What A Merry Christmas We Had :)

Hey Friends,

Sorry for the absence of an email last week but I'm writing one now! Yes I'm in Talladega, AL where there is a Nascar race track! Wahoo! I'm also serving in a branch!!!! Wahoo! we are hoping to be a ward by the end of 2016 and we are planning on it. I've lead the music in sacrament meeting both Sundays I've been here. We are having fun and doing a lot of work. 

We had a very special Christmas this year with all the crazy weather and talking to y'all! Let me tell you, opening presents with your companion is too fun! Thanks for all the gifts! Holy cow we are the most loved missionaries in the world! So I told the fam on skype but we found the exact same jump ropes that we used in elementary school at the dollar store!! We are planning on jumping rope on p-days:) We bought four! 2 for us and 2 for the elders! Yay for Christmas! We spent it with the Cote's. They are so fun. We felt a part of the family. 

The name of the game this week has been store contacting. Our favorite approach was, "Have you ever wondered if more than the people near Bethlehem saw the star that signified Christ's birth?" Oh man it was a hit! It's so easy to jump into a lesson with it. Everyone says "Yeah! I'm sure they did!" It's all too fun. I love contacting at Christmas time. We think we will keep using the approach even if it isn't Christmas. 

Of course Christmas was especially special because our sweet grandma made it home for Christmas. Wow, what an incredible woman she was. She was always a hard worker and firmly rooted in the Gospel of Jesus Christ. She worked in her Garden till she absolutely couldn't do it any longer. Wow talk about enduring to the end. 

I gave Stephanie another memory of grandma for Jessica's talk. 

One of my favorite memories of Grandma is having breakfast at her house. I can remember Natalie and I sitting at the table and asking, "Grandma, why do you make the pancakes so big?" Grandma began to tell us how we would eat that same amount in 3 little pancakes so it is more efficient to make one giant one. What was even better is she would always use food coloring to die the pancakes the coordinating color for the upcoming holiday. She always knew how to make life fun through the eternal every day. She knew that joy dwells in the ordinary.

Ok, I thought of another one. Sometimes when we would go to grandmas grandpa would play the chicken dance song and all of us would dance to it. That was the best. 

What a Merry Christmas it was to celebrate victory over death this Christmas. I do know we will all live again through our Savior Jesus Christ's sacrifice for us. I do know that there is peace in this life and it isn't far away. There truly are truths restored to the earth specifically for these very experiences. We can truly know what lies ahead if we ask in Faith. He promised "Ask and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find, knock, and it shall be opened unto you: For everyone that asketh receiveth and he that receiveth findeth and to him that knocketh it shall be opened."

Do we know it's true?

When was the last time we asked?

I know our Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ keep their promises. 

Steadfast in Christ

Love, Sister Gibbs

Tenacity GRRRRRRR!!! 

This was the day of transfers after you talked about the plow horse!

Sister Nielsen, Sister Griffin, Sister Gibbs, Sister Bradford.

Transfers!!

"O Little town of Bethlehem"

Merry Christmas!

This week was amazing:) I absolutely love my mission. I'm so very grateful for President and Sister Hanks. I'm grateful for the ABM family and I'm grateful for the Gadsden ward family. I'm being transferred on Wednesday. Good thing I have till April... Running to the finish line. Yeah, everyone says it's harder to go home than leave and they were right. Yippee Skippee. Good thing we have the Lord on our side. "And if we die before our journey is through happy day all is well." hahahahah.

Anyways this week was absolutely wonderful. We were in 2 parades advertising our missionary open house, pulled off the missionary open house, and had our ABM family Christmas party equipped with a devotional, movie and talent show. Big hero 6 is awesome!!!!!!!:) Thank you President Hanks!

So y'all are probably wondering what we did for the talent show... The Gadsden district did synchronized swimming! Sister Nielsen and I choreographed it and the Elders performed. The song was "Give said the Little Stream" by the Mormon Tab. Buhahahah so funny. For those of you who are not familiar with this activity, two people hold a blue tarp in front of the swimmers and it looks like they are diving into water! Fabulous. The Elders did a great job.

Sister Nielsen and I also sang with Elder Allred, Elder Honeycutt, Elder Tessa, and Elder Jessen. It was so fun. Nothing like getting missionaries together and having a good time. There were some neat talents. My favorite was a revised version of "Take me Home, country roads" by John Denver Alabama style:)

Our Christmas Devotional was so neat! We watched the video from last Christmas with the huge nativity and David Archuleta singing. AAAAAAAHhhhhhh! Love it. We all stood with the angels and sang with them. I'll never forget the sound of missionaries singing:) #powerandauthority

"One Night in Bethlehem" was the name of the missionary open house and it was fabulous! There was 119 people total that came both nights and 34 non-members. I think the greatest success was all of the part-members who came.

The open house included a tour around the church hearing the testimony of the 12 witnesses of Christ ending with the video of David Archuleta and the Piano Guys we watched at our Christmas party. After the video, Sister Nielsen and I bore our testimonies of the Savior. The spirit was so strong! So much stronger than testifying on their doorstep. It was the perfect way to introduce people to the church. What a miracle!

Our investigators are still keeping along. Everyone gets really busy at Christmas so it's hard to meet with them. The Nepali family is doing great. We were hoping they would come to One Night in Bethlehem but they didn't... We are hoping to do the Nativity with them next week. I guess Sister Nielsen will do it. :) I absolutely love Sister Nielsen!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Oh my goodness gracious. Did you know she makes me meals all the time! She's going to be a great wife.. haha. Most of all I have learned so much about charity from her. She always is looking for someone to serve, lift, build, and inspire. Man Oh man. I love her. I can't wait for y'all to meet her.:)

Anyways! Have a great week! The weather is absolutely beautiful here so travel will be awesome:) I love you and am so grateful for you. Thanks to everyone who sent packages! The cute Beehives sent me one:) Tell them thanks!

Steadfast in Christ

Love, Sister Gibbs

"One Night in Bethlehem"

Sister McVicar and her mustang:) She's the coolest grandma.

My fortune cookie!!

Testimony Meetings in the South are Priceless

I love when our testimony meetings here in the south get a little soul in them...:) Baptist roots run deep. :) We had people asking for an amen! Also our soulful black 2nd counselor talked about love and kindly told everyone to love each other. I hope y'all get to meet him. He is such a great leader.

Anyways! Christmas is coming! This week is going to be crazy!!!! Our ward is doing an activity called "One Night in Bethlehem." It is open to the public and a missionary effort to let everyone know we believe in Christ. We are in the Attala and Gadsden Christmas parades with a float and characters walking who are inviting people to the activity. What is happening is the church will be turned into Bethlehem and there is food, movies, and activities all centered around Christ. It's going to be awesome! The ward has worked very hard so it's going to be neat.

We had some neat lessons this week. We are still following up with everyone. We have a few progressing slowly but surely.

The spirit "...he shall teach you all things." John 14:26

We taught some people who are from out of the country. (I know we met some more non-Christians this week. Crazy!) As we were trying to teach them it turned more into a religion conversation rather than a spiritual lesson. They would share their beliefs, we would share ours. We asked him how he knew his religion is true. He said some factual things about it. It tells us about the science of how the world was created and so on. Of course, we are listening for an answer like "through the spirit of God I know," but the closest thing he came to was "I feel close to God when I pray." 

This helped me realize why someone doesn't sit us down in our church and tell us everything we need to know about the gospel, the temple, our missions. We truly cannot know spiritual truths unless it is from God. We can trust Him but we must ask.

Anyways, I hope everyone has a great week!

Thank you for all of the prayers! Steph and mom I got your packages! Thank you so much. We are sending our packages today full of Christmas goodies so look out!

Steadfast in Christ

Love you, Sister Gibbs

Temple Trip!!

Progress Board

#ASaviorIsBorn

Dear Family!

My first thanksgiving with a fried Turkey...not bad! I think I'll bring the southern sides home with me. Macaroni and cheese but not the collard greens. We had an amazing week.

Ok so funny story yesterday we got home from church and were utterly exhausted. Mission exhaustion is physically, emotionally, spiritually drained to the point of hysteria some times. Yes, I have had laugh attacks on my mission. Anyways, we were lying on our beds and Sister Nielsen was telling me about her studies in the Old Testament while I was putting peppermint oil on my head for my head ache. Well it rolled into my eye and burned so bad. We washed it out with water but it was still pretty bad. So we texted a mom in the ward and she said to rinse it out with milk, but we didn't have any milk! So we melted ice cream and put it in my eye. Buahahahaha. It worked and yes mom my eye is fine. So funny. It was a bonding experience.

Ok now for the reason we were so exhausted spiritually today more than normal! A MIRACLE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! A BIG MASSIVE MIRACLE!!

Yesterday as we walked into PEC and Bishop introduced to us a man from China named L. He's been in the US for 6 months. He is taking classes at Gadsden State and wants to transfer to BYU. He contacted Bishop to get his endorsement and little did he know what he was walking into. He's not a member, knows English pretty well, and likes the business school at BYU. Bishop was teaching him about the honor code and then let us teach him about Christ! He isn't religious at all!

Ok, you are probably thinking Sister Gibbs and Sister Nielsen have been teaching a lot of people who don't know about Jesus Christ. It's true! Almost all of our investigators aren't Christian! Get this! There's a woman we know  who grew up Pentecostal I believe and is still very rooted in those beliefs. For example, she thinks she is a prophet, classic. Anyways she prayed for Sister Nielsen and I and in the prayer she said "You will have much success with people from the foreign lands." Wow. Maybe she is a prophet! Haha:) J J

Anyways, we were so prepared for the lesson because of all the other non-Christians we've been teaching and it went great!!! He said he understood the English we were using. There is not an experience sweeter than teaching someone who Jesus Christ is. We were wondering how to tell Him the story, where we should start, and we of course started with our eternal family. I know that we are all brothers and sisters. When we told him about how Jesus Christ took the punishment for our sins L nodded and said, "yes." He understood and the spirit was strong. Explaining the spirit went well too. We told him it's a feeling similar to the feeling you get when you serve others. It's a warm, happy feeling. He smiled all through church! His friend came to pick him up and he chose to stay!!! We are meeting with him this week in a members home.

Two days before I was super discouraged and frustrated with missionary life. When I was humble enough to take it to the Lord he comforted me. Reading 2 Nephi 4 was God telling me to be humble as well as trust him. Then what a great miracle on Sunday. :)

I love my Savior brother Jesus Christ, because of Him I will have Grace for eternity. I know He lives. I know He has infinite love for us. The amount of love to live through every trial we have ever faced so he can say with validity, "It's going to be ok." It's as if we signed up for college, got all of our classes ready, and our brother said, "I'm going to take all of those same classes, have the same experience so I can help you through it." Not to mention every C we get He can make it to an A. Romans 8:31 "For what do we say to these things? If God be for us who can be against us." A Savior is Born and we know why. What a miracle and blessing that is to each and everyone of us. The why of course is because we need Him. He is the source of true joy.

How well do we know the Savior?

How are we doing on our scripture studies?

Do we know Him?

Do we know why He came?

Do we know why He sacrificed so much for us?

I know as we get to know Him and use Him and his sacrifice we have nothing against us.

I love you. Thank you for your prayers. We feel them.

Merry Christmas

Forever Steadfast in our Savior

Love, Sister Gibbs

www.christmas.mormon.org

Will you look up the website? Will you share it?:)

We set up our Christmas Tree!!! 

A possum.  Not so cute in the moonlight.

Living Water!!

Happy Thanksgiving and Fall y'all!

I'm so very grateful for my family!!!!!! Thank you for... wow just about everything! You are my whole life! Thanks for the love. Good thing we have eternity to play.

We had a zone activity today! We Hiked Noccalula Falls and had a companionship study next to them! Wow. So cool. I will send you pictures:)

We are spending thanksgiving at a couple of homes here in rainbow city! We are going to have a lot of food. We are excited. We are having it at a less active's and a part members! Wahoo!

Elder Dube is too neat. Pres. Hanks sent y'all the letter of what we learned and Holy Cow it was just all that! We were kind of nervous to meet him because he is a general authority and then he started making us laugh with all kinds of stuff like, "Sometimes we wait to long to qualify ourselves for the kingdom of God." #marriage Imagine that statement in an African accent and you are set.

One of my favorite parts of Elder Dubes' trainings was when he talked about our potential. Everyone has infinite potential absolutely everyone. Moses saw his potential in action (Moses 1:8)

Pres. Hanks also talked about our potential and showed us a photo of Elder Holland, Elder Cook, and Marian D. Hanks their mission President... Woah! What does that mean for the ABM!

We have an investigator who is going though cancer treatments. Right before she started them we taught her the Restoration and she reads the Book of Mormon every night! She says it brings her peace! We are seeing amazing things.

We didn't get to see the Hindu family this week but we this week, probably on thanksgiving. haha.

Anyways, I'm so very grateful for our Savior Jesus Christ, because of Him of course we can have true joy in eternity but we may also have it today.

I love you!

Steadfast in Christ

Love, Sister Gibbs

P.S. Elder Udy from portage is coming home in December. Thank you for the package!!!!! The Nepal family will love the video :) Love you!

Noccalula Falls

Visit to the Mission from Elder Dube of the First Quorum of the Seventy!

 Visit to the Mission from Elder Dube of the First Quorum of the Seventy!

Each year, at least one General Authority – and almost always his wife – visit each of the 418 Missions of The Church for a “Mission Tour.”  The Mission Tour lasts several days and involves a variety of meetings both with full-time serving missionaries as well as with members and local leaders.  This year, our visiting General Authority was Elder Edward Dube of the First Quorum of the Seventy and his wife.  (His biographic sketch is included in the beginning of the two multi-zone conferences photo albums.)

Elder and Sister arrived quite late Tuesday night the 17th of November and started early the next morning with a group picture and introductions to individual missionaries from the three southern zones of the Mission (Montgomery, Birmingham and Bessemer).  Since the pictures and introductions had to be over in time to start the actual conference itself at 9:00 a.m., one can easily imagine what time missionaries had to leave their apartments from their distant areas of labor.   Additionally, they had all dedicated  themselves with study and preparation to get the most out of the meetings.

For all that such an early hour might mean for the usual 18-21 year old, there was no sleepiness throughout the day!   And, to that point, Elder Dube emphasized his deep belief in rising early to do the work we’re assigned:  “If you want to raise your area, you’ve got to raise yourself first (with meanings on several levels) and leave your area better than you found it.”  Further, Elder and Sister Dube’s enthusiasm, along with their topics and presentation styles were complemented – as usual – by President and Sister Hanks. 

Thus the pattern was set for what followed the next day in Huntsville.  Training from both couples filled the morning, a great lunch was provided by Sisters from the Stake Relief Society, and the afternoon recommenced with additional training through 4:00 p.m.  Selected missionaries were then interviewed by Elder Dube, and the day ended for the missionaries to return to their respective areas. 

Elder and Sister Dube, accompanied by President and Sister Hanks, then travelled from Inverness to Bessemer to enjoy a dinner with leadership of the Bessemer Stake, followed by attend a Stake Adult fireside that evening presided over by Elder Dube. 

Early Thursday, the Dubes and Hanks left Birmingham for the Huntsville Stake Center for the conference of the three northern zones of the Mission: Huntsville, Madison and Tupelo (Mississippi).  Following the interviews of selected missionaries, the couples returned that evening to Birmingham and began to prepare for the Special Mission Leadership Council (MLC) meeting the next morning.

At the MLC meeting, once again in Inverness, Zone Leaders and Sister Training Leaders were provided exceptional training that was designed to help them become better leaders, trainers, and especially, Disciples of The Lord Jesus Christ.  Following a short lunch, additional training was provided, after which there were more interviews of selected Mission Leaders.  President and Sister Hanks then escorted the Dubes to the Birmingham airport, where Elder Dube flew off in one direction on another assignment over the weekend and Sister Dube returned to their home in Salt Lake City.

 Of the hundreds of influential points made during these activities, one of the most meaningful was the amount of dedicated and consecrated effort put forth – as an example to young missionaries – by General Authorities of The Church.  The intensity of the schedule described above doesn’t even begin to describe the amount of planning, organization, preparation, travel across multiple time zones that goes into such a Mission Tour – and that’s only one of a General Authority’s many responsibilities.

We were truly blessed!

- President Nolan

Hey Fam:) I love You

Thanks for being my family!

The ward is increasing their missionary work! It's fabulous. We are putting up a Christmas tree this week and we are going to decorate it with the paper chains that people have written their missionary experiences on. The Primary's chain is the longest. Children are always the leaders in this world! It's been fun to see the ward get excited. The young women told many stories on Sunday of how they gave out pass along cards as well as told their history class the truth about Mormons! We are successful. :)

We also did an activity with the Young Women this week. We made cookies and talked about the possibility of serving a mission. It was fun to teach them about the Grace that comes to us as we have Faith. They all have such a cool mission in life and it was fun to give some advice. They are already fabulous missionaries.

Ok the best member present of the week was Tiffany at the. She found the Gospel through this family. The Rubarchic’s are fabulous. Tiffany has had a crazy life and received a Book of Mormon from a member who left on a mission in the summer. Tiffany has worked around many members for a long time and now was the time to teach her. She loved the Restoration and is still reading the Book of Mormon. I think the best part was the members testifying of it's truth. Tiffany felt the spirit and heard what she needed to through her friends. My guess is she will be baptized in December. I absolutely love her. She has the cutest personality.:) Y'all will have to meet her!

We have been doing some solid finding this week. We met a family from Ohio who's looking for a church! We met a man who totally understood the apostasy and said "It looks like we need a restoration today."! So elect! We also met 2 cute moms who we sang for during the last 20 minutes of the night. We keep meeting a ton of people. The hardest part about this work is them being there for the return appointment. It's very hard, the people say "fruscratin." Please pray for people to want to meet with us again. That would be fabulous.

Anyways! The Nepali family is doing great. We are going to reenact the Nativity soon:) So fun! I'm so excited for Christmas!!!!! Christmas as a missionary is too cool! If y'all want any southern things for Christmas let me know. I love you!

Have a great week!

Steadfast in Christ

Love, Sister Gibbs 

 The Field is White Already to Harvest!!!! 

"Had an opportunity to go out with these young ladies tonight. 

Thought you might like to see them happy doing the Lords work. Great 

missionary sisters. Sister Palmer. Gadsden ward"  They ate at Pruetts Barbecue.

"Dear Heavenly Father, I'm grateful that school is over cause you know it's so hard." -Bropab

Jesus Christ in a home.

Hey Y'all!

SISTER NIELSEN AND I ARE STAYING TOGETHER!!!!!!!!!!!! YEESSSSSS! After transfer calls we had about a 5 minute happy dance that turned into planning while pacing the apartment. :D We are ready to see miracles this transfer. TENACITY! GGGGRRRRRRR!

Sister Nielsen is so wonderful. I love her so much! She's a hard worker. She is so loving and selfless. My goodness where did she come from? Heaven I guess:)

We got to teach the best lesson on Saturday. We have been teaching a family that is from Napal and they don't know anything about Jesus Christ!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Their niece came over while we were there and she asked what Jesus Christ's story was..............wow. So cool. We got to tell her who He is and that He saved us. We asked, "How would it change your life if you knew that Jesus Christ was your Savior?"!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! She said that it gives her a lot of peace. Just wow. Neatest experience ever!!!!

It is the coolest thing to testify so often on the mission. When I testified of the Savior and that He gave his life for us the spirit flooded over me letting me know that it was true. I've never felt the Savior nearer. It's almost like remembering the relationship we all had with Him before this earth. Forever our brother. So cool.

It is so neat to see Christ in this family's home. We've got a lot of teaching a head of us but slowly and surely they are understanding. We are teaching the Mother more English as well. It is too fun. Luckily the Spanish missionaries have lesson plans to teach English. Last night it was one of the girls Birthday and they fed us Napali food! (picture attached) it was really good! Very Spicy.

The first time we taught them to pray we kneeled on the floor. They don't know you can pray standing so we always kneel. There is so much power in kneeling prayers! One of my favorite prayers of theirs is the subject line. Bropab is fabulous and loves Bama football too!

We also had zone training this week! It's been fabulous!

Thank you for your prayers! Sister Haslam comes home this week! Crazy how times goes.

Love you so very much.

Steadfast in Christ

Love, Sister Gibbs

Gadsden Zone Training

Pablan Sharma Family!

Yup! haven't seen the sun in probably 12 days!! haha! I like Rainbow City :)

TENACITY! GGGGGRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR!!!

Happy Halloween! Happy fall y'all!

Welcome home Luke!!!!!!!!!!!

Congrats on your baptism Claire! :) What a fabulous choice you've made:) I'm sure you are glowing:) Love you!

Ok it looks like y'all had a blast for Halloween! Too fun! The Howard family rocked it! So did the O'Brien’s! Halloween is becoming my 3rd favorite holiday after Easter and Christmas:)

We were Angels for the Halloween party at the church! It was fabulous:) The thrift store is where all the cool people get their costumes. Our wings and halo's were a hit! We also had an investigator come to the party!!!!! He is awesome and the Elders are now teaching him. They relate better:) We met Him in the thrift store parking lot. Miracles!

What a great Halloween day!!!!!!!!!!!!! We went to Locust Fork for a baptism! Sister Nielsen helped teach and investigator there and we got to go to his baptism! So fun! We saw Sister Anderl and Anderson! The man who got baptized even sang "Mary did you know"! It was fabulous! Baptism is the gate mate.

Did I tell y'all that it is beautiful here!!!! The leaves are fabulous and the hills are covered in them! So many rivers! BEAUTIFUL!

It rained and poured the whole Halloween day! Well I guess it lightened up for a little bit there for some trick or treaters. We had to be in by 7 and wanted to make contacting fun so Sister Nielsen wore her angel costume and I had a sign that said "I'm dead and lost ask her (with an arrow pointing) where I go?" It would have been sweet to be a zombie but it didn't happen. Ha! Silly missionaries:) We talked to some pretty neat people with it! When we got home we carved pumpkins! (picture attached)

I went on exchange with Sister West this week! She is fabulous:) This was my 2nd exchange with her! The last one was in Tupelo! Crazy! She is amazing and from Utah.

Also our Southside story this week. Southside is right next to Rainbow city over the river. We rode our bikes over there because we don't think sisters have been over there a lot. Well we rode about 10 miles up and down hills and talked to 3 people..... small town hahaha.

We also got to do a neat service project for a family. Our dear friend Sister Doan manages apartments close by and a family just moved in who needs a lot of love. So we made them dinner and shopped for them. It was so fun!:)

Anyways, I have found a new state of mind on my mission. Missions are difficult emotionally, spiritually, physically basically, they challenge us. I've never been challenged so much in my life! When things would get tough at home requiring me to have to cope with relationship concerns, keep pushing through a long day at dance, or ponder on a scripture, I would enter a state of mind that would give encouragement like "keep pushing, keep pulling, "you got this." On the mission I enter the same state of mind but it's been intensified.

I'm in that frame of mind longer than I have ever been. I come to a point where at home I would have quit trying, but here I've learned to keep pushing. I'm sure it is a state of mind that the famous plow horse has constantly. It's as if my time in a place of struggle has become so familiar I've found peace and ease there. The state of mind close to champions who live in that state of mind permanently constantly growing and stretching. Those who out grow their quests like a teenage boy out grows shoes! Constant progression and improvement. Just like the Savior. I feel like I have explored that area of tenacity and determination that has prepared me for things to come.

On my mission I've also been able to define it as well as the source. Grace- "divine means of help or strength, given through the bounteous mercy and love of Jesus Christ." (bible dictionary)

I know He lives in us and is our source for true improvement.

I love y'all! Have a fabulous week!

Steadfast in Christ

Love, Sister Gibbs

HAPPY  HALLOWEEN!!!

 

The Flowers Dad left on my porch when he visited Alabama! Thanks Dad!

Eating toast (thrive on awkward situations the T is just awkward) 

next to our marriage/dating refrigerator pictures.

Coosa River 

Sister West and Sister Gibbs

Nick's Baptism (Sister Nielsen's investigator)

Alabama the Beautiful

Hey family:)

This week was fabulous!

We met the coolest family tracting this week. We read the Book of Mormon with them and they absolutely loved it. We taught the kids how to open randomly to a scripture by doing a pitch swing strategy. They loved it and did it while we were gone too. We also taught them how to start reading with and end with a prayer and they loved that even more. It was one of those moments when we teach and their eyes say that they get it. They even nod their heads and say, "that makes sense." The Mom started to cry! They said they wanted to be baptized! Wahoo! We've seen them almost every day since we met them! Wahoo!!!!

We also went to a fun appointment in Centre, AL next to the outskirts of the Coosa river. I can't remember what the lake is called!!! Anywho, the family we taught can noodle! Like catching fish with their own hands! The Dad even told us how this 6ft cat fish came up on the deck and he couldn't get it without plunging in with it! He didn't catch it but it was a fabulous story:)

It was BEAUTIFUL there. They live right off the lake and basically eat fish all the time. They also had mini aquariums all around their house. They love fish to look at and to eat.:)

We took a member with us and the lesson we had with them was fabulous! Spirit was so strong. They reading the Book of Mormon and ate up every word we said! The member is too neat. It was her first time out with the missionaries and she gave a powerful testimony about the Book of Mormon. Our Investigator said, "I want that kind of testimony." It was so neat!!!! They even fed us! Southern hospitality is so real! We got fed every day this week!

We had a neat dinner appointment this week out in the country:) These members are awesome and they know how to talk to and feed us. True Southerners. We went to their trailer and had dinner outside in a gazebo!!!! It was awesome! Macaroni and cheese, ribs, col slaw, chili, you name it and it was there. We wanted Denise to come but she couldn't! We will bring an investigator next time. Talk about love!

The Gospel is true and we are the happiest people on earth!

Thank you for your prayers. We feel them here.

Happy Halloween! We are going to be angels!

Love you!

Steadfast in Christ

Love, Sister Gibbs

 Happy Birthday Dad!!!! Sounds like y'all had a blast!  We ate dinner at a members
home this week and they had paper lanterns! They asked us if we wanted to send one
off and we said of course. We got to write a message on it and here it is! The Chinese
believe the message will be taken to the person you write to via sky! It was awesome! 

Everyone is Named Gibbs Here:) #Facepaint

 To the best family and friends in the world who fight for good,

I LOVE BEING A MISSIONARY!

Ok the county fair was so fun! We had a booth at the fair all about Mormons. People advertise their church here like it's Bama gear. It's awesome! We had a poster board about what we believe and all kinds of copies of the Book of Mormon, pamphlets, and Family Proclamations to the World. Sister Nielsen and I painted children's faces and the Elders taught people in line the Restoration. It was so neat!!! I bet we painted over a hundred smiling faces:) We painted and taught from 9:00 to 5:00. The people were coming to us!

 Sister Nielsen and I would ask the kids if they went to church and then we knew exactly what to say to their parents! Sneaky! The kids here in the South have such a firm testimony in Jesus Christ. The scripture came to mind,

 "But Jesus said, Suffer little children, and forbid them not, to come unto me: for of such is the kingdom of heaven." -Matthew 19:14

It was neat to look them in the eyes and tell them that God loved them. They will forever have a good association with a Mormon missionary. That's huge! Whenever we ask people if we can teach their kids they always say yes. They are so in tune to the spirit. Service does soften stony souls. We got a ton of phone numbers, taught many lessons, and handed out many Book of Mormons. Probably one of the most fun days on my mission. :D

I know that Heavenly Father smiles on us. Our spirits here in the mission field can get kinda bruised and marred, but Heavenly Father always brings us joy. I'm sure he was joying over the scene:)

"The Lord thy God in the midst of thee is mighty; he will save, he will rejoice over thee with joy; he will rest in his love, he will joy over thee with singing." -Zephaniah 3:17

Also I met some family at the fair. She's a Gibbs and she's black!:)

Our investigator Denise came to a Wednesday night Principles of the Gospel class and she loved it! Her biggest concern was not feeling welcome at church and SHE CAME!!!! I think she liked it.

The family that we've been teaching who is Hindu are doing great. We showed them "Finding Faith in Christ" and they loved it. We taught them all how to pray and we witnessed their first prayer!!!!!!!! They are so humble.

Well It's been fun. Love y'all. Thank you for being my family. Have the best week ever:)

Steadfast in Christ

Love, Sister Gibbs

PS This morning I resorted to braiding the parts of my hair that always get in knots. I think I will keep them braided until next week. hahah:)

Display at the County Fair

Face Painting!! 

 Cute Sister Nielsen!!

Elder Matthews taking a turn. 

 Elder Tessa Painting