Well good day everyone!!!

With Elder Zwick of the Quorum of the Seventy

 

Birthday package

 

Birthday stash--part of it 

 

 

Well good day everyone!!!

Wow, I got on today and just had like 20 emails, all for my birthday. I feel pretty overwhelmed, you are all just awesome. It's going to take me a little while to answer everyone back personally, which I'm going to do, so please be patient! Just being a missionary, and missionaries don't have as much time as you would think haha. But thank you all for the birthday wishes. It was a really good birthday, and even being a long way away from everyone, it turned out to be one of the best! And yes Dad, it was probably the first Sunday birthday I've actually enjoyed hahaha and exactly for that reason--I see everyone I love here at church, and it was crazy to see how many knew it was my birthday. I felt like I was in my home away from home. What else could anyone want?? :)

 

Sorry about last week, the hermanas had a bike ride planned with us elders, and by the time I was typing the email, my time was ending and we were already late, and we still didn't even know how to get there, so we didn't want to make them mad. It was a really cool conference, I'll probably be sharing things for a while, because I learned SOOO much from that meeting. I already sent the picture. :)

 

So yesterday there were a TON of people in church, and we saw some miracles right there too. It was like a totally different but awesome kind of birthday gift. We had to teach principles of the Gospel class, and I was nervous, but it turned out WAY good, and it was exactly how that class was supposed to be, spiritual with the new members sharing their testimonies and experiences with the others that are learning and want to be baptized and become members. It was so perfect, and thanks to the class we had some of the non members come up, tell us they got basically miraculous vacation time so we could teach them and they could be baptized. It was just amazing. Completely different than what a "Gift" would've meant for me a year ago, but just as awesome. We were both just shocked, and super excited. It helepd that the class we taught was talking about covenants, so that was perfect too :) I realized I have learned a LOT about teaching in a year, because 9 months or 10 months ago I had to teach that same class, alone, to people I had known for 5 weeks in the East Ridge Ward in Albuquerque haha and I'm very grateful for the experience I have now.

 

Today we have an asado planned for my birthday with a bunch of the youth from the ward, and then we´re renting a real soccer field, grass and everything!!! I'm SOOO EXCITED! Haha I haven't seen grass in so long... it's going to be great! But that is giong to be the plan today, and it's basically only because it's my birthday; any other week we try to get people to commit to play and it's never a set thing until Monday morning. But this has been planned for weeks. I feel a little manipulative pinning people down because of my birthday, but not really. Everyone wants to play on a good field like that right? :)

 

Mom, thank you so much for sending all those pictures... (I e-mailed photos from past birthdays--from the day he was born to last year's--fun!) I feel like such a weirdo looking at them. It doesn't look like me haha, the baby ones are making all these teenagers behind me look, but I don't care anymore haha. I can just laugh and enjoy it. I have definitely changed... but for the better I'm pretty sure. Also, I'm trying to watch the birthday cake video and Kelly´s video, but the sound isn't working on this computer. :/ I'm going to switch with someone before we go. Because I'm already getting really really nervous/anxious to watch it... anyway, that will be the last thing before we go play, and I think it's going to make the entire day! Thank you Kelly!! And everyone else too, I would name you, I just haven't seen the whole video yet haha, so sorry... next week!

 

I don't feel 20. Especially since me and Elder Alberro ask everyone how old they think we are and they tell him 17 or 18, which he LOVES, and they tell me 25 or 26... do I really look that old??? It's embarrassing haha. I just say it's because I tower over almost everyone here haha, that's my excuse. But he thinks it's hilarious. Oh well. We´ve all got challenges right?

 

That's so cool about Eric's call to Paris, France!!!! He´s another one going to join the Euro missionaries over there! :) That's way cool though that he is going to sleep in those same bunk beds we did... I remember that house, it was so cool. (My dad was president of the Paris mission from 1999-2002, so we visited my parents in the mission home there when Tyson was in 2nd grade.) And it's cool that the grandpa or great grandpa of Elder Waite from the MTC bought that house for the mission. Pretty cool huh? Good luck Eric, French is an.. interesting language :)

 

Wow, Kate is progressing in soccer! That's awesome. I had a little proud moment sitting here, I'm pretty sure everyone looked at me like I was a weirdo. But that's way cool! I may have improved a little down here, but not much. I'm just glad she´s in on the soccer bandwagon now :D I'm proud of you Kate!!!! As for Nathan driving, well I still just can't imagine it haha, how weird... don't crash or anything!

 

Yesterday in church the people were talking a lot about families, and so I was just thinking all about you Mom, Dad, Nathan, and Kate, and Jalen, and extended family, so that made my birthday really good too! I'm really glad that this life isn't the end of the family relationships, and that you two, Mom and Dad, have taken the steps necessary to make sure that that really happens. I don't want to be a weak link in that chain, because I've been it already before and I won't go back to that! Thank you so much for your love and patience, which I know you have a lot of. I love you Mom and Dad, and Nathan and Kate and Jalen. And my extended family and friends too! I miss you all, but I've still gotta take advantage of the next year and 2 weeks right? I'm planning on it. I hope you all do too!

 

Well I need to get going, but thank you all for the posts on facebook (which my mom told me about, don't worry I'm not breaking mission rules haha) and emails! I will answer you all in the next weeks, I promise!

 

I know that this gospel is the only thing that can bring happiness in EVERY aspect of life, even though it seems like they have nothing to do with each other, the Church and rest of life, but if they get combined, you'll realize it all is connected! Trust me, I've been doing that and living that for the last year. :) Do you trust me?? Hopefully you do. I want nothing but the best for all of you too. Whether now or later, I hope you all realize the hand that God has in every part of your life, and when that happens, you´ll find strength beyond your own to face this sometimes hard, rough life! I know that's true.

 

Que Dios les bendiga!

Hasta luego!

Elder Tyson Gibbons

Birthday week

Hey Dad!

Okay I am going to write you and have you send this out to everyone, and later today I will respond to all the family, this cyber is just awful and I don't have a lot of time,so I'll answer all the birthday emails in a little while! But yeah, the reason we have p day today is because Elder Zwick of the 70 came to our mision yesterday and we had a conference with him. I just wanted to talk a little bit about that because it was really really really awesome.

 

Oh and before I forget, I got a package from Mom with the sweater and everything (I didn't open it yet, but the customs slip has everything that's inside... bit of a surprise destroyer there) but thank you all for the package! I'm going to open it on Sunday!

Anyway, so Elder Zwick came and just talked to us about the mission and the things that we should focus on, and it was really really cool. President has been a little lost because he doesn't know what else we need to focus on since we have had really good conferences with him, so last zone meeting he didn't give us anything specific to focus on and just talked to us about obedience, since all the missionaries and the mission as a whole understand the tools we have and how to use them, but since the success wasn't progressing much still, he decided it has to do with the personal attitude of each one of us, that maybe some elders and sisters aren't focused in the work and that is the reason we haven't seen a bunch of progress. So Elder Zwick came and we got to listen to his inspired revelation that he received on the spot as to what we needed to do to boost the work here in the mission. He told us that we had over 900 baptisms last year in the mission, but the attendance percentage only went up by one person... so that was pretty shocking. But he gave us some ways to work more efficiently and make sure that we are establishing the church and not burdening the church! It was very powerful.

 

One thing I really liked was that he talked to us in the perspective of all our lives and gave us an analogy of the mission and our lives, and the mission was just our foundation, hidden under the earth, no one sees it, but the building, or better said--the temple that we build during our lives--all depends on how solid and secure our foundation is. He talked about changing things NOW so that in the future we don't have to worry about weak foundations or anything.

 

Anyway, I have one minute so I need to write more later, thank you all for all the emails and birthday wishes, and I promise I'll answer you all personally later today if I can!!! This cyber is just awful. Anyway, I love you all, and I'm super excited for this week, I hope you all are too! Until a little later,

Elder Tyson David Gibbons

Crazy week!

Hey Mom! :)

This week was so CRAZY!!! Sadly not as much for the work, but guess what?? We finally moved pensions!!!! And we got the somewhat expensive but SUPER NICE apartments, it is so awsome! We can still see the mountains between the changing color leaves of the trees, plus we´re on the third floor, so yeah.. it's pretty cool. It's bascially like a hotel room, just permanent. We still haven't gotten over the awesomeness. The only bad thing is that the shower, which is SOOO much better, only has hot water for about five minutes, then the water runs out and it gets cold. So we´re working on that. But everything else is amazing. I'll send pictures in the future, I am out of batteries for now :/ sorry!

 

The weather is pretty normal now, it's way cold at night and perfect during the day. I just got a little sick again because the first night in the new pension all my warm clothes were packed away, and during the night I think I got a cold. So now I sleep with sweatshirts and sweats and everything. I already feel better though! So yeah, that's all good. Definitely headed into winter!

 

I'm glad you liked the fotos! I was going to send more, but since my camera died, well I can't haha. But you´ll get more in the future, don't worry. Although I have to say that the two young men Ricardo and Dario are both over 21 haha. It seems like a trend kinda, that they all leave at an older age. I won't say later because they leave when they are prepared, as they should! It's just that Ricardo has been working and Dario was actually inactive for a few years, but it's awesome having them to help. That's the best way to make sure the converts remain in the church! Because once they are baptized the missionaries have done the majority (not all yet) of their job, and the members are to help after that. I am grateful for all the information I'm learning here on the mission, because I want to be a better member missionary. And what better way than to experience both sides of the work??? It's amazing.

 

I forgot to mention Elder Kopischke´s talk last week, that was one of my favorites!! Well I just liked all of them. That's way cool that the three of you spoke, lucky Kate got left out of the mix haha but it does sound like it was a rather Gibbons-oriented sacrament meeting! 500 points for GIBBONS! (reference to Harry Potter.. that came out of nowhere haha)

 

Thanks for telling me about your cousin!!! That's so crazy how small the world is!!! Thank you for the picture too! I do recognize your cousin and I think I saw her daughter a few times too. It's just sad that East Ridge was the ward we did the least in, just because there weren't investigators, and their Sacrament Meeting was sandwiched between the other meetings we had every 9-hour Sunday! Good times though, I can't believe I didn't meet them personally though! That's crazy. And then about Jalen's compaion, that's so crazy too! Gotta love the connections! I've just had some interesting connections here too, like the family of Messi... and that's about it haha. Oh well, I guess every mission is different! But I loved that ward in Albuquerque, I really did!

 

And yes, that was my G at the top of the bowling score list. I did pretty well, broke my own personal record set in Albuquerque! So I was pretty proud of it. But the good thing is that we all had fun, even if we found out later we aren't allowed to bowl.... so that was kinda interesting when I told my comp about that haha.

 

Wow there is a lot going on in the family! Both sides, mejor dicho. So many moves, and possible moves, and then another cousin!! Sweet!!! :) Keep me updated on that. That will be the third cousin born on the mission that I haven't met yet... that's a weird feeling. Oh well at least they´ll be young still when I get back! I'll be there for the majority of their childhood right? :) Ever optimistic!

 

So with the moving, I realized that some of the lowest times on the mission are when you are focused on other things!!! I was way excited to move and have a good bathroom and shower and everything, but with all that in mind, and with limited time to go and work, I just felt like a normal kid, and I didn't like it one bit! I had a hard time waking up on time, doing my studies, and renewing that spirit of the work, and when Sunday came, I just felt exhausted and pretty sad. Thankfully the members are awesome and cheered me up, along with my comp, but it was a really stressful, hard week. I'm just glad to get a new week without distractions so we can just work!!! It feels like too long since we did real work, and I don't like it, even if it's just been a few days. But that just made me think a lot Sunday, I guess yesterday, about having to keep doing the simple things, the basics, like pray and read to keep your spirit uplifted and burning, and any other way, you just feel empty! So I have a very strong testimony about the importance of the little things! Please keep doing them as well, or please start doing it! You will see the light come into whatever dark situation or gloomy day, or bad attitude. It changes everything!

 

Well we are trying to play soccer again, hopefully it works out, but we gotta get going! I know this gospel is the biggest blessing that we can have in this life, and I want all of us to have the happiness that comes through the Savior, repentance, baptism, and the Spirit. The Spirit truly is the Comforter that Christ promised to the Apostles, because I have felt it personally, very strongly, and it's the best comforter anyone could have! I would challenge you all to increase your spirituality level because you will see everything turn out better, in all aspects of life. When we put God first, He promises us He will give the rest of our necessities to us, in abundance! Try it out, it really works! I love you all and hope you have a great week until next Monday! Keep up the good work, and don't forget the small and simple basics!

 

Elder Tyson Gibbons

Hey everyone!!!

P-day bowling with the district

 

I'm guessing if he bothered to take the picture,

his score must be the "G" on top.

 

Not sure what to say about this one... :)

 

The lone gringo in the district!  He loves it!

 

And almost the lone gringo in the zone!  :)

 

with Elder Alberro

 

Ricardo, Elder Alberro, Tyson, and Dario.

Ricardo and Dario are young men about to leave

on their missions--they've been helping Tyson and

Elder Alberro the past few weeks.

 

Tyson, Elder Alberro, and Elder Biggs--

the General Conference English Group

 

He looks happy!

 

Hey everyone!!! How was your weekend???

I loved it, so that's why I ask. Nothing like General Conference to brighten your day and week! And life not to mention! I had a lot of questions answered and plenty of things that stuck out to me for me to change or improve, so I'll be working on that in the future. Hopefully so will you! Well today I'm writing pretty late since our plans for this morning got set back a few hours, but we didn't do anything about it, just waited at the church. We came here to Rodeo de la Cruz to play soccer with Ricardo, Dario and Alexis from our ward, a few other guys from Rodeo de la Cruz, and Elder Bulva and Tapia. It was AWESOME!!! I've definitely improved a little bit, if even just because I don't get so mad or upset or anything about losing. There are other reasons that I feel things have improved, but that's basically why. We played a few times, and I was just having a blast! I felt like Jalen, minus his evil laugh thing he always did, just having fun! So that's good! I played on a team of 3 and we won our little tournament, and then we played the four elders and Alexis with the five other guys, and we bascially dominated, so that was way fun. :) Definitely a testimony for me that TEAMWORK will always beat personal effort. But then me and Elder Alberro played some ping pong and discovered that we are a GREAT ping pong team as well, we beat all the others at that too. :) So I'm in a good mood just to know I haven't lost my ping pong skills and that I've improved my futbol ones too. It's a good day. but since they all showed up three hours late and we were sitting waiting in the church, that's why we´re so late... I feel bad knowing how late it is. But I know I need to write you all!! So here I am, doing it. obviously.. anyway...

So it hasn't been super cold recently, these last few weeks have been super warm, but I am still going to need all those warm clothes since the nights are all cold now. And yeah, about my health, I just feel a little down because I still can't sleep well in the pension, and we haven't heard more about the new one yet. Kinda frustrating. But all has its time in the world, as the Bible says. Hopefully it can improve with time, but I just don't sleep well, and neither does Elder Alberro, we´re both suffereing a little bit. But we´re still working, so that's all that matters! Even if the physical aspect could be a little better... I'll keep working on it.

Alright, I will be looking for the packages! I was surprised Sunday with one from Kelly, so it definitely comes a lot faster when it's below 25 dollars and doesn't get caught up in the customs and everything. So yeah, just for future reference!

Okay, thanks for clearing things up with Korea, because everyone down here has a different story about everything, but they all say that South Korea, our friends, declared war on us...?? They just don't know what they´re talking about I guess. I'm sure things get mixed up in the translation and the transmission from country to country. That's the sad thing about humans, we´re not as efficient as computers sometimes. But thanks for clearing that up! I was seriously pretty worried.

Also, thank you for the emails and everything!

So about conference, that was just an awesome weekend!!!! We got to see all five sessions, which I loved, just like last time. The first session on Saturday we had to watch in Spanish, which just isn't as good. There are some little things lost in translation. But we got an English room after that, so that was GREAT! Just me, Elder Alberro, and Elder Biggs chillin in the gringo room with food and things. It was great :) But I seriously loved every talk. I wasn't tired at ALL! That's like a first, besides last conference haha, it's just awesome knowing that you´re going to receive answers to questions about yourself, or as missionaries, for some of the people we are teaching. So I took lots of notes, about 10 pages worth, and will be downloading them in the future. But thank you for those highlights from your notes!! I loved all of those, and my favorite talks as well were by Elder Bednar, always straightforward but so powerful, I wrote down a lot of quotes from that one. And then from President Monson about obedience, and not just because the story was hilarious. I felt bad for all the other people, we didn't hear any laughing coming from the main room when he told the story, but we were dying of laughter, us three. Oh well, good times.

 

I am super jealous of Enrique Falabella´s accent. I wish I could sound like that when I get back! But I just don't think it's possible haha :D I loved his talk too, it's a little below those favorite two.

 

There were a few complications though. Elder Tapia, Elder Alberro, and I went to buy some food for Sunday on Saturday night before the Priesthood session, and the buses that passed us were all full to the point that the driver didn't even stop to let us get on, so we missed the first hour almost of the Priesthood session. We were so mad. At least we heard the majority of President Uchtdorf's talk and the others in the First Presidency. But then Sunday morning as well we got kicked out of our transportation from the ward and into a member's car, and we got there late again, so we missed almost all of President Uchtdorf´s talk again... gosh that was upsetting too. But thank goodness for technology haha :) I'll read them soon! And if you can send me the Ensign, I would love that!! Just from conference. The only sad thing is that no investigators came. But Graciela and Hermana Gutierrez and Miriam and Juan Pablo all attended their first conference, and they LOVED IT!!! So that was super exciting for them!! :)

Anyway, those were our conference activities and adventures. I loved it sooo much. I got so many answers from all of them! I wonder what people do when they pass it on their TV´s too... I would think there would be some attracting peaceful feeling, and maybe they listen for a little bit then keep going. But the Lord works in interesting ways... maybe they´ll be hooked, who knows? I just know that it's definitely a spiritual highlight two times a year!! I hope all of you can take advantage of it fully!! Read the talks all over again, and the ones you didn't hear, and you´ll get an answer to some question, even if you didn't know there was a question in your head!! We all have questions about life, sometimes they´re just buried by everything going on in life. Every once in a while we have to refocus, right?

 

I took PLENTY of pictures these last two weeks, but I still don't know if I can send them since the computer is way slow and the usb hasn't worked yet... so sorry, you have to wait! But I have a lot, and you will enjoy them surely. :)

 

Well I just got the usb to work!!! So I'm going to finish this up and send some pictures finally.

 

But yeah, I am SOOO glad to hear that all is going well for the main part, and I will remember to keep anyone going through a hard time in my prayers! I know everyone could use a thoughtful prayer every once in a while, or every day! It truly does work miracles. I'm doing alright here, just trying to sleep better, but there´s not much I can do about it, I'm just a light sleeper!!

I'm pretty sad to hear about Brother Sell moving! I won't get to say goodbye... that's no fair! I know he´ll be a huge blessing to all the youth in his new area as well, and the youth will never forget him in Mountain Home. I remember him talking about trying to leave all the time while I was in seminary, and I'm SOOO glad that he stayed all four years, because he helped me change things in my life to be able to be here today. Thank you Brother Sell, I don't know if you´ll read this soon or later, but hopefully you do! You made a big difference in my life, and surely for all my other friends from Mountain Home! And his family will be missed dearly, by me for sure. And life goes on...changes and everything!

Well, keep having an awesome month of April, the best month ever! We´ve enjoyed Easter, the birthday of the church, and General Conference. Next up, my birthday combined with Juan Pablo's! It's going to be awesome. :) Keep making the best of every moment, there are no redo´s in life!! You gotta make the best of it the first time. I love all of you, and I'm so grateful for your support, and I hope you can all take advantage of these blessings we have to have a prophet who speaks to us what God wants us to know and learn, and for Christ who leads this church to blessing so many lives in the world. I know that His church has been restored fully and completely and is here to bless ALL the people in the world, sometimes we just have to help it along! Let's share the blessings, alright?? There´s nothing better than knowing someone you care about and love is improving their life!!! And being happier :) I love you all!

Until next week...

Elder Tyson Gibbons

Hola todos!

Hola todos! Sorry about the delayed email, things got out of control on Monday. No, not really, we just never made it to cyber, we were in Rodeo del Medio all day, which was interesting. But here we are just writing something quick before our lunch at 1! So yeah, sorry if this is a tad bit short this week. Thanks for telling me the rest of the trip Mom, I didn't know how long you were there, but I'm glad you got to do so much other stuff!! That sounds way exciting, even if you all look frozen in the pictures haha. Sounds like about the same weather we´re having now. Sadly we completely jumped past autumn and are going directly to winter, it's terrible. But oh well, what can you do??

 

So this past week has been awesome. Elder Alberro is a cool guy and a great missionary, and we get along really well. He actually reminds me a lot of Logan, our cousin. So that's pretty interesting! (Shout out to Logan, hope you´re rocking it up with your time left! Don't burn cousin! Just keep working hard :D ) We've had so many unexpected visits this last week, and lots of miracles, kinda feels like God was saying, well here are some incentives to do a little better than last transfer, so I have all the intention to do it! We've met people I never met the last 3 months here and had some great visits with people that I have met but never taught for whatever reason, so it's going to be a great month. And on top of it all, it's APRIL!!! Happy belated April Fools day, and then my birthday, the corresponding asado, along with the birthday of Juan Pablo and a few other members, is going to make this month just AWESOME :) So to fix what I said about his family (Elder Alberro I mean), his dad's parents moved from Argentina to the states, so his dad is American, but was raised with Latino culture too, and then his mom is from Costa Rica, so basically he is more Latin than American, and was raised with English and Spanish! Crazy huh? I thought that was way cool. And his brother is tri-lingual since he served in South Korea (and he also recently got married to a Korean he met at college, in the Costa Rica temple. Just loco!) So that's basically his family haha, and he likes to play soccer! Finally haha!

 

So the weather is actually nice and frigid today, and it's been raining about the last 5 days, so that's been an adventure. I don't know when you were going to send those winter clothes?? But sooner would be great haha! I love my coat but it doesn't do as much as it would with a sweater and a scarf. But I'm surviving until now. Last Monday I bought a new watch, which you'll see in the pictures I'll send home. It's just blue haha, so I don't worry about getting robbed for it. I bought a non-flashy one on purpose, but I like blue so it works out well. And now we have time when we´re wandering around. It's amazing how easily you get lost in the work, and how much time you can waste when you aren't keeping track of it!!

 

So who else is excited for General Conferencce????????? I can't wait, only three more days! And it's going to be awesome with all the Elders and Hermanas and then the members. If Stake Conference was good, this will be even better! Although I think we´re going to ask for an English room for us three gringos in the stake (me, Elder Alberro, and Elder Biggs our new ZL who also served in Justo Daract!), so hopefully that works out. But I'm really just thinking that all the challenges we´ve had this week are just a test to get me to earn the General Conference or something. It's amazing how much of a motivation it is now, because before, well ask my parents, I was half awake during the Sunday sessions and sleeping during the Saturday ones... not always!!! But a lot haha. I'm just super excited. Hopefully we can keep preparing ourselves and have some questions because for sure the questions we have will be answered in one of the talks! But you have to watch all the sessions and then read the Priesthood or Relief Society session the next month to find it! That's something they mentioned in Stake Conference too. I don't remember who it was, but he said "Hermanos, you will go home and read the Relief Society sessions and receive some more answers. Do it! And Hermanas, you will go home and read the Priesthood session and find more answers and revelation. Do it!" It was way cool. I've never thought about that really, but it's so true. We have to take advantage oif all the seessions that there are!! So let's start getting prepared eh?

 

So I have a question... did South Korea declare war or something? Are all my friends going there not going to go there anymore?? Everyone here is telling us about it since we´re from the states, so I was worrying about that for this whole weekend... what's the deal with all that??

As for Malcolm's call (to Tonga), that's AWESOME! He´s lucky, he will probably get to wear one of those... I don't remember what they're called, the Tongan skirts basically hahaha. But I think it fits him perfectly. That's way awesome!! He´s going to be a great missionary.

 

Yes Mom, I lost all those pictures, which sucks because the card had pictures from when I first got here to Buenos Aires and we went to the temple and everything! Oh well, life goes on right? But I think I'll put them on a pendrive or something to be sure. But yeah, don't worry about it.

 

I hope the weather is getting warmer up there! I'm excited and glad that winter or the cold is here, but this past week we´ve had some crazy weather and we both feel under it (under the weather, I mean) and we´ve been exhausted and cold. But we will get over it! Just takes diligence and patience! And I have increased in both of those I believe. But yeah, I just want my body to fix itself so I can focus on teaching and everything, it's really annoying when you are distracted by sicknesses and headaches and pains and everything. Any advice as to how I can get over that??

 

Well this week is almost halfway over already, but we have great plans and are going to keep working with the members, which we finally started doing this week instead of just putting it as a goal every week. Change is hard, and I'll miss Elder Galicia, but change has brought a new cycle of miracles, hard times, humbling experiences, and growing circumstances, and what else could we ask for? That's the whole purpose of this life, isn't it? So I am perfectly content with that. I'm super excited for the next 5 weeks, and obviously I'll be keeping you all updated on the happenings! Sorry it's short but we gotta get going to lunch! I love you all, and hope the warm weather starts brightening your days, weeks, and soon to come-summer! Don't let any opportunity pass you by, rather take ahold of it and make the best of it! We´re here on earth to be happy and have joy, and the best things in life are the spiritually and temporally uplifting ones! Time with family, friends, loved ones, and making new friends and enjoying all that life throws at you, making the best of everything! It's hard sometimes, and we all make mistakes, but we can always improve and change. Until next week!

Elder Tyson Gibbons :)

Hola todos!

Tyson with his beloved Andes in the background

 

The mutant banana

 

Hola todos!

 

So, we got transfer news! I am staying in Rodeo del Medio, as expected, and Elder Galicia is leaving to go to San Martin, as expected. My new companion will be Elder Alberro from California, who is basically Argentine-American since his grandparents are from here, but he was raised in California. He speaks English and Castellano perfectly, so I guess I'll keep working on my Castellano! I have people tell me the thing I could do better with my Castellano, and EVERYONE says I need to say the double r´s correctly, and I have to tell them well, I will always have this gringo accent because I can't do that! So hopefully I can change that, it's my goal before I leave the mission. But we´ll see :/ my tongue just doesn't want to cooperate so far. But other than that, Elder Bulva and Elder Tapia are staying, and Hermana Salcedo is going to more central Mendoza, (I was sad, I´ve been with her my whole mission so far! Even if she was in San Luis capital 3 hours from Justo Daract) and a new Hermana, Hermana Cheta, is coming to be with Hermana Dipuy. I met Hermana Cheta when she arrived here last transfer, and she´s super nice. I thought she was American but nope, Argentine. So yeah, this will be a really good transfer! Change is necessary and we should make the best of it.

 

WHAT?? I had no idea Justin was old enough to go on a mission! How crazy. But that's super exciting! Somehow, I pictured him always in some place really cold like that (Russia), he´ll fit right in haha. And I also know he´s super prepared, just from hearing Jalen complain about his ability with the scriptures in seminary. So that will serve him well. And Sydney is going to Chicago?!?!?! That's so crazy!!! And she leaves almost on her birthday! Haha that's pretty interesting too. But she will do good work as well. The thing is, I'm pretty sure every one of these people knows more than I did when I left on the mission. Good for them! And I'm learning haha, just a little later than I would have liked. But hey, who´s to blame for that other than me?

 

So this weekend was stake conference! It turned out really well! Haha we only sang Saturday though, I was sad. Because they all turned out AMAZING! The sister in charge was crying afterwards because it sounded so good. She went around hugging everyone and almost hugged me before she remembered I was an elder. But she thanked me for helping with the choir and playing the piano a few times. Elder Galicia, being absentminded sometimes (I say that because he knows it and is the one who told me, so I can say it haha :D) he said we had to be in the chapel in Gutierrez early, but we arrived early to the meeting, not to the choir practice, and we missed the choir practice because we decided to go to the leadership priesthood meeting. But it was a GREAT meeting! I may not be a leader, but I learned a lot. Then we sang and it was great, and even though I was sick, I sang better than I ever have I think. My voice was super low but I could hit all the high notes too, instead of lingering in the middle haha, so I was content.

 

Then Sunday we showed up to the conference after staying the night in the ZL´s pension, and we found Graciela and Hermana Gutierrez and Miriam and a few other members, but were upset that none of our investigators, including the son of Graciela, had come. But we were wrong, at the end we saw a TON of people that had come, and so it ended happily. During the conference, Elder Shane Bowen spoke, Jean Stevens of the Primary I believe, Elder Whitney Clayton, and Elder Russel M. Nelson spoke. And even though Elder Nelson doesn't speak Castellano, he gave his talk in Castellano! His accent wasn't so great, but everyone was just blown away that he stood up and told his translator that he wanted to speak in Castellano. It was all written and translated already but he read it and did REALLY good, and his message was great. They all were, I should say! It's always surprising to see a 70 or a member of the 12 get up and just start speaking Spanish haha, it was way cool. But my favorite part was when Elder Nelson talked about Salvation and Exaltation. And the primary difference was this, that salvation is an individual matter, but no person can receive exaltation without their FAMILY. I just felt the spirit so strong, testifying of the importance of the family, and naturally I thought of my family and my friends and their family, and I just had the strongest desire to share with all of them, all of YOU, that the family is seriously the most important thing in this life, because without the family, we can all be saved, and receive salvation or immortality, but without the family living according to the gospel, and performing the ordinances necessary, we will be saved, individually, and be alone, FOREVER. This doctrine goes a LOT deeper, study it on your own, but I just realized right then that my family is my first priority, because I would NEVER choose to spend eternity, alone, without my most loved family and friends and their families. It showed me the importance of the temple, and the song "I love to see the temple" came to mind, and I just felt so thankful for the Primary teaching me that song, because it really does stick in every fiber and tendon of my body, and I realize even more profoundly the importance of the temple. So that was a really good talk, even if he didn't know Spanish!!!!

 

Talking about the slumps of the mission, well we talked about that in our last district meeting, about how every transfer there seems to be a slump, a decline in whatever it could be, obedience, diligence, numbers, work, you name it. And it's different for everyone. But it just gave me the motivation to try and break that cycle that happens to everyone all the time, and I realized that the elders that really have had lots of success, not only personally but in helping this work move forward, are those who are able to forget themselves and break that cycle. So that is my goal from now on as well. This week may have been lower than ones in the past, but it was definitely motivational and inspirational! You can always learn something from everyone, you just have to have the right perspective. I hope this transfer can be the start of many good transfers without that slump! And actually I would say my whole life! I don't want to make changes when I'll be home eventually and then continue with my same life, exactly how it was. I don't want that. I want it to be better! Same people, but better relationships!

 

So today I took some more pictures since I found out that one of my sd cards, the one with bascially all my MTC pictures and New Mexico pictures and Justo Daract pictures, somehow got a virus and got erased, so I´m glad I sent home all the ones that were most important! But I took some that I will send home with this email. They´re not great, they´re just what I have at the moment. Today we are going to go bowling!!! I'm super excited!!! Maybe I can win since it's more of an American sport haha, but that will be fun. I'll take more pictures there for sure, and next week we´ll send them!  There's a picture of a mutant banana that we bought, it was two in one, a special deal! And then me today with the Andes, the Cordilleras, behind me and a not-so-good view of me. It's hard to smile when you´re cold haha, and when you´re trying not to look like a tourist. But yeah, hopefully you enjoy them! And we´re still waiting to hear about moving to the new apartment, the pensionista told us he was working on the contract with the guy, so this transfer I expect we´ll be able to move! Poor Elder Galicia--he found it and set up the contract and now won't be able to enjoy the best pension in the mission, as Hermana Avila called it! I'll send him pictures haha and I will be very grateful every night in my prayers.

 

Alright, today I will look for a watch to buy. I need one, Elder Galicia had the watch in the companionship!

 

Well I need to get going. Sorry that again, another week without much news about teaching or anything. We actually spent this last week just sick. Elder Galicia was in bed for a few days, and also other elders in the zone. I think it started with me... I feel bad. But everyone is feeling better now! It's just the radical changes in the weather, from super hot, to freezing, to hot again. I hate it. But oh well, what can you do? It's the weather.

 

I'm glad all is well back home! Or I guess on vacation for now! Enjoy the rest of your trip, make sure to tell Justin, Karissa, Jack, Elli, and Noah hello from Argentina!! I´m so grateful for this opportunity to serve, and I realize the urgency of these short two years with every passing day and week, and trasnfer! I´m so grateful for my family, and I love them so much, also all my freinds, and I want them to have their family forever too! There´s a quote I found in the ZL pension Saturday night that says, "Missionary- someone who leaves their family for two years so that others can be with their families for ETERNITY" and that just added to the love I felt during the conference and everything! Thank you family, for always supporting me, but most of all for raising me in the way necessary to be able to be with you all for eternity! I don't want it any other way, for ANYONE. And I will use that to motivate me to find others who I know want the same thing. And for those of my friends and family who maybe don't have a full perspective of that, please just think of all the happy times you´ve had with your family, think about that, then think about that for ETERNITY, in a better, happier, more heavenly place than this earth. What more could you possibly want? It seems too good to be true, doesn't it? Well I promise you that it's not. It's possible, and the way is clear, difficult but clear. It requires much, but think about eternity being happy with everyone you love... that's a prize worth paying for right? Or should I say, priceless!!

I love you all, hope this week is amazing!

Elder Tyson Gibbons :) Each smile brightens the world a little more!

Hola de Argentina todos!

Hola de Argentina todos!

Sorry I didn't end up sending an email last week, we played soccer but started late so I could have written, but it was really fun and I haven't played for so long, so it was good to excercise. It's amazing how much you can forget when you don't practice though. I'm sorry you were depressed Mom! I was thinking about you all week, knowing you would be sad, but since our time on pday ended and we aren´t really supposed to go to cyber other days, I just waited until today! I have a lot to talk about, so many questions and news, but I'll try my best.

 

First off, our zone conference! It was so good! Just like Dad said about Jalen, I can just feel all the time President Ávila spends seeking revelation, studying, praying, and talking with his wife. But everytime I am around him, the feeling I get most is just from the aura he has around him. His spirit just reaches out to every missionary, and his love too. He doesn't ever scold or drop cain, as everyone says here, unless it's absolutely necessary. He just has a calmness about him, and it makes even the disobedient missionaries feel comfortable. That's definitely thanks to the spirit! As men we have tendencies to get mad or upset or frustrated. He has developed the attribute of patience and charity to the maximum! I just feel at peace with myself and the world when we are around him. We focused on the Book of Mormon and there was one thing he said that was like a slap in the face. It was so obvious, but still we need to hear it to apply it. Joseph Smith once said, "If we take away the Book of Mormon from our religion, what are we left with? WE HAVE NOTHING." That's the clave (sorry, can't think of the word in English) of our religion, everything is based on it, if it's true or not. It's just amazing how hard it is to get people to understand that if it's true, there are things to change in their life, and if it's not, well they still have to find out for themselves, by reading pondering and praying. It's a simple cycle, but people don't want to even try, even if it means their life could be changed for the better. But President changed the quote a little and said, "If we take away the Book of Mormon from any lesson we teach or visit we make, what are we left with? WE DID NOTHING." Really their progress depends on their reading and finding out if it is true or not. It's that simple. So I thought about all the lessons I've gone to where I didn't feel the need to bring up the Book of Mormon because they believe so much in the Bible, or visits when we use the pamphlets, nothing more, so that was a good wake up call for me. Now I'm making sure we have a scripture in the Book of Mormon every visit we make, because that's how they are going to progress! And how we are going to progress in this life, studying and praying about all the wonderful things found inside. Like it says in the introduction, it contains the fulness of the gospel of Christ.

 

Anyway, those were really good talks, and for a practice we left and opened the mouth with people in the street, with different companions, and I went with Elder Tilleman, the assistant, again. It was awesome. We found two huge families and taught about the family, and it was just cool to learn new ways to talk to people, to get their interest. So that was cool. But no I didn't see anyone I know besides the people in my zone and the elders in the offices. I haven't seen anyone from my group since Christmas. Oh well, one day! But, yes I finally got the packages!! Thank you so much Mom and Dad, and also Jill and Jason and kids! I loved the valentines and candy and letters, and I loved the tie! It's a new favorite :)

 

Oh man, the whole business with the Pope was crazy! Everyone wanted to talk to us about it, but we would just say oh congratulations, he is Argentine! I was impressed with his humility in his first address to the people, everyone told us about that. I have respect for him. I just don't know anything else about how they do everything or why, but to him as a person I respect him! ç

 

Thanks for all the pictures! Everyone looks like they´re surviving very well, although Dylan looks like he´s freezing in the snow and all that. But that food still looks pretty good, I won't lie! As for the news about emailing friends I heard it too, but it's not an official rule yet, not for the rest of this transfer anyway. But yeah, that will be exciting!

So Jalen is training and district leader? That's just crazy. I know he can handle all the responsibility. He´s doing awesome work over there. I'm pretty sure my companion who comes to replace Elder Galicia (if it happens that he is leaving... one more week and we´ll know) will be district leader and I'll have to travel a bunch still on Sundays and everything. But oh well! It's all good with me. I feel comfortable with the work and the area, so I just want to keep working.

 

What?? Tyler is going to New Mexico!!?!?!?! That's so sweet! I loved it a lot, and tell him that if he ever is in the Bear Canyon, East Ridge or La Cueva wards he should say hi, not that anyone remembers me. Haha but he will love that. And wow there are a ton of missionaries going to Korea!! They´re going to tear it up over there! I just respect them for learning such a crazy language. I like regular letters a lot. And Peru!!! Sorry but I'm more excited about that, someone is coming on down to South America to join me! I won't feel so far away from everyone now. And make sure to let me know where Sydney is going! I don't even know what to guess. Korea too?? Haha.

 

Anyway, we did intercambios with the zone leaders this last Wednesday, and I was with Elder Schirner from Utah. So there was a gringo storm in Rodeo del Medio! We worked good, it was really cold and the weather came out of nowhere, but we survived. I think we just got each other sick, but thankfully it's already almost over with! I just couldn't sing yesterday in choir, which made everyone mad since I know the part and they follow me. But my throat has been killing me, I was lucky to be able to play soccer today too (I'll mention that later). But it was good to talk to Elder Schirner, talk a little bit of English and learn from him and his experiences. Then Thursday we switched back and had a good day working. It was a good day. But Friday we went to Unimev in the morning to help commit an investigator of the hermanas to baptism, and that worked out mas o menos well, but at lunch is when things went downhill, at least for me. The hermana that makes us lunch on Friday is menos activa, she doesn't come very often, and he never comes, but they know a lot and are faithful, to the point of coming to church anyway. But she told us that there was an accident and someone had died in our ward. She told us she thought it was a young woman who is recently married and 4 months pregnant, but they weren´t sure who it was, so I was just thinking and thinking and worrying and depressed all day. But then we talked to the zone leaders and they had heard about it because the stake president came to Rodeo del Medio to visit the family, and they told us what really happened. It wasn't the pregnant sister, but it was Agostina, the 10 yr old girl that sits in front of us every Sunday, and I've talked to her and her little baby sister every Sunday, and it just hit me so hard. I don't even know her really, or the family, but I just felt devastated. I realized though that this ward really does feel like family, as it should with any ward. It was a partial answer to all the prayers I've asked for charity, for love for the people. 5 days ago she had been all happy and talking with us and Juan Pablo and her little sister, and then they told me she had passed away. She was crossing an old highway and a car decided to pass the other, even though it was a curve, and... well it killed her instantly. I felt like it was my own sister that passed away... I was just out of it and depressed for days. It's still lingering. I can't imagine being the mom, who went walking after her and found her, already dead, on the side of the road... I wanted to talk to them, visit them, but Elder Galicia had other plans. Not that he did anything wrong, in fact it's good that someone was still focused on the work as well, our first priority, but I was just thinking about it all day long, and all night. That was the rough week we had basically. Obviously they didn't come to church yesterday, and I just don't know what to say or do. But because Elder Resek (one of the General Authorities down here) heard about it, he came to the ward as a surprise and gave such a short, inspiring message about how we need to as a ward be there to comfort them and help them to move on, because if they hold on to her death forever then they won't keep moving on or progressing. It's like that with everything though right? Any bad thing that happens in life will hold us back from moving on if we can't forget it and let it go. I think that was just a sealing testimony about what I talked about two weeks ago. But what hit me the strongest was his simple but firm testimony, that we should remember, that she is now in a better place than all of us are. It was simple, but so strong. We´re still in this imperfect world, and although we mourn the loss, there are others rejoicing that she has come home on the other side. The whole meeting after, I was just repeating the words of the poem that Janet read at Great-Grandma´s funeral. It was very comforting, I wish I could translate it and share it wtih them. I think I'll try to do that.

 

Anyway, then Sunday came and me and Elder Schirner couldn't sing, so we went out and had a good talk with the dad of a family they've been teaching that they´ve never found, and it was such a good talk! I realize now how important it is to talk to people, and not focus on lessons. Hopefully there is a good future with that family, since the kids and the mom already have a testimony of the Church and the gospel, now it's just the dad that doesn't have it! So yeah, that was a good experience. Then today we played soccer again on a turf field, so that was better than concrete, but I didn't have as much fun as last time. The zone leaders invited members, and it was bascially 3 on 3 instead of 7 on 7. Me and the other elders on the team, and on the other team, didn't do anything, it was all the natives playing basically. So I got bored pretty quick. But whatever, it was still good to excercise! And it wasn't super hot so I didn't get burned. That's a blessing. My poor white skin... I wish it would tan easier than burn.

 

Well this is the last week of the transfer, and hopefully we can get things picking up! The whole zone has had a few rough weeks, and not just our zone we found out today. As a mission hopefully we can get out of the slump and start moving forward! I'm glad the weather has lightened up though, although I'm sick because it went from super hot to super cold in a matter of two days. But oh well, what can you do?

 

As you mention my birthday, you said you had warm clothes like sweaters or something to send me? I wouldn't mind if you sent them sooner, I can have my birthday early. I was wishing for a sweater these last few days. It's warming up a little but it's not going to get super hot, then it's going to drop to winter. So that would be nice if you can get them to me at least by the end of this month! I will still consider it my birthday. And as for the rings, I really like the one that's mostly black with the HLJ and it says one moment in time inside. But there´s just one thing... we aren't allowed to wear rings here. You can still buy me one, I would like to have one! But there´s no need to send me it, since it will just sit in my suitcase. Just a rule of the mission! I was pretty bummed, but oh well. I'll be obedient!

 

I'm glad to hear everything is going well with tennis, soccer, driver´s ed, whatever else is going on!There´s really not much to mention here, I was glad to get the packages and letters! I'm glad all is going well back home, even if there are difficulties! It's still a good life, just focus on the good things! :) Life is happier that way. I love you all! I will let you know about transfers next week. I can't believe it's already ending again. What's up with that? Until next week, cuídense!

 

Elder Gibbons