Hola!

Hey Mom and Dad!

Don't worry, talking about BYU doesn't make me trunky or anything (I'll explain a little later about a few cool miracles this week) but it's perfect timing because we have interviews with Presidente Ávila on Wednesday, so I will talk to him about all that there, and I also need my temple recommend interview so I think that covers everything that an ecclesiastical endorsement needs too! So there we go, killing two birds with one stone. Or three, I will ask him for permission to look at the BYU classes online. I would love to take the Spanish class. Everyone says I speak well, but I need to remember all the grammatical stuff and improve whatever problems I have, so hopefully I can get some credit! 

I just have one question, this is all for the fall, right? But for the summer, I´m going to go down there and live with Grandma and Grandpa and work, right? Not study? Just wanted to clear that up. How am I going to get from Grandma and Grandpa´s house and campus/work? Haha sorry, I just don't want to worry about anything, we´ll plan it all out.

So things went pretty well this week, but I did end up with a bad case of strep throat! Which I am still fighting against today, but it's almost over. I´m going to rest today, and tomorrow I should be good! But before that, it was all headache, fever, shivers, sweating, and dehydration mixed in with the council on Tuesday (longest council ever, but I persevered, and I learned so much!). I just consider it was a week of extreme trials for me, and I'm pretty sure I came out how God wanted me to come out! We had Margarita come with both of her granddaughters, one that comes every once in a while, but the other one had only come once and then never came again. But since their mom (Margarita´s daughter in law) committed to come, I guess that was good enough for the granddaughter! The daughter in law didn't come, but we´re working on it! It was a miracle Sunday, too. I bore my testimony about the power of the scriptures, because of the few miracles that had happened this past week, and it was really powerful, and our quorom president came up to me and said "I had something to say to you.... you have the face of a bishop" and then walked off. So that was a slap in the face, I´m just an elder, and would prefer to stay as such for a good while... But then we saw a visible change in the members. We printed off a calendar for the members to come out and work with us, and we have someone signed up for every single day, it's a miracle! Even the bishop wanted to go out! So we´re going to see big improvements, and then we have ward council the week that is coming, so things are just going upwards! :) We are super excited! Of course, after church, and after talking with so many people, I made my strep throat flame up a little bit worse, so I spent the rest of the day in bed resting, doing a bunch of random intercambios. Elder Higdon, my fellow Idahoan, came and stayed with me at the apartment during the first meeting we had, since he wasn't feeling too hot either, and then Elder Alcalde came for the second meeting, and that's how I saw a bunch of elders even when I was just in bed! But things all turned out really well!

Anyway, that's AWESOME that Papa bought Rosetta Stone!!! He should let me borrow it for a little, that way I never lose my touch! (It's going to be hard. I hope all my Mexican friends are home haha.)

I love the New Testament too! I´m glad Nathan and Kate are starting early to have their scripture interpreting abilities, since I feel like I just barely developed those, but I think they´re pretty advanced.. haha just kidding. But in the New Testament, I have been reading everywhere, and my favorite this past week was 2 Corinthians 12:9-10, where at the end he says "for when I am weak, then am I strong." So I shared that in my testimony, because I´ve felt sick for a week and a half, but this scritpure became a motto for me. And also about feeling fatigued and just tired like Jalen, I´ve been studying and praying a lot to overcome those barriers, and that's another one of the miracles I´ve seen. I was reading in Doctrine and Covenants 64 after receiving a lot of Christmas letters from Sister Eagley and the Primary and the ward, and someone had put D&C 64:33 and I read the rest of the section, and verses 25, 29-34 were just what I was needing these past days. About the work, about the ward, about our area, about our members, about my health, about the zone, just everything! And I just understood perfectly clearly in that moment what it was that I needed to do. 

"be not weary in well-doing, for ye are laying the foundation of a great work. And out of small things proceedeth that which is great.

 34 Behold, the Lord requireth the heart and a willing mind;..." my new motto. and it went perfectly along with the things I have been praying for, specifically, to feel the same excitement and desire that I did at the beginning of the mission, despite the health trials and the struggles with the zone and the area and the ward, and it's happening. I don't just see it, I feel it. I´ve never been so excited and anxious to get out and work, to help the other elders, to help our members and serve them and just be a missionary! It's the best feeling in the world, I wouldn't change it for anything! And I won't, not for now! God answers prayers, and those who are diligent, have a willing mind and give their heart to Him, will receive what they are searching for, I know it's true! 

Anyway, today I´m going to cut my hair and relax, so I feel better for the zone meeting tomorrow, since I have to talk and right now it hurts to even breathe haha. But yeah, I will talk to you all next week! Don't let a single day pass by wasted!! There´s no time for that! Doesn't matter how tired, sick, fatigued, lonely, worn-out you may feel, just pray, lift your arms, square your shoulders, and face the day with a smile on your face! I´m convinced that one thing Satan hates worst is a good person waking up with a smile, ready to take on the day! more opposition for him! But I like that feeling, I really do.

I love you Mom and Dad and Nathan and Kate! Talk to you next week!

Elder Tyson Gibbons