February 29, 2016

Hello!

Sorry for the short email and the late response. But this week was pretty normal. We had a baptism this week which was sweet. My first in the mission! We had a great experience teaching the grandpa how to baptize, but when we actually had the baptism, it didn't work out so well. He tried dunking him 3 times and finally on the fourth he said the prayer right and got him all the way under! So that was the highlight of our week, besides the tornado.. We had a really busy pday and just got out of dinner. We didn't have a chance to write before dinner. Sorry for the short email! Love you a lot and hope all is well!

- Elder Caleb Gibbons

Fwd: Photos of Chancellorsville 3

From: Kenneth Traveller <kdtraveller@gmail.com>
Date: February 23, 2016 at 10:24:08 PM MST
To: undisclosed-recipients:;
Subject: Photos of Chancellorsville 3

After dark on May2, 1863 General Stonewall Jackson was accidently shot in his left arm by his own men.  He was taken by wagon 5 miles west to a field hospital where his left arm was amputated.  He died May 10 from pneumonia.  Attached photos include location and monuments where Gen. Jackson was wounded and the final resting place of Gen. Stonewall Jacksons arm at Ellwood.

Fwd: Photos of Chancellorsville 2

From: Kenneth Traveller <kdtraveller@gmail.com>
Date: February 23, 2016 at 9:57:04 PM MST
To: undisclosed-recipients:;
Subject: Photos of Chancellorsville 2

On May 1 1863 the Chancellor House had been invaded by Union troops.  That night Confederate Generals Robert E. Lee and Stonewall Jackson met to plan an attack on the union troop although they were outnumbered 2 to 1.. They decided to  take half of their troops on a daring 12 mile march to attack the right flank of the Union line.  The plan worked and the Confederates retook Chancellorsville two days later.  The meeting that night turned out to be the last meeting between the two generals.   The attached photos were taken at the location where the generals met and  of cannons used at Hazel Grove and Fairview during the two day battle.

Enjoy,

Ken Traveller

Fwd: Photos of Chancellorsville 1

From: Kenneth Traveller <kdtraveller@gmail.com>
Date: February 23, 2016 at 9:22:40 PM MST
To: undisclosed-recipients:;
Subject: Photos of Chancellorsville 1

On Monday Elders Hudson and Gibbons and I visited the Chancellorsville Civil War Battlefields. They invited the Massaponax Ward Elders Dean and Kelly to come with us. Chancellorsville was not a town or village but one southern farm house at a crossroads 7 miles west of Fredericksburg.  We first visited the visitors Center and remains of the Chancellorsville house. The house was burnt down during the battle. 

Enjoy,

Ken Traveller

Re: Fun week!

Look in the distance of this one^

this was a forge for weaponry back in the day

Poses on poses

So I'll start at the beginning, we worked out an agreement between the neighboring elders to power exchange their area if they power exchange their area. A power exchange is when we go to their area and basically find new people for them to teach. So we did that and ended up finding two really solid people! Then they came to our area and we had a killer day when they did. We ended up teaching more in that day (with their car) than we do in most of our average weeks. It was awesome. We bonded with them and we hang out with them a lot now. The friendships you make on your mission are for life for sure. Basically that is the highlight of the day. Today was awesome! You should get an email from Brother Traveller containing a lot of pictures. Hopefully those with satisfy your curiosity of Virginias history. I've attached some as well. Also we are with the Massaponax elders, the ones who we power exchanged with! It was honestly a great p day. We just got done working out for the night, and I hope I can make this a habit for life. I definitely love working out now... It's starting to become a necessity for me which is awesome.

So I hope all is well at home! Tell me how everything is going! I miss all of you and hope that school is fun! Jacob, that sucks about the wisdom teeth; been there before. Sydney you should see how fast you can make it to school (my record is 6 minutes and 25 seconds). JUST KIDDING. Drive as slow as you can and make sure to always check your blind spots, just drive safe. I've heard about a lot of young girls that have been in car accidents and they are never the same after. Just be careful!! Dude Adam I love your R2-D2, like that is legit I wish I had one. Does that head move and does it talk to you? That would be way cool.. Love you to girls! Hope you guys are still loving life as always! And make sure you eat your veggies. Dad when you get your bike all built try not to crack it in half.. Well I guess if you did that Santa Cruz would just send you another one! Haha but really hope that it is going to turn out. I want to see some pictures of it when it's done! And mom I hope you're telling everyone that I'm baptizing everyday. Jk, but I'm trying as hard as I can. I love you a lot and can definitely feel your love through your emails! Stay healthy and don't drive yourself too crazy with an empty house... Haha I joke a lot.

I love you all! Thanks for your support and love. I'll talk to you next week! Oh and I was able to log onto your Amazon (don't report me), and I put a supplement in your cart. Can you send that to me Also you should order me a blender bottle! I think they're like $7. You don't have to buy me the cream unless you want to send it to me. It's kinda pricey. But I bought a protein powder last week because I'm dead out of the last one you sent me! Anyway I might get on occasionally and put one or two things in the cart. If I do in the future when ever you get on next could you send what ever it is to me? I'll only put the things that I need in it. Thanks! Did I already say I love you guys? Well here's a great scripture from 2nd Nephi:

20 Wherefore, ye must press forward with a steadfastness in Christ, having a perfect brightness of hope, and a love of God and of all men. Wherefore, if ye shall press forward, feasting upon the word
of Christ, and endure to the end, behold, thus saith the Father: Ye shall have eternal life.

21 And now, behold, my beloved brethren, this is the way; and there is none other way nor name given under heaven whereby man can be saved in the kingdom of God. And now, behold, this is the doctrine of Christ, and the only and true doctrine of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost, which is one God, without end. Amen.

Love you all again~

- Elder Caleb Gibbons

Fun week!

This week was probably hands down the most fun week I've had so far.We were able on exchanges with neighboring elders and take advantage of their car. I wish we had a car so badly. We taught more in that couple hours with a car than we did in a day on bikes.. We are going to see some sights with Brother Traveller right now so I will have more pictures and more time to tell you about my week. I love you all and I'll talk to you after I get back!

- Elder Caleb Gibbons

Fwd: Teaching

Sent from somewhere really cool.

Begin forwarded message:

From: Arla Gibbons <gibbons.arla@gmail.com>
Date: February 18, 2016 at 9:43:30 PM MST
To: Paul Gibbons <gibbons.paul@gmail.com>
Subject: Fwd: Teaching

Sent from my iPhone

Begin forwarded message:

From: Kenneth Traveller <kdtraveller@gmail.com>
Date: February 18, 2016 at 9:37:38 PM MST
To: undisclosed-recipients:;
Subject: Teaching

Attached are photos of some of the investigators the Elder taught today.

Enjoy,

Ken Traveller 

Feb. 15, 2016

Hey y'all! This last week wasn't anything special but I do have a miracle! I'll save that for last. We had an elders p-day this last week and were able to play sports with the other elders, and since I've been working out I can feel my body getting into shape. It's a pretty good feeling. Anyway the next two days were rough. We had two of our progressing investigators drop us out of nowhere and that was real tough because they had some strong faith. We didn't let that keep us down though. We were on exchanges and we found new investigators and were able to reach out to people who have dropped us in the past.

So miracle time; Brother Shields, who is getting baptized in March, was gone this last week with his brother and they were driving cross country. Well I guess they had a lot of time to talk, and they brought up religion and by the time he got to Oregon he said he wanted to get baptized! He is planning on flying in on March 12 and being baptized with Brother Shields. It's really amazing to me how missionary work isn't just done by missionaries. An investigator just opened up to his brother and basically bore his testimony and now his brother is joining him! If that isn't a miracle I don't know what is.

Virginia is freezing over and the cold here is very different than the cold in Utah. I love the snow but this snow is just ice haha. So pray for improved weather!

- Elder Caleb Gibbons

Elders

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Kenneth Traveller <kdtraveller@gmail.com>
Date: Sun, Feb 14, 2016 at 4:04 PM
Subject: Elders
To:

My wife has been under the weather with bronchitis so the Elders came by to see her. She was so excited she took their photo and put it on Facebook. They brought their new ZL with them Elder Daybell. 

Ken Traveller

February 8, 2016

Well this last week was very interesting. It started off with a very fun p-day with some of the other elders in our zone. Today will also be an elders p-day.. But we worked normally through the week, and then on Friday had a district meeting. We centered the district meeting on using time wisely and accountability. We had some super fun trainings from the sisters and learned a lot. On Sunday we were able to eat with a very friendly family. Got to know their family better and their kids are adorable. Nothing really important this week happened. Hope all is well at home and hope the cruise went smooth! Much love

- Elder Caleb Gibbons

Transfer week

So apparently transfer week is always slow for the entire mission.  This week we only taught 6 lessons.. Which is a new low for me. We tracted for probably 20 hours and got absolutely nothing. On top of that we had one of our progressing investigators drop us out of the blue. We were unable to stop that from happening. The good news this week is that we got new neighboring elders! Who are super cool and I can tell we will get along great. I got a wicked new gps from an elder who is leaving in a couple days. That will come in handy for when I eventually get a car. Other than that this week has been pretty below average.

Much love from
- Elder Caleb Gibbons