Navajo Code 9/29

Yaa Teeh. So I was putting the date for the title of the email and ya... I completely forgot what day it was. Time is literally flying for me. :)

       Monday we just played some games with the other missionaries then the other District Leaders and myself traveled up to Farmington to go to a District Leader Training with President Batt the next day.

       Tuesday we had the training. Amazing! Talked about how to have good exchanges and district meeting and about obedience and stuff like that. I love getting trained by President Batt! Then we traveled back down to Holbrook.

       Wednesday I went on exchanges with the zone leaders to Winslow so I wasn't in my proselyting area for 3 full days! That's a long time. Had a good exchange. I learned that I need to talk to everyone about the gospel.

       Thursday we started talking to everyone. Including a guy who believes in Christ but doesn't call himself a Christian. That was interesting. Then we talked to some other guys and I asked them what mattered most to them in there lives. "Beer. And Girls." Wow, what is this world coming to. We eventually got the conversation to the Bible and I said, "Ya, I love the Bible. It talks about the Book of Mormon." "No it doesn't" " Ya it does." "Where?!" "Ezekiel" Where?" "Ezekiel 37: 17-19" The other guy said, "Wow, you know that book!" "Yep, it's a really good book!" So that was interesting.

       Friday... I have never run into and prayed for so many adlaanii's (drunks) in my life!!! Wow! We go over and start talking to them and the always ask us to say a prayer for them. The Native Americans as a whole have incredible faith. They always ask for prayers and believe they will receive! It's pretty cool to see.

       Saturday we had a member take us to an appointment out in Adamana. Well the forgot which way it was. So they took the wrong road, that road leads to St. Johns... which is out of the mission. Luckily we found that we were on the wrong road before we got out of the mission. Later Indian Wells had a baptism. They asked me to play the piano for them which I was excited to do. The closing song was I am a Child of God. Well, the chorister decided to put in an extra fermata with out telling me about it near the end of the song. Well I played right through it.... I GOT THE BIGGEST DEATH GLARE EVER!!! Wow, that was insane. Then after wards she comes up and tells me that she puts a pause there and that I need to be ready for that the next time I play it. Oh, fun stuff.

       Sunday we got to go to mission prep. We have a lot of great youth here!

       Hope everyone has a great week!

Elder Chipman

Requests for early Chrismas gifts

Hello everyone!

So I'm sending this out in hope that I can get some early Christmas gifts.

I don't really need anything for missionary work but I would LOVE to get music.

Here are some of the things that I would really like.

Lower Lights discs 1 and 2

Shawn McDonald

Nashville Tributte everything but "The Work" especially the Joseph Smith one

D & C 4

 

Things like that. Thanks!

 

Elder Chipman

Navajo Code 9/22

Yaa Teeh!

 

       Monday we had a really fun District Activity. We played this reverse chirades game and Mad Gab. This district is so much fun! Then we were able to find this really cool guy named, Ambrose, to teach! He's native and is excited to learn. He loves movies and so do I! This should be good! :)

 

       Tuesday was good. We got to teach one of our Recent Converts named Pete! It was his birthday too! So we got to celebrate with him since he lives alone. Great guy! Heart of pure, rock solid, GOLD!!!!

 

       Wednesday I got to go on exchanges up to Indian Wells! It felt really nice to be able to go back onto the Reservation. I don't know but seems like once you serve around natives for long enough you are just drawn to them. They are such an amazing people! I got to do 2 baptismal interviews for people they were teaching so that was really exciting and they both made it! :)

 

       Thursday we had Zone Training. It was kinda weird not to be training. Good, but weird. We have some really great missionaries in our zone! Then we got to go out to Woodruff and teach a man out there who is getting really close to getting baptized! The whole ward is praying for him. Then we got to meet the bishop out there. Wow, he is really focused on getting some missionary work done out there. :)

 

       Friday we got to meet with a family that has started coming back to church! They are really excited to be returning. It all started by the wife asking for a blessing and the bishop asked the husband to give it because he was an elder. It was the first blessing he had ever given. So it's really cool to see how they are progressing. Then we found this new part member family to start teaching! We did how to begin teaching and asked them what meant the most to them in their lives. They both answered family! I'm so excited for this family! We are seeing Miracles here in Holbrook!

 

       Saturday we got to go support the sisters with a baptism that they had. It was really a great baptism. The most interesting talk on the Holy Ghost I've ever heard was given. The lady talked about the Battle of the Bulge, George Washington crossing the Delaware and other war stories. I liked it! :D :D Then we got to have dinner at Denny's... well kinda. An hour after we got there we still didn't have all our food. So I wasn't that impressed with it.

 

       Sunday it rained, a lot. I was at church from 7 am to 4 pm because of meeting and the 3 blocks. So ya. :)

 

     Hope you all have a great week!

 

       Elder Chipman

 

 

Best street name is Holbrook

 

Navajo Code 9/15

Yaa Teeh!

       Monday we had a District Activity. We just stayed up at the church and played soccer and basketball and stuff like that.

       Tuesday we got to meet with Kendric. Kendric is the bus driver that I talked about last week. Well we go to the "Bus Barn" where they all hang out and we start talking to him in the main foyer, kinda weird no chairs and just an interesting environment. Right before ask if we can have an opening prayer in the manager walks in and see us and sees Kendric and says, "Want to use my office?" MIRACLE!!!!! Oh that was so nice. Then we have the lesson and come to find out, his two daughters both want to join the Marine Corps! Oh this is great! Then... he asks if we could give them each a Book of Mormon with a note on the inside. Oh ya! I totally called writing to the two future Marines! Oh it was awesome... except for the fact that we learned he lived out side of our area. (Face+Palm) All well, other people need elect investigators too. :)

       Wednesday we set up for the Navajo County Fair and spent the remainder of the day there. We had a booth there so we would just try to pass out Book's of Mormon and get referrals.

       Thursday we got to meet with Russell. He came and talked to us on Sunday and wanted to meet with us. So we found out that he is a Less Active member and he can talk... a lot. But hey, I like him... He's cool. :)

       Friday we went to teach a less active guy named Randy who wants to get back into the church. We'd met with him before but this time he invited us into the house. Now, he lives with an excommunicated member that neither Elder Krebs or I knew. So we were a little hesitant to go inside. We walk in the house is a little dirty. There are gallon jugs of empty sweet tea everywhere. Then he walks out. He starts talking to us. He introduces himself as Obie. He then tells us he's an atheist but that he's going to call the bishop for a blessing. (At this point I'm mentally scratching my headed thinking, "How does that work?") Then I try and dig a little deeper and this is what I find. He has a great faith in the Book of Mormon! Loves it to death! Believes it's true. Believes that Christ is the Son of God and that he suffered for all our sins. So we talked about the Book of Mormon and Faith then left. Once we got out of earshot I started talking to Elder Krebs. "Ya, He's not atheist." That was one interesting visit. That night we got to go talk to a Black Man!!! Oh Man Was I Excited!!!! Well we get there and this guy is outside with a bandana over his head with dreads coming down about six inches below his shoulders in the front and he was wearing sun glasses. Oh, and did I mention he was carrying a shot gun. Ya, he was walking towards us with a shot gun. DON'T WORRY! ELDER KREBS AND I ARE JUST FINE! He actually when he saw us told us to come inside with him. Then he started talking to us about stuff in the Bible. It was crazy. He would go from serious to laughing back to serious to laughing all in a sentence. That's twice in the past week somebody has done that to me. PEOPLE, Do you realize how hard it is to follow you when you do that. Ok, it might not be that hard but it's still a little challenging. Lol. But I love this guy. He's awesome. He just shared stories with us about him and the Bible. We maybe got 2 full sentences in. :)

       Saturday we were at the Fair most of the day. We were just sitting there when I look up and see Sister Paxton from Aztec walking toward me! OH MY GOODNESS!!!! So I jump up and run over and talk to her! She was helping out with the rodeo and saw us and wanted to say hi. I talked with her for a little while and then got a picture with her. Then we had a pro photographer come and take a picture of all the missionaries. He said that you could see the picture at www.spanglerpics.com So ya! I haven't even seen that photo.

       Sunday we had to be at the fair part of the day. It was really weird missing part of church. Ya, I didn't really care for it that much. I like church. Also, Happy Anniversary DAD and Cindee!

       So I hope you all have a great week! Until next time, Hagoonee'!

Elder Chipman

Navajo Code 9/8

Yaa Teeh!

       So I'm now in Radiator Springs.... oh, a..... I mean Holbrook AZ. :) Pictures of town should come in the up coming weeks. :)

       Since you already heard about Monday we'll jump right into Tuesday! Got with my new companion Elder Krebs and made the 4 hour drive down to Holbrook. We got to meet with this really awesome recent convert named Pete. He's awesome! He is still learning but he's a great guy!

       Wednesday I really started to learn the area. I could get myself from point A to B pretty easily on the south side of town where we live. Then we had a really great lesson with a less active family. We talked about the Book of Mormon and the importance it plays in the church and the said they haven't read it. So we watched a couple Mormon Messages (I love Mormon Messages, they're GREAT!) and then we committed them to read the Book of Mormon.

       Thursday we had District meeting. I have the best District in the whole mission. No doubt in my mind. They were all participating and and to the discussion. This is going to be a good transfer for this District. We are really going to be unified. Well, after District Meeting we were walking past the middle school and on the back of one of the school buses I noticed a USMC license plate. (I didn't know you could put that on buses!!! That's AWESOME!!!) So we go talk to him and give him a Book of Mormon and set up a return appointment. Weird that that all started because of a USMC license plate.

       Friday I got to meet another really neat family with a ton of hyper kids. Ya... that lesson... SO MUCH FUN!!! I like that family already! Then we had dinner with this older family. Probably in their late 60's or in their 70's. The guy is awesome! He has his own "mini" gym down stairs that he showed us. And it shows that he uses it! He invited us to come and work out with him anytime! I really want to but the only problem is he lives a little ways away. They also have a grand piano and I got to play a new song I just got. At the end they gave me a song to learn. Wow, that was cool. I've never had people just give me piano music like that before... BUT I'M NOT COMPLAINING!!! :D I also got to meet our stake president, President Hatch who is just straight up awesome!

         Saturday... spent 8+ hours in a car. Totally worth it. This is why.... Are you ready?!?!?! I don't think so!!!!! We got to go up to Farmington and have a special conference with... Elder Holland. OH YA!!!!!! It was supposed to be an hour and a half conference but Elder Holland said, "Is it ok if I keep you a little longer? Ya it is, cause I'm in charge." :) So it turned into a two and a half hour conference. And yes, I'm sure it was Elder Holland because he made us feel great while destroying us. Banging the podium with his fist and all. Super cool! And even better, I got to sit next to Elder Provard in the choir and sing for him. We were two of the 18 missionaries from the whole mission that got to sing for him. After, before he left he turned to the choir and said, "That was absolutely great. Never better. I want you to sing at my funeral." Wow, he is fun to be around. Let's just say there is never a dull moment with him. He talked a lot about staying active after the mission and about teaching with Power and Authority. He truly is an Apostle of the Lord Jesus Christ!

       Sunday we got to go to 7 hours of church. That's a lot of Church but it was all really good. Oh ya, I guess I should tell everyone. I cover three wards and a half here. ;) I did get to see a sister missionary that I knew as she was coming back to visit her mission. To make it even weirder, she openly admitted that she is dating my trainer. Ya, that was awkward.

       My week was stupendous! I hope everyone has a great week themselves! Until next time, Hagoonee'!

Elder Chipman

Navajo Code 9/2- new address

       Yaa Teeh!

       Monday we finished teaching a recent convert all of the lessons so we are done teaching him. He has received the priesthood and is doing great!

       Tuesday we did a lot of service. We did some for an investigator family digging holes through bed rock, then we chopped wood for a less active member. Then we took one of our less active members and taught a lesson to an investigator family.

       Wednesday we did a lot of walking. We talked to 7 people about the gospel and all 7 of them accepted a Book of Mormon. That has never happened! It was awesome! Later that day we walked about 2 or 3 miles up to try this one guy. Then we talked with him, he wasn't interested so we started walking back. Well it had taken 45 minutes to an hour to walk there and we only had about 30 to get back so we start walking at a good pace. When we were about 300 yards away we started running... So let me try and paint the picture for your mind. Here we are 2 missionaries at almost 9 pm at night running down main street with back packs on and everything. Ya, that probably look really interesting, especially for those who were driving by. :)

       Thursday I came down with a pretty good cold. So we stayed in for a little while and I tried to catch up on some sleep. Then we went and taught an excommunicated member who is getting really close to being baptized. Well we started talking and he asked me if I would baptize him when the time comes. Wow, that was special! He's also a Marine so it makes it all the more special.

       Friday we got to teach seminary which was loads of fun. I always enjoyed teaching seminary. Then we come back and there is a knock at the door. I go and open it and there is nobody there... Well I look around and see someone walking away. I look down and see a package. Oh..... Packages are so much fun to get! That night we got to go teach Fred. He is doing so well and is progressing so well to his baptism date of sept 20! But at the end of the day both Elder Martin and I were just completely exhausted!

       Saturday.... So, we were doing our personal study and we have about 10 or 15 minutes left when the phone rings. It's President Batt. Elder Martin says it's for me. President Batt tells me that I have done a wonderful job as a Zone Leader and he is grateful for all that I have done. But the Lord has a new calling for me. He asked me if I would be a District Leader and a Step-Trainer down in Holbrook AZ. I said yes. So yep... I'm getting transferred!

Here is the new mailing address:

517 Hopi Dr.

Holbrook, AZ 86025

So after that exciting news we finished studies then got a phone call from the Aztec 2nd Sisters to come and teach a lesson and give a blessing. So we go over and find this guy they are teaching. He is terrified to go into his house. Well the sisters hand him off to us then they leave. We finally get him to go into his house and we dedicate the house. Then we decide to walk him to the church (2.5 miles) and give him a church tour. So we do that. The church carpet was making his allergy's act up. But it was interesting, he said that he wouldn't go into the baptismal room because it didn't feel right. Well we start walking back and I'm walking behind him this time. He was staging while he walked. Well we get down to the corner and he tells us that he isn't going back to his house. He is, instead, going to go to sleep behind the dumpster. And he did. Ya, he was drunk. Then we had dinner with the Less Active that we've reactivated! That was a good dinner! Then we went to our ward mission leaders to get the rest of the Transfer new which didn't come in till almost 9 45. Crazy stuff. :)

       Sunday was just a day of taking pictures with people and saying good bye. I don't really care for transfers! :P

       Monday was a lot of fun. There was a tri-ward activity that we went to and played soccer with little kids for like 3 hours! Then I got to talk to Sister Harrington for a little while. It was so good to be able to talk to her again. I miss that family so much! Then I went to the excommunicated members house and got to talk with him. That was really special. I'm so excited for him! He is doing great things. I'm so sad that I won't be here for his baptism. But I am excited to go to Holbrook. My companion there will be Elder Krebs.

       Well that's all for this week. I will say it is kinda weird almost knowing that this will be my last area. Crazy how fast it has gone. I love being a missionary! Well, until next week, Hagoonee'!

Elder Chipman