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

The year commemoration of Hurricaine Sandy in Rockaways

Thank you for the emails and love, I sure do love you guys!         

Craziest thing happened today; today is the first day of my LAST TRANSFER!!! Also, sadly, it’s my last day in Plainview. The Lord has a special place for me somewhere else where there are new people to love and a new place to adore. Now I just have to wait till tomorrow to find out where that will be. Wherever it is I will love it. I haven’t yet served in Brooklyn or Staten Island. Who knows, maybe I will be back in Queens! Maybe I will get to speak Spanish again :)

It is hard to express my feelings about Long Island and the people that I have come to know and love here. In reality, I am trying really hard not to think about it because it is just so painful. I LOVE the YSA branch. I really will miss the entertaining ward councils, munch and mingle volleyball (I have gotten pretty good at playing in a skirt!) and the POWERFUL sacrament meetings and lessons. Most of all, I am grateful for all of the challenges that have come. The past 4 transfers have personally been probably the hardest 6 months of my life, but these challenges have just been opposition to the INCREDIBLE blessings and joys that have been out poured upon me. I still may feel really sick, but I have been surrounded by people I love, been filled with the spirit, and been able to do a work that I love with my entire soul. This area has become almost a Temple for me and I don’t think I will ever be the same because of it. 

 Do you want to know how I knew I was about to get transferred? This happened before president told me. Sis Mortensen had the stomach flu, and despite my diligent efforts to avoid it, I ended up with it, and was in bed for a few days! EVERY time I have been transferred, I get the stomach flu the week before....Don't want to know what will happen the week before I go home! When president released me as Sister Training Leader and told me I would be leaving. I laughed and told him I already knew that because I got "the bug." He laughed and told me to call him next time because it seems to be a pretty reliable indicator of whether or not I need to be transferred. Thankfully he follows the Spirit too :)

I learned an important lesson this week, the power of healing. We were able to go to the "Rockaways Rising" yesterday. All of us missionaries who could, traveled back down to the rockaway beach (BEAUTIFUL white sand beach btw), put back on the yellow vests and participated in an enormous human chain with the residents of the Rockaways. We all held hands and cheered, cried and celebrated the amazing resiliency of the people of the area. Yesterday marked the 1 year anniversary of Hurricane sandy. It was a sacred opportunity to be one of the missionaries who were here and participated in the clean-up. The streets were clean, unfogged cars lined the streets. People had beautiful lawns and children were outside playing where moldy, soaking piles of stuff used to lie.  Boys were playing basketball where army vehicles used to be parked. There were still eerie scars of boarded up houses, empty lots where a burnt houses used to be, and that unforgettable smell as you drive by certain places.  But if anything those scars stand as a testimony of the healing that has occurred here. We all came to the beach as strangers, but celebrated as friends. It was incredible, and I can’t thank my Heavenly Father for blessing me enough to come to know and love the people of that peninsula. 

 

Also, don’t pass out! But I decided not to hide my talent and love for singing anymore and sang a whole solo yesterday in church!  I sang Sweet Hour of Prayer. Sis Mortensen and I switched spots. I sang and she played the piano. I really didn't care how well it sounded, I just prayed that God would flood the chapel with his spirit and my voice could be a vehicle for that. He answered my prayer, it was powerful. After I sat down, I swore never again to hide my talent for singing under a bushel, even if other people's talents shine brighter! 

I love and miss you all! Keep up the great work chipper! 

Till next week,

Megan 

News story of the "Rockaways Rising":
http://pix11.com/2013/10/27/rockaway-residents-form-human-chain-to-show-solidarity-on-sandy-anniversary/#5DIpLpWxuP7deDXX.01

 

What you find when you de-junk an Elder's apartment

Hola family!!                                                                         

ALLIE CHIPMAN MIDDLE SCHOOL COLORADO XC STATE CHAMP SAY WHATT???????

Thanks for sending me those photos, article and video. Girl, you have a beautiful and powerful stride! I am soooo proud of you and so happy it all came together so beautifully. Way to be. You trusted in God despite your fear and circumstance and went for it. You really are my hero, thanks for your example. You really are going to whoop me into shape when I get back. Just please don't leave me to the coyotes!

Thank you also for sending me your testimonies and experiences of that miracle. I needed to hear it. Sometimes God isn't waiting to deliver us because he wants to punish us or wants us to suffer. He really is all about timing. And if I learned anything in my life its that God loves suspense and buzzer beaters. Maybe he likes it for the same reasons we do, but I think its more that its by His timing that we recognize who is behind it. Also we had stake conference this past week and the stake president, President Hardman said something that got me really thinking. He said that the spirit once taught him that, "Pain is the greatest schoolmaster." God is merciful not in the sense that he saves us pain, but only allows the amount we need to learn the lesson we need to learn. Once we learn it, he takes it away. It makes God's punishment a lot less menacing when you think about it like that.

Miracles this week? Can I count the ways!? First off, my head finally cleared, and I was able to drive into queens and back, and then to queens and back on Tuesday. Still feel pretty silly at times, but I have kind of always been like that. Maybe I am just feeling more like myself again :)

Poor Sister Mortensen was sick with the Stomach flu this week. I took the opportunity to finally finish cleaning out all the junk left over from years and years of missionaries more specifically elders. All the things I found were really interesting. Water guns, nerf guns, a full chess set, polaroid film, 2 year old easter candy, an entire set of world book encyclopedias (A-Z), a set of fancy kitchen knives in a briefcase, lots and lots of tennis balls, baseballs, ping pong balls, you name it. I quite enjoyed myself. Also it felt good to scrub down the place. The longer I am out hear, the more and more I realize how much I am like you Mom, especially in how I clean and like it clean. But its a miracle, our apartment is clean and almost completely dejunkified, and we have a coat closet that doesn't smell like man!

We had an amazing week of teaching too. And the miracles just unfolded in how they all took place. Just as I was about to cancel our appts on Wednesday night, Sister Owens (the Owens are one of best senior couples in my book!) , called us back and said she could stay with sister Mortensen in the apartment, and I went out on my own! haha not  quite, Liz an awesome member here picked me up and was my companion for the evening. Still was really weird not being with my companion, well I go on exchanges almost 3X a week, let me rephrase that. It was weird being the only missionary in the room. Especially when I was teaching, and I paused waiting for my companion to say something, and realized everyone was just looking at me haha. It was a wonderful night. The spirit was strong in both of the lessons that night. And it miraculously all worked out.

Also, I realized again something powerful during my second lesson that night. And it has been something I have been pondering on since. We were originally teaching a member who just hasn't been to church for a while, but we’re soon joined by another member who also had been struggling. There were also 3 other members sitting at the table. I knew we wanted to teach the Restoration of the gospel, but I prayed with my whole heart to know how to teach "the resto" in a way that the spirit could touch all of our hearts, because I knew it was something we had all heard a number of times. We started by focusing on prayer and our relationship with Heavenly Father and moved through the lesson from there. When we were discussing the Savior's life, ministry and atonement, I had the distinct impression to stop and focus on this point. I just asked both of the members we were teaching and the Elders quorum president to share their testimonies of the savior and what he means to them. The spirit filled the room as they testified of Jesus Christ and the role he has played in their lives. It then hit me again. The restoration of the gospel is ALL about the atonement. I even felt prompted to share the sad truth that so often as a missionary I feel I need to kind of rush through the beginning of the lesson, particularly the part about Jesus Christ's life, ministry and atonement (Especially if they are already Christian) so that we can get to the Joseph Smith story and teach about the Book of Mormon. BUT Jesus Christ and His atonement are what it is ALL about. Joseph Smith didn't go into a grove of trees just to find out which church was true to know how he should spend his Sunday mornings. He was a 14 year old  boy with the deep determination to return to God and he had the deep and burning question within his soul that we all wrestle with, "How do I gain salvation and get back home" He wanted to know which church he should join because he wanted to know HOW to apply the atonement (or suffering, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ) and be saved. God the Father and His son Jesus Christ didn't only appear to him to answer his question (none of them) and call him as a prophet to restore their church. They appeared because they wanted to restore the knowledge, and authority and power to call upon the powers of heaven to apply the Atonement of Jesus Christ and Save the entire human family by doing so. Becoming and active and faithful member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is not an "end" in and of itself it is the means by which God has given us so that we can reach the greatest end, Eternal Life. I don't know if that makes sense, but it blew my mind. Simply put, Jesus Christ called the Prophet Joseph Smith, and through him restored His gospel in perfection, the way to make it back home with him and the father.

I love you all and miss you! Cant believe I will be seeing you in 7 weeks! I am trying not to think too much about it. And thanks Allie, I am glad I will have your help with my social skills when I get back, but I think you have always worried about me in that regard haha. Too bad you can't come with me to my first Sunday back at BYU!

 

Also I hope you are loving Budge, Argentina Elder Chipman. I will pray you have an amazing birthday, and that you can find yourself a good argentine steak!

A wonderful & entertaining week

Today at 11:09 AM

Hello! 

Fall is here and the leaves are beginning to change. Nothing too dramatic yet, but I am really excited! The smaller trees have almost all changed, but the big ones are still tall and green. I have never been around so many trees in all my life, I can only imagine the mess the leaves will leave! Oh well, I think I now understand how people actually jump into leaf piles. They live in a place like this! And Dad, you asked about how often I get to see the ocean. It depends, sometimes more than others. It is quite a treat when it happens. There was a Less-active who lived in an apt right near the water in Port Washington. We never did find her, but we never minded paying the place a visit :) 

What a wonderful and entertaining week. I started taking this new medication to help me sleep, and it has made me quite punch happy. My companion and district have been thoroughly entertained. Mostly, I now just speak my mind more than I used to....oh dear. My body is getting used to it, but I still say the silliest things. They don't mention that side effect on the bottle!! It also knocks me out...all. day. long. But all missionaries are tired, so maybe I have just been out for 15 months. 

 Even though I have been really sick this week, we were able to get a lot done. And I learned something else last night. The worst part about being sick, especially as a missionary is all the things you cant do and all the work that is left undone, that usually wouldn't be a problem for you. Its been quite the challenge to balance keeping our enormous area going, manage mission leadership responsibilities, try to exchange with 13 sister companionships during the transfer, meet their needs, try to get healthy and climb out of a hole. Its also hard when how I feel can be so unpredictable and debilitating. Its not even frustration at not being able to do all of these things perfectly (I let that go a long time ago), its just simply not being able to do it. Its hard not to feel that it wouldn't be better if someone else came in  to replace me so as to not let so much go undone. I was praying to Heavenly Father, and voicing all of my concerns when that familiar voice entered very powerfully into my heart and said, "I want your all, and I don't care how much that is." I was then overwhelmed with this feeling of peace and acceptance from my loving Father, and a reminder of all we were able to accomplish this week, and the strength he has given me. My prayer than changed to thank my Heavenly Father and all He is permitting me to do. Also, it all started to make sense. I thought of the widow's mite and how she gave greater than they all, because she gave her all. I thought about the covenants or promises that we make at baptism and in the temple. We promise to give our all. I thought about the scripture in The Book of Mormon that says, We are saved by grace after all we can do. Christ gave his all so that our all will be enough. Enough for what? All that the Father has. Grace makes ALL the difference! I know I can't balance everything and everyone's needs here, but if my all, is all he requires, than I am doing a pretty good job :) 

Also, so many miracles. We found 2 new investigators this week. And were able to teach 3 lessons, which is pretty good! One of the lessons was when I was in the Doctor's office. My asthma doctor is this  beautiful fiery Persian Jewish woman from the Bronx. However stressful Dr appts can be, I like going to her and she is taking good care of me. Over the course of my visits, we have been able to have some neat discussions as she is examining my nose, ears and throat. Kind of funny to be teaching someone about prophets as they are looking straight up your nose, but God's thoughts are mysterious :) anyway. Sis Mortensen was in the lobby making calls, while I went to see the Doc. About 5-10min later she came in and said, "What's the call? Did you find anything?" The doctor smiled sheepishly and said, "Not yet" To which I smiled and said, "We are actually talking about Joseph Smith, we haven't gotten to the nose stuff yet." It was neat, and taught me that there is no specified way or time to share the gospel :)

Another miracle and a story to prove the power of member missionary work. We went out to Terryville to exchange with both of the sister companionships serving there. We met the sisters at the chapel after a baptism. I took the two trainers and stayed in Terryville, and Sis Mortensen took the trainees back to Plainview. Our Ward mission leader was kind and offered to take us out to eat while we had correlation. On the way there, He called and asked if I would invite the other 3 sisters too. As I went to do so, I realized I had BOTH of our phones (we have 2) and as I asked the other sisters which one of them left their phone with the others...neither had. "fantastic!" I thought haha, we had 4 phones for three sisters, and no way of getting a hold of the others. Thankfully they didn't get too far down the road before they realized they had no way of calling anyone. Somehow they found some elders who let them use the phone to call the mission leader. Anyway, we went to Five Guys and made quite a scene with 1 young man paying for 6 young woman who were all dressed up and had tags and addressed each other as sister. The owner took notice and asked our correlator where we were from. Joe was talking to him for a while. When he came back to the table, the owner asked if we wanted anything else and that it would be on him! He also said, to let him know when we ever came in because he wanted to make sure we ate for free. As he walked a way, Sis Mortensen asked him, "What did you say to him?" and Joe, our ward mission leader said simply, "We just talked about the gospel." Not 5min later the kid who wrung up our order came up to our table and said, "The owner said you all are Mormon, and I don't know very much about your church and want to learn. I love learning about different religions." Then handing us a piece of paper with his information on it said, "Here is my name and number I would love to learn more." Right then and there Joe got his address and set up an appt with him. We will meet with him tomorrow :). Amazing thing about it all, is that we missionaries just came in and stuffed our faces with delicious burgers. Joe is a return missionary and still does a great job at sharing what he knows to be true. In fact after our friend walked away, he said under his breath, "I still got it." It is fun to realize that just because I may be going home soon, doesn't mean I have to stop being a missionary. The world needs this gospel, and the Lord needs his missionaries and members to only be willing to open their mouths.

I love you all! Good Luck Allie! I read that milesplit article, look at you all famous. You are going to do great! Just try to relax and give yourself a break. I am praying for you! And chipper, hope you enjoyed your first week in Argentina! Have you eaten steak yet? Argentinians eat a lot of really yummy steak :) You will probably feel at home. 

I learned again, my weaknesses do not define me, or even my success

Hampton Bay's duck

Taking our good friend to the temple for the first time

Howdy family!                                                                      

Wow what a week! Lots of neat people, lots of lessons learned, and many many miracles :) So funny how now it is so hard to remember it all now that I am writing you but I will do my best.

It was an amazing week to be a missionary. We had Presidents Interviews, Mission Leadership Council, and General Conference. It was about as exciting as Christmas! 

 It was a spiritually powerful week and an opportunity for a lot of self reflection. And a lesson I learned this week, that BLEW my mind. Probably shouldn't of, but I guess it’s about time that I learned it. As Elder Richard G. Scott said yesterday in General Conference. The Lord is a God of Justice and Mercy. He will punish our rebellions, and extend mercy towards our weaknesses. I realized something powerful. I seem to have it in my head that I need to be punished for my rebellions and my weaknesses and that is how I am to learn. Through gritting my teeth, enduring and getting through it. No pain no gain. But then during his talk, I realized that the Savior Heals and Strengthens through Mercy, Love and Forgiveness. So why should I think that I can somehow become better by beating up on and focusing on my weaknesses? Weaknesses are only overcome through the Atonement of Jesus Christ, or in other words, his grace and mercy. That is why God gave us weaknesses, so we could enjoy his mercy and learn to overcome through him. 

Also, Heaven is trying to tell me something. It was incredible to have my president's interview. And I learned again, my weaknesses do not define me, or even my success. I went in there thinking of all the different things I could and needed to change, but just came to find that President fully trusted me and that he wanted me to see how incredibly successful of a mission I had. I felt the spirit and knew it was true, but found it hard to believe as I thought of all the people I failed to talk to, days I failed to do this that or the other....blah blah blah.  Heaven sensed it wasn't sneaking in and so prompted a past companion to seek me out and try to talk to me. She sat me down and shared with me how successful I have been and how we had grown together. I was so grateful to her and her willingness to follow the spirit. And also grateful for a loving Heavenly Father who is long-suffering to get through my thick head what success really is.  I have learned that success in God's eyes is not the absence of weakness, or even what we accomplish. It is trying to live worthy of the spirit, to love people, to be happy and better ourselves despite the opposition we face. God doesn't want us only to be successful, but feel it too. What does success mean to us if we do not enjoy it? No wonder I am so high strung and stressed all the time, I have had skewed ways of seeing it. Makes me so grateful for repentance and being able to change my perspective on things. 

We also got to talk to a lot of people this week from all over. Vietnam, Mexico, Brooklyn, Jamaica, Gianna, and Poland to. Even in the Island, there is strong diversity. Still neat to be able to preach the gospel to every nation. 

We are now off to go bowling with the other missionaries in our zone. This should be interesting! I love you!!

Learning to lean on incomplete faith rather than fear

Wow, what a crazy week! But we are hanging in there :) and miracles are happening everywhere. We were able to go with Gus to the temple on Saturday, and were even able to do an endowment session right before it while the rest of the branch toured central park. I am so grateful for the temple and the peace and spirit that reside there. I am so grateful for the power that also comes from the temple. I feel like the power of temple attendance doesn't always all come right at once, or even when you are inside it's holy walls, but is most powerfully manifest in the days and weeks between our visits. I think it is because it not only refines us, but builds us, changes us and reminds us of who we are.

 

I also got to speak in Sacrament Mtg yesterday. I haven't done that since I gave my farewell talk last July. Thankfully, the only talk I have given on my mission so far has been in English! I also got to talk on Elder Holland's "Lord, I Believe" talk from this past General Conference. He talks about the story of the Father with the boy who was possessed by an evil spirit. The apostles were unable to heal them. In desperation the father cried out to the Savior, "If thou canst do anything, have compassion on us" to which the savior replies, "If thou canst believe, all things are possible." To which the father straightforward cries out, "Lord, I believe, Help thou mine unbelief. " At that the Savior, healed the boy, and all were amazed. What I love about this story and this talk, is that it reminds me that the faith, hope, light and anything that is good that is within me is more important and powerful than my doubts and fears. Often times I fall into the trap of thinking that if I am scared, then I have no faith, because faith is the opposite of fear. What I learned as I prepared and gave a talk on this topic was that yes fear and faith cannot co-exist, but I am learning that is more about which you LEAN on, and LEAD with that makes the difference. This father cried out with all the faith he had and leaned on it, and though it might of been partially incomplete, the required quality of faith was there, and the miracle was able to be performed.

 

We do need to build our faith, and I think more importantly, we must be loyal to the faith that we already do have, before it can grow. And it is so good to know that God does not condemn concerns, questions or doubts. It is just a matter of what you put forth first, your faith, or your fear, and if you turn to Him to help you with your fear.

 

I know God Lives and that He loves us. I know that our Beloved Savior and Redeemer Jesus Christ is the Master Healer and that it is only through Him that we can return to our Heavenly Father. I also know that I do not know everything and sometimes I find the storms within and around me to be overwhelming, but I know the voice that the seas obey, and I strive to lead out with that faith and knowledge.

 

I love and cherish you all! Enjoy General Conference and invite a friend to come to it. Who doesn't want to listen to Modern and Living Prophets, and gain revelation and answers to our personal challenges and questions?  I know that Thomas S Monson is a Prophet of God, and I cannot wait to hear his message to me and to the entire world :)

 

Much love,

 

Hermana Megan Chipman

I found a running trail!

Well, the last week of summer brought the cold in. It is already jacket season. It actually is SUPER nice! The ocean breeze is keeping it cool and drier. Which I am grateful for. Sis Mortensen and I found this beautiful bike trail near our home. We went for a run, it was FABULOUS. Now I won't say how fast I went, cause I refused to look, and I am very out of shape, but it was wonderful. I haven't been on a trail like that since I left Denver. Also, I could run, so that was really good, my lungs are calming down :). One baby step at a time.

Also! Our good friend Augustine received the Aaronic Priesthood yesterday! I met Gus a few months back on an exchange while my companion-for-the-day and I were looking up his sister from one of our YSA lists. Gus is an amazing guy with a lot of faith. Just over a year ago, he suffered a catastrophic stroke in his brain stem that left him un-operable and as he says it he was "on his way out." He was in and out of a comatose state. At that time, he had been less-active since moved to NY, almost a decade before he reached out to the church from his hospital bed. As he would tell you, he begged God to be able to live and promised Him that he would dedicate his life to Him and to learning His word and being active in his church if he were given that 2nd chance. He was. Miraculously, Gus was eventually able to leave the hospital and move back home. Only problem was that he couldn't afford in-house care or rehab therapy and there was a problem with his insurance. Essentially what happened is that he learned to rehab himself through youtube and taught himself to walk again, talk again, and look people in the eye. He really is a walking miracle. He is still recovering, and making incredible progress. He really is one of the happiest people I know. When we met him, He had been going to to the family ward in Huntington for a couple weeks, we invited him to the Singles Branch and He has been coming ever since. We have been helping him prepare to receive the priesthood and to receive a temple recommend. And this week it happened! He had about 3 interviews with the branch president that fell through this past week, (oh the joys of opposition), but yesterday Elder Owens, one of the Senior missionaries (him and his wife teach institute) conferred the Aaronic Priesthood upon him. The spirit was so strong, and Sister Mortensen and I are so grateful to be apart of that miracle. I know that this priesthood will change and bless him and his family. Gus is so good, and we are excited to go with him to the temple next week! It will be his first time!

I love you all, and hope that you are happy and well. I hope you (Mom and Dad) have a fun and safe trip and if anything it will be fun to think of you only 7hrs away :). 

Allie, keep up the amazing work!!! Will you run with me and get me back into shape when I get back? (...don't know which one scares me more, Dad's running prison, or Allie's?.....) I will be honored to get to run with the District Champ :)....and you won it at Larkspur too! 

And last but not least, keep going Elder Chipman. You are right about missionary work taking a lot of patience. Sometimes the only answer is to take a deep breath, say a little prayer, and just believe and have faith it will all work out. Also remember, Jesus Christ lives and that He suffered and died for everything we have done wrong and failed to do. What does that mean? That means that as long as we apply and internalize the Doctrine of Christ (Faith, Repentance, Baptism, Gift of the Holy Ghost, and Endure to the End), and do our best, there is nothing that we can do or fail to do to keep someone or ourselves from entering into the kingdom. All God has ever had to work with is imperfect people, and he is perfect at doing it. And through His perfect plan, it will all come down to each person's agency, whether they want to live with God or not. Simple as that. So keep it up, keep your head up, and trust in God. Most of the good you will ever do on your mission or in your life will be unrecognizable to you, but God sees it and is so grateful for it, and so are so many others!.....so just remember that and have faith that it is there, even when you don't see it. 

Have a good one! 

Love, 

Hermana Chipman

New Yorkers have a hard outer shell, but a soft pure heart.

Hello family!                                                                                       September 16, 2013

So this past week a huge rainstorm hit, I mean nothing out of the ordinary around here, but enough to DRENCH us as we ran from our ward mission leader's house to the car.......but that sounds like nothing compared to what has been coming down back home!! Yikes! I am still getting over the shock of it. I hope everyone is okay. If you get the chance, I hope you do get to put on the Mormon helping hands yellow vests. Yellow vest, trashed and muddy jeans, rain boots and a bandana is still my favorite missionary uniform. Also let me know if you need any "clean out muddy basement" pointers......And make sure you get lots of rubber gloves....the kind that go up to your elbows. And rain boots are a worthwhile investment too. I will start praying that they can find all those missing persons and help everyone get out!

Oh and guess what?? Transfers are tomorrow and I am staying with Sister Mortensen!! For the first time in my mission I will get to go into a 4th transfer (6-week period) in an area! I am grateful, it will be nice to stay the course and get healthy, and keep working with everyone here. Also, that means I will get to serve as a Sister Training Leader still. No complaints here! Oh AND I get to be on the Island for all the Fall Colors. I have always dreamed of coming to the East Coast in the Fall. It already is getting pretty, and so I can't wait for the leaves to change!

So when I first got my mission call to come to NYC, everyone warned me about how mean, cold blooded and hard the people were. Now looking back, I think that if you think that, than either, you didn't stay in the city long enough to not be a tourist, or you didn't talk to enough of them. Now, have I been screamed at and cursed at by random people on the streets? Yes, but people are just stressed out here haha, and I am a missionary, and as missionaries we have a way of attracting negative attention at times. Its not funny at the time, but makes for a good story later. But that's not my point. My point is that every single day, I am grateful to be surrounded by so many pure hearted and kind people. New Yorkers have a hard outer shell (which you need in a place like this!) but many of them have a soft, pure heart.  I was leaving this morning and realized my wallet was missing. Couldn't find it anywhere. Prayed to be able to find it and felt like we needed to go to the library. We asked the desk, and yes they had it. I must of left it there from 2 days before! And it even still had my cash in it :) Makes me grateful for honest people. Also, this past week, Sister Mortensen and I met this kind old man, who saw us, said he respected what we were doing and bought us a NY pizza pie to take home. This same man saw us today, and gave us some NY desserts to try. All in all, we are all God's children and I am grateful for all of the many friends I have made out here. It will break my heart to leave this wonderful place.

I also wondered often why a mission is so hard, and I have come to know through experience that it is so hard, and being a member can be so hard, because it is so true. And anything worthwhile in this life is worth standing for and working for. And I am grateful to call this my cause.

I love you all! Thanks for all your prayers in my behalf!

I learned about the NYC commute

Hola Familia!                                                                                      September 9, 2013

It's been another week of miracles to say the least. It also is crazy but tomorrow is my year mark in NYC!! So amazing and weird to think I haven't left this place in a year. I have also heard that once you are here for a year, you are considered a New Yorker. Since I can't be a Colorado Native, at least New York will take me ;)

I learned that I NEVER want to commute into NYC--- however much I love the place. Sister Mortensen and I decided to change the times of our sister exchanges (when we switch companions for the day). We usually exchanged at 9pm the night before to 9pm the next night. We wanted to change it though, because it was just too hard to plan for the next day, and made us EXHAUSTED after back to back exchanges. We thought we would change it to 5pm to 5pm instead, just to avoid the craziness at the end of the day, also to preserve our "prime time" as missionaries (6pm-9pm when people are usually home). Problem is that we forgot to plan for traffic...and we ended up needing to travel to and from Queens almost everyday this week in the dead of traffic.....so we had a lot of time to talk in the car haha. Not the best planning on our part....but now we know, and are that much more grateful for a clear highway!

This week has again been a humbling week, and I have been grateful for the ways the Lord is prompting me to grow. Throughout my mission, He has taught me to serve. How to serve like Him, and to serve everyone. And I have been grateful for all the opportunities, from sharing the gospel on a subway, to cleaning out a flooded hurricane basement, to helping serve a struggling companion or other missionary. This week, He has been teaching me to let myself be served. How to receive that service, and who to let serve me. It’s been a goal this week, and I have been so grateful for the everyday angels around me who have stepped in, in the past week and helped me. My natural self is that with the Lord’s help I can take care of myself, and then I will go and take care others. (Ashley and Michelle (my college roommates) are probably laughing as they remember me trying to serve myself a bowl of cereal when I was on crutches.) But this week I have been reminded again of the importance of not resisting the angels God sends to us to help us in our time of need. He has sent me many this week. There have been sister missionaries who pray for exactly what I need for me while I am on an exchange with them, or who will stay up and watch "Finding Faith in Christ" with me while I try to calm my asthma down, or even a companion who is kind enough to go for a midnight stroll around the neighborhood so I can calm my breathing and go to sleep.

At the beginning of the week, I was getting to the end of my rope--especially with other missionaries beginning to point out how tired and awful I looked (I just say” Thank you Elder" haha) Its out of loving concern of course, just not what I want to hear! Especially when I only have 3 months to look cute again before I come home! haha. But in all seriousness its amazing how the Savior always reaches out his arm of mercy, and how it usually is through someone else. My favorite part of being a missionary, is that I can be a light of hope to someone, especially those who feel they are in the dark. What I often forget is that while we are bearing God's children up, God is bearing us up through His children also.  It comes full circle. However much I love to be self-reliant and independent, I am so grateful to know that I don't need to suffer through my everyday challenges alone, and neither does anyone else. That is what having a Savior is all about.

As far as the work goes, we are still teaching a lot and having a lot of fun. Our investigator from Austria got back into town yesterday! We tried to send missionaries to her home in Austria, and they showed up, but I guess her parents flipped out.....so we will have to see more of what happened (bummer!). But I know it will all be okay. I get to teach and work with the coolest people in the whole world, and meet amazing people everyday. We have 3 weeks left to reach our three month goal of 1 baptism, and we know we can do it. We are working really hard, and the Lord is incredibly blessing us. Last week, between the 2 of us, we seriously were either in a Dr. Appointments, member present lessons, or on exchanges. This week has been either Dr. Appointments, member present lessons, traffic or on exchanges. He truly is aware of each of His children!

I love you all and hope you have a great week!

What it means to be an online missionary

 Hi everyone!                                                                                      September 2, 2013

 

Thank you again for all your support and prayers. This week has been rough health wise, but vale la pena! (worth the pain). 

The big news is that our mission has been selected to become an online mission! Not everyone is online yet, so far it’s just the assistants, zone leaders and sister training leaders, but starting in October, everyone will be on facebook!

So what does it mean to be an online missionary? I am not even completely sure yet, but essentially it is that we can use our Facebook, blogs and Skype to fulfill our missionary purpose to invite others to come unto Christ. We can teach people in any part of the world using the internet. We can even communicate with and teach family members and friends from home about the gospel and missionary work. We can even have skype lessons with anyone who wants to listen. So yes I am on Facebook, but no it's not like before. I am not supposed to use it for anything outside the missionary purpose, even on our preparation days. Also, I think I am just going to keep my blog the same. I will still be emailing home, and you do such a good job mom, I will just let you do it. Only difference now is that I can look at it and add other posts if I want.

It will also take a while to figure it all out, it is really weird to be on facebook and still be a missionary! It was really funny. At the end of our Mission Leadership Council, President and the Assistants invited us to log in to our Facebook and start the "clean-up" process to get them ready to use for missionary work. All of us missionaries were pretty panicked about seeing their Facebook. As we came back into the meeting, one Elder was laughing and saying, "That was the weirdest thing, looking at pictures of my girlfriend on facebook and having president looking over my shoulder!" haha We missionaries are so weird. 

Another weird thing, we probably will be introducing ourselves by and sharing our first and last names with others so people can find us on facebook.......I don't even remember what my first name is anymore.....haha 

I have had several sacred experiences this week. All of which were in unexpected places. One actually happened last Friday night. Sister Mortensen and I were sitting in the ER with the Sister Missionaries in Richmond Hill. We had an exchange with them that night, which was a good thing, because I don't know how they would have gotten home from the ER otherwise. Anyway it was 2am and we were all exhausted. There was a Jewish man who had passed by us several times throughout the night, as he was going back and forth from his father's bed and the waiting room. After a while he asked if he could sit down in the chair next to me. He was very kind and was wondering what was wrong with our friend (why we were there). We got to talking. Turns out he is from Iran, and immigrated to Isreal and eventually came to NYC seeking for religious freedom. We talked about all of the September Jewish Holidays (School still hasn't started here because of them) and also His father who had had a stroke that day (why he was also in the ER at that time of the night). We also talked about his Sabbath which had begun by that time. I shared about our Sabbath, and this took him a back. He said that he thought no one really followed that commandment anymore. And then I had the distinct impression to give him a Book of Mormon and tell him a little bit about it. I didn't think I had one in my bag, but as I looked for one, I found my own personal paperback copy that I was reading and trying to finish before the end of my mission. I apologized that it had markings on it and gave it to him, and showed him how it was written specifically for the "Jew and the Gentile." The spirit was really strong. You could tell my small gift meant a lot to him, and all my markings seemed to make it mean more to him, almost like I gave a piece of myself to him. I showed him some of my favorite passages and he said that he found them beautiful and wanted to learn more. He even invited us over for dinner, and he would make us some of the traditional Jewish Holiday dishes. Of course, he lives in Forest Hills, Queens which isn't in our area. I had to explain to him that I couldn't come, but that other sister missionaries would be able to. He was okay with that and gave us permission to pass his info along to them. We gave his info to the Rego Park sisters. One of the Sisters' father is Jewish. She was so excited to about the referral. Also, I hope to keep in contact with him over the internet. The blessings of now being online! All in all, opportunities to share the gospel don't have to be at a doorstep, and don't even always need to be rehearsed or perfect. All God requires is a willing heart and a willing mind. As we follow the spirit, we will be in the right place at the right time and do the right thing, however much we feel we might blunder through it. As the Savior promised in Matthew 17:20, if we just have the faith of a tiny mustard seed, nothing will be impossible to us. I know that is true. I know that our Savior lives, and loves us and is constantly seeking to help us, even at a ER in Queens at 2am. 

 

I love you all! And hope to hear from you soon! See you on the web :D