Inspiration to the MAX

Last week for p-day, the day after Christmas, what did we do? Well it was 80 degrees and we live in Panama City, Florida, so we went down to the beach and Pier Park!! It's so crazy how warm it still is here, I honestly miss the snow and mountains so much but the beach was pretty fun I guess! We had the whole zone come down and we all played volleyball and football and just enjoyed the nice weather, it was awesome! Coming together as a zone is honestly so great! I love hanging around missionaries, they are the happiest people I know, and it makes me so happy! Even though I miss home sometimes and the work is hard, I absolutely love it here, I am the happiest that I have ever been and I am growing so much.

This week was great! We had 3 exchanges and I learned so much! I got to go with Elder Gunnell (my old zone leader that I loved so much). Every exchange that I go on, I receive so much inspiration and this week wasn't any different! Elder Gunnell and I get a long so well and we set a lot of goals for the type of people that we want to be and the things that we want to do, it was awesome!  Elder Gunnell is  a very diligent missionary and talks with EVERYONE! It's amazing! That is something that I am going to start doing. One thing he suggested to do is get a sticky note and put it on my planner and write "how many people I walk past without speaking with them" and a question to ponder "how many of those people could have accepted the gospel" and put a tally mark every time I walk past someone. I haven't done it yet, but just thinking about the advice has helped so much. I want to help as many people as I can! I also am wanting to be as obedient as I can. I feel like I am pretty obedient but pretty obedient doesn't bring miracles, so I am really wanting to be exactly obedient with everything! It's gonna be hard and I always hated people that didn't "have fun" but now I realize how important it is to do what is right and still have fun.

I also went on an exchange with Elder Galloway, can you say inspiration?! He and I also get along really really well. He is going home soon, so he and I really set goals to be completely consecrated with the time we have left. We both made an "alter of sacrifice" (a letter) that contained all the things that we were going to sacrifice (disobedience) so that we can truly become the missionaries and people that the Lord wants us to become. One of those things that I put on there was hair. I care wayyyy too much about my hair, so I had Elder Galloway cut it off for me. It was super hard but it has helped a lot! It's crazy how the little things that we hold onto can help us so much if we just let go and move forward; the Lord will shape you into the person that He wants you to become, all you need is a willing heart.

I am so happy for this new year! It's a time of reflecting and goal setting and that's exactly what has been happening here. This was the first year that I ever really set some goals for the type of person that I want to become. I am upset that I didn't do this before, I missed out! I really love what Elder Ballard said about goals, “I am so thoroughly convinced that if we don’t set goals in our life and learn how to master the techniques of living to reach our goals, we can reach a ripe old age and look back on our life only to see that we reached but a small part of our full potential. When one learns to master the principles of setting a goal, he will then be able to make a great difference in the results he attains in this life.” We need to set goals! No one that I know wants to stay the same person, we all want more. Heavenly Father sent us here to improve and grow, not to just sit around and become stagnant, this gospel is a gospel of growth, not comfort! So I encourage you all to sit down and reflect on your life and set goals to help you become that person that you want to become.

  I love y'all so much and thank you for all that you do! Keep on keepin on!

Elder Schipaanboord!