Dear Family and friends,
Many emotions are competing for my attention right now.
Relief. Wonder. Excitement. Sorrow. Exhaustion. Confusion. Peace. It's really
quite strange that all these things are coming together right now. It's weird
that it's ending. A lot of people say that your 2 years go by so fast and
hardly noticed. But that hasn't been the case with me. For me, I feel time has
been spent rather well in the service of the Lord.
Eight areas, fourteen companions, two mission presidents,
many baptisms, rescues, many friends, seeing my language grow, learning Lao,
eating fun stuff, getting fun stuff, donating all sorts of stuff, seeing all
sorts of great and marvelous and horrifying and wondrous and miraculous things
have filled up this "short" period of almost 25 months to the brim.
Yea, even some days, "my cup runneth over" with all the things that
have occupied my life here in this blessed land.
I wonder and even fear about things after this place though.
I fear no bum squirters. I fear no restaurants on the sides of the street. I
fear not being able to say "sabaidii bah [crazy or idiot]?" or "sabaidii
mai [How are you doing...are you well]?" depending on my mood. I fear mean farangs [foreigners or guava fruit???]. Of course I want to come
back, I just don't know when. But for now, I am very well pleased where the
Lord has led me. I know that this is our "foundation" of our lives,
but I don't know how - this just IS my life right now. I hope on getting back
and not GOING back. But I HAVE made plans to maintain habits and routines when
I get back. One of them has to do with an experience I had when we were
weekly planning for my last time. Elder Wilamas and I got through the week and
started planning the next. We got through transfers, and then I got to Saturday. I excitedly scribbled down in my planner
the following word:
"พระวิหาีร" [temple]
Then at that very moment, a feeling of awe spread over me. I
felt time hit me for what it seemed like the first time. The Spirit sunk into
my heart. Sunk deeply. Slowly. I was going to the temple again. THAT was when
the time flew by for me. I then knew my mission for me will end where it
started - in the temple. I opened my call alone up the canyon by the Draper
Temple in September of 2011. I was awestruck then as I could hardly believe the
words I held in my hands then. Now, I feel that is where my mission will end
for me - up the canyon in my accounting to the Lord in His House. I just wanted
to share that sacred experience with all of you.
This whole mission has been a sanctifying process, but this
transfer has been all the more trying, challenging, and, ultimately, rewarding.
I kinda feel like I did after my challenging last year in High School
- where some people couldn't wait to get out and others cried when it was over.
For me (now this might sound like I've had a little too much
"middle-ground" Buddhist philosophy) I feel good and at peace with what
I have. "Yes, that was great, and now it's time to go," was my
feeling then, and it is so now. I've had more answers to prayers than I can
count - including an extension I was too scared to even ask President Smith
[his first Mission President] about when I came.
Now that this extended time comes to an end, I can't just
help but feel a deep, ringing sense of gratitude. Arti - the investigator of
ours to whom President Senior at District Conference asked "when are you
getting baptized?" - WAS just baptized yesterday! He stood and bore one of
the most powerful testimonies I'VE ever heard. He started off like a story -
finding his way through life until we met him, how he started to read and pray
about these things we taught. He so humbly bore witness (probably without
really knowing how much he really was) about how he cannot come up with any
other conclusion than that the Book of Mormon - and it's espoused church - is
true, no matter who or what tries to say otherwise. On a lighter 'note' I got
to play viola one last time in church: "We Thank Thee O God for a
Prophet" with the branch president, which made many come up after word
telling me it was tear-producing (we hardly practiced - so that means it was
the Spirit 108%). I also decided on the spot to call up Elder Wilamas to sing
"Come Follow Me" as I played a members accordion at my last baptism
for Arti.
HE [Elder Wilamas] is someone I will love, I will miss, and I will always
remember. I'm not looking forward to the day when we separate as companions. To
be honest, HE is more trunky that I AM about me ending because he won't have me
in the mission. PLEASE keep him in your prayers and in your emails if you get
the chance: narongrit.wilamas@myldsmail.net.
Again, this mission was more than I have ever imagined it
would be when I opened my call and laughed out loud atop the Draper canyons
because I couldn't believe I was to serve in the Thailand Bangkok Mission...but
it's not over till this Saturday when I make
that same ascent ascend to mountain of the Lord.
It's been more than a pleasure serving and more than a
pleasure working in this great work that rolls onward, ever onward in the
service of our King.
Thanks again, fans, for tuning in for these two years. But
after this don't be a stranger! Come find me and we'll chat about the mission
YOU served in being examples of the believers while I was called to be cone
here in this beautiful and ancient land. For more details, contact my beautiful
mother. ;)
With much love and a thousand thanks for a great two years
worth of support,
Elder Gibbons
