Bryson's Coming Home!!! ****update****

Bryson is almost done! He will get home on February 9. We are asking that day be left for his family. He should be available most of the rest of the week. 

He will be speaking in church on February 22 at 1:00. The address of the church is 1375 West 6785 South West Jordan, UT. After sacrament meeting, we will be meeting at his sister's house for potluck lunch (1428 w 6850 s). 

We are excited to have our missionary back!

Navajo Code 1/26

       Yaa Teeh!

       Monday we just played some b-ball for P-day.

       Tuesday we had a really good day. We went and contacted a referral and he let us right in and was super receptive. He wanted to read the Book of Mormon. He told that his only vice was chewing tobacco. So at the end of the lesson I asked if we could take the can of tobacco. He agreed and we walked out of the house with it. Well, I couldn't find a trash can to throw it away in and we were walking on the main street in Holbrook. To add to it, we saw some one and we went and talked to him. So we were talking to this guy, in front of a bar who was also smoking, and here I was holding a can on tobacco. That had to look different. :) Right after we were done talking to him I found a trash can and ran, literally RAN over and threw it away. It was great! :)

       Wednesday we went on exchanges. We brought the Dilkon Elders down into Holbrook and double worked the area. We went tracting. We got a couple of return appointments, however, I have never had so many people open the door and say, "I have my own religion" and then close the door. But it was still a good exchange.

       Thursday we had our Zone Training. It went really well. We trained on working with priesthood leaders, personal revelation, unity through humility, and the power of fasting and prayer. I trained on unity through humility. I thought it went really well, almost all of the missionaries participated which always makes things go better. Later that night we helped with the stakes indexing party because they had met their indexing goal for 2014. Fun night.

       Friday we went on splits the entire afternoon. Elder Cook and Staley went down to Woodruff and I went with a ward missionary, Bro. Frost. I love Bro. Frost! He's awesome. He reminds me a lot of my dad. So dad, lets just safe to say, when we come back you'll get to meet him. :D

       Saturday was good too. Ok, lets face it, this week was really nice!!! We helped out with a stake primary activity and then we went and taught some less actives. They are getting ready to go to Phoenix to have surgery. Well they hadn't been reading and they weren't planning on coming to church. First I told them that I loved them and cared about them, then I told them that not reading and not going to church, thus forgetting God, was the worst thing they could be doing before this major surgery. It was really intense and really bold. I almost made the man cry. That night we got to go out and see Mark. I love Mark! We watched a lot of Mormon Messages and discussed them. He also gave me another coin.

       Sunday was a lot of fun. Each of us gave a talk in the Petrified Forest Ward and the Little Colorado Ward. So in PF I talked about the Book of Mormon. I made the joke of, "If everyone would read and apply the Book of Mormon we could steal the saying from Disneyland and actually be 'The Happiest Place on Earth". No one laughed, Elder Staley quietly snickered behind me. It was really quite interesting. In the LC ward I talked about the enabling power of the Atonement. It went well. I also got asked to speak in the Painted Desert Ward on the 8th of Feb. 

       Things are going great down yonder! We are traveling up to Farmington today for MLC tomorrow. Always excited for MLC! Until next time, Hagoonee'!

Elder Chipman

Navajo Code 1/19

       Yaa Teeh!!!

       Monday... So the reason the email was a little short last week, and nobody got any letters is because we started emailing and right after we started I got sick. After email we went home and I was either in the bathroom or my bed from 1 pm to 6 30 am on tuesday.... But, I'm feeling a lot better so it's all good!

       Tuesday we picked up Elder Staley. Stud! I love our companionship!!! Elder Staley is from Montana and is also a soccer player, so all 3 of us play soccer. Then we got to go teach Pete, one of our Recent Converts. He wanted to watch the Restoration so we did. He really liked it. It was a really neat experience for me because during the movie I got a really strong spiritual witness that it was true! I know Joseph Smith is a prophet of God!!!

       Wednesday.... I got a letter.... From the church.... Telling me when my flight home is.... For those of you that don't know I have to come home early because of my military contract. I will be coming home on February 9th. We went walking for part of the day and it went well. We got to talk to a few people and get some new potential investigators to try. Then we got to go teach a couple lessons.

       Thursday we drove up to Indian Wells and had distrcit meeting up there and then went on exchanges. We brought one of them with us and left Elder Staley in Indian Wells. That night we went on splits. Elder Cook and the other missionary went with a ward missionary and I went with the Ward Mission Leader. We went and saw Leatrice and her family. Well she wasn't feeling very good, and we hadn't really talked to her husband in a while so I decided to talk to him. It was a really neat experience because I had no idea what I was supposed to teach so I just had to trust the spirit for the whole thing. Let me tell ya', God will never let you down if you rely on him! We talked about the Atonement, Prayer and serving others. He really enjoyed it! I love being a missionary.

       Friday we 2 of our recent converts and watched movies with both of them. The worst is when you go in to watch a movie and the heater is cranked up and you are wearing a suit coat. It's quite the battle to stay awake. :) 

       Saturday we went out to Sun Valley to teach some potentials that have been coming to church for a while. So we get there and find out that he wanted us to do some service for him. Well he had another person coming over from the ward with a hydraulic wood splitter and we split a 20 foot trailer. It took about 2 or 3 hours. About half way through there came a guy that was just standing in the middle of the road looking at us. I just thought it was one of the neighbors. Well it turns out that he was Korean and had gotten is car stuck and needed some help getting it out. So we go over and look at it and it's just half way off the road. It's not high centered, nothing. So the ward member moves a little dirt just to make it look like it was stuck in the beginning and then drove it right back onto the road. :D It was awesome!!!!

       Sunday we were at church from 7 to 4. Lots of meetings. Then we had dinner and they invited some non members over for us to teach. That is awesome! Holbrook is awesome!!!

       Well thanks for all of the support!!! Until next time, Hagoonee'!!!

Elder Chipman

Navajo Code 1/12

       Yaa Teeh!

       Monday was a fun P-day, we got together with some other elders and played some football then we were able to go and see Mark. He is doing great!

       Tuesday we had Zone Conference so we drove up to Tuba City. We took 2nd in the vehicle inspection. It was weird cause it was my last zone conference, which meant that I gave my departing testimony. Then we drove home. 

       Wednesday we did a lot of walking. Then we had a member text us and ask if he could out with us sometime that day. That was cool, having a member ask if they could come out with us instead of us asking them if they can come out with us. The lesson that the member came with us to went really well. So, again, members are amazing!!! 

       Thursday we did some family history, that's way fun! I love doing family history. I never said that I was good at it, I just enjoy it. :) Then we got to go on splits. It was a really good day even though all 6 of our appointments fell through.

       Friday we had an apartment inspection. Then we found we had a lot of mold growing around the windows and under Elder Cook's dresser. So we spent a lot of time cleaning all the Mold. Then we had some good lessons that night.

       Saturday it rained... and we went walking. Landon, one of the member that we go with a lot, got his mission call to the California Riverside mission. We also got transfer news. I'm staying in Holbrook with Elder Cook and we are getting Elder Staley. Good stuff.

      Sunday was good. Had church then got to go see Mark. 

      Hope you all have a good week. Until next time, Hagoonee'! 

Elder Chipman

Navajo Code 1/5

Yaa Teeh!

        This week was great! Monday we travelled up to Farmington with a member. Lot's of fun.

        Tuesday we had MLC which is always amazing. It's so nice to be able to meet with President and Sister Batt. Then we came home to get to an appointment. We were got dropped off and started running down to our appointment. Got there, said a quick panting prayer, knocked on the door.... "Oh, they're not here." LOL! Of course. Good stuff. :)

       Wednesday we went on exchanges with the Leupp Elders. I went out to Leupp and walked around in a snow storm all day but it was a really good day!

       Thursday, New Years! (And I wasn't even at my own apartment. :) Then we had the interviews for Leatrice and Mark. Both passed with flying colors. Then we went out to Mark's. He's really excited for everything.

       Friday we were walking around some drunks called us over. Well we started talking to one of them and his phone started going off and he was trying to find it. Next thing I know he is undoing his pants to try and get to it... great. Then I notice he's wearing some sweats under his pants, THANK GOODNESS!!! Then we gave them some extra clothes that we had gotten for Christmas. They were really happy. I think that is the first time I have been hugged by a drunk like that.

       Saturday we had the baptisms for Leatrice and Mark. They both went really well!! They both asked me to baptize them. We were at the church almost all day getting the font and everything taken care of.

       Sunday was the best fast sunday of my mission. We had both confirmations and the testimonies were amazing. Then in one of the Gospel Principle classes our recent convert Mark was answering questions for another investigator. It was awesome!!!

       So this week is the week we find out transfer news so please don't send me any mail this week. Thanks. Hope you all have a good week!

Until next time Hagoonee'!

Elder Chipman