Week 40 - Sisaket T5; W5

Hello everyone!

This week was a very special one. First I'd like to give a shout out to my lady friends Em Sciam and Ashelle!  I'm so excited for you and you'll love your experiences forever.

Speaking of experiences, this weekend is one I'll never forget;

In an explanation of how awesome that application was, Sister Patty got baptized this weekend.  She is so cool, from a way out there corner of Thailand, but is smart, pretty, has a beautiful spirit, and is so strong.  Elder Terry has been working with her since he's been out in the field and it was a great moment watching him baptize her.  But to make it even better, I was able to see a family get baptized who I was working with in the neighboring area before this transfer.  Sister Dan and her two of her kids (Plaa - 14 yr girl, and Ball - 11 yr boy) were so great to work with and I was blessed to be requested by Plaa herself to be the one to baptize her.  To baptize a girl who's my little sister's age was very special (although her real name took a few language study sessions to master: "metliwan siriphornpat").  It was a very happy day and all rejoice at home as we all broke out the TimTams to slam to the Lord's blessings.

But as I was about to slam, we got a phone call from Don Muang – my first area!! I said hello and sure enough it was one of my my favorite persons in the world: Pres Tuwit! My joy "almost exhausted my strength to hear from him, the growth in the branch, my converts there, etc, and then I told him of our success today."So how many baptisms did you have today?" he asked.

"Well, I guess four, I think," I beamed through the phone.
"So you had five today?"
"No, four" I laughed.
"No, I think you mean five."
I was dumbfounded. He went on to explain that Sister Dang was my fifth convert today to enter into baptism.  A stubborn, divorced Christian lady.  Sister Dang was one of my most stressful investigators in Don Muang.  She wouldn't read the Book of Mormon but wouldn't read it.  I never pushed someone so hard to just READ THE DANG BOOK! But she actually started to read than she moved to Chaig Rai.  Then at transfers when Elder Osborne (my Pa - aka Trainer as Phii just means senior comp) got transferred to Chaing Rai.  "FIND HER!" I begged him.  Sure enough, next transfer when I saw him again, gave him a big hug, he told me that she found HIM and received a baptism date... But moved again, back to my first area before she was ready.  But the Lord works in mysterious ways... Pres Tuwit said that she finished up the lessons there and got baptized. Her testimony was amazing, he said.  "The Elders would always try to get me to read that book but I never listened to them," he recounted her saying.  "But finally I started to read and I felt good.  I hated it.  I tried not to feel good, but I couldn't do it.  I know the Book of Mormon is powerful and I can't believe I have this day..."

Tears could not be held back. The Lord blesses his children who read his word and who preach His word.  I'm a living testimony of that - and so are the five others I worked with to receive the fullness of happiness.

I know this is true, and I love you all,

Elder Gibbons

[Joseph wrote me a personal note that he said he might share with everyone, and since he didn’t, I thought I would share it with you anyway!]  Thank you so much mom - I do miss the pheasants, the birthday parties, and everything but I had a cool realization today that this is where I am is a great place in my life.  [I love to see how his English is slipping…which can only mean his Thai is getting better!! Ha ha!]  I studied the Book of Mormon over and about Nephi; I read 1 Ne 2:19-20 and learned that…the Lord will bring me to a far better land of promise…I thought about the wilderness (daenturakindaan in Thai) Nephi went through and how it was a refiner's fire and bore many many miracles (Liahona guidance, broken bow, building a ship) that I believe Nephi NEEDED in order to become the Prophet-King the Lord eventually him to become.  I realized that my past afflictions and my labors here in my daenturakindaan that I need to pass through to become the man to rule my land of promise when I'm back.  Mind you, Nephi had a wife and kids to raise in his daenturakindaan who also supported him always; likewise, we work in companionships here to raise our investigators to grow in the wilderness of life too.  Today the scriptures smacked application across my face and it felt so good.  I encourage all of you to continue to search out ways the scriptures can, too, smack you across the face and feel the spirit speak to you the words and experiences from the dust of these great men and women from the Book of Mormon.  You've always been an example to me of diving into the scriptures, and I will never be able to thank you enough for that.

PS. Sorry about the dud pictures [Joseph tried to send me a few pictures last week]. It was only me riding the neck of an elephant. [Hello!!!  That is awesome!!!]

Week 39 - Sisaket T5; W4

Hello friends and family,
BUT... First things first,

สุขสันต์วันเกิดเเม่!!!!!
HAPPYBIRTHDAYMAAAAA!!!!!!!!!!

I've been thinking of you a lot lately and also Daddy Rich and Grandpa [Holker].  My heart has been filled with your prayers and theirs and all others who read this blog.  As some of you know, Grandpa has a hearing problem because a rare disease called Meniere’s. This week I too had a problem tangent: don't ever try to get your investigators to church and clean your ears simultaneously... with my left ear called "impact wax."  Go figure out what THAT means.  Anyway, I thought of how strong my grandpa is as he has dealt with this problem for many years now while I was riding around Sisaket with a plugged left ear. The experience really humbled me and was a great experience to have in appreciation to my beloved Grandpa.  Which reminds me:

สุขสันต์วันเกิดคุพรุ่งนี้ฌตา!!!!!!!!
HAPPYBIRTHDAYTOMORROWGRANDFATHERONMYMOTHER'SSIDE!!!!!!!!!

I would also like to extend to all who hear my words to extend gratitude to one person whom you love but under appreciate (that includes about everyone because we don't yet love as Christ so we under-love people daily).  Even if it's no more than a prayer for someone, "to love another person is to see the face of God" (Les Miserables and Matt 25:40).

Tell me about your experience and remember Pres Uchtdorf's words and don't regret sharing your love to anyone!

I love you all and know I feel your love too. Your prayers are my saving grace, and I couldn't thank you more.

Love always,
Elder Gibbons

Grandpa Holker with his 97 year-old mother, Isabel, last month :)

Week 38 - Sisaket T5; W3

Hello family!

So exciting with talk of missions, conference and with everything!  AND TO JACK [Vawdrey]: "Eu adoro a lingua de Brasil!  Boa Sorte, amigo!!  (especially cuz it's the 2nd best foreign language out there)  Where are you going exactly?  Have you been to Rodizios or Braza Grill?  Get ready for a whole lot of Samba and rice!"

Thank you for your letters.  This week, I'd like to share some experiences from some letters I wrote for my Mission President and my dad:

"Dear President,
"This week has been spectacular; Elder Terry is nothing but spectacular as he had the opportunity to exercise his "commission" of Jesus Christ, as Elder Holland so zealously described in conference, by baptizing Somsak Utamagoon and his two daughters Biw and Ribbon.  It was a very special time and a very special service.  We also felt what it was like to receive direct revelation from the Lord concerning an investigator.  We didn't want to do what we felt like we needed to do, but we followed the spirit, and truly our faith has been increased as we strive to follow the Spirit in all that we do.  We're not perfect, there's much room for improvement, but we've especially been edified this special weekend."  Note: I got to play "I love to look for Rainbows" on my viola for the service too :)

In answer to some of dad's questions.  Thanks dad.  I love you so much:

"I live in a neighborhood with a huge front yard on a secluded back-road.  Ma Supit's house is ติดกับ (stuck) to our house - so she occasionally shouts at us from her kitchen and gives us treats.  Elder Terry is probably one of, if not my favorite companion. He's 20yrs old from Brigham City - yep excited with the temple - who was pretty inactive until he had a feeling to just go to church again. After that he decided to go on a mission which got his girlfriend and his older Brother activated (who followed his example and is speaking the 2nd best foreign language in Portugal right now too).  He's super easy to get along with - our companion studies are a riot (spiritually) and every day is a blast. He's also a great singer and sometimes we just sing at each other about things in opera, Broadway, hymns, or just whatever.  Funny thing is, he was super into weight lifting (I mean he counted calories), and really not much like me but we're so similar and get along well. The only struggles is he's been in his area for 3 transfers now and I'm his first new comp so he's getting used to a new comp's way of life (as everyone does).  But even this isn't a problem too much (just when planning isn't as good) - which is my fault as I'm the Phii - or Senior Comp [So, that word meant “Senior Companion”, NOT Trainer!  Sorry about that].  But we just had three baptisms and was so awesome as he DID stand in a baptismal font and said "Having been commissioned of Jesus Christ..." just one day before "The Jeffery"'s sermon (I refuse to call that a talk, and my trainer had a comp who refused to call Elder Holland anything but THE JEFFERY because its like THE JERICHO missile in Iron Man.  So if the church ever needs to just DESTROY something, they send in "THE JEFFERY") so the whole time we were just dumbfounded.  We Tim Tam slammed to our investigators who got baptized and we saved one wafer and slammed (an honor equivalent to a toasting here in the Thailand Bangkok Mission) to "Jeffery" as well.  Trees and leaves?  Did I mention that I encounter a new fruit about every transfer?  We pass a large spirit tree on our way to church every day with large but faded banners and little statues and sanctuaries.  I once ate an entire meal on nothing but banana leaves - you have no idea what they do, eat, and worship around foliage around here.  But it's super fun."

PS: I get letters from Elder Worthington and Sister Snell and it's the best. [These are two of his cousins serving missions.]  I love imagining Bates [Elder Worthington, serving in Siberia] out talking to people in a funky language with a funky alphabet probably wearing a funky hat in the snow while I'm out here talking to people in a funky language with a funky alphabet being a funky white guy wearing a white shirt and pants way too long for the October heat. McKenna's [Sister Snell] experiences at the MTC bring me great memories and I would love to send her Thor's hammer or a machete for those alarm clocks... Missionaries like these and others I serve with are great examples of where this Church is heading.  I support all that has been said in General Conference as I just barely watched it out here in a little clerk’s office at the church.  Elder Nielson is right.  If there is anything you need, "Talk to the Missionaries – They can help you."  Go talk with your missionaries. Find out who you could go teach with them.  BRING them to someone you can teach or introduce.  So many of God's children are starving from burdens of guilt of sorrow that can only be relieved by the atonement of Christ.  At the very least, do yourself a favor and go serve with the missionaries somehow so that your friends and family who haven't tasted this gospel can at last quench their thirst and the Well of Living Water, even our Lord, Jesus Christ.

Well? What are you waiting for? Stop reading this computer, and put what you feel like you need to do on your to-do list TODAY! Take President Monson's and Uchtdorf's advice and follow the spirit - no regrets.

Love you all dearly and deeply,

Elder Gibbons

These are the Tim Tam cookies he "slams" when he's happy!  :)

Week 37 - Sisaket T5; W2

Hello Family and friends!

Everything is สบาย สบาย except we're expecting 3 baptisms this week!  More about that later...

For Dad: Language is about a 6/10 on average. Some days it's way ahead somedays I feel like it's my first day again. I'm almost done with 2^nd Nephi in Thai and in Ether in English. BY THE WAY -  Mom, ask grandpa who's older: the Brother of Jared or Jared? then ask him how he knows.  We'll even take a poll!  Haha... I'll tell you how I know next time...

Mitt Romney news is awesome; miss western culture, but I love this Thai culture too. I'm even saying things weird things like "eat water," "hungry for water", or meeting words in the dictionary.  But I'm also loving more people more often. I'm starting to develop a love for these people that's very strong Especially with our investigators...

Somsak, and two of his three daughters: Biw and Ribbon.  The middle girl is 11 days my senior and Ribbon is 2 months ahead of Anna - and she's SO funny like Anna but in the most hilarious-Asian way!  Somsak owns a cashew farm and does taxes.  Their house is in the wilderness and it's SOOO gorgeous.  However, his wife, Dtan, has had some commitment issues and her reading has been less than awesome.  Elder Chamberlain and Elder Terry have been teaching this family the whole time Elder Terry was here, and was about to drop them this last transfer, because he was ready but his wife wasn't and he wanted to wait.  But Biw came back from Bangkok and everything changed.  Including companions (Enter me into Sisaket W).  So basically we taught Biw all the lessons over is two weeks!  They are so ready!  Somsak even called us one night to ask where the 10 Commandments were in the Book of Mormon so he could teach them to Biw before we teach them tonight!  Sunday we talked about the baptism, and they asked if Elder Terry would perform the baptism.  So powerful!

Speaking of powerful, I wrote to my Mission president about the news we heard from Conference (which we'll watch this week): "I'm SO stoked about the great news. We were all celebrating last night - complete with Tim-Tam Slammin"  [Tim-Tam's are awesome chocolate cookies!!]

This is addressed to all the female friends:

DON'T FEEL OBLIGATED TO GO.  It's not a commandment, so don't you dare feel pressured.  But, if you have ever had an inkling of a desire, if you've ever thought about what it would be like, I would encourage you to get down on your knees, put aside a few meals, and find our if it is right (see Alma 5:46-47).  If it is, "come join the ranks" with me because this is the greatest thing you'll ever do.  There's not a day I will ever regret this, and there's no greater joy.

For my male friends - "O be wise, what can I say more?"  Don't know how to start?  3-2-1
3 pages a day (Book of Mormon)
2 prayers a day
1 church a week.

The world's changing.  We gotta get caught up or get behind because this gospel will be preached to every nation kindred tongue and people because the only way to salvation IS through Jesus Christ. Come with me and share the good news ;)

Elder Gibbons

Week 36 - Sisaket (Round 2) T5: W1

Hellow everyone!

Happy b-day Siah [Holker]! We actually had this investigator (Boo) who has a little one who looks, runs walks, screams shivers up your spine, has huge brown eyes, won't talk, is a little stick, and is the cutest little one year old just like Siah was when we was at that age, but to see him grown up when I get back will be fun :)  Love Orchestra analogy - it's totally happening here through overflowing amounts of great faith.  [This is the "orchestra analogy" I shared with him in my letter: Today at church, the missionaries got up to bear their testimonies and one of the elders said something that I LOVED!!  He bore his testimony that God is orchestrating everything around us and that we need to trust Him.  He gave an example of something that happened to them last week.  They were leaving an appointment and instead of going the normal way to get to their car, they went down another path.  He said he thought to himself how stupid it was that they were going that way because it was much longer.  Then they saw a couple standing on the path ahead of them.  They actually got another appointment because they stopped and talked to them and they also knew that God was orchestrating them meeting on that path.  But the funny thing was, as they approached this couple on the path, he thought to himself, “It’s after 9:00 and we can’t stop and chat because it will make us late getting home”.  But the spirit said to him, “Don’t you dare walk by this couple!”  And he said it sounded a lot like his mom!!!  That part totally cracked me up!!!]

This transfer ended rather well as everything we predicted: I MOVED!!! ......... downstairs with Elder Terry from Sisaket E to Sisaket W area - so I moved areas but stayed in the same house. Elder Fronberg (our new missionary here in Sisaket) is doing well with my old comp Elder Petersen (it was kinda funny and cute that I had to help him bear his testimony from the front row when he forgot a word...he he) Also, Elder Mondragon (my first district leader who was a second father to me) joped or finished along with our AP [Assistant to the Mission President] Elder Bender who was my zone leader. Now Elder Warren who was my ZL [Zone Leader] is now AP. Its a great time of change. Almost everyone in my group is going พี่ (Phii) [Trainer] - INCLUDING ME AHHHHHHHHHHH! Even Elder Davies is training! But this week I have seen the heavens shake for my good as I've had to take the reigns of one of the most fruitful areas of my mission that I've seen.  The Lord helped translate for these 4 African investigators that we have.  Eseme was from a rich family in Cameroon until his father died and his life and family fell into poverty. The only thing he had was his Bible and teaching him in my native language through the spirit was a heaven-shaker experience indeed. Shelter, his friend, said probably the most intense spirit-filled, spirit-led prayers I've ever heard. He prays with the power and gift of faith. Something I'm going to ask all who read to do as well after you read a letter our Mission President sent out for us. If this man's not called of God, I don't know WHO is; 

"Dear Missionaries of the Thailand Bangkok Mission [TBM],

As we begin this last quarter of 2012, I am pleased to report that the condition of the Thailand Bangkok Mission is excellent.  We are seeing the blessings of the Lord upon Thailand and are witnessing the fulfillment of an increase in faith.  We have seen an increase in Sacrament Meeting attendance among the Stake and 5 Districts. We are seeing an increase in new membership with many more coming to Christ through the waters of baptism.  We are seeing many more rescued,  returning again to the community of Saints and enjoying the fellowship of the Church.  I know that this significant  accomplishment does not happen except by the great efforts of Leaders, Members and our Missionaries.  No Mission President could be more proud of his missionaries than I am of you.  Each of you has increased in faith and "labored without ceasing"1 and worked along side the Lord, gathering in His vineyard. President Hinckley said: "We have become as a great army. We are now a people of consequence.  Our voice is heard when we speak up."  Our voice is the voice of Christ and it is being heard in Thailand as He gives Apostles and Prophets and Missionaries for the edification and coming in unity of faith unto a perfect man.  Each great work will be met with opposition.  The TBM is not without adversity and we will see an increase in opposition as we get the attention of the adversary in the great work being performed. To illustrate, Newton's laws of motion are three physical laws that describe the relationship between the forces acting on a body and its motion due to those forces....As members of this "army" described by President Hinckley, may we consider the following:

Sharpen the swords of the Spirit, which is the word of God.  The whetstone of our swords will be our acts of obedience.   Through obedience, dull blades will become sharp.  Perfect obedience will give power to use the word of God in a manner that can call upon Heaven for help and bring about miracles.  I encourage a continuation of our faith and pace of the work.  Let us adopt the words of the Prophet Joseph Smith which can find applicability in our cause: "Brethren, shall we not go on in so great a cause?  Go forward and not backward.  Courage, brethren; and on, on to the victory!  Let your hearts rejoice, and be exceedingly glad."     

Sister Senior and I want you to know of our love for each of you.  There is not a prayer that goes by that you are not mentioned.  I have complete confidence in you as a disciple and representative of our Lord, Jesus Christ.  May His most choice blessings be upon you. 

Sincerely,
President and Sister Senior"

HE"S SO AWESOME!!!!  Please don't forget to fast this Sunday for something that you need. We also fasted for our investigator : "Patty" whom I describe as Mulan - she's a young, beautiful woman who has found truth and is fighting for it. She's in Alma already and is on fire. Only problem is [she has] school on Sunday.  If she could not come this week, she couldn't get baptized on the 13th.  So we fasted with her all Saturday.  That night I called her and she said she did all the things we asked her to do and she wasn't even hungry. That Sunday was amazing to see her among the many investigators at church this week.  As my awesome new Comp said, "Fasting Works."  So I will encourage everyone to engage the powers of heaven yourselves for yourself through this sacred commandment.

I love you all and I will always,
Keep the Faith,
Elder Gibbons