La Gran San Fernando: Van Nuys - Week 2 The Mission

Letter to All:
Hola Todo
Well the mission life is awesome and once my sleep schedule was a little more adjusted I was able to focus so much more on the work. I realized that what we are doing is incredible and we only get to do it for 2 years. So now everyday during daily planning I get super excited to be able to go out and proselyte. For now I am in a car because my Trainer is a Zone leader so we have to leave our area a lot for transfers. I've realized what a blessing is to be able to have a car and to be able to use it for the Lords work.
Anyways something new this week was that I attended my first Sacrament meeting with the Van Nuys 5to ward. It was very spiritual and a sacrament meeting to remember. Something that I've noticed is that during sacrament meeting the Latino people sing and I've never met a more tone deaf people than the Latinos. But they still sing cause they love to praise their god. I can really feel the spirit when they do because its not how good you sing but how much you love your Savior.
Something else really interesting about the area down here around Van Nuys is that there is a lot of gang activity. And what's really cool is the gangs down here love missionaries. They will tell you where you shouldn't be at night and if you get hurt they ask you who did it. (The police also will ask you who did it) so they can go take care of the guy. I'm sure that's not a great thing for that guy but its super cool cause like no one will touch you down here. In fact a couple of our investigators right now have been in a gang or gone to prison before. They all are really cool and love it when we can go and teach them.
Anyways I've really come to love the Latino people here because there is no other people easier to love than the Latinos. They are very respectful and nice to you even when they don't want to hear your message. The white people on the other hand tend to not be so friendly, and they are not afraid to tell you what they think about you and your religion, but all you do is smile at them and walk away, its hilarious.
I have learned so much just from 2 weeks here already I hope everyone is doing alright I wish you all the best. Con Amor
Elder Gibbons

Letter to Mom:
Hola mama,
Everything is awesome now that my sleep schedule is adjusted I just get super pumped to teach everyday. I'm not sad unless some people don't want to hear about our message because I know that God wants all of his children to return back to him. I really am trying to do that but sometimes people don't listen and there's nothing you can do. Something we like to do down here is throw pass along cards. So if there's like an open balcony door of one of our investigators we will throw a card in through the door. It's really fun but sometimes gets a little competitive especially if someone starts a card fight.
As far as for the Zone Conference I thought it was awesome. I pretty sure I'm just deeply reflecting on what I've learned because they showed a talk with Elder Bednar. Man that guy can call it how it is and tell us what we need to fix. I learned so much that day, and yes I did see Elder Lorenson there we snagged a picture. As far as our P-day schedule it goes a little something like this: Wake up breakfast, shower and get ready, personal study, then we go shopping at Food4Less which is an amazingly cheap place to buy food I love it. Then we get the car washed, and then we come back and put our food away and email from 10-12. Then we eat lunch and either take a nap or go to the stake center before zone activity. And then after is zone activity from 2:30-5 and then we come back, shower, eat dinner, and start going to work. I love it.
My favorite thing by far has been being able to teach people about one of the greatest events in history, the restoration. I also love being able to practice my Spanish with the natives who help you learn quite a bit. The hardest thing by far is understanding because sometimes I just want to help these people so much but if I can't understand what they said then I can't really respond. I'm really working hard on my language study though because I want to be able to help these people. It's definitely helped to have an awesome trainer who is really good at Spanish. However overall I feel like I've learned quite a bit quicker than when I was in the CCM so being able to speak all day really helps also.
Here's a sample:Yo estoy orando para ustedes cada noche tambien. Yo trato a compartir algo muy especial de El Libro De Mormon cada vez hablamos con Investigadores. Mi espanol es mas mejor que cuando yo llegado aqui. Estoy leiendo las escrituras voz alto cada dia por 15-20 minutos. Para mi es difficil a recordar las conjugaciones porque hay mucha. Pero yo estoy progressando cada vez yo hablo con un latino y tambien cuando yo enseno la restauracion del evangelio de Jesucristo.
I love the Chancla Picture It made me laugh. I love all of you guys and hope that you have a great week. Tell the sissies to keep practicing hard and they will be able to take state in High School. Tell buddy to keep practicing soccer or basketball whichever one he is doing and that he will be a little baller. I love you and pray for you all every night. Con Amor.
Elder Gibbons

Letter to Dad:
Hola papa,
Yo estoy orando para ustedes cada noche tambien. Yo trato a compartir algo muy especial de El Libro De Mormon cada vez hablamos con Investigadores. Mi espanol es mas mejor que cuando yo llege aqui. Estoy leiendo las escrituras voz alto cada dia por 15-20 minutos. Para mi es difficil a recordar las conjugaciones porque hay mucha. Pero yo estoy progressando cada vez yo hablo con un latino y tambien cuando yo enseno la restauracion del evangelio de Jesucristo.
That was just a little taste of what I've learned so far (If any of its incorrect your welcome to tell me because it would help). I'm happy to hear that the sissies are taking up tennis its a great sport. Tell them I hope they practice hard and do well and that its awesome they're in tennis. I am taking good care of myself my favorite is when we get to go shopping on P-days because I can buy my own stuff and not worry about anyone else taking it and eating it.
I am being obedient and yep I do exercise everyday for 30 minutes. We have a gym in our apartment complex so there's a lot of stuff you can do. It's really a blessing. I have come to love the people because there is no other people easier to love than the Latinos. They are very respectful and nice to you even when they don't want to hear your message. The white people on the other hand tend to not be so friendly. They are not afraid to tell you what they think about you and your religion. But all you do is smile at them and walk away, its hilarious. Something really cool is the gangs down here love missionaries. They will tell where you shouldn't be at night and if you get hurt they ask you who did it (The police also will ask you who did it) so they can go take care of the guy I'm sure that's not a great thing for that guy but its super cool cause like no one will touch you down here. In fact a couple of our investigators right now have been in a gang or gone to prison before. They're all are really cool.
Some really interesting things that have happened is we saw a guy doing cocaine in his car. (I wanted to throw a word of wisdom pamphlet at him). Me and Elder Costello during exchanges walked past a dude who was hallucinating like crazy probably heroin or crystal meth because this guy was going crazy. He was mumbling and making fart noises running up and down the street and had a blanket over his head with some weird looking shorts.
Something that I've noticed is that during sacrament the Latino people sing and I've never met a more tone deaf people than the Latinos. But they still sing because they love to praise their God. Something that I remember that you said is that people in our stake don't really like to sing but these people can't sing period and they still sing because they love their Savior. I can really feel the spirit when they do because its not how good you sing but how much you love your Savior.
Con Amor Su Hijo.
Elder Gibbons