August 8, 2011

(Editor's note:  The email subject line for this letter was "My legs are getting SOO buff!")

Hey familia,

So as I put in the subject for this email I remembered that my legs were getting super buff from all of the walking lol and running from dogs. Remember on the best two years, from all the walking and tracting my (legs) have become quite beautiful. Lol I added in the leg part and I didn't feel like actually typing what they say in the movie. I am so tired but the work is going great. 

Our new branch presidente is doing awesome stuff here in Gualeguaychú. I have definitely seen the Lord´s hand in helping with the work. A lot of the members hearts have changed and they are growing together. They used to be way ununified but now they are all working together. It is definitely a miracle that the Lord has done. As for the work we are doing pretty good. Elder Towner and I are doing a bunch of tracting and visiting members and investigators. We have quite a few investigators. One we visited this week is way awesome! His name is Julio. We taught him a few times, but he has said that since the first time he met us, his life has turned around financially. Like he was suffering and didn't have a job and his family was struggling. But now they find it much easier to live and to earn money. But the best thing is that he wants to learn about the gospel. He has been searching for the true church for a while. He attended quite a few different churches but didn't feel like he found the one. We taught him and he felt that the things we were teaching him were true. He read about Joseph Smith and loved his story. We need to visit him again but as for now things are going quite well. We have other investigators too but that was probably the most awesome thing that has happened.

Also we are going to have a baptism this Saturday. My companion will be baptizing her. So that will be way awesome too! The transfer is nearly up and so Elder Towner and I are pretty nervous to see what will happen. Either he will be leaving Gualeguaychú or I. Either way will be alright. Thanks Stephanie and Mom and Paul and Dad for the emails it was awesome to hear what was happening. Lol Sam and Austin sound so funny. And it sounds like they are growing a ton! I hope things go well for you Stephanie and Ryan. Lol and Mom I miss your cooking. Lol a nineteen and twenty year-old cannot cook. So mom if you have any real easy recipes you would like to send me that would be greatly appreciated. I am really wishing I did more cooking before the mission. As for now I am an alright chef. Lol it is really nice to go eat at the different members houses. They always feed us really well. Sometimes too well and I get a stomach cramp walking back from their houses. I always amaze Elder Towner with how much I eat. I miss homemade Cafe Rio a ton!!! The food here in Argentina is real interesting. They do not like to eat spicy foods. Lol one time a family was feeding us and the whole family was complaining about how there was too much spice and it was sooo hot. Lol Towner and I loved it. There was a perfect amount of spice. Lol last week Elder Towner and I found some cans of baked beans at the super market. So we went crazy and bought the rest of them. Which really was only like 3 cans. But it was soo good to eat something american! 

Oh and does Jon have an email Allison? Or something. I am really glad to hear about the things that have happened back at home! We are doing great in Argentina. Just getting some hard work done! Oh and last week I gave myself my first ever haircut! Lol Elder Towner had some hair clippers and I gave myself a haircut. And it was quite..........................a mess. Lol I did alright cutting the front of my hair but the back was a disaster. I clipped some bald spots onto the hair right above my ear. And on the back of my head there were giant patches of long hair with patches of short hair. For an emo haircut, it was pretty good! But for a missionary haircut it wouldn't do. Lol so Elder Towner had to work some magic and fix it. That is that last time I use different sizes of clips on the back of my head. But I might keep giving myself haircuts. They are much cheaper than having to go to a barber or what not. If I used one size of a clipper my hair would probably have turned out better. But for a first try I thought it was pretty sweet! Anyhow I hope everything is going well! I love you all! I know that Joseph Smith was a prophet of God. God still loves His children and guides His church as He did in the Bible. Also I know that God answers our prayers. Always He answers our prayers. He has answered a ton of my prayers! I am grateful for the things God has given me in my life. My life has been so awesome and super blessed! I am grateful for my family and my friends! Love you all! Peace!

 

Elder Gibbs!

August 1, 2011

Hola familia,

So I hear things are going well in life for all of you guys. I am doing fine in Argentina. Had a pretty good week. So we started out the week by my companion having to go to a meeting or ´capacitacion´ or something in Spanish. It was held in a city called Paraná. My companion went with another missionary from a different area and so I was working with his companion. His companion had 2 weeks in the mission and so he was fairly new with the language. Lol and so I had to do most of the talking. There was no one to help me with understanding other people. So that made me really nervous. Lol I was so nervous. I prayed to Heavenly Father to be able to understand people and to bless me with the gift of tongues. It was amazing! That day my Spanish was so much better than normal! I was able to communicate with everyone. Lol don't get me wrong my Spanish was far from perfect but I didn't have much problems with communicating. In fact the other elder didn't understand what people would say to him so I would translate for him and help him out! Lol crazy! 

I know for sure that I have a Heavenly Father that loves and cares for me. He has answered so many of my prayers! I know that God exists and that he loves and cares for all of His children. This work is super important to him and I am sure that is why He blessed me with the ability to speak Spanish. So things went good that Tuesday and we were able to teach some people about the Gospel of Jesus Christ. It was actually quite fun being the more experienced missionary. But I was still quite happy when Elder Towner, my companion, came back. It was a great experience. 

We taught our regular families in this city but nothing much happened. We were going to have a baptism this weekend but the lady wasn't able to come to church today. She is a great person and has read the Book of Mormon THREE TIMES!!!! in the last two years and she isn't even a member of the church yet. So we hope things can go well for her. 

Oh and so we were at a family's house yesterday and they pulled out this book of natural healing methods and I was like oh man! My mom would love this book!!!! Lol but I think she already knows all of this. It had some really interesting things in it and so I might try finding it. It was cool that I was able to kind of connect with them. I have an interest in being healthy. Lol even though I eat a bunch of candy and unhealthy stuff. I do like to be healthy every once in a while. So that was cool. It is so interesting all of the blessings God will give us if we take care of our bodies! That is why He gave us the word of wisdom. For me now it is so easy not to take drugs or anything. I have so many blessings from not doing it that I don't have a desire to use them. 

But ya so how is the family doing? I heard from dad some stuff! How is Allison and Jon and Steph and Ryan doing? I love all of you! Have a great time! The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day saints is the true church. We have the fullness of the Gospel, not just parts of it. I know that the Book of Mormon is the word of God comparable to the Bible. Keep reading it! My life has benefited from just reading the Book of Mormon. I am going to continue working and preaching the Gospel. Lol Hopefully I will have some amazing story for you all next week! But I gotta run! Peace! Love all of yall!

Elder Gibbs

July 25, 2011

Lol So somehow I accidentally pressed a button and now I can't put any exclamation marks or question marks. It turns out like + or ª lol and I can't turn it back. But anyhowwww. This week was pretty cool. Not anything super awesome like last week.  But I had to go to Rosario with another missionary from a different city. Lol he is from El Salvador and doesn't speak English. So I had to put my Spanish/Castellano skills to the test! Which was pretty good. I get along alright in Spanish.  lol but by the end I think I drove the other missionary crazy with my bad Spanish. Lol and he was a little frustrated with my companion and his. 

We went to Rosario and I had to take care of some passport work, which all got resolved. Lol and then we went to McDonald's. Lol I have never been so happy to eat American food. And plus I had a mcflurry!!!!! It was so good. I really wanted to get a happy meal cause they had some awesome Kung Fu Panda toys. But it was whatever and I didn't buy one :( Lol they call a happy meal a cajita feliz. a happy box. Lol awesome! Anyhow that was real good. 


Then the other Elder decided he wanted to go sit on the bench by the bus station. Lol and apparently we almost got robbed! or whatever. We were sitting there and a guy came up to us. He shook our hand and asked some question or something. Then another man came trying to sell us some like valentines card for friendship day. But anyhow then these two guys came up. They were members of the church in Rosario. They helped us out and told the guys that these missionaries don't have any money. lol which was pretty much true on my part. They hung out with us for a while. 


I was out of money and so they showed us where a bank was. Luckily I had a debit card with me or I would be in a bit of trouble, but everything went fine. We went back to the mission home with the two members of the church. They were about the same age as us and were pretty cool and fun to talk to. I am so glad that God was watching out for us. He knew that we were going to need some help and he sent these two guys to help us so we didn't lose money or get hurt or in a bit of trouble. Awesome!! But ya. Pretty awesome! Lol for speaking Spanish the other missionary was a bit clueless to all that was happening. But it was whatever. We all got back safe. And now I am back in good old Gualeguaychu. 


Oh and so friendship day is a day where people give like friendship cards to their friends and celebrate how awesome their friends are. So I would like to tell all of my friends, Happy friendship day and you are all awesome! I love y'all! So I am back with my companion Elder Towner and we are doing work here in Gualeguaychu. We have some awesome investigators. 


Oh and dad! Did you used to have a Ford Falcon? Cause those cars are all over the place here. But I got to go. The place where I am typing this letter is closing down. Maybe I will be able to write later today. But if not I love all yall! Hope you have a great week! Happy friendship day! The church is true!

Peace!!!