Being crazy and having fun :)

August 26, 2013

Hi family! Yes you are right, I ran out of time to write a personal letter this week....I was too busy beating elders at knockout, I figured you would approve ;) haha. Though, it took me 2 days to recover from all the running around....I am out of shape!

As Sister Mortensen says, best part about being crazy is getting to go to Manhattan. We accidentally missed our stop because we were talking to someone on the train and so ended up needing to walk several blocks in midtown Manhattan to get to the 6 train. (I saw Tiffany's!) Thankfully Sis Mortensen lived in Manhattan before and so knew where to go! I went and saw the counselor. He was really good, (used to live in CO!) and just gave me some relaxation and thought processes exercises. However ridiculous I thought they were at first, they work! I am grateful!

Wow, what a week, it was great! One of our investigators committed to be baptized! Her only reservation is the rough way she saw someone being baptized, so we are working on it. Kind of funny, as we were explaining the principle that she can choose which priesthood holder can baptize her, she got this concerned look on her face and exclaimed, "Why can't there just be one person who baptizes, who can get really good at it!" haha. We calmed her down and explained how that defeats the purpose of them having opportunities to use that priesthood. She is actually now back in Austria for a couple weeks. Miracle: we got access to facebook and so now can keep in contact with her while she is gone :)

I also got to see some of the US Open. I was on an exchange in Flushing and the zone got permission to go check it out after their service in the same park. It was just the free day, so it was all preliminaries. You know that I miss sports when I get into tennis! It was fun to be in flushing again too. I was with the English sisters this time. It is a challenge to find English speakers but again I learned the lesson, that through God you can talk to anyone. So often in flushing I have the thought to talk to someone but then I unfairly judge and think that there isn't a way to communicate. On Wednesday, we were walking around to block in front of the church, inviting people to come to church. We probably passed about 15 people, none of which showed any signs of speaking English or Spanish. I said a silent prayer that we would be able to find at least 2 more people to invite to church. Just then we passed a black man who we were able to talk to, and right after that, a Chinese man walked up that I had the thought to talk to. I did and he looked at me, smiled and said, "No English, Chinese, pero un poco espanol!" So we talked to this Chinese man in Spanish, and he said he would come to English class :). You really never know!!

It is still really warm, but finally cooling down some! What a blessing! I love you and miss you! Yea I still feel sick, but still not skipping a beat and am having a lot of fun. Crazy how someone can call this fun, but when you live for what you believe and for the people around you, no matter how hard it is, its worthwhile to you. Maybe that is how the Savior was able to be of good cheer despite all He went through. And maybe that is why he commands us to do the same.

Have a wonderful week!!

We hit all our goals for the first time!

Ah man! Dr. Johnson never told me that I could call you with the results! Oh well, I really didn't get the test till tuesday, or the results till Saturday morning. But what's important is that I don't have mono. And I finally just called one of the ENTs that the ER told me to look up. We went on Thursday. Not the most enjoyable experience....(I got a camera up my nose and vacuum in my ears....pleasant). But all in all, he said everything looked normal, even my throat and tonsils. He says that I have a lot gook up my nose and so he thinks it is Sinusitus, which apparently can really wipe you out. The Dr. office will be calling me and scheduling a cat scan of my face. Wow did it feel good to go see a doc! Also, things finally went through to go see a counselor in manhattan about the stress, which I am suprisingly relieved and excited about. I am going on Friday. He certainly helped Sis Mortensen, and so I am sure it wont hurt.  Usually this would be a big smack to my "perfectionist and independence pride"....okay it really has been haha but I guess that is what got me here in the first place. Still feeling about the same if not a little better, but Its been a miraculous weeks of breakthroughs! For that I am grateful!

Oh and by the way. Last p-day, I went to an Uzbek Salon near our home in Bethpage. I told him,"I am sick of my hair, I need a change and I want it short. Preferrably an  A-line bob, but whatever you want to do." The hairdresser's eyes got all big, and looked like a giddy kid at christmas. So yep, I am back to how you like my hair daddy :) and I really love it too! At first it was a shock, but I am grateful I did it, and it is much more missionary schedule friendly than the crazy mane!! (the poor Uzbeck girl who had to clean up the mess!

Oh and yea, I know all the missionaries in those segments. Elder Walton and Munday were our APs, Sister Bradfield is about my "age" in the mission and is from CO, and Sis Allen is one of my dear friends, and probably one of the most powerful missionaries to come through NYNYS.  http://www.mormonnewsroom.org/article/mormon-missionary-life (Video clip about what it is like to serve as two sister missionaries in Megan’s area)

Also, checkout the mormon.org (http://mormon.org/searchresults#?query=Frank%20Mansuetto&filter=site). Frank is one of the counselors in the branch presidency and his wonderful wife Thea serves in the branch as well. They are such a huge contribution and are larger than life. Probably one of my favorite couples on this island. Wow do I love them! And they have their own Mormon.org video so check it out!

Oh and yes I did see Elder Keenan Mueller (from the Highlands Ranch Ward)!! My last Zone Leader is his trainer. He is serving on the south shore of Long Island in Freeport, one of his trainer's favorite places to serve. He sent your Hi to me, don't you worry :).

Also, this week, for the first time in my mission, we hit every single one of our number goals that we set for ourselves!! We were so happy. My mission president says that reaching a goal just does something to elevate the human heart. He couldn't be more right. The interesting thing about it all too was that it wasn't even that we worked harder this week or anything. People were put in our path, we acted on the promptings we received and miracles occurred. Also, it had a lot to do with the members. We have worked more and more closely with ward members, and are finding more and more people to teach than what we could ever do on our own. The longer I am out here, the more I realize that all of us, members and missionaries alike are striving for the same goal of the salvation and exaltation of our brothers and sisters. The more unified we are, the more success we find.

So just a list of the miracles....

We had an FHE on Monday night with our investigator from Austria. It was set up by our Ward Mission Leader Joe Resaballa, and was at his house out in Coram. A lot of people came despite the drive and the spirit was so strong! We taught the rest of the restoration and the members helped her recognize that the good feelings she felt and the joy she feels as she meets with the missionaries and studies the Book of Mormon is the spirit witnessing to her that it is true. We felt prompted to invite her to be baptized, even though we didn't plan it. She is seriously considering it, and the spirit was so strong!!

On Tuesday, we met with a friend of one of our ward members. We helped our member invite his friend to meet with us the missionaries and we had a powerful restoration lesson with him. At first he was really leery of the Book of Mormon because of the scripture in Revelations  22:18 (18  For I testify unto every man that heareth the words of the prophecy of this book, If any man shall add unto these things, God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book):. Another member who came, Vanity, acted on the spirit and invited him to open his heart. We were then able to direct him to Deutoromeny 4:2 which says essentially the same thing ( 2 Ye shall not  add unto the word which I command you, neither shall ye diminish ought from it, that ye may keep the commandments of the Lord your God which I command you.) and explain that the Revelation scripture only applies to the book of revelation, otherwise the whole New Testament would be obsolete according the Deut 4:2! The spirit was strong, and he understood and is now reading the Book of Mormon.

We were able to meet with a less-active living in Huntington. So horrible on our part! We realized we couldn't make it because of the FHE on Monday, but forgot to tell him! He waited for us too! We apologized profusely, and made him a cake. Thankfully he forgave us, and now just teases us about it.....but we had a lesson with him and brought Vanity too. Again, Vanity followed the spirit and said what was needed to be said......do you see a pattern? Members are EVERYTHING!!!!

Oh and also, our ward mission leader was able to take our investigator from austria to a baptism that happened in Bay Shore. We went too, but we couldn't drive her. We were stressing because we were going to be late because we couldn't leave till after church and it was a good 25min away. Our GPS took us the LONGEST way possible and we hit every light. After a certain point we just laughed. Thankfully it all worked out and we made it in time. And our friend liked it. She was shocked at how forceful the Elder baptized the new convert, but we assured her that she could choose who baptized her. That made her feel better :)

Well this is a long email, and we need to be off to our Zone activity. Just know that I love you! I miss you! And that Heavenly Father is taking good care of me :) Keep up the great work! I know this church is true and everything it declares to be. Heaven is not closed, Angels are real, love is eternal, and I know all of this because I experience every day. The Book of Mormon is true. Jesus Christ. He Lives and I am grateful that he lets imperfect people like me come and be perfected in Him.

Till next week!

Love, Hna Chipman

Manhattan Touring

Hello family! Sounds like you have had quite the epic weekend! I am glad your birthday party was a blast Allie! You know that you are a Chipman girl when sweat and mud are signs of a good time :)

So I have a new companion. Guess who it is?.......................duh duh duh! It’s Hermana Mortensen my MTC companion!!!! She just got called as sister training leader and we are now working together in the YSA branch together. It is SO good to be with her again, and the branch loves her too :)

We had an incredible weekend too. We were able to go to the temple with a recently returned Less-active member named Amalia. Amalia is wonderful! Our ward mission leader gave us her name about 2 months ago. We started contacting her and working with her a little bit. She had some big changes happen in her life, and it caused her to change her perspective and look more deeply for God. She one time pulled us aside at volleyball and told us that she wanted to come back and the time was now. She turned things around, moved her records to the singles branch, accepted a calling and went on the branch temple trip on Saturday! And we got to go with her and spend a day in Manhattan! Sister Mortensen lived in the city before her mission and so when we only had 45min to walk around central park, she knew just where to go! I loved it! We saw strawberry fields, the lake and the plaza. I felt like I was in the movie Enchanted! There were SO many people there. After that we went and got pizza at a tasty pizzeria just a couple blocks from the temple. Manhattan is incredible, so much energy, and a lot of fun.

However much fun the hour of Manhattan touring was, nothing beat being with Amalia in the temple. She just glowed and was so happy to be back. On Sunday she gave the lesson in Relief Society and said, "I am back and I am home." And it is so good to have her happy and back.

Also being in Manhattan was such an interesting contrast. Both things were wonderful. Central Park and walking through the "Upper East Side"...where some of the most powerful and most influential on this planet people live and where stands the incredible architecture and sights that attract the attention of every "nation, kindred, tongue and people." And then to walk into the Holy Temple of our God. Where stand the wonders of eternity, and where all those people may come, learn of Him and perform the ordinances they need to gain salvation and their exaltation. So interesting to walk through the streets of Glory which will only be Glory for a time, and then to walk through the doors of the temple and into the Glory of God which is Eternal and has no end. Really puts a perspective on things, and what is really important and how important our calling is as missionaries. How sacred and great is our calling!

As far as health goes, same old same old, but I still am keeping up and I count myself blessed :). Still no doctor. But, Sis Calderwood gave me permission to look up my own ENT if I need to, and can’t see a doc this week. I am also getting some tests done today. So the process is still slow but coming.

I love you all and miss you dearly!!! This work is hard, but I know its true, and that is what keeps me out here and gives me joy.

Hasta la proxima!!

 

As missionaries we get to see the best and the worse of this city

Hi Familia!                                                                                          August 5, 2013

Today is a BEAUTIFUL day on Long Island. It kind of feels like fall, which is a blessed relief from the humid heat! My neck is getting sore because my hair is in a bun almost everyday and my hair just absorbs all the water in the air! (Its tempting me to cut it all off, there isn't anyone to please here haha!)

So the transfer low-down. I am staying here in the YSA Branch and staying as Sister Training Leader, and Sis Nielsen is training a new missionary so she is leaving. It is really sad to see Sis Neilsen go. We have had a pretty adventurous couple transfers, and its made both of us better. I have had enough companions to know that the Lord is behind the transfer board, and every change is His will, as long as we are obedient. As I am making decisions about when to go home and what I am going to do after this, it makes me wish that I could always be on a transfer board. All I have to do is be obedient, and then I will get a phone call telling me exactly where the Lord wants me. Sounds pretty good to me :)

This week I got to go on an exchange in Riverhead (Yes Ashley Roush, I did visit the "Roush house" as the members still call it, I got to eat dinner there and thought of you!). Riverhead is on the Eastern end of the island. There are a lot of fields and farms. It was the first time since I left CO that I got to see such a big open sky and just space. I almost cried haha; you don't get that very often here in NYC. I got to spend the day with Sis Peacock who actually is one of my good friend's cousins and my MTC teacher's cousin (Hna King). All of our plans fell through, but God led us to the people who really needed us. It is amazing the problems we avoid by just keeping the commandments of God.

We ended up being put in the path of two different women. Neither of which are married, but both have had children with these Horrible Horrible guys. Their situations were different but pretty horrific, and they felt trapped. I could feel God's love for them, and His yearning to bless them. It was incredible to know that God used us to reach out and take care of them in their current situations. It is such a sacred privilege to be someone's angel. It also was a chilling reminder of the current state of so many families in the world today. As missionaries we get to see the best and the worst of this city.  So many people scream that they want freedom, and yet they disobey the commandments of God, and get trapped in their own horrible consequences. But that is where the Lord's mercy comes in which is something I have been thinking about a lot this week.

I was studying in Alma 34 in the Book of Mormon, and the spirit taught me and changed me. I love how it talks about the very intent and reason of the Sacrifice of Jesus Christ, which was to encircle us in His mercy and the arms of His safety. It also talks a lot about pouring out our souls to the Lord. So I tried it. I feel like sometimes missionary work is such a rush that I don't take the time I should to really pour out my soul to him. I gave Him this sickness (whatever it is), my stress, my confusion about when to go home, the progress of the people we are working with, the new changes in the transfer, my "pride of perfection" etc etc. It was incredible because I could feel the almost physical weight lift off my shoulders. My situation hasn’t changed, but I have. Now I feel safe and secure. This is why we all need the Gospel because we all need saving. I am learning more and more that understanding the Atonement, means understanding what it means to be rescued.

He Lives and Loves us. I know he is real. He becomes more real and tangible to me every day. I love you all!