Week 80 - Kalasin T12.W5 Who's it for?

This week as been great and not so great as I apply and don't "apply my heart to understanding" as Abinadi said. Last week was hard because I kind of had to accept that I have not been the best of missionary as I could be. Elder Martin and I have really been trying to focus on investigators - meaning, getting out of my head and studying Dtaan and King King, Rah, Gob and Nii, Brother X and Sister Bun. Last letter I also made mention how my companion was "a Jerk." My dad asked me to clarify, so I wrote him this: 

"I feel like Elder Martin is training me again, which is really hard on my pride, but it is good that I'm growing. I don't have the youth of a new missionary, so I sometimes get sloppy here and there and he keeps me in line. He's a jerk because he doesn't let me be less that my best self, and doesn't baby and pamper me, but he loves the people more than himself and WAY more than me, haha! So it's a good kind of jerk and I wish I could stay here longer with him as I have been learning so much with/from him."

I have learned to put the people here first, and I love the people more and more. Like Sister Dtaan: a 65 year old grandma whose husband died not a year ago and is raising her granddaughter by sewing clothes. Each job she does is ฿50, or roughly $1.50. At yet, she made dinner for us twice and I was almost in tears, knowing that she couldn't afford this hospitality. She is also fighting หมาก Maak, or a chewing substance that turns a combination or herbs into a blood-red juice that dribbles down many old lady's mouths out here in the Isaan. PLEASE send your prayers out here for her as I love her so much. I love her and she reminds me a bit of my Grandma Holker in a way, so I've been thinking of my Grandmas lately.

Also, Brother Gob has been in my prayer. Lately. I entered in his wife's baptismal record (นี Nii) and son's (โอเว่น Oven) and I have fallen in love with this family. Brother Gob wants this for his family, but has just not come to church or accepted a baptismal date, until one day he said a prayer that he wants all his family to be members. He wants it but will just not come to church! He works SUPER hard and when not at his job, he's in his rice field. When not at his rice fields, he's at home with his adorable kids. He's just this shy, but jolly man who is so great. In the pic: neighbor kid behind him, then Mickey on his lap, Sister Liew, Brother Oven, Sister AAH (have no idea how to write that) and Nii.

Last for today, is Brother Manad - a retired soldier that one of my best mission friends, Elder Staten, taught and help convert. When I was with Elder Staten, I heard all about him until I thought he was one of my own investigators. He is so great and I love him so much for his integrity and faith. His wife Sister Hoy, is so sweet and funny. Sister Oom (the younger girl) was just baptized and I'm teaching Sister Ling (older sister) how to play guitar again, after Elder Tzanis - another one of my great mission friends who helped us greatly in the office while he served as a ZL - taught before he went in with the first group in Laos.

Now I can say thank you again for all your support and love, as I am learning help people better their life’s through the grace "of Christ which strengthens me" as Paul explained. The grace of Christ is sufficient for all who with accept him. It is by grace we are saved. But is it by grace that we are CHANGED? I have learned that the Atonement of Christ isn't just for getting to heaven, but LEARNING heaven and how to show gratitude to Christ by keeping His commandments. 

Well, I love you all, and I ask you to please help these people overcome their fears and addictions so that can experience the joy that you do. Or at least so that I can have more joy - because MY joy is full when I see these people embrace Christ's atonement. But it's not about me. It's about Him and His investigators. 

Love,

Elder Gibbons

P.S...And thank you about the Christmas situation - it has been on my mind a little since I was so close being January 25th [his release date]. However, with this new transfer schedule [every 9 weeks now], everyone heard rumors that people would get sent home earlier or later. I want you to know that I prayed at that time and got my answer: I'll be leaving a month later on February 21, 2014. I'll be home on February 23, 2014. Pretty crazy, huh? Time has gone by so fast...

Sister Nuch นุช (not present, but getting baptized soon) and Jib จิ๊บ, two of our English students gave me a super sweet basket of goodies my last day in Asoke. Also, Brother Yute, was one of my favorite members and one of my great friends in Asoke.

Brother Gob made a Thai - Isaan delicacy: crickets. As you can see, the plate is almost empty. Let's just say the plate was full when he fried 'em up with some sticky rice... One of MY favorite delicacies. ;)

Inviting scenery

Sister Madsen making her own  ส้มต่ำ Som-tam (westerners call it papaya salad) at a place our great branch president helps out.

Super funny - Mom, something Gramdpa would call "Too damn helpful" as we were helping this lady who wanted happiness. That is until I hit her in the face with one of the reeds... Yeah, I didn't see it happen (because they're pretty long), but we just kept going at it even after she went into her house. Awkward and funny. Story of my life. Or maybe the story of my life is just the first part...

"A FEMUR BONE???" [from the movie "The Burbs"]

(Please forward this to Uncle Brian, as he would appreciate my observation)

Week 79 - Kalasin - Back on our Feet for the First Time

Dear Family and friends, 

Thank you so much for all the support, love, prayer, and email. I have felt an increased outpouring of love. But I think the most important thing was the love Heavenly Father sent me this week as I expressed in my email to him:

Dear President, 

Just when I thought that the office was hard, I am starting to come to a greater reality here. This has been my "hardest area" because of a subtle enemy Elder Martin helped me discover something that has literally altered the course of my life.

I didn't even know I was afflicted with it until just after three weeks, half the branch hated me and all three of our daters were pushed back. Long story short, this Th or Fri, it came to the point that Elder Martin and I just sat down and had a talk because we were not unified - something Sister Senior stressed last transfer meeting. After talking for a while, he just said, 

"Dude, you've just got to stop thinking about yourself! The most important people in your life shouldn't be you - it should be your investigators." 

I responded that how does that relate to Jesus Christ? Shouldn't we be focusing on Him? His response, President, changed my life: 

"But, you see, that isn't the right thing. If we want to follow the example of Jesus Christ, who did He think of - Himself or His investigators?" 

It was then that the Holy Ghost descended upon me and confirmed the words he spoke.

"Yeah, did I just blow your mind?"

"Yeah, you did," I responded. 

"Elder Gibbons - you are a great missionary. Your desires and right, but your heart isn't. When I bless my food, I pray for Sister Dtaan. You see? This isn't about you. This is about your investigators."

Once I started to apply this, everything got better literally overnight - to do everything with the question in mind: "Does this help my investigators or the branch?" If Yes, do it. If no, don't. If not sure, well it can wait until you decide that it does.  We have been happier and unified in a way I can't express these past four days. President, THIS is what the mission lacks. THIS is what I knew, but didn't understand and apply. THIS is what is to be done if we are to have your 1000/1000 this year. THIS is what I have done for just four days and the branch's love for me as doubled. We went from 55 people at church to 71. President, that's seventy-one. Our district taught 25 RC/LA lessons and will achieve balanced next week with our 6 investigators who were at church. Also President: it has been raining for over 50 hours. Do you know what that means? It means that 70 people came to church in the pouring rain in Thailand because I thought of others before myself. I'm not stressed about being a leader anymore. If I just think of my investigators and focus on helping the sisters do the same, miracles happen  because true charity is at last made manifest. Miracles have literally SHOWERED down here and on myself during one of the hardest weeks of my mission; the last week I will ever do things for myself. The first week I started to ask myself what Elder Martin does in his prayers: "Lord, have you accepted my work today?" For the first time this transfer, we both agree that He indeed has.

Elder Martin has helped me and I do everything he says because he is a jerk, but one of the most charitable people I've ever met. Thank you for helping me learn these lessons with him now so that my last quarter of my mission can end on a high no matter where we're going to next. Charity never faileth, and I've seen it here and I will forever continue to do so.

Love,

Elder Gibbons

PS: SOOOOO jealous for Banff... [our family vacation this year]

Schlappi reunion [next summer with all our missionaries back!] will be great! Gibbons reunion will be missed, but please send Grandma and Ray my love. [Grandma Gibbons got married on Saturday to a great man, Ray Poulter, from CA!] As for the gift...ask dad ;)

Alex Denning! Hahahahaha! that's SOOOO great! I KNEW he would serve in their home ward [our friends from France, the Fiquet family]!!!!! And "Ported" for 5 hours - that really made me laugh because my 3 years of Latin taught me that "Porta" means gate or door - we as Thai missionaries use similar Thai wards that we Americanize into this pigeon-slang that missionaries understand... Funny.  Great to hear from him. Tell him to get Douglas back to activity.

Week 78 - 32 emails; T12; W3

Thank you everyone! As I opened my email to see 32 in my inbox, I was so overjoyed. I love you all so much and hope all is well, because it is getting much better for me. I wish to share with you a special experience I shared with my mom about the Adversary:

"He's been working EXTRA EXTRA hard. I had a hard day yesterday too, so I just went downstairs and ate some food (I didn't buy any the day before), and read the Book of Mormon. It was as if the Lord himself knew where I was at and then spake to me. I then said one of the best prayers of my life to not just defend truth, but to attack evil - to take an offensive approach on the sin and darkness that so easily oppresses me. It's not enough to endure. Being a saint in the covenant is a lot more on my part. It's to fight against the adversary which as Joseph Smith recounted, was an unseen force from the unseen world."

Opening up to 32 new emails was a surprise I'll never forget. I need to remember that there are others who are supporting me too from the SEEN world. I love you all so much and cannot thank you for all your support. 

Love you so much.

Elder Gibbons

Week 77 - Kalasin W2

[Joseph's sister, Anna, his cousin Jaeden, and their friends Bailey and Cade, were in a car accident last week on their way home from a music camp.  They rear-ended a car that was stopped in the middle lane of the freeway going at least 50 mph.  This was a miracle that they weren't all killed!  They all walked away from it - a bit sore and bruised - but they were able to perform in their final show on Saturday night.  This is the experience Joseph is referring to...]

To be short, a lot has happened, I've run through a thousand emotions, and I'm a bit disappointed in myself that I'm not perfect or I'm not the man the Lord wants me to be yet. I feel that my talents as of yet underused and now worry that if I try to use them, I'll be relying on my own arm, get over confident and lose the spirit because humility was defeated. 

I'm very grateful for Anna's example after the accident - in that she performed. "The show MUST go on" is a common theme in Broadway and also in the Lord's work.  Jaeden is also a shining star of example that those wallowing in self-pity like me today can look up as an example. Count your many blessings, right? Sure thing. But sometimes, you just have to get by by counting others blessings, like Anna and Jaedan and Bailey and Cade being saved. Like that I still have a change to move on in the Lord will pull my butt out of this rut. He's done it before, and I only assume He's bound to do it again. 

I don't really have a "resounding message" that will come from this, as I'm not in a position to deliver such a one. 

This was a clip I sent to my dad as I have been struggling with myself in this work. I call it growing pains. I also call it shifting gears; I was in the office. Now I'm in the boonies. But it's like a car - you start from a stop and go to gear 1. But you rev your engine until it's at its peak and then the Lord shifts UP. Notice that when you shift UP the sound goes down - but your speed grows faster even with you feel your engine is slower. These are like set backs - small things that seem like they make us slower, but really give us the speed to go faster. 

I've got to go, but I love you all. Don't be afraid to gear up when you're called. 

Elder Gibbons

Week 76 - Kalasin: T12.W0

Sabai di BAAAW? 

Thanks for all the prayers and thoughts. I love ya all and wish you well. The Office I will miss, but it's fun getting back on a bike and getting a little more smelly than usual. I'm sitting next to Elder Martin on my left and none other that Sister Madsen and Sister Greenwood on my right.  Elder Martin, is half-Indian and works like a banchie. He super cool and just wants to do the work of the Lord. The biggest struggle we have is just that - after driving around Bangkok for 3 months, it's been an adventure getting back on the saddle (or the bicycle seat because I'm using a girl one until mine is fixed).  Sister Madsen and I are super good friends as Sister Wiganda trained her while I was in the office. In short, we (Elder Wilamas and I) were good friends with the Srinakharin sisters, so when I heard from President's mouth she will be opening-training, I was overcome with joy and it's been a blast ever since. Speaking of which, we had French toast last night -

Speaking of France, congrats Kenz [his sister who is going to France this week to stay with Liahona and her family] and Liahona [friend from France who was recently called to serve a mission on Temple Square]! There is a Thai sister from the office that will be serving in Temple Square very soon - maybe she'll train Liahona! And after Kenzi learns French, she'll probably get called to Paris with Ashelle [friend on a mission in Paris]!

Ok, back to French toast.  We (our district) ate French toast together and had a blast. But I now respect the advice from my leaders. In Mahasarakham, Elder Benjamin, a Thai AP whom I love, told me of the importance of taking the quiet advise from your branch and ward leaders. As I moved into his area in Asoke, I tried to do just that. So when we came here and the branch president told me not to eat the fried omelet that was made that afternoon, I resisted and ate it after French toast that night anyway. This morning, I paid the price in the bathroom - spewing French toast and rotten omelets out from both ends. Wow, that was graphic, but true... But if I would have listened to him, I would've been spared a very uncomfortable morning. 

I testify of the power of the priesthood and it's healing power - both physically (as I made it to this internet cafe today) and spiritually as we can be warned and protected by obedience. 

Love you all, more about the area later, as I'm still new. Pray for us! Pray for your leaders! Love!

Elder Gibbons

Week 75 - THE OFFICE SEASON FINALE T11.W7

So we're singing The Morning Breaks and the phone rings.

President calls.

Fewer times have I ever stopped singing in mid-syllable.

Elder Wilko picks up the phone and after some talking says, "Yes, he's right here," and hands the phone to me.

"Hello President!" I say...

President and Sister Senior called me personally to thank me for my service in the office and my service, as they - like me - have seen such a wonderful change within me. They wanted to personally thank me and prepare me for my next transfer, which I will be serving in the province of Kalasin - no Dad, it's pronounced "Ga-la-seen" - and it's smackdab in the middle of the Isaan.

It's back to sticky rice, Somtam phet phet ja dai (Papaya Salad that's hot enough to burn the devil out of hell), and bicycles for me! I'm super happy to be headin back out, but also a bit melancholy, as expressed in my weekly President's letter:

"Dear President Senior,

"I want you to thank you for the phone call this morning - one of the highlights of the transfer for sure to get a personal phone call. So I'm headin to Kalisin... I'm more than excited as I pack up to get back on a bike in the อีสาน [Isaan]. I'm going to miss seeing you and Sister Senior and the Jones' around everyday [the lovely mission office couple who are some of my favorite people ever and I want to be like]. I feel like once I FINALLY get my act together and position myself just right to launch, the Lord pulls me out. I told the AP's my grand scheme that Elder Wilko and I were about to do to explode Asoke to which Elder Mateos answered me something really interesting:
'Well, just bring all that to Kalisin.'
"And, President, reactivating two families per companionship a transfer is what we're going to be doin up there for a while. Until, that is, I get another great idea and the Lord pulls me away before getting TOO dangerous.

"It's been more than a blast, and more than a honor to work here. My prayers go out to you.
"Godspeed President, see you at transfers!

"Elder Gibbons"

I'm finally getting this Asoke District Leader thing down and planning with Elder Wilko to explode this place with success planned down to mid-August. But as I shared in my President's letter which I will share to illustrate my feelings today, I am ever more grateful that The Great God of Heaven leads and directs this work always. Not only am I heading up there, but two of the eleven new SISTER missionaries are going to be OPENING up there too. This isn't the first time I opened with three new people, and I;'m just stoked to blast it away up there with my probably very new companion and our new Sister training set.

It's kind of a nice wrap-up as President Tuwit's last day was Friday [Pres. Tuwit was his Branch President and great friend from his first area] and we sang a flawless version of How Great Thou Art for his going-away luncheon. The Spirit really helped and it was a great way for ME to end here. I love you all, I LOVE "the BEAST," as President Smith referred to as the Asoke-Din Dang area in the heart of Bangkok. I've always wanted to serve here in the big city, and I sure got more that I wished for. May we all get what we wish for as we center our Desires in Christ. But watch out - because once you do, then do it well, the Lord will make you leave; he'll make you change; but he'll do it to bring us to our promised land as he did with Nephi (on multiple occasions), Alma, Mormon. Now it's my turn to move to a new land of promise, and soon it well be yours as you follow faithful in His Light.

Follow faithfully please, is my prayer, in Christ's name. Amen.