Week Eight. Juarez, Mexico.

Week Eight: IT'S HOT

I have to start out by saying that it is so hot here... EVERY SINGLE DAY. This week every day was in the 100s. I am seriously dying. However, Elder Rincon and I have had alot of success this week with finding 22 new investigators! I am starting to get into the rhythm of things around here.

However, we still dont have hot water or electricity it has been a good week! The members here are feeding me super well. However, they make me eat the peppers and chiles which I hate! Way to hot. Anyways, I went on exchanges this week with Elder Macias (From Mexico City) and he is a super funny guy! Learned alot from him and we had a good time!

I am so thankful for the opportunity to be serving the people here in Jaurez. They are very open about talking about anything! Many people with crazy and interesting life stories. At times it is super to understand some peoples spanish, but each day I learn a little more. I have had some cool experiences where I am able to speak good spanish without thinking about it, words just come to me and I know that that is only through the power of god! Lastly, I want to talk about the dogs.. There so many dogs here, and for some reason, they dont like white people. And come to think of it I am the only white person in this city!! These dogs are going to be the death of me!

Anyways, hope you all are doing good and have a great spring break!!! Praying for you all!

Love, Elder Gibson 

P.S. I really am sorry for the bad spelling

 

Week 6. CCM. Week 7. Juarez, Mexico

Week 6: (his last week in the MTC, which we are assuming was wonderful).
Jared was busy traveling to Monterrey and then to his new area. He only had a few minutes to send out an email while at the mission home to let us know that he arrived. He left us wondering all week where he was!

Fam!
I made it to Monterrey! It is a lot warmer and more clean here. Big difference from Mexico City to here. Anyways I dont know who my companion is yet or what area I am serving in, I find out tomorrow. Mission President is super cool! I dont have much time and i cant upload pictures today, but know that I love you all! It kinda sucks right now because it feels like my first day at the MTC kind of overwhelming but im sure it will get better. I think i will be emailing Mondays now, I am keeping you in my prayers hopefully my first week in the camp goes well! Ill send alot of pictures next Monday!

Love, Elder Gibson

Week 7: Primera Semana en el Campo!

Well I made it to Monterrey safely last week without any complication. I got assigned to serve in an area called Juarez. Juarez is a very poor city outside of Monterrey. In fact, my apartment has no lights, power, drinking water, or hot water. Oh do I miss the USA 😂. I actually have to washing my clothes by hand.. I actually feel like Joseph Smith translating the Book of Mormon with the candlesticks all lit up! However, I really do enjoy my area thusfar . The members are super cool and make some bomb Mexican food. In church they asked me to give a 10 minute talk in sacrament in SPANISH! I was super nervous because i had no preparation, but it turned out to be alright. We ride the bus everywhere and I havent been able to sit down on the bus yet because there are always so many people on the bus, I can barely even breathe. It is so hot here, I am literally melting in the sun here. We are able to wear sombreros though so i have totally been wearing one, I look like some kind of country singer haha!  All the young kids here love to call me Canelo Alvarez, which is pretty funny.

My new companion is Elder Rincon, he is from Mexico City and is a pretty cool guy! He has helping me out alot with my Spanish. He is a convert to the church and has a cool story! I am super thankful for him! I still cant understand 100 percent Spanish yet because they use alot of slang here that isnt actually a real word! Very Difficult! However each day gets better.

I was going crazy without working out so I made my own weights... I had to improvise! I hope that you are all doing good! I am enjoying myself and love being in the service of God! I think I am having a baptism in 2 weeks which is going to be super cool, Im super excited for that! I already love the people here! I am sorry if i mispell things because they dont have spellcheak for english here, so i am struggling! Praying for you all!

Love, Elder Gibson

He is ready.

My mom received a text from someone yesterday, Sunday March 12. 

Jared and his companion. 

The text read, Leaving tonight. So excited to get to Monterrey!

We don't know who it is from but it is always good to see and hear from him!!

Week Five. CCM.

Week Five: Breaking Out!

Last week here in Mexico City! I leave here at 2:30am Monday morning to catch my flight at the airport at 6am, I am going to be exhausted. But, I am so pumped to finally be able to get to MONTERREY. It is going to difficult to say goodbye to all of my friends here at the CCM, but I am happy for all of them. Also, I have gained a close relationship with my teachers here as well. Ill be honest, I am a bit nervous because this will be the true test of if I actually know Spanish or not... I am afraid to say that I think I already know the answer

This past week I have been so thankful for all the blessings I have in my life.  I have came to realize how much I have been blessed with. All I want to do now is go out and try my very hardest to bless the lives of the people around me! When you are feeling down, make sure that you count your blessings. It really has been a humbling experience for me while i have been away in Mexico. Being a missionary is awesome!

Nothing really new happened this week. It was my companions birthday, me and Elder Cluff got matching ties, and I accepted a challenge last night to eat 6 slices of Costco pizza... Anyways, I am still praying for you all and hope all is going well! Id love to hear how you are doing. Te amo!

Love, Elder Gibson

Week Four. CCM.

Week Four: Another Good Week

The weather here is still perfect, no surprise there! However, there seems to be consistent bad smell here in the city but I am just used to it by now. I heard it's still snowing back in Boise, that is crazy! When it gets up to 90 degrees here, some snow sounds kind of nice. Anyways, this week has been bittersweet.

All of my Latino friends left on Monday to go out to their assigned missions. Saying goodbye was difficult for sure! Life has been less spontaneous without them here. However I know they are out doing good things! I loved trading ties with all of them before they took off! They helped me so much with my Español, and I am beyond grateful. I got to find a new group to play soccer with now every day.

I am so happy to be here serving the Lord! I am also thankful to be able to learn a new language, it has been a lot of fun. The teachers here are so helpful and friendly which makes it a lot easier. I am so ready to go out and get to Monterrey already! I hope you are all doing good! I am continually praying for you all. Stay warm!

Love, Elder Gibson