The Tale of the Atonement

Why Hello my family how are y'all doing? I hope that everything is going well and the you are all having fun getting ready for Halloween. So I got pictures of the Squires but not the Chatwins, Christensens or any body else! So please send them because I don't get to dress up this year and I really want to see what y'all are going to be. So how has everybody been ? How has the weather been? Has it snowed yet?!?! When it does take lots of pictures because it wont snow much here :( so sad. It is getting colder here and by cold I mean in the 60's so to the people down here that is cold. Oh and Sister Miller (the mission presidents wife) has decided that the sisters will be participating in Suite Season. Well its more like cardigan season for us, because we have to have a suit jacket or cardigan on at all times unless it get hotter than 75. So its a good thing that I like cardigans because lots of the sisters are quit bummed about it. But not me I actually would were them on pretty much a daily bases, so I am good :) Well how about we get on to the stories of the week.

 

Story 1 The Tale of The Battle of La cucaracha Part 2

 

One night we were coming home from a very long but good day, and sister Brown goes to dump out her water. And then screams and runs back to the door, I knew what it was before anyone had to say. The cockroaches were back... And this time they had brought out the big guns!!! That is to say that there were several large ugly ones that were all over the walls and the sink!!! So I began the attack killing every one  that was in sight, they were quick but I finally succeeded in killing them all. But I knew that there had to be more so pulled out the drawers and found several of the smaller ones, and a few big ones that they were holding in reserve. But they were no match when I pulled out the Roach Killer (the vacuum) and began the attack a second time!! It was a long and hard battle but we were victorious!!! We have not seen hid or hair of a roach since the battle...But I know that they will be back because they always do. I fear that this is a war that will continue until the end of time...  

 

Story 2 The Tale of the Buff Man with a Little Dog

 

On Friday we met with the zone leaders of the neighboring Zone at the park, to talk about the sister of theirs that we cover. And things were going well, it was a nice day, the kids were playing in the park, there was a homeless man sitting on a bench counting his cans, the high school kids smoking on the side walk, and some really sketchy looking people on the other side of the park just sitting on a bench.  You know just your ordinary day at a park in Albuquerque. Well any way we were talking when all of the sudden this guy comes up to us and says "You all look really funny sitting in the park together you know". I turn around to see who he is and almost die laughing. Because he is this big motorcycle guy, with a big white beard ( no he was not Santa ), tattoos all up his arm, a bandanna on his head and was walking a hairless chiwuawua  on a pink leash. We all almost died laughing because I mean really who looked funnier the people in dresses and suites at a park table, or a motorcycle guy with a chiwuawua... I mean really.

 

Story 3 The Tale of The Primary Program

 

This past Sunday was our wards primary program. And I love primary kids so much!! It was so cute to see all the little kids singing and it just made me think of all of my cute kids who I miss so much!!! But any way here are some of the highlights.

1. The Little girl behind us who sees her big sister on the stand and starts so scream "Evelyn!!! Evelyn!!! That's my Evelyn!!!". So her mom takes her out and after a few minutes brings her back in. And she then screams even louder "Evelyn!!! Evelyn!!! That's my Evelyn!! Hi Evelyn!!! So her mom has to take her out for the rest of the meeting. :)

2. A little boy who goes up to say his part and when the teacher tries to help him with his part he turns to her and says. "NO I CAN DO IT MY SELF!!" Ha so cute.

3. The best quote was a little boy who was talking about baptism. He said, "When I was 8 years old my dad baptized me...He has the priesthood so he can do that." And the way he said it was just so funny.

4. And as always you have the kids who speak to close to the microphone, turn away mid sentence so all you hear is "Jesus wants me to mumble mumble." And as always that one kid in the back who is always so loud an off key.

Ha I just love the primary and I cant wait to see my cute little kiddos in one next year!!

 

Story 4

The Tale of the Atonement

 

This past Saturday I went on an exchange to the nob hill sisters area. They cover the YSA stake in there zone, and it was so much fun. That morning we had the opportunity to talk and teach a young lady named Odessa. She is a less active member and has been trying to come back to church. So we stopped by to see how she was doing and to teach a lesson on tithing, Well we go to her house and it turned out that she had not completed the reading that the sisters had left for her. So we started with that and we read in Alma 36, and this is were the prophet Alma the younger is talking to his son Helamen about his conversion. And we read

17 And it came to pass that as I was thus racked with torment, while I was harrowed up by the memory of my many sins, behold, I remembered also to have heard my father prophesy unto the people concerning the coming of one Jesus Christ, a Son of God, to atone for the sins of the world.

 18 Now, as my mind caught hold upon this thought, I cried within my heart: O Jesus, thou Son of God, havemercy on me, who am in the gall of bitterness, and am encircled about by the everlasting chains of death.

 19 And now, behold, when I thought this, I could remember my pains no more; yea, I was harrowed up by the memory of my sins no more.

 20 And oh, what joy, and what marvelous light I did behold; yea, my soul was filled with joy as exceeding as was my pain!

 21 Yea, I say unto you, my son, that there could be nothing so exquisite and so bitter as were my pains. Yea, and again I say unto you, my son, that on the other hand, there can be nothing so exquisite and sweet as was my joy.    

 

And in reading this passage of scripture we started to talk about the Atonement. Odessa was confused because she did not under stand how Christ could have know how Alma felt when he had never experienced what he was going through. So we explained of how Christ knows all of us individually and that when he was in the garden he suffered for all of the pains, sicknesses and sins of the world. So he will always know how you feel, and that it is such a waste no to use the gift that he has given to us. Many people (Odessa included) believe that they need to feel sad and guilty for along time because that is the punishment for what they have done. When in reality once we recognize that we have done something wrong and we repent of it God wants us to forgive ourselves. Sister Rosa (she was the sister I was on exchanges with) Related it to Odessa's little sister. She is just learning how to walk and obviously she falls down.  Well Sister Rosa being the amazing missionary that she is related it to us and heavenly father. When a young child falls when they are learning to walk what do you do? Do you tell them to lay there on the ground till they really truly feel bad about falling? Or do you help them up, tell them how proud you are of them for trying, and put them back on there feet to try again? This is the same way that Heavenly Father feels about us. We are not perfect and we will fall. But Heavenly father has given us the Atonement to put us back on our feet. He does not want us to lay there and think that we have not suffered enough for what we have done. Yes we do have to repent which requires Godly Sorrow, as President Uchtdorf said in the priesthood session of Conference "There is an important difference between the sorrow for sin that leads to repentance and the sorrow that leads to despair." God has given us the Atonement to help us return to him. So never think that you have fallen to far or strayed to much that you are not worth the forgiveness of the Lord. Because Christ loved all of us enough to die for us, so don't waste his gift by not forgiving yourself.

 

 

Ok well those are my stories and thought s of the week. I love you all so much and I hope that you all have a happy Halloween!! And Happy Birthday tomorrow to my super cute niece Brylnee!!! I hope that you have lots of fun and remember that I love you !!!  Cant wait to hear from y'all soon !!

 

Love Sister Chatwin

 

P.S Don't forget there is a missionary tax's on any candy received on Halloween. So Be sure to put it in the mail by November 30th and address it to the missionaries in your family. Remember they need candy too. 

 

 

Flaming Hot Peppers

Why hello there my dear family! How are y'all doing? I hope that everything is good and that y'all are having a great time getting ready for Halloween ! What is everyone going to dress up as? All I know is that Avery will be a lady bug, and that's it. So I need the info on this and pictures!! Lots and Lots of pictures ! Has anything else gone on that is exciting? I want to know everything!! Ok so in exchange for info on y'all I will tell you about my Stories of the Week!! And this is in good faith that y'all will send me lots of info about every body!

Story 1 The Tale of the Flaming Hot Pepper

On Wednesday night we went out to dinner with our ward mission leader and his wife. We went to this awesome little New Mexican restaurant called Sandies and we had a great time. Brother Depreist (our ward mission leader) likes to garden, so he brought a few green peppers from his garden for us to try. Sister Johnson eats one like it is candy, because her family is Hispanic and she has grown up eating really really hot things since she was little. Sister Brown took bite, said that it was not to hot, and ate a little more. So I am still getting used to all of the really hot foods down here. Don't get me wrong there is nothing that I love better than a green chilly smothered burrito with extra green chilly on the side. But I am still learning to eat the really really spicy things. So I cut a small piece of this pepper off, smell it to see if it is to hot. All seemed well so I plopped it into my mouth, and started to chew. And at first it was really good, it had a nice flavor to it and was just a little hot...But the more I chewed it the hotter it got. Until my mouth was on fire!!! Dang it that was one of the hottest things I have every eaten!! So I drank some water, that didn't help. So I drank more water and that still didn't help. I sucked on an ice cube which only dulled the pain for a second or so until it melted. Then I tried a spoon full of honey and that still did not even touch it!!! So I sat there dying while everyone is laughing and ordering there food. After awhile it died down and I was able to enjoy my quesadilla. It was so good!! It had shredded beef, cheese, sour cream, avocado, and green chilies! And then for dessert we had sopopeas, they are pretty much scones that you put honey in/on and then eat it. And I also learned that when you put honey on your tortilla chips it tastes really good!! No I am serious! It is very good and y'all should try it.

Story 2 The Tale of the Week of Awesomeness!

Being in a trio is so much fun!! We have been able to talk to so many people and teach tons of lessons. We have several families that are on date to be baptized in the coming months so cross your fingers that everything goes well. This past week we meet a very nice lady from Ghana and we will start to teach her this next week. Her name is Sharon and she is a CNA at a assisted living center. She has been living in Albuquerque for the past year and is also looking for a new church. We meet her on Friday and she is so very sweet! She says that we are her angels and that she wants us to stay and chat forever! We are also still teaching Amber and Phil's family which is going very well. They all got blessing from the bishop this past week and are starting to over come some hurdles that have been holding them back. They are the cutes family ever, there oldest is Austin who is 9. Then Tai who is 8, Kaylen who's 6 and Harligh who is 4. They are so much fun to go see, and they just love the gospel. It is so amazing to be able to see the change in peoples lives as they all accept the gospel of Christ. Oh and we are also teaching the Greenlie family. The husband is a member but the wife is not, they have no kids and they are very nice. Although we could not meet with them for the longest time because she got bit by a brown recluse spider on her thigh and was in the hospital. She showed us pictures of what it looked like, sister Brown and sister Johnson thought that it was very gross looking. I thought it looked really cool and she told me all about her surgery and we looked at more pictures. Things are just going so well.

Story 3 The Tale of the Magic Lights

The other night we were out and about when sister brown felt like we needed to go home and to see some people that live in our apartment. So the member who was with us took us back home and we all went to see this girl. It took us a minute to find her apartment but we did and so we knocked. I could see through the peep hole that the lights were on so we were pretty sure that someone was home. So we knocked again and still no one came to the door. Just as we were about to leave a not on the door and go home, we see the girl that we are trying to visit coming up the stairs. We say hi and ask how she is doing, and she tells us that they had moved a few days earlier. And that she was only coming back to the old apartment because she saw that the lights were on, so she came to see what was going on. Then she invited us back to her new apartment and we talked about how much of a miracle that it was that we caught her. It is just so amazing the way that our Heavenly Father works, and if you just listen to the promptings that he gives you, then you will be able to see wondrous things happen.

Story 4 The Tale of the Trunks Full of Treats

This past Friday was the ward Halloween/ chilly cook off/ trunk or treat party. It was so much fun to see all of the cute families and kids dressed up and running around on sugar highs. They had face painting, a cupcake walk, a fishing for candy game, and the doughnut on the string game. Since we could not dress up for real's this year, the three of us decided to dress up as a candy corn. So sister Johnson wore a white shirt, I wore my orange sweater, and sister Brown wore her yellow dress. It was so fun and cute!! I put some picture in the drop box so you can see some of the fun that we had. Oh and there is a video that is of me and sister brown participating in the dounght eating contest....Just saying you may want to check that out. It is really funny.

Well that was my week! It was super fun and exciting. And we hope that the next 5 weeks will be just as fun as this one has. I hope that y'all have a great week and that you send me lots of pictures! I love y'all so much  and cant wait to hear from you soon.

Love Sister Chatwin

P.S " I  have a big head and little arms!! I don't think that this plan was through enough...Master?"

The Battle of La Cucaracha

Hello family!!! Yes I am emailing on a Tuesday again because no where was open yesterday. Why do we have Columbus day? I mean really you don't get out of school, most people don't get work off, and in reality he thought that he discovered India!! I think that it is a silly holiday, manly because we couldn't email yesterday.... But still its just silly. Any way I will stop ranting about Columbus and tell y'all about how I am doing, or better yet all y'all can tell my how y'all are doing? How is the weather? Do any of you have snow yet? I miss snow :( It wont snow much here so I am pretty bummed about that. So that means that I need snow man and snow angels made my all my favorite kiddo's, sisters, brother-in-laws, parents, and friends!! I would ask coco to make one but I am pretty sure that she wont do it. So how is getting ready for Halloween? What are all y'all dressing up as? I better get loads of pictures because I really want them!! I cant wait to see y'all dressed up and cute/ scary for Halloween!! But any way how is life? Have y'all done any thing fun lately? Have y'all seen any nargles? Be careful they like to steal things and they bit really hard. So I hope that all is well and now we will continue to The Stories of the Week!!

 

Story 1 The Tale of the Battle of La Cucaracha

 

First off let me just say this one thing....I HATE BUGS!!!! and I especially hate when they crawl around the place where I eat!!! So on Wednesday night we had just come home from a very long day of proselyting and teaching. Sister Brown goes to put her cup in the sink, but instead she screams, jumps about 3 feet in the air, and runs from the kitchen still screaming. I ask her what is wrong and all she can do is just stand there laughing and pointing to the sink. I then proceed to investigate the matter a bit further and stop dead in my tracks. Because in the sink, on the counter, and on the walls are....COCROTCHES!!!! Big ones, little ones, and some that were medium sized!!! Oh it was the most revolting thing that I have every seen in my life!!! And thus the rest of the night was spent killing the nasty devils, and cleaning out the cupboards. Where to our dismay we found several dead ones, and a few live big ones!! Oh it was...Just.. Yuck I cant even begin to describe how terrible this battle was!! But in the end after lots of bleach, a good vacuum, and lots of courage. We won the battle of la cucaracha!!! But sadly the war still continues and we fear that this is a war that will never end...

 

Story 2 The tale of Los Globos!!

 

One morning as sister brown and I were on our way to fix our car. We looked up in the sky and we saw hundreds of Globoses!!! That means Balloon in Spanish ;) This past week has been the Balloon Fiesta here in Albuquerque, and it has been pretty neat. When we wake up in the morning we can see lots of tiny dots off in the distance. And when we get to run errands that take us closer we can see hundreds of Balloons!!! They are all so amazing and beautiful, all the different colors and shapes. I saw an Elvis Presley one, a Pig one, a Angry Birds one, and lots of colorful ones!! I have pictures!!!....But I left my camera on my desk so I will but them in drop box next week. But I have some really neat ones so y'all should be very excited to see them ;)

 

Story 3 The tale of Me Dying

 

Ok no I am not really dying, but I have had a cold for the last week. So that has not been to fun, and I also had to go to the doctors to get my Thyroid checked out. Because I randomly just have no energy and I am always tired. So on Friday I went and got blood taken for a CBC, TSH and a....nother test that I cant remember. And I just got word for the Doctor that all of the test have come back normal. So I am not sure what is wrong with me...well I am crazy but shhh don't tell anybody. And with this cold I have lost my voice and cant breath. So needless to say that I am even more tired. But I have gotten a blessing for it and I know that everything will be ok and that we will find a solution to what ever is wrong with me this time.

 

Story 4 The tale of the Forgotten Transfer

 

Um yea so today is transfer day....Oops sorry I forgot to tell y'all that earlier. But on the plus side I am not going any where and neither is sister Brown! So we will both be staying her in Canyon heights but with a twist. We are no longer just a companionship. We are now a....wait for it......Tripamionship! This transfer we will have another sister with us, and you will never guess who it is. It is Sister Johnson my MTC companion!!! We are all very excited and we know that this is going to be an adventure to say the lest! I am still a sister training leader with sister Brown, so that will still keep us very busy. And we are praying that the people that we have on date this month will work out, because that would just be awesome!! Our investigators are doing well and they should make there dates. There are just a few hurdles that have to be past first, like marriage, and Word of Wisdom problems. But we are hopefully looking to the future and praying that the lord will lead us to the people and places that we need to find!!

 

So there you have it, that was my week. And apart from the battle of La cucaracha it has been a pretty chill week. Especially since I have not been feeling well. But I am on the mend and will be right as rain in no time!! So I hope that y'all have a great week and that you send me pictures!!! Because I like pictures :) Love y'all so much !!!!

 

Love Sister Chatwin

 

P.S Don't follow the Spiders!!! Follow the Butterflies ;)    

A diamond in the "Ruff"???

I am alive!!! So I accidentally forgot to tell y'all that it was temple day yesterday...And that is why I did not write yesterday and I am writing today. But anyway it has been a very good week, full of the spirit! Conference was amazing and there were several talks that were just for me, and the new temple video is amazing!!! Well I don't have much time this week to write so I will just jump in to the stories of the week.

Story 1 The Tale of the Crazy Exchange!!

This past Wednesday we had the last exchange of the transfer. It was with the sisters in the YSA branch and I had the opportunity to go into there area. We started the exchanges on Tuesday afternoon around 3 and planed to do a 24 hour exchange. I went with Sister Write who has only been out for about 5 weeks. She is a smart girls and loves the gospel, but being new she was struggling with being a new missionary. But it went really well!! We were able to teach several people, and we went contacting at UNM!! There were so many interesting people there, like people walking on slack lines, people weaving blankets, and of course the couples making out on the grass. The best is when they see you coming and then start to make-out and you still just go up and start talking to them and tell them about eternal marriage :) Yeah its great. But anyway the sisters in our area needed to extend the exchanges and even though I was ok with it, Sister Write was not. She was very nervous about teaching an investigator with out her trainer, and just did not like the idea at all. But unfortunately we really had no choice. So I was able to go to there intro to Mormonism class and an activity which was super fun!! And we were able to teach 3 lessons and she lived!!! She was so excited to see that she could do things on her own without her trainer.  So it just goes to show that you can do anything with the Lords help!

Story 2 The Tale of General Conference

 So let me first say that I love the Prophet and the apostles so much!!! Every message that was spoken answered a question that I had!! And it was just crazy to thing that the announcement was a year ago!! And that I only have 1 more General Confrence till I come home!!! How on earth has the time gone by so fast!!! Just crazy. But any way I loved all the talks but most of all I loved Elder Holland, and President Uchtdorf. Holland's talk was really meant just for me and the rest of the world got to enjoy it as well. He is just amazing!! And Uchtdorf's talk was amazing!! On how we are not a perfect church but the gospel is perfect. And that we are not in debt like some governments that they know... Ha Ha it was just all so good!!

Story 3 The Tale of the Temple

So as I told you earlier yesterday was missionary Monday at the temple! It was so great to be able to have a session and see the new video. It made me think of when I got my endowments out, and how much I will miss seeing Makall get hers. The Temple is the best place on earth!!! After our session we went in to a sealing room and had a devotional with President and Sister Miller, and the Temple President. It was such an amazing thing to sit in the Temple with all of the missionaries and to know that we are doing the Lords work. After the devotional we had lunch and then went to Deseret Book. I needed a new study journal so that was very convenient. Then we had the greatest privilege to clean the temple!! So we cleaned the locker rooms... Very exciting. But then they took us and showed us some of the cool places around the temple! I was able to go down where the oxen are in the baptistery, where the kids wait when they are being sealed to there parents. Just so you know, there is a Barbie house in the temple.... And a hula hoop! And then we were able to just be in the celestial room for a moment and to look at the amazing chandler! It was just so amazing to feel the spirit there, and I can not wait till one day we all can go together!

Story 4 The Tale of the Diamond in the Ruff     

On Saturday night after conference we had a few minutes till we had to go in. So we went to the house of a potential investigator to see when we could meet with her. Ok wait let me back track. So you all know that I do not really wear much jewelry, 1 because it drives me crazy, and 2 I am allergic to nickel. But the few pieces that I do wear are things like my YW medallion, my fake pearls, a few pendants, the necklace that Dad gave me, and my Diamond earrings. And on this particular night I was wearing my YW medallion, and my Diamond earing's. Ok so back to the story. So we go to her house and she invites us in. We start talking and this cute little German Shepard puppy comes over! So I kneel down and start to pet him. He then starts to lick my face and my ears, then he looses his footing while licking my ear and kind of pulls on my ear a little. So I check to see if I am bleeding or anything, and I am not....But My earing is gone.... So in shock I just say "Um I think he ate my earing." Then the owner says "No its in your Hair". Relived I check my hair and can only find the back part!!!! So I just kind of had to face the fact that this puppy had just eaten my DIAMOND EARING!!!! Sister Brown said that I played it cool but she could just see the anxiety in my eyes as I came to grips with the situation. So we were just about to leave and I just had to do something anything to try to get it back. I mean not only is it a Diamond, it was a belated 18th birthday present from dad!!! I just prayed in my heart and asked God to help me. I gently grabed the dogs ears, nuzzeled my face close to his, and whispered to him, "Please, Please, Please Give it Back". And he lick my face and out falls my earing!!! I was so relieved!!! God answers prayers people!!!!

Sorry they are short I really didn't have much time to write this week. Love y'all so much!!!

Love Sister Chatwin.

P.S She turned me in to a newt....I got better.