christmas eve!

hey fam!! it was SOOO good to talk to everyone :) i just love you guys so much. when i was saying goodbye, i realized that the words "i love you" just don't cut it...they just couldn't express how much i love you all. it's hard to pack it all into 40 minutes so i hope everyone got to say everything they wanted. here are pics of my christmas eve with the wellborns and then us in our christmas pj's! (we loved them...polka dots are sister burch's fave)

christmas day pics!

here are a few pics from christmas day! i should've taken more, but oh well. the pics of me are kinda bright but it's me with all your gifts! (oh i still haven't gotten the other package yet --- annie, don't worry about it!! it will come and it will be more fun, two christmases :) i loved everything! everything was perfect. we're going to go get a pizza today!! (oh and mom, i have no idea what i want for my birthday because i got everything i needed!! i'll be thinking)

christmas day cont

then here are some pics of the day's activities. first, seeing the llamas with [B] and [O] hahaha. hilarious. you probably had to be there, but what a kick. [O] is the cutest even though she doesn't smile in pics. i think there's a pic with [B] in it on sis burch's camera. and then there are a couple pics of me helping the gustin kids (our ward mission leader's family) putting together a lego star wars ship. SWEET. i love legos now. maybe that's what i want for my birthday (kidding mom). they are the cutest kids. my first week back in the glacier park ward, i overheard one of the little boys saying "dad!! sister gibbons is back!!!" priceless. but yeah that's all the pics i took. sorry not too exciting. i want to see pics of your day!! you should send more photos :)

the sad news

so yeah, the sad news of the week is [P] didn't get baptized :( she went with her mom for christmas and her mom won't bring her back and wont' let her be baptized :( it just about broke our hearts, but all we can do is pray for her. it's out of our hands. on the up side, [D] is getting so close!! i can feel it. he's been asking his wife about the temple so we had a lesson on eternal marriage and asked if he'd prepare to be sealed to his family. he didn't say yes, but then he opened up a LOT more than ever. he really has had spiritual experiences in the past, and i know if he just humbles himself to pray, and makes that decision, he could be baptized like THAT. it was a great lesson because i truly felt the spirit guiding us. i have a good feeling. i just keep praying his heart will be softened!! i think the highlight of my mission would be to see [D] baptized and then to drive back up here in a year to see the [S’s] sealed. i feel like he's the reason the Lord sent me back to maple valley. the next day, sister [S] said, "so what did you think about the missionaries last night?" "i've been thinking a lot...they gave me lots to think about" "so when can i count on you getting baptized" "i need just a little time" which is more than he's ever said!! sister [S] was just beaming at church. she feels it's close too. ah it's the best.

well i love you all so much!! thanks for making it a wonderful christmas for me! don't forget to sing auld lang syne!! i'll think of you all, lots of love,

liz

i'm dreaming of a white christmas!

hello!! thank you so much for the christmas cd's (LOVED THEM) and the wonderful emails (although i do want to hear about the winter formal from the dude himself...hint hint haha). sounds like everyone is doing great!! merry christmas everybody!!! (merry christmas mr potter!!) i have to admit that i can't believe christmas is this week, it is rainy and GREEN here. haha so different than what i'm used to. it is gorgeous though! we had like a PINCH of snow a couple weeks ago but that was it. roll around in it for me :)

so we are having a white christmas is one respect!! we had 2 baptisms yesterday ([B] and [E]) and we have another on sunday. the Lord is blessing us with miracles!! here are some pics:

**[E] is an AMAZING 17-yr-old. she was not in the best situation in north carolina, and decided she wanted to do more with her life. so she decided to move up here to live with her aunt who is a member. she said she wanted to go to church and 3 weeks later she's in white!! she has an incredible testimony and will touch many lives. she had family drive up from california and utah so it was a happy happy occasion :)

**[B] started meeting with missionaries when i was 12 years old!!crazy huh?? in the past bit he's stopped smoking and drinking. his wife [O] is the sweetest woman (speaks mostly spanish). she has been a member for 17 years and said it has always been her dream for [B] to be baptized but she didn't know if it was possible. needless to say it was a happy happy day.

**these baptisms were both in the Lake wilderness ward. they hadn't had a baptism in TWO YEARS! so the members were all excited as well

did I already send you a pic of our Jesus tree? so we have this cute little tree decorated in pass along cards and i can't remember if i sent you this picture so here ya go.

also did you ever get that picture from that guy? it's hilarious.

also a funny pic after we went grocery shopping last week, the juice escaped its bag and rolled to the back of our HUGE trunk (did i tell you i drive a 2010 malibu?? we're cool that dat) and our arms were too short to get it so i crawled in. good times.

so yeah, [P] will be baptized on sunday!!! she is HILARIOUS. did i already tell you this story? (sorry if i repeat things) "why are all those boys walking around?" "they're passing the sacrament...we eat the bread and water to remember Jesus Christ" "and just the boys pass it?" "yep" "that is so WEIRD" haha. also "so [P], how did you like primary?" "it was okay, except they made me come up to the front of the room and they all sang this CREEPY song and pointed at me!!" ah she kills me. cutest girl.

we get to eat one meal with members on christmas day, so we're eating with the [S’s]!!! so excited. the rest of the day (10 - 7) we visit people and share a christmas message). christmas eve is normal day except no tracting and we're in by 7. thanks in advance for the packages!! you are so good to me. oh about calling, i think i will just call a little after 7 pm on christmas day (my time...so would that be 8 your time??). is that too late for you? that way we can use our cell phone (free night minutes). write me back and let me know if that works because i could always do another time if you would prefer. we're pretty flexible. it's just harder to call in the morning because we can't use our cell phone and most people don't want you at their house on christmas MORNING. of course i could buy a phone card and use the allens' phone early in the morning maybe. but then the bosters may not be there. anyway let me know!

well hey fam!

turns out i have a few minutes to email. i am EXHAUSTED haha. i was exhausted from the week already and then we walked around seattle for 6 hours. so worth it though, so fun! but yeah i'm just exhausted because the work is going so well! which is so good. [E] is getting baptized this saturday! her interview is tonight and she is just solid. what an amazing woman. she's 17, had the hardest life in north carolina and made the decision to move up here to live with her aunt because she wanted to change her life. we all know the gospel is the best way to change lives! i just adore her. [B] needs to be interviewed by president moffat, so his date is up in the air right now. what a sweetheart though. he collects postage stamps and since we always admire them he gave us some to start our own collections :) he's been taught by missionaries for YEARS and is finally progressing. he hasn't smoked for a week and a half!! [P] is also scheduled to be baptized a few days after christmas!! she has had such a hard life and is just the smartest kid. so hilarious though. "[P], how did you like primary?" "it was pretty good...EXCEPT! they called me to the front of the room, and then they all sang this CREEPY song and pointed at me!" ...the hello song. hahaha hilarious. so yeah the work is crazy busy.

sister burch is crazy awesome. i just adore the people here so it's awesome to be back. we bought $20 worth of christmas decorations at dollar tree. tacky yet amazing. we even jazzed up the $1 wreath with fake poinsettias. good times. oh and one of our bishops lent us his fibre optic christmas tree! we didn't have any ornaments so it's decorated with pass along cards with christ on the front. i LOVE it! have two wards makes it crazy busy!!! we go to both wards on sunday but we have to split up because they overlap. with PEC meetings and such, we're at church from 7:30 til 2pm, and then we proselyte and teach from 3 to 9. sundays are exhausting!! some pics of our seattle tour!

hey!

hey fam!! thanks for all the emails...i just eat them up :) i'm glad you all had fun celebrating james' birthday etc. have fun decorating the tree tonight!! i've decorated one tree so far and we get to help sis streight on wednesday!

so yeah, it's awesome to be back. the glacier park ward has been so cute, welcoming me back! they make me feel very loved :) our area also covers the lake wilderness ward now! i'm trying to get to know everybody, which takes time, but they all seem great. we have 2 people on date to be baptized in the lk wilderness ward: [B] (older man trying to stop smoking...he's been clean for 2 days!) and [E] (cutest 17 yr old from north carolina. she just moved in with her aunt - member family - to change her life. she'll be baptized in 2 weeks!

yeah so great things are happening! it was fun to come back here because i didnt' feel new and so the transition has been really easy. sis burch is easy to get along with! she has the sweetest testimony. love her.

it's been super cold, but beautifully clear and green! we got a TINY bit of snow...but more like frost hehe. it's been so dry i've loved it. getting ready for rainy season. well that's about it!! i love you all so much....merry christmas :) be careful with my ballet slipper and harp ornaments ;) haha. oh and please, don't put that gross green stuffed grinch ornament on the tree. hideous haha. LOVE YOU

sister gibbons

some pics I never sent!

hey thought i'd send some pics while i'm waiting for sis burch

GOODBYE RENTON!!!

hello family!!! i just ate up your emails today :) thanks so much for being such faithful writers. i'm glad you all had a great thanksgiving! I had a wonderful holiday as well....i'll give you more details in a bit. some business first though...THANKS FOR THE PACKAGE!! I loved it :) the rolls and pumpkin bread were amazing! sis bush also said to compliment you on the rolls, mom. she ate about half of them when we were on an exchange . . . the little nativity is so cute!! and i'm glad to have the sweaters. thank you thank you!

mama, loved your newsy email as always. i love hearing the details! i would LOVE christmas CD's. as long as they are religious christmas songs then they're good. you don't have to stick to motab. as long as it invites the spirit and helps me think about the Savior, anything goes.

pops and dude...i LOVED the pic of your race! how fun to run together :) i'll do one with you both after the mish if you'll let me! i'd love it.

annie, so fun to hear from you again! . . . i'm glad you get the day after christmas off, that'll make for a nice long holiday! i think of you often. it will be so fun to compare mission experiences. i know you understand what i'm up to more than anyone! love you

bosters, LOVE the blog posts. bames sounds like quite the character. i realized it's his birthday this week! it's transfer day, so i won't have time to get anything off for him, but i want to try and send some videos next week. sorry they'll be late, it's just been so crazy! tell him i love him :) also jen, your pictures are great! you are getting good!

okay now as you have already noticed i've been transferred!!! it's SO HARD TO LEAVE AREAS! ah i've never done well with moves, but it is ROUGH on the mission. i love these people so much! i was SHOCKED. i really was so sure i was staying in Renton. when i heard my name in the voicemail, my jaw just dropped. it's all good though, i know the Lord needs me in my new area, and i am totally at peace with it and excited. but it's still hard! they had me bear my testimony in the maplewood heights ward to say goodbye and i just broke down at the pulpit. haha how embarrassing. i bet they don't get that with elders!! i will also miss sis yura so much. she goes home to mongolia in january, so who knows if i will ever see her again. that was a hard goodbye. i'll attach some pictures of my goodbyes. one of the other reasons it was so hard is because of how well the work has been going in just the past 3 weeks! we put three of the [D]’s on date for baptism (dec 26) this week: [T], [L], and [A]. they are so prepared! [L] is especially golden, just hungry for the gospel. it's hard not to see them through, but i know they are in good hands. we also found a family from Moldova this week. [S] came to church and stayed all three hours! he is a sweet man...always waves goodbye and blows kisses as we drive away. his english is very limited, but we have some members that speak russian and romanian that will help teach. sis yura and i taught people from seven different countries together!! the past 4 months in Renton have been amazing. i've learned so much and grown as a missionary. The Lord really knows what he's doing when he puts us in certain places at certain times. even now i'm tearing up as i type because i love those people so much! i'm so grateful to be a missionary. it's like in Alma 26 when he says "i cannot say the smallest part which I feel." that chapter will always be a favorite and really is how i feel about my mission so far.

Now i know you're all wondering where i am...well i must tell you that i was even MORE shocked about that than about leaving Renton. i am back in maple valley!!! CRAZY HUH?? sister burch is my new companion. sis bush trained her in maple valley after i left! she is very sweet and i know it will be great. one difference is that we now cover two wards!! so it will be a little different than before. well i have to log off but i'll log back on and send some pictures. love you all!!

lizzie

ready for pics!

ok first an older pic: sis yura and i took over some sparkling cider to celebrate with mona and her sister janae because they won a $1000 gift card at best buy!

next, sis bush and i with my first zone leader elder revoir! he went home yesterday. he is a champ! i've met such wonderful elders. this was at the half mission thanksgiving activity. so fun. we played football and volleyball and chatted etc

next, the burches (and friend ben who is always there) brought us a christmas tree the day after thanksgiving! isn't that so nice! we ate with them on thanksgiving (we also snacked with like 4 other families) and they are just the kindest people. sis yura and i had fun decorating it!

goodbye pics!

#1: saying goodbye to the [D] family

#2: me with [C]...cute mongolian girl. i'm wearing her chuck e cheese birthday crown. yup i look cool

#3: sis yura and i teaching mongolians together for the last time (i know quite a few phrases now! they say my accent has improved hehe)

#4: me with the stuckis! he is our ward mission leader and he is AWESOME. he didn't really smile in the pic but he is my fav. ah the stuckis. their son josh is a riot "sis gibbons, has anyone ever told you you have the most adorable laugh?" "ah thanks josh, you are too nice" "i know, all the missionaries say that" haha. they fed us last night to tell me goodbye.

more goodbye pics!

#1: the argyles! they're the wintertons' cousins. small world!


#2: the burches! they always took such good care of us. love them

#3: the dalrymples!!

#4: so every time elder cox (our district leader for the past 4 months) asked if we needed anything, i said we just needed french fries. but he never got us any and it was a big joke. so last night they doorbell ditched us and left us french fries!! good memories :)

okay sorry i'm picture happy today!

#1: the allans! I'm so sad to leave them. i just adore them. they gave me a bag of M&Ms as a going away gift with a picture of Christ. they are the kindest people i've ever met. i will have to go visit them after the mission

#2: me and tia johnson! the bishop's daughter. she taught with us a lot! she's the one with the mission call

#3: sis yura and i...our last pic together!

#4: me and mona!