who just recently
turned 8. He lives his grandma who's a member. This is a very special
case scenario because his father was a member who passed away and his
mom is not a member. We talked to President Daines about whether or
not this would be a convert baptism and if he needs to take the
missionary lessons. President took this situation to Salt Lake and
told us to not teach him.

A few days later, he gives us a call and apologizes and says he is
actually a convert baptism and he needs to take the lessons. Haha so
in only a week and a half, we have taught him four out of the five
lessons so he can be baptized this Saturday. Our first lesson
consisted of the first three lessons and ALL of their principles. So
we basically taught the Restoration, the Plan of Salvation, and the
Gospel of Jesus Christ in 45 minutes. Not too shabby :) he's a great
kid, and I'm excited for this weekend.

This will be a short email, so I'll send some pictures to make up for
the lack of words.

Love you all!

Elder G

Sent from my iPad

This is in Newark, Ohio. A golf course was made on top of these Indian

burial mounds. I've been told they might come from those crazy

Nephites and Lamanites.  Don't know for sure.

Some good ol' fishin

Stahle family and missionaries

Weekly Email # 36 - The week after GC

Hey Everyone!


I will be in Mount Vernon at least until May 5th. I hope to stay longer though. These people are so great and awesome. I have said that in my past two areas though. Kinda scared I just jinxed myself again. Haha!

My comps name is Elder Blanchard. He's a cowboy from southern Idaho who only has a few months left on the mission. but he's a good kid.

Just a quick update, every Amish in this Ward loves BYU :) Go Cougars! Haha.

And also, Elder Pike who used to serve here in Columbus, is now on the BYU Volleyball team and he's basically famous over here. The Amish's favorite sport is volleyball so since they get BYUTv for General Conference, it's a win win and they can also watch them Mormon boys spike their opponents! Okay, enough of that soap box.

I hope you were able to enjoy General Conference and take a million pages of notes, and not fall asleep for a single session because that's the first time I have ever accomplished such a feat! Of course my favorite talk was Elder Holland's! But President Uchtdorf, Elder Stevenson, and Elder Christofferson has been moving up on the "Elder Galbraith Ladder". Even though that's not much of a ladder... I'm still grateful for inspired prophets and apostles who create unique messages for us to listen and apply in our own individual lives. You might have liked Elder Bednar's talk or Sister Oscarson's talk, (I'm going to be using that one with some less active's. Time to get bold.) but that's the great thing about this Semi-Annual gathering. It caters to what YOU need in YOUR life. As it says in the 2 Nephi 26:8

"But behold, the righteous that hearken unto the words of the prophets, and destroy them not, but look forward unto Christ with steadfastness for the signs which are given, notwithstanding all persecution--behold, they are they which shall not perish."

I hope and pray we can all do just that. Not just listen to them once and call it good but really think, ponder, and DO the things our beloved apostles have instructed us to do. Also, I give a shout out to President Monson. He continues to be the inspiring leader that we need in this Church. It strengthens my testimony to see him testify of that which he knows will benefit us.

I was able to watch General Conference at multiple Ward member's homes and I'm very grateful for them all. They've definitely helped me out A TON out here. Mount Vernon is definitely my favorite area so far and I consider it a home away from home.

Question for you all. What is your FAVORITE quote from General Conference? I'm interested to see. Mine would definitely have to be,

"My brothers and sisters, the first great commandment of all eternity is to love God with all of our heart, might, mind, and strength--that’s the first great commandment. But the first great truth of all eternity is that God loves us with all of His heart, might, mind, and strength"

But wait, it gets better!!!!!!!

"He wants to bless us. A rewarding, abundant, and eternal life is the very object of His merciful plan for His children! It is a plan predicated on the truth “that all things work together for good to them that love God.” So keep loving. Keep trying. Keep trusting. Keep believing. Keep growing. Heaven is cheering you on today, tomorrow, and forever." - Elder Holland

See look! I even have a beautiful picture quote!

(I know, I know, I have Beiber Fever for Holland. He's just that good.)

I think I've made my point clear. Love you all. Thanks for everything you have done and continue to do. As I try to as much as I can in every weekly email, I love you and I thank you for your continuous support for me, a little missionary trying his best to be a disciple of Jesus Christ.

Elder Galbraith

Sent from my iPad

Weekly NOT Email # 35

Sorry mom, no weekly email this week. I'm going to create a bunch of
time to email you and the rest of the family instead.

Hope you had a good conference! I know I did and it's been a great experience
over here in Mount Vernon.

Love and miss you.

Elder G

Sent from my iPad