Can you say "Saskatoon, Saskatchewan"?

Elder Galbraith's older brother, Michael, had exchanged e-mails with Pres. Paulson about a minor medical issue TJ was experiencing. In his last e-mail Sunday evening, Pres. Paulson told Michael where Elder Galbraith was going on his transfer this week. Michael then forwarded that e-mail to us, and we sent a short one back to Elder Galbraith, saying that we had heard where he was going.

Well I read your email about you hearing where I am being transferred. I wonder if you knew before I did! Ga, that takes the fun out of any guessing game. Saskatoon. Oh, those Roughriders...don't worry Dad, I am all for the Stampeders! Little rebel I am, I almost bought a Big Gulp with the Stampeders logo on it. The only thing keeping me back from buying it is that I have zero room in my bag to put it.

I heard a great joke about where I am being transferred to: An American couple are on a vacation in Canada and are traveling by train. They had their own room in a car. One day they woke up from a mid-day nap to find the train stopped in what appeared to be a railyard. The couple sees a few workers outside and decides to ask them whereabouts they are. The husband walks out to the workers and asks "Excuse me, could you tell me where we are?" One worker replies, "Saskatoon, Saskatchewan." The man then turns around and heads back to the train where his wife asks, "Well, where are we?" The husband replies, "Don't know. They don't speak English."

Ouch, but I cracked up laughing because I know so many people that probably have never heard of Saskatoon nor Saskatchewn (I hope I spelled both correctly).

So I am heading out to Saskatoon, which I hear, that 2 winters ago they saw -48C (minus 48, not negative, remember). Ya, thats cold. Doing the math, thats about mid -50s F, right? Oh dear! But I am excited to tell people to stick their heads in their freezer for about 10 seconds, and ask them how they felt. Then tell them to imagine 40 degrees LESS. But of course I want one day of that and then sunny skies/rain and 15C--not going to happen.

So I will likely only get mail once or twice a transfer in Saskatoon, so people will have to be patient with me and mail. On the flipside, for the letters I do receive, I have "plenty" of time.

I am so sad to leave the Elders in my district! I love this Elder Mansfield, from Staffordshire England. Oh, he is the best: so spiritual, his accent is great (I want it), and he is just enjoyable to be around. I will miss him, but he is fairly new to the field and I hope to be in the same district as he sometime. And my investigators too! More on them later. But my companion will be Elder Butterfield, who has been out 22 1/2 months, meaning this will be his last transfer. I have heard so many good things about him, and am very excited to be his companion. Also, he is a district leader, so I get to go on exchanges with a lot of people. I am going to know everyone in this mission really soon.

Moving on...I GOT MY CAPTAIN CANADA SHIRT! I took a video of it and was SO excited! Oh my, it was so good to be that excited again, it was like ultimate frisbee at college all over again. Speaking of pictures, I have been taking many, no worries there (Natalie probably would not believe me). The computers I am currently using have no way for me to hook up my camera cord or memory card, so I will look at the ones in Saskatoon and get back to you. Worst case scenario is I will have to mail my card to you.

Funny mission story: this past Tuesday we celebrated Elder Wood's (BTW Elder Woods is becoming a District Leader next transfer) birthday at a restaurant called Mongo's, an all-you-can-eat Mongolian grill where you could serve up your own food and they would cook it in front of you. Good stuff. Then 2 hours later, unexpectedly, a member who we had taken out to an appointment wanted to treat us to A&W. I was like, whoa....but it was good. We had to rush off to another appointment and was like, "I am stuffed..." Well, this appointment was supposed to be just practicing teaching a member family. As soon as we arrived at their door they were like, "We want to treat you to Boston Pizza!" Elder Woods and I looked at each other in horror. Like that signature head turn you see on TV where 2 people are like "uh oh"; ya, it was like that. So we procrastinated as best we could by watching the DVD Special Witnesses of Christ, but that could only do so much. We were taken to Boston Pizza. I thought it would be like Pizza Hut. Oh no, this is like Chili's with just an emphasis on pizza, but still everything else. Oh dear. I found the smallest thing I could on the menu and seemed satisfied. They told us they were also ordering pizza. Oh dear. When we got our meals and pizza they immediately begged us to just eat their meals too. Oh dear. Ya, I was STUFFED. But it was all so good and I thank the members for their graciousness. Do not let this discourage anyone from feeding missionaries! This just happened to be the perfect storm. I loved it all, and it makes for a great story. Oh, and at Boston Pizza, despite Elder Wood's pleas, I tracked down an employee and asked if they did anything for birthdays. One employee yelled to the entire restaurant that it was Elder Wood's birthday and the entire restaurant joined in singing Happy Birthday. He hated me, and I just smiled and kept singing. See, I am still me, aren't I?

Thank you to Aunt Anne and Uncle Robert for their parcel! They sent me a "Greenie" package, and my companion was jealous of my goodies. Hehe. But, to let them know, I do quite a bit of tracting! I did not do too much this past week compared to other weeks (because we had a ton of lessons, yes!). On a normal day about 2 weeks ago I probably tracted about 3 hours, or anywhere between 2-5 hours. The most I have done is about 6 hours of tracting in one day. Not fun to do that all day, teaching is so much better. I have always had 5 or 6 total lessons per week, but this past week we had 13! It was unreal. This past week I had my first 2 days without tracting! Big accomplishment.

Driving past the Dodge dealership I drive past all the time, I thought of the Seattle Car Show that Dad and I always went to. Oh! I want to go to it so badly! I loved spending time with my Dad and having him see me as hyper as I have ever been in my life. I think the Car Show is likely the place in the world where I am most full of energy. Oh ya! I get excited just thinking about it! So Dad, I cannot tell you when, but we are going again. Do or die. I saw a CR-Z the other day! Ya, I wondered how sporty it really is...I see Challengers and Camaros up here all over the place! New Mustangs are rare, but always a sight to see! Still want a new 5.0 when I get older. First, family and the kids and a job, then the car, right? It likely will be much longer than I hope it will be. Thanks for the car news! Keep it coming! One of the hardest things is that I can see the cover of Car and Driver, but I cannot read it. Talk about heartwrenching.

I feel like Elder Lawson sometimes in that I am just excited. I love it! I love Elder Lawson and wrote him a few weeks ago. If he is still in the ward tell him I love him and give him my email.

On my end for citizenship, I took some required pictures the other day. So I am waiting on that birth certificate. Still love you Dad.

Oh, investigators...Edilyn is still a rock, not much more to say there other than I think I am meeting with her for the last time tonight. This is terrible, I am missing her baptism! So disappointing, but with 22 months left, I likely will see her again--I hope. We found 2 golden investigators this week, and "rebooted" another, so the area is hopping again--but I am leaving. Definitely sad, but maybe I am walking into something like that in the Kingsmere area in Saskatoon.

I would consider the Primary Colors CD a worthy P-Day CD. I am fairly strict on the music I listen to, and I feel comfortable with that. And, I have a CD or 2 in my room that would be fine to bring: something like Helaman's Army or something.

Yes, I have my black Nike Pros, but some kind of material like that is so awkward to put over garments. If the garment is made of some material like that, it would be perfect. My companion has some spandex garments...so that is puzzling.

Way to go Ichiro! Who is going to the playoffs? My guesses without hearing sporting news for the past 2 months: Yanks, Rays (wildcard), Angels, Detroit, Sand Diego, Dodgers (wildcard), St. Louis, Philley. How did I do?

I think that is about it. Sad to hear that about grandpa. Keep me posted. Love you all,

Elder Galbraith

Moving Soon

Great to hear I'm still your favorite missionary! Yes, the Canadian mail is very slow, and the soonest I get letters is about 2 weeks after they were stamped for mail, so I apologize in advance for any slow mail.

Ga, the tab button does not work. As for bed bugs, I have not been bit for a while, but we have caught a few small bugs in traps we set in the corners of our rooms. Cross your fingers. I tell you, mosquito bites are not bad at all after bed bugs! I still get bit by mosquitoes all the time but I really do not care after enduring bed bugs. Yes, the garlic seems to help.

Great to hear about Dawn Romero. I think about Dan a lot. I want to be that walking encyclopedia he was, and also be as enjoyable to be around as he was. For those who do not know him, he convinced me the name Terje means "rat-killing dog". I still believe it.

As for transfers...I am almost done with my first transfer. Ah! I am not sure where the time went. 6 weeks gone in no-time. I hope to stay with Elder Woods, but I have met a lot of great missionaries that I would not mind serving with either. One being a British Elder, Elder Mansfield. Oh, I love that Elder, but that is for another time. Back to transfers: I hear where I am going and who I will be serving with this Sunday, so yes, you will know next Monday. The thing is that my apartment is closing down and the area is being combined with another area, so I am guaranteed a move. Scary. I could stay in Winnipeg, go to International Falls, Minnesota, or up to Prince Albert. Who knows?! Ga. But I am trying not to dwell on it. I just want to keep teaching the people I am now! I want to be at Edilyn's baptism so badly. More about her later, but she is a rock.

To finally answer your question, yes, I am in a car now. All missionaries will be in cars by December because the mission is shrinking.

I have pondered as to why I have been sent to the Canada Winnipeg mission. I know it is not just for my Canadian citizenship (which I am SO excited I am getting). President Paulson is wonderful. I really respect him for his knowledge of the gospel and effective ways to teach people and for the manner he runs the mission. He is not a "you have to do this or else" kind of person, rather he tells us what is expected of us and lets us govern ourselves, assuring us that we will find success if we are obedient to the rules in the White Handbook and etc. We missionaries are to always be dignified, so the first thing I worked on was my "dignified language". But all this is perfect for me, because I know I will be blessed throughout my life according to my obedience here on the mission. Talk about growing up! I want all the blessings I can get! So I am doing all I can to first: be obedient, diligent, and energetic in His work, and second: to have fun and enjoy what I am doing (have fun when appropriate). That balance between dignity and having a good time out here has been something I have been focusing on. For me, dignity and obedience come first. The hard part is I want to express myself (ball of energy, etc.) in the work. The past 2 days I believe I am beginning to find that balance. What a relief!

More about why I think I have been sent here: Yes, the obedience is huge for me. I do wish there were more baptisms here, but when I think about that, having perfect success and constantly having baptisms and going through people really does not fit my personality. I really enjoy connecting with people, and I feel I have done that with Roel and Edilyn. I so badly want the best for them. I have seen her grow so much, even in the 5 weeks I have been here. So, being in this mission I feel I can connect with people and teach PEOPLE, not lessons. I feel I can be more personable up here in Manitoba/Saskachewan (spell it right?) (Dad - should be Saskatchewan) As for what I do, I tract every day, my knuckles are rocks, like me, just kidding, but my knuckles are getting to be super-tough! Next email I will try to share with you what a normal day for a missionary is.

Oh, my investigator Edilyn. She is a rock. She is quitting her job so she does not have to work on Sundays. She was on her way to apply for another job that would not require her to work Sundays when she was in a bad car accident. She was truly protected by the Lord because the cars were apparently going pretty fast and struck her side (the car spun several times in the intersection I am told) and she walked away with very minor bruising a slightly stiff back. She was in the hospital for the afternoon is all. Talking with her afterwards, she said the first thing she thought of after the crash was Christ and a feeling that he has a plan for her. She was immediately grateful and was actually happy walking out of the car. She was also grateful for God's presence in her life. At the end of her next lesson, she said her first prayer in front of us and thanked God for her new life! I was like "What...?!" She was crying; of course I was crying (still not ashamed). She is better than the investigators in the District! The District is a missionary "this is how you should teach" kind of thing and the investigators seem like perfect people. Yes, Edilyn is even better than them. Like I said, she is a rock! I mean, she committed herself to living the Word of Wisdom before we even taught it; she just knew that Mormons do not drink coffee.

Tidbits...the Church is very small here. Yes, .2% of Manitoba are members of the Church. Very different, even from Seattle! One of the chapels here only has 5 rows of benches. Ya. The chapel I meet in has something like 9 rows, and it is about 2/3 full, which is not a whole lot. Definitely some work to be done.

Apparently about 10 years ago, the missionaries were insane and destroyed the member's confidence in missionaries. I am here to regain that trust. Bring it on.

So that British Elder taught me a few great British sayings. I do not know why, but I laughed so hard when he told me "chav". Basically its a punk kid who has terrible style and wears tight pants and boots. Why did I tell you that? Anyway(s), I loved that! And I put the (s) for Nate and Devon to quarrel about, because missionaries say both.

There is a member up here who has been banned from bearing his testimony through the end of this year! He is not in my ward, but I have sure heard stories. He goes up and says the most ridiculous things, totally sacrilegious, but hysterical! Fast Sundays are semi-scary to bring investigators to because you never know what will happen. Oh dear.

Ok, this is so funny: I ran into a totally drunk man a few days ago. He immediately invited us downstairs (sketchy) and he and his drunk buddy were absolutely wasted. They had a recording studio and showed us a few songs, "religious rock". At a guitar wail he stood up and was like "Oh, he's dying! He is on the cross! He is dying!" all while sticking his arms out. Then he would suddenly get inches from Elder Wood's face and always say "I respect you man", shake his hand, and say something, then get close to his face again and repeat it again. I was doing all I could not to laugh! I laughed the entire way home. Oh man. Oh ya, he asked if Jesus smoke pot. I was like wha....? We were like, no. He asked, "how do you know?!" Then he said "just kidding". How am I supposed to keep a straight face after that?! But seriously, the Word of Wisdom is inspired, how can someone like that feel the Spirit?

Oh, so I know its early for this, but a few Christmas ideas may include spandex garments because playing sports in normal garments is still weird and kind of uncomfortable. Sports on P-Day, do not worry!

So it was 7 degrees C the other morning...in mid-September. I'm scared, but excited to tell people that it will be 30 degrees F colder outside than the typical freezer.

There are houses with addresses like 220 1/2...

Thank you Jenny for the picture of you, Brieccia, Nate and Bern!

Elder Woods points out to me that I say "howdy" a lot to people and other "cowboy" things. I think of myself as a city-boy! The only thing I can think of is Dad growing up on a farm and telling me when I was little if my arm hurt that he would have to take me out behind the barn and shoot me. I remember saying "Nope! Second thought it really does not hurt that bad." Anyway, the cowboy in me...

Well I am out of things to say, other than to tell my family that I love them more than anything!

Oh ya, even though I am in Rough Rider and Blue Bomber territory, I would love a Stampeders shirt or sweatshirt or something. Loyalty!

Elder Galbraith

Back to Monday

We began our letter to Elder Galbraith by giving him grief because his letter last week was so short. I joked that perhaps he had spent too much time writing to friends instead of us. He replied:

I utterly failed last week with my email...no excuses, and it will NOT happen again. I immediately felt like a terrible person, no sense trying to explain why it happened that way. I hope to make you both proud with a long email today! I have been writing things down in my planner everyday that I can tell you, so sorry (pronounced so-ry) here if things get very random down the line. Take a deep breath, and here, we, go!

Happy Birthday Kim! I am sending a letter off to you today or tomorrow, depending on when I can find a mailbox. Happy Birthday! You know I love you and look up to you so much!

Well, I suppose I do not know where to start. Pretty anti-climatic right? But this email will be good, I promise! So, is it official that I can be a Canadian citizen AND U.S. citizen? If so, I am so excited! I'm a Yankee Canuck! It would be kind of bad if they took away my U.S. citizenship, ya...

Spiritually speaking, there is a lot that goes around in missionaries heads, a least my head. I have 2 fairly serious investigators right now: Edilyn, a Filipino (ya Nate!), and Sergio, from Moldova. Lots of immigrants eh? Actually, Elder Woods and I set a baptismal date with Edilyn this past week! The 17th of October. Really excited here. In the few weeks I have been here I have already seen changes in people, especially in Edilyn. She is genuinely happier. She lives with her nephew, who is a member, and much of her family are members. I feel that her nephew Roel was very hesitant with us teaching her at first, but he has really warmed up to us and we even study the Bible solely with him each week. I cannot explain how important it is to gain member's trust. So important, and I am reaping the benefits of that trust here. Edilyn is unique in that she feels much more comfortable reading Gospel Principles instead of the Book of Mormon, and I was very hesitant of that at first, but she is really feasting on the words in Gospel Principles. Oh, another great fact here is that she had not been to any church for many, many years until last week when she came. She came again yesterday, and really enjoys the Gospel Principles class. All of this is very exciting here!

This past Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday I was a part of a large Bi-Zone meeting in Winnipeg, which had about 45 missionaries. We met each day from 8:30 to 5. Whoa. Long days, but they went past quickly. We really focused on things from chapters 4 and 10 of Preach My Gospel. Powerful stuff, let me tell you. Elder Woods and I are really focusing on "teaching people, not lessons", which really is preparing lesson plans unique to them, but going to the appointment and asking direct questions that really make the investigators think. These questions are difficult to come up with, but when done correctly, they are personal/on the spot, and allow the investigator to bear their testimony through their answer. That way the Spirit teaches them. Interestingly enough, the Spirit puts the questions in our minds, and the Spirit just is abounding everywhere. It may sounds corny, but it is totally true. Elder Woods and I applied these tactics this past week and our investigators really opened up to us! We in turn opened up to them, the Spirit taught us all, and I left feeling like I had conquered death. Wow, what a feeling.

Along those lines, the most frustrating thing with missionary work is...agency. Ga, agency. I can deliver what I feel is the most spiritually-packed message and people still have the choice to accept or decline the message. I was told that "missionaries bring the message unto the hearts of the people, but only the investigator can bring it into their own heart. That is so hard to accept once I have really delivered a really spiritual message and I think "How can they not embrace the Gospel after that?" and I hear, "You know, this is not for me". Agency!

I feel I am getting a good grasp of the doctrine and the scriptures that support it. Scripture mastery...if I only did it. I love marking up my scriptures in different colors, its like relieving stress, seriously.

Being that Primary teacher sure helped me begin to develop patience. Many people out here do not keep commitments and is frustrating. I just think, Christ-like attributes...Christ-like attributes...Speaking of which, I absolutely recommend to everyone everywhere to earnestly seek to develop the Christ-like attributes set forth in PMG chapter 6. It benefits everyone. I am at the point in my companionship where there is a little contention, but we have our "companionship inventories" and talk it out and seek to improve. It sure takes humility, but I am always looking for ways I can improve. To tell you the truth, I love improving and learning.

I see this mission for me as much as it is for the Lord. I know I am becoming a better, more mature--ha--person, and it is joyful to be able to see my own progress, along with investigator's progress. I have kept part of a letter Michael sent to me in the MTC where he says his mission really set the foundation for the rest of his life. Anyone who knows me knows how much I look up to my siblings, and it is so meaningful to me to hear that, and I too see this as me setting the foundation for the rest of my life. Its very exciting in that way. I seek to find service opportunities to serve my companion, as a way to better care for him and to begin to give service more. I have found that washing the dishes is kind of my thing. I enjoy trying to cook for my companion and doing the dishes. My wife will sure like that. See, doing these things will better prepare me for the rest of my life.

I have struggled balancing my constant energy with having a dignified persona. As a representative of the Lord, I am what people think the Church is. I simply cannot sporadically burst out in song or things like that. I am trying to just be energetic and enthusiastic about the work. I feel this is one way to get my personality out. Maybe this is...growing up? Sheesh, it all sounds so simple, but I feel a large part of my personality has been being full of energy. So its almost like I have been trying to find the "mature me" if you would say. How do people grow up without missions? But I feel I am coming along.

Dad, refresh my memory, what was your experience with missionaries in your conversion?

I went on an exchange to a rougher part of town this past week. Wow, truly humbling--and I thought I was in a humble part of town! For Auntie Susan and Uncle Brent, it was an area the missionaries call "Tyndall", north of downtown Winnipeg and south of the railroad tracks. Wow. I have seen South Chicago, and it was not too much different. The entire mission experience has been very humbling and I was especially grateful to the Lord for the blessings in my life. Though the area was rough, it yielded some of the most humble people I have met. Truly only families bring happiness. Reading my Blessing, I am excited to serve the Lord, but so very excited for my own family some day, so excited.

A few fun things: I have somewhere between 200-250 otter pops in my freezer right now. They are the frozen juices things in little plastic sleeves. But they were on sale, how could I not pass them up? 250 for less than $3, in Canada? (For those who do not know, Canadian things are more expensive, just try buying cheese) So I am snacking on those all the time. Ashley Johnson, if you read this, I know you are proud of me right now.

My ward's Elders quorum had a legitimate pig roast this past weekend. An entire pig! Head and all. I was kicking myself that I did not bring my camera! But I viscously ate part of its ear--so fun to do and tasted like bacon, ironic right? We missionaries had lots of fun, and a few of our investigators came and seemed to have plenty of fun too.

There was a car show going on yesterday and I saw tons of classic cars. Yes, it was similar to Christmas excitement. Some cars are different in Canada, but I would bore most of you as to what is different, so I will save that.

What is the latest on my Captain Canada shirt? Maybe its already here in Winnipeg and I just have not yet received it.

I really appreciate all the letters I have received! Letters literally are Christmas presents and I pour over every one that I get. The mail is very slow here and I can only write a few each P-Day, but I am really trying to get back to most. But thanks to all who have sent some, they are very much appreciated.

Dad, I would like to send a package in the mail with things I do not need, and saving me much needed space in my bag! It will likely be large, because I would throw in my LW blanket, a few slacks (don't need as many as I have) and other odds and ends. So, I am not sure when that would head off, but hopefully before the transfer ends (end of September). And no, I have not received a letter from you that was sent last week. Oh, Canadian mail.

Yes, I do play the piano a significant amount up here. A lot. I have already assumed the role of Priesthood pianist for most Sundays and have played prelude in sacrament meeting too. SO GLAD that I took it up again in high school. And, I am proudly part of my ward's choir, which is VERY small.

So my first transfer is in 2 1/2 weeks! Scary! I have been away for...lets see...about 7 weeks now. Wow. Time has flown by, yet the days are long, the weeks short.

Last thing, I had someone in the Mission Office call me about my Health Card. Does my Regence card cover me in Canada? I have no idea.

I am really glad you have kept me up to date with things! Great to hear about Dad and that accounting place. Please keep me posted. How are you doing Mom and Dad? How are you running the blog? Just copying and pasting these emails? Summing up? How is it coming?! Not huge things, but I remembered my Inbox and Facebook (does it still exist? ha). Please just keep my Inbox fairly clean and my Facebook active by signing in maybe once a month and posting something quick about how I am doing. Thanks much! I hope I did not forget anything and that this email is better than the last!

Love,

Elder Galbraith

Labor Day + One

From a letter written by Elder Lance McDowell (a friend of TJ and Nate's from BYU) that I included in our last letter to Elder Galbraith:

Two experiences:

1. An elder came into our classroom the other day and (in English, and without his companion) asked if there was any way he could advance to a higher level class or leave the MTC early. He said he had been here 10 days and his Spanish was already as good as ours. Then he proceeded to tell us how he hated class because it was so boring and he already knew it all and he fell asleep all the time. He said he hated the gringos in his class because their white boy accents made his own superior espanol digress. He said he had to sink to a lower level of thought to understand them.

2. Two Elders approached Elder Call and I and (in terrible Spanish, so bad that I subtely glanced at their nametags to see if they were actually speaking spanish) asked us if they could share a message with us. They proceeded to tell me that Jeses Christ is my Savior, that He died for me, that my family loves me, and that there is a true prophet on the earth. Now, who do you think i would rather have as my companion out in the field? Definately the latter. it does not matter to me that they did not even know what hola meant upon entering the MTC. The Spirit was present and i knew what they said was true even though I could barely make it out. It taught me that there is a lot more to missionary work than just knowing a language. The Spirit is 100 times more important than the language and if you have the spirit the language is gonna come to. It taught me that we need to learn every day in the MTC. I feel ready to go to the field but I still got 2 weeks left and I'm not gonna waste them just cruising. There's a lot to learn in the MTC including humility and, who would have thought, how to be a missionary.

Elder Galbraith's letter was on Tuesday this week as well as last week because of the Labor Day Holiday. Things should be back to normal next week. This, then, is Elder Galbraith's letter from today.

Wow. Elder McDowell's story is very humbling. Or should I say, the first Elder needs to be humbled! But some missionaries, even out in the field do have negative attitudes. I do my best to always put a smile on, even when I am down. Just the simple act of putting on that smile is very therapeutic.

Those pictures of Monte Cristo are so GREAT! Oh, isn't Monte Cristo sooo beautiful Mom?! Mom, that picture of you on the turntable is so precious! Would you send me a hardcopy of that in the next few months? Oh, I laughed because of her face! I am so excited that you both were able to go there! When I read that you both had gone up there I was bouncing in my seat I was so excited you did it! Mom! Dad! Oh, so truly awesome! I wish I could have been there. Isn't beautiful? Just the first rut in the path is more elevation that Winnipeg. (That's actually not true. There are 2 manmade hills next to our church that will be decent sled hills in a few weeks. Learning to love Winnipeg too, have to defend it.) Dad, sorry to hear about your knees. In my mind, you are still a young gazelle. I say gazelle because I have been given a new nickname based on my performance of our P-Day football game. Galbraith Gazelle or Gazelle Galbraith or simply, Gazelle. Thank you Bros. Litchfield and Crandall and co. Oh P-Day football is a blast! I can just run and run as much as I want to. Granted I don't land on my knee like I did 2 weeks ago and have my knee swell up again. Oops, didn't mean to write that. Actually I did, but I tell you things like that after the fact. My knee did swell some, but it was gone in about 3 or 4 days. For those who do not know, I have hurt my knees in the past and have had them fill up with liquid and have that liquid removed by needles. But none of that this time, it was not nearly that bad. Anywho, I love playing P-Day football.

So you have been contacted about the Canadian government trying to make me a Canadian citizen. Ha. Can I be a dual citizen? I think so.

Oh dear, I have to run, so let me spew out as many other details as I can before I really have to leave.

Cars are way different. Lots of Pontiacs and Canada-only models if you look very closely as I do. For Brendin, there are select HONDA Integras. Not Acura. Weird eh? There are corded lawn mowers here! Holiday lights are up all year round, not just for December because it is crazy cold here for over 6 months. Though I kind of like the lights...

Mosquitoes are very bad. Usually 4 or 5 on each door as we are tracting, but after the bed bugs, nothing is bad anymore. I have pictures that I will send down in a few weeks, more about the package I want to send in next week's email. Love you so much,

Elder Galbraith

A day late . . .

Well sorry this email comes on Tuesday. I will explain that later and am eager to hear everyone's responses to it. First off, I will have to write my emailing 2 emails because a specific library card did not come through as it was supposed to so as to allow me to have longer than a 1/2 hour to write. But no biggie, just 2 emails as though 1. Ok, and since it is "Labour" Day in Canada next Monday (maybe in the states too? I don't know, I never got that down), my email will come next Tuesday as well. Deep breath, and here we go:

FYI the really INTERESTING STUFF is at the bottom, BUT...you have to read the top first. Just to let everyone know that they should keep reading after I start to ramble on because it gets crazy.

Ok, so I had the chance to write a lengthy letter to you, Mom and Dad, which will go over a few things, don't worry anyone else reading this, it is nothing secretive, I just wanted to write my parents whom I love so much. Anywho, that will go off today or tomorrow; it is right in front of me now to help me write this email.

I want to first thank Delaney for the Dear Elder I got from her. Delaney, I am excited for the possibilities you have in front of you and in the stage of life you are in. You have so much potential, and from my experience I know that the best way to reach that full potential is by living the gospel. It will bring happiness, trust me, actually, trust God that it will. Read the Book of Mormon and try your best to understand it. I know it is tough! Even the prophets find new things when they read. Think over the principles taught very carefully, like why God loves you so much, and after pondering them, pray and ask in your prayer. See what happens.

Again, thank you to everyone that has sent me things or thought or prayed about me. Thank you. I have such little time in the mission field to get back to people it may take a week or 2 to get back to people, but I will! But no-one can use the excuse "he won't get back to me". I love getting letters (granted I have only gotten 1 thus far) and I read them over and over. So, thank you again.

Nate, I did get that Dear Elder email and have been bragging to my friends for a few weeks that my buddy is going to the Philippines. I hope I spelt that right. Ya, the word for faith is like 6 or 7 syllables long and the Book of Mormon is like 700 something pages. Good luck. As for Soundgarden, it can wait 2 years, though I do sing it occassionally. To be truthfully honest, I do not know what kind of music I will listen to when I return home. Probably nowhere near as much rock as I used to, if any. I don't know, but its fun to hear about Soundgarden anyway, so keep it coming. Those 2 months will be the longest 2 months of your life, so have fun. Say hi to Nick for me in the MTC! Oh, and one of the missionaries up here plays BANG and brought it! So we play it on P-Days. Tell Devon, he will laugh. Plus, great to hear about Jared and Devon's Eagle Projects, they will probably have that double Eagle Court of Honor like you and I had.

So to Brendin and all other friends, I need you to contact me so I can say something sassy back.

Mom and Dad, I did have that Meredith DeFrancesco (pronounced Day-fran-chess-co, they are quite adamant about that and I still butchered it the first time) introduce herself to me. She is in my ward! The little Gateway ward I serve in...little, being quite pronounced there.

Hey, Mom and Dad, tell Elder Lawson that I think about him all the time and just need to find time to write him something. Make sure he knows that I look up to him so much and he is the type of missionary I want to be: always excited, energetic, happy to do the work of the Lord, and determined to serve Him. I love Elder Lawson! I miss that man. Give him my address if you could please, as I still have his.

Let me be the first to say, Happy (early) Anniversary Mom and Dad!!! That is so great that you may go camping or to Monte Cristo! Yes! I love you both.

And Dad, I still have the Monte Cristo pictures on my camera. I know I keep harping on this, but I loved that trip so much! I loved spending time with my Dad. Plus, its an interesting place to be, and with a hyperactive pre-missionary, it is a really interesting place to be.

Bro. Crandall in a senior golf tournament? Impossible, I wouldn't bill him over 30.

Tell Grandma Jeannette thank you so much for the email! I'm glad to hear from her, and as always, wish her the best.

Now, here is where it starts to get a little more interesting...

My past week...I describe this in much more detail in my letter that I will be sending, but here is basically what is in it:

I cannot get enough reading in. There just is not enough time in the day! I love learning now. Too bad I didn't love it so much 6 months ago, but I cannot get enough of it now. I am reading a bunch of stuff. I love Jesus the Christ. It is really deep and thorough, but I love that about it! Preach My Gospel is so great for studying. Then there are these 2 other books that are VERY thorough. They work so well together, and when you really search and ponder what they teach, are soooo eye opening. I think...I think they are called the...Book of Mormon and the Bible (?). You may have to check me on that, not sure. For example, I was having difficulty in accepting the fact that some of the scriptures said the Godhead was one. Even Mormon 7:7 says it. I wanted to find evidence they are separate and distinct beings from old revelations (not the PoGP and D&C). I was troubled for a while about this, then I looked at Acts 7:55-56 again, and another scripture that says that Jesus and God are one flesh, then I read Genesis 2:24 and had an Aha moment.

Next. Finish the following statement: nighty night, don't let the ____ ____ ____. Ya, I hate that saying now. If you have not guessed bed bugs, you need to consult your mother. I hate bed bugs. And I don't use that term lightly. If you have not guessed that I may have "found" some bed bugs, I don't know what to tell you other than I have found bed bugs in Canada; specifically my mattress and hundreds of these little red itchy things all over my body.

Yep, the past 3 days have been a battle over bed bugs. I was cleaning my apartment all yesterday and am taking a break to email now. Friday or so I noticed little red dots, almost like flea bites underneath my bicep (when I flexed of course). And I have a few on my upper arm. Saturday I woke up and saw that these bites were over my pects, and down my arms. I was starting to think these were not just mosquitoes. After waking up on Sunday to find hundreds of bites over my body I kind of guessed something was up. Naturally I was freaking out, but in the mission field I cannot say freaking, gosh, dang, darn, sweet, cool, anything slang, so for the record I did not just say all those words. (Yes, that is most of my vocabulary right there, so that is difficult) But I had never seen a "bed bug" before. I mean, that sort of thing only happens to kids in Africa right? WRONG. It is really bad up here in Winnipeg. So I talked to a higher-up about it, and he mentioned I look in my mattress and box spring. Well, I looked, and there they were. Gross. These little black things with their poop desecrating my box spring. They had wedged themselves in the corners so they were difficult to find unless you deliberately looked for them. So I found quite a few on the side my head is when I sleep. Gross, again. Long story short, we've been washing EVERYTHING the past few days and vacuuming EVERYTHING. Gross. I count 35 bites on my left hand as I write this and 30 on my right. I don't want to burden myself by counting my arms and neck--and face. It sufficeth to say that I have many bites on my upper body, thank goodness they weren't rude enough to go much lower. (Count Your Many Blessings, name them one by one...)

I mean, isn't your bed supposed to be a "safe" place. I thought so. But now I know that all that cleaning we do in our houses is SO worth it. I hope I am inspiring people everywhere to clean things and gross them out enough to clean everything. Do it.

The best part, is that I am handling it fairly well. Thanks to my companion, Elder Woods, I am still smiling and just trucking along. I mean, it could be worse. But seriously, it has humbled me, and is forcing me to be more patient. I am still striving to be as obedient as possible, in an attempt to bind the Lord (D&C 82:10). I mention the scripture so people don't think I am literally binding the Lord, but knowing that as I follow Him, I will be blessed, and will be essentially forced to bless me. Yes, semi-selfish, but I am slowly developing that love for others, and am beginning to serve out of that love.

It is crazy to think how much I have already grown in my 1 month (ya, 1 one month already) out. I am different. How do people grow-up without missions? I will be a man when I come back, I'm excited, ha.

Missionary work is tough, nothing like the glamor I thought it was prior to me coming out. It is hard work! For me, the physical hardship is things like the mosquitoes that torment me (and bed bugs), not so much the walking while tracting. I find missionary service much more mental. Satan does everything he possibly can to thwart the good cause. He has tried making me miss things, which I do. I do miss mountains (or hills for that matter), miss BYU, miss family and miss friends. Truth be told, I really do miss all those things and at times want to hug my mom more than anything, or see Snoqualmie Pass's green landscape, or BYU friends. But as hard as those things are, I know that missionary service is where I am and what I need to be doing. I am setting the foundation of my life. Michael, I cut out a quote from your email to me in the MTC, that mentions that. I would love to know more on that if possible.

But the things I am doing now, I know I will continue after my mission. I won't be able to live without studying something gospel related everyday. Natalie, I am studying much more than my 30 minutes per day. Much more. And these are not just on cars, rather, only the gospel. Everything ties together somehow, it works. I have pondered things and if I have questions, I seek them out and find the answer in the scriptures. Every time.

So, to wrap up, I found a way to include all of this in one email. I would love letters from everyone, but especially my brother and sister. Sometimes I just need that extra support, that one extra prayer to keep me going. No-one said this was easy and by-golly it is not. I had a man, whom I had tracted into, sit me and Elder Woods down and discuss some really weird, but good, questions. He seemed ok at first but it later was apparent he was bashing on the church. I had several topics "fall-into-place", through the Spirit, as he talked. Then I stood up, bore my testimony to him, gave him a pass-along card and told him if he had any questions to visit that website. I was pumped, and so happy I stood for Christ.

Mom, I have only had Mac M Cheese 3 times in the past 2 weeks, be proud. Dad, I have had some rice and beans. Sorry this is so long. I am quite scatter-brained as I write emails. Love you both. Love you all.

Elder Galbraith

From Winnipeg 8-23-2010 Part 2

Hey, I found another station! Haha, well instead of looking at Arthur books, I am looking at a book right next to me called The Remarkable Respiratory System, with an 8 year old playing the sax and two cartoon lungs singing. I kind of like being down here.

So I will try to answer more questions here and tell some of missionary life too. 26 minutes left.

So my ward is called the Gateway ward, and as I said, not a lot of people. So I showed up and was asked to bear my testimony about the commandments, taking about 5 minutes. I did, but I have come to realize that I am SO like Mom in that I have begun to start crying before I go up. Don't tell her I said that. But it's nothing to be ashamed about! It's the gift of tears or weeping or something. Anyway, there are....3 sets of missionaries IN MY WARD. Ya. That's why the mission is going to be reducing the 92 missionaries out now to 56 in a year. Ya, hard core cuts. But the members are really giving their all into missionary work. We really take for granted our beliefs. Please do all you can to help the missionaries! Even if it's only 1 set in our ward. Ok, back on track. Our ward is about 1/2 Phillippino, 1/3 white and the rest are a bunch of things. I have not gotten fed yet, but I hear the Phillipinos frequently serve something called Beillut, which is an underdeveloped duck, beak and all. So, naturally I'm freaking out. But I have to let Natalie know that I have tried a lot of things and I actually sorta like them! Like sour cream, perogies, some weird stuff in the salad line in the MTC that I still don't know...I even had salad dressing--twice. Ya, so Natalie, I now love more food (She thinks I am picky, which may or may not be true).

So mission life...the first day in the field was rough. Oh, I missed family, friends, BYU and mountains so badly. Not that I wanted to leave, but everything was so foreign and I knew no-one in northern Winnipeg. My first 2 appointments were to people that took the gospel as something of a joke and my first stint tracting really discouraged me. I have never felt the adversary grinding on me so much, never. It seemed he wanted to break me. It was tough. At the end of the second day I had some success though. We tracted 3 really great and interested people who we are meeting with tomorrow. I taught someone who was genuinely interested and I was just filled with great feelings! Gone was the burden on my chest. Take that Satan. I was smiling at it all. Something I have learned is that if I smile, it's really hard to be sad, so I smile much more now.

The apartment I live in is termed "the ghetto" by some, but not me. Granted everything is retro 80s (or actually 80s), and the air conditioner is sometimes taken as a hair dryer because of how loud it is, the apartment is cool. It's my pad, my spiritual party place. I have been really humbled by a number of things. One person I taught had a dream the night before we arrived of him eating a white fruit. Ya, we zipped to Lehi's dream. Miracles occur out here! I cannot describe them all,but they occur! Something else that has humbled me is my living conditions. I have never eaten off Mac and Cheese, homemade burritoes and perogies so much before. But the living quarters of the people I am around are so humble. I used to think I was humble (saying that recognizes I am not) by the "frugal" way I lived. Many of these people...well, it suffices to say that I have always had it good. Let's just say I see a lot of shopping carts in people's yards. Ya, and this is no 3rd world country. Its really humbling. Mom, remember when we went shopping in Calgary next to Grandma Jeannette's place (the Renoir) and all the shopping carts required quarters? Well I now know the reason. Think about it.

I always saw the missionaries as perfect people. Ha. I always thought they were totally grown-up. Not true. But I do feel that this experience has already been a growing experience for me. I wonder how much more growing is in it for me. Probably quite a bit. It was about 38 degrees here (Celcius), which is upper 90s I think. It's scary to think I will see temperature about 150 degrees (Fahrenheit) below this. Yes, -50 is not unheard-of. But I am excited for growth. I want to grow, that's one reason I'm hear. Ya, this is the Lord's mission and I am here to serve him, but I get something out of this too. At this point, I am being semi-selfish in why I am being obedient. I intend on binding the Lord through my obedience (DC 82:10) and forcing him to give me blessings. I am working my tail off and am exhausted when I go to bed. Until I develop a genuine love of the people (which I think is already coming) I intend on binding the Lord through my obedience. It's hard not to look past my mission; all the missionaries talk about the end of their mission as if it were tomorrow. Mom, you know that that has been something difficult for me, and its a small trial I have now. But I persevere because the work is true and God is real. Love you all, need to go. Please write. I will email again next week.

Love

Elder Galbraith

From Winnipeg 8-23-2010 Part 1

I read your email...and I guess the first thing I should say is "Hi from Winnipeg!" Yes, I am in the northwest (ya) part of Winnipeg in a neighborhood called Jefferson. No, I am not close to Aunt Susan, they are in the very southwest corner by the look of it. She would likely have heard of Jefferson though. To answer some questions...

The wards are huge in area here. "Wards" is pushing it. Hardly (if even) about 100 active members in the ward, and about 200 inactives. So not the greatest retention. Ga! I have so much to tell you, but only 20 minutes on this computer! I will explain my situation later, but this time crunch should only occur today, being the first time I get the library card, which answers another question: I have computer access in the library and am currently typing my letter in the little kids section of the Jefferson Winnipeg library. I am using one of those old school mouses (?) designed for 3 year olds that has a big ball in the middle and 3 buttons. Enough of that though. No printer whatsoever.

I love emails, but only have so much time to read and write. So letters are better if possible becuase I can hold them in my hand and read them when I have time. Now, because I am in Winnipeg, I should get mail every week, but when I am out in the boondocks, AKA Flin Flon and co. I will only get it once a transfer. That means once every 6 weeks. But mail is still preferred if possible. It just stinks because it will cost about a buck for every letter. But I hope my friendship means more than a dollar to most. But I will do my best to get back to most people as soon as I can, just a little forewarning: don't kill me if it takes a while, because I probably have not yet got it! And then there is travel time...

Ok, now that that is out of the way, on to better things. My companion is Elder Woods, from Pima Arizona. He is a quiet guy, but he wrestled in high school. Good stuff. I like him, he is a hard worker, which is what I wanted. We will get things done. Something that is difficult for me is that in the mission field we have to be really subdued in our language (I can't even say "cool", I mean what the heck? I can't say what the heck either! Ga!). I guess its all part of the growing up process. I feel older by acting older, but I am still the same old me.

Ooh, something for Nate and Brendin: at the MTC they were serving STEAK SANDWICH! Inside joke, but I definitely ate it and loved it. Nate, keep the Soundgarden stuff coming, its just fun to hear. Dad, even with the BMW incident I still trust you and need you for car stuff. Mom, I love you. And thank you so much to everyone that emailed or wrote me in the MTC! Thanks! But I need all the support I can get out here in the field, its really not that easy. Well I need to wrap this up, I will see if I can snag another computer in my allotted time. Hope to hear from you all soon!