Week 47 - Sisaket - T6; W6

Hello dear family and friends,

First things first - thank you for all your prayers.  I have truly felt them and know that prayer is real.  I have felt the influence of the spirit more abundantly especially when we tought or dater ต๋อง (Dtong) and the daughter of one of the most special investigators: ก้อย (Goy, daughter of Ruamsap, the awesome 60 yr old powerhouse who is now on her 6th time through the Book of Mormon).

2nd big piece of news is that transfers is early this time around! AND I'M MOVING FROM SISAKET!!!

Other news, happy 109th anniversary of the first human flight that took place in Kitty-Hawk, NC. Besides making me thinking of Wilber and Orville, it made me think of the bevis [his nickname for his little sister] for naming our dog "Kitty..."  After the email last week we went to the Zoo here in Sisaket.  I saw my first Hippo (crazy big!) and introduced Somsak's family and Sister Boom to my ancestors in their cages, as there were Gibbons Monkeys there.  Calling people specific animals in this culture are like the different degrees of swear words, so seeing them react to that was fun.  Also, we fed them anything we wanted to (sketch?) which was fun.  Rabbits and deer eat bananas? Believe it; I saw it.

[He shared a personal story about receiving an answer to prayer that he didn’t want me to post on his blog, but I wanted to post what he said after…]  But with God, there is always a way. And usually His way is the BEST way - It just lines up with the theme of my mission life: the Lord blesses the faithful more than they can even imagine in ways they CANNOT even imagine.

Also: Thanks for your encouragement pops - it really does help.  And please know I celebrated your birthday in my heart this Friday.  Probably ate some ice cream at your favorite spot on the little red couch, :) (The Zoo also really made me remind me of Dad because all the wildlife and nature before you even walk into the zoo park. If we ever come back, dad, remind us to go there...) But this holiday season, I know I'll be able to skype and say hello, I'm teaching people why we even HAVE Christmas, and with all this in mind (and especially with the knowledge that I'll be hitting my ONE YEAR MARK next month confirming the my amount time out here is next to nothing), I haven't really been homesick. My companion, on the other hand, has - so this Christmas season, please send your love for me by sending it to him as well.

It's really been fun out here, and I'm sorry to leave.  I'm just kind of anxious right now more than anything.  I could go anywhere, but I feel good about it, wherever I go.  I had a great last Sunday as a family came back to church that we've been working on for 2 transfers now.  [We had] 84 people at church was so great and I just remember feeling love and warm and peace.  Just this moment do I remember praying specifically to feel the spirit at church more that day. and I did.

I'm going to miss all the members - some of the strongest I've ever met (or ever will meet) in my life. I'm so going to miss Ruamsap – it was so great to see her and Goy dressed so beautifully and even classy sitting together at church.  I've just kind of felt everything coming to a close lately and my experiences here have cadenced well into these last few weeks.  By the way dad and Meegs - thanks for sharing those experiences about the wonderful Amish people and sharing the greatest Christmas gift - the Restoration - with them.  The best answer, dad, about getting people to believe in Jesus Christ?  I do absolutely nothing besides helping them feel the spirit - the spirit in the Book of Mormon does the rest.  There is a senior missionary that was a missionary here from 1975-77; the Book of Mormon came out in the last 6 months of his mission.  I asked how he did any work without the Book of Mormon. "You wanna know how many people I baptized?  None," he said.  The power in the book (or the absence without it) is more apparent than you'd ever believe in the culture where Christmas is virtually non-existent.  I invite you and all who read to continue to read and ponder and pray about the book that changed the world.  This Christmas season, I invite you all to draw nearer to God by reading the way to draw nearer to him "than any other book."

I love this book.  I love Sisaket, and I love all of you so much.  Hopefully "SEE" you later! ;)

Elder Gibbons

PPS VERY IMPORTANT:
The mission is moving P-day to Tuesday, so that means I'll talk to you all on your Monday.  They discourage bringing in all friends, distracting girlfriends (which I have so many of, right?) and others.  I think that's all...

PPPPPPS Happy Father's day too, Dad.  The King's birthday was this month (and so was yours) so that was nice.

I am so grateful that his friends from Thailand post pictures on Facebook so I can copy them!!

Week 46 - Sisaket - T6; W5

Hey Mom, I just found out I have no time this week to email, so I will first thank you and tell you that our stake conference was great too; we jumped on a big tour bus and headed to Ubon with our incredible branch.  We heard some great things, but perhaps the most memorable part was in the new member's meeting.  Our branch President got up and announced all those that were baptized and that all recent converts were to shake President and Sister Senior’s hand and then it hit me - that the Lord let me have a personal influence on each of the investigators who stood up and grasped the hand of my mission President since the first week I was here is Sisaket.   As I watched Sis Dan and her two kids: Ball and Prae (who I actually baptized), Sister Patty, Sister Nat, Somsak and his two daughters Ribbin and Biw (whom we're going to rush off to the zoo with right now), and then the most interesting investigator of all time: Sister Roamsap, all shake his hand, it was a personal manifestation to the promise that I would have great joy in bringing many souls to Christ. I felt like the most blessed missionary in this world in this area.  It was almost a certificate of success that the Lord gave to me that day that He loves, blesses his missionaries, and will always do so if we try to be obedient.

[A note from his Mom to preface this next paragraph: Just before Joseph went into the MTC, he found a little, chubby Hop toad outside our front steps.  We brought him in and made a “home” for him in a terrarium and Anna named him “Toady Romo”.  Joseph even carried a photo of Toady in his wallet in the mission field.  Toady finally passed away last night and Anna wrote Joseph to tell him about the sad news.  She was heart-broken because she was really hoping he would hang in  there until Joseph returned.]  

Something else worth mentioning is that last night, I really missed Anna a lot - more than usual. When I read about Toady my heart really dropped.   But when I put two and two together and realized that we missed each other at the same time at the same moment, tears also swelled like your temple experience realizing that as Aunt Fe "prophesied" that we had a special bond.  I believed it, but now I FEEL that that is true.  Anna - I love you so much and can't wait to sing with you again soon.  Love you more that I can tell.

Joj

Week 45 - Sisaket - T6; W4

[Not that I'm counting or anything, but Joseph has been out 313 days today!!!]

Happy December Everyone!

I'm so glad to hear everything's still going great at home this Christmas season, although it doesn't feel like it at all with 25 degree weather (78F?).  Of Bates - please roll in the snow for me or something.  McKenna that might not be such a great idea in your skirt, but enjoy the chill for me.  I'm missin snowmobiling (dang, that's SOOO hard to describe to members in Thai) and Christmas music, but other than that, I'm just fine.  I'm so happy to hear about decorating the tree again!  I am a bit sat I'm missing it, but I'm enjoying the traditions here in the Isaan too.  I wasn't really homesick until you talked about the song in Joseph King of Dreams.  That song is like the story of my life...

Speaking of traditions and illustrating that fact of my life, I took part it one of my favorite events here yet.  Every November, Thailand gives little boat offerings to the แม่นำ้ (lit "mother-water" which means river) and sends of lanterns to the sky - which brings blessings from the rivers and streams of the land and to bring forth rain (I think).  Now-a-days it's just a huge cool gathering were everyone goes to celebrate (members can go to as long as we don't wai them - or place the palms of the hands together and give alms to Buddha).  But where there are lots of people, there are lots of people to contact. The four of us passed out over 400 English cards that night.

One miracle was that I passed one out to this one girl about my age and she laughed and said, "Hey are you the missionaries?" in perfect English.  Remember the Mexican girl Daniella who we met at church looking for Portuguese friend Maria?  We tried to contact her but would never pick up after one or two calls.  I had ordered 2 copies of the Book of Mormon in Spanish and Portuguese for them and prayed so hard that they might be interested someday.  Well, I'll just say I found Maria.  She told us Daniella and she really wanted to meet, but Daniella lost her phone and couldn't contact us.  But the Lord provides in His more excellent ways, as always.  So I awkwardly evaded a picture with her, sent off my little candle-boat, and then went to send off my lantern.  Seen Tangled?  Yep.  Exactly like that.  Except instead of launching a lantern with my beautiful, beloved, blonde-haired beauty, I launched my โคม (khom) with my beautiful, beloved, black-haired former branch president.  Almost as enchanting, but super fun nonetheless.

Here's another story from this week that I shared with my mission president about the Hand of the Lord that is really rather neat:
"Dear President Senior...
"One blessing worth mentioning is that we received from the hand of the Lord another baptism dater named ต๋อง (Tong).  We found him in kind of a funny way: At church yesterday there was a small primary girl who called me over to talk to her friend who apparently wants to be baptized she said.  Puzzled, then I watched a small boy run up and join her; he looked about 8 or 9.  The first thing he asked me was, "If my parents are พุธ (Buddhist) can I be คริสต์ (Christian)?"  I couldn't help but chuckle a bit and tell him that it's up to his parents.  I was then surprised when he answered,  "I already have, and I want to be baptized.  Is that possible?"  We had a small lesson with him after church with our branch president and his little friend.  "I want to be คริสต์ and be baptized," he said again in the lesson.  "How long will it take if I can?"  We knew the other Elders were planning on having a baptismal service on the 29th of this month, so we told him just that.  He accepted that date.  We then asked him why he wanted to be baptized so eagerly in the first place.  He related how past Elders visited his house, talked about Christ, and he doesn't want to drink and smoke.  This confident, 12 year-old walk-in (as we found out his real age) was seen as a shocking and warming fulfillment of God's promise to us here in ศรีสะเกษ (Sisaket) that people are being prepared by the Lord everywhere (Alma 16:16-17)."

All of these blessings, festivities and miracle has really helped our companionship grow greatly.  It's still a getting used to, but the Spirit's back (I felt a lot like McKenna described as being "hard-hearted" and not knowing why).  Elder Fornburg on our switch-off this week said if there's ever a conflict, I just have to do what I know is right, and he'll follow.

Don't forget He knows better than you and to rely on Him in all that you do!

With love, Elder Gibbons

PS:  Elder Christiansen's father has to have another back surgery  -  on Christmas Eve (that's MST so that might interfere with talking with family for Christmas if his father is just out of surgery or not) so I would ask to please keep him in your prayers.

PPS: Dad - I have a สมอ (anchor) drawn on my planner this transfer.  Read Ether 12:4 Thanks

Photo of the Ubon Zone, with an Area Seventy - Elder Watson (Joseph is in the second row between Elder Watson (L) & his mission President (R), President Senior)

Week 44 - Sisaket T6.W3 Thanksgivin's!

Hello Family and beloved friends!

I haven't much time, but I just want to give a shout out to my girl Kenz! Sweet 16 baby! AND WITH A CAR?!?! WHAT THE-? I've totally forgot how to drive a car.  But I've not forgotton all your love for this Thanksgiving weekend (although I kind of forgot about Thanksgiving day here).  I actually fasted for an investigator on thanksgiving day and weekly planned.  But it was still a special day.  Kenzi's sweet 16, a month till Christmas and talking with family, and it actually is my 10^th month mark as a missionary and I'm very grateful to have been a missionary for this time.  I'm totally a different person and I'm loving it.

Right now its been sort of tough.  All of our investigators feel like they're falling through the cracks.  Training a new missionary is a challenge because you need to adjust EVERYTHING - your studies, your goals, your habits, your teaching style, your language, and everything you can probably think in between.  For instance, we were rushing to a meeting after a fun sports event but couldn't take a shower in between.  I knew my routine, how long it took, so I was dressed and ready to go and peddling hard.  My comp was a bit slower, so I urged him to hurry.  I could tell he was upset that we had to rush, but it's the work of the Lord, got over it, right?  I raced in and out of the typical Asian traffic, and he was still behind.  "He'll catch up" I thought.  Then I heard tire screechings.  I a turned around.  His face look more frustrated, but he was ok, so we raced on.

At the meeting, he had a bad attitude for some reason and I asked him what was up.  He gave me an awful look and said he didn't want to talk right then.  Fine. I'll just do the meeting myself, I thought.   But there was that spirit of disunity that was eating on me.  Finally I asked myself, Did I do something wrong?

Ask and ye shall receive right?  I immediately the thought hit me: What if those tire squeels resulted in something more than just frustration?  What if a collision was the result?  Then a feeling sunk deep in my heart.  I started to really think about what could've happened if the worst really did occur at that hectic intersection?   Weight and guilt together pressed upon my very soul that whole meeting.  Suddenly getting to the meeting by 4.00 pm wasn't as important.  Suddenly having all the lessons with a member present started to seem less relevant to my purpose.  My baptismal date slipped away from my mind as I started to realize that "Inviting others to come unto Christ" starts with the very person nest to me.   I was reminded of moments I couldn't feel love from my trainer sometimes.  I realized that if I was to be successful, I have to love my companion first, worry about investigators latter.  "Love first, lessons later" has become my motto and I have felt the Peace of Jesus Christ enter back into my soul.  I sometimes have a hard time loving him, but as I'm starting to love him as Heavenly Father does, it doesn't seem as hard.  Sometimes if I cant love someone myself, I just have to ask Christ to love him for me through His love.

It's my 10th month and only now am I starting to understand how and why to love someone.  I encourage you to love more and ask for Charity this Thanksgiving, because it's not about just being thankful, but expressing gratitude to everyone you love.  I encourage you to love someone more this season.  Don't believe you can or don't know how?   Well, turn the expert of love, get on your knees and ask for help we all need.

Thank you again everyone for letters, presents, and many, many prayers I've felt daily.

Love you all,
Elder Gibbons

Week 43 - Sisaket R3 - T6; W2

So, the first week of Transfer Six has been awesome. Training is going well as my luug liang (step child) is learning quickly and well. It’s been really cool for me to go back to the beginning and remember what it was like being so new; re-learning old lessons is helping me gain a stronger faith in the Savior and a stronger knowledge that God has His royal hand in all our doings love for me.

In fact, I want to share something my awesome mother sent me to illustrate that. "...I taught in RS today and I felt really strongly that I should teach the sisters about self-esteem....I also gave the example of Heavenly Father actually calling Joseph Smith by his name.  He was well aware of Joseph and the plan He had for him....

"I honestly believe that self-esteem comes from a person's relationship with God.

"That is why the youth have such a hard time with it...they look everywhere else to get their self-esteem because they don't have a personal relationship with God.  They don't know who God is, who they are, and that God truly loves them....I have tried to teach you that your whole life - how SPECIAL you are!!  You are a chosen son of Heavenly Father's!!  He loves you so dearly and has a special plan in store for you too.  I hope on your mission you are able to love and know your Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ on a deeper level you never dreamed possible.  There is nothing more important!! (John 17:3)"

That really helped me as I've been struggling with training, dealing with investigator problems, and everything a missionary struggles with. Thanks mom, I hope you know I this son of God loves you too.

Another instance that helped me see the reality that God is there and watching over His children was my experience with 嗤组艇 ("Uang," one of our investigators who has a date to be baptized) and the power of fasting.

She had never talked to white people before us and she is so meek, humble, pure and innocent.  She's also been reading like crazy and is in Alma.  She changed jobs and had to confront her boss, and can now come to church (yeah, I sure fasted that morning too).  But her teacher at the massage school where she works at wanted her to go to Pattaya for a month.  Pattaya is a beautiful beach resort in the south region and is great if you go with a Thai friend who knows what's going on - because if you go anywhere outside the beach, the most heinous acts of crime and sin are there - things you cannot even imagine that exists in the world - and it is very dangerous.   As a missionary, you deal with life and death situations – saving people from spiritual death is a big task.  But her going to this place  - one as pure, virtuous and innocent - was sending her to an instantly-killing fate.  But from stories I've heard about crime and civil war in the south since I've been here, it also meant she would very likely not come back alive - physically.   She was insistent on going, and we couldn't stop her.  I had a feeling nothing we or the members could do would change her mind.  So we all fasted Saturday afternoon (including Uang) if this was the right thing to do.  Sunday Morning came, and Sister Pat (her fellowshipper and the one who referred her to us) said her door was locked.  Her Phone was off.  She didn't come to church yesterday and she was to leave on Monday.  Then that night we got a call from Sister Pat.  She said that Uang came home and informed her that her mother and sibling were sick, and she would not be able to go to Pattaya tomorrow.  Sister Pat said that she explained to Uang that this was the answer for the Lord for her, and Uang said she agreed.

Fasting works.  Got off the phone and told my companion to get on his knees.  I sank down on mine and my soul poured out thanks and tears as we prayed together, as we thanked our Heavenly Father for watching out for his daughter -  嗤组艇.

I know that God lives and that we can too when we know that.  If you have ever wondered that in YOUR life, I would exhort you to do as I did - drop on your knees and thank him for what he has given you and then ask Him if He loves you.  God cannot lie.  He loves His children.  He gives liberally to those who ask.  And he will give unto you according to your desires.  Don't know how to call on God?  Just do it; just give it a try and He'll take care of the rest.  Do you feel He's silent even after that?  Well, then get on your knees and drop a few meals and He will manifest himself in ways only you can understand.

Love you all and I leave you these things in Jesus' name, Amen.

Elder Gibbons

[Joseph's response to hearing about his friend's mission calls...Emily Sciammarella, Kirstie Leavitt, Sara Clark, and Ashelle Denning]...

AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! SISTERS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

AND ASHELLE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH HHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

PS:  We had a mission tour where Elder Watson of the Seventy came and it was so cool!  President Senior spoke about the gathering of Israel and blew my mind. The BOM is sooooooo cool!

I also got a pic with a 70 ;)

Elder Watson sent me this photo! :)