Hey Mom and Dad!!!!
Wait, Jalen gets home on a Friday??? What the heck, that is really weird!! Wait, so he is going to be there when I Skype on Mother's Day?? Yes I`m going to Skype. I don`t know where I will be this week, since I`m (as of very recently) going to be heading back to Mendoza on Tuesday or Wednesday (I`m back in Villa Mercedes right now, can you believe it?), but when I get back to the offices I assume that everyone will have already done it or be doing it, and Elder Hardy and I will join in. I can't tell you what time yet, sorry, but yeah just wait for my call, you will get it.
Alright, so I`ll start off this week`s story haha. Well Monday was my birthday, thank you everyone who emailed me saying happy birthday! Sorry if I didn't respond to everyone. I appreciate it a lot! But then we went and worked in Mendoza Centro, and I didn`t get to see anyone. It just didn't work out very well. But Elder Hardy and I talked to some people in the street and then got Fidelitos (it's all American food, the guy was born here but then he lived in New York, Texas, and California for like 30 years, then came back with the idea to make American food in Mendoza!) and it was super good, although I'm worried about my adjustment to American food now. It didn't settle very well.
Then Tuesday we had the consejo, and it was a really good meeting. President talked about a lot of different things, but sadly I can`t tell you what because he sent all of us assistants to run a bunch of errands and fix problems that kept coming up. So I missed his part and Hermana Avila`s part :( which is always my favorite. But then Elder Hardy and I had to give a little 15 minute training about companionship unity in planning and teaching. It was pretty funny, because after President assigned us to do that, we realized that we are the "least unified" companionship in the entire mission, since we have never once taught together and we spend only one day together each week, no more. Haha but wow, it was one of the most spiritual moments I've ever had on my mission. We decided to give two demonstrations, the first one being bad, and everyone enjoyed tearing us apart and telling us what we did wrong. So then we read in Preach My Gospel from chapter 10 about companionship unity, and testified about the blessings and the fulfilment of the promises that it gives there. Then we sat down and did the exact same teaching, the story of Joseph Smith and the first vision, but did it well this time. And it was one of the best lessons I`ve ever taught. It's amazing that the Spirit can be so strong even when you are just pretending to teach. We got to the first vision, Elder Hardy recited the first vision, and then there was silence, for about 25-30 seconds. And no one in the room wanted to break it. I took a second to look around, wanting to know if everyone else was feeling what Elder Hardy and I and the two elders we were teaching were feeling, and I just saw tears everywhere. I looked over at Hermana Avila and she was overwhelmed. And then I gave my testimony that Joseph Smith really did see God and Jesus Christ, and that they did not need to spend another minute looking for the guidance they needed in their lives (the fake investigators, I mean) and after that, we just shared our testimonies, commited the zone leaders to teach their zones how to better teach like that, and we sat down. I was on a high the entire day.
Anyway, that was the consejo, and then afterwards, I found out that Elder Rainock has been pretty sick for a week and a half now, and so randomly President called me and told me that I was going back to Villa Mercedes as a "zone leader replacement" until the weekend. But things got really complicated with Elder Rainock (he`s better now, don`t worry), and so I ended up staying until today, and I`m not leaving till tomorrow. But it was a long ride back here to Villa Mercedes, and I got to see so many people again in church yesterday, and of course I shared my testimony in Sacrament Meeting, I couldn`t pass up my last opportunity to do that in the mission. So this last week we just worked like crazy. We only had four days, since Sunday we couldn't do a lot (a bunch of families asked us to pass by since I was back one last time...), but we did as well as any normal week. I`ve been with Elder Braz, from Brasil. It's been awesome. We`ve had some really good lessons, and we had two church tours in one day, both of them turning out really good. It was the best way possible to spend one of these last weeks, teaching, finding, searching, and sharing my testimony. Just like you said, Dad! Don`t worry, I`m doing it.
That's about all for me really. But dang, Kenzie is engaged!! That punk, she didn`t write me and tell me that. (I know you`re reading this, Kenz!! :D) But at least I`ll be home for the wedding! Thanks for waiting haha. I really want to go into the Twin Falls Temple too. So that's perfect.
Alright, so you've got me teaching the Priests on June 15th--I will start preparing my lesson then! How many Priests are there, anyway? Wait, Nathan is a Priest now. What the heck. But thanks for the topic, too. It's perfect for me, in many ways.
I`m on the MH 4th ward directory in lds.org right now, looking at the missionaries from our ward... man there were a bunch before people started getting home! And do you have a Latina hermana in the ward? Does the Spanish Branch have elders or hermanas? I want to speak Spanish with everyone possible haha.
Alright, I have already been looking at stuff for souvenirs. Today I was going to go and get stuff, but I`m still in Villa Mercedes, so it's going to have to be all next Monday! But I already have things in mind!
Mom, don't worry, I haven`t lost too much weight haha, I`m still at 150, back to normal, but I`ve at least got some muscle now thanks to morning exercises. I was a little bigger last winter in San Juan, but now it's all back to normal. Actually a little better than normal. You worry too much :)
Nathan and Kate are getting my room ready?? Haha did they really move in there? Wow, that means they have too much stuff! Hopefully they have kept it somewhat clean. Do you know how weird it's going to be sleeping in a room, alone?? I`m probably going to have to keep the door open haha.
I´m glad you got to spend your anniversary doing something special! It sounds like everything has changed about the house. It's going to be weird seeing that.
Something interesting, I don't know if it's just having a good grasp on the language of Spanish or having been with a Brasilian comp for 5 days, but we started watching some videos in Portuguese, and I understand everything! It's super weird, maybe it was just a spiritual moment. But I want to study Portuguese when I get home, then I can be tri-lingual :) Might come in handy.
Speaking of studies and plans, I got my letter of stewardship, and I have to write that over the next two p-days. I think I`ll start now and finish next week. But yeah, that's another little nudge reminding me of how little time remains. But I have big plans for these last two weeks, especially in Albardon!
Today I guess we`re getting together as a zone, something we never did last transfer, so that's good! But I don't know what we`re going to do. But it should be fun! I`ll make it fun if I have to. The weather here in Villa Mercedes is killing me again, I don't like the humidity, I miss the Mendoza weather. But oh well, it's a sacrifice worth making!
Well, I need to start on that letter of stewardship, so I`ll let you go for now. But I`ll talk to you next Sunday!
Oh and Happy Birthday Logan!! Hope you enjoy being 21 for the three days that remain haha!
Elder Tyson Gibbons
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