Week 5 in Florida

This last week was pretty great. On Wednesday one of the Assistants to the President came out with us. It was a really awesome day. We are hoping to find a family of 5. It’s been hard though. This week we meet some awesome people. I’ve noticed though that the awesome people we find they are so busy and it’s hard to meet with them. We have been teaching this awesome family. On Friday my companion and I taught the Plan of Salvation lesson to them. It was so cool how the spirit was so strong and how they felt it. That family has also been reading the Book of Mormon. But the only thing is they didn't come to church. Sacrament Meeting is the most important part of the week. But its way better when our investigators are there. Next Sunday is Stake Conference. And the stake center is pretty far from here. I’m hoping that some will show next week. Well this week is the last week of the transfer and I’m hoping and am going to make it the best week of the transfer. I love and miss all of you.

Love,

Elder Gibbons

Week 4

Hey Everyone,

Its been another great and interesting week here in Florida. I've been learning so much each day on how to be a better missionary. This week we had zone conference in Napels FL. The focus of it was how to find the elect the people who are ready to have the gospel in there lives. Also having more faith while finding. This month is Miracle March. We have a goal of 100 baptisms this month. I am really excited. This week we found a lady that seem really interested in the church. She excepted baptism. She was also a church yesterday. The only thing is that we might have to give her to the YSA ward which would stink. Saturday was an interesting day. It rained almost all day until 3 in the afternoon. My companion when and did some finding. We where drive down one of the roads and my companion said WATER. I looked up and the whole street was flooded. So we where in the middle of this deep water. We decided to push our car. We took off our shoes and rolled up our pants and pushed it through. We realized that the parking lot that we pushed it to didn't have a way to get out on the other road. So we had to push it back through. Luckily our engine started when we got to the other parking lot. But we had to help two other cars that did the same thing as us so we push them too. It was fun. Its been a great week though here in FL. The weather has been great. The people have been great. And the food has been great. I love and miss all of you.

Love,

Elder Gibbons

Third Week in Hollywood, FL

Elder Gibbons with President and Sister Richardson

Hey,

This week has been a great one. Last night my companion and I where finding and had an interesting experience. We knocked and a lady answered and we asked if we could say a prayer with her? She said yes and asked us to come in. My companion asked her if there was a man in the house because as missionaries we can't enter a home with only women. She stated yelling discrimination a lot in Spanish. And she said that here son was there. But then just kept yelling. And slammed the door in our faces. So we walked to the next door and she opened the door and said come and pray. So we went into the house and prayed and the spirit was strong. We invited them to be baptized and they said yes which is awesome. And she said aging explant to me discrimination. So I told her that say two sister missionaries go and find a man in and are asked to come in they cant go in unless they have another women with them or there is a women in the house. She finally got it and we are going to teach them tonight. It’s been a great week here in Hollywood though I love it here. Next week we have zone conference in FT Myers. It’s all the way on the other side of FL so that should be fun. We are also going to try next week to get more member present lessons and more investigators. I love and miss all of you.

Love

Elder Gibbons

Week Two in Florida

Its been another great week here in FL. The weather has been great here. On Tuesday I did an exchange with the English Elder. First time on the bike too. It was great. This week we have teaching an investigator named Ryudale. And he really wants to be baptized. To be baptized you have to come to church for at least two Sundays. We thought he was going to be there on Sunday but his wife had to stay at work longer so he wasn’t able to come. If he comes the next two Sundays then we will baptize him on the 7th of March. We had two investigators at Church on Sunday that we weren’t expecting though witch was awesome. We have been knocking on a lot of doors and finding some great people. Most people are nice. My Spanish is getting better each day. I shared a experience all in Spanish. I can understand it pretty well know though. The food here has been great A lot of rice and spaghetti from the members. Just been working hard learning a lot. I’ts been great here. I love it so much.

Love,

Elder Gibbons

First Week in Florida

Hey everyone...

Florida is amazing. The people here are great. And the weather is great. I will tell about my first few days. So Tuesday I got up at the MTC and left to the airport at 330 in the morning. We flew to Atlanta airport then to FL. There where 21 new missionaries arriving here so, a lot. It was great though. We landed in Fort Lauderdale and I met my mission President. President Richardson. He is really nice. We loaded all of our luggage up and left to the mission home. There we had dinner and the assistants to the president taught as a few things. That night we all went out and placed some Book of Mormons it was really cool the people where interested and it was awesome.

That night we then took a photo with the mission president and his wife and went to the hotel and slept. On Wednesday was transfer day so all the missionaries that are getting transferred meet at this meeting. They had all the new missionaries bare there testimony and all the departing. Then they read had a power point of the zones and the missionaries being transferred into each zone. I am serving in the Hollywood Hills East area. It’s an awesome area. And my trainer is awesome too. My companion and I got white washed into the area. But this was his first area he served in so he knows the people and area. We have still gotten lost a couple times though. Here in this mission is how we find is we go to peoples homes and ask if we can pray with them and there family. We ask them what they need help with in there life. We ask to think of how they feel during the prayer. During the prayer we bless there home by virtue of our callings as missionaries. Then after the powerful prayer we ask how they felt. Then we invite them to Follow the example of Jesus Christ and be baptized. Most people say yes which is awesome. But most of the people we talk to are English so we have to refer them to the English Elders. My mission is the highest baptizing mission in the USA, which is pretty awesome. It’s been a great week though I got to see the ocean on my first day and my area has the ocean in it. But we hardly go over there. There’s also is a mission rule that you can’t touch the sand at all. And the only way to baptize is be exactly obedient. The members here are really nice and are amazed how much Spanish I know. I might also have to learn creole and Portuguese also. I love it here though so far it’s been great. I love and miss ya'll very much.

Love,

Elder Gibbons