Monday, September 30, 2013

Life is still going good...

Hola Todos!

Its been another great week here in Marietta Georgia! We've been teaching the gospel and seeing a lot of miracles everyday! We are continuing to teach Angela and Gladis, and continue to find new people who have been prepared to listen.

First off, there has been a new rule given out that we are to have mail sent directly to our apartment and not to the mission home. SO if you sent a letter this week, I probably won't get it until transfer meeting next Wednesday. Here's my apartment Address

Elder Stephen Burgoyne Chipman
1788 Austell Rd. Apt. E2
Marietta GA, 30008

Honestly, you probably shouldn't send anything after Wednesday, because if I don't get sent to Argentina this week, I will probably be transferred somewhere else in Georgia.

Honestly nothing out of the ordinary has happened this week. We had a lesson with Angela on Tuesday and we brought a member, Hermano C. He is this old retired Costa Rican who we like to call the "Camacho Bomb" because whenever we bring him to lessons, he just goes off, and teaches the Doctrine of Christ like nothing else. Anyway, we taught Angela about Faith, and she committed to come to church. She didn't come, but we'll keep working with her.

The rest of our lessons went a lot like that. Life is still going good, and I love being a missionary. It is the rare opportunity that I have to bare my personal testimony everyday, and in a different language! I feel the spirit direct my life and its just a great feeling! 

Hope all is well at home, I love you all!

Elder Chipman
Found the graffiti right outside our apartment door on Tuesday!
We literally are the only white kids in the complex.

Monday, September 23, 2013

Como Estan?

Como Estan?

Its been a great week here in Atlanta Georgia! We're teaching lots and slowly but surely progressing with our investigators. Again none of them came to church, which means we definitely need to do something about that this week! 
 
As far as interesting stories go, we went to visit one of our super investigators on Friday. Her name is Angela and we found her one of my first days here. We talked with her a little bit, and she's really been going through a rough time in her life. She said that sometimes she gets really sad and lonely, but every time she feels that way, we always knock on her door! That makes me feel good because it means I really have nothing to do with this work other than being obedient and working hard, the Lord will always put us where he needs us.
 
Angela has also been reading the book of mormon and is already near the end of 1 Nephi, and she says its a beautiful book, and she believes it to be true, now all we have to do is get her to church!
The Adversary has definitely been noticed this week, and we've had to do a lot of humbling and extra work, but we hope to come back and have a crazy successful week this week! 

Just something cool about where I am serving, there is an air-force base nearby so everyday there are these giant army planes that fly right over our heads! Its really loud, but I feel like a little kid again. Every time one flies over our heads, I can't help but gawk, its so cool!

Fall is also on the way! Its still hot and humid, but there is a chilled breeze in the air! 

Anyway! Hope all is going well at home and that y'all stay safe!

Love ya
Elder Stephen Chipman

Monday, September 16, 2013

Another great week in Georgia


Hola!                                                   September 16, 2013

How are you guys? Its been another great week here in Georgia! Still very hot and sweaty, but occasionally there is a cool breeze in the air, reminding us that Fall really is on its way! It sounds like it raining like crazy at home! We haven't had rain this whole month so its kinda the opposite.

We had a lot of success this week, and have many new investigators. We're teaching a man named Miguel, who has a lot of questions, and gets frustrated when we don't answer them right when he wants them answered. But I think we finally got to a place where we can start teaching him without too much deviation. We're also teaching a wife and her son. They are both very interested and have been reading the Book of Mormon, we were unable to meet with them this weekend, but look forward to seeing them sometime soon.

As far as exciting goes, we have a giant puddle in the middle of our closet because of a leak. We reported the leak to the apartment's maintenance a few weeks ago, but apparently the are really busy. So we kinda feel like Indiana Jones jumping over this giant puddle in order to get in and out of the closet!

My Spanish is better, and its improving, but I still don't know what people say half the time. That's why I have a companion there I guess! 

Well I hope everyone is having a great week and is staying dry! Talk to ya soon!

Love
Elder Chipman


Hey Mom!                                                                                           September 16, 2013

Things have been good, and bad. It just depends on when you ask. We're working our tails off, but Hispanics in the United States are so inconsistent, that we can never teach. We have appointments dropped, or no one is there. Something always seems to happen almost every time. When we do teach, I think we do a good job. I'm a little frustrated about not being able to say what I want because I'm still learning the language, but I just need to be patient. None of our investigators showed up to church, which is hard because it makes me feel like all of our efforts aren't getting anything done, but I know that that's not true. Maybe I won't see the fruit, but we're doing good work.

Seriously, we've been working our tails off this week, and I'm pooped. We haven't played any sport in any form yet, but I'm going to really try and push for something today. 

We have had a very miracle filled week though. We've found a few families and so I know we're doing good things here! I guess I don't like having this pressure of being sent off any day because we have investigators that I want to finish off just so I know they make it. But my companion heads home at the end of this transfer, and they say most visa waiters leave near the end of the second transfer. This week is the halfway point of the transfer, so I don't know what to expect. 

I do know that they are going to get baptized; they just work all of the time. So the process is slower.

I've already found a lot of peace in the harmonica though. I can play simple hymns on it, and it calms me down right before I go to bed after everything is done. So I really do appreciate it! 

We taught a man named Miguel, and he's frustrating, because he's also taking lessons from the Jehovah's Witness's so he asks a lot of questions that are weird that we could answer, but don't build the lesson at all. He also reads their pamphlets but not ours, and says that what they say makes sense because their pamphlets explain it, and ours don't, but he doesn't read them. This week though, we brought a member named Hermano Montenegro. He studied with the JW's before he was converted, and when he told his story, he really focused on the Book of Mormon and how reading it helped him. So we think we can get in to this guy now, but I think its going to be a long process with him.

We also have been teaching a woman named Angela and her son Jordan. They were one of the first doors I knocked on here, but they are really ready to be baptized, we just need to teach them the lessons!

Anyway, stay dry, help out those people, I'll write letters and hopefully send them off before Thursday so you can actually get them!

Your Perfect Son, (Just to tick allie off)
Elder Chipman

Monday, September 9, 2013

It's been a great week here in Atlanta!


September 9,13

 

Hey Everybody! How goes it?

 

It’s been a great week here in Atlanta! We're getting a lot done and it’s been really fun! We have a lot of people with Baptismal Dates! We have one whose name is Gladis. We knocked on her door the third day I was here! It’s hard to get a hold of her which is difficult, but she came to church yesterday which makes it her second time! We also had an amazing lesson with a woman named Angela and her son Jordan. They were really interested and we set a date for September 28! Jordan said afterward that he believes everything happens for a reason, and knows that we were sent to him and his mom for a reason! So that was really exciting to see!

 

As far as Spanish goes, people still have no idea what I'm trying to say, but I can't understand them that well either! Actually it is getting better! I'm slow, but I can say what I need to, and I understand about 50% of what people say, which is good!

 

On Wednesday I went on a companionship exchange! It’s when we switch companions with another group of Elders. I went out with Elder Owens, a brand new Missionary from Sugar City Idaho! He only speaks English, so I really had to take the lead in a lot of conversations, or I guess, most of the conversations. I gained a lot of confidence from that and it really helped me feel better about Spanish! We talked to a lot of people and it was really cool!

 

Anyway, hope all is well where ever you are! I'll let y'all know if I get a visa or not, I guess we'll see!

 

Love 

Elder Chipman

Tuesday, September 3, 2013

Given y'all insight on my creative diet

Mission Facebook picture of  the transfer meeting
 
 
Hi everyone! Its been a good week down here in Georgia! They put me back with the Spanish Branch, which is awesome, but it only reminds me of how much Spanish I have to learn before I go to Argentina! I'm back with Elder Bakes and we've decided to walk and bike around instead of share a car with other Elders, so we get nice and sweaty every day!

Yesterday we were asked to work through Labor Day so that's why my letter is coming today, but I'm very grateful we did. Everybody was home. We were able to teach tons of lessons and bless many lives. I think I might be a little spoiled now and might be disappointed when someone doesn't open the door, but it was a great experience for the day!

Other than that the work is moving forward. As a mission we baptized 56 people in the month of August, and there are hundreds more who have a date scheduled! The work is really moving forward here in the South and I'm grateful that I can be apart of it.

I'm just grateful for the opportunity that we have to see miracles everyday. The funny thing is, is that I've seen miracles everyday my whole life, and I just didn't see them. Our Heavenly Father really loves each and every one of us, and he shows us everyday, we just need to look for the little things that he does to help us along in our lives.

Anyway enough preaching--I want to let y'all know what I usually make for myself, maybe I don't want my dad to know this, but I even find it a little amusing. There are 5 major food groups as a missionary. Quesadillas, Hotdogs, Pasta, Peanut butter, Toast, Hot Sauce. Usually I combine a couple of these to make some delicious meals, (yes I've had a hotdog and peanut butter sandwich, not that bad!) But this is what keeps my engine running right now. Just thought I would give y'all that insight!

Hope all is well, and I love you all!

Elder Chipman