Argentina - back in Entre Rios #52

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Amanda Gibbons

Date: Tue, Apr 12, 2011 at 7:45 AM
Subject:  transfers

HEY,
 

SO transfers and you are not going to believe it!!!  Hermana
Mitchell and I and staying together for a 3rd transfer!  So so crazy,
but we are pretty stoked about it!  We are so excited to get out there
and help those people we have met get baptized! I have learned a lot
with her, how to enjoy life while working hard!  I don’t know how many
of you have seen the movie “Charly”, but I feel like I kinda like Sam,
who just works and Hna Mitchell is like Charly, goofy, and enjoys life,
but still knows what’s right and has a very strong testimony!
 

Our wonderful converts are still going strong, and I love them so
much!  They are growing so much.  Agustin, 12, just received the
Aaronic priesthood this week and next week he will pass the sacrament!
 He is so excited, he has is white shirt and tie and has been talking
‘bout how he can’t wait to go on a mission and how he can’t wait to
marry a good Mormon girl!  There is a member kid who was saying bad
words when they were hanging out, and Agus said, hey that’s not cool,
that’s not what God wants us to do!
 

I felt so blessed last week to be able to hear the words of our
beloved leaders!  They are so amazing!  Its one thing to read their
words, but another to actually see them and hear their sweet voices.
Then it hit me the other day, we were reading 3 Nephi 11 with an
investigator (for all of your returned missionaries out there you know
we use this one a lot), this is when Christ comes and visits the
Americas, and I couldn’t help but think how amazing that would be to
hear the voice of our Savior.  I think we would recognize it, because
we lived with Him before and he is our brother.  I love that, knowing
that as we continue to study about His life, apply His teachings and
keep his commandments, that when He does come again, we will be ready,
we will recognize his voice of love.  What a glorious day that will
be.  I am so grateful to be a member of The Church of Jesus Christ! We
are so blessed to know the truth and to know that we can be with God
forever!  I love you all!!! Keep the faith!
 Love
 Hermana Gibbons!



cool paintings in Rafaela




So bored at the Mission Home...can't wait to get back to work!




Jumping for joy to be back in Entre Rios with her companion Hermana Mitchell



Argentina - Mission Home in Rosario #51

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Amanda Gibbons
Date: Mon, Mar 28, 2011 at 9:25 AM
Subject: everyone
To: Bonnie Gibbons

Wow,

 Hey everyone, crazy, crazy week!  So I helped a girl come out of a seizure and have been in and out of the hospital and private practices for like a good week!  I am in the mission home and have been here since Friday with her.  It's kind of a bummer, because I am not with my comp, I haven't been able to work in my area and I missed the baptism of Roque y Dora.  It's not fun to be stuck in the pench (I think this means apartment) or to be hurt and not be able to do anything about it.  I feel really sad for the Hermana because she just started about a month ago and she has never had problems like this before.  WE went to the doctor today, but we still have to go to a neurologist to see exactly what happened.

   So now I get to see how the offices work, crazy as all the other elders! Haha.  We were able to go to a district meeting with them and ya started out all crazy like, but then we got done to business and we talked about prayer.  The elder gave us a question to think about...

  

           Have you ever had a specific prayer, in which you experienced a CONVERSATION with your Heavenly Father when He talks with you directly????
   Would you like to have an experience like that?

  Man that hit me hard, I have experienced that, but very few.  Then I realized.  I am out all day teaching people to pray...to TALK to their Heavenly Father.  Have you have been in a conversation, where the other person just keeps talking even when you have something to say...something that you think would help them out.  It feels horrible, I just want to hit people sometimes! haha, well, I know that we do that a lot when we talk to God...we just say a list of things we are grateful for and what we need, with feeling and with love, but the part we forget is to listen...Ask a question, wait...He WILL answer you...Then you continue on talking!  I have such a hard time doing this!  I have such a habit to tell him everything but not wait for him to tell me anything.  Yes, I am fulfilling the commandment to pray, but I could be getting so much more out of it!  I challenge you all to try and talk to your Father in Heaven.  Prayer is soooo insurmountably important.  It’s the only way we have to talk to our Father.

  I love you all and I hope you have a great week and you have the opportunity to hear your father’s voice!  Keep the faith
--

Con amor,

  Hermana Gibbons

Argentina - Entre Rios #50

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Amanda Gibbons
Date: Mon, Mar 21, 2011 at 1:30 PM
Subject: todos!
To: Bonnie Gibbons

Hey everyone,

  Wow, what an amazing and crazy week!  I went to a capacitación or a (training) meeting of liders (leaders) in the misión!  It was way awesome! I learned so much about how I can improve my teaching skills and how to trust in the lord!  I have been trying to apply them as I teach and meet new people!  One thing that I didn’t have problems with before, but now I do, was talk a lot and not teach very simply!  I have been trying to shut my mouth and listen to the spirit!  It’s really hard, but I know it is possible!  Basically, they said we need to take a second, let God give us a question that will help us understand what they need.  Which means, let there be silence.  I do not do good with that.  But then they said something that hit me really hard.  When I let there be a silence and allow the spirit to talk to my heart and mind, I show God that I trust him, that I trust in the spirit!  Man, what a change in the lessons we’ve had.  I can feel the spirit and the words of the scriptures just testify.  It allows for them to figure it out for themselves before I tell them what it means. 

   Azucena and Agustin (son and mother) got baptized this last Saturday!  They are so amazing!  Azucena Works a lot and still doesn’t always have what she needs, but she absolutely loves the Lord and wants to follow him!  She has been working Sundays to get more Money, but we taught her what it means to the Lord when we take a Day to remember him, and to serve others.  The next day she told her boss that she will no longer work Sundays.  She is very firm in it and I love her!  Such a great example.

   I love my companion.  She is so awesome, she is pretty sick right now and has no desire to stay in the house, but she def can’t go out!  So today we only left to tell them family we are ok and to eat lunch in the park!  It’s starting to get a little cooler here and I love it!  I love everything about this place. Its weird to think that soon, this will only be a memory, but as of right now, I just keep thinking about the now and who I can help!  I love you all, remember the Lord is only obligated to bless us, when we do what we promised we would!  I love you all!  Keep the faith!

--

Con amor,

  Hermana Gibbons

REDFERN I hope you know how much I love you!!! Keep working hard and keep being the example to everyone, just like you always were and are to me!  Keep the faith "Madre"!!!

Rachel Norton, Can I tell you how much I love you!! It’s so good to hear that you are doing well and I can't believe you are almost done with school!!!  Keep it up and you can then help me when I need to study!  Ha!  TE QUIERO!

Argentina - Entre Rios #49

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Amanda Gibbons
Date: Mon, Mar 7, 2011 at 7:27 AM
Subject: la gente!  (The people!)
To: Bonnie Gibbons

Hey all you out there!

   Wow, what a week.  I really can testify that God is a God of miracles!  He works in such small ways that if we aren’t in tune to the spirit, it would just pass us by like any other thing.  I am so grateful for the spirit and the things it prompts us to do or say. 

  1st we had a baptism on Saturday!!!  So awesome!  Valeria, she quit smoking, she reads every night, she asks the most amazing questions and has taught us some really amazing things.  Her husband was not able to come to the baptism, so we are still waiting to get to talk to him.  But wow, Valeria is an example of someone who searches, asks God, and then does what He asks of her.  She is so much happier.  She says that the relationship with her husband is a lot better, they don’t fight.  She is a lot calmer and just wants to do everything right!  I love her so much, she got married when she was 15 and has a 4 year old baby, so she really didn’t get to enjoy her childhood.   Hna. Mitchell got her all pretty before her baptism.  Valeria started to cry and say that no one has ever done anything like this for her.  It was also her birthday on the 3rd, so all in one week, she got baptized, confirmed, turned 20, and quit smoking!!!! Crazy!

2nd.  We have been working with Hector, 11 years old, for almost all of last transfer and he has come to church 4 times, been to 2 baptisms, goes to all the activities and comes all alone, on his bike, from the farthest neighborhood from the church!  He has wanted to get baptized and we have asked his mom twice and she still said no.  We fasted and prayed and Saturday morning we went to her and taught her the restoration of the Church of Jesus Christ, and we asked her again.  I was scared she was going to kick me out of the house, but she answered, rather matter-of-factly, sure no problem, where do I sign???  HALLELUJAH!!!  We were crying and just so excited!  He is going to be the rock of his family!  We are still working with his other brothers, but he is just so stoked!!  He will be baptized this Saturday!!!!

 3rd, that same Saturday, we went and taught Gladi’s son (Dario) and his girlfriend (Diana), and we’ve been teaching them for a while, they’ve been there when we’ve taught Gladi.  Then we came back and taught them. Dario is praying and reading, Diana had a really hard life and is pretty upset with God, but she wants to talk to him, but she is reading.  We talked about repentance and Dario said “hey the priests in the Catholic church don’t have the power or authority to give anyone forgiveness…Joseph Smith was the one who was called to be a prophet.  And plus God taught us that He gives us the forgiveness, not men.”  BING Bing bing!!!  He understood that soooooooooo well!  They told us they love when we come and can’t wait to come to church with us!

  OK so there were a lot more than just those, but wow!!!!  I am so amazed at all that has happened. I know when we try and do God’s will, He is always there to bless us!  Remember, you CAN see miracles every day, it’s not something that should be rare.  Ask God to open your eyes to what’s going on around you!  I love you all!  Keep the faith!

--

Con amor,

  Hermana Gibbons

Argentina - Entre Rios #48

From Amanda Gibbons

To Bonnie Gibbons

Date Tue, Mar 1, 2011 at 9:33 AM

Subject los demas!

Hey everyone,

Awesome, crazy week, I am so baffled that it is already March!  Can someone put a stop to time for a second! Oh ya, transfers!  I get to stay!!!!!  Nothing changes for me!!!!! I am so happy!  I get to see the baptisms we have worked for!  This weekend, Valeria is getting baptized! She is an amazing women, 19, married, with a little terror girl, Milagros (go figure), but she contacted us, she asked us how she could become a member and now she has stopped smoking cold turkey.  She has already seen changes in her life, with her husband, and he is now starting to have interest.  I'm sure he'll be listening really soon.  I love her, what an example of someone who wants to follow Christ and just do all they are supposed to! She is super stoked and I just can't wait! 

We are teaching Hector, he is 11 years old and just comes to church all alone and he lives on the other side of town.  He wants to be baptized with all of his heart!  I am teaching a Jehovah’s Witness right now...and I need help...    How do we know that Jehovah is Christ???????????? (Bible scriptures would be amazing!!!)

Ok Friends, remember that God loves you and man he just wants us happy!  People change when they feel that love.  Don't be afraid to share the gospel with anyone!  I am so, so glad that we have a prophet of the Lord, because without them, we are a little lost.  Trying to figure out what we should do, what God wants of us...what a blessing to have someone who talks face to face with God, our Heavenly Father.  I just got slapped in the face in the lesson on Sunday.  They asked us what the prophet had last counseled us.  And I replied with what he taught in conference!  ya no!!! He talks to us every month in the Liahona!!!! Oh yeah, I guess in English that’s the Ensign.  Keep reading those words, they are here for us.  I love you all.   Keep the faith! Oh ya, Give an ensign as a gift to your neighbor...go ahead you know you want to!!!

--

Con amor,

  Hermana Gibbons

P-Day Fun!



Packages from home!



Argentina - Entre Rios #47

Hma Gibbons y Hmo Cowley (from our Stake)

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Amanda Gibbons
Date: Mon, Feb 14, 2011
Subject: HAPPY Valentine’s DAY

Wow,

Time just flies by! So we had a pretty awesome week! We had Zone Conference this last Friday and it was so perfect! They talked about everything that I had just realized I need to work on! It was so good! I left with that feeling, like after General Conference, so good and spiritually uplifted, but also a little sad, knowing I can be better! But here we go! ¡Vamos arriba! That’s why we have repentance right!!?? I love working out here, ya, so it’s hot, I’ve gained a few pounds, the mosquitoes love my blood, I don’t have a/c, my boyfriend left me for another girl and didn't have the guts to tell me, people yell at me about the world being horrible, I see 13 year old girls with babies....but I feel an outpouring of love from my father in heaven. I know, without a doubt, no matter what happens, I can be happy, I can have hope and joy!!! ...Because my savior suffered, more than I could or ever will suffer. It’s like what is says in D&C 122:8, the son of man has descended below them all. Art thou greater than he? ....I love my savior and I am so grateful for him. In the midst of all this turmoil, there is a light.

Just like yesterday, we came to a house and taught a family gathering of about 8, the lesson of the Restoration. It was so cool, they had a ton of questions about where is the truth, where is Christ’s church, and why does there have to be so much confusion. I told them they don't have to be confused, that I had the answer for them. God loves us so much, he called a prophet to help bring the gospel back to the earth. I recited to them the first vision and the look in their eyes changed, it was that of...hope...wonder and I guess peace... They told me after that (when he answered the door) he came to … just to tell me to leave, but then he felt he should let me in. We apparently, not only changed his view on "Mormons", but on North Americans as well...this family then invited us to come back for dinner this week! Pray that they will accept the gospel and bless the lives of their children.

I know God has a reason for everything, this family, one of the women (Gretel) listened to missionaries 20 years ago, but said she didn't feel anything with those boys...but she told me she felt joy, felt like she could have more in her life. I don't know what’s going to happen with them, but I know God has me here, with my loudness and big laugh to help others feel that love. I know that I am not perfect, but that’s why God makes up for the rest, the part where I fall short!! Remember He is always there to pull you back up, you just have to accept his help! I love you all, Keep the faith!

Con amor,

Hermana Gibbons

Hermanas Gibbons y Mitchell y Suiti y Garcia

CHRIS AND CHARLEE DOXSEY...wow happy anniversary, one year!! I love it! But hey, I want to see some little Doxsey running around when I get home!! I hope that you are both doing well. I miss you tons. Remember my family is your family and we are here to help you with whatever (well you can go to my mom for now...hehe)

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TIMMY! Hey brother!! Yeah! One more year! I love you so much!!! Next year we will celebrate together! Go out and do something crazy!! I hope you are enjoying being back in AZ!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY BRIANNA AND CRISTIAN! You guys are getting so big! I love you! Smooches!

Argentina - Entre Rios #46

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Amanda Gibbons

Date: Mon, Feb 7, 2011 at 10:42 AM
Subject: weekly goodies!
To: Bonnie Gibbons

WOW!!!

   Hey family and friends!  So I just got news that Dan and Betty (awesome investigators from my last area) got baptized!!!!!  All 4 of their kids were baptized about 6 months ago and they have been waiting to receive divorce papers so they could get married, to be baptized!!!!  Dan basically already is a leader in the church.  He set up the activities that the priesthood does every other week!  Pretty much a miracle that they were able to get a marriage date so soon!!! I'm sad I missed the wedding and all, but the work goes on right!?  Plus I love my area and I wouldn't trade it for the world!  We met this amazing woman, Gladis, while we were walking down the street.   She was passing out some calendars for some politics.  We felt the need to stop her and contact her.  The first lesson we had with her, she told us that she would never change her religion, she is catholic for life.  I was a little set back and was ready to get another speech about her grandpa's grandpa was catholic and so that’s how it is...but she changed and started telling us about her life and the things that have happened.  We shared with her the hope and joy that comes from the gospel, from knowing the truth.  We shared the faith and the plea a young boy had to his father!  That he received an answer directly from the God the Father and Jesus Christ.  Joseph Smith was called to be a prophet for these days and through that power he received, restored the church of Christ on this earth, so that we can be saved!  She was so excited!  She thanked us so much and couldn't wait for us to come back!  We are going to teach her tonight!

 

    We had an investigator in church Sunday!!!   Her name is Adela, she is a very lonely and confused lady.  I think she has been used and pushed around a lot in her life.  She loves the message we have been sharing, but is pretty much anti baptism.  Her mom is Evangelist and when she was 12, her mom basically forced her into the water.  She told us she wants to be sure before she makes a decision.  She is so cute and has a ton of questions.  I know that she is looking for the peace that the gospel brings!

 

  So my companion is awesome, but she has had a really difficult time learning the language.  She is 9 months in the mission and talks like a newbie!  Poor girl is really frustrated about it, but is determined to learn!  She doesn't see it, but many of the lessons we've taught or the people we've contacted changed their minds because she bore testimony, or smiled while saying the Spanish that she knows!  Man, she really does bring a strong spirit, it’s been really fun working with Hna. Mitchell.  The only scary thing is that I have to understand everything they say!  It’s pretty crazy and I am just glad that I have the gift of the Holy Ghost who helps me understand and respond to the people in a way that they feel his love.  Who knew it would be so tiring teaching all the time?  Ha, usually when I turn the time over to my comp, she looks at me like I just asked her to go jump off a bridge into cold water!  But she teaches and they understand!

We live with 2 other sister, we actually are all in the same Branch!  It’s pretty crazy, but really awesome to see what we can all do together.  They get references for us, we get contacts for them...it’s just good stuff!

  So the other day, some drunk guy came up to us and called out to us, "Hermanas!!"  Turns out he was a member, but member or not, I usually get their address and pass by another time, hopefully when they are not wasted.  But for some reason I felt we should follow him to his house (no worries, it was 11am and there were a ton of people out).  Anyways, we’re sitting out front of his porch, trying to teach him and his friend about prayer, and he just keeps talking over us.  I even ask him to be quiet and listen (I have never done that before) and he just kept right on talking.  It was so funny that Hna. Mitchell and I couldn't help burst out laughing!  I had no idea why I was trying to teach this guy, but I didn't feel that I should leave!  Out came this guys Aunt, who turns out to be a member with 7 sons who were never baptized!  Also, she had one son who was in his bed with a high fever.  She asked us to call someone to come give him a blessing.  One of the members went and I haven't heard anything about the boy, but I know that we were there not only to find this family, but to help with the faith of this sister!

 

  So in every situation you are in, look around and see why god has placed you there!  I have to tell you all how proud I am of my parents!  They have begun to see how important and easy it is to share the gospel with others!  My dad shared his testimony with a work member (who said he was looking for something in his life) and my mom as well talked to some of her students and patients at the hospital!  I am sooooooooo proud of you guys.  This is what we are here to do!!  Now that we know the truth, our purpose is to help others find the truth!!  We keep working until our family, our neighbors and our friends know who we are and that they can be happy like us!!  Hehe, I love missionary work!  Keep the faith,
--

Con amor,

  Hermana Gibbons