Sister Abby Gibbs Birmingham Alabama Mission: Merry Christmas to Y'all and to Y'all a Good Night!

Sister Layton is amazing! What a cute missionary! I absolutely love her :) She's from Ohio and has 13 kids in her family! Sister Layton is such an inspiration to me! It's so fun to be around an excited new missionary! She is ready to go! Training is too fun! We get to hand out her first Book of Mormon together and knock on her first door! Oh man, look out Decatur here we come!

Thank you so much everyone for thinking of me! It means so much to me and Sister Layton :) Thanks so much for the 12 days of Christmas! Tell thanks to Steph for the presents! and Grandma! :)

The Mission Christmas Party is tomorrow! We are going to have a talent show and devotional which I'm singing in! Don't worry it's a quartet but here in the mission they think I'm pro so I have to fake it till I make it. Oh well their choice haha. This isn't the first time! We know how to party like missionaries. :)

Christmas in the South is a dream! Wow! So many friendly people, so many acts of kindness and everyone feels the spirit of Christmas and service aka the HOLY GHOST! Christ is everywhere if you are searching. The “He is the Gift” video is a dream! People love it here because they love Christ! We are going to see a cute family tomorrow who we showed the video to in Walmart.

I am truly grateful for the experience I have to serve here in the South where so many people love the Savior. They act on this knowledge with all kinds of enthusiasm that I hadn't experienced before my mission. Although the excitement and enthusiasm is fun, there is a time where we MUST find a quiet place to pray, ponder, and remember our Savior. This is key to feeling the Spirit wash over us. This quiet time is often forgotten. You can sing and praise all day long, but until you find a quiet moment to be with the Savior your testimony isn't complete. This Christmas strengthen your testimony of the Savior and act on it with all the enthusiasm in the world and the peace He brings :) I know my Savior lives. I know he walks with me. I know He trusts me and I know he is enabling me in everything I do. I love y'all! Take care and be safe!

Here is a poem from Sister Brunner:

'Twas the month of December, and all through the mission,

Elders and Sisters were baptism wishin'.

Investigators were taught the gospel with care,

In hopes that on Sunday they all would be there.

The missionaries were obedient, they loved all they taught,

They studied and prayed, the spirit they sought.

Their President's council was given with love,

They followed his lead to bring blessings from above.

The gift of the gospel was all they could give,

To the Alabama people, a better way to live.

The missionaries exclaimed as they worked morn til night,

"We love the Lord, we'll serve with our might!"

Love,

Sister Gibbs

P.S. I sent a picture of the Multi Stake Christmas Festival. Ivy came! Jasmine wouldn't leave our side the whole time. This is something more to add to our love of the Savior my friends :)

Here is part of one of Abby’s previous emails about Ivy and Jasmine to help you remember who they are….

“I don't think I've told you about Ivy. Ivy was a member referral from Dianna:) She is the most happy, amazing, and charitable person I've ever met. Her personality reminds me a lot of Lisa Tuttle :) This is one of those people that you know you've met in the pre-existence. She met her husband on a bowling team! She also is an amazing quilter. She is a grandma of the sweetest girls in the whole world. One of them is mute and requires a little more attention from Ivy and her mom. Whenever Jasmine see's the sister missionaries she does the sign language sign for sisters and asks when we are coming back. Every day she gets off the bus and asks "Sisters?" She is the most precious spirit I've ever met! Ivy watches her reaction to the sisters and says there's a certain glow about us and because of Jasmine’s reaction we must be special. I swear she is already a member. She also said she knows us from somewhere and asked Dianna if it was possible that we knew each other before we came here!!!!!! Ivy is amazing! She is so prepared!

We told Ivy about our Book of Mormon challenge and she committed to do it with us!!! We wrote our testimonies in the front cover. She said but I can't promise I'll join the church!!!! Funny Lady haha. She gave Sis. Wittwer and I those quilts in the pic. She gives quilts away to charity and was showing us all the ones she had made and then without hesitation she said and these are for you! She is the most godly person I've ever met. There is so much potential it's insane! I'll definitely keep you updated.”