The Tale of the Last 9 Months

Hello family!!! How is everybody doing? I hope that y'all are enjoying this Christmas season and that you are watching all the movies that I cant. What have y'all been up to ? Have you done any fun things yet for the holidays? Be sure to take loads of pictures so that I can see what y'all are doing! Well things here are going ok it is really cold here and no one knows how to drive in the snow, but more on that later. Anyway the work here is going great and we are teaching several families who are moving along very nicely. The holidays make things a bit hard but we are still working hard. Well how about we get on to the stories of the week!!

Story 1 The Tale of Another "Terrible" Storm 

This past Thursday we had a meeting in Albuquerque for all the zone leaders and the sister training leaders. So we get up early so that we can meet another set of sister, open the door and see that it has snowed a little less than a 1/2 a foot over night. It looked very pretty but not to bad so we headed out. Well I didnt think that it was to bad but apparently everybody else did. There were no snow plows out yet, oh and instead of putting ice on the road the put red dirt on it. I am not sure how much that helps. And everyone was going about 20 miles an hour in the free way. Well the roads really were not even that bad, because the roads had not frozen yet and the snow was very light. So I was able to go about 40 miles on the freeway and we made it to our destination on time. It is just so funny to see how people who are not used to the snow drive when there is not that much snow. 

Story 2 The Tale of the Many Meetings

So that meeting we had to go to was called MLC (mission leadership conference) I am not sure if I have told y'all about it before so I will do it quickly. MLC is were all the Zone leaders and Sister Training leaders come together and get counsel from the president. Well we talk all about the mission and what it is that the missionaries need. It is so great to get to hear things directly from president. He is such a great man and I am so grateful for all the things that he has helped the mission with.  Well one of the main things that he talked about was the destructive D's. These are things that prevent missionaries and other people not achieve there goals or reach there true potential. The are Doubt, Disbelief, Disobedience, Lack of Diligence, and Distractions. All of these thing can prevent you from felling the spirit. And if you cant feel the spirit you will not know what it is that the lord wants you to do. I really liked this part of our meeting because then president and the AP's told us that we needed to rid our selves of these things and to also help those that we have stewardship over rid themselves of theses. Our Zone leaders liked this part so much that in the Zone training the next day they asked me and sister Johnson to do a teaching on it for the whole zone. It was so amazing to see the missionaries take this in to there hearts, and they all committed to have a completely obedient transfer. This does not only apply to missionaries but also to everyone else. If you are doing any of these D's try to stop. The lord wants to bless you but he cant if you are not doing your part. 

Story 3 The Tale of the Christmas Season

This past week we had the opportunity to go on exchanges with the sisters from Toas. I got to go up to Toas and spend the day there, and it was so much fun!! There is a member up there who owns a baskin robins!!! And the missionaries can get anything that they want for free!!! It was so yummy!! Well for there trackting they would go caroling. It was just so much fun to go and sing to people and then try and share the message of the gospel. Not many people listened but we had fun anyway. Also on last Wednesday we got the opportunity to help an older lady in the ward put up her Christmas decorations. She was so excited and so grateful that we could help her. She just kept saying "I am Christmas! I am Christmas! And now so is my house!" She is a very sweet old lady and we love her very much. 

Story 4 The Tale of the Last 9 Months

Wow I can you believe that I have been gone for 9 months already?!?!? It is just so crazy to see how the time flies, but it still feels like I have not see y'all in forever. I miss y'all so much, especially with the holidays. But we all know that this is were I am supposed to be and that I will be home sooner than you think. Its still just crazy to think that I am halfway done with my mission!!! It has been a great 9 months and I am looking forward to the next 9 months. And I cant wait to see what the lord as in store for me in the future!

Well thats that :) I hope that y'all have a great week and that you all feel the Christmas spirit. Also if you send me any packadges mke them have me sign for them. Apparently one that mom sent got taken or lost in the mail. Or just pray that no one will take them . Well anyway I love you so much !!! Have a great week and I cant wait to hear from you soon. 

Love Sister Chatwin

P.S  "And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid. And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord. That is what Christmas is all about Charlie Brown :)"