We had a really good week this week. The lord continues to bless us here and I am excited that I have the chance to be a part of this great work. 3 kids that we have been teaching where baptized and confirmed. It was nice to watch them take that next step in their lives. We had a lot of people at the baptism and it went really well. This area is still flourishing. We have a lot of people to teach and many that we hope to start teaching soon. I am excited for the chance I have to watch them progress in the gospel and come closer to Christ as they begin to put their lives in closer harmony with his teachings.
                We had to stop teaching a few people because they were not progressing. One of them was an African American lady who is convinced the bible was stolen from old African stories and Europeanized. She also believed a lot of stuff she read online that I will not get into but I will say that it was …. Ya, it just was not good. We will still check up on her from time to time but we will just have to see what happens.
                So one day there was a set of missionaries that where at the church and they realized that they left something home. So they drove home to get it but when they got there it came to their attention that they left their keys back at the church, unfortunately they needed to save their miles so one missionary told the other that the door to the second floor balcony was probably unlocked and that he might be able to climb up it and get in. the second skinnier missionary thought that this was a brilliant idea so when they got to their apartment complex he began to climb. As he was climbing he saw that the land lord was on his way down. Not wanting to make a bad impression he quickly tried to climb faster. This missionary was able to make it to the top and over the railing before the land lord saw, mainly because he had practiced back home in Colorado, though he did knock a wasp nest in the process.  After grabbing the forgotten items he realized that the door could only be locked form outside so he would have to climb back down. Somehow he managed to do all of this without breaking his neck and they made it back to the church in safety.
As you can tell not much happened this week. J I love all of you. Thank you for your prayers and faith. This area is continuing to be blessed greatly from god. The work is still difficult at times but the lord comforts us and carries us at those points that we cant. Just to all of you know it is ok to email me if you don’t want to write. I will not be able to email back but I will write you back and mail it. My email is jrgibson@myldsmail.net . I love all of you and I expect to hear from you soon.

Also just a side note. I went to the Navoo pagent on saturday. It was jsut as amazing as it was a couple years ago. If you get the chance to go you Definatly should.

This week was an interesting week.it was hot again. Iowa has never been this brown. Nothing is getting rain and it is not good for the farmers out here. It is not good for the missionaries either epically when they have to ride bikes. But I am finding ways to enjoy it. We committed a couple more people to be baptized. The brother of a member in the Ward who has investigated in the past and a 9 year old girl from Burma whose parents are members but she was never baptized but wants to be now.
                Thing sare booming in this area. I have never done such little tracting but that is  because I have never had so many people to teach. It is amazing how the lord is blessing this place. There are a lot of people that he has prepared and we have the opportunity to find and teach them. Missions are amazing.
                Next week is going to be extremely hot. At least that is what we keep hearing. Luckily we have the car so we will not have to worry about it much, though tracting init is never fun. Well I can’t say never, you do tend to get some cool reactionsfrom people.
                Anyway, we have a baptism this Saturday, a part member family who are finally baptizing their kids. We have been teaching them over the last month and they are doing well. They have a bunch of people coming into town for the baptism. It is going to be nice and then we will start preparing for our next baptism in august. When I was out here before it was rare to even have one baptism a transfer but the lord is blessing the Midwest and the church is growing.  Feel for Eric as he strives to find people who are willing to commit but I know that the lords hands are in the work and that he will bless both of us as we strive to work hard and be diligent.
                I continue to pray for all of you. Thank you for your faith and prayers for me. I love you and hope you are staying cool this hot summer.  Pray for me, every little bit helps. 
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Elder Jacob Gibson of the Iowa Des Miones mission

               This week was amazing. That is probably the best way to describe it. We got so much accomplished. We were finally introduced to a Burmese family who has been attending church and we set a baptismal date with the mom and her 3 daughters. We are still going to work with the rest of the family and we are praying that they will be willing to make this commitment as well. There is still going to be a baptism on the 28th for 3 kids that we have been teaching. I don’t remember what I have said about them in the past, their parents are members but they wanted to wait till their kids where older to have them baptized. They are still progressing well and I don’t see much if anything getting in their way. Other than those 2 families we have many other investigators but no one that is yet willing to take that next step though there are many who are close and I hope and pray to see them make this blessed commitment soon.                This week was relative cool compared to what it has been. Lucky for us we got the car on the cool week and will be on bikes again for the hot one they say we will have this week. For the most part it was a normal week. The fun part came on Saturday when we had to get up early and drive for a little over an hour to Ames Iowa and help out at the Iowa Games. They are like an Olympic Games type things for people of all ages and almost every sport you can think of is covered. I spent 12 hours in a hot gym keeping score for basketball games. I think I left my seat twice in those 12 hours. I honestly don’t think I ever want to see a basketball again. Most of the teams where good and where good sports. There was this one point though when I thought we were going to have a fight. Both teams at this point where very close to being kicked out of the games. But all in all it was not too bad.
                We got permission to let a member take us to the Nauvoo pageant Saturday night. I am excited for this. I assumed that because I went when I was here last I would not be able to go this time around but my mission president game me permission. It will be a late night for us that night but I am excited to see Nauvoo again.
                Elder knight is still doing well. He has been sick and that has made things difficult but we are continuing to work hard and the lord is blessing us for that. I am looking forward to another amazing week this week and I know that as I work hard the lord will bless us for our diligence. Thank you all for your faith and prayers. Thank you for all you do and please continue to write me. Letters are an important part of missionary work.

Elder Gibson
Elder Jacob Gibson of the Iowa Des Miones mission

So I was not expecting to write today because p day was moved to Wednesday but even when p day is moved they still want us to write letters on Monday. It was not like that when I was out here before.
                So last week was a hot hot hot week. The heat index was at about 113 degrees most of the week. We did not have the car so again we spent a lot of time on bikes and I have to say I have never sweat that much. That is probably nasty to hear but it happened. I also don’t think I have ever been on a bike that long, a few hours every day and more miles than I can count. I have been enjoying it though. Well as much enjoyment as you can get out of doing high exertion physical exercise in brutal heat. The part that makes it hard is that the shade is just as hot as the sun. So unless you are inside there is no escaping it.
I am learning a lot from Elder Knight. He is really skilled at talking to people and at finding ways to keep people talking with us. He has learned to be able to start conversations that quickly break down the barriers that people often put up when they see us and he is able to ask questions that they actually enjoy answering. He is really good at teaching the gospel simply and in a way that is clear to those he is teaching. I still have much to learn from him and I look forward to this chance to continue to learn and grow.
The kids that we are teaching still have a baptism date set for the 28th of this month. The family has already invited family into town for it and they are doing well. Everything is still on schedule and we will continue to help them prepare for this blessed date. We have an appointment with them later today but the way things have been in the past there is little that will stop these kids from being baptized. They are excited for this day and can’t wait for it.
Most of our time is spent currently trying to contact people that have been referred to us or that we have lost contact with. Many hours are spent riding from one end of Urbandale to the other (Urbandale is part of Des Moines). It is a lot of work but we find ways to make it enjoyable. Other than that we try to avoid tracting as that many hours in the brutal heat is not good for you, but sometimes it cannot be helped.
I am learning and growing a lot. I am so grateful for this chance I have to be here. It is amazing the changes I have seen in myself and in others.
I thank all of you for all that you do for me…. Thought my mail box is continually empty. I have received 2 letters one from my dad and one from a friend. Please send more. (I am hoping for more in the mail today but we will see if it is empty again.) please write me. and thank you those that have emiled.

I love you

This week was a good week. We got a lot accomplished and I felt the spirit so strong. We spent a lot of time this week doing service that took the form of helping people move. Let me tell you I got really tired of seeing boxes. On Monday we had dinner with a family that stopped us on our way out of taco bell and invited us over for dinner. They were strong members of a church that is really big out here. We were afraid that they were going to try to give us a bunch of anti-Mormon stuff when we were at dinner but all went well and we had a really nice conversation and a good dinner. They were a really nice family and they gave us some numbers for some people who we could do service for. Because of that we now have the opportunity to help out at the Urbandale Iowa 4^th of July parade.

               We still have a baptism set for the 28^th and that seems to be going well and they even have family coming in for it. We are looking forward to it.

               Other than that there is not much to say. I could write a little more about my week but I am really pressed for time this week even more then last week. We got put with another missionary last minute so that has taken a lot of our time today. He is returning home early so he is just with us for today until his flight leaves tomorrow.

               Elder knight is doing well. We are trying to stay out of the heat but much of our work has been in it. It is usually about 98 which would not be bad if it was not for the humidity and the fact that we were collared shirts and ties all day. Also riding a bike for hours in the heat and the humidity is not fun but we are finding ways to enjoy it.

               Thank you all for your faith and prayers. I love all of you.