Easter Week!

This week was awesome. We started out slow but as we continued working
we saw the work speed up tremendously. We started showing the new
Easter video that the church put out and it is really getting some
attention. Most of this week consisted of us walking and knocking.
Pretty boring but it really gets fun when you meet some new people.
Yesterday we had a special Easter Sunday program and President and
Sister Wilson  showed up as guest speakers. It was a real treat to
hear from them. As far as investigators go, we don't have any super
solid progressing investigators but I have faith that we will find
some soon.

That's awesome you guys are reading up on Virginia history. It is
really cool to learn about and I keep learning! History is the artist
that paints the present and future.


I'm reading right now out of the new testament and found an awesome
scripture I want to share with all of you:
Romans 8:24 For we are saved by hope: but hope that is seen is not
hope: for what a man seeth, why doth he yet hope for? 25 But if we
hope for that we see not, then do we with patience wait for it.

Love you all. Thanks for the love and support. Talk to you next week!

- Elder Caleb Gibbons

Fwd: Photos at the Rising Sun Tavern in Fredericksburg

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Kenneth Traveller <kdtraveller@gmail.com>
Date: Sun, Mar 27, 2016 at 2:44 PM
Subject: Photos at the Rising Sun Tavern in Fredericksburg
To: Arla Gibbons <gibbons.arla@gmail.com>

We also visited the Rising Sun Tavern last Monday.

The Rising Sun Tavern was build by George Washington's younger brother Charles in 1760 as his home.  In 1792 it became a tavern, operating as a stop over for travelers in Fredericksburg. The colonial-era tavern provided lodging and food for people who were traveling much like a hotel does today. It was a popular stop for many, including James Madison, Thomas Jefferson, George Mason and John Paul Jones. It was also the site of George Washington's great reception after the Battle of Yorktown.

Note how low the door openings are.

 

The last two photos are the Elders doing humanitarian work at the Safe Harbor Child Advocacy Center.

Enjoy,

Ken Traveller

Fwd: Photos at Apothecary Shop in Fredericksburg

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Kenneth Traveller <kdtraveller@gmail.com>
Date: Sun, Mar 27, 2016 at 2:15 PM
Subject: Photos at Apothecary Shop in Fredericksburg
To: Arla Gibbons <gibbons.arla@gmail.com>

We visited the Apothecary Shop in Fredericksburg last Monday.

Hugh Mercer Apothecary was a pharmacy founded by Hugh Mercer around 1760.  Originally from Scotland he met Colonel George Washington in Pennsylvania during the French and Indian War.  He later moved to Fredericksburg on Washington's advice to practice medicine and operated the Apothecary Shop. Leeches, lancets, snakeroots, and crab claws made up just some of the remedies. His patients included George Washington's mother Mary Washington.

Enjoy,

Ken Traveller

Weird week.

I'll be straight with y'all. This week I've taught more odd and
strange lessons than I ever had in mission so far. We took a member
out with us one night and we just kept having weird experiences! We
kept teaching people in strange situations. Anyway I kept teaching and
finished the week with less-strange lessons. Anyway I enjoy these
weird weeks that I have out here. I know they help me build character
in my self and the work.

We've been working with the ward council lately trying to push
missionary work in the ward. The reason we've been doing this is
because people who have member friends are instantly warm welcomed to
the ward. Every person who is baptized has a member friend that has
fellow shipped them. Anyway it's something we've been trying out and
hopefully we will be able to see some people come to the kingdom.

I hope all is well at home. I love you all and hope that everyone is
staying healthy.
'Till next week,

- Elder Caleb Gibbons

A stone's throw away

Begin forwarded message:

From: Kenneth Traveller <kdtraveller@gmail.com>
Date: March 14, 2016 at 9:10:33 PM MDT
To: Arla Gibbons <gibbons.arla@gmail.com>, cgibbons@myldsmail.net
Subject: Video throwing stone

Here is Elder Gibbons' attempt to throw a rock across the Rappahannock River

Fwd: Ferry Farm Photos

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Arla Gibbons <gibbons.arla@gmail.com>
Date: Mon, Mar 14, 2016 at 9:19 PM
Subject: Fwd: Ferry Farm Photos
To: Paul Gibbons <gibbons.paul@gmail.com>, gibbons.paul.letters2caleb@blogger.com

Sent from my iPhone

Begin forwarded message:

From: Kenneth Traveller <kdtraveller@gmail.com>
Date: March 14, 2016 at 8:57:15 PM MDT
To: Arla Gibbons <gibbons.arla@gmail.com>, Ao1hudson@hotmail.com, jennifer hudson <jenna.k.hudson@gmail.com>, Gnarlybrah56@gmail.com, cgibbons@myldsmail.net
Subject: Ferry Farm Photos

On Elder Hudson's last Monday here he, Elder Gibbons and I spent the morning at Ferry Farm.  Ferry Farm is George Washington's boyhood home place. It is just a mile down the river from Chatham. This is where he chopped down a cherry tree and couldn't tell a lie. He also threw a stone or silver across the river here. The farm house was destroyed over time.  They have found its location and have just begun to restore it. 

Enjoy,

Ken Traveller 

Fwd: PPI 2

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Caleb Gibbons <cgibbons@myldsmail.net>
Date: Mon, Mar 14, 2016 at 11:29 AM
Subject: PPI 2
To: Arla Gibbons <gibbons.arla@gmail.com>, Dad <gibbons.paul@gmail.com>


So this last transfer was pretty fun. I decided though, it is horrible
when you have to kill off a missionary. We have a term in the mission
called "being trunky" and when you are getting ready to go home it
started hitting missionaries and they get trunked out. So my last
companion about 4 weeks out, he got super trunky. He had no motivation
and it was hard to get him to work. I felt like I was dragging a dead
dog out of the doorway haha. But we did have a ton of fun the last
transfer. He wanted to end his mission having fun and making good
memories, and I think we were able to do that successfully! Anyway,
the new companion I have is super hardworking but is a down to earth
guy, he weighs about 40 pounds heavier than me and that puts me at a
disadvantage during basketball. But he is a super friendly guy. He
needs to be broken into the ward a little better, but other than that
he loves his mission and is ready to work. So I'm pretty excited!

Email me any questions while I have wifi and I'll answer them. Thanks! Love you!

- Elder Caleb Gibbons

First Baptism!

Man this week was full of hot and colds. On one hand I watched my
trainer leave and it was pretty hard for me. On the other hand I got a
new companion, Elder Giddings! We met at transfer meeting and we're
best friends already. So I'm not sure if the whole family knows yet,
but this transfer was interesting. We ended up moving the sisters out
of the area and we combined with them. So now we are over the entire
Fredericksburg Ward. It's pretty exciting! I've always wanted to
proselyte in downtown Fredericksburg! Anyway it's been a pretty big
adventure for us because when the sisters left we also inherited the
car and apartment. It's been very fun for us! So we don't have any
wifi near our place so we have to come to the church from now on to
email, which is okay because we don't live that far away from it.

So two days ago we finally got John Shields baptized! It was awesome
because you can tell he was extremely happy that he finally got
baptized. His brother flew out from Oregon and got baptized with him.
It was probably the coolest baptism that I will have on my mission
because they both got baptized together and they have been waiting
forever for it. Unfortunately Elder Hudson didn't get a chance to
witness the baptism. They facetimed him after so he was able to talk
to them both. Anyway that's all for me! I hope that you all are
staying safe and warm especially since it is spring time! I'm so happy
to hear from all of you. I'll send a PPI when I can.

Your Virginia Rebel-

- Elder Caleb Gibbons

Fwd: Chatham Photos 2

Begin forwarded message:

From: Kenneth Traveller <kdtraveller@gmail.com>
Date: March 13, 2016 at 8:46:37 PM MDT
To: undisclosed-recipients:;
Subject: Chatham Photos 2

More photos at Chatham

Fwd: Chatham Photos 1

Begin forwarded message:

From: Kenneth Traveller <kdtraveller@gmail.com>
Date: March 13, 2016 at 8:32:00 PM MDT
To: undisclosed-recipients:;
Subject: Chatham Photos 1

Two Mondays ago we visited Chatham, a southern plantation home just across the Rappahannock River from Fredericksburg.  It was built in 1771  just before the Revolutionary War.  It was damaged during the Civil War and served as a Union Army headquarters and hospital. Chatham was visited by George Washington, Abraham Lincoln, Thomas Jefferson and Robert E. Lee.

See attached photos.  The old tree in the photos is actually around 200 years old.

Enjoy,

Ken Traveller  

Fwd: New Companion

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Kenneth Traveller <kdtraveller@gmail.com>
Date: Wed, Mar 9, 2016 at 5:50 AM
Subject: New Companion
To: Arla Gibbons <gibbons.arla@gmail.com>

Elder Gibbons got a new companion yesterday. He is Elder Geddings from Blanding Utah and he has been out for 18 months. See attached photo.

Thanks for sharing your son,

Kenneth Traveller

NEW ADDRESS

The new address you will be sending stuff is:
3001 magnolia glen #304
Fredericksburg, VA 22407

- Elder Caleb Gibbons

Starting my third transfer!

So this weeks wraps up my training. What a crazy 12 weeks. But on top of my becoming a regular missionary, my trainer is going home! Man it is so hard to be trained by a dying missionary... He was an excellent trainer and definitely a great missionary. This last week was basically us just going around to visit members and investigators to say goodbye. My highlight of the week was getting called. The AP's called my phone and told me that I was moving apartments and getting the entire Fredericksburg ward area! Which is something I've been praying about for a long time. The ward members here are truly special and this was probably the best Ward for me to be trained in. So on top of finding out we got the entire area, Elder Sopp (in charge of mission vehicles) called us and told us that we were getting a car! So this week I get to lead an entire area with my new companion. I'm super excited. This P-Day is Zone P-Day, which means the entire zone gets together and plays sports. So I will be taking Elder Hudson out for lunch to say goodbye and going to that. I will respond to your individual emails later I promise! And today is PPI day so I will do that too! Thanks for the love and support and hope all is well! I will email you later today when I can.

Brother Shields is the picture in the middle. He is standing with his wife.

- Elder Caleb Gibbons