Busy, Can't Stop, Too much to DO!

TOO MUCH MISSIONARY WORK TO DO, CAN'T STOP.

My short bit of advice is to read 1st Nephi Chapter 16.  Pay attention to what Nephi does when an unpredictable event happens in his life.  I'd like to draw your attention to how Nephi, rather than murmuring about his loss, went to work, doing all he could to try and solve his problems.  After doing all he could, he turned to the Lord.  Upon receiving his answer he acted upon it and did as the Lord commanded.  That pattern of doing all we can, then asking the Lord with real intent, is present in many stories in the Book of Mormon.

Anyways, I really am out of time, this week has been crazy hectic.  But I love all of you and hope you have a great week.  I'll be sure to make a better post next week.

Home Sweet Home

Happy Thanksgiving 

I am grateful for many things, My Savior, My Family...but right now at the end of the day I am most grateful for a place to call home and a bed to sleep in!!

Now I lay me down to SLEEP....

Love, Elder Gailey

PS. My bed is the smaller ONE!

Rain, Sleet, or Snow - Out One Month

Aaaaand it's snowing in Fonda, New York. 

...yay...

Don't get me wrong, I love the snow.  It's pretty, it's fluffy, and it means that the two biggest meals of the year are just around the corner.  But let me be perfectly clear and rather bold for just a moment in saying that snow kinda sucks.  The mission is still great and I can bear with the cold, but now there's all this cold white stuff on the ground that just takes all the fun out of things.  Gone are the days that I can sit down on a park bench after knocking on doors for an hour.  And I knew that when I left for the MTC that my mission would be a proverbial 'trial by fire' for me to see what I'm made of physically and spiritually.  But the term 'trial by fire' almost sounds welcoming when I'm faced with walking in the snow all day.  

Fonda is pretty small...hence the stupidest stoplight in the world.   

Oh and I received my Thanksgiving package...The hand warmers are going to come in might handy - thanks MOM!

But on to the spiritual side of things.  In all of my lessons there are two things that are always brought up without fail.  And I find them to be the two things that bring about the most change in ourselves if they are done consistently in our lives. 

Number One: Jesus Christ.  Not a lesson goes by that we don't look to our Savior for an example.  He is the perfect example of how we should live and act.  As much as I dislike common sayings, the question 'What would Jesus do?' can really change the decisions we make.  If we try to think like Christ, then we will love, act, and serve like Christ.  And though that is a goal we can't obtain, it shouldn't stop us from trying. 

Number Two: Find things out for yourself.  Elder Ayre and I tell everyone we teach to study out the principles we've taught and pray to Heavenly Father for guidance.  We could drag them by the hand to the baptismal font if we wanted to.  But how would that benefit the people we teach?  The people we teach need to know for themselves that what we teach is true, Elder Ayre and I already know the truth of what we teach, and we received our knowledge by studying the scriptures and prayer.  So why should our investigators, or anyone else, find out differently? 

There's a scripture that I read this morning in my personal study in 3rd Nephi that combines these two things perfectly.  The scripture is in 3rd Nephi 17:2-3 which reads:

 2. I perceive that ye are weak, that ye cannot understand all my words which I am commanded of the Father to speak unto you at this time.

 3. Therefore, go ye unto your homes, and ponder upon the things which I have said, and ask of the Father, in my name, that ye may understand, and prepare your minds for the morrow, and I come unto you again.

Jesus Christ himself councils that we should ponder the messages from his life.  What more of a reason should we need to do so? 

I know that through consistent study and prayer we can gain knowledge and wisdom.  Out here in the mission field I study in the scriptures for at least an hour each day, and it has blessed me with greater clarity of thought and understanding of life and our purpose here.  

I challenge everyone else to do so as well.  

Have a great week!  

--Elder Gailey

Tango - India - Richie - Echo - Delta (Tired)

SLEEP

John learned to love sleep in many different places!

This week I think I'm going to talk about something near and dear to my heart: sleep.  I love sleep, it's great.  It used to be the favorite part of my day, and now much of it has been taken away from me.  I don't have time to nap or hit the snooze button on my alarm.  I get up at 6:30 in the morning and I go until 10:30 at night.

But I always seem to have just enough energy throughout the day.  A promise has been fulfilled to me from Section 89 of the Doctrine and Covenants.

18. And all saints who remember to keep and do these sayings, walking in obedience to thecommandments, shall receive health in their navel and marrow to their bones;

19. And shall find wisdom and great treasures of knowledge, even hidden treasures;

20. And shall run and not be weary, and shall walk and not faint.

So far in my month on a mission I have found wisdom and great treasures of knowledge in my studies, and now I am beginning to understand the promise of not being weary.  I have had the necessary strength throughout the day and I'm normally not aware of my tiredness until the job is finished and my day is done.  I find that when 10:30 rolls around each night I'm suddenly overcome by lethargy that wasn't there before.
To those that read this, there is power that comes from obedience.  But there is power unto miracles with strict obedience.  If you have known me, then you know for a fact that I am not the person that can work from 6:30 AM to 10:30 PM with a smile on my face.  But through the incredible blessings of strength I've been the recipient of, I know that the promises in the above scriptures hold true.  And if they hold true for me, they will assuredly hold true for you.

It's a miracle to me that I can keep on this missionary schedule.  It may be a mini-miracle to some, but to me it is a miracle unto moving a mountain.  I may love sleep a lot, but this work requires sacrifice.  Thankfully the Lord makes up the rest.

Now I lay me down to sleep...zzzzzzzz

Elder Gailey

Arrival in New York!

Hello Internet,  I'm now in Fonda, New York.  It's cold, send sweaters and cocoa please.  

Okay, it's not that bad, and it's not snowing yet, but it's probably going to do that this week.  I've been assigned to an area North-East of Albany called Fonda.  It covers three towns and a lot of farms, normally owned by the Amish.  The towns I cover are Fonda, Canojoharie (Canjo), and Fort Plain.  They're small towns, but the people are nice and the scenery is beautiful.  I wish I could have been here a few weeks ago, I'm just catching the tail-end of the leaves changing colors, so now most things are brown. 

President and Sister Wirthlin With Elder Ayre and Elder Gailey

My companion in Fonda is Elder Ayre.  He's a fun guy and super hard working, we're busy from the time we leave home until it's time for us to go back home and sleep.  Sleep isn't my favorite part of the day anymore, but it's still up there.  I don't know how I have all the energy to make it through the day, the Lord provides I suppose.  Anyways, Elder Ayre is from South Jordan Utah, and is basically Elder Superman in looks and work ethic.  Maybe not as big as Clark Kent, but you get the picture. 

Elder Ayre and I have a little companion in our car called Tiwi (Tee-whee).  He's a cute little black box with lights and his name written on him.  He greets us every morning by telling us we're going too fast and that we need to watch our speed.  He's rather monotone, and interrupts our conversations, but we're grateful to have him along for the ride; he is just looking after us of course.  Tiwi is our --sometimes-- silent companion that makes sure we drive safely.  It's best not to anger Tiwi, as I've come to find out.  

Goodbye for now Internet, I'll have more for you next week!

Feel free to write me a letter I accept any and all notes, cards, letters or packages!!
Elder John Gailey
PO Box 149
Whitesboro, New York   13492-0149

Or Email     john.gailey@myldsmail.net  

MTC Brothers

I wasn't in the MTC but 13 short days - but these are my MTC Brothers!!  

Week One is DONE

First off, I'm alive.  Glad we got that out of the way, I'm sure not hearing from me for a week was a little odd for some people.  But on to the main portion of my update.  I'm loving the MTC, It's a great place to be.  I'm not going to lie, the first 3 days might have been the most boring, tedious, and somehow mentally tedious days I've ever experienced.  From what I've heard from other missionaries, this is an extremely common thing.  After you get over the shock of being here, and the shock of having to teach strangers, it gets fun; really fun.  Let me describe a normal day.

  

I wake up at 6:00 AM, because the required time of 6:30 AM wasn't bad enough for me.  I get suited up and ready for the day, then we go to breakfast.  The meals here are good, I can understand how some missionaries gain 10+ pounds here, there's a doughnut, cake, or cookie with every meal.  Fortunately for me, I have enough self control to avoid those, most of the time.  Right after breakfast we're in class with Sister Crawford, a lovely teacher, albeit strict about being on time.  By the time we're in class it's 7:30 AM, and we're in there until 11:30 AM.  Yes, that's right, 4 hours of solid class time and studying. 

Then we go to lunch for a bit before we go back to class, from 12:15 PM to 3:15PM.  Yay...3 more hours of studying.  After that class we have --wait for it-- MORE STUDYING.  Another hour of personal study when the teachers leave, although how much studying gets done is up for debate.  So it's almost 4:30 PM and we have dinner, which is usually really good.  After dinner we have studying.  Is anyone noticing a pattern here?  We study in our classrooms from 5:15 PM to around 8:15 PM.  Let's count up the hours really quickly.  Four hours int he morning, 4 in the early afternoon, and 3 more in the evening.  That's 11 hours that we're in our classroom (18M 437 represent).  That's more time in class than I get sleep.  After all that studying, we've started to go a little stir crazy, so we normally have gym time where we can lift weights, run, or play sports.  That's usually the best part of the day, because we get to completely unwind for about an hour.  Gym time is over at 9:15 PM, and we're normally back in our residence halls at 9:30 PM.  We have about an hour to iron clothes, write in journals, read letters, and do whatever we need to do in our residence halls.  Then it's lights out at 10:30 PM.  The cycle begins the next day with an annoying series of beeps from an alarm clock, and the cycle begins again.  But I wouldn't have it any other way.  

Being here has been a mixture of awesome and exhausting.  But I'm extremely glad to be here.  I know my Mom is posting this to a blog, and I would like to share a short message with whoever will read this, whether you are a member of the LDS church or not.  It's meant a lot to me since I've entered the MTC, and I've turned to it many times in lessons and general study.  This passage comes from the introduction to the Book of Mormon, and I've used it almost every time I teach a new person.  

"We invite all me everywhere to read the Book of Mormon, to ponder in their hearts the message it contains, and then to ask God, the Eternal Father, in the name of Christ if this book is true.  Those who pursue this course and ask in faith will gain a testimony of its truth and divinity by the power of the Holy Ghost"

My purpose as a missionary is to invite all to grow closer to Christ, whether they are a member or non-member.  I still have my sense of humor and sarcasm, and I'm the same person you all remember, but I've grown closer to Heavenly Father by following the above invitation.  I would love to hear from anyone that would send me an email.  

--Elder Gailey

First Email Home - MTC

First Email Home...

Can't wait until I get a longer email on Tuesday.  If you want to write him in the next few weeks - it is easier to use the DearElder.com and use his information at the end of the email.  They print out the emails and deliver them the same day if it sent before noon!

I assume from the email that he made it to the MTC and is doing great - well almost great!


If you want to see what happens in the MTC check this website out....
http://www.mormonnewsroom.org/article/mormon-mtc-life

Hey Mom and Dad, 

I'm alive, don't worry.  My district got permission to write a short letter home.  Feel free to tell everybody that all is going well.  I don't have a long time, we have to be back in the residence halls pretty soon.  But studying is going well, and the classes are great.  My district is full of great missionaries, and all but 2 of us are going to Utica, so I'm sure I'm meeting future companions.  Feel free to use DearElder.com to write a letter to me, I can only check my emails once a week.  I couldn't even read the one Dad sent me, which bums me out.  I hope all is going well with the family, and hope Kellan is back to full health, I worried about the little guy.  I'm the district leader here, so that's fun.  I'm having a good time, but I seem to be swinging from feasting on the scriptures and loving it here, to severely doubting my ability to cope with the missionary lifestyle.  But I'm trucking along and I hope to read your emails this Tuesday.  And Mom, thanks for the typed out letter, I really enjoyed reading it.  

Elder John Blain Gailey
OCT28  NY-UTI
2009 N 900 E Unit 171
Provo UT 84602

I love you so much, please pray for me.  

Elder Gailey