Elder Camacho from Hildago, Mexico is My New Companion

Hello to all My Family and Friends!

Adios Elder Parker

Well, Elder Parker has gone home.  He was an awesome mission Dad, and I kind of miss him just a little. My new companion is awesome, Elder Camacho, from Pachuco, Hidalgo, Mexico.  I don’t know exactly where that is but he says it is real close.  I was nervous about getting a new companion and not being able to communicate with him, but we can communicate perfectly.  He hardly speaks English but I can speak Spanish with him and he helps me with my Spanish and vice versa.  He’s really cool!  He only has 2 months more than me and so I no longer have to worry about listening to someone talk about home all day long, which is nice.  Pres. Crickmore told me that I would have a companion who would help me get lost in it, and I can honestly say that’s true.  He’s helping me a ton! I don’t think about home all the time anymore. 

Elder Camacho, my new companion and Me!

I have learned, we have to put everything on the altar of the Lord to be completely successful and blessed in the mission, EVERYTHING, fears, worries, things from our life before, things of the world, all of that. I read a talk Elder Parker gave me, and I forget who gave it but it’s about being a consecrated missionary.  We need to give everything to the Lord.  It’s something I easily apply to sports, lacrosse, etc. during practice, and conditioning, we need to go just that much more, that much harder, give that much more to be successful. When we do this, we will be successful.  Consecrated missionaries leave nothing behind, nothing in the tank and nothing for later.  They are ready to go in the morning and tired when they return in the night.  They obey the rules because they want to, not because they have to. 

I am trying to love the people here in Mexico.  I can honestly say I love the people in my ward here, but sometimes it’s a struggle to love everyone else. 

I am trying, and I am giving an effort in everything.

Maria de la Daz, she’s like a grandma to us down here, super awesome, super giving, and has already almost finished the book of Mormon.  We did some service for her this Saturday.  We put new roof on her house because it was leaking pretty badly.  I worked hard, so that was good. 

This week was good, had to find my footing a little bit without Elder Parker, but again Elder Camacho has been here to help me a ton, he’s pretty awesome! We have been struggling getting people to come to church, and so that’s our biggest struggle right now.  I will find the best way to invite people, because it’s necessary that they come to the church or they won’t progress! 

We all need to understand, that not all of us can be a consecrated missionary, BUT we can all be a consecrated Member.  We have to give it all to the Lord, EVERYTHING, and he will give us what we need, physical, mental, and spiritual. Put it all on the altar of sacrifice, and just watch the blessings flow.   We have to give it all, obey all of his commandments, and we will be blessed.  He literally gave us everything, EVERYTHING and all we have to do is show him a little bit of love!  Obey His commandments, spread His word, be a good person, LOVE. BE MORMON. 

My testimony has grown so much and I have gained a new perspective in the gospel.  My testimony of Jesus Christ grows daily, and I have learned more and more of His sacrifice for us. 

This week, we ate a ton of tortillas, cereal, and worked a lot.  Ha-ha I eat soooo much cereal, it’s awesome!!  We work hard every day and every day I have the strength to do it.  I still hate waking up early, but I do it.  I don’t really like exercising in the morning, but I do it, and I can feel the benefits of it!

Keep doing things that make you happy, to keep your mind occupied, keep being good people, keep smiling in the face of the adversary, because he doesn’t have any power of you!! Keep on keeping on! 

I love you all so much, I feel swelled with the spirit and I feel so much joy as I write this because I know I am surrounded by amazing family, the gospel, God, Jesus Christ, and the spirit, that’s all I need. I will continue this way and it will just get better. 

I love you all so so much.

Elder Galbraith 

My friend, Elder Cardenas and me (with my suit coat on)

My first district

Maria Got Baptized!!

This week was good, we baptized Maria de La Paz, or I should say I did, The bishop was supposed to do it but he got sick or something and couldn't come so the responsibility fell to me, I said the prayer perfect BOTH times but the first time she went all stiff and I couldn't get her under the water all the way, so I had to do it twice! But it was all good! 

I had to wear a jumpsuit because nobody here plans and everything is last minute. We never have time for anything... but it was seriously an amazing experience! I am so happy for her, and she has already read half the BOM!  She's gonna be great! 

Elder Parker is indeed going home, and I am gonna have a new companion.  Who knows who, but I just hope that I get along with him. It will be good to have a change though, it’s still different living with someone 24 hours a day 7 days a week.  I'm still finding ways to work through it.  The Lord helps me out so, so much.  It’s a miracle.  I will be glad to finally have a companion that isn't always talking about going home. Today was sad though because everyone is saying goodbye to Elder Parker and he probably will never see some of them again. 

Our investigators are good, progressing slowly, but progressing nonetheless. I have felt the Lord having my back a lot lately and it makes it so much easier than if I was just here winging it. 

Interesting tidbit, one of the elders in my district dyed his hair orange... So that was weird.  Saw a dead cat... or 3!

My Spanish is coming along very well, I had an interview with Pres Crickmore.  He told me I am such a blessing and that I WILL be a leader someday, but I have to be worthy. He also told me that my Spanish is amazing and a lot of other things that were good, but it's all thanks to Heavenly father who is preparing me for something big!

Onward I go in the mission life. My life is good.  The Lord loves me, He loves you and He loves everyone. We just need to remember that. 

I don't have all the time in the world but I love you all so so much and I pray that you feel the lord's love!

Love, 

Elder Galbraith

Maria de La Paz is getting baptized!!

Maria de La Paz is getting baptized!!  This Saturday at 3:00 pm! BOOM! Yeah!!  I am going to have a baptism in my training! She is going to be sooooo happy! I am sooooo happy! 

Jose Luis is good, he left the hospital just barely and he can't leave his house, so they haven't come to church in a little bit... but we will keep working. 

I am getting pretty sad, Elder Parker leaves real soon and it sucks having a comp that’s getting ready to go home, because all they talk about is home and I just got here.... Also cause I am going to miss my friend. 

I have learned we just need to love, we can't judge either, love unconditionally, like Jesus would and does. If we continue praying for strength and it will come, continue praying for help and it will come. I pray every day for things like that and I can honestly testify that I receive so much help from God.  I am so blessed, and I know that you guys back home are being blessed too! The blessings and miracles from God are sooooooo real, and soooooo awesome! We as Latter day saints are blessed. God loves us, and I love him back! This life rocks, LDS for life! 

Anyway, my week was good! We went to Socalo in the center of Mexico City again.  We just barely got back.  We went inside the great and abominable church today. It's huge. Pure gold everywhere, tons of weird people in robes and stuff, and the weirdest part, the spirit isn't there.  My whole life the spirit has been inside the churches of our church, but it wasn’t there in this one. 

I had divisions with my buddy Elder Smith, the other Zone Leader, and Elder Santos.  Two divisions in one week, and they were both awesome! 

Worked hard this week, just like usual, contacted a whole bunch of people, and did a lot of good! 

I know that things can be rough now in this life, but we know that the way we act determines a lot.  We always have a choice to act like Jesus even if we aren’t treated like he would treat us, but he wasn't treated very well either. So nothing should weaken our faith! We act like Jesus and we will receive blessings, simple as that.  We will get so much happier as we go too.  Life will make sense, and we will see life in a whole new perspective. Because we know that there is something much greater prepared for us AFTER this life, much grander and much more important, and how we are now determines what we get after. 

I love you guys all so much and I look forward to your emails all week!

Life is good here, and just keeps getting better.  Keep praying for me.  Keep praying that I will work hard.  Keep praying for my investigators especially, and keep praying in general! 

I love you all so much! 

The Church is true! 

Elder Galbraith

July 4th in Mexico, Zone Meeting and McDonald's

Hello to my amazing Family and Friends! 

Your letters this week were absolutely awesome! It was so good to hear from you all!

 I am currently reading in the book of Alma in the Book of Mormon about Ammon.  He is definitely one of my favorites.  I just started the part about the Sons of Mosiah.  These stories are rich with teachings and lots of good stories and stuff I absolutely love. It’s so awesome this stuff! I love the Book of Mormon.

Right now I can’t help but feel so full of the spirit and so good!  I feel so happy for you guys back home, my life here in the mission, and for the Church. It’s wonderful this Iglesias, church, I love this church!

My July 4th was a lot different this year.  We worked all day, but at night we had a family night in the chapel.  All the Americans and even some Latinos stood outside and sang The National Anthem and My Country, 'Tis of Thee.   I decorated my agenda all red, white and blue!  Life is great, ha-ha! I missed fireworks though... cuetes is how you say fireworks, don’t know how to spell it all that good. 

None of our investigators came to church yesterday.  Jose Luis and his family were in the hospital for his chemo, so that’s a pretty good excuse.  Who knows about Maria De la Paz.  We'll see. 

Today we had a zone meeting and President Crickmore showed up! He gave a powerful message about faith and talked about the family in the barges crossing the ocean in the book of Ether and how much faith they had. Afterwards he played a game of horse and a little basketball with us, and then took us all to McDonald's!! I freaking love him.  He sat right next to me at McDonald's and talked with me personally. He's a very spiritual and very funny man.  He really loves the missionaries too. I have been so so blessed here.  I was thinking about it and I was made for Mexico, for Mexico, Chalco even more!

My Amazing Zone

I looked at my family pedigree thing and I am actually a fourth generation Mexican (on the Galbraith side)... 2 of my Great-grandparents were born Chihuahua in the colonies! I have realized that I can eat spicy food, and it doesn't bother me, AT ALL, it actually tastes good. My Spanish is good, and although it’s frustrating to learn, a lot of Mexican families have told me how good my Spanish is for only having almost 4 months! My Patriarchal Blessing was perfect! 

My good friend Elder Hernandez and I

We all have blessings and gifts from God, we just need to find them and use them to expand his church, and to help our prójimos, our fellow man.  I am super glad to hear how good the family is doing. That makes me happy. I love that. 

I want you to know that I know the Lord can help us with anything, and if we turn all our weaknesses and faults to Him, He will take them, make them strengths and make us better, but we have to be willing to do a little in return. And its work we will want to do.  It’s not even work, really it’s just opening your heart and serving to make the world better. Being a genuine person! Being like Christ. 

Thank you so so much for your packages! The shirts, ties, socks, and all the treats literally make me so happy.  All the people in the office keep saying how great my family is. Elder Galbraith they say, your family sure does love you!  I have the best family in the world, end of story. You guys rock! I love you all so much.  I almost cried when I saw the paper of the drawing that Erin made that was sent to me.  I almost cried of joy, not of sadness, but joy because I know you all love me, she loves me, and God loves you, me, her, and everyone.  I have never felt closer to all of you. 

I love you all so much.

Thank you all so much for everything, I have learned so much and grown so much in just this short time! I love Mexico.  Not as much as the USA still, but it’s growing on me. Ha-ha!! 

I love you!

Elder Galbraith