26 June 2017 WEEK 53

25) "Be not afraid of sudden fear, neither of the deolation of the wicked, when it cometh. 26) For the LORD shall be they confidence, and shall keep thy foot from being taken."

-Proverbs 3:25-26

What guards our heart from fear? Only one protector is sure and faithful, and that is the lord. He truly is our confidence and our protector. As Paul said so powerfully long ago, prayer and the Holy Spirit are our assurance of God's deliverance. Either we will be delivered from death to serve God powerfully or we will be delivered through death to share with him eternity. We will not be snared when our fate and future remain in God's hands.

We are working with a lot more new investigators. We have been seeing the fruits of our labors. I am very excited for this transfer. I know that Elder Shepherd and I are going to see success as we continually put our trust in God.

--

-Elder Gibbons-

Keep Trying. Keep Pushing. Keep Believing. Keep Growing. Heaven is Cheering You on Today, Tomorrow, and Forever.

19 June 2017 Week 52

Well this was Just and exciting weekend in my life! First of all I want to wish My dad a happy Father's Day!

I really am grateful for my dad. I love him so much. From you playing baseball, football, and basketball with me in our back yard, to you chasing dogs around our yard for killing our rabbits. By teaching me all these years and putting up with my foolishness, For that I will be forever grateful.

Even though I am thousands of miles away, I can still come to you for advice. 

Literally everyone is going to say that there dad is the best dad in the entire world and nobody compares to him. I can definitely second that when I say that I have the best dad in the world. 

You are my Hero Dad! You always have been and always will be a role model for me. 

I love you and wish you a Happy Father's Day from the Turks and Caicos! Mwen Renmen Ou<3

I also want to wish Mi Madre a Happy Birthday!!!!

I really wish that I could be there to celebrate this amazing day with you<3 I want to thank you for how amazing you are! My present to you is that you need to make hunter do everything! Take a day to relax and go on a date with your husband! 

I love you both so much<3 I know I am apart of the greatest work. In it I'll live and In it I'll Die. May God permit both of you into his presence.

--

-Elder Gibbons-

Keep Trying. Keep Pushing. Keep Believing. Keep Growing. Heaven is Cheering You on Today, Tomorrow, and Forever.

12 June 2017 Week 51

I want to discuss with you the quote at the bottom of this email.

Keep Trying. Keep Pushing. Keep Believing. Keep Growing. Heaven is cheering you on Today, Tomorrow, and Forever.

I can admit that the life of a missionary is tough. That is why I love this quote. This week was full of up's and full of down's... We had many fall through appointments with investigators, But we kept trying. We went through a lot of opposition, but we kept pushing. We had some rough lessons, But we keep believing. We recognize our faults and our mistakes, and we keep growing. When all is said and done The life of a missionary is the best. God knows what will happen when we council with him and trust. Because when all is said and done Heaven is cheering us on today, tomorrow, and forever. 

It is up to us to keep on keepin on!

--

-Elder Gibbons-

Keep Trying. Keep Pushing. Keep Believing. Keep Growing. Heaven is Cheering You on Today, Tomorrow, and Forever.

5 June 2017 WEEK 50

There is not a lot to describe the productivity of the work this week. Basically to describe everything that happened, is we had to white wash our entire area.

Our mission president has received the revelation that we need be looking for kingdom builders. What he meant by this is we need to be looking for those who are a little bit more well off.

I agree with this revelation considering the entirety of our circumstances. I know that we will help build the kingdom of the lord here in the Turks. Does this mean we forget about the other people? Of course not. The gospel shall be spread to all nations, kindreds, tongues, and ears. We have been focusing our finding efforts using family history. We have been finding great success from this. It really is an easy way to get one foot in the door. People love talking about families. Why not share with them how there family/ancestors can be together forever?

But we endured much trials and opposition this week. It reminds me of a scripture found in the Book of Mormon. "And now, O my son Helaman, behold, thou art in thy youth, and therefore, I beseech of thee that thou wilt hear my words and learn of me; for I do know that whosoever shall put their trust in God shall be supported in their trials, and their troubles, and their afflictions, and shall be lifted up at the last day." Alma 36:3

God does not reveal unto us our success until after a trial of our faith "6 Wherein ye greatly rejoice, though now for a season, if need be, ye are in heaviness through manifold temptations:
7 That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ:"

I have really come to find sanctuary in the scriptures.  "15 For my soul delighteth in the scriptures, and my heart pondereth them, and writeth them for the learning and the profit of my children.
16 Behold, my soul delighteth in the things of the Lord; and my heart pondereth continually upon the things which I have seen and heard."
I know the lord gives us opposition to fulfill his mighty purposes. "2 The Lord is my strength and song, and he is become my salvation: he is my God, and I will prepare him an habitation; my father’s God, and I will exalt him." Exodus 15:2
I can testify that we are preparing an habitation for the lord. This is his vineyard and we are his servants. In the name of Jesus Christ, amen.

--

-Elder Gibbons-

Keep Trying. Keep Pushing. Keep Believing. Keep Growing. Heaven is Cheering You on Today, Tomorrow, and Forever.

29 MAY 2017 WEEK 49...

This week was by far one of the greatest weeks on my mission by far. I have never felt the spirit so strong in my mission then I did this week. What made it even better is the fact that we were in Nassau! (A.k.A the Bahamas)

It was an incredible experience to come together as a Bahamas Zone and be uplifted and edified by one another. It was also really good to get to see other missionaries and talk with them!

My key take away from this Zone conference was the power of the spirit. I never realized how sensitive the spirit can be until this week. The exercise that the Assistants to the president had us do was so spiritual. We got rid of all the white noise and were asked to close our eyes. They picked on a couple missionaries to bear testimony on certain subjects. After they were borne the spirit was peaking! Until someone said that I hate you and you don't deserve to be a missionary. Don't worry it was part of the exercise. The mood of the spirit changed instantly and dramatically. I felt it right in my bosom.

Another key take away was on the subject listening. There is 3 main ways of listening.
1.) causal listening- which means trying to multitask. 2.) interactive listening- which means that you acknowledge that you are there. 3.) compassionate listening- which means you look at it from there point of view and put yourself in there shoes.
Number three is the one that I have really began to work on and I have such a different attitude going into lessons. It makes them so much more enjoyable.

As taught in Zone conference we have been invited to use family history more in our missionary work. If you don't understand the importance I suggest you read D&C 128:18. We have began using it as a finding tool and we are still working out the kinks and following the spirit but it really is a way to get a step in the door. I know this is going to change the attitude of missionary work. I have full trust in the spirit of Elijah!

I know that all things retrace or are redirected toward the savior. I know that Jesus is the Christ. I know the words given by Elder M. Russel Ballard are true when they say, "It is impossible to fail when you do your best when you are on the lords errand."

To give an update on our investigators and finding. After Zone conference a fire was lit under us that we need to find more. I am excited to, seeing that it was not my favorite thing before. But I know the lord has prepared people waiting for us. Ken is preparing to be baptized this next week! He is just incredible. Lucien is going great he loves the gospel and wants tot continue to learn more. What is even better is that he has began to develop relationships with branch members. We are going to be giving John a break for a couple weeks and move him to the back burner to help him realize what he really needs to do. And that is to be baptized.

#RivertonCrew

-- 

-Elder Gibbons-

Keep Trying. Keep Pushing. Keep Believing. Keep Growing. Heaven is Cheering You on Today, Tomorrow, and Forever

22 MAY 2017 Week 48

Can I just say that I have really grown to love everyone this past week. I had many epiphanies this week about how much I really appreciate the influence and blessings of others who have really impacted my life. I owe this gospel everything. When I wake up in the morning I can just imagine myself putting on the armour of god! It really is a blessed feeling knowing that there lives to brighten and souls to save.

We are working with a couple of awesome investigators. We are still working with John to help him recognize how much the lord needs him on his side in this great battle that has been raging on. We have been teaching a man, Lucien, who is preparing to be baptized on the 4th of June. We are also working with a man, Patrick, who is so sweet and humble and has the biggest desire to find the truth. Finally we have been working really close with a man named Ken. He has grown so much and I can't help but love him. God is so pleased with him.

A little bit more on an unrelated note but I having been working a lot more on developing Christ like attributes. This has been a main focus in my studies. This week I was leaning toward more of finding ways I can serve my fellow beings- Mosiah 2:17. So every time that elder shepherd would get in the shower I would quickly iron his white shirt for him. His reaction every time to this was the best. Elder shepherd is great. We have also been looking for ways to serve others while contacting and it had become a great success.

But this week we taught a pastor of a baptist church. He showed us all his credentials. We thought it was about to blow up and turn into an huge argument, but what happened next was amazing. He was so fascinated by what we teach. He wants to learn more. He is originally from Haiti and wants to be taught by missionaries when he goes back next week. So that was something really cool. Please don't forget to be grateful for all things, whether they are good or bad.

--

-Elder Gibbons-

Keep Trying. Keep Pushing. Keep Believing. Keep Growing. Heaven is Cheering You on Today, Tomorrow, and Forever.

15 May 2017 WEEK 47

No letter this week cause we were able to skype -AT least that's what we are assuming, So he sent pictures!!  He is doing amazing is doing some teaching in the Turks and is learning bits and bits of Haitian Creole.  He said he could be in Grand Turks for about 6-9 months, it's hard to have a lot of turn over on off island because Visa's are hard to come by. He hits his 11 month mark this week and we can't believe how fast it has gone by.
We were able to receive some amazing surprise photos and videos from some tourists that added to the great Mother's day Weekend! 

LUNCH with Tourists on the Turks & Caicos