Week 98. Valle Verde, Mexico.

Week 98: Mission Completed

Well, this will be my last email that I send out before I come home. I would like to start out by saying that I will be coming home Thursday the 27th at 1:00pm. I will be reporting on the 30th at 9:00am at the church building located on Ustick and Cloverdale. I would love to see you all there.
This past week Elder Valencia and I were able to go to the temple with 2 recent converts. One of the recent converts name is Guadalupe, she is a widow who is 70 years old. She did the family history work for her parents, husband, and daughter who have passed away and got the cards ready for the temple. At the temple Elder Valencia I were able to do the work for her father and husband. As we came out of the water we saw that her eyes were filled with tears. I went over to her and she told us with a calming voice, "They are now free." She said that she felt the presence of her loved ones in a way that she could not explain. I testify of the power of the temple. I testify of the Spirit World, and of those who are eagerly waiting to receive all of the saving ordinances.
This past week Ruiz and Caudia were able to get married! What an amazing experience. It truly was a miracle. In 2 weeks we got everything ready for them to get married. The judge came on Saturday afternoon and they even had a little reception with their family and friends. Ruiz has been progressing a lot! The best part is that he is now living the Law of Chastity and he and his wife couldn't seem happier. We are planning his baptism for the 26th, the night before I come home. I testify that God is a God of miracles. If we act righteously with all diligence God always provides us with his divine help to make miracles happen. I have been a witness of many miracles in the mission. God truly does want to bless us.
I testify that this work is of God. I know that God is our living father heaven. I know that Jesus Christ is his only begotten and beloved son, he is the redeemer of us all. I know that no injustice in immortality is permanent thanks to the heroic atonement preformed by the Lord Jesus Christ. I know that true and permanent change comes through his atonement. When we are tested in this mortal state, the only way we can find true protection from the adversary is drawing ourselves nearer to the Savior. He is our perfect example. He is the light and the life of the world. I am thankful for each memory that I have been able to obtain here in the mission. Enjoy the Christmas Spirit and I will see all of you very soon!

Love, Elder Gibson

Week 97. Valle Verde, Mexico.

Week 97: Progressing!

Well this week has been good! We have been working alot with the investigtors that we have. Alicia and Ruiz are just one step away from being baptized. They both just have to get married and they are ready! Elder Valencia and I have been really busy going to several civil registration centers to get all of the information and dates for their marriages! However when we go in it is always awkward because they always think that elder Valencia and I are the ones who are wanting to get married haha! Alicia has been progressing alot. She told us that she wants to be baptized to always have the spirit. We have taught her a few times and during some of the lessons she will interrupt us and say, "I am feeling something really wierd and really comforting right now, what is it?" We go on and tell her that it is the spirit. She has 2 little girls and she wants the best for her kids. She also told us that she wants to be baptized to set an example for her family. Ruiz is so excited to get married so that he can get baptized too. Him and his wife Claudia have plans on getting sealed in the Mexico City Temple in a year with 3 children. Claudia wants to get sealed in that temple because her grandfather was one of the workers who constructed the temple over 40 years ago. They are great!!!!
Elder Valencia and I have plans this week to go with some of the members to a nearby hosptial to donate cookies and share a message about Jesus Christ. We have been highly blessed these past few weeks. I am so thankful for these last few weeks that God has given me to work in his vineyard. Have a wonderful week!! A picture of the zone and the backroads of our area.

Love, Elder Gibson

Week 96. Valle Verde, Mexico.

Week 96: Miracles!
Wow this week was absolutely amazing. Elder Valencia and I have been so blessed with so many spiritual experiences. This past week we had 2 exchanges with other missionaries. The first exchange I was with Elder Bermudez in his area. He has about 3 months in the mission and we were able to work hard and find a lot of new people for them to teach. Than on Friday we had exchanges with the assistants and I was with Elder Richies. I was in their area and Elder Richies and I were able to find a lot of success. It was also a good time because he is a huge sports fan so we were able to get a few chats in about sports.
On Thursday Elder Valencia and l had a very cool experience. We taught a family where the mother and daughter are recent converts to the church but the father still hasn't decided to be baptized. However, he has been coming to church for a few weeks now. We were able to finally teach him and his wife together. We were able to talk about the family and how his family can be together forever. This drew his attention and Elder Valencia and I know now that he knows that the church is true. The only thing is that this is the first time in his life that he has been attending a church. We are going to keep working with him to help him feel like he is ready to be born again and be baptized.
This week we also had an incredible experience with our investigator Alicia, she{s a young mother with a little girl and a newborn girl, before we arrived to her house she was praying to know the path she would follow to be closer to God, protect her family, and to leave behind the fear and depression issues she was having. During the lesson we shared a scripture in the Book of Mormon about how the pure love and faith of Christ wipes away fear. She felt as if the scripture was talking to her, she expressed that she felt a burning sensation in her heart, then we talked about the Holy Ghost and how it reveals the truth through feelings and thoughts. Also that burning sensation in her heart, she mentioned to us that she has never felt like that but she loves it. She then asked, how can I feel that more constantly in my life_ We started to talk about the gospel of Jesus Christ, baptism, and the gift of the constant companion, even the Holy Ghost. She had some questions and fears about being baptized and then after fail with the commandments but we taught her about the sacrament and repentance. She was more determined to follow Christ, what a powerful lesson. The only need is that she needs to get married to her boyfriend, but we think it can be done easily. At church this past Sunday she came with her friend and with another young family (future investigators) to have their babies be blessed during sacrament meeting. I was the first time my companion and I had ever blessed a baby. Elder Valencia blessed Alicia´s baby girl and I blessed the baby boy of this new family that came to church with Alicia, it was super spiritual.
Also Saturday was very special. I am not sure if you guys can remember in my last email that I talked about that guy who isn't a member but came to church with his family and we had a lesson planned for Saturday? The mans name is Ruiz and we passed by on Saturday and had one of the most special lessons I have ever had here on the mission. We showed up and they were waiting for us to get there. We started off by singing the hymn families can be together forever. During the song the wife who is a member started crying. Later she expressed her gratitude to God that he had made it possible for her husband to change and to accept and listen to our message. We than taught the restoration of the gospel but focused on the family. Ruiz had a lot of questions. He was raised a family with different beliefs so he had a lot of questions. Despite all the questions, Elder Valencia and I were able answer each questions according to what the spirit dictated us to say. We could see that the Spirit was testifying to him the truth of our message. At the end of the lesson, Ruiz{s wife told us that her greatest desire was for Ruiz to get baptized and than be able to baptize their 8 year old daughter and than to finally be sealed to have an eternal family. Ruiz is now very encouraged to keep learning and to come to church. We are working a lot with him so that he can get baptized the 23rd, receive the Holy Ghost, The Aaronic priesthood, and baptize his 8 year old daughter the same day. God has been showing us that he truly is a God of miracles. I am so thankful to participate in such a great work. Have a wonderful week!

Week 95. Valle Verde, Mexico.

Week 95: Weeks are counting down!
This past week we had our ups and downs! We had 2 baptisms planned for this Saturday but we arent going to able to have them. Jessica and Nataly had to leave Monterrey to go to Dallas to fix some problems. She commented to us that she didnt know how long she was going to be out of town. We were super discouraged because they were one week away from entering into the waters of baptism. However, with her situation she had to leave immediately. The good part is that she is going to get in contact with the missionaries over there in Dallas.
Despite the sad news about Jessica and Nataly, we were able to see the Lords hand in the work here in our area this past week. She showed up to church and noticed an unfamiliar man with a woman and her kids that we do know. We were just thinking that he was a a less acive member who hasnt been to church in a while. However, at the end of the services, he came up to us and presented himself to us. We figured out that he wasnt a member of the church and was visiting the church for his very first time with his family. Of course Elder Valencia and I got super excited and we got to know him alittle bit more. At the end of the conversation, he asked if we could pass by Saturday to teach him about the gospel! What a testimony that God always blesses us a different way than we think sometimes.
Yesterday, we had my very last zone conference and I was able to give my final testimony. I am amazed at how much my testimony has grown over these 2 years. I am so thankful for each and every person that I have met over these 2 years. Most importantly, I am so thankful for all of the sweet memories I have been able to have over these past 2 years.
Today we were able to go to a place called Las Grutas de Garcia or in english, Garcia´s caverns. It was an amazing experience! I will make sure to add pictures. I hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving because here it doesnt exist! I hope you all are getting in the christmas spirit! Have a great week.

Love, Elder Gibson

Week 94. Valle Verde, Mexico.

Week 94: Valle Verde!

This first week here in Valle Verde was awesome. We were able to teach some great people! We are teaching a family who has a baptismal date for the 1st of December. The youngest son was baptized about a year ago but the rest of the family has not received the ordinance of baptism yet. They are super excited for their baptismal date! We are also teaching a 11 year old little girl named Nataly. Her mother is a member of the church for a long time now but she hadn't been coming to church for years. Elder Valencia and I found her and Nataly in the church records. She expressed to us her desire to return to church and her need for her daughter to be baptized. We set goals with them and set a baptismal date for Nataly for the 8th of December. Nataly and her mom came to church yesterday and they really enjoyed it! I am so excited for this transfer and all it has in store. Have a great week. Enjoy thanksgiving! I sent some pictures with my new companion Elder Valencia and some investigators from this past transfer in Las Puentes!

Love, Elder Gibson

Week 93. Las Puentes, Mexico.

Week 93: Last Transfer!
Well, this week has been crazy! First off, today I start my last transfer in the mission! Second, I have changes to go to a different area! I will be going to be zone leader in a zone called Valle Verde. It is a really big zone so it should be a fun and an exciting way to end the mission. I will be with Elder Valencia. He is from Columbia. Of course I am excited to get to know a new area and new people however I am pretty sad about leaving Las Puentes. Juani, Saul, and Emilio have plans to get baptized this next week. It makes me a little sad to know that I wont be present for it however, I am so happy for their progress. This family has tested Elder Santos and I with alot of doubts and questions. I am so greatful for the Holy Ghost that can teach the truth of all things. This past week, Elder Santos and I also found an awesome family. It is a family of 5 and they are so prepared to hear the gospel. After we taught them about the restoration, they have been so intetrested. In fact, they have been reading the Book of Mormon each night as a family. The parents are stunned because they told us that this is the first time that their kids have shown intrest in learing about God. I love how this message is for everyone. How it can touch the heart of an 80 year old man but even an eight year old child. I am so excited for this last transfer that I have here in the mission to give it all to the Lord. I know that in my next area, in fact every area, there will be people waiting to hear the message about the restoration. I hope you all have a great week!

Love, Elder Gibson

Week 92. Las Puentes, Mexico.

Week 92: Just Another Week!

This past week was pretty difficult. We did a lot of street contacts that seemed to be really interesting in our message. However, after when we had passed by their homes for the lesson, they were not home. Also, Elder Santos and I had 2 exchanges this past week. On Tuesday I was with Elder Agla from Orem, Utah. He and I will be going home the same day so it was awesome to get to know him a bit more. Than on Friday we had exchanges with the assistants. I got to work with Elder Garrido from Cancun. We taught a lesson to Juani and Saul with a married couple from the ward about families and the temples. We talked about how families can be together forever. It was awesome because the marrried couple who came with us recently got sealed in the temple. Their testimonies helped us out a lot! It really was a spiritual lesson. Saul wants to get baptized and Juani has received a testimony of the church but is still timid about making this change in her life. She has been feeling the spirit but she is still a little nervous to leave her old life behind. However, I believe as she keeps praying that God will show unto her the need to enter into the waters of baptism. I love this work and I love the people here in Mexico! I hope you all have a great week.

Love, Elder Gibson