DESTIN!!!

This week was another one of those ones with mixed feelings. To start off the week, I went to my first Zone Training!  It was pretty rad, the Zone Leaders are super cool and taught us a lot about how to become better missionaries.  There were two quotes that I really enjoyed, "You have been drafted into Gods Army, don't take it lightly and fight with all your might" and "No one asks a soldier how many people they have killed, they just thank them for their service.  The same goes with missionaries, no one cares how many people you baptize.  Give it your all and people will thank you for your service"

After Zone Training, I went on my first trade off and of course it was with the Zone Leaders.... but it was awesome!!  I got to go down to Destin with Elder Jones!  We had such a good time and I learned a lot from him!  Destin is absolutely beautiful!  We didn't get to see a lot of stuff, but while we were driving, I couldn't help but take pictures!  Elder Jones is awesome!  He is always so happy and loves everyone, I don't know how he does it, but he does!  We were walking to an appointment and we saw a big group of people smoking and he says "this is going to be fun" and proceeds to walk right up to them and talk with them!  I was boggled at his courage!!  They didn't want to talk to us, but he was still super happy and said "at least we tried."  I hope that one day I can have his outlook and attitude towards things like that.

Coming home from trade offs was were things got pretty rough.  I got a phone call from an 801 area code and thought it was just the Senior Missionaries in our area, so I answered without thinking, come to find out it was my parents!!  I couldn't believe they were calling me!!  But then they told me that my Grandpa had passed away... hearing that was really sad, but peaceful as well.  I am so thankful for the knowledge of the Plan of Salvation and that I can see him again!  It was so good to hear my parents voices telling me that they are proud of me, it gave me an extra boost!

Now I have never had a testimony of life after death until this past week.  I was totally fine with hearing that my grandpa had passed away, until I got back home and looked at my wall, to see a picture of him smiling at me, and I lost it!  I couldn't believe that he was gone and that he wasn't going to be at my homecoming.  So I got down on my knees and prayed.  As I prayed to know if I would see him again, I heard something familiar, the clock from my grandparents house started to chime and I knew that he was okay and watching over me.  The next morning as I was reading out of The Book of Mormon, it was talking about life after death and how those who know the gospel are teaching those who never had the chance to learn more and I thought "GRANDPA IS SERVING A MISSION, JUST LIKE ME!" 

I am so thankful for the power of prayer, the scriptures, and the knowledge of the plan of salvation. God answers your prayers.  I know it!  If you have any questions or doubts, get down on your knees and pray!

I love you all so much and miss you lots!

Elder Schipaanboord

 

Elder Peck wouldn't stop telling me about his dumbbell that he left in his last area and he finally got it!

The road to Destin.

 

Sweet view from an investigators home in Destin.

The road to Crestview.

Found a license plate from Utah and talked to the guy while driving.  We gave him the U sign and he thought we were from Miami, but told him that we were from Utah!  He then told us that he was from Florida... lol we still saw a Utah plate!

Mormon Central at a BBQ that we went to in Crestview.

One of many awesome roads that we get to bike down.

This is what my desk looks like right now.

We were driving down the road at night and almost drove off this... turns out a flood about 3 months ago destroyed this road and they still haven't fixed it!

Bro Daniel Chance.  He is a RM of about a month that would come with us and help teach.  He is leaving for Utah today, so we went to say goodbye before he leaves.