Elder Gibbons' Address in the MTC...

Joseph's address: (A three-page letter takes 3 stamps)


Elder Joseph Brian Gibbons
Thailand Bangkok Mission
1645/6 New Petchaburi Road,
Makkasan, Ratchathewi,
Bangkok 10400 Thailand



OR...you can go to "dearelder.com" to create an account and you can write him like you're sending an email. It costs $1.05 to send a letter through "dearelder.com".

Monday, June 24, 2013

Week 73 - THE OFFICE - T11; W5

Hello Family and Friends,

Sorry that last week I didn't say much. It was really kind of a hard time for me, so I principally talked with my mom and dad - who are the best in the world for me here. So thanks for being patient and understanding.

This last week was a lot different. In preparing for Zone Conference in the office, we actually helped the President prepare for four zone conferences. It was about DESIRE and DILIGENCE. 

I'll be honest, it was hard last week as I felt the Lord was making me get through a hard piece of music so I can perform the next one with greater skill, and focus. 
I asked my great dad some advice as he, too, was in the office on his mission. He said some things that were find of funny to me, and I quote:
"All of our baptisms went through the local bishops or branch presidents.  I remember the missionaries being very involved but I think the final baptismal interviews were conducted by the bishops and stake Presidents.  Am I gathering that you and other Elders are actually doing the baptismal interviews?"

Answer to your question, dad: First, happy Fathers Day. Second, I handle all baptismal interviews in our district; Zone Leaders handle our companionship. Also about the records - we are responsible for the President's monthly report for all the baptisms that flow in from 155 missionaries from three countries. 

One can only imagine that I could be feeling some growing pains under the weight of this responsibility. 

Actually, it was something President Senior addressed in a special letter to me:
"Dear Elder Gibbons,
I am watching you change before my eyes and it is fun..."
I responded:
Thanks for the letter back. I'm feeling myself change as well - and so is my perspective on missionary work. The Zone Conference was amazing, but the Dan Jones day was incredible...We're supposed to do our best everyday as missionaries. But if we do our best every day is that enough? No! We are the Lord's servants and every once in a while, we need to not just do our best but do our ALL; GIVE our all. We had about 2 hours max to do "Dan Jones-ing," but we taught three people in between ordering food in Bangnaa, we rolled down our windows and talked to people as we drove our van around Bangkok, taught two more people as we were filling up gas, and at the end of the day when we had about 33 minutes left, we got Brother Yute, who's a new member and kind of shy, and taught three other member lessons to prepare him for the mission he doesn't yet know he wants to serve. And most importantly, he and we taught with power and authority form God that day (well, for the most part, but that's where practice and the added gift of discernment come into play) with greater power than I have felt in a LONG time."

Dan Jones was one of the greatest missionaries in the world. Why? Simple: he taught lots of people, boldly, through the spirit, in his style or personality. So we had a DanJonesDay where we were not allowed to hide behind our Free English Class card, and we were to teach the whole day. In the office, we did our best - or should say our all we could do, and saw much success and the hand of the Lord guided our prayers and our following actions as we zipped around Bangkok that day.

***
Speaking of success, our district had 3 baptismal interviews last night for Pim-Pong, his wife May, and Ali - a Pakistani man whom I interviewed once already. His interview was amazing. He couldn't speak English; I couldn't speak Urdu, but the Lord worked out the rest as the gift of tongues rested upon me according to my prayers. 

Pim-pong and May are so great when at first we were struggling to know what to do with them. He is so stubborn about certain things and thinks way to hard about certain things - but in the same way that I do even now. But one day, Elder Wilko and I prayed for him and we were both on time to studies and focused. We were at lunch and I got a phone call. It was Pim-pong. He said: "Elder Gibbons. You know, I've done some pondering and I know that I need to be baptized. When would be a good day to do that?" We had him and May interviewed yesterday. If all goes well, I'll be a speaker at his baptism next week. 

***
The week before has been a refiner's fire, but his week as been one of harvest, reaping the spirit and finding inside myself a new me - or perhaps a much older one whom I forgot existed long before this earth did. With that is added joy, but added zeal for the work that I have been praying so earnestly for.
On that note, I love this statement my mom sent me. She said: "Keep up the great work, don’t expect too much out of yourself…you are still learning and as long as you are on the right path, you don’t have to get there tomorrow!"  Also,the Great Geoffrey Canaan stated in a corresponding letter: "In my life the mission has continued. When we have the desire god always 'calls us to the work'."

I testify that we are children of God. We are here to help one another, to give to each other and to give for each other. If your holding back anything that you should give or do for your neighbor, I encourage you to just do it. Cain one said, "Am I my brother's keeper?" and lost his soul. 

The Gospel of Jesus Christ is a gospel of hope. Of light. Of righteous desire that leads a man" beyond this vale of sorrow into a far better land of promise" as it done with me this week. I love you all. May God be with you. But more than that, may you be with God is my prayer in Christ's name. Amen.

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