Re: Buenos Dias!

Buenos Dias everyone! This week has been a very good and interesting week! Being zone leaders has already started taking its toll on me and Elder Johnson. And we've only been official zone leaders for about 24 hours! But we have to be the ones to go around and say goodnight to everyone, make sure no one is roaming the halls after quiet time, and turn off all the lights. So we are usually out and about until 10:30 or 10:40! So that's going to be a task. But it's good seeing every Elder before we all go to bed, I know it helped me feel remembered and thought of when we were first here. So this week we were supposed to be getting a new district, but that got moved back a week! So me and Elder Johnson have a whole extra week to prepare for welcoming the new Elders. I think it's good, but I was also excited to do all the fun meetings with them and get to know them the first day! So I will keep you updated on that. But other than that, the responsibilities aren't much different from District Leader, except we go to the front desk 4 out of the 7 nights and call President Ricks and update him on the events of the day! And we're SO EXCITED about that part at least :) Because our zone leaders on the last night of their duty to call, Elder Russell M. Nelson walked right past them!! So we have two shots this week until Wednesday, so we're crossing our fingers :) But we'll be doing that and then we just have a higher level of authority, since District Leaders report to us. But other than that, it's not hard at all!

 

I'm glad Nathan gets to go to Scout Camp and NOT do anything. I think I would enjoy that so much more than if I had to go and do those classes. I'm glad I got my Eagle Scout and everything, don't get me wrong. But I never said I loved that place! There were good times but I'd just as soon go as a counselor or a help like Nathan! I hope they have a good time, that sounds like a really fun experience, and they can bond a little bit!

 

Again, I'm sorry about the letters! You are so much more faithful about writing me and I get behind and usually end up writitng back after I've received two letters from you or dad! It's not by choice, I just don't have a lot of time to write back even on P-days! :/ But I'm glad to hear that you enjoyed that lesson on the missionary work pillars. I thought that was way cool! Go ahead and use it for anything, I don't feel like a copy-right infringer since this is straight from a General Authority :)

 

Okay so Chris asked me and Jalen to meet him outside in the hall after the devotional Tuesday and we did, so he got pictures of the three of us! So if you want to talk to Sister Hall she could probably show you if he sends them home! But we are still planning on meeting this Tuesday possibly so me and Jalen can get pictures on our camera as well! And I know, I know, I'm sorry I haven't taken enough pictures :) We've just progressively become busier and busier and even temple walks aren't as relaxed and calm as they used to be. But I will get better pictures I promise. That will be one of my personal goals this week.

 

We have not met with the Argentine Consul yet. That is this next Monday. That's why we are worried about staying here extra weeks, since they can't get the visas until after that meeting, but after next Monday we still have about 2 and a half weeks. So in best case scenario, we could get our visas right on time and leave with the rest of our district! But that's absolutely best case scenario. I'm excited to leave here, but I would rather be leaving and going to Argentina! But I will do what I'm supposed to obviously! :) I'm just way stoked to get down there and start learning and growing.

 

I love all the talks we have here, all the speakers are amazing! Even when we all expected an Apostle last night and it turned out to be a Branch President and his wife. But they did an awesome job and I really enjoyed their talks. And then we watched the Character of Christ by David A. Bednar after for the movie. I really liked it! He is probably one of my favorite Apostles to listen to, not that I have a favorite! They are all wonderful speakers. I'm excited for General Conference in Argentina! It will be interesting but a really cool experience. I do miss Brother Delange as a teacher though! He was always one of my favorites, and I always enjoyed his lessons.

 

How come we haven't done any ward pool parties recently?? Oh well, I'm glad dad was able to talk to Ben and Jessica. I hope they are a little more open to things since three of their good friends are all on issions now. Hopefully Chris is keeping in contact with them too! They all sent me a combind Dear Elder that was about three sentences long, and it was pretty weird.. But other than that I haven't heard anything! Hpefully they had a nice little chat. If they aren't getting these emails, try and get their emails if you can! I'm sure they wouldn't mind a weekly email from a friend!

 

Well this week like I said has been interesting. There's some big shoes to fill after Elder Kevesdy and ELder Robinson did an absolutely astounding job at Zone Leaders. So we can hopefully measure up to them, if it's possible! We've been doing everyting we can to get these new Elders comfortable and settled in, and I can tell it's helping them, so at least we are doing something right! It was sad to lose Elder Hilton and Elder Roach from the 2nd to newest district this last Tuesday. I think it was this last Tuesday... I can't remember. But we've still gone and played soccer in the afternoons and my district and their district really enjoy that, and it's always a really fun time! And from now on, Tuesday mornings are beach volleyball time so we're going to do that with their district as well. Since the inside gym is closed due to the MP seminar, everyone has to go to the field or the free weights gym, so it's going to be a little crowded. Oh well, the more the merrier! (Except on the soccer field... those kids who don't know how to play the sports can be pretty rough sometimes.) But I have survived this long and I've been tripped and kicked and everthing! I'll try and be careful though. :) But you know me, every year and about every game I was just a foul magnet somehow. Maybe it's my long legs and clumsy balance :) But this next week is a "Special" Devotional, and no one here knows what they mean by special! So we're hoping to get someone big to come speak to us! But if not, that's okay. As I said, I enjoy all the speakers. But our schedule for the next 4 days is pretty wacked out. Everything is different because of the restrictions in 1M and how we can't go in there for anything. Or 18 and 19 M. But oh well, we'll figure it out. But I CANNOT BELIEVE June is pretty much over! Time is going by so fast, I like it but I also don't. I guess that"s life I suppose. But I'm way excited for next week too, with the 4th of July! Apparently our building is the best one to see the fireworks at BYU or Provo city go off, so maybe we'll get a good show :) We all tried to convince (jokingly of course. well I was joking, some of the others honestly probably weren't!) President Ricks to sneak us out to go see the show and then take us to dinner, and he was very funny about it but of course he has to refuse. Oh well! And the schedule for new missionaries next week is crazy too. They can't come in Wednesday, because it's a holiday, so they are coming in Thursday and we have to have all the same meetings we have planned for Wednesday and Thursday, but all on Thursday. So that's going to be a long night and probably pretty hectic. But that's okay, our coordinating sister does help out a bit too. Elder Johnson, since he can actually express himself in English, tends to go ON and ON and even further ON when he is talking to them, and I don't blame him! He's definitely frustrated about the difficulty of expressing how he feels, Because he really does have something good to say about everything. But I usually end up standing and watching and listening because well I'm not that much of a speaker. But the Hermanas ( President Ricks calls them perfect, apparently they're better at being obedient? Go figure! Sorry Mom and Kelly and all the other girls out there, you just have to be patient with us. We're guys :] ) are good at keeping things on task and on schedule. But I'm really excited to get the new district, yet scared that their wellbeing and welcome is completely on mine and Elder Johnson's shoulders. I will definteily be practing what I'm going to say, I don't want to mess this up! wELL MY TIME (whoops caps lock). My time is just about up, but I suppose I should tell you what would be nice in a package to be dropped off! Honestly, no more treats!!!! I have so many and I honestly think what I have now is going to be almost gone but not quite by the time I leave. But really seriously thank you all SO MUCH for all the care packages :) I am very comforted to be able to eat normal snacks along with our costco bought mass production food every meal :) I'm still trying to get it all down and make sure not to waste any of it! But if you are dropping off a package, could you just include some pringles ( I really need something salty!! and they just sound so good right now :) ) and maybe some more gold fish? Yeah those went fast. But other than that, just come up with anything honestly. I'm going to love it because it's a package and it's from the outside world and my family :) Use your imagination, even if it is hard! :) I love you Dad, Mom, Nathan and Kate. And I love the rest of you too! Too many names to put though :) And I miss you all! But I'm really enjoying my time here, and I'm way excited to be out in the field teaching and serving and helping other people find the blessings that I have had in my life in their own lives! I cannot wait to have those experiences, because I know they're going to strengthen me as well as them, and it's going to bless their lives forever. As David A. Bednar said in his talk last night, " The power of the atonement and is application in our life is not reserved for higher-up officials or members of the church only. It is for every righteous, faithful, enduring person and member that EARNS it and continually applies it in their life, always trying to better themselves." Now that's not exactly what he siad, but that is what I got out of it, and that's what matters! Just remember, no matter what hard trial or struggle we are facing, we will ALWAYS have the Savior there to turn to. He can be our best friend, and we need to make it that way and keep it that way because only He knows exactly what we are going through.

 

Elder Tyson Gibbons

 

P.S. I will try and write you all back as fast as I can, I promise! Don't get mad at me por favor!