Navajo Code 5/27

       Yaa Teeh!

       So the holiday through the emailing off. All well. :)

       Monday for P-day we went down and played two games of ultimate. Always fun. There was a good wind blowing though which did make it kinda hard. But it was still fun. Then we got to teach one of our recent converts. He is just soaking everything up like a sponge!

       Tuesday we did a lot of walking 1) so more people could see us and 2) so we could contact people on the street. No one else seemed to be walking... lame. Then we were driving around and I need to text someone. So I'm texting and next thing I know I almost have to pull my head out of the dash board because Elder Rushton saw some chairs on the side of the road so he hit the brakes kinda fast... I will say the chairs aren't half bad. :)

       Wednesday I went on exchanges down in Bloomfield with Elder Hullinger. We helped someone move for the first half of the day. Then we went out and tried a few people. Best part of it all though is that it's a biking area! Score! I miss biking!

       Thursday we had district meeting and lunch as a zone. We played the game of don't let ball touch the ground. Oh wow... that game can get a little crazy. Elder Rushton and I had both come down with a cold so we came home and took a nap. We then had dinner and went to basketball night. The people that play here are really good! wow...

       Friday we went and saw some less actives. We taught one family were the kids are OBSESSED with going to the temple. We did a lesson using the three cups and three knifes (CPR cups) and they loved it. At the end we were about to say the closing prayer when one of the kids said, "WAIT!!! WE HAVE TO PUT A PICTURE OF THE TEMPLE IN THE MIDDLE OF THE FLOOR! WE HAVE TO DO IT SO WE CAN GO TO THAT TEMPLE!!!" Oh that kid is funny and awesome all at the same time!

       Saturday we did a lot of walking again. A lot of walking. We walked for most of the afternoon. We then had dinner then we had an appointment with a less active guy. We watched a Mormon Message then talked about overcoming trials.

       Sunday was great! We had church then we headed over to my recent convert family in Flora Vista! The mom Rachael asked if I could give her a blessing. It was SOOOOOOOOOOOO wonderful to see them again. We talked then I gave her a blessing then we got to talk a little more. She is going through some ruff stuff right now. That family means so much to me! I just love them so much!

       Monday we just stayed home and did stuff around the house. I wrote letters and finished my essays for BYU. I also got them check by an English major who is going to go teach at TCU. So all I have to do now is re-write them one last time and send them in! Yeah!!! Then we had dinner with a family at the park. We played a few games with them. The main on was the one with a small white ball and two bigger balls that you try to throw and get closest to the white ball, what ever the name is. :)

       Today we just got back from MLC. So good! We learned how to correct with love and how to be better examples of exact obedience!

       So there's my week! Until next time, Hagoonee'!

Elder Chipman

Pictures coming soon!

Navajo Code 5/19

       Yaa Teeh!

       So the title for this week is going to be villains week......

       Monday we went up to Mesa Verde with our Ward Mission Leader and went to the cliff palace. Pretty cool. I was worried because I thought there were large ladders we were going to have to climb. We aren't supposed to be on ladders. Well I prayed about it and got a really neat spiritual confirmation that it would be ok. So we went. There were ladders but they were quite small and I'm sure they were ok. What a magnificent experience!

       Tuesday we went to Crane's Roost, the assisted living center. We helped them serve lunch. Those older people are funny and we are excited to go back this week and play bingo with them. Then we got to go visit Josh, a recent convert. We talked about the importance of scripture study. We watched a Mormon message about Elder Holland testifying of the Book of Mormon. Think about this for a second.... Elder Holland + Testifying of the Book of Mormon + Big Flat screen TV + Surround Sound = PURE AWESOMENESS!!!!

       Wednesday I was on exchanges in Escrito with Elder Meng. He has some bad headaches during the day so President has given him permission to wear his sun glasses while tracking. So we go to this house and get out and walk toward this Navajo that is outside. He sees us walk up and Elder Meng goes to shake his hand when the guy steps back and makes a fist like he is going to punch Elder Meng. We take a step back and the guy asks, "You FBI?" LOL!!! Oh shoot, that is the first time that has ever happened to me. So we explained who we were and why we were there and ended up getting two new investigators out of it. Funny enough when we were leaving in the back of his truck he had this really nice decked out rifle. He even offered to let me hold it... If only I wasn't on a mission. All well, a mission is better. So we drive around and then we need to go back to the house for something. So we push HOME on our GPS right, no problem. So we start driving then we see the way we came in isn't the same we the GPS was taking us. We change routes and it tells to go a different way that goes around the back of the house then out to the main road then to the house instead of just straight to the house. So we ignore it until we get to the main road. The house is just a half mile to the left of our turn off, simple right? Not for the GPS, it tells to turn right, take another right back to were we were and go behind the house and come on to the main road a mile away from the house and then drive in. WOW...... I hope I never need to use that GPS for real... After that we got to go teach a scripture study class for the members there. It was pretty cool.

       Thursday we had Zone Training. I trained on the Power of Testimony. It went ok. Not the best training I've ever done, but still good.

       Friday we were doing our weekly planning when we had a knock on out door. A black guy started talking to us about donating money to buy books for kids in the hospital. He basically invited himself in and went and sat down at out table. After a little bit we said we were poor and couldn't help him, at which point he left. Well later in the day we heard that there was a scam going on were people were trying to get money from people by making them think they were donating it to books for kids in the hospital. They also wanted to get into the people's house to see what there was that they could come back and steal. Great... So we got home that night and made our apartment better than Fort Knocks. :) So far we haven't had anything stolen.

       Saturday we helped some people move into our ward then we went and saw one of our Less Actives. Well he started telling us a story about how he had picked up this hick hiker and had driven him around and the guy got some oxycodone and he had shared it with him. He had been doing this for two days and then his mom told him that the guy was wanted. His mom told him to leave him were he was and drive away. The Less Active is now questioning whether he should've left him there. He was trying to defend the bad guy! I really didn't say much that lesson because I didn't want to say something that I would regret. That was crazy. Then we had stake conference. Elder Falabella of the Seventy came down to talk to the stake. Good stuff.

       Sunday we had Stake Conference. Nothin else really happened.

       So that was my week! Until next week, Hagoonee'!

Elder Chipman

Navajo code 5/12

       Yaa Teeh!

       Fun week filled with Transfers and meeting new people!

       Monday I got to play a pump organ over at the fort for the senior couples devotional. That was weird but awesome all at the same time! Then after we got our studies done we went up to Blanding so I could get some pictures with people. Then we hiked up to 17 room ruin. That was a lot of fun. A little scary because it's a really steep climb and it was a little muddy. Then I got to go say good by to Randy and family and play dodgeball in the tee pee circle one more time. :)

       Tuesday was transfers so I met up with Elder Rushton and got right to work. Elder Rushton is from Blackfoot ID. About 6'2" likes sports and is a really great companion! We got to meet with a less active family that really wants to come back to church. Oh and the dad is a Marine! Always a bonus. :D

       Wednesday we went and did service for a member of the ward. I had actually worked with them in Flora Vista! So it was fun to get to see them. We helped them put in some new plants in their yard. Then we went out and tried to find a potential named Shaun. Well Elder Rushton thought it was one house so we knocked and it wasn't. They said they didn't know a Shaun but they knew a Juan that lived next door! So we went and tried it. It wasn't the guy we were looking for but he said that he wanted us to come back on Saturday! Awesomeness! Then we taught a lesson to a family that wants to learn more about the church. Go figure, right? ;) It went well we went over the Restoration. Then for dinner someone had given us 50 dollars so we went to a Chinese restaurant. We ordered and ate about 20 dollars worth of food. When we went up to pay a guy that had just came in ran up to the cashier and said he'd pay for it. That was cool. :)

       Thursday we had district meeting and then got to go help our 1st counselor put up a barbed wire fence. That was a lot of fun. I got to drive in the poles! :) Then we got to meet with Lloyd. He's a former member that wants to get back into church. He too is a Marine! This is awesome!!!!

       Friday we went and taught seminary. Then we had an amazing lesson with Amanda and Benny! They are two really solid investigators. We taught the Gospel of Jesus Christ and invited them to Baptism. They accepted! They are the first people that have been on date in this area in over 6 weeks! Then we had dinner with a family in the ward. The dad was in the Air Force and gave me all sorts of grief for being in the Marine Corps. It was a fun. Then we got to milk their goat. That was really interesting. Then I saw a member of Flora Vista Ward and started talking to her. While that happened one of our other investigators pulled up and Elder Rushton was talking to her. So it was all around good! :)

       Saturday we helped clean the church. Then we did some service. I actually wore jeans. It was super SUPER weird. But I do think it looks more dignified. Then we taught a lesson over at our 1st counselors home to Luis and Christy. They are some of the most sincere investigators I have ever met!

       Sunday we had church. We have1 o'clock church and Flora Vista has 11. So when I walk in the first people I see are some of the people I baptized. My "Little Sister" had this shocked look on her face and walked over to me and gave me a hug. A lot of people remembered me and came over and talked with me. I got a lot of hugs, one person actually started jumping up and down while shaking my hand and she was over 50 years old! lol. Then we got to Skype our families. That is always fun. It really feels like I just called them at Christmas, weird how fast the times flies on a mission!

Well that's all for this week. Until next time, Hagoonee'!

Elder Chipman

Navajo Code Cinco de Mayo

       Yaa Teeh!

       So this week has been crazy, again.

       Monday for P-day we went biking in the back trails of Bluff. SOOOO FUN!!! It was pretty windy but still well worth it. Then we traveled down to Farmington for MLC.

       Tuesday we had MLC. We talked a lot about companionship unity. As always it was amazing! Then we traveled back and had dinner with a senior couple.

       Wednesday we went over and helped at the elementary school in the computer lab. So much fun! Those kids are crazy and smart. They make me laugh. My name was being called like every 5 sec. Then we had a lesson with Randy and family. We had a good meeting then played with the kids outside. Then we went and taught Tristan and McKayla. We were just about done with the lesson when their dad showed up with a hick hiker from Australia! So we got to talk to him for a little bit. We gave him a Book of Mormon.

       Thursday we had District Meeting then we came back and went down to Little Water. We played with some kids. We played dodgeball. Well some kids got the bright idea to grab my shirt tail and just hide behind me. I tried to get them off but I only have two hands and there was about 10 on the back of my shirt. LOL. :) Then we taught a couple of lessons to people we taught would be new investigators but turned out to be less actives. Still good that we found them. Then we got a recipe for granola and german pancakes from a senior couple. 

       Friday we had a meeting with the stake president in Monticello which went really well. Then we had dinner with a senior missionary then played basketball. 

       Saturday we taught a lesson to Lasean then played some basketball with him. Nothing like playing basketball on the reservations uneven ground. Good ol' Rez ball! :) Then we headed up to 5 points and got to teach 3 kids. They are awesome! Then we taught a 70 year old Navajo. Then we came in for Transfer news. I got transferred! I was really hoping to stay at least one more but all well. I'm headed down to Aztec NM. Flora Visa is part of my zone! It's actually touching my new area. Crazy. That's happened to me twice now; Blanding and Bluff, Flora Vista and Aztec. Crazy stuff.

       Sunday was church and pictures.

       My new mailing address is:

504 S. Park Ave. #4

Aztec, NM 87410

       Well I'll email you next week, until then. Hagoonee'!

Elder Chipman