Birthday

Hey Mom and Dad,

Thank you for the birthday wishes. and thank you so much for the slideshow, it was awesome, very emotional!! Thank you so much Mom. 

This week went by slow thankfully, we had plenty of time to work, and we were just here in Godoy Cruz, the other half of the city of Mendoza. It was a really good week. I worked with Elder Torres (from Chimbas) and Elder Figueroa, and then I got to work with Elder Roessler, (from Nampa, Idaho!!) and my grandson, Elder Lafleur, from Salt Lake. It was a really good week, I enjoyed it a lot. We saw quite a few miracles, with less active members and with investigators. The first area was a pretty normal place, a lot like Mendoza centro, but the weekend I spent in just about the richest part of Mendoza/Godoy Cruz, it was really weird. And on Sunday we got on the bus to go to church and it was completely full of drunk, drugged teenagers, really sad. That just looks like a lot of fun....

Elder Fullmer is now training, AGAIN, just like me, except he´s training the newly arrived Brasilian, Elder Pereira, so I have three grandkids now, one of them being from Brasil! It's cool.

Anyway, instead of taking a bus back to Mendoza on Easter Sunday, President and Elder Wright (yes he comes home with me) were driving through San Rafael and picked us up, a lot cheaper and faster. So that was nice to get to talk with President personally.

Elder Hardy is from Portland, so we´re going to be pretty close, that's why I invited him to the beach house.

I´m glad prom and the wedding went well! I wish the best to Drew and his new wife, and I can't belive Nathan already went to prom. I looked at the picture and for just a second I thought I was looking at my old prom pictures from the first year, he´s lookin good in a pink vest and tie, just like I did. Haha, just kidding, that was a joke, about me I mean. If he´s got the looks, it's because... he looks a lot like me :)

Anyway, this week we have consejo tomorrow, and tonight we´re going to work in Mendoza centro so I can go visit a few people and then we´re going to get fidelitos for my birthday dinner, it's an American guy who makes American food down here, and everyone who has tried it loves it. So I´ll eat the closest thing to American food that I have for two years now.

In the Book of Mormon I´m finishing Helaman, and I really liked the story of Nephi. It's like I shared a while ago, and then Mom you sent me that story, and I really liked it, but it's sticking out to me even more and more, because he did a lot of great things, and then he was STILL upset with himself, feeling like a failure. And I feel the same every once in a while. Looking back on my mission not so much, I feel great about this time (obviously it wasn't perfect, but it's the best two years I´ve ever lived, concerning gospel living and faithfulness to your belief), but more thinking about my past life, since I look back on a lot of things and wince, thinking about how I could possibly have failed in things so simple? But I know that I have changed, and that I´ll never be the same, because I´ve felt things that I will never forget during these two years. It's like the voice that came to Nephi when he was on his way home (ironically, very similar to my position.) As hard as things have been, and most likely will be when I get back, it's going to be different, because I have taken huge steps spiritually, and what seemed like big problems before are not as serious... It's one of the biggest advantages I have now. Whatever comes at me, I know I can handle it, as hard is it will be, because I know I´ve done everything I can. I guess I can call that self confidence and self esteem right?

Oh and today we went and I bought a new shirt to wear when I go home, just one, since all of mine are too big, since I´ve lost some weight. And a tie. And I am going to buy a couple jerseys and something for Sister Eagley.

One more question, are you going to be mad if I leave some clothes for the offices and for members that I visit when I go back to Albardon? That's going to help me pack a lot easier, since I have to be under 50 pounds. Oh and I saw my itinerary, which was weird, but it's still awesome because it still hasn't hit me yet! I have a lot more work to do these next three weeks! I hope they go by even slower! I love you all, thank you for your support and love and everything you´ve given me. I´ll talk to you next week!

Elder Tyson Gibbons