I'm leaving home this week 🌲 #GRATEFUL

Hello hello!! Sister Gibb coming at you from her FINAL WEEKLY EMAIL WHAAAAT I fly home this Thursday, and I am SOOO not ready to say goodbye to being a missionary :((

Goodbyes said: wayyyy too many

Tears shed: wayyyy too many

Loads of woodchips pushed up a hill: 3 💪 

Missionaries in the temple on Friday: At least 30

Memories made over the last 18 months: Many that I will treasure for the rest of my life ❤️

Lets get into this

Mondayyy we had such a great pday!! We went to the top of Mount Erie and hung out eating beef jerky, playing the guitar, and taking fun pictures! And then we got to make gingerbread men at the Miller's for the Friday Harbor apartment Christmas tree :)) after that, we went to the Bukers for dinner that night! Heidi Buker is the light of my life and she gave me a big fuzzy blanket as a going away gift :') and then we went to FHE where we cut out pictures of Jesus for a future FHE project!!

Tuesdayyy we had a super weird day AGH but we made it haha! We started off by having a lesson with Renee!! She got a new puppy and he is SO TINY! It was so sad to say goodbye to her, I love her!! After that, Natalie Phengsavanh from Everett, drove up and took Smithy and I and our comps to Gere-a-deli for lunch before Smithy and I leave!! It was soooo fun to see her, she's the best :) then we did some planning for the CRAZY week ahead! 

I had my FINAL District Council!! It was so wild, I'm going to miss my District so much :( I get to serve with some amazing missionaries. After that, we raced to Debi's and got to meet her husband, Henry!! He was super kind, it was fun to meet him! Then we went to the Turaga's for dinner and had a blast with them and their boys :) and they fed us curry!! Then that night, we got to go to yoga one last time, which was soooo fun!! 

And then we went to Raelyn's for one last lesson together, and she told us she wants to get baptized!!!! She doesn't know when yet, but she made me promise that I'll come back for her baptism. Definitely a miracle!!

Wednesdayyy SO BUSY we spent the day out in La Conner! We started by visiting the Sturgis's, and saying goodbye to them 😭 and John told us that he's going to dig out his Book of Mormon and read it every night before bed :) I'm gonna miss them big time. 

Then we went to Nancy Addison's and helped her in her yard! And I pushed 3 loads of woodchips up a giant hill but now her yard looks NICE. And we got to teach her about the Spirit World, and her beliefs line up perfectly with our doctrine, and it was so cool! The spirit was super strong. 

Then we went to Marianne's and helped her with some wood and then said our goodbyes. I simply adore Marianne and her example to me. I'll miss our philosophical chats, her conversations with God, and her stories of when she worked at Trader Joe's. 

We went to dinner at The Oczkewicz for one last time and had an absolute blast. 5 kids and 7 missionaries in one home makes for a wild night haha! Then that night we stopped by volleyball one last time too, which was super fun! We were EXHAUSTED but we made it through the day!

Thursdayyy HAPPY THANKSGIBBING EVERYONE!!! We started the day with one last Social Media split! We got everything ready for Christmas for when we leave, which is wild!! Then we drove back to Anacortes and made some pumpkin muffins to give to people!! Then it was time to EAT!! We went to the Bethke's for dinner! They're returning members who are going to the temple this week to receive their endowments and to be sealed!! I adore them, and the food was soooo delicious!! So many things to be grateful for :))) We went and visited with Ann one last time! I'm going to miss her and her quilting stories! And then we made some visits and called the fam bam for thanksGIBBing hehe it was a great day full of gratitude!!

Fridayyy was a CRAZY day because we had the departing temple trip!!!! So we dropped Sister Pettit off with some lovely sisters in Mount Vernon, and then me, Sister Smith, and Sister Bayless drove down to Mill Creek! And I got to drive 😎 oh how I've missed it!! We all met at the Mission Office with our HUGE outgoing group (we're talking like 30 missionaries) and drove to the temple!! 

We got to ride with President and Sister Oakes in the party bus and it was a good time :) when we got to the temple, we ran into the Leo family from the Mill Creek Ward!! It was sooo awesome to see them!! And then we also saw 2 of our favorite members from the Silver Lake YSA Ward, Sean Tate and Jonathan Dallon!! It was a total tender mercy! We had a great temple session and afterwards we got to meet with the Temple President and his wife! So that was super cool, and we got to just ask them questions about the temple! Super cool experience, and now I'm completely convinced to become a temple worker! 

Afterwards, we got to go to Chickfila which was a blast and a half! On the way back we explained slang to President and Sister Oakes and jammed to youth albums lol. We had a 2 hour drive back to pick up Sister Pettit, which was FOREVERRRR but we got her haha! That night we stopped at the Arringtons because their boys were taking some boxes back to Utah for me #BLESSINGS and then went to the Flores's! It was SUCH a long day but it was so fun :))

Saturdayyy we had lunch with Debi!! She wanted to take us and the Elders out so we went to a cute restaurant and I gave her a marked up Book of Mormon with my testimony in it :) I adore Debi and she said I can stay at her house anytime I need to :))) then we did some finding downtown and said goodbye to all our friends who own little shops and stuff. Then we went to Kathy's and said goodbye to her, and had a great visit!! Please pray that Kathy will be able to make it to church, she wants to come so badly! 

Then we went to Barbara's to say goodbye and she had me help her with some tall person stuff one last time like changing light bulbs and hanging pictures haha! That night we went to dinner with the Markhams!! I LOVE THEIR FAMILY!! I'm besties with their kids haha!

Sundayyy my FINAL Sunday as a missionary!! It was SO WEIRD haha! We got to church and I just sobbed through the Sacrament because I was just so insanely grateful for the past year and a half, and for how I've come to know my Savior. I got to bear my testimony in the Fidalgo Island Ward and said goodbye to so many wonderful people, which was so hard. I have grown to love this place and these people more than I ever thought I could. Then I had the opportunity to speak in the YSA Ward! There were some hiccups in the program, so they told me to speak for as looooooong as I wanted to. And I had the coolest experience of having the words put in my mouth by the Spirit. I don't really remember what I spoke about, but there were so many people that thanked me afterwards for the things I said. And I know it wasn't me that said them, it was definitely the Spirit. I'm so grateful that I was in a place where I could be prepared to be a messenger for the Lord at the pulpit. Sister Pettit was having a pretty rough day, so we took some time after church to work through some things, which was really good. If you could all keep her in your prayers, that would be amazing :)) 

Then we went to the Elizondo's for dinner, and I just ADORE them!! They offered me a nanny job for next summer haha so catch me moving back to Anacortes for a bit 😎 

Then we went to say goodbye to Sister Swain who is one of my BESTIES and she's gonna come to Utah and do yoga with me hehehehe. That night we had Mission Devotional which was weird to think it was my last one! 

Today is ZONE PDAY WOOO we're having brunch all together and then having a pickleball tournament! 

OKAY LETS GET SPIRITUAL 

*One last time

My mission has been the greatest gift that's ever been given to me. I can't even begin to summarize all that I've learned, the spiritual experiences I've had, and the love I've felt for complete strangers. But more importantly, I couldn't be more grateful for my Savior, Jesus Christ. 

As I've read and studied his teachings and his words, I've felt the spirit testify to me of their truth. And as I've applied His doctrine into my life, REALLY practiced it, I have found more joy than I've ever experienced before. Jesus is REAL. His gospel is worth living. Helaman 5:12 tells us if we build our foundation on Christ, we cannot fall. Things in our lives change, things in the Church change, we change, but Jesus is constant. He never leaves us, his doctrine never fails us, and he is with you every step of the way.

Take the time to learn about him and I promise your life will be better. Jesus himself makes a powerful promise to us in Matthew 16

24 ¶ Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me. 

25 For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: and whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it.

I have found my purpose as I've served the Lord. I've found understanding in the scriptures. I've found a deeper love for God's children. I've found true joy, and rest. Give it all to the Savior and he will multiply whatever you have to give. I've seen it time and time again in my life. He makes our small offering greater than we ever could have imagined. I love my Savior, I've loved my mission, and I am so sad to leave. But I'm excited to apply what I've learned into my discipleship and see what comes next :))

Also! You're all invited to my homecoming on December 10th!! 

See you on Thursday!

I love you all a WashingTON ❣️ 

Sister Gibb