Elder Chris Gibbs: June 13, 2011

[Editor's Note: There are lots of pictures at the end of the post! Don't miss them!]

How is it going family! We have had another awesome week in Gualeguaychú. Things were pretty much all the same in the first part of the week. It wasn't till later that things got a little more interesting. So Thursday the zone leaders came to our area so they could interview Sol Gomez. Sol is a little 8 year old girl of this family we are working with. So we started working by doing some divisions. I worked with one of the zone leaders while Elder Towner went with the other one. I worked with an Elder Anderson from British Columbia, Canada. He was way cool! We worked really well together, except for the fact that I kept getting us a litle bit lost lol. Not badly lost. I still knew we were somewhere in Argentina, just not much more than that. We did some tracting and meeting new people. I actually felt like I helped him a lot. I was doing most of the speaking in Spanish (or better said Castellano). But ya so we were knocking on this door and no one came out. We then saw a lady that came out the door of the house next to us. I said loudly ´Hola!´ and I told her that we were meeting people and we had a message that we would like to share with her. We taught her the first lesson. I helped a little in teaching and it was a great spiritual experience for her.

After we finished knocking doors, we headed to another part of the town to teach some families. All of the families we planned on teaching ended up not having time. But, we did meet a new man named Fabian. Lol no paul......his name is Fabian not Fabio. We taught him a great first lesson. We then headed to another family who didn't have time to meet with us so we left to go to another house. We were passing a house of a man Elder Towner and I had met but had not taught. I had the greatest urge to talk to this man. So I was like Hola! again which is like my favorite word in Spanish. Lol and he actually was able to listen to a lesson. It turns out that he has been searching different churches but couldn't find the one that he felt was true. So, we taught him and told him that if he prays to God, God will tell him which church is true. We told him about our church and asked him to pray about Joseph Smith and about our church and to read in the Book of Mormon. He has also been having a hard time with having enough money and so we gave him a couple verses to read in Mosiah 2 in the Book of Mormon. Verse 41 was one that we asked him to read that says that if we keep the commandments of God, he will bless us spiritually and temporally.

I love this church because I know it is true and it has definitely blessed my life! I am so happy with the fact that I can live with my family after this life and that God loves me and knows me. He knows the things that make me happy. God is so wonderful! I have so many blessings from Him! Sometimes I can't believe how blessed I am. Seeing some of the people down here and thinking of how I used to live! Crazy! I have an awesome life! So we taught this man. His name is Julio Castro and is a great guy. We are going to teach him some more this next week.

So on Saturday we had our first Baptism!!!!! Sol was baptized! And she wanted me to baptize her! It was such a great experience. I love that family. The dad is a member of the church but the mom isn't. I baptized her and when she was walking out of the font she was so happy. She was giggling and clapping! I felt so good! I know that this is the true church and that she was feeling good because she was doing what God wanted of her. We feel good when we follow the commandments of God. This family is going to be so blessed! The mom is thinking about being baptized. Oh and I sent some photos with this email of me and my new companion and stuff [see below!]. So that was really cool!

On Sunday, the mission president came to the branch for a conference. They had me play the piano for the branch for the first time. The people got really excited to sing! Usually it sounds terrible. Everyone is off key and singing different parts and everyone sounds really depressed. Lol but when I played the piano......everyone was way excited! Lol they sang REALLY loud! Lol it was so awesome to hear everyone so excited. I am going to be playing for sacrament next week. After that we went and taught the family Bulo. Elder Towner and I found this family while walking in the street. We heard some loud music playing and followed the music lol. We taught them last Sunday (Domingo). It was such a great lesson! The mom was crying when she heard we have a prophet once again on the earth and that the same Church that was on the earth in Christ´s time has been restored once again to the earth! She even told us that she felt that we were sent specifically to this family! Such a nice family! We had a fantastic meeting with them. I hope we can go back soon. Lol they were actually asking us to come back later that day. We had to say no because we were going to meet with someone else in a bit. And so that is that.

Oh and Allison I just recieved that Dear Elder you sent to me. Lol it was a little late but it was great to get it! Oh and if any of you want to send me a letter, just send it to the mission home. Or use Dear Elder. It will get to me eventually. Oh and so today.....I had to wash some of my clothes by hand!!!! So lame! Usually we have someone that washes clothes for us but it takes forever to get back to us. So I had to wash them by hand. So much work. And the water was soo cold. I kind of played a trick on my companion by turning on the hot water of the sink which makes the shower go cold. But unfortunately it shut off the water heater and so my companion finished his shower and then I had to take a shower. Lol and it was the coldest shower of my LIFE. Lol I was like ahhhhhhhhh I am freezing! Lol it was funny. My plan backfired! But whatever.

Oh and so we went over to this family's house to eat with on Friday, which we usually do. We had this stuff that I thought was chicken fried steak. Lol well at least I thought it was steak. My companion later told me that ´that was not cow meat......´ sometimes they use this cheap meat and sell it. It comes from a large rodent. Like a large guinea pig!!!! Nasty! Ugh. I didn't even know till way later. So at least while eating it I didn't have to know. Another time I didn't get off so easy. Lol we were eating an asado at a part-member family´s house. Asado is like an Argentine barbeque. He made some awesome really good ribs. I mean not as good as the ribs Ryan makes or the ones at Texas Roadhouse. But they were fairly good! Lol and then he brought out the blood sausage. Nasty. It's like pork meat and blood and stuff. I could only eat one bite then I had my companion eat the rest. Lol I am going to die! But besides that we are having a good time! There is so much walking here in Gualeguaychú but I am loving it. I am happy to be serving the Lord because he has blessed me soooo much in my own life. I know that He died for us and paid for our sins so that we could live with God again! I love you all and miss you all! I love you Dad, Mom, Steph, Ryan, Sam, Austin, Allison, Jon, Rachel and Paul! You are such a great family! I am thankful for all my friends and everyone in my life! I am so truly blessed! Have a great day everyone! And a great week! Oh and I attached some photos to this email I hope you get them!

This is Elder Christopher Gibbs. Over and Out!