Dad's Letter Re: First ever p-day!

Caleb:

I'm so happy to hear that you're enjoying your time in the MTC.  I was thinking that it's been 28 years since I was there and I remember enjoying every minute of it also.  I don't think I was as discriminating with the food and I thought is was fine when I was there.  It's great to hear that you've been given some responsibility also.  I suspect you'll have many opportunities to lead throughout your mission so take those opportunities to develop yourself into a great leader.  You may ask, "What traits do great leaders have?".  To that I would say that the church has a way of developing the best in each of us if we get behind our callings and really magnify each calling to its fullest.

We've started a blog for you that catalogues each of your letters home.  If you can, please cc gibbons.paul.calebemails@blogger.com on each of your emails and we'll maintain the blog for you.  If you ever get the chance of it, you can check it out at calebgibbonsmission.blogspot.com.

It sounds to me like you're doing really well.  Stay upbeat and the world is yours.  I'm so proud of you and the direction that you've chosen to take your life.  Well done.

I was thinking about Mom.  She's been pretty emotional about you leaving... not because you are gone so much as it is a signal that this phase of our life is over and a new phase is begun.  So... did you know that the word "tenderhearted" only appears twice in the scriptures?  It really is only meaningful once....  from Ephesians 4:

29 Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers.

30 And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption.

31 Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice:

32 And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you.

Good words to live by.  Have a great week.

Dad

On Fri, Dec 4, 2015 at 10:42 AM, Caleb Gibbons <cgibbons@myldsmail.net> wrote:

There is so much that I want to tell you but I don't have that much time to tell you everything. First of all, forget everything you've heard bad about the MTC. I've only been here for two days and I LOVE every single bit of it. Our class teacher is an absolute gem and our district and zone leaders are awesome. My companion is the coolest person ever. He reminds me of Tyler Jensen in the first ward. And the district is a dime also. Oh and the sisters! Almost every sister I've met has the best attitude in the world. They are so kind to everyone and I know that they had to sacrifice way more than us elders. Other than the food, nothing I've experienced so far has been at all negative. The first thing they tell you is that while you're learning you'll be teaching everyone along the way, and that is so true. I'm in branch 31-D which only has 3 districts in it.. So about 20 people. Yesterday my companion and I were made zone leaders! With this awesome responsibility we get to train new missionaries before we leave. In our district we have ASL elders, which means they're deaf. However the very first night we were there they pull us all into their room and taught us how to sign love and beauty. If that doesn't sum up the ASL elders I don't know what will. The first night I was here they put the all the new missionaries in a room with an investigator named Victor. He was an investigator interested in the church and he was studying religion. When it came to the time that the new missionaries to try and convert him to the church, it hit every single missionary that.. well he really knew his stuff.. and we did not. As we journey through the MTC we will learn how to teach with the spirit and hopefully when we meet people like victor in the mission field we will be able to reach out to him and bring him closer to Christ. I found out that I fly out of the MTC on the Tuesday the 14th, and my entire district is flying with us. I've been eager to write you all week and hope that everything at home is alright. I have a lot more to say but I have to finish up laundry and get ready for afternoon classes. If I had to leave you with one spiritual tid-bit, I would have to tell you that after I got out of the car on Wednesday and started walking away, almost immediately I felt the spirit.. and I haven't lost that feeling since that day. I left everything I had to come and help others find their way to the gospel and I know that with him I can be a successful missionary.  .  .