Argentina - Santa Elena Letter #16

From: Amanda Gibbons

Sent: Monday, May 24, 2010 1:19 PM
To: Bonnie Gibbons
Subject: Oh the mission! LOVE IT!

Wow, this was a tough week. Lots of rain and many people with closed hearts. It´s crazy how some people will have the truth right in front of them, agree with it, but still reject it! I just hope at sometime they will be able to open their hearts and come unto Christ. I know that if we are on the Lord’s side we will be saved in the last days, when the Wars are Raging and the World is getting worse.

I know that life is really a tough thing, but one thing i know is that i am happier, healthier and have more time to do the things i want when I have put the Lord first. I just read in an ensign article “But when we immerse ourselves in the scriptures regulary and consistently, these other areas of activity will automatically come!” What a wonderful blessing. To have a more spiritual and uplifting life as well as be blessed with all areas of our lives to fall into place.

We have to work each day to have a testimony. President Kimball said, “don’t forget it! You have to fight for a testimony! You have to keep fighting!” The world is getting worse, and people all around are telling you that living the life of God is wierd or wrong. Don’t let them into your head. Remember that this is the time to prepare to meet God, not to be bad and do wrong, and then right b/4 we die, ask for forgiveness. If we want to live with God and with our families, we have to fight. As Nephi said, we are but a few people, but the anger of the Lord will desend upon the wicked and the righteous will prevail! To change is difficult and it’s not instant, like everything else is in this world, but I promise you the blessings will come! Your life will be better, pray, read, go to church. Do the simple things that really matter and life will be SO MUCH BETTER!

I give thanks everyday for being on the mision and all those years of coaches making me run. Thank you for you kind words and for your support. Continue to pray for the missionaries. As my good friend just wrote to me, there are 4 million members and Orly 51,000 missionaries and The prophet and the 12 with this oficial calling to be missionaries. WE NEED YOUR HELP! Ha. Keep the faith my Brothers and sisters. I pray the Lord will continue to bless your life!

Until next week,

Hermana Gibbons

Argentina - Santa Elena Letter #15

From: Amanda Gibbons
Sent: Monday, May 17, 2010 1:13 PM
To: Bonnie Gibbons
Subject: Santa Elena

Howdy!

Man another week in the field! What an awesome thing to experience! We have had some random lessons this week, but first we are teaching Christian, he is 21 and just an amazing kid! At one of our lessons we asked him why he was allowing us to come into his home and he said’ “I want to progress, I want to know more about God, and I don’t want to sin anymore.” He came to church this Sunday, alone and early. It’s Amazing what the spirit can do for people when they hear the truth. I love that the Lord prepares people. Me and my Comp asked eachother, what kind of 21 year-old is searching for this. We asked him to keep the law of chastity and he said he was going t oread the pamphlet with his girlfriend. Then Friday we taught him the Word of wisdom and he didn´t drink this weekend!

We also met Miguel’ he is a 60 man who acts like he’s 6. Very prideful and invited us over to teach us J Anyways, we somehow broke through his wall and the spirit touched his heart. He asked us to come again. We taught him from the Bible (b/c he says he doesn´t like our bible) and showed him the importante of baptism and that babies have no need of it b/c it is Only for the remission of sins. You Could see it touch his heart, he´d soften for a second and then fight it. He is a hoot andi s learning, He wants to g oto church but just doesn’t have the “ganas” (as they say here) to do it yet. Pray that we can continue to find a way to bring Christ io his heart.

The craziest lesson was with this family who just happend to be related to a girl we have seen on the street at least 10 times in the last two weeks (Giselda). She was really angry with us the first time we met, but we’ve softened her up a bit. Anyways the dad had a friend over and they were both drinking. Their friend was crazy, kept asking us if we wanted to be his girlfirends and then said he had a picture of Joseph Smith, he went and got it, but it turned out to be Jesus Christ. Then there was 5 kids running around screaming and the parents were laughing really loud. While all this was going on Giselda was asking the best questions ever! And she was saying that she d´t like the catholic church b/c they worship saints (against the 10 commandments), where do the "sacerdocios" get their authority...on and on. She is looking for this church because it is The Church of Jesus Christ, it´s what is taught in the bible. Anyways she reluctanly agreed to meet with us again after fighting with all the craziness around us!

I love this work and I love lerning more and more of the things i need to work on! Matthew 17:20, i love love this scripture. When i got baptized i recieved a necklace with a mustard seed. I know that by small things, a little bit of faith, we can move mountains. Trust in the Lord, I know life is hard and we have so much to do, but if we put him first, do things for others, he will give you the time to get things done and the strength to get through it. I love you all and pray for you. I'm trying to workwith all my might and love to see the spirit touch the hearts of others! Keep the faith ALWAYS!

Love,

Hermana Gibbons

Argentina - Santa Elena Letter #14

From: Amanda Gibbons
Sent: Tuesday, May 11, 2010 12:58 PM
To: Bonnie Gibbons; Vince Gibbons
Subject: Miracles shouldn´t be something unxpected (read in Bible dictionary, Miracles)

Hey all you back home!

Wow so I just got to talk to my family on Sunday. I just wanted to say Happy Mothers day to all you mothers out there! First to my mother who is the greatest example of a women that there could be. She just loves to help others and taught me to be a righteous woman. Mom, thank you for helping an soooo many others in their time of need! I know like 30 people who would love to tell you how grateful they are just for your smile. Georgie and Stephanie what amazing examples you are, keep raising your children in the gospel so that they will become as awesome as you are! And all the mothers of my friends, I seriously have the greatest friends and I know that it is because of their mothers! You are so amazing. Remember that you as a mother have a divine calling that only you can fulfil. It was said in this conference that the most important mission you will have in this life is raising a family! That’s a big deal!

Ok I told my family this, but we had a miracle happen this week, well we have one almost everyday, but Hugo Narvaez was baptized on Sunday. His wife has been a member for 14 years and he has been through many missionaries. He also doesn´t like to be told what to do, but for some reason he did everything we asked him to do. We seriously taught him everything we could think of (well my comp didJ) and so we asked him to fast, he had a date for baptism already but still said he hadn´t received his firm answer. Wow, if you have never done a real fast before, do it. If you are lacking something in your life or someone else needs help, try a fast. Study what fasting really means. I love what it says in the Bible Dictionary, it’s a way of showing sorrow! To show God that we know we are nothing without him, that we can give up the things of the world and invite the spirit into our hearts. HE WILL HELP YOU! I promise. We had no idea what to say to Hugo Friday morning, but my comp was lead by the spirit to have him hear exactly what he needed to hear! He is so happy and his wife can´t wait to finally have her “happily ever after” and be sealed in the temple for eternity!

I know that this is the true Church of Jesus Christ and that it is the only way for us to have true happiness and joy in this life! Members, wow I never realized how much the missionaries need your help. I was not a very good missionary b-4 this and I promise to be better forever! But it is a commandment that we share this gospel! Not just us missionaries, this is for the members of the church. Alma 6:6, Moroni 6:5, and a million more say it is necessary for us to help others! Remember, there are so many people who don´t know about this gospel and they are hungry!!!! I know that most of you are from mesa and there are a ton of members, but I know you know someone who is in need. I challenge you to pray this week to know who is ready, and the first name that comes to you, bring it to the missionaries. How much more would our church grow if everyone of our members brought a reference this week. Take this seriously, you may have promised to help someone come to the gospel in the Pre-existence.

I love you all and I would love to hear about your experiences with this challenge. My family, come on gibbons girls I know you can do this. Kylee, you have always been an example to me with this! Don´t give up! I love Argentina!

Love ya´ll,

Hermana Gibbons

D-BEV, 2 weeks girl! I am so excited and I am there in spirit! I will be wearing your wedding colors all day! I want pictures! And you are the most amazing best friend I could ever ask for! I´m feel so privledged to be your MOH, even though i´m so far away! I love you girl, I pray for you and your mom everyday! MWAH

TANNER, finish up good on those finals! And give Micol a big graduation hug for me. Oh, how is our friend Brock? I need his address!!! Smooches!

Marsha Turk and Zeina! Girls I just got your letters! I love and miss you so much! Tell everyone and the office that they are amazing and I miss them tons! You can tell john my birthday was in feb, so he should send my VANS to Argentina! J

Argentina - Santa Elena Letter #13

From: Amanda Gibbons
Sent: Wednesday, May 05, 2010 8:44 AM
To: Bonnie Gibbons
Subject: Santa Elena report

¡Hola! Mi Familia y mis amigos!

Wow i can´t believe i am at my second P-day and i still need to unpack! Haha. I love it here! It is so different from the states! I wash my clothes in a bucket and hang them out to dry. IT´s pretty crazy, but nothing i can´t handle! Ha So i had my first baptisim on Friday night. Paola Ortiz! Her son just recieved the aaronic priesthood, 1 hour before, and was able to baptized his 60 year old mother! She was so excited, but this was one of the funniest baptism´s i have ever been to. FIrst she is so small she had to wear the Little girls dress and then she was terrified of wáter, so watching her walk in was pretty funny. She didn´t bend her knees so when the son tried top uh her under she floated to the top, so he just pushed her under ofter she let go of her nose and she threw her arms around a lot, but got her under. IT wasn´t the most graceful baptisim but if you could have seen her face, you would haveknown that she was so happy and didn´t want anything else for her life!

We are teaching Hugo, his wife and son have been members for 14 years and he finally has come to church for 2 weeks in a row, and prayed out lound for the rfirst time ever with us. He has a date for the 8th, but he still says he doesn´t have a sure answer. We found out finally yesterday is because he has a cold herat towards others, he doesn´t really know how tol ove, even though he has an amazing family. Pray for him that he will give up his pride and forgive, because he knows he needs to be baptized and needs to change, he just doesn´t really want to.

We also had a surprise, on Sunday a family Hma. Redfren had let go 2 months ago came to church (We had a conference, and Pres Villalba and a 70 spoke, so awesome, from what i understood J) and they loved it and they want to get baptized. They are working for the 22, but he needs to quite smoking. Please keep him in your prayers, (Betty y Salusiano).

So yesterday we met Alejandro, the cutest old man ever. He told us he lost his wife 5 years ago, and when we told him he could give her a hug again some day he said. Really? I can see her and hold her? He had the biggest smile on his face and you couild see the love he had for his wife in his eyes. I can´t wait to tell him more!

We family i´ve got to go. I love this work, there have been some difficult meetings. It´s crazy how messed up and backwards this world is. Remember to keep the important things in your life first! Seriously It´s amazing how quickly satan can get in there and scramble it all up. I love you and i love sharing my testimony everyday. Thank you for you prayers, i definitly need them!

Love,

Hermana Gibbons (here they say hih-bons)

Argentina!!! Letter #12

From: Amanda Gibbons
Sent: Wednesday, April 28, 2010 11:44 AM
To: Bonnie Gibbons
Subject: AREGENTINA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1

Hey Everyone!

I made it to Argentina! I love it here! Wow it is such a different place but its so awesome! I am in an area called Santa Elena, Dad it is like no bigger than St. Johns and we are about 5 hours from the mission home. We walk everywhere and it is pretty poor. It kinda looks like a green mexico, but it doesn´t have the feel of mexico at all!

So here´s how my trip was getting here. Got on a plane Tuesday morning from Salt lake to Atlanta. Had a three hour lay over in Atlanta and then got on a plane to Argentina, Buenos Aires Airport. I met the coolest girl on the plane, she is from argentina and is very religious. She was really interested in what I was going to be doing for the nest 15 months. I pulled out my Libro de Mormón and she asked all about it. I gave one to her and she started reading right then and there. She gave me her address and said she´d love to have missionaries stop by! She is so awesome! Then Alberto picked me up at the terminal and we had 4 ½ hours until my bus came so he took me on a tour of Buenos Aires. Man people drive like there are no lines in the roads and I don´t understand how their light system works just yet! Ha Buenos Aires is cool and way big. Then I had a 5 hours bus ride to Rosario, and I was to whipped out I fell asleep in 5 min ha! Their chairs turn into beds! Way nice! Met my awesome comp., Hermana Redfern who is basically my long lost twin! I love her and she loves to work. That night we went and taught a part member family! It was so awesome and I even shared a bit in Spanish! Slept and the mission home and took 2 more buses 5 hours to Santa Elena!

Anyways My house is just a cement house, with a front room, kitchen, bathroom, study room and bedroom. We have very little furniture and our shower is a bucket we fill up and then heat up the water with some plug in thing. There is no heat or a/c and the electricity is so bad that it can´t heat up my straightener enough to use. BUT I have never been so happy and so out of place in my life. We get to share the gospel with these ppl who only have beds in their houses. There are so many awesome people here and I wish I could share more but my time is up!

I love you all. Thank you for you love!

Love Hermana Gibbons

Aaron C- sorry bud, I just got all your letters, you´ve been sending them to Argentina. They were awesome and I will write you back soon!

Same with like 5 or 6 other friends and Family! I will get to you soon! Just busy doing the lords work!

MTC Letter #11

From: Amanda Gibbons
Sent: Tuesday, April 13, 2010 4:04 PM
To: Bonnie Gibbons
Subject: Yep MTC still!

Hey all you out there,

So i have been delayed one more time because the doctor doesn't like me breathing! go figure! haha anyways i'm doing great, the MTC is a steriods with the spirit! No literally, i am on some steriods the doctor gave me! Ha ok, so I got my real and hopefully final travel plans and leave exactly a week from today! Yeah! Those Argentines better be ready for me, because I have been preparing for them!

Ok i want to challenge you all, whoever gets these emails to go and get your bibles and read in Matthew 14, about peter walking on water. I have just been reminded over and over on our need to not doubt. To focus our lives on the savior. Are we headed towards him and walking with faith on top of that water, or have we looked away for just a second and got scared or distracted with other things. Are we sinking or have we already sunk. I want you to know, that wherever you are in the seas of the life, the Lord can pull you back up! He wants you to come to him, he is standing there with open arms ready and waiting. All you have to do is call out for him. Pray and the Lord will answer, pray with real intent and you will act upon that answer! Don't let an oppourtunity to hear the spirit pass you by.

I'm really working on this right now. I don't want to doubt and i don't want to fear. I may not know much spanish but i can bear my testimony and thats what i am going to do! I will say it with all my might and try to help others feel that spirit! Thank you for your prayers, they are much needed! I am not wasteing the Lord's time, I am here for another week, it's not exactly where i want to be, but I am still a missionary, This is still the Lords time and I still don't know everything! Ha!

Keep being amazing! I love you all! Have a great week!

Love,

Hermana Gibbons

D-BEV! hey girl i sent you a letter a while back and I just wanted to make sure you got it! I love you and I hope everything is going well for you! I pray for your happiness and i miss you tons! You are my best friend from now and forever! Keep smiling babe!

Robert Ryan- I miss you and I sent you a letter to the Standford address! If that is where you still want me to send it I will do, or maybe to your house is easier? I hope school is going well and not kicking your booty too much! Love ya! Keep speaking spanish/portugese! We'll have fun when i get home

MTC Letter #10

From: Amanda Gibbons
Sent: Tuesday, April 06, 2010 4:44 PM
To: Bonnie Gibbons
Subject: MTC Update

Hey everyone!

Ok so I feel a lot better! I'm still a little light-headed at times and i'm coughing still, but i feel a lot better! I went to the doctor yesterday and he said i am on the right track for recovery! I'll go get another x-ray of my lungs on monday and then they will tell me if i am cleared or not!!!! yeah!

I loved conference! SOOOO awesome! So on saturday i was getting all light-headed just sitting there watching so i went to one of my friends that has some power here to see if there was a place i could rest my head and listen to conference! He got us hooked up! Ha, he put us in there very nice conference room where they have huge leather chairs and a big flat screen tv. I was able to lean back in the chair with my feet up! So nice, it almost felt like i was at home! So for the other 3 sessions, me and my two wonderful companions where able to sit in this awesome room! I loved that conference was on Easter and was all based on families and Jesus Christ! Each talk pertained to a different part of the family! Packer on the priesthood, all fathers should read it! and Like 3 on mothers and daughters! so cool! Here's just a few things that stood out to me...

"Hope does not depend on circumstance, but faith"...we can be in the worst situation ever, but still be happy and have hope for the future if we keep that faith in Jesus Christ and his atonment!

Be an example, people learn by an example, not by what you say "Your actions speak so loudly, that i can't hear what you are saying."

I am so grateful to William Tindale, a man who sacrificed his life for the translation of the Bible into english. He believed everyone should have the chance to read the words of God! So awesome! It made me love the scriptures even more. I love Tindale and Joseph Smith for making it possilbe for me to study the words of the prophets of God.

REACH OUT to others! Be their rescue. Notice when they are having a hard time!

LOVE- True love requires action! Don't just say you love someone show them. Also we need to respect what true love actually is. Love is the grand motive for the Plan of Salvation and the reason Christ went into the garden.

If you have made mistakes, REALIZE this is why Christ laied down his live for us! No matter what you have done, you can come unto him and be forgiven!

"Two men can do ANYTHING, if one of them is the Lord"

I just loved everything there is so much more i would love to share with you! I wish all of you could have heard the words of these amazing men and women. I believe they are already written out on gc. lds.org, so check it out if you can!

So funny story, there was a mouse in our common room by my bedroom! This sister told me not to scream when it came out and i knew i would be fine, but when it darted out, this other sister just standing there screamed bloody murder and ran faster than that mouse! ha it was so funny! Don't worry they caught it and it can't get in my room...i hope ha!

Also my teacher has been having me learn so sayings they have in latin countries so that i can sound more native. This one is pretty funny. If you want to say I don't have a penny to my name, you say "No tengo donde caerse muerto!" Which means, i don't have a place to die! I don't know, they have some crazy sayings!

Well my time is up, I love you all and i hope you had the best easter ever!

Love Hermana Gibbons