Tuesday, December 23, 2014

BIG NEWS and a few photos!!!!

Howdy Yall

So last week we weren't able to send and photos because where we went to use the internet didn't work with our cameras so I wanted to send some photos because I know its been a while since I last sent some. Perdon if I send some that I have already sent.
I am going to place the pictures and then explain them a little bit. I do however have some things to say before.
Embarrassing moment: So we went to visit an old investigator yesterday. One that has a crush on me... oh yeah... way fun. haha but nah its all good. So anyhow we went to go visit him and he lives with his family on this big orchard thing.... im not quite sure what you could call it other than a finca.... but whatever. So we went to go visit him so we can start visiting him again and we were talking and a bunch of his friends came to play soccer so they got upset that he was talking to us and not playing soccer and I told them that if I could make a goal they had to leave him alone... bad decision.. a bunch of 16-20 year old latin dudes vs. 1 gringa. oh yeah... it didn't go so well. Needless to say I didn't make the goal. But it was a fun experience. haha


​So this was the day of Keishan's baptism. He is super great. It was the first time that our district leader Elder Dale got to baptize someone so it was pretty special for him too. Hermana Jenny is super great. She is a single mom and a rockstar at taking care of her kids.



​This was our first Sunday together outside the church




I made tamales! I know that this will be a Christmas tradition in my family from now on. Like when I am married and have kids and what not... and probably before then too. Costa Rican tamales are soooo good. They aren't just masa y carne. They have a whole bunch of other things too. It is really exhausting making them. Yesterday we made 150ish of them and then today someone wants us to help them but I don't think that we can but tomorrow we are going to be helping. I dont know what we are going to do. We have like 10 tamales in the fridge. Here they are huge and you can barely eat 2. In the states we eat Mexican tamales and yeah they are super tasty but you could eat like 8 and be full here I can barely eat 2. Haha



​With President and Sister Wilkinson. They are the BEST and I love them both so much! THEY WILL be part of my family forever! Okay here is some important news!!!!!! Seriously everyone cried and I might cry just typing it.
COSTA RICA HAS 2 MISSIONS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Okay so honestly that was the coolest announcement ever. They are dividing the mission. It will start in June or July when we change mission presidents and they are going to send 2! They will be announced in January. There will be the mission Costa Rica West and Costa Rica East. How freaking cool! I can really see the hand of The Lord in his work here in this country. I love this country so much and the people here. Something super cool is that the quorum of the 12 are going to assign us to which mission we will go to. Im super excited. But yeah lets be real... how cool is that? I know that this is the lords work. Right now we are about 280 missionaries here is Costa Rica and we are going to be 500 and something. Imagine how much it is going to change this country. Ahhhh..... Okay Im done.


Merry Christmas! Remember the real reason for the season
For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord. Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men” (Luke 2:11, 14).
Christmas is a time that has been set aside to celebrate the birth of Jesus; however, the true meaning of Christmas is often lost in the holiday shuffle. People get caught up in who can afford such-and-such gift or who can throw the best party—and they forget to give of themselves. God’s intense love for us prompted Him to give His Son, the greatest gift ever given, that we may enjoy an abundant, God-kind of life. As Believers, we must shift our focus from decorating and shopping, and instead place it on the season’s true meaning by sharing the gift of Jesus with others.
Jesus said all men would know we are His disciples by observing the love we show each other. Listed below are ways to help your family, friends, and co-workers regain perspective on the season and reach out to others in love.
1.Make Jesus’ birth the focus of your family’s holiday celebration. Before you open a present or bite into a turkey leg, sit down with your family and read the account of Jesus’ birth in Matthew 1:18-25, Matthew 2:1-12, and Luke 2:1-20. Let this be the foundation for everything you do during this season. You could even make a birthday cake for Jesus!
2.Celebrate the Savior’s birth by attending Christmas Eve or Christmas Day services at your local church.
3.Give the gift of song and spread joy to others by caroling in your neighborhood, local hospitals, orphanages and nursing homes. A variation to this idea might be to bake cookies for those who are ill or shut-in and deliver your holiday cheer in person!
4.Instill the “it’s better to give than to receive” attitude into your children by volunteering at homeless shelters.
5.Take the spirit of giving to another level by serving your community. Get involved in food drives by putting together gift baskets of food for families in need. Collect new coats, clothes and shoes for these families as well.
6.Fulfill a child’s Christmas wish by delivering donated toys to children’s hospitals (Matthew 19:14).
All these activities can make Christmas a significant time for you, your family and those who may not otherwise experience the love of God throughout the year. If you find these programs are not available in your community, sponsor them yourself with the aid of other Christians. Remember, the holiday season is not the only time people are in need. Show love and be a giver all year long so the world may know you are a true disciple of our Savior, Jesus Christ!

I love you all! Merry Christmas!

Love always,

Brooke

Wednesday, December 17, 2014

Every week I get frustrated because I start writing in spanish and get halfway through and have to start over. haha
Well... this week was a pretty good week. Its still raining. Its been raining for a long time now. I used to think it was way cool when it rained in the states because it never happens where I lived but then I got here and it's just kind of sucks, it never stops. haha everyone goes inside and nobody wants to talk to anyone much less the missionaries. (Insert sad face here) I have so much I want to share with everyone. My heart is bursting from the love of Jesus Christ!

Well, this week I had a moment of embarrassment when I forgot that it was one of my converts birthdays and I talked to him in the street and didn't say anything to him... oops. thank goodness I remembered when we were in a lesson with his mom. After the lesson we went to buy him something from the corner store. it was super great. I love all of my converts, however, I super love Kevin. My goal in life is to send him on a mission and then he can become mission president one day.

I don’t have much time today, I don't have anytime really but I wanted to share something that I have been thinking a lot about here recently.
Respect yourself and others. Its not really that hard. There are a ton of people that dont go to church or don't do things they should because of other people. While yes, I remember what I said about not putting your salvation in the hands of others, we should also remember to not do anything stupid that has the potential to impede the progress of someone. It doesnt matter what you think of them, it doesn't matter when they have done to you. Be nice. Its not hard. If you dont like someone that doesn't mean that you have to go over the top to be nice to them. Just smile, say hello, and move on with life. If they need help and you can, help them. Dont do anything to hurt peoples feelings on purpose. It makes absolutely no sense. Love everyone and just work hard so that people don't feel like they are less than you. It doesnt matter how much money you have or don't have. It doesnt matter what calling you have in the church. It doesn't matter where you live or what car you drive or what illness you may have or what other people may think. We are all sons and daughters of God and whether you like it or not, He does not love you any more than He loves the next person. He loves us all more than we can possibly imagine, but He loves all of us the same.
I love you all!

Brooke

Wednesday, December 10, 2014

Meet my new Companion! =)

So this week was rather crazy. First of all.... Bridget was baptized! She is the daughter of Karen who was baptized in October but she couldn't get baptized because she was only 7. Well she turned 8 on the 4th and had her baptism on Saturday. We had a really rough experience with her family the night of her baptism and we were convinced that there was no way she would be at church to be confirmed on Sunday but when we got to church there she was. Not her whole family but her and her sister Brittany were there and she was confirmed. We haven't been back to her house yet but we are going there today and honestly I love this family so so much and I just hope that they will accept us.
We had a lot of eating to do because everyone knew that it is the last sunday for Hermana Corrales and she was here for 9 months so everyone and their brother loves her. I love her a ton too. So the way that ticos show their love is por medio de comida.
Sunday night we went to the Christmas devotional and it was super great. I loved it. Honestly the first time I ever saw it was last year and I honestly love it so so much. I was super happy. The rule was that if we brought an investigator we could come
While we were on our way to Guapiles to watch it they called us and gave us the changes. Hermana Corrales went to Belin, the area where the Temple is here and my new companion's name is Hermana Martinez. She is from Honduras and she is 23. She is super strong in the gospel to be here. She has only been a member for 2 years and she has been on her mission for a almost a year now. I am going to place a photo here... but remember that this is after a LONG day of travel and playing soccer in the rain and we were both really tired. haha


Dec 9 2914.jpg


Next, watch this video. I love it.

I love you all a whole bunch and I am super excited because we get to go to the Temple next week. Have a great week and dont forget that you are always always more powerful than Satan.




Love
Hermana Gibson

Tuesday, December 2, 2014

Lots to say but forgot my camera, don't hate me.

Hey Y'all!

First I just wanted to say that I forgot to bring my camera so I don't have any pictures this week either. Okay, yes I have them but I just can't send them!

This week was crazy. We had to go on emergency splits so I had to pack in like 30 seconds and then we had to go take a bus. Then we went to part of our area call bosque which is about an hour and a half walking and there is only 1 bus to go and 1 bus to come back so we had to walk every day. haha It was actually great fun.
We had our miracle baptism on Sunday... and guess what?? In the mission we had a goal of 200 baptisms and confirmations in November and Sunday afternoon we had 199 confirmations... but there is a church in guanacaste that has meetings in the night at like 6 for all of the people who work in tourism jobs and they confirmed the last one so we literally had exactly 200 confirmations in the month of november. Crazy huh? It was definitely a month where you could feel the spirit and the stress. haha
Embarrassing moment: Sooo I am sure you are all going to be very surprised but I don't actually remember one! I am sure that something happened but I don't remember what it was. Cool huh? I guess thats a step in the right direction.
I am super excited for monday. We have changes and I feel like a lot is going to happen. Our zone leader elder tai had emergency changes and went to be the assistant so he is in training with the assistants who are dying this change and the other zone leader elder lopez who is going to be the new assistant too. My district leader had emergency changes and went to be the zone leader in place of the elder lopez so now we have a mini missionary here for a week until changes and it is super cool. Hes a convert of about 6 months and is working on doing his papers so he can leave on a mission at his year mark. How strong of a testimony can you possibly have right? so cool. He was telling me that he parents are ticked that he is here on a mini mission and even more ticked that he is a member and that he wants to serve a mission. He was an atheist before so now he doesn't really have any friends and I was just thinking like woah what courage it would take to be in his position.
So yeah... lots of changes coming our way on monday and Im super excited.
I am learning lots of things here... and one thing that I have learned is the the mission changes you.. I learned that a while ago.. but what I learned recently... as in ohh about 45 minutes ago is that it doesn't always change you for the good and that whether you change for the bad or for the good you are going to change so you should do your best to make sure it is for the better. I honestly never thought that I would see someone change so quickly into a negative person but I promise it happens. I know that I am not the most positive person on planet earth but I am definitely working on it and I can tell that I am not as negative as I was before. If you are negative life is just harder. DONT MAKE LIFE HARD FOR YOURSELF. You have enough people throwing negative things at you and you don't need to add more to it. Be happy. Also, other people too, have enough negative people in their lives, the last thing they need is your smart comments and your negative remarks... again, be happy.
I have also been thinking about service. Then I saw this on lds.org

Its really a profound statement. It doesnt matter how much money you have, what matters is that you help the people who are in need.

Well, thats all for today!
I love you all a whole bunch!

Love,
Hermana Gibson