March 2016 PPI

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Caleb Gibbons <cgibbons@myldsmail.net>
Date: Mon, Mar 14, 2016 at 10:01 PM
Subject: Re: Quickie
To: Paul Gibbons <gibbons.paul@gmail.com>, Arla Gibbons <gibbons.arla@gmail.com>

So I copied and pasted the format. I'll be using that every month from now on. And this took me about two hours to type...

What's on your "mission" Bucket List? 

I don't want to feel like I'm just going through the motions. I want to be fully engaged in the work and feel like when I'm done I have successfully completed my mission.

Long-term Goals (for your life; beyond your mission):

I want to be able to maintain friendships from my mission. The mission has definitely opened me up more. I'm able to relate to people easier and I don't want to just end my mission and close the book on all those people. I want to have a ever lasting mission is you will.

Spiritual – How can you preserve your testimony and build testimony in others (including your wife and kids)?  Are you learning to love unconditionally and without judgement?

As a missionary I've taught my self to pray A LOT which isn't a bad thing. I've honestly prayed more in my mission so far than I have in the past year.. It's definitely helped me come closer to God and have a better relationship with him. I've seen my testimony already triple in strength. Before I came out I was honestly struggling a little. I've seen more people in rougher situations that have given up a lot more than I have to stay in the faith. That has helped me grow a ton. I've also learned to love the members of the ward. Some are really hard to love, but they are a blessing!

Educational – How are you gaining confidence through your personal study to succeed in school when you get home?

I've had a hard time trying to actually engage myself in my studies lately. I've been trying to help my self get immersed in the Book of Mormon and I usually end up going off in tangents. Someone out here said something very interesting at a training. He said that you can flip through the Book of Mormon and the Gospels as much as you want but you need to be searching for yourself and your investigators not just to learn the materials. He said that if you do that you will have a better time teaching with the spirit than if you just try to memorize the discussions. That is what I've been trying to work on lately and it's been helping somewhat.

Temporal / Personal Development – Are you aware of your talents and gifts so that you have some direction when you get home from your mission?  What are your talents, gifts, and abilities?

I've been working on my social aspect of my attitude. I never figured out how to have a lot of friends and keep them around. I want to be able to have a great personal connection with everyone I meet. Even after my mission I want to be able to take the skills I've learned out here and use them to make everlasting relationships. 

Social - What attributes are you looking for in your future wife?  Are you becoming someone that your ideal girl will be attracted to?

Honestly the more and more I relate to sister missionaries the less and less I want to marry one after the mission. However I don't want to marry a girl who doesn't have any values. So being only 4 months on the mission I don't want to make that judgement right now. I'm sure that I will develop those attributes for her later on in my mission.

Physical Health - Are you confident in your own ability to eat and exercise such that you can and will maintain a healthy body?

I am actually very happy with my self right now. I'm able to eat pretty healthy for the most part out here. A lot of that is because I'm able to use some money from home to get good food! I can barely buy enough food with the msf to keep my weight down. My companion wants to do a juice cleanse to help lose some extra weight. The only un healthy food I have to eat is at members houses. Virginians usually eat poorly with a lot of saturated fat. It bugs me because I've always been raised in a home where there are greens on the table, but dinners now are mostly deep fried foods. Very rarely do I get a healthy meal, when I do I savor it. I've been working out every night now for about two months, it's kept me healthy and improved my shape. I'm continuing it and hopefully I'll be able to stay in this habit most of my mission. 

Short-term Goals (mission goals; monthly targets): 

Where I'm at right now is a very difficult place in the mission. Everyone that we talk to either has no internet or doesn't want to change. I've accepted the fact that Fredericksburg will be slow, so as long as I'm teaching I'll be happy. My goal is to get members out to most of the lessons and to invite everyone we teach to the next ordinance.

Spiritual - What specific things are you doing to strengthen your testimony?

I've been praying a lot and it has been helping my testimony. I want to keep that going for the entire mission. I've completely changed my view of God and Jesus Christ. I feel like I've been able to develop a personal relationship with both of the. I've seen their hands in my life more and more in the mission field, and its strengthened my testimony a lot. 

Educational - What topic are you going to come to fully understand?

Right now I'm working on the Book of Mormon. Why it is so important to our religion and how to get people to read it. In my personal study I've been able to realize that the Book of Mormon is the ultimate conversion tool. It had been meticulous tool throughout the generations to be given to us. I'm still working on the deep doctrine of the Book of Mormon and it is almost unbelievable that people won't believe in it. There is absolutely no way that book is false. My testimony of the book is stronger than ever now.

Temporal / Personal Development - What are you able to learn from members you observe?  What about companions?  What about your mission president?

I love the members out here to death but they are such flakes. They will feed us and begrudgingly go on splits with us and I see their lack of motivation and it is quite annoying. I'm use to Utah Mormons who are always motivated and stand strong to their faith. This next month we will be trying to get the ward excited about missionary work. Elder Giddings is convinced that members are the key to getting people converted. I'm excited to see where it goes. And as far as companions go, I've been able to learn patience. I think that is a key trait that I have acquired out here. It will definitely help me with my future spouse. The mission president is a great leader. He loves the missionaries and cares about us very much. However he is getting ready to go home and the mission is getting really messy right now. I'm excited to see the changes that the new mission president has to offer.

Social - What random act of kindness are you engaged in?

I feel like I've been able to help members in the ward like missionaries more. Also, I see this with investigators. I don't want to sound prideful but some of these people have opened up to me more than the last elders. I feel like I've been able to gain their trust, as well as their friendships.

Physical Health - What are you doing currently to take care of yourself?

Working out every night has me kept in better shape. Also I've been trying really hard to eat better.

***
Living up to your potential / talents:

Practicing the piano is something I want to work on again. I've regained some of the hymns that I've lost. I want to get it back.

What tasks have you accomplished this week toward meeting your goals? -

I work hard and have a great attitude.

What items do you recognize in yourself that need work? -

I still have a short fuse. A lot of things that other missionaries do (mainly sisters) just make me angry.

Are you honest with yourself when you look inward and evaluate?

I feel like I am. I've had a more positive view about myself ever since I've been out here. It's helped with my self esteem and my humility.

How's your testimony?

Strong. It's stronger now than it's ever been. You become way more spiritual on your mission and it helps your testimony a lot.

Do you feel successful as a missionary?

I feel like I have my days and I don't. I love teaching but I feel like I've been lacking in my studies. I'm honestly probably never going to be at 100% but I'm okay with that. I love being able to meet new people and share my beliefs with them. Everyone is unique and every teaching situation is different.

How much time are you taking to "be still" and consider your mission and your development?

I haven't, but now that I've thought about it I want more "meditation time". It may help me be more in tune with the spirit. I'll try it and get back to you next month.

What is one item that you can do today to improve yourself?

I can work on my spending. I want to try and create a budget for myself and stay with in it. Especially with food. That is something I'm going to work on more and more and see if I can stay within the budget. 

How can Mom and I help you?  What do you need from us?

I can't think of anything right now. Thank you for this. I love continuing these, it's given me a chance to open up not only to myself but to you as well. 

"If spiritual growth is not a priority in our lives, if we are not on a course of steady improvement, we will miss out on the important experiences that God wants to give us."

-Elder Larry L. Lawrence, October 2015

Thank you for all your support. I love you guys more than words. And can you believe I'm already almost 4 months out? Anyway, I'm keeping you in my prayers and in my thoughts. Thanks a ton for your support. 

Much love from your missionary~

- Elder Caleb Gibbons

On Mar 14, 2016, at 10:35 PM, Paul Gibbons <gibbons.paul@gmail.com> wrote:

Here's a format that you should recognize:

What's on your "mission" Bucket List? 
Long-term Goals (for your life; beyond your mission):
Spiritual – How can you preserve your testimony and build testimony in others (including your wife and kids)?  Are you learning to love unconditionally and without judgement?
Educational – How are you gaining confidence through your personal study to succeed in school when you get home?
Temporal / Personal Development – Are you aware of your talents and gifts so that you have some direction when you get home from your mission?  What are your talents, gifts, and abilities?
Social - What attributes are you looking for in your future wife?  Are you becoming someone that your ideal girl will be attracted to?
Physical Health - Are you confident in your own ability to eat and exercise such that you can and will maintain a healthy body?

Short-term Goals (mission goals; monthly targets): 
Spiritual - What specific things are you doing to strengthen your testimony?
Educational - What topic are you going to come to fully understand?
Temporal / Personal Development - What are you able to learn from members you observe?  What about companions?  What about your mission president?
Social - What random act of kindness are you engaged in?
Physical Health - What are you doing currently to take care of yourself?
***
Living up to your potential / talents:

What tasks have you accomplished this week toward meeting your goals? -
What items do you recognize in yourself that need work? -
Are you honest with yourself when you look inward and evaluate?
How's your testimony?

Do you feel successful as a missionary?

How much time are you taking to "be still" and consider your mission and your development?

What is one item that you can do today to improve yourself?
How can Mom and I help you?  What do you need from us?

On Mon, Mar 14, 2016 at 11:43 AM, Caleb Gibbons <cgibbons@myldsmail.net> wrote:

Send questions for PPI! Love you

- Elder Caleb Gibbons

On Mar 14, 2016, at 12:31 PM, Paul Gibbons <gibbons.paul@gmail.com> wrote:

That is quick.  Take care.

On Mon, Mar 14, 2016 at 10:27 AM, Caleb Gibbons <cgibbons@myldsmail.net> wrote:

I'm good.

- Elder Caleb Gibbons

> On Mar 14, 2016, at 8:53 AM, Paul Gibbons <gibbons.paul@gmail.com> wrote:
>
> How are you?
>
> Sent from somewhere really cool.