Navajo Code 2/9

Monday, the last P-day. We got all our stuff done and went up to the church and started playing some b-ball when we got a text from a couple potentials asking if we wanted to play some Ultimate... OF COURSE! So I got to go play Ultimate on my last P-day. Then we went and contacted some referrals. We knocked on this one lady's door, she had to be at least a little crazy. She would randomly start yelling then be quiet, then yell, then quiet. When we asked if she knew where someone lived she bent over laughing!(Ya... that was weird.) Come to find out he was inside her house eating.

Tuesday we got to go do serve of a less active I fixed some flat tires for him. See all those years of fixing flat bike tires was starting to pay off. (Although I fixed his rototiller tires, but hey, they work now :) Then we went and stopped in on an investigator, Felix. We didn't have a lot of time so we talked about the Book of Mormon. Felix then said the thing that all missionaries want to hear. "When I read this book I feel so good. This book is changing my life!" Wow, the Spirit filled my heart and I was over come with gratitude for God! The members of Holbrook are great. We went on splits and need a total of 6 different members during the day.

Wednesday we were up at 5 to exercise and get ready cause we were going on exchanges. We drove to Greesewood where we dropped off Elder Cook. We got directions on how to get to Sanders and Elder Staley and I took off. Ya, we barely had a clue on where we were going. We knew it was a dirt road but that was about it. We got o the road we thought it was and started driving. Up down left right we went for 40 minutes. Well, we get to the top of the hill and we see the road continue on and we go, "Oh o, this can't be it." Right when we were about to turn around Elder Staley saw some houses and we finished the drive to Sanders for the exchanges. The exchanges went well. We got to teach seminary and that is always fun.

Thursday I had my last district meeting. I got to play the piano and say the closing prayer. The training was on following the Spirit. We did an object lesson where one person was blind folded, one was the devil, and one was the Spirit. There were 3 sets of this going on at once. I was one of the people that was blindfolded. I walked in and heard all the different voices. I found out was the Spirit, for me and then I just followed him everywhere. When the devil would try to come and tempt me, I pushed, shoved, and pummeled him away. Every time I got the reward my faith in the Spirit got stronger. That taught me a lot about how we gain faith in following the Spirit and how we should deal with the adversary. :) Then we got to go take Stephan, a less active, to the family history center. We then got to go play the piano before I left. Then I got to go teach Mark on exchanges. He still  is soaking everything up.

Friday we had our weekly planning, yes I participated! Then we taught a few lessons and got some pictures with people.

Saturday we had a really great lesson with a part-member family. We taught the Word of Wisdom and the member committed them to live it without even being asked! Then we got to go have lunch with President Hatch. He's a REALLY  good cook! Then, my final lesson in Holbrook, was with Mark. We had dinner and watched "17 Miracles." They really enjoyed it.

Sunday I gave a talk on the Plan of Salvation in the Painted Desert Ward. I directed more towards my experience with my mom and it went really well. Then we drove up to Farmington and had dinner with the assistants and President and Sister Batt. Then Elder Staley and I went with one assistant and tried a few people. We got in with a family and I started talking to the dad, who had been in the army, about getting the priesthood. It looked like I had really touched him. After the lesson, I talked with him one on on while everyone else was talking. Interesting how God still had one more person for me to touch :)

Monday up at 5:15 to exercise and get ready. Pres. Batt picked me up at 7 and we drove to the airport and I flew home. :)

Thank you all who have supported me on my mission. I testify that this is God's true church. We are led by living prophets and apostles just as in time of old. Joseph Smith is a prophet of God. He DID see God the Father and His Son Jesus Christ in the Sacred Grove and they did, in reality, speak to him. The Book of Mormon is true. God loves all his children. That is why Jesus Christ came down and suffered the atonement. So we could repent and return to live with God again. The atonement IS the single greatest showing of God's and Christ's love for us. The atonement, if applied, can bring healing and redemption as well as physical and spiritual strength. I testify that the Plan of salvation is real. The resurrection is real. My mother is not gone! I have felt her spirit time and again while on my mission. She, as well as all of us, will have a glorified resurrected body. I testify that God lives and HE LOVES YOU! He knows you and wants to help you. He wants you to help others. I love God and my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ! I follow them and I serve them! I say these things in His sacred name, even the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.

Elder Bryson Chipman

Navajo Code 2/2

      Yaa Teeh!

       Monday we drove up to Farmington to go to MLC the next day. We did take a couple of pictures before we left. :)

       Tuesday we had MLC. Always amazing! We discussed how to improve finding and exchanges and taking action as leaders.

       Wednesday... Something I've really learned from Elder Cook and Elder Staley is how much a good companionship takes all the Christ-like attributes and how much open discussion is needed. We have talked a lot about how we as a companionship can be better. This is really a good companionship and we are getting a lot done.

       Thursday we had District Meeting in Winslow. It's weird to think that I might never see some of those missionaries again. Crazy. Then we got to go and teach a man named James. He's an older man that uses oxygen. We taught him and he is super receptive! He agree's with everything that we have, and asks a lot of good questions. The best part about it for me was, at the end of the lesson he need some help with his oxygen tank. I brought back a lot of good memories of helping my mom. Then we got to go out and see Mark. He's on fire! He's just soaking everything in and loving every minute of it!

       Friday we took a member to go see James that they got a long just great! Members are so important and so useful! Holbrook has some really great members! Then we took another member out to go see another James. We got in and started talking to him and set up time to go do service for him this week. The we got to go see man named Abe. He's pretty cool. He has some differences with the church but he loves meeting with us and loves doing service.

       Saturday we were on splits most of the afternoon. A member and I went and taught a less active and then we took another member and drove out to Marks. Well we were driving out there in a mini-van and Marks driveway is SUPER muddy. So we get there and we park and walk the quarter to half mile to his house. Oh, I almost forgot the best part. One of the members just had sugery on his foot so he can't were real shoes but he can walk. So he walked to Marks in slippers. The guy is awesome. He totally loved walking in his slippers. :) After the lesson Mark gave us a ride back to the van. :)

       Sunday after church we were able to teach mission prep. Those kids are going to be some amazing missionaries! They really do know there stuff!

       Thanks everyone for the great support you've given me! Until next time, Hagoonee'!

Elder Chipman