The end of another week

Well hello there family :) I am sure that you are wondering why I am again emailing on a Monday instead of a Tuesday like I said that I would be. Well we have transfers tomorrow and so we have permeation to do all of our p day things today. So mystery solved! But anyway the first thing that must be said know that we have that out of the way is this...CONGRATULATIONS TO MAKALL FOR GETTING HER CALL!!! I know that she will do fantastic in Costa Rico!! It is so weird to thing that A. She is old enough to go on a mission. And B that I am old enough to be on a mission.... This is very strange and I am not sure how I like it, but oh well everything works out for the best. Well since it is transfer week I am sure that you will be wondering what is happening to me. Well I am... Not going to tell you yet because that would ruin the surprise. And as Sister Johnson says the best prize is a sur-prize ;) So we will move on to the stories of the week and we will address that issue later.

Story 1 The Tale of the The Blizzard (Dun Dun duuun)

This past week the weather has been terrible. Mainly the wind was been blowing, and blowing, and blowing. And our window is not sealed all the way so it sounds like the big bad wolf is trying to blow our apartment down. Lucky enough we are very smart piggy's and have not let him in yet. But we are trying to find a way to fix it. Anywho the weather here has been getting cold since the wind started blowing. And on friday night all the message board thingys on the side of the road were flashing and telling us to be-careful and watch for winter road conditions. And it is still in the 50's and not to cold. It is really funny to see all of the places that are not very prepared for the cold weather. Well on Saturday the worst thing that could happen happened. It Snowed. Less than half of a half of an inch of snow. everybody was freaking out. No one drove and everyone was telling us to be careful as we drove because of all the snow out side. This always makes me laugh and think of last winters blizzard that really was a blizzard. With several feet of snow, ice storms, and -11 temp. Ha it is always just so funny ;)      

Story 2 The Tale of the Glass Cake

We are teaching a part member family named the Begays. And on Saturday we stopped by to see them, and to see how they were doing. Well we got there and sat down  and started talking to the mom. When her daughter Areana runs in and asks if we want to help her make a cake. Sister Begay insisted that we stay and make the cake with them, and also to have some hot coco. Well we were not going to turn down the opportunity to do service for an investigators family. So we took off our coats and rolled up our sleeves and got to work. We made 2 cakes a white one and a chocolate one. While those were in the oven we frosted cookies form valentines day :) Yummm..... Well when the cakes were done we sat them out to cool, and then we decided to clean the kitchen. So we were unloading the dish washer when all the sudden I her AHAHAH CRASH!! I turn and see sister Johnson with a deer in the headlights look and a shattered plate on the cake... She had accidentally dropped a plate right in to one of the cakes. HA HA it was so funny because was she tried to salvage the cake, it ended up very mutilated and still had small slivers of glass in it. But we frosted them both any way and they tasted very good :)

Story 3 The Tale of The Sing Along Dinner

"THE SPIRIT OF GOD, THE CHURCH IS TRUUUE THE CHURCH IS TRUEE THE CHURCH IS TRUE! JOSEPH SMITH IS A PROPHET OF GOD, THE CHURCH IS TRUE THE CHURCH IS TURE!!!!!!" And it contionued like that for several more versus. I just put a video in the drop box so you will get the full experience :)

Last night we had dinner with one of the coolest families here in Albq. There names are the Dodds and they are super funny :) Well last night for dinner they invited 2 other men from the ward. Jimmy and Terry, they are 2 handicaped men who love to sing hymns. And they will just walk up to people and ask when they are going to come to dinner. Ha they are funny, and last night was no exception. We go in and they are sitting on the couch singing at the top of there lungs The Spirit Of God. But they only know half the words, so it went like this. "  

Story 4 The Tale of the Very Christmas Invitation

Our ward is having a Christmas party (obviously) and it will be on the 7 of December. We are hoping to make it a community event, were different people bring in there nativities, and other churches come with there choirs. So we were asked to go and invite some of the other churches to the party. So we went to a few and they were very nice and said that they would put the flyers up where other people could see them. But we went to one church (I wont say who ) knocked on the door, and waited for someone to come out. Well it took them 5 or so minutes but there minister finally came out. So we gave him the flyer and told him about the party. He looked at us and asked "How can we celebrate together if we don't believe the same thing?" So we tried to explain that we all believe in Jesus and that is really all that matters. He then proceded to tell us that it did matter that we did not think that Jesus was God, that when we found the truth to come back and he would welcome us in to his fold..... The spirit was very strong in my ear whispering " You keep you mouth shut young lady." So I did and sister brown and sister Johnson kindly talked to him and we left. It is very sad that people cant put aside there differences, come together and worship our heavenly father. Oh well we tried. 

Well that is the end of the week :)  It was not to bad, Sister Johnsons migraines were still really bad because she was stressed about transfers. But she is better know and the work should continue. But sadly enough I will not be apart of it, because I am getting transfers. I do not know where and I do not know why. But Heavenly Father has a plan and I will do anything that he asks me to do. Well I hope that you all have a great Thanksgiving!!! And remember there are lots of things to be thankful for. I am so thankful for y'all as my family, and I miss you all so much. And in 1 month from today I will get to talk with you!!!  I am so excited I just cant wait!! Well Happy Holidays!!! Oh and if there is any thing important that you want to send to me, just send it to the mission office. I will get anything that you send next friday at Zone training. Love y'all so much !!!

Love Sister Chatwin

The Tale of our Awesome Week of Missionary Work!

Why Hello family!! How are y'all doing? How is life and what are y'all up to? I hope that you are all doing well and that you are all having fun getting ready for Thanksgiving? Well this week was really slow because Sister Johnson has terrible migraines and so we had to stay in for most of the week. But never the less we were able to see some pretty awesome things. So with out further ado we will proceed to the Stories of the week!!

Story 1 The Tale of the Poorly Timed Sneeze

Last Sunday Sister Brown and I were asked to participate in a musical number for sacrament meeting. So we practiced with two other sisters in the ward and went up to sing. Well as you know I have had a cold for the past several weeks, and I have been sneezing, and blowing my nose all the time. And on this particular Sunday I was as Brynlee calls a very "Sneeze Snot". So we go up to the stand and we start the song, and the whole time I am just trying not to sneeze or cough. And we are just about done with the song during this very pretty interlude before we start the last chorus. I let my guard down for just a few seconds to turn the page, and all of the sudden I let out this huge sneeze! Sister Johnson who was sitting down with some investigators said that I put the sheet music over my face, sneezed, looked up, was very startled, and then proceeded to continue the song. So the song ends and we go sit back down, and sister Johnson is just dying with laughter. And so were sister Brown and myself. And for the rest of church people were complimenting me on my very musical sneeze. Slightly embarrassing yes. But still super funny Oh yeah ;) 

Story 2 The Tale of the Sick Companion

So as I stated earlier, none of us have been feeling well, especially Sister Johnson. She has had a constant migraine for the last few weeks, and the medicine that she takes to help them kills her before it helps her. Well on Thursday she was super sick and so we stayed in. She slept most of the day, and so did I. My tired problem is not getting any better so it was nice to have a day off. And for the rest of the day we watch Joseph Smith: The Prophet of the Restoration movie, I made cookies ( it was from pre-made dough mind you so they were only so so), and we just had fun because sister Johnson was kind of loopy. So loopy in fact that she started to crave fried chicken and called a member to see if she would bring her some. And this is the kind of person that every member should be when the missionaries are sick. Not only did she bring the chicken but she also brought sprite, rits crackers, grapes, Gatorade, and chocolate ice cream. She is the sweetest lady ever!!! And so that is what we did on Thursday, and it was actually pretty fun. Would I do it everyday, probably not but it is nice to have a lazy day every so often.  

Story 3 The Tale of our Awesome Week of Missionary Work!

On Wednesday before whole sick day party thingy. We were able to get loads of things done! We were able to go on a three way split with the members!! So all three of us went with a different member and we got so much done!!! We saw 2 investigators 3 recent converts, and found a new family to teach all in the space of 1 hour!! Yeah it was an awesome day!!! Then on Saturday we have a potential investigator that just had surgery, so we stopped by and re gifted some cookies a member gave us (we always get so much food that we dont know what to do with it). And not only did we give her cookies we cleaned her kitchen for her! She was so grateful and she said that we could come back when she is feeling better! Man for us being sick we were able to get tons of stuff done. 

Story 4 The Tale of the Chiro-cracker       

Ok first off I know how to spell Chiropractor, but sister Johnson always calls it the Chiro-cracker. And it makes for a better tittle anyway. So yesterday we got permeation from sister Miller to have me and sister Johnson go to the doctor. For her migraines and to see if he could help me with being tired. We get there and start to fill out the normal paper work. Well sister Johnson fills hers out and then starts to read all of the liability things. Oh I forgot to say that she is terrified of going to any sort of doctor. So when she reads that one of the things that could go wrong is death she kind of freaks out a bit.The lady behind the desk tries to reassure her that everything will be ok and that he rarely does manual adjustment any more.So that calms her down a little, till we have to go in. So we all sit down and he asks whats wrong with us. Sister Johnson tell him about her migraines, and I tell him about always being tired and my neck and shoulders always hurting. He tells me that I probably have a thyroid problem and that he will check it out. And then tells sister Johnson that he will have to do a manual adjustment on her neck to see if that will help at all. So she freaks out again. He tells me that I am going to go first so I sit up on the table. Then he asks me to touch my nose with my right hand then to touch his finger. So I do it, then he says to do it with my eyes closed, and I missed his finger my a mile!! And then he has me do the same thing with the other hand and I still miss.

Apparently my brain is broken and I am off balance or something. I dont know what that means so ask Kendall. He was also very impressed that I knew a DO Doctor and told me to use him as much as possible when I get home from my mission :) So any way he used this tool in my back that was like a drill but in stead of spinning in circles it pulsed up an d down like a jack hammer. He then put this vibrating circle on my feet and it kind of fixed my brain! But he said that it would really need some work so be completely fixed. Then he said that he was going to check my thyroid, so he had me stick out my arm and resist as he pushed down on it. Easy peasy right , well then he put his finger on my fore head and did it again and I could not keep my arm up!! He said that this was normal but then he touched my thyroid and did id again. And I still could not hold my arm up! So he says that I should get some more tests done to see what they can do to fix it. 

So there you have it, that was my week. Oh and also transfers are next week so just in case I do get transferred sent anything important to the mission office till next tuesday when I tell y'all where I am. I hope that y'all have a good week and I cant wait to hear from you soon. Love y'all so much!!!

Love Sister Chatwin (The 1st because there will soon be 2 of us out here =) )

      

    

The Tale of My Spiritual Thoughts

Hello my family how are you!! I hope that everything is going great and that you are all enjoying this cool November weather! Thanks for all the fun new pictures in my email and the drop box, I do love to look at them! SO how has everybody been? How has life been going and is there any thing new going on? Because I want to know everything!! What is everybody planing on doing for thanksgiving? Where are y'all going and what are you most looking forward to eating? Sorry I wont be there to make the pies  this year...but next year I will!! It is just so crazy that it is already November and that I am almost half way done. Just crazy!! Oh I and I guess that I should tell you why I am emailing on Tuesday and not Monday. Well first off yesterday was veterans day, so no where was open to email. And second off President Miller has changed P-days to Tuesday instead of Monday. So I will be writing you on Tuesday not Monday just so you know. I guess that there are to many public emailing places that are closed on Monday so it will just make things easier I guess if P-day is on Tuesday. And that is why I did not write yesterday. Well any way lets get on to the stories of the week.

Story 1 The Tale of the Spanish Exchange

Last Tuesday we had exchanges with the Spanish sisters. And sister Johnson and I got to go over to there area. It was lots of fun we met tons of nice people and had the best enchiladas ever!!! The whole day was super fun!! Except that I had no idea what anyone was saying... at all. So I basically sat there the whole day listening to people speak gibberish. But it was really fun to see the other side of the mission and how the Spanish missionaries get to help people. WE went to one house and knocked on the door, and a lady answer's the door. Sister Nunez starts to talk to her in Spanish and she invited us in. So sister Nunez talks to her, sister Johnson who understands Spanish listens, and I just sit there watching the kids run around the house. But it is still just amazing to feel the spirit work with people and to know that they are feeling the love of the savior even if we don't speak the same langue that does not mean that we are not all brothers and sisters.

Story 2 The Tale of the Amazing Blessing 

This past Saturday we had another exchange with the sisters from Academy Heights. Sister Brown went to there area with Sister Rager and Sister Mcshaine came to our area. It was such a fun day! We had Carl's Junior for lunch and we talked to tons of people. And the day was just so nice that when we were done with lunch we decided to walk and find people to talk to. And we were able to see loads of people up and down our street. And we were finally able to see Christina again!! She has not been doing well, she has had lots of problems from one of her kids grandparents, she has been sick and she has been very busy with work. So when we stopped by we offered to have the elders come over and to give her a blessing. She said yes and we set up a time for yesterday. So all of us and the elders went there yesterday, and it was kind of odd. She answered the door and told us that we could not come in because she had company, but we could do the blessing on the porch. And so that is what we did she got a chair and the elders gave her a blessing out on the porch. It was an amazing thing to see, when it was over she just sat there. And when we asked how she felt all she could say was that she felt warm and peaceful. She was actually in a kind of shock and started to cry, we told her that that was Heavenly Father telling her that he loved her and that everything will be ok. It is so amazing to see the priesthood in action.        

Story 3 The Tale of My Spiritual Thoughts

This past Thrusday we had MLC (mission leadership counsel) and it was very good. We talked a lot about why so many of the younger missionaries are struggling and realized that it is because they don't know why they are here. they came because they knew that heavenly father wanted them to come but they dont want to be here. And that made me think of myself and all of the other missionaries that I know who came or are going on a mission because Heavenly Father wants them to. And this is a very noble thing to do but it is not enough. Every missionary needs to find out not only why Heavenly Father wants them here but why they themselves want to be on a mission. It can be for many different reasons but you need to find out your reason for staying or you will never find the true joy that our Father in Heaven wants you to find on your mission. And this does not only apply to missionary work, it can apply to every aspect of life. God asks us all to do things, and sometimes we don't want to do them. But if we find not only why heavenly father wants us to do something, and we also find why we want to do something, we will find so much more joy in life. No one likes to go to work or go to school, but find the tender mercies in all that you do. And you will always have something to smile about, and have a reason to go on besides someone told you to do it.  

Story 4 The Tale of the Almost Stolen Bicycle Rack 

So o we had to borrow the Zone leaders Bike rack so that sister Brown could go on an all day exchange with a set of sisters. And on Sunday nigh we were going to return it to them after we had taken a set of sisters who did not have a car over to there district leaders house so that they could get a blessing. So we tell our ZL's that we will be a bit late and run the sisters over to the elders apartment. We were there for maybe 20 or 30 minutes they got there blessing and we walked back out to the car.  And I was the first one to notice that something was not right. So you know how bike racks are supposed to be on the car right? Well ours was half way on the ground and barley attached to the car. So all the sisters start to freak out because someone just tried to steal our bike rack!!! Then sister Johnson says that she does not feel right and that we need to go. So we put the bike rack in the car and sister Johnson and I start to back up the car. And we keep hearing noises behind us, so we both look back. Then we see a head pop up and go back down behind a car. And my heart stops and sister Johnson just stops and stares at me. I look again and see the same head pop up and go back down again, and I thought that it must be some stupid teenager. So I yell out to them and tell them to go away....and it was most defiantly not teenagers. It was 2 guys with really nice hair cuts, suits, and badges..... And I look a little bit closer and I see that it is our Zone Leaders Elder Hansen and Elder Schnider!!!! They walked out and I just start laughing, and all the other sisters thought that I was dying so they jump out of the car. And then we all just start laughing. Apparently they wanted to take the bike rack and see what we would do when we notioced that it was gone. Well they didnot think it through very well and could not unattach  it all the way, and we came out before they could finish. Oh man it was the funniest thing that has happened my whole mission!!!

Well thats my week and I hope that y'all have a great week and that you remember that I love you !!

Love Sister Chatwin!!! 

Jenna's blog will be changed to private!!

I am going to make Jenna's Blog private in a few days,  if you are someone who knows Jenna and want to still have access to read her letters to know how she is doing please email me at lvchat1@hotmail.com and I will add you to the list so you can still view it.

The past 8 months!

Hello Family how are you !! I hope that all is going well and that you all had a great Halloween. I still need to see pictures of the Christensen kids you know... Any way this week has been kind of slow so not much exciting happened, sorry. But Halloween was good....We planned all day long. Yeah exciting I know, but here in Albuquerque it is really not safe to be wondering around the streets after dark on Halloween, or just in the dark...Or just walking down some streets in the middle of the day is kind of sketchy. Oh well the Lord will protect us if we are not being stupid. So yeah it was a really slow week and most of the appointments that we had fell through. Um yeah that is really all that happened this week... boring I know. Well ok we did teach a few good lessons so I will tell you about those.

Story 1 The Tale of Cameron the Awesome

About 2 Sundays ago we were approached by the bishops daughter and 2 of her friends. She introduced Cameron to us and informed us that he was a non member, he had been going to church for a few weeks, and that he wants to take the lessons. We did have to think about it for a bit just to see if we really had the time to teach him. I mean he only came and asked us if we could teach him, and had already come to church 3 or 4 times. It was a tough choice but in the end we felt that he was really interested. So on Saturday we went to the bishops house to teach him, and it went awesome!! His parents are Buddhist and so he had no idea who Christ was, or any knowledge of the bible. But he was very egger to learn and had already started reading the book of Mormon. And also he accepted baptism on the 23 of November!! So that is very exciting!! He is just such a good kid and found the gospel because his friend invited him to church.

Story 2 The Tale of Ashley and Tony

Also on Saturday (right before we taught Cameron the awesome in fact)  we taught the Gonzales family. Ashley and Tony referred themselves online, because they were trying to find a good religion for family. And they had had lots of great Mormon influences through out there lives, that being said always be aware of what you do, because you never know who is watching you. Any way we started teaching them a few weeks ago but this past Saturdays lesson was awesome!! We discussed the plan of salvation with them and they both were moved to tears at one point or another. We are pretty sure that Ashley already feels the spirit telling her that this is true, but Tony is an electrical engineer and so he wants there to be more logic involved. He will feel the spirit but it may just take some time, but both of them will get baptized.

Story 3 the Tale of the Past 8 Months

In 2 days I will have been gone for 8 months. It is crazy to think how fast the time went and how much faster it will start going. These past 8 months have been some of the greatest and hardest times in my life. I have seen miracles happen and seen the Lords hand in so many things. In one month and 2 day's I will be half way done with my mission. I will be closer to the end than the start, and I am not sure how I feel about that. I miss you all so much and think of y'all every day, but I also love being able to do the work that heavenly father wants me to do. I will miss all of you this holiday season and cant wait to talk to all of you soon.

Sorry for the short email, again nothing really exciting happened this week. But I love you all and cant wait to hear from you soon!! Have a great week!!

Love Sister Chatwin    

These are the only new pictures she has sent this week.  

Say Cheese!

Wow, look how long her hair has gotten!