Last letter from NYC!

 

Today at 12:42 PM

So I am trying really hard not to cry as I write this. As excited as I
am to see everyone, it's quite bittersweet to be writing my last
blogpost/letter. But no worries, there were too many remarkable things
that happened this week for me to spend much more time being mushy
gushy.

Surprise suprise, I caught another bug. Might of been the flu, idk.
But  I was in bed all day Wednesday. If anything it was kind of nice
being "normal sick" and expected seeing how I get sick EVERYTIME i am
about to be transferred, and well tomorrow is the biggest transfer of
my life!! I felt a sore throat coming on Monday night, and my
companion and district leader were both just recovered from a horrible
cold. I knew where it was going and so I prayed really hard that it
would just hold off until after my temple trip and departing
interview, and it did :)....and then I came home and went to bed and
didn't get out of it till 24 hours later.

So the temple trip was incredible. We all got to ride the subway in
from queens, and I got to do my favorite thing, talk to people on the
subway. Met people from all over the world, Russia, Bangladesh,
Columbia, Gianna, and the Bronx. Met a lot of neat people, and got to
share my testimony. Doesn't get much better than that! Had to work on
not crying while I was talking to one man because I realized it was
probably my last train fearless with a name tag on. What can I say?
I'm of the sentimental sort.

As missionaries we only get to go to the temple and participate Ina
session a few times a year. The temple is different from a church
building. Everyone who enters in has to prepare themselves mentally,
spiritually and in the way they live in their lives. This is because
it is the Lord's house, and we go to commune with him and make sacred
covenants and perform sacred ordinances that are necessary to return
back to him. One reason that I try so hard to be obedient and follow
the commandments is so I can always be found worthy and prepared to
enter into the temple. It really is a window to heaven, and who
wouldn't want to go there? Thankfully there is something called mercy
that allows me to be imperfect and still go and draw strength from it.

Before we went, my mission president encouraged each of us to take
time while in the temple and ask god for his acceptance of your
mission. As part of our accountability to him and an opportunity for
us to feel what our missions meant to him. I was a little nervous as I
always am, but I also knew I had been looking forward to this moment
for a really long time. As I sat down, I began to ponder and think
back over my mission (the good, the bad and the ugy). The night
before, I myself had accepted my mission and came to the temple with
the  attitude "it is what it is" and "I am who I am" I started to
think about my life as I made the decision to go, about how I felt as
I left, and what I expected. I thought of the MTC, first meeting my
amazing trainer Sister Simplicio, my first fearless, learning Spanish.
It was almost like I was reporting my mission to him. I didnt get very
far at all, in fact only till about hurricane sandy when all of the
sudden I was interrupted by the sweetest and most incredible and
powerful feeling that filled my whole soul. The feeling continued and
My mind was then guided through the rest of my mission, through all my
companions, through training, double training, being sister training
leader. I thought of all the members and investigators and people I
had worked with. I took a moment to open my eyes only to realize I
couldn't see through my tears, and my sleeves and lap was wet. I knew
at that moment what my mission president had said was true, that there
really is no better feeling in this world than "Well done my good and
faithful servant." It truly was worth every effort and hard experience
to enjoy that moment in the temple, and there is a peace that has
stayed with me ever since.

Almost every force of opposition tried to keep us from having a
baptism this week. It seemed every night there was something going
wrong. As we said our companionship prayer the night before, we kind
of joked as we prayed that we just expected the next morning to be
stressful and just prayed he would help us navigate through it and
that it would still happen. Our suspicions were true and almost
everything that could go wrong did go wrong, but we made it through.
And though the baptism was stripped of what traditionally makes for a
successful baptism, it was one of the most powerful ones I have
attended, and by the end, the rest didn't seem that important. She
entered into that sacred covenant, and her 16 year old grandson was
the one who baptized her. 4 generations of that family ware now
represented in the church and though not very many people were able to
make it, it was apparent that angels were filling in the empty chairs
and rejoicing in Graciela and her desire to follow Jesus Christ. The
spirit was so strong, and it was absolutely perfect. Also we had the
font clean, full, and warm for them :)

Maybe I will write another post after I come come, maybe not, but if
not I want to close with my testimony that I believe and know that God
lives. And he answers prayers. 3 weeks ago I prayed that I would be
able to finish my mission, get off of all my nasty medications, and
baptize before I went home. At the time it all seemed impossible, but
I can now testify and stand witness that all three have come to pass.
It is nothing short of a miracle. I know Joseph smith was a prophet of God
and that the Book of Mormon is true. Everyone is invited to come, see,
read and pray to know if these bold declarations are true. I know God
loves us and that he sent me on a mission because he loves me and saw
in me what I couldn't see. I am forever changed by the atonement of
Jesus Christ and my experiences I have had on my mission. I also am
forever changing. The work must go forth, this indeed is The
Hastening, and I may be able  to take my name tag off and be realeased
from my calling as a missionary, but that doesn't mean I am leaving
the work. I know my work on this earth is just beginning and I am
excited for the opportunities ahead and future chapters.

I also love this city and the people here with all my heart. I really
will miss them, I feel I already do and know a big chunk of my heart
will be left here because of it. I love my Savior and it has been
nothing but an absolute privilege to not only serve Him but serve
right beside him in His glorious work of bringing forth the immorality
and eternal life of men. How great has been my calling, how
heart-breaking it is to leave it.

Me regret my mission and what has happened here? FORGET ABOUT IT!!!!

Love you all, thank you for your support.
See ya soon!

Forever and Always,

Hermana Megan Chipman


Sent from my iPad

Last NY hotdog

Temple trip with President & Sister Calderwood

Megan's Homecoming and openhouse

Megan is scheduled to come home on the evening of December 11, 2013.  We would love to have you come visit with her in our home during an open house for her on Friday, December 13 between 7-9 pm.  Our address is 9840 S Eliza Ct, Highland Ranch, Co 80126.

Megan will speak to our congregation during  sacrament meeting on Sunday, December 15 at 1pm in the Highlands Ranch Stake Center.  The address is 9800B Foothills Canyon Boulevard, Highlands Ranch, Co 80129. It is the larger building that sits at the back of the parking lot.  We would love to have you join us there too.

Ending with a baptism!

Hola family!                                                                                        Dec. 2, 2013

Where to begin? (I seem to start every letter like that....I am stalling until I know what to write.)

Well first miracle. We are going to have a baptism before I come home! It has been a pretty miraculous and crazy week. So about 4 weeks ago, I came to peace and terms that although I had done my best, I probably was going to be one of those missionaries that didn't get to baptize while on my mission. Not a big deal. Rough because I had always just wanted to experience witness someone I was teaching enter into that covenant. By this time in my mission, it wasn't about proving anything, I just longed for that sacred experience.

About 2 weeks ago, when I was so sick, and I decided to stay. I had a very specific discussion with my loving Heavenly Father. Among other things, I just asked that Sister Glaittli and I could baptize before I go home. I explained how we weren't teaching anyone that seemed all that interested, and if they did, there were barriers that would be keeping them from making that step any time soon. But I felt prompted to pray for it, and so I did, and I knew that with God, all things are possible.

And so I mentioned last week that Graciela is getting baptized right? The miracle has continued to unfold this week. We had a lesson with her on Tuesday about the Plan of Salvation. Usually I have taught it in a couple lessons, because it can take a while. But we don't have much time before the 7th, so we did it in one. Also, SO COOL! I received a powerful prompting to ask how old her grandson is and if he worthily holds his priesthood. I didn't know if that would be too personal, and so I decided it would be better not too. But of course it came again, and so I asked. She said he is 16, and yes that he helps with the sacrament every week. I then asked if she would like her son to baptize her. (Priests, usually 16-18 years old, can baptize in our church as long as they worthily hold the Aaronic Priesthood). She got really excited, and when we visited her on Friday, her grandson, Jonathan, was there and he is very excited to be able to baptize his grandmother. He will be getting a recommend from his Bishop this week so he can baptize her on Saturday!

We also had to pack the Gospel of Jesus Christ, and the "big three" commandments. We call it the big three because they are the commandments that require usually the most drastic changes in someone’s life. (Word of Wisdom (No coffee, tea, alcohol, tobacco), Law of Chastity (abstinence outside marriage), and Law of Tithing (Donate 10% of all our income to the church). She understood, accepted, and committed to live all of them. The spirit was so strong.

And then yesterday happened….. Probably my most stressful sacrament meeting ever! The meeting started and Graciela wasn't there. I stood in the doorway so I could still see my companion, but greet her when she came. I started to get nervous, because if she didn't come to church that week, her baptism would have to be pushed back. Which would be fine, just not what she or we wanted. (She is so prepared and ready!). The sacrament hymn started so I took my seat, and prayed so hard that she would come. Just as the hymn closed, I closed my prayer, and there she was outside the chapel door! Problem was that the sacrament had already been blessed, and so the doors were closed while the sacrament was being passed. And usually, people aren't to enter the chapel while the sacrament is happening. Just because of the sacred nature of the ordinance. Well, poor thing, she didn't know that, so she went to open the door when the man by the door, somewhat harshly shut the door and told her "No puede pasar" (or "you can’t come in") after that, her face wasn't in the door way anymore. We had assumed she would sit in the lobby with the other late comers until the ordinance was completed 10 min later. Immediately after the bishop dismissed the Aaronic priesthood to sit with their families, we BOLTED out the door. She was no where to be found. We called her, and she was already on a bus halfway to Brooklyn because she knew she could go to church at the LDS church there. We explained to her that we were sorry for what had happened and that she was welcome to come back and if she did, she could still be baptized on Saturday. But she was embarrassed (which makes sense, that usually doesn't happen!) and said she would talk to us on Tuesday.

We got off the phone and I was devastated. Just like that, it wasn't going to happen. I was fine but it was just hard. I had wanted the opportunity to attend her baptism, and then it was taken away. I was praying so hard for a miracle. Just then, Braulio, a member in the ward and a recently returned missionary, came down the hall with his phone in his hand. He asked where she went (he saw what had happened) and we explained the situation. I then couldn't help it but started crying, just a little, but it meant a lot to me to be apart of it. He then had me dial her number, and he talked to her and invited her and through loving words convinced her to come back. We waited in the lobby this time. She came for the last 10 min of sacrament meeting  and she enjoyed it.

We explained to her the situation and she seemed fine with it. She just thought that the man meant that she couldn't come in for the rest of the meeting and she still wanted to go to church so she jumped on a bus to go to one she knew she could enter into. Also the man came up and apologized which was very sweet. It all worked out. She is still getting baptized by her grandson, and it will be a great privilege to witness a completion of 3 generations baptized in the church--all on my last weekend.

God really is a God of miracles. And even though it may feel like or look like it is going to work out, God always finds a way to remind me that all these things are really in his control. Just ask Dad, I have never been good at the "trust fall" game haha. I always put my foot back. But I am getting better at it on my mission. And maybe all this is just God playing that game with me too, he is my father after all. But it is working, and without fail, He always proves to me that I can trust him, and as He does, life doesn't seem so scary. Still got a lot of fear to curb (particularly about coming home and dating ahhh! haha), but He is with me and knows what he is doing, and I can trust that. I am so grateful for answered prayers, especially those answered in ways I didn't originally want.

 

 I love you all! Can't believe I am writing this but, see ya soon!!!!

 

 

I love you all! Can't believe I am writing this but, see ya soon!!

I walked across the Brooklyn Bridge today. One day I'll run it!

Hi family! How are you?                                                        November 25, 2013

So this legless dog, isn't as legless :). Thankfully my muscles are regaining strength and I can walk, drive, type, write, and stand again. My body is still really sore, but I don't know if that is still the antibiotic, or my body is starting from square one and building strength to move again. At least I can carry my own bag again, and I was able to walk across the Brooklyn bridge today... One day I will run across it.

Miracles galore this week. First off, Wednesday was mega zone conference and I woke up sooooo nauseous from other meds I was taking for side affects of the antibiotic ( I am learning that sometimes the treatment is worse than the disease!) I was really bummed out because not only would I miss mega zone conference but also my opportunity to give my departing testimony! That is just when all the departing missionaries take a few moments to testify of their savior and how their mission experience has changed them. I laid in bed and kind of laughed "this situation seems almost too familiar". I rolled out of bed on to my knees, prayed for strength, got up got ready and went to the conference. Poor sis Glaittli had to drive through Brooklyn, which she hates and usually leaves up to me, but we made it. We were an hour late but president was so happy to see that we made it, he didn't care. I was able to feel better, and bear my testimony, and even receive a special and powerful blessing from president Calderwood. Among other things, I was promised that it would not be easy but as I am wise in taking care of myself, I will be able to finish my mission strong and with the other missionaries. By that point I had already decided to stay, but it was powerful to hear, know and feel that Heavenly Father didn't see my work here as being done either.

Another miracle, we found an investigator this past week named Graciella who is going to be baptized my last weekend here in New York! She is wonderful and so prepared. She is a referral from the elders in Bushwick, Brooklyn. She has been taking her grand kids to church there while their mother works. She lives in Staten, has been investigating the church for over a decade and has always told the missionaries that she would be baptized when she retired and didn't have work in Sundays. Now she is ready to do it :). When we told her that she could be baptized as soon as the 7th of December, she was so excited and started  to cry as she thanked Heavenly Father for the good news in her closing prayer. She came to the thanksgiving party with her daughter from Bushwick. Her daughter was baptized in the ward 10 years ago and attended till she got married and moved to Brooklyn. Everyone was really excited to see her, and as Graciella was introduced to them, she would tell them how she is going to be baptized on the 7th. It is set for 10am that day :).

But more than that, the spirit has been so strong in our lessons with her. It's amazing the difference in teaching someone who has already decided to be baptized, and trying to persuade them to make that choice. The spirit is still strong in both, but the spirit is that much less restrained when teaching an open heart. She is really excited, and even told us that she is ready to do all the homework.

I know God lives, that he loves us and is mighty to save. He is a god of miracles and I know that he delights in helping and blessing us. I am so grateful to him. I am so grateful also to all of you. I wouldn't be able to do this without you. Thanks for the emails, support and prayers. Almost there, 2 more weeks! And yet at the same time, no matter how miserable all this is, it is quite heartbreak to think of leaving all of it. 

Happy thanksgiving! 

 

Vista nation XC: please go dominate the "turkey trot" for me :) and congrats on the awesome placement at regionals!!!!!!!

 

Love you all!

Megan 

Sent from my iPad

Oh where do I begin?

                                                                                                November 21, 2013

Oh where do I begin??

What an insane and crazy week. After I emailed last Thursday, I woke up Friday feeling the same. And on Saturday it was even worse. My antibiotic severely weakened and swelled my tendons. It got so bad that I could barely lift my bowl of oatmeal, or work my iPad....de verdant. It felt a little like sponge-bob lighting that glass of water. I did learn a lot though. Sis Glaittli, my comp, is an anatomy fanatic. She worked in the cadaver lab at Utah State. I had no idea that I had so many tendons all over my body! I would feel pain in my head and ask, "I have a tendon on top of my skull??"  Then she would get all excited, and tell me what the name of it was, where it attaches, and what it is used for. Still I have no intention of going into medicine or stepping foot into a cadaver lab, but at least I now know better which tendons are where.

My sweet district leader was concerned about my mobility and confinement in the apartment and so went through the trouble of getting me a wheelchair/ walker so we could be out and about on Saturday. Funny story, as soon as I saw it, I sensed I would find away to hurt myself with it. The memory of flying over my handle bars of my scooter gizmo (I rode around BYU campus when I had my stress fracture.) still burned strong in my mind. I sat on the seat of my walker, and my awesome companion was willing to push me. Within 4 steps we hit the sidewalk crack which sent me flying onto the pavement. I was okay, though  my district leader didn't let her touch my walker after that haha. We were able to join the zone for "ferry singing". This is where we stand outside of the Staten Island ferry terminal with instruments and we sing, give free hot chocolate and invite people to come to Christ. It was a lot of fun, the spirit was strong, and it was wonderful to be able to do what I could to share the gospel.

It also is a miracle how god has helped me continue on in this work. So with only 3 weeks left and being so sick and barely able to move, I found myself with a decision to make. I had to decide if I should stay and finish even if it meant being the legless dog being pulled in the wagon or go home and focus on getting healthy.  I had a very heartfelt conversation with my Heavenly Father on Saturday night. It was a little different because I couldn't kneel, also, I was crying so hard I could barely talk. I was granted that gift to weep. After everything I had been through, endured and fought through to finish my mission, and now I had the option to honorably walk away. It was emotional to say the least. I also had committed to giving a sacrament meeting talk, musical number and relief society lesson in church the next day... all in Spanish. I prayed that the way would be clear, and somehow I would find the courage to be wise and do what God wanted me to do. I didn't feel good about letting go of my Sunday responsibilities, and just prayed for a miracle.

The next day was nothing but a miracle. I still was in a significant amount of pain, but I got up, got showered and ready, and so very slowly walked into the church building, and sat on the stand. I prayed so hard that it would all work out. I felt peace and just went along with it. My time came to speak, and though I had to lean on the podium, and shift my weight from one leg to the other, I was able to stand for my talk, and speak by the spirit in fluent Spanish. (It wasn't me! It is what I call the gift of tongues). The musical number was the same! And so was the lesson, but I sat for that. I kept wanting to go to the car and get my walker, but I made it through church without it.

So why did I share this? It is because I learned something very important. I may feel like a leg less dog being pulled in a wagon, but god still has an important work for this legless dog to do. We have no right to fully judge our influence and effectiveness as builders of his kingdom. It may not make much sense, but having faith seems to be the only sensible thing to do right now. I know god lives, and that my mission isn't over till he says so. There are a lot of miracles that can happen in 3 weeks, and I know they will. I love you all, thanks for your prayers!

Love,
Hermana Megan Chipman

Ps..I now can walk! My zone now calls me the modern 'John Tanner' from that Doctrine and Covenants video. Haha

Sent from my iPad.

I've been thinking about the power of belief

Today at 7:26 PM                                                                   November 15, 2013

 

Welp it finally happened. I now have an iPad.  The world can end now. Haha...  But seriously, you'll see at the bottom of this email, sent from my iPad, and no--I didn't type it.  So your probably asking, so if you have an iPad, why did it take me so long to email?  Reason: I have an iPad, but no internet.  It's quite obnoxious.  Also my companion and I have been sick this week and haven't been able to get to the church in order to use the wifi there.    But I made it! And yeah, don't be surprised that I'm sick again.  I had an adverse reaction to an antibiotic, so now I can't move with out feeling like I'm going to tear something.  It's quite awful...  But The Lord in His tender mercy has provided miracles and He's also helping me not be crazy about being stuck in the apartment again. The English Sisters were super kind and drove us to our appointments in Manhattan yesterday.  Our GPS lost signal and we accidentally ended up by the 9/11 memorial, whoops! But  kind of cool. Then on the way home Our GPS took us over the Brooklyn Bridge. It was a fun adventure.

By the way the Siri app is really cool and saving my fingers a lot of pain... Just forgive the lack of punctuation.

Funny story we were in the target line and as I approach the check out, I cheerfully looked at the attendant and called her by her name and asked how she was doing. The look on her face is priceless. I laughed and asked, "how often are you asked how you are doing?" She laughed and said "never". We talked about how she must get tired of asking how everybody else is doing when no one asks her the same thing. After that I just said, "don't worry I'm not from here". To it she laughed and said, "I could tell! Are you visiting?" I went on to say, "not quite I've been here for over A year." She joked, "oh I see.”  “You just haven't assimilated with us yet." I laughed and said, "I may smile like a west coaster, but I now drive like a New Yorker." She very much enjoyed that answer and so did the lady behind us in line. Haha. I really am going to miss this place. It will be weird to not be the smiley alien anymore :-).

Today I have been thinking a lot about the power of belief. It's really interesting how you can be forced to know something, but you have to choose to believe in something.  Knowing comes through experience. Belief is a choice. It is so funny how our world today almost disvalues the credibility of belief when really it's one of the most
powerful functions of the human heart. Belief brings miracles, belief creates faith, and belief brings reason to hope, and strength to persevere. Belief opens the windows of heaven to us, and allows us the opportunity to let God into our life, no matter how small it may be.

I think sometimes I over think what it is to know that God lives.  There are times that I over think about the future and whether things will get better. But I am beginning to realize, that it really doesn't matter if I absolutely know what's going to happen, or if I have all the proof in the world that God is real, loves me and answers my prayers. No, there is something much more powerful than that. It's my choice to believe in him, it's my choice to believe that things will get better. And no one and nothing can take that away from me, including my recent struggle with depression, and a sick and tired body.

I believe in miracles. I believe in healing. I believe in Jesus Christ, and I know he is my savior redeemer and healer. I believe this church is true, and through my personal experience I've come to know it is well. As a missionary my invitation is simple and the same as
that of the Savior. Come and see, and choose to believe, and be baptized in his name. And as you choose so, you will choose the greatest joys this life can offer.

I love you all!!!!

Megan

Sent from my iPad

Staten Island Libres (That is what we call our district out here :) )

Hello Everyone!

Forgive the delayed post. And next week will be the same way. But I am really excited, you want to know why? Because I will be emailing home from my own personal iPad! Each missionary will be getting an iPad that they will keep for their whole mission, and return at the end of it. Each companionship will be getting an iPhone! Turns out we are one of the first missions to use Facebook, iPads, and iPhones. I am really excited, and so is everyone else. Not just to have an iPad (probably the only one I will ever get haha), but how much it is going to advance the work. For all of the return missionaries, imagine your entire area book on your iPhone and iPad. And then when you transfer areas, you will automatically be connected to the cloud of your next area and so will have all the information you will ever need for the area immediately at your fingertips, and it fits in your pocket. Usually it takes about a week, even a full transfer to get all the info, but not anymore :). Also, all the pamphlets are on the iPad and integrated with Bible Videos and Mormon Messages and General Conference clips that you can now show during a given lesson, or even as you are talking to people on the street, on the bus or in the train. Now I know what you must be thinking, with my luck with computers and all, but I will let Heavenly Father figure that one out haha. I am just excited to be apart of it, even if it is for just a month.

Oh and I totally forgot! You don't know where I am! Crazy how I have already been here for a week so me moving here seems like old news already haha. I am now serving on Staten Island in the Spanish ward (Staten Island Barrio III)! I am really happy to be here. It is a little crazy, because even though I lived on Long Island for so long, it still didn't feel like an Island. But Staten Island is small enough that it does. There are only 2 bridges connecting Staten to the rest of the world. The Verazzano connects with Brooklyn (One of the Longest bridges in the world! 2 miles long!), and then another one (I forgot the name) connects with New Jersey. The leaves hit their peak this past weekend and it has been spectacular. Staten has some pretty steep hills, which makes for  frequent and dramatic vistas of Jersey and particularly Manhattan. The driving is actually kind of fun. It is full of narrow roads and NYC driving which keeps it entertaining.

I love my district. They really know how to have a good time and get things done. The Elders are trying to get me to play "Magic" on P-days. We will see if they succeed. I watched them play a couple games as they tried to teach me. When they asked how I understood it, I just shook my head and said "No Hablo Magic" haha. But its cool how they can keep it all straight.

The members here are WONDERFUL and it is so great to speak Spanish again. After about 6 months in an English Ward, I have surprised myself with how much I can speak and understand, but also funny to think of how far behind I am where I used to be! Asi es (That's how it is). But I forgot how much I love speaking and teaching in Spanish and grateful Heavenly Father chose to let me use my Spanish again.

Also, its only been a couple weeks but we have been seeing countless miracles. We didn't have any investigators at first, but the Lord is helping us and guiding us and we are finding people to teach. We also are helping a lot of Less-Actives come back to church. One woman named Maria (she is so great!) just recently started coming back to church (the week before I got here). And now she is coming to teaching appointments with us! There is nothing easy about starting over, but when we are on the Lord's errand we are entitled to His help. Something I know to be true and am really grateful for! Lesson learned this week: Instead of looking at opposition as the "op-poser" of miracles. It really is the "revealor" of them. Without the cold we wouldn't know the warm. Without the pain, we wouldn't know relief. Without opposition and adversity, it would be really difficult to see God's hand in our lives, and recognize his love and tender mercies. However crazy it sounds, a loving God allows suffering to be in the world, because without it, we could not know Joy. Thankfully there is opposition, so we can learn to enjoy life and His miracles.

I love you all! Also, I can't believe its that time, I promise I am not getting "trunky", I just need a place to live in Provo! If you are in Provo, like where you are living and are looking to sell a contract or know someone who is, send me an email and let me know! I really have no idea where anyone is anymore.

Love,
Megan