Jenna meets the elusive Camel Cactus??

Hi family!!! How is everything going? I hope that everything is going well and that you are all enjoying your summer. So what have you all been up to? I hope that it's been fun!! So life here has been pretty good, we are teaching lots of people and things are going good. I am doing well and getting ready for transfers next week. I can’t believe that I have been here in El Paso for almost 7 months!!! It is just crazy how fast the time goes, and when I think that it is almost time for general conference again that makes my head spin. After this conference I will only have 1 more general conference till I come home!! Wow that is just crazy!!! Well enough of looking at the time ad lets get on to the stories of the week.

Story 1 The tale of the people that I know.

 So mom has commented on how I have not recently talked about the people that we are teaching. So let me tell you a little about them. Tara the young girls who read the Book of Mormon in a week is doing good. She is having trouble getting her families support however, and she just started school again so she is very busy. But the YW are working really hard to keep her involved and active so that is very good. Bobo (Who is not a clown by the way, but he is really funny and nice) has been doing really well he and his wife has been going to the Spanish ward that is closer to their house. The Elders in that ward say that he is doing just fantastic and that he has been coming to all of church for the past 3 weeks! So that is very good! Kevin has been extremely busy at work and so we have not been able to see him very much. But he is doing ok and still trying to prove the gospel wrong... He won’t believe us that he can’t do it. Oh yeah the man who gave us the yellow watermelon is doing well also. We always have good conversations about the bible, he does not like the Book of Mormon so we don’t use it much...Yet ;). Well when we were there in Saturday we told him about transfers next week. He asked if we knew who was going, we said no. He asked were we would go, we told him where ever in the mission God wants us to go. Then he asked if he could call the mission president and tell him to leave us here, because we haven't converted him yet. That made me smile :) He may be a grumpy old man who loves to argue but he seems to like the fact that I will talk with him ( Because I cant argue because it is not a very missionary thing to do... Most times;).  And that I will stand my ground and don't get scared or intimidated by all of his silly questions. Then on Sunday at church his wife said that before either of us leave we have to go and see him. I guess that he likes us :)

Story 2 The tale of Blushing Mr. Moony

  So the other night we were driving home and the moon just started to rise. And it was red!! It looked so cool, and creepy all at the same time. And that reminded me that it is a sign of the second coming! That's just crazy to think that it is closer than we think it is. So I guess that we all better get ready and hasten the work of salvation. For more information please contact the missionaries nearest to your area. Calls can only, will only be received till 10:30 at night because that when the missionaries should be in bed.

Story 3 The tale of an unfortunate event  So last Monday sister Brown got word that her grandpa was sick. And then on Friday the president called and told her that he had past away. It was very sad and very hard for her to hear. It made me think of when Grandpa Chatwin passed away, and again reminded me of how grateful I am for the plan of salvation. And I am so grateful that my family has been sealed for time and all eternity.

Story 4 And the tale of random stories!!

Ok so I take lots of random pictures with my camera, and here are the top 3

1.    his is a legitimate since in Chaparral. It is supposed to say watch FOR children but someone apparently forgot a word. P.S My poor grammar skills have nothing to do with this!

2.    2. So here in El Paso every one owns an Ice cream truck. They all go around the neighborhoods and give ice cream. But there are a few of these trucks that are evil! They play really out of tone children songs, and this is the creepiest one I have seen yet. It is an old school bus that the kids go INSIDE of to get their ice cream.

And here we have the elusive Camel Cactus. I have been trying to photograph him for several months but he has been to quick. But the other day as we were traveling home from the outback of Chaparral we spotted him!! And so we quickly photographed him and we now have proof that the Camel Cactus exists!!! This will no doubt go down in history as one of the greatest finds in human history!! 

Ha well those are my adventures this week. Hope you all have fun and I can’t wait to hear from you soon!!

Love Sister Chatwin

P.S You scream, I scream, we all Scream!! Then the cops come over and it awkward so lets just eat our ice cream from the   creepy ice cream truck.

P.S You scream, I scream, we all Scream!! Then the cops come over and it awkward so lets just eat our ice cream from the   creepy ice cream truck.

Jenna brings camping to New Mexico

Hello everybody!!! How are y'all doing and what are y'all up to? The pictures that mom sent of camping looked really fun, and I hope that the s’mores that you were supposed to give all of the children were good! Well another week down and it is just crazy to think that I have been gone for 6 months and that in 12 1/2 months I will come home!! P.S I have to stay the extra 1/2 month so that it works with transfers. But any way in 3 more months I will be half way done!! Wow the time has just flown by, and they tell me that it will only get faster. So this past week was slow again because everybody is taking that last minute vacation before school. But there were a few exciting things that happened this week so on to the stories of the week!!

Story 1 So since I missed camping for the first time in about 15-20 years I was pretty bummed. So I decided that if I could not go camping that I would bring camping here!!! And what is the best way to pretend that you are camping? Well its is make s’mores of course!!! So… last Monday when we were at the store I spent some of my money on graham crackers, chocolate, and marshmallows. Not only was this in memory of camping, but it gave me a good excuses to spend my money. After we had acquired all of the necessity for the pretend camp out we went to do laundry at the Cadds.

They were so good and all would have been golden boy approved.

Story 2 On Wednesday we had this awesome thunder storm! As we were talking to an investigator out side of our apartment I got some pictures and mad a few videos. The videos wont send but here are the best pictures. We never got any rain, but our Zone leaders who live on the other side of the mountain (they all call it a mountain but compared to the mountains back home they are really just little hills) said that it was pouring! They drive a truck and the water was up to their headlights at their apartment! They said that a wall or something gave way because of the water and that there whole complex was flooded!! But yeah we did not get any rain at all so that was kind of disappointing, because I love it when it rains because the smell of dust after rain is fantastic!

Story number 3 The tale of the mutant Sandia!! (P.S. all of my stories will now have titles, I have just decided this)

 So there is this investigator who lives out in Chaparral and he is very nice but likes to bible bash. We only keep going back because his wife and granddaughter ask us to. He will ask us questions and will only accept answers from the bible, as you can imagine it is not very easy. But like I said he is very nice and likes it when we come over, manly because I will talk gospel with him. He also loves Elvis Presley and he is a farmer, this is were the mutant Sandia come in to play. On Saturday after a long discussion on judgment day, he asks if we would like to take home some yellow and red Sandias. So I said that we would love to, even though I was not sure what a Sandia was and because I wanted to be nice. So we go to this room and he gives us this fruit, so we take it home and decide that we want to eat some of the Sandia. And we cut in to the red one and it was the best Sandia that I have ever eaten! Oh and Sandia means watermelon in Spanish just so you know ;). I mean its like you died and went to heaven and they gave you a watermelon. It was so juice and tasted amazing! So we slice up that one and put it in the fridge. Then we went to the yellow one, and sliced it open and this is what we found!!!  It is really YELLOW!!!! Not just red with a little bit of yellow, but it is all Yellow!!! So I tried it, and it was pretty good!! It tastes like watermelon but with a twist. Yeah it was very good!!!

Jenna the girl who does not spend money!!

Hello family how are y'all doing? I am pretty sure that most of you are camping and won’t get this till later but hey its Monday and so I will send you an email any way. So how have you been and how was camping? Did you give Brynlee and Avery my s’mores like you were supposed to, and did Blake and Hailey get some too? I hope that you all had fun and did not get eaten by mosquitoes! So what was the best part of the whole trip because I want to know!! Oh and just so I can get the camping experience when we go to the store I am buying marshmallows, gram-crackers, and chocolate to make my own smores today white we do laundry!  Yeah it wont really be the same but at lest I won’t smell like a camp fire ;) Well life down here is pretty good we have been seeing lots of people and we have been having loads of fun!! And that means.... On to the stories of the week!!

Story 1 on Tuesday President Miller and his wife came and interviewed us in our apartment. So after cleaning like mad they came by and asked how we do things in our area. So we showed them our area book, our white board with all the people we are teaching, and told him how we do planning. He seemed very impressed, and he said that this is one of the most organized areas in the zone/mission. Crazy right because when in my life have I been able to keep things neat and organized. I mean I can be organized but it’s usually an organized mess that only I can figure out. Then we did individual interviews and President Miller just checked on us to see how we were doing. He told me that he was very impressed with the area and how sister brown was doing, so I guess that I am at least doing something right. And then while Sister Brown was being interviewed I went and talked to Sister Miller. And she told us that she loved our apartment and that we had very cute taste. Some how or another we got on the subject of our monthly allowance money. And she asked what I usually did with the money, and when I told her that I have never run out of money, that I only buy what I need and that I don't use all the money in my and that I did have some money that was still in my account. When I was done she looked at me and with a smile said that I was obviously very good with money. But that the money we are given each month is for us to use, and not to save. She told me to spend all the money I could from what I get each month... HOW ON EARTH AM I GOING TO DO THAT!!!! I hate to spend money and I really only buy what I need and so what else am I going to spend my money on!! Yes some of you are probably laughing thinking that I am the only person in the whole mission and world that has ever had this problem. So yeah if you can think of something that is consecrated (mission appropriate) to spend money on please let me know because I have no idea. Yea I am crazy :)

Story 2 On Fridays we have district meeting and then we all go to lunch. Sister Brown and I are the only sister in our district or 3 companionship's, but we still have the same group as in the photo I sent except for elder Anderson who got transferred and now we have Elder Allen. So for lunch we went to this little burrito place were you have to pay in cash, and they only speak Spanish. They have the best burritos there in the whole world, even better than the really big ones. But as we were talking the question was asked that if you were in a zombie apocalypses who would your companion be, what is your weapon of choice and what is your theme song. This turned in to a conversation of us being the last members of the church on earth, so that our district leader would be the prophet. Our plan was to somehow make it to salt lake and hide out in the temple and wait for either John the beloved or the 3 Nephits to come and help us out. But I would be the relief society president and the church finance clerk (Sister Brown told the elders about my money spending problem). Half way through our conversation an elderly lady came up to us and asked who the Elder in charge was. I thought that we were going to get in trouble, but she told us that she had paid for our lunch in memory of her mother. I was so touched by this lady she was so nice and even though we had the money (we all know that I always have money) she was just so kind and helped us out. That just made the day so much better for all of us. Oh yeah and my response to the Zombie apocalypse question was as follows. My companion would be the 10th Doctor, my weapon would be the elder Wand, and my theme music would be the Lord of the rings Soundtrack. Best plan ever!!

Story 3 So it is safe to say that I have invented a new way of contacting people on the street. And it just may be the greatest way to find people ever! Ok so here it is... are you ready because it is FANTASTIC!!!...Ok it is the SCpoll !!!! This stands for the Sister Chatwin Poll. So what you do is you think of a question like "what is better chocolate or Vanilla?" And you go up and ask people!!! It breaks the ice and is super fun; yesterday we did who was better Batman or Super Man. And the people have spoken and it is Batman! But any way we have been able to talk to so many people that it is insane!! President Miller committed us to talk to 10 people a day, per person. And this means give them a card and invite them to do something, or set up a return appointment, and it seemed really hard at first. But this week I got my 10-day 3 days in a row, and over all we had 62 contacts!!! So if anybody uses this idea it is patented under the name of SCpoll, and Makall when you go on your mission it will totally work for you!! Because you will be Sister Chatwin (the younger)!!! 

Story 4 Ok so this is actually not a new story but I have been trying to keep it from you because it is kind of embarrassing. But it has just now become to funny share. So I apparently talk in my sleep, and I have since I have been here in El Paso. And it is not just talk in my sleep, no, I teach lesson in my sleep. One night sister Rose said that I recited the entire first vision, and then bore my testimony of Joseph Smith. Another night I was teaching the Word of Wisdom, and then the plan of salvation. Then one night I sat straight up and was pointing at something and said, " You know the thing about sister missionaries is..." And then laid back down. And Sister Brown has now informed me that I have begun to pray for our investigators including teaching. I think this makes me the most consecrated missionary ever, because I am even being a missionary in my sleep. I have yet to find a way to record my night lesson so if you can think of any good ideas please let me know.

So that is how the week down here in the west Texas town of El Paso has gone. I love you all and hope that you have fun camping!! Be sure to send me lots of pictures, and to send lots of stories!! I love you all very much and can’t wait to hear from you soon!!

Love Sister Chatwin

P.S (snore) But I want to ride the pony (snore) 

Jenna's authentic Mexican dinner, Hot Dog's??

Hello Everybody!! How are you all doing? What are you all up to and what are your plans for the rest of the summer? I hope you enjoy Tonys Grove!! I will really miss not going this year, but just have lots of fun and take loads of picture!! Also Brynlee and Avery get the s'mores that I would have eaten, and Blake and Hailey also should have a s'more because they need one to. So you kids remember that Aunt Jen said that you all could have lots of s'mores!! And again remember to take pictures!!! But yeah so this week has been pretty good and so on to the Stories of the Week!

Story 1 Ok this is more of a shout out than a story but hey what can you do? So congrats to my cousin Cassandra for getting her mission call to Mexico!! That is so exciting and I can’t wait for you to join in on all the fun of being a missionary!! Also to Elder Poe (who's address I don’t have and who wont respond to the emails I send him) my mom sent me apart of your email and it was fantastic!! It helps me see that every missionary has slow times, and that things will always get better. 

Story 2: So this week we had exchanges, which I am not a big fan of but hey it was fun. So I went to another area called Rio Grande which is a Spanish speaking area. So I just got to sit there and smile while my companion taught lessons. Sister Klouse was very nice and funny, and we had such a fun time! She said that everyone that we talked to said that they did not need another bible because one was enough. It is amazing how Nephi's prophecy in 2nd Nephi 29 is coming true!  "3 And because my words shall hiss forth—many of the Gentiles shall say: A ^aBible! A Bible! We have got a Bible, and there cannot be any more Bible." It seems that so many people are looking for the truth but refuse to see what is right in front of their eyes. Any way one appointment was at a foster home for elderly people, and so while she talked to the investigator in Spanish I talked to a very sweet old lady who has dementia. She told me how she had 14 kids and that she had to give them all away because her husband wanted to eat them.... Yeah I am not sure how much of the story is true but hey it was a pretty interesting story. We also colored picture with her colored pencils, and this was apparently a big deal that she let me use her pencils. Because she is always very paranoid that people will steal them and so she never lets anybody use them. She was very nice and I hope that her kids are all right, have not really been eaten.

Story 2 While on exchanges we had an authentic Mexican dinner, cooked by this very nice lady who spoke no English. Did you know that authentic Mexican food includes hot dogs?  Because I didn't. But she made this bean soup thingy with beans (obviously), bacon, and hot dogs. It was interesting to say the least, and then we had really hot corn tortilla things I am not even sure what kind of meat it was, but I think that it was beef...I hope. And finally a side of baked potatoes, which are also apart of an authentic Mexican dinner. Who knew? But yeah it was very good and she said that she really liked my long curly golden hair. So that was nice.  Oh and she also had this really tiny puppy that was so cute!! I laid him on my lap and he rolled on his back and fell asleep. It was just too cute. But not as cute as my Coco!

Story 3 On Wednesday we met with a man who is the uncle of one of the missionaries in our area. How that happened I am not sure but any way, she asked us to stop by and see him. So we did and he then proceeds to tell us that he used to believe in the Book Of Mormon. But he is now an athirst because the world is too terrible for there to be a God, and also science and history tell him other wise. So we had a nice talk with him on how the world is not so bad, and that there is a God. He still did not believe us but he did say that we could come back, so that is a plus. But it always makes me sad when people have forgotten God, because then they are just missing out on the whole big picture of life. There is a god and I know that he is there and I hope that one day this man remembers that.

Story 4 So yesterday we were in church and sister brown tells me that we have to go. So we go out side and she hunches over and tells me that she is in terrible pain. So I set her down and ask her what it is, she said that is was just this stabbing pain right under her ribs. So I go get the Ward Mission Leader and he, the Bishop, and the ward clerk give her a blessing. But she still felt sick so a member took us to the doctors. So when they were taking down all of her information and they asked if we were sisters, and I almost said no we are companions. But then thought better just said that we were friends. But when she left the room to go get give a urine sample and I got up and followed her out the door he looked at me like I was crazy. So I had to explain that I had to we are missionaries and we have to be in sight and sound so I just had to see the door. I am pretty sure that he still thought that I was crazy. But any way they took an x-ray and everything looked normal, and the doctor said that is was probably just Gastritis. So they gave her a prescription and told her to go home and rest. And so we spent the rest of the day in the apartment. Yea me. It was so boring, I switched between reading and listening to talks, and I did take a nap during lunch. Oh yes and since it was fast Sunday I was insanely hungry which was not helped by my lack of entertainment.

So there you go that was my week and it was pretty good. So I hope that y'all have a great day and remember how much I love y'all and miss you!! Have lots of fun camping for me and remember that the kids all need lots of smores!!! Love y'all!!

Love Sister Chatwin

P.S Kevin’s a Girl!