Week 42: Miguel Aleman, Mexico.

Week 42: Good Week

This week we had transfers but I didn't have any which was a huge relief. I am going to stay here with Elder Polanco. I am super excited that I didn't get changed! I finally know most of the members in the ward here so we plan on working with them a lot this holiday season. Speaking of holidays, this week might be a little bit sad. It will be sad because Thanksgiving does not exist here... BOO!  Oh well, one of our investigators invited us over Thanksgiving night for Turkey, so I guess that will have to do!

Saturday, I had the opportunity to baptize José Luis! He was an investigator of the sister missionaries in my district! I had his baptism interview on Tuesday and after he asked me if I would do the baptism ordinance. The baptism service was great, other than one thing... The water heater to the church building didn't have any gas. With that being said, we had to fill the baptismal font with freezing cold water! As José and I entered we realized how cold the water actually was.  However, we completed the ordinance and it was such a great experience! José didn't complain or say one word about the temperature of the water. Really the only thing he said after was how pure and clean he felt. Also congrats to my nephew Burke that he too got baptized this past Saturday! 

I hope that we can all take advantage of the holiday season. That we can give service to those in need. Or more than anything spend time with friends and family. Take care.

Love, Elder Gibson

Week 41. Miguel Aleman, Mexico.

Week 41: Que Pasa Cuates
 
Well you all know that I always start out with the weather. So this past week was actually pretty cold. It was nice to feel a cool breeze for the first time in 9 months. We had some exchanges this past week on Tuesday. I was with Elder Muñoz from Puebla, we found and taught a family of 5 who were super exited about our message of The Restoration and they ended up coming to church yesterday! We also had our Zone conference with our mission president Thursday. It was great and we really focused on the life of Jesus Christ. I have came to love this scripture here in the mission its in John 8:12. It says:

12 ¶ Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life." I especially like this as we approach Christmas time. A time that we can praise, serve, and give our thanks to the LIGHT of this dark world, Jesus Christ.

The sister missionaries in my district baptized a couple yesterday. Their names are Christopher and Rebecca. I have known them for quite awhile now, I always have talked with them Sundays at church and they are awesome! I also had the opportunity to do their baptism interviews. During the interviews Rebecca shared her testimony with me on how she has came to find the truth and light. How she has came to find peace and happiness. It really sunk in deep to see how much peace the gospel brings. Right now they live in separate houses and this next month they have plans of getting married. They have invited me to be one of the witnesses for their wedding. I was honored and am so happy for them and their future. I know that the timing of God is perfect. I am so grateful for the gospel of Jesus Christ! Take care everyone. I will also attach a picture with My district and Rebecca and Christopher after their wedding!

Love, Elder Gibson

Week 40. Miguel Aleman, Mexico.

Week 40:

Okay I have to start out by saying that the weather in Monterrey is crazy! This week was super hot. I think its the first time in my life that I can say that I was sweating outside the night of Halloween. Honestly, I miss the cold and fall season, in fact the fall season doesn't even exist here. Oh well besides this this week was awesome!

This week we celebrated Halloween and El Día de Los Muertos and what do you know, I was a missionary for Halloween. Some people really thought we were dressed up as missionaries for Halloween. Everyone was going crazy this past week, un buen de fiestas y cohetes (fireworks)!  We even got invited to a few, which means we ate a whole lot of food. I really am getting used to this crazy Mexican life style.

Today my district of missionaries and I went for a hike and it was super nice to get outside of the concrete jungle and be able to breathe some fresh air in the mountains. I love everyone opportunity I have to get out and explore this great and beautiful city!

To end all of this, yesterday was awesome! We had Stake conference yesterday and the president of the area here in Mexico, Elder Paul B. Pieper came to Monterrey to talk! The temple president of the Monterrey temple and our mission president were also there. Not only the talks were amazing but after we stayed around for awhile with our Investigator Soltan. It was his first time at church and after the services he had the chance to talk with all three of them! He was super excited to learn more. It has been awesome to watch the Lords hand work in the missionary work. I am so thankful for the opportunity to be out serving a mission. Take care everyone and have a great week!  

 

Love, Elder Gibson

Week 38, Week 39. Miguel Aleman, Mexico.

Week 38 ¿Que onda?
 

This week has been great and honestly gone by super fast. To start off, we have an investigator named Soltan. Yes I know his name doesn't sound like he is from Mexico, it's because he isn't. He is from Hungary, lived in Toronto for 8 years and now here in Mexico. He speaks fluently in Hungarian and English. However, his Spanish is pretty awful. We found him knocking on doors and he opened up and he couldn't speak or understand us very well. At this point I told him like "dude I speak in English" when he heard this he was super excited and we started talking in English. It was all good until I came to the point where I realized that my English was actually really bad. I would try to talk in English and words would come out in Spanish. I guess that's what happens when all my companions have been Mexicans and never speak English. He has been reading the Book of Mormon but in Hungarian. We are super excited for him!
Also, yesterday we were walking by a sports facility and I saw that they were playing football with helmets, pads, and everything. I was really excited because this was the first time I have seen football in person here in Mexico. We got a little bit closer to check it out and I came to realize that it was girls playing. I kid you not that it was an all girls team playing tackle football. I was so confused and it was very difficult for me to watch. My companion told me that it is is very common here, Who knew!
I hope you are all doing the things necessary to strengthen your relationship with our Heavenly Father. Nothing in this life is more important than to show your faith to him through our actions! Always have the faith to persevere through hard times. Good days are always in the future to come.

Love, Elder Gibson
The picture isn't my companion, it's a member who always goes out with us to teach the people! Él es un buen amigo.

Week 39: 9 months!

Hello! This week went by super fast and honestly its hard for me to remember what I have done this past week, but Ill try my best. Well Tuesday we had transfers for the day. Tuesday I was with our zone leader Elder Campbell from Pullman, Washington. It was super cool because Elder Rincon was his trainer in the mission too! Oh and also it was nice to talk and refreshen up on my english. 😂 In fact, we had a lesson with our investigator Soltan in english. I thought I would never say this but Elder Campbell and I were struggling to teach in english. However, Soltan really liked what he heard and he decided to come to church for the first time on yesterday! I am super excited for him! Friday we had other transfers with Elder Maxwell. Elder Maxwell is in my district and only has 3 weeks in the mission. It was very funny to watch him struggle to speak with the people because it reminded me of myself when I arrived here in the mission! Saturday we had a few lessons with members and it was awesome! The members invited our investigators to church and they excepted! It really was a huge help to get our investigators to church yesterday thanks to the members. Sunday my companion was assigned to give a talk during church but I wasnt. However, with my luck my companion and the other speaker didnt take too long so the bishop called me up to fill the missing time.😑 However everything worked out! I also completed 9 months which is super crazy! Sadly, time is going by super fast because the mission is awesome. All of the people, memories, and experiences are something that Ill never be able to forget. Take care everyone! Also, goodluck to MV football!!! And Damen, ball out in basketball! 
 Love, Elder Gibson 


Pictures of my older companion Elder Gamboa, he came by to visit me this past week! With Elder Maxwell and some mexican tacos. And with Elder Campbell!