Family

Our children love each other enough to get together in May and June.  We are especially thinking of you all as the birth of the Bishop baby is near.   The three baby goslings in our complex were hatched in May and the father has been protecting and the mother nurturing.  They even had a family reunion a few weeks later....

 Here are those babies in July....

Elder Gibson's Birthday

The end of May we participated in a 5 hour 20 minute Fast and Testimony Meeting in Sumter, South Carolina, with 3 zones.

 President and Sister McConkie kept an amazing pace around the mission finishing Zone Conferences, Firesides and other assignments.  At their last Zone Conference which was held in Columbia, they were presented with appreciations including a quilt made by the sisters in the Mission Office with quilt blocks made by missionary couple sisters in the mission.

Sister McConkie has a mission tradition of "cutting the ties" as each elder leaves the mission.  Current

missionaries donated their ties en mass at the last Zone Conferences of the McConkie reign.   

Returning home, we celebrated Elder Gibson's birthday.

The "cake" was cherry vanilla ice cream with a cookie sent by Patty.  Dad still added milk!!!

His birthday and Father's Day were great days having heard from family and feeling loved. 

Miracles

We are so grateful for the opportunity to share the message of the restored gospel.  The single sailors are coming in groups of twelve now and they are bringing friends.  One will baptized on the 14th and he is a wonderful young man.  There are people prepared and He is putting them in our path.  In asking permission to take a picture of a blossom on his tree, Larry was happy for us to do so and presented Sister Gibson with a beautiful magnolia blossom.  They have a subtle scent and are so amazing to see.

Wedding Day 29 April

Not realizing it was the day of the "big wedding", Carol woke up early to do some computer work before heading for a day of service at the NMCRS and discovered what was happening in the world.  There was a humble beautiful spirit with those two young leaders of England.  The only part that was sad was the words, "til death do you part."  We took this picture of the Columbia Temple the day before.

Trip to Columbia

We needed to get a quilt block to the Mission Office by May 1, so we headed to drop it off and enjoyed the Temple.

the Coventry Green Geese

Our apartment complex has two resident geese who just produced two little goslings.  Dad would go out for his morning jog and the geese would fly overhead with loud honks, go past the pond and the Dad Goose would land on the roof as to stand watch and looked like a big weathervane.  The Mom Goose cares with her three little babies.  Sometimes they head to the other pond for a new adventure.

Except for the Alligators

And now every day we see at least one and sometimes two alligators with their noses up and sometimes their backs in the two areas of the lake we pass by as we walk.  There is no love for this creation by Sister Gibson.

Gratitude for Creations

After returning from a temple session, our walks create even more gratitude for our Heavenly Father as we see all his creations in a new light.  The little turtles always in their same place sunning at the side of the pond, the squirrels always hopping from tree to tree, the leaves growing bigger and filling in and causing our path to seem more private, the bluebirds and the cardinals flitting from branch to branch all say thanks to Him who created us all.

April Graduation

 Another wonderful time to celebrate with sailors graduating from Power School of the Naval Nuclear Power Training Command.  It had rained that morning, but seemed to have taken a break as we drove to the compound.  Upon arriving we found all the outside chairs empty and everyone heading inside to the Bowman Center.  After setting up for a third of the students to graduate here and sending the Officers to the Rickover Auditorium and putting the last third on hold outside the room, it was announced that we were actually all heading back outside. They rushed through the speaker's remarks, honors/awards and passing out of diplomas to 435 students.  The rain began to come down - the umbrellas popped open - and the Chaplain gave a hurried benediction on a wonderful day.

Spring is here!

Oh, how lovely was the morning!  Radiant beamed the sun above.  Bees were humming, sweet birds singing, music ringing thru the ... trees....This morning we heard so many beautiful birds speaking and answering.  We saw a beautiful cardinal and saw and heard many others.  Squirrels were hopping everywhere.  The azaleas, dogwood and everything - everywhere was amazing. Oh, how much our Heavenly Father loves us!                                     

A Blessing

It’s taken some time to be able to discuss this, but a few months ago we came out of church Sunday afternoon, loaded books, etc. into the car, said goodbye to some sailors; and headed home.  About a half mile from the church, about by the Piggly Wiggly there was the sound of a “clunk” on the top of the car roof – “What? Did we hit a bird?  Did a bird hit us?  Did I imagine I heard something?”  No, Mom heard it too and looked back and saw nothing of note.  So about a mile later, Mom says, “I think we should call Matt to remind him about the meeting tonight….”  I immediately hit the brakes and made a quick U-turn – headed back to the Piggly – to SEARCH FOR OUR PHONE!!  Now that “clunk” made sense.  I had left the iphone on top of the car at the church while taking off my jacket and waving and speaking to the sailors.

Our mission “lives” were on that phone…!  Worst fears were confirmed as we saw a flat black object right in the middle of the road across from the Pig.  I pulled over and hurried to retrieve the remains.  Luckily, traffic was light.  But imagine our relief as I held up “the remains” to show Mom – an old black sock!  OK, back to the car to continue the search…, BUT “what!?” the search was over?!  As I approached the car I saw it, there just at the top of the back window – where it had first “clunked” from the roof, but where it had “stuck” thanks to the sticky grip texture of the cover Darin had picked up for us when we first got the phone – and where the air flow had not been enough to “clunk” it again, and where we were granted a tender mercy.  We laughed – and laughed – and gave many thanks – and smiled at the thought of it ever since.

                                                                                                                                  

Changes from Summer to Winter

  Walks:

Graduations:

The best part of winter - NO ALLIGATORS at the lake, just Egrets in the trees and railings and lake, Heron, Pelicans, Geese and so many kinds of ducks:

Joy to the World

We know our Savior lives - He is God's own Son.

Thankful for His gift to all - with Him each battle's won.

As we ponder the Atonement at this season of the year;

In him there is all peace - with Him there is no fear!

 A missionary Christmas is very special.  President McConkie told the Elders to not wish they were home for Christmas as they had opportunity to serve Him and feel the blessings.

D & C 100:1...Verily, thus saith the Lord unto you, my friends Elder and Sister Gibson, your families are well; they are in mine hands, and I will do with them as seemeth me good; for in me there is all power.

Sister Gibson find comfort - she knows it is right to leave family in His hands - in Him is all might.

Elder Gibson is blessed with the perfect companion.  With her inspiration he could hike the Grand Canyon:  So, we on the evening of 24th December watched the DVD "Joy to the World" and went to bed grateful for the Babe born in Bethlehem and for our precious children and theirs. Then Christmas Day we opened our gifts and then headed to the Grand Canyon - i.e....the Ravenel Bridge.  We left the Crowfield Plantation area and headed to Mt. Pleasant were we enjoyed a couple of hours walking "the bridge".  It was a beautiful, fun day. 



Looking north from the Charleston side off of East Bay.





Our view of Patriots Point and Fort Sumter in the distance.



And on Sunday, December 26th, we had SNOW!